"Pinnacle of the Wind: Falling Slash!"
A razor-sharp cyan sword beam tore through the sky, hurtling toward the black mist!
Yun Shan's opening move was a lethal strike, revealing his deep wariness of the mysterious intruder. A Peak Dou Huang's full-force attack could cripple or even kill another of the same rank!
"Jie jie jie! Not a bad technique, but you haven't crossed that threshold. You can't threaten me," the mist sneered with contempt.
A massive hand emerged from the fog, casually twisting the space before it, carving a distorted arc that deflected the incoming sword beam.
Boom!
The redirected cyan beam flattened a distant mountain peak.
"Spatial power… a Dou Zong?!"
Yun Shan's expression grew grave. Though Peak Dou Huang was only a step from Dou Zong, the gap was an impassable chasm.
"Who are you, and what do you want with Yun Lan Sect?"
Yun Shan took a deep breath, forcing calm.
"You're not worthy of knowing my identity," the voice from the mist replied, dripping with allure. "All you need to know is that I can grant you power to break through that barrier."
Yun Shan's heart stirred, but his steady, cautious nature held firm. "There's no free lunch in this world. Accepting your gift must come with an unimaginable price, doesn't it?"
"Jie jie jie! Nothing much—just sell your soul to me," the mist cackled recklessly.
"I'd rather die!"
Yun Shan rejected the offer without hesitation, his resolve ironclad.
"People only see themselves clearly when death stares them down," the voice taunted. "Let's see how long your backbone holds."
The figure in the mist, aware of Yun Shan's dwindling lifespan, was in no rush.
"…"
Yun Shan clenched his fists, his aged eyes brimming with helplessness as the black mist vanished into a spatial rift, leaving no trace. Break through, or die. Break through, and become their puppet. Do I even have a choice?
Yun Lan Sect's grand protective array would detect any stranger's approach instantly, but for a Dou Zong wielding spatial power, it was as good as nonexistent.
The black mist swaggered through the sect's skies, its soul perception sweeping over the grounds. "One Peak Dou Huang, one three-star Dou Huang, a few Dou Wang elders, and a bunch of insignificant disciples."
The mist dispersed, revealing a black-robed figure with dark red chains coiled around his arms—Wu Ying, an Earth-Rank Protector of the Hun Clan.
As a top-tier power in the Dou Qi Continent, the Hun Clan's influence spanned every corner. But in the remote northwest, their presence was thin. To bolster their manpower, Wu Protector planned to covertly control a local force, hence targeting Yun Lan Sect.
"According to the clan's intelligence, a remnant branch of the Xiao Clan lingers in the Jia Ma Empire. And the hunt for Yao Chen—his trail went cold around here after he fled, gravely wounded…"
"If I can capture the Xiao Clan's remnants and seize Yao Chen's soul, the Clan Leader will surely reward me handsomely!"
"Jie jie jie!"
Wu Protector schemed, his ambitions soaring. Step one: dominate Yun Lan Sect, the local powerhouse. Step two: hunt down the Xiao Clan remnants. If the Gu Clan, once allies of the Xiao Clan, intervened, he'd flee without hesitation. As for Yao Chen, his soul's remaining strength was unknown. Cautiously, Wu planned to pit Yun Lan Sect against him, letting them weaken each other while he reaped the rewards. If Yao Chen proved stronger than expected, no matter—Yun Lan Sect would take the losses. He'd report back to Zhongzhou, summon a Venerable Elder, and still claim the credit. A foolproof plan!
"So that's your game, you sly old fox," a sudden voice remarked from behind, startling Wu Protector.
"Who's there?!"
He spun around, one hand gripping his chains, the other readying spatial power for battle.
But before him stood a young man, barely in his twenties.
"Two-star Dou Zhe… no, something's off!"
Wu Protector's eyes narrowed. He saw Yun Xian's Dou Qi rank but didn't scoff. Instead, his brows furrowed. "To evade my perception and appear behind me unnoticed—you, who are you?"
"Yun Lan Sect's Little Uncle-Master, Yun Xian," he replied, deadpan. "As you see, just an ordinary two-star Dou Zhe."
"Hmph! Playing tricks!"
Wu Protector suspected Yun Xian was hiding his strength but doubted a twenty-something could match a Dou Zong like him.
"Threefold Soul Chains!"
With a flick of his arm, three chains lashed out with a clattering roar, streaking like venomous snakes, crisscrossing to seal Yun Xian's every escape.
Bang!
The chains shattered, leaving Yun Xian unscathed.
"!!!"
Wu Protector's pupils trembled, his face paling in shock.
"Enough games," Yun Xian said, his tone flat. "Tell me every Hun Clan stronghold in the northwest continent."
No longer bothering with banter, he demanded the information he sought.
"You… you know of the Hun Clan, so you must understand the might behind us!"
Wu Protector's voice was stern but inwardly shaken, trying to intimidate. "I advise you not to—"
Before he could finish, his body exploded into a mist of blood and fragments. Only his ethereal soul remained, trembling in terror.
"Threats are best left unspoken," Yun Xian said, snapping his fingers, unleashing an invisible wave of force.
Such terrifying soul power! Even the clan's Venerable Elders can't compare!
"I was only jesting… please, spare me!"
Wu Protector, now thoroughly cowed, begged for mercy. He hurriedly retrieved a map from his storage ring, detailing the Hun Clan's secret outposts.
"Just these?"
Yun Xian eyed the sparse markings, skeptical. In the original story, the Hun Clan, allied with the Lion Underworld Sect, had dominated much of the northwest.
"I'm but a lowly Earth-Rank Protector. This is all I know," Wu Protector said, his voice meek, not daring to conceal a thing.
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