Word Count: 2,061 Words
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At this critical moment, two clusters of flames appeared around Xiao Yan, one black and one white. They flowed endlessly, resembling two surging rivers, and rotated in a ceaseless yin-yang cycle.
Heavenly Flame Dou Technique—Yin-Yang Dual Extremes!
A resonant hum followed. Black and white flames intertwined around Xiao Yan, swirling in the manner of a taiji diagram.
The twin flames suddenly transformed with a soft buzz, leaping like carp crossing a dragon gate and becoming two coiling dragons, one black and one white.
When Xun Er saw the yin-yang twin fish turn into black and white dragons, she immediately recognized the Heavenly Flame.
"The Yin-Yang Twin Flame! This is one of the three kinds of Heavenly Flames possessed by Xiao Xuan, the Xiao Clan's last Clan Head!"
While it was not impossible for the same kind of Heavenly Flame to exist elsewhere on the Dou Qi Continent, the chance of two mature Heavenly Flames appearing in the same era was exceedingly rare.
The conditions for a Heavenly Flame's birth were already demanding. Take the Green Lotus Core Flame, for instance—it required not only a suitable environment but also a thousand years of undisturbed time for even one to form.
Hence, it was more plausible that this was the inherited Heavenly Flame left behind by Xiao Xuan, as factions like the Gu Clan and Burning Flame Valley had Heavenly Flames passed down through generations.
Ling Ying's expression grew solemn as he muttered to himself, "Young Master Xiao Yan possesses two kinds of Heavenly Flames? But generally, alchemists can only control one kind!"
Of course, there were exceptions to everything. Ling Ying knew that in the Yan Clan, there was a strong figure who also possessed two kinds of Heavenly Flames and forcibly merged them with his immense strength, to the point where their power could rival the 4th-ranked Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame.
But that person was a Dou Saint! Whereas Xiao Yan was only a Dou King!
"Playing tricks!" Ling Quan's face twisted with malice as he gripped his black halberd and descended from above. His Dou Emperor aura exploded in that instant like a world-destroying torrent.
Xiao Yan advanced instead of retreating. His Dou Qi wings gave a single flap, carrying him upright to confront Ling Quan head-on!
A sharp buzz rang out as the Death Flame, shaped like a black dragon, snaked around the Heavy Xuan Ruler in Xiao Yan's hands and crashed against Ling Quan's black halberd. A thunderous collision forced both men to separate. However, Ling Quan's superior strength was evident as he only stepped back half a pace.
"Hahaha! You're ultimately just from a fallen clan of the lower realm!" A trace of ferocious killing intent flashed in Ling Quan's eyes as he aimed his black halberd at Xiao Yan's body and violently stabbed downward.
Earlier, he had witnessed how close Xun Er and Xiao Yan appeared, and his jealousy now erupted in a frenzy.
A sharp light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes as he faced this strike imbued with Dou Emperor power. Astonishingly, he did not dodge in the slightest. He left himself completely open, willing to exchange injury for injury, as he swept the Heavy Xuan Ruler fiercely in a horizontal arc, not intending to defend at all.
Ling Quan grinned wickedly as he saw Xiao Yan's vulnerable stance and the heavy ruler aiming for his own head. "Foolish! A Dou Emperor can harness and command the energy of the world."
In an instant, Ling Quan circulated his Dou Qi, and the energy of the world coalesced to form a Dou Qi shield at his side. Although it wasn't as strong as a Di Class defensive-type Dou Technique, it possessed power comparable to a Low Xuan Class one.
Puff! Thud!
Two sounds rang out simultaneously. Although Xiao Yan had slightly twisted his body, relying on his Spiritual Strength to avoid a fatal wound, the black halberd still pierced his side, with a large chunk of flesh even hanging from it.
Meanwhile, his Heavy Xuan Ruler was blocked by the Dou Qi shield.
"Hand over the key, and I can spare your life!" Ling Quan's face was smug, utterly oblivious to the absence of any trace of despair in Xiao Yan's eyes.
ROAR!! A monstrous roar burst from the Heavy Xuan Ruler as the Death Flame erupted. Endless dark flames surged outward like a great tide, threatening to swallow Ling Quan whole.
Ling Quan retracted his halberd to block, spinning it rapidly to form a barrier of Dou Qi. The swirling halberd whipped up a fierce wind that kept the Death Flame at bay.
Just as he felt triumphant, a sharp pain suddenly emanated from his hands. He looked down and saw his hands rapidly withering, resembling those of a seventy or eighty-year-old man. His life force was draining at an alarming rate!
"How can this be!" Ling Quan's expression changed dramatically. Instantly, he executed his agility technique, traversing several hundred meters to distance himself.
After Ling Quan pulled away, the Death Flame transformed back into a black dragon coiling around Xiao Yan. Meanwhile, the white Life Flame enveloped his wound, which had already healed as if he had never been injured!
"That Death Flame can seize life force and use the stolen life force to heal injuries. The cycle of yin and yang is endless. What a bizarre Heavenly Flame! Or rather, it's precisely because it's a Heavenly Flame that it's so extraordinary." Ling Ying's eyes narrowed as he observed the two flame-formed dragons coiling around Xiao Yan, quickly discerning the effect of the Dou Technique he was using.
This was equivalent to Xiao Yan having a Yin-Yang Domain around him. The more severe his injuries, the more life force the Death Flame could seize to heal his wounds.
This kind of unimaginable power was the true strength of a Heavenly Flame.
There was a reason why Xiao Xuan chose the 21st-ranked Yin-Yang Twin Flame as his Heavenly Flame back then.
Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened, and he instantly expanded the Yin-Yang Domain. With the fiery wings behind him, he directly chased after Ling Quan.
