A Battle with Lu Zhi

"To be honest, I think highly of you. If you kneel and admit your mistake now, then swear lifelong loyalty to me, I can make you my most capable subordinate," Lu Zhi said provocatively.

Xiao Yan looked at the arrogant Lu Zhi before him without saying much. With a wave of his hand, a black, ancient ruler appeared in his grasp. Blood-colored flames coiled around his body as the massive ruler pointed diagonally at Lu Zhi.

A trace of killing intent also surfaced on Lu Zhi's usually calm face. Although he had always been the leading figure among the younger generation of the Northwest Region, Xiao Yan had consistently given him an unsettling sense of danger.

Beneath his clothes, azure patterns on Lu Zhi's legs shone brightly. The vast cave stretched endlessly, and at this moment, howling winds filled their ears as gusts surged throughout the cavern.

Hurricane Pattern!

Lu Zhi shot forward like a streak of light, bringing a terrifying hurricane that had nearly solidified into tangible energy. He arrived before Xiao Yan at a speed close to teleportation.

A faint rumble of thunder sounded, and Xiao Yan's head was directly scattered by the hurricane before his figure slowly faded away.

The hurricane, comparable to an Earth-tier Dou Technique, constantly blasted through the cavern. Yet every strike only hit Xiao Yan's afterimage. Even after activating the Hurricane Pattern, Lu Zhi's speed still fell short of Xiao Yan's Three Thousand Lightning Movement.

As his attacks repeatedly missed, Lu Zhi's expression did not change in the slightest. However, blood-colored patterns emerged beneath the skin of his body below the neck. As the patterns moved, they resembled exposed blood. A bloody aura spread outward, and Xiao Yan immediately felt the blood in his body roiling as though it had been heated.

Bloodthirsty Pattern!

The next instant, a Tyranny fist wind accompanied by a deep sonic boom had already locked onto Lu Zhi.

Mystic-tier High Grade—Eight Extremities Collapse!

Lu Zhi merely threw a simple punch, gathering the blood-colored patterns at the tip of his fist.

The two fists collided, and the sound of cracking bones rang out. Xiao Yan was forced three steps back by Lu Zhi's punch, while Lu Zhi only took half a step back.

The Bloodthirsty Pattern caused Xiao Yan's blood to surge violently, but the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame that moved according to Xiao Yan's will also made Lu Zhi feel as though his entire body was steaming and burning.

"Not bad, not bad! Your Heavenly Flame's ranking definitely isn't low. Good stuff!" Lu Zhi began applauding Xiao Yan, but the killing intent in his eyes revealed his ferocity.

Xiao Yan said nothing. He simply darted before Lu Zhi and raised the black heavy ruler high. By the time it reached Lu Zhi, its momentum had reached its peak. He viciously swung it downward at Lu Zhi, while yellowish-gray patterns once again wrapped around Lu Zhi's hands, carrying an indestructible feeling.

Hard Skin Pattern!

Lu Zhi caught Xiao Yan's attack directly with one hand. Just as he was about to mock him, the massive ruler suddenly turned the color of blood, and the Dou Qi on its body began to gather and expand.

Lu Zhi's hand gripping the Heavy Profound Ruler was forced away. A violent energy shot out from the ruler's tip, and a flame blade roughly thirty feet long slashed downward. The terrifying heat contained within actually made space itself seem scorched and distorted.

Earth-tier Low Grade—Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!

As he watched the blood-colored flame blade descend, a trace of madness appeared in Lu Zhi's eyes. He had no intention of retreating to avoid its edge. Instead, he shook both arms and blasted them toward the flame blade.

Xiao Yan noticed that the patterns on Lu Zhi's arms remained yellowish-gray, but the patterns on his hands changed again. Black as ink, patterns that seemed to conceal an endless abyss emerged. They were the same patterns used by the elder of the Mystic Pattern Sect Xiao Yan had first encountered.

Spirit-Devouring Pattern!

A muffled thunder-like sound erupted from where Lu Zhi met the flame blade. Violent energy waves swept continuously through the cavern. Yang Lingyan and Chu Qun, who were watching from nearby, both changed expression. Xiao Yan's strength had exceeded their expectations. Yet Shi Meng, standing to the side, showed no change in expression, appearing completely unconcerned about the battle.

Xiao Yan tossed a pill that restored Dou Qi into his mouth. Lu Zhi slowly emerged from the waves of flame and energy, walking forward step by unhurried step. Combined with the blood-colored flames around him, he carried an indescribably Tyranny aura.

