Terrifyingly Powerful

Xiao Yan looked at the dazzling fire lotus in his hand, unable to suppress his wild joy. This little thing was absolutely a terrifying trump card far beyond a Earth-tier Dou Technique, and now it had been born from his own hands. Creating a skill was no simple matter on the Douqi Continent.

Xiao Yan licked his dry lips, parched from being so close to two Heavenly Flames, eager to find out just how powerful this thing truly was.

Less than one or two tenths of the Dou Qi in his body remained. He did not even dare confirm whether he could withstand this thing's power.

Xiao Yan spread his wings and shot straight into the sky. After flying for quite a while and confirming a safe distance, he slowly tossed the fire lotus away.

The thunderous sounds around him erupted to their limit as he pushed his speed to the maximum. The fire lotus had remained unchanged in his hand mainly because he had been controlling it with the Flame Mantra. Even he did not know when it would explode.

Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan, who had been cultivating to recover, sensed the unusual energy fluctuations and immediately ended their cultivation. Then they witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

World-destroying energy spread through the skies. The stable Ten Thousand Beasts Space was blasted into countless fractures by the impact. The floating clouds overhead were crushed apart and vaporized, while the spreading shockwaves shattered the peaks of mountain after mountain. Brilliant crimson and white flames swept across the sky one wave after another like a tide. The temperature of this entire realm abruptly soared. Throughout the vast Ten Thousand Beasts Space, countless people witnessed this sight.

"Damn it, what's going on? Since when did the Ten Thousand Beasts Space become this terrifying?"

"Was it a Dou Zun-level magical beast? Didn't they say eighth-tier magical beasts would not attack people on their own?"

"Could Lu Zhi have caused this?"

Naturally, Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan were the closest. Both were sent flying hundreds of meters by the horrifying energy shockwave. They stared at the waves of fire in the sky in disbelief. Since it was close to them and involved crimson and white flames, one person came to mind—and he happened to be absent.

Chu Qun stared at the terrifying fluctuations, swallowed, and stiffly turned his head toward Yang Lingyan. "That commotion... Xiao Yan did that?"

Yang Lingyan also looked utterly stunned. It was not for any other reason; the fire lotus was simply far too terrifying.

"I don't know, but these two flames..."

The two began searching everywhere for Xiao Yan, desperately wanting to hear him say that this world-destroying commotion had not been caused by him.

Naturally, Xiao Yan, far away, knew nothing of their many thoughts. He had been closest to the fire lotus and was blasted directly into the ground by the eruption. The terrifying aftershocks had even nearly displaced his internal organs. Yet his eyes were filled with irrepressible excitement. A horrifying skill had been born from his hands. With such power, he was certain that even a Dou Zong expert would have only one possible outcome if caught by it: death.

Looking at the fire waves in the sky, whose power had yet to fade, Xiao Yan sighed. "I'll call you—Buddha Fury Fire Lotus!"

When the fire lotus appeared, even gods and Buddhas had to make way!

Xiao Yan took out two pills that restored Dou Qi and tossed them into his mouth. The fire lotus's energy was beyond question, but it also consumed an enormous amount of Dou Qi. Once used, it practically meant Xiao Yan would lose his own combat ability as well. He could only keep it hidden as a true trump card.

Of course, Xiao Yan had not anticipated the impact this would have on Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan. When the three met and Xiao Yan admitted that he had caused the enormous explosion just now, Chu Qun's handsome face twisted from shock.

Yang Lingyan, meanwhile, was beside himself with joy. His father had brought such a great expert to the Heavenly Snake Mansion, so securing a place in the top three was practically guaranteed. Even Lu Zhi no longer concerned Yang Lingyan. Lu Zhi? Before Xiao Yan's terrifying attack, he was not worth mentioning!

The next day, after resting, the three began searching again. Naturally, three people were less efficient than acting alone. However, with Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan present, Xiao Yan could hunt magical beasts with greater peace of mind, so they managed to maintain their rankings.

But the Ten Thousand Beasts Space was simply too vast. After an entire day, they still had not found the Small Market. If they failed to find it tomorrow as well, they could only miss this trade.

At night, the three rested beside a campfire. The magical beasts in the Ten Thousand Beasts Space were made of energy and therefore could not be eaten, so all their food had been brought from outside.

At this time, Chu Qun showed off his skills again. His cooking truly was excellent. He had even used ice made by an ice-element expert to preserve plenty of fresh ingredients, and with the many seasonings he had brought along, Xiao Yan and Yang Lingyan enjoyed their best meal yet within the Ten Thousand Beasts Space.

After eating, Yang Lingyan smacked his lips and said, "Chu Qun, honestly, I'm tempted to bring you back to the Heavenly Snake Mansion."

Chu Qun curled his lips. "I know I'm handsome, but I didn't expect you to be into that."

As he spoke, he unconsciously moved a little farther away from Yang Lingyan. Yang Lingyan had just been about to explain when he noticed that Xiao Yan had also deliberately put some distance between them.

"It was just a joke!"

Yang Lingyan was completely thrown into disarray, while Xiao Yan stood and said, "Tonight, the three of us will still take turns keeping watch. Chu Qun first, then Yang Lingyan, and I'll take the last shift. How about it?"

Chu Qun and Yang Lingyan nodded. Most people chose to rest at night, because the Ten Thousand Beasts Space was unlike the outside world, and no one knew whether sudden danger might appear. Thus, almost no one moved about at night. Although the magical beasts' senses in the Ten Thousand Beasts Space had been greatly weakened, danger still existed. When acting alone, they could only keep their senses heightened at all times, but with more people, keeping watch was essential so that the others could rest properly.

Having someone watch over him was far safer than acting alone. After entering the Ten Thousand Beasts Space, Xiao Yan had increasingly felt the limits of his own abilities. For example, against Shi Han, he felt his chance of winning would not exceed fifty percent. There was no need to mention the even stronger Lu Zhi he would inevitably face in the future. Improving his strength was urgent!

After such a long period of uninterrupted tempering, the instability and weakness caused by absorbing the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame had been completely solidified by Xiao Yan. Now, he could even feel that, as long as he wished it, he could attempt to break through to a three-star Dou Emperor at any time.

One star might still not be enough. Xiao Yan murmured inwardly. Then his Storage Ring flashed, and a round pill emitting a faint fragrance rolled into his hand.

A sixth-grade pill—the Imperial Extreme Pill. A fine item capable of allowing a Dou Emperor to directly break through by one star.

This pill had been personally refined by Yao Lao for Xiao Yan to increase his strength. It was even more perfect than the ones Xiao Yan and Su Zhang had refined themselves. Now was the ideal time to consume it. Xiao Yan swallowed the Imperial Extreme Pill in one gulp. The pill transformed into vast energy that surged into his body, and Xiao Yan's aura began to steadily rise.