Reaching the pinnacle from Doupo

Chapter 557 The preliminary round ends, and the two appear.

The gentle voice that suddenly rang in her ears startled Nalan Yanran, causing her thoughts to pause for a moment.

After regaining her senses, Nalan Yanran looked up and saw that handsome, familiar face. Although it was her former rival, it unexpectedly gave her a sense of peace... Perhaps, this was what it felt like to meet an old friend in a foreign land?

Seeing Nalan Yanran's astonished expression, Xiao Yan smiled faintly, and with a thought, a wisp of soul power flew out from between his eyebrows.

"It's been a long time. I'm Chen Yan now, don't call me by that name..."

Just as Nalan Yanran was about to speak, an extremely subtle voice of the soul rang precisely in her ear.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, a strange look flashed in Nalan Yanran's eyes. She then nodded slightly, cupped her hands in a bow to Xiao Yan, and said softly, "Thank you for saving me, Brother Yan. I am deeply grateful!"

Seeing her humble and polite demeanor, Xiao Yan was somewhat speechless—in just a few years, how could that once spoiled and arrogant girl have become so humble?!

At this moment, although his face remained calm, he felt a sense of loss and regret that things had changed.

Those things from back then were completely resolved in the three-year agreement, and the grudges between the two have also vanished. Xiao Yan is not a petty person, and those things have gradually been forgotten. Even now, when he thinks back on them, he can't help but sigh at his youthful arrogance.

Even so, he couldn't treat Nalan Yanran like a stranger.

After all, this woman was his fiancée, someone he had kept in his heart for three years. Naturally, he couldn't bear to watch her die, so he acted on his own.

"You're too kind, young lady. Don't worry about such a small thing!"

Shaking his head, Xiao Yan cleared his mind of distractions, waved his hand to indicate that the other party did not need to be so polite, and then turned his head to look at Wang Chen, whose face was cold.

"Brother Wang, you truly deserve to be a disciple of the Venerable One; this move is indeed extraordinary!"

As he spoke, he clenched his fist slightly, a yellow flame flashed in his eyes, and a wave of intense heat spread out, dispelling all the dark energy on Wang Chen's arm.

In an instant, the chill in the square dissipated, replaced by a comforting warmth.

As for Wang Chen, sensing Xiao Yan's unfathomable strength, although his killing intent surged within him, he forced a smile and said solemnly, "Since Brother Chen has spoken, I will naturally grant him this courtesy..."

The difference in strength is too great. If I don't choose to be dignified, the other party can make me be dignified. I might as well take the opportunity to back down – if I do this much, my master should be able to forgive me.

With his mind settled, Wang Chen withdrew his hand and, with a thought, released the Yellow Spring Blood Technique.

In an instant, all the color drained from his face, turning him deathly pale. His aura plummeted, almost dropping him to the Dou Zong level.

The terrifying side effects of the Yellow Springs Blood Technique are finally beginning to appear.

Seeing that Wang Chen was so sensible, Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, then took out a pill and tossed it to the latter: "Brother Wang, this is a Rejuvenating Pill that I refined. After taking it and resting for a few days, your injuries and essence should be fully restored..."

Although he disliked the way Huangquan Pavilion operated, he still took the time to appease them in consideration of the subsequent merger of the four pavilions.

"A seventh-grade elixir, the Rejuvenation Pill?!"

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Wang Chen's face lit up with joy. He quickly took the pill and swallowed it in front of everyone without hesitation—he didn't believe that Chen Yan would dare to harm him in public!
A moment later, as the medicine took effect, Wang Chen's increasingly weak breathing finally stabilized, and some color returned to his face.

"He can produce seventh-grade pills with ease; he truly deserves to be a disciple of the Medicine Sage!"

"By the way, he just said that the Rejuvenating Spirit Pill was refined by himself, right? He's only in his early twenties, yet he's already a seventh-grade alchemist. His talent in alchemy, while not as good as the Medicine Lord's, is not much inferior to that Cao family demoness, is it?"

"As expected of the disciple of the Medicine Saint, he might even surpass his master in a few decades. The Starfall Pavilion is destined for a bright future!"

"This young master Chen is actually quite good-looking!"

"Tsk, another one of those hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress dramas... If I weren't so incompetent, I could have done it too... Damn it!"

"Speaking of which, does Chen Yan know that woman? Hehe, I've got some inspiration for my story."

Xiao Yan's actions once again sparked heated discussions in the square, and many young women's eyes frequently lingered on him, including some bold and passionate ones.

