Don't be fooled by how domineering the Earth Demon Old Ghost appeared on the surface—if he had a choice, he absolutely wouldn't want to provoke Jia Nan Academy for no reason. After all, he had always held considerable apprehension toward the strength of its mysterious headmaster. What's more, the Earth Demon Old Ghost didn't even need a Heavenly Flame.
Although he was the founder of Demon Flame Valley, his own affinity wasn't fire at all—it was the opposite: ice. Even if he did obtain a Heavenly Flame, it would be of little use to him.
The reason he risked so much to come here and seize Jia Nan Academy's Heavenly Flame was because, not long ago, a mysterious figure cloaked in black mist had come to him with an offer: help from the Hall of Souls to break through to the Dou Venerate realm. The condition? Secure the Academy's Heavenly Flame.
If it had been anyone else making such a claim, the Earth Demon Old Ghost would have laughed in their face. But that man belonged to the Hall of Souls—a shadowy force he had long known operated within the Black-Corner Region. If any group truly possessed the ability to elevate someone into the Dou Venerate realm, it would be them. And if he could truly take that step, even if Mang Tianchi returned, he wouldn't need to be afraid.
Of course, the Earth Demon Old Ghost's perception of Mang Tianchi was stuck in the past. What he didn't know was that the current headmaster of Jia Nan Academy had already reached a level far more terrifying than before.
Now, with the Earth Demon Old Ghost unleashing his full strength, Su Qian—who could barely manage to hold on earlier—was forced into a desperate retreat. His opponent's ferocity had escalated dramatically. If it were before, the Earth Demon might still have shown some restraint out of fear of Mang Tianchi. But now, with the Hall of Souls backing him, he felt emboldened. Even Mang Tianchi might not be able to stop him.
Watching Su Qian struggle to defend himself in midair, Zi Yan prepared to spread her Dou Qi wings and rush to help. However, the moment she took flight, she was yanked down by Xiao Yan.
"What are you doing?!" Zi Yan cried out, clearly frustrated.
"That guy's a Seven-Star Dou Zong. If you go up there, you're just throwing your life away. Stay here. I'll handle it," Xiao Yan said, rubbing her head before shooting into the sky like a bolt of lightning. The stage was set—he had no intention of sitting on the sidelines.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, a loud explosion echoed through the sky. A figure plummeted from above, smashing heavily into the ground. It was none other than Hu Gan, the vice principal of the Outer Academy—second only to Su Qian in strength. But at this moment, his body was battered, and he was clearly badly injured from the intense fight.
His opponent was Demon Flame Valley's Grand Elder, Fang Yan. Though both were peak Dou Huangs, Fang Yan's strength surpassed Hu Gan's. With the aid of his pseudo-Heavenly Flame, his battle prowess was further magnified, allowing him to quickly gain the upper hand and strike Hu Gan down.
"Hu Gan, you old dog! Time to die!" Fang Yan shouted as he gathered a terrifying energy attack, aiming to finish off his opponent once and for all. The energy surged through the air like a scythe of death.
Just before the attack could land, a young man in a black robe appeared in front of Hu Gan. With a simple flick of his sleeve, the massive energy strike dispersed like smoke in the wind.
"Who are you?! This is between Demon Flame Valley and Jia Nan Academy! Stay out of it!" Fang Yan snapped. Though taken aback by the newcomer's youth, the fact that this boy had casually dispersed his full-force attack made it clear—this wasn't someone to underestimate.
"Dean Hu Gan, are you alright?" Xiao Yan asked calmly, completely ignoring Fang Yan and the others as he looked over his shoulder.
Just then, a young girl around Xiao Yan's age dashed over and helped Hu Gan to his feet.
"Grandfather!" she called anxiously, revealing herself to be Hu Gan's granddaughter. Judging by her aura, she hadn't yet turned fourteen but had already reached near Dou Shi strength. In the Jia Ma Empire, that would place her among the top-tier geniuses.
"I'm fine," Hu Gan muttered, slowly standing with her support. He gave Xiao Yan a grateful nod. "Thank you, Mister Xiao Yan, for your timely assistance."
"Don't worry about it. I don't have any ties to Jia Nan Academy, but I'm rather fond of that rascal Zi Yan. For her sake, I won't stand idly by," Xiao Yan replied with a light flick of his finger. A glowing pill flew straight into Hu Gan's hand. "Take this to recover. Leave the rest of these fools to me."
"You arrogant brat!" Fang Yan growled. "When our Demon Flame Valley roamed the Black-Corner Region, you were probably still sucking your mother's milk!"
"You're not qualified to speak to me like that." Xiao Yan shook his head dismissively. Then, with a light tap of his foot, he vanished and reappeared in the sky above, standing midair without even spreading wings.
"He's... a Dou Zong?!" Fang Yan's face paled.
The declaration shocked everyone, including Hu Gan's granddaughter. This youth, who appeared to be her age, was already a Dou Zong? She was barely a Dou Zhe!
As for Fang Yan and his men, their hearts churned with envy. They had been stuck at the Dou Huang level for decades, unable to break through—yet this mysterious young man had surpassed them at such a young age. It was infuriating, and deeply intimidating.
Still, no matter how jealous they were, the reality was undeniable: the presence of a Dou Zong would instantly turn the tide of this battle.
Sensing the shift in the battlefield, the Earth Demon Old Ghost narrowed his eyes. With his strength, he could handle a low-star Dou Zong. But if he had to face two at once—including Su Qian—his chance of seizing the Heavenly Flame would plummet.
"Fang Yan! Take your men and stall that boy! Once I finish Su Qian, I'll come help you!" the Earth Demon Old Ghost roared after blasting Su Qian away again.
Su Qian, though injured, understood his opponent's plan. Gritting his teeth, he launched a relentless assault to keep the old ghost occupied, hoping to buy enough time for Xiao Yan to eliminate the other threats.
'So that's your plan...' Xiao Yan smirked as he faced Fang Yan and the others. 'You really think a few peak Dou Huangs and a pseudo-flame are enough to stop me? You're in for a surprise.'
This so-called formidable lineup might intimidate others, but to Xiao Yan, it was little more than a warm-up. Back when he was still a Dou Huang, he had already faced greater odds and come out on top. Now, as a Dou Zong, these people couldn't even force him to go all out.
This battle… was already decided.
(End of Chapter)
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