The group emerging from the spatial rift possessed an extraordinary aura. Leading them was Wu Xiao, the Sect Master of the Azure Ocean Sect.
He wore a black robe that billowed dramatically, and a dense black mist swirled around him. The palpable pressure emanating from him descended upon Yellow Maple Valley like a tidal wave.
His sinister appearance practically screamed, "I'm in league with the Soul Hall."
"Wu Xiao, are you not afraid of angering a senior by coming here with such a grand display?"
Yi Ziqian, the Valley Master of Yellow Maple Valley, ascended into the air. His Dou Qi surged around him, and the six or seven Elders behind him stood ready, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Before today, the Azure Ocean Sect had never revealed its full strength. Now, with their elites all present, the people of Yellow Maple Valley were instantly plunged into despair.
They could feel that among the more than ten individuals, including Wu Xiao, there were a staggering six Dou Venerate powerhouses!
Such a terrifying lineup far exceeded their understanding of the Azure Ocean Sect.
Yi Ziqian's expression was grave. As a Dou Venerate, his senses were even sharper. He could perceive that among these six Dou Venerates, three were One-Star Dou Venerates, while the other three were significantly stronger than him.
"A Sect Master at the Four-Star Dou Venerate level, two Elders at the Eight-Star Dou Venerate level, and three who have just broken through..."
In the small courtyard within the valley, Chen Xiao shook his head slightly.
The more he interacted with these hidden sects, the more he felt that the description 'One Hall, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, Four Pavilions' was like a joke.
"Brother Chen Xiao, it's inconvenient for Xun Er to intervene before the people from the Soul Hall appear."
As long as the Soul Hall didn't show themselves, this was an internal conflict between two hidden sects. As the rulers of the Eastern Region, the Ancient Clan naturally couldn't openly favor one side.
However, Xun Er wasn't overly worried. This was the Ancient Clan's territory. If any accident were to occur, she could control the situation at any moment.
"Don't worry, there's no need for the Ancient Clan to intervene. I can handle this."
"You need to be careful of those strong individuals who are watching from the sidelines. Once Brother Chen Xiao appears, if they discover he isn't a Dou Saint, many might develop other intentions," Xun Er reminded him.
The allure of Heaven Rank Dou Skills and Cultivation Techniques was self-evident.
Especially for Cultivation Techniques, for those Dou Venerates whose attributes were compatible and who lacked Heaven Rank Cultivation Techniques, this was their dawn of hope for breaking through to higher realms. It could significantly increase their chances of advancing to Dou Saint.
From having no confidence to having a sliver of hope!
This was an improvement from nothing to something!
Chen Xiao nodded slightly and said no more.
After today, he might truly find himself standing in opposition to the Soul Hall.
...
High in the sky.
Wu Xiao ignored Yi Ziqian's warning and scanned the valley repeatedly.
However, no matter how he probed, he couldn't detect any aura above the Dou Venerate level.
The courtyard where Chen Xiao and Xun Er were located appeared completely empty to him.
"Could it be... that he's truly not a Dou Saint?"
With this suspicion forming in his mind, Wu Xiao's feigned respect began to dissipate. Greed flickered in his eyes.
As long as it wasn't a Dou Saint, with the Azure Ocean Sect's six Dou Venerates and the hidden Soul Hall experts, wouldn't the probability of obtaining that Heaven Rank Dou Skill and Cultivation Technique be infinitely high?
The more Wu Xiao thought about it, the more excited he became. However, at that moment, a voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
"You guessed correctly, but killing you will still be effortless."
Under Wu Xiao's horrified gaze, the temperature of the world plummeted, and snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
Immediately, intense spatial fluctuations spread from the space opposite the Azure Ocean Sect's group.
Ice and snow condensed, and a cold ice throne slowly formed. Upon this throne, a figure clad in white robes gradually appeared.
At this moment, the ambient temperature surged with cold!
