Li Lingjing

The Flame Splitting Devouring Wave Ruler, carrying the Beast Fallen Lotus Heart Flame compressed to its limit and capable of incinerating everything, tore through the air and slashed down with a piercing shriek!

The chains that the Soul Hall's deputy hall master hastily swung out collided violently with the raging, deep blue ruler shadow!

"Clang--!!!"

The deafening clang of metal against metal resounded throughout the hall, and violent energy ripples exploded as if they were tangible, cracking the hard, dark gold rock on the ground.

On the pitch-black Soul Chain, the eerie black mist surged wildly, attempting to devour the deep blue flames on the ruler, but it seemed to have encountered its nemesis, emitting a "hissing" wail, and was actually burned into nothingness by the deep blue flames!

"Heavenly Flames?!"

The deputy hall master's expression changed drastically, his voice filled with disbelief and horror.

At the same time, his arm trembled violently, and an overwhelming force came through the chain, causing even this Three-Star Dou Zun to feel his blood surging and his body to be involuntarily shaken back several steps!

Xiao Yan pressed his advantage, his figure vanishing once more like a ghost, leaving only a faint afterimage of silver-gray lightning in his wake.

His vast soul power, at the Mid-Stage Spirit Realm, had already completely enveloped this area. Every move of the Vice Hall Master and the subtle changes in the flow of Dou Qi were clearly visible to him.

"Such speed! Such unpredictable movement!"

The vice hall master felt a sudden alarm, and his Three-Star Dou Zun perception was unleashed at full power, capturing the subtle fluctuations in space.

He whirled around abruptly, and several chains wrapped in thick black energy, like venomous dragons emerging from their lair, roared mournfully as they lashed out at the space to his side and rear!

However, Xiao Yan's figure did not appear there, or rather, it was just an illusion he created by deliberately manipulating space with his soul power!

The real Xiao Yan, like a ghost blending into the shadows, was shrouded in a faint black aura that swallowed all fluctuations. Without any warning, he appeared silently above the Vice Hall Master's head.

Clearly, the power of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol perfectly concealed all his aura and energy fluctuations!

The Heavy Profound Ruler had already been stored in Xiao Yan's storage Storage Ring. At this moment, three flames surged, intertwined, and merged in Xiao Yan's palm!

"Three-Colored Buddha Fury Fire Lotus!"

A beautiful, yet destructive, Three-Colored Fire Lotus condensed in Xiao Yan's palm. As the lotus petals rotated, the surrounding space was slightly distorted by its terrifyingly high temperature!

"Not good!"

When that deadly aura of destruction enveloped him, the deputy hall master realized with shock that the real killing move came from above!

The shadow of death instantly gripped his heart.

He roared, unleashing his full Dou Qi. The dense black mist instantly condensed into a massive soul shield covered with hideous ghost faces, which he erected above his head. At the same time, he retreated wildly backward!

Ten Thousand Soul Sacrificial Spirit Shield!

"Hmph, trying to escape?"

Xiao Yan's eyes were icy cold. He actually held up the terrifying Fire Lotus with destructive energy and used the Three Thousand Lightning Movement to appear in front of the vice hall master in the blink of an eye. Then, he revealed a ferocious smile and, without dodging or avoiding, smashed the Three-Colored Fire Lotus hard into his face!

"No!" Looking at the inescapable Three-Colored Fire Lotus hurtling towards them, the deputy temple master's face was filled with despair. "You madman! If this thing explodes, you'll be at the epicenter of the blast; you won't survive!"

After saying that, the deputy hall master did not launch a desperate attack on Xiao Yan. Instead, he simply grabbed Xiao Yan's arm tightly, preventing him from leaving. Clearly, he intended to kill Xiao Yan with his own methods!

Xiao Yan showed no sign of panic whatsoever. He simply smiled brightly at the unfortunate deputy hall master, revealing his gleaming white teeth, his eyes filled with undisguised mockery.

"I never intended to leave, you idiot!"

The moment the words left her lips, the Three-Colored Fire Lotus exploded!

Boom--!!!!

An indescribably terrifying explosion erupted in an instant!

The blinding tri-colored light engulfed everything, and the raging fire wave swept through the entire hall like a raging sea!

The sturdy soul shield not far away couldn't protect anything. Faced with the terrifying power unleashed by the Three-Colored Fire Lotus driven by Xiao Yan's Dou Zun power, it only lasted for less than a breath before shattering into pieces like fragile glass!

At the epicenter of the explosion, the once solid space was even torn open with dark cracks, emanating a chilling aura of nothingness.

