Battle Through the Heavens

Xiao Yan slowly walked past a few streets before stopping outside an inn. After which, he entered and climbed to the second story. He walked toward the area outside the quiet room, knocked gently on the door and directly entered.

Hai Bo Dong was seated cross-legged on a chair in the spacious room. He had his eyes closed and a faint white colored cold mist was hovering over his body. As he inhaled and exhaled, the cold mist moved along the gap on his nose and entered his body. With his body being filled with energy, a faint layer of warm jade like glow seeped out of his old face.

“He really deserves to be a Dou Huang. Although his age is much older than Nalan Jie, looking at his vitality, he would likely at least be able to live for another fifty years if no accidents happen. If he is lucky enough to break through and become a Dou Zong, he would likely enter the old monster like category.” Xiao Yan closely closed the door and gently walked into the room. He glanced at the bright and energetic face of Hai Bo Dong. When he compared it with Nalan Jie, whose entire body was shrouded by a deathly aura he could not help but sigh emotionally in his heart.

Although the noise that Xiao Yan made was extremely slight, it was undoubtedly as clear as thunder for a strong person like Hai Bo Dong. Immediately, the icy cold air around his body was swiftly absorbed into his body to be stored. Hai Bo Dong then opened his eyes and swiftly looked around the room while carrying a coldness. Only when his gaze shifted over Xiao Yan’s body did the cold air finally began to gradually withdraw. At the same time, the sharp and imposing manner surrounding the exterior of his body also quietly returned into his body. He glanced at Xiao Yan’s tired face and opened his mouth to ask, “Have you settled it?”

“The poison is deeply embedded in Nalan Jie’s body. Although I have temporarily eased up the poison, it would at least require seven days in order for the ‘Searing Poison’ to be completely removed.” Xiao Yan sat on the soft bed and lazily replied.

“Oh…” Hai Bo Dong nodded his head smiled and said with some surprise, “Looks like the extent of your control over the ‘Heavenly Flame’ is quite good. You are actually able to complete such a high difficulty treatment. This method of inserting the ‘Heavenly Flame’ into another person’s body is something that even most famous alchemist grandmasters don’t dare to easily use.” Being a Dou Huang, Hai Bo Dong naturally clearly knew just how large a risk one must take when inserting the ‘Heavenly Flame’ or any flame into a one’s body to expel a poison.

“I was merely lucky.” Xiao Yan shook his head. He knew that most of the credit for him being able to control the ‘Green Lotus Core Flame’ with such familiarity was because he consumed the ‘Fire Lotus Seed’ some time ago.

Xiao Yan removed his shoes and sat cross-legged on the bed. He wiped his tired face, Then he extended his palm out of his sleeves and with a frown, eyed his slightly blackened fingertip. After which, his hands slowly formed the training seal and gradually closed his eyes.

As he entered the training mode, Xiao Yan’s mind swiftly went to where the vortex was. His mind moved slightly and a wisp of green colored flame spurt out from within the Acceptance Spirit. He wrapped it with Dou Qi and slowly spiraled it above the vortex.

Xiao Yan’s mind continued to observe this cluster of green colored flame that was repeatedly writhing. A long while later, the green colored flame violently writhed under Xiao Yan’s control. The temperature suddenly rose. Following the rise in the temperature, the faint black colored fog actually appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the flame.

“What a potent poison. Not only is it able to withstand the temperature of the ‘Heavenly Flame’, but it is also able to quietly merge with it. If it was not for my very high compatibility with the ‘Green Lotus Core Flame’, I’m afraid that I may not have even sensed it… It really lives up to its reputation of being a potent poison that even a Dou Huang fear.” Xiao Yan muttered in his heart as he watched the black colored fog.

“I should purify them. Otherwise, if this thing remains in my body, it is a ticking time bomb that may well suddenly explode anytime. The result…” Xiao Yan mused for a moment, fretting with his mind. The green colored flame that was wrapped around the black fog began to fluctuate as though it was bubbling. The hot temperature repeatedly rose.

While he was expelling the poison for Nalan Jie, Xiao Yan’s ‘Heavenly Flame’ temperature had only been turned to a moderate degree as he was afraid that he would accidentally incinerate Nalan Jie into ashes. Now that he was purifying the poison fog in his own body, he naturally need not be that careful given the extent of his compatibility with the flame.

As the green colored flame’s temperature swiftly rose, the clusters of black colored fog also began to form ripples. However, this ‘Searing Poison’ was not an ordinary thing after all. Even under such high temperature, it was still quite firm and did not immediately disappear.

Under the grilling at such high temperature, the black colored fog’s size slowly shrunk. In the end, those threads of black colored fog actually began to merge together into a deep black colored bead. Slight glows flashed in the interior of the bead as though it contained a surging energy.

The strange change of the ‘Searing Poison’ caused Xiao Yan to be stunned. He stared blankly at the black colored bead rolling in the green colored flame. From the probing of his mind, he could clearly sense that this black colored bead actually contained a powerful energy within it.

