Chapter 291: Keep Talking, and You'll Never Speak Again!
Xiao Yuan glanced over Liu Qing and chuckled. "Three-star Dou Huang? Looks like clan responsibilities have drained you quite a bit."
Liu Qing shook his head with a helpless smile. "You've probably gone far beyond just entering Dou Zong, right?"
He'd seen clearly how Xiao Yuan walked through the air.
Liu Qing's words made the people behind him shift their expressions slightly, their eyes flickering with surprise. A Dou Zong at such a young age was nearly unheard of.
"Hehe, just a bit of luck."
Xiao Yuan smiled and didn't deny it.
His current strength was close to the peak of three-star Dou Zong. He was not far from breaking through—just waiting for the right opportunity.
"Sigh... I can't keep up with you. No wonder you were always the top genius of the Inner Academy. I have to admit, I'm impressed." Liu Qing sighed. Back when he'd stepped into Dou Wang and ranked in the top three of the Strong List, Xiao Yuan had just been a newly admitted Da Dou Shi. Now, in just a few short years, the gap between them had grown so vast it was hard to believe.
Xiao Yuan smiled again, and his gaze shifted to Liu Fei behind Liu Qing. He nodded politely. Liu Fei blushed, her peach-like cheeks flushed as she looked away.
"Oh, right—let me introduce you. This is Cai Lin. You might know her better as Queen Medusa."
Xiao Yuan turned back to Liu Qing and introduced with a grin.
"Queen Medusa? Hiss—so you're that terrifying Snake-People Queen from the Jia Ma Empire? Well, since it's you, I guess it makes sense."
Liu Qing blinked, then chuckled and cupped his hands toward the cold, stunning beauty.
"Cai Lin, this is Liu Qing."
Xiao Yuan added.
"Mm. Hello."
Cai Lin, uninterested in humans, gave a brief greeting before falling silent.
Liu Qing wasn't offended. He'd spent time in the Jia Ma Empire with Lin Xiuya and Lin Yan, so he understood Queen Medusa's nature. Judging from her position beside Xiao Yuan, she was likely a Dou Zong as well.
"She's always been like that—don't mind her."
Xiao Yuan explained with a smile.
"No worries. Strength brings pride. Besides, back when you tore through Black-Corner Region, I was impressed! You've always had my admiration. What brings you here?"
Liu Qing's face relaxed into a smile. Meeting Xiao Yuan unexpectedly was clearly a pleasant surprise.
"I'm headed for Dan Territory. Tianhuang City's spatial wormhole connects directly. I heard from Senior Han Yue that your family is here, so I thought I'd drop by. Turns out, I came at just the right time."
Xiao Yuan smiled, his gaze subtly drifting toward the Cheng family's side.
Liu Qing nodded, then laughed. "The wormhole will reopen after today. I'll make arrangements—you don't have to worry about a thing."
"But it's supposed to be the Cheng family's turn. They've never liked us. If you show up, they might make things harder."
Liu Fei muttered behind him.
Liu Qing frowned, and Liu Fei quickly fell silent.
"You know me, right? Didn't you and Xiao Yan become friends through fighting? If he were here, he'd help too."
Xiao Yuan said directly, seeing that Liu Qing was reluctant to ask him for help so soon after arriving.
With Xiao Yuan's words, Liu Qing had no choice but to accept. He met Xiao Yuan's gaze and smiled bitterly. "The Cheng family doesn't have just one Dou Zong. If you help me and end up offending them, it'll be trouble."
"More than one?"
Xiao Yuan gave Liu Qing a strange look.
More numbers?
He had five Dou Zong-level puppets just sitting in his ring.
He'd turned the entire Wind Lightning Northern Pavilion's upper ranks into his subordinates. The Cheng family? Barely worth a mention.
Push come to shove, he could even puppet the Thunder Venerate. Ten Cheng families wouldn't be enough.
