Chapter 569: Wolf Dad

Huo Yun Lao Zu and Tang Zhen beside him both stiffened their gazes; they naturally knew that the Sect Master of Tianming Sect was not Tianming Lao Yao, but Tianming Zi, and Tianming Zi himself was merely at the Seventh Transformation Dou Zun level.

But Tianming Sect could be one of the Two Sects precisely because its Founder was still alive.

After reaching Dou Zun on the Dou Qi Continent, one's lifespan greatly extends; at the Dou Sheng level, it's even more so—this causes some sects and clans to have their Family Heads step down after a period, retiring behind the scenes to focus on cultivation.

Originally, Yun Lan Sect was just like this: their Ancestor Yun Shan, at Dou Huang Peak, could never break through, so he stepped down and appointed Yun Yun as Sect Master, while he secluded himself to break through.

Watching Xiao Yan calmly sipping tea, Tang Zhen and Huo Yun Lao Zu exchanged glances, both sensing an underlying meaning.

Both clearly knew Xiao Yan had no personal grudge against Tianming Lao Yao—meaning this was not his private vendetta, but the Yan Alliance's strategic policy!

The Yan Alliance aims to completely crush Tianming Sect and become the sole dominant alliance surpassing the Two Sects!

Although the Yan Alliance still lags behind Dan Tower and Hun Sect, its strength has already far surpassed the Two Sects—some even say that even combined, Hua Sect and Tianming Sect cannot match the current Yan Alliance.

Imagine—even without counting Xiao Yan himself, the Yan Alliance's combat power is terrifyingly immense: the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake is about to reincarnate, the Ancient Pill Beast of the Zao Hua Saint is nearing Nine Grade, and Cai Lin possesses the Nine-Colored Swallowing Sky Python Primordial Stone and can enter Dou Sheng at any moment.

Think of it—this power far exceeds the Two Sects, not to mention the existence of a Nine Grade Alchemist capable of refining the Bodhi Pill.

If Xiao Yan eliminates Tianming Sect, the era of One Hall One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Pavilions will vanish entirely, replaced by a tripartite standoff.

Hun Sect, Dan Tower, Yan Alliance—dividing Zhong Zhou!

For a moment, Tang Zhen and Huo Yun Lao Zu both saw shock and solemnity in each other's eyes.

Moreover, Yun Yun is currently the Sect Master of Hua Sect, and the strongest of the two Supreme Elders, the Senior Half-Saint Qing Xianzi, has completely withdrawn due to the matter of Yao Lao, and Hua Sect may soon merge with Yun Lan Sect, becoming part of the Yan Alliance.

At that point, which force on Zhong Zhou could possibly rival the Yan Alliance? Two of the Four Pavilions are dead, one has withdrawn, and one of the Three Valleys—Ice River Valley—has been wiped out. Without doubt, the Yan Alliance's rise is a naked land grab.

A bloody rise to power!

Wuuuuu!! The teapot boiled, emitting a wailing sound; only when the water boiled did it finally break the silence. After sipping the hot tea, Huo Yun Lao Zu let out a long breath and said: "Xiao Yan, killing Tianming Lao Yao is not difficult. If you can restore my original strength, even if Tianming Sect's Blood Demon Array boosts that old devil to One-Star Dou Sheng, I won't fear him."

"But Tianming Sect has already allied with the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan, which has at least two One-Star Dou Shengs. Moreover, the previous Clan Leader, Yao Ming, vanished as a One-Star Dou Sheng Late-Stage—if he never vanished but instead secluded himself to break through to Two-Star Dou Sheng, we'd be facing four Dou Shengs. Facing four Dou Shengs simultaneously—even I cannot stand against them."

Xiao Yan naturally understood what Huo Yun Lao Zu feared: once, Fan Yan Valley, like the current Yan Alliance, was one of Zhong Zhou's most powerful factions, even having experienced the same rise the Yan Alliance now endures.

He had seen successful examples, but far more often, challenges failed—those once-dominant factions collapsed utterly and vanished.

"Huo Yun Lao Zu, rest assured—I only need you to kill Tianming Lao Yao. The rest, my Yan Alliance will handle ourselves." Xiao Yan smiled.

Hearing Xiao Yan's confident words, even Huo Yun Lao Zu was startled—could the Yan Alliance be even stronger than imagined?!

After pondering, Huo Yun Lao Zu firmly agreed: "Fine! Since the tide is this way, Fan Yan Valley will gamble on fortune! Hahaha! It's been so long since I've appeared on Zhong Zhou—I wonder if those old bastards are still alive, and if they still recognize Huo Yun!"

Xiao Yan smiled calmly and raised his teacup in salute to Huo Yun Lao Zu.

Half a month later, Xiao Yan finally healed Huo Yun Lao Zu's injuries and returned from Fan Yan Valley to the Yan Alliance; upon returning, he began secretly strategizing with Cai Lin, Yao Ye, Ya Fei, and other Yan Alliance high-ups.

