Boom!
Thick black clouds churned, their divine might resplendent. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, enveloping the peak of Yun Lan Mountain.
That voice, carried by rolling thunder, echoed across the entire mountain. Even with the grand array shielding the plaza, the thousand-plus Yun Lan Sect disciples clutched their ears, momentarily deafened.
"The Xiao Clan… Xiao Bai?"
Yun Shan's face darkened, a glint of menace in his eyes. A trivial Da Dou Shi family from Wu Tan City—how is it like a hornet's nest, with powerhouses emerging one after another? Is this still the Jia Ma Empire I know? Recalling Protector Wu's cryptic tone about Xiao Yan's surname, a flicker of wariness passed through him.
"Break!!"
A soft shout rang out, and the grand array covering the plaza shuddered violently. The Yun Lan Sect disciples and elders looked up, their faces paling as if witnessing something terrifying.
At the array's apex, a small dent appeared. On closer inspection, it was the shape of a foot.
Crack!
A sound like shattering crystal echoed. Cracks spiderwebbed from the dent, spreading rapidly.
Hmph!
Countless disciples grunted as the array's energy recoiled, a metallic tang rising in their throats, blood trickling from their lips.
"Audacious!" Yun Shan roared, enraged. The intruder had the gall to crush the Yun Lan Sect's protective array with a single stomp—and right above his head! How could he tolerate such an insult?
Glaring at the retracting foot, his eyes burned with icy fury. "I don't care who you are. For humiliating the Yun Lan Sect like this, this Sect Leader will ensure you never leave!"
"Audacious? Never leave?" A mocking chuckle answered, dripping with disdain. "Yun Shan, a half-baked Dou Zong like you, who needed help to break through, thinks he's enough?"
Yun Shan's composed face blackened. This is the second time today—second time someone's called me a half-baked Dou Zong!
Above the plaza, as the energy dome's fragments dissolved into motes of light, a figure with hands clasped behind his back appeared in everyone's view.
Clad in a black robe, his dark hair flowed freely. His brow exuded a heavy, solemn authority, no longer restrained. A silver vertical mark on his forehead glinted coldly under the lightning's reflection.
"Master!"
"Master Bai!"
Gasps of recognition rang out across the plaza.
Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xing Tian exhaled in relief. The situation had spiraled beyond their control.
Xiao Bai's deep eyes swept the Yun Lan Sect plaza, finally resting on the regal, noble beauty at the main seat of the high platform. Their gazes locked for an instant, and Yun Yun froze, her expression stunned. The hair color had changed, the demeanor vastly different, but the familiar contours etched in her memory—and the vertical mark she'd touched herself—were unmistakable.
"A-Niu!!"
"Yun Zhi, it's been a while. I didn't expect to find you at the Yun Lan Sect!" Xiao Bai blinked, feigning confusion. Recalling how this silly woman had used a false identity, claiming a friend in the sect, a spark of amusement flickered in his eyes. "Are you here to visit that Yun Lan Sect friend of yours?"
"I'm not—I didn't…" Yun Yun's usual calm elegance vanished. Her hands fidgeted, her beautiful face betraying a rare flustered panic, her clear eyes darting uncertainly.
Their cryptic exchange left the crowd baffled, exchanging puzzled glances.
The Yun Lan Sect members' jaws dropped. When had their noble, serene Sect Leader ever shown such a girlish demeanor?
Only Hai Bo Dong and Xiao Yan rolled their eyes, exasperated. This guy's utterly shameless!
From their names for each other, it was clear they'd met under false pretenses. But Yun Yun didn't know—her disguise had long been seen through!
Yun Shan and Yun Leng watched, realization dawning. So that's why she refused to reveal the one with the Heavenly Flame—it's because of this man! Yun Shan felt a pang of regret. A pity… he's a Xiao. Otherwise, he could've used Yun Yun to win him over. Hearing Jia Xing Tian and the others, he knew this was the sixth-tier alchemist stirring up the Jia Ma Empire, his alchemical skill reportedly surpassing Gu He's.
If he couldn't be recruited and was already an enemy of the Xiao Clan, he had to be eliminated today. With such talent and alchemical prowess, he'd be a sleepless threat to the Yun Lan Sect otherwise!
"Kill me?" Xiao Bai's brow twitched, his gaze shifting to Yun Shan. He'd just sensed a fleeting, sharp killing intent.
"No need for the Old Sect Leader to act!" A white light soared, hovering near Xiao Bai. Yun Leng's face twisted in mockery. "Who gave you such boldness? A mere peak Dou Wang, daring to be so insolent, crushing our sect's array with your foot!"
