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"Yan? I seem to recall some Hall of Souls enforcers mentioning a Yan Protector who climbed the ranks at an astonishing pace, advancing to Heaven Grade Protector in barely any time at all."
"Have you lost your mind? Advancing to Protector isn't so difficult, but being named an Honorable Elder requires the Hall Chief's personal approval. And becoming a Tianzun? You have to issue a formal challenge and defeat an existing Tianzun. No one just hands you that title."
"Exactly. Not even a member of the Hun Clan could become a Tianzun that quickly. This newcomer must think the title is some casual badge for the taking."
Xiao Yan remained calm, though he found it somewhat ridiculous that the mighty Hall of Souls headquarters lacked even a single chair. He picked a spot in a corner, yawned, and leaned back against the wall to rest.
His casual demeanor immediately shifted the atmosphere. The surrounding Hall of Souls Venerables exchanged glances. These were prominent figures not just within the Hall but across the entire Dou Qi Continent, and every one of them was now sizing up this so-called Yan Tianzun with new scrutiny.
"Jie Jie Jie, Yan Tianzun? I, Zhai Xing, have been a Tianzun for many years, yet I've never heard of any Yan Tianzun. He is probably just some brat making wild claims." An elderly man in robes that sparkled with starlight cackled strangely, his sharp gaze boring into Xiao Yan with undisguised disdain.
Does he really think Tianzun is a title just anyone can claim? I poured blood and sweat into earning this, risked my life on countless missions, and only after defeating a Tianzun in mortal combat did I take his place.
"That's Zhai Xing. He became a Tianzun years ago and participated in the recent attack on Holy Pill City," Venerable Qing Hai whispered quickly, fulfilling his duty as Xiao Yan's guide.
While others remained ignorant, Qing Hai knew the truth. Xiao Yan was not some veteran Hall of Souls Tianzun famous for years, but had only recently been promoted!
Xiao Yan glanced at Zhai Xing Tianzun. The man had not bothered with a disguise, showing his true appearance: an ordinary-looking old man, tall and thin, the type who would disappear in a crowd.
'The attack on Holy Pill City?' Xiao Yan's expression turned odd. Doesn't that make this guy half my subordinate?
The plot to entrap Mu Gu had been his idea. He had planned to use Mu Gu's death to gain the complete trust of the Pill Tower giants, and then have a Hall of Souls Tianzun delay them while he refined the Three Thousand Burning Flame and killed Mu Gu.
He hadn't known whom the Hall Chief would send, but it was apparently this Zhai Xing Tianzun. However, Xiao Yan quickly assessed that Zhai Xing had likely been sent as mere cannon fodder to delay figures like First Elder Qiu Ling, given his mere 5-star Dou Venerate strength.
'A 5-star Dou Venerate… just right for a test run.' A faint smile crept beneath Xiao Yan's hood.
When in the village, follow village customs. He was not Xiao Yan right now. He was Yan Tianzun of the Hall of Souls!
If you're going to do it, do it the Hall of Souls way!
BOOM!
Xiao Yan drove his foot into the floor with explosive force. The special black stone construction nearly shattered under the terrifying power.
A black shadow shot forward like dark thunder, cutting through the crowd straight toward Zhai Xing Tianzun. Cold light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes as he raised his fist and launched an Octane Blast!
He relied purely on physical strength. Since tempering his body in the Heaven Phoenix Blood Pool, he had not had a chance to test his limits. This 5-star Dou Venerate made the perfect target.
Zhai Xing Tianzun snorted coldly at the wordless assault. With a chilling smile, he extended a pale hand from his sleeve. Black mist surged, instantly condensing into a massive, hundred-foot palm print that smashed down viciously.
BOOM!!!
Fist met palm, and a surge of dragon aura erupted from Xiao Yan's punch!
Although Octane Blast was merely a High Xuan Class Dou Technique, everything depended on the user. Xiao Yan's current physical strength was no weaker than that of an ordinary Rank 8 Ancient Void Dragon. This made it overwhelmingly powerful, capable of shattering mountains with a single blow.
RUMBLE!
A deafening explosion shook the hall. Zhai Xing's black mist technique scattered before the dragon aura, and the resulting shockwave sent nearby Hall of Souls Dou Venerates stumbling backward.
