Chapter 510: Xiao Yan

One strike!

Gu Yao, one of the Four Demon Sovereign Commanders of the Black Smoke Army, was defeated in a single strike by a Xiao Clan member who had abandoned his Dou Emperor Bloodline!

Who would believe this?

If Xiao Yan's cultivation realm were far higher than Gu Yao's, everyone here could accept it—after all, Dou Emperor Bloodline cannot bridge the gap in cultivation—but Xiao Yan's cultivation is actually slightly weaker than Gu Yao's, merely newly entered Star Eight Dou Zun.

"How could Xiao Yan possess such peerless speed!" exclaimed the Star Eight Dou Zun leading the Lei Clan, stunned beyond belief. Though the Lei Clan isn't specialized in speed, their Dou Techniques are famed for brutal velocity—even when he unleashed his full power and Tribe Pattern Power, he couldn't reach one-tenth of the speed Xiao Yan displayed in that instant.

Merely from that single moment, that speed likely reached Nine-Turn Dou Zun levels!

"Damn, this kid's speed in the Thunder Pool wasn't even his fastest." Mang Tianchi stroked his beard; back in the Thunder Pool, though he hadn't used his full speed either, he'd already discovered Xiao Yan possessed a Heavenly Rank Flying Dou Technique.

So when he learned Xiao Yan would fight Gu Yao, he was calm, knowing Xiao Yan had a chance to win—but he never imagined Xiao Yan would win so cleanly, no, more accurately, so terrifyingly!

"That's the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan… no, a Flying Dou Technique forged from ancient Heaven Phoenix bone wings?" The Stone Clan's expert frowned; they were famed for physical strength, even surpassing beasts, and were skilled in forging—but even they couldn't decipher this.

The fire wings behind Xiao Yan resembled ancient Heaven Phoenixes, yet their aura felt even stronger, as if some legendary supreme beast.

The only ones who sensed something unusual were Huo Xuan and Huo Zhi of the Yan Clan.

"That special flame must be a Strange Fire," Huo Xuan wasn't certain, for he'd never heard of such a Strange Fire!

Huo Zhi's beautiful eyes flickered with unusual color, hesitantly saying: "Fused Strange Fire."

"Fused Strange Fire!"

"Yes, possibly like the Clan Leader's Nine Underworld Golden Stone Flame—formed by fusing two or even more Strange Fires into a new one. Fusing this Strange Fire greatly enhanced Xiao Yan's Flying Dou Technique; otherwise, an ordinary Heavenly Rank Flying Dou Technique couldn't achieve such explosive speed." Huo Zhi's eyes flickered with red flame; she was extremely sensitive to flames, and since the Yan Clan Leader had forcibly fused two Strange Fires through immense cultivation, she knew some of this.

Seeing Xiao Yan standing tall in the arena like a crane among chickens, Xun Er pressed her jade hand to her mouth, trembling with excitement, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears.

She knew her Brother Xiao Yan would silence every member of the Gu Clan—with the most direct method!

And indeed, whether the other three Demon Sovereign Commanders of the Gu Clan or the three Elders, all fell silent. Even though they knew Xiao Yan was an outsider and that Xun Er's bloodline was too vital to allow her to marry out.

But conversely, if Xun Er married Xiao Yan, the Gu Clan would effectively gain Xiao Yan too.

Many Gu Clan elders simultaneously thought at this moment: this deal didn't seem as bad as imagined.

Xiao Yan stood on the plaza; though the fight ended quickly, he wasn't relaxed—simultaneously unleashing three Heavenly Flames, the Wind Fury Dragon Flame and Nine Dragon Thunderflame carried wind and thunder forces, while the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame added its unique power, finally pushing the Ancient Phoenix Wings into their most terrifying state.

Combined with the temporary cultivation boost from Heavenly Flame Three Profound Changes, he achieved this terrifying power.

He could have slowly defeated Gu Yao, but the more dominant he appeared, the less pressure Xun Er would face in the Gu Clan later—so Xiao Yan acted so arrogantly, proving Xun Er's judgment was right!

"Impossible! How could this happen!" From the pile of shattered rocks, Gu Yao shook off debris and rose again.

Gu Yao was in terrible shape—his chest caved inward, his body nearly shattered, blood oozing from his lips, eyes filled with bloodshot veins, face etched with disbelief.

Yet under that kick, Gu Yao didn't die; his Dou Emperor Bloodline slowly surfaced on his forehead—but he suffered severe injuries.

