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**
From afar, Mu Gu's expression froze when he saw the other suddenly cough up blood.
But he quickly reacted and sneered, "Haha, Xiao Yan, looks like you're not as impressive as you thought! That Skyfire Three Mysterious Change and the God Seal Technique you used are indeed powerful, but with your current body strength, I doubt you can hold on much longer before your body explodes into a mist of blood!"
"Damn it!"
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain the crystalline handprint in his palm that was on the verge of collapsing. He was frustrated.
If his body could withstand the strain, with the power of the God Seal Technique, he had full confidence he could severely wound—or even kill—Mu Gu. But in the current situation, he could only try to escape first and find another solution later.
As for forfeiting the match? Unless it was the very last moment, that was something Xiao Yan would never consider. With that thought, he bit down hard, ignoring the injuries ravaging his body, and continued to condense the Fourth Seal of the God Seal Technique.
"Go!"
He took a deep breath, shouted fiercely, and thrust his palm forward with all his might. The crystalline handprint in his palm burst forth, trailing a tail of light as it tore through the air like a comet.
"You crazy bastard!"
Seeing Xiao Yan forcibly unleash the God Seal Technique despite his injuries, Old Mu Gu couldn't help but curse furiously. He had never personally witnessed the full power of this technique before, but even so—its reputation preceded it.
The God Seal Technique was something passed down by the ancient Gu Clan, one of the most ancient bloodlines in existence. It was used as a hidden trump card by their members from Dou Wang all the way up to Dou Zun. Its power was naturally extraordinary.
Thinking of that, a ferocious glint flashed in Mu Gu's eyes as his hand seal changed sharply. The massive arm of black flame shot upward like a blazing meteor, colliding head-on with the incoming handprint filled with terrifying energy pressure.
"Boom!"
The black flame arm and the glowing seal clashed violently. The thunderous explosion that followed echoed through the heavens, even shaking the soul barrier that surrounded the area.
"Bang!"
When the two forces collided, terrifying energy ripples burst out like stormy waves, sweeping across the space.
At the center of the explosion, the very air shattered, forming a massive black void in space. That deep, endless darkness was enough to make one's heart go cold.
At the center of the void, the black flame arm and the crystalline seal radiated blinding light as they continued to erode each other, energy raging wildly between them.
"Rumble!"
Moments later, Mu Gu's Netherworld Demon Flame Arm could no longer hold and exploded apart. A deafening roar, like divine thunder tearing through the sky, erupted in that instant. At the same time, Xiao Yan's God Seal Technique also reached its limit and detonated.
The terrifying energy from both Dou Techniques burst forth in an instant, merging into a single, overwhelming storm. In the blink of an eye, a violent energy storm formed and spread madly in all directions.
Nearby mountain peaks cracked open with massive fissures several meters wide, the ground splitting as the tremors raced from the mountaintops down to the valleys below. The once lush forests atop the peaks were instantly reduced to dust, leaving only bare rock behind.
However, since Mu Gu's Netherworld Demon Flame Arm had been overpowered in that clash, most of the energy storm surged toward him. His figure was instantly engulfed by the raging torrent of energy and disappeared within it.
"Bang!"
The sudden eruption of energy struck the soul barrier—which had already been weakened by strange flames—and cracked it open with countless web-like fractures.
"Hiss... I didn't expect the combined power of the four God Seals to be this terrifying. No wonder it puts such a strain on my body."
Watching the chaotic storm of energy raging across the land, even Xiao Yan, one of the two culprits behind it, couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.
"Just four seals can cause such destruction... no wonder they say when the five seals unite, its power can rival a Heaven Class Dou Technique."
He clicked his tongue in awe.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Xiao Yan took advantage of the moment while Mu Gu was unable to react.
He turned and flew swiftly toward the exit of the Pill Realm that he remembered. However, he hadn't gone far before running into the weakened soul barrier, now full of cracks.
"Hmph, if it were before, breaking through this might've taken some time. But now, this half-collapsed soul barrier—breaking it will be easy."
With a cold snort, Xiao Yan lifted the black heavy ruler in his right hand.
The strange patterns etched across its surface began to glow faintly with yellow flame. As the ruler sliced through the air, the surrounding space began to distort and blur. Then, gripping tightly onto the Heavy Xuan Ruler wrapped in golden flame, Xiao Yan's figure burst into motion.
