Fierce Battle with Yun Shan

A white figure appeared as though stepping out of the void, emerging beneath the gazes of countless Misty Cloud Sect members.

Unlike a Dou Wang or Dou Emperor, the white figure had no Dou Qi wings behind him. He wore only a plain, clean hemp robe. With every step, ripples seemed to spread beneath his feet, and in the next instant, he was already a hundred feet away.

His face was jade-like. Other than his white hair, he looked no different from a young man in his twenties.

"Yun Leng, why did you call me out of seclusion?" Yun Shan's voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear.

Yun Leng was carried out on a cloud-made stretcher by two other elders. The moment he saw Yun Shan, tears streamed down his aged face. "Sect Leader, this man came to challenge us. He seriously injured me and bullied our Misty Cloud Sect because he believed we had no one!" Yun Leng explained the entire sequence of events to Yun Shan in full detail. By nature, he should have exaggerated matters in his own favor, but seeing Xiao Yan's utterly fearless demeanor, he could not help but feel afraid, and every word he spoke was the truth.

Yun Shan casually flicked out a stream of Dou Qi, and Yun Leng's wounds began to heal.

"Other than your arm, they are all superficial wounds. There is even a trace of hidden force within your body. It seems the one who attacked you was far stronger than you, but merely wished to teach you a lesson. What is this friend called?" After assessing Yun Leng's injuries, Yun Shan directed his final question at Xiao Yan.

"Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan." Xiao Yan cupped his hands in reply.

"I believe Yanran was not wrong that day." Yun Shan's words stirred everyone's thoughts. The Misty Cloud Sect disciples even began to cheer. They had been utterly stifled by Xiao Yan's intimidation today, and were naturally overjoyed that their sect leader had come to take charge.

But before the echoes of his words faded, they were doused with a bucket of cold water. "I also believe you are not wrong today."

Xiao Yan, who was gripping the Heavy Profound Ruler and ready for battle, gave a surprised sound upon hearing this. "Oh?"

"Yanran was not wrong to pursue her own happiness, and you were not wrong to come here today after your clan was humiliated. In the end, this world still speaks through strength. You are of the younger generation. If you can last one incense stick's time against me, then all grievances between you and the Misty Cloud Sect will be wiped clean. How about it?"

Fa Ma nodded from the viewing platform. "That is fairly impartial."

"Then does Elder Fa think Xiao Yan can endure for one incense stick's time?"

"Have you noticed the strange blood-colored flames on Xiao Yan's body?" Fa Ma pointed at Xiao Yan.

"That... is likely a Heavenly Flame." Gu He was the first to speak. As an alchemist, he was more sensitive to such things.

"Correct." Fa Ma continued, "And its power is formidable. As far as I know, Xiao Yan is only eighteen, yet his cultivation has already reached the Dou Emperor level, and he possesses a heavenly treasure such as a Heavenly Flame. Even across the entire continent, he would be considered an absolute genius."

Hearing this analysis, everyone on the viewing platform could not help nodding inwardly.

Mu Chen gave a bitter laugh. "Eighteen... At that age, I was still struggling to break through to Da Dou Shi. Did this brat start cultivating in his mother's womb?"

Xiao Yan cupped his hands. "Then Xiao Yan will experience Sect Leader Yun's brilliant techniques."

In the next instant, the Heavy Profound Ruler was in his hand. His Dou Emperor-level physical strength erupted in full, and Xiao Yan became a black streak. As the Heavy Profound Ruler swung, it unleashed a continuous series of sonic booms. Yet before Xiao Yan could swing the ruler, the white figure had already vanished. Using the Heavy Profound Ruler as a pivot, Xiao Yan swung it like a whirlwind. Ear-grating sonic booms overlapped layer upon layer, but Yun Shan's footwork was profound and mysterious. Not a single one of Xiao Yan's attacks could touch him.

An older disciple at the edge of the arena cried out, "Hiss! Cloud Shadow Step, a mid-tier Xuan-class movement technique! Xiao Yan probably will not even be able to touch the old sect leader's robes!"

