Chapter 230: What? Enraged Xie Biyan Wants to Drag Xiao Yuan Back as a… What?!
"Woooo!"
A sharp war horn echoed through the mountains, and in an instant, the sounds of battle erupted. Swarms of Poison Sect members surged like a tide of ants across Wanxie Mountain, charging toward the mountaintop where the Ten-Thousand Scorpion Gate resided.
When the Poison Sect army first stormed into the dense forests of Wanxie Mountain, the resistance was unexpectedly light. Clearly, the Ten-Thousand Scorpion Gate had been caught off guard.
Still, the gate was a long-established power in the Cloud Empire. Before long, warning cries mixed with screams pierced the air as streaks of light soared out from the mountains—experts of the sect mobilizing in response.
As the full-scale war between the two sects broke out, powerful individuals from both sides dove into the forest for all-out slaughter. Whenever enemies crossed paths, fierce clashes were inevitable.
Within the forest, Xiao Yuan stood calmly in his flowing white robes. He watched as a group of Ten-Thousand Scorpion Gate members suddenly appeared and hurled over a dozen poison mist bombs at him. His fingers moved slightly, releasing an invisible ripple.
In an instant, the dozens of enemies burst into ash mid-air. The poison mists, still several meters away from Xiao Yuan, evaporated entirely under the terrifying heat surrounding him.
Behind him, over a hundred Poison Sect members stared at this display in stunned silence, awe flickering in their eyes.
As expected of the Sect Leader's consort—her methods are unfathomable!
"Thank you for your aid, Madam Sect Leader!"
The middle-aged commander bowed respectfully to Xiao Yuan, then wasted no time. With a wave of his hand, he led his troops forward like a storm toward the mountain peak.
Watching the group vanish into the trees, Xiao Yuan casually flicked his fingers and incinerated a scorpion beast leaping from behind. Then he turned and asked with a smile, "How's it going elsewhere?"
From the distance, Xiao Yi Xiang glided toward him, also dressed in white. Standing side by side, they looked surprisingly well-matched.
"The Poison Sect's power is superior. Every front has at least one expert supporting the charge. The offensive is progressing rapidly—our forces have already reached the mid-mountain point. It won't be long before they arrive outside the Ten-Thousand Scorpion Gate itself."
She spoke in a neutral tone.
Xiao Yuan nodded, unsurprised.
"But the true elite forces of the Scorpion Gate have yet to act. Even if we reach their outer gates, it'll be hard to break through unless we remove their top powerhouses."
She frowned slightly and added, "Before we set out, I received news. The Gate's former sect master, Xie Biyan, has apparently been in seclusion for years. If he appears, he'll be difficult to deal with. I could intercept him if I unleash my Calamity Poison Body."
"What's that old bastard's strength?"
Xiao Yuan narrowed his eyes.
"Should be around the three-star Dou Zong level."
She wasn't entirely certain.
"Not a problem. Leave him to me."
Xiao Yuan smiled with confidence.
Back when he was just a nine-star Dou Wang, he could already overpower Yun Shan. Now that he'd broken through to Dou Huang, defeating a mere three-star Dou Zong wouldn't be difficult.
"That old guy's poison arts are said to be the best in the Cloud Empire. Even with your Heavenly Flame, you'd better be cautious."
She warned with concern.
"I'll be careful."
He nodded with a smile.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Madam~"
Xiao Yi Xiang tilted her head and beamed sweetly.
Xiao Yuan couldn't help but shake his head with a sigh. Honestly, using a female disguise seemed to affect her less than it did him. Being called 'Madam Sect Leader' by everyone… was just too weird.
"By the way, where's Zi Yan?"
He changed the subject.
"She led a team straight up the mountain. Probably the first to reach the gate at this point."
She shrugged like he would, helplessly.
Clearly, Zi Yan had been itching for some chaos after being restrained for so long. She needed to blow off some steam and beat up a few unlucky souls.
"Sigh, let her be. As long as no Dou Huang appears, she's not in any danger. Let's pick up the pace."
Xiao Yuan flapped his cyan-brown fire wings and shot through the forest toward the summit. Behind him, Xiao Yi Xiang formed elegant gray-purple wings with her Dou Qi and followed closely.
Above Wanxie Mountain, occasional aerial skirmishes lit the sky, but neither side lingered. Whenever one was at a disadvantage, they retreated instantly. Though the action looked intense from below, no major casualties had occurred yet.
Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yi Xiang ascended swiftly. Soon, they neared the summit. Looking down from above, they saw a vast mountaintop, as if cleanly chopped off by a giant blade. At its center stood a massive sect complex, shrouded in thick green poison mist that hid everything beneath it.
Outside the gates, the Poison Sect army had surrounded the base like ants. As more members appeared, streaks of light descended, revealing none other than Zi Yan and her elite squad.
Though her identity wasn't clear, many elders had taken to calling her 'Young Sect Master' based on her age. If she hadn't been too focused on fighting, they might've gotten a taste of her fists for their assumptions.
Floating midair, Xiao Yi Xiang gazed at the toxic fog and calmly spoke in a voice that echoed across the mountaintop:
"Xie Shan! Do you think this Poison Cloud Formation can stop the Poison Sect?"
