Chapter 280: Ruthless Xiao Yuan
"Uncle Han, please take everyone down. Leave this to me."
Xiao Yuan glanced calmly at the densely packed figures from the Wind Lightning Northern Pavilion and spoke with ease.
"You alone?"
Though Han Chi knew Xiao Yuan was formidable, he hadn't expected such confidence—even in the face of three Dou Zong, several Dou Huang, and Dou Wang experts, he showed not a trace of fear.
"Don't worry, Uncle Han. I alone... am more than enough."
Xiao Yuan smiled, nodded, and began walking into the sky, stepping through the air like climbing invisible stairs.
"You're Xiao Yuan?"
High in the sky stood three elderly men—clearly, the three Elders of Wind, Thunder, and Lightning from the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
"You three traveled so far just to find me, and now that we meet, you still have to ask? What, are you blind?"
Xiao Yuan responded with a smile, but the tone quickly turned into cutting sarcasm.
Up above, the white-robed youth stood with hands behind his back. Any raindrops that came within a few feet of him evaporated instantly, as if an invisible barrier enveloped him. His calm voice echoed slowly through the sky.
"By order of the Elder Council—seize and kill Xiao Yuan. Attack!"
A cold shout rang out from below, issued by a man in cyan robes leading the charge.
"Yes!"
As the order fell, over a dozen winged figures burst forth from nearby rooftops. With a flick of their arms, long silver spears appeared, buzzing through the downpour toward Xiao Yuan like piercing gusts of wind.
Xiao Yuan's lips curled into a cold smile. With a twist of his arms, torrents of dark-golden flame erupted outward. The terrifying heat instantly vaporized the rain and metal in a wide radius!
With a flick of his fingers, the flame split apart, transforming into countless arrow-like bolts that filled the sky.
The fire arrows, formed from dark-golden Heavenly Flame, were blindingly fast. In an instant, they reached the Wind Lightning Pavilion experts. The intense heat caught them off guard. Before they could react, the fire bolts pierced their chests like lightning, one after another falling from the sky with agonized cries, clutching their wounds.
Moments later, all the Dou Wang-level experts had turned into flaming corpses, their pained screams echoing under the rain, until they were reduced to ash.
Seeing Xiao Yuan casually wipe out over a dozen of Wind Lightning Pavilion's Dou Wangs, exclamations of shock rippled through Tianbei City. Such effortless slaughter wasn't something even Dou Huangs could achieve. This man truly lived up to his fearsome reputation—a ruthless monster who had killed a Dou Zong!
"People of the Wind Lightning Northern Pavilion? Pathetic. Sending these pieces of trash to test my strength—do you three elders really look down on me that much? Why don't you come yourselves?"
Having finished them off, Xiao Yuan's piercing gaze shot toward the sky. His voice, thunderous and cold, rolled across the city, despite the heavy rain.
"Since the three of us became Northern Pavilion Elders, you are the first junior we've had to subdue together."
A calm voice echoed faintly, with the undercurrent of thunder. Then, the sky above seemed to tear apart under invisible hands, as the three elders descended slowly, walking through the air.
As the three slowly approached, Xiao Yuan's pupils narrowed slightly. Each one of them radiated an aura stronger than Shen Yun's—likely five-star Dou Zong. The elder with the long silver eyebrows seemed even stronger, perhaps nearing peak five-star Dou Zong level.
Three five-star Dou Zongs—just from one branch of the Pavilion. If all four branches gathered, their combined might would be staggering. Clearly, the Wind Lightning Pavilion wasn't a top force in Central Plains on reputation alone.
"I take it you're the so-called Elders of Wind, Thunder, and Lightning? The Northern Pavilion really holds me in high regard."
Xiao Yuan said calmly.
"You killed Shen Yun, so of course you're no ordinary brat. The three of us acting together isn't overkill."
The long-browed elder replied, voice laced with faint thunder, pressing down like a god's decree.
"That was his own doing. Can't blame me."
Xiao Yuan replied with a light smile.
