Chapter 470: A Rematch with Mo He Tian, Xiao Tiance's Assessment
"Heh, War Emperor, whether it is or not, let's find out," Xiao Yan said with a calm smile.
The Western Battle Emperor sneered and growled, "It seems Domain Master Xiao Yan has quite the confidence in his strength. Don't blame me if I don't hold back."
He thrust his palm forward, summoning the massive golden cauldron, which hurtled toward Xiao Yan at breakneck speed.
Xiao Yan, unshaken, responded swiftly. With a wave of his hand, the beautiful yet destructive Heavenly Flame Lotus flew out.
"Boom!"
The two forces collided, and the golden cauldron exploded into fragments. The massive Heavenly Flame Lotus blossomed in mid air, radiating a dazzling light before detonating with terrifying force.
The ensuing shockwaves rippled through the void, causing the space around them to tremble as if it might shatter at any moment.
The Western Battle Emperor's Hesitation
Across from Xiao Yan, the Western Battle Emperor's face darkened. He stared at the remnants of the Heavenly Flame Lotus with a glint of unease in his eyes.
He had underestimated Xiao Yan, thinking him an easy opponent. However, the display of such a powerful technique forced him to reevaluate his judgment.
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in his ears:
"War Emperor, that's enough. Don't overdo it."
"Who's there?!" The Western Battle Emperor scanned his surroundings, but Xiao Tiance was nowhere to be seen.
Understanding the warning, he glanced at Xiao Yan before retracting his spiritual energy. Smiling faintly, he said, "Domain Master Xiao Yan, I acknowledge your strength."
"Oh? Thank you, then," Xiao Yan replied, suppressing a sigh of relief.
While confident in his abilities, Xiao Yan knew the Western Battle Emperor's combat experience and skills far exceeded his own. Although neither of them had gone all out, Xiao Yan recognized that the fight could have cost him dearly had it continued.
"Very well," the Western Battle Emperor said with a hearty laugh. "I hope the Endless Flame Territory thrives under your leadership. Farewell!"
With that, he disappeared in a flash, not bothering to rejoin the spectators below.
Xiao Yan Challenges Mo He Tian
After taking a restorative pill from his storage ring to replenish his energy, Xiao Yan turned toward Mo He Tian. He waved his hand to part the void and smiled.
"Senior Mo He Tian, since the Western Battle Emperor has left, would you like to test my strength as well?"
"Hahaha! Why not?" Mo He Tian laughed and instantly appeared before Xiao Yan.
The two stood silently in the void, their hands behind their backs, their eyes locked with battle intent.
Despite the immense pressure Mo He Tian exuded greater than the Western Battle Emperor's Xiao Yan remained resolute. He trusted that with Xiao Tiance present, he wouldn't be allowed to suffer defeat.
"Perhaps the Western Battle Emperor's sudden withdrawal was also due to Elder Tiance," Xiao Yan mused.
With a wave of his hand, flames erupted around him, forming a world of Heavenly Flames. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the space in a raging inferno.
The Battle Begins
Standing in the midst of the sea of flames, Xiao Yan's robes fluttered as if caught in a storm. His eyes gleamed with determination as he channeled his spiritual energy into the flames, raising the temperature to an unbearable level.
It felt as if the very fabric of the void would burn to ashes under the destructive force of his flames.
Mo He Tian, observing Xiao Yan's mastery of the flames and the terrifying heat radiating from them, discarded any trace of disdain.
He stepped forward, thrusting his palm toward Xiao Yan, but before his attack could land, Xiao Yan responded with a counterattack.
With a single step, Xiao Yan commanded the sea of flames to surge toward Mo He Tian like a tidal wave.
"Boom!"
The collision between Mo He Tian's palm strike and Xiao Yan's fiery onslaught resulted in a deafening explosion. The flames consumed Mo He Tian's attack, forcing him to retreat.
"Impressive," Mo He Tian said with a faint smile. "Your flames are extraordinary, Xiao Yan. Even the Fire Spirit Clan's flames might not compare to this level of heat."
