Xiao Yan Battles Nalan

"Mr. Xiao Yan, please!"

"Senior Ice Emperor, please!"

At the gates of Misty Cloud Mountain, the law-enforcement disciples stood solemn and respectful, bowing slightly to welcome Xiao Yan and Hai Bodong as they began their ascent.

The stone steps of Misty Cloud Mountain were paved with white sand-stone bricks, totaling nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. Every hundred steps, Misty Cloud disciples clad in silver-moon white robes stood on either side. The ancient stone path led directly to the summit, disappearing into the depths of the clouds beyond Xiao Yan's line of sight.

"Clack, clack, clack..."

The faint sound of footsteps echoed into the plaza. Whether it was jealousy, resentment, or mere curiosity and surprise, the gazes from the Misty Cloud disciples sitting cross-legged around the square were all met with Xiao Yan's calm composure.

"Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan!"

"Nalan Clan, Nalan Yanran!"

In the vast plaza, only Nalan Yanran stood alone. On the towering stone platform at the far end of the square, the Imperial ancestor Jia Xingtian, Alchemist Guild President Fama, and the heads and elders of the Imperial Capital's three great clans were already seated.

The old sect leader Yun Shan, Punishment Hall master Yun Zimo, and Great Elder Yun Leng sat in the seats of honor, quietly awaiting the meeting of the two in the plaza.

"This old man, Great Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Leng!"

Yun Leng flew to the very center of the plaza and spoke in a resounding voice.

"The sect leader has yet to return to the sect. Today's match will be officiated by this old man. This is intended as a friendly exchange; you two must stop at the point of contact!"

"Begin!"

After Yun Leng finished speaking, he and Hai Bodong flew back to the stone platform, while Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran exchanged a formal bow.

"The Three-Year Agreement—Xiao Yan has arrived as promised. The grievances of the past shall be settled in one battle today!"

"I will not let others decide my life, and my choices were not wrong. That was true three years ago, and it remains true three years later!"

Nalan Yanran smoothed her hair and spoke in a low voice. Xiao Yan's expression remained calm; their choices were neither right nor wrong, merely a matter of differing stances.

Precisely because of this, the conflict between the two could not be resolved with a few simple words.

Further talk was useless; let their skills speak for themselves!

Reaching behind his back, Xiao Yan drew the Heavy Profound Ruler. Two pale green lotus flowers appeared in his deep pupils. As the lotuses slowly rotated, green flames swirled out, and a battle armor formed of flickering green fire gradually covered his entire body.

"A six-star Dou Grandmaster!"

Sensing Xiao Yan's surging aura, Nalan Yanran was slightly surprised, but recalling the Master Green Fire mentioned by Senior Brother Yun Zimo and Uncle Gu He, she nodded slightly.

Her sword, Light Grace, was drawn with ease. Small wind vortexes circled the blade, and a pale green battle armor manifested over her body as well.

"A six-star Dou Grandmaster!"

Nalan Yanran was actually also a six-star Dou Grandmaster. Moreover, judging by the solidity of her battle armor, her foundation was clearly quite firm—not a realm forcibly maintained by some secret technique!

Gripping the hilt of the ruler with both hands, Xiao Yan's footsteps turned illusory. As his figure flickered, he dragged the Heavy Profound Ruler, which had been held diagonally, leaving a long mark on the ground. With a fierce stomp, he leaped into the air and brought the weapon down in a straightforward, heavy strike.

"Cloud-Chasing Moon-Stepping? Uncle Yun Yun's battle skill?"

A flicker of doubt crossed Nalan Yanran's mind. Her lotus-like steps shifted lightly, and her figure danced like a butterfly, dodging Xiao Yan's strike with grace.

As the two brushed past each other, Nalan Yanran's Light Grace swept upward in a diagonal arc, aiming for Xiao Yan's wrist, while wind blades spun out, attempting to force him to drop his weapon.

Xiao Yan complied with her wish; without hesitation, he released the Heavy Profound Ruler. Twisting his body at an incredible angle, he vanished like a black shadow, reappearing at Nalan Yanran's side and throwing a punch toward her.

Nalan Yanran, having reacted, was too late to retreat. Her internal Dou Qi surged rapidly, and the battle armor on her side instantly solidified like soft green steel, while wind-attribute Dou Qi attached to it, dissipating the immense force of Xiao Yan's punch.

"Close-quarters combat?"

Light Grace vanished from her palm in an instant. Nalan Yanran twisted her body, her supple form wrapping around Xiao Yan like a serpent.

Xiao Yan was startled. He darted away, attempting to shake off Nalan Yanran. As they fought and retreated, the two exchanged over a hundred blows!

"Such a powerful physical body!"

Both thought the same thing simultaneously, and they immediately resumed their fierce hand-to-hand combat.

I temper my body with secret techniques every day, and I practice combat arts with the elders as my sparring partners. I undergo medicinal baths every seven days without fail. How can this brat's physical body be stronger than mine?!

