Great Elder Su Qian raised his hand again, and the Dou Qi light at his fingertips re-condensed.
Han Feng's brows furrowed suddenly, and the Sea Heart Flame trembled violently on the blade of his sword.
Queen Medusa slowly lowered her arms, which were clasped to her chest, and a hint of surprise flashed in her narrow, serpentine eyes.
The whispers within the Black Alliance formation abruptly ceased, and all eyes focused on the spatial rift that had appeared out of nowhere.
Zi Yan peeked out from Xiao Huohuo's arms, her big purple eyes wide open and her mouth agape—she recognized that aura!
The black clone she had seen outside the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower emitted this very aura!
A tall, slender figure in black stepped out from the crack.
With black hair and a black robe, he was in his early twenties and his face was exactly the same as the statue in the square, and even more so as Xiao Huohuo.
His robes still bore traces of dried blood and the marks of battle, with several slits at the hem where they had been cut by sharp blades.
But his back was ramrod straight, and he exuded an oppressive aura that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present. His eyes were as deep as ancient wells, and a chilling killing intent, brought back from another world, surged within them.
Xiao Yan stood in mid-air, his cold gaze sweeping over Han Feng and the members of the Black Alliance.
He had just returned from the ruins of the Slaughter City, where he had knelt on the blood-red scorched earth for nearly ten days, and his injuries had only just recovered to the point where they would not affect his combat ability.
He needs power, he needs to fight, he needs to vent.
These outlaws from the Black-Corner Region were exactly the targets he had delivered to his doorstep.
The deathly silence in the square lasted for a full three breaths.
Then Zi Yan was the first to shout it out. Her voice was so shrill it almost pierced the sky, filled with pent-up grievances and triumph:
"See! I told you! I told you I'd seen Xiao Huohuo's doppelganger!"
Outside the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower! It's black! It can talk! And it even ruffles my hair!
None of you believe me! Hu Jia, you don't believe me! Wu Hao, you don't believe me! Lin Yan, you don't believe me either!
You all said I was hallucinating because I missed him so much! Now you see! He's right there! See for yourselves!
Zi Yan broke free from Xiao Huohuo, stood in mid-air, and pointed her little finger at Xiao Yan.
But his face showed a smug smile.
She had waited too long for this moment.
In the past two years, every time she told others that she had seen Xiao Huohuo's doppelganger, they looked at her with pity and heartache.
It seems she's a pitiful little thing who's hallucinating because she misses Xiao Huohuo so much.
She was so angry that she smashed things several times, and once she even overturned the mahogany table in the lobby of the Pan Gate headquarters.
Now that the black clone is right in front of everyone, let's see who dares to say it's an illusion!
Hu Jia stood in the square, looking up at the black figure in the sky.
Her mouth was agape, wide enough to fit an egg. She rubbed her eyes hard to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Then she grabbed Wu Hao's arm:
"There really are two! Two Xiao Huohuo!"
Wu Hao's arm ached from her grip, but he didn't shake her off.
He simply stared silently at the two figures standing side by side in the sky, a rare flicker of emotion flashing in his usually cold and stern eyes.
Although he didn't refute what Zi Yan said, deep down he didn't believe it. How could a mere clone exist alone outside the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower for so long?
But now he believes it.
Lin Yan stood at the very front of the Pan Gate formation, looking up at the sky, his lips trembling slightly.
Xiao Huohuo turned to look at Xiao Yan, and their eyes met briefly in mid-air.
He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to ask Xiao Yan how he had been doing for the past six months, and also wanting to inquire about the situation on the Douluo Continent.
But he saw the icy killing intent surging deep within Xiao Yan's calm eyes, the dried bloodstains on his robes, and the not-yet-fully-healed wound at the corner of his mouth.
Xiao Huohuo swallowed back all the words that were on the tip of his tongue, only grinned, nodded towards Han Feng, and spoke with a hint of coldness in his voice that only Xiao Yan could understand:
"That blue-haired guy over there is Han Feng, the leader of the Black Alliance and the holder of the Sea Heart Flame."
That's the guy I most want to smoke.
The two old men next to him were the Gold and Silver Elders, who together could rival Dou Zong.
