"...Huh?"
Xiao Yixian's mind was instantly filled with question marks.
First, because the delicate little girl with violet hair and eyes had just threatened to eat someone.
Second, as a medical expert herself, she could tell at a glance that the "snack" in the girl's hand was none other than a 5th Tier Purple Crystal Ginseng—an ingredient no sane person would ever chew raw!
"Little girl! Spit that out right now! You can't eat that directly!" Xiao Yixian cried out in alarm.
Zi Yan, of course, didn't listen. She frowned, swallowed it whole, then pointed her small hand forward with a fierce glare. "Now! Fight me! Or I'll eat you too!"
Liu Xi almost laughed aloud. The way Zi Yan puffed up like a kitten trying to act fierce was… adorable. There was not a shred of threat in her childish bravado.
Smiling, he nodded. "Since you want to fight, fine. I'll indulge you. We'll settle it in the arena."
Zi Yan's face instantly lit up with delight. "Good! Then I'll wait for you there! Whoever doesn't show up is a little dog!"
With that, she bit down on the Purple Crystal Ginseng again and turned to leave. The crowd instinctively parted for her, forming a clear path.
"Ugh… still tastes awful," she muttered between chews.
Xiao Yixian blinked in disbelief. "Young Master, are you seriously going to fight that little girl? And… how can she eat a Purple Crystal Ginseng raw without her body exploding from the medicinal energy?"
Liu Xi chuckled, his eyes gleaming with interest. "She only looks like a little girl. Her power is monstrous — easily comparable to a Dou Wang. She's no weaker than me."
Then, ignoring the murmurs of awe and excitement around them, he walked calmly toward the arena.
"Quick, to the arena!"
"Strong Ranking No. 1 versus No. 2 — the fight of the year!"
"Say, who's that girl beside the Demon Lord?"
"No idea. Maybe his maid? Perks of being a powerhouse, I guess!"
---
The Inner Academy Arena
On the massive granite battle stage, Liu Xi and Zi Yan stood facing one another.
The spectator stands were already packed; nearly the entire Inner Academy had gathered to witness the showdown between the two top-ranked monsters on the Strong Ranking!
The referee — a yellow-robed Elder — looked distinctly uneasy. Both combatants radiated the oppressive aura of Dou Wang-level power. If something went wrong, he wouldn't be able to stop them in time.
Suddenly, a gentle voice echoed in his ear. Turning, he saw an elderly man smiling faintly from the judges' stand. Relieved, he straightened up and raised his voice solemnly.
"This is a friendly duel! Stop once victory is clear — no crippling, no killing. Begin!"
Zi Yan grinned, revealing two sharp little canine teeth. "Heh!"
She raised her tiny fist, and with a thunderous stomp, her small body blurred into a streak of violet light that shot toward Liu Xi.
Crack!
Though the movement lacked explosive sound, the stone tiles beneath her feet — strong enough to withstand Dou Ling attacks — shattered like glass, web-like cracks spidering across the stage.
Liu Xi's eyes sharpened. His palm flicked upward, and a surge of cyan flame erupted around him, engulfing his figure in blazing heat.
"Pill Flame Technique — Serpent Form!"
The alchemic Pill Flame Techniques were meant to shape fire into myriad forms — and with the Green Lotus Core Flame, their might became terrifying.
From the center of the blaze, a colossal serpent of cyan fire coalesced. Its scales shimmered vividly, its fanged mouth gaped wide, and its eyes swirled with twin vortexes of flame.
Without a sound, the serpent let out a silent roar. Waves of scalding heat rolled outward, the air trembling with destructive power. The pressure of a Dou Ling peak radiated through the entire arena.
Outside the ring, several Dou Wang-ranked Elders felt their faces tighten. Even they would think twice before confronting that fire serpent head-on.
Students watching from the stands were awestruck. Just that conjured beast made them feel utterly powerless.
The fiery serpent dove toward Zi Yan. Her eyes widened, and she leapt back in surprise as the serpent slammed into the ground where she'd just been standing.
Hisssss—!
The floor where it struck melted instantly, leaving behind a deep, glowing trench of molten stone.
Liu Xi didn't stop. The serpent coiled, then lunged again.
Zi Yan frowned, frustration flashing in her violet eyes. "I could punch that thing to bits — why does it feel so scary!?"
With an indignant shout, she stopped retreating. Her body glowed faintly violet as a thin membrane of draconic energy rippled across her skin — ancient, primal, and commanding.
Boom!
Her tiny fist smashed into the serpent's jaw. Fire clashed with purple energy; the heat scorched her arm, but her draconic aura surged back through the flames.
With a roar, the serpent burst apart into countless embers that rained across the stage, burning deep pits into the stone.
Liu Xi smiled faintly. "Not bad."
Before Zi Yan could smirk in triumph, his calm voice followed:
"Pill Flame Technique — Serpent Form!"
"Pill Flame Technique — Dragon Form!"
"Pill Flame Technique — Tiger Form!"
"Pill Flame Technique — Eagle Form!"
"Pill Flame Technique — Wolf Form!"
Five fiery beasts erupted into existence — each just as fierce as the last. The arena quaked under the weight of their combined aura as they surrounded Zi Yan from all directions, their burning eyes locked on her like predators.
Zi Yan's face fell. "You're cheating! Fight me fair and square! I'll even let you hit me three times first!"
Liu Xi sighed, his expression helplessly amused. "I'm an alchemist, not a brawler. You expect me to play punch-for-punch with you?"
Then, with a flick of his hand, the temperature plummeted. His Nine Nether Ghost Flame Technique surged to its peak — the five fire spirits drew in the surrounding heat, freezing the air until frost began to creep across the arena floor.
The fiery beasts darkened, their power condensing, each flame now dense enough to melt stone.
Zi Yan's expression tightened. She knew — drag this out, and she'd lose. Her only chance was to strike him directly.
"Fine then!"
Purple light flared as she charged, weaving between the lunging fire beasts — dodging the tiger's claw only to take a hit from the serpent's tail. Her small body spun, seared and smoking, but she pressed on, closing the distance!
When she finally burst through the wall of flame, she shouted in triumph, "Got you!"
Her fist connected squarely with Liu Xi's chest — and his body disintegrated into a cloud of flame.
Her eyes widened.
"Blazing Palm!"
Liu Xi's calm voice came from behind her.
Boom!
A burning palm slammed into her back, pouring searing energy into her body. The heat roared through her veins like molten magma, ravaging her from within.
Even with her draconic resilience, she couldn't endure it. Her small form dropped heavily to the ground, skin flushed crimson from the heat.
Liu Xi reappeared, kneeling beside her. Watching the pain twist her young face, he spoke softly, "Concede."
Zi Yan glared up at him, eyes blazing with stubborn defiance. "Roar! I won't! Even if I die, I won't admit defeat!"
The sound wasn't human — it was the echo of an ancient dragon's growl.
Even now, her body — that of the Ancient Void Dragon's descendant — still quivered with strength and pride.
Liu Xi sighed inwardly. 'Stubborn little thing… but not hard to win over.'
Then he smiled. From his ring, he drew a smooth, translucent fruit — shimmering like fine jade.
A flick of cyan flame lit his palm. The fruit melted slowly under the Green Lotus Core Flame, refining into droplets of pure medicinal essence. With a wave of spiritual power, he condensed the liquid into small, glossy pills — each one glimmering like candy.
He held them out toward Zi Yan, his tone deliberately teasing. "Call me Big Brother, and I'll make you as many of these 'candies' as you want."
(End of Chapter)
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