Chapter 263: Invincible Beneath Dou Zun
"Ha!"
Xiao Yuan let out a deep cry as he hurled the long spear in his hand, surging with a tremendous and terrifying energy. The space around the spear's tip distorted and cracked, signaling the overwhelming power behind this strike.
Seeing Xiao Yuan use Mang Tian Chi's famed technique, the Earth Demon Old Ghost dared not hold back. He took a deep breath, and in an instant, his face turned unnaturally red. With a chilling hiss, countless strands of black cold air erupted from his pores, laced faintly with crimson. That faint red intensified the chill, making the black mist even more deadly.
"Blood-Chill Freezing Heaven!"
The eerie roar came from the old ghost's mouth as a massive black cold cloud, over ten zhang wide, surged outward, completely engulfing him.
The moment the black cold cloud emerged, the surrounding temperature dropped to an eerie chill. Tiny ice crystals began falling from the sky—crystallized moisture pulled straight from the air. The terrifying cold radiating from the black mist froze even the atmosphere.
Frost spread like lightning, and in a flash, half of the Inner Academy was coated in a thin layer of ice. Many weaker cultivators shivered uncontrollably; even their Dou Qi began to freeze.
Both Demon Flame Valley and academy experts suffered, their faces turning blue, hair frosted, and teeth clenched as they desperately circulated Dou Qi to resist the cold.
Meanwhile, the approaching thunder-fire spear—empowered by merged Heavenly Flames and Black Demon Lightning—began to heat the surroundings, evaporating the dense white mist as it neared the black cloud.
The spear's intense heat reduced the freezing air, slightly relieving those affected. Everyone looked up, eyes wide, as the spear, like divine judgment, pierced the sky toward the swirling black cloud.
Shhh!
Under countless gazes, the spear sliced through the air and plunged into the dark cloud.
With its destructive dual energies, the spear entered the black cloud—and every nearby expert immediately stopped fighting and ran.
When high-level Dou Zong battle, the resulting shockwaves are deadly.
But… the expected explosion didn't come. Instead, the black cloud remained eerily calm.
Everyone was stunned. Just as they wondered if the spear had been frozen, Elder Su Qian's face changed drastically. He roared:
"All Inner Academy members—retreat immediately!"
Without hesitation, he bolted backward. The elders followed in alarm. Xiao Yan and Little Doctor Immortal didn't even need the warning—they had already fled.
Only Zi Yan stood in confusion, blinking as everyone fled.
Little Doctor Immortal's face shifted. She flared her gray-purple wings, grabbed Zi Yan with a curved hand, and dashed away, forming a protective barrier of Dou Qi mid-flight.
Meanwhile, some Demon Flame Valley experts also fled, recognizing the danger. Chaos erupted.
Moments after Su Qian's shout, the dormant black cloud suddenly trembled violently. A deep boom echoed through everyone's soul, causing hearts to skip and bodies to shiver uncontrollably.
BOOM!
The black cloud collapsed into itself, then exploded outward. Blinding white light flashed as dark-gold flames and blue-black lightning intertwined, detonating the frozen air.
The shockwave and energy ripple surged like ripples in water, lined with lightning and fire. Space twisted and warped. Anyone who hadn't escaped was instantly vaporized.
Buildings near the blast were flattened. What was once a bustling valley was now a wasteland. If not for a few ruins, it would be impossible to tell a city had once existed there.
"There's another wave—fall back further!"
Even Su Qian shuddered. His warning sent everyone scrambling again. No one wanted to be reduced to ashes.
"Condense!"
A soft laugh echoed—and the spreading explosion abruptly froze midair.
Everyone turned to the source.
Xiao Yuan stood, fingers open, then slowly clenched them. The raging energy reversed, rewinding like time itself, and condensed into a massive sphere of destruction within his palm.
"This level of spatial control…"
Su Qian's voice trembled. This level of mastery was almost exclusive to Dou Zun experts!
