Word Count: 2,142 Words
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"Could it be that the Yan Alliance is a new faction your Sky Serpent Mansion is supporting?"
She Tianhao's mouth curved into a slight smile at the Profound Lion Sect Leader's question. "Sect Leader Shi Ming must be joking," he chuckled. "It's just that the Yan Alliance has so entanglents with my Sky Serpent Mansion, that's all."
"Oh?" Not only did a hint of doubt flash across Shi Ming's eyes, but even the other sect leaders nearby wore curious expressions.
Judging by the fact that the Yan Alliance's strongest fighter was only a 1-star Dou Ancestor, with the others being rely Dou Emperors or even Dou Kings, their strength could only be considered first-rate at best. This was similar to the Misty Cloud Sect back when Yun Shan had just broken through to the Dou Ancestor realm.
With such limited strength, they shouldn't have any dealings with a hegemonic faction like the Sky Serpent Mansion. Moreover, She Tianhao's expression and gaze suggested the two sides were far from friendly.
"Those are mbers of the Snake-People Tribe? The Yan Alliance... I recall a previous report saying that the Jia Ma Empire and the Snake-People Tribe joined forces to form a new faction. Could this be that Yan Alliance?"
The speaker was a tall, sturdy man who appeared to be in his forties or fifties. This was Ting Hao, the Sect Leader of the Thunderbolt Sect—the Sky Serpent Mansion's greatest rival. He wore a silver robe adorned with lightning patterns, and as he spoke, faint ripples of thunder seed to spread from it.
His cultivation had also reached the 7-star Dou Ancestor stage.
At Ting Hao's words, so of the leaders present finally 'understood' the reason. So it was because of the Snake-People Tribe.
After all, everyone knew about the entanglents between the Sky Serpent Mansion and the Snake-People Tribe ruled by dusa. The Sky Serpent Mansion had always aid to annex the Snake-People Tribe and truly unify the entire North-Western Region.
As a few of them conversed, the temperature around the VIP seating suddenly rose by several degrees. Everyone simultaneously looked up to the sky.
Even Xiao Yan, from a distance, sensed it and slowly gazed toward the two figures in the sky. An instant later, everyone watched in amazent as a blazing firestorm wrapped around the pair. The flas towered hundreds of ters high, swirling like a giant, roaring fire dragon before crashing onto the VIP seats with a thunderous boom.
"Haha, looks like I'm the one who's late this ti!"
The fiery tornado then transford into countless specks of light that scattered and vanished. Two figures drifted down from the sky, landing gracefully onto the seats.
One was a youth, and the other an old man. The youth who had just spoken was Gu Tong, the Sect Leader of the dicine Bone Sect. Although he looked only eleven or twelve years old, he was older than anyone else present.
It was said that Gu Tong had once entered an ancient alchemist's ruin. Not only did he obtain a powerful alchemist's inheritance there, but he also acquired a tier 8 pill that completely transford his body into a physique perfectly suited for alchemy.
However, the side effect of this pill was that as his body aged, his physical developnt regressed. When he eventually regressed to infancy, it would mark the end of his life. Hence, he now appeared as a re eleven- or twelve-year-old child.
Beside Gu Tong stood a short old man dressed in rough linen garnts, resembling an inconspicuous elder one might easily overlook in a crowd.
Yet the mont he appeared, the gathered leaders all stood and cupped their hands politely.
"So it's Grandmaster Qiu Ping from the Qiu Clan of the Pill Region. A pleasure to et you." She Tianhao put aside his arrogance and raised his hand to the old man in a very courteous greeting.
After all, the Pill Region of the Central Plains was considered the land of alchemists in the entire Dou Qi Continent, gathering a vast number of them. The Pill Region was jointly controlled by five major clans, among which the Qiu Clan was one.
Qiu Ping rely nodded, saying little else. He had co this ti under the orders of the Pill Tower, serving as a judge and, incidentally, assessing the level of alchemists in the North-Western Region. If any outstanding young talents erged, he might recomnd them for cultivation within the Qiu Clan.
