Word Count: 3,356 Words
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Crack!
The astonished Venerable Bing's body shattered and immediately transformed into an ice sculpture.
Little Fairy Doctor showed no surprise at this sight. She controlled the fire line with her finger, drawing a circle in the air. The fire line obeyed her command and pierced directly into the void, tracking Venerable Bing who was hiding within.
She was now a noble alchemist! Albeit still a 1st-tier one…
Still, her fire control ability far exceeded 1st-tier! She possessed a Heavenly Flame!
That dark green Heavenly Flame fire line carried violent poison. A white figure fled from the void in a disheveled state. His Dou Qi was a fusion of ice and acquired Woeful Poison Body, but Little Fairy Doctor surpassed him in both Heavenly Flame and Woeful Poison.
Venerable Bing swept his hand through the air. A burst of extreme ice energy surged forth, rushing toward the fire line. The terrifying cold force froze the entire space. With a sizzling sound, the flame couldn't be frozen at all and instead burned the icy Dou Qi into water vapor.
"What kind of flame is this!"
Venerable Bing gritted his teeth. The Woeful Poison Body within him erupted, and his eyes instantly turned gray as he shouted inwardly, 'Poison Ice Mysterious Method!'
Boom!
His aura soared from peak 4-star Dou Venerate to 5-star Dou Venerate!
Clearly, as the leader of one of the Three Valleys, Venerable Bing also possessed a poison-ice Secret Technique no weaker than the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change.
"Ice Poison Finger!"
Venerable Bing stopped fleeing and extended a single finger. Terrifying poisonous gas coiled around his hand. This move's power actually reached the quasi-Tian Class level! The world's energy boiled madly, continuously surging upward.
He pointed at the fire line. His finger was like a black dragon, the black poison finger bringing an endless foul wind!
Boom!!
The two forces collided. Spatial cracks spread outward like a spider's web!
Flame and ice, two terrifying energy waves shook the empty space. In this fierce confrontation, Venerable Bing's body trembled. A muffled groan escaped his throat as his feet stomped through the void, retreating nearly a hundred meters!
In contrast, Little Fairy Doctor remained completely unaffected. The icy energy vanished without a trace once it approached within ten meters of her!
"You possess a Heavenly Flame?!" Venerable Bing now realized that the terrifying flame was definitely not an ordinary beast flame. But ordinary Heavenly Flames weren't particularly impressive at the Dou Venerate level. How could Little Fairy Doctor's Heavenly Flame be this terrifying!
Before Little Fairy Doctor could speak, a shrill scream rang out.
"Ahhh! Valley Master, save... me."
When Venerable Bing looked over, he saw Elder Tian She, Ice River Valley's third strongest expert, engulfed in black flames. Even his soul was swallowed by the black flame. His death was truly miserable.
"So what if she has a Heavenly Flame? I was the one who gave it to her." Xiao Yan patted off a bit of bone ash from his robe, as if dealing with a half-step Dou Venerate wasn't worth mentioning.
"Xiao! Yan!" Venerable Bing's fury and hatred for Xiao Yan reached their peak. He never imagined he would be the fish caught on the hook! The news brought by the Black Fire Sect had actually been deliberately leaked by this Xiao Yan!
"Venerable Bing, I gave you a chance to choose, but unfortunately you chose wrong." Xiao Yan's eyes held no pity. If the situation had been reversed, if he or Little Fairy Doctor had been the weak ones, he was one hundred percent certain this Venerable Bing wouldn't have spared them either.
He, Xiao Yan, was merely treating others as they would treat him.
"Xiao Yan, let me go. I can guarantee I'll never oppose you again, and I'll hand over Ice River Valley's treasures, including a tier 9 pill recipe scroll I obtained. Only I know where the treasure is located. It's not in Ice River Valley. If I die, no one will know the hiding place." Venerable Bing knew the situation was lost. Besides Tian She, the other two 9-star Dou Ancestor elders had already been killed by Qing Hai, and even their souls had been collected.
Now Tian Shuang Zi had unleashed a Secret Technique and was barely holding on, but he probably couldn't last much longer. As for Venerable Yan She of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe, he had no heart for battle and was only thinking of escape. Counting on him for rescue was impossible.
"Though I, Xiao Yan, am a greedy person, I also know some things shouldn't be coveted. Your death will bring me peace of mind." Xiao Yan merely smiled faintly. The tier 9 pill recipe was indeed tempting, especially for him as he yearned to become a 9th-tier alchemist. Such recipes were indispensable.
Venerable Yao's inheritance contained only a handful of tier 9 pill recipes, and the medicinal ingredients for those recipes were extremely difficult to find. He definitely wanted to acquire more.
