As night fell, the amethyst valley shimmered with a soft glow from every crystal, exuding an air of serene elegance.
Yun Yun sat with her chin resting on her hands, her slender yet voluptuous legs folded beneath her. Her gaze was fixed on the distant cave, where heaven and earth energy surged violently, forming a swirling vortex.
Glancing at the Amethyst Winged Lion King, who was also absorbing vast amounts of energy nearby, she sighed in exasperation. "These two… really…"
Such reckless energy absorption would surely attract the attention of other magical beasts sooner or later.
Little did she know, after the renovation of the Beast Storage Ring's interior, the beasts of the eastern Warcraft Mountains had grown all too familiar with this crystal valley—and none dared disturb the Amethyst Winged Lion King's territory.
Suddenly, the energy tide surged even more violently, pouring into the cave like an unending deluge.
The cave itself seemed to gulp it down like a monstrous whale, devouring energy far faster than it could gather.
The gales stirred by this colossal energy convergence forced Yun Yun to her feet. Her ink-black hair and fluttering robes contrasted starkly against the luminous crystals, accentuating her ethereal beauty.
"Is he… breaking through?!" She was stunned. Since when could Beast Flames aid in cultivation breakthroughs?
At that moment, an overwhelming aura erupted from the cave, like an ancient beast awakening from slumber.
Bathed in the amethyst glow, a tall figure emerged leisurely from the cavern.
Yun Yun's eyes narrowed. Only now did she finally grasp the depths of Xiao Yan's strength.
"A two-star Dou Huang?!" She could hardly believe it. Before this breakthrough, that meant he had only been a one-star Dou Huang.
The thought that a one-star Dou Huang had effortlessly neutralized the combined might of her and the Amethyst Winged Lion King's techniques was mind-boggling.
Even she, a four-star Dou Huang, couldn't have done that!
Xiao Yan stretched lazily, then turned to Yun Yun with a roguish grin. "A successful breakthrough calls for celebration."
Before she could react, he was already before her, as swift as the wind.
"What kind of celebration did you have in mind?" Under his scorching gaze, Yun Yun's heartbeat quickened uncontrollably, her cheeks flushing.
"Of course…" Xiao Yan lifted her delicate chin with a finger, his eyes lingering on her glistening lips as a mischievous smile played on his lips.
Yun Yun pressed a hand against his shoulder, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with resistance. "N-no… you can't…"
"You promised me. Time to pay up." His tone brooked no argument.
Remembering her vow, Yun Yun's hand stilled. Her long lashes fluttered shut as she resigned herself.
Nearby, the Amethyst Winged Lion King—awakened by Xiao Yan's breakthrough—watched its master's beckoning gesture and scratched its head in confusion. What does this have to do with me?
Seeing Yun Yun's expectant expression, Xiao Yan crossed his arms and cleared his throat. "Lion King, hit her with the Amethyst Seal."
Yun Yun's eyes flew open. "When did I ever agree to this?!" she snapped, equal parts shocked and indignant.
"You swore to assist my cultivation for three months. Did you forget?" Xiao Yan replied coolly.
Yun Yun gritted her teeth. That arrangement had been about tempering his mindset—not becoming a test subject for sealing techniques!
"That didn't include being your practice dummy!"
Xiao Yan eyed her up and down, then shook his head. "You're right. You're not suitable."
As an ordinary Dou Huang, Yun Yun's resistance would weaken the seal's effects, leaving her no stronger than a mundane human.
If she retained even a fraction of her Dou Huang physique, overpowering a mere Dou Zhe would be child's play.
Ultimately, using her as a test subject wouldn't reveal the Amethyst Seal's full potential.
"I'll do it myself." Xiao Yan waved the lion king over.
"Young Master Yan… you want me to seal you?!" The beast's voice trembled.
"Just do it." Xiao Yan spread his arms impatiently.
Unlike Yun Yun, his Dou Qi, physique, and soul power were all peak-tier for his level. Experiencing the seal firsthand would provide far deeper insights.
Yun Yun watched in bewilderment. Why would he willingly cripple himself?
The study of sealing techniques was crucial for crafting the Flame Spirit Sacred Armor—and ensuring his father's safety. Xiao Yan had long planned to analyze the Amethyst Winged Lion King's signature move in depth.
"Young Master Yan… brace yourself."
The lion king roared, its body erupting in violet radiance as the surrounding energy churned unnaturally.
Yun Yun's brows furrowed. This Amethyst Seal was at least twice as powerful as the one she'd faced.