"Xiao Yan? Is sothing wrong?" Yun Yun keenly noticed the change in Xiao Yan's gaze and asked.
"That's a Heavenly Fla."
"Heavenly Fla?!"
What could catch Xiao Yan's attention couldn't be the Qiu Clan or Gu Tong. Even though they were both 7th-tier alchemists, to Xiao Yan, they were just so-so.
What truly interested him was the fla that Gu Tong had just displayed—the one resembling a giant fire dragon. If he wasn't mistaken, that was the Wind and Thunder Fury Fla, ranked eighteenth, one position higher than the Green Lotus Core Fla!
Born in the eye of a fiery tornado in an ancient desert, this extrely rare fla assud the shape of a tornado when summoned. It rged wind and fire into a dual-attribute Heavenly Fla.
A smile imdiately appeared on Xiao Yan's face. After absorbing the Ghostly Poison Fla more than half a year ago, the Fla Mantra had only improved slightly without advancing. If he could refine the Wind and Thunder Fury Fla, perhaps he could elevate the Fla Mantra to the Interdiate Tian Class.
Of course, he could only think about it for now.
Even though he was an Honorable Elder of the Hall of Souls, making a move under so many watchful eyes would be biting off more than he could chew. After all, he didn't possess the strength of a Dou Venerate.
"Yanran is up."
Whether through coincidence or deliberate arrangent by the Sky Serpent Mansion, the Yan Alliance's first opponent was actually the Gold Geese Sect of the Luo Yan Empire, one of the three great empires.
"That's Yan Luo Hong, the son of Yan Luo Tian, the Sect Leader of the Gold Geese Sect. His cultivation is the sa as Yanran's; both are 9-star Dou Kings." Jia Xing Tian's eyes narrowed as he looked at a middle-aged man in a majestic and luxurious golden robe standing on another mountain peak. That was Yan Luo Tian, who had once made the Jia Ma Empire restless day and night.
Yan Luo Tian sensed Jia Xing Tian's gaze. A deep frown appeared between his brows upon seeing that Jia Xing Tian had broken through to the Dou Ancestor realm.
In the past, the three great empires dared to jointly bully the Jia Ma Empire precisely because it lacked a Dou Ancestor. But now, Jia Xing Tian had broken through, and he had allied with the Snake-People Tribe. This caused Yan Luo Tian's heart to sink.
'This old fellow really did break through to Dou Ancestor...' Yan Luo Tian conveyed by voice transmission to his son, who was waiting beside the battle stage. "Hong'er, you must not lose this battle. If you lose to the Yan Alliance, considering the current miserable state of the Chu Yun Empire, they might end up surrendering to the Yan Alliance. At that point, things will be awful for our Luo Yan Empire."
This was the influence of the Great eting of Factions, affecting most significantly those factions and empires without a single Dou Ancestor.
These second-rate factions all acted based on the favor of the strong. Just as now, the Yan Alliance and the three great empires often had friction; so weaker sects or other factions within the empire naturally needed to choose sides.
If the Gold Geese Sect suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Yan Alliance in the Great eting of Factions, it would undoubtedly have a ripple effect. The most terrifying possibility was that it could lead to divisions within the entire Luo Yan Empire, with various factions defecting to the Yan Alliance.
Back then, dusa's Luo Snake Tribe had joined the Sky Serpent Mansion precisely because the Sky Serpent Mansion was too strong.
This Great eting of Factions was a platform for weaker factions to see the situation clearly, and for stronger powers to incorporate other factions without bloodshed.
Yan Luo Hong glanced at Nalan Yanran on the opposite side and laughed, "Don't worry, Father. That Nalan Yanran has only just entered the 9-star stage, while I'm already at the peak of the 9-star stage. Moreover, I have the Sky Bird Nine Flying Wings personally refined by you, Father. I will definitely win this battle."
