Elder Yao vs. Xiao Jin!

"He actually casually stroked the head of a seventh-tier shape-shifting magical beast!"

"And that shape-shifting magical beast even called him Brother Liu! What exactly is going on?"

Watching the scene unfold between Xiao Jin and Liu Ling, Xiao Yan was completely dumbfounded.

"Little Yan, stop spacing out. Hurry and have your two brothers withdraw from here first. Today's matter may become rather troublesome!"

Just as Xiao Yan was stunned, Elder Yao reminded him in a rather grave tone.

Hearing Elder Yao's reminder, Xiao Yan abruptly came to his senses and hurriedly turned toward Xiao Ding and Xiao Li behind him, shouting, "Big Brother, Second Brother, quickly leave Stone Desert City! The farther you go, the better!"

Hearing Xiao Yan's shout, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li understood the severity of the situation as well. The aura emanating from that golden-haired little boy was enough to make one tremble; his strength was undoubtedly terrifying beyond measure. If they remained, they would only become burdens to Xiao Yan. Thus, neither hesitated much. As soon as Xiao Yan finished shouting, they immediately led some trusted members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group onto the street and rushed toward the city gates.

Xiao Yan's shout naturally caught Liu Ling's attention.

Seeing Xiao Yan's actions, Liu Ling's expression instantly turned cold.

"Xiao Jin, that guy is borrowing someone else's power to bully your Brother Liu. What do you think you should do?" Liu Ling softly asked, pointing at Xiao Yan.

Hearing Liu Ling's words, Xiao Jin answered without hesitation in his somewhat childish voice, "Anyone who dares bully Brother Liu naturally needs a good beating!"

After speaking, Xiao Jin suddenly turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan. At once, an immense pressure burst forth in Xiao Yan's heart, making him feel as though he could barely breathe.

"Little Yan, this is not an existence you can resist right now. Next... hand your body over to your teacher!"

Just as Xiao Yan was unable to withstand the pressure, Elder Yao's deep voice sounded within his heart.

"Mm!"

Hearing the voice in his heart, Xiao Yan slowly closed his eyes.

Liu Ling had absolute confidence in Xiao Jin's strength. Still, Xiao Yan's actions at this moment were truly strange.

Could this fellow possibly raise his strength to the Dou Zong level? Liu Ling muttered inwardly.

At that moment, Xiao Yan's tightly shut eyelids trembled slightly. An instant later, his eyes abruptly flew open. His formerly pitch-black pupils now emitted two streaks of white light, while a vast and mighty aura suddenly erupted from within him.

"He actually managed to do it. It seems he had concealed quite a lot before!"

Seeing the change in Xiao Yan's aura, Liu Ling was somewhat startled. He then patted Xiao Jin's head and asked with some concern, "Xiao Jin, can you handle him in this state?"

"His current strength only seems to be slightly weaker than mine. I don't have absolute confidence in taking him down either," Xiao Jin said with an extremely serious expression.

"Weaker than you? Then it's fine. Go beat him up!"

After hearing Xiao Jin's words, Liu Ling immediately felt much more at ease. He knew perfectly well that, given Xiao Yan's age, no matter how he cultivated or how many spiritual medicines, pills, and heavenly treasures he consumed, it was impossible for him to break through to the Dou Zong level. In other words, this power was not his own and could not last long. Xiao Jin, however, was a genuine Dou Zong expert. As long as they dragged things out, Xiao Yan would definitely be the one to suffer in the end.

Xiao Jin nodded, then said to Liu Ling, "All right, Brother Liu. Move farther away first!"

Xiao Jin knew very well how powerful his own strength was. Thus, only after Liu Ling had taken the people beside him several dozen meters away did golden energy begin to surge within his palm. Immediately afterward, Xiao Jin clenched his hand into a fist. The instant he completely grasped that mass of golden energy, he threw a plain, unadorned punch toward Xiao Yan. At once, the golden energy carried a fierce gust of wind as it tore through the air and shot toward Xiao Yan.

As the golden energy rushed at him, the black ruler in Xiao Yan's hand suddenly turned an icy white. Then he fiercely slashed it forward, and a white energy blast roughly equal in size to the golden energy burst from the ruler's tip.

As the two energies rapidly collided between them, a terrifying energy storm swept outward in every direction.

Under this energy storm, some buildings before the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's headquarters and along the surrounding streets were instantly leveled, while the bluestone paving was all ripped up and shattered.

Amid the violent energy storm, the two combatants had somehow already risen into the sky.

This massive disturbance immediately drew the attention of everyone in the city, as well as filling their hearts with fear.

The Xiao Family brothers and the others, who had yet to completely leave Stone Desert City, also noticed the scene in the sky.

"Third Brother has actually become this powerful!" Xiao Li muttered in disbelief as he stared at Xiao Yan, who stood upon empty air.

"Let's go. Third Brother must have used some special method to raise his strength to this level, and it probably can't last long. We mustn't stay here and hold him back!" Seeing Xiao Li standing there in a daze, Xiao Ding hurriedly urged him onward.

Fortunately, after Xiao Jin spoke, Liu Ling had promptly led the people around him far away from the entrance to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's headquarters. Otherwise, the enormous impact just now would have crushed them all to pieces.

"This shape-shifting magical beast is somewhat stronger than I am right now. It seems I cannot drag this out any longer!"

After a brief probing exchange, Elder Yao had gained a rough understanding of Xiao Jin's strength.

The next moment, "Xiao Yan" raised his hand slightly. The bone-white flame that had originally curled around his fingertips suddenly surged upward. In the blink of an eye, it completely enveloped his body, while a dazzling radiance erupted from the tightly gripped black ruler.

The intense light on the ruler grew increasingly brilliant until, in the end, it was nearly like a blazing sun, too bright for anyone to look at directly.

Immediately afterward, "Xiao Yan" gave a low shout and fiercely chopped the black ruler in his hand toward Xiao Jin in the distance.

"Flame Splitting Wave Ruler!"

The shout echoed through the sky. A white crescent-shaped energy blade several zhang wide shot explosively from the tip of the black ruler.

The enormous crescent blade of white flame energy streaked across the sky and vanished in a flash. The sudden scorching heat made those on the ground feel as though they had been plunged into a sea of flames.

The Crescent Moon Blade tore through the sky amid piercing sonic booms. Its unstoppable, overwhelming force even carried the momentum of splitting the heavens in two.

Though it was the same Dou Technique, this Flame Splitting Wave Ruler was dozens of times more powerful than the one Xiao Yan had used against Liu Ling earlier. This was the gap created by one's fundamental strength.