BTTH : From Humble Beginnings to Dou Di

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”Boom!”

As the massive flame-forged ruler collided with the two dark figures, another burst of energy—far stronger than before—exploded in the sky.

”Two Dou Huang at the peak level… Looks like that wretched brat really wants me dead!”

Yao Chen, once again blown back, fixed his gaze on the two distant figures in gold and silver. The killing intent in his heart toward Han Feng only grew more intense.

But right now, he couldn’t handle so many Dou Huang opponents, especially when three of them were at the peak level. His only option was to find a way to escape.

”Whoosh~”

Just as Yao Chen came to a stop, two more figures shot toward him from afar.

It was obvious Han Feng intended to wear down Yao Chen’s soul power with sheer numbers, before finishing him off in one fell swoop.

But right at that moment, a figure cloaked in black suddenly appeared in front of the two incoming attackers.

With a wave of his sleeve, a swarm of shadowy forms surged forth from behind the black-robed figure.

In an instant, the shadows rose into the air, blanketing several hundred meters of sky in pitch darkness.

The sky became shrouded by the black wave—so dense, even sunlight couldn’t pierce through it.

”Ten Thousand Shadow Bind!”

His body seemed to blend completely into the sea of shadowy darkness. Forming hand seals in rapid succession, Ling Ying released his technique.

The black mist roiled, and from within it, countless ribbons of shadow burst forth. They twisted and coiled together, lashing out toward the two attackers rushing at him.

”Boom!”

The three waves of power collided in the sky with violent force. The residual energy immediately flooded the entire area.

After a brief clash, the thinner black shadow screen was gradually overwhelmed.

With a muffled grunt, Ling Ying staggered slightly. Though most of the attack’s force had been deflected, he had still taken some damage.

Looking at the two attackers—a Seven Star Dou Huang and a Four Star Dou Huang—his brow furrowed deeply.

Silently, he cursed the timing. If Xiao Yan had already crossed the Great Plain and entered the deeper parts of the Black-Corner Region, they might’ve been close enough for the other bodyguards at Young Miss Gu’s side to sense the energy of the battle and rush over as reinforcements.

But now, this place was too far.

The guards by Young Miss Gu’s side couldn’t detect their presence at all.

Meanwhile, the two attackers, Old Lao and Fan Lao, exchanged a glance upon seeing that this Eight Star Dou Huang was able to defend against both of them unscathed.

They didn’t dare underestimate him.

After all, having lived and fought in the Black-Corner Region for so long, they wouldn’t make foolish mistakes like letting their guard down.

Without hesitation, the two locked eyes and attacked again in unison.

In the distance, Han Feng frowned upon seeing Ling Ying appear—but then his expression relaxed.

The old man had warned him beforehand that Xiao Yan had a guard at the Eight Star Dou Huang level.

He had been mentally prepared for this.

”You... how did you discover my plan?” Yao Chen’s cold voice echoed through the air as he swept his eyes around the encirclement Han Feng had prepared. The chill in his tone was bone-deep.

”Hehe, I should thank you—for using the Heavenly Flame to save that boy.”

Han Feng let out a twisted grin, waving a poster in his hand.

Since there were outsiders present, he didn’t dare reveal Yao Chen’s true identity. Even the helpers he’d invited were told only that they were hunting a Heavenly Flame wielder.

Yao Chen looked at the poster of Xiao Yan and felt the doubt in his heart fade. The bitterness at the corner of his lips deepened into a wry smile.

”So using the Bone Chilling Flame in that remote Jia Ma Empire still managed to spread this fast… no wonder they call the Black-Corner Region the information hub of the Northwest.”

He didn’t even bother to decide whether to blame Hai Bodong or Gu He.

Right now, he simply didn’t have the power to defeat three peak-level Dou Huang with soul power alone.

Sensing the waves of Dou Qi behind him, Yao Chen turned his head to glance toward Ling Ying.

There, he saw Ling Ying being double-teamed by a Four Star Dou Huang and a Seven Star Dou Huang.

In this situation, just surviving was already a miracle.

Letting out a long sigh, Yao Chen realized—if he couldn’t find a way to escape soon, he might truly perish at the hands of this ungrateful traitor.

As for his identity, just like Han Feng, Ling Ying dared not reveal even the slightest clue—fearing that word might reach the Hall of Souls, and they would come hunting him down.

After all, on his way to the Black-Corner Region, he had personally seen a Protector from the Hall of Souls with his own eyes.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan was still completely dumbfounded by everything that had happened.

During the earlier sneak attack, he couldn’t figure out why those Dou Huang-level experts had targeted them.

But after seeing the posters detailing his supposed ”heroic deeds,” he assumed Han Feng, like Gu He, was trying to seize his Master’s Heavenly Flame by force.

Still, there was one thing he couldn’t wrap his head around:

Why had the news of the battle at Yunlan Sect spread so quickly, all the way to this Black-Corner Region that was thousands of miles from the Jia Ma Empire?

Having lived with Yao Chen for so long, Xiao Yan naturally noticed the suppressed emotion his Master was radiating.

That young man facing them… there was no doubt he had a history with Yao Chen.

And their relationship—clearly—was far from simple.

”I ask the two of you to help me kill this man and seize the Heavenly Flame.”

Han Feng, seeing that Fan Lao and Old Lao had yet to subdue the Eight Star Dou Huang Ling Ying, was running out of patience. He turned to the two elderly men beside him—the Gold and Silver Elders—and made the request.

”Haha, since we’ve already agreed, of course we’ll do our best. But you’d better keep your word about the reward—or else...”

The Gold and Silver Elders laughed, and then without hesitation, they unleashed powerful waves of Dou Qi, sending wave after wave of mighty Dou Techniques toward Yao Chen.

Han Feng had promised each of them a Breaking Sect Pill if they managed to obtain the Heavenly Flame.

However, if they failed, they’d only receive half.

That was why the brothers were going all out, determined to kill Yao Chen.

If their target escaped now, they’d lose one of the pills—a loss they couldn’t afford.

After all, they had begged Han Feng for those rare pills many times in the past, but always returned empty-handed.

Now that they finally had a real chance, they weren’t going to let this cooked duck fly away.

Facing the two nearly identical faces before him, Yao Chen calmly swung his massive Heavenly Flame-forged ruler to defend himself with all his might.

He understood clearly—they were using a rotation tactic, trying to exhaust him with numbers and wear him down.

If he showed even the slightest weakness, that ungrateful brat Han Feng would undoubtedly join in the siege himself.

And at that point, he would have no choice but to use that.

But as the old saying goes: what you fear most often comes true.

Just as Yao Chen was forced to pour even more power into resisting the Gold and Silver Elders—

Xiao Yan’s pained voice suddenly rang out:

”Master… please… stop using more power. My body can’t take it anymore…”

That single sentence jolted Yao Chen awake.

Quickly, he turned his senses inward to examine Xiao Yan’s condition.

Only then did he realize—he had been so focused on dealing with the twin brothers that he had completely forgotten about Xiao Yan’s physical limitations.

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