"Haha! As expected of the Poison Sect Leader. Bold words indeed!"
A loud laugh came from within the mist. Soon, it churned and figures burst forth, scattering in the air. Dozens of experts from the Ten-Thousand Scorpion Gate stood glaring at the Poison Sect forces.
Scanning the new arrivals, Xiao Yuan's eyes flashed with surprise. Judging by their strength, the Scorpion Gate didn't seem much weaker than the Poison Sect after all. They had been keeping a low profile.
Leading the group was a cold-faced man in luxurious robes—clearly Xie Shan, the sect leader. Others kept a respectful distance behind him, confirming his status.
Behind him stood five elders. Xiao Yuan's gaze lingered—they were all at peak Dou Wang level, and two of them had already reached Dou Huang. Their Dou Qi was dense and stable, indicating they had been at that level for some time.
Further behind were nearly twenty more Dou Wang experts. As they lined up in the sky, their formation was indeed intimidating.
Xiao Yi Xiang glanced at Xie Shan and spoke calmly:
"With just this, you think you can stop us?"
"Heh, Heavenly Poison Woman, we haven't provoked your sect. Yet here you come uninvited. Do you think devouring us will be easy? Don't choke on it."
Xie Shan mocked with a grin.
Her gray-purple eyes flashed with cold light. Without wasting words, she flicked her sleeve—releasing a thick beam of gray Dou Qi that ripped through the sky like a meteor, crashing toward Xie Shan and his men.
Xie Shan's expression darkened. He raised his hand and fired a Dou Qi beam of his own.
But…
He had severely underestimated her strength. Her gray energy shredded his attack instantly and hurtled toward him. Panic rose in his chest.
Thankfully, the five elders behind him acted swiftly, combining their strength to block the strike.
Even so, it was clear how terrifying her Calamity Poison Body was—one casual attack was enough to overwhelm them.
"You can't even take a single blow from me… and you're worried about me getting 'bloated' from eating too much?"
She mocked coldly, not even bothering to look up at the fading energy collision.
Xie Shan's face darkened. This level of power had far exceeded his expectations. More importantly, Wu Ya and his allies were nowhere in sight, and he hadn't received any warnings from his spies. That deeply unsettled him.
As he pondered the implications, Xiao Yi Xiang struck again.
"Thousand Illusion Poison Spring!"
With a sharp cry, countless sticky gray energy beams erupted from her body, shooting toward the Scorpion Gate elites. The gray streaks corroded the air, leaving visible trails in their wake.
The Ten-Thousand Scorpion Gate experts frowned. Her attacks weren't at the level of top-tier Dou Zongs, but they could rival a peak Dou Huang. Each streak could easily injure—or kill—a careless Dou Wang.
Still, they didn't panic. Just as the gray energy beams approached within thirty feet, the thick green poison mist surged—and from within it emerged a hunched, elderly figure.
He slammed a black cane into the air, unleashing a torrent of Dou Qi that solidified into a glowing shield, blocking the incoming poison.
The sticky gray beams struck violently. The barrier rippled but held firm.
Eventually, the attacks waned and faded. As the gray mist cleared, the old man behind the barrier was revealed.
Dressed plainly, with white hair and a stooped frame, his expression was unreadable. His seemingly cloudy eyes sparkled with cold brilliance. His black staff was topped with a fierce scorpion head, its forehead glowing faintly purple.
He stood in the air, his presence perfectly contained. He looked like an ordinary old man—but Xiao Yuan's sharp senses detected a powerful oppressive aura.
Poison Sect members tensed up. If not for the fearsome prestige Xiao Yi Xiang had built up, many might have already considered fleeing.
This was a true Dou Zong.
Even Xiao Yuan didn't dare underestimate him.
"Peak three-star Dou Zong?"
Xiao Yuan muttered as he narrowed his eyes.
"Can you handle him?"
Xiao Yi Xiang asked quietly.
"I can."
He nodded seriously after a brief pause.
"Tch, young people these days. So brash and sharp-tongued. Back when I ruled the Cloud Empire, you were still playing with mud. You kids may be catching up, but this old man isn't dead yet."
Xie Biyan glanced at Xiao Yi Xiang and sneered.
"If youth isn't bold, what's the point? You talk like age grants wisdom—but you're just an old fossil asking for trouble!"
Before she could respond, Xiao Yuan flapped his wings and drifted forward, his voice full of mockery.
"Where did this brat come from? Just advanced to Dou Huang and already dares to speak to me like that?"
Xie Biyan's expression turned cold as he fired a beam of Dou Qi toward Xiao Yuan.
Swish!
A flash of green lightning—Xiao Yuan vanished on the spot, causing the attack to miss entirely.
"Tsk, your aim's terrible."
His icy, mocking voice echoed through the air. Onlookers stared at Xie Biyan in amusement. An old man being mocked by a young woman—he had to be furious now, right?
They'd heard the Sect Leader's consort was ruthless—but now they saw she was a sharp-tongued firebrand too!
Sure enough, Xie Biyan's angry roar exploded across the heavens a moment later:
"You little wench! I'll capture you alive and raise you in my sect as a toy for my disciples to vent their lust!"
(END CHAPTER)
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