Word Count: 3,109 Words
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Cai Lin's seven-colored divine light erupted. With a wave of her hand, a surge of seven-colored Dou Qi, even more terrifying than the Flame Splitting Tsunami, blasted forth. The ground cracked under its force, and numerous figures were sent flying in all directions.
"Can you still do what you did just now?" Cai Lin asked in a low voice as she watched the serpent puppets, now resembling zombies, rise yet again to charge forward.
"No. They no longer have souls within them. They are now controlled solely by Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils." Xiao Yan spoke gravely, his gaze fixed on Qing Lin. Taking advantage of the moment when Cai Lin had just blasted a portion of the puppets aside, he activated the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, and his body flashed toward Qing Lin like a bolt of lightning.
He needed to first understand why Qing Lin had become like this.
"Hmph!" Red light flickered in Qing Lin's eyes as she watched Xiao Yan approach with vast Dou Qi, his body transformed into a streak of lightning. A fierce glint appeared in her gaze. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and thrust out her hand to grab him.
Whoosh!
The Dou Qi in her palm erupted and a blast of cyan energy burst forth from her fingers. A giant cyan demonic claw formed with terrifying speed. It tore through the space before it and seemed to teleport right in front of Xiao Yan.
"A quasi-Tian Class Dou Technique!!"
Xiao Yan felt a chill in his heart as he sensed the terrifying power of this Dou Technique. He dared not hold back. He rapidly formed hand seals and placed his left palm into a special position, gathering all his Dou Qi there before blasting it outward.
Open Mountain Seal!
Dou Qi condensed in his left hand, and a massive energy palm imprint that could split mountains roared forward.
But Xiao Yan knew this was not enough. His right hand formed seals almost in tandem, and he shouted in his heart:
Sea Flipping Seal!
A vast amount of Dou Qi was consumed. Two High Di Class palm imprints thundered forth one after another.
Boom! Boom!
Two loud booms echoed when the Open Mountain Seal and the Sea Flipping Seal slammed heavily into the cyan claw. However, Qing Lin's cyan claw looked delicate, yet it proved so resilient that not even the combined might of both seals could shatter it.
Xiao Yan furrowed his brow and hastily withdrew, returning to Cai Lin's side.
She noticed his pensive expression and asked, "Have you figured something out?"
"Mm." Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at Qing Lin in the center of the hall. He spoke gravely, "The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils can not only absorb the Dou Qi cultivation and Spiritual Strength of the enslaved serpents but can also assimilate their Dou Techniques, even their combat instincts and experience."
!!!!
Cai Lin struck away a puppet with a palm, unable to hide her astonishment upon hearing his words. Is the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils really that outrageous?!
"No wonder when Qing Lin fought Nalan Yanran, her cultivation, spiritual perception, Dou Techniques, and even combat experience were superior. It seems the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils can absorb everything possessed by the enslaved serpents," Xiao Yan speculated while fending off the attacks of the serpent puppets.
"And this should be the reason for Qing Lin's loss of control. The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils are not perfect. While absorbing the power of the enslaved serpents, they also draw in the darkness and negative emotions within them. Eventually, when these negative forces accumulate beyond a certain point, they'll overwhelm the host and cause a loss of control."
Xiao Yan was reminded of the Woeful Poison Body, an extremely rare super physique much like the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Both granted rapid growth. In just a few years, their owners could reach levels that took others decades.
If these special physiques had no side effects, they might even be more terrifying than Dou God bloodlines.
But the reality was often the opposite. Throughout the history of the Dou Qi Continent, many renowned experts had emerged, but those possessing the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils or the Woeful Poison Body ultimately failed to reach the pinnacle. They struggled to touch even the advanced Dou Saint or ordinary Dou Saint stages, often dying midway.
There was always a trade-off; the more terrifying the power, the more severe the side effects. That was the case for the Woeful Poison Body, and it was the same for the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.
Xiao Yan even suspected that the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint had absorbed too much negative emotion, leading to a loss of control, which caused the serpent tribes of the Beast Region to join forces to expel them, ultimately resulting in their fall in the North-Western Region.
