Chapter 212: The Great Battle!
Within that cage sat a gaunt, aged figure. Iron chains coiled tightly around him like venomous serpents.
The moment that prison appeared, Xiao Yan's gaze froze upon that aged figure. His body then began to tremble uncontrollably.
Xiao Zhan, originally in his middle age, had aged so much in the short time he'd been captured by the Hun Clan. Xiao Yan could hardly imagine how much torment Xiao Zhan had suffered at their hands.
At this thought, a fury suddenly blazed up in Xiao Yan's heart.
Wave after wave of killing intent churned madly within him. His fists clenched, his fingertips digging deeply into his palms. Drop after drop of blood trickled down between his fingers.
If Hun Tiandi knew what Xiao Yan was thinking, he would surely cry out at this injustice. Xiao Zhan's condition truly wasn't caused by any torture from the Hun Clan.
After capturing Xiao Zhan, fearing he might find a way to end his own life or that some accident might befall him, the Hun Clan had actually treated him with good food and drink. His cultivation had even shot up by three stars in a short time!
He, Hun Tiandi, dared to swear to the heavens that Xiao Zhan's current state truly had nothing whatsoever to do with him—it was entirely brought on by his own mental state.
Though, even if he knew, he wouldn't bother to explain.
Xiao Yan took a deep breath. A smile, however, emerged on his face. He nodded gently and then said with a smile, "A trade?"
Looking at the smile on Xiao Yan's face, Lei Ying and the others were momentarily stunned. A chill then crept into their hearts. Even Hun Tiandi's eyelid twitched slightly.
Xiao Yan's talent was in no way inferior to Xiao Xuan's. Yet his ruthless nature surpassed even his ancestor's. If not eliminated today, he would surely become a great threat in the future.
However, Hun Tiandi would not give him that opportunity...
Xiao Yan clenched his palm, and an ancient jade piece flashed into existence. It was precisely the final piece of Tuo She Ancient Emperor's Jade.
Seeing the ancient jade in Xiao Yan's hand, a trace of covetousness and fervor flashed through Hun Tiandi's eyes. As long as he possessed this last piece of ancient jade, he would be able to learn the location of Tuo She Ancient Emperor's Mansion.
He could open the Ancient Emperor's Mansion, obtain the Emperor-grade Prototype Pill within, and become the next Dou Di of this world. At that time, no one would be able to stop him.
"One hand delivers the person, the other hands over the jade. Do not try any tricks, or you'll make a decision you'll regret for the rest of your life." Hun Tiandi withdrew his gaze and slowly spoke.
Xiao Yan glanced at him. His palm opened, and the ancient jade slowly rose under his control.
Seeing this, Hun Tiandi also waved his sleeve. The cage formed from condensed black mist dissipated. With a flick of his finger, the chains on Xiao Zhan's body also split apart one after another. Finally, his large hand grasped, transforming into a ring of black light that seized Xiao Zhan.
"Swoosh—"
Both simultaneously pushed the ancient jade and Xiao Zhan towards each other. Their figures moved, each shooting explosively towards their target.
Just as Xiao Yan caught Xiao Zhan, Hun Tiandi also grabbed the ancient jade in his hand. Feeling the cool, smooth texture of the jade in his grasp, even with his composure, he couldn't help but roar with laughter towards the heavens at that moment.
"Attack!"
In the next second, Gu Yuan's bellow rang out across heaven and earth. Surging killing intent instantly pervaded the world!
"Boom—"
Instantly, the energy of heaven and earth began to fluctuate violently at this moment.
The experts of the Lei Clan, Gu Clan, Yao Clan, and Hun Clan all lightning-quickly spread out into their battle formations. Terrifying pillars of Dou Qi light swept overwhelmingly into the clouds.
"Nine Dragons Heavenly Thunder Array!"
"Ancient Emperor's Mirror!"
"Caldron Stabilizes the World!"
A sky-covering ancient mirror, a several-thousand-zhang-long massive thunder dragon, a great cauldron that seemed to suppress mountains and rivers—all materialized between heaven and earth in an instant, making the very ground tremble.
Three terrifying attacks, carrying destructive might, fiercely hurtled towards the Hun Clan's army in the sky. The space along their path was directly and utterly blasted apart!
"Soul Burial Heaven and Earth!" In the sky, Hun Tiandi's gaze was indifferent as he watched the ferocious assault sweeping up from below. He waved his sleeve...
From the pervasive black clouds behind him came the clattering sound of chains. Then, with a sizzle, countless black chains shot out from the black mist, swiftly forming a sky-spanning net of heaven and earth in the air.
Upon the black net, ferocious faces emerged one after another, continuously emitting blood-curdling screams.
