Word Count: 3,199 Words
******
"How formidable... This Yan Tianzun has cultivated Soul Skills to such an extraordinary degree."
"Indeed. Could he possibly be a member of the Hun Clan?"
Everyone watching Yan Tianzun suppress the Black and White Tianzun felt genuine admiration. In the Hall of Souls where might made right, no one cared about your age or cultivation level, much less about seniority. Everything came down to strength.
"That Tian Class flying Dou Technique is incredibly powerful. If the Black and White Tianzun lack a true Tian Class Dou Technique of their own, they might be in serious trouble."
Eighth Tianzun Qiu Di couldn't help glancing at the restless Mo Yu beside him with undisguised schadenfreude. He sneered, "Jie jie jie, Old Ninth—oh wait, that's not right—Old Ghost Mo Yu, it seems your seat is becoming rather unstable."
Mo Yu shot him a fierce glare and snorted coldly. "He merely relies on the advantage of a Tian Class flying Dou Technique. I possess my own Tian Class techniques. My Rain Erosion Sky has already reached minor mastery. He's only a 5-star Dou Venerate through Secret Methods. Do you truly believe I would lose?"
Qiu Di shrugged and chose not to provoke Mo Yu further. This Yan Tianzun put considerable pressure on him as well. If possible, he'd prefer Mo Yu to win; that way, he could remain comfortably as the Eighth Tianzun.
Only Venerable Qing Hai thought differently.
'He... he hasn't used Heavenly Flames!' Qing Hai's heart quaked violently.
Knowing that Yan Tianzun was actually Xiao Yan, Qing Hai had naturally investigated some of his glorious deeds. Though his knowledge wasn't complete, he was absolutely certain that Xiao Yan possessed at least three kinds of Heavenly Flames!
Normal people had just one Heavenly Flame. Even Tianzun typically could only manage one. But Xiao Yan having three meant he possessed a very special Qi Method!
Yet Xiao Yan had been relying solely on that mysterious flying Dou Technique and his Soul Skills in battle. He hadn't used Heavenly Flames to attack even once!
He's still holding back!
Venerable Qing Hai naturally didn't know how many trump cards Xiao Yan possessed, but he had witnessed Xiao Yan fight once. That single time had made him resolve never to become his enemy.
That terrifying fire lotus capable of melting even Venerable Bing's ice Dou Techniques, plus the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change… Xiao Yan hadn't used either of them!
'Could it be… he's using the Black and White Tianzun to temper his Dou Techniques!' Venerable Qing Hai's heart shook with realization.
His speculation wasn't without reason. He could see that Xiao Yan appeared somewhat rusty in using those powerful Ancient Phoenix Wings, and he estimated that Xiao Yan had obtained them relatively recently. And while Xiao Yan's Soul Skills were strong, his combat moves seemed improvised on the spot, not like techniques he had been using for a long time.
"Impressive. With such powerful physical strength, he should be called Monstrous Strength Tianzun." Nearby, Venerable Shou Li deeply admired and revered Xiao Yan, as he greatly respected those with powerful physiques.
Venerable Qing Hai couldn't help rolling his eyes at this simple-minded fellow. Are you truly that stupid? Why don't you think about why he's called Yan (Flame) Tianzun instead of Li (Strength) Tianzun or Yi (Wing) Tianzun?!
With his Tian Class flying Dou Technique and the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body, Xiao Yan gradually began to gain the upper hand. The Black and White Tianzun were completely outmatched in speed, and Xiao Yan's Soul Skills were equally powerful and unrivaled, leaving the duo looking increasingly helpless.
"Damn it! Looks like we can't wait for his Secret Method to wear off!" Black Tianzun's eyes darkened. Their original plan had been to wait until Xiao Yan's Secret Method dissipated, then strike when he was weakened.
The best strategy against enemies using Secret Methods was to drag out the battle. But Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength remained abundant; it wouldn't be exhausted anytime soon. Meanwhile, the two of them were already struggling to hold on. Their souls had suffered repeated heavy blows. If this continued and their souls were severely damaged, even victory might cost them a drop in cultivation.
A resonating hum erupted as the Black and White Tianzun seemed to sense each other. The surrounding natural energy suddenly began to boil!
Everyone present felt the world's energy churning. Though Di Class Dou Techniques could mobilize natural energy, all the Hall of Souls Tianzun understood this wasn't just an ordinary Di Class technique. It even surpassed High Di Class!
This was a combination Dou Technique on par with the God Seal Technique and the Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique!
