Ge Ye Strikes, Heavenly Flames Appear

The uproar on the Misty Cloud Platform had yet to subside when an angry voice rang out from the raised platform: "Insolence! Yanran is the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect. How dare you humiliate her like this!"

Everyone looked toward the voice and saw an old man in a dark green robe rise to his feet. His face was sinister, and he stared at Xiao Yan with hostility, a tyrannical pressure of Eighth Stage Dou Qi radiating from his body. He was Ge Ye, one of the Misty Cloud Sect's elders.

Ge Ye had always doted on Nalan Yanran and regarded her as his personal disciple. Seeing her suffer a crushing defeat at Xiao Yan's hands and then be publicly declared the "loser," he could no longer contain his anger.

"Elder Ge," Xiao Yan said, looking up at him with a calm expression, "the Three-Year Agreement was a wager, and the loser must accept defeat. How is that humiliation?"

"Sharp-tongued brat!" Ge Ye snorted, the pressure of his Eighth Stage Dou Qi bearing down on Xiao Yan as though it were solid. "You're just a minor member of the Xiao Clan. You were lucky enough to defeat Yanran, and now you dare throw your weight around in the Misty Cloud Sect? Today, I'll teach you a proper lesson on behalf of your elders!"

Before the words had left his mouth, he flashed forward, appearing before Xiao Yan like a ghost. His withered hand swept toward Xiao Yan's shoulder with a fierce gust of wind. The grab seemed slow, yet it sealed off every angle of escape. Within the wind from his palm, there was even a faint trace of earthy yellow Dou Qi. Clearly, he had cultivated some kind of fierce and forceful earth-attribute Dou Technique.

"Elder Ge, you mustn't!" Yun Yun called from the raised platform, her brows furrowing slightly as she tried to stop him. Though Xiao Yan's victory had surprised her too, it was hardly fair for someone of Ge Ye's standing as an elder to attack a junior.

But Ge Ye acted as if he had not heard her, his hand still descending with the sound of wind breaking. In his eyes, dealing with a youth at the Seventh Stage of Dou Qi would take no more than a lift of his hand.

Xiao Yan's gaze hardened. Ge Ye's speed and strength far surpassed Zhang Hao's, and the pressure of his Eighth Stage Dou Qi made Xiao Yan's breath catch. He dared not be careless in the slightest. Pushing Wind Walking Step to its limit, he abruptly leaned to the right, narrowly avoiding the claw.

"Rip!"

Ge Ye's fingertips grazed Xiao Yan's clothing, tearing a gash in the tough fabric. The force of the wind even made Xiao Yan's cheek sting.

"Your reactions aren't slow, at least." A trace of surprise flashed through Ge Ye's eyes, but his assault immediately grew fiercer. His palms flew, earthy yellow Dou Qi surging like a tide. Layer upon layer of palm shadows completely engulfed Xiao Yan.

So this was a powerhouse at the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi?

Xiao Yan's heart went cold. Every one of his opponent's attacks carried a force as heavy as a mountain, as if it meant to crush him. He could only rely on Wind Walking Step to keep dodging, occasionally managing to block with his iron ruler. He could not mount an effective counterattack at all.

[Alert! The host has come under attack from an Eighth Stage Dou Qi powerhouse, triggering the "Breakthrough in Desperate Straits" mission!]

[Mission requirements: withstand Ge Ye's attacks for ten breaths and successfully counterattack once.]

[Mission rewards: cultivation at the Peak Seventh Stage of Dou Qi, unlock the "Heavenly Flames Simulation" ability (can briefly simulate a trace of a Heavenly Flame's presence, with a special burning effect on Dou Qi), 300 points.]

The system notification lifted Xiao Yan's spirits. Heavenly Flames Simulation? That's good stuff! In his previous life, Heavenly Flames had played an indispensable part in his ability to roam the world unhindered. Though he had no actual Heavenly Flame now, being able to simulate a trace of its presence would be enough to deal with quite a few situations.

"Ten breaths... that's enough!"

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened. Rather than simply dodging, he focused all his attention on Ge Ye's moves. Though Ge Ye's palm techniques were fierce and forceful, there was always a momentary gap between attacks. That was his chance!

"First breath..."

Xiao Yan shifted his footwork, narrowly avoiding a heavy palm strike. The wind from the blow struck the ground, smashing a deep pit into the hard stone slab.

"Second breath..."

Using the agility of Wind Walking Step, he circled to Ge Ye's side and swept his iron ruler across, forcing Ge Ye to pull back a palm to defend.

"Third breath... fourth breath..."

Time flew as they clashed fiercely. Xiao Yan was like a tiny boat amid towering waves, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any moment, yet always escaping danger by a hair's breadth. The spectators below watched with their hearts in their throats, and even Yun Yun could not help clenching her fists on the raised platform.

"Ninth breath!"

Just as Ge Ye struck out with a palm, his Dou Qi concentrated to its limit, a sharp light burst from Xiao Yan's eyes. He had caught it! Beneath Ge Ye's left ribs, in the instant his old strength was spent and new strength had yet to rise, a slight opening appeared!

