Reaching the pinnacle from Doupo

Chapter 561 The fierce battle continues, the forces are evenly matched.
A power without a high-level lineage cannot become a top-tier power.

For Yao Lao, whether from the perspective of the deep master-disciple relationship or from the perspective of the development of Xingyun Pavilion, he would devote the greatest effort to Xiao Yan.

Only if Xiao Yan can meet Xiao Xuan and receive his inheritance can our side truly hope to become a top-tier force in the future.

"How is it?" The old apothecary smiled slightly, a playful tone in his voice: "Little Yanzi's strength and hidden cards are more numerous than you thought, aren't they? Winning the bet won't be so easy for you..."

"Hehe, Qing'er's strength is not so simple either!"

Lin Yuan smiled and shrugged, saying meaningfully, his confidence and anticipation still evident on his face—Feng Qing'er's return to her ancestral form was not the same as her return to becoming an ordinary ancient phoenix.

Moreover, her progress over the past year is not limited to just the issue of atavism!
As if confirming Lin Yuan's statement, a violent tremor caused by the fierce clash suddenly emanated from the center of the storm, completely shattering the magnificent energy storm.

The next instant, Xiao Yan's figure flew backwards from the middle, drawing a long arc in the air before finally coming to a stop.

In contrast, Feng Qing'er only took a few steps back due to the reaction force.

Reaching out to wipe away a trace of crimson from the corner of his mouth, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. He clenched his slightly numb fist, and there was no longer a trace of contempt in his eyes.

"What a powerful physique! This woman is indeed troublesome."

Logically speaking, having mastered a high-level Earth-rank body-refining combat skill, his physical body should not be inferior to that of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix of the same realm before entering the Saint Realm, and might even surpass her by a few points. However, during his head-on battle with Feng Qing'er just now, he was completely suppressed throughout.

Cultivation level, battle qi quality, physical strength... In these three dimensions where he has made tremendous progress, Feng Qing'er's former defeated opponents have actually caught up with him?

Just a year ago, this woman was someone he could easily eliminate.

At this moment, Xiao Yan had a better understanding of Lin Yuan's methods—the person of his age might have completely surpassed Yao Lao in skill.

This showdown is much more difficult than I expected; I might have to use that trump card.

"Body-refining fighting techniques, not bad... but useless to me." Feng Qing'er glanced coldly at Xiao Yan. "Chen Yan, if this is all you've got, then I'm truly disappointed."

"Feng Qing'er, you're too proud of yourself!"

Xiao Yan raised his head, gave Feng Qing'er a cold smile not far away, and moved his hands like lightning, quickly forming a series of profound hand seals.

"The Three Transformations of Heavenly Fire: First Transformation! Second Transformation! Third Transformation!"

With a cold shout in his heart, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and yellow, blue, and white flames instantly rose from his body before quickly receding.

Xiao Yan's aura surged dramatically in that instant, heading straight for the Dou Zun level!

Not far away, Lin Yuan sensed that familiar aura and raised an eyebrow slightly.

"The Three Transformations of Heavenly Flame... performed with one different flame and two sub-flames? Did Xiao Yan obtain the complete Three Transformations of Heavenly Flame through legitimate channels? There is a senior in Burning Flame Valley with considerable strength, a true Dou Sheng powerhouse."

"Is that Patriarch Huoyun?" Yao Lao waved his hand, his expression indifferent. "That old monster is also an old acquaintance of mine!"

"Don't worry about it. Burning Flame Valley and Xiao Clan have some history. The Heavenly Fire Three Transformations is a secret technique that Xiao Xuan gave to Burning Flame Valley a long time ago. They naturally won't make things difficult for Little Flame Boy."

"After confirming Xiao Yan's identity, they generously gifted him the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations."

When he arranged Xiao Yan's training route, he specially arranged for the latter to go to Burning Flame Valley, trying to use his status as a high-level alchemist, the long-standing friendship between the two families' ancestors, and high-level pills to exchange for the complete Heavenly Flame Three Transformations.

Unexpectedly, upon learning of Xiao Yan's Xiao clan identity, the Burning Flame Valley directly bestowed upon him the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations, and in the most complete form of inheritance.

It was only then that Xiao Yan learned the origin of the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations from Tang Zhen.

"I see!" Lin Yuan nodded, then changed the subject, saying with a playful tone, "Judging from how skillfully Brother Xiao has mastered one strange fire and two sub-fires, it seems that your research on the 'Burning Technique' has made considerable progress and yielded significant results?"

Speaking of this topic, Yao Lao was also somewhat proud, and chuckled, "Hehe, although it can't compare to your synthesis of a different fire using your sub-fire, it has indeed made some progress."

Lin Yuan's actions opened up his mind.

In addition, Starfall Pavilion now possesses three different flames. In his spare time from cultivation and medicine refining, Elder Yao has also done some research, and mastering multiple flames is one of them.