“What is happening? It’s impossible for the ‘Searing Poison to possess such energy…” Xiao Yan doubtfully muttered in his heart. He stared intently at that dark black bead as the temperature of the green colored flame abruptly soared once again. The exhaustion as a result of the high temperature was something that Xiao Yan’s Spiritual Strength had some difficulty withstanding.

As the green colored flame grilled once again, the black colored bead finally began to stir. Its surface trembled slightly and threads of black colored fog began to seep out of the bead’s body. After which, it was incinerated by the flame and purified into nothingness.

Threads of black colored fog were repeatedly emitted from the body of the bead. The color of the bead also gradually turned from a darker black color to a lighter black color…

Eyeing the bead’s color that was slowly changing, Xiao Yan’s heart sighed in relief. At the same time he increased the purification speed.

When the last thread of black colored fog rose from the bead’s body, the dark black bead had actually turned into a flickering pale-white colored glowing small round ball. Winding around the seemingly transparent film on the surface of the bead, one could see rolling waves of rich liquid energy inside.

“What pure energy…”

Xiao Yan was stunned as he stared at the small transparent round ball. A long while later, he frowned slightly and muttered in his heart to himself, “Logically speaking, a poison like the ‘Searing Poison’ would definitely not possess such pure energy. Don’t tell me… this energy is someone else’s?”

“It is Nalan Jie’s…”

The sudden thought caused Xiao Yan’s heart to jump. It was a long while later before he calmed down. He mused for a long time and he gradually felt relief. The ‘Searing Poison’ had stayed hidden in Nalan Jie’s body for so long. Since it eroded his body, it was plausible that it would also swallow some Dou Qi. After this had continued for a long time, it might have ended up storing quite a terrifying amount of it. This might be something that Nalan Jie may be unhappy about but for Xiao Yan, who had accidentally brought the ‘Searing Poison’ into his body, it was a windfall from the heavens. According to the degree of purity of this energy, it was possible for Xiao Yan to completely refine and absorb it.

Faced with this unexpected windfall, some secret delight surfaced in Xiao Yan’s heart after he was momentarily blank. Given his character, it was naturally impossible for him to return this to Nalan Jie. Therefore, this abundant energy was considered as interest and he kept it.

As his mind spun, a wisp of green colored flame agglomerated into a tiny flame needle head. After which, Xiao Yan gently pressed this needle flame onto the transparent bead’s body. Immediately, the bead burst apart with a bang. A huge amount of liquid energy that looked a little blue flowed out from it. Just as it was about to scurry in all directions. it was forcefully controlled by Xiao Yan who was already prepared and began to have the energy circulate along the Qi Paths routes.

When this liquid that was filled with energy completed one cycle, that pale-blue color in the liquid had already totally been removed. It turned into a pure energy that anyone could absorb.

Although this energy was currently already very pure, Xiao Yan still cautiously used the ‘Heavenly Flame’ to refine it once more until the latter actually began to faintly show signs of being a little viscous. Only then was he reassured and poured it into the vortex.

After this liquid energy entered the vortex, it was swiftly transformed into the same color as the vortex. Then, it began to separate, trembling and transforming into droplets which were entirely of the same size. They were then tossed into the vortex.

Feeling the sense of the vortex being filled, Xiao Yan could not help but quietly shake his head. This energy that had been poured in this time around had actually added nearly twenty plus drops of pure liquid energy into the vortex. According to this kind of efficiency, if he could absorb the same amount of energy for another three times, he would likely leap to a seven star Dou Shi in less than half a month.

“It really is worthy of being the energy that was agglomerated in a Dou Wang’s body. Just a mere small portion of it actually had such a density…” Xiao Yan quietly praised in his heart. After which, he slowly opened his eyes and gently exhaled.

Within the room, Hai Bo Dong’s gaze watched Xiao Yan intently. When he saw Xiao Yan opening his eyes, he could not help but say with a smile, “It seems that you have suddenly become a lot stronger.”

Although Xiao Yan’s change was not too drastic, it was naturally extremely easy for Hai Bo Dong sensing ability to detect the former’s change,

“Yes.” Xiao Yan nodded his head as he lowered his head to see his finger. His face changed involuntarily. He could see that the tip of his middle finger on his right hand was still shrouded by a black colored circle.

“What happened? Didn’t I completely removed the ‘Searing Poison’?” Xiao Yan’s face was somewhat ugly as he stared at the fingertip that was black and said in a deep soft voice.

“What is it?” Seeing Xiao Yan’s expression, Hai Bo Dong was at a lost. He walked forward. When he saw the black colored finger, his expression similarly changed. With a frown, he said, “This is… ‘Searing Poison’? How did you get it into your body?”

“I don’t know. I did not expect that this thing could actually endure the grilling of my ‘Heavenly Flame’.”

“Impossible. An ordinary ‘Searing Poison’ would definitely not be able to withstand the ‘Heavenly Flame’. As for this transformation now… perhaps it was because the ‘Searing Poison’ had stayed hidden in Nalan Jie’s body for too long, which had created some sort of unique mutation…” Hai Bo Dong frowned tightly. He mused for a long while before he slowly said to Xiao Yan, “Can you try and see if there is anything wrong with your body?”

