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Chapter 267 - Chapter 266: The Strength of Xiao Hua

Bang!

As everyone watched in shock, Xiao Hua and Hun Tiandi continued their clash. Spear and fist collided without pause, neither yielding even half a step.

The earth quaked, the heavens rumbled, and the void itself collapsed. Every collision of flesh and strike unleashed shockwaves that tore across several thousand meters. This was the battle between two experts who had reached the pinnacle of their path.

Xiao Hua wielded a black spear with one hand, five-colored flame and thunder intertwining around it. Each sweep of his weapon burst forth with blazing brilliance and devastating might.

Across from him, Hun Tiandi's palm surged with a sinister, dark-red aura, the wails of thousands of souls echoing within it. Every strike of his hand carried a chilling malice that sent shivers through all who witnessed it.

Bang!

Once more, the black spear clashed against the blood-red aura, unleashing a violent eruption of killing intent and bloodlust that intertwined and surged into the heavens.

"You slaughtered countless of my ancestors, and now even my disciples and elders. Old dog, you truly know how to heap blood debt upon blood debt!" Xiao Hua roared.

Though he intended to shift the burden of the Xiao Clan's responsibility onto Xiao Yan, it did not mean he would spare Hun Tiandi and the Hun Clan from the debts they owed his ancestors.

As his voice thundered, a dazzling brilliance of five-colored flame and lightning erupted from his spear. With a mighty swing, he cleaved downward, unleashing a blazing crescent arc of light that tore through the void toward Hun Tiandi.

"Hmph! With only this level of skill? I'm afraid you'll be waiting a very long time!" Hun Tiandi sneered coldly.

Blood-red Dou Qi surged through his body, coursing along strange, distorted pathways within his Qi Veins. In the next instant, he thrust out his palm, and a colossal hand of blood, spanning a hundred meters, erupted forth to collide with the crescent arc of light.

Boom!

An enormous shockwave immediately releases the moment of impact. The crescent light and the blood palm didn't relent towards one another and simply continue to clash. Hence, shockwave that shook the heaven and earth continue to be erupted from them.

Bang!

A moment later, the crescent light and the blood palm shatter and unleashed one more shockwave before scattering into small glowing lights. Yet, the moment it shatters, Xiao Hua and Hun Tiandi unleashed their technique.

Above Xiao Hua, the firmament heaved as black clouds gathered without warning, their depths roiling like an ocean in fury. The earth answered in kind, trembling as jagged chasms split its surface, and molten fire welled upward from the wounds of the world.

Heaven's thunder rolled, earth's flames surged—yet both were drawn to a single point. Bolts of divine lightning cascaded from the sky, while blazing magma erupted from below; all converged upon Xiao Hua, as though summoned by destiny itself.

The storm of heaven and earth poured into the spear within his grasp. Five blazing flames intertwined with five dazzling bolts of lightning, circling and weaving in a grand celestial dance. Their brilliance condensed into countless archaic runes that etched themselves upon the weapon's surface, as if heaven and earth had chosen to brand their will upon it.

"Blazing Radiance of Heaven!"

In that moment, Xiao Hua's spear shone like a pillar of creation. Radiance surged forth, piercing the firmament, then descended in a streak toward Hun Tiandi, carrying with it the roar of flames and the decree of thunder. Its brilliance was boundless, its might inexorable—like the judgment of the Dao descending to purge the world.

Facing it, Hun Tiandi did not retreat. From his body erupted a monstrous tide of dark-red Dou Qi, thick with the stench of blood. His hands formed a twisted seal, and the very air grew heavy with the metallic tang of blood. Crimson torrents rose like a sea in storm, coiling above him until their form took shape.

"Sanguine Dragon Might!"

In but a few breaths, the sea of blood condensed into a colossal dragon. Scales of scarlet light rippled into existence, while veins of crimson fire coursed across its vast body. Its eyes, deep as abysses, glowed with boundless malevolence.