Vast amounts of snowflakes descended from the sky. In just a short period, the entire field of vision was enveloped in a sea of snow. From afar, it looked like a world covered in white, both enchanting and chilling.
"Ah!"
"No, don't!"
"Save... save me..."
A series of screams followed closely. In full view of everyone, people within the Azure Ocean Sect's formation began to fall from the sky, as if their internal Dou Qi had instantly vanished. The scene was extremely bizarre.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Even the three One-Star Dou Venerates were not spared. As they plummeted from the sky, Wu Xiao and the remaining two Elders at the Eight-Star Dou Venerate level finally understood the cause.
"Be careful. He can freeze internal Dou Qi!"
With a reminder, the three quickly circulated their cultivation techniques and retreated rapidly. They only stopped a thousand feet away, their hearts still pounding with fear as they looked at the figure on the throne.
The countless experts gathered outside the canyon also gasped in disbelief.
Without even lifting a finger, he had instantly incapacitated three One-Star Dou Venerates.
This person was terrifyingly powerful!
"It's him..."
Amidst the crowd, the Ice Venerate's eyes narrowed as he recognized Chen Xiao.
After Chen Xiao executed the Thunder Venerable, his fame grew, and many enthusiasts bestowed numerous honorary titles upon him, one of which was 'Ice Venerable.'
This was just one reason. Coupled with other factors, the Ice Venerable paid close attention to Chen Xiao and naturally knew what he looked like.
As many people were speculating about Chen Xiao's identity, an aged voice, deliberately disguised, suddenly echoed from an unknown source.
"I know this person. He is Chen Xiao, the Pavilion Master of the Purple Firmament Pavilion from Tian Bei in the Central State. The Purple Firmament Pavilion he founded has no fewer than a dozen Dou Venerate experts."
Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in an uproar.
It was clear that many among them had heard of Chen Xiao's name but were seeing his true appearance for the first time.
Chen Xiao glanced at the crowd, his gaze settling on the Ice Venerable, and he smiled faintly.
Withdrawing his gaze, Chen Xiao slowly rose, his calm voice resonating throughout the area.
"Azure Ocean Sect, is it? I have no intention of pursuing your past grievances with Yellow Maple Valley, nor do I care about future disputes. But today, I will protect the Yellow Maple Valley!"
"Furthermore, the celestial phenomenon that attracted you all was also caused by me. Therefore, Azure Ocean Sect, and all of you coveting my Dou Skills and Cultivation Techniques, there's no need to hide. Come and fight! Today is your only chance to go all out!"
Since a battle was unavoidable, he might as well be direct.
As Chen Xiao's words fell, his aura as an Eight-Star Dou Venerate was unleashed without reservation.
Instantly, an invisible domain spread, vastness obscuring the sun and moon, and wind and snow covering the heavens and earth!
Enveloped by this domain, those below the Dou Venerate realm found it incredibly difficult to even circulate their Dou Qi. The biting cold caused them to tremble involuntarily.
This revelation made the several Dou Venerate experts hidden within the crowd instantly stand out like cranes among chickens.
Besides the remaining three from the Azure Ocean Sect, there were actually six more Dou Venerate experts present!
Among them, a hunched old man possessed the most powerful aura, far surpassing that of an ordinary Nine-Star Dou Venerate, clearly a powerhouse who had entered the Nine Revolutions to Sainthood stage!
This old man was surrounded by a cold white halo. As Chen Xiao watched, he slowly stepped through the snow, and wherever he passed, the falling snowflakes would freeze in mid-air, forming crystal-clear sword blades.
This person was also of the Ice Attribute!
Not only him, but Chen Xiao discovered that apart from the three from the Azure Ocean Sect, all six Dou Venerate experts hidden among the crowd were of the Ice Attribute!
The old man hovered a hundred feet away from Chen Xiao, a playful smile curving his lips.
"The Pavilion Master of the Purple Firmament Pavilion truly lives up to his reputation. However, to speak such bold words with the strength of only an Eight-Star Dou Venerate is a bit too arrogant."