But he understood that if Venerable Bing didn't die, his heart would never be at ease.
A vicious glint flashed through Venerable Bing's eyes upon hearing Xiao Yan's words. With a boom, black ice Dou Qi burst from his body as he shouted: "You forced me to do this!"
"Woeful Poison Detonation!" Venerable Qing Hai shouted, quickly abandoning Tian Shuang Zi and hastily deploying defensive Dou Techniques.
He was just being paid to do a job, not here to risk his life. If Venerable Bing self-destructed in this sealed space, the result would be everyone dying!
A glint flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes. He instantly looked toward a certain space and said in a deep voice, "Your tricks are too low-level. You can't fool me."
Space distorted, and another Venerable Bing appeared from within. The one about to detonate was merely an ice sculpture! Though this move wasn't as miraculous as the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body, it was still a High Di Class ice-attribute agility technique.
Venerable Bing pushed off with his foot, charging fiercely toward Xiao Yan. That poison detonation was merely to attract Little Fairy Doctor's attention. He planned to capture Xiao Yan as a hostage!
"Young Master Xiao Yan, be careful!"
Seeing Venerable Bing's unimaginably fast speed, even deploying his Bone Wings wouldn't allow Xiao Yan to dodge. But he had never planned to dodge from the beginning.
He had deliberately revealed an opening because he knew that if Venerable Bing was pushed into desperation and activated Woeful Poison Detonation, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Your decision-making ability has always been poor." Xiao Yan's expression turned fierce as terrifying Spiritual Strength burst from his body.
An Asura phantom appeared behind him. The Asura opened its eyes, both hands gripping black soul chains.
Terrifying Spiritual Strength erupted. Xiao Yan's cultivation loosened again and began climbing upward, actually breaking through the Dou Ancestor barrier and surging into Dou Venerate!!
From half-step Dou Venerate to true Dou Venerate. This time even Venerable Bing's face showed shock! Who would believe that a 5-star Dou Ancestor could advance to 1-star Dou Venerate? Such a gap would be difficult to bridge even with a Low Tian Class Secret Technique!
Yet, relying on the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change and the Asura Soul Reaping Technique, Xiao Yan forcibly raised his strength to the level of a 1-star Dou Venerate!
But it wasn't over yet. Since Xiao Yan had deliberately exposed a weakness, he was naturally prepared. A ball of black flame appeared in his palm. From within the black flame, a fire lotus formed from nine merged Heavenly Flames floated out, resting steadily in his hand.
Nine-Colored Fire Lotus!!!
Xiao Yan roared in his heart: Nine Flames Unite, Heaven Breaking Lotus Flame!!
Boom!!
In that instant, the temperature of the entire space soared dramatically. The space around Xiao Yan's palm completely distorted. This terrifyingly extreme fire lotus even burned his own palm!
This was a move even he struggled to control. It was currently his strongest attack!
His Bone Wings erupted and Three Thousand Lightning Movement activated. Xiao Yan took the initiative to attack! A 5-star Dou Ancestor (enhanced by a Secret Technique) against a 5-star Dou Venerate.
To speak of this would be like an egg striking a rock, but Xiao Yan did exactly that!
Venerable Bing didn't mock him because he sensed what terrifying destructive power that small fire lotus in Xiao Yan's palm contained!
This was power that could shatter even the heavens!
"Ice River Eternal!" Venerable Bing actually sensed the taste of death from this. He dared not hold back any longer and unleashed his strongest quasi-Tian Class Dou Technique, similarly striking out with a palm toward Xiao Yan.
Boom!!
Ice and Heavenly Flame collided with a sizzling sound. In that instant, extreme cold and extreme heat clashed. The entire space evaporated, and the surrounding world suddenly became a vast expanse of white.
In the sky above, one side displayed incomparably terrifying Heavenly Flame while the other showed ice that froze all things and space. The collision of these two forces was extraordinarily brilliant, more spectacular than fireworks blooming in the night!
Any wisp of icy energy or tongue of Heavenly Flame from the collision could destroy a mountain, freeze a city, or evaporate a lake!
Such a terrifying collision was like the end of the world.
"Too strong! This... Venerable Yan's strength is actually this formidable!" Venerable Qing Hai, hiding behind defensive Dou Techniques, even forgot to conceal Xiao Yan's identity. However, no one could hear his muttered words at this moment.
Everyone present was shocked beyond measure, especially the remaining Ice River Valley disciples. A twenty-six-year-old young man was actually exchanging blows with their Valley Master?!!
However, the battle came quickly and ended just as fast. Just as Xiao Yan had said, Venerable Bing had made the wrong choice.
