Reaching the pinnacle from Doupo

Chapter 525 Warning, the Real Deal Arrives

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Lin Yuan had some guesses in his mind, but he did not refuse at the moment.

"Follow me!" He glanced at Mu Qingluan and Feng Qing'er, who were locked in a fierce battle of wits, and took a step forward, instantly appearing at the edge of the cliff.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan also flashed out and landed steadily beside Lin Yuan.

"Lock!" Lin Yuan formed a hand seal with one hand before turning to look at Xiao Yan, who seemed somewhat puzzled, and said, "I have sealed this place with my own aura, so no outsider can hear our conversation. Brother Xiao, you can speak freely about anything."

"I see!" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan felt a slight sense of realization. "No wonder I felt isolated from the world just now..."

"You'd better learn a few of these secret techniques!"

Lin Yuan smiled and reminded him, "You still need to conceal your identity, so you need to be more careful about your actions! For strong individuals, this distance won't block their hearing..."

After saying that, he raised his right hand, pointed his fingers like a sword, and gently touched Xiao Yan's brow.

Xiao Yan instinctively tried to dodge and struggle, but was horrified to find that he and the space around him were completely frozen, unable to move. The connection between his soul and the fighting spirit in his body was also completely severed, making it impossible for him to control his fighting spirit.

At the same time, his soul power was locked within his body, making it impossible for him to summon the Heavenly Demon Puppet or use the spatial jade slip given to him by the Medicine Elder.

Having already reached the level of a four-star Dou Zong, he lost all ability to resist in an instant.

On the other side, Lin Yuan paid no attention to Xiao Yan's feeble resistance. With a thought, a faint silver light flashed at his fingertips, and he gently pulled back.

In an instant, a wisp of Xiao Yan's soul power and a strand of Wind Fury Dragon Flame were forcibly extracted from him.

Then, Lin Yuan used his finger as a pen, dipped it in fire as ink, and quickly wrote in the void. In just a few blinks of an eye, a bright yellow rune took shape in the void.

Flames flowed across the rune, emanating an unusually mysterious aura.

Lin Yuan flicked his finger, and the flame rune flashed out, landing precisely between Xiao Yan's eyebrows before merging into it and disappearing.

In an instant, a mysterious wave rippled outwards, and Xiao Yan's body seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist. The originally faintly rippling pure fire element fluctuations and the unique aura of the strange fire became difficult to perceive at this moment.

After doing all this, Lin Yuan casually snapped his fingers, and the solidified space instantly dissipated, allowing Xiao Yan to regain his mobility.

"Brother Lin, what have you done?" Xiao Yan frowned, his eyes somewhat gloomy.

"It's nothing, just some necessary matters!" Lin Yuan smiled casually, his expression indifferent. "In a little while, there might be semi-saint level experts and strange fire holders coming here! Your method of concealing your strange fire aura was too crude; it couldn't escape their detection! I helped them out a bit..."

“I used the Wind Fury Dragon Flame as a base, plus a wisp of your soul power, to set up a seal that completely conceals the strange fire aura on your body.”

“Your wisp of soul power is the switch to the entire seal; you can trigger it yourself and break the seal yourself.”

"Remember, with the Flame Clan and Medicine Clan offering high bounties for different flames, the saying 'possessing a treasure is a crime' is not a joke. One wrong move and you could bring about your own death."

"You are one of the few opponents I acknowledge. I would feel sorry for you if you died so easily..."

“You know in your heart that you shouldn’t have come here, but you still came with a glimmer of hope.” He glanced at Xiao Yan and said meaningfully, “Being blinded by emotions is not a choice a smart person should make.”

At this point, Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion—Xiao Yan in the original timeline had an incredibly strong "halo."

Without the protection of a powerful force, and when he was only at the Dou Huang or Dou Zong realm, he wandered around Zhongzhou with a few strange flames, and surprisingly, no one dared to try to steal them from him.

It should be noted that even with Lin Yuan's current status, there are still people secretly spying on the secrets of his cultivation.

Xiao Yan's expression softened somewhat upon hearing Lin Yuan's words.

"Brother Lin, thank you for your kindness and help!" After a moment's hesitation, he touched his nose and said with a wry smile, "But next time something similar happens, please let me know first..."

"If you encounter an enemy with malicious intent, they won't keep you informed," Lin Yuan said calmly, waving his hand.