As the old man spoke, including the Ice Venerable, a group of Dou Venerate experts also converged.
A Heaven Rank Dou Skill or Cultivation Technique was enough to make them temporarily set aside their pride.
Just as Chen Xiao had said, today might be their only chance to make a desperate move!
Otherwise, once Chen Xiao returned to the Purple Firmament Pavilion, it would be nearly impossible for them to seize it.
Gazing at the figures surrounding Chen Xiao in the sky, Xun Er's eyes blazed with golden flames as she imprinted each one into her mind.
In her jade hand, a jade slip had already appeared. With a gentle squeeze, she could give everyone present a surprise.
Yi Ziqian, the Valley Master of Yellow Maple Valley, gritted his teeth, waved his hand to push back the Dou Ancestor elders, and appeared behind Chen Xiao with a flicker of movement.
"Senior, I'll help you!"
He already knew Chen Xiao's identity but was still unsure of his age.
Therefore, calling him 'Senior' was perfectly appropriate.
"Heh, alright."
Chen Xiao smiled slightly and no longer hesitated. With a wave of his hand, in an instant, the snow within a radius of tens of miles boiled, transforming into a sky-obscuring, snow-crystal tornado that roared towards the old man with the strongest cultivation.
As if igniting a powder keg, the great battle erupted instantly!
Although Yi Ziqian intended to help, he also knew his own limitations. He swept his gaze, locking onto a Three-Star Dou Venerate whose strength was comparable to his own, and drew him to a distant battlefield.
The remaining Dou Venerates also launched their attacks simultaneously. Except for the old man who was momentarily held back by the tornado, they all ferociously attacked Chen Xiao.
"Purple Firmament Venerate, forgive my offense!"
"Kill!"
With seven Dou Venerates attacking at once, even Chen Xiao dared not be too careless.
He quickly formed hand seals, and brilliant lightning surged from his feet, engulfing his entire body.
"Three Thousand Lightning Phantom Body!"
Two phantoms identical to Chen Xiao materialized, unleashing a punch alongside his true body.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
Six consecutive collisions echoed through the sky. Even this small-scale clash caused large swathes of space to shatter.
As the six were repelled, Wu Xiao, the Sect Master of the Azure Ocean Sect, who was the only one not targeted, rejoiced. He landed a solid punch on Chen Xiao's chest.
However, his smile lasted only for an instant before turning into boundless terror.
This was because under the force of this punch, Chen Xiao's figure did not move at all. Beneath his torn clothes, the revealed skin, covered in fine dragon scales, caused Wu Xiao's pupils to widen abruptly.
"Are you trying to act cute with me?"
Chen Xiao's gaze turned cold. He thrust out his right hand, Dou Qi surging from his palm.
Wu Xiao's pupils contracted sharply. He wanted to dodge, but it was already too late. As the palm grabbed his head, his entire body was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture.
Chen Xiao flicked his finger, and the ice sculpture shattered with a bang, turning into ice crystals that dissipated into the wind and snow.
"Sect Master!!!"
This horrifying scene struck everyone present with terror.
The dignified Sect Master of the Azure Ocean Sect, a Four-Star Dou Venerate, couldn't even last one move against Chen Xiao!
It felt like just moments ago, this Wu Xiao had arrived with such imposing might, making many truly believe he was a world-shattering expert.
Who would have thought he would perish so casually...
"Don't be scared by him, you lot, help this old man!"
While the strong experts were trembling in fear, the hunched old man had already blasted apart the ice crystal tornado. A torrent of ice blades was unleashed, carrying a bone-chilling glint, and heading straight for Chen Xiao's face.
He was at the peak of the First Revolution Dou Venerate, and his casual strike was no less than an ordinary Dou Venerate unleashing an Earth Rank Dou Skill.
Chen Xiao's expression remained unchanged. After the old man made his move, he could clearly sense the opponent's cultivation.
