In the Soulbreak Gobi on the border between the Jia Ma Empire and the Black-Corner Region, yellow sand spun into swirling funnels in the fierce wind, striking the rock walls with a mournful howl. Xiao Yan and his companions stood in a sheltered mountain hollow. As his Azure Luan Wings folded, the gust they stirred scattered the gravel at his feet, exposing dark brown rock beneath-the scars left by Otherworldly Demon poison gas.
"Another thirty li ahead, and we'll reach Han Family territory." Nalan Yanran unfolded the map, tracing a spot marked with a red triangle. "According to our intelligence, the Han Family's Space Wormhole was built inside Soulbreak Cliff. It's currently the most stable passage from the Jia Ma Empire to the Central Plains." She handed Xiao Yan a water flask, its metal casing covered in fine scratches from the windblown sand.
Xiao Yan took the flask and sipped, his gaze turning toward the distant cliffs shrouded in yellow sand. His peak Dou Wang Dou Qi circulated slowly within him. Nourished by the resources gained from absorbing Han Feng's forces, the barrier of Eight-Star Dou Wang had long since loosened; now, he needed only an opportunity to break through. He weighed his Storage Ring in his hand. Inside lay the Spatial Coordinate Map found in Han Feng's treasury, marked in ancient seal script with the distribution of the Central Plains' major powers. A peculiar vortex had also been drawn along its edge-the energy symbol of a Space Wormhole.
"Be careful. Otherworldly Demons ravaged this stretch of Gobi six months ago." Dou Qi rippled faintly beneath Xiao Yi Xian's purple dress, and the green mist winding around her fingertips suddenly thickened. "There's still Otherworldly Demon energy lingering in the air, at a much higher concentration than in the Black-Corner Region." She took out three Poison-Cleansing Pills and distributed them. The pills dissolved into cool streams of air upon entering their mouths, flowing down their throats into their dantians.
The three continued onward. The closer they came to Soulbreak Cliff, the thinner the blowing sand became, replaced by densely scattered black rocks. Honeycomb-like holes covered the stones, scars of corrosion from Otherworldly Demon acid. Occasionally, shattered armor plates and broken weapons could still be seen wedged in the cracks.
"There's fighting ahead!" Nalan Yanran's wind Dou Qi suddenly drew taut. She listened for a moment, and her expression changed slightly. "At least three Dou Emperor-level auras are clashing, and there are also... Otherworldly Demon energy fluctuations!" Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened, and his Azure Luan Wings spread instantly. "Let's take a look!"
The gust raised by his gold-and-cyan wings broke through the yellow sand, and the scene ahead gradually came into focus-Han Family Fort beneath Soulbreak Cliff was under attack. Dozens of black-robed figures rode bone-winged demon wolves, brandishing poisoned curved blades as they charged the gates. Dark green poison mist billowed from the clay jars in their hands, hissing corrosively when it touched the defensive light barrier covering the walls.
Inside the fort, the Han Family members fought desperately. Leading them was a middle-aged man in silver armor, his early-stage Dou Zong aura as steady as a boulder. His spear danced like a dragon, each sweep bringing a shower of blood. But there were simply too many black-robed attackers. Two leaders at peak Dou Emperor were working together to suppress him, and spiderweb cracks had already spread across the light barrier over the gates.
"That's Han Li, the Han Family patriarch!" Xiao Yan recognized the clan token at the silver-armored man's waist; it matched the description in their intelligence. "Those black-robed men belong to the Bone-Eroding Hall, a subordinate force of the Otherworldly Demons. They live by plundering spatial resources!" Xiao Yi Xian added, "Their poison mist contains Otherworldly Demon bone powder. It can break down Dou Qi defenses. We have to help them immediately!"
"Extreme Wind: Meteor Kill!" Nalan Yanran struck first. Cyan wind blades streaked across the sky like meteors, slashing precisely toward the two Bone-Eroding Hall leaders. Caught off guard as they besieged Han Li, both were struck in the shoulders, and their peak Dou Emperor auras immediately faltered. Han Li seized the opening. His spear surged outward, forcing them back several steps. Seeing Xiao Yan and his companions overhead, surprise and delight flashed through his eyes. "Xiao Gate Master?!"
