Chapter 207 – Yin-Yang Dragon Soar
As the shout echoed, the sky was suddenly swept by a violent wind, carrying with it a thick, blood-drenched stench.
Xiao Yuan looked up, eyes narrowing, and saw a massive blood-red hand—two zhang wide—suddenly appear above his head and strike down hard.
Icefire Mirror!
With a rapid hand seal, a translucent black ice mirror manifested above Xiao Yuan's head. Black and white flames rose from its surface, giving it a bizarre appearance.
Thanks to the complete interconnection between his Qi Palaces, Xiao Yuan could now unleash any attribute of Dou Qi alongside his Heavenly Flames without conflict. In fact, due to the free flow of Dou Qi between palaces, any elemental Dou Qi now enhanced the performance of his Heavenly Flame.
Fan Lao's attack slammed into the flame-covered mirror. The terrifying heat of the flames immediately scorched the blood-red hand, making it flicker and blur. By the time it landed on the mirror, much of its strength had already been dispersed.
The next moment, the hand didn't vanish but instead sank into the surface of the mirror as if plunging into water. Black ripples spread across the mirror's surface before it reemerged—now encased in black ice and engulfed in black and white flame. White flame lines and black flowing patterns spiraled across its surface as it shot back up—directly at Fan Lao's chest!
Seeing his carefully prepared Dou Technique so easily deflected and even returned, Fan Lao was stunned. Startled, he immediately abandoned counterattacking. A vast ocean of blood surged above his head like a crimson tide to block the incoming strike.
The returning black hand pierced the blood sea, causing massive ripples and chaos.
"Condense!"
Fan Lao barked coldly. The sea of blood churned wildly, and the hand slowed to a crawl as though trapped in mire.
The blood sea grew more viscous, halting the black hand just two feet from Fan Lao's head.
"Hmph."
Seeing the hand frozen in place, Fan Lao exhaled with relief, his lips curling into a mocking smile.
"Tsshhh!"
But just as the smile emerged, the water-fire markings on the hand flickered. An intense wave of heat erupted, evaporating much of the sticky blood sea.
And then, under Fan Lao's horrified gaze, the black hand slammed into his chest.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion followed, sending Fan Lao hurtling backward.
Naturally, Xiao Yuan would not let Fan Lao recover. With a wave of his sleeve, a flood of black-and-white flame surged out, engulfing the blood sea in a blazing inferno.
The flames twisted the air itself, distorting the sky and casting the entire Inner Academy in oppressive heat.
On the ground, countless students stared in disbelief at the flames flooding the heavens. Many unconsciously wiped sweat from their brows, overwhelmed by the blazing temperature.
Within the boundless black-and-white fire sea, a blood sea barely a zhang wide curled inward under the intense heat. Wisps of bloody mist rose and dissipated into nothingness.
As the mist evaporated, the blood sea continued to shrink. At this rate, it would soon be completely incinerated.
"A Heavenly Flame?"
As the flames raged, gasps of shock rang out across the sky. Many eyes turned to Han Feng, still locked in battle with Hu Gan.
Han Feng's gaze had fixed on Xiao Yuan the moment the black-and-white flames appeared. His expression darkened in disbelief—this youth actually possessed a Heavenly Flame!
He knew all too well the pain of acquiring one. To obtain his Ocean Heart Flame, ranked fifteenth on the Heavenly Flame List, Han Feng had nearly died. The process of swallowing and refining it—especially with an incomplete version of Flame Mantra—had been torturous. Even now, it flared up uncontrollably inside him.
So seeing someone so young wield a Heavenly Flame effortlessly sparked a rare sense of envy in Han Feng's heart.
"From the coloring and the occasional fish-like flicker… That should be the Yin-Yang Dual Flame, ranked twenty-first!"
As his eyes gleamed, a greedy glint took root.
"To think I've seen two Heavenly Flames in one day. This trip was worth it. If I can claim both and refine them with my Flame Mantra, my strength will soar. Even if that old ghost from Jia Nan Academy returns, he won't be able to stop me."
A faint smirk crept onto Han Feng's lips as the madness simmered in his heart.
"But this brat… he controls the fire with ease. Even I would struggle to manage flames on this scale. Taking it from him won't be easy."
Han Feng frowned slightly. From a distance, Xiao Yuan's face showed no sign of strain despite the massive fire sea.
Xiao Yuan, unaware of the plotting eyes watching him, had all his attention focused on Fan Lao.
The blood sea within the flames had now shrunk to barely a chi wide, like a reef amidst crashing waves—on the verge of collapse.
From a distance, Fan Lao clutched his chest, blood trickling from his lips. He stared darkly at the white-robed youth, rage twisting his features.