Nalan Yanran stood behind Xiao Yan, looking at his tall and straight back with complicated emotions, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

She once harbored a grudge against Xiao Yan because of their annulment of their engagement. Later, during the battle at the Yunlan Sect, she witnessed his rise and power. Now, when they meet again, he has grown to a point where she can only look up to him, and he has even saved her life.

Nalan Yanran understood the implications of being able to easily block Wang Chen's deadly move; it was a strength that she could not match.

Another showdown is ultimately just wishful thinking on her part.

"That little girl is Nalan Yanran, whom Yao Chen mentioned and who had a three-year agreement with Xiao Yan. The aura of her cultivation technique... Interesting, what a coincidence!"

On the high platform, Venerable Feng lowered his gaze and looked at Ruji in the square with great interest.

At this moment, Venerable Huangquan's sarcastic voice came from the side: "Hehe, Venerable Feng, your young master is quite the ladies' man. In order to win the heart of a beauty, he did not hesitate to break the tacit agreement that the four pavilions would not fight each other in the preliminary rounds."

Upon hearing this, Venerable Feng shrugged and said indifferently, "Venerable Huangquan, perhaps you should thank Chen Yan for his help!"

"Oh?" Venerable Huangquan raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile curving his lips. "You blocked my disciple's attack, ruining his revenge. And I should be thanking you?"

"hehe--"

Venerable Feng chuckled lightly, saying meaningfully, "That little girl's identity is not simple; she is definitely not an ordinary disciple of the Flower Sect!"

“If I am not mistaken, she is cultivating the ‘Heavenly Wind Profound Scripture,’ which is the prerequisite technique for the ‘Heavenly Wind Sacred Technique,’ one of the highest inheritances of the Flower Sect! Those qualified to cultivate this technique are at least extremely core disciples, or even candidates for the young sect master.”

"Although the Flower Sect is upright and reasonable, I don't know how they would react if this young girl's life were truly taken."

"After all, it's not uncommon to understand something rationally, but not emotionally.

"Considering this, shouldn't you thank Chen Yan for his help?"

Thanks to Yao Lao, Venerable Feng's understanding of Zhongzhou far surpassed that of the others. He understood just how powerful the Flower Sect was, a formidable force with two half-saints.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Huangquan fell silent for a moment. He was well aware of the difference in strength between Huangquan Pavilion and Flower Sect.

Of course, it's impossible to say thank you!

As the group talked, the melee in the square was nearing its end, with only eight people remaining.

Besides Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran, Feng Qing'er, Mu Qingluan, Tang Ying, and Wang Chen, there were two other young powerhouses, one a Dou Zong level expert and the other a Half-Zong level expert. Seven Dou Zong experts and one Half-Zong level expert... this was arguably the strongest Four Directions Pavilion Tournament ever.

Looking at the eight people in the arena, Venerable Lei nodded in satisfaction and said, "The 'competition for rankings' trend is rising in Zhongzhou. This year's Four Directions Pavilion Conference has indeed produced a great number of talents. These eight are all extraordinary young geniuses with unlimited potential."

The others nodded in agreement, saying that in previous years, it was quite an achievement to have even one Dou Zong!
Seeing this, Venerable Lei smiled heartily—being able to host a high-profile event was a very prestigious thing for the Wind and Thunder Pavilion.

He took a deep breath, stood up, looked around, and his domineering voice resounded across the top of Leishan Mountain.

"The free-for-all is over. Congratulations on advancing to the main tournament! Don't get too excited yet, the real test is yet to come in the main tournament. The main tournament will be a one-on-one battle, with the winner advancing and the loser being eliminated... Now, let's draw lots to determine our opponents."

With that, Venerable Lei waved his hand, and eight jade tokens appeared in the center of the square.

However, Venerable Wind smiled to himself and murmured in a voice only he could hear, "Yes, the foreplay is over, now comes the main event!"

Then, he slightly raised his gaze and looked at a void above the square, a hint of anticipation appearing in his eyes.

"Lord Wind, what's wrong?"

Noticing Venerable Feng's unusual behavior, Venerable Jian, who was always on good terms with him, frowned slightly and asked in confusion.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Huangquan and Venerable Lei also turned their gazes over.

"Hehe, it's time!" Venerable Feng smiled slightly, then stood up and said meaningfully, "The three of you, our distinguished guests have arrived, and we should also make our way."

"Distinguished guest, what is the meaning of this...?"

Sword Master's expression hardened slightly, and he was about to ask what the other person meant when he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine before he could finish speaking.