"Well, you and Miss Cai Lin are both Dou Zongs. With your battle power, you might rival two Dou Zongs on your own. I guess that's good enough."
Liu Qing chuckled awkwardly, realizing his earlier concerns were off.
The two elders behind him were stunned. One man could match two Dou Zongs? Was his combat power really that outrageous?
"You underestimate me. Even Burning Flame Valley couldn't stop me. The Cheng family? Please."
Xiao Yuan waved dismissively.
Liu Fei's beautiful eyes sparkled as she stole glances at him.
Liu Qing finally sighed and admitted, "This whole mess started because of the wormhole. Originally, it was our turn. But Burning Flame Valley decided to make it a reward for anyone who could provide a high-tier alchemist. The Cheng family somehow found a sixth-tier alchemist. Our best only just reached fifth-tier…"
"Why would Burning Flame Valley need high-tier alchemists? With their strength, they should have plenty."
Xiao Yuan raised an eyebrow. This seemed early, but on the bright side, it saved him the effort of volunteering.
"I'm not sure. Rumor says their Valley Master needs help refining a pill."
Xiao Yuan nodded slightly, then looked toward the proud purple-robed elder. "So, if you can provide a better alchemist than that old guy, the Liu Clan keeps control?"
Liu Qing nodded, hope rising in his heart. He knew Xiao Yuan had become an alchemist, and if his talent was as terrifying as his Dou Qi…
Xiao Yuan smiled, stepped forward, and cupped his hands toward the red-robed elder. "Elder, the Liu Clan hasn't admitted defeat. Please delay the handover."
Elder Chi Huo had already noticed Xiao Yuan and was surprised by his strength at such a young age. Even in Burning Flame Valley, few peers could compare.
"If they haven't surrendered, then produce your alchemist. If they're stronger than Master Zeng Xiu, the Liu Clan keeps control."
Chi Huo's tone was gentle—he could feel danger from Xiao Yuan's aura. His sudden change in attitude made Liu Fei pout in annoyance.
Xiao Yuan nodded and turned to the purple-robed old man. "Then let me challenge this 'master'."
"You're the Liu Clan's alchemist?"
Chi Huo was stunned. Could a Dou Zong at that age also be an alchemist? That would be monstrous.
Few in history had ever achieved mastery in both paths.
The crowd erupted in whispers, most doubting him. How could someone that young challenge a seasoned alchemy master like Zeng Xiu?
Even Zeng Xiu was startled before sneering. "Maybe you're stronger in Dou Qi—but when it comes to alchemy, you're not qualified."
Xiao Yuan ignored him and looked at Chi Huo. "How do we compete? A public pill-making match?"
"No need. I don't have time to waste."
Zeng Xiu sneered. "You're an alchemist. You know how important soul power is. Let's compare soul strength. I'll let you go first. If you can push me back, you win."
Zeng Xiu was confident. A sixth-tier alchemist's soul strength was comparable to a Dou Zong.
Xiao Yuan blinked—then grinned strangely.
A soul power match?
Zeng Xiu flicked his sleeves and stood proudly, as if embodying the very image of a master.
To common onlookers, his posture was impressive—but Cai Lin just looked at him with pity.
She'd felt Xiao Yuan's soul power before. It terrified even her.
Frankly, even if he had no body, she didn't think she could kill his soul.
The man was getting harder and harder to kill.
"Go ahead."
Zeng Xiu urged impatiently.
Xiao Yuan shrugged, then unleashed his soul power.
BOOM!
Chi Huo's calm expression changed instantly.
Zeng Xiu turned pale.
Xiao Yuan's soul power surged like a tidal wave, crashing over Zeng Xiu with terrifying pressure. Space trembled; thin black cracks formed.
Though soul power is formless, anyone strong enough could sense the terrifying oppression.
Everything fell silent.
All the doubters outside froze.
Their mocking smiles turned to slack-jawed silence.