"The so-called peak of the First Revolution Dou Venerate, in the end, is still just a Dou Venerate!"
As he spoke, Chen Xiao waved his hand, and the ice blades in the sky actually reversed direction, striking back at an even faster speed.
The old man's pupils contracted sharply. With a thought, he formed an indestructible profound ice shield three feet in front of him.
"Boom!"
The two terrifying forces collided, the heavens and earth trembled violently, and space cracked like a shattered mirror.
As fellow Dou Venerate powerhouses, the six individuals who had been repelled earlier all realized a cruel reality.
In such a clash, they could barely withstand even the residual shockwaves!
Were Heaven Rank Dou Skills or Cultivation Techniques truly something they could covet?
Moreover, even if they managed to fight Chen Xiao to exhaustion and kill him, with that hunched old man present, how could they possibly contend for it?
Unless, the two of them were mutually destroyed, or even perished together!
With this thought, the six Dou Venerate powerhouses tacitly drew their distances.
"Senior, we will unleash our Dou Skills to lend you a hand!"
"Ice Venerate Strength, Freeze Heaven Palm!"
"Cold Star Shatter Shadow!"
"Thunder Radiance Nine Heavens Halberd!"
"..."
Instantly, monstrous black profound ice giant palms surged out.
Innumerable cold stars condensed with ice power, flashing and transforming into endless ice blade fragments, like a meteor shower.
A massive halberd blade formed by condensed lightning power, striking out with the force of thunder...
Various terrifying Dou Skills bloomed simultaneously in the sky, dazzling the eyes.
Even more astonishingly, these Dou Skills did not lock onto Chen Xiao. Instead, they indiscriminately smashed towards the battlefield where Chen Xiao and the old man were located.
Both of them were within the attack range!
The six Dou Skills collided, as if undergoing an elemental reaction, creating a destructive energy like a mountain roar and a tsunami, enough to make even a Nine-Star Dou Venerate treat it with solemnity.
"Can't achieve anything, only cause trouble!"
The old man snorted angrily. His Dou Qi flowed, accompanied by a clear cry of an ice phoenix, instantly pulling him thousands of feet away from the storm's center. He looked at the six people in the distance with ill intent.
Chen Xiao was even more direct. He threw out a punch, blasting a vacuum zone in the incoming destructive energy. He suddenly turned his head, and cold white flames erupted from his body, transforming into an endless sea of fire that enveloped all six of them.
In the next moment, as if by death's decree, three of the weakest Dou Venerates cried out in agony, blood flowing from their seven orifices. They plummeted from the sky, instantly reduced to nothingness by the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
"It's Soul Power!"
The remaining Ice Venerate and the two Eight-Star Dou Venerates from the Azure Ocean Sect were greatly alarmed. They retreated thousands of feet, quickly forming hand seals to defend.
However, the Soul Power they were wary of did not surge towards them. Instead, two lightning phantom bodies had already arrived before them.
Bang!
A simple, unadorned punch shattered the ice mirror shield in front of the Ice Venerate, causing him to spew blood into the sky and fall from a great height like a sandbag.
The two Eight-Star Dou Venerates of the Azure Ocean Sect stared in disbelief. Just as they were about to switch their defensive methods, they saw a talisman, exuding extreme cold and adorned with peculiar patterns, had appeared between them at some unknown time.
"Boom!"
A world-shattering explosion followed, and the icy blue extreme cold energy spread out like a tidal wave, stunning countless people into silence.
When the terrifying residual energy subsided, everyone looked up, but they could no longer find the figures of the two Azure Ocean Sect Elders!
"D-dead?"
Disbelieving gazes were cast towards the young man floating nonchalantly in the sky.
Even the hunched old man's throat involuntarily bobbed.
Two Eight-Star Dou Venerates, gone in an instant!
Was this how an Eight-Star Dou Venerate should perform?
You could tell me he was an Eight-Revolution Dou Venerate and I'd believe it!
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