"Rumble—"
The attacks of both sides collided in an instant. At that moment, heaven and earth trembled violently under the terrifying impact. The earth split open, forming enormous chasms like bottomless abysses.
The energy ripples generated by the attacks swept through with devastating force, reducing the surrounding mountain peaks, which were thousands of ren tall, into nothingness...
When the terrifying storm in the sky gradually dissipated, the black net also crumbled away. However, before its collapse, it had withstood all the attacks from below. The terrifying strength of the Hun Clan was once again put on full display.
"Hun Tiandi, this time, let the two of us settle our victory and defeat!"
Gu Yuan stomped his foot on the void, his figure suddenly shooting straight into the clouds. A stern shout spread mightily across the area for tens of thousands of li.
Hun Tiandi smiled faintly. His figure moved, directly appearing before Gu Yuan. The two were the ultimate weapons of their respective sides, needing to keep each other in check. Otherwise, it would simply be a contest of who could slaughter faster.
"Kill!"
With Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi departed, Lei Ying and Gu Lie also let out a great roar. Instantly, the experts of the three clans and the alliance all charged forth. The Hun Clan also sent out numerous experts. In that moment, great battles erupted across this stretch of sky!
Lei Ying and Gu Lie's target was extremely clear: Nihility Devouring Flame. No one on their side could match Nihility Devouring Flame alone; only by joining forces could the two barely hold on.
"Heh—" Seeing Lei Ying and Gu Lie charging over, Nihility Devouring Flame sneered coldly, "Do you still think this seat has made no progress, just like you? Last time, you were no match for this seat. This time, you are even less so!"
Having spoken, Nihility Devouring Flame waved his great sleeve. Black flames blazed sky-high and directly surged towards Lei Ying and Gu Lie. Instantly, terrifying devouring power spread outwards.
At the same time, an intangible pressure emanated from his brow.
"Emperor Realm soul!" The terrifying soul pressure instantly made Lei Ying and Gu Lie's souls tremble. Being well-experienced and knowledgeable, they immediately understood their predicament and stared at Nihility Devouring Flame in horror.
An even heavier pressure settled upon their hearts.
As more and more experts from both sides engaged in combat, this entire mountain range trembled violently. The battle was utterly chaotic and intense.
"Bang!"
Expressionless, Xiao Yan struck a Hun Clan expert at the peak of Dou Zun with a single palm, blasting both his body and soul into dust.
Immediately after, his figure flickered, appearing before another expert. With each of his attacks, another Hun Clan expert would fall.
Even some Dou Sheng experts, in Xiao Yan's hands, could barely last a few rounds before being heavily injured and forced to retreat.
"Boom—"
In the distant void, surging energy fluctuations swept outwards in all directions like a storm. The terrifying force caused even space itself to tremble.
An astonishing collision instantly drew Xiao Yan's attention. When he turned his head to look, his pupils abruptly contracted. In the distance, overwhelming black-and-white flames surged violently from the bodies of Jiang Yun and Yun Yi, endless and unceasing. In the blink of an eye, they had covered the entire sky, surging forth as if connecting heaven and earth.
Rumble!
Black flames and white flames collided with a thunderous crash, like two vicious dragons locked in a desperate, deadly struggle, each trying only to tear off a bloody chunk of flesh and then swallow it whole.
At the very center of the sea of fire, two fists containing terrifying power violently collided, like meteors streaking across the heavens.
Visible ripples of impact continuously erupted with their every exchange. Space buzzed and trembled unceasingly. The space around where the two stood was completely distorted. Faintly, cracks even began to spread.
Xiao Yan's eye twitched as he watched this scene, for he had just seen a three-star Dou Sheng, inadvertently drawn into the space where the two were clashing, instantly swallowed by the sea of fire. In the blink of an eye, he had lost his life; even his soul had been burned into nothingness.
Watching the confrontation between the two, Xiao Yan's heart felt not fear, but rather heroic ardor. This was the top-level battlefield of the Dou Qi Continent's younger generation. In the past, he could only look up to them. Now, he had the ability to join their ranks as well.
"Yun Yi—"
Xiao Yan stared at the white-robed figure and let out a furious roar. He clenched his palm, and eight masses of gorgeous flame radiance shot out explosively from his palm.
They swiftly coalesced mid-flight into a head-sized, eight-colored fire lotus, then shot with lightning speed towards the battling Yun Yi.
"Hmph—"
Yun Yi, in the midst of his 'fierce battle' with Jiang Yun, perceived this scene with his soul power. He snorted disdainfully. His left hand reached out lightly, and sky-high black flames erupted. Infinite suction surged from his body, making him resemble a black hole.
In the next instant, before the fire lotus, a pitch-black black hole rapidly formed and swallowed the fire lotus whole. There was no earth-shattering explosion—only the quietly collapsing spatial lines and the overflowing destructive power.
