Chapter 183: The Great Battle Approaches
The Ancient Void Dragon Clan didn't just have a problem—it was a full-blown internal split.
In the original story, ever since the mysterious disappearance of the Dragon Emperor, Zhu Kun, the three Dragon Kings of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan had begun to stir restlessly, triggering a power struggle. With the strength of the four Dragon Kings—each of whom could stand their ground against a Dou Saint even one star stronger due to their immensely powerful physiques—it was no surprise that none of them would submit to another's rule.
With such power and deep royal bloodlines, each of them coveted the title of Dragon Emperor.
This led the Ancient Void Dragon Clan into an endless cycle of internal conflict.
That said, their overall power remained terrifying. Even ignoring the ancient elders who refused to get involved, the number of Dou Saints they had publicly was already fearsome, nearly rivaling the might of the great imperial clans. If Zhu Kun—the peak nine-star Dou Saint—were counted, their strength could stand toe-to-toe with even the Hun or Gu Clans.
Unfortunately, Zhu Kun, the Dragon Emperor, wouldn't make an appearance until the very end of the story…
Seeing Yao Lao and the Heavenly Flame Master both lost in thought inside the Bone Flame Ring, Yao Yan changed the topic: "Zi Yan's bloodline talent is extraordinary. Her background must be significant. If we look after her, we might one day earn the favor of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan."
"You're even trying to scheme a little girl?" Cai Lin narrowed her eyes, glancing at Yao Yan with a cold look as her red lips parted.
"I wouldn't call it scheming. Just going with the flow. Even if Zi Yan had no ties to the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, I'd still lend her a hand. Of course, only once. In the end, people can only rely on themselves," Yao Yan replied with a light smile.
Cai Lin's eyes wavered slightly. Just as she was about to respond, Yao Yan's teasing voice reached her ears.
"Of course, you and I are an exception. We're family, after all~"
Cai Lin whipped her head toward him, locking eyes with his serious gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away. Her stunningly beautiful face remained proud and cold as she snorted, "Who's family with you? I never agreed to that!"
With that, a surge of powerful dou qi erupted from her body as she shot forward at high speed.
"Still so stubborn~" Yao Yan laughed and chased after her.
Inside the Bone Flame Ring, the two old men had seen everything and sighed wistfully, "Ah, to be young again~"
Their tone was tinged with envy.
Who wouldn't want to meet someone they love while young—and have that person love them back? Most importantly, to have the strength to protect that happiness… and the guts to pursue it.
But fulfilling all those conditions was no easy feat.
Most people would miss their chance.
…
…
In Black Seal City—
In just half a day, Yuan Yi and Elders Jin and Yin had gathered a large number of experts from the Black-Corner Region. The weakest among them were Dou Huang level. After all, against the lure of a tier-7 alchemist, few could resist.
Whether it was the Royal Extreme Pill or the Breaking Zong Pill, both had near-irresistible allure for Dou Huang experts—worth risking their lives for.
Yao Yan wasn't surprised.
If a genuine tier-7 alchemist couldn't command such influence, then the title would be a joke.
In the rear courtyard of Black Seal City—
Cai Lin looked at Yao Yan, who was calmly reading, and asked, "You're not going to meet them? Yuan Yi alone won't be able to control those Black-Corner Region experts. You're the one who recruited them."
"Elders Jin and Yin will keep watch. They're just a bunch of fence-sitters. I never expected anything of them. Whether or not Demon Flame Valley is destroyed depends on us," Yao Yan replied plainly without looking up from his book.
Recruiting those Dou Huang experts was merely for show—part of a future strategy to reshape the region.
He had never placed any real expectations on them. He had no doubt that if things went south, they'd be the first to run. They had only come for the benefit of following a tier-7 alchemist.
People will always flock around you when there's profit to be made.
But if you rely on them, nothing will get done.
"Are you confident? Earth Demon Old Ghost is a seven-star Dou Zong," Cai Lin asked seriously.
After becoming a Dou Zong herself, she clearly sensed the difference between a Dou Huang and a Dou Zong. The real disparity wasn't dou qi—it was control of space. Space power reigned supreme. Without strength on the same level, it was nearly impossible to counter.
"I am." Yao Yan gave a firm answer, rising as he cut off the Bone Flame Ring's connection to the outside world. He walked over to Cai Lin, who was leaning by the window.
Cai Lin didn't think much of it—until Yao Yan reached for her waist. A shiver ran through her, and her expression darkened. She glared at him. "What are you doing?!"
"I want to hug you."
Yao Yan smiled and spoke softly.
With a slight pull, he drew her into his arms. Her soft body pressed against his, sending a ripple through his heart.
"...Don't push your luck. I'm a Dou Zong now!" Cai Lin warned coldly.
"And you're still my woman."
Yao Yan lowered his head to meet her gaze, speaking with unshakable certainty. He had no fear of her threats. Even if she did attack… well, his tough body wasn't afraid of her.
As Cai Lin tried to push him away with her dou qi, she realized she couldn't. Her eyes flickered with shock—she hadn't expected his physical body to be this strong.
"It's just the Dou Zong realm. Do you think I'm weaker than a Dou Zong?" Yao Yan said with a calm smile.
Cai Lin was speechless. She frowned deeply, unsure what to say. She wanted to fight back—but lacked the confidence. Somehow, her words were always tougher than her actions with him.