How did Xiao Yuan manage this?
Near him, the Earth Demon Old Ghost looked battered—clothes torn, skin charred, and a trace of blood at his mouth.
He wasn't thinking about appearances anymore. His gaze was locked on the sphere in Xiao Yuan's hand, filled with pure dread.
If that thing hit him...
He gulped at the thought.
"Regret now?" Xiao Yuan grinned coldly. "Too late."
He casually tossed the energy sphere. In a blink, it broke through space and appeared before the old ghost.
His horrified eyes widened.
BOOM!
A blinding pillar of multicolored light shot to the sky—visible for hundreds of miles.
At its base, a massive fireball—twenty zhang wide—rose like a second sun, space warping, black cracks forming around it.
The apocalyptic heat made everyone pale. If this exploded, they'd be vaporized before they could react.
Xiao Yuan understood why this had become so destructive. The spear's extreme yang met the cold cloud's extreme yin, triggering violent energy instability. He had lost control of the power.
Thankfully, he had recently studied space manipulation under Tian Huo Zun-zhe. Without that, he would've had to ask for help.
It wasn't magic—it was due to pushing his strength to near Nine-Star Dou Zong with his full power techniques. At that level, such space control wasn't impossible for him.
If he had more time to practice, he might even reach Dou Zun-level spatial mastery.
But for now, he needed help.
"Tian Huo Senior, I need your assistance."
"Heh… still underestimated you. Below Dou Zun, no one can touch you now."
Tian Huo Zun-zhe's admiring voice rang in Xiao Yuan's mind.
If he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have believed it: a Two-Star Dou Zong pushing himself to Nine-Star strength!
As he spoke, the silver-white ring trembled. Xiao Yuan composed himself and pointed toward the light pillar.
"Spatial Prison!"
With that command, invisible force locked the explosion inside an unbreakable shell.
Everyone exhaled in relief—but now they looked at Xiao Yuan with deep awe.
Such power… he could rule the entire Black-Corner Region.
The Demon Flame Valley survivors turned pale. How could they escape someone like this?
Surrender?
CRACK!
Dark rifts tore through space from the unstable energy. The spectators were terrified.
Too terrifying!
Even peak Dou Zong experts might fall before him.
Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and Lin Yan exchanged looks, speechless.
They were still Dou Wangs. Xiao Yuan had become untouchable—invincible below Dou Zun!
What had gone wrong? How did he cultivate like this?
In one year, he'd become a legend.
They all smiled bitterly. Compared to this monster, their top-ten rankings felt meaningless.
Little Doctor Immortal's eyes shone. Xiao Yuan's strength was breathtaking.
Xiao Yan was equally thrilled. His third brother had become a top powerhouse in the empire and the region. But he was confident—he would follow step by step, until they reached the realm of the legendary Dou Emperor.
As the explosion calmed, the space prison faded. The Earth Demon Old Ghost had vanished.
Xiao Yuan's aura dropped. In his palm was the enemy's storage ring—preserved by Tian Huo Zun-zhe's spatial power.
That old ghost surely had treasures. Xiao Yuan wouldn't let them be destroyed.
With the battle won, the academy forces roared forward to finish off the remaining enemies.
No surrender?
Kill!
Surrender?
Kill anyway!
Demon Flame Valley had shed academy blood. There was no reconciling that grudge.
In the Black-Corner Region, mercy was worthless. For future safety, no one would be spared.
The fight didn't last long. With Su Qian, Xiao Yan, and Little Doctor Immortal leading, the enemy stood no chance. In just fifteen minutes, they were all slain.
Hu Qian led the cleanup.
Xiao Yuan and the others turned to find Demon Flame Valley's treasury.
As a long-standing powerhouse, they had hoarded countless techniques, Dou Skills, weapons, and rare elixirs—resources both the academy and the Xiao Clan would benefit from immensely.
(END CHAPTER)
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