Though Xiao Yan's kick hadn't targeted his head, with Xiao Yan's speed and terrifying physical strength, combined with the eight hidden forces of Eight Extremes Crash, Gu Yao was still gravely wounded.

"You! You must have used external aid! I couldn't possibly lose!" Gu Yao pointed at Xiao Yan, his eyes wild with rage, glaring fiercely.

He couldn't accept defeat—especially not being defeated in one strike!

At this moment, Gu Yao's mind held no image of Xun Er—only hatred for Xiao Yan. He couldn't bear this failure!

Gu Zhen watched Gu Yao's state and sighed, shaking his head: "His mindset has shattered. He's not just lost to Xiao Yan—he's been broken to the point of doubting himself."

Saying Xiao Yan used external aid isn't entirely wrong—the Flying Dou Technique was indeed a crafted external object, and Strange Fires are, in a sense, divine treasures created by heaven and earth. But all of it was refined by Xiao Yan himself, all hard-won through his own struggle—naturally, it counts as his strength.

Gu Yao gritted his teeth, stepping slowly toward Xiao Yan, unwilling to admit defeat.

The clan mark on Gu Yao's forehead glowed brighter, as heavenly forces surged uncontrollably into his body—this was clearly the spiritual pressure of a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique.

"Gu Yao! What are you doing!" Xun Er stood up, her beautiful eyes revealing rare disgust and anger, her voice stern: "If Brother Xiao Yan hadn't held back, you'd already be a corpse!"

Hearing this, Gu Yao's qi faltered, his eyes bloodshot—he still refused to accept defeat.

Xiao Yan crossed his arms, smiling faintly at Gu Yao: "You're surely thinking I just took you by surprise—if you'd been prepared, you'd have won. I only relied on a pair of Heavenly Rank wings, moving faster, but my true strength can't touch you."

"Right?"

Gu Yao froze, fists clenched, voice low: "Xiao Yan! Do you dare accept one strike from me? If I lose, I'll submit wholeheartedly!"

Hearing Gu Yao's words, not only the other Dou Emperor Families, but even the other Commanders like Gu Qingyang shook their heads, looking down on Gu Yao for refusing to accept defeat after losing. If this weren't the Gu Clan, Gu Yao would already be dead.

"Brother Xiao Yan, don't," Xun Er whispered urgently into Xiao Yan's mind.

Xiao Yan looked at Xun Er, smiled slightly, then turned his gaze to Gu Yao and said: "Very well. I grant you the chance to challenge me. Whether you possess the courage to do so—that's your own affair."

This was exactly what Gu Yao had just said to Xiao Yan—returned to him unchanged!

Ten Celestials slapping faces—never let it wait till tomorrow!

With a hum, the clan mark on Gu Yao's forehead extended, a purple-gold light illuminating the entire Yishi Guangchang, purple-gold patterns spreading across his entire body.

Gu Yao's cultivation surged from Star Eight peak to Nine-Star early stage; his hands moved, leaving afterimages, and as his hand seals formed, the howling winds across the sky abruptly ceased—even the swirling clouds above froze in place. A titanic aura of utter annihilation slowly spread from Gu Yao's body.

Feeling the annihilation aura radiating from Gu Yao, nearly everyone around the Guang Chang changed expression; beneath this aura of total extinction, their hearts subtly sank into despair.

"Gu Yao's going all out—he's even unleashed his clan mark."

In the sky, the three Gu Clan Elders presiding over the ceremony wore grim expressions; they exchanged glances, then nodded, shouting in unison, unleashing their full Dou Qi without reserve into the energy shield surrounding the Guang Chang, thickening it.

"This is… Dà Jìmìe Shù!"

"One of the Gu Clan's most supreme inherited Dou Techniques!"

"And the Gu Clan's clan mark has a special ability—Xiao Yan's speed is fast, but if he tries to block this directly, he might not survive it!"

Watching Gu Yao slowly float into the sky, feeling the annihilation aura he emitted, Xiao Yan finally shed his casualness.

If Xiao Yan wasn't mistaken, the true ability of the Gu Clan's clan mark was to amplify the power of Dou Techniques!

The Soul Sovereign excelled in Spiritual Souls, the Stone Clan in physical strength, and the Gu Clan—reigned through techniques!

Fully activating his Dou Emperor Bloodline, Gu Yao felt the boiling power within him—this instant restored his confidence!