Xiao Yan frowned. He knew the power of his Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler well, yet Lu Zhi had dealt with it far too easily. Even the chaotic energy around him was slowly being absorbed through the Spirit-Devouring Pattern on his palms.

Xu Yingwu had once told Xiao Yan that few people were willing to fight a drawn-out battle against experts from the Mystic Pattern Sect because of the somewhat shameless ability of the Spirit-Devouring Pattern. Mystic Pattern Sect experts could often use it to sustain their combat strength for extended periods during battle.

As they watched Lu Zhi, who seemed like a war god, Yang Lingyan and Chu Qun's expressions also darkened. They had still underestimated the level of the number one figure among the younger generation of the Northwest Region. Even Xiao Yan's attack just now had failed to harm him in the slightest. The situation was becoming increasingly difficult.

Yang Lingyan looked at Xiao Yan, then at the extremely weak Qing Lin. He gritted his teeth and resolved that even if he died later, he would buy time for Xiao Yan and Qing Lin to escape.

He was certain that if Xiao Yan escaped safely, the benefits Heavenly Snake Mansion could gain this time would be unimaginable. Even sacrificing himself would be worthwhile.

For the first time, Lu Zhi took the initiative in the battle. Xiao Yan suddenly discovered that curved patterns had appeared even within Lu Zhi's pupils. Merely looking at them made his skin crawl.

The next instant, Xiao Yan felt a faint stabbing pain in his soul. However, the sensation did not last long before Lu Zhi's scream rang out.

"Aaaah!" Lu Zhi clutched his eyes and cried out in agony.

Lu Zhi's soul strength had originally been quite good after cultivation. Although Xiao Yan was an alchemist, the gap between them had not been that great. However, before coming to rescue Qing Lin, Xiao Yan had used the Soul-Turning Secret Technique to convert his Dou Qi into soul strength, and not much of it had dissipated yet.

Using the Spirit Chaos Pattern, which was responsible for soul attacks, against Xiao Yan was like stabbing a mountain with a steel needle. Lu Zhi was immediately struck by a brutal backlash.

Although Xiao Yan did not know why Lu Zhi had ended up like this, he did not miss this excellent opportunity.

Thunder rumbled through the cavern. Xiao Yan appeared before Lu Zhi and pushed a hand seal toward his chest.

Mountain Opening Seal!

Xiao Yan's face abruptly turned cold and stern. Vast, violent Dou Qi surged from his palm and poured entirely into Lu Zhi's body.

Lu Zhi, who had previously stood as steady as a mountain, was sent flying by Xiao Yan's palm strike and crashed into the cave wall.

Xiao Yan looked at the disheveled Lu Zhi as his hand movements quickened. Afterimages flickered wildly, and when they suddenly reached their peak, a brilliant gleam seemed to shoot from Xiao Yan's eyes.

A pale white hand seal emerged from his palm as the abundant Dou Qi within Xiao Yan poured into it.

Even the surrounding Dou Qi began to grow violent. Xiao Yan understood the principle of beating a dog when it was down, and he showed no mercy at all.

Shi Meng, who wanted to rush over to aid Lu Zhi after seeing that the situation had gone wrong, was stopped by Chu Qun and could not offer assistance for the moment.

"Sea Overturning Seal!"

The pale white hand seal condensed from the Bone Chilling Flame transformed into a white afterimage and shot toward Lu Zhi. An ear-splitting boom followed, and pale flames filled the spacious cavern. Coldness and blazing heat appeared at the same time.

Even the cave began to shake violently. Looking at Lu Zhi, who had been buried beneath ice and fallen rocks, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with a trace of relief.

Without Lu Zhi's mistake, there would not have been that subsequent chain of attacks. Lu Zhi's strength had given Xiao Yan almost no chance to catch his breath.

Just as Yang Lingyan and Chu Qun thought Lu Zhi had died and joy appeared on their faces, an incomparably Tyranny aura spread from the pile of rubble. Strands of purple lightning exploded from within the stones.

Lu Zhi emerged from the cave wall, his robes badly tattered and blood covering the corner of his mouth. He had practically been completely undefended just now and had taken Xiao Yan's attacks head-on. His injuries were not light at this moment.

Yet for the first time, patterns appeared on his face. They were purple, lightning-shaped patterns, with purple light spilling from them. Even with the naked eye, one could sense the sharpness and violence of the purple lightning.

"Xiao Yan, among my peers, you're the first to force out my Lightning Strike Pattern!"