Chapter 181: Each Reveals Their Trump Card

"My god, Senior Sister Nalan Yanran's Qing Mu Sword Art has already reached perfection!"

"I feel Senior Sister Nalan Yanran's Qing Mu Sword Art is far stronger than that of some Elders!"

Just one move of the Arcane-Rank Low-Level Qing Mu Sword Art generated a spiritual pressure that blew the surrounding disciples off their feet.

Xiao Yan roared loudly, his fighting qi swirling, and a terrifying fire attribute energy erupted.

"Since you're using old moves, I'll use the same ones too."

"Eight Extremes Collapse—Ten Thousand Beasts Collapse Fist!"

Roar! Roar! Roar!! A deafening beast roar erupted from Xiao Yan's fist; his right fist condensed a blood-red flame, and facing the massive green wind sword, just as he had three years ago, he punched straight through.

"Kuang, this guy's insane—using his fist to block!"

The blood-red fist crashed into the tip of the wind sword; the next instant, a blazing lion erupted from his fist, shattering all combat qi, and a hidden force surged through Nalan Yanran's weapon into her body.

Feeling the hidden force strike, Nalan Yanran's expression remained calm; she had simulated Xiao Yan's punch countless times in her mind, always seeking a way to counter it.

She withdrew her sword in one motion, her eyes narrowing; she pulled back, leveraging the natural speed of wind attribute fighting qi, using retreat to neutralize the force, dissolving the impact of the hidden surge.

In that instant of retreat, Nalan Yanran extended her left hand, her jade hand flicking— the shattered whirlwind of the Qing Mu Sword Art instantly coalesced in midair into countless tiny wind swords, stabbing toward Xiao Yan.

Taking advantage of Xiao Yan's opening, she reformed the broken Dou Technique in another way; she had long anticipated that Xiao Yan would inevitably break the Qing Mu Sword Art.

No one knew how many times Nalan Yanran had simulated this battle in her mind.

Seeing countless wind swords descend like a rain of blades, Xiao Yan drew his Xuan Heavy Ruler and slammed it diagonally into the ground.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!!! Countless whirlwinds struck the Xuan Heavy Ruler one after another; the powerful impact forced Xiao Yan to stagger backward, his feet carving two deep grooves into the earth.

"Break!" Xiao Yan roared, swinging his Xuan Heavy Ruler violently— instantly shattering every wind sword.

"This kid's cultivation is this strong too!" Fa Ma stared in shock at the brief exchange— this wasn't some weakling like Mu Zhan; this was the Young Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect!

Mu Zhan, watching from afar, was utterly stunned; he was shocked not only by Nalan Yanran's terrifying power, but also by Xiao Yan's monstrous talent— how could his pill alchemy be so advanced and his cultivation so strong too? Did he have forty-eight hours in a day!?

"Their strengths are evenly matched," Mu Zhan murmured.

"No, look more closely," said Mu Chen, a Dou Wang, his voice grave.

Crack! Crack! Crack! With a loud crash, Nalan Yanran's sword shattered piece by piece— shattered by Xiao Yan's hidden force!

The Yun Lan Sect disciples who witnessed this were heartbroken; in this instant of combat, their revered Nalan Yanran had her weapon destroyed!

"Don't worry— since emerging from the Life and Death Gate, Nalan hasn't just gained enhanced cultivation. She is the strongest genius Yun Lan Sect has ever seen, and she will lead us back to glory," Elder Yun Leng said calmly, stroking his beard.

Seeing her sword shattered, Nalan Yanran said nothing; she retracted the broken blade into her storage ring and drew out another sword— a black scabbard with a black hilt.

Nalan Yanran took a deep breath, her fighting qi transforming into armor; a crimson-and-green fighting qi armor covered her entire body— her cultivation realm had reached Eight-Star Essence Refining!!

But Xiao Yan had guessed— after all, Nalan Yanran hadn't just received one Purple Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill; she'd also received the Four-Stripe White Spirit Pill he had crafted. Half her advancement was thanks to Xiao Yan's contribution.