"I acted without consulting you just now to warn you that when you lack the protection of elders and your own strength is insufficient, don't expect others to reason with you! Remember the feeling of powerlessness you felt just now. In Zhongzhou, the cultivation level of Dou Zong is far from enough to do whatever you want..."

As he finished speaking, Lin Yuan gave Xiao Yan a deep look, his clear voice now carrying an undeniable air of solemnity.

Since Xiao Yan listened to advice and gave up the Burning Technique, he was no longer his enemy, and he had no need to deliberately target Xiao Yan.

Under these circumstances, whether considering the fact that Yao Lao gifted him the complete Burning Technique or his plans to connect with Xiao Xuan in the future, Lin Yuan wouldn't mind giving Xiao Yan some appropriate help.

The "Dao Heart" that Lin Yuan had cultivated over the past few years gave him absolute confidence in himself.

Compared to several years ago, he still holds Xiao Yan, who has the status of "protagonist of the original work," in his heart, while he still has enough respect for him, but he is not afraid of him.

Rather, it's interesting to have someone chasing after you from behind.

In addition, for researchers like Lin Yuan, it is also a good subject to see how far a "protagonist" who takes a different path can ultimately go.

By studying this sample, we might be able to clarify whether this mysterious concept of "luck" exists in this world!
Hearing Lin Yuan's words, Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then nodded solemnly: "Thank you for your advice, Brother Lin!"

"Hehe, no need to be so polite!" Lin Yuan patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and said, "Tell me, is there something you need my help with that you specifically asked me to have a private chat with? Let me guess, you want to arrange for you to meet Junior Sister Xun'er, just like last time?"

"If that's really the case, out of our friendship and for the sake of Senior Yao, I'm not unwilling to help!"

“But this time, I can’t guarantee the safety of the meeting… Compared to the situation in the Thunder Realm, the situation here is relatively chaotic, and the risks of your meeting will be much greater.”

"Brother Lin has keen insight; I did indeed have that thought before!" Xiao Yan looked directly at Lin Yuan and slowly said, "But now... let's forget about it!"

At this point, a hint of regret flashed across his face, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

Lin Yuan's extremely assertive behavior just now poured cold water on Xiao Yan, bringing him back to his senses after being momentarily overwhelmed.

Putting oneself in a deadly predicament for a moment of pleasure is certainly not a wise move.

"It's best that Brother Xiao has come to his senses!" Lin Yuan nodded approvingly, then pondered, "I'll be looking for Junior Sister Xun'er later to finalize a previous deal. If you have anything for her, I can pass it on to her..."

"Really?!" Xiao Yan was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Brother Lin. Please wait a moment... I'll prepare the letter!"

Having said that, he no longer hesitated and began preparing the letter.

Lin Yuan glanced at him, then flashed back to Feng Qing'er's side. Looking at the two women still arguing, a playful smile appeared on his lips. "Have you two had enough of arguing?" Lin Yuan chuckled, interrupting the two women's dispute.

Upon hearing this, Feng Qing'er and Mu Qingluan simultaneously turned to look at Lin Yuan. When they saw Lin Yuan's ambiguous smile, the two women snorted coldly at each other and turned their heads away.

Seeing this, Lin Yuan chuckled and looked up towards the direction of the Heavenly Meteor Cross Peak.

At this moment, there were already many figures around the towering mountain peak. Some of these people spread their battle qi wings, while others floated directly in the air. Some reclusive old monsters and sect experts could even be seen near the mountain peak.

Although there were quite a few people, everyone tacitly agreed that no one dared to cross the line within a thousand feet of the Heavenly Meteor Cross Peak.

The sunlight in the sky grew increasingly intense as time passed.

Suddenly, a muffled rumble of thunder sounded on the horizon, followed by several thick, dark clouds surging toward Tianyun Shizi Peak from several different directions.

"coming--"

Lin Yuan's gaze pierced through the layers of dark clouds, landing on the warship within. His eyes narrowed slightly. "There are quite a few people here. Are they here for team building?"

This time, it wasn't just the warships of the Ancient and Flame Clans that came; the warships of the Soul and Thunder Clans were also prominently featured.

After the four warships appeared in everyone's sight, they arrived with astonishing speed in just a few blinks of an eye, looming over the Skyfall Cross Peak.

"The main character has arrived..."

With such a prelude to their entrance, everyone immediately recognized who it was and focused their attention intently.

