Dark Night Clash, Brothers Shine Together

The night was thick as ink. The disturbance caused by Tang Huo'er had only just subsided, and Sacred Pill City seemed to have returned to peace. Yet beneath that peaceful facade, deadly undercurrents had already begun to stir.

Inside the Han Family's separate courtyard, within Listening Bamboo Pavilion.

Xiao Chen still stood by the window, his gaze seeming to pierce through layers of walls and formations to settle upon several dark alleys outside the courtyard. A few ghostlike shadows were silently closing in under the cover of night. Their auras were completely concealed; if not for Xiao Chen's Heavenly Soul Realm, they would have been almost impossible to detect.

"Three peak Dou Zong soul bodies and a One Star Dou Zun-level Heavenly Venerate... Soul Hall is certainly willing to spend heavily." Xiao Chen sneered inwardly. Such a lineup was more than enough to assassinate an ordinary low-star Dou Zun.

Their target was clear: Xiao Chen. Perhaps they also intended to seize or kill Xiao Yan along the way, avenging the failure of their daytime ambush.

At nearly the same time, two shadows with chilling auras appeared outside the temporary residence provided by the Alchemist Tower where Xiao Yan was staying. Both were around the level of Seven Star Dou Zongs, clearly heading for Xiao Yan.

"Brother Yan has just broken through to the Dou Huang realm. This is a good chance to test his actual combat ability after devouring the Fallen Heart Flame." Xiao Chen did not act immediately. He wanted to see how Xiao Yan would respond. With Yao Lao there, as long as a Dou Zun did not personally intervene, there should be no danger.

With a thought, he quietly attached an invisible Soul Mark to Xiao Yan, ensuring that if anything went wrong, he could descend there in an instant.

Xiao Yan's residence.

Xiao Yan, who had just finished regulating his breath and was preparing to make his final preparations for tomorrow's finals, suddenly opened his eyes. A fierce glint flashed through them. After devouring the Fallen Heart Flame, his Soul Perception had become much sharper, not to mention that he had Yao Lao, an experienced teacher, at his side.

"Be careful. There's killing intent! Two Dou Zongs, and they mean trouble!" Yao Lao's solemn voice sounded within Xiao Yan's mind.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yan retreated sharply. With a flip of his palm, the Heavy Black Ruler was already in his grip. Blue-brown flames—the Green Lotus Core Flame—and an invisible scorching aura—the Heart Flame properties of the Fallen Heart Flame—rose at the same time!

Boom!

The wall of the meditation chamber where he had been standing was instantly pierced through by two sinister black chains. Soul-wrenching wails that made one sick twisted around the chains.

Two Soul Hall Protectors shrouded in black mist appeared. Without a word, they immediately unleashed killing techniques. Countless Soul Locks shot toward Xiao Yan from every direction like venomous snakes, sealing off all his paths of retreat!

"Flame Wave Splitting Ruler!"

Xiao Yan let out a low roar as the Heavy Black Ruler slashed forth with a surging blue-brown wave of fire! The fire wave collided with the Soul Locks, producing sharp hissing sounds. The locks were continuously burned away by the flames that carried the properties of two Heavenly Flames!

"Huh? There's something strange about this brat! His flames are highly suppressive against souls!" one Soul Hall Protector cried in alarm.

"Attack with everything you have! End this quickly!" the other Guardian shouted. The two formed seals at the same time, and black mist churned into a massive ghostly face. It opened its huge mouth and released a soundless soul roar that charged straight into the depths of Xiao Yan's soul!

This was Soul Hall's signature Dou Technique—Soul Howl! It specialized in attacking souls!

Before, Xiao Yan would certainly have been left scrambling in the face of such an attack. But now, not only had his Soul Power greatly increased, he had also devoured the Fallen Heart Flame, which specifically targeted souls!

"Heart Flame Protection!"

With a thought from Xiao Yan, an invisible transparent flame spread out from within his body, forming a solid barrier around his soul. When the ghost face's soul roar struck the transparent flame barrier, it vanished like a mud ox entering the sea, unable to stir up much of a ripple. Instead, it was burned by the Heart Flame and let out a shrill scream!

"How is that possible?! He can actually block Soul Howl?!" The two Soul Hall Protectors were horrified.

"My turn!" Xiao Yan's gaze turned cold. He stomped the ground, pushing Three Thousand Lightning Movement to its limit. His figure flashed behind one Guardian like a specter. Blue-brown flames and transparent Heart Flame intertwined around the Heavy Black Ruler, carrying a destructive aura as it hacked down viciously!

"Five Rounds Separation Fire Method! Wolf Spirit, condense!"

Roar! A massive flaming wolf formed entirely from fused Heavenly Flames burst forth, instantly devouring the caught-off-guard Soul Hall Protector!

"Ah—!" A miserable scream rang out. That Guardian's soul body rapidly turned illusory beneath the burning of the two Heavenly Flames before finally being completely annihilated!

An instant kill!

The other Guardian was scared out of his wits and turned to flee.

"You want to leave? Too late!" Xiao Yan pressed his advantage, swinging the Heavy Black Ruler again. "Six Harmonies Roaming Body Ruler!"

Ruler shadows filled the sky as fused Heavenly Flames raged, completely engulfing the fleeing Guardian.

Within a few breaths, the two Seven Star Dou Zong-level Soul Hall Protectors were cleanly dealt with by Xiao Yan, who had broken through to the Dou Huang realm and initially mastered the power of the Fallen Heart Flame!

