Xiao Yan, this Heavenly Flame is mine!

"Eight Extremes Collapse!"

A low shout suddenly rang out in Xiao Yan's mind. The Dou Qi within him surged into his right hand, unleashing a fierce, unyielding force.

Now that the struggle for the green lotus core flame had reached its decisive moment, Xiao Yan had no intention of holding back.

Sensing the killing move rushing toward him from behind, Su Tian's eyes flashed with cold mockery. Yet not a trace of panic appeared on his face, as though everything happening now had been within his expectations.

Bang!

In the blink of an eye, Su Tian stamped down without the slightest hesitation. Rather than slowing, his sprint grew even faster.

All the while, he left his back openly exposed to Xiao Yan.

At the sight, Xiao Yan frowned deeply, his heart giving a sudden jolt. Something vaguely seemed wrong.

But looking at the green lotus core flame hovering ahead, he could no longer afford to worry about that. He had to seize the heavenly flame, especially now that he had borrowed Yao Lao's power.

No matter how mysterious Su Tian might be, the enormous gulf between a One-Star Great Dou Master and a Dou Huang expert was not so easily bridged.

That was precisely why Xiao Yan felt so confident now.

"Be careful. This young fellow still isn't panicking in the face of danger. Something feels strange to me. Since you've chosen to act, strike with the force of thunder. Once you have the heavenly flame, don't linger to fight. Retreat immediately!"

Yao Lao's grave voice sounded in Xiao Yan's mind.

Hearing him, Xiao Yan immediately nodded. He narrowed his eyes at Su Tian, who was accelerating ahead, and gave a cold snort before sharply increasing his own speed.

"Teacher, I understand. Don't worry."

Whoosh...

Bolstered by Yao Lao's power, Xiao Yan moved at a speed far beyond anything Su Tian could match. With a whistle through the air, he had already closed the distance between them.

Su Tian could even sense the murderous intent coming from behind him.

"Caught up, have you?"

Sensing Xiao Yan's presence behind him, Su Tian's eyes quietly flashed with an inscrutable gleam as he murmured.

The next instant, Xiao Yan gave a cold shout and closed in on Su Tian. He raised his right hand, carrying an immensely savage force, and struck at Su Tian's back without hesitation.

Eight Extremes Collapse!

The low shout rang out in Xiao Yan's mind again. His right hand was about to land on Su Tian's back; it even seemed that Su Tian had no time to turn and counterattack.

Boom...

Eight Extremes Collapse descended with a low roar through the air.

But just as Xiao Yan's right palm was about to touch Su Tian, a vast surge of soul power erupted from Su Tian's body.

Even a cursory assessment placed it at the level of a Dou Wang expert.

Xiao Yan's expression shifted slightly. Surprise flashed in his eyes, and his brows knitted.

"Dou Wang-level soul power? How is that possible!"

"Get away from me!"

A furious shout suddenly exploded beside Xiao Yan's ear. An aged soul form appeared in an instant, blocking the path of his palm.

Soul power comparable to that of a Dou Wang expert erupted from the soul form.

It was none other than Qing Mu, whom Xiao Yan had taken as a soul slave!

"Condense!"

The moment he appeared, Qing Mu acted without hesitation. His hands moved swiftly, forming one strange seal after another. In the blink of an eye, an enormous fist condensed from soul power took shape before him.

Though it took time to describe, the moment the fist appeared, Qing Mu sent it crashing into Xiao Yan's right palm.

Rumble...

The instant the two collided, a deafening explosion echoed through the surrounding world, and a violent Energy Fluctuation spread outward.

"Cough, cough..."

A fit of harsh, dry coughing suddenly came from Qing Mu.

Under Xiao Yan's attack, Qing Mu had been blasted back more than ten paces. His soul form grew slightly translucent, rippling with tremors.

With Yao Lao's power supporting him, Xiao Yan had already entered the realm of a Dou Huang expert.

