Outline Distinctions, Breakthrough After Battle

The massive Magic Beast occupied more than half the arena. Xiao Yan sat atop it with a smile on his face, while Han Xian was also seated—yet he sat on the arena floor, his face filled with terror. The difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth.

In a match where neither had even made a move, Han Xian had already lost in terms of presence.

In the stands, the students' eyes widened in shock as they looked enviously at Xiao Yan riding the Magic Beast.

Magic Beast mounts were not some mysterious thing to them. Every student had ridden a Magic Beast to Canaan Academy upon arrival.

The freshmen who had entered alongside Xiao Yan knew very well that he had arrived on a flying Blue Eagle, setting him apart from the other students, who had ridden the Griffin Beasts bred by Canaan Academy.

They had never expected that after arriving at Canaan Academy, Xiao Yan would acquire another Magic Beast mount. Unlike that mere first-tier Blue Eagle, this red wolf had reached the third tier, equivalent to a Great Dou Master among humans.

The red wolf had not a single stray hair over its body, matching the descriptions of a Fire Cloud Wolf in the Magic Beast compendium. Yet its beast eyes glimmered with golden light, a trait never mentioned in the compendium. Clearly, it was a variant, making it even more precious.

For Xiao Yan to tame such a Magic Beast, whether through strength or luck, was an extraordinary feat.

With a variant third-tier Fire Cloud Wolf as a mount, travel would become vastly more convenient, and battle would gain him a powerful helper.

The students who had been beating their chests and stamping their feet moments ago suddenly looked as though they had been injected with chicken blood, brimming with energy.

"Xiao Yan has always been a once-in-an-age genius. I just never expected that aside from cultivating Dou Qi so quickly and being proficient in Alchemy Art, he also had such exceptional insight into beast taming."

"With a face like that, all sword-brows and starry eyes, even Magic Beasts can't resist him, can they?"

"Heh, Han Xian, don't spout nonsense and falsely accuse my idol Xiao Yan. We know you lost yesterday's alchemy contest, but don't be such a sore loser."

"I think you've taken too many pills yourself and eaten your way into hallucinations. Anyone would think you took pills that damage your foundation."

Amused by this weathercock-like change, Xiao Yan could not help laughing. "What is it, Senior Han? Why are you so nervous? You're no match for me in an arena match. I'm advising you to concede."

Since Canaan Academy had been founded, no one had ever ridden a Magic Beast onto the arena—let alone a third-tier one. After a brief daze, the referee reminded him, "Xiao Yan, Magic Beasts are not permitted in arena matches."

Xiao Yan gave a light leap and jumped down from the wolf's back. He had Little Red leave the arena and find an open space to wait. The reason he had arrived late was because he had been watching Little Red complete its advancement.

Seeing how human-like the Fire Cloud Wolf was in its intelligence, even Lin Xiuyan, Han Yue, and the others were immensely envious.

Their strength would surely soon surpass that of the current Fire Cloud Wolf, but Magic Beasts had long lifespans and unwavering loyalty. They could be passed down from generation to generation, making their overall value extremely high.

With the huge Magic Beast no longer before his eyes, Han Xian slowly rose to his feet, his gaze icy as he stared at Xiao Yan.

Humiliating. Utterly humiliating! A future alchemy master had actually been frightened by a beast!

"Want me to concede? Dream on!" Han Xian said viciously.

"Begin!" Seeing that both were ready, the referee waved his hand and announced loudly.

Just as the fury in his chest was about to erupt, Han Xian rubbed his hands together. A clump of earthy yellow flame emerged in his palms and began spinning rapidly, forming a spiraling flame cone no larger than a palm in the blink of an eye.

From the very start, Han Xian used the Dan Flame technique he had mastered most thoroughly. After taking Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pills in succession, he had raised his strength by two stars, reaching the level of a Six-Star Great Dou Master.

With more Dou Qi driving it, this Dan Flame technique had become even more powerful. Among Profound Rank Dou Techniques, it was around the Intermediate Profound Rank. Given that his strength exceeded Xiao Yan's, it was an extremely threatening attack against an ordinary Five-Star Great Dou Master.

Xiao Yan formed seals with both hands. The Dou Qi he had accumulated long ago burst forth like floodwaters released from a dam, and his body erupted with emerald radiance that rapidly gathered above his head.

Old Man Huo said in surprise, "He fused the Beast Flame of the Moon-Howling Azure Wolf. What fast movements!"

The change in color made it easy for Han Xian to guess that Xiao Yan had replaced his Beast Flame, and it was very likely the sixth-tier Beast Flame he had wanted to obtain from Old Man Huo. His eyes reddened with jealousy.