"You possess the Three Thousand Thunder Movement and killed our Pavilion Elder. Your crimes are grave. But considering your age, if you come quietly, perhaps the Pavilion Master will spare your life."
Another elder, his robe embroidered with lightning bolts, barked coldly.
"You three must have the cultivation method for the Three Thousand Lightning Illusions, right? Hand it over, and I'll spare your lives. Otherwise... you'll all die like Shen Yun."
Xiao Yuan sneered in response.
"Enough talk. Seize him! The Pavilion Master said—those who kill our Pavilion members must pay. Strip him of his Dou Qi and imprison him beneath the Northern Lightning Tower for life. Let all see what happens to those who cross the Wind Lightning Pavilion!"
Another elder in a cyan robe growled, eyes full of cruelty.
Hearing those vicious words, Xiao Yuan's expression turned icy—but inwardly, he was thrilled.
That's the reaction I wanted.
He was afraid they wouldn't be ruthless enough!
"Strip me of my Dou Qi? You think you're qualified?"
Xiao Yuan sneered and touched the snow-white ring on his finger.
As his words fell, a tidal wave of soul power surged from the ring, pouring into Xiao Yuan's body like a flood.
As that majestic soul force rushed in, Xiao Yuan's aura skyrocketed, drawing gasps of astonishment from across the city.
His aura swept through the skies, stalling the torrential rain mid-fall. His black pupils turned silver, and only then did the rising pressure slowly stabilize.
"Come on. Which of you wants to die first?"
Xiao Yuan's silver eyes locked onto the three elders. Though his tone was calm, it echoed like a roar deep within their souls.
"As rumored... your power can surge abruptly. Judging by this aura, you're at least at peak seven-star Dou Zong—maybe even eight-star. Looks like you were holding back before. And that power—it's pure soul energy. Clearly, you possess a powerful soul spirit. No way you reached this level on your own."
The long-browed elder stared at him intensely.
Xiao Yuan narrowed his eyes. This old man's perception was sharp—he'd seen through it in one glance.
"Such strength explains how you killed Shen Yun. But that doesn't mean you'll escape Tianbei City today."
The elder's tone turned cold.
"Northern Pavilion's Tiangang Hall—form the Nine Heavens Thunder Prison Array!"
His shout echoed across the city like rolling thunder.
"Yes, Elder!"
As his voice fell, responses echoed from all directions. With a flash, countless bolts of lightning formed a massive octagonal net, enveloping the area around Xiao Yuan.
Lightning surged skyward, tearing into the clouds. Then, silver light cascaded down. Countless thunderbolts rained from above, forming a dense cage around Xiao Yuan's location.
"No matter your origins, surrendering is your only option!"
Brilliant lightning surged from the three elders, merging into enormous columns that shot into the sky. The surrounding thunder cage intensified dramatically.
"Otherwise—death!"
Their chilling declaration, bolstered by thunder, filled the air with murderous intent.
As Xiao Yuan looked up at the descending lightning, he slowly raised his head. Above him, the clouds churned silver, brimming with terrifying power. Clearly, the Northern Pavilion had pulled out all the stops.
But this was exactly what he wanted—an array strong enough to summon divine thunder!
The long-browed elder glowed with increasingly dense lightning. He stared at Xiao Yuan and said solemnly, "This Nine Heavens Thunder Prison Array is our Pavilion's guardian formation. Formed by twenty-three Dou Huangs and forty-six Dou Wangs, with the three of us as its core. If you can break it, your name will shake all of Northern Central Plains."
Xiao Yuan showed no reaction. He slowly raised his hand and twisted his fingers. A massive soul energy vortex cannon formed in his palm, then blasted forward with a roar, tearing a distorted path through space.
The long-browed elder dared not be careless. He changed hand seals, summoning a thunderclap. A bolt of lightning—wide as a pillar—descended like a furious dragon, slamming straight into the soul cannon.
BOOM!