Qing Lin's final trial was likely about suppressing these negative forces, preventing herself from being overwhelmed by the emotions of the enslaved serpents.
It was just that she had failed.
"Is there a way?"
Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel regret. If he had the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame now, things would be much easier.
The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame possessed the ability to cleanse all things. Its purifying power could eradicate such negative emotions and energies.
But he did not have the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. He only had a few tattered fragments of the map!
When one needs fire and finds too little, it's lamentable!
"Cai Lin, help me clear a path." Xiao Yan lightly tapped his finger. The Green Lotus Core Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame instantly merged into the Glazed Lotus Heart Flame, which he flicked toward Cai Lin.
Aware of the dire situation, Cai Lin immediately took control of the Heavenly Flame. A burst of seven-colored radiance erupted. At this moment, torrents of colorful light surged from her entire body, her hair flying wildly despite the absence of wind.
Simultaneously, the Glazed Lotus Heart Flame hovered above her head, its terrifying heat bearing down.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Cai Lin pushed her bloodline strength in tandem with the Heavenly Flame. In an instant, the illusory figure of a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python emerged from her body; it suddenly opened its gaping maw and swallowed the Glazed Lotus Heart Flame whole!
This caused the energy of the Heavenly Flame to be exponentially infused, making her combat strength soar wildly!
It was unknown whether she had secretly learned Xiao Yan's moves through their soul connection, but this actually had similarities to the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change. Cai Lin's cultivation leaped to the level of a 9-star Dou Ancestor relying on the furious energy of her Heavenly Flame and her perfected Heavenly Flame Serpent Body, nearly reaching the terrifying stage of a half-step Dou Venerate.
At the Dou Ancestor realm, even the power of a Heavenly Flame rarely allowed such an immediate elevation of several stars, let alone a cross-realm surge.
"Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Technique!" Cai Lin shouted inwardly as she forcefully unleashed the most powerful beast technique within her bloodline.
Like Zi Yan, after evolving into the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, she had gained access to exclusive beast techniques inherent in her bloodline.
Measured by rank, this Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Technique would certainly not be weaker than a Low Tian Class Dou Technique, requiring one to reach Rank 8 to wield.
Cai Lin was holding nothing back, forcing herself to execute it!
Boom!
A tremendous boom resounded. The illusory figure of the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python opened its massive maw. A colossal beam of seven-colored light blasted out like divine radiance and surged toward the serpent puppets.
The pillar of light plummeted with unstoppable momentum. It tore through space and devoured everything, placing Cai Lin's power in the realm of a Dou Venerate for that fleeting instant.
Dazzling light struck down on numerous serpent puppets. The unstoppable brilliance cascaded like a heavenly waterfall, and the bodies of those serpent puppets, once Dou Venerates, began to melt!
Even though they were once Dou Venerates, some of the weaker ones who only retained low-star Dou Ancestor strength couldn't withstand the light beam containing the Heavenly Flame's power at all.
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth upon seeing Cai Lin unhesitatingly overdraw her bloodline strength to unleash such a supreme beast technique. The Three Thousand Lightning Movement flashed, and he charged once again toward Qing Lin.
Unable to purify the negative energies without the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, the only option he had was to use the Asura Soul Reaping Technique to attempt to reach the depths of Qing Lin's soul and see if he could awaken her consciousness.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
Qing Lin noticed Xiao Yan charging again, her eyes now glowing red. She caused the energy of the world around her to surge. In that instant, she pushed her hand through empty space and transformed her Dou Qi into countless snakes that lunged at Xiao Yan.
These Dou Qi snakes were not only as swift as arrows with potent penetrating power, but Xiao Yan could also tell they were poisonous!
Xiao Yan knew he couldn't retreat this time. The Yin-Yang Life and Death Flame's twin fishes transformed into a Taiji symbol and formed a domain around his body. The Yin-Yang Life and Death Flame continuously repelled the attacks of the Dou Qi snakes, acting like a protective shield.
