Once the chaos was finally under control, Liu Xi clasped his hands behind his back again. The surging Fallen Heart Flame within his meridians slowly calmed and returned to his heart, his expression easing slightly.
He had indeed intended to use Nalan Yanran as a restraint on Xiao Yan—at least long enough for her usefulness to end. But he couldn't allow Xiao Yan to actually kill her; that would ruin his plan entirely.
'Everything is unfolding as expected,' Liu Xi thought with a faint smirk. 'Now all that's left is for Xiao Yan to be driven into desperation... and then, I'll make my move. Hehe...'
---
In the arena, Yao Chen's weary sigh resonated within Xiao Yan's mind.
"Foolish child... even with all the strength I've lent you, it's impossible for you to destroy the Yunlan Sect today."
But Xiao Yan's reason had already been burned away. His hands trembled around the heavy black ruler, his eyes blood-red.
"Teacher," he growled, his voice hoarse, "I've trained bitterly for three years! I left Father, left Xun'er... was it all just to come here and be humiliated today? If I retreat now, I'll never be at peace! Please—help me one last time!"
Yao Chen fell silent for a moment, then sighed deeply. "Just this once... Send word to that woman. If she still desires transformation, she will have no choice but to act and protect you."
At that, Xiao Yan's mind flashed to a figure from the endless sands of the Tagor Desert—the seductive yet terrifying woman who had once hunted him to the brink of death, the Queen of Snakes.
The woman's craving for Heavenly Flames was as intense as his own. The moment she had sensed the faint aura of the Bone Chilling Flame on him, she had chased him across the desert for nearly a month.
Only under Yao Chen's threat of full release had she reluctantly agreed to a deal—to spare Xiao Yan's life in exchange for help with her own flame evolution.
Now, with crimson eyes, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and pulled a purple command token from his Storage Ring. The token bore the engraved mark of a coiling serpent. Without hesitation, he crushed it in his palm.
As it shattered, a mysterious ripple spread outward, its power vanishing into the heavens.
Moments later, having completed the act, Xiao Yan lifted his head. His gaze locked on Yun Yun, whose beautiful face was calm but cold. A twisted smile curved his lips as he swung the Heavy Xuan Ruler, kicking up a fierce storm of energy.
"Come fight me!"
The rage in his chest burned like an inferno. It scorched away the last remnants of reason, leaving only destruction to soothe the fire consuming his heart.
Yao Chen's soul power coursed through Xiao Yan's body, elevating his speed and strength to the level of a Dou Huang. The Heavy Xuan Ruler swept out in wild arcs as Xiao Yan charged straight toward Yun Yun, unstoppable like a maddened beast.
"Yanran, take the Grand Elder and retreat. Leave this to me," Yun Yun ordered, her usually gentle expression hardened with resolve. She couldn't fathom where Xiao Yan's power came from—some forbidden technique, perhaps—but its force was undeniable.
As Xiao Yan rushed forward, the fierce gale of his attack pressed toward her. Yun Yun raised her delicate hand, wind swirling around her palm as she spoke softly:
"Wind Push!"
A mighty current exploded outward, forming an invisible wall of compressed air. It struck Xiao Yan squarely, sending him skidding backward across the plaza.
"Wind Binding Lock!"
Her slender fingers danced, forming seals in the air. Dozens of ropes made of azure wind energy appeared and lashed toward Xiao Yan, coiling tightly around his arms, legs, waist, and neck.
In the blink of an eye, he was bound midair, suspended three meters above the ground in the shape of a cross. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free.
The Yunlan Sect disciples watching burst into cheers. The man who had shaken the entire sect with his terrifying strength had been subdued by their Sect Master as easily as capturing a stray animal.
But the elders on the platform remained grave. They knew that no Dou Huang-level combatant could be restrained so simply. One by one, they descended from the stage, forming ranks and preparing defensive formations.
At the same time, Xiao Yan's lips twisted into a grin. A chilling white flame erupted from his body, enveloping the wind ropes binding him.
Within seconds, the bindings dissolved to ash.
Regaining his freedom, Xiao Yan wasted no time. His crimson gaze locked onto Yun Yun, and the Heavy Xuan Ruler glowed with pale white fire as he roared:
"Flame Assault!"
A torrent of Bone Chilling Flame burst from the Ruler's edge, freezing the very air as it swept forward. Frost blossomed in its wake.
Yun Yun's pupils shrank—this flame's aura was terrifyingly cold and deadly. Dou Qi surged from her body as she raised both hands.
"Wind Wall!"
Layer upon layer of air barriers formed before her, dense as fortress walls. The fiery beam slammed into them, shattering the first few layers instantly. Yet, with each layer, its momentum waned.
The impact shook the entire square, waves of energy rippling outward like stormy seas. Though this was only a clash of High Xuan Class Dou Techniques, backed by Dou Huang strength, it rivaled even the power of Di Class techniques.
When the flames finally dispersed, Yun Yun's face was pale, her breathing uneven. Xiao Yan's aura was roughly equal to hers—but the Bone Chilling Flame's strange, icy might made him far more difficult to face.
"Crude," Liu Xi murmured from afar, shaking his head slightly. "That's the Bone Chilling Flame—ranked 11th on the Heavenly Flame Ranking—and yet, with his clumsy control, he's barely drawing out a third of its strength. Yao Chen really does indulge him too much."
"Sect Master!"
A shout from behind drew Yun Yun's attention. Turning, she saw her elders and disciples forming ranks, converging into the Cloud Mist Sun-Shrouding Formation.
Her hesitation lasted only a moment before she soared into the air, wings of Dou Qi spreading behind her.
"All elders—form the Cloud Mist Sun-Shrouding Formation!"
"Yes!"
At once, streams of white energy flowed from every disciple and elder, rising into the air and gathering into a vast sea of clouds that enveloped the sect. At its center hovered Yun Yun, glowing like a celestial goddess.
Her expression hardened. Fingers weaving seals, she drew upon the gathered energy of the entire sect. Her aura exploded upward, surging to the peak of the Dou Huang realm.
A radiant white sword, forged entirely of energy, manifested in her hand. Wreathed in cloud and mist, her figure was as ethereal as a divine spirit descending from the heavens.
"Xiao Yan," Yun Yun's voice echoed across the plaza, calm yet resolute, "our Yunlan Sect has always stood apart from worldly affairs as a sacred ground for cultivation within the Jia Ma Empire."
"Today, I will not take your life. I will sever one arm, and seal you in our forbidden grounds for ten years. Reflect on your actions—if remorse follows, you may yet return to the right path."
Xiao Yan laughed wildly, slamming the Heavy Xuan Ruler into the ground.
"Sever my arm? Seal me for ten years? Such arrogance!"
He raised his head and shouted into the sky.
"Queen Medusa! Let's turn this place upside down! Help me now, and the Bone Chilling Flame is yours!"
The instant his voice fell, a second terrifying Dou Huang aura spread across the Yunlan Sect's skies. A graceful, regal figure clad in royal purple appeared above the clouds.
Her luxurious gown hugged her flawless, voluptuous body, every movement exuding an intoxicating allure. Her long purple hair flowed like silk, her narrow violet eyes gleaming with cold, predatory charm.
It was none other than Queen Medusa—the infamous ruler of the serpent race, known across nations for her beauty... and her ruthlessness.
(End of Chapter)
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