The dragon opened its maw, releasing a roar that seemed to shake the marrow of all living things. Heaven and earth quaked as its serpentine body surged forward, blotting out the sky in a tide of crimson, to clash head-on with the brilliance descending from Xiao Hua's spear.

Boom!

When the two forces met, the world seemed to halt before a sound of heaven-shaking resounded across the heaven and earth.

The dazzling brilliance and the blood-dragon collided with a sound that transcended thunder, a roar vast enough to shake mountains and rend the sky. Light and crimson fury tangled together, neither yielding—each carrying the will to annihilate the other.

Flames burst into seas of five-coloured light, while lightning carved rivers across the heavens. The dragon's body coiled against the tide of radiance, its scales shattering into streams of blood-qi—yet from every fragment, more malice surged forth, striving to drown the world in crimson.

But the brilliance was no less terrifying. The spear's light surged like a sun torn from the horizon, its radiance sweeping outward in waves that banished shadow and seared the very void. Every rune upon its shaft blazed, as though heaven itself had inscribed a decree that no darkness may stand before it.

The impact tore the battlefield asunder. Mountains crumbled into dust, rivers boiled into steam, and the sky itself split into countless jagged fissures, leaking torrents of distorted light. Space shuddered, trembling as though unable to bear the wrath of the combatants.

Between heaven and earth, two extremes raged—one a tide of blood, vast and unending, the other a radiance boundless and pure. Their struggle was not merely battle; it was the collision of two truths, two destinies, seeking to decide which would reign supreme beneath the heavens.

The struggle endured without cease. Neither side yielded, neither retreated. The heavens bore witness as neither gave an inch, their battle for dominance stretching on like eternity itself.

Kacha—!

At last, the sound of shattering resounded across the battlefield.

Roar—!

The blood-dragon bellowed once more, but its roar no longer carried the might of before. Instead, it was laced with agony, mournful and unwilling.

The balance had been broken.

Divine flames and heavenly thunders tore through its colossal frame. Scales cracked like shattered jade, veins of scarlet light ruptured, and its vast body unraveled into a storm of blood-mist. For a final breath it writhed, struggling against inevitability, yet the radiance pressed inexorably forward—each bolt of lightning a divine lash, each surge of flame a decree of heaven's wrath.

Boom!

With a final earth-shaking detonation, the dragon dissolved into nothingness, its essence scattered to the four winds.

The backlash was merciless. The torrent of shattered blood-qi rebounded upon Hun Tiandi after the destruction of the dragon. His body convulsed as monstrous Dou Qi rioted within in a violent manner. He was hurled backward through the void, a streak of crimson across the fractured heavens.

When he finally steadied himself, his chest heaved violently, his expression sinking into gloom. For the first time, disbelief flickered in his gaze. His technique had been utterly crushed beneath Xiao Hua's spear-light.

Staring into the boundless brilliance still burning across the battlefield, Hun Tiandi's pupils shrank. An unfamiliar sensation stirred within him, sharp and suffocating.

It was…startlement.

It was disbelief.

And beneath it, something far more dangerous—an unwillingness to accept.

"Brat!" Hun Tiandi's roar shook the heavens. "I will tear you apart, piece by piece! I will slaughter your entire mansion until rivers of blood flow across the land!"

He had lived for over a millennium, ruling over countless lives, yet he was forced into such misery by a youth barely past his twentieth year. Such humiliation—one that even Gu Yuan, the Gu Clan's Clan Head, could not easily inflict—was something Hun Tiandi had never imagined he would suffer.

Xiao Hua's gaze remained cold, untouched by Hun Tiandi's roar—an unbroken wall of ice that no fury could pierce.

"Kill!"

From the depths of his chest erupted a roar—fierce, unyielding, and steeped in boundless killing intent. It shook heaven and earth, carrying but a single decree: death.

The brilliance of his spear did not waver. Like an unending tide, its radiance surged forth, condensing into a pillar of flame and thunder. In the blink of an eye, it descended, mercilessly striking at Hun Tiandi's staggering form.

Yet the earlier clash had consumed much of its invincible might. What remained was still overwhelming, but no longer absolute.

