Odd changes, even stays the same; Xiao Yan: Signs depend on the quadrant?

"Pfft..."

Su Tian's words were viciously provocative. Xiao Yan's expression changed at once, rage surging through him. Unable to hold it back, he spat out another mouthful of crimson blood, leaving a glaring streak down the corner of his mouth.

After those years of being called "trash" in his youth, Xiao Yan had thought he could remain calm in the face of any mockery.

Besides, with his pride and confidence, when had he ever suffered such humiliation and ridicule from someone his own age? Despite all the trials he had endured, a profound sense of defeat still overwhelmed him now.

On top of that, Xiao Yan had put far too much effort into obtaining the green lotus core flame, suffering countless hardships along the way.

Yet now, once again, it had slipped right past him.

All Xiao Yan could do was watch helplessly as Su Tian claimed the green lotus core flame, taking everything he had longed for and crushing his hopes with his own hands.

"I... failed..."

Xiao Yan gave Su Tian a long look, his expression growing uglier. Deep bitterness tugged at his lips as he slumped to the ground, his hair disheveled. He clenched his fists feebly and murmured those words.

Seeing Xiao Yan so dejected, Yao Lao frowned. His gaze hardened, and he barked, "Xiao Yan, pull yourself together! Look at the state you're in! It's only a Heavenly Flame! If we have to, we'll find another one. This isn't the only Heavenly Flame on the Dou Qi Continent!"

"As long as you don't give up hope, we still have a chance! If you choose to sink into despair now, that's when there really won't be any hope left!"

"Teacher..."

Only after hearing Yao Lao's stern admonition did a faint glimmer slowly return to Xiao Yan's dull eyes.

Yao Lao sighed softly at the sight. He knew just how devastating this failure had been for Xiao Yan.

Even Xiao Yan's perseverance and resilience had failed to withstand this blow. After all, he had sacrificed far too much for the green lotus core flame, and the reality before him was more than he could come to terms with for the moment.

"Rest assured. With me here, even if you haven't found another Heavenly Flame by the time the three-year agreement comes due, I won't let you lose!"

Yao Lao looked at Xiao Yan with kindly eyes. After a brief pause, he said earnestly, "After all, that was my promise to you from the very beginning!"

No matter the price, I will help you grow into a true powerhouse of the Dou Qi Continent!

Yao Lao did not speak those words aloud, only murmuring them silently in his heart.

"Teacher, thank you."

Xiao Yan drew a deep breath. His despondency eased a little, and some light returned to his eyes. He forced a faint smile and spoke softly.

"I'm all right now. I lost control earlier. I'm sorry, Teacher."

"Sometimes, failure isn't something to fear. Instead, it can become the driving force that makes you stronger. I believe that one day, you'll reach the summit of the strong and prove yourself!"

Yao Lao gently shook his head, anticipation showing on his face as he spoke with heartfelt sincerity.

"All right, get ready. This purple barrier Queen Medusa put up won't hold much longer. Once it shatters, those people outside are bound to rush in."

Hearing that, Xiao Yan hurriedly looked up and saw that the purple barrier had already grown thin.

He could even faintly make out the figures hovering outside.

"Since we didn't get the Heavenly Flame this time, there's no reason to stay here. The moment the purple barrier breaks will be our chance to retreat!"

"I understand, Teacher!"

Xiao Yan nodded firmly and answered in a low voice.

His gaze involuntarily turned toward Su Tian, who stood in the distance holding the green lotus core flame aloft. His eyes narrowed, a cold gleam flashing through them as he murmured inwardly.

Su Tian, the next time we meet, I'll repay today's debt a hundredfold!

As though sensing Xiao Yan's silent words, Su Tian's heart gave a sudden jolt. Seeing the cold gleam in Xiao Yan's eyes, he smiled faintly.

"What? Still not convinced?"

"You'd better watch yourself. Unless I'm mistaken, that Nine-Star Dou Emperor strength of yours won't last much longer, will it?"

Xiao Yan stood and brushed the dust off his clothes. Looking at Su Tian, he sneered, "I don't know why your Nine-Star Dou Emperor strength is so formidable, but with so many people watching outside, you won't have an easy time if they all attack together, will you?"

"You needn't trouble yourself over that. Since I dared to seize this Heavenly Flame, I clearly don't think much of them. As for how I'll take it away, that has nothing to do with you."

The corners of Su Tian's mouth lifted. His handsome face remained calm as he grinned.

Those people outside?

Su Tian really did not consider them a threat.

What he had not expected was that the strength unleashed by the system's Nine-Star Dou Emperor Trial Card would far surpass that of an ordinary Nine-Star Dou Emperor.

From what Su Tian could feel, the power of his current Nine-Star Dou Emperor cultivation was fully comparable to that of a Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor.