That fat man covered in blood is Fan Lao, Dou Emperor. The one in blue is Yuan Yi from the Eight Gates, also Dou Emperor. As for the other Dou Wang, you can deal with them yourself.
Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the faces in the Black Alliance formation as Xiao Huohuo introduced them.
He recognized the two old men, Jin and Gold and Silver Elders. He had met them when he infiltrated the Black Alliance under an assumed name.
The two of them working together can indeed rival Dou Zong, but their biggest weakness is that once their coordination is disrupted, they will fight independently.
He also knew Fan Lao. This man was skilled in blood-attribute Dou Qi, and his methods were cruel and bloodthirsty, but his defense was relatively weak.
Yuan Yi, the leader of the Eight Gates, was someone I had seen once from afar when I was infiltrating the Black Alliance. His Dou Qi was characterized by speed and penetration, but he lacked the ability to engage in direct confrontation.
As for Han Feng — Xiao Yan's gaze lingered on Han Feng for a moment, memorizing that sinister face.
This information was already detailed enough in Xiao Huohuo's previous introduction, in addition to the intelligence he gathered when he was undercover in the Black Alliance.
He knew the composition of the Black-Corner Region Allied Forces before him, their fighting style, and the weaknesses of each of their main leaders like the back of his hand.
Xiao Yan nodded without saying a word.
He raised his right hand, Green Lotus Core Flame and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame ignited simultaneously in his palm, the green flames and pure white flames leaping and dancing alternately.
Between his five fingers, they perfectly merged into a palm-sized bluish-white Fire Lotus.
An oppressive aura that sent shivers down the spines of all the fire-attribute cultivators present emanated from his palm.
The Sea Heart Flame in Han Feng's hand trembled violently, the tremor stemming from the fear deep within the Heavenly Flame Origin.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to make his move, an old and steady voice suddenly rang in his ears.
The voice was transmitted directly through Spiritual Soul Power, and only Xiao Yan could hear it.
"Boy, your meridians haven't fully recovered yet; there are still several points where you're bleeding."
Moreover, your mental state is not right; there is an extremely strong sense of hostility deep within your soul.
That's not yours; you got it from another world.
Don't let that hostility cloud your judgment.
The Yao Lao's voice came from Xiao Huohuo's palm, tinged with worry and sternness.
Having recuperated within Xiao Huohuo's body for so long, he was equally familiar with Xiao Yan's soul aura.
He had sensed something was amiss the moment Xiao Yan appeared.
Xiao Yan's soul fluctuations were more solid than they had been six months ago, but also more volatile, like a knife that had been repeatedly forged and over-forged. Although it was extremely sharp, it could break at any moment.
" Yao Lao, I know exactly what I'm doing."
Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.
His voice was calm, but the Yao Lao could tell that beneath that calm lay a great deal of suppressed emotion.
Yao Lao didn't say anything more, but gently patted Xiao Yan's shoulder with his Spiritual Soul Power.
This young man, just six months ago, sat on the Star Platform of the Starfall Pavilion, discussing alchemy with him. Though there was hatred in his eyes, he could still smile. But now, only Ice Seal hatred and steely resolve remained in those eyes.
"Let's do it."
Xiao Huohuo's smile faded, Fallen Heart Flame emitted a low hum within his body.
His figure moved like a transparent lightning bolt, rushing towards Han Feng first. His right fist was wrapped with the full power of the Fallen Heart Flame, and the transparent flame formed a blazing vortex of Heart Flame on the fist.
It slammed down hard on Han Feng's face.
Han Feng raised his sword to parry, and the Sea Heart Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame exploded at the point of impact between the sword and his fist. The aftershocks of the two Heavenly Flames sent all the low-level Dou Ling of the Black Alliance within dozens of feet of the two flying.
The battle between the two intensified instantly, with each clash of fists and swords unleashing a burst of light enough to illuminate half the sky.
Xiao Yan followed closely behind.
Instead of launching a frontal assault like Xiao Huohuo, he flapped his wings, his entire being resembling a Gui Mei of interwoven blue and white, bypassing the Black Alliance's front-line defenses from the side and directly cutting into the central army.
His left palm cradled the fully formed bluish-white Fire Lotus, its Fire Lotus layered upon each other, the extreme cold and heat maintaining a perfect balance within its stamen.
