Chapter 358

"Is this the true power of Void Devouring Flame?" After reaching the Spirit Realm in soul cultivation, Xiao Yan finally understood just how immense and terrifying the second-ranked Heavenly Flame truly was—this ability defied all logic!

This ability, this power to traverse space, was likely faster and more stable than most Dou Zong!

Once Xiao Yan's cultivation reached Dou Zong, with his Spirit Realm Soul Power and the Earth Sub Flame of Void Devouring Flame, even Dou Zong would be unable to catch him when he fled!

But Xiao Yan couldn't arrive instantly—after all, there was still considerable distance between Tian She Empire and Jia Ma Empire; Void Devouring Flame could only shorten the distance, not erase it entirely.

"Everyone, hold on just a little longer," Xiao Yan silently prayed, his grip on Cai Lin's hand tightening slightly.

Half a day later, a thunderous drumbeat suddenly rolled in from afar, swiftly engulfing the entire Jia Ma Sheng Cheng.

"They're launching their assault!" Hearing the urgent drumbeat, Queen Yao Ye and others grew solemn.

The Yan Alliance had nowhere left to retreat—over these two months, it had lost not only its front-line SnakeTribe defenses but also its borders with Jia Ma Empire; now only Yun Lan Sect and Jia Ma Sheng Cheng remained as defensive positions.

If both these places fell, the Yan Alliance would effectively cease to exist.

Soon after the drumbeat echoed, the earth began to tremble faintly; from the distant horizon, an endless sea of troops surged forward like tidal waves.

These weren't ordinary soldiers—they were all cultivators from various sects, each at least a Dou Shi; even Dou Shi who could rule a region in Wutan City were mere cannon fodder here.

Dou Ling were numerous, and Dou Wang and Dou Huang soaring through the sky were visible in scattered numbers—but what truly instilled dread were the hidden Dou Zong in the rear, and especially She Tianhao, the Dou Zong!

"All Dou Wang experts from the Yan Alliance, Yun Lan Sect, and Snake Tribe—spread out across all defensive lines and guard against their Dou Wang experts!" Xiao Ding's expression turned grim as he spun around and shouted.

"Yun Yun Sect Master, Yue Mei Commander—I entrust Yun Lan Sect to you two."

Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran nodded; though Tian She Empire had fallen, most of the SnakeTribe's combat strength still remained at Yun Lan Sect, since part of their people had always lived within the Yunlan Mountain Range.

"Xiao Yixian, I entrust the rest to you," Xiao Ding bowed deeply, his voice heavy.

Xiao Yixian quickly helped him rise, nervously saying, "Brother Xiao Ding, you're too humble—I'll do my utmost."

"Hehe, I never expected your Yan Alliance to be so stubborn—you've held out for two months against our Northwest Alliance! Even if you're about to be crushed, at least in the history of this Northwest Earth Domain, your Yan Alliance will leave a lasting mark."

"Luoyan Tian!" Hearing the laughter, Jia Xingtian and others stepped out of the Imperial Palace, their faces instantly chilling.

Jia Xingtian clenched his fists—if only his strength had been a little greater back then, he could have kept this bastard alive; after Xiao Yan and the others dealt with the Yao Gu Sect's Dou Zong, this man would have been dead for sure!

Now that he's been let go, more Yan Alliance disciples have died at his hands than any other enemy over these two months.

"Hahahaha! Regret not keeping me? Take that regret to your grave and scream it to Xiao Yan in hell!"

Behind Luoyan Tian stretched a pair of enormous golden goose wings, shimmering with golden light, as if he were a celestial god.

He and the Yan Alliance were locked in mortal enmity; now that She Heaven Phoenix of Tian She Mansion had broken through to Dou Zong and launched a siege, Luoyan Tian was more than willing to lead the charge.

After Luoyan Tian appeared, a deafening roar of cheers erupted from the dark sea of troops—clearly, Luoyan Tian held immense prestige within the Northwest Alliance.

Xiao Yixian's face turned icy as she stared at Luoyan Tian, about to move—when someone moved even faster than her.

Yun Yun stepped forward, gazing up at Luoyan Tian in the sky, softly saying, "He's only a Two-Star Dou Zong—leave him to me."