He could even be considered one of the best among Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperors.

At this moment, Su Tian probably would not have taken even Queen Medusa as she had been before seriously, let alone those people outside.

That was also why, after using the Nine-Star Dou Emperor Trial Card, he had instantly defeated Xiao Yan, who had entered the Dou Huang realm by borrowing Yao Lao's strength.

The system really was fucking incredible!

"Let's hope so. If you die here, the Heavenly Flame might still end up in my hands."

Xiao Yan merely nodded indifferently at Su Tian's words. As he turned to leave, he did not forget to look back and take another sarcastic jab.

But just as Xiao Yan was about to leave, Su Tian suddenly called him back. "Wait. Have you forgotten that I said I had a secret to tell you?"

"What secret?"

Xiao Yan frowned deeply, impatience creeping into his voice.

Su Tian did not mind at all. He simply shrugged, a meaningful smile curling his lips. "There's something I want to say to you. Then perhaps you'll know who I really am."

At Su Tian's mysterious manner, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, intense wariness rising within him.

"The heavenly king subdues the earthly tiger."

The instant Su Tian finished speaking, Xiao Yan's expression changed drastically. The coldness on his face gave way to stunned disbelief.

"What?"

"Didn't hear me clearly? Then let's try another one. Odd changes, even stays the same."

Seeing Xiao Yan's dumbfounded expression, as though he had not quite caught up, Su Tian curled his lips in exasperation, rolled his eyes at him, shook his head, and continued.

"You should know now, right?"

"Signs depend on the quadrant..."

Xiao Yan could no longer suppress the shock raging through him like violent winds and towering waves. He answered softly, almost by instinct. In the next instant, his expression changed dramatically, his pupils dilated, and a powerful aura abruptly erupted from his body.

Looking at Su Tian's face, Xiao Yan began breathing rapidly, his chest heaving.

It was more than enough to reveal the tremendous shock surging through his heart.

"When joke buddies march to war."

Seeing Xiao Yan answer correctly, Su Tian grinned and nodded in satisfaction before throwing out another phrase.

"Not a blade of grass survives..."

Xiao Yan's mind could barely keep up now. His mouth instinctively supplied the response. Everything Su Tian had said lay completely beyond his expectations.

He had never imagined that Su Tian's identity was actually...

"How is that possible!"

Xiao Yan hurriedly shook his head hard, trying to fling away the absurd thought that had surfaced in his mind. Yet a voice within him kept telling him it was all true.

"Now you know what kind of person I am, right?"

From Xiao Yan's reaction, Su Tian knew he already had his answer. It was simply an answer he might find difficult to accept for the moment.

"You..."

But just as Xiao Yan raised his head to look at Su Tian and was about to say something else, a thunderous crash suddenly rang out overhead.

Su Tian and Xiao Yan hurriedly looked up. In the next second, both their expressions changed.

"Boom..."

The purple barrier in the sky flickered in and out of sight until, at last, it shattered with a deafening crash into countless tiny points of light.

At that moment, Yao Lao's voice rang out within Xiao Yan's heart. "Now! Hurry, get out of here!"

"All right!"

Xiao Yan nodded firmly. With a complicated look in his eyes, he gave Su Tian one last long glance. Then his feet moved sharply, and, enveloped in Yao Lao's soul power, he raced toward the outskirts of Temple City.

At the same time, Su Tian reacted just as quickly.

The moment the purple barrier burst apart, Su Tian stomped hard against the ground. Drawing on the Nine-Star Dou Emperor strength within him, he shot straight into the sky.

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears.

"Remember, you can't put a Heavenly Flame inside a Storage Ring. Otherwise, everything in the ring will be burned into nothingness!"

Su Tian's eyes flashed at those words, and a faint smile lifted his lips. His gaze swept discreetly toward the direction Xiao Yan had gone.

"That guy..."

The voice just now had unmistakably belonged to Xiao Yan.

Although he did not know why Xiao Yan had chosen to warn him, it seemed their relationship was not quite so terrible after all.

Shaking his head lightly, Su Tian glanced back toward Bamboo Forest Snake Island. By now, Gu He and the others, along with the Great Elder and her companions, had already rushed inside impatiently.

"Goodbye, Temple City. From now on, I'll finally be free again!"

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Looking at everything behind him, Su Tian could not help wearing a relaxed expression. His eyes shone brightly. He had waited far too long for this day.

"Whoosh..."

Without any further hesitation, Su Tian turned away. Holding the green lotus core flame in his hand, he formed a pair of crimson Dou Qi Wings behind him and sped beyond Temple City's boundaries.

He flew without stopping until he was several thousand meters away. Only then did he slowly come to a halt.

"Young master!"

Su Tian waved his right hand, and Qing Mu's soul form appeared, bowing respectfully to him as he spoke.

