The collision between the scarlet drill of fire—burning with the will of judgment—and the blinding blade glow—radiating enough force to tear the world—lasted for only a few breaths before change finally appeared.
The blade glow flickered, its brilliance dimming ever so slightly, and then cracks began to crawl across its surface. Before the onlookers could even react, the crimson fiery drill pierced straight through. In an instant, the terrifying blaze and piercing force shattered the mighty blade glow into fragments of fading light.
Pu—!
Zhai Xing's blood surged violently as a backlash struck him. He spat out several mouthfuls of fresh blood, his face paling as his aura weakened drastically. His proud Shattering Star Blade, the technique he had relied on to kill powerful enemies, had been broken.
But he had no time to tend to his injuries—because the crimson drill had already torn through the void and now loomed only a few feet before him. If it struck, his body would be annihilated, reduced to ashes scattered to the winds.
His expression twisted in panic.
Yet Yan Xiaoyu's lips curved into a cold, merciless smile. Her voice rang out, sharp as a blade:
"How could I let you escape? Since Mistress Fairy Doctor failed to kill you, I'll complete it in her stead!"
Her spear swept in a dazzling arc. The scarlet drill instantly shattered apart, exploding into countless radiant feathers. Each one blazed with crimson light, each one radiating a piercing aura so sharp that even the void seemed unable to withstand it.
The feathers quivered as if alive, then burst forward in unison. Each transformed into a streak of crimson light, darting through space with unimaginable speed.
In the blink of an eye, the feathers pierced the void, reappearing all around Zhai Xing. They encircled him in a deadly storm, countless points of annihilation rushing toward him from every direction, sealing off all paths of escape.
Under this encirclement of storm of frightening crimson feathers, Zhai Xing felt his ability of Dou Zun to cross space suddenly disappear and the space in his surrounding has been locked.
He understood clearly—there was no escape. Even at his peak, resisting the scarlet feathers would have been nearly impossible. Now, weakened and battered, he was nothing more than a candle flame flickering in a storm.
"Lord Hall Chief, please save me!"
Desperation burst from Zhai Xing's throat, a sharp, miserable roar that echoed across the battlefield.
Yan Xiaoyu stiffened when she heard Zhai Xing's desperate scream, laden with a plea for salvation. Even Zhu Ling and Qing Xiu, engaged on another battlefield, froze mid-fight, their hearts shaken. Their expressions changed drastically, and all three hurriedly prepared themselves.
"Useless thing! To think you cannot even force Xiao Hua's disciple to bring out her full strength!"
Just as they were about to act, an indifferent, utterly emotionless voice resounded across the square. A sudden gale howled as the space above Zhai Xing twisted violently, and a massive spatial crack tore open.
From within, a colossal hand slowly emerged, descending upon Zhai Xing and shattering the countless scarlet feathers.
Pu!
Yan Xiaoyu's body trembled as blood spilled from her lips, her complexion turning deathly pale. A solemn light flickered in her eyes before hardening into a fierce, unyielding glare. Her hands blurred into a storm of seals, moving at extreme speed.
She wasn't alone. Zhu Ling and Qing Xiu, their expressions equally grim, unleashed their own techniques without hesitation. All three knew one truth—if they didn't act now, the one to be crushed beneath that overwhelming hand would not be Zhai Xing, but themselves.
"Heavenly Tribulation Body: Azure Tribulation! Velvet Amethyst Change! Heavenly Overlord Transformation!"
Yan Xiaoyu's figure erupted in dazzling brilliance as twenty-two Primordial Heavenly Flames ignited around her and nine Heavenly Lightnings crackled with vigorous might. Upon her head appeared a radiant crown, woven from flame and lightning, blazing with majestic splendor. Her clear black eyes transformed—her right eye burning with twenty-four fiery glows, while her left eye crackled with nine arcs of heavenly lightning.
Her attire shifted into a majestic black robe, embroidered with twenty-four elegant phoenixes and nine roaring lightning dragons, exuding both grace and dominance. Her long black hair, once partially tied, loosened and billowed wildly behind her, shimmering with a radiant, multicolored glow.
In this moment, Yan Xiaoyu no longer resembled a mere striking general, but an Empress of War—elegant, untouchable, and awe-inspiring. Her very presence alone evoked the image of a sovereign empress, commanding both reverence and fear.