Some weaker Honorable Elders even had to deploy defensive Dou Techniques just to withstand the aftershocks.
No one present showed any surprise at Xiao Yan's sudden attack. In the Hall of Souls, among these Venerables, fighting at the drop of a hat, killing, robbing, and extracting souls was just another day at the office.
They were Hall of Souls people doing Hall of Souls things. Xiao Yan's behavior fit right in!
If I don't like you, I'll beat you!
"Hmph, what right does a mere 3-star Dou Venerate have to call himself Tianzun?" Fierce light blazed in Zhai Xing Tianzun's eyes. I didn't attack first, yet you dare strike me?!
The other Tianzun present watched the confrontation with keen interest.
"A 3-star Dou Venerate provoking a 5-star? Now this is entertaining."
"Jie Jie Jie, indeed. This Yan Tianzun has quite the temper."
"Let's see if his strength matches that temper. Zhai Xing is no mere cat or dog from the Central Plains; an ordinary 5-star Dou Venerate is no match for him."
Venerable Shou Li, who knew Venerable Qing Hai, frowned and muttered, "Is this fellow also a magical beast? How can his physical strength be so terrifying?"
Old Ghost Zhai Xing's eyes narrowed. He spread his palm, pointing five fingers at Xiao Yan. His fingers trembled, and five streams of viscous black fog burst forth. With a clattering sound, they condensed into eerie black chains that twisted through the air and, with a swoosh, pierced through space itself, appearing above Xiao Yan's head in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Yan merely smiled at the lightning assault. His Spiritual Strength had reached the late Soul State, granting him perception that surpassed everyone present. Silver light flickered beneath his feet as he retreated amid crackling lightning arcs.
Swoosh! Puff-puff-puff!!
The chains stabbed down viciously, brushing past Xiao Yan before embedding themselves deep in the hard black stone. The surrounding rock cracked with a slight tremor.
"Jie Jie Jie, is running all you can do?"
Zhai Xing Tianzun cackled and flicked his finger. The chains leaped up like lightning, writhing like venomous snakes as they swept toward Xiao Yan's vital points with a piercing wind. The densely packed chain attacks moved at a terrifying speed, leaving afterimages that made them impossible to defend against.
Xiao Yan licked his lips at the phantom-fast assault. His hands flashed through a series of seals, and a pattern materialized on the back of his Soul Robe. With a rush of wind, a pair of enormous, black Heaven Phoenix Wings burst forth.
The Sky Bird Nine Flying Wings was a flying-type Dou Technique, not a physical pair of wings, but rather a unique movement skill. Now, the Heaven Phoenix Wings beat with such force that space itself tore open, and streams of spatial turbulence swirled out!
All of Zhai Xing's black fog chains were swept into the maelstrom.
"Holy shit! This guy's from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe!"
"No wonder his physical strength is so terrifying! He's one of them!"
Venerable Shou Li nodded to himself. So, none of us are human. We're all magical beasts.
The most shocked of all was Venerable Qing Hai, who stared in stunned disbelief. Wasn't Xiao Yan a human alchemist? How did he become a magical beast?!
Astonishment flashed across Zhai Xing Tianzun's face as he stared at the incomparably powerful black Heaven Phoenix Wings.
His discerning eye could tell these were no ordinary wings of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe; they gave him a heart-stopping sense of danger!
Xiao Yan's expression remained unchanged as his eyes flickered. The Heaven Phoenix Wings trembled gently, and his speed became so great that even spiritual perception could not keep up! In less than a thousandth of a second, he appeared behind Zhai Xing Tianzun.
"This veteran Tianzun isn't as tough as he claimed, is he?"
Zhai Xing Tianzun's face changed dramatically as he whipped his head around. There floated Xiao Yan in his black robes and hood, arms crossed, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Before Zhai Xing could react, Xiao Yan's leg lashed out like a whip. His physical strength, comparable to a Rank 8 Ancient Void Dragon, shattered space itself with the kick.
Puff!
The kick sent two of Zhai Xing Tianzun's teeth flying. Blood spurted from his mouth as he was blasted into the distant black wall.
