The Magical Beast Mountain Range, atop a cliff.
Time seemed to have been seized by an invisible hand, slowly freezing in Mu Li's eyes, wide with utter terror. The figure wrapped in pale flames looked like a demon god stepping out of the deepest hell, radiating a chilling aura. On the Black Ruler, a bizarre sphere of energy compressed to its utmost limit pulsed with destructive force. Like a curse from the abyss, it filled his entire field of vision in an instant, leaving him nowhere to run!
"No—!" Mu Li managed only a desperate howl, his voice full of fear of death and longing to live. His survival instinct rampaged through him like a maddened beast, driving him to frantically summon his Dou Qi. In an instant, layer upon layer of earthen-yellow Dou Qi shields appeared before him, forming a sturdy fortress in a desperate attempt to hold back the catastrophe bearing down on him.
Yet before the nascent "Buddha Fury Fire Lotus"—fused with the power of Bone Spirit Cold Flame's source, driven with all the strength of Yao Lao's soul, and ignited by Xiao Yan's will—all those defenses looked pitiful and laughable, like paper walls incapable of stopping the surging force.
"Buddha! Fury! Fire! Lotus!"
Xiao Yan's (Yao Lao's) voice was as cold and imperious as Death passing sentence, as if the judgment came from another world. It sent a chill through all who heard it. The Heavy Xuan Ruler, wreathed in pale flames and carrying that wildly unstable sphere of energy, came crashing down like a meteor tearing across the heavens!
"BOOM—!!!"
An explosion beyond all words burst open atop the cliff, like an evil flower blooming on the edge of death. Its force seemed capable of tearing the whole world apart.
First came the blinding light! A dazzling sphere more than ten zhang across, shot through with pale and light-yellow hues, swelled in an instant like a colossal sun, swallowing Mu Li and several mercenaries around him who had failed to dodge in time. Its brilliance lit the entire forest as if it were broad daylight, as though the day had arrived ahead of schedule. Even the bright moon overhead paled beneath it, like a pearl robbed of its luster.
Next came the devastating shock wave, crashing in like an unstoppable tide! It was like billions of invisible waves, spreading in a mad ring from the blast's center. The air vanished in its path, then twisted and let out a shrill, piercing sonic boom, as though the heavens and earth were crying out in agony. The solid rocky ground rose in layers before that terrible force like brittle crackers, then was mercilessly smashed to pieces, scattering stone fragments through the air. The ancient trees, their trunks as thick as a man's embrace, could not withstand the raging power either. Torn out by the roots, they were ground to dust in the violent storm of energy and vanished into nothingness.
At last, the delayed, deafening sound erupted! It was like thousands upon thousands of thunderclaps exploding beside one's ears, a terrible roar that seemed intent on ripping heaven and earth apart. The noise burst the eardrums of the mercenaries watching from afar. Blood trickled from their eyes, ears, noses, and mouths as they screamed and tumbled across the ground like leaves swept up by a gale, writhing in agony.
The heart of the blast had become a living hell! A huge crater, several zhang deep, yawned atop the cliff. Its walls were smooth as mirrors, as if carefully sculpted by nature, and coated in a thick layer of glasslike crystal. The strange substance had formed when the rock melted under extreme heat and then cooled at once. The crater was scorched black and stank of burnt flesh. Apart from wisps of smoke curling upward and a few scattered, unrecognizable charred fragments, Mu Li and the mercenaries beside him had vanished completely, along with their weapons and armor—vaporized without a trace, leaving not even bones behind.
A wisp of gray-white poison gas had mingled with the storm of destruction. Under the blast's high heat and pressure, it had not been annihilated; instead, like a venomous snake roused to life, it spread and seeped outward in an instant. The mercenaries who were farther away and had narrowly escaped being swallowed by the explosion were touched by the invisible gas. Before they could even scream, their bodies turned ashen and stiff at a visible pace, like stone carvings rapidly weathered by the years. Their life force drained away like water, until they became rigid gray corpses strewn across the ground.
Silence! A deathly silence fell over the forest, as though time itself had frozen.
The Wolf Head mercenaries who had survived by sheer luck stood rooted to the spot like ducks caught by the neck, their eyes filled with fear and despair. They stared at the enormous, glassy crater on the cliff, at the terrifying gray "statues" beside it, then at the youth standing amid the ruins and smoke, Black Ruler in hand and pale flames slowly dying around him like a war god. Awe and terror welled up inside them, beyond anything they could put into words.