In that instant, the world's energy connected with them. Boundless, majestic power manifested as endless divine light descended upon the Black and White Tianzun.
The duo were now wreathed in divine radiance, with strands of blinding light that seemed to make space itself flow around them.
Black Tianzun's body became as heavy and solid as iron as waves of black mist surged from him. Meanwhile, White Tianzun's body released a sacred and ethereal white light. The two existed in perfect harmony, one to the left and the other to the right, without any conflicting energies.
Xiao Yan sensed the power of this Dou Technique and did not dare to be careless. After all, he faced two peak 6-star Dou Venerates whose cultivation far exceeded his own.
The Black and White Tianzun shouted in their hearts:
Demon Subduing Flying Immortal Combination Strike!
Their Dou Qi erupted as both thrust their palms forward simultaneously. One black and one white beam of Dou Qi intertwined, shattering the empty space as they rushed toward Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's body tensed as terrifying Dou Qi poured into the Ancient Phoenix Wings. Instantly, the wings grew larger and surrounded him like a giant black bell.
The black bell ignited with wisps of black flame, emitting boundless ancient phoenix might. A bird's cry emerged from the Ancient Phoenix Wings as the phantom of a giant black bird appeared above them. Unlike the saintly image manifested by the likes of Feng Qing Er, this was a true Ancient Heaven Phoenix!
BOOM! BOOM!
The Black and White Tianzun's combination strike poured down like a beam of light from heaven, instantly engulfing the phoenix bell. The aftershock even pierced through the void behind Xiao Yan, drawing in massive spatial turbulence.
"This… this is too terrifying."
"The Black and White Tianzun truly deserve their reputation as the strongest below the Nine Great Tianzun. This combination strike has probably reached Tian Class power!"
Countless people shuddered at this scene. Originally, Yan Tianzun and the Black and White Tianzun had been deadlocked, neither able to claim victory.
"But don't forget, that Yan Tianzun possesses a genuine Tian Class Dou Technique. Though it's a flying technique, those wings excel at both offense and defense. Victory remains uncertain!"
Mo Yu's eyes also narrowed. Ten years ago, the Black and White Tianzun used this same move, but they ultimately couldn't overcome his Tian Class Dou Technique, which allowed him to win.
Soon, the light faded. From within emerged a large, black, bell-like object.
It had blocked the attack!
"Sigh, when something comparable to Tian Class faces genuine Tian Class, the gap becomes apparent."
"Tian Class is still… too terrifying."
The Ancient Phoenix Wings shook with a whoosh as they spread wide, revealing the unharmed Xiao Yan within.
Though some feathers on the wings had melted, leaving bald patches, Xiao Yan himself remained perfectly safe. This demonstrated the significant difference between genuine Tian Class Dou Techniques and quasi-Tian Class ones.
His eyes stared intently ahead. He could clearly feel this was just an appetizer, an attack the Black and White Tianzun used to test his defenses or consume his Dou Qi. They still had their real killing move!
Two peak 6-star Dou Venerates working together had sufficient strength to obtain Tian Class Dou Techniques!
"Let's end this!"
Black Tianzun roared, unleashing all his Dou Qi and Spiritual Strength without reservation. For them, this battle was an utter humiliation.
They were being suppressed by a newly appointed Tianzun. How could they maintain their standing in the Hall of Souls after this?!
"Yin-Yang Heaven Seal!" ×2
Upon seeing the damage to Xiao Yan's Heaven Phoenix Wings, joy flashed through their hearts. The Black and White Tianzun simultaneously erupted into their strongest state, their cultivation showing faint signs of breaking through to the 7-star stage!
Black Tianzun condensed a black palm print with his right hand while White Tianzun condensed a white palm print with his left. Almost simultaneously, they struck out. The two palm prints instantly merged, transforming into yin and yang.
The two seals merged, yin and yang intertwined!
A Tian Class Combination Dou Technique!
"Kill!"
The Black and White Tianzun roared together. The palm seal tore through the void like a domineering tiger emerging from its den. The intertwined yin-yang palm seal descended with crushing force. Even Ninth Tianzun Mo Yu felt his heart race facing this Tian Class combination technique from two peak 6-star Dou Venerates.
If the Black and White Tianzun had cultivated this move when they challenged him years ago, the outcome would have been truly uncertain! Though he could see they had only cultivated this move for a short time, probably not even reaching the entry level yet, and couldn't fully unleash its true power…
However, this was several times stronger than the Di Class move from before!
"It's over… Yan Tianzun won't be able to block it!"
"Both are Tian Class, but the cultivation gap is too large!"
