Word Count: 3,109 Words
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Gu Qing Yang exhaled deeply, a resonant hum escaping his lips as his blood boiled with exhilaration. It had been ages since he had unleashed his full power like this, since he had fought with such unrestrained joy!
The Dou God Bloodline!
If it weren't extraordinarily powerful, why would every Dou God Clan prize it so highly, regarding it as the ultimate measure of their heritage? Even the Xiao Clan had once wagered everything on it.
A soft buzz filled the air as intricate patterns emerged on Gu Qing Yang's forehead, spreading along precise pathways until they covered his entire body.
"Clan Mark!"
"Gu Qing Yang is finally activating his Clan Mark!"
Even Hun Ya and Hun Li, both peak 8-star Dou Venerates from the Hun Clan, grew visibly solemn at the sight of those patterns. They possessed only Grade 8 Dou God Bloodlines, the sort with no prospect of ever reaching Grade 9.
Grade 8 could never compare to Grade 9; the disparity was vast enough to inspire despair!
"Purple-gold infused with faint multicolored light... that's a genuine Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline!" A jolt went through Mang Tian Chi as he watched Gu Qing Yang high above, fully manifesting his Clan Mark.
Just as only those who had refined a Heavenly Flame could truly understand its power, only those who possessed a Dou God Bloodline could grasp its true might.
Though Xiao Yan also bore a Dou God Bloodline, his was merely Grade 6, a world apart from Grade 9!
With his Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline fully activated, Gu Qing Yang's body gleamed like an immortal form cast in purple-gold, radiating that same brilliant light. Within the glow, subtle strands of multicolored radiance shimmered faintly!
Many Gu Clan members felt their eyes well up at the display. This was a true Gu Clan elite! That Gu Yao had been nothing but trash, a stain on their name!
While the Gu Clan's Dou God Bloodline primarily enhanced Dou Technique power and made cultivation smoother with keener comprehension, a Grade 9 bloodline still provided a significant cultivation boost.
"Gu Qing Yang's cultivation has reached Two-Change Dou Venerate!" Huo Xuan stared at the figure in the sky, whose aura had stabilized at that level.
"This is the true foundation of a Dou God Clan," Huo Zhi said, shaking her head. Without a Dou God Bloodline, one might defeat someone like Gu Yao, who relied on it entirely. But when a true expert, already peerless on their own, gained the terrifying power of a Clan Mark…
The arithmetic couldn't be simpler!
Not to mention that Gu Qing Yang's base cultivation already exceeded Xiao Yan's!
Though the description sounded lengthy, activating the Clan Mark took only a heartbeat.
"Break!" Gu Qing Yang's eyes snapped open as he roared.
CRACK!
A shattering sound rang out from the point where Xiao Yan's Great Heaven Creation Palm collided with Gu Qing Yang's stream of white Dou Qi. Shock filled Xiao Yan's eyes as his Great Heaven Creation Palm shattered and broke apart before his gaze!
The Dou God Bloodline not only raised Gu Qing Yang's cultivation but also enhanced the power of his Dou Technique! How could the Great Heaven Creation Palm, still short of major mastery, possibly withstand such might!
"Ancient Phoenix Bell!!"
BOOM!
Xiao Yan hastily wrapped his Ancient Phoenix Wings around himself for protection, but he still bore the brunt of the impact. Even with the Ancient Phoenix Bell's defense, the blow sent him flying like a falling star. He crashed into the ground once more, carving out another massive crater.
DONG!
A reverberating sonic wave from the Ancient Phoenix Bell rushed toward Gu Qing Yang. Xiao Yan's wings were a Tian Class flying-type Dou Technique, not a mere agility technique, and naturally integrated both offense and defense!
Gu Qing Yang's expression remained unchanged against the formless sonic backlash. His Silver Dragon Battle Halberd cleaved downward, splitting not just space and the sonic wave, but everything before him in two. The powerful reverberation passed by him like a gentle breeze.
RUMBLE!!
The sonic impact struck the ceremonial plaza's barrier, sending waves of ripples across its surface. That was the devastating power of the Ancient Phoenix Bell's backlash.
Yet even so, it couldn't harm Gu Qing Yang in the slightest!
Rubble exploded outward as Xiao Yan emerged. His Ancient Phoenix Wings blazed with merged Heavenly Flames while he unleashed a Heavenly Flame Dou Technique that awakened the beast spirit within them! His speed reached an unimaginable level, transforming him into a streak of fire aimed straight at Gu Qing Yang!
"Flame Splitting Tsunami!"
