Six-Colored Fire Lotus Defeats Gu Yao

The Gu Clan's coming-of-age ceremony had always been one of the clan's grandest events. At such ceremonies, wine flowed freely and hosts and guests alike reveled in delight. But today's ceremony was far different from those of the past; there was even a faint killing intent in the air.

"At the coming-of-age ceremony, do I have the right to challenge someone?" Gu Yao, the Black Nirvana Army Asura Commander, asked through gritted teeth.

The moment those words were spoken, the entire gathering was shocked. Yao Ling and Mang Tianchi both grew solemn. Meanwhile, several Gu Clan members who delighted in watching trouble unfold stared at Xiao Yan with malicious glee. In their eyes, Xiao Yan was in for a beating this time.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xun'er clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she angrily said, "Gu Yao, this request of yours is going too far!"

Xiao Yan sensed the contempt these Gu Clan members held for him and sighed. He waved his hand, signaling Xun'er not to be angry. Since entering the Ancient Realm three days ago, he had fought two consecutive rounds of challenges, defeating thirteen Dou Zun experts in total, including the Black Nirvana Army Fifth Commander and Seventh Commander. Compared to the Yao Clan's attentive treatment of him, the Gu Clan's aggressive behavior disgusted him. He could not help but feel increasingly distant from the Gu Clan.

"Commander Gu Yao, it is not you who will challenge someone. It is I who will challenge you." Xiao Yan set down his wine cup and spoke calmly. "Even if you are the Gu Clan's greatest genius, I still want to test myself against you! Besides, I do not believe I will lose to you today!"

Before his words had even faded, the two figures flashed and swept into an open area beside the square under countless watching eyes. The moment they steadied themselves, a transparent barrier separated the open ground from the outside world. Both possessed strength at the peak of the Eight-star Dou Zun level. Without intervention, even the aftershocks of their battle would be enough to kill or cripple those who had only just entered the Dou Zun realm.

"I never thought you would dare challenge me on your own. In that case, I can only kill you!" Gu Yao frowned and said coldly, without the slightest warmth in his voice. Within a few breaths, his aura surged to its peak, and he charged fiercely toward Xiao Yan.

"My life is not yours to take!" Xiao Yan shouted coldly as he threw a punch at Gu Yao. When their fists collided, even the space at the point of impact shattered completely. The clash forced both men back a hundred steps before they could steady themselves.

"Bastard!"

Gu Yao looked at his reddened palm, his face turning livid. Their earlier exchange might have seemed evenly matched, but Gu Yao knew full well that, when their bodies had come into contact, Xiao Yan had slipped some Heavenly Flame energy into his body. That energy was now raging wildly within him, causing him agonizing pain. He had suffered a small loss the instant they exchanged blows.

"You have Heavenly Flames, but I have the Gu Clan's supreme arts!" Gu Yao spread his hands and pointed toward the sky. In an instant, the natural energy within a hundred zhang flooded into his body. The speed at which it poured in left all the spectators beside them speechless.

"Gu Yao used the Ancient Saint Treasure Mirror right at the start?" Ling Quan and the others, who had been gloating below the platform over Xiao Yan's decision to challenge Gu Yao, now showed grave surprise. Could this Xiao Yan really force Gu Yao into such a state?

"I have no use for your Gu Clan supreme art either!" Xiao Yan sneered. With a wave of his hand, the Heavenly Flames in his palm split into six. He changed his hand seals once more, and the six kinds of Heavenly Flames slowly gathered in his hands, forming an exquisite Six-Colored Fire Lotus. The sheer number of Heavenly Flames shocked every spectator below the platform.

"Six kinds of Heavenly Flames. This boy from the Xiao Clan has some skill after all." Seeing this, a black-robed man below the platform turned and spoke to another black-robed man beside him. The other man nodded, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Heh, we should give this boy a surprise this time."

