Chapter 185: Battle with Earth Demon Old Ghost
"They're here!"
Cai Lin suddenly lifted her cold, stunning gaze, her gorgeous face tinged with solemnity as she spoke. Her once-relaxed posture straightened, accentuating her proud curves. The gentle charm she normally exuded was instantly replaced by an imposing sharpness.
This was the true Queen Medusa—not the woman temporarily "suppressed" by Yao Yan.
"There's quite a crowd~" Yao Yan lifted his head and spoke softly.
Whoosh whoosh—
Without needing further instruction, the already-subordinated Elders Jin and Yin instantly took flight, standing at the forefront. It wasn't loyalty that compelled them, but the fact that they were now bound to Yao Yan. Even if they wanted to back out, no one would accept them anymore. Since they were in, they might as well act the part.
"Jin and Yin? What trash. When this old ancestor made his name, they weren't even born... Tell that so-called alchemist to come out, or I'll slaughter everyone in Black Seal City—leave no living soul behind!"
An ancient voice thundered across the sky like a divine roar. A terrifying pressure followed, instantly knocking Jin and Yin from the air.
Clearly, against a seven-star Dou Zong, even peak Dou Huangs weren't qualified to stand upright.
With a rumble, urgent sounds of wind tearing the sky echoed. Within moments, a swarm of dark figures appeared in the distance. In the blink of an eye, they revealed themselves—menacing and vicious—hovering above Black Seal City.
At the forefront stood an elder draped in bone-yellow robes. His blood-red hair hung wildly, and his skeletal, sunken face made him look like a walking corpse. His deeply recessed eyes glowed like ghostly fires—eerily cold and dangerous.
Suspended in midair, his robe flapped with each gust, causing space around him to ripple. His overwhelming pressure poured down over the city like a flood.
"So that's Earth Demon Old Ghost? What terrifying strength…" the surrounding Dou Huangs swallowed hard. That suffocating aura alone showed his terrifying power—evident from how even Elders Jin and Yin struggled just to remain airborne.
They had heard the rumors—that Earth Demon Old Ghost had been crippled by an elder of Canaan Academy. But here he was, fully recovered within mere months. Even his previously severed arm seemed to have regrown.
"Earth Demon Old Ghost? Quite the show."
A calm voice echoed. Instantly, a surge of powerful soul force swept out from within the city, washing away the pressure in an instant. Yao Yan rose into the air, followed by Cai Lin, both facing Earth Demon Old Ghost without fear.
The old ghost's gaze flickered, scanning Cai Lin first before settling on Yao Yan. He sneered, "You're the so-called tier-7 alchemist? A mere Dou Huang dares to provoke me? You think bringing one Dou Zong is enough to contend with this old man?"
"Won't know until we try, will we?" Cai Lin narrowed her eyes coldly, her voice laced with provocation.
After her bloodline evolution, Cai Lin's strength was far beyond an ordinary Dou Zong. Even against a seven-star Dou Zong, she was confident she could hold her own.
Yao Yan raised a hand to stop her. "Don't steal the spotlight. He's the opponent I carefully picked. Took a lot of materials to lure him out."
Cai Lin frowned slightly. "You sure?"
"You'll see soon enough."
Yao Yan smiled.
Listening from a distance, Earth Demon Old Ghost's face contorted with rage. In his centuries of life, he'd never encountered such arrogant youths. Did they think a seven-star Dou Zong could be chosen like dishes off a menu?
"Sharp-tongued brat! Once I catch you, I'll make you suffer tortures worse than death!" he snarled. With a flick of his fingers, five sharp, icy streaks of dou qi shot toward Yao Yan's head.
Buzz—
A powerful wave of soul force erupted from Yao Yan, instantly shattering the incoming attacks.
"Soul force?" Earth Demon Old Ghost's eyes narrowed. Then he sneered, "You think a tier-7 alchemist's soul is enough to match a seven-star Dou Zong? I'll show you the gap!"
"Didn't expect such a sharp tongue on such an old fossil." Yao Yan chuckled, cracking his neck as he stepped forward. His skin quickly turned a deep silvery hue, radiating an aura of heaviness and indestructibility. His power was so intense it caused space to ripple.
"Let's see if your body is as sharp as your mouth."
With that, Yao Yan blasted forward like a thunderbolt, attacking first.
"Heh… You dare go hand-to-hand with me? Brave!" Earth Demon Old Ghost let out a strange laugh. He could tell Yao Yan had practiced a strong body-cultivation technique, but that kind of training only mattered at lower levels. At the Dou Zong level, physical strength was reinforced by dou qi itself—his old body was so tough even weapons couldn't cut it.