As Yun Yun spoke, she stepped onto empty space, and a sudden surge of Dou Zong aura exploded from her body.

Before the Sect Grand Meeting, Yun Yun had already been an Eight-Star Dou Huang, without using the Imperial Ultimate Pill or Breakthrough Pill; thanks to the many Six Rank Pills—Imperial Ultimate Pills, Breakthrough Pills—that Xiao Yan had crafted and brought back to the Yan Alliance after the meeting.

It was precisely these precious pills that allowed the Yan Alliance to hold out—otherwise, they wouldn't have lasted until someone arrived just in time.

"Heh, Yun Yun Sect Master, your cultivation talent was famed throughout the Northwest Earth Domain—truly not exaggerated. In just one year, you've broken through to Dou Zong."

But his eyes held no amusement—this Yan Alliance truly produced talent after talent! Whether it was Yun Yun or Nalan Yanran, already a Dou Huang, both were top-tier geniuses in the Northwest.

Not to mention Zi Yan, who now leaned against the wall, casually naming precious medicinal materials.

Zi Yan had once received the Seven-Grade Beast Sovereign Body Forging Pill crafted by Xiao Yan, and over the past year, she'd consumed countless precious Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures—yet she still hadn't broken through to Seven Rank, remaining only at Six Rank peak; the sheer power contained within her was unimaginable.

Luoyan Tian sneered, "I never planned to fight one-on-one."

No sooner had he spoken than a line of Dou Zong experts, stepping on thin air, slowly rose from the sea of soldiers; seeing their number, the faces of the Yan Alliance darkened.

Twelve Dou Zong! And this didn't even count She Tianhao—plus the enemy still had at least one Dou Zong, She Heaven Phoenix!

Besides Bai Ya and the old woman guarding Tian She Mansion, Tian She Mansion dispatched four Dou Zong experts—but among them, the one standing in the center was not from Tian She Mansion; he was an elderly man.

The old man wore plain robes, his aged face expressionless; his seemingly dull eyes held piercing, chilling brilliance. In his hand rested a pitch-black cane, its top shaped like a grotesque scorpion head, its forehead flickering with a faint, barely noticeable purple glow.

He stood mid-air, his entire aura completely contained within his body, not a trace leaking out—he looked like an ordinary old man. Yet upon his appearance, every warrior from the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect immediately bowed in respect, and even the Tian She Mansion's Dou Zong experts grew solemn; this man, who had been renowned in the Chu Yun Empire decades ago, commanded such reverence that even She Tianhao dared not underestimate him.

"Yan Alliance, the grudge of the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect will be paid in your blood!" Xie Biyan snarled.

After thorough investigation, the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect and the Poison Sect finally discovered the identities of those mysterious experts in the Deep Abyss Gorge.

It wasn't hard to guess—the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison body were far too obvious; the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect quickly deduced it was the Yan Alliance.

Xie Biyan, a Five-Star Dou Zong, was the strongest in the Northwest Alliance after She Tianhao and his son; especially his strange poison arts, which even Zi Yan found difficult to counter.

After all, Xiao Yan isn't here—if poisoned, it would be disastrous; if Xie Biyan self-detonated to release his Demon Poison Spots, even Xiao Yixian couldn't handle it.

Zi Yan and Jia Xingtian also slowly rose into the air, standing atop the poison wall—three against twelve! It was a crushing disadvantage; had it not been for Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison Wall, which could autonomously defend and counterattack, the Yan Alliance would have been destroyed long ago.

Sssss! From the dark sea of troops, the Tian She Mansion's Snake Emperor experts reverted to their true forms—massive sea giant pythons and ferocious snakes, each as tall as skyscrapers, appeared before them—all Six-Rank Demon Beasts!

Roar! Roar! From the Yan Alliance, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and the Deep Sea Jiao Beast roared in fury, glaring at the distant giant serpents. Both were Six Rank peak Beast Sovereigns—but even they couldn't withstand so many Six Rank Demon Beasts at once.

The scars on their bodies proved how brutal the battle had been.

Luoyan Tian's eyes flashed—he struck first. His Heavenly Goose Nine Wings flared violently, his palm glowing brilliant golden light as he slammed it toward Yun Yun.

