52. Three-Year Pact (Part 2)

"Xiao Lin, you have a fine grandson!"

Nalan Jie looked up at the sky and thought to himself. Although the affairs of this generation had made it impossible for the two families to remain on good terms, Nalan Jie and Xiao Lin of the Xiao Family still shared a deep friendship.

Seeing Nalan Jie like this, no one else touched upon his wound. They merely rejoiced inwardly. After all, if his family rose to power, it would not be good for the other families!

Outside the arena, Yun Leng ran to Yun Yun's side and said, "Sect Master, th-this boy's aura is no weaker than Yanran's at all! Should I—"

"Elder Yun Leng, do not do anything meaningless. We are not trying to make enemies of the Xiao Family, understand? It does not matter who wins or loses, so long as no one is seriously injured!" Yun Yun interrupted before Yun Leng could finish.

The pale green Dou Qi around Nalan Yanran's body suddenly surged. A moment later, it subsided, and a suit of green Dou Qi armor covered her entire body.

Xiao Yan was similarly covered in dark-red armor. The two had now both revealed their true strength.

"Xiao Yan, there is no need to waste any more time. Show me your true strength and fight!" With that, she charged forward.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you experience the strength I gained through three years of training!" He likewise rushed to meet her.

"Wind's Ultimate, Setting Sun Brilliance!"

"Wave Splitting Flame Ruler!"

Boom! The two were knocked back equally by the collision. "So this is the strength of Nalan Yanran, young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect? If this is all you have, then you've truly disappointed me!" Xiao Yan said after steadying himself.

"It seems your strength truly is formidable, and your combat ability is exceptionally powerful. I can finally use my full strength without worry! Xiao Yan, take this!"

"Wind's Ultimate, Dancing Blades!"

She attacked Xiao Yan directly, waves of powerful green energy wind blades slashing toward him.

Seeing the fierce energy strikes sweeping toward him, and with Old Yao's warning, Xiao Yan did not dare be careless. He dodged to the side. Boom! Boom! Each strike blasted a deep pit into the ground, showing just how destructive they were.

"As expected of a top-tier battle skill from the Misty Cloud Sect. Such powerful wind-attribute attacks must be at least a Mysterious Tier Advanced Battle Skill!" Old Yao's voice sounded.

After evading the attack, Xiao Yan no longer held back. A dark-red flame ignited in his left hand.

"Explosive Step, Fire-Blowing Palm!"

In an instant, he attacked Nalan Yanran at incredible speed. She was startled and quickly raised her sword to defend against the strike. It had come too suddenly, and caught unprepared, she could only hastily block it. Yet the moment she received the blow, Xiao Yan struck again without hesitation.

"Eight Extremes Collapse!"

Boom! He sent Nalan Yanran flying into the distance. Boom! She slammed into the wall within the arena.

"Yanran!" Nalan Jie rose at once, intending to check on his granddaughter. Although she had been in the wrong, she was the Nalan Family's only hope. He did not want anything to happen to her.

But Mu Chen stopped him. "Niece Yanran will definitely be fine. She is already a seven-star Da Dou Shi. If you go down there now, won't that mean she has already lost?"

Although Nalan Jie knew what Mu Chen was thinking, what he said was indeed true. If he rushed over in such a panic, would that not mean Yanran had lost? He could only watch from where he stood, his face filled with worry.

On the other side, Xiao Tian said to Qing Lin, "Did you see that? Even when your strength is inferior to your opponent's, you can still injure them. That is the experience gained from extensive real combat!"

"Mm-hm. But that Xiao Yan really is amazing," Qing Lin said.

Lu Man said, "Yes. I never expected that young man to be so strong. Just like you, he can fight opponents above his level without falling behind at all. Though his cultivation level is lower than yours, his talent is no worse." Then, worried that Xiao Tian might be unhappy, she hurriedly added, "Brother Xiao Tian, I'm not saying you're inferior to him. I-I just..."

"Hahaha, it's fine. I understand. You just think he's strong too. It's only because of the gap in our cultivation that he still can't keep up with me, right?" Xiao Tian said, rubbing Qing Lin's head.

Lu Man snorted. "Hmph, Qing Lin, don't be afraid. He simply isn't as strong as that young man. I think that young man is quite good. At the very least, he is better than Xiao Tian in one regard—he isn't surrounded by a group of women like him, greedy for flowers and lustful."

"He's good? Then go follow him in the future. Calling me lustful, as if he's so devoted," Xiao Tian said with a snort. He was displeased as well. Though he knew she was trying to provoke him, it still annoyed him!

"How can you be like this? You bastard! That's not what I meant," Lu Man said somewhat aggrievedly. Ya Fei said, "Sister Lu Man, why get angry with him? It's not like you don't understand his awful personality."

Lu Man understood why Xiao Tian was so angry. What a petty man. After sulking for a while, she became rather happy. Wasn't he upset because he wanted to keep her to himself? Because he did not want her to have thoughts about anyone else? Hehe, so this bastard really did like her.

If Xiao Tian knew what she was thinking, he would definitely stubbornly tell her, "You're overthinking it. I simply have a strong possessive streak." As for what he truly thought, only he himself knew.