His Dou Qi surged wildly with the fluctuations of his emotions. The spiraling flame cone in his palm swelled against the wind, then viciously slammed toward Xiao Yan.

At that moment, the energy of heaven and earth abruptly roiled, pouring without end into the two green spheres above Xiao Yan's head.

The students' eyes widened. A Dou Technique capable of drawing upon the energy of heaven and earth signified that it had reached the Earth Tier.

Although some Advanced Profound Rank Dou Techniques, once practiced to great mastery, could unleash power comparable to Earth Tier Dou Techniques, they could not draw upon the energy of heaven and earth. That was a fundamental difference from true Earth Tier Dou Techniques.

"Twin Suns Burning Wind!" Old Man Huo stood up in shock.

Hu Gan remembered the great reputation of this Dou Technique, but he did not know what it looked like when performed. He asked, "Is that the Dou Technique the Alchemy Department could never manage to cultivate?"

Old Man Huo gave a low "Mm," while stormy waves seemed to crash through his heart. In less than a day, Xiao Yan had mastered this Earth Tier Dou Technique that was practically impossible to cultivate. Just where did the limits of his talent lie?

"Canaan Academy actually has the subsequent portions of First Sun Scorching Sky." Xiao Xun'er was somewhat surprised.

The Dou Technique had been passed down orally to Xiao Yan. The incomplete scroll in her possession contained some of its contents, but she had never spoken of them.

To bring out as much of the complete Dou Technique's power as possible, one needed to fuse two Beast Flames—or even Strange Flames.

Based on this, Xiao Xun'er inferred that the complete Dou Technique might be in Flame Valley. Flame Valley's secret art, the Three Mysteries of Heavenly Flame, required the fusion of multiple Beast Flames. If one possessed a Strange Flame, the effect would be even better. It was exceptionally compatible with that complete Dou Technique.

"An Earth Tier Dou Technique?!" Han Xian's eyes widened in disbelief.

In the span of a spark and a flash, tempered and infused by the energy of heaven and earth, the two green lights expanded into two enormous spheres that smashed toward Han Xian one after the other.

At this critical moment, Han Xian knew he could no longer retreat. He could only lower his head and charge forward, relying on the Dan Flame technique in his hands for that sliver of survival.

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes. Fire-control methods comprehensively enhanced one's control over flames, while Dan Flame techniques manipulated flames purely for attack. Both involved the use of fire, but there was a distinction between outline and category.

Han Xian's Dan Flame technique was fairly powerful, but it could only reach the Profound Tier. Xiao Yan's fire-control method, however, was a genuine Earth Tier technique.

A giant green sphere collided with the spiraling flame cone in Han Xian's hands. A violent explosion rang out, and green light instantly swallowed the earthy yellow glow in his hands. Waves of fire spread outward, blasting Han Xian into the air.

Before Han Xian could land, the second giant green sphere struck right after him.

Just as the sphere was about to smash into Han Xian, a flash of light appeared. Hu Gan materialized beside Han Xian, flicked his sleeve, and altered the sphere's trajectory. It curved through the air and crashed into an open patch of ground.

Boom!

The giant sphere slammed into the ground at high speed, making the earth sink. A wave of heat swept across the entire square, and the students in the surrounding stands all circulated their Dou Qi to resist the suddenly soaring temperature.

Hu Gan glanced at his somewhat scorched sleeve, inwardly shocked by the Dou Technique's power. Looking at Han Xian in his grasp, whose body bore a faint charred coloration, he said happily, "He's still breathing."

Xiao Yan shook his head. "Senior Han, I already told you that you would be injured."

The students had heard Xiao Yan's earlier warning as well, but they had not thought much of it. There was plenty of harsh talk before matches, and persuading one's opponent to surrender was common enough. Though opponents usually would not concede, there was no loss in trying; if one encountered someone willing to listen, it could save some effort.

Yet hearing Xiao Yan say it again now, everyone inhaled the hot air in unison and thought: Injured? You were trying to kill him!

Still, they were at the age when their blood ran hot. If they allowed others to slander and insult them without doing anything, then all the cultivation they had undergone since childhood would truly have gone to the dogs.

Just as Xiao Yan was about to leave the arena, he suddenly sensed the Dou Qi within him beginning to circulate at high speed. The energy of heaven and earth in the surrounding air seeped forth at a visible rate, and within a few breaths, it seemed to form a pouring tide.

"You're breaking through?!" Sensing the changes in the energy of heaven and earth, Hu Gan looked at Xiao Yan in astonishment. How did this brat advance as easily as drinking water?

If Han Xian learned that he had spent two Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pills and made his Dou Qi exceptionally unstable just to surpass Xiao Yan, only for Xiao Yan to break through immediately after defeating him and catch up again, he would probably die of rage on the spot.