As the Young Sect Master of Yunyu Sect, Lin Ran didn't possess much wealth or resources due to his sect's decline and his three miserly masters. But even so, those three old scoundrels had left him with a number of invaluable things to make up for it.
Among them, the most numerous—and the most practical—were jade slips like the one Lin Ran had just taken out.
Each of these jade slips was a one-time use item. Lin Ran currently had no plans to return to Central Plains anytime soon, so every jade slip he used was one less in his stock. These were genuine life-saving trump cards.
That was why, unless absolutely necessary, he would never use one.
But right now…
Crack!
With a crisp snap, the jade slip in his hand shattered. In the next instant, a wave of overwhelming, suffocating power surged from Lin Ran's palm.
'What?!'
The white-robed elder, who had just completed his Four-Seal Imperial Seal Art, felt his heart jolt violently. The oppressive force rolling toward him made his scalp tingle and his blood freeze.
This was the aura of a Dou Venerate—but not just any Dou Venerate. This was far beyond what a mere One-Star Dou Venerate like him could unleash!
Boom!!
The space in front of Lin Ran twisted and tore apart. A greyish Dou Qi palm burst forth and collided violently with the elder's four-layered Imperial Seal.
The clash only lasted for a single breath. The previously blinding Imperial Seal crumpled like paper beneath the might of the grey palm. The devastating force tore through it and slammed directly into the elder.
Just a moment ago, he had still looked elegant and unflappable—a mighty figure of the Dou Venerate class. But now, he was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing into the crystalline, energy-bombarded ground with a resounding boom.
The sheer force of impact cracked the terrain in all directions.
Puh!
A surge of red rose to the elder's face, and he spat out a mouthful of blood laced with fragments of ruptured organs.
His once pristine white robe was now tattered and stained. His body was torn, bones shattered, meridians severed. His right arm had completely melted away from the impact, and his right eye streamed blood—blinded, perhaps forever.
If not for a mysterious layer of protective Dou Qi around his body, he would already be dead.
Even so, that single blow had left this Dou Venerate heavily wounded!
'Impossible... That strike... only someone at the peak of Dou Venerate could unleash that!'
The elder coughed out another clump of blood, his gaze trembling in horror as he looked at Lin Ran.
Had he not activated the jade slip left by the clan's elder at the last moment, he would've died right there!
But Lin Ran wasn't exactly in great condition either. Though he appeared physically unharmed—his robes untouched, his posture upright—his pale face revealed the truth of his condition.
Still, what struck the greatest fear into the elder's heart was not Lin Ran's current state…
It was the new jade slip in Lin Ran's hand.
Another one?!
One jade slip had nearly ended his life—and that was with everything he had done to evade the strike.
If Lin Ran used another…
'To hell with this! I'm out!'
With a furious roar, the white-robed elder tore open space with his remaining left hand. Without a second thought, he dove in and vanished.
Silence fell abruptly over the battlefield above Rock Desert City.
'Heh… So much for the mighty Dou Venerate of the Ancient Clan.'
Lin Ran let out a cold snort. He put the jade slip away and glanced around, his expression a mix of annoyance and exhaustion.
Xiao Yan had fled.
Yao Chen and Hai Bodong had escaped with him.
And the Ancient Clan's Dou Venerate had also tucked tail and disappeared.
Lin Ran had gained nothing from this battle. On top of that, he had drained his own blood vitality, and wasted a precious jade slip.
"Damn it… I got ripped off."
'Boss...'
Noticing Lin Ran's cold gaze sweeping over them, Bai Ya and Lü Yi swallowed nervously and braced themselves. They spread their Dou Qi wings and flew over to him, stiffly standing before him.
'Forgive us, Lord Lin Ran. We failed to stop them. That soul body used a strange spiritual attack, and we were caught off guard…' Lü Yi lowered her head, speaking in a low voice.
Lin Ran had never ordered them to specifically guard Xiao Yan, Hai Bodong, or Yao Chen—but the fact that they were present meant they shared responsibility.
After witnessing Lin Ran's overwhelming strength—crushing a Dou Ancestor, heavily injuring a Dou Venerate—they couldn't even bring themselves to lift their heads.
They felt utterly useless.
Especially when compared to the level Lin Ran had just displayed.
In the past, Lin Ran had already seemed strong to them—an elite sixth-tier Alchemist, capable of instantly killing a Dou King-level opponent like Lü Man. But compared to what he had shown today, his previous feats seemed insignificant.
'It's fine.'
Lin Ran glanced at them without much emotion. He had clearly seen the Ancient Clan's Dou Venerate heal Yao Chen earlier. Though the soul's origin was still damaged, it wasn't something Lü Yi or Bai Ya could have prevented.
With a flick of his palm, a faintly dim soul was drawn into his hand and stored away.
'Let's go. Time to return.'
'Yes, Boss! (Yes, Lord!)'
Lin Ran took a step forward and disappeared on the spot. Bai Ya and Lü Yi looked at each other and quickly activated their Dou Qi wings to follow him.
Meanwhile, deep within the Tager Desert...
Six black-robed humans stood in silence, gazing in the direction of Rock Desert City. One by one, they slowly withdrew their gazes, their faces full of awe and disbelief.
'That was terrifying… That energy just now—was that from a Dou Ancestor?!'
A middle-aged man lowered his voice, still stunned.
'No. That aura has already far surpassed Dou King. Even Elder Jia himself would be nothing in comparison.'
A light, feminine voice echoed from beneath the hood of a slender figure. She nodded slightly, revealing a glimpse of her elegant white jawline. 'At least a Dou Ancestor.'
Her words made the others suck in a breath of cold air.
Among them, she was the strongest—someone who had already reached the Dou King realm. If even she said so, then there was little doubt about it.
But what was a Dou Ancestor-level expert doing here… in the Jia Ma Empire… and in the Tager Desert?
Confusion clouded their hearts.
Until the middle-aged man from before seemed to realize something. His heart sank, and he tightened his grip on a multicolored snakeskin in his hand.
"Something capable of drawing a Dou Ancestor to personally descend into Jia Ma Empire territory... there aren't many things that could do that."
"If he came for the same reason I did… then we may be in trouble."
Clutching his black cloak tighter, the man inhaled deeply and said in a low voice, 'Everyone… it looks like we'll need to pick up the pace.'
'We await Master Gu He's command!'
The group of black-robed figures sprang into motion. Every single one of them had a pair of Dou Qi wings on their backs.
Eight streaks of light cut across the sky, radiant and swift. Yet none of them noticed that the strongest among them—the female Dou King—was trembling beneath her cloak.
"This Dou Qi… this overwhelmingly fierce and boundless Dou Qi…"
"Is it… you?"
(End of Chapter)