A Dou Zong powerhouse?
When Yun Shan saw Shen Shihuang appear, his previously calm expression suddenly turned grave. He could afford to underestimate Ling Ying and Hai Bodong, but he absolutely could not underestimate Shen Shihuang, whose strength matched his own.
"Your Excellency."
Yun Shan cupped his hands. "Your Excellency, surely my Misty Cloud Sect has no grievances or enmity with you?"
Yun Shan was still reluctant to provoke a Dou Zong powerhouse. Having truly reached this level himself, he understood all the better just how formidable a Dou Zong could be.
Shen Shihuang wore a faint smile.
He turned to Xiao Yan. "Xiao Yan, would you be willing to accept me as your big brother?"
Setting everything else aside,
he might as well claim the advantage first.
At this point, how could Xiao Yan not understand? Shen Shihuang was clearly just finding an excuse to intervene on his behalf. Otherwise, there was no way to justify Shen Shihuang's sudden involvement, whether by reason or propriety.
Xiao Yan saw what was happening.
Without a second thought, he said, "Xiao Yan greets Big Brother!"
Having a Dou Zong as his big brother—Xiao Yan wasn't stupid. And although he didn't know why Shen Shihuang was helping him, the most important thing now was to leave the Misty Cloud Sect. With his abilities, he couldn't easily escape on his own.
Shen Shihuang turned to Yun Shan. "You saw it yourself. Xiao Yan called me Big Brother. As his big brother, how could I stand by and do nothing?"
Hearing Shen Shihuang's words,
Yun Shan's face darkened.
Damn it.
Did he think they were all fools?
Shen Shihuang was obviously just making an excuse.
"Does Your Excellency truly intend to make an enemy of my Misty Cloud Sect?" Yun Shan's eyes held a vicious glint. Shen Shihuang was plainly saying that he was going to oppose Yun Shan...
Shen Shihuang waved a hand.
"You're a Dou Zong powerhouse, yet you're bullying a Da Dou Shi. That's hardly fair. Yun Shan, how about this: you let him leave safely, and I'll leave too. We'll act as if nothing happened today. What do you say?"
"Besides, this Three-Year Agreement is a matter between those two alone. You insist on dragging in the so-called reputation of the Misty Cloud Sect—isn't that a little unfair?"
Seeing Yun Shan hesitate,
Yun Leng shouted from below, "Old Sect Master, you absolutely must not let him go!"
Yun Shan heard Yun Leng's voice and turned to look at him. "Useless fool!"
If Yun Leng hadn't stirred up all this trouble, there would have been no Dou Zong powerhouse here!
But
this was no longer just a matter between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran. If Yun Shan backed down now, he was certain that tomorrow the whole imperial capital would be saying that he, Yun Shan, was a coward!
"Since Your Excellency insists on protecting Xiao Yan, then show me what you can do!"
"The Misty Cloud Sect's reputation must not be tarnished!"
After Yun Shan finished speaking, an aura suddenly burst from his entire body. At that moment, his eyes were fixed solely on Shen Shihuang.
"Elder Ling, Elder Hai, you two protect Xiao Yan. The others in the Misty Cloud Sect shouldn't be much trouble for you, right?"
Ling Ying and Hai Bodong nodded.
"Don't worry!"
Shen Shihuang let out a breath.
His eyes gleamed with fervor. At last, he had a chance to fight a true Dou Zong.
"Your Excellency, since you intend to make an enemy of my Misty Cloud Sect, perhaps you should at least let me know your name."
"Surely you're not the sort to skulk in the shadows?"
Shen Shihuang replied, "You certainly know how to talk."
"Shen Shihuang."
"Yun Shan, let me see what the old Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect can do!"
Whoosh!!
As soon as he finished speaking,
Shen Shihuang vanished from where he stood. Yun Shan did the same, and the two collided in midair.
At once,
a tremendous surge of power erupted throughout the sky. The powerhouses present had no choice but to circulate their Dou Qi to shield themselves and those around them. Ling Ying and Hai Bodong struck at the same time, guarding Xiao Yan behind them.
