As soon as Old Ghost Earth Demon's words fell, the twenty-plus people behind him looked toward Jia Nan Academy with mocking expressions before erupting into thunderous laughter.
"Tell that brat named Lin Yuan to come out already!"
"Heh, brat, stop hiding like a coward. Hurry up and come claim those Sixth-Grade medicinal pills you've been dreaming about!"
"What an ignorant little fool..."
"Could it be that he packed his bags and ran away after seeing us? Hahaha..."
"How dare you insult Lin Yuan? You're courting death!"
With a clear shout, the Little Fairy Doctor's eyes turned icy. She lightly waved her delicate hand, sending a violet-gray stream of energy wrapped in deadly poisonous gas shooting violently toward the experts of Demon Flame Valley with a fierce gale.
The laughing crowd was instantly startled, and the noisy atmosphere immediately fell silent.
"Interesting."
Old Ghost Earth Demon's sinister voice sounded as his withered hand stretched forward. Frigid energy surged explosively from his body, transforming into a sky filled with icy mist that blocked the attack.
After passing through the icy mist, the violet-gray energy stream froze inch by inch.
Immediately afterward, Old Ghost Earth Demon clenched his hand. The frozen energy stream exploded into a cloud of icy mist with a loud bang.
"Poison Qi, a Dou Ancestor. What a dangerous little girl."
Old Ghost Earth Demon narrowed his eyes as he stared at the Little Fairy Doctor.
"To have reached the Dou Ancestor class at such a young age is truly unexpected. Has breaking through to the Dou Ancestor class become so easy in this era?"
The Little Fairy Doctor ignored Old Ghost Earth Demon completely. Instead, she looked toward the experts behind him and said indifferently,
"If anyone dares make another sound kill without mercy!"
Meeting her indifferent gaze, the experts of Demon Flame Valley felt a chill rise in their hearts, and the entire scene instantly fell into complete silence.
Although Old Ghost Earth Demon was standing in front of them, provoking a Dou Ancestor just to exchange a few insults was simply not worth the risk.
Seeing himself completely ignored while the Little Fairy Doctor instead threatened a group of Dou Kings and Dou Emperors, even Old Ghost Earth Demon couldn't help twitching the corner of his eye.
Were all young people like this nowadays? They had absolutely no respect for their elders.
At that moment, Lin Yuan stepped forward with a smile.
"Old Ghost Earth Demon, thank you for honoring today's appointment. As a gesture of sincerity, I'll return Fang Yan and the others' bodies to you."
As he spoke, he tossed the three soulless corpses toward Old Ghost Earth Demon.
His gaze swept across Fang Yan and the other two corpses, and a trace of sorrow flashed through Old Ghost Earth Demon's eyes. He had personally nurtured all three of them, yet now.
"So you're Lin Yuan, the one who killed Fang Yan and the others?"
After storing away the corpses, Old Ghost Earth Demon's sinister gaze landed upon Lin Yuan. Looking at his youthful appearance only intensified the killing intent in his eyes.
"That's me," Lin Yuan replied with a smile.
"Heh, heh. Good. Since you admit it..."
Old Ghost Earth Demon let out a sinister laugh as his ghostly eyes locked onto Lin Yuan.
"Since you killed them, then you'll pay with your life. Since you voluntarily returned their bodies, I'll return your corpse to Jia Nan Academy as well."
Su Qian's eyes widened as he shouted sternly,
"Old Ghost Earth Demon! Lin Yuan is the future Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy. Are you trying to start a war by killing him?"
Hearing this, Old Ghost Earth Demon's killing intent intensified even further.
"He killed the three Great Elders of Demon Flame Valley. Forget the future Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy, even if he were the current Great Elder, he would still have to die! Besides, so what if it means war?"
As his words fell, the overwhelming aura of a seven-star Dou Ancestor poured forth, engulfing the entire Inner Academy with terrifying pressure.
The moment they sensed this aura, the Elders and students throughout the Inner Academy all changed expressions.
They exchanged glances, each seeing fear in the others' eyes. Those with weaker cultivation even found their Dou Qi circulation hindered to the point that they could no longer circulate it normally.
At the same time, at the bottom of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, a pair of triangular snake eyes suddenly opened.
Savage ferocity rapidly spread through them.
Moments later, a gigantic invisible fire python slammed into the energy barrier, causing the entire Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to tremble violently.
On a nearby mountain peak, Xiao Yan stood side by side with Gu Xun'er while Ling Ying stood guard beside them.