He moved so fast he was nearly invisible. In an instant, he appeared before Gu Qing Yang and brought the Heavy Xuan Ruler down in a vicious chop aimed at his head!
Gu Qing Yang gripped his Silver Dragon Battle Halberd with one hand, holding it horizontally to meet Xiao Yan's all-out strike head-on.
BOOM!
The Heavy Xuan Ruler carried immense weight on its own. Combined with Xiao Yan's speed and raw physical strength, the blow struck with the force of a falling mountain. Yet this crushing impact didn't even make Gu Qing Yang's arm dip!
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed sharply. His Spiritual Strength erupted as he finally unleashed his Heavenly State soul without reservation, activating the first stage of the Asura Soul Reaping Technique!
"Soul Reap!"
His Spiritual Strength manifested as an Asura. The invisible soul presence filled the entire ceremonial plaza, and the moment that formless demonic Asura appeared, a terrifying soul storm devastated everything around them.
"That Soul Technique belongs to my Hun Clan!!" Hun Ya shot to his feet, sensing the unique evil and ferocity within the technique. "How do you know our clan's Soul Technique?!"
Before Xiao Yan could respond, a Lei Clan prodigy sneered coldly. "Why don't you guess who killed the most Hun Clan members?"
Huo Xuan and the other Dou God Clan prodigies couldn't help snickering. When the Xiao Clan's Dou God Bloodline had begun withering, Xiao Xuan had emerged to sweep through countless prodigies, with Hun Clan geniuses as his most frequent victims. That was to say nothing of the earth-shaking battle that followed.
Though Xiao Xuan ultimately died, he had bought enough time for much of the Xiao Clan to escape. Now Xiao Yan was not only the clan's strongest member but also its Little Clan Leader; he had certainly inherited its legacy.
Hun Ya's face contorted at their snickers as he snorted coldly. "Hmph, so what if Xiao Xuan was formidable? Wasn't he still killed by our Clan Head in the end?!"
Beside him, a vicious gleam flashed through Hun Li's eyes. "Our Hun Clan's Soul Techniques aren't so easily learned."
Of course, they weren't entirely wrong. Xiao Yan did indeed possess the Xiao Clan's complete legacy, including Xiao Xuan's inheritance. However, none of it contained Hun Clan Dou Techniques.
But this fell perfectly within Xiao Yan's calculations. Let the ancestor take the blame!
On the Dou Qi Continent, Soul Techniques were taboo because of the Hall of Souls' power. But to the Dou God Clans, the Hall of Souls meant nothing. The Hun Clan was strong but not enough to suppress all other Dou God Clans, many of which possessed their own Soul Skills and Soul Training Methods.
Xiao Yan let out a long, thunderous cry. The Asura formed from his Spiritual Strength clapped its hands together, and in that instant, those demonic hands merged into a flying slash that cleaved toward Gu Qing Yang.
Swoosh!
The soul slash carried overwhelming power. Though Xiao Yan hadn't mastered the Asura Soul Reaping Technique's second stage and could only manifest a basic Asura, he possessed a Heavenly State soul!
The formless soul slash struck directly at the soul itself, curving through the air like a crescent moon and stretching out impossibly long, like an Asura cleaving through the underworld.
This slash swept out with such force that even the distant spectators felt a terrifying sensation, as if their souls were being sliced apart.
Even Gu Qing Yang, with his activated Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline, showed a trace of solemnity facing Xiao Yan's devastating Soul Technique.
With a thought, his Dou Qi surged. As he executed his technique, the purple-gold Clan Mark on his forehead blazed even brighter. Spiritual Strength at the perfected Soul State erupted from his body.
How could Gu Qing Yang's Spiritual Strength possibly be weak!
Though it didn't reach Xiao Yan's Heavenly State, as the First General and the top young expert of the Gu Clan, he lacked for nothing. His bloodline, Dou Techniques, physical strength, and Spiritual Strength had all been cultivated to near perfection.
His Spiritual Strength radiated an aura of extinction, accompanied by a faint, mournful sigh.
"Great Silent Destruction Technique—Silent Soul Breath."
The Great Silent Destruction Technique wasn't just the Great Silent Destruction Finger; it was a complete set of skills!
A heavy, muffled impact resounded as Xiao Yan's Asura Soul Slash crashed against that wall of sighs. Even with perfected Soul State Spiritual Strength and his Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline's boost, Gu Qing Yang couldn't completely block it. His feet staggered back two steps with dull thuds.
Xiao Yan's heart sank. This was his strongest Soul Technique! An attack like this should severely injure even a Heavenly State soul! Yet Gu Qing Yang had merely retreated two steps!