Xiao Yan did not answer. The Mysterious Yellow Earth-Core Flame blazed in his palm. "Purifying Spirit Burning Heaven Record Ninth Form: Flame Domain!" Gold-and-cyan flames spread like a tide, forming a domain a hundred zhang across. Bone-Eroding Hall members who entered it were instantly swallowed by fire. Screams rose one after another, while the dark green poison mist steamed away in the searing heat.
"Peak Dou Wang?!" The Bone-Eroding Hall leader stared at the Dou Qi fluctuations around Xiao Yan, doubt and alarm flashing in his eyes. Intelligence from six months ago had placed Xiao Yan at merely Eight-Star Dou Wang, yet the aura he unleashed now was almost that of a Dou Emperor! Gritting his teeth, he told his companion, "Retreat! The wormhole's already nearly destroyed. There's no need to get tangled up with them!"
The black-robed attackers retreated like an ebbing tide, and the howls of their bone-winged demon wolves gradually vanished into the depths of the Gobi. Han Li breathed a sigh of relief and planted his spear on the ground. The blood on his silver armor looked especially stark beneath the sunlight. He cupped his hands toward Xiao Yan. "Thank you for coming to our aid, Xiao Gate Master. Otherwise, the Han Family today might have..." His voice choked. He turned toward the fort, where groans rose one after another.
Dozens of clan members lay on stretchers in Han Family Fort's square, their wounds tinged with an eerie black. They had clearly been poisoned by the Bone-Eroding Hall. Several physicians hurried to dress their wounds, but with little effect; the injured were breathing more weakly by the moment. After examining them, Xiao Yi Xian knitted her brows. "It's Otherworldly Demon bone powder mixed with the toxins of heart-eroding grass. Ordinary antidotes won't work. We'll need the Purification Flame together with Poison-Cleansing Pills to remove it."
"Let me try." Xiao Yan's mysterious yellow flame became a gentle stream of golden light, softly covering a young man's wound. The black toxin rapidly receded like ice and snow beneath the sun, and the young man's pained groans gradually subsided. Overjoyed, Han Li immediately ordered his clan members to bring all the wounded over. Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian divided the work, one purifying the toxins and the other distributing pills. They worked for four full hours before every injured person had been treated.
"Words cannot express our gratitude!" Han Li led the clan elders in a deep bow to Xiao Yan. "The Han Family will remember your kindness to our dying breath, Xiao Gate Master. But..." He looked toward Soulbreak Cliff, his expression grave. "I'm afraid the wormhole... may be beyond saving." Xiao Yan's interest stirred. "What happened to the wormhole?"
Han Li led them to the wormhole control chamber inside the mountain. The scene here was even more devastating than outside the fort. Spatial Rifts covered the stone walls, and pale blue streams of wormhole energy flowed like turbulent rivers, occasionally erupting in blinding arcs of electricity. Of the twelve Star-Patterned Pillars that had once stabilized the wormhole, seven had broken. The Spatial Runes on their surfaces had gone dark, and a pungent burnt smell hung in the air.
"The Bone-Eroding Hall's target was never Han Family Fort. It was the wormhole." Han Li pointed at the vortex in its center. "They used Spatial Bombs specially made by the Otherworldly Demons to destroy the Star-Patterned Pillars. The wormhole's energy balance has been disrupted, and it could collapse at any moment. Once it disappears, the passage between the Jia Ma Empire and the Central Plains will be completely severed."
Nalan Yanran studied the turbulent energy streams. "How long will repairs take? We have to reach the Central Plains as soon as possible." Han Li smiled bitterly. "The Star-Patterned Pillars are made from meteorites, and their Spatial Runes must be engraved anew with Dou Zong Dou Qi. The greatest problem is the residual Otherworldly Demon energy inside the wormhole. Ordinary Dou Qi can't remove it at all..." He looked at Xiao Yan with hope in his eyes. "Your Purification Flame might be able to do it, Xiao Gate Master, but it would take at least three days. And..."
