Chapter 259: Peak Battle

The Senior Elder, seeing Xiao Yan's body and appearance take on beast-like traits, grew more solemn, muttering to himself: "Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame can strengthen a beast's SpiritFlesh, enhance its bloodline and physique—never thought it could work on humans too."

"Again!" Xiao Yan roared, and the eight-winged Flame Demon Tiger shadow behind him also bellowed; instantly, the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame poured forth a torrent of power, and at this moment, Xiao Yan's entire body changed, his skin sprouting scales like a beast's.

At this moment, Xiao Yan before everyone's eyes resembled a giant eight-winged demon tiger, its massive form dominating the Guang Chang, glaring fiercely at the tiny figure of Zi Yan in the sky.

"What is this? Why do I feel Xiao Yan has summoned a demon tiger!" The eight-winged Flame Demon Tiger shadow behind Xiao Yan looked so real it startled everyone.

After all, the eight-winged Flame Demon Tiger had once been a Seventh-Stage Beast; though none had seen it before, the demon tiger before them looked utterly authentic.

"Could this be another powerful Earth-grade Dou Technique?"

Roar!! A tiger's bellow shook the heavens.

The fire beast born of the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame let out a long roar; the next second, Xiao Yan's wings flared, and twin blood-red tiger claws slammed toward Zi Yan from both sides—those claws carried terrifying heat that warped even sunlight, and even an ordinary Dou Wang would struggle to withstand this blow, likely being crushed into pulp.

Ha! Zi Yan shouted loudly, her body emitting a faint purple light, and she punched outward with both hands; instantly, as if two invisible space hands appeared, two thunderous booms rang out—Zi Yan used Space Power to block Xiao Yan's claws, and the demon tiger's claws could not advance an inch.

Creak—creak—creak—now the tiger's claws pressed harder; under the full eruption of the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame, even space began to show signs of melting.

In that instant, a pair of fire wings lashed out—so fast it was incomprehensible—and Zi Yan had no time to dodge; pang! She was struck by the fire wings, flung from the sky, and crashed into the Guang Chang, leaving a massive crater.

But the next second, a purple glow flashed from the crater; Zi Yan wiped blood from her lips, bent her legs slightly, and with a boom, shot skyward like a cannonball.

Zi Yan's hands were wrapped in purple light; each punch and palm strike manipulated space in battle, invisible Space Power clashing with Xiao Yan's Spiritual Flame energy.

Xiao Yan had grown accustomed to Zi Yan's strange bloodline power.

From sky to ground, this battle was brutal; one claw of Xiao Yan's Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame tiger melted the earth, while Zi Yan's strange Space Power proved impossible to defend against—both sides fought with blood spraying.

This battle left spectators spellbound; those watching, including the Dou Wang Elders, felt this was unquestionably the most spectacular clash they had ever seen in their lives.

"Both are geniuses of their generation—perhaps they represent the peak strength Jia Nan Academy has ever seen!"

Even Hu Qian, Vice Dean of the Outer Court and a Dou Huang Peak cultivator, watching this earth-shattering battle, could not help but marvel and admit the strength of Xiao Yan and Zi Yan.

Even disciples from rival factions like the Crack Mountain Gang and White Gang, who held grudges against Xiao Yan, felt genuine admiration upon seeing his explosive power; Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing could not be mentioned in the same breath as these two.

"The most brilliant battle in Inner Court history."

"Never seen before, and likely never seen again."

Finally, after dozens of rounds of fierce combat, Zi Yan's eyes flashed a streak of purple light; she roared from her throat, unleashing a sonic attack similar to an Ancient Dragon's roar, shaking Xiao Yan's spirit.

In a flash, Zi Yan appeared behind Xiao Yan, clasped her hands together into a hammer, and smashed down onto his back.

In that instant, that hammer seemed to concentrate immense, unstoppable space power—extremely dominant and heavy; the terrifying blow shattered Xiao Yan's eight-winged Flame Demon Tiger shadow and sent him crashing from the sky into the center of the Guang Chang.

Boom!!! The original crater widened instantly, dust swirling, stones and sand flying.

Fortunately, a Barrier protected the perimeter of the Guang Chang; otherwise, the flying rocks alone could have injured spectators.

"He'll be fine—Brother Xiao Yan has many hidden cards," Xun Er comforted the anxious Xiao Yu beside her.

Moments later, the dust cleared, the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame vanished, the Roar of the Furious Lion was broken, and the eight-winged Flame Demon Tiger shadow disappeared; Xiao Yan stood atop the crater in his original form, waved his hand, spread his wings again, and rose once more into midair.

Xiao Yan had clearly suffered a heavy blow; Zi Yan's space-powered punch had shattered his Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame's spirit form and ripped open his back, blood streaming freely.

Opposite him, Zi Yan looked disheveled but had not suffered serious injury.

"Hey Xiao Yan, want to take a Pill to heal?" Zi Yan asked, still fearing he'd refuse to refine Elixirs for her and force her back to eating Bitter Medicinal Materials.

Xiao Yan smiled and said: "No matter the outcome, I'll refine a Pill for you—go all out, don't hold back."

"Besides, you're underestimating me."

A white flame ignited from Xiao Yan's back; from afar, it looked as if his back were on fire, but soon, the torn, bleeding wounds on his back visibly healed before their eyes.

The Healing Flame rapidly mended his wounds; Xiao Yan took a deep breath, fixed his gaze on Zi Yan—his eyes now deep and calm, his expression unchanged, his entire being like an ancient well, undisturbed.

