Xiao Yan Breaks Off the Engagement, the Heavenly Palace Accepts a Disciple, and the Misty Cloud Sect Is Destroyed!

Battle Through the Heavens Plane, Soul Hall, Human Hall plaza.

"Zzzzz!"

As those eerie black runes burrowed into Qian Renxue's body like maggots clinging to bone, the brilliant golden glow of her Soul Power rapidly faded.

The gold gradually dimmed, then turned gray!

At last, amid Qian Renxue's anguished cries, it turned completely black.

BOOM!!!

In an instant, a nauseating black aura burst violently from her body, scattering the surrounding evil spirits.

As the dust settled, a heart-chilling figure slowly rose to her feet.

Her hair, once as radiant as sunlight, had turned a lifeless silver-gray.

The tattered palace dress, gathering dark energy around it, transformed into a tight-fitting black demonic armor covered in spikes and barbs.

But the most despairing sight was the wings on her back.

The one that had been torn off had grown back, spurred on by the power of darkness.

But they were no longer pure white wings. Six Fallen Demon Wings, wreathed in black hellfire, spread behind her like a demon's!

The next second, she slowly opened her eyes.

Her golden eyes, once so full of pride, had become two pitch-black orbs without a trace of white.

The Dark Fallen Angel!

Had arrived!

Meanwhile, on Douluo Continent.

Spirit Hall, Worship Hall.

"Crack!!"

All the worshippers looked up in horror. The Angel God statue, which had stood for a thousand years, had split with a massive crack across its forehead at the very moment Qian Renxue had fallen completely into darkness!

Then two streaks of blood-red tears slid down the statue's cold face.

"No!!"

Grand Worship Qian Daoliu let out a heartbroken cry. He crumpled before the shattered statue, as if every last bit of strength had been wrenched from his body.

Even his usually imposing face was now twisted beyond recognition, streaming with tears.

"That's my Xue'er! She was the Angel God's last hope—"

Qian Daoliu's hand trembled as he pointed at the black-armored woman on the screen, whose aura was ten thousand times more evil than that of an Evil Soul Master. His eyes bulged as if they were about to bleed. "How could she have become like this? How?!"

"She was supposed to wear holy light and reign supreme! How could she end up kneeling before that old ghost, turned into something neither human nor ghost?!"

Before long, Qian Daoliu couldn't catch his breath. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

"Grand Worship!!"

Golden Crocodile Douluo and the other worshippers turned ashen, dropping to their knees and trembling.

If even the Grand Worship had broken down, if even an angel had fallen, what purpose did worshippers like them serve?

Elsewhere, in the Battle Through the Heavens World.

Heavenly Palace, Main Hall.

Lin Feng had just set down his teacup when the system notification sounded in his ear.

[The Three Year Agreement story arc in the Battle Through the Heavens Plane has been triggered!]

[New mission: Accept the Child of the Plane, Xiao Yan, as your disciple!]

[Mission rewards: Sect fortune increased by 20%, plane-travel function unlocked (beginner), host's cultivation increased!]

"Oh? Take Xiao Yan as a disciple?"

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, a playful smile curling his lips. "That old geezer Yao Lao is still in the ring. In that case, I'd be a fool not to take this ready-made disciple."

"And having the future Flame Emperor work for me doesn't sound bad, either."

With that thought, Lin Feng lightly tapped the air with a finger. "Pass down my orders."

"Send the Vice Hall Master of the Ninth Hall to Wutan City."

Battle Through the Heavens Plane, Jia Ma Empire, Wutan City.

The atmosphere in the Xiao Clan's main hall was still taut with hostility.

Xiao Yan had just written the letter of repudiation, and his words—"Don't bully a young man for being poor"—still echoed through the hall.

Nalan Yanran's face was livid, Ge Ye's gaze was icy, and a clash seemed unavoidable.

But just then—

RUMBLE!!

The clear sky suddenly changed!

A boundless, terrifying pressure instantly engulfed all of Wutan City!

"W-what is this aura?!"

Ge Ye had been full of bluster just moments earlier, but the instant he felt that pressure, his legs gave way and he dropped straight to his knees!

"A Dou—Dou Zong?!"

"No, this is a Dou Zun expert!"

Ge Ye cried out in terror, cold sweat soaking his entire body.

In the Jia Ma Empire, a Dou Emperor was already the pinnacle. A Dou Zong was a legendary existence.

As for a Dou Zun—such a peerless power was found only in a sacred land like the Central Plains!

How could an expert of this level descend on a little place like Wutan City?!

"Whoosh!"

In an instant, the wind howled and space tore open.

A green-robed figure strode through the air, descending step by step from the sky.

He was a middle-aged man in green robes, with refined features and an air of nobility that seemed to place him above heaven and earth.

