Testing One's Skills

"Master, what was that?"

As another aura appeared, someone from the Heavenly Snake Mansion immediately came to Yang Yue to ask about the situation.

"The young master has emerged from seclusion. No need to worry." Yang Yue waved a hand.

He then turned to Xiao Yan and the others. "Young friend Xiao Yan, shall we go see how your other companion for this grand event is doing?"

Xiao Yan nodded. Though he had never met the person who had emerged from seclusion, he knew who it was. In the Heavenly Snake Mansion's original plans, there had been no place for him and the others, nor had Qing Lin been on Yang Yue's list. Xu Yingwu had also told Xiao Yan about the Heavenly Snake Mansion's leading figure among the younger generation—the young master, Yang Lingyan!

Judging by that aura, he was undoubtedly a Dou Huang expert. A starved camel was still bigger than a horse. Though the Heavenly Snake Mansion's competitiveness had declined considerably over the past few decades, it was still one of the leading forces in the Northwest Region. They could still assemble a fairly formidable lineup.

The group followed Yang Yue to the source of the aura. Clearly, Yang Lingyan had taken far less time than Zi Yan had to break through. By the time they arrived, they could see a thin man who somewhat resembled Yang Yue already hovering in the air. The moment he saw Yang Yue, the man immediately bowed. "Father!"

Xiao Yan saw that, like Yang Yue, Yang Lingyan was thin, yet every movement carried an indescribable softness, as though every bone in his body had been pulled out. Qing Lin had once explained to him that this was a side effect of cultivating the Heavenly Snake Mansion's most important technique.

At the sight of his son, Yang Yue, who was usually stern and unsmiling, revealed a faint smile. "How were the gains from this seclusion?"

"I did not fail my mission. I have already broken through to the four-star Dou Huang realm." Pride appeared on Yang Lingyan's face. Reaching the four-star Dou Huang realm before the age of thirty would earn one the title of genius anywhere.

Then, noticing Xiao Yan and the others behind Yang Yue, he asked, "And these people are?"

"Oh, these are Qing Lin's friends. They will also fight for our Heavenly Snake Mansion at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly. From now on, they are your companions as well."

"Qing Lin's friends? Could one of you be Xiao Yan?" Yang Lingyan's tone changed, and a trace of hostility appeared in his eyes.

Xiao Yan merely clasped his hands lightly. "That would be me."

He could clearly sense Yang Lingyan's ill intent, so he naturally did not bother being overly polite.

Yang Lingyan sized Xiao Yan up and, sensing his two-star Dou Huang strength, said casually, "A two-star Dou Huang. Barely passable. Just don't hold me back when the time comes. The Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly is no ordinary event. You will follow my command then."

"You're only a mere four-star Dou Huang. Who exactly would be holding whom back?" Zi Yan said disdainfully. Xiao Yan could hold his temper, but she had always disliked people like this.

Yang Lingyan looked at Zi Yan. "And who are you? Is this your place to interrupt?"

After her breakthrough, Zi Yan had completely restrained her aura, and her actual strength could no longer be discerned from her appearance.

"Come fight me. If you lose, you'll listen to me. How about it?" Zi Yan smiled mischievously.

Yang Lingyan first glanced at Yang Yue. Seeing that Yang Yue remained silent, he relaxed and said, "It would be too troublesome to take you on one at a time. Why don't all three of you come at me together?"

Yang Lingyan's pride was not without reason. Xiao Yan had learned from Xu Yingwu that the prodigies of every major clan and faction in the Northwest Region underwent extremely harsh training from childhood. They were basically invincible among those of the same rank, and challenging opponents above their level was commonplace. Yang Lingyan could tell that all three were Dou Wang experts or above, but he had his own pride. He was someone who might inherit the Heavenly Snake Mansion in the future. He would not be dealt with by just any stray cats and dogs Yang Yue had found.

Yang Yue's tacit approval at this moment made it seem that these people were surely the whetstones his father had chosen. He had to prove to his father that the Heavenly Snake Mansion could be entrusted to him.