The next moment, blood-colored wings appeared behind Xiao Yan, and his speed abruptly soared. He swung the ruler in a full arc, its unmatched force smashing toward Yun Shan. A dark cyan wind wall appeared before Yun Shan, only to be shattered directly by the Heavy Profound Ruler in the next instant. Yun Shan caught the tyrannical Heavy Profound Ruler with one hand, then shifted backward a short distance.

"What terrifying strength." Yun Shan had caught it with one hand, but his left hand was now trembling continuously. Clearly, it had been injured by that strike.

Floating in midair, Yun Shan formed seals with both hands, and a wind-attribute handprint several zhang tall slowly took shape.

The nearby disciples sucked in cold breaths and cried out, "Look, the Great Wind Handprint! A high-tier Xuan-class Dou Technique! Xiao Yan is afraid he will lose this time."

Xiao Yan withdrew the Black Ruler. With a beat of his wings, he became a black streak and arrived before the handprint. His right hand clenched fiercely, his arm gave an eerie tremor, and an immensely powerful force swiftly gathered around his fist.

High-tier Xuan-class—Eight Extremities Collapse.

Fist and handprint collided. The handprint, condensed from an enormous amount of Dou Qi, shattered with a crack. The terrifying force around Xiao Yan's fist dispersed, whipping Yun Shan's plain robe until it fluttered loudly.

Blood had already appeared on Xiao Yan's fist, but this savage battle style of directly resisting a Dou Technique made everyone secretly shudder.

Yun Shan narrowed his eyes slightly. Xiao Yan was far more troublesome than he had imagined.

Yun Shan slightly raised his arm. Dark cyan wind-attribute Dou Qi gathered at a terrifying speed, even forming an energy vortex.

A massive energy hand several zhang across condensed into shape.

The watching disciples drew in another sharp breath. "The Great Sorrow Wind-Tearing Hand! The last time my teacher used it, it was only a little over one zhang in size. A Dou Zong expert is truly terrifying! Xiao Yan cannot possibly escape..."

Before he could finish, the Misty Cloud Sect's Second Elder said, "Who is this brat? Take him to the Discipline Hall. Deal with him after this matter is over."

The dutiful commentator disciple was mercilessly dragged away.

But the battle had reached its most intense point. Looking at the energy hand, Xiao Yan thought, Its energy is several times greater than the handprint's. Good. Let me see just how large the gap between a Dou Emperor and a Dou Zong truly is.

Blood-colored flames surged from Xiao Yan's body and gathered around his right arm. The veins on that arm bulged one after another as Dou Emperor-level Dou Qi flowed through his body.

"Great Sorrow Wind-Tearing Hand!"

"Eight Extremities Collapse!"

The two terrifying attacks collided with a thunderous crash. A sound like furious lightning resounded through the sky, and those with insufficient strength were even temporarily deafened. The space at the center of the collision twisted, while the spilling energy prevented everyone from seeing the situation clearly.

A moment later, Xiao Yan flew out with his Dou Qi slightly weakened, his black clothes somewhat damaged. Yun Shan still floated in the air with his hands behind his back, seemingly unaffected. Of course, only he knew that the hand hidden inside his broad sleeve had already been scorched black.

Gu He let out a breath of relief. "Xiao Yan has ultimately still lost."

The others beside him also nodded unconsciously.

Jia Xingtian looked at everyone strangely. "Have you all forgotten something? Xiao Yan only needs to last for one incense stick's time."

The expressions of the powerful figures on the viewing platform changed. They suddenly realized that, subconsciously, they had already placed Xiao Yan and Yun Shan in the same category.

Mittel Tengshan gave a bitter laugh. "Is Xiao Yan really an eighteen-year-old youth? He is far too monstrous."