Further away, Queen Medusa and Zi Yan's expressions changed drastically the moment they saw Xiao Yan charging forward with the Fire Lotus. The two women tactically maneuvered further away to avoid damage, while simultaneously reminding Si Yuan and the other two:

"Master Si, get out of the way!"

Upon hearing this, Si Yuan and the other two were taken aback, but then immediately realized that the ultimate killing technique of Dou Zun expert was something that they, as insignificant Dou Zong, could not possibly withstand head-on.

Besides, Queen Medusa is Xiao Yan's woman; even she ran away and hid. How could they dare to stay here?

Therefore, as a Peak Dou Zong expert, Si Yuan immediately displayed his extraordinary strength, arriving first despite being behind, grabbing the shoulders of the two elders, and appearing beside Queen Medusa and Zi Yan.

If we're going to run, we'll run together; we can also block the aftershocks together!

But the others were still thinking about seizing a place on the Primordial Martial Stele. When they saw Xiao Yan rushing forward with the beautiful Fire Lotus in his hand, they thought it was a spiritual treasure that Xiao Yan had obtained. With their perception, they could not detect that Xiao Yan's perfect Three-Colored Fire Lotus was compressed to the extreme, and if it was not actively exposed, not a single bit of destructive energy would leak out!

Therefore, the moment the Fire Lotus exploded, Medusa and the others had already reached a sufficiently safe place. As for the others...

By the time they realized that what Xiao Yan held in his hand was not a spiritual treasure, but an energy burst comparable to a full-force attack of Advanced Earth Tier Dou Technique, it was already too late for regrets.

They could only be helplessly enveloped by the aftershocks of the Fire Lotus, and then vanished into nothingness.

"Puff--!"

The deputy hall master of the Soul Hall was struck as if by a heavy hammer, spitting out blood. His body was blasted away like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the dark gold wall dozens of feet away, creating a deep crater in the hard wall!

His black robe was burned and stuck to his charred flesh, emitting a strange burnt smell. His aura weakened instantly, and his eyes were filled with horror and disbelief.

He never imagined that a kid who had temporarily reached the "Pseudo-Dou Zun" realm through a secret technique would not only possess such terrifying speed and spatial control, but also have multiple incredibly powerful Heavenly Flames, and even be able to fuse them together to unleash such a world-destroying Dou Technique!

At this moment, he understood perfectly well that this was not a "Pseudo-Dou Zun" relying on secret techniques at all, but an unparalleled genius with astonishing talent!

But that guy is insane. Even I, a Three-Star Dou Zun, was blown up so badly. That person must be...

As the aftershocks of the explosion subsided and smoke and dust filled the air, Xiao Yan, dressed in a flowing robe of flames, slowly emerged from the firelight, surrounded by the Beast Fallen Lotus Heart Flame, like a war god amidst the flames.

The deputy hall master's gaze fell on Xiao Yan, but he looked completely bewildered, and then incredulous.

"Why! Why are you alright!"

He roared, his vocal cords becoming extremely dry and hoarse due to the extreme heat of the Heavenly Flames, and blood kept gushing from his mouth as he roared.

"How could my fire possibly hurt me?"

Xiao Yan's gaze toward the deputy hall master was filled with disdain and contempt, as if he were looking at a fool.

The firestorm dissipated so quickly because Lord Xiao Yan directly used his Great Sun Separation Fire Body to feast on it, turning the flames into a tonic to strengthen his body!

His cold gaze was fixed on the disheveled deputy hall master. Without uttering a single unnecessary word or making a single movement, he took a step and was already in front of him. Then came the three-piece routine of killing, taking the soul, and collecting the corpse!

Watching Xiao Yan go through the process so skillfully, the three people from the Heavenly Snake Mansion hiding in the distance felt completely numb.

How come you're so skilled at this?!

At this point, the Soul Hall's Vice Hall Master and his elite protectors, along with the powerful figures from various factions involved in the previous battle, had all been reduced to ashes or had their souls and bodies taken away, becoming puppet materials for Xiao Yan.

The vast main hall was now empty except for Xiao Yan and his group of six, along with ten ancient prayer cushions that exuded a delicate fragrance, seemingly out of place with the surrounding bloodshed.

Queen Medusa's cold and beautiful face showed a slight relaxation, while Zi Yan clapped her hands excitedly:

"Not bad, Xiao Yan! You single-handedly took down so many powerful figures!"

Si Yuan and the two elders of the Heavenly Snake Mansion were still shaken, their gazes towards Xiao Yan filled with awe and relief.

That's Three-Star Dou Zun!

And so many Soul Hall Protector were all wiped out by Xiao Yan in a very short time with thunderous methods!

These methods, this ruthlessness, this strength... Si Yuan felt his throat go dry, and his assessment of Xiao Yan rose to a whole new level.

