Breakthrough! One Hand Suppresses Dou Emperor

Sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, Yun Zimo, dressed in soft white robes, hesitated for a moment before taking out a pill that shimmered with radiant, colorful light.

The Emperor-Breaking Pill! A Tier 6 treasure!

As the name implied, the medicinal effect of this pill was to increase the probability of a peak Dou King breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm.

Yun Zimo had never been one to reject the path of using pills to reach the Dao. The notion that external forces hindered one's path was only true for those who relied solely on pills to force a breakthrough, resulting in unstable foundations and a high risk of suffering from cultivation deviation later on.

He, however, had already reached a critical threshold; he needed only a slight push to open the gates to the Dou Emperor realm, and this Emperor-Breaking Pill was naturally the best choice.

"Time waits for no one..."

Yun Zimo sighed softly and decisively swallowed the Emperor-Breaking Pill. The next instant, the cultivation technique within his body began to circulate frantically, working to digest the massive surge of medicinal power!

"What... what is happening?"

The violent energy fluctuations caused everyone in Black Skull City—or perhaps it should be called Jiuling City now—to cast their gazes toward the palace.

"Stay at your posts!"

Ren Xia appeared and shouted, taking up a position with five other Dou Lings to form a Six-Harmony Formation, guarding against anyone who might try to ambush Yun Zimo while he was in the midst of his breakthrough.

"Choosing to break through to Dou Emperor at a time like this? Heh, hehehe..."

Fan Lao, his face pale, sat in a teahouse not far from Jiuling Palace, feeling a chill in his heart as he watched the aura surging into the sky from the palace.

The solidity of this Madman Lan's foundation was something he had never seen before; the aura alone already far surpassed that of an ordinary mid-stage Dou Emperor. If he were to succeed in his breakthrough, the consequences would be unthinkable!

"No wonder that trash Ku Lou died at your hands, but..."

Fan Lao smiled deviously, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward a certain Dou Ling expert standing guard within the Six-Harmony Formation.

"That is only if you actually succeed..."

"People from Jia Nan Academy?"

Just as Fan Lao was silently calculating, his eyes flickered as he caught sight of an elder from Jia Nan Academy entering Jiuling Palace. For a moment, Fan Lao was filled with doubt and uncertainty, unable to make up his mind.

"He has a connection to Jia Nan Academy?!"

Fan Lao could clearly tell that this was an elder from the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy; they were fundamentally different from the Outer Academy members he had occasionally provoked!

This introduced a massive variable into Fan Lao's original plan, leaving him hesitant about whether or not to use that particular pawn.

"Forget it. At the end of the day, it's just a pawn. What if he actually succeeds?"

Fan Lao gritted his teeth. He did not want to see another genius Dou Emperor with the potential to reach the Dou Ancestor realm appear in the Black-Corner Region!

Especially not a guy like Ren Xia who insisted on such ridiculous notions of justice!

"Waves rise from tiny ripples; the younger generation is truly formidable..."

Elder Lin sat in the living room, holding a teacup and sighing. In just over half a year, Yun Zimo had already begun his breakthrough to Dou Emperor. Such speed was enough to put veteran Dou Kings like them to shame.

"Elder Lin, our commander happens to be in seclusion. My apologies..."

Ren Xia bowed and apologized, but Elder Lin waved it off, saying it was no matter. Great Elder Su Qian had intended for him to stay here to deter other factions anyway, so this could be considered protecting Yun Zimo.

"It is fine. I have nothing else to do, so I shall wait here. Consider it me acting as his guardian."

Ren Xia was overjoyed to hear this. Regardless of whether he could actually help, this represented the stance of Jia Nan Academy!

The sudden aura of a Dou King spreading throughout the Black-Corner Region once again alarmed the major factions. Even the leaders of some factions who had previously been indifferent arrived in Jiuling City, either sending subordinates or coming in person.

Potential to reach Dou Ancestor? This was not good news. The last person to be treated with such gravity by so many factions was the Medicine Emperor Han Feng, who had come from the Central Plains!

At this moment, a man who had emerged from Feng City was conspiring with a group of faction leaders not far from Jiuling Palace...

"Could it be that the Medicine Emperor also wants to..."

Seeing what the man had laid out, Fan Lao's eyes lit up. If they had the assistance of the Medicine Emperor Han Feng, they would have nothing to fear, not even Jia Nan Academy!

"It is not my master, it is you!"

Han Beng, the medicine boy of Han Feng, smiled at the faction leaders before him.

"Whether it is the pills or these items, you purchased them yourselves from Feng City. It has nothing to do with my master!"

"Yes, yes, of course, we did..."

Although Fan Lao cursed Han Feng's shamelessness in his heart, he put on a look of sudden realization and smiled obsequiously.

"I suddenly remembered that there is an urgent matter to attend to within my sect. Please forgive me for taking my leave!"

Tie Wu, leader of the Mad Lion Gang, gave a simple, honest smile. Ignoring the reactions of the others, he stood up, bowed, and departed, quickly leaving Jiuling City.

"Damn it, I thought it was something important. They want to use us as cannon fodder!"

After leaving, Tie Wu cursed under his breath. If this succeeded, it would be one thing, but if it failed, he had no desire to provoke such a genius!

"I suddenly remembered..."

"Me too..."

Following Tie Wu, Old Yin Bone of the Heavenly Yin Sect, Su Mei of the Rakshasa Gate, and several other faction leaders also stood up to take their leave.

They had no intention of wading into these muddy waters!