Xiao Yan smirked. "You flatter me, Senior. If that were truly your belief, you wouldn't have come to test my strength at the founding ceremony of the Endless Flame Territory."
While maintaining his polite demeanor, Xiao Yan silently cursed Mo He Tian in his mind for causing trouble on such an important day.
Xiao Yan's Next Move
The void grew silent as the two stared each other down, their energies crackling in the air.
Suddenly, Xiao Yan's flames surged upward, coiling around him like a fiery dragon. The flames roared as they spun faster, creating a deafening hum.
"Emperor Flame: Song of Fire!" Xiao Yan murmured, his voice low and steady.
With a wave of his hands, torrents of multicolored flames erupted outward, forming massive waves. From within the fiery ocean, five enormous dragons constructed entirely of flames emerged, their roars shaking the heavens.
With a mighty push, Xiao Yan sent the five fire dragons charging toward Mo He Tian.
The temperature around the dragons was so intense that even a brief touch threatened to cause severe burns.
Mo He Tian's Counter
Mo He Tian's expression turned serious as he watched the fire dragons hurtling toward him. A golden flame flickered into existence in his hand, quickly transforming into a fiery greatsword.
With a fluid motion, Mo He Tian swung the sword, its blade releasing arcs of golden fire. The blade's radiance sliced through the sky like a blazing comet, striking the incoming dragons.
"Boom!"
The collision of the two forces generated a brilliant explosion, sending waves of fire and golden light rippling across the void. Stars scattered like shards of glass, and the space itself trembled from the impact.
When the smoke cleared, the void around them was torn apart, consumed by the sheer force of their clash.
Mutual Appraisal
Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened as he assessed Mo He Tian's strength.
"As expected of the young lord of the Mohe Ancient Clan. His power is far superior to the Western Battle Emperor's," Xiao Yan thought.
Meanwhile, Mo He Tian was equally impressed.
"Are all these Xiaos monstrous? Xiao Tiance was only a late stage Spirit Heavenly Sovereign when he used his battle array techniques to severely injure me.
"Now this Xiao Yan has reached the mid stage Immortal Heavenly Sovereign realm. Though he lacks Xiao Tiance's bizarre methods, his raw power and flames are not to be underestimated.
"At this rate of growth, he might become another Xiao Tiance a terrifying existence."
The battle continued to escalate, but both combatants now recognized the potential of their opponent, raising the stakes for the unfolding duel.
As Mo He Tian locked eyes with Xiao Yan, a flicker of murderous intent flashed in his gaze.
Xiao Yan noticed it immediately and thought grimly, "Damn it, this dog Mo He Tian dares to show killing intent toward me. Does he truly plan to flout all conventions and go all out to kill me?"
A Blaze of Fire and Sword
Suppressing his unease, Xiao Yan swiftly moved his arms, intensifying the surging waves of his Heavenly Flame Sea. The fiery ocean grew more ferocious, with waves towering hundreds of meters high, as if threatening to incinerate the heavens and earth.
With a low roar, Xiao Yan unleashed a torrent of spiritual energy, propelling the sea of flames forward in a massive tidal wave.
Mo He Tian, unperturbed, stood his ground. His eyes, sharp and proud, betrayed no fear as his spiritual energy surged. With a swing of his fiery greatsword, he summoned a storm of blazing sword rain. Thousands of fiery blades hurtled toward Xiao Yan's sea of flames, cutting through the air with deadly precision.
In the void, fire and sword clashed violently, igniting dazzling explosions of light. Sparks flew, and sword energy surged like a storm threatening to split the heavens.
However, as the fiery swords collided with the Heavenly Flame Sea, the superior power of Xiao Yan's flames became evident. Every sword was incinerated upon contact, leaving no trace behind.
Seeing this, Mo He Tian's expression darkened, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes.