Only Venerable Qing Hai's eyes narrowed and his expression became grave. He knew Xiao Yan couldn't hide anymore.
"Sigh." A soft sigh emerged from beneath the hood. Xiao Yan had indeed planned to use the Black and White Tianzun to temper his Asura Soul Reaping Technique.
He had intended to cultivate it to perfection before seeking the true Asura Soul Reaping Technique from Hun Lao Gui. This was merely a prerequisite technique.
He just hadn't expected these Hall of Souls Tianzun to have such capabilities, even possessing Tian Class Dou Techniques. He wondered what terrifying techniques the Gu Clan's top geniuses might have cultivated.
He was already beginning preparations for his journey to the Gu Realm.
His eyes calmly watched the terrifying yin-yang palm print as Heavenly Flames finally began surging from his Acceptance Soul.
Mysterious Yellow Flame, Ten Thousand Beast Flame, Yin-Yang Twin Flame, Green Lotus Core Flame, Wind and Thunder Fury Flame, and Sea Heart Flame. Six kinds of Heavenly Flames emerged, circulating through his meridians in a torrent.
Thanks to his late Soul State Spiritual Strength, Xiao Yan could now condense a six-colored fire lotus in a short amount of time. An exquisitely beautiful six-colored fire lotus appeared before him.
With a gentle flick, the small, exquisite lotus transformed into a stream of light that rushed toward the yin-yang palm print.
Due to his current cultivation and Spiritual Strength, the fire lotus was perfectly condensed, without a trace of Heavenly Flame energy leaking out. Only an aura of pure destruction remained.
He didn't know whether this counted as a Tian Class Dou Technique. Strictly speaking, the fire lotus wasn't a Dou Technique but more like a secret method for merging Heavenly Flames. What made it truly powerful was the Spiritual Strength, fire control, Dou Qi, and the Heavenly Flames themselves.
Regardless, the six-colored fire lotus's power absolutely reached Tian Class, so Xiao Yan called it:
Heavenly Fury Lotus Flame!
The instant the six-colored fire lotus flew out, every Hall of Souls Venerable without exception felt their scalps go numb. Goosebumps erupted across their bodies as their senses screamed in alarm. That destruction was absolute!
Even the small world temporarily created by the First Tianzun showed signs of melting. Countless Hall of Souls Venerables were struck with terror, and even the Tianzun felt suffocated.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the fire lotus and palm print collided.
BOOM!
The fire lotus exploded upon impact. Everything melted under the terrifying temperature, washed away by waves of fire. It wasn't just the space; even the yin-yang palm print was instantly pulverized.
How could a Low Tian Class Dou Technique that hadn't even reached the entry level possibly match Xiao Yan's self-created technique? The small world instantly shattered. The entire Heaven Hall trembled under this blow as the sea of clouds below churned madly.
BOOM BOOM!!!
The terrifying fire lotus slammed into the Black and White Tianzun. Though they had been Tianzun for ages with various means and protective gear, everything seemed predetermined under this strike. Armor, shields, and Dou Qi defenses were all destroyed.
Everything turned to ash, utterly unable to withstand the terrifying explosion of six merged Heavenly Flames.
The might of the Heavenly Flames swept across the entire small world. Fortunately, the spectating Hall of Souls Venerables were far away. Being caught in the aftershock would have been an undeserved calamity!
Everyone was stunned by this scene. The hearts of countless long-lived Dou Venerates trembled.
With their discerning eyes, they could no longer identify this perfectly merged fire lotus. They only knew it must be a Heavenly Flame…
"Yan Tianzun..."
The same thought emerged in everyone's minds: Truly worthy of the name Yan Tianzun!
"Impossible, impossible… How could a 3-star Dou Venerate possibly…" Ninth Tianzun Mo Yu's face turned deathly pale and his legs grew weak. Everything had changed too quickly.
The Black and White Tianzun had just unleashed their killing blow, only to be instantly annihilated by Yan Tianzun. By the time many reacted, the fire lotus had already exploded.
What was he supposed to fight now? Even if he used his Rain Erosion Sky against this move, it would become Flame Breaking Sky in the next second!
"What kind of ghostly Dou Technique is this? Heavenly Flame? What Heavenly Flame looks like this…" Even Eighth Tianzun Qiu Di's face had turned ashen. He now wondered: Could I win?
Though he was a peak 8-star Dou Venerate with a Low Tian Class Dou Technique at major mastery, and his cultivation was much higher—meaning the Black and White Tianzun plus Mo Yu together might not be his match…
Whether he could block that move, he still wasn't certain!