"So this is the strength of a seven-star Dou Ancestor?"
Xiao Yan mobilized the Dou Qi within his body, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.
"Even from such a great distance, it can still interfere with the circulation of my Dou Qi."
"Indeed, such strength is quite remarkable."
Yao Lao's figure appeared beside the three of them.
"Teacher."
"Senior Yao."
"Mr. Yao."
Yao Lao nodded before glancing toward the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
He could clearly sense two incomparably vast energies locked in fierce confrontation, neither seeming capable of deciding the outcome anytime soon.
He then shifted his gaze toward the confrontation between Demon Flame Valley and Jia Nan Academy, a trace of interest flashing across his eyes.
"Teacher, how does the situation look?" Xiao Yan asked.
"The battle is about to begin."
Yao Lao raised an eyebrow as he said with an amused smile,
"A seven-star Dou Ancestor is certainly powerful, but Jia Nan Academy initiated this confrontation. They should have made adequate preparations."
"Interesting. Let's have a good look at Jia Nan Academy's true strength."
"Teacher, what should we do? Should we intervene or assist either side?"
"No need. Let's just watch for now."
A faint smile appeared on Yao Lao's face.
"Lin Yuan, let's see how you break this deadlock. In terms of strength, that Old Ghost Earth Demon is considerably stronger than the Protectors of the Hall of Souls."
On the battlefield where the two sides confronted one another, Old Ghost Earth Demon became completely at ease.
He had unleashed his Dou Qi and aura so openly, yet Mang Tianchi still hadn't appeared.
It seemed Mang Tianchi truly wasn't within the Inner Academy.
If that was the case.
"Heh, heh..."
Old Ghost Earth Demon let out a sinister laugh before looking at Su Qian threateningly.
"If you insist on interfering, then I don't mind teaching you a little lesson in front of every student in your Inner Academy on Mang Tianchi's behalf, so that you'll learn to watch your words in the future."
"Lin Yuan killed the three Great Elders of Demon Flame Valley. Today, I will kill him without fail."
"Anyone who dares help him will become an enemy of Demon Flame Valley. To be remembered by a true expert is quite an honor."
Lin Yuan smiled faintly.
"However, our small talk ends here. Great Elder, your Dou Qi should have recovered by now. I'll have to trouble you to watch over the battle between the Little Fairy Doctor and me."
He then glanced at Old Ghost Earth Demon and said calmly.
"Old Ghost Earth Demon, if you're so eager to die, then follow me. Let us settle this battle in the heavens."
Before his words had even faded, both he and the Little Fairy Doctor shot upward at astonishing speed.
"Seeking death? What an arrogant brat!"
A cold glint flashed across Old Ghost Earth Demon's eyes as he instructed the experts behind him.
"Hold Su Qian and the others from Jia Nan Academy back. This Ancestor will return shortly."
With that, he stepped through the air and vanished like a teleporting ghost as he pursued Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor.
Just as Su Qian was about to give chase, two figures suddenly appeared before him, firmly blocking his path while simultaneously locking onto him with their auras.
"Su Qian, why don't we just stay out of their fight?"
One wore a golden robe while the other wore silver. Both had white hair and white beards, and their faces were so identical that they appeared to have been carved from the same mold.
They were none other than the leaders of the Black Ranking, the Gold and Silver Brothers, whose combined strength allowed them to battle a Dou Ancestor.
The remaining experts of Demon Flame Valley also stepped forward in perfect coordination, blocking the Jia Nan Academy Elders and separating the battlefield.
Su Qian stared coldly at the Gold and Silver Brothers.
"You dare involve yourselves in the conflict between Jia Nan Academy and Demon Flame Valley? Have you grown tired of living?"
"Heh, Su Qian."
The elder in the golden robe smiled faintly.
"Since we've accepted the position of Great Elders of Demon Flame Valley, it's only natural that we avenge the previous Great Elders. Give up. With your Headmaster absent, you won't be able to protect that brat."
"Hahaha!"
The elder in the silver robe laughed mockingly.
"Your Headmaster? There hasn't been a single word of him for so many years. For all we know, he could already be dead."
The instant those words were spoken, Su Qian's fury erupted.
His eyes became filled with killing intent.
"Becoming Demon Flame Valley's dogs has certainly given you plenty of confidence. To dare slander Headmaster you're asking to die!"
Dou Qi surged from both of his palms as he spun them gently.