At the same time, the flames covering the surface of Xiao Yan's massive ruler flared even brighter.
"Flame Splitting Tsunami!"
With a furious shout, Xiao Yan raised the giant weapon high above his head, then swung it down fiercely toward the cracked soul barrier before him!
The massive ruler, shrouded in golden fire, brought forth waves of blazing heat as it came crashing down upon the transparent barrier.
"Bang!"
In the next instant, that already fragile soul barrier shattered completely.
Seeing that nothing stood in his way anymore, Xiao Yan's figure turned into a streak of black shadow as he shot straight toward the exit of the Pill Realm!
After all, he knew very well—though he had won against Old Mu Gu with the God Seal Technique, his own body had paid a terrible price. Overloaded by Dou Qi, he was severely injured. If he didn't find a way to heal himself soon, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Hu hu~"
Meanwhile, as the violent energy storm gradually subsided, Old Mu Gu's figure once again emerged in the sky.
However, his arm—the one that had transformed into a massive black flame limb earlier—now hung limply at his side. Judging from its twisted shape, it was clearly broken. Although the rest of his body wasn't as severely wounded, he was still in a miserable state.
His once fine black robes were now tattered beyond recognition. Aside from a few key areas still covered, most of his body was exposed to the air—he looked more like a beggar than a mighty expert.
The skin that showed was riddled with cuts and burns—marks clearly left by the raging energy storm.
"Xiao Yan, you little bastard! If I ever catch you again, I'll tear you limb from limb!"
Seeing the empty sky before him, Old Mu Gu's voice erupted, filled with killing intent.
The moment he sensed his soul barrier being shattered, he had already realized that the brat must have escaped. But because he was still reeling from the backlash of his own Dou Technique, he hadn't been able to give chase. Even so, a faint chill crept into his heart.
The power of that God Seal Technique was far beyond what he had imagined. If Xiao Yan's body hadn't been unable to endure the simultaneous strain of his secret art and the God Seal Technique, Mu Gu might very well have been the one to die today.
"Xiao Yan… I didn't expect that scroll of cultivation techniques could elevate you this far. Fine, very fine. Even if you've made it into the top ten of the Pill Gathering, let's see how you manage to escape the Ninth Tian Zuns' grasp within the Star Region with only that God Seal Technique to rely on!"
Mu Gu's eyes were cold as frost as he glared in the direction Xiao Yan had fled.
He had thought that by personally intervening within the Pill Domain, Xiao Yan—who was cut off from all outside help—would surely die by his hands. Then he could've seized the Flame Mantra and the young man's Heavenly Flames without issue.
But who could've expected that Xiao Yan actually possessed the Gu Clan's God Seal Technique!
If not for that, how could Xiao Yan—whose strength had only reached the level of a one-star Dou Zun after using his secret technique—possibly have escaped right under his nose?
Yet now, there was nothing Mu Gu could do. After venting his rage for a while, he prepared to leave and tend to his injuries. But just as he lifted his foot, a sudden thought crossed his mind—Song Qing had already been killed by him.
During that entire process, no one had witnessed it. Which meant the most likely suspect in Song Qing's death... would be Xiao Yan. After all, when those seventh-tier alchemists were fleeing, it was Xiao Yan who had been fighting Song Qing.
"Hehe, Xiao Yan, you may have escaped me this time, but let's see how you survive the wrath of the Pill Tower's Grand Elder!"
A cold smirk crept across Mu Gu's lips.
Although the Grand Elder might not place all the blame on Xiao Yan, if Xiao Yan was the only one they could find, then chances were high that they'd kill him out of fury anyway.
As a high-ranking elder of the Hall of Souls, Mu Gu and the Pill Tower were already mortal enemies—adding another layer of hatred didn't matter to him in the slightest.
At this moment, he even felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. If he hadn't impulsively sought information about the Pill Tower from Song Qing, he might've missed such a perfect opportunity.
"Still, I should find a place to recover first. The final round of the Pill Gathering will require me to refine an eighth-tier pill. If I show up in this condition, I might not even make it into the top ten."
Sensing the damage the God Seal Technique had inflicted upon his internal organs, a glint of killing intent flickered in Mu Gu's eyes.
He turned sharply and flew off into the distance.
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