"Heavenly Dragon Flame Manifestation: Flaming Dragon Aspect! Infernal Dragon Sovereign! Primordial Dragon Flame Avatar!"
Zhu Ling's figure underwent a complete transformation. Her body was covered in flawless scales of molten gold and fiery crimson, each one radiant and alive, shifting faintly as though part of a flowing inferno. Her eyes were no longer human but fully draconic—burning like miniature suns with pupils of liquid flame.
A colossal dragon avatar, wrought entirely from Divine Dragon Flame, coiled around her, its vast body radiating endless heat. Within those surging flames seemed to lie galaxies of molten stars, collapsing and erupting in cycles of infinite destruction.
Her garments dissolved, replaced by divine draconic armor forged of flame and scale. Glowing with primordial runes and ancient dragon sigils, the armor blazed with unmatched dominance. Her stature even grew taller, her aura surging skyward, exuding a dragon's might so oppressive it threatened to crush everything in her surroundings.
"Primordial Phoenix Flame Ascension: Phoenix Embryo Flame Form! Phoenix Nirvana Flame Form! Primordial Flame Goddess Descent!"
Qing Xiu's form reverted to her human figure, yet she now radiated the divine. Her eyes blazed with the brilliance of suns, glowing in black and white light that pierced through anything caught within her gaze. Her long jade-emerald hair transformed into a crown of pure flowing flame, rising and falling like the sun's corona, radiating black-and-white fire.
Her attire shifted into a full-body armor wrought from phoenix flame, liquid fire weaving and flowing with divine brilliance. Massive flaming feathers adorned the armor, each exuding a primal, regal aura.
Behind her, a pair of colossal Immortal Fire Phoenix wings spread wide. Each feather blazed with radiant flame, arcs of fire extending outward like divine spears, semi-transparent yet carrying infinite destructive might.
The three of them roared in unison as their Secret Techniques surged to life, their strength soaring beyond limits. In that instant, all three had stepped into the realm of 1-Star Dou Sheng!
Bing He of Ice River Valley, Chen Tian Nan and the experts of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe, along with Huang Xuan and the three other elders, were all rendered speechless by the trio.
They had just been fighting against them, yet none had imagined that Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, and Qing Xiu hadn't even gone all out—merely suppressing them with the barest fraction of strength.
Though unwilling to accept it, they could not help but feel a trace of relief. If those three had unleashed their full might from the very beginning, their lives would have already been forfeit.
"As expected… those monsters from Moonlit Chaos Mansion have taught you their own respective terrifying Secret Techniques."
From the rift in space, Hun Mei Sheng stepped forth, his cold voice echoing as his gaze fell upon the three elegant figures, now clad in the power of their Secret Arts. Having once fought against their masters—and even witnessed these transformations before—he naturally recognized the techniques for what they were, mirrors of the very legacies their teachers commanded.
At the sight of him, the three women's expressions darkened. Gloom and heaviness clouded their faces. None of them had expected the Hall Chief of the Hall of Souls himself to appear here, especially when their teachers had been watching every movement of the Hall of Souls and the Hun Clan.
It was no secret that Moonlit Chaos Mansion had been hunting for their hidden lair. Yet Hun Mei Sheng had still managed to slip past their watchful eyes and descend here.
This was the worst possible outcome. They knew well that they could not hope to fight him off. A moment of resistance was still possible but lasting long enough to contend with him… that was utterly impossible. No wonder their hearts sank into heaviness and gloom.
Hun Mie Sheng's eyes narrowed before his figure vanished, wasting not a breath. He knew well that his movements would soon be detected by those monsters from Moonlit Chaos Mansion. There was no point in wasting words—he had to strike before it was too late.
"Xiao Yan! Be careful!" Yan Xiaoyu's eyes widened as his figure disappeared, her voice ringing out in urgent warning.
Even as her cry echoed, Xiao Yan lifted his head—and saw the Chief of the Hall of Souls materialize before him. A mass of pitch-black Dou Qi coiled around Hun Mie Sheng's hand as it thrust forward, ruthlessly reaching for Xiao Yan's head. From the intent behind that grasp, it was clear—he wasn't trying to kill, but to capture.
Everyone watching froze, their hearts seizing as they realized his target. None had expected it. The delay in their reaction was inevitable—for who could have imagined that Hun Mie Sheng would ignore the three direct disciples and instead go straight for Xiao Yan?