Seeing several faction leaders withdraw, Han Beng remained smiling.

A cold glint flickered in his eyes. Very well, very well indeed...

"Mr. Han, this... what are we..."

Seeing that only a few people remained in the room in the blink of an eye, Fan Lao asked cautiously. At this rate, they would only have three or four factions left joining them!

"If they aren't willing, then so be it. Can four Dou Emperors not take down a single Dou King who is about to fail his breakthrough?"

Han Beng looked at the four remaining people before him and chuckled softly.

Ban Emperor, a seven-star Dou Emperor; Fan Lao, the five-star Dou Emperor and Sect Leader of the Blood Sect; Wu Nao, a three-star Dou Emperor and Sect Leader of the Demon Blade Gate; and Qi Yan, a three-star Dou Emperor and Sect Leader of the Earth Flame Sect!

This lineup, while perhaps not enough to sweep the entire Black-Corner Region, would have no trouble joining forces to wipe out one or two factions.

"Wait for the right moment, then kill with a single strike!"

Han Beng spoke with a chilling tone, though he had already prepared his own escape route. If they succeeded, good; if not...

He understood the principle of striking once and fleeing a thousand miles all too well.

"The moon is dark and the wind is high..."

Inside Jiuling Palace, Elder Lin gazed at the layers of black clouds obscuring the moon in the distance. As the howling, eerie winds swept in, he felt no chill, yet he couldn't help but tighten his robes.

Nearly ten days had passed, and not only had Yun Zimo's aura shown no signs of weakening, it had instead grown increasingly powerful. Seeing this, Elder Lin was filled with anxiety; he didn't know how many people had been secretly preparing themselves these past few days!

"Boom!"

Five more days passed. When the first ray of morning sunlight hit the place where Yun Zimo was in seclusion, his aura, having accumulated to its peak, trembled, and a massive cyan-white tornado tore through the roof, piercing straight into the sky!

Yun Zimo, slowly floating out from within the cyan-white Dou Qi tornado, suddenly opened his eyes. His hands flickered with seals, leaving behind trails of afterimages. An intangible cracking sound echoed within his body—the final step to becoming a Dou Emperor was complete!

"Attack!"

Fan Lao, who had been waiting for a long time, let out a low shout. A blood-red palm print, dozens of feet in size, slammed directly toward Yun Zimo from the air, while he himself followed closely behind, waiting for an opportunity to deliver the finishing blow.

"Boom!"

A giant flame palm emerged from mid-air, blocking the blood-red handprint. As a soft chuckle drifted out, Fan Lao's expression darkened significantly.

"Fan Lao, you're actually capable of ambushing a junior? Oh, right, I forgot—you rats in the gutter love doing things like this..."

"Qi Yan! Does Jia Nan Academy want to wade into these muddy waters too?!"

Qi Yan, one of the eighteen elders of the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy, an eight-star fire-attribute Dou Emperor, and the Dean of the Alchemy Department.

Qi Yan ignored Fan Lao and instead looked at the Inner Academy Dean who was holding back Ban Emperor and the other two Dou Emperors.

"Fellow Elders, I leave these Dou Kings to you!"

Elder Lin bowed to the several Inner and Outer Academy Dou King elders behind him.

"Elder Lin is too polite. With the travel order signed by the Dean, there is no need for such formalities."

An elder laughed; it was rare for them to leave the academy, so they treated this as a chance to stretch their limbs.

As the Dou Emperors clashed, energy collided across the sky. Under the dazzling brilliance, terrifying shockwaves radiated outward, tearing up many buildings within Jiuling City.

Fortunately, Xia Lan had already relocated and hidden the people in the city; otherwise, Xia Lan would have had his hands full dealing with the casualties!

"Kid, pick up the pace!"

Qi Yan's movements did not stop, but his lips moved slightly, sending his voice into the cyan-white tornado.

"We don't want to trigger a war in the Black-Corner Region, so we can only hold them off for a while. If you can't break through, don't force it!"

"Blood Shadow Stealth Kill!"

Seeing the battle reaching a stalemate, Fan Lao hardened his heart. His figure suddenly exploded into a sky full of blood mist. The next instant, the mist condensed, and a pale-faced Fan Lao appeared before the tornado, brandishing a blood-colored spear and lunging forward with a savage grin!

"Earth Flame Dragon Explosion!"

Qi Yan let out a sharp shout, and pillars of flame and fire dragons surged toward the Dou Emperor in front of him, while he himself charged straight for the tornado!

"Demon Blade! Slash!"

Eerie demonic energy surged from the large blade in Wu Nao's hand. The heaven-shaking blade light forced back the Inner Academy Dou Emperor of Jia Nan Academy. After unleashing several more slashes to block his opponent, he flashed forward, arriving before the tornado and raising his blade to strike down at Yun Zimo!

"Not good!"

The previously composed Jia Nan elder's expression changed drastically.

"Go to hell!"

Wu Nao roared, but from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Ban Emperor, who had already pulled back and was fleeing rapidly.

"How is he... What?!"

Before Wu Nao could react, a massive force suddenly slammed into his chest. He seemed to hear the sound of his own bones shattering. Before he could even process his confusion, a violent pain surged through him, causing his brow to twitch uncontrollably.

"How is this possible?!"

Looking up, he saw a palm, white as jade, resting lightly on the top of his head. The shadow of death that descended upon him made Wu Nao feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. Under such pressure, the pain in his chest seemed to fade into insignificance...