Hun Tiandi reacted swiftly. Blood-red Dou Qi erupted from his body, condensing into an armour steeped in the stench of blood, echoing with the wails of countless souls.

Bang!

The spear's brilliance struck, detonating with earth-shaking force. Hun Tiandi's body convulsed beneath the impact; his armour shattered, bones groaned with cracking sounds, and the power tore through flesh and blood alike.

Only his swift reaction spared him from a ruinous fate—for a moment's hesitation would have left him crippled, if not destroyed.

Amidst the haze of smoke and blood, Hun Tiandi steadied himself. His figure was battered, his robes drenched in crimson. In his eyes, composure had vanished, replaced by a blazing fury twisted together with something far rarer—fear.

He lifted his eyes, staring at the black-haired young man above—indifferent, murderous, gazing down as though he were a deity coldly deciding his fate.

Hun Tiandi's gaze swept across the other battlefields. The Nihility Devouring Flame was being heavily suppressed by the crimson-haired Xiao Hua, while the Four Demon Saints and the remaining Hun Clan Dou Shengs were in a miserable state beneath the silver-haired Xiao Hua's assault.

Despair surged within his chest, a tide of hopelessness threatening to drown him. Yet amidst the chaos, cold resolution flickered in his eyes as his mind settled on a desperate decision.

His expression suddenly paled, blood spilling from his lips. Forming a strange hand seal, Hun Tiandi's thunderous voice echoed across the battlefield, carrying his will straight to his ancient flame.

"Nihility! Withdraw the others—now!"

The Nihility Devouring Flame, already in dire straits, stiffened at the command. Startled, he swiftly looked toward Hun Tiandi. In that instant, comprehension flashed—he understood the meaning behind Hun Tiandi's command.

With a low tremor, his body exploded into countless black flames, each strand exuding terrifying devouring force. They surged outward, coalescing into a black world that swallowed the crimson-haired Xiao Hua within.

Caught off guard by the sudden change, the crimson-haired Xiao Hua was momentarily trapped. The black world pulsed with overwhelming devouring power, yet within its depths, he remained unaffected—protected by the divine flame in his body and the Di State Soul that anchored his existence.

Bang!

With a heavy stomp, divine flame surged from beneath his feet and burst outward, shattering the black world in the most direct and tyrannical manner.

His gaze swept across the battlefield in an instant. The Nihility Devouring Flame had already reappeared beside the Four Demon Saints and the other Hun Clan Dou Shengs. Behind them spun a fiery black hole, into which each figure desperately rushed.

The silver-haired Xiao Hua moved to give chase, but his advance was cut short as numerous Hun Clan experts hurled themselves at him. Their bodies swelled grotesquely, Dou Qi within them turning violent and unstable.

In that moment, his eyes narrowed in grim understanding—their intention was to self-detonate, to sacrifice themselves in order to stall his pursuit.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He could not recklessly ignore it. The combined detonation of so many Dou Sheng experts was no trivial matter. Even with his strength, he had no choice but to brace himself fully, pouring everything into defense against the impending blast.

While the silver-haired Xiao Hua was hindered by the chain of explosions, the crimson-haired Xiao Hua remained unshaken. He knew his other self would emerge unharmed—merely forced to halt by the blast.

Without hesitation, he surged toward the fiery black hole where the Four Demon Saints and the other Hun Clan experts had already gathered.

Yet, just as he was about to reach them, a tall figure suddenly emerged in a flash. His face was dark and solemn as he tore open the void with his hands. With a sweep of his sleeve, a massive dark-red palm manifested, surging down upon the crimson-haired Xiao Hua with overwhelming force.

Facing the incoming palm, the crimson-haired Xiao Hua halted. Nine-colored flames erupted around his fist, transforming into countless mysterious, profound symbols that densely covered his hand.

Without pause, he thrust his fist forward in domineering fashion. Shocking waves of flame rippled outward as his fist expanded to several thousand feet in size, smashing head-on into the blood-red palm.

Bang!

