The afternoon sun shone warmly over the Jia Ma Imperial Capital, baking the bluestone road outside the Spiritwood Workshop until it was hot.
Xiao Yan rubbed his fingertips over the jade box containing the Azure Wood Core. Its warmth seeped into his fingers, yet it was nothing compared to the heat in his heart.
This spiritual material, brought back from an ancient ruin, was crucial to refining the Purifying Spirit Pill. It had to be processed by the Mu Family's Spiritwood Workshop.
"Stop!"
Two green-robed guards barred the way with their staves. The wooden badges at their waists bore three-leaf patterns, marking them as guards of the Mu Family's main branch.
"The Spiritwood Workshop is closed today. Come back another day if you need spiritual materials processed."
The guard on the left gave Xiao Yan a sidelong glance, his eyes brimming with arrogance-in the imperial capital, not just anyone could cross the Mu Family's threshold.
Xiao Yan took out Chairman Fa Ma's letter:
"I have an appointment with the Wood Clan Chief."
The guard glanced at the letter, then suddenly sneered:
"You? You think you're worthy of a personal audience with our clan chief? You're just some stray brat trying to sneak into the Spiritwood Workshop and steal our techniques!"
As he spoke, his staff swept toward Xiao Yan's ankles with a rush of wind.
"How dare you!"
Xiao Yan sidestepped the blow, and mysterious yellow flame condensed into an inch-high flame in his palm.
The instant the golden flame appeared, a scorching aura struck the guard in the face, frightening him into stumbling backward.
Just then, the Spiritwood Workshop's doors creaked open. A young man in brocade robes stepped out leisurely. He was Mu Feng, the son of the Mu Family's clan chief.
"What's all this noise?"
When Mu Feng saw the flame in Xiao Yan's palm, wonder flashed through his eyes, then turned to greed.
"Father said he has important business today and won't see any outsiders. Still, that flame of yours is rather unusual. Why not offer it to our Mu Family? Perhaps we'll reward you with a servant's position."
Xiao Yan put away the letter:
"So the Mu Family's idea of hospitality is to seize whatever it wants?"
Mu Feng's expression darkened, and pale green Dou Qi rose around him:
"In the imperial capital, the Mu Family's word is law! Leave the flame and spiritual material here if you know what's good for you, or don't blame me for getting rough!"
The pale green Dou Qi transformed into thorn-covered vines that coiled toward Xiao Yan's throat.
"Stubborn fool."
Xiao Yan drew his heavy sword, and golden and azure flames instantly enveloped its blade.
He used no powerful Dou Technique. A casual swing was enough to burn the vines to ashes:
"Is this all the Mu Family can do?" Shocked and furious, Mu Feng unleashed the full force of his four-star Dou Wang Dou Qi:
"Green Vine Strangulation!"
Dozens of arm-thick vines burst from the ground, forming a cage without a single gap.
Azure Luan Wings unfolded behind Xiao Yan. His two heavenly flames flowed over their feathers, weaving gold and azure into streaks of light:
"Burning Heaven Art Second Form, Flame Wave Slash!"
Waves of fire surged out like a rising tide. The vine cage shattered instantly, and the blast hurled Mu Feng into a gate pillar, making him cough up blood.
"Who dares hurt my son!"
An angry shout came from within the gates, and an old man in green robes strode out. His hair and beard were gray, and the wooden staff in his hand was carved with growth rings. The oppressive aura of a One-Star Dou Emperor radiated from him-he was Mu Chen, the Mu Family's clan chief.
"So vicious at such a young age! I'll cripple you today!"
Mu Chen struck the ground with his staff. The earth suddenly split, and several enormous trees over ten feet tall erupted from it, forming a circular barrier around Xiao Yan.
Sharp wooden spikes sprouted from the trees, glinting with an eerie green sheen:
"Wooden Realm Cage! This brat ruined my son's Dou Qi foundation. Torture him slowly!"
Mu Feng struggled to his feet and stared at the trapped Xiao Yan with a vicious grin:
"You dared provoke the Mu Family? Now taste ten thousand spikes piercing your heart!"
Xiao Yan looked up at the steadily contracting wooden cage. His two heavenly flames resonated violently within him.
He incorporated the Dou Qi control method of the Ice Dou Qi Art into his flames, condensing golden and azure Dou Qi into a spiral in his palm:
"Purifying Spirit Burning Heaven Record Fifth Form, Flame-Ice Shatter!"
The spiraling flames struck the enormous trees with a deafening roar.
Crack!
Cracks appeared in the seemingly indestructible trees, and Mu Chen's expression changed sharply:
"Impossible! My Wooden Realm Cage can trap even a Peak Dou Wang!"
He hurriedly poured in more Dou Qi, but the cracks across the trees only multiplied.
Seizing his chance, Xiao Yan accelerated sharply with his Azure Luan Wings, driving his heavy sword and its two heavenly flames straight at the most densely cracked spot.
Boom!
The wooden cage exploded. Moving like lightning, Xiao Yan appeared before Mu Chen in an instant.