"If I lose to this brat… the Black-Corner Region will laugh me out of existence."
Grinding his teeth, Fan Lao's hands flew into motion. Within the fire sea, the blood pool surged and darkened, finally condensing into a nearly black blood pearl. It shot into Fan Lao's chest.
"Blood Transformation!"
As the pearl entered, Fan Lao's eyes turned blood-red. His withered hands grew paler, and long blood-colored nails extended, gleaming like blades in the sun.
A spray of blood covered his Dou Qi wings, reshaping them into long, grotesque appendages resembling a mix between bird and bat wings.
"To force me to use 'Blood Transformation'—you should be proud."
A faint blood membrane rippled from him, repelling the intense heat. With a flap of his transformed wings, he became a crimson flash, instantly appearing beside Xiao Yuan with a chilling laugh.
Xiao Yuan raised a brow. Fan Lao's new form was clearly stronger and faster than before. After being roasted by his flames, the old man was finally showing his true strength.
"If this is all you've got, I won't mind sending you to join Fan Ling."
Xiao Yuan's mocking smirk infuriated Fan Lao. His face darkened even more.
With a wave of his sleeve, Xiao Yuan recalled the fire sea into two flame serpents that swirled around his fingers and returned to his body.
Manipulating such a massive Heavenly Flame required considerable spiritual strength—he couldn't afford waste. After all, Fan Lao was just the appetizer.
Fan Lao took a deep breath and locked his bloodshot eyes onto Xiao Yuan. His rage boiled uncontrollably. Moments later, a hideous roar shattered the air.
"Brat! If I don't rip you to pieces and tear your bones from your flesh, I might as well kill myself now!"
But Xiao Yuan only chuckled, lightly provoking the walking powder keg.
"Then die, old dog."
Like pouring water on burning oil, Xiao Yuan's sneer ignited Fan Lao's fury. A tidal wave of blood-colored Dou Qi exploded from his body.
Fan Lao's ghastly clawed hands moved like lightning, forming sinister hand seals. His Dou Qi surged and condensed into a thick, dark-red blood spear, radiating a stench that stung the nose.
He grasped the spear tightly and bared sharp, pale teeth as he glared at Xiao Yuan.
With a roar, he vanished in a blur. In a flash, he reappeared near Xiao Yuan, thrusting the deadly spear straight at his heart.
His speed after "Blood Transformation" was incredible. Most people only saw a blur and felt a chill before they realized he had already moved.
But Xiao Yuan's expression remained calm.
In his black eyes, a red light expanded rapidly—until it became a hideous face and the deadly spear closed in.
Clang!
An ashen spear forged from Heavenly Flame intercepted the blood spear midair.
A storm of force burst out as Xiao Yuan was pushed back half a step, then steadied himself with a flap of his wings.
Fan Lao's face twisted with bloodlust.
"I'll pierce you with a thousand holes, brat!"
He twisted the spear and launched another savage thrust.
"You?"
Xiao Yuan sneered. Lightning flickered beneath his feet as he dodged and closed in. His five fingers clenched. Black-and-white flames formed a vortex around his fist as he struck at Fan Lao's face.
But Fan Lao reacted swiftly. His right hand became a sword of blood-stained claws, clashing head-on with Xiao Yuan's attack.
The air hissed and tore as they collided.
Realizing the claws' sharpness rivaled even the blood spear, Xiao Yuan frowned—punching directly into them would not end well.
At the last second, his arm trembled and released the vortex like a fire-drill, hurling it straight at Fan Lao's chest.
The fiery drill exploded forward like a cannon shell, warping the air and leaving ripples in space.
Fan Lao barely had time to react. Even with his Dou Qi barrier, the heat seared his skin.
Too close to dodge, he conjured a defensive blood membrane on his palm.
"Explode!"
Xiao Yuan's voice rang out.
The moment the word fell, the fire-drill exploded in a blinding flash. A deafening boom shook the sky as a sea of fire engulfed everything.
Xiao Yuan waved his sleeve to disperse the blast wave before him, eyes narrowing.
This won't be enough to hurt Fan Lao…
As expected, a crimson beam shot out from the flames. Within it, Fan Lao slowly rose, face twisted, blood spear held high.
Blood Dou Qi surged into the spear, darkening it into a coagulated mass. The pungent stench thickened.
At its tip, the blood gleamed with deadly force.
Seeing the familiar technique, Xiao Yuan smirked.
So it's that move again, huh?
He formed a hand seal and pushed the flame spear forward. Under the guidance of his soul force, it hovered before him.
The surrounding energy surged wildly. As he completed the seal, black-and-white flames condensed into a massive dragon.
Xiao Yuan roared silently in his heart:
"Yin-Yang Dragon Soar!"
(END CHAPTER)
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