Today, he'd teach this brat what it meant to be a Dou Zong.
As Yao Yan's fist flew toward him, Earth Demon Old Ghost reached out with a claw-like hand, aiming directly for Yao Yan's throat. He completely ignored the incoming punch.
"A head-on clash?" The Heavenly Flame Master, watching from below, was slightly alarmed. He'd never seen Yao Yan in his full power state and thought this was too reckless.
Yao Lao, however, wore a strange expression. He knew how terrifying Yao Yan's body was—tempered by multiple heavenly flames. The old ghost was seriously underestimating him.
Indeed, Earth Demon Old Ghost had let his guard down. He didn't use his full strength. To him, this "little boy" didn't warrant it. With a simple ghost claw attack, he tried to grab Yao Yan's throat—totally disregarding the incoming punch.
After all, how much damage could a Dou Huang's punch do?
He was about to find out.
The icy black claw reached Yao Yan's neck. In his eyes, it enlarged, closing in—
But instead of the expected sound of flesh tearing, only a faint white scratch appeared, and sparks flew. It was like striking a metal statue.
Earth Demon Old Ghost's eyes widened in horror—but before he could react, Yao Yan's ordinary-looking fist smashed into his chest.
Boom!
The sound echoed like thunder. A bone-cracking noise followed.
Pfft—
A mouthful of blood surged up and spilled from Earth Demon Old Ghost's mouth. His face contorted in disbelief.
What kind of monstrous body was this? That punch—its force rivaled that of a tier-7 magical beast!
Earth Demon Old Ghost instantly dropped all pretenses. He unleashed his full dou qi, flooding the area with chilling black energy. The cold was so intense that even space itself seemed to freeze.
Swish—
Yao Yan withdrew quickly, but not before one of his arms was coated in black ice crystals.
Earth Demon Old Ghost wiped away the blood, his skeletal face even more sinister. "You caught me off guard… That body of yours is indeed powerful. But do you think it'll save you? Let's see how that mysterious cold energy feels inside your body!"
"Doesn't feel like much. Just a shiver~" Yao Yan teased. His frozen arm flexed, shattering the black ice. Green flame erupted around him, instantly burning away the remaining chill.
"Heavenly flame?!"
Earth Demon Old Ghost's grin froze. His eyes locked on the emerald-green flame swirling around Yao Yan. That scorching heat—it was no ordinary beast flame. Even his own chilling dou qi was being suppressed.
Yao Yan compressed the flame into a thin protective layer around himself. He smirked. "Correct answer, but no prize. Round two—let's go!"
Purple wings burst from Yao Yan's back—the long-unused Purple Cloud Wings. They overlapped with his dou qi wings, amplifying his speed. With a stomp that shook space, he charged again.
Swish—
With a screeching sound, Yao Yan bolted toward Earth Demon Old Ghost.
"Hmph!"
The old ghost sneered, snapping his fingers. Countless black ice spikes appeared and fired toward Yao Yan like a storm, covering half the sky.
The sharp, icy howls made one's scalp tingle.
Yao Yan didn't dodge. He relied on his indestructible body, letting the spikes hit him like rain. The cold they carried was vaporized by his heavenly flame—but the sheer force of the barrage interrupted his charge.
The ice spikes seemed endless.
The interwoven mist of cold and flame began to freeze under the pressure. Earth Demon Old Ghost's voice echoed: "Let's see how long your body can last."
"Ice Condensation Sword Technique!"
As he formed seals, the cold mist fused with the ice spikes, forming massive black ice swords. Each exuded a chilling aura as they shot toward Yao Yan.
Boom!
Yao Yan smashed one sword with a flaming punch, shattering it.
But—
"Explode!" the old ghost shouted with a twisted grin.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion followed. Yao Yan's body was flung back, covered in countless thin ice needles. They pierced his skin and sent their cold into his body, darkening his silver skin.
"Your heavenly flame is powerful, yes. But your strength is too weak. How can you possibly withstand me?" Earth Demon Old Ghost laughed darkly.
"That move… was pretty good."
Yao Yan licked his lips, battle intent blazing in his eyes. A seven-star Dou Zong truly lived up to the title. In just one exchange, the old ghost had pierced his Indestructible Body. Though not injured seriously, it proved how powerful he was.
And that was exactly what Yao Yan needed right now.
"Your turn, old man—take this!"
A torrent of emerald-green flame burst from Yao Yan, pushing back the surrounding cold. The flames gathered at his palms, condensing into a small energy seal.
"Eight Desolation Heaven-Burning Seal!"
(END CHAPTER)
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