'A Dou Technique specifically designed to counter the Hun Clan…' Xiao Yan could only speculate. The Gu Clan couldn't have been idle these millennia. As the Dou God Clan supreme in Dou Techniques, developing counters to the Hun Clan would be natural.
Even if Xiao Yan could activate the Hun Clan's Clan Mark, it would be meaningless. The gap in their Dou God Bloodlines wasn't trivial. Grade 6 barely qualified for learning Dou Techniques and provided almost no enhancement.
"Then try this!" Golden light flashed through Xiao Yan's narrowed eyes. His Spiritual Strength enveloped Gu Qing Yang as black hands stretched from the shadow at his feet to seize him.
In an instant, Gu Qing Yang's world plunged into darkness, as if dragged into a bottomless abyss.
"A soul illusion? That's useless against a Dou God Bloodline!"
HUM!
The Dou God Bloodline within Gu Qing Yang's body instantly boiled. A brilliant purple-gold light illuminated the world around him, a radiance that even the deepest darkness couldn't suppress!
Gu Qing Yang's gaze instantly locked onto a specific point in the darkness. His Silver Dragon Battle Halberd thrust forward like a roaring dragon. Blood sprayed through the air with a wet slash!
"Xiao Yan ge-ge!!" Terror filled Xun Er's beautiful eyes. A massive gash had torn open Xiao Yan's side, so deep his internal organs were visible!
"Don't panic! He has the Three Thousand Burning Flame." Mang Tian Chi stopped Xun Er. The victor remained undecided. If she intervened now, all of Xiao Yan's efforts would be wasted.
The Three Thousand Burning Flame merged with the Life Flame to cauterize the wound. Ignoring his injury, Xiao Yan gripped the Heavy Xuan Ruler with both hands, spun, and hurled it in a sweeping arc. Gu Qing Yang raised his Silver Dragon Battle Halberd with both hands, blocking the horizontal sweep with a clang.
"Ancient God Seal!"
Xiao Yan condensed the Ancient God Seal in his palm. Five seals instantly overlapped, forming a brilliant imprint in his hand. His Ancient Phoenix Wings beat powerfully as he struck at Gu Qing Yang with his palm.
Gu Qing Yang wasn't surprised that Xiao Yan knew the Ancient God Seal. With Xun Er around, it would be strange if he didn't.
"Great Silent Destruction Finger."
To counter the Ancient God Seal's power that rivaled a Tian Class Dou Technique, Gu Qing Yang pointed once more. But this Great Silent Destruction Finger was completely different from the first. Not only was it condensed much faster, but its power had ascended to another level entirely!
BOOM!!!
The Ancient God Seal was utterly unable to withstand the Great Silent Destruction Finger empowered by the Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline. The seal shattered with a crash. The massive finger descended like the legendary Five Finger Mountain, with Xiao Yan like a mere ant about to be crushed beneath it!
BOOM!!
The ceremonial plaza lay in ruins as Xiao Yan was completely suppressed under the weight of the Great Silent Destruction Finger.
"So this is the Dou God Bloodline's power... There's simply no way to overcome it!"
"Not only does it boost cultivation, it enhances Dou Techniques too. That's basically cheating!"
The visiting prodigies from other factions grew dejected. As residents of the Dou Qi Continent without Dou God Bloodlines, they had naturally hoped Xiao Yan could win.
But reality proved cruel.
The Dou God Bloodline supposedly contained a Dou God's power, just as Gu Sacred City's protective barrier remained so strong because it held a Dou God's energy.
The more Dou God power one possessed, the higher their bloodline grade. The Clan Mark simply served as the key to unlock that trace of Dou God power within the bloodline.
To ordinary geniuses, the current Gu Qing Yang might as well be a young Dou God!
Gu Qing Yang gazed at the dust-shrouded crater below. He knew Xiao Yan, possessing the Three Thousand Burning Flame, couldn't die so easily. The Three Thousand Burning Flame was called the Undying Flame!
With a sharp motion, Gu Qing Yang gripped his Silver Dragon Battle Halberd's shaft in a throwing stance. His Spiritual Strength locked onto the target below.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!!!
A series of dragon roars erupted from the halberd. Dou Qi frantically poured into the Rank 9 Monster Core embedded in the weapon, and the Silver Dragon Battle Halberd seemed to come alive in his hand!
Though Monster Core Weapons lacked consciousness for independent combat, beyond being inherently hard and sharp, channeling Dou Qi through them enabled rapid Dou Technique execution! The Monster Core's presence even conserved some Dou Qi!