"Hahaha! If you can beat me, we'll all listen to you!" Zi Yan said disdainfully with her hands on her hips. Yang Lingyan looked toward Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er, and both merely smiled and nodded.

Yang Lingyan's heart tightened. For this little girl to be so arrogant, she likely did possess some real ability. He immediately put away some of his carelessness.

"Then I'm making my move," Yang Lingyan warned Zi Yan. After all, he was on his own grounds and did not want to earn a reputation for launching a sneak attack.

"Come on, then."

The moment Zi Yan finished speaking, a serpentine phantom appeared behind Yang Lingyan. The color of his pupils changed, and his entire body began to undulate as though it had no bones at all.

Yang Lingyan involuntarily stuck out his tongue. It was sharp, and its length was likely over half a meter.

Yang Lingyan pressed the fingers of his left hand together, making them sharp as a blade, and slashed directly at Zi Yan.

Zi Yan's figure flickered, and she vanished from where she stood. The next instant, she appeared behind Yang Lingyan.

"An ability to control space." Yao Lao, within Xiao Yan's body, exclaimed in surprise.

"Teacher, isn't controlling space something only Dou Zong can do?"

"That's right. This little girl truly is remarkable. I had previously seen that she possessed some initial ability to control space, but I never expected that she could wield it so freely now. This young man from the Heavenly Snake Mansion likely does not stand a chance."

Yao Lao's judgment was exceptionally sharp. Though Zi Yan was still somewhat unpracticed, she kept teleporting throughout this space with her control over space, and Yang Lingyan had yet to touch her.

"Zi Yan's rate of growth really is enviable," Xiao Yan said softly.

Xiao Xun'er smiled sweetly beside him. "Brother Xiao Yan reaching the Dou Huang realm in three years is even more astonishing."

"I just wonder whether Zi Yan will be acknowledged by that Ten Thousand Beasts Space..."

Others did not know, but Su Qian had told Xiao Yan that Zi Yan's true age might already be quite great. It was only because magical beasts had long lifespans that, after consuming the Transformation Grass, she appeared as a child now.

To Xiao Yan, Zi Yan, who had now broken through to the Dou Huang realm, was an important trump card for the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly.

While Xiao Yan was thinking, Yang Lingyan's expression had already turned rather ugly after several attacks missed their mark. Watching Zi Yan grin at him as though he were a fool, he gritted his teeth. His round pupils slowly stretched into narrow slits.

An eerie red-violet glow slowly seeped from Yang Lingyan's eyes before spreading like mist to envelop the entire area.

Zi Yan tried to evade it, but the red-violet glow was incomparably fast. Even teleporting could not prevent it from sticking to her, and she felt as though a python were secretly watching her.

"Can't dodge it now, can you?" Yang Lingyan sneered coldly.

The serpentine phantom appeared once more, and Dou Qi gathered over Yang Lingyan's hands.

Demon Snake Blood-Devouring Strike!

Yang Lingyan pressed the five fingers of both hands together. An incomparably sharp sensation radiated from them, like the ambush of a serpent-like magical beast that had lain in wait in the grass for a long time.

Zi Yan's face showed delight rather than alarm. She had been darting around with her spatial ability mainly to toy with this arrogant fellow. Now that he had directly locked onto her, she had never feared a contest of brute strength.

Zi Yan giggled, her delicate little face like carved jade. Her purple hair fluttered without wind behind her as she threw a simple, unadorned punch straight ahead.

Even Xiao Yan, merely sensing it with a little soul force, felt that this brute force was utterly unstoppable. The blood essence had not only strengthened Zi Yan's Dou Qi, but had also enhanced her innate terrifying strength by another thirty percent.

Fist and fingers collided, and the sound of cracking bones rang out. Yang Lingyan was sent flying a hundred zhang through the air by Zi Yan's raw punch.

Zi Yan waved her tiny fists excitedly. "Hehe, I'm the boss now!"