The power of stats, kid!

"Boom!"

Wind-Attribute Dou Qi gathered into a palm half a person's height, its bones formed from enormous wind vortices and its surface from howling gales. Brimming with savage energy, it shot straight toward Jia Lie Jing!

Meanwhile, Jia Lie Jing opened with the strongest Dou Technique he possessed: the Profound Tier Low Grade Dou Technique, Wave Overlap!

Emerald light gathered at the spearhead. As Jia Lie Jing swept his iron spear through the air, it transformed into layer upon layer of emerald waves.

Each shudder of the iron spear raised another row of raging waves, like a hurricane sweeping through rolling green forests, sending countless leaves whirling into the wind.

Each wave rose higher than the last, each stronger than the one before. Jia Lie Jing conjured a full seven waves!

Wave Overlap and the Great Compassion Wind-Rending Hand collided violently, the impact resounding throughout Wutan City!

The enormous pale-green palm effortlessly smashed the first wave and crushed the second. The five wind vortices within it stood as firm as Mount Tai, churning the energy into chaos and stirring the winds and clouds until the sky changed color!

"A mere Profound Tier Low Grade Dou Technique, and you dare parade it before me?"

After unleashing the Great Compassion Wind-Rending Hand, Nalan Yanran paid it no further attention, leaving Jia Lie Jing to throw all his strength into resisting the enormous palm. She herself drifted like willow fluff on the wind, appearing behind Jia Lie Jing before he knew it.

"You shameless bitch!"

A veteran of countless battles, Jia Lie Jing did not let Nalan Yanran's sneak attack succeed, but it still made his hair stand on end. He hurriedly swung his iron spear back to defend himself, losing all control over Wave Overlap!

As a Mysterious Tier High Grade Dou Technique, the Great Compassion Wind-Rending Hand kept its Dou Qi concentrated within five vortices after it was unleashed, preventing it from dissipating. But Wave Overlap?

Jia Lie Jing knew that even though he was a three-star Da Dou Shi and his opponent was merely a One-Star Great Dou Master, without its wielder's control and support, the Wave Overlap he took such pride in could not possibly contend with a Mysterious Tier High Grade Dou Technique!

But he had no attention to spare for it now. Although the lovely One-Star Great Dou Master before him lacked extensive combat experience, the Dou Techniques she had learned were simply far too exceptional.

Jia Lie Jing's strikes were vicious, their angles cunning and their speed astonishing. An ordinary One-Star Great Dou Master fighting him at close range would already have had several bloody holes punched through them. Yet with her uncanny Movement Dou Technique, Nalan Yanran swayed like tattered willow branches and drifting fluff, lightly slipping past his attacks.

Nalan Yanran's attacks, by contrast, were neither cunning nor vicious, and she had not even mastered the Dou Techniques themselves to perfection. But every Dou Technique she used was far too high-grade. She casually overwhelmed him with Mysterious Tier Dou Techniques—who could endure that?

In all fairness, Jia Lie Jing's strength was unquestionably formidable. As the captain of the Jia Lie Family's enforcement squad, he spent much of his time away from home, and no fewer than ten Da Dou Shi had died at his hands. Among them had even been a five-star Da Dou Shi!

Yet now, faced with the unrelenting attacks of this mere One-Star Great Dou Master, Jia Lie Jing was struggling badly.

Had he not been two stars above Nalan Yanran, he would probably have lost already!

"Damn it, where did this bastard come from?"

Driven back step after step, Jia Lie Jing was like a great tree struggling beneath fierce winds, utterly battered and helpless.

"Not good!"

Jia Lie Jing retreated a step, barely evading a sword flash that clung to him like his own shadow, only to see the cold smile at the corner of Nalan Yanran's lips. A chill seized his heart, and he hurriedly swung his spear, trying to fight his way forward.

But how could Nalan Yanran possibly give him a chance to stake his life on a desperate attack?

She shouted, "Great Compassion Wind-Rending Hand, descend!"

"Aaah!"

The shadow of death descended with the hurricane. With death looming right before him, Jia Lie Jing roared and swung his iron spear with all his might, trying to force Nalan Yanran back.

But Nalan Yanran's uncanny Movement Dou Technique made her speed shift unpredictably between fast and slow, leaving Jia Lie Jing with strength he could not bring to bear.

She did not retreat so much as an inch. Relying solely on her Movement Dou Technique to twist and weave, she evaded every one of Jia Lie Jing's attacks.

Jia Lie Jing was like a great tree roaring and swaying in a gale. Though he seemed to be displaying every last trump card in a spectacular performance, all his attacks struck empty air. It was nothing but impotent fury.

The half-person-high Great Compassion Wind-Rending Hand descended, its five vortices surrounding Jia Lie Jing. In an instant, countless wind blades struck the Dou Qi Armor covering his body. The pale-green blades danced up and down, each slash against the emerald Dou Qi Armor sending sparks flying.

"Boom!"

In fewer than three breaths, Jia Lie Jing's Dou Qi Armor collapsed. Without its protection, a Da Dou Shi's flesh was not much tougher than a Dou Shi's, and the countless wind blades instantly slashed him into a blood-soaked figure.

"You want to kill me? Then you won't get away unscathed either!" Jia Lie Jing roared.

In an instant, the Dou Qi within him turned violent. Traces of pale-green Dou Qi escaped through the dense wounds covering his body, but far more gathered together, transforming into uncontrollable energy.

"Watch out for that madman! He's going to self-detonate!" someone shouted from a distance.

Nalan Yanran's pupils contracted. When had she ever witnessed such a desperate tactic? With no time for any unnecessary movement, she discarded her sword without hesitation and formed a seal with both hands before her. It was a strange hand seal, and as it took shape, a green tornado appeared before her, pushing Nalan Yanran into a rapid retreat.

"Boom!"

Jia Lie Jing detonated himself. The explosion's wild energy rampaged outward, extinguishing the lingering flames nearby and demolishing the houses already tottering on the brink of collapse.

He had spent his entire life walking the edge between life and death, and naturally refused to become a fish on the chopping block. He would rather leave not even bones behind if it meant dragging Nalan Yanran to the grave with him.

But Nalan Yanran had trained in the Misty Cloud Sect since childhood, and all the Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills she had learned were Mysterious Tier or above. Even with her limited combat experience, she was not so easily killed. With someone calling out a warning as well, she used the Dou Technique Wind-Pushing Force to propel herself clear of the blast's center. Only a single burst of frenzied Dou Qi struck her Dou Qi Armor, ringing out with a metallic clang.

It sounded like Jia Lie Jing's furious cry of defiance.

"Miss, are you all right?"

The newcomer was only a Dou Shi. He carried an iron sword on his back and wore no armor. Rather than a warrior who risked his life in battle, he looked more like an ordinary man growing old amid the everyday concerns of firewood, rice, oil, and salt.

"You are..." Nalan Yanran frowned, looking at the rabble composed of a handful of Dou Shi and a great many Dou Zhe as she asked quietly.

"Xiao Wugou of the Xiao Clan." The Dou Shi leading them cupped his hands and smiled. "Thank you for lending us your aid, miss. The Xiao Clan will remember this kindness until our dying day."

"What are you doing here? Is this something you can get involved in? Uncle Xiao... where are the Xiao Clan's Da Dou Shi?"

"Heh, the Xiao Clan doesn't have a single Da Dou Shi left now. All we have is the hot blood of our sons and daughters to spill, to shelter our friends and neighbors..."