The clash erupted into a devastating storm of energy, yet it quickly dispersed, revealing the crimson-haired Xiao Hua glaring at the tall figure before him.

"Hun Tiandi…!"

His expression darkened as he saw Hun Tiandi already enter the black hole. Unable to act in time, he could only watch as the spatial vortex vanished in the blink of an eye.

The crimson-haired Xiao Hua's gaze shifted to the black-haired Xiao Hua, who was breaking free from countless blood-red chains binding him within a formation. With a single violent struggle, he shattered them apart.

It seemed the reason Hun Tiandi managed to escape was due to the formation he hastily erected. Though swiftly created and fragile in essence, it had been enough to delay them at a critical moment.

The black-haired Xiao Hua clicked his tongue in irritation as he broke free, knowing full well that Hun Tiandi had already escaped. In the next instant, his figure vanished, reappearing beside the crimson-haired Xiao Hua. A heartbeat later, the silver-haired Xiao Hua also descended to their side.

"Sorry for letting that old thing slips away," the black-haired Xiao Hua said with a frown, his tone carrying faint displeasure at having been trapped by the blood-red chains.

"It's fine," the crimson-haired Xiao Hua chuckled lightly, then added, "None of us expected that old thing to be so ruthless—burning his own blood essence without hesitation…"

"Still, even if he survives, there's no doubt such a reckless act will leave him with a deep sequela." The silver-haired Xiao Hua's gaze lingered on the empty void where Hun Tiandi and the others had vanished. "I wonder if this will force him to abandon his plans."

"That old thing?" The crimson-haired Xiao Hua's eyes turned cold. "He is too ambitious and too ruthless. Even crippled, he will never stop. To heal, he may even devour his own clan members."

The three Xiao Huas—though split in form—shared one soul, their memories and desires intertwined. Naturally, they all recalled the cruel methods Hun Tiandi will employ in the future.

To complete the final step of the Di-tier embryonic pill, he had turned the Central Plains into a slaughterhouse, wiping out countless forces and cities. For the sake of empowering his techniques enough to kill Xiao Yan, he had not even hesitated to sacrifice members of his own clan.

"It's truly unfortunate that we didn't kill him. I thought that once we reached this level, it would be easy to end that old thing." The crimson-haired Xiao Hua sighed, disappointment evident in his voice at failing to slay the enemy despite having such a great chance.

They had even revealed the Four Divine Phoenixes—though only two of them—yet that persistent old bat still managed to escape.

"If it were that easy to kill him, Xiao Yan wouldn't have needed to become a Dou Di before finally ending that old bastard." The silver-haired Xiao Hua snorted coldly.

"I suppose even the antagonist of the story has his share of luck and stubborn strength, huh…" The crimson-haired Xiao Hua let out a dry laugh, exasperation flashing across his face.

"Well, I did slaughter more than a few of the Hun Clan's top experts. That alone should be enough to hinder his schemes." The silver-haired Xiao Hua shrugged indifferently.

Moreover, he recalled certain familiar names mentioned by the Four Demon Saints when reinforcements had arrived. Among them was one of the three ancestors of the Hun Clan—the same one who had once fallen to Xiao Xuan, his ancestor. Now, that very man had perished at his hands as well.

Unfortunately, he had not obtained the Deathly Silence Gate—a remarkable treasure created by a Dou Di elite of ancient times. He had no chance to wield it, and when he searched the corpse, there was no trace of it, leaving him faintly disappointed.

Perhaps that old monster had yet to fully refine the Deathly Silence Gate, and thus did not dare bring it into battle…

"Regardless, this battle has come to an end," the black-haired Xiao Hua said at last. His gaze swept over the distant Moonlit Chaos Mansion, and a faint smile curved his lips.

The crimson-haired and silver-haired Xiao Hua exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement. A sense of relief washed over them; the Moonlit Chaos Mansion was safe, the worst-case scenario averted.

"Haha! Little brother, you showed up late, only to steal all the spotlight. Still… I'm glad you succeeded so quickly."