Xiao Bai glanced at Yun Leng faintly. His wings quivered, and his figure vanished, reappearing behind Yun Leng. His arm swung, a palm aimed at Yun Leng's back.
"Impudent!" Yun Shan's expression shifted, stunned. He hadn't expected Xiao Bai to overpower Yun Leng, a fellow peak Dou Wang, so effortlessly.
Stepping forward, his hand curled into a claw, striking like lightning toward Xiao Bai's neck.
"Don't!" Yun Yun snapped out of her daze, her face paling. Seeing Yun Shan's attack and Xiao Bai's apparent unawareness, she cried out urgently.
Xiao Bai's palm struck Yun Leng's back without hesitation.
Pfft!
A spray of blood erupted. Yun Leng spun, staring at Xiao Bai in disbelief, then saw the claw nearing Xiao Bai's back. A savage grin tugged at his lips.
Ignoring the sharp force behind him, Xiao Bai looked at Yun Leng calmly. "This is my confidence."
Thud!
A flash of gold-red filled Yun Leng's vision. A soft impact sounded, and he saw his Old Sect Leader retreating rapidly, face shocked. "Queen Medusa!" Yun Leng's world went dark, his final thought realizing why the woman beside Xiao Bai that night had seemed familiar.
The plaza erupted as Yun Shan's shout drew all eyes to the stunningly alluring woman who'd appeared beside Xiao Bai, their faces filled with shock.
To the Jia Ma Empire, though few had seen her, her name was legendary.
"Queen Medusa, why are you here?" Yun Shan retreated, leveraging the collision's force. Anger flashed in his eyes at Yun Leng's fall, followed by a trace of wariness. He'd heard of her breakthrough, and now, seeing her, she seemed even stronger than him!
Her slender fingers flicked, smoothing the explosive energy. Not a ripple touched Xiao Bai, not even stirring his robe.
Her mesmerizing, icy eyes swept Yun Shan, then withdrew, ignoring him.
"You really trust this Queen!" Cai Lin's jade-white hand retracted, her gaze flicking to Xiao Bai with a hint of reproach, as if scolding his recklessness. A moment later, and he'd have been gravely injured, if not dead.
"If I can't trust you, there's hardly anyone in this world I could," Xiao Bai said, chuckling as he watched Yun Leng plummet. He tilted his head slightly.
He hadn't acted recklessly. Even without Cai Lin, Yun Shan's strike wouldn't have harmed him.
Hmph! Cai Lin's heart warmed, a flicker of joy passing through her. She let out a soft huff, clearly pleased.
Her narrow eyes glanced at the pale-faced Yun Yun below, her tone cryptic. "I'm not so sure about that one."
"Haha…" Xiao Bai gave a dry laugh, not responding. He looked up at the fierce clash between Protector Wu and Yao Lao, his expression growing serious.
Cai Lin shot him a sharp glare. This is not the time, or I'd settle this with you! She tilted her head, frowning slightly. "The old man seems to have a slight edge, but only because the other fears the Heavenly Flame and avoids injury. Otherwise, the outcome's remain uncertain."
"What if you join in?" Xiao Bai wasn't surprised. He'd expected this. Yao Lao's soul force, bolstered by the Three-Seven Soul Spirit Liquid, had recovered somewhat, but his prior state wasn't ideal.
"I observed earlier. As you said, this one's energy fluctuates around four-star Dou Zong, with rather sinister techniques. With me, we could injure him, but capturing or killing him? That's uncertain," Cai Lin shook her head.
"Then I'll trouble you," Xiao Bai said earnestly, turning to the beauty beside him. "Do your best. If we can't kill him, so be it. Your safety comes first."
Cai Lin nodded, her eyes shifting to Yun Shan. Recalling his ruthless strike at Xiao Bai, her alluring face turned icy, a flash of killing intent in her eyes. "Shall I deal with him first?"
"No need. I'll handle him myself." Xiao Bai waved her off, eyeing the increasingly grim Yun Shan. Yao Lao couldn't last long. He'd had Cai Lin observe to familiarize herself with Protector Wu's methods.
"Be careful," Cai Lin said softly, nodding. She knew little of Xiao Bai's full capabilities or if he could defeat Yun Shan, but Yun Shan killing him? Impossible.
She stepped forward, vanishing.
"Yun Shan, stop her!!" Protector Wu had noticed the woman but ignored her inaction. Now, seeing she was with Xiao Bai—and another Xiao—his resolve hardened. After dealing with Yao Chen, I must visit Wu Tan City. Is this Xiao Clan the one the Soul Hall seeks?