"And the Bone-Eroding Hall will definitely return," Xiao Yan finished for him, mysterious yellow flame dancing at his fingertips. "If they could destroy it once, they'll dare to try a second time." Han Li took a fist-sized, deep blue magic core from his Storage Ring. An icy blue marking ran through its center, and immense energy radiated from it. "This is the magic core of a seventh-tier Ice-Armored Lion. It contains pure spatial energy and is a crucial material for repairing the Star-Patterned Pillars. If you help us restore the wormhole, Xiao Gate Master, this magic core will be yours. The Han Family will also provide ten Spatial Teleportation Talismans to ensure your safety in the Central Plains."
Looking at the magic core, Xiao Yan could feel the spatial energy within faintly resonating with the heavenly flames inside him-this was precisely the opportunity he needed to break through to peak Dou Wang! He nodded. "Agreed, but I'll need the Han Family's full cooperation. Nalan will handle security, Xiao Yi Xian will prepare pills, and Patriarch Han will organize his clan members to gather the repair materials. We start now!"
Repairs began immediately. Xiao Yan first used his mysterious yellow flame to purify the Otherworldly Demon residue inside the wormhole. The golden fire slowly seeped into the Spatial Rifts like a gentle stream of water. With each circulation of the flames, the rifts shrank a little, and the pale blue energy streams gradually steadied. Meanwhile, Han Li led three clan elders in reforging the Star-Patterned Pillars with Dou Zong Dou Qi. Under its scorching heat, the meteorite material took shape anew, shining with dazzling light.
Xiao Yi Xian laid a Defensive Poison Formation around the control chamber. Its purple poison mist formed a peculiar balance with Xiao Yan's Flame Domain, keeping enemies out without interfering with the wormhole's energy. Nalan Yanran led the Han Family's Dou Huang experts in establishing eighteen watch posts around Soulbreak Cliff. The perception of her wind Dou Qi extended more than a hundred li, and not even the slightest rustle could escape her senses.
On the first night, the Bone-Eroding Hall launched a sneak attack, just as expected. This time, they brought a stronger force—a Mid-Dou Zong leader commanding fifty black-robed figures, riding bone-winged demon wolves out of the depths of the Gobi. Nalan Yanran's wind-based warning network sounded the alarm immediately. Han Li left two clan elders to continue the repairs while he joined Xiao Yan to face the enemy.
"Xiao Yan, you little brat! You dared ruin my plans!" The Bone-Eroding Hall leader grinned savagely, his Mid-Dou Zong aura bearing down like dark clouds. He pointed his bone staff at Xiao Yan. "Today, you'll taste the might of the Otherworldly Demon Bonefire!" Dark green flames spewed from the staff's tip, carrying an aura that could corrode everything, and instantly engulfed Xiao Yan.
"A paltry trick." Rather than retreat, Xiao Yan advanced. His Mysterious Yellow Earth-Core Flame surged, and gold-and-cyan fire collided with the dark green bonefire. Astonishingly, the Otherworldly Demon Bonefire melted like ice and snow the moment it touched the mysterious yellow flame, hissing as it dissolved into harmless Dou Qi particles. "Impossible!" Disbelief covered the Bone-Eroding Hall leader's face.
Han Li seized the chance to attack. His silver spear became a streak of light aimed straight at the leader's heart. Xiao Yan spread his Azure Luan Wings and charged into the black-robed ranks, sweeping his heavy sword across them. Wherever the golden flames passed, the attackers fell in swathes. Nalan Yanran's wind blades worked seamlessly with Xiao Yi Xian's poison mist, killing every fish that slipped through the net. In less than an hour, the attacking Bone-Eroding Hall members had been completely annihilated. Their Mid-Dou Zong leader was gravely wounded by Xiao Yan and Han Li's combined assault and fled in panic.
While clearing the battlefield, Xiao Yan discovered that the Bone-Eroding Hall members' weapons were engraved with the same runes as the Otherworldly Demon Altar in Black Wind Valley. "They really are connected to the Otherworldly Demon Altar." He handed Han Li a curved blade engraved with runes. "These runes can absorb spatial energy. It seems the Otherworldly Demons aren't targeting just the wormhole, but spatial nodes across the entire continent."