After all, to bring the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations—the first-tier secret technique under the clan mark secret technique—to its fullest potential, one must master multiple flames. Only in this way could Xiao Yan, after several years, have the strength to fight against the younger generation of various clans.

Fortunately, a month ago, Xiao Yan successfully advanced to the Spirit Realm, and his fire control ability also reached a considerable level.

The research findings on the incineration method can be considered to have been fully utilized.

The reason why Yao Lao had Xiao Yan use Fire Element Gold to refine his body, instead of the other three body-refining techniques he had collected, was due to considerations of compatibility and system.

The Fire Element Golden Body, the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Fire, and the research results of the Burning Technique... the three complement each other perfectly!

Although Xiao Yan can no longer control multiple different flames simultaneously as he did when cultivating the Burning Flame Technique, controlling several sub-flames at the same time is not too difficult.

The complete Heavenly Fire Three Transformations provides a significant boost to one's strength.

At the Dou Zong level, using three kinds of beast fire can temporarily boost one's strength by three stars (as set in the original work); using three kinds of strange fire can temporarily boost one's strength by five stars.

When using one type of different fire and two types of sub-fire... one's strength can be increased by four stars.

A four-star Dou Zong level boost is terrifying, enough to bridge the gap between the peak of Dou Zong and Dou Zun.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xiao Yan's aura continued to rise, and finally, at a certain moment, he crossed a boundary and reached a new realm. Violent energy surged around him, and the space was compressed and creaked, as if it would collapse at any moment.

"A Dou Zun?!" Venerable Huang Quan's throat bobbed, and his eyes showed undisguised shock. "A Dou Huang kid from a few years ago already has this kind of strength?"

"Young people always progress faster."

Beside him, Venerable Feng raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a satisfied smile—his old friend's disciple, in terms of both temperament and talent, far surpassed Han Feng in the past.

But when his gaze turned to Feng Qing'er, his expression became somewhat stern.

Upon seeing Xiao Yan, whose aura had risen to the level of Dou Zun, Feng Qing'er showed no fear on her face, but instead was filled with fierce fighting spirit.

"Very good, this is exactly what I expected... Bloodline Devouring Spirit!"

As the cold shout fell, Feng Qing'er's eyes sharpened, and her hands flashed like lightning as she formed several profound hand seals. The cyan-silver color in her beautiful eyes gradually transformed into a captivating golden color, and a pair of golden phoenix wings, each over ten feet wide, unfurled on her back.

At the same time, Feng Qing'er's aura at the peak of the Dou Zong realm also surged dramatically, and in the blink of an eye, she crossed the Dou Zong boundary and climbed to the Dou Zun realm.

Her aura was even stronger than Xiao Yan's when he used the Three Transformations of Heavenly Flame!

Bloodline Devouring Spirit is a bloodline secret technique passed down from ancient times. It can be performed by ordinary Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan members and can increase their strength by two stars at the Dou Zong level.

After Feng Qing'er reverted to her ancestral form, due to Lin Yuan's use of numerous high-end materials, her Heavenly Phoenix bloodline became extremely extraordinary. It was comparable to the ancient Heavenly Phoenix of the Eight-Colored Devouring Python and the Three Great Dragon Kings, and its bloodline power was no weaker than the ninth-grade bloodline of the Imperial Clan.

Now that she has unleashed her Bloodline Devouring Spirit technique, she can boost her strength by at least five stars. This enormous boost surpasses even the complete Heavenly Flame Three Transformations, and the powerful aura she exudes makes Xiao Yan's expression even more solemn.

"Chen Yan, witness... my true strength!"

Having unleashed the power of the ancient Heavenly Phoenix, Feng Qing'er ceased her "playing around" and began to display her strength without reservation, launching wave after wave of terrifying attacks.

With a gentle flap of her phoenix wings, she tore through space at an incredibly terrifying speed, appearing almost instantly in front of Xiao Yan. Her jade palm transformed into a claw, surrounded by golden light, and slammed down on him.

Feng Qing'er's terrifying speed made Xiao Yan's eyes narrow. He had no time to dodge, so he quickly gathered his strength and threw a punch surrounded by flames.

"boom--"

A fist and a claw collided violently in the sky, unleashing a raging energy gust that tore apart the surrounding space.

The two forces clashed head-on, and a tremendous force poured forth.

Xiao Yan's body trembled, and he took several steps back. Facing Feng Qing'er, who was stronger in terms of physical body, strength, and fighting spirit, he would not gain any advantage in a head-on confrontation. Close combat would not benefit him.

Realizing this, he quickly activated his fire and wind elements, unleashing the full power of his Fire and Wind Steps as he swiftly retreated.

"Want to race me?"

Seeing Xiao Yan's actions, Feng Qing'er scoffed... The Ancient Heavenly Phoenix was unparalleled in speed among its peers!
With a flap of her wings, a deep whooshing sound filled the sky, and her figure shot towards Xiao Yan at an imperceptible speed, catching up with him in an instant.

Catching up with Xiao Yan, Feng Qing'er unleashed a punch, its golden light surging, directly aimed at his head.