If it was, Yao Chen and the Xiao Clan together would be a monumental achievement!
His heart blazed with ambition. Hearing Protector Wu's shout, Yun Shan sensed the usually arrogant man's urgency.
His eyes darkened, nearly dripping with menace. What should've been a certain victory had spiraled into chaos. One misstep, and the Yun Lan Sect could face ruin.
Taking a deep breath, he stomped the void, soaring upward. Xiao Bai's form flickered, becoming a streak of light, blocking his path.
"Yun Shan, your opponent is me!"
Yun Shan sneered, "A mere Dou Wang ant dares block this Sect Leader?" Even if this peak Dou Wang could crush peers, so what? Without Medusa Queen earlier, he'd be dead!
His fist clenched, striking through the air. Space warped, a concave arc forming, accompanied by a piercing sonic boom.
"Heh, comparing physical strength?" Xiao Bai smirked, his fist flashing out like lightning. The effect mirrored Yun Shan's, if not surpassing it, colliding fiercely.
Bang!
Their air cannons clashed, an invisible ripple of air bursting outward, faintly cracking the space.
"So that's your courage to challenge this Sect Leader?" Yun Shan stepped back, retreating slightly in the void, eyeing the figure sent further back. A spark of understanding lit his cold eyes.
He finally understood why Yun Leng fell so easily. This man's physical strength surpassed his own. Without the ability to step through the void to disperse force, Yun Shan might've retreated even further.
"If so, let this Sect Leader show you a true Dou Zong!" Yun Shan's voice dripped with menace, a strange pressure emanating from him, spreading instantly.
Deep cyan Dou Qi, liquid-like, enveloped him, faint glimmers pulsing. The surrounding space trembled.
Feeling the oppressive force, Xiao Bai smiled faintly, closing his eyes. His soul force merged with the gathering thunder above.
Boom!
Thunder roared, converging overhead. Sensing it, a majestic aura erupted from Xiao Bai, faintly linked to the thunder's might.
A Dou Zong's pressure formed a vacuum around him, spanning several meters.
Yun Shan's face twitched, his brows furrowing. The energy from the thunderclouds rivaled a Dou Zong's, and a trace of wariness crept into his eyes.
"Great Sorrow Wind-Rending Hand!"
His arm extended, palm glowing, then bursting. A several-meter-wide energy hand materialized, surging with ferocious force toward Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai's eyes snapped open, lightning flashing within. His arm rose lightly. "Heaven's Punishment… Descend!"
His shout rolled like thunder. A silver pillar, ten feet wide, burst from the clouds, crashing like a falling galaxy onto the energy hand.
Boom!
The sound drowned the sky's thunder, blinding light erupting. The plaza's occupants shut their eyes, ears ringing.
Ripples of energy surged outward from the collision. "Teacher! A-Niu!" Yun Yun watched the twisting space, her face anxious. She didn't want either to be harmed.
The pervasive energy fluctuations faded after a moment. All eyes locked on the explosion's epicenter, wondering who held the upper hand in such a terrifying clash.
As the distorted space normalized, two figures emerged in the distant sky.
"I must admit, this Sect Leader underestimated you. A peak Dou Wang, reaching this level!" Yun Shan's robes were disheveled, his hidden hand trembling as he quelled the numbing lightning energy. His face darkened, voice cold. "But that strike depleted the thunderclouds' energy, didn't it? Your luck runs out now!"
"Heh, Yun Shan, that was merely a Dou Technique I crafted for practice. The real show starts now. Don't disappoint me!" Xiao Bai's eyes glinted coldly. His black robe was tattered, but he was unharmed.
Yun Shan's heart sank. A Dou Technique letting a peak Dou Wang withstand a Dou Zong's strike… and he created it?
This boy cannot be spared!
"Yun Shan, what are you doing?" From the clashing streaks of light nearby, Protector Wu's anxious, furious voice rang out. "It's just a Dou Wang—finish him!"
Yun Shan's eyes flashed with anger. Just a Dou Wang? Easy for you to say—this is no normal Dou Wang!
Xiao Bai glanced over, seeing Yao Lao and Cai Lin holding the advantage. He refocused. The priority was defeating Yun Shan before Protector Wu's battle concluded, setting a trap for him. If Protector Wu saw defeat and fled, it'd be trouble later.
With that, Xiao Bai flickered, appearing before Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xing Tian.
"Lend me something to use!"
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