Seeing the sudden assault, Yun Yun's expression didn't change. She drew the sword Xiao Yan had given her from her space ring, swung her arm, and the blade twisted into a strange arc before thrusting sharply forward!

"Hmph!"

A sharp sword intent surged from the blade; sensing its terrifying power, Luoyan Tian refused to meet it head-on, grunting as his broad goose wings snapped sideways to evade.

Instantly, his feathers became like sharp arrows, striking every part of Yun Yun's body.

Feeling the icy chill all over, Yun Yun's long sword rang with a clear chime, then shook violently—suddenly, countless afterimages erupted, wrapping her entire body in an instant.

As their battle commenced, the other Dou Zong experts of the Northwest Alliance also launched their assaults; the ground troops surged toward the Yun Lan Sect, bypassing the poison wall.

Nalan Yanran and Yue Mei saw this, spread their aura wings, and flew toward Yun Lan Sect to activate the Sect's Demonic Array, joining forces with the SnakeTribe to resist the enemy.

Xiao Yixian kept watch for She Heaven Phoenix's appearance while controlling the vast poison wall, aiding Yun Yun and others; it was precisely because of the terrifying power of the Eternal Calamity Poison that they had held on this long.

Poison surged like dragons—vast poison tornadoes, each resembling a venomous dragon, lunged toward the Dou Zong experts in the sky; every time they tried to coordinate their attacks against Yun Yun and the others, a poison dragon would erupt from the poison wall and shatter their coordination.

But this time, Xie Biyan and the others smirked, no longer rushing to attack—they seemed to be deliberately stalling.

"Tian Di Xuan Bian, come fight me!" Just as both sides were locked in stalemate, She Tianhao's voice echoed from the rear—and in an instant, She Tianhao and She Heaven Phoenix opened a Space Channel, appearing above the Battlefield from Space!

To the Yan Alliance, she is Xiao Yixian; but to their enemies, she is the Poison Immortal who can sweep her hand and claim ten thousand lives!

"Xiao Yixian, be careful—I have a bad feeling about them." Queen Yao Ye wore a crimson battle armor, her hairstyle matching the armor perfectly; beneath its gleam, her beauty was even more stunning, her presence now fierce and commanding, surpassing even men in valor.

Though she was ruler of a nation, she still fought on the front lines like a generalissimo, her martial grace strikingly beautiful and captivating, directing the Yan Alliance's disciples to minimize casualties.

Xiao Yixian gave a slight nod, saying nothing—she now seemed like a celestial immortal, showing no mercy to the mortal world.

Her white robe fluttered, and in an instant she appeared before the two snakes—still cold, still Xiao Yixian.

"Tian Di Xuan Bian, you have poisoned countless innocent lives and maimed my son, robbing him of an arm! Today, I, She Heaven Phoenix, demand your life in retribution for those you poisoned!" She Heaven Phoenix spoke with righteous indignation, as if justice itself echoed through his words.

Yet he spoke truly: after two months of battle, the Yan Alliance's casualties were far fewer than those of the stronger Northwest Region Alliance—and nine out of ten of the Northwest Alliance's losses were due to poisoning!

And this was even without Xiao Yixian deliberately slaughtering—if she had truly unleashed her poison, far more than just a few would have died.

Xiao Yixian never liked to speak much; without a word, she flicked her sleeve—a stream of Poison surged forth like a whip.

"Hmph! Space congeal!" She Heaven Phoenix sneered, revealing his Dou Zun aura; with just a glance, the space before him froze like ice—even the deadly Poison stream was halted.

Xiao Yixian's eyes hardened—she bit her fingertip, drawing a drop of ink-green blood that gathered at its tip.

The moment this Poison blood appeared, the space around Xiao Yixian melted! No—it was being poisoned!

With a light flick, the Poison blood became a blood arrow, piercing through Space straight toward She Heaven Phoenix. As it neared, even the Dou Zun She Heaven Phoenix felt his heart sink—this Eternal Calamity Poison blood was more potent than his Poison by more than tenfold!

It could kill a Dou Zun!