In his right hand, a spear of pure Bone Spirit Cold Flame materialized, its blade swirling with cold white flame patterns. The chilling aura emanating from it caused tiny ice crystals to condense and fall from the surrounding air.
His time as an undercover agent in the Black Alliance was not wasted.
He knew the formation of this allied forces, the positioning habits of each strongman, and their most frequently used combined attack tactics by heart.
The Gold and Silver Elders, were the first to react, and they attacked Xiao Yan from the left and right.
Elder Jin's Dou Qi was a dazzling gold, while Elder Yin's Dou Qi was a cold silver-white. The two Dou Qi intertwined in mid-air, forming a gold and silver interwoven Dou Qi light curtain.
This is the combined attack technique that the Gold and Silver Elders are most skilled at.
Once trapped under the light barrier, even a Dou Zong expert would find it difficult to break free in a short time.
However, Xiao Yan had already figured out the weakness of this move when he was an undercover agent in the Black Alliance.
The Gold and Silver Elders, need to cooperate with each other to unleash combat power comparable to Dou Zong. Their Dou Qi must be synchronized. Once their cooperation is interrupted, the light barrier will collapse on its own.
Instead of directly confronting the light barrier of the Gold and Silver Elders, Xiao Yan flapped his wings and drew a sharp arc in mid-air, bypassing the light barrier from the side.
His speed was extreme; the icy spear of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame slashed through the air, creating a series of sharp, piercing sounds.
He precisely inserted himself into the gap between Elder Jin and Elder Yin, the icy spear piercing towards Elder Jin's throat, while his left hand flicked his fingers repeatedly.
Two thin, Bone Spirit Cold Flame flew towards Elder Yin's eyes.
The extremely cold flames streaked across the air in two pure white trails, moving at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Elder Jin was forced to take a step back, his hand seals being interrupted.
Elder Yin had no choice but to sidestep the flame aimed directly at his eyes, simultaneously releasing the hand seals and causing the silvery-white Dou Qi he had just condensed to dissipate instantly.
Without Elder Yin's synchronized cooperation, the golden and silver light curtain shattered less than three feet away from Xiao Yan, turning into countless points of light that dissipated into the air.
Having landed a successful blow, Xiao Yan did not pause for a moment.
His figure moved nimbly between the Gold and Silver Elders, each strike precisely hitting their most vulnerable spots.
As his icy spear grazed past Elder Jin's left knee, Elder Jin involuntarily tilted to the right, colliding directly with the silver-white Dou Qi shockwave that Elder Yin had just released.
The two men groaned simultaneously, their coordinated rhythm completely disrupted. They had dominated the Black-Corner Region for decades, and when they joined forces, they were not afraid of even Dou Zong. Yet today, they were being suppressed and forced to retreat by a young man in his early twenties.
At the same time, other powerful figures from the Jia Nan Academy also made their moves.
Lin Xiuya's longsword was like a startled swan, its light flashing continuously within the Black Alliance formation, each strike bringing forth a shower of blood.
His fighting style was completely different from Xiao Huohuo's — Xiao Huohuo was the fierce type, always exchanging blows and never suffering a loss. Lin Xiuya, on the other hand, was the elegant type, with his sword moves flowing smoothly like clouds and water, without a single unnecessary pause.
Lin Yan's blazing flames roared like an angry Lion in his palm, blasting away one Black Alliance Dou Wang after another.
Wu Hao's blood-red blade charged back and forth through the crowd. His swordsmanship was not as exquisite as Lin Xiuya Lin Xiuya's, but it was more ruthless. Every strike carried a sense of certain death.
Although Zi Yan was small in stature, her brute strength made several Dou Wang) suffer greatly.
She punched a Black Alliance Dou Wang in the chest, sending him and his weapon flying dozens of feet, creating a deep crater upon landing.
The Dou Wang struggled for a long time before finally crawling out of the pit. A large hole had been smashed through his Dou Qi Armor. He looked at Zi Yan with disbelief in his eyes—how could this little girl be stronger than Titan Giant Ape?
Xiao Yan's battle against Fan Lao showed everyone present just how stunning the clash between Soul Skill and Dou Technique could be.