"Baji collapse!"

Faced with Feng Qing'er's attack, Xiao Yan frowned, clenched his fist, and brownish-yellow flames surged forth. He then punched the girl in front of him.

"laugh--"

Xiao Yan's fist struck the figure precisely, but at the moment of contact, it passed right through him.

"Afterimage?!"

Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan's pupils narrowed slightly, and his body turned around almost reflexively, quickly crossing his arms to protect himself in front of him.

The moment he turned around, a fist wreathed in golden light suddenly shot out, striking his arms with lightning speed. The terrifying force combined with the extreme inertia sent Xiao Yan flying hundreds of feet away.

If he hadn't cultivated advanced body-refining combat techniques, this one move alone would have been enough to completely tip the scales of victory.

However, Feng Qing'er's offensive did not end there... Xiao Yan, who had just barely managed to steady himself after being sent flying backward, was attacked fiercely by a sharp fist wind from in front of him again before he could even look up.

Such speed caused a slight change in one's expression.

The ancient celestial phoenix possesses a powerful physique, coupled with extreme speed. Its simplest combat tactics are the most difficult to resist.

In the sky, streaks of golden light appeared around Xiao Yan, and countless sharp fist winds enveloped his vital points. Terrifying energy blasted the space within a ten-zhang radius into fragments.

"What a terrifying junior! As expected of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix, known for its speed, even I cannot easily break through this move!"

Gazing at the dazzling battle, the Sword Master secretly shook his head.

Seeing this, Venerable Feng frowned, a hint of worry in his eyes. In the current situation, Xiao Yan was completely at a disadvantage.

Feng Qing'er, this junior, is surprisingly strong, completely comparable to ordinary two- or three-star Dou Zun.

"Xiao Yan, how should you deal with this?"

Taking a deep breath, Venerable Feng's expression turned somewhat solemn as he looked at the suppressed youth.

On the other side, Xiao Yan was suppressed in a small battle circle. Although he possessed the Soul of the Spirit Realm and could use his soul power to capture the opponent's figure and perform high-frequency and precise dodges and counterattacks, seeing and being able to react and respond are two completely different things.

Feng Qing'er was the fastest and strongest opponent he had ever encountered in the same realm. Under her relentless, high-speed attacks, he could hardly even muster any fighting techniques.

Even if you sense her movements, it's difficult to break through her offensive.

After all, when the opponent has both speed and strength as advantages, and they complement each other, the rhythm of the battle will also be controlled by the opponent, and it is inevitable that one will be put on the defensive.

Without an effective counterattack, mere defense has its limits.

As time went by, numerous wounds appeared on Xiao Yan's body caused by his inability to dodge in time; internally, hidden injuries caused by direct attacks also continued to accumulate.

However, Xiao Yan did not give up. While struggling to resist, a pure soul power quickly condensed between his brows.

Compared to Feng Qing'er, he wasn't without his own advantages. At this moment, Xiao Yan felt incredibly fortunate... fortunate that he had broken through to the Spirit Realm a little over a month ago, which allowed him to retain enough power to launch a decisive counterattack against Feng Qing'er's terrifying offensive.

Having narrowly avoided Feng Qing'er's attack once again, Xiao Yan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and then, under everyone's gaze, gently closed his eyes.

But his spiritual perception permeated his entire body.

At a certain moment, Xiao Yan suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes. Several light and shadow in his pupils quietly faded away and then disappeared, leaving only a beautiful figure attacking from behind.

When the beautiful figure entered within three zhang, Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened, and a fierce glint flashed across them.

"Soul Storm!" With a low shout in his heart, the vast power gathered between his brows was released in an instant. The earth-shattering soul sound waves transformed into a terrifying soul storm, which rushed towards Feng Qing'er who was attacking fiercely.

Feng Qing'er was caught off guard and her body was struck head-on by the soul sound wave. Her movements slowed for a moment, and her soul experienced intense pain.

Taking advantage of this moment, Xiao Yan had a thought, and brownish-yellow flames surged out from his body.

"Binding Fire Lock!"

With a sudden clench of his fist, the raging dragon flames instantly condensed, transforming into layers of fiery chains that sealed and bound Feng Qing'er's figure.

Realizing that Feng Qing'er was no opponent who could be defeated with a single punch or palm strike, Xiao Yan did not rashly retaliate and waste this one and only opportunity. Instead, he locked onto his opponent with his aura, stomped his foot on the void, and his body flew backward like an arrow released from a bow.

At the same time, his hands moved with lightning speed, leaving afterimages flying everywhere, while the battle qi within his body surged through the meridians of his arms.

"Sunshine Seal!"

"Moonlight Seal!"

"Starry Sky Seal!"

He was about to seize this one and only chance to counterattack, and use a powerful move to...decisive victory!
　Sorry, I intended to finish the battle in this chapter, but I overestimated myself. I wanted to showcase the two characters' fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses, and I got carried away.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)