With every step he took, ripples spread through the empty air beneath his feet, as if the world itself were making way for him!

The Vice Hall Master of the Ninth Hall of the Heavenly Palace!

"Is this the Xiao Clan?"

The Vice Hall Master spoke calmly. His voice wasn't loud, yet everyone heard it clearly.

He ignored Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran, who were kneeling on the ground, and fixed his gaze on the stubborn young man holding the letter of repudiation.

"Are you Xiao Yan?"

Under the gaze of this terrifying expert, Xiao Yan felt as if a mountain had been pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe.

But he gritted his teeth and straightened his back all the same. "This junior is Xiao Yan! May I ask what brings you here, senior?"

"Not bad. You've got some backbone."

A hint of approval flashed in the Vice Hall Master's eyes. He turned his palm over, and a token glowing with a faint light appeared in midair, floating before Xiao Yan. "By order of the Lord of the Heavenly Palace, I've come to accept you as my disciple."

"Accept this token, and you'll become a disciple of the Heavenly Palace."

"From this day forward, no one on the Battle Qi Continent will dare bully you!"

"As for the Three Year Agreement—"

The Vice Hall Master glanced at Nalan Yanran, who was trembling beside him. His tone was filled with disdain. "If you wish, this honored one can destroy the Misty Cloud Sect right now and avenge this humiliation for you."

BOOM!!!

The moment those words were spoken, the whole hall fell silent!

Destroy the Misty Cloud Sect?

That was a colossal power in the Jia Ma Empire!

Yet this expert spoke of wiping it out as casually as crushing an ant!

At his words, Nalan Yanran's pretty face turned deathly pale. Her body trembled violently, and she didn't dare utter a sound.

Elsewhere, on Douluo Continent.

Through the watchdog livestream from Dai Mubai's point of view, everyone across the continent saw the scene.

"The H-Heavenly Palace?!"

Tang San stared fixedly at the screen, his eyes full of shock. "The white-robed elder who killed a Dou Ling expert with one slap and took Ning Rongrong away was from the Heavenly Palace, right?"

"This man in green robes has an aura countless times more terrifying than that white-robed elder!"

"He can even tear open space. He's definitely a top expert in that world!"

"And the Lord of the Heavenly Palace wants to accept this Xiao Yan as a disciple?!"

A fierce jealousy quickly spread through Tang San's heart.

He and Xiao Yan had both started from nothing. So why had Xiao Yan been blessed with such heaven-defying fortune, caught the eye of a supreme being like that, while Tang San had to watch Dai Mubai play watchdog? He didn't even have the luck to enter that world.

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Watching the man in green robes, Ning Fengzhi once again let the teacup slip from his hand.

"To destroy the Misty Cloud Sect—and say it so casually—"

"That Misty Cloud Sect has a Dou Huang expert guarding it!"

"Just how deep does the Heavenly Palace's power run?"

"Rongrong—though Rongrong only went over there to serve as a slave in one of their subordinate kingdoms—"

"But if she could get even a little help from the Heavenly Palace, even a tiny scrap from between their fingernails..."

At the thought, Ning Fengzhi swallowed hard, his face alight with a wild gleam.

Even a good-for-nothing like Xiao Yan could ascend to the heavens in a single bound.

His daughter, Ning Rongrong, was a genius of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Why couldn't she turn her fortunes around?

In the cage, Dai Mubai watched the green-robed expert floating in midair, then looked at Xiao Yan, who seemed stunned yet overjoyed. He was utterly miserable.

"Comparing yourself to others will drive you mad—"

"I'm a prince, and I became a watchdog."

"That kid's a good-for-nothing, and he became a disciple of the Heavenly Palace?"

"Is there no justice in this world?!"

Dai Mubai let out a grief-stricken whimper, then lowered his head and took a hearty bite out of the bone in his hand.

Delicious.

Meanwhile, in the Battle Through the Heavens Plane.

Wutan City, Xiao Clan main hall.

The hall had fallen utterly silent. The Vice Hall Master of the Ninth Hall had said he'd destroy the Misty Cloud Sect as casually as he might say he was going to crush an ant.

Nalan Yanran was so terrified that all color had drained from her face. She trembled as she huddled behind Ge Ye.

The sect she had been so proud of, the teacher she had relied on—before this terrifying expert who could tear open the void, they were as fragile as bubbles.

If that young man, who had been called a good-for-nothing, nodded, then the Misty Cloud Sect, with its centuries-old legacy, would be wiped off the map of the Jia Ma Empire today!

In an instant, countless gazes converged on Xiao Yan.

Some were envious, others jealous.

Others, like Dai Mubai, were practically screaming for him to say yes. Only an idiot would pass up a leg like that to cling to.