Nalan Yanran found it hard to believe. The numbing pain radiating from her arms told her clearly that Xiao Yan's strength surpassed her own!

Light Grace was drawn once more. After the flat of the blade blocked one of Xiao Yan's punches, Nalan Yanran used the momentum to tap her feet and instantly distance herself. A wall of wind blades forced back Xiao Yan, who was attempting to close the distance again. Xiao Yan took the opportunity to use a suction force from his palm, drawing the Heavy Profound Ruler back into his grip.

"As expected of the young sect leader of the Misty Cloud Sect; she uses high-level battle skills as if they were second nature."

"That Xiao Clan brat isn't bad either; to think he can fight the young sect leader of the Misty Cloud Sect to a standstill!"

"I wonder..."

The heads of various clans and factions whispered their critiques, though most were merely flattering remarks, with few truly concerned with the outcome of the battle.

"He is about to get serious."

Jia Xingtian muttered to himself, developing a bit more interest in this previously unknown boy.

The pitch-black giant ruler slashed and hammered down like a torrential storm, giving Nalan Yanran no chance to catch her breath. Fortunately, the Light Grace sword was no ordinary item; even though every collision produced a sharp ring, it remained intact without shattering.

What does he take me for?!

Although Xiao Yan hid it well, Nalan Yanran keenly sensed that Xiao Yan was merely utilizing the most basic of ruler techniques, such as simple slashes.

Nalan Yanran, burning with indignation, erupted with Dou Qi. Her hand seals flashed, and a pale green sword aura manifested from her blade, swelling against the wind into a massive, several-zhang-long blade of light that slashed toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan remained unruffled. Pale green flame Dou Qi surged as he hoisted the Heavy Profound Ruler, carving out a fiery arc that collided with the sword aura, sparking a violent gale.

The two clashed once more. Having truly ignited their fighting spirits, they held nothing back, each strike aiming for vital points in a desperate bid to crush the other.

Countless sword aura afterimages radiated a biting chill, trembling as they pierced toward Xiao Yan's vital spots. Five formidable sword shadows converged, linking head-to-tail into a crescent ring that hacked down at him with lethal intent.

"Fire Blowing Palm!"

Xiao Yan swung the Heavy Profound Ruler in a half-arc, sending a ring of flame flying from the blade to collide with the crescent sword shadow in mid-air.

"If that's all you've got, then you'd better just stay down!"

Nalan Yanran's clear voice rang out from above. A torrential storm of wind blades descended, trapping Xiao Yan with nowhere to hide.

"Extreme Wind: Sunset Shine!"

A sword light as brilliant as the midday sun descended from the heavens, tearing through layers of clouds. Streaks of radiance pierced the sky, trailing the wind blades as they rained down upon Xiao Yan's head.

Sword auras shot out in every direction, causing dense cracks to spiderweb across the floor tiles beneath Xiao Yan's feet. The Misty Cloud Sect disciples watching from the perimeter scrambled to their positions, their hands flashing with seals as faint light barriers emerged to block the rampaging sword energy.

Watching the falling meteor, Xiao Yan stomped hard against the ground, his internal energy surging and gathering into the giant ruler in his hands!

"Flame Splitting Wave-Devouring Ruler!"

The sky-piercing wave of fire collided with the Sunset Shine sword aura. The violent shockwave knocked over more than half of the Misty Cloud Sect disciples holding their seals, then blasted out of the plaza, kicking up a massive cloud of mist!

Seeing this, the Misty Cloud Sect elders moved in unison, intervening to intercept the shockwave.

"Crack!"

The Dou Armor on Xiao Yan's face shattered, revealing a handsome, youthful, yet composed countenance. His eyes were as calm as still water, and wisps of pale green flame curled around him.

"Eight Extremities Collapse!"

Xiao Yan shot into the sky, a green blur. He tucked his arm into an elbow strike, slamming it toward Nalan Yanran, who was treading on wind energy in mid-air. Amidst the sound of shattering armor, blood spilled from the corner of Nalan Yanran's mouth, yet her eyes remained unyielding.

"Thousand Maple Gale Brake!"

Nalan Yanran cried out coldly. Endless wind blades shredded the air, and with Xiao Yan caught directly in the path of the storm, he was forced to take the full brunt of the violent gale!

Facing a situation where he had no leverage and was under direct assault, Xiao Yan remained eerily calm. He quietly swallowed a few Qi-Recovery Pills and unfurled the Purple Cloud Wings on his back, a single beat of his wings propelling him out of the storm's center to the shock of the onlookers.

"A... a Dou King?!"

"No, not a Dou King. It's... a flight Dou Skill!"

Jia Xingtian and Fama exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads with a wry smile. They had thought the boy was about to lose, never expecting him to hide such a trump card.

"What is he planning?!"