A pure white flame appeared before Xiao Yan with a humming sound. He looked at the Heavenly Flame that had accompanied him the longest and took a deep breath.
He intended to let this Heavenly Flame show its most powerful side!
Heavenly Flame Dou Technique—Myriad Bones Chilling Fury!
The Bone Chilling Flame merged into his palm. In the next second, he slammed his palm onto the ground!
Even the energy of the world seemed to stagnate as his Dou Qi surged. The entire great hall and even the nearby primordial forest outside were instantly covered with frost with a tremendous crashing sound.
Skeletons carved from ice crawled out from the icy ground one after another. The ice forming their bodies was harder than refined steel, and in their hollow eye sockets floated clusters of deep white flame.
As countless ice skeletons emerged, a sizzling sound signaled the terrifying power instantly freezing the entire interior. Even the serpent puppets that Cai Lin hadn't eliminated were affected. Ice pillars formed under their feet, freezing them in place.
Crack! Crack!
Several skeletal arms made of ice crystals emerged beneath Qing Lin's feet with snapping sounds, gripping her legs tightly. After which, more and more ice skeletons began to crawl up her body!
Hiss hiss!!
Qing Lin let out a serpent-like hiss from her throat. A burst of cyan light flared as she swiftly flicked her hand, unleashing streaks of cyan Dou Qi in powerful arcs.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every ice skeleton near Qing Lin was shattered into fragments, with splinters of ice scattered across the ground.
But the ice had no life to begin with. Those shattered ice shards merged back into this icy world and reformed into new skeletons.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
These ice skeletons seemed intent on encasing Qing Lin entirely in ice, clinging tightly to her legs and gripping her arms.
The terrifying chill made it difficult even for Qing Lin to move!
The Bone Chilling Flame was a unique flame that combined extreme cold and extreme heat. It could only be encountered once every hundred years, during the sun and moon's alternation in places of utmost cold and profound yin.
Although it was not that fateful time now and the Bone Chilling Flame could not display its full power, it was sufficient to grant Xiao Yan a chance to get closer.
Xiao Yan knew that it was impossible to completely subdue Qing Lin with his current cultivation, even enhanced by a Secret Technique. He needed to awaken her consciousness!
Sizzle!
A bolt of lightning tore through the space with a flash of the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, and he appeared before Qing Lin in just an instant.
"You girl, how can you make the young master call you to wake up?"
A trace of dark soul light appeared on Xiao Yan's fingertip. He gently tapped Qing Lin's forehead, and a slender soul chain shot from his finger, piercing straight into the depths of her soul.
"Abyss Submersion!"
At this moment, Xiao Yan frantically expended his Spiritual Strength. The overwhelming force sent his robes and hair whipping wildly.
Instantly, a cacophony of voices echoed into the depths of his soul. He knew these were the resentment, unwillingness, anger, and other negative emotions of those serpent puppets from when they were alive.
There were even fragments of their most profound memories, encompassing not only insights gained through cultivating Dou Techniques but also recollections of sorrow and joy.
'No wonder Qing Lin lost control. This conglomeration of negative energies could easily invade the mind of someone whose willpower isn't firm enough!' Xiao Yan's expression was grave. The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils truly had both formidable advantages and dire drawbacks.
"Get out of here!"
Xiao Yan growled through gritted teeth. His Spiritual Strength at the perfected Mortal State was pushed to the limit. The soul chain rampaged through Qing Lin's soul world like a frenzied dragon, unstoppable.
He charged straight toward Qing Lin's trapped soul, relentlessly obliterating those evil energies!
At this moment, the malevolent negative energies seemed to sense danger. Qing Lin struggled painfully. Then her red lips parted, and a roar mixed with countless voices erupted from her throat.
AHH, AHH, AHHHH!!
In that very instant, countless forms of darkness, resentments, ghosts, and shadowy silhouettes surged forth from her mouth in a frenzied rush.
Endless darkness cascaded in an instant, as if covering the sky and blinding the sun. The darkness burst through the great hall, but in the blink of an eye, all the dark energy coalesced once more.
