Chapter 84: Dou Zong Terrifying Power!
"That aura... Yao Chen!"
In the back mountain's cave, the darkness was suddenly illuminated by two blood red lights. Protector Wu's voice was filled with excitement as he shouted like he had stumbled upon a great treasure.
Sensing the soul aura emanating from Yunlan Sect's main peak, his scarlet eyes shone brilliantly.
"Yao Chen?" Yun Shan asked, puzzled. He had also sensed that powerful aura it was on par with his own, fully capable of matching his strength.
Since when had such a high level expert appeared in the Jia Ma Empire? Yun Shan frowned deeply, his mind swirling with confusion.
"Jie Jie Jie… Yun Leng, you're truly my lucky star!" Protector Wu laughed maniacally. Thankfully, Yun Leng had convinced him to stay a few extra days, or he might have missed this monumental opportunity to capture Yao Chen!
"Who is Yao Chen?" Yun Shan asked.
"He is someone the Soul Hall has marked as a must capture target, a direct order from our higher ups!" Protector Wu cackled sinisterly. "Jie Jie Jie… Yun Shan, I must obtain this soul no matter what. But it would be inconvenient for me to act openly. This time, you'll help me capture him alive."
"…Understood." Yun Shan hesitated for a moment before nodding. His relationship with Protector Wu was one of cooperation, and agreeing to such requests was a part of that arrangement. Besides, it was a good opportunity to test the strength he had gained since his breakthrough.
With a mighty swing of the Xuan Heavy Ruler, Xiao Yan's wide blade shattered the incoming sword illusion, smashing it into fragments. At the same time, the massive weapon slammed into Yun Leng's face.
Smack!
The sound was crisp. Five or six bloody teeth flew through the air as Yun Leng let out a miserable scream, crashing hard onto the ground.
"Xiao... Xiao Yan?" Nalan Yanran stood frozen, her mouth agape. She stared at Xiao Yan, who had suddenly erupted with terrifying strength, utterly dumbfounded. What was happening? And why did his eyes suddenly turn white…?
"I'm fine. You rest well I'll take care of the rest," Xiao Yan said with a smile. Supporting Nalan Yanran in his left arm, he gently pushed her aside. A wave of soft energy spread out, moving her to safety.
As soon as she landed, Nalan Yanran's expression turned conflicted again. She didn't want to see Xiao Yan locked in battle against her sect and her teacher.
"Damn it, why is it like this?" Nalan Yanran paced anxiously, her mind spinning in frustration. She was only a Da Dou Shi she didn't have the strength to intervene in such a fight.
From above, Yun Yun descended slowly, her brows furrowed as she gazed at Xiao Yan, whose aura had suddenly surged. "This isn't your power, is it?"
"If I can use it, it's mine," Xiao Yan said coldly.
"Form the array capture him!" Yun Yun commanded sharply.
The three Dou Wang elders behind her instantly took flight, their Dou Qi wings vibrating as they spread out to form a triangular formation. Their hands moved in synchronized seals, and they shouted in unison:
"Wind, Fire, Wood Wall!"
In an instant, three streams of energy shot into the sky, connecting to form a triangular energy barrier that trapped Xiao Yan within.
Meanwhile, Yun Leng, who had been sent flying, let out a furious roar. Blood smeared across his face, he charged back into the barrier recklessly, gray white Dou Qi swirling menacingly in his hands as he prepared to attack.
"Heavy Rock Strike!"
Boom!
The seemingly blunt and weighty rock element Dou Qi exploded with a sharp, piercing edge, unleashing a devastating offensive force.
"Child's play!" Xiao Yan sneered, raising a hand. Five fingers reached out, releasing a burst of pale, ghostly Bone Chilling Flame. A unique mixture of cold and scorching heat erupted simultaneously, meeting Yun Leng's full strength attack head on.
Crash!
Xiao Yan's shoulder trembled slightly, but he remained steady, unmoving. His fiery white fingers twitched slightly, and the Bone Chilling Flame snaked forward like a flame serpent, latching onto the trail of Yun Leng's Dou Qi as it darted toward him.
In the blink of an eye, the exotic flame was closing in!
Clang!
The sharp sound of a sword rang out. A gust of wind swept past as a sword shadow intercepted the flame serpent just in front of Yun Leng, halting its advance.
Yun Leng collapsed to the ground, his face alternating between red and white. The high ranking Dou Wang's aura visibly weakened as he panted heavily.
Though the Bone Chilling Flame hadn't made direct contact, the contrasting hot and cold energies within the fire had seeped into his body, giving him a taste of what true suffering felt like.