"Heavenly Snake Seals Nine Underworld!" She Heaven Phoenix roared, his Dou Qi surging wildly as he moved his hands into a locking gesture.

Sssss—black serpents, like chains, burst from Space, instantly wrapping the Poison blood into a serpent ball, then dragging it with a splash into the void.

She Heaven Phoenix's face darkened—he had just entered Dou Zun, yet he was struggling against a Nine-Star Dou Zong!

She Heaven Phoenix drew a snake-shaped sword and immediately clashed with Xiao Yixian; terrifying force rippled through Space. Xiao Yixian gained no advantage, but neither did she fall behind.

Xiao Yixian, who had inherited the legacy of the Nine Underworld Poison Master and possessed the Innate Calamity Poison Body, was holding her own against a Dou Zun!

Their battle rivaled a clash between two Dou Zuns—Space cracked with fissures, and no one dared approach their Battlefield.

The Northwest Alliance's warriors watched in terror; the Yan Alliance's troops cheered wildly.

Only Xiao Ding's eyes narrowed—he felt something was off.

"Huh? Where's She Tianhao?" Suddenly, Xiao Ding sensed danger—he realized She Tianhao had vanished without notice!

She Tianhao was a Star Seven Dou Zong; even if he couldn't match Xiao Yixian, he should have aided his father—where was he now?

"Damn it! Xiao Yixian, watch out for She Tianhao!" Xiao Ding shouted suddenly—but it was already too late.

"Hahaha, too late!" From above, She Tianhao's voice rang out—suddenly, a massive Array appeared in the Sky. He snapped his hand seals, and a colossal tornado descended from above.

Xiao Yixian looked up sharply—her eyes contracted—the tornado carried vast quantities of Poison Powder!

The Poison Powder harmed her not—it even benefited her—but precisely because it was beneficial, her heart sank: if it touched her body, her suppressed Innate Calamity Poison Body would activate—and the consequences would be catastrophic!

Xiao Yixian gritted her teeth, readying her Body Technique to evade—but She Heaven Phoenix had prepared too long to let her escape; instantly, he activated a Space Lock, sealing the space and delaying her.

"Hahaha! They say the eruption of the Innate Calamity Poison Body turns an entire empire into a Poison Wasteland—today I shall witness it!" She Heaven Phoenix laughed, already opening a Space Channel to flee with his son.

Though he didn't know why the Soul Palace's venerable elders didn't directly strike the Yan Alliance but instead secretly supported the Tian She Mansion to destroy it, it didn't matter—as long as they shared a common enemy, they were allies.

As for the Northwest Alliance troops who would perish alongside them in the Misfortune Poison Explosion—they didn't care. As long as the Yan Alliance was destroyed, the entire Northwest Region would belong to the Tian She Mansion.

Some sacrifices were worth it.

At this critical moment, the man who always arrived late—but never failed to appear—finally arrived.

"Two grown men ganging up on such a delicate girl? Aren't you ashamed?"

CRASH! A deafening boom echoed—suddenly, the space before Xiao Yixian shattered, revealing black void. The next instant, an endless tide of emerald-green Poison Flame surged forth from a Void Passage!

The emerald-green Poison Flame opened its mouth like a demon's, swallowing the entire descending storm of Poison Powder.

The Poison Powder was nourishment to the Nine Underworld Poison Flame—all of it was refined into fuel.

Huhuh!! With the massive infusion of poison, the Nine Underworld Poison Flame surged like oil poured onto fire—its temperature skyrocketed, instantly forming a colossal flying eagle that slammed with a BOOM into the dark mass of enemy troops.

"Aaaah!!"

"Help!"

Screams erupted everywhere—the once densely packed enemy horde scattered like ink dropped in water, emerald-green flames now spreading across them.

The Nine Underworld Poison Flame was no ordinary fire—it was a Strange Fire, possessing rare and extraordinary power.

It was a terrifying Poison Flame laced with deadly toxins; even Dou Qi defenses were useless—the poison within would seep through the Dou Qi and invade the body.

Even those poisoned could transmit the flame upon contact—utterly terrifying.

In an instant, Xiao Yixian's two-month tally of kills was surpassed by Xiao Yan.

"Sorry—I seem to be late again."

(End of Chapter)