Black wings moved gently as Xiao Yan floated in the air. The gazes of every Venerable had now shifted.
The Hall of Souls valued strength above all else. Xiao Yan understood this perfectly, which was why he had chosen Zhai Xing Tianzun to establish his authority.
No one would underestimate this strange new Yan Tianzun now. Zhai Xing's battered body was proof enough.
This newcomer possessed combat power matching a 5-star Dou Venerate.
While others present could defeat Zhai Xing Tianzun, for a 3-star Dou Venerate to do so with such effortless brutality was absolutely unheard of!
Xiao Yan had proven with strength that he was indeed a Tianzun!
Of course, the main reason he could defeat Zhai Xing so easily was the tempering his body had undergone in the Heaven Phoenix Blood Pool, strengthening his physique to an extreme degree.
Though Xiao Yan did not know how magical beasts classified such things, if souls were divided into the Mortal, Soul, and Heavenly States, then he would classify physical strength into the Mortal Body, Transcendent, and Saintly tiers.
Physical strength alone would make one merely an ordinary magical beast. But Xiao Yan possessed not just a powerful physique but also sufficient Spiritual Strength and Dou Qi cultivation, which led to this result.
"You deserve death! Star Plucking Hand!!"
Zhai Xing Tianzun's face contorted with rage. He had once used other Hall of Souls Venerables as stepping stones. Never had he imagined becoming someone else's sacrificial lamb! How could he endure this?!
Black qi swirled as Zhai Xing Tianzun's right hand mysteriously grew larger. His figure flickered, appearing before Xiao Yan like a phantom. His right hand sparkled with starlight, as if truly capable of grasping the sun, moon, and stars, as he reached for Xiao Yan's head.
"The Star Plucking Hand! The old ghost is using his strongest Dou Technique!"
"That's a quasi-Tian Class technique! I heard he's cultivated it to major mastery; its power has likely reached the Tian Class!"
"A quasi-Tian Class technique? That's all?" Xiao Yan could not even be bothered to look at this so-called Star Plucking Hand. As if he could really pluck the stars.
As the large hand approached, the Heaven Phoenix Wings wrapped around Xiao Yan's body with a hum, forming a black shield. Dou Qi poured in madly while wisps of black Heaven Phoenix beast fire burned, creating a strange black rune that flashed and vanished.
CLANG!!!
The palm struck, producing an ear-piercing sound that shook the entire Heaven Hall. The assembled Venerables had to cover their ears with Dou Qi and shield their bodies from the sonic attack!
The sound was remarkably similar to the Demon Phoenix Bell used by the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe!
Even Xiao Yan probably did not realize that the Demon Phoenix Bell technique had been developed based on the reverberating sound waves produced when an Ancient Heaven Phoenix used its wings for defense!
Simply put, Xiao Yan's current form was the true Demon Phoenix Bell. From a distance, wrapped in wings, he indeed resembled a large, black bell.
Pu!!
Zhai Xing Tianzun bore the brunt of the attack and spat blood. His body flew backward like a kite with a severed string, severely injured.
After releasing his defense, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose. He had not expected this reverberation effect and felt a tiny flicker of apology toward Zhai Xing Tianzun.
He then looked at the Heaven Phoenix Wings, unable to suppress his delight.
He had always lacked defensive methods. These Heaven Phoenix Wings had clearly reached the level of a Tian Class flying technique; not only were they incredibly fast, but they also provided defensive capabilities that perfectly compensated for his weakness.
'Tsk tsk tsk, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe is domineering indeed, but their stuff really is excellent.' Xiao Yan licked his lips. Sparing Feng Qing Er's life was definitely the right choice.
'The Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe was once a subordinate race of the Ancient Heaven Serpent, right? I wonder if they have any good stuff too...'
Xiao Yan's eyes couldn't help but heat up. Compared to the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe's strength, the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe was much weaker. Perhaps he could be a bit more domineering with them.
Far away in the Beast Region, the Tribe Leader of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe suddenly felt a chill, unaware that his race had already caught Yan Tianzun's attention!
