Departure, Xiao Yan's Gaze

The closer they got to the surface, the cooler it felt.

Compared to the underground magma, the desert's surface temperature was simply cool beyond belief. Besides, the main reason was that Hai Bodong had frozen this entire area.

Back on the surface, Luo Yang discovered crowds of human mercenaries and low-level magical beasts gathered in the distance. Just as he had expected, they had all been drawn here by the coolness of the ice Hai Bodong had created.

In this dry, scorching desert, such cool ice was enough to save lives. Not only could it lower the temperature and offer relief from the heat, it could also quench their thirst...

However, all of them feared Hai Bodong's terrifying presence as a Dou Huang expert. They stayed far out on the fringes, not daring to approach.

With so many of them, probably nearly half the desert's inhabitants had come.

Finding such a cool place in this unbearably hot desert was something they would not trade even for a mountain of gold.

What surprised Luo Yang, however, was that so many mercenaries and magical beasts had not started fighting. They had even formed a certain unspoken rule found in nature-peaceful coexistence while escaping the heat or drinking.

Luo Yang could not be bothered with all these random bystanders. He called Hai Bodong over and prepared to leave.

"Elder Hai, thanks for the effort. The plan's accomplished. We can leave now..."

"Mm."

Elder Hai was ruthless and a man of few words. He nodded and followed Luo Yang and the others deeper into the desert.

In the distance, among the humans and magical beasts seeking relief from the heat, a black-robed youth carrying a giant ruler watched the group gradually disappear into the distance.

"Teacher, it really is them..."

Watching Luo Yang and the others from behind, Xiao Yan quietly communicated with Yao Lao inside his ring.

Not long after Luo Yang had left Stone Desert City, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao had also left to search for the Heavenly Flames in the desert. Without Qing Lin, however, Xiao Yan's search was like a blind cat stumbling about.

"Little Yanzi, you need to work hard at cultivating. That boy is almost a Five-Star Dou Master..."

Yao Lao's voice rang out in Xiao Yan's mind.

Even a starved camel was bigger than a horse. Although Yao Lao was now worth less than a single hair of his former peak self, he still had his discerning eye, and his soul power remained at the Spirit Realm. Sensing Luo Yang's cultivation was no trouble at all.

"What? F-five... Five-Star Dou Master!"

Xiao Yan was shocked. His previously composed body trembled twice. Anyone who did not know better might have thought he had passed away.

Half a year ago, during his training in Qingshan Town, he had first met the youth named Luo Yang. The other boy had still been trash with Three-Stage Dou Qi, while Xiao Yan himself had already been a genuine Dou Zhe.

Now, after enduring countless hardships, Xiao Yan had finally managed to advance from Dou Zhe to One-Star Dou Shi in just half a year, yet Yao Lao was telling him that the other boy had surpassed him, and was a whole four stars ahead.

How could he possibly stay calm?

Noticing that Xiao Yan had fallen into self-doubt, Yao Lao spoke up to guide him.

"Little Yanzi, you don't need to dwell on it. Comparing yourself to others will anger you to death. Weren't you only at Three-Stage Dou Qi back then too? Now, in two and a half years, you've advanced from Three-Stage Dou Qi to Dou Shi. A seventeen-year-old Dou Shi-doesn't that make you more talented than him? Your teacher believes in you. By the time you're eighteen, you'll definitely break through to Da Dou Shi and surpass him..."

As Xiao Yan listened to Yao Lao, the knot in his heart slowly loosened.

He had almost suffered Qi deviation.

"Thank you, Teacher..."

Xiao Yan tightened his black robe around himself, turned, and headed in another direction.

By nightfall, cold winds blew in gusts.

Nights in the desert were unlike the scorching days, with an enormous temperature difference. During the day, even wearing nothing but a bikini felt hot, but once night fell, one had to wrap up in a padded coat.

The stretch of ice Hai Bodong had created, spanning dozens of li, made tonight even more bone-chilling.

After Tushan Rongrong and Qing Lin had fallen asleep in the tent, Luo Yang took out the Green Lotus Base, preparing to cultivate through the night.

Already a Four-Star Dou Shi, he could go an entire night without sleep without affecting his spirits the next day.

Ever since learning that Xiao Yan had arrived in Stone Desert City ahead of time, Luo Yang had developed a sense of crisis. Keeping the Sparklence as a fallback was one thing, but more importantly, he still had to become stronger himself.

Only by becoming stronger himself could he unleash greater strength after transforming into Tiga.

During those few days in Stone Desert City, Luo Yang had advanced from Two-Star Dou Shi to Four-Star Dou Shi.

With his upper limit expanded by Tushan Rongrong, he could advance smoothly to Dou Wang without any bottlenecks. But that did not mean he could do nothing; he still had to put in effort and sweat.

Hai Bodong, who was on night watch, was having a barbecue beside the fire. He took a bite of roasted magical beast meat and a swig of strong liquor, without so much as glancing at Luo Yang.