Two ferocious attacks gradually dissipated, and a powerful shockwave of energy swept out. But as it reached ten meters around Xiao Yuan and the Long-Browed Elder, it naturally dispersed.
Xiao Yuan's gaze slowly swept over the three elders. Above their heads, pillars of lightning surged into the thunderclouds. Of the trio, only the long-browed elder directed the offensive; the other two had clearly poured all their Dou Qi into the clouds.
"This formation… is indeed quite mysterious."
"Heavenly Thunder Art!"
The Long-Browed Elder's expression turned icy, his hands flashing through seals. The thunderclouds above surged in response. Moments later, his finger jabbed toward Xiao Yuan.
Chi! Chi!
The storm churned as massive bolts of lightning, like giant pythons, erupted forth and crashed down toward Xiao Yuan in a terrifying wave.
Xiao Yuan stomped lightly, and dark-golden flame surged from within him, spreading across dozens of meters. As the flames roared upward, they condensed into a massive fire wolf. With a long howl, it opened its maw and sucked in all the falling lightning bolts.
The fire wolf swallowed the thunder whole, rumbling from within as muffled thunder echoed from its belly. Though its body dimmed slightly, it successfully absorbed the lightning.
"Go!"
Xiao Yuan flicked a finger, and the fire wolf's eyes gleamed fiercely as it bolted through the air toward the three elders.
Even before it reached them, the heat made the trio's expressions change.
"What kind of Heavenly Flame is this? So terrifying?"
"Heavenly Thunder Cleave!"
A sharp shout rang out as a brilliant silver blade of light cut through the sky. The fire wolf staggered and, moments later, split cleanly down the middle before fading into nothingness.
In just a short exchange, both sides had attacked and defended. Though it seemed calm, the battle was extremely dangerous. Whether fire or lightning, a direct hit would be catastrophic. Even Dou Zong experts wouldn't dare get involved in a clash of this magnitude.
Outside the formation, the Han Clan looked on nervously at Xiao Yuan. No one dared breathe too loudly.
Han Yue and Han Xue stood behind Han Chi, their dresses soaked and clinging to their figures, outlining their alluring curves—but no one had the mind to admire them now.
The sisters stood close together, their faces tense with worry.
They hoped—and believed—that Xiao Yuan would win.
"Xiao Yuan, stop dragging this out. They have the array backing them—they can keep casting thunder attacks. My soul can't stay in your body for long, so finish it quickly!"
Venerable Tian Huo's voice suddenly rang in Xiao Yuan's mind.
"Hehe, listen, senior. Here's what we'll do…"
Xiao Yuan smiled strangely and shared his plan.
"Huh? Isn't that too risky?"
Venerable Tian Huo was startled.
"Heh, fortune favors the bold! No risk, no reward!"
Xiao Yuan chuckled.
"Fine. You'd better succeed. If you die, I die too, you know!"
Venerable Tian Huo sighed helplessly.
"Relax, I've got this."
Xiao Yuan grinned.
With the plan set, Xiao Yuan flew toward the sky, toward the great formation. Energy pulsed from his palm, clearly ready to break the array.
But at the same time, his aura began to weaken.
The three elders quickly realized his intent—this brat was going all in!
They rapidly changed their hand seals, and the pillars of lightning above their heads surged with increasing intensity. With their vast thunder attribute Dou Qi channeled into the clouds, the sky above roared like an ancient beast awakening, and violent energy took form.
Xiao Yuan said nothing. The energy swirling in his palm had become so powerful it tore the air itself. As he moved, his hand left behind black scars of ripped space.
Seeing this, the three elders paled again. They bit their tongues, spitting three mouthfuls of blood, and roared, "Nine Heavens Thunder Prison, Wrath of the Thunder God!"
BOOM!
With their roar, the thunderclouds above let out an explosive rumble. Then a radiant bolt of silver burst forth—a colossal lightning fist, dozens of meters wide, broke through the clouds and smashed down!
As it descended, it generated a sonic boom so intense it shattered nearby rooftops and cracked the streets below, forming a massive fist imprint on the ground.