The Heavy Xuan Ruler transformed into yin and yang with a downward slash, carrying black and white flames as it blasted toward Ling Quan.
"Get lost! Black Wind Sweep!" Ling Quan did not dodge. Instead, he let out a long roar. The black halberd in his hand emitted a dark glow as it swept horizontally with immense force. A black hurricane swept across like a natural disaster.
Ling Quan's attack was chilling to behold. Only a Dou Emperor from a Dou God Clan could unleash such a Dou Technique. Such a strike could instantly annihilate a small city or shatter mountains. It was a truly terrifying offensive-type Dou Technique.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The yin-yang flames collided with the black hurricane with unmatched momentum. The sound of their clash resounded across the sky above the Inner Academy. The terrifying sound waves spread outward; even without witnessing it firsthand, one could sense the destructive power.
Countless flames were swept away amidst the continuous thunderous sounds. The terrifying black hurricane enveloped Xiao Yan. However, in the next second, lightning and fire flashed. To Ling Quan's horror, Xiao Yan appeared above him as if he had traversed space.
"You!"
Ling Quan was utterly stunned. How did Xiao Yan appear above him? Spatial traversal was a power only Dou Ancestors or even Dou Venerates could wield!
ROAR!!! The Ancient Dragon Roar was unleashed. The terrifying sonic-type Dou Technique shook Ling Quan's internal organs, and the dragon might suppressed his soul.
Ling Quan was not from the Hun Clan; his Spiritual Strength was considerably weaker relative to his cultivation. This was his first encounter with a Dou Technique that directly attacked the soul.
Even though he knew Xiao Yan possessed such a sonic-type Dou Technique, he was still caught off guard.
Ling Quan clutched his head with both hands as if it were splitting apart. The Death Flame, transformed into a black dragon, seized this opportunity to bite him from behind, frantically absorbing his life force!
Even when battling Zi Yan, Xiao Yan had refrained from unleashing the Death Flame because it was a killing move designed to absorb life force.
The Death Flame kills, leaving no bones behind!
Ling Quan's skin visibly shriveled. At this moment, Xiao Yan tightly gripped the Heavy Xuan Ruler with both hands, which was enveloped by the blood-red Ten Thousand Beast Flame.
'Flame Splitting Tsunami!'
An incomparably icy killing intent flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes as he roared internally. The energy of the world surged wildly as a hundred-meter-wide crimson flame beam slashed downward.
A thunderous explosion resounded as countless flames erupted. The scene was magnificent and shocking, like a massive volcanic eruption.
BOOM!
Ling Quan took Xiao Yan's Flame Splitting Tsunami head-on. His entire body was blasted away by the flames and crashed heavily into the ground like a falling star, creating a huge crater.
He crawled out of the crater amidst billowing smoke and dust. At this moment, he looked extremely battered; the black armor on his body had completely shattered and fallen off. If not for its high quality, his condition would have been far worse.
Ling Quan ground his teeth, his face twisted with rage. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh.
His appearance had aged; much of his life force had been drained by Xiao Yan. That bizarre Death Flame had caused him to suffer a huge loss.
Undeniably, under the effects of multiple Heavenly Flames, he was no match for Xiao Yan!
"Well done, Xiao Yan! Keep it up!"
"Amazing! Is this Xiao Yan's true strength?"
"He's so strong! That guy in black armor is a Dou Emperor, but he still can't beat Xiao Yan?"
Ling Quan heard the surrounding Inner Academy students comment that he couldn't best Xiao Yan. One could imagine his inner rage at this moment. He was so furious that he wished he could cut Xiao Yan into a thousand pieces.
Zi Yan, however, wore a worried expression because she knew that Xiao Yan's Secret Technique couldn't last much longer, especially since he was now pushing his limits while the opponent still seemed capable of fighting.
Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed sharply as he frantically channeled his Dou Qi to stimulate the Heavenly Flames, which erupted instantly. The Ten Thousand Beast Flame transformed into a sea of fire behind him. The Heavenly Flame Dou Technique 'Beast Spirit Descent' was activated, and a massive Eight-Winged Flame Demon Tiger materialized.
At this moment, under the urging of Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength, the Eight-Winged Flame Demon Tiger opened its jaws and unleashed a torrent of blazing flames. It was a blazing beam of intense heat that poured down.
With the strength of a Dou King and Xiao Yan's half-step Tier 7 soul, using this move again meant its power was definitely not at the same level as before. The Demon Flame incinerated everything in its path!
Even before making contact, the trees on the ground began to spontaneously combust. The terrifying Demon Flame was unstoppable. Even a Dou King could be burned to death instantly.
Although the Demon Flame was still some distance from the Inner Academy, everyone there felt as if they were burning. The temperature throughout the Inner Academy suddenly rose by several degrees.
"Too terrifying!" Even Lin Xiuya and other Dou Kings shuddered, their faces pale. "This guy Xiao Yan has truly mastered manipulating Heavenly Flames!"
Ling Quan watched the Demon Flame in the sky resembling a falling sun. A twisted smile appeared on his face, and with a buzzing sound, a pattern manifested on his forehead!
The moment the pattern appeared, Xun Er's expression changed dramatically. She coldly shouted, "Ling Quan! The Xiao Clan is an ally of our clan!"
But Ling Quan's mind was clouded by rage and actually ignored Xun Er's reprimand. All he wanted now was to kill Xiao Yan!
"This is the gap between you and me!" The Dou God Bloodline erupted, and the Clan Mark manifested!
An aura that made people involuntarily want to bow in worship emanated. Although the pressure was not overwhelmingly strong, it made people understand what a Dou God represented and why the Dou God Clans valued the Dou God Bloodline so much!