Neither of them paid attention to the other. Qing Lin looked left, then right, before choosing to quietly watch the fight. After all, Xiao Tian had told her to carefully observe the battle.

Nalan Yanran had indeed been injured by Xiao Tian's strike just now. She swallowed several pills Xiao Tian had prepared for restoring Dou Qi, and Xiao Yan likewise took several.

"They are allowed to use medicinal pills during the match to restore themselves."

"Xiao Yan, you are very strong, and your combat experience is extensive as well. That strike earlier truly surprised me. But from this moment onward, I will not show mercy either!" Nalan Yanran said calmly to Xiao Yan.

"Bring it on," Xiao Yan replied evenly.

Nalan Yanran gathered the Dou Qi within her body. Gusts of green wind rose, and tornadoes slowly began to form. From the look of it, she was clearly about to unleash her ultimate move.

Xiao Yan no longer held back either. He gathered the Six Paths Samsara Flame in his left hand and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame in his right. He had a bold idea: since he could use two flames to refine pills, what would happen if he fused Heavenly Flames?

After transmitting a message to Old Yao and obtaining the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, his left hand slowly ignited. A sinister flame burned in his left palm, while the dark-red Six Paths Samsara Flame emerged in his right.

When the two Heavenly Flames ignited, representatives of the various forces outside the arena recognized Xiao Yan one after another. Wasn't he Yan Xiao, the outstanding alchemist? Hiss! So Yan Xiao was Xiao Yan!

At this moment, everyone looked forward even more eagerly to the outcome of the battle. Those who had not quite believed Yan Xiao was Xiao Yan now believed it completely. They had not expected the two to truly be the same person!

Xiao Yan began fusing the two Heavenly Flames. A rumbling, crackling sound rang out. Fusing two Heavenly Flames was an extremely dangerous matter if it failed! But Xiao Yan was the protagonist, so naturally he would not fail so easily.

Xiao Yan watched as the flames in his hand finally fused together. The power radiating from the fused Heavenly Flame was terrifying beyond belief. Even Yun Yun, a Dou Emperor nearby, felt a sense of danger!

"Wind's Ultimate, Fallen!"

Nalan Yanran had finished charging her attack and launched it toward Xiao Yan.

Since it was his first time fusing them, Xiao Yan had no question of being practiced or unpracticed. He looked at the fire lotus in his hand. From now on, you shall be called:

"Buddha's Rage Fire Lotus"!!

Boom~ A small fire lotus was casually hurled forward.

On the platform, Xiao Tian watched Xiao Yan's immature fire lotus. It was clearly beyond Xiao Yan's control, so the moment the two made their moves, he teleported directly between them.

He struck out with both hands, blocking the ultimate attacks from both sides! Boom~ A mushroom cloud rose up, yet neither the Misty Cloud Sect nor the two combatants suffered any harm.

No one knew what had happened or who had won and lost, but those beside Xiao Tian understood why the collision of those two immense energies had caused no damage—because Xiao Tian had been there.

Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan both emerged from the smoke, retreating some distance before coming to a stop. They were both rather puzzled. At that moment, Yun Yun came to Nalan Yanran's side and said, "Are you alright, Yanran? You couldn't have blocked Xiao Yan's move just now!"

"Then why am I fine?" Nalan Yanran was somewhat confused. She could feel that she had not been injured. "Because Xiao Tian neutralized both of your attacks!" Yun Yun said.

Xiao Yan learned the same thing from Old Yao. As the smoke gradually dispersed, Xiao Tian walked out.

"The outcome between you two has been decided. Xiao Yan wins!"

Yun Leng was about to speak, but when he saw Xiao Tian's gaze, he decisively shut his mouth. He had been beaten up once before, and that memory ran deep.

Then Xiao Tian said coldly, "Today's matter is over. Disperse."

"The matter between the Misty Cloud Sect and the Xiao Family ends here today. Do not let anything like this happen again in the future! No one from the Misty Cloud Sect is to go cause trouble for the Xiao Family." He addressed Yun Shan. "Otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves!"

Then he turned to Xiao Yan. "Your fire lotus is still immature. If you had destroyed the Misty Cloud Sect just now, did you ever think about the Xiao Family? This matter is settled, and you've regained your dignity. Go to Canaan and study in peace!"

Old Yao also made the situation clear to Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan understood why Xiao Tian had intervened. He cupped his fists toward Xiao Tian and said, "Xiao Tian, thanks." Then he looked at Nalan Yanran. "Today's matter has settled the grievances of the past three years. From this day onward, we have nothing to do with each other."

With that, he slung the black heavy ruler across his back and headed down the mountain. Watching Xiao Yan's departing figure, Xiao Tian felt that although Xiao Yan was terrible and irresponsible when it came to relationships, he was still decent to his friends. Unfortunately, they might end up competing over Heavenly Flames in the future. Sigh, forget it. He would take things one step at a time.

PS: Why is the Six Paths Samsara Flame dark red? Well, that's awkward—I don't even know what the heck this thing is. So let's just leave it like that~