"Saint Demon Great Hand Seal!"
Yun Yi was not the type to take hits without retaliating. After forcing Jiang Yun back with a single palm, he turned to face Xiao Yan. Terrifying black flames erupted from within his body.
Boom!
The sea of black flames was violently torn apart. Countless streams of black qi shot into the sky. A giant black hand, as if reaching out from the Nine Serenities, abruptly stretched out from within, then seemed to traverse space itself, covering towards Xiao Yan.
The giant black hand seemed to envelop all of heaven and earth, all directions, leaving absolutely nowhere to escape.
Feeling the terrifying pressure on the giant black hand, Xiao Yan's expression changed. Eight types of flames suddenly surged violently around his body, then began spinning madly.
In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a strange circular ring, eight-colored at its edges and a hundred zhang in size. The ring rotated slowly. Its interior was a color of darkness—a darkness even purer than that of a spatial black hole...
"Boom—"
The attacks of the two heavily collided high in the sky!
"Buzz—" The instant they struck, heaven and earth, even space itself, seemed to fall silent at that moment. The world was soundless.
However, amidst this silence, the space at the point of collision was directly torn open, revealing enormous spatial cracks. Those cracks, like coiling dragons baring fangs and claws, emanated heart-palpitating fluctuations.
With a flick of his sleeve, dispersing the surrounding energy storm, Yun Yi watched Jiang Yun and Xiao Yan, who were eyeing him like predators, with a cold, stern expression. He spoke indifferently, "Coming at me together?"
"Even one against two, what fear have I?" Without waiting for the two to answer, Yun Yi declared with overbearing confidence, his tone saturated with intense self-assurance.
From within his seemingly frail body, a terrifying, vast aura erupted at that moment.
Sensing Yun Yi's shifting aura, Xiao Yan's pupils also contracted slightly. The wariness in his heart rose to the extreme.
"Jie Jie Jie, trying to fight two against one? Do you think our Hun Clan has no one left?"
Just then, two vast and sinister auras rippled across the sky. Two elderly figures stood in the void. At this moment, the two of them were looking at Jiang Yun and Xiao Yan with smiles, smiles filled with icy coldness.
"Hun Jing, Hun Sha..." Seeing the newcomers, Xiao Yan's expression immediately turned grave. These two were both seven-star Dou Shengs—troublesome characters.
His soul power swept the field. Somehow, the Hun Clan had produced several more seven-star Dou Shengs from who-knows-where. Their strength was far greater than anticipated. It was these several seven-star Dou Shengs who were tying down the experts of the three-clan alliance, allowing Hun Sha and Hun Jing to intervene.
"Brother Xiao, which one do you want to deal with?" At this moment, Jiang Yun walked forward with a smile on his face. His expression remained completely unruffled, showing absolutely no worry at the arrival of the two.
His calm voice instantly eased Xiao Yan's tense mood.
"Brother Jiang, that Yun Yi and I have a grudge. Let me handle him!" Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan looked at Yun Yi with a solemn expression and spoke in a deep voice.
"Think carefully. That guy is much harder to deal with than the Four Demon Saints!" Jiang Yun calmly watched Hun Jing and Hun Sha, speaking softly without turning his head.
"I'm confident!" Recalling the trump card within his mind, Xiao Yan slowly nodded and said solemnly.
"Good then..." Nodding, Jiang Yun's figure moved, slowly walking towards Hun Jing and Hun Sha. He spoke in a flat tone, "The Hun Clan's Four Demon Saints—I've long heard of your great names. Let me test the mettle of you two!"
"Insolent brat!!!"
The conversation between the two was not hidden from the three's ears—nor had they intended to hide it.
Seeing Jiang Yun and Xiao Yan, who were at a disadvantage, treating the three of them like goods to be picked, Hun Sha and Hun Jing flew into a rage...
With a furious roar, Hun Sha stepped through the void. In a flicker, he appeared above Jiang Yun and Xiao Yan. Looking down at them from his elevated position, he bared his teeth in a grin. His ghastly white teeth, like a wild beast's, emanated a chilling, murderous aura: "Blood Soul Demon Slash!!!"
The ghost-headed great blade in Hun Sha's hand, as if solidified from fresh blood, fiercely chopped down. A blood-red blade glow, nearly a thousand zhang long, instantly streaked across the sky, slashing fiercely towards Jiang Yun and Xiao Yan.
"Since you've decided, then I can't let them interfere with your duel!"
Jiang Yun gazed at the thousand-zhang blade glow and chuckled lightly. Within his sleeves, his ten fingers flicked repeatedly. As space distorted, silver light swept overwhelmingly downwards—all spatial light blades condensed from spatial force...