As for the other Nine Great Tianzun, their hearts all sank. They hadn't forgotten that Yan Tianzun was only a 3-star Dou Venerate. Early-stage cultivation was naturally faster than later stages. If he reached 4-star or 5-star, wouldn't they also be no match for him?!
"Cough, cough, cough."
The fire waves completely dissipated as coughing emerged from the receding sea of flames.
Yan Tianzun slowly walked out of the fire sea. His Soul Robe was tattered. His aura clearly showed massive expenditure. The Secret Method had dissipated, returning him to 3-star Dou Venerate.
As for the Black and White Tianzun, they lay on the ground, their life or death unknown.
Everyone stared at this newly appointed Tianzun. He remained hooded, though his Soul Robe was somewhat torn, especially at the slash on his back. That should have been this battle's most serious injury.
But now it had recovered completely. Strictly speaking, this counted as defeating the Black and White Tianzun without injury!
Everything fell silent. All spectators held their breath. They didn't dare offend the Nine Great Tianzun, but everyone understood. Once Yan Tianzun recovered and fought again, Mo Yu would surely lose!
All eyes turned toward Ninth Tianzun Mo Yu sitting at the far right.
Mo Yu had long been sitting on pins and needles. Why am I so unlucky?!
Xiao Yan consumed a high-grade tier 7 healing pill. The Three Thousand Burning Flame and Yin-Yang Twin Flame slowly recovered his strength. He wasn't arrogant; he would wait until fully recovered before challenging Mo Yu.
"Worthy of the Xiao Clan. Your strength is no weaker than your alchemy."
Xiao Yan looked toward Hall Chief Hun Mie Sheng's direction. The sound transmission was Hun Mie Sheng's voice. That he knew Xiao Yan was from the Xiao Clan wasn't surprising at all.
He said nothing, as there was nothing to say.
Hun Mie Sheng smiled and suddenly waved his hand. The world instantly shifted as the First Tianzun's created small world vanished. Everyone returned to the Heaven Hall.
He pointed into the empty space. With a buzz, the Soul Command Token hanging on Xiao Yan's Soul Robe slowly emitted spiritual fluctuations and floated upward. On the token, before the words "Tianzun," the character for "Ten" suddenly appeared!
Hun Mie Sheng's meaning was very simple: there was no need to fight anymore. Xiao Yan was a special case; his rewards didn't come from Hun Mie Sheng. He was an alchemist.
If Mo Yu was defeated, wouldn't he lose a helper? And this brat didn't follow orders anyway!
Xiao Yan caught the slowly falling Soul Command Token and didn't mind his ranking. As long as he could participate in the Hun Clan's coming-of-age ceremony, that was all that mattered.
A black stone chair suddenly rose beside Ninth Tianzun Mo Yu with a creaking sound. Everyone understood the Hall Chief's meaning. Mo Yu was so grateful that he nearly fell to his knees.
Xiao Yan walked step by step toward the black stone chair. With a buzz, streams of black mist surged from all directions, pouncing on his Soul Robe, not only repairing it but also enhancing it!
The Soul Robes of the Nine Great Tianzun were all special, not only tailored to their Qi Method characteristics but also possessing the function of isolating Heavenly State spiritual perception, making it difficult for even ordinary Dou Saints to see through.
After all, at their level, encountering Dou Saints during missions was inevitable.
Xiao Yan slowly raised his hand and lowered his hood, revealing a pale face. This was naturally his disguise through the Soul Command Token, and this particular face was quite interesting: it belonged to the first Hun Clan descendant he had killed!
Now that he had upgraded his Soul Command Token, he felt reassured, no longer fearing that the First Tianzun could see through his identity.
Wisps of black qi floated from his new Soul Robe, giving the impression of burning black flames.
Even Mo Yu couldn't help looking solemn and wary as Xiao Yan approached. However, Xiao Yan had no intention of paying him any mind. With an indifferent, cold expression, he turned and sat down with a soft whoosh.
He leaned back in the chair, crossing his legs. His left elbow rested on the stone armrest, his hand propping up his face as he tilted his head. His eyes, as deep as the Nine Serene Cold Pools, swept over the stunned and silent Hall of Souls Venerables below.
"Gone mute?"
His voice shattered the arena's silence. The first to react was Venerable Qing Hai! With a thud, he dropped to one knee, his right fist supporting him on the ground as he lowered his head and shouted, "Greetings to the Tenth Tianzun!!"
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Everyone instantly reacted. Even Zhai Xing knelt on one knee, his face pale with terror.
"Greetings to the Tenth Tianzun!!"