Chapter 498

Soul Force instantly triggered a Soul Storm, the eruption of Heavenly Realm Soul Force resembling a Storm War God, carrying an extremely domineering Soul Storm, within which the Asura War God seemed to wield a long blade and sweep across.

Even several powerful Elders of the Hua Sect couldn't help but change color, let alone Hua Jin and Yao Hua Xie Jun, who faced it directly! Both instantly gripped a divine sword in one hand and a treasure shield in the other, unleashing their strongest Defensive Dou Technique.

"This is utterly unjust!"

"Did Xiao Yan obtain this Soul Dou Technique from the Dan Tower? Such immense Soul Force!"

At this moment, the two Hua Sect Supreme Elders, Qing Xianzi and Hua Xianzi, who were in seclusion, simultaneously snapped open their eyes, their gazes sharpening as if they had instantly transmigrated to gaze upon the Guang Chang.

"This is Heavenly Realm Soul Force!!"

"Such powerful Soul Dou Technique—no ordinary person could possibly obtain it!"

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!! The Asura's single slash swept across the Eight Directions and Six Realms; the soul's resonance echoed through heaven and earth. In an instant, the entire Guang Chang was torn apart by this Soul Power, the earth shattered, peaks crushed, and even the Guang Chang's protective Barrier was sliced open by a single stroke.

"Reinforce the defense!!"

In the blink of an eye, centered on Xiao Yan, overwhelming Soul Power shattered everything before it like a storm tearing through dry grass and rotten wood; this terrifying, unmatched Soul Power left even the Hua Sect's strongest warriors pale with horror—it was as if the end of the world had arrived.

PUFF PUFF!!! Even though Hua Jin and Yao Hua Xie Jun were no match for him even one-on-one, and even though they had combined to unleash a Defensive Dou Technique against Soul Attacks, they still could not resist—they both spat blood and were flung backward.

Their Spiritual Souls were split apart by Xiao Yan's strike, suffering severe damage.

THUD THUD! Hua Jin and Yao Hua Xie Jun collapsed onto the ground, staring at Xiao Yan still seated on his chair, their faces pale with shock—he had merely been playing around!

BOOM BOOM!! At this moment, the Spiritual Flames of Three Thousand Yan Flame and Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire simultaneously broke free from their ice seals; the two Spiritual Flames, frozen for an instant, now glowed with a flash of fury in their eyes.

Seeing the Spiritual Flames begin to coalesce, Hua Jin's already pale face turned deathly white—these two Spiritual Flames were already immensely powerful, and now, wounded as they were, escape seemed impossible; she immediately screamed out.

"I yield!!"

Hearing her scream, Xiao Yan could not strike to kill—there were too many Hua Sect elders watching; killing the acting Sect Master before their eyes was unthinkable.

Seeing Hua Jin yield, the numerous Hua Sect Elders slightly shook their heads; this match had ended far too easily—it was almost a joke. Xiao Yan's strength was simply inconceivable: he possessed multiple Spiritual Flames, and his Soul Force was this formidable.

Xiao Yan turned his head, gazing at Yun Yun, who looked slightly stunned, and smiled.

Yun Yun, seeing Xiao Yan's radiant smile, couldn't help but glare at him—but her gaze carried not only reproach, but also a hint of affection, like lovers teasing each other.

This guy is as powerful as ever.

The Hua Sect's Grand Elder turned his gaze to Yun Yun and smiled slightly. "I trust the Sect Master's judgment. Yun Yun, from now on, you shall be the Hua Sect's new Sect Master."

Looking at the Sect Master Soul Token thrown to her, Yun Yun hesitated—after all, she was still the Sect Master of the Yun Lan Sect.

"Take it."

"But what about the Yun Lan Sect?"

Xiao Yan gave Yun Yun a disapproving look. "How can you even say that? How long has it been since you returned to the Yun Lan Sect?"

At Xiao Yan's words, Yun Yun fell silent.

"Just step down from the Yun Lan Sect leadership and give it to Nalan Yanran." Xiao Yan pointed at Nalan Yanran, who stood nearby, dazed.

"Me? That won't work! I'm not ready!"

"Then what's the point of having you as Young Sect Master? You were made Young Sect Master from the start to be trained as the successor."