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Nalan Jie again. Nalan Jie had long since been sitting on pins and needles. Whenever Xiao Yan displayed something even more astonishing, these people on the viewing platform would take turns sneaking glances at him. One person would have been fine, but they took turns, and each of them looked several times. Yet he could not leave either. If he did, who knew how much those fellows would laugh behind his back?

Yanran, Grandfather truly spoiled you too much. Nalan Jie thought.

Xiao Yan calmed the minor injuries he had sustained and began gathering Dou Qi once more. Yun Shan, however, was secretly shocked. It seemed he held the absolute advantage, yet even his strongest Dou Technique had failed to defeat Xiao Yan. Moreover, he inexplicably found Xiao Yan terrifying, like the suffocating fear he had felt when facing fifth- or sixth-tier magical beasts in his youth.

Eighteen... Can someone like this truly be made an enemy? Yun Shan already had his answer.

He immediately waved his hand. "One incense stick's time is up. Let all past matters be wiped clean."

Xiao Yan smiled. After enduring so many life-and-death moments and such immense pressure over the past three years, he was finally freed at this very moment. Three years ago, he had merely been a cripple whose Dou Qi had vanished. Three years later, he had become a Dou Emperor admired by all in the Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Yan cupped his hands. "Thank you, Sect Leader Yun, for your guidance."

Yun Shan then said to the people on the viewing platform, "Everyone, today's matter has concluded. Please do as you wish."

Jia Xingtian heard Yun Shan's intention to see them off. After exchanging a few polite words, they began preparing to leave one by one.

"Does the friend hiding there have any further advice?" Yun Shan asked the empty air.

A black figure appeared strangely and said with a smile, "I came to the Misty Cloud Sect at another's request, but it seems there is no need for me to intervene." He glanced at Xiao Yan after speaking.

Jia Xingtian and the others, who had been about to leave, halted again. "Another Dou Emperor?" Mu Chen cried out.

"This Xiao Yan is truly frightening." Fa Ma could not help sighing.

After everything had been settled, Yun Shan left the plaza. The others also descended the mountain one after another, and the lively Misty Cloud Mountain returned to peace.

Along the way, several prominent figures of the Jia Ma Empire took turns chatting with Xiao Yan. Though Xiao Yan had never been skilled with words, they were all local powers in the Jia Ma Empire and were extremely friendly, so they conversed quite pleasantly throughout the journey.

Only Nalan Jie's expression remained uncertain the entire way. The others could interact with Xiao Yan as equals, but he was an old friend of Xiao Yan's grandfather. Thus, in the end, he said nothing.

After the others left, Xiao Yan said to Ling Ying, "Senior, what do you say?"

"Cough, cough." Ling Ying said, "I originally came to ensure your safety, but it seems that was unnecessary. I only wish to tell you this: although your strength is not weak now, this world has many geniuses. You must become even stronger if you wish to protect those important to you."

Xiao Yan cupped his hands. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

"Cherish those before you." After saying this, Ling Ying flew away directly. Once he had flown a hundred li away, Ling Ying could not help muttering, "Eighteen! An eighteen-year-old Dou Emperor! There are not even many like that in the Ancient Clan." As he spoke, his old face reddened. He himself was only a Dou Emperor, so having spoken those lecturing words earlier truly made him feel ashamed.

"Teacher, you said he had been following us all along?" Xiao Yan asked.

"Correct. But he bore no ill intent. As he said, he was likely entrusted by someone to protect you."

"Never mind that. The three-year agreement is over. Time to go home."

Misty Cloud Sect's main hall.

"Old Sect Leader, this Xiao Yan is truly hateful. I heard his home is in Wutan City. Should we...?"

Even Yun Shan's usually calm face showed a trace of anger. "Yun Leng, where is your brain? I could barely defeat that Xiao Yan, and you still want to provoke him?"

"What if you go to Wutan City and run into him? Are you going to fight him to the death?"

Yun Leng hurriedly dropped to his knees. "Please calm your anger, Old Sect Leader. Please calm your anger."

"Yun Yun handing the sect over to you was simply her greatest mistake. Hand over your authority over the sect first."