After two months of intense cultivation, although Xiao Yuan's alchemy remained at the intermediate seventh-tier level, when it came to pure soul power, even a high-tier seventh-grade alchemist would find it difficult to compete with him—and might even fall behind.
Such overwhelming soul force, once unleashed, was terrifying in power. Not to mention Zeng Xiu was only a sixth-tier alchemist—even if he were seventh-tier, it would still be hard for him to match Xiao Yuan.
Elder Chi Huo stared dumbfounded at the vast surge of soul force sweeping across the sky. After a long breath, his shocked gaze turned toward Xiao Yuan. A hoarse voice, tinged with disbelief, slowly escaped his throat:
"Seventh-tier alchemist?"
Realizing Xiao Yuan's strength, a storm surged in Chi Huo's heart. He never would've imagined that not only was Xiao Yuan truly a Dou Zong, but his alchemy skills were also so profound.
A seventh-tier alchemist! That status alone carried immense weight across the Central Region. Even within the Pill Tower, such a rank wasn't necessarily at the peak—but was certainly among the elite.
What shocked Chi Huo even more was Xiao Yuan's age. A seventh-tier alchemist this young? In all his years, he had never seen anything like it. His talent in both Dou Qi and alchemy bordered on the demonic.
On the other hand, Zeng Xiu was far from calm and rational.
As an alchemist himself, his sensitivity to soul force was exceptionally keen. The massive pressure washing over him felt like the endless expanse of a vast ocean. He had only ever experienced such a sensation before from certain elders of the Pill Tower—men of tremendous renown in Central Plains.
And now, this same feeling came from… a young man barely in his twenties!?
"Seventh-tier alchemist? Impossible!"
His body trembled slightly, but then madness and viciousness surged in his eyes. He absolutely refused to believe that this brat, who barely looked older than a boy, could reach the level he himself looked up to.
Snarling, Zeng Xiu took several steps back and, ignoring all his previous arrogance, let out a low roar. A torrent of soul force erupted from within him, forming an invisible spiritual barrier in front of him.
"You brat, stop your tricks!"
He glared at Xiao Yuan and barked.
But Xiao Yuan didn't even bother turning to look at him. Instead, he cupped his hands politely toward Elder Chi Huo and smiled confidently.
"The outcome has already been decided."
As he finished, the sky-filling surge of soul force shattered Zeng Xiu's barrier with ease. Then, just as it was about to strike Zeng Xiu, it suddenly veered off course, looping upward before returning quietly into Xiao Yuan's body.
Pfft!
With his soul barrier destroyed, Zeng Xiu spat blood. His gaze toward Xiao Yuan was now filled with awe.
Swallowing a pill, he bowed slightly with a bitter smile.
"Thank you, Master, for showing mercy. I admit… I am not your match."
After being suppressed by Xiao Yuan's terrifying soul force, Zeng Xiu realized that even some elders of the Pill Tower might not be superior to this youth. The magnitude and control of that force weren't something a newly advanced seventh-tier alchemist could display.
Someone this powerful definitely had the backing of a high-level expert—perhaps even an eighth-tier alchemist.
He was not someone to provoke.
"H-he's really… a seventh-tier alchemist?"
The crowd murmured in disbelief, their eyes wide.
Even a master like Zeng Xiu had to address this young man as "Master"? If he wasn't seventh-tier, what else could he be?
Eighth-tier? No one dared to imagine that.
But still, the plaza was stunned into silence. A seventh-tier alchemist wasn't just a noteworthy title—it was a legend. Even in Burning Flame Valley or the Pill Tower, they were considered top-level existences.
Across from them, Cheng Yao and the Cheng Clan stared blankly at the defeated Zeng Xiu, struggling to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
A seventh-tier alchemist?
They broke into cold sweat.
Someone like this could erase their clan with a word. Countless top-tier powerhouses would fight to curry favor with him. The authority of a seventh-tier alchemist was unquestionable.