Then Xiao Yan whispered to Yun Yun, his voice grave: "Moreover, Yao Hua Xie Jun is from the Tian Ming Sect. If you refuse this Hua Sect Sect Master position and give it to Hua Jin, the Hua Sect and Tian Ming Sect will unite—and that will bring a devastating threat to the Yan Alliance and the Yun Lan Sect."

Xiao Yan had long heard rumors that the Hua Sect and Tian Ming Sect planned to unite.

It was likely that Tian Ming Sect intended to arrange a marriage between Yao Hua Xie Jun and Hua Jin, forging an alliance between the two sects.

If they truly united, even Xiao Yan would find it extremely troublesome—he had already sensed during his release of Heavenly Realm Soul Force that the Hua Sect harbored several powerful figures, even two at Half-Sage level secretly monitoring him.

Yun Yun froze, hesitated a moment, then slowly nodded. She raised her head, gazing at the white-haired old woman in the sky, and respectfully said: "Grand Elder, I can temporarily act as Sect Master. If in the future you find a more suitable candidate, just let me know."

"Hehe, rest assured. I still have great faith in the former Sect Master's judgment. If she was willing to pass on her lifetime's Dou Qi to you, then you must be the perfect candidate in her eyes." The white-haired old woman smiled.

Hearing the old woman's words, Yao Hua Xie Jun's eyes turned icy. "Grand Elder, I hope you won't regret today's decision."

"Hehe, you Tian Ming Sect should worry more about yourselves—you can barely save yourselves and still care about others." Xiao Yan slowly rose from his chair, his gaze flashing with ferocity as he stared at Yao Hua Xie Jun.

The Yan Alliance has long had friction with the Tian Ming Sect and the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan, especially since Lei Zunzhe's death—but so far, these have been minor skirmishes among disciples, not escalating to Dou Zun-level confrontations.

Xiao Yan killed the Sect Master of Xuan Ming Sect; the hatred between both sides is irreconcilable. So when Xiao Yan learned Yun Yun had received the Hua Sect Sect Master's lifetime Dou Qi, he immediately thought she should inherit the Hua Sect leadership.

This would not only sever the alliance between Hua Sect and Tian Ming Sect, but also give the Yan Alliance another trump card to guard against a sudden strike from Tian Ming Sect.

Xiao Yan had already planned this long ago: once he reached Dou Sage, he would deal with the Tian Ming Sect and the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan.

His goal is to restore the Xiao Clan to greatness!

This will inevitably bring him into conflict with many top-tier Factions—there's only so much power to go around, and it's unavoidable.

After this battle ended, Xiao Yan did not leave immediately—now that Yun Yun was Hua Sect Sect Master, perhaps this convenient lover of his could extract some benefits from the Hua Sect, such as access to an Inheritance Secret Realm—he desperately needed one.

"None?!" Xiao Yan's face showed utter shock—this massive Hua Sect had no Inheritance Secret Realm suitable for him!

Nalan Yanran covered her mouth and giggled. "So even Master Xiao Yan has moments of failure?"

"Call me Young Master."

"No! Hmph."

Yun Yun also looked helplessly at Xiao Yan. "The Hua Sect accepts only female disciples not only because its top Cultivation Methods are restricted to women, but also because all its Inheritance Secret Realms are similarly specialized."

Xiao Yan was utterly stunned. Kuang! So all this was for nothing?!

Could it be that Xiao Yan himself had finally been taken for a ride?!

This makes no sense! It seems the Xuan Huang Flame's Qi Circulation here is being diverted elsewhere!

Peach luck counts as Qi Circulation too.

"Forget it. Secret Realms can be found elsewhere. Perhaps I should calm down and properly refine my Dou Techniques—I haven't even begun cultivating the Heavenly Rank Dou Technique." Xiao Yan stroked his chin, suddenly thinking this might not be so bad—he did need to slow his Cultivation Realm progress and properly hone his Dou Techniques.

After all, the Gu Clan's monsters all possess extremely powerful Dou Techniques; if I don't have even one Heavenly Rank Dou Technique to show, I'll be utterly humiliated.

Xiao Yan suddenly smiled at Yun Yun, then reached out and seized her Jade Hand.

Seeing Xiao Yan do this in front of Nalan Yanran, Yun Yun's exquisite face flushed crimson; she furrowed her brows slightly, indignantly saying:

"You! Are you addicted to being a pervert?!"