"Xiao Yan, this power is beyond the comprehension of a man without Dou Emperor Bloodline! Dà Jìmìe Zhǐ!" Gu Yao roared, pointing at Xiao Yan and striking.

Xiao Yan slowly raised his head; Dà Jìmìe Zhǐ was already a Heaven Tier Low Grade Dou Technique, and with the Gu Clan's Dou Emperor Bloodline, its power likely reached the absolute limit of Heaven Tier Low Grade.

Xiao Yan smiled calmly, glancing sideways at Gu Zhen, who watched from afar.

Gu Zhen's heart jolted, pupils shrinking—Xiao Yan hadn't spoken a word, but his deep eyes had already said everything.

He will prove that the Dou Emperor Bloodline is nothing special.

With a wave of his hand, the Ancient Phoenix Wings retracted and merged, the Strange Flames within instantly splitting back into three.

"He really can fuse Strange Flames!" Huo Zhi's beautiful eyes widened in shock—especially since he fused three Strange Flames!!

"No! These three Strange Flames are the Ten Thousand Beasts' Spiritual Flame, Wind Fury Dragon Flame, and Nine Dragon Thunderflame!! He!! He has five Strange Flames!!" Huo Xuan's expression turned terrified! They had not forgotten: in the tavern, Xiao Yan had used the Falling Heart Flame and the Yin-Yang Dual Flame!

In the next instant, the Falling Heart Flame and the Yin-Yang Dual Flame appeared, five Strange Flames occupying one corner before Xiao Yan. The moment the five Strange Flames appeared, the entire Yishi Guangchang's desolate aura was instantly replaced by intense infernal heat!

The temperature across the entire Guang Chang surged instantly!

Mang Tianchi stared at the invisible flame swirling around Xiao Yan, then froze, stunned: "Falling Heart Flame?"

This Falling Heart Flame had originally been sealed by Mang Tianchi himself, so he knew it intimately—but he never imagined this Strange Flame, sealed at the bottom of the Inner Court's Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta, had ended up in Xiao Yan's hands.

"This brat's got his eyes on the Academy now—I knew why he came to Jia Nan Academy." Mang Tianchi rolled his eyes; he knew exactly what this guy was up to.

"Five Strange Flames?!!! Damn, he really has five!!"

"Five Strange Flames… How is this possible? How can five Strange Flames coexist inside one person? Doesn't he fear they'll clash and explode?!"

"His cultivation method has the divine effect of fusing Strange Flames. Such a divine effect—even our Yan Clan's ancestral technique, the 'Fire Emperor Xuan Classic,' does not possess." Huo Zhi's delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed as she whispered.

In another corner, seeing Xiao Yan summon five Strange Flames, Ren Yaozi's eyes flickered with greed. For Alchemists, Strange Flames held unmatched allure; even with his status in the Yao Clan, he had struggled for years to obtain just one Strange Flame's inheritance—yet Xiao Yan possessed five!

This quantity of Strange Flames could not be matched even by combining all Strange Flames within the Yao Clan.

"He can store five Strange Flames within his body without triggering backlash—surely something suppresses them. If I'm not mistaken, it must be his cultivation method. If I get the chance, I should capture him and force him to hand over both his method and the Strange Flames. Hehe, given time, the Yao Clan Leader's seat might well be mine." Ren Yaozi's gaze flickered, his eyes burning hotter as he stared at Xiao Yan.

Of course, if they knew the Burn Scripture began at Yellow Grade Low, they might not think so.

Due to the appearance of the five Strange Flames, nearly every gaze in the crowd fixed on Xiao Yan; thoughts surged through minds—some envious, some jealous, some delighted, and naturally, some greedy.

"He! He's about to unleash a Dou Technique!!"

Though spoken slowly, Xiao Yan, with his supreme Fire Control Power, executed it with incredible speed—in an instant, the five Strange Flames took shape and formed an Array!

"Five Wheel Departing Flame Array!"

The five Spirits formed a wondrous array; terrifying infernal heat spread instantly from all directions—even the dark clouds far above Gu Yao's head grew thin from scorching heat; trees closer to the Guang Chang withered visibly before bursting into ash with a loud 'Bang!'

Five Spirit Flames formed a peculiar Array, while Xiao Yan stood at its core.

Watching Xiao Yan surrounded by Strange Flames, only Xun Er's eyes held tenderness—she had always believed in him.