Even Xiao Yan himself was caught off guard. From Zhai Xing's desperate scream earlier, he already knew that the man before him was none other than the Chief of the Hall of Souls. But he had never once thought that this fearsome figure's first move… would be directed at him.
"Brat, come with me!" Hun Mie Sheng's voice rumbled out, deep and oppressive, as his black hand reached to seize Xiao Yan.
However, just as Xiao Yan was about to be seized, a flicker of light surged from his finger. A black-gold token shot forth, unleashing a majestic, domineering aura. The force crashed violently into Hun Mie Sheng's body, sending him reeling backward. His feet skidded across the void for several dozen meters before he finally stabilized himself.
Hun Mie Sheng slowly raised his head. A thin trail of blood slid from the corner of his mouth, his complexion slightly pale. His eyes locked onto the black-gold token, and the chief of the Hall of Souls revealed a rare gloomy expression. For he recognized the terrifying aura that had struck him, an aura powerful enough to send him flying and leave him injured—
"Xiao Hua… so he has already prepared safeguards for you…"
His voice was low and hoarse, carrying both fear and unwillingness. Hun Mie Sheng knew his own strength better than anyone, yet the power sealed within this token was enough to wound him.
Swoosh!
At that moment, Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, and Qing Xiu instantly moved. Their figures flashed across the battlefield, appearing before Xiao Yan. With solemn expressions, they stood as a shield, their eyes fixed firmly on Hun Mie Sheng.
"Even if you girls join forces, you cannot stop me!" Hun Mie Sheng's voice was low and thunderous, saturated with killing intent.
Yan Xiaoyu's eyes narrowed, yet she did not answer. Instead, she turned, her gaze landing on the black-gold token floating before Xiao Yan.
"I will borrow this token for a while…" she said calmly, pointing toward it.
Xiao Yan nodded without hesitation. He knew that whatever she planned would only improve their chances. Moreover, the token's protective force had already been spent during his campaign against countless Hall of Souls branches; it was little more than a keepsake now. He had only kept it on hand in case he needed it when meeting his cousin within the Moonlit Chaos Mansion.
As Yan Xiaoyu grasped the token, her other hand moved swiftly, forming a series of profound seals. As Xiao Hua's disciple, she naturally knew how to unlock more of the token's hidden power than anyone else present.
Hun Mie Sheng's eyes grew sharp as he watched her movements. Though uncertain of her intent, instinct told him it would bode no good. His figure flickered, vanishing in an instant as he lunged forward to stop her.
Shua!
The token in Yan Xiaoyu's hand suddenly blazed with dazzling brilliance. An enormous pillar of light erupted forth, condensing into a colossal spear that thrust violently toward Hun Mie Sheng.
"Damn it—!"
Hun Mie Sheng roared, both hands clamping onto the radiant spear's tip in a desperate attempt to halt its advance. Yet the terrifying momentum could not be stopped. His body was driven backward, skidding across the void for several hundred meters.
As he finally came to a halt, the blazing spear dispersed, transforming into a radiant cage of light that snapped shut around him. The spatial prison sealed tightly, locking Hun Mie Sheng in place and restraining his movements.
Watching from nearby, the three elders of the Heaven Demon Phoenix tribe were visibly shaken by the sight before them. Their ashen faces betrayed the truth—each of them was gravely wounded and would need a long time to recover.
Even Bing He and the others were no better off. Battling the Moonlit Chaos Mansion had inflicted heavy losses upon them all. Only now did they fully understand why Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, and Qing Xiu carried the reputation of "monsters within the same realm."
Though suppressed, the trio had fought in a way that would leave their enemies with scars they would never forget—scars that would make others hesitate before daring to suppress them again.
Yet in their current state, forcing themselves further would only deepen their injuries beyond recovery. None of them dared to intervene in the unfolding battle.
"She used the residue of Xiao Hua's aura within the token to bind Hun Mie Sheng…" one of the Heaven Demon Phoenix elders muttered in a low tone.
"However, that cage was forged from nothing more than residual aura. It will not hold the Hall Chief for long…" another added grimly.
"She knows this as well," the third elder said, his expression heavy. "That means they are about to unleash their most powerful strike."
Huang Xuan's eyes narrowed, his face taut with tension. He turned toward the younger generation and spoke in a solemn voice, "Prepare to retreat. We do not know what form their full strength will take—so be ready for anything."