As the three Xiao Huas shared lighthearted words, figures tore through the sky toward them. Wei Jie landed first, slapping the black-haired Xiao Hua's shoulder with a wide grin, his voice filled with excitement.

"Haha… it is fortunate I was not late. Otherwise, I would have carried a regret far too heavy to bear." The black-haired Xiao Hua laughed, joy and relief clear in his expression.

"As much as I'd like to say you're overreacting, it's true—the sudden arrival of Hun Tiandi was entirely beyond our expectations." Xin Yu sighed softly.

"We truly were in a dire predicament." Mei Ling let out a long breath, relief flickering across her face. "I honestly thought the Moonlit Chaos Mansion would suffer a devastating loss, whether in strength or reputation…"

"Even so, their side has paid dearly. Many of their top echelons have suffered grievous wounds that will take years, if not decades, to heal. In that sense, the outcome is still favorable for us." Ming Cheng chuckled lightly.

Li Mei nodded with a faint smile, yet her gaze soon shifted to the crimson-haired Xiao Hua and silver-haired Xiao Hua. Confusion stirred in her beautiful eyes, for the sight before her defied reason.

"Our little brother has somehow created two true bodies of himself… not mere clones. I wonder, what should we call the two of you?"

"Ha ha. Sister Li Mei, you may simply call me 'Flame,' and the other me 'Thunder.' After all, our respective Qi Methods focus solely on flame and lightning." The crimson-haired Xiao Hua replied with a calm smile.

The silver-haired Xiao Hua nodded, clearly unbothered. He understood well that their existence would naturally be confusing and puzzling. For that very reason, from the moment they were formed, the two of them had chosen simple names to avoid unnecessary complications.

Li Mei exchanged glances with the others before smiling faintly. Since the two had already decided, they could only respect their choice and address them as such.

Thus, the crimson-haired Xiao Hua and silver-haired Xiao Hua were henceforth called 'Flame' and 'Thunder' respectively.

"Ha ha… Ancestor of Pill Tower, First Elder, Ancestor Huo—I must thank you for arriving in time to assist our Moonlit Chaos Mansion."

Xiao Hua chuckled lightly, turning toward the Ancestor of the Pill Tower, the First Elder, and Ancestor Huo Yun. He cupped his hands respectfully, his voice carrying sincere gratitude for their timely aid and reinforcement.

"Ha ha, think nothing of it. Since we have already formed an alliance, it is only natural for us to come and lend our strength. After all, we agreed to attack and defend as one." The Ancestor of the Pill Tower laughed with a faint smile.

"That's right. I am simply relieved that we arrived before the situation worsened." Ancestor Huo nodded in agreement, adding, "Besides, we were unable to aid Mansion Master in his battle against Hun Tiandi and the army he brought."

The First Elder of the Pill Tower remained silent, yet he nodded in agreement with the words of the Pill Tower's Ancestor and Ancestor Huo Yun.

However, as the three of them looked at Xiao Hua, as well as Flame and Thunder, a strange glint flickered in their eyes.

None of them had expected that this young man—who had only been a mere Dou Zong a few short years ago—would now stand at the peak of Dou Sheng, even stepping into the Di State. Not only had he surpassed them in strength, status, and fame, but he had also forced Hun Tiandi and his army into a miserable retreat.

The Ancestor of the Pill Tower, in particular, felt this more deeply than the others. He knew well Hun Tiandi's strength, and he also understood the man's unyielding desire for him. After all, his true form was none other than a medicinal pill—the peak of Tier 9 Mysterious Pills.

For countless years, Hun Tiandi had coveted him, harboring the desire to devour and refine him to increase his own might.

Thus, to witness Xiao Hua inflict such grievous damage upon Hun Tiandi naturally left them all with complicated emotions.

The three exchanged glances before shaking their heads with dry smiles. There was no doubt that once news of this battle spread, the commotion would be immense. Hundreds of forces would surely come forth, offering respect and seeking favor.

With this victory, the Moonlit Chaos Mansion had firmly established itself as the undisputed number one force in the Central Plains!

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