Qing Mu himself possessed only the strength of a five- or six-star Dou Wang. Worse, he now existed as a soul form, greatly reducing the power he could unleash.

Had he not relied on surprise and the unique properties of soul power, Qing Mu might not have been able to withstand Xiao Yan's ferocious attack head-on.

"Elder Qing, are you all right?"

As Qing Mu's soul form was hurled backward, Su Tian swiftly appeared beside him. After looking him over, he hurriedly asked.

Qing Mu shook his head with a bitter smile. "Rest assured, young master. This old servant is all right. I don't know what secret art this man used, but his strength has reached the realm of a Dou Huang expert. From what I could sense, he's at least a Six-Star Dou Emperor."

"Although I blocked his attack, my soul form suffered considerable damage. I'm afraid I won't be able to fight again for a while."

Qing Mu's face was bitter, his gaze filled with shame as he looked at Su Tian.

Under the Soul Slave Contract Book's control, Qing Mu harbored not a trace of scheming against Su Tian. The feelings he showed now were genuine.

"It's all right, Elder Qing. Go back into the Soul Vessel Bracelet and rest. Leave the rest to me."

Su Tian merely nodded lightly at his words. He smiled at Qing Mu and spoke with concern, his eyes shining with powerful confidence.

Even though Qing Mu could no longer fight, Su Tian's handsome face showed no panic as he faced Xiao Yan, as though the situation before him gave him no cause for concern.

"Young master, this old servant..."

Seeing this, Qing Mu grew anxious. He knew how formidable Xiao Yan was now. With Su Tian's strength, he was unlikely to be a match for him.

But before Qing Mu could persuade him, Su Tian smiled faintly and waved his right hand, returning Qing Mu to the Soul Vessel Bracelet that could house soul forms. Then he calmly turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan nearby.

On the day of his wedding, Su Tian had secretly instructed Qing Mu to use a secret art to temporarily leave his physical body and hide inside the Soul Vessel Bracelet.

The struggle for the green lotus core flame held too many uncertainties. To ensure nothing went wrong, Su Tian had brought Qing Mu's soul form along to catch his opponents off guard.

Otherwise, having Qing Mu follow openly at his side would only put others on their guard.

And when that enormous thunderbolt had struck the island earlier, Qing Mu's intervention had spared Su Tian considerable trouble.

The faint fluctuation of soul power Yao Lao had sensed earlier had also come from Qing Mu.

Su Tian knew Xiao Yan's secrets very well.

Yet Xiao Yan knew very little about Su Tian. Su Tian had exploited that very fact to draw out almost all of Xiao Yan's trump cards while still keeping something in reserve himself.

"I didn't expect you to be hiding the soul form of a Dou Wang expert. That certainly surprised me."

Looking at Su Tian's calm face, Xiao Yan frowned slightly, then gave a faint smile and said in a low voice, "No wonder you dared leave your back exposed to me just now. Is that what gave you your confidence?"

"Heh, heh, heh. It's only the soul form of a Dou Wang expert. How could I compare with you in something like that?"

Su Tian grinned at his words, his quiet chuckle carrying an insinuation.

Hearing this, a dangerous light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes, and his tone grew colder. "What do you mean?"

To Xiao Yan, Yao Lao's existence was his greatest secret.

But Su Tian's words suggested that he had noticed something. Xiao Yan's heart lurched, and unease rose within him.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to tell you that the green lotus core flame belongs to me. No matter who's helping you, don't even think about taking it from my hands!"

The corners of Su Tian's mouth slowly rose, radiating a chill. He looked calmly at Xiao Yan and spoke softly, but his words carried absolute confidence.

"Heh. Arrogant!"

For some reason, Su Tian's gaze left Xiao Yan uneasy, as though all his secrets had been laid bare. His heart felt as if a massive boulder were pressing down on it.

The next instant, Xiao Yan stopped dwelling on it. He snorted coldly, and icy killing intent surfaced on his delicate features.

He was determined to obtain the green lotus core flame.