He dispatched troops from all corners of the Yan Alliance, secretly locking onto Tianming Sect's subordinate sects—after all, Tianming Sect had three lower sects; the Sect Master and Young Sect Master of Xuanming Sect had both been killed by Xiao Yan, and the enmity began then.

As the saying goes, one stone stirs a thousand waves; Xiao Yixian and Heavenly Flame Zunzhe, who witnessed the beginning of the Tianming Sect–Yan Alliance feud, also felt the capriciousness of fate.

"Sigh, future generations will never imagine that Tianming Sect's destruction stemmed from the struggle over the Nurturing Spirit Dust," Heavenly Flame Zunzhe was speechless—Chen Xian, unable to compete with Xiao Yan for the copper tablet, sent assassins to kill him, triggering a chain reaction of butterfly effects.

Ultimately, it erupted into a terrifying storm sweeping across all of Zhong Zhou.

Xiao Yan shook his head: "It's not entirely Chen Xian's fault. Tianming Sect originally wanted to ally with Yao Hua Xie Jun and Hua Jin through marriage—ambitious to the core. The Yan Alliance's growth would inevitably bring it into conflict with them."

At that moment, a Space Channel opened, and Nalan Yanran, clad in Yun Lan Sect robes, stepped out—alongside her, naturally, was Yun Yun.

Seeing Yun Yun's appearance, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered—he hadn't seen her in a long time, since after the Bodhi Ancient Tree, she had quickly emerged from seclusion and left the Manhuang Ancient Domain without a word.

Xiao Yan didn't know what Yun Yun had comprehended beneath the Bodhi Tree.

Naturally, the one who gained the most from the Bodhi Tree's meditation was Nalan Yanran—her cultivation realm rose significantly, and she had even reached minor mastery in the Iron Sword's inheritance, the Green Cang Mountain River Sword Strike Art.

The most excited person present was Nalan Yanran: earning merit meant receiving Elixirs; to obtain the Heavenly Rank Dou Technique of the Iron Sword, poor Nalan Yanran had to "borrow" from Xiao Yan.

Cai Lin glanced at Xiao Yan beside her, her gaze as cold and domineering as ever, and asked: "Sect Master Yun Yun, what is Hua Sect's stance?"

Hearing Cai Lin's question, Yun Yun, seated, spoke in a voice as melodious as a nightingale: "Although the two Supreme Elders won't intervene, all other Elders have agreed."

"After all, back in the Manhuang Ancient Domain, Tianming Sect's Deputy Sect Master killed Elder Qing—many Elders harbor resentment. Tianming Sect has long coveted Hua Sect—this may be an opportunity."

Speaking of that incident in the Manhuang Ancient Domain, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes glanced at Xiao Yan, then continued: "But the matter of merging with Yun Lan Sect still requires careful deliberation."

"If Huo Yun Lao Zu joins us, Yun Lan Sect and Hua Sect can breach Tianming Sect—then the three lower sects can be handled by Jia Ma Empire's warriors and the Xiao Clan," Yao Ye nodded.

Everyone nodded—Jia Ma Empire was no longer a small nation; it had become a colossal power, and with Hai Lao and Yao Lao, two Dou Zuns, the three lower sects were no problem.

"As for the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan—"

Cai Lin's eyes flashed with ferocity, and she coldly said: "The Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan will be handled by me and Xiao Yan."

The Huang Quan Mountain Range where the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan resides was once the ancestral land of the Snake People—reclaiming it is necessary. More importantly, the best place for Cai Lin to refine the Nine-Colored Primordial Stone is the Jiu You Huang Quan of the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan—a supreme treasure for beast-body forging, perfectly suited.

If Xiao Yan wishes to refine the Nine Yin Huang Quan Pill, he needs a special crystal beneath the Jiu You Huang Quan—so this battle is nearly inevitable.

"How much longer until Qing Lin?" Cai Lin's beautiful eyes turned to Xiao Yan beside her, her voice softening slightly.

Xiao Yan formed a hand seal, slowly closed his eyes—the puppet guarding Qing Lin opened its eyes, glanced at Qing Lin's condition, then walked to the seabed volcano mouth; at this moment, the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake had already grown half its body's SpiritFlesh.

"About half a month."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the atmosphere instantly grew heavy—meaning the great war would officially begin in half a month!!!

Half a month passed swiftly; within those days, the Yan Alliance and Tianming Sect still had minor clashes, but no large-scale war erupted. Aside from occasional visitors coming to Xiao Yan for Pills, nothing major occurred.

Now only Xiao Yan could refine Bodhi Pills—but he had refused them all.

During this half-month, he had grown idle—besides occasionally playing with his daughter, he visited Zao Hua Gu to check on Tuan Tuan's condition.

"Hmm?"

While personally instructing Xiao Yixian in Pill Alchemy inside the small wooden hut, Xiao Yan suddenly stiffened his gaze toward the hut's exterior; Xiao Yixian sensed it too, her beautiful eyes filled with delight: "The evolution is succeeding!"

"Let's go see."

Boom!! As Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian stepped out of the hut, a thick white pillar of light suddenly erupted skyward from one corner of Zao Hua Gu!

