Reaching the pinnacle from Doupo

Chapter 597 Identity Exposed, Victory or Defeat Decided
The man was extremely handsome, and his purple-black robes swayed in the wind, making him appear exceptionally spirited.

The cold curve of his lips and the disdainful smile on his face made him look exceptionally arrogant and aloof, but the powerful and sharp aura emanating from him was like that of a ferocious beast about to pounce on its prey, drawing everyone's attention.

A three-star Dou Zun, with such cultivation at such a young age, is considered to be among the top disciples of the younger generation in the top sects of Zhongzhou.

However, this level of cultivation is only considered third-rate among the younger generation of the ancient clans.

On the other side, Xiao Yan heard Ling Quan's merciless mockery, and a cold killing intent flashed in his heart, but his expression remained calm as still water, and his eyes were deep and steady, like a bottomless pool, making him unfathomable.

Under everyone's gaze, he slowly stood up, and with a swift movement, he floated down onto the arena like a ghost, standing opposite Ling Quan.

Looking at this once unattainable rival, Xiao Yan's lips curled up slightly, and a faint laugh followed.

"Heh, it's been years, and you're still as arrogant as ever."

"But in my opinion, Commander Lingquan, your strength is not enough to support your arrogance... Tsk tsk, you have cultivated for so many years, and your cultivation level has only reached the three-star Dou Zun. This is somewhat surprising and disappointing to me."

"I still vaguely remember that when we first met several years ago, the gap between us was quite huge."

The sound of the counterattack was calm yet powerful, echoing throughout the square.

At the same time, with a thought, the powerful aura of a two-star Dou Zun slowly emanated from his body, causing Ling Quan's eyes to turn completely cold.

"You seem quite proud of your two-star Dou Zun cultivation level!"

Ling Quan sneered, staring at Xiao Yan with a gloomy gaze, though he also felt a bit incredulous.

When he first met Xiao Yan in the inner courtyard, he was already at the peak of Dou Huang, while the latter was only at the Dou Ling level, not even worthy of his attention.

If it weren't for the young lady's intervention and that person's involvement, he wouldn't mind taking action on behalf of the ancient demon to teach this kid a lesson or even eliminate him.

But Lingquan never expected that, just a few years later, when they met again, this former good-for-nothing of the Xiao family had actually reached the Dou Zun level, and was only one star weaker than him, who had the bloodline of Dou Di.

Xiao Yan's gaze slowly swept across Ling Quan's face, and seeing that the other's expression had turned gloomy, a cold, subtle curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

When this group of people took Xun'er away back then, they were extremely disdainful of him and the Xiao family. Gu Yao even wanted to kill him. This intense hostility was always etched in Xiao Yan's heart.

Xiao Yan was not a magnanimous person and had no interest in repaying evil with kindness.

Although he can't teach the ancient demon a lesson right now, teaching the equally annoying Ling Quan a lesson and announcing the Xiao clan's return is a good option.

This time, perhaps it's also an opportunity—an opportunity to tell Xun'er that he's working hard to catch up.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yan did not rush to start a war with Ling Quan. Instead, he raised an eyebrow and provoked Ling Quan with an even more defiant expression, waiting for him to announce his name and the existence of the Xiao Clan. He had had enough of using a false identity.

He gave a cold laugh and said indifferently, "At our current cultivation speed, in a few years, you won't be qualified to stand opposite me."

As Xiao Yan had predicted, Ling Quan's expression instantly turned grim upon hearing this provocation.

"Hehe, I never expected that the Xiao Clan, which has fallen so low, could still produce another Dou Zun. You really have surprised this commander... Xiao Yan!"

After staring at Xiao Yan for a moment, a cunning look suddenly appeared on Ling Quan's face, and then he said in a cold voice.

Since this arrogant brat is using a false name to hide his identity, he must have his reasons. In that case, Lingquan will let this matter be completely exposed. If it can then provoke the Soul Clan to take action, that would be wonderful.

In any case, it's best to erase Miss Xun'er's "dark history" as soon as possible!
As Lingquan's voice spread out, the entire Shengdan Square fell silent for a moment, but soon it became noisy with discussions.

"Does Young Master Chen and that guy named Lingquan know each other?"

"Tsk, isn't this obvious? The two on the stage don't just seem to know each other, they seem to have a grudge against each other..."

"How dare he provoke the young master of the Four Directions Pavilion? Just who is this Ling Quan? I've never heard of him."

"Heh, you're quite ignorant, aren't you? This is a big shot from our Eastern Region!"

"Speaking of which, you've all missed the point. The point is the name... the name! The young master of the Four Directions Pavilion isn't called Chen Yan, but Xiao Yan... I've never heard of this name before. Have you?"

"Sifang Pavilion's young master did not refute it, so it seems that Lingquan's words are true!"

