Battle Through the Heavens

The first person who recovered from her shock was Xiao Yu who was unusually sensitive to this name. A joyful disbelief instantly surged onto her pretty pale-white face.

“May I know which friend has intervened? This matter concerns the grudge of my Demon Flame Valley and the Jia Nan Academy. It has nothing to do with the outsiders!” Xie Zhen’s body also hurriedly pulled back as he immediately cried out in a deep voice. As the shout was emitted from his mouth, that gaze swiftly swept over the sky.

“He he, Wu Hao, it has been a long time since we last met. It is unexpected that I end up seeing you in such a miserable state the moment I see you!” A clear laugh appeared from nowhere not long after Xie Zhen’s cry sounded. It lingered in the air before it finally resounded over valley.

“Everyone in the valley suddenly raised their heads when they heard this laughter. They saw a black-robed, young man flapping jade-green flame wings on his back as he stood in the sky.

“Xiao Yan... it is really him. We are really saved this time around...” Xiao Yu heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that familiar face. Her pale-white face also revealed a smile as though she had released a heavy burden.

“Instructor Xiao Yu, who is he?” A couple of young instructors beside Xiao Yu asked in soft somewhat uncertain voices. They were all junior instructors of the Jia Nan Academy. They had been selected not long ago. As such, they did not really recognize the name of Xiao Yan. Moreover, two years was not a short time. Therefore, they were momentarily unable to clearly remember the meaning that this name represented.

Some of the young students by the side also revealed uncertain gazes. Before they could voice their question, a young lady who appeared to have recalled something suddenly exclaimed, “Xiao Yan? That Senior Xiao Yan from the Inner Academy? ‘Pan’s Gate’s’ founder?”

The exclamation by the young lady immediately exploded among this group like a bomb. Everyone lifted their heads in shock. They stared at the black-robed, young man in the sky. Most of them could fluently retell the various events of Xiao Yan in the Inner Academy backwards. Most of the people adopted admiration for this senior who could fight with those expert Dou Huangs at his age. Adding the presence of ‘Pan’s Gate’ and ‘Xiao Gate’, left a legendary taste to the reputation of their founder Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan merely shrugged his shoulders as he observed the numerous astonished gazes below. After which, the fire wings on his back slowly disappeared. His body moved and it gently drifted down before finally appearing in front of Wu Hao. He pressed his hand on the Heavy Xuan Ruler and smiled at the latter. “Not bad, you have already reached the Dou Wang class.”

Wu Hao struggled to stand up. He studied the familiar face, which was in close proximity, and his tensed heart finally relaxed. As long as this fellow appeared, he knew that the matter today would end successfully. Wu Hao had always held the greatest confidence in Xiao Yan. During the few years that they were acquainted, he had witnessed quite a number of miracles happening.

“You fellow. It has been two years since you have gone missing...” Wu Hao rubbed the blood trace from the corner of his mouth and let out a couple of intense coughs. A fist immediately smashed into Xiao Yan’s chest. His cold and stern face was filled with a rare smile.

Xiao Yan vaguely smiled. He handed a medicinal pill to Wu Hao and patted his shoulder. He laughed, “Eat it. You will be fine after resting by the side. Leave the rest of the matters here to me.”

Xiao Yan’s gaze shifted back as he spoke. After which, it landed on a tall red-clothed beauty. He gently laughed, “Are you alright?”

Xiao Yu involuntarily felt her nose turn sour as she sensed Xiao Yan gentle gaze. Her eyes were filled with some fog. It was a long while later before she clenched her silver teeth and said, “Don’t let these people off. This time around, three students have died in their hands.”

“Relax, not one will remain.” Xiao Yan softly laughed and nodded.

Xiao Yu involuntarily rolled her eyes when she heard this breeze-like reply by Xiao Yan. She immediately turned her head and did indeed see an unusual flicker in the eyes of quite a number of female students because of this fellow’s reply.

“Tsk tsk, what an arrogant tone. The people in the ‘Black-Corner Region’ who can speak to the old me in such a manner does not include a young brat like you!” The eyes of Xie Zhen a short distance away turned cold as he laughed in a dark manner.

Xiao Yan completely ignored Xie Zhen’s laughter. He turned his body and his eyes glanced at Xie Zhen. After which, he slowly walked forward. His hand randomly grabbed the ruler’s hilt when he passed the Heavy Xuan Ruler. That enormous item was randomly lifted by him as he slowly walked toward Xie Zhen.

Xie Zhen’s eyes became darker when he saw Xiao Yan’s action. By sensing his aura, he could tell that the black-robed, young man in front of him was also an elite Dou Haung. However, the latter’s level was clearly inferior to him.

“Looks like the Jia Nan Academy really only produces some arrogant and ignorant fellows.” Xie Zhen involuntarily laughed after being looked down by a person who was of a lower level. Powerful Dou Qi suddenly surged out of his body. White Dou Qi was like cold ice as it caused some ice shavings to appear on the ground. His large hand-claw tightened. His fingernails appeared incomparably sharp upon being dyed by that cold white-colored air.