With a single movement, he appeared directly before the Gold and Silver Brothers and struck out with one palm.
In an instant, three streams of palm force collided repeatedly, their deep impacts echoing through the sky like continuous thunder.
"This is the perfect place."
High beneath the clear blue sky, Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor finally came to a stop.
"Not running anymore?"
Old Ghost Earth Demon appeared ghost-like less than a hundred feet before them, his arms folded across his chest as he looked down upon them.
"Lin Yuan, have you chosen this place as your burial ground?"
"Perhaps this will be yours instead
Lin Yuan replied calmly.
The two exchanged a glance before violent Heavenly Flames erupted from their bodies.
Their auras immediately began soaring at astonishing speed.
"Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformation: Nether Transformation!"
With a delicate shout, the flames surrounding the Little Fairy Doctor surged violently before rapidly shrinking back into her body.
Her aura skyrocketed.
In only an instant, she advanced from the late three-star Dou Ancestor to the middle stage of the five-star Dou Ancestor.
"Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformation, First Transformation: Green Lotus Transformation!"
With a cold shout in his heart, the Green Lotus Core Flame flowed backward into Lin Yuan's body.
His aura shattered through the barrier between Half Ancestor and Dou Ancestor with unstoppable momentum, instantly breaking into the two-star Dou Ancestor realm.
"Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformation, Second Transformation: Fallen Heart Transformation!"
His hand seals changed at incredible speed.
As the Invisible Fallen Heart Flame sealed within his body erupted, Lin Yuan's aura surged once again until it finally stabilized at the middle stage of the three-star Dou Ancestor.
He slowly exhaled a scorching breath.
Violent, surging energy flowed wildly through his body, making even his physique feel slightly stiff.
Even his usually deep and tranquil eyes now radiated a hint of violent ferocity.
"Purification Art: Void Clarity."
As the Purification Art circulated, Lin Yuan entered a state of absolute clarity.
The violent madness within his eyes vanished, replaced by clear, tranquil brilliance.
The enormous power that had suddenly flooded his body was completely subdued, flowing smoothly and orderly through his meridians.
"As expected of the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformation."
Feeling the tremendous strength filling his body, Lin Yuan smiled in satisfaction.
"Fortunately, my physical body is more than strong enough to withstand this secret technique."
Standing side by side, Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor merged the auras of their Heavenly Flames.
Together, they formed a force in the heavens capable of standing equally against Old Ghost Earth Demon.
Sensing their overwhelming auras, Old Ghost Earth's expression grew slightly more serious.
Suppressing the faint uneasiness rising within him, he snorted coldly.
"So, this is Burning Flame Valley's secret technique combined with Heavenly Flame. Quite an impressive trump card. No wonder you dared provoke me."
"But I am a seven-star Dou Ancestor."
"I'll show you the insurmountable gap that exists between every single star within the Dou Ancestor realm."
A cold light flashed across Old Ghost Earth Demon's eyes.
Five razor-sharp streams of icy Dou Qi burst from his fingertips, carrying terrifying force as they shot straight toward Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor.
Naturally, neither of them intended to be troubled by such an attack.
Their figures shifted slightly before disappearing from their original positions in an instant.
Only a few afterimages remained, which were instantly pierced by the five attacks.
At that very moment, Old Ghost Earth Demon smiled strangely.
His figure flickered before vanishing without warning.
"Lin Yuan, be careful! He's coming!"
The Little Fairy Doctor immediately warned.
Before her words could finish, the space before Lin Yuan rippled.
Old Ghost Earth Demon suddenly appeared directly along his path.
His five fingers curled into a ghostly claw wrapped in razor-sharp energy as he reached straight for Lin Yuan's throat.
"Brat, the Dou Ancestor power gained through a secret technique isn't so easy to control."
"Hand over your life!"
The ghostly claw shrouded in black frigid energy rapidly enlarged within Lin Yuan's vision.
Yet Lin Yuan's expression remained completely unchanged.
A violet glow flashed through his eyes.
The tip of his silver-glowing foot lightly tapped the empty air.
Ripples spread through space from the point of contact.
His figure flickered strangely before instantly appearing behind Old Ghost Earth Demon as though he had teleported.
"Heavenly Origin Eight Character Formula: Spiral-Piercing Break!"
Condensed force gathered upon his fist.
Lin Yuan threw a punch that landed squarely., upon a layer of black crystalline ice that had formed behind Old Ghost Earth Demon.
"What incredible control over Dou Qi."
Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"In such a brief instant, he condensed such a sturdy crystalline defense. Close combat won't be very effective."
Without the slightest hesitation, silver light flashed around his body.
Leaving only an afterimage behind, he instantly disappeared.
The afterimage was immediately pierced through by Old Ghost Earth Demon's ghost claw as he struck backward.
At the same moment, a violet-gray streak of energy suddenly tore through space from behind Old Ghost Earth Demon, shooting toward him with terrifying speed.
"Hmph!"
Old Ghost Earth Demon snorted coldly.
Savage black icy mist erupted explosively from his body.
The instant the violet-gray energy struck the black icy mist, it froze solid.
It then transformed into a block of ice over three feet long before shattering into countless fragments with a crisp crack.
Having neutralized the Little Fairy Doctor's attack, Old Ghost Earth Demon calmly turned around and looked toward Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor, who had regrouped.
"Your speed, strength, skill, and battle instincts are all first-rate."
Looking at Lin Yuan, he nodded in praise.
"It was no injustice that Fang Yan and the others died by your hands."
"If you belonged to Demon Flame Valley, this Ancestor would personally pass down everything I possess to you."
An undisguised killing intent erupted from his body.
"But..."
"You are Jia Nan Academy's future Great Elder. So today you must die!"
As his words fell, incomparably dense black frigid energy erupted outward, blotting out the sky.
The temperature across the entire region plummeted rapidly.
Many of the weaker spectators below began trembling uncontrollably from the cold.
At this moment, the might of a seven-star Dou Ancestor was displayed in full.
His Dou Qi alone was sufficient to alter the climate of an entire region.
"I noticed your movements just now."
Old Ghost Earth Demon sneered.
"You two are quite skilled at evasion."
"In that case try dodging this."
"Thousand Illusion Mystic Ice Spikes!"
"Condense!"
The instant his hand seals were completed, invisible energy spread outward.
The black icy mist surrounding him began frantically absorbing the surrounding cold Qi.
Countless black ice spikes rapidly condensed into existence.
"Die!"
With a cold shout, Old Ghost Earth Demon swung his hand downward.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
An endless storm of black ice spikes, each carrying terrifying force, shot toward Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor from every direction like a rainstorm that blotted out the heavens.
The piercing sounds tearing through the air were enough to make one's scalp tingle.
Though these black ice spikes appeared ordinary, every single one contained enough power to kill a Dou Emperor.
Meanwhile, Old Ghost Earth Demon watched them coldly.
He patiently waited for the slightest opening during their evasive movements, preparing to deliver a fatal strike.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan stomped lightly upon the empty air.
An endless sea of Green Lotus Flames spread across the heavens.
With a thought, the sea of flames rapidly rotated and compressed into a gigantic cocoon of green fire, enveloping both himself and the Little Fairy Doctor.
Empowered by his formidable Spiritual Strength, the green cocoon shone like a blazing sun, releasing temperatures capable of burning the heavens and boiling the seas.
The temperature throughout the entire sky rose sharply.
Even the surrounding space began to distort slightly.
The incoming ice spikes struck the rotating cocoon of green fire only to be instantly deflected, melted, and completely vaporized.
Old Ghost Earth Demon's entire offensive was effortlessly neutralized.
His expression immediately darkened.
"Ice Condensation Sword Art!"
His withered hand rapidly formed seals as he shouted sternly.
The countless ice spikes swiftly converged.
In the blink of an eye, they merged into an enormous black ice sword over thirty feet wide.
The instant it formed, terrifying cold Qi erupted outward.
Even the space around its tip visibly twisted under its power.
"Kill!"
Old Ghost Earth Demon pointed his fingers like a sword directly at Lin Yuan.
The gigantic black ice sword, condensed from tremendous energy, shot toward Lin Yuan at an astonishing speed despite its massive size.
Wherever it passed, it sliced open a pitch-black spatial crack through the sky.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan formed a profound hand seal.
A strand of incomparably pure Green Lotus Core Flame shot from his fingertip and merged into the green cocoon of fire.
"Heavenly Flame Tribulation: Green Lotus Bell!"
A cold shout echoed through the sky.
The cocoon trembled before transforming into a magnificent blooming Green Lotus Flame.
It wrapped around both Lin Yuan and the Little Fairy Doctor.
The flaming lotus then wriggled and transformed into an enormous energy bell roughly seventy feet in height.
Upon its surface was engraved an ancient and mysterious green lotus, while emerald flames coiled endlessly around the entire bell.