Handcrafted Two-Colored Fire Lotus, Annihilation

In the end, greed overcame reason.

He shot the old man a glance. The old man understood at once, and a knowing smile spread across his deeply wrinkled face.

Clearly, they had done this many times before.

Very few things that left his hands stayed gone for good.

The old man slipped out without a sound. He first went to the Storage Room to collect the medicinal herbs Xiao Yan had bought, along with the remnant map that had repeatedly failed to sell, then returned to the Trading Room with a broad smile.

"Sorry, sorry. The items were scattered around, so it took a little longer to find them." The old man pushed open the door, his smile looking gentler and more harmless than ever.

Xiao Yan said nothing. His expression did not change in the slightest.

The old man presented the Storage Ring containing the medicinal herbs and the map with both hands. "Please check. Is everything there?"

Xiao Yan took the Storage Ring and swept his spiritual perception through it. When he spotted the Demonic Flame Remnant Map, satisfaction surged through him.

Looks like my protagonist's luck still counts for something.

The two sides settled on a reasonably fair price. Xiao Yan paid in full, then left the Auction House without looking back.

Not long after he left, several figures slipped silently out of the Auction House's side door and followed him.

"Brat, you called it." Xiao Yan walked at an unhurried pace as Yao Lao's voice rang out in his mind.

With Yao Lao's Soul Perception, those sneaking little rats behind them had nowhere to hide.

"An Auction House in a place like this really has no integrity." Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly, changed direction, and wound his way through increasingly secluded alleys.

Before long, he had led them into a deserted Dead-End Alley.

"Where did he go?" The group reached the alley entrance and looked around, but Xiao Yan was nowhere to be seen.

"A few Da Dou Shi and two Dou Ling? You're underestimating me." As they searched in mounting panic, Xiao Yan's voice drifted down from above.

They looked up in horror, their pupils contracting. The black-robed youth hovered steadily in midair, pointing at them one by one with deliberate ease, a cold smile on his lips that sent chills down their spines.

"Standing in midair... A D-Dou Zong!" One man stared at Xiao Yan, his voice trembling almost beyond recognition.

At those words, the group fell into chaos.

The manager had never told them their target was a Dou Zong!

Some turned and ran without a word. Others clung to the hope that Xiao Yan was merely putting on a show.

But Xiao Yan had no intention of wasting words on them.

He raised a hand, and the Black Heavy Ruler dropped from his back into his palm. With a turn of his other hand, the Green Lotus Core Flame rose from it.

Imitating Yao Lao, he swept the Heavenly Flame across the Giant Ruler. Azure flames instantly covered its length.

"Go." Xiao Yan's lips curved as he pointed lightly at the group.

Bolstered by the Chicken Talisman's Telekinesis, the Black Heavy Ruler seemed to come alive. It became a dark-azure blur and struck at the people below.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Giant Ruler was swift and ruthless. In the blink of an eye, it had smashed three of them to pieces.

They did not even have time to scream. The ruler shattered their bodies, and the Heavenly Flame wrapped around it swept over them, leaving not a trace of flesh or bone.

Clean and decisive. No mess, no wasted motion.

This was a new technique Xiao Yan had developed while experimenting with ways to combine the Talismans.

The Ox Talisman's power could strengthen not only his body but also the Chicken Talisman's Telekinesis, multiplying its force several times over.

"Run!" The two remaining Dou Ling were scared out of their wits. Without a moment's hesitation, they turned and sprinted for the alley entrance.

Xiao Yan did not even glance at them. He turned and flew straight toward the Auction House.

Since the Auction House had dared to target him, he would pay them a visit and offer his regards.

A few breaths later, the Black Heavy Ruler flew back soundlessly and settled into place behind Xiao Yan.

By then, Xiao Yan had appeared above the Auction House once more.

A two-colored Fire Lotus no larger than his palm spun slowly and silently above his hand. Azure and purple intertwined, giving off a terrifying aura of destruction.

He had casually formed this Two-Colored Fire Lotus from the Purple Flame and Green Lotus Core Flame on his way back.

Xiao Yan was not the sort to walk in empty-handed when he knew a Dou Emperor was inside the Auction House. He had prepared the Fire Lotus halfway there.

With the Tiger Talisman maintaining its balance, forming a Fire Lotus was now as easy for him as rolling a ball of clay.

More frightening still, in that state of perfect balance, he could add almost anything to the Fire Lotus and multiply its destructive power several times over.

Yuan Yi sat inside the Auction House, waiting for good news from his men.

Suddenly, his heart lurched. A suffocating sense of danger washed over him from head to toe like cold water.

He sprang to his feet and rushed out of the Auction House. Looking up, he saw a black-robed figure in midair holding a Fire Lotus.

Yuan Yi's heart sank. This is bad.

The men I sent must have fallen to him. He's come back to settle the score. I've crossed someone I should never have touched.

"My friend... there's been a misunderstanding..." Yuan Yi forced down his fear and managed a strained smile, hoping there was still room to negotiate.

Xiao Yan had never wasted words on those about to die.

His gaze fixed coldly on Yuan Yi. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Two-Colored Fire Lotus flying. "Tell my Fire Lotus about it."

Yuan Yi's pupils contracted. The destructive force within the Fire Lotus made his spine tingle.

Its leaking energy alone was enough to terrify him. If it struck him directly, he would have no chance of survival.

Dou Qi surged wildly from his body. He kicked off the ground, trying to flee into the distance.

The Fire Lotus gave him no chance. The instant he moved, it swept up to him and exploded.

BOOM!

Amid a deafening blast, destructive energy swallowed Yuan Yi whole.

He poured all his strength into a shield of Dou Qi, but against the Fire Lotus's impact, it was as fragile as paper. It tore apart instantly.

Amid the surging flames, a vast lotus of condensed energy slowly bloomed from the heart of the explosion.

The earthshaking blast shook the entire Black Seal City. Countless people stared fearfully toward the Auction House, but not one dared step forward to see what had happened.

"Brat, you've created a truly formidable Dou Technique!"

Inside the ring, Yao Lao watched the energy lotus bloom. Even with all his experience, he could not help exclaiming in sincere admiration.