"Ugh... you..." Blood welled from Venerable Bing's lips. He turned his head with difficulty, only able to see Little Fairy Doctor's cold face. When he glanced downward, he realized that his chest had already been pierced by a poison claw.
The Woeful Demon Poison Claw—an actual Low Tian Class Dou Technique, not just a quasi-Tian Class Dou Technique. Once the poison claw appeared, even a Dou Venerate would fall!
The terrifying Woeful Poison instantly seeped into Venerable Bing's meridians, even contaminating his Dou Qi. Let alone being directly pierced through the body, even a scratch from the Woeful Demon Poison Claw would be fatal!
Did he really think Little Fairy Doctor wouldn't kill?
The moment he failed to capture Xiao Yan immediately and focused his attention on him, being dragged out, Venerable Bing was already not far from death.
Buzz!
Venerable Bing's Dou Qi vanished as the Woeful Demon Poison Claw pierced his body. The terrifying flames of the Nine-Colored Fire Lotus erupted, engulfing everything.
Clattering sounds rang out. From within the waves of the Nine-Colored Fire Lotus, several soul chains shot out from the black Nihility Devouring Flame's Earth Seed Flame, piercing into Venerable Bing's soul body.
"Trying to escape with your soul body? Is it that easy?" Xiao Yan's voice came from within the sea of fire. With a whoosh, even the soul body of the already dead Venerable Bing couldn't escape. It was directly drawn into the Soul Command Token within the Nihility Space. Even his physical body wasn't wasted, as the Nihility Devouring Flame directly swallowed it into the Nihility Space.
This was the body of a Dou Venerate. Using it as cat food brought him one step closer to a Heaven Seed Flame.
A legendary Venerate of a generation thus fell at the hands of Little Fairy Doctor.
After a short while, the flames dissipated. Only two figures stood in the sky—Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor, a pair that seemed like a heavenly couple. Venerable Bing appeared to have been burned until not even bones remained.
"Valley Master... the Valley Master is dead!"
All Ice River Valley disciples instantly turned ashen-faced, as if in mourning. Though not a malicious person, Xiao Yan was by no means a saint. With a wave of his hand, countless black soul chains pierced through the bodies of those Dou Emperor and Dou Ancestor disciples and elders.
Those stronger Dou Ancestors had also been defeated by Zi Yan and Qing Lin. Shrill screams and pleas for mercy resounded from the Soul Command Token, but Xiao Yan didn't spare any of them. These Ice River Valley disciples had once targeted the members of the Yan Alliance themselves.
The actions of Ice River Valley had already crossed Xiao Yan's bottom line.
Moreover, these people knew a little too much.
"You... you're from the Hall of Souls!" Tian Shuang Zi could only utter these final words before being killed by Venerable Qing Hai with a single palm strike, his soul body collected as well.
Xiao Yan didn't mind this mere 1-star Dou Venerate soul body. The peak 4-star Dou Venerate Venerable Bing was worth far more.
Just as he was about to have Little Fairy Doctor join him in dealing with Venerable Yan She, a sudden violent fluctuation occurred. Venerable Yan She instantly transformed into his true form, an enormously massive serpent whose entire body seemed made of smoke.
"Serpent Shedding Smoke Escape!!"
With a muffled sound, Venerable Yan She viciously bit into his own body, not hesitating to severely injure himself to execute an escape technique. Instantly, countless perception-blocking smoke screens poured out.
Xiao Yan was stunned. How could he escape from this formation that sealed the surrounding world?
Immediately, he sensed something was wrong. His eyes focused as his Spiritual Strength swept across the sealing formation. He suddenly looked toward one spot where a gap had appeared!
"It's from the collision with Venerable Bing! It created a gap in the formation!" Xiao Yan immediately gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected this oversight. The collision between the Heaven Breaking Lotus Flame and Venerable Bing's quasi-Tian Class Dou Technique had actually blasted a small gap in the sealing formation!
Whoosh! A wisp of smoke, as fast as a streak of light, shot through the gap and escaped.
"Qing Hai, immediately release the seal! Little Fairy Doctor, Elder Yao, we can't let that guy escape!" Xiao Yan felt some regret at his carelessness!
Little Fairy Doctor and Elder Yao knew the seriousness of the situation and both pursued at their fastest speed.
However, what happened next was something even Xiao Yan hadn't expected. An incomparably familiar aura appeared within his spiritual perception.
"If he is harmed, the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe will cease to exist!"
A gentle voice echoed across the sky. The instant this somewhat ethereal gentle voice sounded, Xiao Yan's heart couldn't help but tremble. Six years! A full six years!