"What a terrifying flame…" Yun Yun muttered, her delicate face now marked by caution. No wonder Lu Bu had warned her not to get too close to Xiao Yan.
Bang, bang, bang!
Three muffled explosions followed as the fire serpent shattered the barrier created by the three Dou Wang elders. All three coughed up blood, retreating to the side to nurse their injuries alongside Yun Leng.
"Yun Yun, Sect Leader, I'll be leaving now!" Xiao Yan shouted coldly, casting a glance at Nalan Yanran before turning to leave.
"Apologies, but you cannot leave yet. You must stay and explain yourself," Yun Yun said icily.
Xiao Yan froze mid step and turned around, his gaze frosty as it locked onto Yun Yun. The thought crossed his mind should he fight her? Maybe beating her up would force that bastard Lu Bu to show himself.
The more he thought about it, the more tempting the idea became. That bastard had set him up, so why not hit his woman to vent some anger?
But before Xiao Yan could act, Yun Yun smirked coldly and pulled out a jade flute. Pressing it to her lips, she blew into it softly.
The sharp sound of the flute pierced through the air, reverberating across the entire Yunlan Sect's main peak. Suddenly, a vast and overwhelming aura erupted like a waking dragon, its sheer pressure forcing many of the spectators hidden in the surrounding forests to fall to their knees.
Xiao Yan's expression turned grim. A Dou Zong's strength was truly terrifying!
With just their aura alone, they could exert an invisible pressure that crushed him completely.
"The former Sect Leader… Yun Shan… Damn it, he's here after all!" Xiao Yan clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. Damn it, if that bastard Lu Bu didn't show up now, he was done for!
"Lu Bu, Yun Shan has appeared!" Jia Xingtian's face was grave. The sheer pressure was enough to confirm that this was a Dou Zong absolutely terrifying!
"Should we act?" Hai Bodong asked, licking his dry lips nervously. Yun Shan was strong very strong!
"No rush. The actors aren't all in position yet. The real show can't start until then," Lu Bu replied with a smile. "Just wait."
At that moment, a white silhouette appeared in the sky, seemingly walking on air without wings or any visible flying technique.
The figure moved slowly, yet in the blink of an eye, they were already upon them a middle aged man in a flowing white robe.
"Teacher…"
"No need to explain I've already sensed that aura," Yun Shan said with a faint smile. His gaze locked onto Xiao Yan as he chuckled. "You must be… Yao Chen?"
Xiao Yan's expression was heavy. His grip on the Xuan Heavy Ruler tightened, his knuckles whitening. His face was cold as frost as he asked, "Where did you hear that name?"
"From a friend," Yun Shan replied, smiling lightly. "Boy, have your teacher come out of you. With just your body, you're no match for me."
"What… What's going on?" Nalan Yanran looked at Xiao Yan, then at Yun Yun in confusion. Wasn't he Xiao Yan? Why was there talk of another name?
"How many identities does this jerk have?"
"The lover you risked your life for has a soul living inside him. Understand now?" Yun Yun knocked on Nalan Yanran's head with a teasing smirk.
"I I… I wasn't… It's not like that…" Nalan Yanran stammered, her face flushing as she floundered for words.
Xiao Yan shot Yun Yun a glance and smirked mockingly. When her relationship with Lu Bu was exposed, he wondered how she'd manage to hold her head up high in front of Nalan Yanran!
"And yet you still risked your life for him?" Yun Yun scoffed. Her disciple's reckless behavior had genuinely startled her.
"This no longer concerns you leave now," Yun Yun said, pushing Nalan Yanran back toward the edge of the square where her grandfather, Nalan Jie, was waiting.
On the battlefield, Xiao Yan's heart sank as he heard Yun Shan's words. "Teacher, what do we do now?"
With no reinforcements in sight, the situation was dire.
"Haah… I'll hold him off. You find a way to escape," Yao Lao sighed, realizing they'd been thoroughly played by Lu Bu.
With that, the black Bone Chilling Ring trembled as Yao Lao's slightly translucent form emerged, his powerful soul energy rippling out in an unmistakable display of strength.
Yun Shan's eyes narrowed. "So, you're Yao Chen."
In the distance, Lu Bu grinned. "Hai Bodong, Jia Xingtian get ready. It's time to act."
"Heh… No problem!" Jia Xingtian chuckled, eager to get started.
Hai Bodong nodded, his eyes flashing with an icy blue light.
"Remember, your only task is to stall Yun Shan. Don't aim to injure him, and most importantly, don't get hurt yourselves."
"Understood!"
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