"Heh, at least I didn't save the wrong person. Even putting aside Elder Xuan's kindness to me—just your courage alone is worth stepping in for. Mu Gu's not much to worry about. Brother Xiong, we'll deal with him together in a moment."
Liu Xi nodded with quiet satisfaction. He'd chosen to intervene mainly because of Xuan Kongzi's past support, not because he expected any reward. Still, seeing that Cao Ying had stayed instead of fleeing warmed his mood—at least not everyone he saved turned out to be ungrateful.
Mu Gu's expression twisted with rage. "Heh, just Mu Gu? Who do you think you are, Liu Xi? Without those two Dou Zun companions of yours, you think this beast beside you can stop me from killing you?"
Dark, furious laughter followed his words. As one of the Hall of Souls' rare 8th Tier Alchemists—and a 3-Star Dou Zun—Mu Gu had not endured such humiliation in decades.
A violent aura exploded from his body, his black flames surging to life, coiling like demonic serpents around him. His very presence became that of a hellish specter cloaked in darkness.
Xiong Zhan's face grew grim. A 3-Star Dou Zun shrouded in black fire—this was no easy opponent, especially since he had only recently broken through to the Dou Zun realm himself.
Still, he charged forward without hesitation. One, because he believed in his own power—an 8th Rank Magical Beast's greatest strength was its body. And two, because he trusted Liu Xi. If Zi Yan placed her faith in him, then Xiong Zhan would too.
Mu Gu's gaze turned icy as he watched the charging beast. Though he had spoken arrogantly, his wariness showed. Were it not for Liu Xi being his prime target, he might have avoided provoking Xiong Zhan entirely.
But Mu Gu's mission was to destroy every threat to the Hall of Souls' plan for the Pill Gathering—Liu Xi, Cao Ying, and the others. There was no backing down now.
With a flick of his sleeve, Mu Gu thrust out a shriveled clawed hand. Black Dou Qi surged forth, condensing into a massive talon wrapped in sinister flames. A cruel grin curled his lips as the claw came crashing down, tearing open the air and leaving a pitch-black fissure in its wake.
"An 8th Rank beast? I've roamed this continent for years—how could I not crush you underfoot?"
But he was disappointed.
The howling gust and scent of death only made Xiong Zhan grin. Without hesitation, he clenched his fist and met the blow head-on.
Boom!
Two monstrous forces collided. Shockwaves rippled outward, shattering the very space around them. Trees splintered, the ground split apart, and dust filled the air as if a storm had descended upon the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range.
Liu Xi shielded Zi Yan from the residual blast, then gently set her down. "Stay back for now," he said. Zi Yan had indeed reached the 7th Rank, her strength equal to a human Dou Zong, but this was a battle between Dou Zuns—she couldn't intervene safely.
Zi Yan understood and obediently retreated. With her grasp of spatial power, few could harm her as long as she stayed out of direct combat.
Once assured she was safe, Liu Xi's figure blurred. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, reappearing near the clashing Dou Zuns. His eyes gleamed with excitement, a faint grin tugging at his lips.
'It's been a long time since I fought seriously,' he thought. 'I may be only a 1-Star Dou Zun, but I've never truly tested the limits of my strength. Mu Gu's just the perfect opponent.'
The weak have countless enemies.
The strong have countless allies.
Ever since Xiao Yixian's breakthrough to Dou Zun and Liu Xi's own rise as an 8th Tier Alchemist, few had dared to challenge him. Those who did were quickly subdued—or frightened into civility.
This was one of those rare moments—a chance to fight freely without fear of danger, to hone his strength and temper his control.
Liu Xi's Dou Zun aura burst forth like a slumbering dragon awakening, shaking the heavens and the earth.
Liu Xi raised a hand, and a wave of azure fire erupted around him. The flames coiled into the shape of a dragon, its heat warping the air. "Brother Xiong, let's go!" he shouted, laughter ringing through the mountains.
"Good!" Xiong Zhan roared back. Though blackened and bruised from Mu Gu's earlier strike, his ferocity only grew stronger.
Cao Ying, hidden nearby, dared not enter the battlefield. Though her Spirit Realm Soul allowed her to use Soul Techniques capable of disturbing a Dou Zun, her Dou Qi wasn't strong enough to withstand the clash of such giants.
She watched his back quietly, her eyes reflecting the azure flames swirling around him. 'How flawless… His Dou Qi, his Spiritual Power—no weaknesses at all. If he'd been born and raised in the Pill Tower like me, what kind of legend would he have become?'
Mu Gu's eyes narrowed. "Azure fire… the Green Lotus Core Flame?! But how—how can it be this powerful? Even a fragment of the Void Devouring Flame isn't this fierce!"
For the first time, he faltered—not at the presence of a Heavenly Flame, but at its overwhelming strength.
"No matter," he snarled. "Once I kill you and take your soul, I'll find out the truth myself. Two 1-Star Dou Zuns are nothing to fear!"
His aura exploded once more, black flames spreading like a storm. The very air trembled under his power.
Opposite him, Xiong Zhan's Dou Qi surged in deep earthen waves, dense and immovable as a mountain. Liu Xi's azure fire blazed beside him, bright enough to swallow the sky.
The three Dou Zuns clashed amidst the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range. Their movements blurred beyond sight, leaving only streaks of black, yellow, and azure light that tore through the clouds.
Mu Gu's immense power and soul-consuming flames kept him on even ground at first—but as the fight dragged on, frustration crept into his eyes. Liu Xi and Xiong Zhan's coordination grew more seamless with every exchange.
The azure fire proved especially troublesome. Even Mu Gu's dark flames couldn't absorb or devour it; when they met, both simply annihilated each other.
Without his usual advantage, Mu Gu found himself increasingly pressured. Xiong Zhan's brute force and indestructible body struck relentlessly, each blow heavy enough to crack mountains and shatter bones.
Meanwhile, Liu Xi's fighting spirit soared higher and higher. His Dou Qi roared through his veins like a river in flood, every muscle and bone thrumming with resonance as his body adapted to the rhythm of combat.
By the time the battle reached its crescendo, Liu Xi's Dou Qi was surging faster, smoother, and stronger than ever.
Perhaps—after this battle—he might even break through to 2-Star Dou Zun.
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Members on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.