Fear surged through them like an icy current, chilling them to the bone and drowning them all. Their obsession with revenge and their greedy desires were no more than bubbles in a dream before such absolute power and the ever-present threat of death. They vanished in an instant.
"Demon... He's a demon!" someone stammered, his voice trembling like a leaf in the wind, steeped in terror and despair.
"Run! Run for your lives!" A scream choked with tears tore through the dead air, like a final cry for help in the darkness. The surviving mercenaries scattered like startled birds. They abandoned their helmets and armor and fled down the mountain in utter disarray, stumbling and crawling as if fiends from hell were on their heels. They wished their parents had given them two more legs so they could run faster.
Soon, only Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian remained atop the cliff, surrounded by wreckage and a wordless, chilling scene of horror.
"Thud!" The terrifying aura around Xiao Yan receded like the tide. His face turned deathly pale, utterly drained of color. A mouthful of blood burst from him against his will, tracing a shocking arc through the air. His body swayed as if even a breeze could knock him over, then he dropped to one knee. Only the Heavy Xuan Ruler, driven deep into the ground, kept his trembling body upright. Forcing himself to wield power far beyond his limits had badly damaged his meridians. It was as if every inch of them were burning and breaking apart.
"Xiao Yan!" Xiao Yi Xian cried out, her voice full of worry and urgency. She hurried over and gently supported him. Her clear eyes were full of concern and lingering fear. Even from a distance, the terrible force of that attack had made her heart shudder, as though it had shaken her very soul.
"I... I'm fine..." Xiao Yan shook his head weakly, his voice faint as a mosquito's buzz. He stared at the horrifying scene as if a meteor had struck it, his eyes filled with shock and a trace of bewilderment. So this was the power his teacher had lent him? So mighty, yet so dangerous. And that gray-white poison gas mixed into it seemed to conceal endless secrets...
"This place isn't safe anymore!" Yao Lao's voice drifted through Xiao Yan's mind, weak yet more grave than ever. "That attack made far too much noise. It must have alerted the entire outer region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Go! Find somewhere hidden and heal your injuries. We can't waste a moment!"
Xiao Yan's heart jolted, as if a streak of cold lightning had struck him, and he came back to his senses at once. He forced himself to his feet, unsteady as he was, and with Xiao Yi Xian supporting him gently but firmly, the two fled like startled birds into the night-shrouded forest, where smoke and the stench of death still lingered. Behind them, the vast glassy crater remained, a savage scar left where the earth had been torn open, silently proclaiming the terrifying might of the Buddha Fury Fire Lotus at its first appearance. It was easy to imagine Xiao Yan's name sweeping through Green Mountain Town and far beyond like a furious storm, stirring up monstrous waves and drawing the world's attention.
The Snake-People Holy Temple, outer watchtower.
Xiao Zhan stood tall at the tower's high window, his gaze sharp as a torch as it pierced the layers of night and fixed on the center of the Holy Temple. There, a tremendous, violent surge of fiery energy, brimming with destructive force, churned beneath the seal like a volcano straining to erupt. It seemed ready to break through every restraint and unleash its full might. Queen Medusa had begun her bloodline evolution. This was a pivotal moment, one that would determine the future of the Snake-People Tribe.
Tension hung in the air like something solid, making it hard to breathe. The powerful auras of four Dou Wang elders stood like four pillars supporting the heavens, firmly locking down the altar as they did everything in their power to maintain the stability of the sealing barrier. Yue Mei stood not far from Xiao Zhan. Her green, slit-pupiled eyes swept warily across every corner of the Holy Temple's outer perimeter. Her pretty face was taut as a drawn bowstring, ready for whatever danger might appear.
"Will the people from the Soul Hall really come?" Yue Mei's voice held a trace of unease, like a candle flame wavering in the breeze. The queen's evolution had reached its most critical stage. There could be no interference at all; even the smallest mishap could bring utter ruin.
"They won't give up." Xiao Zhan's face was grave as he spoke in a low voice. His soul power spread outward to its fullest extent like an invisible, fine-meshed web, missing not a single fluctuation of energy inside or beyond the barrier. He searched carefully for any possible danger, like a vigilant guard. "Protector Wu may have retreated, but the Soul Hall's methods have always been secretive and unpredictable. He must have another trap waiting. Watch out for—" Before he could finish, disaster struck!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Several streaks of black light, so fine they were nearly impossible to detect, shot soundlessly from shadowed blind spots around the Holy Temple, like snakes blending into the night. Yet they carried deadly menace. Their targets weren't the sacred altar, but the towers housing the four Dou Wang elders maintaining the barrier, as if they meant to break through this vital line of defense in one blow.
