บท 85: Don’t Worry, Let Me Take You to Find the Heavenly Flame!
On the north-western region, a young man dressed in black, carrying a large black ruler on his back, walked alone on a yellow dirt road, a hundred miles from the capital of the Jia Ma Empire.
The young man's expression was calm, and his clothes were stained with a faint scent of blood. Visible patches of skin bore various sword scars.
This young man was none other than Xiao Yan, who had fought with Nalan Yanran earlier that day.
Nalan Yanran's attacks had been fierce, and ordinary medicinal pills were not effective for healing. Xiao Yan didn't mind, merely wiping the sweat from his forehead, his heart calm.
This time, unlike in the original story, Xiao Yan did not meet Hai Bodong or Queen Medusa. There was no one to protect him, and Yun Yun did not miss the duel like she did in the original.
As a result, after climbing the mountain, Xiao Yan, cautious of certain things, didn't act too arrogantly, nor did he speak as aggressively as he did in the original story.
---
Earlier that day, on the grand square of the Misty Cloud Sect, Nalan Yanran, dressed in a moon-white robe, had shed the naivety of her youth. Upon seeing Xiao Yan, whom she hadn't seen in three years, she slightly raised her chin, her eyes proud, and her delicate face bore a hint of coldness.
Drawing her sword, she pointed its tip directly at Xiao Yan.
"Nalan Yanran, the three-year agreement has come. Today, let's settle the grievances of these three years with this duel…" Xiao Yan said in a deep voice, drawing the massive black ruler from his back. His body tensed, ready for battle.
Three years had passed, and both were among the most talented individuals in the Jia Ma Empire, each making significant progress.
"I hope this farce ends soon!" Yun Yun, on the high platform, lowered her eyes, her gaze resting on Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran as they prepared to fight, sighing lightly in her heart.
Thinking back to the events of that year, Yun Yun still felt some guilt toward the Xiao family. After all, Nalan Yanran's actions back then had been a bit too aggressive.
Perhaps if the two families had discussed things privately, today's situation could have been avoided.
On the square, the air was still for a moment. Xiao Yan's fingers trembled as he moved swiftly, closing the distance between him and Nalan Yanran in no time. She snorted coldly, twisting her wrist, and the sword skillfully blocked the space between them.
The intense Dou Qi fluctuated wildly, with bursts of dazzling light erupting from the center of their confrontation.
Yun Yun watched quietly. Though Xiao Yan's attacks were fierce, each move seemingly life-threatening, Yun Yun wasn't worried about Nalan Yanran. This three-year duel was also a good opportunity for Yanran to gain experience.
Win or lose, this fight would benefit her strength and mindset greatly. And with Yun Yun present, even if Yanran were to lose, she wouldn't be in any real danger. Yun Yun was confident she could save Yanran from a teenager under twenty.
"She's reached the Dou Grandmaster level?" Xiao Yan, on the other hand, had not broken through to the Dou Grandmaster level because Yao Lao had entered a deep sleep early, and he hadn't refined the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Initially, he had the upper hand due to his well-honed Dou techniques from training in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range. However, as Nalan Yanran revealed her Dou Grandmaster level and used some of the Misty Cloud Sect's secret combat techniques, Xiao Yan quickly found himself at a disadvantage, forced to retreat step by step.
"Xiao Yan, you've lost!" Nalan Yanran said from her brief position in the air, her voice cold and commanding. She was confident that she could end this duel and defeat Xiao Yan in just a few more moves.
"It seems I have no choice but to use that!" Xiao Yan frowned, his eyes filled with complex thoughts as if making a difficult decision.
In the next moment, the heavy black ruler in Xiao Yan's hand suddenly emitted a layer of golden light. The intense heat radiating from it was palpable to everyone in the square.
In their next clash, the flame melted Nalan Yanran's Dou Qi attack and quickly breached her defenses, reaching her sword. The flame burned with astonishing speed, the sacred gold appearing ready to incinerate everything.
"How is this possible?" Nalan Yanran's face was full of shock before she quickly discarded her sword.
"What kind of flame is this that it can burn Dou Qi?" Yun Yun was equally shocked by the sight of the golden flame.
In a flash, she appeared between the two combatants, standing protectively in front of Nalan Yanran.
"Yanran, admit defeat!" Yun Yun commanded coldly, not turning her head.
Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes flashed with reluctance. "Teacher!"
"This flame is incredibly powerful! If you continue to fight, the consequences could be dire…" Yun Yun's tone was firm, and her concern evident.
"I… admit defeat," Nalan Yanran finally conceded, lowering her head in a subdued tone.
The moment Nalan Yanran admitted defeat, Xiao Yan retracted the golden flame. Covered in sword wounds and bloodstains, he leaned on the heavy ruler, barely standing.
The flame he had used was a wisp of the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame that Xun'er had given him. With it, Xiao Yan managed to turn the tables, forcing Nalan Yanran to surrender.
Understanding that he had won through external means, and feeling his victory was not entirely honorable, Xiao Yan did not press further. Moreover, with Yun Yun, a Dou Emperor, present, he knew he couldn't rely on the flame to threaten her.
He let out a hearty laugh and promptly turned to leave without hesitation.
…
"Xiao Yan, it seems your training has progressed well!" As Xiao Yan walked, reflecting on the day's events, a familiar, aged voice suddenly rang in his mind.
Xiao Yan froze, then quickly realized Yao Lao had awakened.
"Teacher, you're awake!" Xiao Yan exclaimed, his face breaking into a wide smile.
He began recounting the events of the past few months to the newly awakened Yao Lao, though he no longer cared much about Nalan Yanran.
What really concerned him was the incident where Xun'er was taken away in the Jia Ma Empire.
Yao Lao listened in silence for a moment after Xiao Yan finished his story.
"Xiao Yan, focus on your cultivation. There are some things that won't benefit you to know too early…" Yao Lao sighed deeply.
From Xiao Yan's words, Yao Lao had deduced some things. As the old man had mentioned, Gu Fei likely reached the Dou Venerate realm at an age similar to Xun'er's… Such monstrous talent was something Yao Lao had never encountered before, even in his days among the Yao Clan.
"The Flame Mantra has the potential to change everything. As long as you train diligently, your future might be just as promising as anyone's!" Yao Lao said in a low voice, noticing Xiao Yan's worried expression.
His words were not just comforting; the Flame Mantra indeed possessed power beyond its rank.
"Teacher, you had me train in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Where should we go next?" Xiao Yan asked.
Yao Lao pondered for a moment before a place suddenly came to mind.
"Next, we're heading to the Tager Desert. If my memory serves me right, there might be a Heavenly Flame there!"
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