Xiao Yan nodded his head. His right hand was extended and opened. A green colored Dou Qi suddenly rose from it and two people’s gazes stared intently at the Dou Qi.

Under the observation of the two of them, the rising green colored Dou Qi rolled for a while before some black colored marks faintly appeared on its surface.

“Tsk tsk, it actually intruded into your Dou Qi. It really is worthy of being called ‘Searing Poison’… how terrifying.” Eyeing those black colored marks, Hai Bo Dong involuntarily shook his head and said, “How do you feel?”

“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong…”

Xiao Yan frowned and his face was filled with incomprehension. He rolled his hand slightly. The Dou Qi that was contaminated with the black colored mark also followed his hand’s motion and did not bring any harm to Xiao Yan. Instead, he felt that the strength of the Dou Qi appeared to have become stronger.

“Uh… I also don’t know what exactly is happening. But looking at the situation now, it seems that the ‘Searing Poison’ does not have any intentions of poisoning you. Perhaps… it has already been refined into something you can use?” Hai Bo Dong shook his head and said.

Xiao Yan pursed up his lips. His gaze intently watched the green colored Dou Qi that was mixed with some black colored markings. Following his intent to move, the green colored Dou Qi abruptly writhed. However, the black colored markings were completely forced to swarm toward the middle finger of his right hand. From his manner, it appeared that he was trying to force it out.

The black colored markings swarmed into his middle finger. An instant later, his entire finger had actually turned into an incomparably black color. Its deep appearance faintly emitted a quiet glow and was extremely strange.

“How poisonous!” Seeing that Xiao Yan’s finger had turned dark black, Hai Bo Dong’s expression changed drastically. He cried out involuntarily, “Didn’t you say that you have refined it? Why does it still possess such a potent poison?”

Xiao Yan’s expression also repeatedly changed. How could he have expected that a simple removal of poison would actually end up putting him into this state.

“It appears to be within my control and does not have any sign of biting me.” A long while later, Xiao Yan, who did not sense anything wrong shook his head slightly. He extended his middle finger and suddenly lifted his head to eye Hai Bo Dong.

“What do you plan to do?” Seeing Xiao Yan’s strange expression, Hai Bo Dong hurriedly took a step back.

“Help me test what kind of effect this thing has…” Xiao Yan parted his mouth and smiled. Immediately, without waiting for Hai Bo Dong’s reply, his finger abruptly pierced at the latter.

“Brat, don’t play around. This is the ‘Searing Poison’. Damn…” Hai Bo Dong’s footsteps retreated repeatedly. He eyed Xiao Yan who had swiftly and abruptly charged over. All he could do was helplessly cursed and extended his hand. A mysterious ice mirror appeared in front of him.

Carrying the charging momentum of his body, Xiao Yan pierced his finger at the ice mirror without dodging or pulling back. At the point where the two came into contact, threads of black vapor seeped out from Xiao Yan’s finger. The ice mirror, which was sufficient to block a blow from a Da Dou Shi, was swiftly corroded and formed a deep hole. Xiao Yan’s finger passed through the ice mirror and abruptly moved sideways. The tough mysterious ice mirror was actually cut open…

Seeing that Xiao Yan broke open his ice mirror so easily, Hai Bo Dong’s expression changed. His body dodged aside and he leaped up onto the crossbeam. After which, he lowered his head and helplessly cried lowly at Xiao Yan, “Bastard. Can you not randomly play around with this thing? That is ‘Searing Poison’. Even with my strength, it would be very troublesome if I were tainted with that thing.”

Xiao Yan smiled at Hai Bo Dong. He then lowered his head to see the strange finger. The emotion in his eyes was somewhat exciting. The destructive strength of the ‘Searing Poison’ had far exceeded his expectation. This strange type of attack that had come in a baffling manner caused Xiao Yan to feel some fear in his heart on top of being secretly pleased.

Although this black finger’s destructive strength was not weak, its original form was something transformed from the ‘Searing Poison’ that even Hai Bo Dong was extremely fearful of. This ‘Searing Poison’ may currently seem to obey Xiao Yan’s orders, but how would he know if this terrifying thing would suddenly erupt in the future. Recalling how even Nalan Jie, who had the strength of a Dou Wang, was turned into that miserable manner by the ‘Searing Poison’, the corner of Xiao Yan’s mouth began to shiver slightly.

Seeing Xiao Yan’s manner, Hai Bo Dong was also clear of the former’s fear. He quickly came down but still maintained quite a bit of distance from Xiao Yan. In a comforting tone, he said, “You need not be overly worried. I think that the ‘Searing Poison’ in your body should have undergone some kind of mutation. Otherwise, such a situation would not appear… but regardless of how it changes, you have the ‘Heavenly Flame’ to protect your body. Basically, you will not end up in the same state as Nalan Jie.”

“Haha, perhaps you should rejoice. As you stumble around, you actually ended up possessing a kind of extremely strange ability. In the future, this black finger, may well cause many people to fall under your hands.”

“Ah, hopefully…”

Xiao Yan sighed and could only nod with a bitter smile. Following his intentions, the black color on the dark black finger gradually subsided. A moment later, it completely returned to its normal color.