"Enemy attack!" Yue Mei reacted with lightning speed and shouted a warning! At the same time, her long, powerful serpent tail whipped around. A ribbon of green Dou Qi lashed through the air like a vicious whip, striking a black streak headed for the tower where Xiao Zhan stood!
"Clang!"
A clear ring echoed through the night! Yue Mei's Dou Qi had struck the black streak with pinpoint accuracy, revealing its true form: a black shuttle dart etched with eerie runes and radiating a chilling soul fluctuation. The dart was knocked away, but the cold energy clinging to it rolled over Yue Mei like a freezing current, making her Dou Qi waver. It seemed on the verge of corroding it.
The Dou Wang elders in the other towers sensed the danger at the same time and moved to intercept! Most of the shuttle darts were knocked aside or stopped by their attacks. But one, its angle as uncanny as a ghost's, pierced through the hurried defense an elder had thrown up and buried itself in the outer wall of his tower with a dull thud.
"Vmmm—!"
The tower wall struck by the strange dart instantly lit up with countless twisted, interwoven black runes, like the gaping jaws of a fiend. Then a powerful force that interfered with space and eroded the soul burst forth! A chill pierced straight into the Dou Wang elder's soul. He couldn't help grunting as the aura around him fell into disarray. The power he had been using to maintain the barrier wavered noticeably, like a lake stirred into turmoil.
The enormous, pale-violet barrier protecting the Holy Temple lurched violently, like a fragile bubble caught in a gale! Its light flickered erratically, as if it might go out at any moment and leave the Holy Temple exposed to endless peril.
"Heh heh heh... Medusa, if we don't take your life now, when will we?" A sinister cackle came from the deepest pits of the underworld, dripping with malice and chill. Three figures shrouded in loose black robes, their auras so sinister they seemed almost tangible, appeared like ghosts where the barrier was wavering most violently. The leader's aura had reached the terrifying realm of a Three-Star Dou Zong. He radiated a chilling pressure. It was Protector Wu, returned after retreating! The two figures beside him were Soul Hall experts at the Dou Huang level, their auras cold and sinister, like messengers from hell.
Without the slightest hesitation, the three attacked together, taking advantage of the unstable barrier. Three beams of black energy, dense with terrifying soul power, shot toward the altar at the center of the Holy Temple like spears of judgment from hell, tearing through space with a sharp whistle as they surged forward with enough force to destroy everything!
Their target was Queen Medusa, in the midst of the critical stage of her evolution. If the attacks landed, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Stop them!" Yue Mei's eyes bulged with fury, her green slit pupils instantly filling with blood as if they were burning. She charged without hesitation toward the nearest attack, her serpent tail sweeping around with a fierce rush of wind. The other three Dou Wang elders roared and unleashed their strongest Dou Techniques. Light blazed around them like burning stars as they tried to intercept the three deadly beams and protect the Holy Temple.
But the difference in their strength was a chasm too wide to cross! Facing a Dou Zong and Dou Huang experts, Dou Wang fighters were no more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot, or eggs smashing against rocks. They had no hope of halting the oncoming assault.
The three deadly beams, like the reapers' scythes and carrying the force to destroy everything, were about to smash into the altar and reduce it all to dust!
At that life-or-death moment, when every second mattered—
"ROAR—!!!"
A majestic, domineering dragon's roar, as if it had crossed over from the primordial wilderness, exploded at the edge of the Holy Temple like thunder from the ninth heaven. It carried an unyielding will and a desperate resolve to protect, shaking heaven and earth!
Xiao Zhan moved! He no longer concealed his true strength! The aura of a Dou Zong erupted like a volcano. A golden Dragon Phoenix phantom flashed behind him, as if an ancient divine beast had awakened. He stepped forward and appeared in an instant before the thickest and most dangerous black beam—the fatal attack Protector Wu had unleashed!
His hands swiftly formed a seal. Dou Qi surged through him like a mighty river, burning and merging with the mysterious power of the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art.
"Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body! Defend!"
At his low shout, a massive energy shield formed at once, woven from interlocking patterns of crimson-gold dragon scales. A Dragon Phoenix phantom wheeled across its surface, radiating an ancient aura that seemed indestructible and impervious to all laws, as if it were the firmest barrier in heaven and earth.
"Rumble—!!!"