Feng Qing Er and the other young Heaven Demon Phoenix disciples nodded silently. At this moment, survival was their only thought. All they desired was to stay alive and remain unnoticed by both the Hall of Souls and the Moonlit Chaos Mansion.
…
"The cage won't last long against him…"
Yan Xiaoyu's soft murmur reached Zhu Ling, Qing Xiu, and Xiao Yan. She knew better than anyone that such a cage could never restrain the Hall Chief of the Hall of Souls for long. This moment was their only chance to strike with everything they had.
Her eyes shifted slightly, sending a silent message. The three of them caught it at once, nodding in unison, solemn light flickering within their gazes.
At that instant, vast Dou Qi surged violently from the four of them. Each of their auras carried the breath of terrifying, heavenly flames. The temperature of the entire square spiked without pause, as though the world itself was being set ablaze.
A blazing white-red flame erupted from Yan Xiaoyu's body, crackling with arcs of roaring thunder. With a single thought, the flame split into twenty-two blazing fires and nine strands of lightning, swiftly coiling and dancing across the surface of her black spear.
The weapon pulsed with a fierce rhythm, as though resonating with the power infused within. Behind her, the phantom of a Crimson Phoenix spread its wings wide, its piercing cry echoing across heaven and earth—an embodiment of both annihilation and rebirth. This was her Spear Spirit Intent, the Crimson Phoenix.
In the next breath, the Spear Spirit Intent merged into the twenty-two flames and nine lightnings, fusing into the spear. Its body ignited brilliantly, blazing like a weapon forged to tear the world asunder.
Zhu Ling lifted her head, raising her jade-like hand. Majestic violet-gold flames bloomed in her palm, swirling and condensing until they compressed into the form of a miniature sun.
The sun burned fiercely, exuding scorching heat and a profound dragon's might. Its surface etched with countless mysterious dragon runes. Within its fiery depths, twenty-two blazing dragons coiled and soared endlessly. Ripples of destructive force swept out in waves, twisting the void itself as if it could no longer withstand the pressure.
Qing Xiu's black-and-white flames coiled tightly around her arm, radiating a dual brilliance of shadow and light. Around her jade-like hand, tiny phoenixes—one black, one white—circled gracefully, as though her palm were a nest of yin and yang phoenixes. Each cry they released was hauntingly beautiful, laced with an aura of life and death—enchanting, yet incomparably terrifying.
Xiao Yan's hand, meanwhile, bore a dazzling lotus of prismatic fire. Its petals shimmered in colors too radiant to name, breathtakingly beautiful to behold. Yet beneath that enchanting brilliance lay a ripple of annihilation that spread silently with every breath of time, as if each petal carried the promise of extinction.
The four stood side by side, their eyes sharp as blades, brimming with murderous intent. In perfect unison, their Dou Qi surged, and their voices thundered forth as they unleashed their ultimate techniques:
"Crimson Plume Heavenbreaker!"
"Annihilation Sun of Myriad Dragon Surge!"
"Heaven-Purging Phoenix Flame!"
"Extinction Lotus Flame!"
Yan Xiaoyu thrust her spear forward. Flames roared and lightning crackled from its tip as the phantom cry of the Crimson Phoenix split the skies. The void where the spearhead struck shuddered, cracked apart, and from it an enormous spear emerged.
Within a single breath, the colossal weapon revealed its full form—stretching over a hundred meters long. Crimson phoenix engravings adorned its shaft, while flames and lightning blazed across its surface. With unstoppable sharpness, it shot forth in a straight line, leaving behind a trail of fiery plumes and crackling thunder, tearing toward the Hall Chief's prison.
At the same time, Zhu Ling and Xiao Yan flicked their hands, releasing the miniature sun and prismatic lotus. The instant they left their palms, both expanded violently, swelling to match the scale of Yan Xiaoyu's spear. The blazing sun and the radiant lotus appeared on either side of the cage, sealing Hun Mie Sheng within a burning triad.
Qing Xiu swept her hand forward, and the radiance around her palm transformed into a vast black-and-white phoenix. Its wings unfurled, igniting the very void. Each flap birthed a surging tide of flame, life and death intertwined, pouring forth as a raging sea of fire that surged toward the trapped Hall Chief.
Four terrifying forces erupted without hesitation. The fire lotus alone carried a suffocating aura of death that could crush even Peak Dou Zun experts, while the spear, the sun, and the phoenix radiated such overwhelming might that even Dou Sheng elites would turn grim.
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