58: Chi Xiaoyunlan (Part 1)

Xiao Yan's voice, like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirred up a thousand waves on the silent Cloud Mist Sect plaza. Countless gazes intertwined on him—some scrutinizing, some contemptuous, some curious, and even undisguised hostility from the Cloud Mist Sect Disciples.

Above the high platform, Nalan Yanran slowly rose, her dress fluttering, her figure tall and straight. She looked at the young man below, whom she hadn't seen in three years, and whose temperament had completely changed. Her eyes were complex and hard to decipher. There was a hint of daze from her past resolute decision, surprise that his strength could reach this point, but more than that, there was the pride of being the Young Sect Leader of the Cloud Mist Sect and the determination to uphold the Sect's honor.

"Xiao Yan, you've finally arrived." Nalan Yanran's clear and cold voice broke the frozen atmosphere. "The Three-Year Agreement will conclude here today. Let me see how much you've grown in these three years to dare step onto my Cloud Mist Sect!"

Xiao Yan's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, meeting Nalan Yanran's across the distance without the slightest retreat: "Nalan Yanran, the humiliation of three years, I will return it all today! Make your move!"

Without any superfluous words, the accumulated grievances and Battle Intent of three years transformed into the most direct Battle Intent, erupting with a roar!

Nalan Yanran's eyes narrowed. With a light grip of her jade hand, a long sword shimmering with a green halo appeared. The sword body trembled slightly, emitting a clear, ringing hum. Her aura suddenly surged, and a vast Dou Qi belonging to a Dou Ling powerhouse swept out, clearly reaching the Three-Star Dou Ling level!

"Three-Star Dou Ling!"

"The Young Sect Leader is truly gifted!"

"That Xiao Yan is only a Great Dou Master, how can he contend?"

A chorus of exclamations and praises erupted on the plaza, and the Cloud Mist Sect Disciples' faces showed proud satisfaction.

However, facing this powerful Dou Ling pressure, Xiao Yan merely took a deep breath and stomped his foot heavily on the ground!

"Bang!"

A muffled sound rang out, and the aura around him also erupted like a volcano whose Seal had been broken! A scorching and heavy Dou Qi surged into the sky, its intensity having reached the Peak of a Great Dou Master, even faintly touching the threshold of a Dou Ling!

"Nine-Star Great Dou Master?!"

"He actually reached this level too?!"

"In three years, from Dou Zhi Qi stage three to Nine-Star Great Dou Master? How is this possible?!"

Gasps of surprise rang out again, this time filled with intense disbelief. Even Yun Yun on the high platform had a hint of astonishment flash through her beautiful eyes. Such a Cultivation speed was terrifying!

Nalan Yanran's pupils also constricted slightly, but then she snorted coldly: "A Nine-Star Great Dou Master is ultimately not a Dou Ling! How can the difference in Realm be so easily compensated? Wind Spirit - Split Form Sword!"

She no longer hesitated. Her delicate body moved, transforming into a green afterimage. The long sword in her hand conjured several sword shadows, both real and illusory, like a sudden storm, enveloping Xiao Yan's vital points! The sword shadows were sharp, tearing through the air, demonstrating exquisite swordsmanship.

Xiao Yan's expression was solemn. The xuan heavy ruler instantly appeared in his hand, its heavy body whistling through the air as he wielded it!

"Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!"

Scorching fire-attribute Dou Qi was poured into the ruler. Blazing flames ignited on the ruler's body, transforming into a massive Flame Ruler Aura, which fiercely met the sky-filling sword shadows!

"Clang, clang, clang—!"

A dense, rain-like series of collisions instantly echoed across the plaza! Flames and green light frantically intertwined and annihilated each other! The Dou Qi aftershocks spread out like ripples, causing the robes of the Disciples near the plaza to flap loudly.

The moment the two clashed, they immediately entered a white-hot battle! Nalan Yanran's swordsmanship was nimble and swift, using the advantage of her wind-attribute Dou Qi to constantly search for Xiao Yan's weaknesses. Xiao Yan, on the other hand, relied on the xuan heavy ruler's weight and dominance, as well as the violent Dou Qi infused with the power of the exotic flame, to overcome skill with brute force, blocking every sharp sword shadow!

For a time, ruler shadows flew and sword light crisscrossed across the plaza. The two figures rapidly intertwined and collided, the roar of Dou Qi echoing incessantly! The fierce battle caused all spectators to hold their breath!

"That Xiao Yan... he actually blocked the Young Sect Leader's offensive?"

"His Dou Qi is so strange; it's clearly just a Great Dou Master, yet it's so condensed and violent, and it carries an extreme heat!"

"That black heavy ruler is also extraordinary; it's probably a treasure!"

On the high platform, Elder Yun Ling and the other Elders' expressions slightly darkened. They hadn't expected Xiao Yan to be able to fight Nalan Yanran to such an extent.

Li Ao, observing the battle from the top of a distant holy city building, watched the fight below with a calm gaze.

"Solid foundation, condensed Dou Qi, and even a trace of exotic flame power… It seems he also has his own fortuitous encounters," Li Ao commented lightly. "However, Nalan Yanran hasn't gone all out either; she's probing."

Medusa nodded slightly, her colorful eyes falling on Xiao Yan's firm and unyielding face. She whispered, "This child's mental fortitude is rare. Unfortunately, the gap in Cultivation cannot be fully compensated by will alone."

In the arena, the intense battle continued.