The black soul beam crashed into the crimson-gold shield like a raging dragon, unleashing a deafening explosion. The terrifying blast swallowed Xiao Zhan whole, and searing energy surged through the air like a tide. The shock wave rolled outward, shaking several nearby towers until they teetered as if ready to collapse. Yue Mei and the others were hurled away by the raging wind and landed like kites with their strings cut.
"Xiao Zhan!" Yue Mei cried out, her eyes filled with disbelief. He had... been hiding such incredible strength all along?!
Smoke billowed through the air like a hideous demon, spreading unchecked. Under the relentless assault of Protector Wu's powerful attack, the crimson-gold shield shattered inch by inch at last, dissolving into specks of light. Xiao Zhan was flung backward like a bird with a broken wing, blood pouring from his mouth in a blooming red spray. He slammed into a distant stone wall, leaving a deep dent. His aura immediately dwindled, and it was as if every last bit of strength had been drained from him. He had clearly suffered grave injuries. Yet with his own body, he had stopped Protector Wu's most lethal attack from reaching the altar, standing firm like a fortress guarding their last hope.
The other two attacks, unleashed by Dou Huang experts, came roaring forward like two ferocious dragons. One was knocked off course when a Dou Wang elder, willing to suffer grave injuries, used his own body to deflect it. It skimmed past the edge of the altar and exploded into a massive crater in the distant ground, sending dust billowing as though the earth itself had been torn apart. The other struck the sealing energy around the altar head-on, unleashing a deafening roar.
"BOOM—!!!"
The entire altar shook violently like a giant drum struck by a hammer. Two of the eight energy chains binding the Green Lotus Core Flame snapped under the powerful impact. The raging blue-green flames surged wildly like a horse that had broken free of its reins, setting everything around them ablaze. The purple figure at the center of the altar shuddered, as if gripped hard by an invisible hand, and let out a stifled groan of extreme pain. Her evolution had been severely disrupted, like a small boat tossed about in a storm.
"You bastards!" Protector Wu was furious and shocked. His already grim face twisted further, killing intent surging in his eyes like a savage beast provoked to rage. He was about to strike again and utterly destroy everything before him.
At that very moment!
"SKREE—!!!"
A sharp cry, piercing to the soul and filled with boundless majesty and fury, burst from the center of the altar. It was like the roar of a primordial god. A terrifying pressure far greater than before descended like a waking beast from the ancient wilderness, its world-shattering force making all space tremble.
The chains binding the Heavenly Flame snapped one by one beneath the violent surge of energy, breaking with a series of crisp, resolute cracks. The endless blue-green flames surged like beasts long held captive, ready to run wild—only to be forcibly suppressed by an invisible yet mighty force, until at last they gradually settled. At the center of the altar, the purple figure slowly rose amid the raging flames, like a phoenix reborn from fire, wrapped in mystery and majesty.
Her form had undergone a breathtaking transformation. The purple serpent tail she had once possessed was gone, replaced by a pair of long, straight, flawless jade feet, like works of art carved with exquisite care. Her purple brocade robe disintegrated in the blazing flames, while a gorgeous gown formed from pure blue-green flame energy flowed gently around her breathtaking form, radiating heat and alluring brilliance. Her face remained peerlessly beautiful, like a celestial maiden descended to the mortal world, but an enigmatic blue-green flame mark had appeared between her brows, like the most mysterious rune in all creation. Deep in her purple eyes, two blue-green flames danced and blazed, dazzling as stars.
A terrifying aura, surpassing even a Peak Dou Emperor and enough to make the soul tremble, swept through the entire Holy Temple like a hurricane. Space twisted wherever it passed. Had Queen Medusa truly completed her evolution? (At least for the moment, she had suppressed the Heavenly Flame and completed an initial transformation, entering an entirely new realm!)
Her gaze, like burning blue-green ice spikes, was filled with chill and killing intent as it locked on to Protector Wu and the other two Soul Hall Dou Huangs. The sharpness and resolve in her eyes seemed capable of freezing space itself, sending a chill through all who met them.
"Scum of the Soul Hall... you will die!" Her voice was cold and decisive, like a judgment handed down from hell.
Wutan City, the top floor of the Mittel Auction House, inside a quiet private room.
The light from the Seven Purple Gold Token bound Mu Tie in place like invisible chains, leaving him unable to move. His burly body trembled faintly, as though he were enduring immense pressure. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead and slid along his stern cheek. His hard features were now filled with humiliation, shock, and disbelief. Before the token, which represented one of the family's highest authorities, the might of Great Elder Teng Shan looked utterly feeble, as if a breeze could scatter it.