"Old Qing, sorry for the trouble this time. While Temple City is still in chaos, hurry back there. Once you've merged with your physical body, come meet me immediately. Then I'll take you out of the Tagor Desert!"

Su Tian waved lightly at the respectful Qing Mu before him, then gave his instructions with a serious expression.

"This old servant obeys!"

Naturally, Qing Mu offered no resistance to Su Tian's orders. He immediately cupped his fists in acknowledgment. After confirming a few details about their rendezvous, he accepted the Communication Device Su Tian had prepared in advance, then turned and hurried toward Temple City.

Watching Qing Mu depart, Su Tian finally let out a long breath.

Claiming the green lotus core flame might have looked easy, but in truth, that chain of events had kept Su Tian under so much pressure that he had not dared relax for an instant.

His contest of wits and strength with Xiao Yan in particular had left him mentally exhausted. But seeing the green lotus core flame slowly revolving in his hand, Su Tian grinned, feeling that all his hard work had been worthwhile.

"And there's this little one. I wonder when she'll wake up."

Su Tian gently lifted his sleeve. The Seven-Colored Little Snake was tightly coiled around his arm, her pale purple eyes closed. She seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

Su Tian had no idea how to awaken this Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python.

After all, he had no companion amethyst source on hand. Apart from a few medicinal herbs, he had nothing of much value, and even those things had been scavenged from Qing Mu.

"Compared with Xiao Yan, I really am penniless and empty-handed right now."

Su Tian sighed helplessly, rubbing his nose with a bitter smile.

At that moment, Su Tian established a dream in his heart.

And that was:

First, achieve a modest little goal: amass ten whole Storage Rings' worth of treasures!

After all, Su Tian had a little ancestor to feed, and the thought gave him a headache. "Why do I feel like a stay-at-home dad now? Still, come to think of it, if that's the case, when Queen Medusa recovers her true form, won't she have to call me..."

Daddy?

At that thought, Queen Medusa's sexy, supple figure involuntarily surfaced in Su Tian's mind, along with her alluring, bewitching face, her red lips exhaling orchid-sweet breath, and that tingling, soul-stealing voice...

Paired with the word Su Tian had imagined, it instantly became more than he could handle. His face flushed red, scorching heat rose within him, and he nearly spurted a nosebleed.

"I can't think about that! I can't! I'm a respectable man!"

Su Tian hurriedly swallowed again and again, shaking his head frantically. He forced himself to calm down, taking repeated deep breaths before finally suppressing the burning heat within him.

Meanwhile, back in Temple City, Gu He and the others had rushed inside the instant the purple barrier shattered.

As the green smoke dispersed, the now-barren island was fully exposed to everyone's eyes. Looking at the frighteningly smooth, deep craters on its surface, they could imagine the brutal destruction that had taken place there.

"No sign of the Heavenly Flame!"

Yan Shi's sharp eyes swept quickly over the island as he spoke in a low voice.

Meanwhile, countless tiny wind blades burst from between Feng Li's palms, filling the sky and knocking back the Snake-People charging madly toward the island. He turned and urged Gu He and the others.

"Retreat, quickly! If we don't leave now, it'll be too late! Another powerhouse from the Snake-People Tribe seems to be approaching from the distance!"

"Damn it!"

Gu He gritted his teeth at those words. After a moment, he let out a long, deep breath and said with profound reluctance, "Go!"

Hearing Gu He give the order, Yan Shi and Feng Li both breathed sighs of relief.

Yet just as they prepared to retreat, a commotion suddenly broke out among the Snake-People surrounding them in the distance. Another powerhouse of the Snake-People Tribe seemed to have arrived.

Gu He looked over irritably, only for his pupils to contract abruptly. Within his soul perception, a faint, scorching aura suddenly emanated from afar.

"That's... the Heavenly Flame aura!"

Gu He stared fixedly toward the source of the aura and let out a furious roar. Clearly, he had realized what had happened.

"Damn it! That bastard actually dared to use us as his weapons!"

But just as Gu He was about to lead the others in pursuit, the Snake-People Tribe's powerhouses closed in. Another of their experts had indeed joined them, and behind them was a Snake-People army that almost blotted out the sky.

"You think you can come and go as you please? What do you take our Snake-People Tribe for!"

The Snake-People Tribe's tribal leader, Yan Ci, radiated fiery red Dou Qi that rose like flames. He glared at Gu He and the others, his voice rolling across the city like furious thunder.

"Get out of my way!"

With his path blocked, Gu He was burning with anxiety. Looking toward the distant aura of the Heavenly Flame, he could not help roaring angrily. With a wave of his hand, pale blue flames instantly condensed into a fireball before him.

Carrying scorching force, it then shot viciously toward Yan Ci and the others.