Golden and azure flames flowed along the blade, a mere three inches from Mu Chen's throat:
"Do you still want to fight, Wood Clan Chief?"
Feeling the purification power within the flames, Mu Chen's aged face alternated between green and white. His One-Star Dou Emperor aura had been completely suppressed.
A crowd of onlookers had already gathered around them. Seeing Xiao Yan, a six-star Dou Wang, force back a Dou Emperor, they all drew sharp breaths.
Feeling their eyes upon him, Mu Chen burned with shame and rage:
"You insolent brat!"
His wooden staff suddenly transformed into a giant python and lunged at Xiao Yan's head with a foul gust. Deadly poison coated the staff's tip.
"Still refusing to repent."
Rather than retreating, Xiao Yan advanced, condensing his two heavenly flames into a point on the blade:
"Purifying Spirit Thrust!"
The golden and azure point of light pierced the python's head and struck the core rune on the wooden staff with perfect precision.
The staff let out a mournful cry, and its giant python form collapsed instantly. The backlash sent Mu Chen flying, leaving his chest charred black as his Dou Emperor aura weakened sharply.
"Clan chief!"
The Mu Family guards rushed forward to help him. Mu Chen pushed them away and pointed at Xiao Yan, his voice trembling:
"Do you know who stands behind the Mu Family? You dared injure me-the Soul Hall will never let you off!"
Xiao Yan sneered:
"The Soul Hall? I've even ventured into the Otherworldly Demon Lair. Why would I fear your petty tricks?"
He walked up to Mu Feng and lifted the jade box containing the spiritual material with the tip of his heavy sword:
"You provoked me first today. In consideration of the generations the Mu Family has spent safeguarding spiritual materials, I'll spare you this once. If you dare commit more evil, I'll destroy your Spiritwood Workshop!"
Golden and azure flames danced along the blade. Mu Feng turned deathly pale with fear and nodded repeatedly.
Looking at the wreckage strewn across the ground and the pointing, murmuring crowd, Mu Chen nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
He had led the Mu Family for decades and had never suffered such humiliation. But Xiao Yan's two heavenly flames countered wood-aspect Dou Qi. Fighting head-on would only invite further disgrace, so he could only grit his teeth and say:
"The Mu Family will remember today's humiliation!"
Xiao Yan put away his heavy sword and turned to leave.
Sunlight fell across his back. The golden and azure flames resembled flowing sunset light, casting a long shadow over the bluestone road.
The crowd parted of its own accord, watching him with awe-young experts capable of defeating a Dou Emperor head-on were few and far between throughout the Jia Ma Empire.
When he returned to the Spirit Gatherer Association, Elder Lin Xiu was already waiting at the entrance.
Seeing Xiao Yan return unharmed, he let out a relieved breath:
"I heard you fought Mu Chen? That old fox may only be a One-Star Dou Emperor, but his wood-aspect Dou Techniques excel at entangling opponents. You didn't suffer any losses, did you?"
Xiao Yan took out the Azure Wood Core:
"It was just a little sparring. He's not capable of hurting me."
Chairman Fa Ma emerged from the council hall with an ancient book in his hand.
"The Mu Family has operated in the imperial capital for centuries and has close ties to the Soul Hall. Defeating them today may bring trouble."
He opened the ancient book and pointed to a page.
"This is the Purifying Spirit Pill Recipe. It requires the Azure Wood Core as its principal ingredient. Once the Spiritwood Workshop has processed it, we'll begin refining."
Xiao Yan studied the recipe as his two heavenly flames danced in his palm:
"With the Purifying Spirit Pill, we'll be able to cleanse demonic qi corruption from more people."
Chairman Fa Ma nodded:
"But the Mu Family certainly won't let this rest. They'll most likely join forces with other families against you. You'd best stay in the association for now and avoid going out."
Before he had finished speaking, a sudden uproar rose outside.
A Spirit Gatherer hurried over:
"Chairman, the Mu Family has joined forces with the Shi Family and the Li Family! They've brought hundreds of people to cause trouble at our entrance and are demanding that we hand over Xiao Yan!"
A fierce gleam flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes, and he drew his heavy sword again:
"Perfect. That'll save them the trouble of bothering me again."
Chairman Fa Ma stopped him:
"Don't act rashly. They're trying to provoke you into attacking."
He pondered for a moment.
"Go to the cultivation chamber and prepare to refine the pills. Leave this to me. The Mu Family may have numbers on its side, but it wouldn't dare actually force its way inside."
Xiao Yan nodded and turned toward the cultivation chamber.
He knew that refining the Purifying Spirit Pill was the most important task right now.
At the cultivation chamber's entrance, Xiao Yan looked back toward the association's main gates.
Beneath the sunlight, hundreds of figures milled around outside. Mu Chen's furious shouts could faintly be heard.
He clenched his fists, his two heavenly flames burning silently within him-neither the Mu Family nor the Soul Hall could halt his steps. The legend of a Spirit Gatherer of the Purifying Spirit Hall had only just begun to unfold a new chapter.
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