"Relax. I won't push further. I just want to hold you," Yao Yan whispered, loosening his grip slightly but still holding her close, enjoying the feeling.
Soft, warm, and incredibly satisfying.
Cai Lin bit her lip. She didn't pull away. As long as Yao Yan didn't cross a line, she didn't reject him. Even she didn't understand her own feelings. Maybe she did—but wasn't ready to face them.
Shy women need bold men… Yao Yan mused. He wasn't sure if Cai Lin would have the same fate as in the original story. That's why he had to take the initiative. If he didn't, he had no doubt she would drift away.
That was her nature. She was never the type to take the lead—especially after finding out about him and Cai Die. She had forced herself to remain reserved, keeping her distance.
But Yao Yan had no intention of letting her go.
Not just because she looked identical to Cai Die—but because of everything they had already shared. He couldn't pretend nothing had happened.
After a while, still holding her, Yao Yan whispered, "If something happens to me in the future, I hope you'll protect yourself and Cai Die. As for me… I'll protect myself."
"What do you mean?!" Cai Lin frowned and asked coldly.
"Just remember my words."
Yao Yan let her go and looked into her beautiful purple eyes, speaking softly.
The path he had chosen meant becoming an enemy of the world.
Whether in the Dou Qi Continent or the Great Thousand World… but to Yao Yan, the process didn't matter—only the outcome. Once you reached a certain level, even life and death became blurry. Everything else was trivial.
Some paths were destined to be lonely.
Whether Cai Lin understood or not didn't matter. Yao Yan walked out the door.
Today, he was going to war with Demon Flame Valley. He would also test the loyalty of the Dou Huang experts he had recruited. And perhaps give a little "greeting" to the Hall of Souls. If they recognized him, they'd likely try to approach him.
He also intended to re-establish communication with Hun Xu Zi. Some matters would require the support of the Hun Clan.
Since he had access to those resources—he might as well use them.
Compared to Xiao Yan's original path, Yao Yan had far more options.
Watching him leave, Cai Lin frowned. She could feel he was hiding something. But he never told her anything. Was it because of strength? She clenched her fists, suddenly resolute.
One day, she would make Yao Yan tell her everything.
…
In the great hall—
Yao Yan informed Yuan Yi of his plan to initiate battle. He didn't care what Yuan Yi thought and calmly said, "Kill one Dou Huang from Demon Flame Valley, and you get a Royal Extreme Pill. Kill three or more, and you get a Breaking Zong Pill. For Dou Wangs—ten kills equals one Royal Extreme Pill. A hundred gets you a Breaking Zong Pill."
Yuan Yi was stunned. He swallowed hard.
"Spread the word. Whether they accept or not is up to them. I never expected loyalty—everything runs on profit. Kill more, get more pills. That's how things work in the Black-Corner Region," Yao Yan said flatly.
"Master, with those rewards, the Dou Huangs will go mad. Even those who weren't planning to get involved might jump in. But this could also provoke the Demon Flame Valley ancestor to come out early—and attack Black Seal City!" Yuan Yi warned.
"That's the idea. Why go to him when we can lure him to us?" Yao Yan chuckled.
You lunatic… Yuan Yi cursed silently. He worried that if Yao Yan failed to hold back Earth Demon Old Ghost, Black Seal City would be dragged down with him. He asked, "Master, didn't you just visit Canaan Academy? Did you get their support?"
"We made a deal. But the prerequisite is that Demon Flame Valley must be destroyed. Once that's done, better days are ahead," Yao Yan said calmly.
…
Back to square one again.
Looking at Yao Yan's indifferent expression—
Yuan Yi clenched his teeth and couldn't help but ask, "Then… do you have the confidence?"
"No one can be 100% sure. If you don't trust me, you're welcome to go serve Earth Demon Old Ghost~" Yao Yan said with a smile.
"I wouldn't dare!"
Yuan Yi lowered his head.
Yao Yan tapped the table lightly and said, "I trust you. Now go spread the word. Whatever the Dou Huangs think, ignore it. I only care about results."
"Yes, Master!" Yuan Yi replied respectfully.
Yao Yan waved him off, and once he left, he smiled slightly and chatted with Yao Lao and the Heavenly Flame Master: "How many do you think will actually fight?"
"With the rewards you're offering, most Dou Huangs will go mad. But there's one thing you haven't considered—does Demon Flame Valley even have that many Dou Huangs and Dou Wangs for them to kill?" Yao Lao asked.
"The bounty is just for show. I never counted on them. In the end, it all depends on Earth Demon Old Ghost. I'll be waiting for him in Black Seal City!" Yao Yan's eyes glinted.
Earth Demon Old Ghost was his greatest opponent yet. He would be the measure of all Yao Yan's recent growth.
That was what Yao Yan valued most.
Everything else was secondary.
"Seven-star Dou Zong… be careful. Even injured, he's no pushover. Be prepared," Yao Lao warned. As a peak Dou Zun, he understood well the power difference between low and high-tier Dou Zongs.
To put it bluntly—one seven-star Dou Zong could crush several one- or two-star Dou Zongs.
"If I lose… don't I still have you two?"
Yao Yan laughed.
"Don't count on us. If he really goes all out, even we can't hold him for long," Yao Lao said sternly. He didn't want Yao Yan getting cocky.
"Then I guess I'll just have to kill this seven-star Dou Zong myself," Yao Yan replied with a calm smile.
His tone was steady—not a trace of joking.
(END CHAPTER)
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