The moment those pale blue flames appeared, the surrounding temperature soared. Clearly, the flame Gu He wielded was no ordinary Dou Qi flame. Yet it was far inferior to a Heavenly Flame, and was presumably similar to the purple flame Xiao Yan possessed.

"Hmph! When it comes to alchemy, no one here can match you, Gu He. But when it comes to fighting, you'd better get the hell out of my way!"

Despite the blue flames' impressive momentum, Yan Ci showed no fear. A scornful sneer filled his face as he extended his hand and curled his fingers slightly. The fiery red Dou Qi surrounding his body abruptly condensed into a flaming palm more than ten feet across.

In an instant, it shot forward and easily enveloped the blue fireball. Then it clenched hard. A faint, muffled bang rang out, and the blue fireball burst into countless tiny flames that gradually dissipated.

Yan Ci had clearly gained the upper hand in their first exchange.

"Damn it! If this drags on, won't we have to watch the Heavenly Flame fall into someone else's hands again?"

Hearing Gu He's words, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes flashed beneath her black robe. She asked softly, "You sensed the Heavenly Flame aura?"

"That's right! In that direction! Someone seized the opportunity to steal the Heavenly Flame!"

Gu He nodded firmly and pointed toward Su Tian's location, snorting coldly as he spoke in a low voice.

Yun Yun considered it briefly before her cool voice slowly rang out. "I'll hold them off. You follow the Heavenly Flame aura first. Once I shake these people off, I'll come meet you!"

"But..."

Gu He hesitated slightly at those words. He naturally had no doubts about Yun Yun's strength, but the Snake-People Tribe had three or four Dou Wang experts. Against such a lineup, even Yun Yun would likely face considerable pressure.

Yet Yun Yun suddenly moved, charging straight toward them.

"Hurry! I can hold them off for a while. If you're too late, the Heavenly Flame really will fall into someone else's hands!"

"I'll leave things here to you!"

Hearing this, Gu He hesitated no longer. He nodded at once, waved his hand, and shot toward Su Tian.

"Get back here!"

Seeing Gu He and the others trying to leave, Yan Ci and his two companions roared in fury. They were just about to intercept them when Yun Yun's figure appeared before them like a phantom.

"Your opponent is me."

Yun Yun stood seemingly at ease in midair, speaking calmly in a cool, clear voice.

With a gentle flick of her sleeve, a fierce azure gale surged through the sky. Enormous azure wind blades formed within it, filling the air before shooting out in an instant, forcing all three of them into a rapid retreat beneath the onslaught.

The Great Elder, however, gave a cold shout. Rather than retreating, he advanced, charging straight toward Yun Yun through the azure gale.

Clang, clang, clang...

In an instant, the ringing of swords resounded in an unbroken succession.

Once Yan Ci and his two companions steadied themselves, they charged forward again without hesitation, each unleashing his own relentless, deadly attacks.

Violent booms erupted again and again between heaven and earth.

Meanwhile, with no one left to block them, Gu He and his two companions plowed ahead like a sharp sword, cutting straight through the defensive line formed by the mass of Snake-People. In moments, they burst out of Temple City and pursued Su Tian furiously, their faces filled with rage.

Wind and sand raged wildly, scorching gusts sweeping across the desert.

High in the azure sky, a figure sped past. His speed was not particularly fast, but the wind pressure he generated still pressed a deep furrow into the sand below.

Moments later, yellow sand carried by the fierce wind completely concealed the furrow.

"Why hasn't Old Qing arrived yet?"

This figure was none other than Su Tian, who had rushed out of Temple City carrying the Green Lotus Core Flame. Now, however, he flew along at a remarkably leisurely pace, heading toward their agreed meeting point to await Qing Mu's arrival.

Above Su Tian's palm, an exquisitely shaped green lotus hovered in the air, a mass of green flame rising within it and constantly shifting its shape.

"Hmm?"

Just as Su Tian was about to speed up, his expression shifted slightly. His brows furrowed, and he let out a soft sound of surprise before turning to look behind him.

At the very edge of his vision, three tiny black dots were growing larger at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Well, someone's got their eye on me after all. Looks like Gu He, Yan Shi, and their companion, doesn't it?"

Su Tian raised an eyebrow, immediately recognizing the three. An inscrutable smile curled his lips. He gave the man in the lead a long, searching look and spoke softly.

"As expected of Pill King Gu He. His spiritual perception is strong enough to sense the Heavenly Flame aura even from so far away."

Although Gu He and the others had discovered both him and the Heavenly Flame, not a trace of panic appeared on Su Tian's face. In fact, a hint of inexplicable anticipation lingered there.

"Since he's Pill King Gu He, he must have plenty of treasures on him, right?"

At the thought, Su Tian could not help licking his lips. From the look of him, he seemed intent on seizing this chance to squeeze some benefits out of Gu He!