When that graceful figure was taken from Jia Nan Academy, he was only twenty years old. Now, he was already twenty-six!
A full six years! He hadn't heard this voice again!
When this voice sounded once more, Xiao Yan's first thought was wondering if he was dreaming.
His throat moved slightly as he looked incredulously at the distorted space a hundred miles away. That voice transmitted through his perception was familiar to the depths of his soul. Even if he one day forgot his own voice, this voice deeply engraved in his heart would never be forgotten!
"Xun Er, is that you?"
Boom!
The fleeing Venerable Yan She was struck by the combined attack of two elders behind Xun Er, directly crashing into the ground. Already severely injured by Venerable Tian Huo and having consumed large amounts of Dou Qi to escape, Venerable Yan She directly fainted.
"Young Miss, be careful. This person is a 5-star Dou Venerate, stronger than both of us!" One of the elders beside Xun Er spoke gravely. What was going on! Why had a 5-star Dou Venerate appeared?!
They had rushed over upon hearing that Ice River Valley was moving to capture Xiao Yan, yet upon arrival, they had found not Ice River Valley, but the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe.
Xun Er's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she looked at the gray-white-haired Little Fairy Doctor not far ahead. For some reason, she felt a strange sensation in her heart that made her quite uncomfortable.
Little Fairy Doctor similarly furrowed her delicate brows as she looked at Xun Er. Without any reason, she had never even seen Xun Er's appearance, but at this moment, she knew this person was the woman called 'Xun Er' that Xiao Yu had mentioned at Jia Nan Academy.
The gazes of the two women met in midair, and for a moment, sparks seemed to fly between them.
On one side stood Xun Er, dressed in simple green robes that, though not lavish, carried a natural nobility that stood proud in the world.
On the other stood Little Fairy Doctor, clad in a plain white dress, transformed into the Sky Poison Fairy, carrying wisps of terrifying poisonous gas.
Xiao Yan ignored Venerable Yan She. His Bone Wings beat once as he flew toward the horizon. When he saw Xun Er, his gaze became gentle.
Xun Er was naturally endowed with a kind of noble air. Her three thousand strands of black hair were casually tied with a faint purple silk ribbon, flowing smoothly along her moving curves. When occasional breezes came, her black hair fluttered with a somewhat transcendent feeling, like an immortal who had mistakenly entered the mortal world, with an inviolable ethereal quality.
On that perfectly flawless delicate face, her fair skin seemed ready to break at a touch, glowing with healthy and moving rosiness. A gentle smile graced her face, giving people a feeling as refreshing as a spring breeze.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to fly over and embrace this graceful figure he hadn't seen in six years, Xun Er actually acted before him. She extended her right hand with a smile and said: "Hello, I'm Gu Xun Er from the Gu Clan. You must be Little Fairy Doctor. Back at Jia Nan Academy, I often heard Xiao Yan ge-ge mention he had a very good friend."
The moment these words came out, Xiao Yan's body froze stiff in place. At his side, Venerable Tian Huo's expression grew odd, and he even quietly retreated a few steps.
Little Fairy Doctor gave a faint smile, took a step forward, and similarly extended her hand: "Hello, I'm Little Fairy Doctor. Though the Yan Alliance has been established for many years, I've rarely heard mention of Miss Gu's great name."
Then under Xiao Yan's gaze, the two women extended their jade-white hands and gently clasped them together.
Looking at their clasped hands, the smile on Xiao Yan's face stiffened because he noticed gray air currents and golden flames slowly rising from where their hands met.
A series of crackling collision sounds rang out.
Two equally outstanding women, upon their first meeting, engaged in an almost reflexive feminine contest right in front of him.
For a moment, even the clouds in the sky began to churn. Clearly, neither had used any Dou Techniques nor even circulated their Dou Qi, yet strange phenomena were actually appearing!
Xiao Yan swallowed hard as an idea struck him.
Pu!
Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood. The Dou Qi within his body surged into chaos, and his Bone Wings instantly lost their effect, sending him plummeting from the sky.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge!" Xun Er's eyes filled with panic. She quickly withdrew her hand and, in a flash, appeared at Xiao Yan's side, catching him in her arms.
Little Fairy Doctor, who had already begun to step forward, paused in hesitation. Though her cultivation was higher, her gentle and uncompetitive disposition often put her at a disadvantage at times like this!
"I... I'm fine. It's just the side effect of using a Secret Technique."
Xiao Yan coughed twice, sighing inwardly. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't suffered such injuries even against Venerable Bing, but now he had forcibly injured himself because of these matters!
Women's battles were even more perilous!