"Great Nirvana Finger!" Gu Yao sensed the terrifying destructive energy contained within the Six-Colored Fire Lotus and did not dare be careless. He immediately mobilized all the Dou Qi in his body and pointed his left hand at the fire lotus. A black finger roughly a hundred zhang long emerged from the void and shot toward the Six-Colored Fire Lotus. Wherever the finger passed, all life was utterly extinguished!

When Yao Ling saw the Six-Colored Fire Lotus take shape, her eyes filled with worry. She knew only too well how powerful it was.

"Mr. Mang Tianchi, we cannot stand by and do nothing."

Mang Tianchi, standing beside her, nodded solemnly. With his discerning eye, he could naturally see the destructive energy contained within the fire lotus. This was the Gu Clan, after all. If Xiao Yan truly killed Gu Yao this time, it would be difficult for him to leave unscathed.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the fire lotus effortlessly passed through Gu Yao's Great Nirvana Finger, as though that solidified energy finger had never existed at all. Within moments, the finger turned into dust.

Ling Quan and the others were dumbstruck. The Great Nirvana Finger could be considered one of the Gu Clan's ultimate arts. Seeing Gu Yao use it, they had assumed Xiao Yan would die here. Who could have expected that, when it encountered the seemingly harmless Six-Colored Fire Lotus, the Great Nirvana Finger would be defeated so quickly?

At the same time, countless streams of pure white energy poured into the barrier, desperately weakening the fire lotus's power and speed. Unfortunately, although the fire lotus slowed, it did not stop advancing...

Seeing this, Yao Ling and Mang Tianchi both prepared to intercept the fire lotus. But before either of them could act, two black-robed men shrouded in mist blocked their path.

"If you do not want to die, move aside!" Yao Ling recognized the two as experienced elders of the Hun Clan and shouted sternly. Both were merely newly advanced Nine-star Dou Zuns; before her and Mang Tianchi, they were nothing worth mentioning.

"Heh, Miss Yao Ling, you are already a mature Young Clan Leader. Before saying something like that, you should consider whether you can actually follow through." One of the black-robed elders scoffed. "With the Yao Clan's strength, you are not qualified to say such things to me in public!"

"You!" Yao Ling was furious, but she knew perfectly well that even judging only by the Hun Clan's visible strength, the Hun Clan was at least equal to ten Yao Clans. If she truly killed these two, the Yao Clan would not be able to bear the diplomatic consequences!

She forcefully suppressed the rage in her heart and said coldly, "Fine. I will remember what you said today."

Mang Tianchi gave a bitter smile and patted Yao Ling's shoulder, signaling for her to calm down. His attendance at the Gu Clan's coming-of-age ceremony also represented part of the Lei Clan's will. With these two black-robed elders of the Hun Clan deliberately obstructing them, there was truly nothing they could do due to their positions.

"I only hope Xiao Yan does not go too far..."

Before everyone's eyes, the Six-Colored Fire Lotus finally struck Gu Yao's body. A towering firestorm swept across the entire open ground within the barrier, and countless cracks even appeared across the incomparably sturdy barrier!

The firestorm slowly dispersed, revealing Gu Yao lying flat on his back, unconscious. If his chest had not still been rising and falling, most of the people outside would have thought he was dead.

In this battle, Gu Yao had used every trump card at his disposal without hesitation—Heavenly Grade Dou Techniques, Heavenly Grade cultivation methods, and even the Gu Clan's ultimate arts—yet Xiao Yan had crushed him so swiftly and so thoroughly. The result stunned everyone from the Gu Clan present. How could they have imagined that the cripple whose Dou Di Bloodline had been completely ruined, whom they had looked down upon in every way, could defeat Gu Yao, a genius of great renown even within the Gu Clan, in just a few moves?

"Xiao Yan has injured the Black Nirvana Army Asura Commander. His crime is unforgivable! Seize him!" Seeing Gu Yao in such a miserable state, Ling Quan was consumed by rage and shouted harshly. The moment he spoke, more than a dozen figures shot out in an instant, and every one of them possessed an aura at the peak Dou Zun level!