"Indeed, it seems to be true... Speaking of which, why did he change his name, and what's this about the 'declining Xiao clan'?"

"Could it be referring to that clan?"

"Uncle-Master, do you know about the Xiao Clan? Please tell us about them!"

“I’m not sure either! After all, there are quite a few Xiao clans in the world, and that clan should have declined a long time ago… But if Lingquan comes from that clan in the Eastern Region, then Xiao Yan might really come from that Xiao clan.”

As the current top power in Zhongzhou, Sifang Pavilion is currently attracting the attention of many forces, and its Pavilion Master and Young Pavilion Master naturally have a high profile.

The revelation of Xiao Yan's real name immediately sparked speculation and heated discussion among the public.

At the same time, many people turned their attention to the seats of the Four Directions Pavilion, only to find that the people of the Four Directions Pavilion were calm and composed, with nothing unusual about them, as if they had expected it.

"Why is Lingquan still so impulsive?"

In a corner of the audience, Gu Zhen gently patted his forehead, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

"So, he's from the Xiao clan?" Shi Yi raised an eyebrow, saying with interest, "It seems the ancient clans have indeed maintained long-term connections with the Xiao clan! Who would have thought that after a thousand years of decline, the Xiao clan would still produce such a genius..."

With the Shi clan's bloodline gradually dwindling, the sudden discovery of a "precedent"—a descendant of the Xiao clan—left him with mixed feelings.

Seeing this from a distance, Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, his mind racing with thoughts of how this matter would affect the subsequent situation.

"As expected, Xiao Yan's real name has been exposed."

"Sure enough, even though the timeline has changed, Xiao Yan and Ling Quan, who hate each other, still can't get along."

"However, although Xiao Yan's identity has been exposed, Yao Lao is already a Dou Sheng powerhouse, so the ancient clans shouldn't make any rash moves. The problem still lies with the Soul Palace. I wonder how they will act. I hope they won't ruin my plan!"

"The matter concerning the Soul Palace's soul origin has not yet been fully investigated. We cannot afford to lose our two pawns, the Four Directions Pavilion and the Reverse Soul Alliance, too early."

"Should we kill another Soul Hall Battle Saint to balance the power between the two sides, and also take a couple of Battle Saint souls to refine our essence?"

After a moment, he shook his head, pulled himself out of his reverie, and continued to look toward the arena.

On the arena, Xiao Yan, whose true name had been revealed, did not show the anger and frustration that Ling Quan had expected. Instead, his eyes held a hint of mockery. "Ling Quan, is this all the nonsense you want to say?"

He glanced at Lingquan, his tone rather indifferent. This demeanor and tone made the self-proclaimed clever Lingquan frown, feeling a surge of displeasure.

"This smug look on his face is typical of someone from a fallen family," Lingquan shook his head and sneered.

"A mere two-star Dou Zun dares to be arrogant in front of me? In my eyes, you are not much different from back then... Or do you think that your declining family, the Xiao family, which doesn't even have the qualifications to set foot in Zhongzhou, is still the same Xiao family as before?"

"Today I will show you that whether it is you, the Xiao family, or the Sifang Pavilion, in the eyes of my clan, you are nothing but ants."

"By the way, if you have any unrealistic fantasies about that person, I advise you to give up on them as soon as possible... that's not someone you can look up to."

Even if there was only a slight possibility, Lingquan didn't want people to think that Xun'er and Xiao Yan were related, so he spoke very cryptically, but it was enough for Xiao Yan to understand.

"You have no right to interfere in my affairs with her."

His last words truly angered Xiao Yan, causing a murderous glint to appear on the latter's face.

Upon hearing this, Lingquan's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he slowly took a step forward.

"Hehe, let's let our strength speak for itself!" With that, the immense aura of a three-star Dou Zun erupted from his body like a volcano, instantly sweeping across the sky!
Although Xiao Yan is only one star lower than him, Ling Quan is confident that he can completely defeat him if they fight.

After all, the training, cultivation techniques, and combat skills that Lingquan received in the Black Annihilation Army of the ancient clan were all top-notch. He did not believe that he, who had been carefully nurtured by the high-ranking members of the Black Annihilation Army, would lose to a good-for-nothing from a declining family!

Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with killing intent. He moved and reappeared in the sky. He clenched his fist and the Xuan Heavy Ruler appeared.

Lingquan clenched his fist suddenly, and lightning flashed on his palm. As the silver light extended, it transformed into a long spear of lightning.

He conjured a spear, stomped his foot on the ground, and soared into the sky. His lightning spear pointed at Xiao Yan, and he sneered, "Let this commander see what right this mere Xiao family trash has to be so arrogant!"

The moment the word "Zhang" fell, his spear suddenly trembled, and dazzling lightning crackled around it. He then transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot towards Xiao Yan.

With a thought, Xiao Yan unleashed a surge of earthy yellow flames around the heavy ruler, then cleaved it down with tremendous force.