Under the intense gaze of the crowd, streaks of light shot out from the four warships.

After hovering briefly in the sky, these lights and shadows suddenly swooped down towards the Heavenly Cross Peak, landing around the huge arena at the summit.

As the light dissipated, numerous fierce-looking figures materialized.

They stood clearly separated in four directions, each figure possessing considerable strength, emanating an aura above the Dou Zong level. Their powerful auras intertwined, creating a suffocating sense of oppression.

The four figures in front of the four teams were even more imposing, each radiating terrifying energy fluctuations; they were none other than four semi-saint level experts.

At the front of the ancient clan's procession, Xun'er stood gracefully and quietly beside Elder Tongxuan.

Her gaze swept around, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

Why are there so many people watching this match?

Soon, when her gaze fell on Hun Yu's face and she saw that meaningful smile, she immediately realized who the culprit was—the Hun Clan, it was them again!

In recent years, the Soul Clan's actions have become increasingly unpredictable, and their style of doing things has also changed considerably.

In the past, the Soul Clan, though ruthless and cruel, and infamous throughout the Dou Qi Continent, maintained an extremely low profile and rarely interacted with other clans. They were like venomous snakes lurking in the darkness, making them impossible to guard against.

In recent years, although the Soul Clan has remained ruthless, it has deviated from its usual practice and has begun to actively strengthen its interactions with other clans, with a hint of trying to win them over.

The Soul Clan's unusual behavior has caused some division within the ancient clans.

Some of the elders were deeply worried and extremely vigilant about this.

They believe that if the Soul Clan successfully wins over the other clans, it will inevitably change the balance of power between the Soul and Ancient Clans, and the Ancient Clan's long-standing advantage will no longer exist, so it must be curbed.

Some elders, however, are optimistic about this.

In their view, if the Soul Clan could truly change, then ending the long and brutal struggle between the Soul and Ancient Clans would not be a bad thing.

However, strengthening the ties between the ancient tribe and the other tribes was something the elders unanimously agreed upon.

The duel between Gu Xun'er and Huo Zhi stemmed from both the two women's desire to compete and also served as a step towards deepening exchanges between the younger generation of the Gu and Yan clans.

But the current situation seems to be getting out of control...

If the duel takes place under such public scrutiny, it would be somewhat unacceptable, both morally and in terms of reputation, for either Gu Xun'er or Huo Zhi to suffer a crushing defeat.

After all, both women represent ancient lineages, and their victory or defeat is bound to be over-interpreted by outsiders.

"Is the Soul Clan trying to use the outcome of this duel to spread rumors and damage the relationship between the Ancient and Flame Clans?" Xun'er's mind raced, but her face showed no sign of anything amiss, only her brows furrowed slightly more deeply.

At this moment, Elder Tongxuan's lips moved slightly, and a soft voice rang in the girl's ear: "Miss, don't overthink it, just focus on your own victory or defeat!"

Xun'er nodded slightly, her gaze returning to the arena, her eyes gradually sharpening.

Huo Zhi also stepped out from the Yan Clan's ranks, her figure graceful and her red dress fluttering in the wind, like a red lotus blooming in the flames, fiery and dazzling.

She slowly walked to the center of the arena, her beautiful eyes burning with a fierce fighting spirit, a fighting spirit that was like a tangible flame, looking directly at Xun'er.

"Sister Xun'er, I have been waiting for this showdown for a long time!"

“I feel the same way!” Xun’er moved gracefully, landing lightly opposite Huo Zhi. A golden flame flickered in her beautiful eyes.

Instantly, an invisible aura rippled outwards, colliding with the fiery aura of Huo Zhi and creating ripples.

Seeing this, Huo Zhi raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of seriousness flashing in her eyes, and the flame mark between her brows burned even hotter.

"Very good, let me witness the power of the ancient clan's inherited fire!"

She clenched her jade palm suddenly, and a deep red, bewitching flame burst forth from her body, the flames leaping up and forming red lotus shapes above.

Red Lotus Karmic Flames swirled around her, and Huo Zhi resembled a goddess of judgment, exuding a holy and mysterious aura.

Seeing this, Xun'er put her jade hands together, forming a complex and intricate hand seal like a blooming lotus. Brilliant golden flames, like the sun, burst forth from Xun'er's body, covering the sky and the earth.

As the golden flames emerged, the entire sky suddenly burst into flames...

(End of this chapter)