Luo Yang sat cross-legged on the Green Lotus Platform. Azure light rose from the lotus platform, finally enveloping him completely. The remaining section of root plunged into the sand, absorbing the scorching energy buried beneath the cold night's surface.

His cultivation speed was more than ten times faster than before.

About four hours passed before Luo Yang found a hint of an opportunity to break through. He immediately accelerated his absorption and compressed his Dou Qi, waiting for the right moment to charge through in one push.

Luo Yang's breakthrough went very smoothly, succeeding without any obstruction.

Four-Star Dou Shi ⇨ Five-Star Dou Master.

As a Dou Huang expert, Hai Bodong immediately detected the change in the Dou Qi of the youth beside him.

Inwardly, he could not help marveling at what a genius he was.

In less than half a month, he had gained three stars of cultivation. Although he was still only a Dou Shi, it was enough to reveal his monstrous talent.

As far as Hai Bodong knew, this youth seemed to be only eighteen.

Tsk, tsk. An eighteen-year-old Five-Star Dou Master would be a rare genius even among the scions of the imperial capital's great clans.

If Hai Bodong knew that Luo Yang's cultivation as an eighteen-year-old Five-Star Dou Master was the result of less than half a year of training, his Dao heart would shatter.

"Phew..."

Luo Yang exhaled and slowly opened his eyes.

Gaining three stars as a Dou Shi in half a month was neither fast nor slow. After all, he had the Earth Fire Lotus Seed, the Green Lotus Base, and the Companion Amethyst Source.

"Elder Hai, it's still early. Want to spar? I'd like to try out the Dou Technique I learned recently..." Luo Yang left his cultivation state, put away the Green Lotus Platform, and looked at Hai Bodong, who was eating roasted meat.

His hands itched unbearably. He was eager for a fight.

"...All right."

After chewing and swallowing the large mouthful of roasted meat, Hai Bodong agreed to Luo Yang's request for a match, still treating his words like gold.

Ever since he had been sealed, he had gone a long time without fighting. Although he did not think Luo Yang had the strength to fight a Dou Huang expert, the boy surely had some trump cards. He would simply treat it as giving guidance to a junior.

"This isn't a suitable place to fight. Let's go farther away..."

Since the commotion to come might be enormous and disturb the resting Tushan Rongrong and Qing Lin, Luo Yang decided to go somewhere farther away. Very far away.

If they woke Tushan Rongrong, they would be in for it.

Because Luo Yang knew that Sister Rongrong had a very serious temper when woken up...

Luo Yang took the Sparklence out of his inner pocket.

"Elder Hai, don't fall too far behind me..."

With that, Luo Yang held the Sparklence upright before his chest.

Click-

The Sparklence unfolded down the middle, releasing golden lightning and dazzling white light that enveloped Luo Yang's

body.

When the light faded, Luo Yang had once again become the fish-headed spicy-mama Tiga.

Hai Bodong's narrowed old eyes instantly widened several times over. What the fuck was this thing?

Moreover, his presence had actually risen several major ranks in succession, becoming not much weaker than Hai Bodong's own as a Four-Star Dou Emperor.

As expected of a young master from a great clan, casually pulling out such an awesome secret art.

Instantly turning from a Dou Shi into a Dou Emperor, and becoming so handsome too-it truly filled him with envy.

No wonder Luo Yang, with only a Dou Shi's strength, had dared to suggest sparring with him, a Dou Emperor.

In that case, he could no longer approach this as guiding a junior, but as a spar between experts of the same rank.

Luo Yang clenched his fists and crossed them over the diamond-shaped crystal on his forehead, then quickly spread them apart. Starting with a blue light from the diamond-shaped crystal, the red markings on his body vanished, leaving his entire body predominantly blue-violet.

His figure also looked much slimmer than before.

He had switched into his aerial speed form.

Hyah!!

Luo Yang raised both arms overhead, leaped, and flew into the sky.

"???"

Before his earlier shock had even faded, Hai Bodong was stunned again, his head full of little question marks. The roasted meat in his hand nearly fell to the ground; luckily, he caught it in time to keep it from getting sandy.

He hadn't formed Dou Qi Wings just now, had he?

Flying directly?

A Dou Zong expert?

Impossible. That presence just now was still somewhat weaker than mine. He absolutely couldn't be a Dou Zong expert.

"You really have... opened my eyes..."

Hai Bodong shook his head, inwardly lamenting that comparing oneself to others really could anger one to death, and stopped dwelling on such things.

He finished the last bit of roasted meat in one bite. Dou Qi Wings appeared behind him, and he soared into the air, pursuing Luo Yang in the direction he had left.

As expected of a Dou Huang expert, his flight speed was fast. In no time at all, he caught up...

Just as Hai Bodong was about to catch up to Luo Yang, Luo Yang suddenly accelerated, leaving Hai Bodong far behind.

Hai Bodong: "???"

Fucking hell!

Hai Bodong refused to believe it. Could he, a dignified Dou Huang expert, really be outdone in speed by a Dou Shi?

This time, he held nothing back and used his full strength. His Dou Qi Wings beat several times faster than before, and his speed increased severalfold along with them.