The white light was not blinding—it resembled mist—and a powerful storm spread outward from the white pillar, yet strangely, wherever the storm passed, it caused no destruction; instead, plants and Medicinal Materials on the ground seemed nourished, visibly growing rapidly.

Some Spirit Fruit trees even began bearing fruit—plump, large, and round.

Roar! The Lion King flew in from afar, carrying on his back a cute white rabbit—this white rabbit was also an Ancient Pill Beast, naturally, the one once belonging to Sky Scorpion Elder.

"Such a potent life force!" Xiao Yan inhaled deeply—though far weaker than the life force of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, this was still an exceedingly rare thing.

The Dan Beast, Little White Rabbit, and the Lion King suddenly sucked in air and hurriedly sat down to cultivate. Xiao Yan didn't care much, but they wanted it desperately—especially Little White Rabbit, which still had a long way to go before evolving into a Nine-Pillar Spirit Beast; the Qi released during Tuan Tuan's evolution greatly helped it, and she believed it would succeed soon!

Five minutes later, the white pillar slowly receded, revealing a fluffy little beast the size of a human head before Xiao Yixian and Xiao Yan. Both Xiao Yixian and Xiao Yan could clearly sense the immense energy contained within this fluffy creature!

"Nine-Pillar Dan Beast!" Xiao Yixian's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. Having obtained the Zao Hua Scripture, she knew how incredibly difficult it was to cultivate a Nine-Pillar Dan Beast!

"Not yet—it still needs to endure the Lei Dian to complete its evolution!" Xiao Yan snapped his head upward, seeing that a black storm cloud had already gathered in the sky.

The Dan Beast evolved on its own, not through an Alchemist's pill-making—so Xiao Yan could not intervene to shield it from the Pill Lightning. This Lei Dian was a trial; only if the Dan Beast survived the lightning's purification could it truly become a Nine-Pillar, gain the power of Heaven and Earth, and earn Heaven and Earth's recognition!

Boom-boom-boom!! Black Demon Thunder cascaded from the sky like a waterfall. Sensing its power, Xiao Yan formed a hand seal and instantly activated the Flame Sealing to protect the medicinal materials and land of Zao Hua Gu from being destroyed by the residual shockwaves.

Shiiii! Seeing the Black Demon Thunder crash down, Tuan Tuan's fur instantly bristled, her big round eyes nearly filling with tears. She let out a shriek and bolted toward Xiao Yixian, looking exactly like a child fleeing a monster, desperately seeking her mother's protection.

Xiao Yan's face turned pale. He snatched up Xiao Yixian and ran, cursing: "You idiot! You're supposed to face it yourself!"

Qiu! Tuan Tuan ignored him completely, chasing after Xiao Yan, who was carrying Xiao Yixian. Behind them, the massive Black Demon Thunder resembled a black dragon, relentlessly pursuing the Dan Beast.

Thus ran the runner, screamed the screamer, chased the chaser—for a moment, Zao Hua Gu was filled with chaotic joy.

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, shifted his gaze, spun around sharply, and pulled out the Xuan Heavy Ruler. Like swinging a tennis racket—he whipped! Dong! He struck Tuan Tuan mid-air, sending her flying.

Even Xiao Yixian was stunned by the blow. Are you the legendary Wolf Dad? The wolf-style father?

The Black Demon Thunder silently gave Xiao Yan a thumbs-up, then turned sharply upward, claws outstretched, lunging toward the fluffy Dan Beast.

Seeing the Black Demon Thunder so close, Tuan Tuan had no choice. She set her face with determination, sucked in deeply—and instantly, the heavenly and earthly energy within a hundred li was drawn in. Whirr! Her body sprouted a spherical, fist-like appendage.

Gathering the power of Heaven and Earth, she was forced to meet the Black Demon Thunder head-on!

Boom-boom-boom!! The two terrifying forces collided instantly. Had Xiao Yan not guarded them, the shockwave alone would have destroyed Zao Hua Gu!

Boom! Boom! Boom!! The Black Demon Thunder exploded, its terrifying black lightning flooding the Sky like a Lei Hai.

After an unknown length of time, the Black Demon Thunder slowly dissipated. Shiiii! A spherical shape fell from the sky. Its once pure white, lovely fur was now charred black from the Black Demon Thunder.

Shiiii! Tuan Tuan leapt into Xiao Yixian's arms, seeking comfort.

Having withstood the Black Demon Thunder's attack head-on, there was no doubt—her evolution had succeeded. Clearly, the Alchemy of the Zao Hua Sage was no weak art; the Elixir he created had few flaws.

If a Pill had too many flaws, even if you forcibly fed it to a Dan Beast to force its evolution, it would ultimately be shattered by the Pill Lightning—resulting in nothing but loss.

As a Nine Grade Alchemist, Xiao Yan clearly understood this, which was why he let it undergo the Pill Lightning's purification.

"Tsk tsk tsk—One-Star Dou Saint Early Stage. Though it still lacks Dou Techniques and differs from a true One-Star Dou Saint, the energy within its body is probably stronger than that of an ordinary One-Star Dou Saint."

(End of Chapter)