Xiao Yan's face remained expressionless, calm as still water. "What are you talking about? I'm just checking the Seal left behind by Hua Po Po."

Hearing this, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes narrowed with doubt as she looked at Xiao Yan—look all you want, but why are your hands wandering?

Seeing Yun Yun's puzzled gaze, Xiao Yan paused his movements, and a gentle stream of Soul Force slowly entered her body.

"Such powerful Battle Qi—Hua Po Po must have been a Nine Star Peak Battle Sovereign, perhaps even higher." Xiao Yan slowly withdrew his hand, his expression grave; this Battle Qi absolutely needed to be sealed, or it would shatter Yun Yun's body.

"But Hua Po Po was too cautious—I'll tear open a few more seals later, release more Battle Qi, and brew some Medicinal Essence to accelerate your Refining. Once you refine it quickly, you won't have to worry about anyone coveting this Battle Qi anymore."

Gazing at the smiling young man before her, Yun Yun felt a warm current surge in her heart—whether helping rebuild the Yun Lan Sect or now, having someone to rely on felt wonderfully comforting; a gentle warmth and an inexplicable feeling stirred within her.

"Thank you."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan frowned, staring at her exquisite face. "Is it necessary?"

"Huh?"

Sensing Xiao Yan's sudden displeasure, Yun Yun lifted her beautiful eyes, seeing his furrowed brow, and couldn't help but smile—her heart warmed with a faint tenderness.

At this moment, Nalan Yanran glowed like a lightbulb.

Xiao Yan glanced at Nalan Yanran beside him and chuckled. "As for you? Well… never mind, you seem to lack such fortune. I'll lend you a hand—if the Sect Master of the Yun Lan Sect isn't even a Battle Sovereign, it'll bring shame to the Yan Alliance."

Insulted by Xiao Yan's condescension, Nalan Yanran stomped her foot in anger. "I don't need your help—I can break through to Battle Sovereign myself!"

After refining the ancient Pill, Nalan Yanran's Cultivation Realm had broken through to Seven Star Battle Sect, but she still had a long way to go before Battle Sovereign.

"Your foundation is solid. Take another Fu Zong Elixir, aided by your Strange Fire—you should reach Nine Star Battle Sect. Then I'll give you a Po Zun Elixir. Wait for the right moment to take it, and you'll break through to Battle Sovereign." Xiao Yan pulled out paper and ink and wrote down several flower names. "When I came in, I saw these flowers in Hua Hai. Pick some and bring them back. Hua Hai doesn't just create illusions—it nourishes the body and boosts Battle Qi."

Though Nalan Yanran's face showed reluctance, she eventually took the paper "reluctantly."

After sending Nalan Yanran away, Xiao Yan turned to Yun Yun. "You're not planning to have me tear open the seals right here, are you?"

Yun Yun cast him a seductive glance, with no choice, led him to her Gui Fang. The room, perfumed with subtle fragrance, was bathed in a faint pink hue—clearly reflecting the woman's refined, gentle nature.

The two sat cross-legged on the bed. Yun Yun's cheeks were still flushed—no man had ever entered her room, not in the Yun Lan Sect, nor here in Hua Zong—only Xiao Yan.

"I'll forcibly tear a crack in the Seal to aid your future Refining. It'll hurt—hold on." Xiao Yan gazed at Yun Yun, seated softly on the bed, and tore his thoughts away from the pink-tinted Gui Fang, clearing his throat.

"Mm."

Seeing Yun Yun gently push back her long hair, revealing her rosy ears and bare back, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, exhaled deeply, cast aside his distractions, and focused.

Feng Nu Long Yan coalesced in his palm. Hua Po Po's Battle Qi and Yun Yun's were both Wind-type—Xiao Yan needed Feng Nu Long Yan's Wind-Fire nature to trigger the Seal, forcing the Battle Qi to burst through some restraints.

His fingers struck like lightning, pressing hard against Yun Yun's Jade Back.

*Chi! * Though Xiao Yan didn't amplify the flame's Infernal Heat, its inherent temperature instantly burned her back garment to ash, revealing a smooth, jade-like, alluring curve.

If Xiao Yixian were here, she'd curse Xiao Yan as a repeat offender—never let him use Strange Fire!

"Ah!"

A startled cry escaped her as she felt her clothes burn away, her back suddenly hot and cold—her spirit panicked.