"Hah..." Xiao Yan leaned on his ruler and breathed lightly, staring at the dissipating black mist with excitement gleaming in his eyes. This was the confidence brought by increased strength! He felt that he now had the power to fight a low-star Dou Zong!

"Well done, brat." Yao Lao's gratified voice sounded. "Your use of the Fallen Heart Flame is fairly skillful, but don't grow arrogant. Soul Hall's true experts are far beyond such small fry."

"I understand, Teacher." Xiao Yan nodded heavily, his gaze firm. He looked toward the Han Family's separate courtyard, concern flickering in his eyes. "Over at my brother's side..."

"Don't worry. That brat is sharp. This little formation can't do anything to him." Yao Lao laughed, though there was a trace of anticipation in his tone. "Perfect. Let those Soul Hall vermin have a taste of what it means to kick an iron plate!"

Meanwhile, outside the Han Family's separate courtyard.

Three peak Dou Zong Soul Hall Protectors formed a triangular formation, faintly surrounding Listening Bamboo Pavilion. The One Star Dou Zun Heavenly Venerate leading them remained concealed in deeper shadows, his aura locked onto Xiao Chen like a lurking venomous snake waiting for the chance to deliver a fatal strike.

"Attack!" The Heavenly Venerate in the shadows issued the command.

The three Protectors attacked at once. Three thick black Soul Locks, like three ferocious giant pythons, tore through the night sky and shot toward Listening Bamboo Pavilion from three different directions, carrying a chilling aura that corroded souls!

This strike was enough to annihilate the entire Listening Bamboo Pavilion and every Living Being inside it!

Yet in the face of an attack that would have made even an ordinary Dou Zun treat it with utmost caution, Xiao Chen did not even step out of the room.

He remained by the window, merely raising his right hand and lightly flicking his sleeve at the three incoming Soul Locks.

The movement was graceful, as though he were brushing away dust.

Bzzzt—!

An invisible Spatial Fluctuation rippled outward like rings on water.

The three immensely powerful Soul Locks seemed to sink into a swamp the instant they touched the spatial ripple. Their speed plummeted, and then... without a sound, they began to shatter inch by inch from their tips, turning into the purest specks of soul light before vanishing into the night sky!

There was no earthshaking explosion, no thunderous collision of energy.

There was only an absolute, despairing control and annihilation!

The three Soul Hall Protectors' pupils contracted sharply, their faces filled with extreme terror and disbelief! Their combined attack had actually been... erased so casually by their opponent?!

"Sp... Spatial Annihilation?! He isn't a newly advanced Dou Zun! Retreat!" The Heavenly Venerate in the shadows could no longer remain calm. He let out a terrified shriek, his body retreating wildly as he tried to merge into space and flee.

He realized that their intelligence had been gravely mistaken! This Xiao Chen's control over the Power of Space far surpassed that of an ordinary One Star Dou Zun!

"You only want to leave now? Too late."

Xiao Chen's calm voice sounded, as though it were right beside his ear.

The next moment, the space around the Heavenly Venerate instantly solidified into a cage tens of thousands of times harder than refined steel! He felt like an insect trapped in amber; even moving a finger became incomparably difficult!

At some unknown moment, Xiao Chen had appeared before him. He was still dressed in green robes, utterly spotless.

"A Soul Hall Heavenly Venerate? Good. I have some questions for you."

Xiao Chen extended a finger. At its tip danced that wisp of Chaos Colored Flame that made souls tremble, slowly approaching the Heavenly Venerate's forehead.

"No!!!" The Heavenly Venerate let out a despairing howl and struggled desperately, but before the absolute gap in strength, everything was futile.

The instant the Chaos Flame touched his soul body, the soul search began!

A moment later, Xiao Chen withdrew his finger. The Heavenly Venerate's soul body had already become transparent and dull before finally turning into a wisp of green smoke and dispersing.

Through the soul search, Xiao Chen obtained some fragmented information. Soul Hall had indeed stationed a large force in Sacred Pill City. Aside from targeting alchemists suspected of possessing Heavenly Flames and powerful souls, they also seemed to be plotting for something sealed within the Alchemist Tower... Furthermore, it seemed that Soul Hall headquarters had sent even stronger experts to oversee the operation...

"They are after something sealed by the Alchemist Tower? Stronger experts?" Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed that the Pill Gathering finals were destined to be anything but peaceful.

With a wave of his hand, he casually annihilated the three Soul Hall Protectors who had long since been scared senseless, as if brushing away a few flies.

The night sky returned to silence once more, as though nothing had happened.

Xiao Chen returned to Listening Bamboo Pavilion and gave the worried Han Yue a slight nod, signaling that all was well.

He looked toward Xiao Yan's residence, sensing that the battle there had also ended and that Xiao Yan was unharmed. A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"Brother Yan, well done."

"Tomorrow's finals, let us brothers truly make our names in Sacred Pill City!"

That night, the two brothers used thunderous methods to wipe out every enemy who had come for them!

Xiao Yan had tested his edge for the first time, proving the powerful combat strength he possessed after devouring a Heavenly Flame.

Xiao Chen, meanwhile, had bared his fangs, crushing a Soul Hall Heavenly Venerate with absolute strength and glimpsing a thread of Soul Hall's scheme.

Sacred Pill City's night was destined to leave many unable to sleep.

And tomorrow would surely be even more spectacular!