Whoever dared block his way would die!

Burst Step!

Xiao Yan gave a low shout in his mind. An explosive roar erupted beneath his feet, and he shot toward Su Tian like a cannonball.

In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Su Tian.

"That soul form can't appear again, can it? What right do you have to compete with me for the green lotus core flame now?"

Xiao Yan's voice was icy, a mocking smile curling his lips. He raised his right palm again and softly uttered the words.

"Suction Palm!"

As his voice fell, a powerful suction force surged from his right palm, violently dragging Su Tian toward him.

Facing this, Su Tian remained calm, without the slightest trace of panic.

At the same time, he slowly clenched his right fist and grinned, his smile chilling. A quiet utterance sounded in his mind. Army-Breaking Dragon Fist!

A thick surge of Dou Qi instantly underwent six compressions, then rushed along a specific route through his meridians into his right fist like towering, crashing waves.

In an instant, an enormous Scarlet Flame Dragon Head condensed over Su Tian's right fist. Its jaws gaped wide, releasing a deep dragon's roar.

Roar...

"Nothing but a dying struggle. Is this your final trump card?"

The instant the Scarlet Flame Dragon Head appeared, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered, and he sneered. Yet inwardly, he did not relax in the slightest.

Although the force of Su Tian's attack was not enough to threaten him, for some reason, the sight of Su Tian's still-calm expression stirred unease in Xiao Yan's heart.

Hmph. His defeat is already sealed. Let's see what other trump cards he has!

Whoosh...

Under that powerful suction, Su Tian hurtled toward Xiao Yan with almost no resistance. Even the enormous Scarlet Flame Dragon Head seemed to grow slightly insubstantial beneath the fluctuations of Xiao Yan's aura.

More people are coming. Delay will only breed trouble. I can't drag this out any longer!

As several whistles through the air came from beyond the purple barrier, Xiao Yan frowned deeply and drew a breath. Knowing time was short, he prepared to finish Su Tian with one strike, then leave with the green lotus core flame before the purple barrier shattered.

Flame Splitting Wave Ruler!

The instant Su Tian was pulled toward him, Xiao Yan abruptly withdrew his right hand and grasped the Heavy Xuan Ruler. With a low shout in his mind, he sent Dou Qi surging into it.

A scorching, fiery red glow instantly spread across the Heavy Xuan Ruler.

The Army-Breaking Dragon Fist had originally seemed quite formidable to Xiao Yan, but now that he had reached the realm of a Dou Huang expert, it was nothing to fear.

One strike would shatter it!

Finally bringing out your last killing move?

The Heavy Xuan Ruler glowed fiery red, radiating searing heat. Yet Su Tian's eyes lit up. He drew a deep breath and murmured inwardly.

This was the moment Su Tian had been waiting for!

He wanted Xiao Yan to understand clearly that no matter how he struggled, he would end up crushed beneath Su Tian's foot, without the slightest ability to resist.

Nine-Star Dou Emperor Trial Card, activate!

Ding!

Activation successful. Duration: one day!

As the system's voice slowly sounded in Su Tian's mind, a proud smile curled his lips. His eyes gently closed, as though he had abandoned all resistance.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan froze for a moment, and the unease within him grew even stronger.

End this quickly!

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing his intense unease. He drew a deep breath, and a thunderous sound erupted beneath his feet. Holding the Heavy Xuan Ruler, he instantly slashed down at Su Tian as he was pulled toward him.

In an instant, a Crescent Red Glow cleaved outward from the Heavy Xuan Ruler.

Boom...

The Crescent Red Glow swept forward like a blade splitting bamboo, reaching Su Tian's head in an instant.

But at that very moment, a sudden change occurred!

The smile that had just risen on Xiao Yan's face abruptly froze, looking almost comical.

Boom, boom, boom...

In Xiao Yan's perception, an immensely powerful aura suddenly erupted from Su Tian's body. Even with his current strength, Xiao Yan could not stand against its edge.