The three Venerable Ones suddenly looked up and followed Venerable Wind's gaze.

Above the square, in a corner of the distant sky, space had somehow become distorted, forming a dark void.

However, upon closer inspection, one can discover a hazy, otherworldly realm hidden within the void.

"The Four Directions Pavilion Assembly, hehe!" A chilling, ancient voice echoed from the hollow, followed by two terrifying auras, carrying a terrifying momentum that sent shivers down one's spine, sweeping across the entire summit of Thunder Mountain.

Sensing the overwhelming aura spreading outwards, everyone present... including several Venerables, had their expressions change drastically, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

This aura was far more powerful than they could have imagined.

Under the influence of this vast aura, the once bustling square instantly fell silent.

"Welcome, Lord Pavilion Master!"

"Welcome, Saint Gu Yan!"

Amidst the silence, a long-suppressed cheer erupted from the Starfall Pavilion's ranks.

The excitement they had been suppressing since receiving the Wind Venerable's command finally burst forth like a flood. The sound waves were like a raging torrent, shaking the clouds and mist, as if the very sky itself was about to be overturned.

"A saint...a saint, has a saint truly descended? This aura, is it the aura of a saint?"

"Sect Master... is the Medicine Saint?"

"Ancient Flame Saint, who is this powerful senior?"

Hearing the cheers of the Starfall Pavilion members, the trembling crowd gradually came to their senses. Looking at the ever-expanding hole in the sky, their faces involuntarily showed expressions of horror.

Only then did everyone notice that the scale of the Starfall Pavilion's advance team this time far exceeded that of the previous one!
"Lord Wind, has a Saint truly arrived?!"

Lei Zun Zhe swallowed hard, his voice trembling uncontrollably, his gaze fixed on the ever-expanding void in space.

Both Sword Venerable and Yellow Spring Venerable had solemn expressions, their eyes flashing with surprise and uncertainty. As Venerables, they were usually powerful figures in the Central Continent, but faced with the aura of a Saint, they felt as insignificant as ants.

Seeing their expressions, Venerable Feng remained calm, but inwardly he smiled smugly—it seemed the effect was good, and his elaborate preparations had not been in vain.

"Let's go, follow me to welcome the Holy One!"

Before he finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and flew out, landing below the spatial black hole and revealing his true form.

Immediately, under everyone's watchful eyes, Venerable Wind slightly bent his back and cupped his hands towards the void in the south. Upon seeing this, Venerable Thunder, Venerable Sword, and Venerable Yellow Springs quickly flashed out and stood bowing in unison in the north, east, and west directions.

Seeing the four Venerable Ones so respectful, the crowd below felt even more awe and hurriedly bowed in reverence. Even the clamor in the air stopped in an instant.

Only the phoenix girl in colorful clothes stood proudly on the martial arts stage, her head held high, calmly watching the spatial black hole.

It's just a sacred place; she's seen plenty of those over the past year, nothing special about it!
As the only ancient phoenix in the world, and with that person still watching her, how could she bow down to two half-saints... Although she had not sensed Lin Yuan's aura, she was convinced that he had already arrived.

Then, amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, two figures slowly emerged from the void in the space.

"The Northern Region, it has been a long time since I last visited!"

The moment they stepped out of the cave, the old man's melodious voice echoed through the heavens and earth, followed by a refreshing medicinal fragrance that soothed everyone's anxious minds.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a kind-looking old man in white robes and a figure enveloped in blue light.

"Greetings, Sage of Medicine!" Yao Chen was a top celebrity in Zhongzhou, and the three Venerables naturally recognized his appearance. Upon seeing that it was indeed him in person, they immediately and respectfully performed a grand salute.

"Greetings, Ancient Flame Saint!"

Then, the group slightly turned their bodies and bowed deeply to the blue figure—the aura emanating from this figure was in no way inferior to that of the Medicine Saint.

"Everyone, no need for such formalities!" The old apothecary raised his hand, and the four of them straightened up.

"We were unaware of your presence and Fenglei Pavilion has failed to welcome you properly." As the host, Venerable Lei hesitated for a moment before boldly stepping forward and saying, "The Four Directions Pavilion Conference is about to reach its most exciting part. If you two gentlemen do not mind, please take a seat and watch the ceremony."

"The Four Directions Pavilion Tournament?" A detached and aged voice echoed from within the blue light: "Heh, it's the last one anyway, my friend... let's give it a dignified ending!"

　Staying up all night is truly detrimental; it's not something you can recover from by sleeping a few hours during the day.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)