When the Serpent King in charge of refereeing on the battle stage announced the start, Yan Luo Hong instantly erupted. The aura of a peak 9-star Dou King swept through the surroundings. In particular, when his jade-like, beautiful goose wings spread out, the expressions of many faction geniuses present changed.
"Those are the flying wings refined by Yan Luo Tian!"
"I heard that's an exclusive secret of the Gold Geese Sect. The Sect Leader relies on this Dou Technique. Even though he's only a 2-star Dou Ancestor, his speed surpasses that of high-star Dou Ancestors."
With wings spread, Yan Luo Hong's figure instantly vanished, his speed so fast that the naked eye couldn't discern it.
"Nalan Yanran, you've rely obtained your sect's inheritance. But my Gold Geese Sect's Sky Bird Nine Flying Wings are unparalleled. Among all the Dou Techniques under the heavens, only speed is unbreakable. In the face of absolute speed, all efforts are futile!"
Yan Luo Hong's voice echoed from all directions. One could only hear his voice without seeing his figure. Such speed was not sothing a Dou King could match, and even a low-star Dou Emperor would find it difficult to keep up.
It wasn't without reason that the Gold Geese Sect could dominate the entire Luo Yan Empire.
"Oh? That's a flying-type Dou Technique?" Xiao Yan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He had acquired two scrolls of flying-type Dou Techniques before, but the thod to refine them had been lost.
"Could it be that the Gold Geese Sect possesses the secret thod to refine flying-type Dou Techniques?" Xiao Yan's eyes blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected the Gold Geese Sect to have this lost ancient thod.
"Indeed, the Gold Geese Sect's Sky Bird Nine Flying Wings secret thod should be the technique for refining flying-type Dou Techniques. Moreover, it seems to be no ordinary refining thod. I once witnessed Yan Luo Tian's Sky Bird Nine Flying Wings. That speed was truly fast beyond compare." Jia Xing Tian said with a helpless bitter smile. Although the Jia Ma Imperial Family had so treasured collections, they couldn't compare at all.
Yun Yun covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Looking at Nalan Yanran in the arena, clad in the Misty Cloud Sect's robe, she smiled and said, "Unfortunately for him, he's t the wrong opponent."
On the stage, Nalan Yanran shook her head. "Your speed isn't even as fast as his."
With a crisp clang, she slowly drew her Cloud Slaying Black Sword. The blade scraped against the scabbard, and the sword's resonant hum echoed continuously.
As the sword left its sheath, Nalan Yanran's eyes instantly turned sharp. Coldly, she said, "I'll give you a chance to surrender. Otherwise, once my sword is drawn, blood will be shed."
"Hahaha! Save your sleep talk for your dreams!" Yan Luo Hong naturally wouldn't surrender. His eyes focused; counterattacking was his forte.
Using absolute speed to evade attacks, then seizing the opportunity to target vital points for a fatal strike!
The Great eting of Factions was no joke. This wasn't a sparring match between students at Jia Nan Academy; victory or defeat could also an life or death!
Nalan Yanran's eyes instantly turned cold as she channeled Dou Qi through her body.
Everyone watching collectively held their breath. Nalan Yanran's fa was not small in this western area. Having obtained Yun Po Tian's inheritance, she was renowned for her sword being so fast that once drawn, blood would definitely be seen—often slaying the enemy with a single strike.
She enjoyed an illustrious reputation across the three great empires!
A cold light flashed. In the space of a spark from flint or a flash of lightning, Nalan Yanran struck. This sword move was too fast, like chasing light and snatching lightning, so swift that it was difficult for anyone to see clearly how she executed it—a strike as fast as lightning.
A sharp cry rang out, followed by a spurt of blood as an arm, along with part of a wing, flew skyward—severed in one swift motion without the slightest hesitation.
Xiao Yan nodded approvingly. "Not bad, not bad. She has about a tenth of my forr flair."
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