Han Li's expression grew grave. "News from the Central Plains says that all the major Space Wormholes have been attacked recently. Could the Otherworldly Demons be trying to seal the passages between continents?" Xiao Yan tightened his grip on his heavy sword. "Whatever they're planning, we have to stop them. Let's speed up the repairs and reach the Central Plains as soon as possible. Perhaps the answers we need are there."
Over the next two days, the repairs proceeded smoothly. Under the purification of the mysterious yellow flame, the Otherworldly Demon residue inside the wormhole was completely removed, and the pale blue energy streams regained their stability. Han Li and the clan elders reforged the final Star-Patterned Pillar, and the Spatial Runes lit up again, resonating with a low hum. When the last rune was engraved, the vortex at the wormhole's center suddenly burst with dazzling light, and a stable spatial passage formed once more.
"We did it!" The Han Family members cheered, and thunderous applause erupted through the control chamber. Standing at the wormhole's edge, Xiao Yan could feel immense energy flowing from the other side-the spiritual energy of heaven and earth unique to the Central Plains Continent, several times denser than that of the Jia Ma Empire. The seventh-tier Ice-Armored Lion's magic core grew faintly warm in his palm. Having absorbed the spatial energy released when the wormhole activated, the icy blue marking at its center became even clearer.
"Xiao Gate Master, here are the magic core and teleportation talismans I promised you." Han Li handed him a jade box, gratitude filling his eyes. "The wormhole is stable now, but it can only accommodate three people traveling together, and the transfer may be a little turbulent." Xiao Yan accepted the jade box and took out the magic core, holding it in his hand. "That's enough."
He drew a deep breath and circulated his peak Dou Wang Dou Qi, guiding the magic core's spatial energy through his body. Icy blue energy intertwined with the Mysterious Yellow Earth-Core Flame, forming a peculiar vortex that battered the barrier of peak Dou Wang. Crack! The barrier shattered, and immense Dou Qi surged through him. His peak Dou Wang aura erupted like a volcano, making the entire control chamber tremble faintly.
"You broke through?!" Han Li and Nalan Yanran looked at him in delighted surprise. The Dou Qi fluctuations around Xiao Yan were more solid than before, faintly showing the beginnings of a Dou Emperor's power. Xiao Yan opened his eyes, a keen light flashing within them. "Thank you for the magic core, Patriarch Han. I'll remember this kindness."
As they prepared to leave, Han Li suddenly pressed a bronze token into Xiao Yan's hand. "This is a token of the Spatial Commerce Association in the Central Plains. With it, you can use the Teleportation Arrays in all the major cities free of charge. The association's president is an old family friend of the Han Family. Perhaps he can help you find clues about the Otherworldly Demons." Xiao Yan carefully put the token away. "Take care."
The three stood before the wormhole, pale blue spatial energy wrapping around them like a gentle stream of water. Xiao Yan glanced back toward the Jia Ma Empire. There lay the family he protected, the companions who had fought at his side, and mysteries yet to be unraveled. But he knew that the Central Plains Continent ahead was the true battlefield. There awaited stronger enemies, traces of his father, and an opportunity to fuse four heavenly flames.
"Let's go." Xiao Yan nodded to Xiao Yi Xian and Nalan Yanran, and all three stepped into the wormhole together. Pale blue light swallowed them, their figures gradually disappearing into the vortex. Han Li stood at the wormhole's edge, watching the spatial passage stabilize again, then bowed deeply toward the Central Plains. "May your journey be smooth, Xiao Gate Master, and may you uncover the Otherworldly Demons' plot soon."
The wind still howled over Soulbreak Cliff, but the control chamber within the mountain was peaceful. The stable Space Wormhole shone with pale blue light, like a bond connecting two worlds, bearing witness to the new journey of Xiao Yan and his companions. On the distant Central Plains Continent, a greater storm was quietly brewing, awaiting their arrival. Xiao Yan's legend was about to write a new chapter on a far broader stage.
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