The amethyst glow outshone even the valley's crystals as the lion's horn gathered the energy into a concentrated beam—faster than lightning, leaving even Xiao Yan only a fleeting glimpse before impact.
Thud!
The violet light struck Xiao Yan's chest, forcing a grunt from him as an alien energy invaded his meridians, suppressing his Dou Qi.
Despite the peerless quality of his Heavenly Flame-refined energy, it withered rapidly under the seal's influence, collapsing back into his Dou Qi vortex.
His soul power and physical strength also waned significantly, though not as drastically as his Dou Qi.
Xiao Yan attempted to rally his Heavenly Flames to break the seal, but the foreign energy proved stubborn—even five Heavenly Flames combined could only barely shake it.
So even I can't break free immediately. Magical beast seals truly are remarkable.
Exhaling slowly, Xiao Yan concluded that the Amethyst Seal was near-absolute against Dou Qi, moderately effective on the body, and weakest against soul power.
"Yao Yan, are you alright?" Yun Yun approached anxiously.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King's eyes bulged. It had distinctly sensed a terrifying force assaulting the seal moments ago.
Had it not mastered the Purple Evolution Refining Extreme, its technique would've shattered instantly.
Shouldn't someone be worried about me instead?!
Xiao Yan shook his head, then abruptly pulled Yun Yun's slender waist against him, staring into her watery eyes. "Now… it's time to pay your debt."
Yun Yun bit her lip and pushed him away, still smarting from earlier. "With your strength sealed, how exactly do you plan to enforce that?"
"It's what I'm owed." Xiao Yan flexed his wrists. "Care for another wager? If you can defeat me in swordsmanship, I'll forfeit my claim."
"You still have power left?!" Yun Yun gasped. Ancient texts described magical beast seals as reducing victims to ordinary humans temporarily.
"Less than forty percent," Xiao Yan smirked. "But enough to best you."
Less than forty percent?! Enough?!
"Fine! But if I lose… what do you want this time?" Having learned her lesson, Yun Yun wasn't about to agree blindly.
Still, she was confident victory was assured. The Yunlan Sect was a sword-centric faction—and she was its sect master!
Xiao Yan sighed dramatically. "This bet's skewed in your favor, so the stakes must be higher. I want your sect's secret technique: Wind's Extreme—Falling Star Kill."
Yun Yun hesitated. That technique was reserved exclusively for Yunlan Sect leaders.
"Scared? You can forfeit now—just kiss me, and we'll call it even." His tone was deliberately provocative.
"With less than forty percent strength and a sword contest? Don't overestimate yourself." A strange-looking sword materialized in her hand amid a cyan glow.
Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed as he raised his hand, summoning the Plow Spirit Art—a blazing ancient sword materializing from his soul power.
Why settle for one prize when you can win two? He'd planned this long before leaving the cave.
Besides, Yun Yun couldn't fully test the seal's limits.
Seeing Xiao Yan's stance, Yun Yun discarded her last traces of contempt. This man was clearly a master swordsman.
"Make your move." His voice was calm.
Yun Yun's toes barely grazed the ground as she activated the Flying Catkins Body Technique (Earth Tier Mid-Level), her figure blurring like willow fluff in a gale.
Her ethereal movements spawned multiple afterimages, obscuring her true position as she unleashed razor-sharp cyan sword beams from all angles.
Xiao Yan didn't dodge. With a flick of his wrist, the Plow Spirit sword danced like flowing water, intercepting every projectile with effortless precision.
He blocked all that with forty percent strength?!
Before she could process this, Yun Yun closed the distance, her blade tracing graceful arcs through the air—only to freeze mid-swing as Xiao Yan's sword met hers with uncanny timing.
"How—?"
A subtle tremor ran through Xiao Yan's wrist, channeling a surge of force into his blade that jolted Yun Yun's arm, nearly numbing her grip.
The Plow Spirit wasn't an ordinary energy sword—it was soul-forged, capable of shaking the very spirit. Yun Yun had unwittingly walked into a trap.
Forced back a step, she barely maintained her hold on the sword as Xiao Yan pressed his advantage.
His swordplay defied convention—formless, nameless, a manifestation of the void itself. It was the pinnacle of swordsmanship, where technique transcended into pure intuition.
Under this relentless assault, Yun Yun's defenses crumbled. Her trademark grace abandoned her as she struggled to parry the storm of strikes.
(End of Chapter)
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