Nalan Yanran's prolonged attacks yielded no results, and a hint of irritation gradually rose in her heart. She had thought she could easily crush Xiao Yan, but she hadn't expected him to be so difficult to deal with.

"Xiao Yan, I admit I underestimated you! But this is as far as you go!" Nalan Yanran shouted, her figure suddenly retreating. She held her long sword vertically in front of her, and vast green Dou Qi furiously gathered!

"Extreme Wind - Setting Sun's Radiance!"

As her clear and cold shout rang out, a point of extreme green light suddenly erupted from the sword tip, then expanded into a blinding green sun! Within the scorching sun, terrifying energy was contained, as if it truly wanted to outshine the sun in the sky! The surrounding heaven and earth energy frantically surged towards that green sun!

This was one of the Cloud Mist Sect's ultimate Dou Technique, a Profound Rank Advanced Dou Technique! Its power was enough to threaten high-level Dou Ling!

Feeling the destructive energy contained within that green sun, Xiao Yan's face also became completely solemn. He tightly gripped the xuan heavy ruler with both hands, the Dou Crystal in his Qi cyclone spun wildly, and all his Dou Qi, along with that faint wisp of Green Lotus Core Flame Origin, was poured into the xuan heavy ruler without reservation!

On the ruler's body, dark red flames blazed fiercely, the Ruler Aura surged, and a scorching and violent aura, as if it could incinerate everything, rose into the sky!

"Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler - Nine-Fold Wave!"

He roared, unleashing the strongest attack modified by Yao Lao with a fierce display! The xuan heavy ruler, carrying nine overlapping waves of flames, like a roaring Dragon of fire, directly slammed into the crushing green sun!

On one side, the ultimate condensed Wind Meteor Sun!

On the other, the incomparably violent Nine-Fold Fire Wave!

Under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, the two attacks, containing the full power of both sides, collided with a thunderous roar in the center of the plaza, like two meteorites!

"Boom—!!!"

An indescribable colossal sound shook the entire Yun Lan Mountain as if it swayed! Blinding blue and red light instantly swallowed everything, and a terrifying energy storm swept out in all directions like a tsunami. The plaza ground cracked inch by inch, and huge fissures spread like a spiderweb!

In the center of the energy storm, two figures, like kites with broken strings, simultaneously spat blood and flew backward!

Nalan Yanran's face was deathly pale. She propped herself up with her long sword, barely stabilizing her figure, her aura chaotic, clearly having suffered serious internal injuries.

Xiao Yan was even more miserable. The xuan heavy ruler flew from his hand, embedding itself in the ground far away. He himself crashed heavily, his clothes torn, his body a mix of scorch marks and bloodstains. He struggled a few times but couldn't stand up for a moment.

Both suffered losses?!

However, just as everyone thought the battle would end in a draw, an unexpected change occurred!

Xiao Yan suddenly raised his head, and in his dark eyes, an unyielding flame burned! He stared intently at Nalan Yanran, using his last bit of strength, and roared hoarsely:

"Nalan Yanran! You lost!"

Before his words finished, he laboriously raised his hand and, facing Nalan Yanran's direction, clenched it fiercely!

"Bang!"

Around Nalan Yanran, the residual exotic flame energy that had been scattered by the Flame Ruler Aura but had not completely disappeared, as if drawn by some force, suddenly condensed, transforming into several small dark-red fire snakes that fiercely struck her unprepared back!

"Pfft—!"

Nalan Yanran was struck by a heavy blow, spitting out another mouthful of fresh blood. Her delicate body slumped softly, her aura instantly weakening to the extreme!

She had lost!

Silence!

Dead silence!

Everyone stared at this scene in dumbfounded disbelief, unable to trust their own eyes!

Xiao Yan, a Nine-Star Great Dou Master, had actually... truly defeated Nalan Yanran, a Three-Star Dou Ling?!

However, at the very moment the victor was decided, on the high platform, Elder Yun Ling suddenly stood up, his face ashen, his eyes blazing with killing intent. He shouted sharply:

"Junior! How dare you use trickery to injure my Cloud Mist Sect's Young Sect Leader! You shall not be spared!"

A terrifying Dou King pressure, like a towering mountain, crashed down upon the heavily injured Xiao Yan, who lay on the ground, utterly defenseless!

"Yun Ling! How dare you!" Xiao Zhan's eyes were bloodshot. He tried to rush forward but was firmly held back by the Cloud Mist Sect Disciples.

Just at this critical moment—

"Heh..."

A very soft sneer, yet laced with bone-chilling coldness and endless mockery, seemed to come from the Nine Heavens, clearly echoing in everyone's ears.

"What a Cloud Mist Sect... truly, they can't afford to lose."

As this voice sounded, a vast Saber Intent, far more terrifying, more overbearing than Yun Ling's, as if it could cleave the sky and make all things Return to Stillness, suddenly descended upon the entire Cloud Mist Sect plaza like an ancient Vicious Beast awakening from slumber!

Yun Ling's Dou King pressure, which was pressing down on Xiao Yan, shattered instantly like fragile glass before this Saber Intent!

Everyone's hearts trembled violently, and they looked up in horror!

They saw a figure in a green robe appear in the distant sky, though no one knew when. He stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent, his dark iron-colored pupils like an ancient cold abyss, coldly looking down at the ground below, like a deity looking down on ants.

It was—Li Ao!

He had finally intervened!