"Elder Hai, who exactly is that man?" Xiao Yan asked curiously as he watched Shen Shihuang collide with Yun Shan, break apart, then clash again and again in midair.
Hai Bodong shook his head.
"I don't know where he comes from. I've never met him before. I can sense something familiar about him, but no matter how hard I try, I can't figure out who it reminds me of." Hai Bodong was just as puzzled.
"He probably isn't from the Jia Ma Empire. There are some people on the Dou Qi Continent who like to wander everywhere." Ling Ying looked at Xiao Yan. "As for why he's helping you, you can ask him yourself when this is over."
"There's no such thing as a free lunch, Young Master Xiao Yan. You must always remember that."
Xiao Yan nodded.
He was no longer the naive boy he had once been. The hardships of these three years had helped him grow considerably.
Boom!!
Shen Shihuang and Yun Shan clashed again, then separated, each taking up a position in the air.
"His Dou Qi seems weaker than mine."
Shen Shihuang had a rough idea now.
He and Yun Shan were both One-Star Dou Zongs, but Shen Shihuang could clearly sense that Yun Shan was being suppressed. Even at the same level, there were still differences in strength.
"Since Your Excellency insists, then I, the Sect Master, will show no mercy!"
A several-zhang-tall energy hand appeared in Yun Shan's grasp, carrying a vast rush of wind. The winds from that enormous hand nearly covered the entire Misty Cloud Sect plaza.
"Great Sorrow Wind-Tearing Hand!"
The enormous hand took shape, then slammed furiously toward Shen Shihuang, wrapped in savage gusts.
Wherever it passed, the gale ripped everything apart.
Its mighty momentum swept all before it!!
"So this is a Dou Technique unleashed by a Dou Zong powerhouse?" Xiao Yan felt the oppressive force coming from the enormous hand. He was still at the edge of its reach, and Ling Ying and Hai Bodong had blocked most of its power, yet he already felt as if he were suffocating.
"Terrifying beyond belief!"
Those were the only four words Xiao Yan could think of.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!!"
The wind howling in his ears grew ever fiercer. Dou Qi surged around Shen Shihuang like blazing flames as his hands moved rapidly, forming seal after seal.
His eyes lit up.
Above Shen Shihuang, a dragon's shadow suddenly appeared.
"Brahma Dragon-Subduing Seal!"
Shen Shihuang murmured.
The dragon's shadow in the air swiftly shifted and condensed, finally transforming into a great seal as large as a small mountain. Boundless power poured from it, far more terrifying than Yun Shan's Dou Technique!!
When Yun Shan saw the great seal appear, all his confidence vanished.
"At the very least, that's an Earth Tier Dou Technique!"
"Just who is this man?!"
The Dragon Subduing Seal appeared.
Feeling its powerful force, Shen Shihuang wore a satisfied smile. A High Earth Tier Dou Technique was indeed far more powerful than a Low Earth Tier one.
The wind howled as the Wind-Tearing Hand and the Dragon Subduing Seal collided.
Two mighty Dou Techniques clashed in the air, one an enormous hand and the other a great seal. The hand tried to crush the seal in its grip, while the seal sought to smash the hand to pieces. Their struggle lasted no more than an instant.
Boom!!!
With a tremendous explosion, the enormous hand vanished into nothing, while the great seal remained unharmed. Its fearsome force crashed down toward Yun Shan.
Bang!
Yun Shan's body was sent crashing into the mountainside like a cannonball. Rocks tumbled down and gathered into a cloud of dust that slowly rose into the air!
"Old Sect Master!!"
Seeing what had happened, Yun Leng immediately let out a miserable cry.
The other Misty Cloud Sect disciples didn't dare make a sound.
"Heh."
From within the mountainside,
a figure darted out. Above his head appeared a several-zhang-long green sword. As Yun Shan's hands shifted through a series of seals, the sword spun furiously.
"Wind Brake Annihilation Gang!"