Facing the colossal finger hurtling toward him, Xiao Yan's expression remained calm: "Gu Yao, though the Dou Emperor Bloodline is strong, in this world, on the Dou Qi Continent, there exist powers that rival the Dou Emperor Bloodline—only they are harder to obtain."

"Go!"

Boom!! The five Strange Flames fused, interwove into an Array, instantly forming a five-colored beam that blasted toward the colossal finger descending from the heavens.

The Dà Jìmìe Zhǐ could extinguish all life—but Strange Flames too possessed the power to burn all things!

Boom!! The thunderous impact shook heaven and earth; the ground trembled. Had the three Gu Clan Elders not joined forces to erect a Protective Barrier, the entire Guang Chang would have been destroyed!

For a moment, terrifying forces clashed and suppressed each other; where their energies collided, everything turned to nothing—time and space here were instantly evaporated and annihilated, all ceased to exist.

When the five Strange Flames truly formed the Departing Flame Array, the blazing fire could truly burn the heavens!

It felt as if, in that instant, it could burn away the sun, moon, and stars!

"Xiao Yan! Even if you have five Strange Flames, what of it? Our Gu Clan's Dou Emperor Bloodline is the strongest!" Hum!! The purple-gold Clan Mark on Gu Yao's forehead blazed, illuminating heaven and earth. The Dou Emperor Family's arrogance was not without reason—the Dou Emperor Bloodline was truly tyrannical.

"You're wrong. I said you're just like that Second Commander Lin Xiu—one-move trash." Xiao Yan's eyes suddenly flashed with strange light; hum! He finally unleashed his Soul Force!

When Xiao Yan's Soul Force erupted, every soul present sank—even the half-Sage Elders felt it. For even a Dou Sage does not guarantee a Heavenly Realm Soul.

"Heavenly Realm Soul Force!!" The Soul Sovereign people could no longer sit still; Hun Ya screamed.

Even as a Soul Sovereign Eight Grade Bloodline, I'm barely close to a Heavenly Realm Soul Force!! Why do YOU, from the Xiao Clan, have it?!

The moment the Heavenly Realm Soul Force appeared, even Gu Yao's face turned pale. The next second, the Strange Flame beam exploded—what was called the Dà Jìmìe Zhǐ shattered like an ice stick, utterly destroyed; the terrifying Strange Flames swallowed the Dà Jìmìe Zhǐ and then swallowed Gu Yao whole.

"Aaaah!!"

Gu Yao's agonized scream echoed across the entire Guang Chang, shaking every ear.

Equal-rank invincible!

Even the Dou Emperor Family was no match!

"Five Strange Flames… Heavenly Realm Soul Force… When Hun Feng was Young Clan Leader at Eight-Star Dou Zun, he barely reached Heavenly Realm, didn't he?" One of Hun Ya's companions murmured.

Hun Ya now deeply regretted—he shouldn't have talked back to Xiao Yan!!

Xiao Yan did not kill him, and quickly retracted the Strange Flames. Defeating Gu Yao was one thing; killing him was another. Gu Yao's lineage was no weak branch in the Gu Clan—just as the Xiao Clan had First Elder, Second Elder, Three Elders, with complex relationships.

Of course, now the Xiao Clan was under Xiao Yan's command.

Shhh! A charred black figure slowly fell from midair; Gu Yao now looked no different from a lump of Blackie—the only difference being he still breathed.

"This kid hit hard," said Third Commander Gu Xing, shaking his head. Gu Yao's injuries were severe enough to bar him from entering the Heavenly Tomb—Xiao Yan had effectively revoked Gu Yao's right to enter.

The entire crowd fell silent; even the Gu Clan Elders dared not shout at Xiao Yan now. The two Elders who had once tormented Xiao Yan were drenched in cold sweat.

Though their strength surpassed Gu Yao's, their Dou Emperor Bloodline was weaker—and not by much! If Gu Yao was so easily defeated, could the two of them even defeat Xiao Yan together?

Gu Zhen's face turned pale; he even began doubting himself. Could the Dou Emperor Bloodline truly be unimportant?!

Gu Qingyang sighed and said: "From now on, don't mention Xun Er and Xiao Yan's affair again. His talent and strength—even if still below Xiao Xuan's in his prime—are enough to earn the Clan's respect."

At that moment, Second Commander Gu Hua's face twitched, his expression strange as he glanced at Gu Qingyang: "Big Brother… Xiao Yan just swallowed a Pill to restore Dou Qi."

"He's looking right at you."

!!!!???

(End of Chapter)