"Now!"

Instead of retreating, Xiao Yan advanced, risking a glancing blow from the wind of Ge Ye's palm. He abruptly lowered himself while pouring the full power of his Seventh Stage Dou Qi into the iron ruler, shouting inwardly, System, activate Heavenly Flames Simulation!

["Heavenly Flames Simulation" activated. Duration: three breaths!]

In an instant, a faint yet extraordinarily overbearing heat radiated from the iron ruler. A pale phantom of dark red flames appeared along its length, a trace of the presence of the Green Lotus Core Flame, the first Heavenly Flame Xiao Yan had mastered in his previous life!

Though it was only a simulation, the overbearing pressure that seemed capable of burning all things to ashes still sent a chill through everyone present. Even the air seemed to grow scorching hot.

What is that presence? Ge Ye's heart inexplicably jolted, and he instinctively tried to pull back and defend.

But it was already too late!

Xiao Yan turned his wrist, and the iron ruler, trailing the phantom of dark red flames, slashed viciously toward Ge Ye's left ribs with the force of a thunderbolt!

"Hiss!"

The ruler came down, and the phantom of dark red flames burst apart. Though it failed to break through Ge Ye's Dou Qi defense, a piercing sizzle rang out. Ge Ye felt a sharp pain in his left ribs, as though he had been seared with a branding iron, and the circulation of his Dou Qi instantly faltered.

"Argh!"

Ge Ye cried out in pain and staggered back two steps. He stared at the iron ruler in Xiao Yan's hand in disbelief. "You... what Dou Technique is that?"

[Alert! "Breakthrough in Desperate Straits" mission complete!]

[Rewards issued: cultivation raised to the Peak Seventh Stage of Dou Qi, "Heavenly Flames Simulation" ability unlocked, 300 points credited!]

A warm current surged through Xiao Yan's body, and his cultivation stabilized at the peak of the seventh stage. At the same time, the method for using Heavenly Flames Simulation was clearly imprinted on his mind. He looked at the retreating Ge Ye, caught his breath, and said gravely, "Elder Ge, is bullying a junior how the Misty Cloud Sect conducts itself?"

Ge Ye was both shocked and furious. He had not expected a youth to land a counterattack on him, and what alarmed him even more was the scorching presence on the iron ruler. It had filled him with a fear that came from his very soul.

"You..." Ge Ye wanted to attack again, but a cool voice interrupted him.

"Elder Ge, stop." Yun Yun rose to her feet, her gaze falling on Xiao Yan with a trace of inquiry. "Xiao Yan, you won the Three-Year Agreement. According to the rules, you may leave of your own accord."

She clearly did not want the matter to escalate. Ge Ye had already been in the wrong to attack Xiao Yan with his eighth-stage cultivation. If word got out, it would damage the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation.

Ge Ye glared hatefully at Xiao Yan, but in the end, he reluctantly stepped aside.

Xiao Yan knew that, with Yun Yun having spoken, today's affair could be settled for the time being. He glanced at Yun Yun on the raised platform, then swept his gaze over the complicated looks around him. He understood that his entanglement with the Misty Cloud Sect was far from over.

"Farewell."

Xiao Yan said no more. He turned and walked down from the Misty Cloud Platform.

Watching his departing figure, somewhat slender yet remarkably upright, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes flickered with complex emotions. This youth seemed to have far too many secrets, especially that scorching presence from moments ago. It had given her a faint sense of familiarity, yet she could not remember where she had felt it before.

After leaving the Misty Cloud Platform, Xiao Yan did not immediately depart Misty Cloud Mountain. Instead, he headed toward the rear mountain.

[Alert! Hidden mission triggered: seek out the opportunity!]

[Mission hint: deep in the rear of Misty Cloud Mountain, a faint presence connected to a "Heavenly Flame" is hidden. It may be related to the host's "Heavenly Flames Simulation" ability.]

[Mission rewards: 500 points, a minor improvement to the effects of "Heavenly Flames Simulation."]

"Connected to a Heavenly Flame?" Curiosity flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. Misty Cloud Mountain has a place like that?

Without hesitation, he activated Wind Walking Step and quietly sped toward the rear mountain.

Having lived life anew, he would not miss any opportunity connected to Heavenly Flames.

Deep in the rear mountain, trees grew thickly and miasma filled the air. Following the system's directions, Xiao Yan pressed farther in and soon arrived before a hidden cave. Sure enough, an almost imperceptible trace of heat emanated from its entrance. It was somewhat similar to the presence of the Green Lotus Core Flame he had just simulated, but fainter and more ancient.

"Is it in here?"

Xiao Yan tightened his grip on the iron ruler and cautiously entered the cave.

The cave was not deep. At its end stood a black stone wall, on which some indistinct flame patterns had been carved. The trace of heat was coming from the wall itself.

The instant Xiao Yan approached the wall, the flame patterns suddenly lit up, and an aged voice rang out in the cave:

"Heh heh, at last, a little fellow who can sense my presence has come..."

Xiao Yan's heart jolted. He hurriedly took a step back and looked at the wall warily.

There was someone else in this cave?