Xiao Yan stood in the middle of the hall, feeling the warm touch of the Heavenly Palace Token in his hand. He looked up at the Green-Robed Venerable, who stood high above him.

Then he drew a deep breath and slowly unclenched his fists.

"Whew—"

Xiao Yan lifted his head. There was no wild joy on his youthful, handsome face, nor the arrogance of a man suddenly on top of the world. Instead, he wore a calmness that moved the heart.

He accepted the token respectfully with both hands, then bowed deeply to the Vice Hall Master. "I'm grateful for the Heavenly Palace's favor. This junior, Xiao Yan, is willing to join the Heavenly Palace!"

At his words, Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye felt their hearts leap into their throats.

But Xiao Yan's next words left everyone in the hall stunned.

"But—"

Xiao Yan straightened up and looked directly at the Vice Hall Master, his gaze blazing. "This junior refuses your offer to destroy the Misty Cloud Sect!"

BOOM!

The moment he said it, the whole hall erupted!

Ge Ye jerked his head up, utterly disbelieving.

Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes widened in an instant, as if she had just heard something impossible.

Refuse? He had actually refused?!

This was the perfect chance to kill two birds with one stone and settle the score once and for all!

Was he out of his mind?

Even the Vice Hall Master's eyes flickered with surprise. Then he asked with interest, "Oh? Why?"

"With me, you could wash away today's humiliation without lifting a finger. Isn't that what you want?"

"No. It isn't."

After saying that, Xiao Yan turned around and looked coldly at Nalan Yanran. "Today's humiliation came from Nalan Yanran looking down on me, Xiao Yan, and looking down on my Xiao Clan."

"If I used senior's hand to destroy the Misty Cloud Sect, then I'd still be the same good-for-nothing who could only rely on others!"

"I'd still be looked down on by her, and by the world!"

"Dignity isn't something others give you. You have to fight for it yourself!"

After speaking, Xiao Yan strode forward and pointed at Nalan Yanran, each word ringing clear. "Nalan Yanran, listen carefully!"

"I have the Heavenly Palace behind me, but I will never let it interfere in the grudge between us!"

"Three years!"

"In three years, I'll climb Misty Cloud Mountain step by step on the strength of my own power!"

"Then, in front of the whole world, I'll defeat you fair and square!"

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never look down on a poor young man!"

Wind Venerable stared at the resolute young man before him. After a moment's silence, he burst into hearty laughter. "Hahahaha! Good! That's what I call earning your dignity with your own two fists!"

"No wonder the Palace Master took a liking to you!"

"If you'd agreed just now to wipe out the sect, I would've thought less of you. But now—"

Wind Venerable's eyes were full of admiration. "Xiao Yan, the Heavenly Palace is taking you on as my disciple!"

"Keep this token safe. Remember, the Heavenly Palace won't interfere with your training. But if some old bastard tries to bully you with his seniority—"

As he spoke, Wind Venerable shot Ge Ye a cold glance. "Then the Heavenly Palace will be your strongest backing!"

Meanwhile, on Douluo Continent.

At Shrek Academy, on the training field.

Tang San stared fixedly at the confident young man in the light curtain. The Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record had somehow fallen from his hand and lay on the ground.

"So this is the good-for-nothing from that world?"

Tang San murmured, his face pale. "Faced with such temptation, with the chance to get revenge in an instant, he actually turned it down?"

"If it were me—"

Tang San asked himself: if the Spirit Hall had offended him, and he had a powerful backer capable of destroying the Spirit Hall in an instant, would he refuse?

The answer was no.

He would have borrowed that power without hesitation, used every means at his disposal to destroy his enemy, and even launched a surprise attack with Hidden Weapons, then called it "all's fair in war."

"By comparison, have I really been outclassed by a kid with only three segments of Dou Qi?"

Tang San felt utterly ashamed.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin looked at Xiao Yan, admiration practically spilling from his eyes. "Well done, lad! Now that's the heart of a true powerhouse!"

"Steadfast and unyielding, neither servile nor arrogant, unmoved by outside forces."

"If this boy survives, his future achievements will be limitless! That Nalan Yanran is nothing but dirt beneath his feet!"

Ning Fengzhi let out a long sigh, his expression complicated. "The geniuses of our Douluo Continent rely too heavily on their Martial Souls and their backgrounds."

"If Rongrong had even half this boy's backbone, I could die without regrets."

"What a pity, what a pity—"

Soon, the scene returned to the Xiao Clan's main hall.

After the Vice Hall Master's laughter died away, his figure gradually turned translucent, then dissolved into specks of blue light that faded into the air. Only his domineering words remained: "Three years from now, atop Misty Cloud Mountain, I'll personally be there to watch your back!"

"Let's see who dares lay a hand on you!"