Buzz!
A torrent of Pure Yang Dou Qi tore through the air, turning into a streak of golden light as it blasted toward Yao Chen.
That Pure Yang Dou Qi sparkled with gold and radiated overwhelming force. Even clashing head-on with Yao Chen's Bone Spirit Cold Flame, it showed no signs of losing—on the contrary, it was even faintly suppressing it.
"What a tyrannical Dou Qi. No wonder those three old monsters took you as their disciple. Your physique truly is a once-in-a-century rarity!"
Yao Chen's gaze grew solemn. His hand slowly closed, and the bone-white flame condensed rapidly in his palm. In the blink of an eye, it had formed a white ruler, slightly smaller than the Heavy Xuan Ruler Xiao Yan used.
Flames danced along the ruler's surface, yet it gave off a chilling, icy illusion. But anyone who dared to touch those flames would likely be reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.
"But if you think you can subdue me with just this, you're nothing but a fool dreaming in daylight."
The white ruler pointed toward Lin Ran as Yao Chen's voice rang out coldly. "Show me what you really have. Let me see how far you, brat of the Scorpion Demon Sect, have cultivated the Elysium Art."
"Then let's find out!"
Dou Qi burst from Lin Ran's palm. With a heavy thrust, a massive crimson-gold palm imprint appeared and shot forward.
The moment the energy palm imprint formed, the space around Lin Ran rippled like water, violently trembling. Everything it touched crumbled, shattered, and dispersed.
Facing the unstoppable force of the palm imprint, Yao Chen's expression darkened. He let out a low shout and slashed his white ruler downward.
"Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!"
His roar echoed through the sky as a massive, crescent-shaped white energy blade shot out from the tip of the ruler.
The enormous crescent flame blade soared across the sky in a flash. The sudden surge of heat made everyone on the ground feel as if they'd been thrown into a sea of fire.
Sonic booms trailed behind the arc of white flame as it cleaved the sky with an unstoppable might, as if it could split the heavens in two.
To shake the heavens with elemental force—this was the hallmark of Earth-tier Dou Techniques.
The terrifying Dou Qi disturbance drew countless gazes upward. The people of Stone Desert City all stared in shock.
'What the hell is going on? We just had a fight between powerhouses a couple of days ago—now there's another one?'
'This tiny little Stone Desert City… how come top-tier experts keep showing up here every few days?!'
Within the Mo Tie Mercenary Company, Lü Yi opened her eyes from meditation and glanced at Xiao Yixian and Qinglin, who were still training. With a flick of her palm, a surge of emerald Dou Qi enveloped the two.
"What's going on? Is that the boss's Dou Qi?"
The dark-skinned Bai Ya appeared at Lü Yi's side in an instant, frowning as he stared skyward. "That Dou Qi pressure is terrifying. Who is the boss fighting?"
"Let's go find out."
They exchanged a look. Dou Qi wings burst from their backs, and they became twin streaks of light shooting toward the heavens.
The crescent-shaped energy blade sliced through the air and finally collided with the golden-red palm imprint under countless stunned gazes.
BOOM!
A thunderous boom exploded in the sky as the two collided. A wave of pure energy blasted outward from the impact point, its sheer pressure forcing the entire Stone Desert City's population flat onto the ground.
"So this is the power of a Dou Ancestor..."
Even from such a distance, the shockwave still made Hai Bodong's face change. He retreated further, shielding Xiao Yan.
After regaining his footing, he looked up with burning eyes at the two who were fighting.
He had been stuck at the first star of Dou Emperor for many years. After suffering Medusa's seal, his cultivation had regressed instead of advancing. He had long despaired of ever stepping into the realm of Dou Ancestor.
"Teacher..."
Xiao Yan stared blankly at the battle above, full of worry. Yet, at the same time, his heart was tangled with conflicting emotions.
He had already recognized the man fighting Yao Lao. That was the very figure his second brother described in the letter—the one who had saved him and the Mo Tie Mercenary Company, the one who had avenged their older brother.
But he never imagined that this benefactor would also be someone with deep enmity toward his own teacher.
...
"Without your body, your cultivation is no more than Dou Emperor. How can you possibly defeat me?"
Above the clouds, Lin Ran swept his sleeve, dispersing the last remnants of the energy shockwave. His handsome face carried a mocking smile. "And with your current soul strength, releasing such power so wantonly... can you even last much longer?"
"Hmph! This power is more than enough to destroy you!"
Yao Lao snorted coldly. In a flash, he appeared before Lin Ran. The broad white ruler carried a fearsome aura and a piercing wind as it came crashing down.
Lin Ran didn't dodge. Instead, he calmly raised his palm and gripped the incoming ruler.
The sound of hissing filled the air as Pure Yang Dou Qi clashed with Bone Spirit Cold Flame. That strange fire, both icy and blazing, tried to corrode Lin Ran's Dou Qi—but it couldn't even breach his defense.
Lin Ran's left hand clamped down on the ruler, a cold smirk on his lips. With his right fist, he launched a flurry of punches toward Yao Chen's chest. Each blow was fierce and thunderous, Dou Qi erupting in every strike.
Yao Chen's face changed. He released the white ruler with his left hand. The weapon dissolved back into Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
"Eightfold Flame Guard!"
In the next instant, Yao Chen spread his arms, spinning rapidly. The Bone Spirit Cold Flame enveloped his body as a blazing shield, incinerating all the incoming fist shadows.
Seeing this defense, Lin Ran snorted softly.
'No physical body. A weakened soul. Yao Chen is no longer a threat. If it weren't for the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, this battle would've been over with his immediate defeat.'
But even with the Heavenly Flame, this would only delay the inevitable. The result would not change.
Crimson-gold Dou Qi surged in Lin Ran's palm. His sleeve rippled as the Dou Qi twisted, condensed, and finally transformed into a golden longsword more than ten feet wide.
Its surface gleamed with a brilliant golden light, dazzling to the extreme. The instant the sword took form, the space around them rippled violently, a testament to the immense power it contained.
Yao Chen's expression grew even graver as he saw the weapon appear. He quickly widened the distance and began forming hand seals, his Bone Spirit Cold Flame flaring.
"Still resisting?"
Seeing his reaction, Lin Ran sneered. The golden sword in his hand swept forward in a sharp arc as his voice echoed across the sky.
"Holy Sun Sword Qi!"
A golden streak of light flashed out with Lin Ran's roar, tearing through the sky with overwhelming speed.
The golden sword moved so fast it seemed to pierce through space itself. In the blink of an eye, it was only dozens of meters from Yao Chen.
The sheer speed and might of the attack made Xiao Yan's heart lurch.
"Teacher!!!"
(End of Chapter)