“Brat, today, the old me shall allow you to see just what it means to say there is always someone better than you. Don’t assume that the you can view everyone in the world as nothing just because your talent is acceptable.” Xie Zhen gave off a dense laugh. His feet suddenly stomped on the ground and his body suddenly shot out. Both of his claws danced and caused even the air to be torn apart. The sharp sound of rushing wind caused quite a number of people’s relaxed hearts to become anxious once again.

A strange expression flashed across Xiao Yan’s eyes when he heard these words of Xie Zhen. He immediately took a step and leaned his body forward in a strange manner. One could only see a sharp hand-claw that contained a coldness moving along Xiao Yan’s chest. It flew past while carrying a sharp wind.

“Your speed is still alright...” Xiao Yan randomly dodged this swift attack by Xie Zhen as he spoke in a faint manner.

Xie Zhen was momentarily shocked when his attack miss. Clearly, he felt extremely surprised that Xiao Yan was able to dodge it. However, this absent-mindedness only lasted for an instant. His eyes suddenly became stern as his hand-claw moved. It was like a blade as it suddenly sliced forward.

The corner of Xiao Yan’s mouth curled as he watched Xie Zhen suddenly change his attacking stance with a pair of rippleless old-well-like eyes. His fist was abruptly tightened before striking forward. Finally, it collided heavily with that hand claw of Xie Zhen.

Xiao Yan’s fist suddenly opened when his hand and the claw collided. His palm shook violently and a hot hidden force suddenly surged out from it!

“Bang!”

A low muffled sound appeared. Xiao Yan’s body did not move while Xie Zhen’s legs rubbed against the ground as he quickly took ten plus steps back. Only then did he stabilize his body. He cried out with shock, “You have hidden your strength?”

Xie Zhen could not be blamed for being so astonished. The instant when the fist and claw collided, the icy-cold Dou Qi within his body was suppressed by Xiao Yan until it was unable to be released. Moreover, that strange, hot force eventually invaded his body, causing the interior of his body to become completely chaotic.

Seeing that Xiao Yan had steadily took the upper hand in his battle with Xie Zhen, the students of the Jia Nan Academy became overjoyed. Low cheers immediately sounded. Although quite a number of rumors about Xiao Yan spread during these two years, none of them had personally witnessed his strength. Hence, most people still felt some worry in their hearts even when Xiao Yan had appeared. However, such worries had instantly vanished after the lightning-like exchange earlier.

“This fellow... his strength is even stronger than it was two years ago...” Wu Hao involuntarily laughed before softly sighing when he saw this exchange.

A smile filled Xiao Yu’s face. In her heart, it seemed that as long as this fellow appeared, any kind of desperate situation would be easily resolved.

The Little Fairy Doctor and the others stood at the top of the valley and looked down at the battle occurring in the valley from their high vantage point. The assassins from the Demon Flame Valley around them had already fallen to the ground dead. Mai Di and that young lady called Mo Ling by the side were somewhat stunned as they watched the interior of the valley. Xiao Yan was actually able to obtain the upper hand in a battle with an expert Dou Huang. This was quite a great shock to them. After all, they had similarly not seen Xiao Yan fight. Those battles that their ears were familiar with were things that they had only heard of. Hearing about it was a completely different concept when compared with the degree of shock that came from personally witnessing such strength.

The faces of the people from the Demon Flame Valley had become extremely ugly compared to the joy contained in the expressions of Wu Hao’s group. It was unexpected that even Fourth Elder was unable to obtain the upper hand in his fight with this fellow. Just where did this little brat come from?

Xiao Yan’s five fingers gently rotated before he once again clenched them. He sensed the Dou Qi that seemed to be commanded by his arm and could not help but smile. The five months of traveling through the mountain forest and killing a countless number of Magical Beasts had indeed caused the Dou Qi in his body to become purer. He had also clearly become even more familiar with this kind of close range combat.

Xiao Yan raised his eyes. A silver glow flashed under his feet before he immediately disappeared in a strange manner.

Xie Zhen’s eyes shrank when he saw that Xiao Yan had suddenly disappeared. His body immediately hurried back. However, his body had just moved when a black figure appeared behind him in a ghost-like fashion. A fist that contained a hot force viciously smashed into the latter’s back.

Xie Zhen, at the same time, violently threw a punch behind him in conditional reflex when Xiao Yan’s fist was about to strike its target. Both fists immediately collided.

A cold smile suddenly surfaced on Xiao Yan’s face when they collided. A jade-green flame surged out from his body in all directions.

“Bang!”

Powerful Dou Qi that contained a hot flame ruthlessly poured toward Xie Zhen from all directions like fire sweeping over grassland.

“Grug!”

The frightening wind that suddenly arrived caused Xie Zhen’s face to drastically change. The bones in his wrist emitted a slight cracking sound. Immediately, a mouthful of fresh blood was involuntarily spat out. His body flew forward, splitting the ground before heavily colliding with an enormous rock.

“Just who are you?”

Xie Zhen cried out with a hoarse voice. Shock finally appeared on his face after receiving such a heavily blow.

“‘Xiao Gate’s’ Xiao Yan.”

A jade-green flame fiercely burned within the valley. A calm, soft voice gently drifted into the ears of Xie Zhen, only to cause the latter’s eyes to abruptly shrink!