An Overwhelming Counterattack
Mo He Tian didn't allow himself to remain passive. With a sharp motion, he brought the fiery greatsword before his chest. Infused with his spiritual energy, the sword grew to a massive size, over thirty meters long.
In an instant, Mo He Tian leaped into the air, his body twisting as he performed a spinning kick that sent the flaming greatsword hurtling toward Xiao Yan. The sword tore through the air, its speed and power leaving a fiery trail in its wake.
If this strike landed, Xiao Yan would be skewered on the spot.
Reacting quickly, Xiao Yan clapped his hands together. In an instant, the swirling flames of the Heavenly Flame Sea coalesced into a colossal fiery figure a Heavenly Flame Giant.
The giant, its eyes burning with destructive flames, charged forward to intercept the incoming sword.
"Clang!"
A sharp, ringing sound echoed as the giant's massive hands caught the sword midair. The impact sent the fiery giant staggering backward several steps before it managed to dissipate the force of the blow.
Mo He Tian's Ruthlessness
Seeing this, Mo He Tian sneered. "Explode!" he commanded coldly.
"Boom!"
The fiery greatsword detonated, sending shockwaves tearing through the Heavenly Flame Giant and reducing it to scattered embers. The explosion's residual energy blasted Xiao Yan backward thousands of meters, leaving his robes scorched and torn.
Despite the ferocity of the attack, Xiao Yan remained unharmed. Tearing off the remnants of his burned clothing, he revealed his muscular frame.
"Ha! It seems, Senior, that when it comes to playing with fire, you're no match for me!" Xiao Yan laughed, his eyes gleaming with mockery.
Mo He Tian's face contorted in anger. "Let's see if you can still mock me after I get serious!" he spat.
Fire Against Fire
Golden flames erupted around Mo He Tian, forming a raging vortex. With a thrust of his palm, the fiery cyclone surged toward Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flame Sea.
Xiao Yan's lips curled into a faint smile. "His strength is commendable, but he's just a reckless brute. If he used his Supreme Physique, he could defeat me in three moves. But to challenge me, a Grandmaster Alchemist, in controlling flames? Foolish."
This was all part of Xiao Yan's strategy. By using his Heavenly Flames as his primary weapon, he capitalized on their destructive power and versatility. It allowed him to exert pressure while conserving energy, and it gave him a clear edge in a battle of flame manipulation.
As their fiery clash continued, the void filled with bursts of blinding light and deafening explosions. The audience watched in awe, unable to tear their eyes away.
A Shocking Display
To the spectators, Xiao Yan appeared to have the upper hand. Those unfamiliar with Mo He Tian's true strength even believed Xiao Yan was overpowering him.
The sheer ferocity of their battle left many speechless. Each strike and counterstrike resonated with the raw energy of the Heavenly Flame Domain, causing the void itself to tremble.
But to Xiao Tiance, who observed from a distance, the fight was nothing more than a spectacle of two children playing.
"Xiao Yan thinks he can exhaust Mo He Tian's spiritual energy. If Mo He Tian loses patience, Xiao Yan will face a storm of devastating attacks," Xiao Tiance remarked with a smile.
The Western Battle Emperor's Perspective
Beside Xiao Tiance stood the Western Battle Emperor, who had been pulled aside by Xiao Tiance just as he was leaving.
"Xiao Tiance, is it really necessary to shield your junior clan member like this?" the Western Battle Emperor asked, exasperated. "Even if you guarantee the success of this ceremony, without absolute strength, he won't last in the long run."
Xiao Tiance chuckled softly, his gaze fixed on the battle. "He's a talented junior. If I can lend him a hand, why wouldn't I?
"Besides, don't underestimate him, War Emperor. In a hundred years, you might not even qualify to stand before him."
"Hmph, impossible!" the Western Battle Emperor snorted. "Xiao Yan is strong, yes, but the idea that he'll surpass me in a century? Absurd."
Xiao Tiance's smile remained. "Let's wait and see, shall we?"
The stage was set, the battle raged on, and Xiao Yan's growth continued to surprise even the most seasoned warriors.
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