"Focus! Guard your Meridians—I'm breaking the Seal!"

At Xiao Yan's grave command, Yun Yun gritted her teeth, forcibly suppressing her inner turmoil, and quickly centered herself.

Xiao Yan had excellent Fire Control Power, but Strange Fire entering the body was always perilous—he had no spare thoughts for anything else. He guided the Strange Fire toward a Seal near her Qi vortex.

Feng Nu Long Yan instantly transformed into a storm dragon, crashing *Boom! * against the cracked Seal.

*Boom! * The crack widened instantly—a torrent of powerful Battle Qi erupted from Yun Yun's slender body, dense as solid matter, shattering nearby chairs and tables into powder with a *Crack! *

"Is the Seal broken?"

Feeling the thick Battle Qi surging within, Yun Yun's cheeks lit up with joy—but then she worried for Xiao Yan, turned to look, and saw him staring wide-eyed, swallowing hard, fixed on her.

Seeing Xiao Yan's gaze, Yun Yun froze, then lowered her head—her face instantly burned crimson. The violent outburst of Battle Qi had completely torn her clothing apart.

For a moment, the room was filled with breathtaking beauty—so alluring, Xiao Yan couldn't look away.

Even Xiao Yan, who had seen much, felt his throat dry, and Fallen Heart Flame slowly rose.

In that instant her cheeks flushed crimson, a scream burst from Yun Yun's lips—she snatched the soft quilt from the bed, flung it up, and covered part of her alluring form.

Hidden beneath the quilt, Yun Yun's face eased slightly. She lifted her lovely face, glaring at Xiao Yan with embarrassment and anger. "Still looking?"

Though the quilt now covered her, it was thin—clinging to Yun Yun's figure, it still traced her alluring curves, set against her blushing, shame-filled face. This sight alone could make any man burst into nosebleeds.

"Cough."

Xiao Yan cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and calmly averted his gaze. "This isn't my fault—it was your own Battle Qi that tore it open."

Hearing this, even Yun Yun's composure faltered—this kid was the classic type who took advantage and then played the victim.

But just then, Nalan Yanran, returning from outside, happened to hear Yun Yun's cry.

"Master, are you alright?" Nalan Yanran, arms full of fresh flowers, looked panicked—why was her master screaming?

Hearing Nalan Yanran outside the door, Yun Yun glanced at her current state—if Nalan Yanran came in, she'd never wash clean, even if she jumped into an Alchemy Furnace!

"Yanran, don't come in! Ah!" Yun Yun panicked—she didn't realize she was clutching the quilt Xiao Yan was sitting on. As she pulled, she lost balance and tumbled onto Xiao Yan.

Hearing her master scream again, Nalan Yanran didn't care—she shoved the door open, saw the scene, and stood frozen, mouth wide enough to swallow an egg, the flowers she'd just picked falling from her hands.

Her dearest master, now naked, was pinning down her former fiancé—the very man she secretly loved.

This relationship… couldn't be more tangled.

"M-Master, you and Xiao Yan…" This sight struck Nalan Yanran's innocent heart like lightning! Nalan Yanran and Yun Yun were both ascetics—both Huang Hua Gu Niang—who had never seen anything so shocking!

"It's not like that, Yanran, let me explain!" Yun Yun had just risen when she heard Xiao Yan suck in a sharp breath—she looked down and saw him nearly fainting from the sight, his eyes bloodshot.

She inwardly marveled: Xuan Huang Yan—I, Xiao Yan, declare it the strongest Strange Fire!

"Ah!" Yun Yun's cheeks burned hotter—she flung herself back onto Xiao Yan, scolding in a hushed fury. "Still looking!"

Xiao Yan recovered his composure fastest. He let Yun Yun press against his chest, turned his head toward Nalan Yanran at the door, and said, "Little Bi Nu, close the door."

"O-okay." Nalan Yanran had forgotten to protest that she wasn't a Bi Nu—this shock was too great!

When the door closed, Xiao Yan blinked, then burst out laughing. "Why'd you stay inside?"

At these words, Nalan Yanran's mind nearly burned out. Of course! She shouldn't be inside the room—she should've been outside!

"I'm leaving!" Nalan Yanran's face blazed red.

"You don't need to leave. Come here."

!?

(End of Chapter)