Amidst the gasps, a cluster of purple flame suddenly erupted from the Purple Cloud Wings on Xiao Yan's back, settling into his left palm, while a pale green flame ignited in his right.

"So, his purple fire actually fused with the Purple Cloud Wings?!"

Yun Zimo realized with a start. He had wondered how Xiao Yan could develop a miniature Buddha Fury Fire Lotus without the Heaven-Swallowing Python; it turned out the Amethyst Beast Fire had fused with the wings by sheer coincidence.

Some time ago, a battle between Dou Emperors had erupted in the Great Desert. After a fire-attribute energy storm, only the corpses of two Chu Yun Empire Dou Emperors remained in the sands!

Because it involved Dou Emperors from another nation, even Yun Yun had been forced to leave the mountain to investigate, and she had yet to return.

Yun Zimo guessed that this must have been the result of Xiao Yan tinkering with Heavenly Flames. However, since events had already deviated from the original path, he dared not make further assumptions. Later, at the Alchemist Grand Meeting, a youth named Yan Xiao had turned the tide to defeat the Chu Yun Empire alchemists, leading Yun Zimo to believe that perhaps it was Xiao Yan's destiny to develop the Buddha Fury Fire Lotus after all!

Still, the tangled fate between this boy and Yanran seemed to have grown even more complicated...

"Miniature Buddha Fury Fire Lotus!"

While Yun Zimo was lost in thought, a crystalline lotus of green and purple glided through the air, rotating slowly. The faint, violent fire-attribute energy leaking from it caused the very space around it to ripple.

"Yan Xiao, Xiao Yan, Yan Xiao, Xiao Yan..."

Nalan Yanran's fingertips turned white as she gripped them, her teeth biting hard into her lip. The gaze she fixed on Xiao Yan was filled with doubt and inner conflict.

"I don't care if you are Xiao Yan or Yan Xiao. Today, the reputation of the Misty Cloud Sect and the Nalan Clan rests on my shoulders. I cannot lose to you!"

Nalan Yanran hesitated no longer. She shifted her hand seals again, releasing even more powerful Dou Qi fluctuations. The Misty Cloud Sect elders turned pale, leaping from their platforms to stand at various points around the plaza, their Dou Qi surging to reinforce the light barriers.

"Extreme Wind: Meteor Kill!"

A dark, heavy sword star descended like a meteor falling toward the moon. Nalan Yanran's face was as pale as snow; with her current strength, forcibly activating such a high-level Dou Skill was a struggle. The sword star wavered, yet it managed to plummet from the sky.

Having exhausted her energy to maintain flight through her Dou Skill, Nalan Yanran could no longer hold on and fell. The sword star and the fire lotus met in silence. The earth-shattering explosion she expected never came; instead, there was only a blinding, dazzling radiance and a deafening, silent ringing in her ears, making her feel as though blood were seeping from her seven orifices.

"It is over, Miss Nalan."

A calm voice reached her ears. A sharp gust of wind brushed past her, slamming into the plaza beside her. The once-pristine stone floor was instantly covered in spiderweb cracks, and Nalan Yanran lay quietly beside the center of the impact, staring blankly at Xiao Yan, who had held back his strike.

"Why?"

"Brother Yun gave the Xiao Clan a measure of dignity; I cannot leave the Nalan Clan and the Misty Cloud Sect in disgrace."

"Th... thank you!"

Nalan Yanran whispered her thanks. Xiao Yan paused for a moment, then offered a faint smile and reached out to pull her to her feet.

With a flick of his palm, he drew the Heavy Profound Ruler from the plaza floor and sheathed it on his back. Xiao Yan spoke in a clear, resonant voice.

"Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan. The Three-Year Agreement is now concluded. From this day forth, there is no longer any enmity between me and Miss Nalan!"

The summit of Misty Cloud Mountain was strangely silent; everyone had yet to recover from the energy storm and the sight of Xiao Yan defeating Nalan Yanran only to show mercy, while Yun Zimo stood by with a smile of gratification on his lips.

The two were evenly matched in strength, but Nalan Yanran's heart had wavered due to Xiao Yan's identity, causing her to lose by a single move; had they truly fought to the death, the outcome would have been far from certain!

However, under the full cultivation of the current Misty Cloud Sect, Nalan Yanran had achieved the level of a six-star Dou Grandmaster in both essence and qi, yet Xiao Yan had still managed to keep pace and surpass her!

The growth of this lad truly exceeded his expectations!

Just as Yun Zimo was about to rise and say something, his expression, along with those of Yun Shan and a few others, changed abruptly!

"Hehehe..."

"Yun Shan, you have disappointed me!"

A sinister, shrill cackle echoed across the summit of Misty Cloud Mountain. Endless black mist surged through the mountain clouds, and a pair of red pupils radiated waves of evil intent. In an instant, the black mist coalesced into a figure that stepped through the air toward them!

He had thought it would end perfectly, but he had not expected...

A sudden turn of events!