If it were just an ordinary Half-Emperor, that would be fine, but if it were a true Dou Di powerhouse, let alone Xiao Yan in his current weakened state, even in his prime, with the addition of the Northern King and Xiao Jin, he would absolutely not be a match for the opponent. It seems that Xiao Yan has no choice but to retreat for the time being.
" Elder Gu, do you know the exact level of that guy's strength?"
Xiao Yan's expression was solemn as he asked Gu You in his mind.
" Two-Star Dou Di is no weaker than Zhang Yi from Lengcui City."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's solemn expression deepened, and even the hand gripping the Heavy Xuan Ruler loosened slightly. With a swallow, Xiao Yan abruptly withdrew the giant ruler, storing it in his Storage Ring. Then, his gaze sharpened as he looked at the two bewildered Eight-Star Half-Emperor before him, and coldly said:
"Roll!"
With a loud shout of "Get out!", the two people in front of Xiao Yan seemed somewhat dazed, as if they had suddenly returned to reality from the Ghost Gate, giving them a dreamlike feeling.
Could it be that the Xiao Yan before my eyes is merely a figment of my imagination?
The two exchanged a bitter smile, remaining listless and motionless, as if waiting for the dream to end.
"I'll say it again, get out! Or you'll die!"
Seeing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but frown slightly. Then, he suddenly let out a furious roar, and a terrifying killing intent suddenly spread out from his body, descending upon the hearts of the two people in front of him.
Sensing this chilling killing intent, the expressions of Xiao Yan and the other two Eight-Star Half-Emperor changed drastically. They then realized that the Xiao Yan before them was not an illusion, and the words he spoke were real.
"Well..."
The sudden change left the two Eight-Star Half-Emperor somewhat stunned. When Xiao Yan snorted and his Heavenly Flames surged out, the two scrambled to their feet and fled into the distance without looking back.
After a long while, Xiao Yan finally took a deep breath, and the Heavenly Flames burning all over his body gradually dissipated, revealing a pale-faced Xiao Yan.
Glancing in the direction the two had gone, Xiao Yan felt a little relieved. Luckily, he hadn't revealed his real destination when he was making things up with them earlier; otherwise, if they had gotten around to it, Xiao Yan probably wouldn't have had a peaceful journey.
" Elder Gu, in your estimation, how long will it take that guy to catch up here?"
Coming to his senses, Xiao Yan once again focused his attention on the important matter at hand.
Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, the Gu You within him hesitated for a moment, then, under Xiao Yan's heavy gaze, slowly spoke, saying:
"In my estimation, he should arrive here in less than half an hour."
Xiao Yan nodded with an extremely solemn expression, then took a deep breath, lowered his gaze, glanced at the surrounding void, and couldn't help but feel a sense of pity.
"Sigh... Well, since I can't avoid this trouble, let me do something else first. After all, this all started because of me, so I should be the one to resolve it!"
With a soft sigh, Xiao Yan waved his hand, and a vibrant green Heavenly Flames rose from his palm.
The instant the Heavenly Flames rose, a refreshing medicinal fragrance transformed into a warm mist that rose up, causing Xiao Yan's injuries to begin to heal.
Sensing the rich life force within this Heavenly Flames, Xiao Yan felt a sense of relief. This Heavenly Flames was none other than the Flame of Life, ranked fifth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking and known as the Life Spirit Flame of Flame of Longevity.
The Life Spirit Flame grants its possessor a lifespan comparable to that of certain Old Gu magical beasts. By simply placing medicinal seeds into it, one can obtain a continuous supply of herbs, making it an exceptional Heavenly Flames coveted by alchemists.
Xiao Yan Xiao Yan could easily restore the shattered void, but he was helpless against the destroyed mountain range below.
Fortunately, the presence of the Heavenly Flames saved Xiao Yan a lot of trouble.
Under the influence of the Life Spirit Flame, in a short while, the Endless Void around us returned to its original appearance. Although the mountains below were gone, they were replaced by a lush green basin that was even more verdant than before. It is likely that this place will soon become an excellent training ground for some cultivators.
While Xiao Yan was repairing the space around him, on the other side, the two Eight-Star Half-Emperor who were fleeing in a hurry were completely unaware that an even more terrifying existence was flying towards them in the direction they were fleeing.
"Hehehehe... What's wrong with you two? A dignified Eight-Star Half-Emperor, actually beaten so badly by Xiao Yan that you're forced to flee in such a sorry state! This is truly not what Eight-Star Half-Emperor should be like!"
Just as the two Eight-Star Half-Emperor were fleeing frantically, a chilling, eerie laugh echoed from somewhere in the world.
The two were startled, their charging figures suddenly freezing in mid-air. Then they realized what was happening and scanned their surroundings, but they couldn't see a single person.
To be able to perfectly conceal one's tracks under the detection of two Eight-Star Half-Emperor, this person's strength, if not as heaven-defying as Xiao Yan's, is already far superior to theirs.
"May I ask who you are? Are you also here for Xiao Yan? If so, perhaps the two of us can show you the way."
At this moment, the old man in black robes was pounding his heart. His intuition told him that the mysterious person speaking at this moment might be much more terrifying than he had imagined.
"Hehehehe... What you say is quite true, I did indeed come for Xiao Yan..."
Upon hearing the mysterious person's address, the black-robed elder felt even more solemn. Just from this address, one could tell that this person must have held a high position for a long time, and his identity was far beyond that of an ordinary Half-Emperor.
However, just as the old man in black robes was about to speak, the mysterious man let out another strange laugh and continued, picking up where he left off:
"However, I don't need your directions. But with your cultivation levels, after cultivating for most of your lives, you can't even handle a Five-Star Half-Emperor. I really don't know how you've survived until now."
"You!"
Upon hearing this, the Eight-Star Half-Emperor beside the black-robed elder was about to lash out, but the black-robed elder forcibly suppressed him, indicating with his eyes that the other party was not weak, and the latter reluctantly withdrew his sinister gaze.
"Heh heh... None of that matters anymore. What matters is that I will deal with Xiao Yan for you and avenge you."
As a strange laugh subsided, a thick, dark fog suddenly surged around the two Eight-Star Half-Emperor, enveloping them.
Who are you?! What do you want?!
Noticing the black mist around them, the two were immediately alarmed and sensed something was wrong. They shouted angrily as their Dou Qi surged out of their bodies, fiercely bombarding the strange mist around them.
"Hehehehe, since I have avenged you, then as the price, you shall pay with your lives!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the black mist suddenly surged, and a series of strange, cawing cries came from within it, like those of a vengeful ghost from hell, which filled people with terror.
"Bang bang bang!"
The two fought back with all their might, seemingly trying to disperse the black mist, but the result was not as easy as they had expected. Despite their best efforts, the black mist remained unmoved.
"Heh heh heh heh, how naive! No one I set my mind to has ever escaped!"
As the eerie laughter rang out again, the churning black mist gradually thickened to a viscous, liquid-like consistency. Then, as the liquid began to writhe, it began to form black skulls that lunged at the two people in the center of the black mist.
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
The roar shook the heavens, then gradually faded into a hoarse voice until it fell silent.
Only after repairing the dilapidated scene before him did Xiao Yan withdraw his Heavenly Flames. He turned his gaze to the northern horizon, where he could vaguely sense an extremely terrifying aura flying towards his current location.