Ya Fei held the Seven Purple Gold Token, a noble air radiating from her that allowed no offense. She was like a queen wielding the power of life and death. Her cold gaze looked down at Mu Tie as she spoke with unquestionable authority. "Commander Mu Tie, do you still intend to 'take over' that batch of pills?"
Mu Tie's Adam's apple bobbed as if a thousand-jin weight pressed on his throat. He struggled to swallow, then forced out a dry, hoarse answer, as if squeezing it from deep within his throat. "N-no... I wouldn't dare! Miss Ya Fei... since you hold the Seven Purple Gold Token, then... naturally, everything will be done as you command!" As he spoke, he slowly lowered his formerly proud head, no longer daring to meet the token's gaze, as if even looking at it were a blasphemy against its authority.
"Good." Ya Fei's lips curved into a cold smile, like a trace of winter frost. She put the token away, and her imposing aura quietly receded, returning her to her usual languid, alluring self. But the sharpness in her eyes remained undiminished, glittering like stars in the dark. "As for the pills, I'll follow the contract to the letter and auction them at the Imperial Capital's main branch. The proceeds will be turned over to the family according to the rules. As for Clan Chief Xiao, he is not only an important partner of the auction house, but also a dear friend of mine. His information is top secret and must not be disclosed. If anyone in the Imperial Capital asks about this again..."
Her eyes shifted, and her gaze shot toward Mu Tie like lightning. Her voice was gentle, yet carried an unmistakable warning, like a blade hidden in the spring breeze. "Let them come speak to me with the clan chief's personal token, or... the token of the other Grand Elder."
Mu Tie's heart jolted, and cold sweat soaked his back like rain. He understood the weight of Ya Fei's words. She was openly challenging Great Elder Teng Shan! The person backing her... could it be Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, who had been in seclusion for years and held an even higher position than Great Elder Teng Shan?! The thought made him shudder.
"Yes... yes! This subordinate understands!" Mu Tie no longer dared raise any objection. He bowed hurriedly, lowering himself like a devout worshipper praying to a god.
"Mm." Ya Fei nodded in satisfaction, then lounged back onto the soft couch like a cat returning to its nest, graceful and at ease. "Commander Mu has traveled a long way and must be exhausted. Stay at the auction house and rest for a few days. Master Gu Ni, please take Commander Mu to the finest guest room and see that he is well looked after. Don't neglect him."
"Yes, Miss Ya Fei." Gu Ni hurriedly answered. His eyes were full of respect as he looked at Ya Fei, as if gazing up at a mountain beyond reach.
Hearing this, Mu Tie felt as though a pardon had just been granted. His taut nerves relaxed in an instant. Under Gu Ni's guidance, he slunk out of the private room, his retreating back bearing all the shame of a fugitive in flight.
The door creaked shut. The strong, confident smile on Ya Fei's face vanished at once, replaced by a trace of fatigue she could not conceal and deep worry buried in her heart. She moved gracefully to the window. Her gaze passed over the bustling streets and settled in the direction of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, its ridges undulating in the distance and barely visible in the night.
"Xiao Zhan... where are you? What kind of trouble have you run into?" she murmured, her voice as soft as a sigh in the night breeze. Without realizing it, her jade fingers had tightened around the warm jade slip (Flowing Cloud Steps). That forceful rebuttal had not been only to defend her standing at the auction house and honor her agreement with Xiao Zhan. Deep down, she had a strange premonition that Xiao Zhan desperately needed time right now, and she had to clear away every obstacle and problem in Wutan City for him!
She turned slowly, her gaze sharpening at once with resolve, like a drawn sword. "Master Gu Ni!"
"Please give your orders, Miss." Gu Ni bowed slightly, his manner utterly respectful. It seemed that if Ya Fei gave the word, he would rush into fire and water without hesitation.
"Immediately activate all our informants in the Magical Beast Mountain Range! Find Clan Chief Xiao Zhan, no matter the cost! If you uncover any leads, report them to me at once!" Ya Fei ordered, her words firm and decisive, leaving no room for doubt.
"Yes!" Gu Ni accepted the order and hurried away, his steps brisk and resolute, determined to see it through.
Ya Fei looked once more toward the boundless night sky beyond the window. Stars dotted the darkness, but they could not dispel the gloom in her heart. Wisdom and determination glimmered in her alluring eyes like the brightest stars in the night. The upheaval in Wutan City had only just begun. And on her chessboard, the man named Xiao Zhan was a crucial piece, one that would decide the course of the entire game. No matter where he was now, she had to make sure that when he returned, Wutan City would already be in her hands, ready to serve as his strongest support!
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