"Gentle Wind Phantom Flame Slash!"
With a low cry, Xiao Yan's palm slid across the thick body of the Heavy Xuan Ruler. In an instant, violet-black flames surged forth, wrapping around the ruler's surface. After deflecting the Gold and Silver Brothers' attacks, he lightly swung the weapon in reverse. There was no violent burst of force, no shocking display of energy—just a calm sweep. The Gold and Silver Brothers merely felt a faint breeze pass over them, as if nothing had happened.
"Bluffing again?" The two exchanged a glance, sensing no wounds, and one was just about to sneer—when their expressions suddenly twisted in horror. They turned their gazes downward and were stunned to discover that their bodies had somehow been cleanly severed into two. There was no blood, only a scorched black line running through the cuts, and their organs had already been incinerated to nothingness.
"To die by this technique… consider it your honor. Farewell." Xiao Yan gently flicked the Heavy Xuan Ruler, dispersing the violet-black flames. As the flames vanished, so too did the last traces of life from the Gold and Silver Brothers. Not even in death had they imagined that, despite their peak Dou Emperor strength and combined power, they would fall so miserably.
"This… how is this possible?!" Watching Xiao Yan kill the Gold and Silver Brothers in a single strike, Han Feng's face turned ashen. These two had always been nearly invincible when working together—even elite Dou Zongs could rarely best them. Yet now, they had fallen so easily?
"Now then, do you have any other helpers left?" Xiao Yan didn't spare a glance at the corpses as he calmly looked down on Han Feng.
Truthfully, if the two old men had been more cautious and defensive, it would've been hard for the Gentle Wind Phantom Flame Slash to kill them both. The terrifying thing about this technique wasn't sheer power—it was the unpredictability.
Although not one of the Demonic Wrath Nine Absolutes, the Gentle Wind Phantom Flame Slash was one of Xiao Yan's signature techniques in his past life. Back then, he used its strange and deceptive nature to fool and slay countless enemies.
It appeared weak on the surface, lacking the explosive aura of most Earth Rank Dou Techniques. But the burst of power it unleashed in a single instant could outmatch even mid-tier Earth Rank attacks. Worse yet, it had two versions: one real, one fake. The "fake" looked fierce but lacked actual strength—perfect for bluffing or baiting. The true danger lay in its ability to shift between the two forms at will. Many cultivators had misread a "fake" slash only to be instantly killed when it turned real at the last second.
But against Han Feng and the Gold and Silver Brothers, Xiao Yan hadn't even needed to switch. They didn't know this technique at all—and now, they'd never get another chance to learn.
With the death of the Gold and Silver Brothers, the remaining Dou Kings completely lost their will to fight. No matter how loudly Han Feng shouted, no one responded. They turned and fled without hesitation.
Xiao Yan, however, didn't bother chasing. Not because he was exhausted—but because there was no need. These people had already been infected with neurotoxins created by the Nine Nether Illusion Flame.
From the start of the battle, Xiao Yan had subtly dispersed the toxic energy throughout the area. The longer they fought, the more they inhaled. Once they fled and let down their defenses, the toxin would trigger automatically—quietly killing them off.
That was his contingency plan. Yet it turned out, he didn't even need to use it. The enemy had already crumbled under his primary onslaught. Now, only Han Feng remained.
Sensing Xiao Yan's gaze, Han Feng instinctively backed away. He no longer cared about the Flame Mantra or the Heavenly Flame—all that mattered was escaping with his life.
But Xiao Yan's figure blurred, his Skyfire Three Mysterious Change activating in an instant. The next moment, he was already behind Han Feng. He placed a hand on Han Feng's head, and a terrifying suction force erupted from his palm.
"Since you're already here, why rush off so soon, senior brother?"
"What are you doing?!" Han Feng barely managed to shout before a tearing pain surged through his entire body. His limbs weakened, and everything around him seemed to shift. He looked down and froze—his body had turned translucent.
No… it wasn't that he was becoming transparent—his soul had been forcibly torn from his body!
Han Feng's pupils shrank in horror. His physical body collapsed lifelessly to the ground, and now, all that remained was his soul.
That last move—Xiao Yan had forcibly extracted Han Feng's soul! A technique like this… only members of the Hall of Souls would use such an evil art.
Panic gripped Han Feng's ethereal form. 'Could this guy… be a member of the Hall of Souls?! If so… maybe I still have a chance.'
Before he could process the implications, Xiao Yan's cold eyes met his. Gripping Han Feng's soul tightly, he sneered.
"Let me go! I have dealings with the Hall of Souls!"
"Oh? No wonder you were able to hurt Teacher back then… so that's how." Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. It had always puzzled him—Han Feng was merely a Dou Emperor. How could he have harmed someone at the Dou Venerate level like Yao Lao? But if the Hall of Souls had helped, it made perfect sense. They were known for ambushing alchemists to harvest their souls.
"And since you're connected to them… I definitely can't let you go." Xiao Yan chuckled coldly. He took out a jade bottle from his storage ring and stuffed Han Feng's soul inside. The soul essence flame he'd previously refined rose up and sealed the bottle in a transparent layer of fire.
The Soul Extraction Technique he had used was indeed a forbidden art from the Hall of Souls—but contrary to Han Feng's assumptions, Xiao Yan had no ties to them. In fact, during his past life in Central Plains, the Hall of Souls had been one of his greatest enemies. These techniques? He'd stolen them after razing several of their branch halls to the ground.
(End of Chapter)
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