"When did the Liu Clan befriend someone like that? And how did we never hear a word of it?"
Cheng Yao's face darkened with disbelief. He racked his brain but still couldn't understand how the Liu Clan could've drawn such a figure to their side.
On the other side, Liu Qing, Liu Fei, and the others were just as shocked. To see Zeng Xiu fall without even withstanding a single exchange was surreal—Zeng Xiu was a sixth-tier alchemist!
"Seventh-tier alchemist…"
The two white-haired elders behind Liu Qing sucked in a breath, their voices tinged with suppressed joy.
"Is this man truly your friend, Clan Leader?"
Liu Qing smirked slightly. These two old men had always had their doubts about him. Today, he'd let Xiao Yuan put them in their place.
"Who else would step in if not a friend?"
He replied coolly.
The two elders smiled awkwardly and said nothing. If Xiao Yuan truly was the Liu Clan's friend, then this was a momentous boon.
Meanwhile, Elder Chi Huo finally regained his composure. A rare smile appeared on his aged face as he walked over to Xiao Yuan.
"Young friend, your strength is truly eye-opening. The Tianhuang City spatial wormhole will remain under the Liu Clan's control for the next three years."
Hearing this, Cheng Yao's face turned dark, but he didn't dare protest. He could only clench his fists and glare at Liu Qing with bitter fury.
Even though he knew Xiao Yuan was the reason the tide turned, he found it hard to truly resent a seventh-tier alchemist. He knew all too well how much influence such a figure wielded.
Compared to Cheng Yao's twisted expression, Liu Qing's face was practically glowing. He cupped his hands and smiled:
"Many thanks, Elder Chi Huo."
"Not quite right, Elder Chi Huo."
Xiao Yuan suddenly frowned.
"Oh? What seems to be the issue, young friend?"
Elder Chi Huo asked, slightly surprised.
"Wasn't the Valley Master's command to grant the family that provides a high-tier alchemist control of the wormhole for three years? This year was already the Liu Clan's turn, wasn't it? If I hadn't stepped in, wouldn't the Cheng Clan have held it for four consecutive years?"
He smiled sincerely.
"So logically, shouldn't the three years start from next year—so the Liu Clan doesn't lose a year of what was already theirs?"
"???"
The crowd fell silent, mouths agape.
Cai Lin, who knew Xiao Yuan well by now, wasn't surprised—but she still found his reasoning amusing. This guy's brain really worked differently.
"Brother… Xiao Yuan kinda makes sense…"
Liu Fei mumbled quietly.
"…"
Even Liu Qing was baffled. His logic was weird—but not wrong.
"Uh…"
Elder Chi Huo blinked, clearly confused. But before he could respond, Cheng Yao burst out:
"I object!"
He roared in anger.
If the Liu Clan got four straight years, the Cheng Clan would be suppressed for a decade!
"Noisy."
Xiao Yuan's gaze turned cold. A burst of pressure erupted from him, forcing Cheng Yao to stumble back clutching his chest.
"When I'm speaking, I don't like being interrupted. Say one more word, and your Cheng Clan loses all rights to this wormhole. Understand?"
Dark-golden flames surged from his body, instantly blanketing the Cheng Clan. The searing heat made the entire city noticeably warmer.
Within the plaza, sweat poured from countless foreheads. The air fell utterly silent.
The Cheng Clan trembled in terror. Even their two Dou Zong elders felt their scalps go numb. Though they could resist the heat, the danger was unmistakable.
This young man was not only stronger than either of them—but he wielded a Heavenly Flame.
If it came to a fight, they wouldn't walk away unscathed.
Cheng Yao, at peak Dou Huang, no longer dared speak.
He clearly sensed the killing intent in Xiao Yuan's tone.
"Heavenly Flame!?"
From the side, Zeng Xiu finally broke his silence—his voice trembling with shock.
With just that sentence, the suffocating atmosphere in the plaza grew even hotter.
(END CHAPTER)
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