"Huh? What kind of pill did that little Nalan girl just take? How did her strength skyrocket like that?"
Near the plaza, Jia Xingtian and the others couldn't help but reveal astonished expressions as they sensed the surging Dou Qi erupting from Nalan Yanran's body. Just a moment ago, she had barely reached the level of a Da Dou Shi, but now her aura was soaring madly, blasting through the Dou Ling stage and still climbing without pause.
What surprised them wasn't the fact that she had taken a pill—after all, these people were seasoned powerhouses of the Jia Ma Empire, each with decades, if not centuries, of experience. Nalan Yanran's subtle consumption of a pill hadn't gone unnoticed. However, due to Yunlan Sect's prestige, they chose not to call her out in public.
The real reason for their shock was the degree of improvement. Pills that temporarily enhanced one's strength usually only granted a boost of one or two stars within a realm, and even that came at the cost of immense side effects. Such drugs were notoriously unstable and would leave the user severely weakened once the effects faded.
Yet now, Nalan Yanran had jumped not one or two stars—but an entire Rank! From Da Dou Shi to Dou Wang, in a matter of seconds! This completely overturned their understanding of what a Dou Enhancement Pill could do.
Within a few breaths, Nalan Yanran's aura exploded into the Dou Wang level. Behind her, a pair of azure Dou Qi wings condensed and unfurled, lifting her slender frame high into the sky. Even Nalan Yanran herself was dumbfounded by the strength the pill had granted her. But alongside her shock came a swell of joy—an emotional affirmation that Yan Xiao must genuinely care for her. 'If he didn't, why would he give me such a precious pill?'
Below the platform, Yun Yun frowned deeply. Her concern wasn't solely for Xiao Yan—it was also for Nalan Yanran herself. A pill that granted such a powerful and rapid boost was bound to carry unprecedented backlash. Once the drug's effect faded, the violent rebound could cripple Nalan Yanran's cultivation permanently... or even kill her outright.
Now, Yun Yun couldn't help but regret not stopping her earlier. 'Why go this far? It's only a duel. Even if she loses today, she could always train harder tomorrow. Was it really worth burning her future just to defeat Xiao Yan?'
In the sky above the arena, Nalan Yanran's eyes gleamed with intense battle fervor. Strength surged through her limbs like never before, and she finally felt like she could fight him on equal ground. Her eyes locked onto Xiao Yan below as she pointed her longsword at him.
"Xiao Yan, let's decide the outcome!"
With a soft shout, she dove down like a meteor, her sword glimmering with blinding energy.
"Wind's Limit: Radiant Sunset Slash!"
The force behind her attack surged forth in a white-hot flash. The terrifying Dou Qi condensed into an intense beam of light, wrapping around her sword like a blazing sun. Even Yun Leng and the others paled slightly. They could feel the danger—this strike was no joke. It could even threaten a Dou Huang.
"Nalan Yanran's strength... she must be at least a Five-Star Dou Wang now. That pill is insane," Jia Xingtian muttered, a note of regret in his voice. "But with that kind of drug, her future's pretty much ruined. What was she thinking?"
Fa Ma stood beside him, his eyes never leaving the calm figure in the arena. "Looks like this duel is reaching its end. I think... it's time for him to show his true power."
Although Fa Ma still couldn't sense Xiao Yan's exact strength, even he could feel that this attack was dangerous. Logically, Xiao Yan could no longer afford to remain passive. Everyone in the square thought so too. Their gazes locked tightly onto him, waiting to see how he'd respond to this overwhelming power.
But Xiao Yan didn't move.
He didn't summon Dou Qi. He didn't even raise a hand.
And then, as Nalan Yanran's strongest attack closed in—ten meters away, then nine, then eight—it suddenly vanished into thin air.
No sound. No light. Just silence.
Gone, as if it had never existed.
"How... how is that possible?"
The loudest gasp didn't come from Nalan Yanran herself, but from the crowd. The entire plaza erupted in disbelief. The kind of power she had just wielded could make even a Dou Huang cautious, yet it had vanished like mist before it even touched Xiao Yan. It was simply absurd.
Before, many had assumed the earlier dissolving of Nalan Yanran's attacks was due to a unique Dou Technique. But now she was at Dou Wang level. If it had been a technique, it wouldn't still be working—at least not without some visible reaction. Yet the result was the same. The only explanation was that Xiao Yan's power had far surpassed their understanding.
"What level is he…?" Jia Xingtian trembled involuntarily. 'Even a Dou Zong wouldn't be able to do this.'
Nalan Yanran hovered in mid-air, dazed. She had given everything, swallowed a pill with terrifying consequences, unleashed her strongest technique—and it had all been for nothing. Her heart, already riddled with cracks, now threatened to collapse.
'What... kind of strength does he have?'
Xiao Yan finally raised his head.
"Your performance is over, right? Then... allow me to give everyone here a show worth remembering."
A faint smile played on his lips. He lifted one hand—and with a simple snap of his fingers, the outcome of the battle was decided.
Snap.
Nalan Yanran's pupils shrank instantly.
She felt it. Deep within her body, the Dou Crystal she had painstakingly formed during her training suddenly shattered.
The enormous, surging Dou Qi that had elevated her to the skies vanished like smoke. Her body, no longer supported by energy, went limp and began to plummet to the ground from hundreds of meters up.
The backlash had begun.
And it was far more brutal than she imagined.
From below, Yun Yun leapt to her feet in alarm. Nalan Yanran, in her current state, couldn't possibly survive that fall. Just as she was about to intervene—
—someone moved faster.
A black-robed figure shot upward like lightning and caught Nalan Yanran before she hit the ground.
Xiao Yan.
The instant she fell into his arms, a wave of icy-cool Dou Qi surged into her body, suppressing the backlash just enough for her consciousness to return. She forced open her eyes, barely able to focus—and saw the face she had longed to see the most.
"Yan Xiao...? You came..."
"Of course I came. Today is the most important day of your life. Even if no one else showed up... I would."
His voice was soft, filled with warmth and sincerity.
Nalan Yanran's eyes welled with tears.
She felt a surge of emotion so intense that it nearly melted her heart.
But if she had known what was really in Xiao Yan's mind at that moment... she might have died from sheer fury.
'After playing you like a puppet all this time... it's finally time to break you completely.'
The curtain had just risen on the most devastating performance of all.
(End of Chapter)
---
A Very Very Huge Shoutout and Welcome to Tai Super Nerd Guy for Joining us on Patreon and Becoming a Member of Diamond with Yearly Plan, Thank You For Your Contribution My Friend 😁
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Members on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.