"Ding--"

The heavy ruler and the long spear, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, clashed violently through the air, sparks flying everywhere...

The collision sent both of them staggering back two steps.

Lingquan's expression changed slightly. The powerful force emanating from the gun made his palm feel numb!

"Body-refining fighting technique? Thunder Serpent Dance!" Ling Quan's eyes sharpened, and he stepped with mysterious footwork, creating several indistinguishable afterimages. His true form moved between the afterimages, wielding a thunder spear and viciously attacking Xiao Yan's vital points.

Faced with this fierce attack, Xiao Yan walked leisurely, his figure seemingly ethereal as he used the Fire Wind Step to dodge all of Ling Quan's sharp spear techniques.

"Fancy marksmanship is completely useless!"

Once again narrowly dodging the thrusting spear, Xiao Yan sneered, and a hand enveloped in flames suddenly shot out, forcefully grabbing the spear.

That powerful body, comparable to that of a demonic beast, completely deflected the force of the spear's forward thrust. Then, with a sudden clench of its hand, the spear snapped in two, transforming into countless silver snakes, which finally vanished into nothingness amidst rising flames...

For someone like Xiao Yan, who possesses outstanding soul power and powerful physical strength, ordinary fast attacks are almost completely ineffective!

The spear was destroyed, and Lingquan's expression changed drastically.

He gritted his teeth, stomped his foot hard on the ground, and instantly retreated. At the same time, his hands formed a hand seal with lightning speed. Xiao Yan was very familiar with this set of seals; it was the Emperor Seal Technique!
"Mountain-Opening Seal! Sea-Turning Seal!"

In the blink of an eye, a jade-green crystal handprint condensed and then blasted towards Xiao Yan.

“Crystal handprint, indeed, this Lingquan is a member of the ancient clan!” Upon seeing the distinctive crystal handprint, some knowledgeable experts instantly recognized the Emperor Seal Technique and confirmed Lingquan’s origins.

The signature fighting techniques of the ancient clan are so powerful that even if someone outside the clan were to secretly learn them, they would never dare to use them in public.

They already had a rough idea of ​​what Lingquan meant by the Xiao clan.

They turned their heads to look at Xiao Yan, a meaningful look flashing in their eyes—it turned out that the young master of the Four Directions Pavilion also came from a rather extraordinary background.

"Soaring Dragon Ruler!" Facing the violently approaching energy palm print, Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened, and he suddenly gripped the Xuan Heavy Ruler. He unleashed the ruler technique he had recently mastered, and the ruler's shadow appeared layer upon layer, instantly covering a ten-zhang radius around him.

Although he didn't have the mid-level Earth Rank Six Harmony Traveling Ruler, Xiao Yan didn't lack high-level ruler techniques because he had Yao Lao as his Dou Sheng master.

This 'Soaring Dragon Ruler' is a high-level Earth-rank combat skill!

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the energy palm print slammed into the heavy defensive netting, unleashing a violent energy storm that swept out like a flood, causing the Holy Dan Plaza to tremble violently.

"Dragon Slash!"

With a sharp shout, a hundred-foot-long bolt of flame cleaved through the raging energy storm and shot toward Lingquan at high speed.

"It seems the battle is over!" The moment he saw the streak of flames, Lin Yuan made his judgment on the outcome, offering unreserved praise: "Xiao Yan's combat awareness... that move he played was truly quite impressive..."

Above the arena, Lingquan saw this terrifying attack. Silver light flashed on his feet, and he retreated rapidly, narrowly avoiding the huge bolt of flame.

Just as he and the fiery streak intertwined, a black shadow wreathed in flames suddenly darted out from the streak and instantly appeared beside Ling Quan, who had just breathed a sigh of relief.

"Baji collapse!"

To Ling Quan's astonishment, Xiao Yan grinned coldly and unleashed a powerful punch imbued with terrifying energy.

This powerful punch, amplified by his terrifying strength comparable to that of an eighth-tier magical beast, slammed into Ling Quan's chest. The astonishing hidden force contained within, mixed with the violent and scorching energy of the strange fire, shot into his body like lightning!
"Pfft-"

Xiao Yan's punch was extremely solid, causing Ling Quan to spit out a mouthful of blood.

His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, falling directly from the sky and crashing heavily onto the arena below, raising a cloud of dust.

Xiao Yan suddenly flicked his sleeve, shaking away the smoke and rubble, revealing Ling Quan, who was covered in blood and buried under the rubble. He glanced at Ling Quan, then grabbed him and sucked him into his palm from a distance.

"Commander Lingquan, with my strength, am I allowed to act arrogantly towards you?"

He gripped Lingquan's neck with his hand, his voice extremely indifferent. Now, with just a little force, this arrogant ancient clan genius would lose his life here!
(End of this chapter)