"If I lose carelessly, I've got half the credit myself," Xiao Yan thought to himself.

"Xiao Yan, once this sword is drawn, I can't fully control it," Nalan Yanran said hesitantly.

Xiao Yan clanged his Xuan Heavy Ruler onto his shoulder and said, "I didn't even mind selling you pills to boost your cultivation— how could I fear a mere sword? My Xuan Heavy Ruler isn't ordinary either. If you don't have something truly powerful, I'd feel embarrassed."

"When did you get so indecisive? Hurry up— Xun Er is waiting for me to go back to school."

Nalan Yanran naturally remembered Xun Er— after all, Xun Er had sat right beside Xiao Yan, her beauty and aura leaving a deep impression on her.

Nalan Yanran no longer hesitated; she gripped the sword's hilt.

A man who mentions another woman in front of his fiancée deserves to die!

With a clear sword chime, Nalan Yanran drew her blade— the sword's body pitch black, with a silver-white dragon coiled along its length, instantly unsheathed.

As the Black Sword emerged, Nalan Yanran transformed completely— her body bristled with killing intent, saturated with a chilling aura that made the air freeze; the surrounding green wind spirals turned into streams of solid black killing blades, swirling around her like living things, each blade merciless and blood-drenched.

"Impossible! Black sword with a silver dragon! That sword is—!" Jia Xingtian's expression changed drastically— a black sword with a silver dragon reminded him of a legendary weapon.

Fa Ma's gaze turned grave; he said solemnly, "Yes, that must be Yun Potian's Yun Sha Black Sword— said to be forged from the Magic Core of an Eight-Rank beast."

At this moment, Hai Bodong looked at Elder Yun Leng, calmly smiling in the arena— no wonder this man was so composed and had sent out hero invitations to the entire Jia Ma Empire as witnesses; Nalan Yanran had received Yun Potian's legacy from the Zong Men Mi Jing!

He planned to use Nalan Yanran to intimidate the entire Jia Ma Empire— Yun Leng's ambitions are immense!

"I worked tirelessly to collect Spiritual Flames just to evolve the Burn Decree to Earth Rank— this guy walks into a Sect Secret Realm and gets an Earth Rank Cultivation Method. So unfair." What troubled Xiao Yan most was the quality of the fighting qi Nalan Yanran now unleashed.

It certainly wasn't something an Arcane-Rank High-Level Cultivation Method could produce— especially that black sword intent. The cultivation method she now practiced likely surpassed even Yun Yun's.

The Black Sword unsheathed chilled the soul— this was no ordinary sword, but a weapon from hell; when held by Nalan Yanran, it seemed to activate her cultivation method, turning her into a streak of black light, brimming with killing intent, brimming with death.

Clearly, like the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler, Nalan Yanran's Black Sword was perfectly matched to her cultivation method and Dou Technique!

"No wonder it's Yun Potian's sword—truly terrifying, brimming with killing intent," countless Dou Lings and even Dou Wangs felt their spines chill as the Black Sword emerged—this was the true, fearsome power of the Yun Lan Sect, its profound depth.

Yun Lan Sect had once been glorious too!

Seeing Nalan Yanran's aura, Xiao Yan shed his condescending gaze. Without doubt, this girl had grown immensely since being defeated by him.

Otherwise, she could never have received Yun Potian's legacy— in all these years, only Nalan Yanran had!

"Alright, I won't play with you anymore. Roar of the Ten Thousand Beasts— Xue Nuo, Beast Transformation!"

Roar!! Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame surged from every cell of Xiao Yan's body; blood-red flames instantly engulfed him, wrapping him in a blood-red furious lion.

Xiao Yan's muscles swelled rapidly, as if the power sealed within him had been fully unleashed.

The Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame was fully activated; Xiao Yan's hair stood like steel needles, revealing fangs as fierce as a beast's, his obsidian-black pupils transformed into bestial eyes.

"Spiritual Flame!! This is the power of a Spiritual Flame!!"

(End of Chapter)