For a cultivator like Xiao Yan, the stronger the opponent, the calmer he became, the higher his Battle Intention rose.

"Hehe, that's more like it, Little Yanzi," Zi Yan radiated a vast spiritual pressure; now, she resembled an endless ocean, her strength unfathomable.

Hum—a flash of light from his storage ring, the Xuan Heavy Ruler appeared in his hand; Xiao Yan gripped the heavy ruler, instantly radiating a crushing, world-pressing weight—he now held the Xuan Heavy Ruler, heavy as a mountain.

"I'm using a weapon now," Xiao Yan said, gripping the Xuan Heavy Ruler.

"You know what my weapon is."

Zi Yan tapped her tiny pink fists together, producing a metallic clang—her body itself was her strongest weapon.

Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened; the ruler moved, stirring wind and clouds—the moment he swung the Xuan Heavy Ruler, the crowd gasped in awe; even his casual downward slash was the work of a Grandmaster Alchemist!

Even without any specific Ruler Dou Techniques, Xiao Yan had wielded the Xuan Heavy Ruler since childhood; through years of cultivation, every swing of his was perfected.

Facing Xiao Yan's strike, Zi Yan's fists struck like cannons, meeting the Xuan Heavy Ruler head-on.

With a series of bang-bang-bang-bang-bang sounds, the battle resumed.

Though Zi Yan's body was small, her tiny pink fists striking the Xuan Heavy Ruler produced deep, muffled thuds.

Fist met ruler, sparks flew in all directions—even spectators below could clearly see them.

"Senior Zi Yan is terrifying—she's defeating a weapon with her bare body!"

"But Xiao Yan isn't falling behind—he's holding his ground."

"No, Xiao Yan used a Secret Technique to forcibly boost himself to Dou Wang level—meaning he still must defeat Senior Zi Yan within a limited time."

Zi Yan used her fists, so her movements were more agile; after one punch struck the Xuan Heavy Ruler's shaft and deflected it, she shot forward with incredible speed, aiming a punch straight at Xiao Yan's chest.

But Xiao Yan was no fool; he shook the heavy ruler, moved with it, and effortlessly dodged Zi Yan's devastating punch.

For a time, they clashed—brilliantly; one swung the Xuan Heavy Ruler with sweeping, open motions, the other wielded fists like a storm, trading blows with thunderous impacts.

Waves of shockwaves reached the spectator stands; the energy from their collisions made even the ground tremble, shaking loose stones.

Holding the Xuan Heavy Ruler, Xiao Yan finally unleashed his full power—unstoppable and dazzling—even the Senior Elder nodded silently in admiration, awed by the years of grueling training behind Xiao Yan's ruler swings.

"I can feel beneath that heavy ruler—the countless years of grueling training Xiao Yan endured," Liu Qing, also a weapon user, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

"Yes, those weren't casual swings—none of it possible without relentless cultivation," Lin Xiuya nodded in agreement.

Xiao Yan's ruler dance was breathtaking, leaving other weapon cultivators in awe; his swings carried the weight of relentless practice—though not peerless, they were exceedingly rare in the world.

Finally, after prolonged stalemate, Xiao Yan sensed the Heaven Fire Three Mystical Transformations nearing their end; he roared, swung the Xuan Heavy Ruler in a horizontal arc to push back Zi Yan, and in that instant, the ruler in his hand turned crimson.

"Xiao Yan is finally using his trump card!" Seeing the ruler turn red, many in the crowd were stunned; some powerful figures sensed Heaven and Earth Power surging wildly, pouring into the Xuan Heavy Ruler.

They understood that Xiao Yan's Earth-rank Dou Technique was coming!

"Flame-Partitioning Devouring Wave Ruler — Ten Thousand Beasts Flame Wave!"

As Xiao Yan shouted inwardly, the Xuan Heavy Ruler slashed down; a series of soft hums rang out, and the ruler's radiance blazed like sunlight falling from the heavens, violently surging toward Zi Yan.

Facing an Earth-rank Dou Technique, even Zi Yan dared not underestimate it; as the ruler's radiance slammed toward her, she let out a long roar, her entire body erupting in Purple Light, her fists shimmering with it, a terrifying, mysterious power coalescing within.

Zi Yan punched forward, and within that punch, faint Dragon Roars could be heard, as if a True Dragon had struck — instantly unleashed, in an instant the heavens and earth were drowned in Purple Light.

The Purple Light fist clashed against the Flame-Partitioning Devouring Wave Ruler, which had absorbed the Spiritual Flame!

Boom — as if the sun had exploded, Zi Yan's punch force melted under the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, but Xiao Yan's Flame-Partitioning Devouring Wave Ruler was also blasted clean through, leaving a massive hole in its center.

The Sea of Fire dissipated, the Purple Light vanished; Xiao Yan exhaled, slowly descending from the Sky, retracting EagleWings. After unleashing the Flame-Partitioning Devouring Wave Ruler and consuming vast amounts of Spiritual Flame, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi was nearly depleted, and the Heavenly Flame Three Profound Transformations were nearing their end.

Zi Yan also landed back on the Guang Chang, sweat beading on her forehead, her breathing growing rapid. Zi Yan's physical exhaustion was equally severe.

But Zi Yan had not used a Secret Technique to boost her strength — she had more time.

"This is a Dou Technique I created myself — my final move." Xiao Yan opened his palm, and a blood-red flame flickered into existence at his center.

Seeing that flame appear, the Grand Elder's gaze turned grave. Though the flame seemed small, it was none other than the Origin Flame Seed of the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame!

"Spiritual Flame Dou Technique — Beast Soul Descent."

(End of Chapter)