Moreover, darkness surged from all around the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils' space!
The Jade-Eyed Snake Saint was an elite Half-Saint, and even after thousands of years, considerable dark negative energy still lingered within them. In the end, all that darkness coalesced into an enormous black giant serpent whose appearance was identical to that of the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint!
This giant serpent emitted an extremely yin aura. As its presence spread, the terrifying chill was not inferior to the Bone Chilling Flame!
"Hey, Qing Lin, wake up!" No matter how Xiao Yan shook her, Qing Lin remained unconscious.
Turning his head, he saw that Cai Lin herself was also struggling to continue, having already expended much Dou Qi from seizing the light clusters. Cold sweat dotted her forehead and her breathing came in rapid gasps.
The powerful beast technique she had just unleashed had nearly exhausted her strength.
Xiao Yan was not much better off. Executing the Heavenly Flame Dou Technique of the Bone Chilling Flame had drained his Dou Qi completely.
Even Venerable Tian Huo's Spiritual Strength was entirely depleted and the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change had reached its limit. A wave of weakness swept over him. Were it not for the Yin-Yang Life and Death Flame, he would be paralyzed from the recoil.
When his ancestor created this Secret Technique, it was with the intention that either his opponent would die or he would die. No alternative was considered!
Seeing all this, Xiao Yan sighed in his heart and gently set Qing Lin down.
He did not blame her for losing control. Entering the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint's inheritance ruin had been agreed upon by all members of the Yan Alliance. After all, this ruin was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Who could have foreseen that the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils would have such side effects?
Exploring ruins was never without danger. It was only natural that risks arise.
Xiao Yan then slowly removed Venerable Tian Huo's storage ring and tossed it to Cai Lin, saying, "Cai Lin, watch over Qing Lin for me."
Cai Lin's heart trembled. She sensed something through their soul connection and asked in a solemn tone, "What are you planning to do?!"
"I'm taking a gamble. If I don't, we'll all die here." Xiao Yan had one final trump card.
His Dou Qi was exhausted, his body wracked with pain from the side effects of the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change, and even his Dou Qi recovery pills had been consumed.
However, he still had one card to play against this aggregate of evil thoughts.
Without hesitation, he retrieved a Great Soul Black Purple Pill from his storage ring and tossed it into his mouth!
Instantly, his Spiritual Strength began to surge. A powerful spiritual fluctuation started to strengthen his soul.
Boom!!
Suddenly, an eye opened up in the abyss beneath Xiao Yan's feet. This eye was different from before. This time, the curve of a smile was revealed.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Black soul chains flew out from the abyss. But this time, it was different. These soul chains all pierced into Xiao Yan's body!
Instantly, blue veins bulged on his face, spreading out like a centipede in a fearsome display. With a loud boom, a strange aura rapidly permeated the entire space!
Cai Lin's face showed astonishment. She knew Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength was formidable and that he was skilled in Soul Skills. Back then, hadn't he relied on Soul Skills to forcibly impact her soul, thereby interrupting her evolution¡
Yet she had never seen him like this before!
"This isn't good! This old man has battled with people from the Hall of Souls before, but I've never seen anything like this!" Venerable Tian Huo drifted out from the storage ring in a weakened state, his expression one of shock as he observed Xiao Yan's transformation.
At this moment, Xiao Yan's body underwent a terrifying mutation.
Boom!!
All at once, black energy surged around him. A shadow slowly crawled out of the abyss in the blink of an eye, as if the darkness itself intended to devour him.
When the darkness fully merged with Xiao Yan, his body became enveloped in a furious demonic light with tendrils of black energy streaming from him. Even the frozen ground beneath him instantly turned black with a single stomp!
Xiao Yan appeared as though he were a demon god. Even the giant black serpent in the sky seemed wary of his fearsome eyes, and the remaining serpent puppets instinctively shrank away!
There was no doubt, Xiao Yan had finally released the Asura from the abyss!
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Title: Asura
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