The titanic fist carried overwhelming power, devastating anything in its path.
But as it descended, one figure surged upward against the storm—seemingly tiny, but leaving behind torn rips in space.
Perhaps because the attack consumed too much energy, the surrounding curtain of thunder weakened visibly, allowing everyone in Tianbei City to witness this earth-shattering moment.
Under countless horrified stares, the colossal lightning fist collided with that small, rising figure.
For an instant, the world fell silent.
The very rain connecting heaven and earth froze mid-air.
An explosion of brilliant light erupted in the sky, dazzling like a second sun, brighter than the one above the clouds.
Thunder rumbled endlessly, like the roar of a thunder god across the sky—but the expected explosion... never came.
Amid the blinding light, Xiao Yuan's pupils returned to black, but within them flickered silver lightning.
He stood, one hand pressed against the massive lightning fist. Thunder wrapped around him. His muscles twitched violently, blood trickled from his lips.
But inside his body, the scene was even more astonishing.
His insides were engulfed in thunderlight. Under his guidance, the heavenly thunder refined his body, strengthening his physique. Finally, the energy transformed into green lightning, flowing along specific meridians.
The earlier shockwaves were a feint—crafted by Venerable Tian Huo using his control over space.
Xiao Yuan's real goal was to use the thunder summoned by the three elders to cultivate two powerful Dou Techniques:
High Earth-Tier Body-Refinement Technique: Demon Thunder Physique!
Mid Earth-Tier Dou Technique: Heaven Thunder Step!
Both required immense amounts of natural thunder. Xiao Yuan's own Black Demon Lightning wasn't enough.
But now—with this grand array, plus the elders' amplification—the effect exceeded Xiao Yuan's wildest expectations.
The pain from the thunder refining his body was unbearable—but he'd endured this kind of training before. He could take it!
"Brat's savage. Ruthless to himself, too!"
Venerable Tian Huo was astonished at Xiao Yuan's charred form.
"Heh… wouldn't be here otherwise!"
Xiao Yuan grit his teeth and kept channeling the thunder energy through his body.
At this moment, no one outside could see him. The lightning fist hadn't yet struck the ground—seemingly locked in place.
But visually, the fist appeared to be winning.
As it slowly descended, smaller and weaker than before, those watching from the Han Clan held their breath.
Would Xiao Yuan… really be okay?
"Xiao Yuan…"
Han Yue's palms were drenched in sweat. Her chest felt tight, making it hard to breathe.
"Brother-in-law…"
Beside her, Han Xue looked equally pale and worried. Her hands trembled just like her sister's.
Please be okay… brother-in-law!
"Push harder—don't let this brat turn things around!"
Long-Browed Elder barked.
"Right!"
The other two nodded, channeling the last of their Dou Qi into the thunderclouds.
More lightning surged down, injecting the massive fist with renewed power. Its descent quickened.
Though shrinking and weakening, the fist was still pressing down.
To the untrained eye, Xiao Yuan looked doomed!
Finally, just before the fist exhausted its energy, it smashed into the earth. The impact left a massive crater, black cracks radiating outward. In the three elders' perception, Xiao Yuan's scorching aura had vanished.
They, however, didn't look much better. Their Dou Qi was depleted. After spitting blood to boost their spell, they were running on fumes.
They hurriedly retrieved pills from their rings, swallowing them to recover.
Then they descended slowly, cold smiles forming on their faces as they looked toward the crater.
Some so-called genius—just a pile of ashes now.
In the distance, Han Yue bit her lip, face deathly pale. Han Xue had already closed her eyes, unable to bear watching.
The Long-Browed Elder waved his sleeve, dispersing the dust cloud.
And then—they saw it.
The lightning fist had become translucent. Inside, a radiant silver figure stood.
Bolts of lightning streamed from the giant fist and were absorbed into that figure's body.
"No!"
The three Wind Lightning Pavilion elders cried out in horror.
(END CHAPTER)
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