ROAR! ROAR!!
Wrapped in silver spatial power—domineering, tyrannical, and carrying devastating destruction—he hurled it with tremendous force!
"Silver Dragon Breaks the Moon!"
A dragon's roar shook the sky. High in the firmament, a silver true dragon let out a long cry and charged downward. The halberd transformed, its condensed Dou Qi and sharp tip becoming the fangs of a true dragon as it pounced toward Xiao Yan in the dust cloud below.
If these fangs were to bite down, the surrounding world would shatter. This attack was even more terrifying than the Great Silent Destruction Finger. It was completely unstoppable!
RUMBLE!!!
The giant silver dragon swooped down, and an instant later, a blinding light exploded outward. The terrifying radiance nearly blinded everyone present as world-destroying dragon might and spatial power ravaged everything.
"Holy hell, that's strong!"
"Big Brother Qing Yang is incredible! Even an undying body couldn't withstand that strike!"
The light grew increasingly fierce, seeming to expand continuously.
"Hm? Why do I feel the temperature rising?!" Huo Xuan's brow furrowed as his gaze snapped to the center of the silver light.
Only then did everyone notice a figure standing within the radiance, its right hand appearing to have caught the Silver Dragon Battle Halberd!
ROOOAAR!!!
Another dragon roar echoed across the ceremonial plaza, but this one sounded vastly different from the last!!
"Right back at you!" Xiao Yan's roar thundered. The figure in the light delivered a flying kick, sending the silver halberd spinning back toward Gu Qing Yang in an arc.
The instant Gu Qing Yang caught it, he felt both tremendous weight and scorching heat. He looked down in utter astonishment, unable to comprehend what other trump card Xiao Yan could possibly possess to not only catch his attack but even return it!
The light faded, revealing the figure standing in the plaza.
"What is that?"
"A man? A dragon? A winged humanoid tyrannosaurus???"
Xiao Yan's appearance had transformed dramatically. His entire body was now covered in scales that shone purple with a faint golden sheen.
The Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor!!!
After being tempered in the Void Lightning Pool and refining the Dragon Phoenix Essence Blood from Zi Yan, Xiao Yan had completely mastered this supreme beast technique of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe!
With a whoosh, his Ancient Phoenix Wings ignited with flames flickering with wind and lightning power. Xiao Yan truly resembled a Dragon Phoenix at this moment!
He raised his eyes to Gu Qing Yang hovering above. Though he lacked the Xiao Clan's Clan Mark, he now wielded the power of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's new Dragon Emperor!
But this still wasn't enough!
Ten Thousand Beast Flame, Yin-Yang Twin Flame, Wind and Thunder Fury Flame, Fallen Heart Flame, Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, and Three Thousand Burning Flame… six Heavenly Flames merged into one. A scorching, dark purple fire tornado erupted from Xiao Yan's body, with the Three Thousand Burning Flame as its core.
"Heavenly Flame Dou Technique—Beast God's Advent!"
The six Heavenly Flames instantly merged into the Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor. From a distance, Xiao Yan, wrapped in dark purple flames, appeared as an Ancient Void Dragon incarnate!
Under the eruption of Heavenly Flames, the Dragon Phoenix Essence Blood within him reached its ultimate state. Even Zi Yan probably never imagined his Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor could achieve such a level!
"An Ancient Void Dragon?!"
"Is that the Ancient Dragon Armor of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe? But something seems different!"
"Wait... how does he possess the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's power? Haven't you considered that question? Didn't that tribe disappear long ago?!"
Those nearby rolled their eyes at their companion's exclamations. "Tch, what's so surprising? This Xiao Yan has been using those strange Ancient Phoenix Wings all along, not to mention Hun Clan and Gu Clan Dou Techniques. That Lei Clan elder is his academy's Headmaster. His alchemy might be related to the Yao Clan for all we know."
"Uh... that actually makes sense."
Xiao Yan gazed up at Gu Qing Yang and bent his legs slightly. A heaven-shaking boom erupted as he launched upward. The explosive jump combined with his Ancient Phoenix Wings created a burst of speed so frighteningly fast it shocked everyone.
"Such speed!" Even the Gu Clan's hidden elders exclaimed in surprise. That instantaneous burst had reached an incredible velocity, matching that of an ordinary Seven-Change or even Eight-Change Dou Venerate!
Even Gu Qing Yang felt alarmed by that speed. He had still underestimated Xiao Yan!
Xiao Yan let out a long roar. Condensing dragon aura in his fist, he threw a punch, and a dragon of pure energy soared into the sky!