Just as Xiao Yan was thinking about when to make another trip to the Beast Region to discuss compensation with the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe for their past attack on the Yan Alliance, violent spatial fluctuations suddenly erupted. Two vast auras, far more powerful than Zhai Xing Tianzun's, slowly appeared before him.
Even Xiao Yan's brows furrowed. These auras… both belonged to peak 6-star Dou Venerates!
Among Dou Venerates, a single star's difference was a chasm between heaven and earth. Xiao Yan had only bridged the two-star gap with Zhai Xing because his physique, techniques, Qi Method, and Spiritual Strength were all superior.
A peak 6-star Dou Venerate would not be so simple, let alone two of them.
Black fog surged and space distorted as the two vast auras rapidly became clearer. The injured Zhai Xing Tianzun revealed a mocking smile.
As the spatial light gradually dissipated, two elderly figures slowly appeared before everyone. At their appearance, some of the veteran Honorable Elders and Tianzun grew solemn, abandoning their casual demeanor.
It was not that the pair was overwhelmingly powerful, but their arrival signified that the ceremonial gathering was about to begin.
"Jie Jie Jie, it has been many years since we've seen such an active newcomer. Quite the lively commotion," the elderly man on the left, clad in white Soul Robes, said with a smile, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"Being too rowdy is not a good thing," the elderly man on the right, dressed in black Soul Robes, said coldly, glancing at the fallen Zhai Xing Tianzun.
Xiao Yan tilted his head slightly to see the two figures, one in black and one in white. Powerful pressure bore down, as if trying to force him into submission.
His eyes narrowed, his expression impassive as the Flame Mantra circulated within him. The formidable power of his Heavenly Flames resisted the might of the two peak 6-star Dou Venerates.
Even Xiao Yan, this 'back-door' Tianzun, knew who these two were.
The Black and White Tianzun. Rumor had it they were descendants of a certain Dou God Clan. Because their Dou God Bloodlines were considered waste veins, they were scorned within their clan. Eventually, after killing their brothers and parents, the two fled and joined the Hall of Souls.
All Dou God Clans had such descendants, who formed the lowest but most essential tier of their society. After countless years, their numbers had become substantial.
These descendants also possessed Dou God Bloodlines, though so weak as to be almost negligible. By Dou God Bloodline standards, the current Xiao Clan might not even qualify as descendants.
Occasionally, however, an accident or mutation would cause a descendant's bloodline to strengthen. Once discovered, these descendants would see their status skyrocket. They would become true members of the Dou God Clan and enjoy supreme honor.
A Dou God Clan's coming-of-age ceremony was, in fact, a ritual for granting Clan Marks to those descendants whose bloodlines had reached Grade 4 or above.
These Black and White Tianzun were the strongest Tianzun just below the Nine Great Tianzun. Working together, they could defeat an ordinary 7-star Dou Venerate.
"Hmm?" The Black and White Tianzun exchanged a glance, both regarding Xiao Yan with a newfound wariness.
Their combined pressure had failed to suppress him.
After a moment, both withdrew their auras. Fighting and killing were common in the Hall of Souls, but there were important matters at hand. This was the ceremonial gathering, and they were merely guides.
Xiao Yan slowly descended as he sensed the Black and White Tianzun withdrawing. He retracted the Heaven Phoenix Wings and turned a grave gaze toward the depths of the hall. He could sense terrifyingly powerful auras approaching through Wormholes!
The Black and White Tianzun stepped aside, retreating to either side like two doormen clearing a path. Even the heavily injured Zhai Xing Tianzun, still suffering from the sonic rebound, dared not remain lying down. Clutching his wounds, he retreated to the side and shot Xiao Yan a vicious glare.
Only eleven people in the entire Hall of Souls could make the Black and White Tianzun act with such caution!
A surge of black fog billowed from the depths of the hall, and nine figures slowly emerged. An elderly man in blue robes was the first to step out.
"Hmm? Jie Jie Jie, it seems this gathering has some hot-blooded individuals. It's been ages since I've seen a fight in the Heaven Hall."
Xiao Yan moved to stand beside Venerable Qing Hai, his gaze sharp as he watched this elderly man.
The moment this figure appeared, the air in the hall grew damp, and faint water vapor began to swirl around him.
The Ninth Tianzun, Mo Yu!