The Crescent Red Glow seemed to be frozen in place as well, unable to advance another inch. It hovered eerily before Su Tian, its scorching red light flickering violently.

"How is this possible! This aura..."

Xiao Yan's expression changed drastically, his face filling with disbelief. Yao Lao's shocked voice also sounded in his mind.

"He's actually... reached the Nine-Star Dou Emperor realm!"

"Nine-Star Dou Emperor..."

Xiao Yan had naturally sensed Su Tian's current strength as well. His expression turned hideous as he tightened his grip on the Heavy Xuan Ruler. Gritting his teeth, his eyes filled with shock, he forced those words through his clenched jaws.

He simply could not imagine what means Su Tian had used to reach the Nine-Star Dou Emperor realm in an instant!

Could it be that soul form?

But Xiao Yan quickly dismissed the thought.

No! Impossible! That soul form was only at the Dou Wang level. There's no way he could instantly raise Su Tian's strength to such a terrifying realm!

Raising his head, Xiao Yan looked at the mass of Azure Flame hovering nearby. A hint of madness gradually surfaced in his eyes.

He had put in far too much effort to obtain a heavenly flame.

Yet just when success was within reach, Su Tian had suddenly appeared. Xiao Yan had thought victory was firmly in his grasp, only for hunter and prey to abruptly exchange places.

For a moment, Xiao Yan could not bear such a dizzying plunge from triumph to disaster.

"The green lotus core flame is mine!"

His face twisted savagely, his eyes bloodshot and veins bulging. Unrestrained madness showed in his gaze as he stared at Su Tian.

Seeing Xiao Yan's state, Yao Lao frowned deeply and hurriedly shouted.

"Xiao Yan! Calm down!"

Yet this time, in a rare occurrence, Xiao Yan did not heed Yao Lao's shout.

Feeling the mighty power surging endlessly within him, Su Tian slowly opened his eyes. His entire body felt wonderfully at ease, as though the whole world had shrunk a little before him.

Su Tian looked at Xiao Yan's expression and smiled faintly.

"Now our roles are about to reverse. You can have this back!"

With Su Tian's cold shout, the Crescent Red Glow before him instantly shot backward toward Xiao Yan, moving considerably faster than before.

Boom...

Seeing the Crescent Red Glow hurtling back at him, Xiao Yan shouted coldly, tightened his grip on the Heavy Xuan Ruler, and furiously slashed downward. A violent Energy Fluctuation instantly erupted.

Under the impact of that energy, Xiao Yan staggered backward, step after heavy step.

But just as he steadied himself and looked up, an enormous Scarlet Flame Giant Dragon abruptly condensed in midair. Its jaws gaping wide, he shot straight toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's expression changed. He was just about to retreat when the Scarlet Flame Giant Dragon came hurtling toward him, slamming viciously into him without a moment's hesitation.

Rumble...

"Pfft!"

With a thunderous shock that shook heaven and earth, a blazing orb of energy erupted in midair like the scorching sun, radiating a savage, searing Energy Fluctuation.

A figure was then hurled backward out of that sunlike orb of energy, like a bird with broken wings.

In midair, Xiao Yan spat out a mouthful of blood, which evaporated in the scorching heat before it could fall. His unfocused gaze instinctively turned toward the azure flame.

A figure stood quietly there, holding the Green Lotus Base aloft in his right hand. Upon it, the green lotus core flame slowly swirled, constantly shifting into wondrous shapes.

A confident smile still lingered on that figure's face.

His features were strikingly handsome. It was none other than Su Tian!

His lips moved slightly, as though he were saying something to Xiao Yan. A moment later, Xiao Yan spat out another mouthful of blood, a hint of madness surfacing on his increasingly pale face.

Those were the words Su Tian had just spoken.

"I told you, no one is taking this green lotus core flame away."

"That includes you."

"Sorry, Xiao Yan. This heavenly flame belongs to me now!"