He was incredibly glad he made that decision; his brother-in-law was simply a monster!

"Brother-in-law, next, how about we...?"

After a moment, Si Yuan rubbed his hands together, mustered his courage, and even his tone became somewhat humble.

However, Xiao Yan simply waved his hand, signaling him not to rush.

Then, Xiao Yan didn't even glance at the seats. Instead, amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd, he slowly raised his head, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through the void of the hall's dome, locking onto a seemingly ordinary space with unparalleled precision.

His gaze was calm. He raised his hands in a gesture of respect towards that space, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Senior, you've been watching for so long, shouldn't you show yourself?"

His clear voice echoed in the hall, breaking the brief silence.

Upon hearing this, Si Yuan and the others felt their hair stand on end! There was someone else?!

They looked in alarm in the direction of Xiao Yan's gaze, but found nothing.

Queen Medusa and Zi Yan immediately became alert, and their fighting Dou Qi quietly circulated around them.

The fact that Xiao Yan takes this so seriously, and that this being has been hiding all along, means that their strength is absolutely extraordinary!

However, a full three minutes later, while everyone was wondering if Xiao Yan had misperceived, the space that Xiao Yan had locked onto began to ripple gently like water.

Without any violent spatial fluctuations or overwhelming pressure, a figure appeared silently in the main hall, as if stepping out of an ink painting.

The newcomer was a beautiful woman dressed in elegant palace attire. Her appearance was dignified and beautiful, and her gentle temperament exuded an indescribable grace and profundity. She possessed a mature charm that captivated people.

What's most chilling is that her aura seemed to merge with heaven and earth, vast as an abyss, unfathomable.

Standing there, he exudes an invisible pressure, as if the entire space revolves around him.

"This person's strength has probably reached the level of Half-Saint, even stronger than I was back then!"

The slightly solemn voice of the Old Yao echoed in Xiao Yan's mind.

Si Yuan and the others felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing their hearts, almost suffocating them.

This was absolutely the strongest person they had ever seen in their lives, many times stronger than the deputy hall master of the Soul Hall just now. Even the Supreme Elder in the manor would probably have to bow respectfully and call her "senior" in front of this woman!

Li Lingjing's clear eyes held undisguised surprise and scrutiny as she looked intently at Xiao Yan.

She spoke slowly, her voice gentle and pleasant, yet tinged with curiosity:

"Little fellow, your senses are astonishingly sharp. Even experts of the same level might not be able to detect my presence, yet you were able to pinpoint it so precisely?"

Li Lingjing was surprised.

She was confident that with her stealth skills, no one in the Northwest Region of the Dou Qi Continent could detect her.

Although Xiao Yan is indeed extraordinary, even if he borrows the soul power of the person hidden in that Storage Ring, he is only at the Dou Zun level. How could he possibly pinpoint her location?

Although Xiao Yan's soul power was not bad, he really couldn't see it; this was all thanks to the Master of Devouring.

But he remained outwardly calm, merely offering a slight bow, his tone neither humble nor arrogant:

"Senior, I merely possess some abilities that allowed me to detect some of your unintentional aura. May I ask what guidance you may offer here?"

Upon hearing this, Li Lingjing's surprise deepened; she truly hadn't noticed any other tricks Xiao Yan might have up his sleeve.

However, she could see Xiao Yan's spiritual soul power.

She smiled gently, a smile as refreshing as a spring breeze, instantly dispelling the lingering somber atmosphere in the hall.

"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance. I, Li Lingjing, was entrusted to secretly infiltrate this ruin to protect you. However, given your abilities, I seem somewhat superfluous."

"Protect me?"

Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, and several names quickly flashed through his mind.

To be able to get a powerhouse at the Ninth-Turn Peak Dou Zun level to secretly protect him, and to have a close relationship with him...

There were only a few "ladies of noble birth" left, but it seems that none of them had the surname Li.

Li Lingjing...

Aunt Jing?

Xiao Yan remembered the elder in the clan that Ling Yanfei had mentioned, and immediately realized that the Ninth-Turn Peak Dou Zun expert who had reached the Half-Saint in front of him was most likely Aunt Jing!

"So it's Aunt Jing! This is Xiao Yan, greetings to Aunt Jing!"

Xiao Yan bowed respectfully and said with a smile.

Seeing that Xiao Yan had revealed her identity, Li Lingjing wasn't surprised. She simply nodded slightly, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

"You're quite clever, child. But given your relationship with Yan Fei, it's more appropriate for you to call me Aunt Jing. If I had known you had such abilities, I wouldn't have interfered. It was presumptuous of me to take them away without consulting you beforehand."