Chapter 299: Nalan Yanran Intervenes
Within the large all, everyone was eyeing Xiao Yan with astonished faces. They had never thought that this young man who appeared to specialize in refining medicine would not be any worse than Mu Zhan in terms of combat. The lightning like exchange from before may have lasted for only a short moment, but everyone knew the danger involved.
Among the younger generation within the capital, Mu Zhan’s combat talent could be described as being among the top. There was hardly anyone of the same age group within the Jia Ma Sacred Empire who could fight neck to neck with him. This was especially so after he had trained for two years at the military barracks. The current Mu Zhan had undoubtedly become much stronger and fiercer compared to before. However, in that fight earlier, he did not appear to have much of an advantage.
Although, it could be said that Mu Zhan had yet to use all his strength in this exchange. Not even a Dou Technique had been displayed but no one forgot that the young man who had an ordinary appearance had similarly relied entirely on his body’s ability to fight.
“It is really unexpected that Yan Xiao’s combat ability is actually this good…” The Little Princess watched Xiao Yan with a stunned expression as she said with surprise. She had very clear knowledge of Mu Zhan’s talent in terms of combat. However, in the fight just now, Mu Zhan did not end up beating Yan Xiao until the latter turned into a miserable state. Instead, the two of them ended up in a draw.
The corner of Liu Ling’s mouth twitched slightly. Having not seen the scene in his imagination where Xiao Yan was trounced by Mu Zhan, his heart currently did not feel very well. When he heard the surprise in Little Princess’s words, his heart became a little unhappy. He said faintly, “If Mu Zhan unleashed all his strength in the fight, I dare to say that Yan Xiao would definitely be no match for him.”
“Ke ke, perhaps.” Little Princess was non-committal as she smiled. As a female, her observation ability was naturally much more meticulous when compared to Liu Ling who was harboring a grudge. During the time that Mu Zhan was forced back, she had clearly seen that Mu Zhan’s leg was a little unnatural when he was stepping back. It appeared that Mu Zhan had received a little hidden injury in the collision from before.
“Yan Xiao, are you alright?”
After seeing Xiao Yan stepping back, Ya Fei hurriedly came forward and asked anxiously. As she said those words, her delicate hand grabbed the sleeve in front of her. Evidently, she did not want him to continue the fight.
“I’m fine.” Xiao Yan smiled. Under the sleeve, his fist, which had been inserted into it, trembled slightly as he tried to slowly remove the pain that radiated through it.
“This fellow’s strength is indeed very great. From the looks of it, he should be around an eight star or even nine star Dou Shi…” Sensing the pain that was transmitted from his fist, Xiao Yan quietly guessed in his heart.
“But… I think that the current him should also be having a hard time… fire subdues wood. The burning of the ‘Green Lotus Core Flame’ from my fist would definitely have caused this fellow to suffer a hidden injury.” Xiao Yan glanced at Mu Zhan’s foot and the corner of his mouth was lifted into a cold smile.
Mu Zhan stared intently at Xiao Yan with a fierce face. The intense pain transmitted from his leg caused the corner of his mouth to twitch repeatedly. The Dou Qi in his body flowed swiftly and wrapped around his foot, turning it into a pale-green color.
Mu Zhan’s Dou Qi belonged to the wood affinity. This kind of Dou Qi had some sort of healing properties. Therefore, as the Dou Qi shrouded his leg, which was not overly seriously injured, once again began to recover.
“Brat, not bad… I didn’t expect that a pampered alchemist like you would actually know such an aggressive manner of combat.” Mu Zhan parted his lips and smiled at Xiao Yan, much like a ferocious tiger which had opened its mouth and bared its fangs, possessing an abundance of a fierce aura. If this fellow was placed on the battlefield, he would definitely be a rarely seen ferocious general.
Xiao Yan smiled, but did not speak. The green colored Dou Qi still shrouded on the surface of his body without the slightest sign of relaxing.
“But… regardless of who you are. Do not touch the woman I like!”
The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. Mu Zhan let out a stern roar. A powerful Dou Qi swarmed out from within his body. As the Dou Qi churned, a somewhat vague Dou Qi Armor had actually, gradually appeared on his body.
Seeing the Dou Qi Armor on Mu Zhan’s body, Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed. He did not expect that this fellow was able to summon the Dou Qi Armor that only a Da Dou Shi was able to possess. Although his armor now was merely an initial prototype, its defensive strength far exceeded the Dou Shi’s Dou Qi Cloak.
“This fellow is about to become serious…” Xiao Yan muttered in his heart. His face gradually became grave. As his mind was racing, a wisp of ‘Green Lotus Core Flame’ was pulled out from the ‘Acceptance Spirit’ within the vortex. After which, it swiftly passed through the Qi Paths as Xiao Yan prepared to unleash the terrifying force that belonged to it at any time.
“Mu Zhan, you lunatic. Stop!” Seeing Mu Zhan, who refused to give up, Ya Fei was so angry that her pretty face had turned pale.
Mu Zhan ignored Ya Fei’s angry cry. The Dou Qi on the surface of his body became increasingly dense. A strong force rose from within his body, suppressing those people with weaker strengths in the hall until their expressions changed slightly.
“I have said before. I will kill whoever dares to touch you!”
Mu Zhan’s feet stomped on the floor with a bang. Numerous crack lines began to swiftly spread out from the spot where his feet pushed off just like a spider web. His body leaned forward slightly. With a cry, his body turned into a green colored shadow that shot toward Xiao Yan. Wherever he passed by, a gully that was one foot deep was being extended.
The entire hall had at this moment, turned into a complete mess.
Sensing the ferocious force that was shrouding around Mu Zhan’s body, Xiao Yan’s expression was serious as he pulled Ya Fei from in front of him to behind back. At the tip of his finger within his sleeves, a green colored flame began to dance around strangely…
Mu Zhan’s speed was extremely swift and violent. In the blink of an eye, he appeared at a spot a short distance in front of Xiao Yan. He raised his fist high into the air. The fist was completely covered by sharp green colored thorns, appearing to possess a strong offensive strength.
“Green Wooden Thorn!”
With an oppressive low roar, that fist of Mu Zhan, which was covered in green colored thorns, was accompanied by a sharp force as it violently smashed down toward Xiao Yan.
A pair of dark, black eyes coldly watched the fist that was moving increasingly closer. The oppressive wind flattened the clothes on Xiao Yan’s body until they were tightly pasted on Xiao Yan’s skin.
Within Xiao Yan’s sleeves, the green colored flame had also withered with increasing joy under this suppression. The hot energy was swiftly agglomerating…
Just as Xiao Yan was about to use the ‘Green Lotus Core Flame’ to counter attack, his eyebrows abruptly knit slightly together as he sensed something. He immediately stopped his body that was leaning forward. At the same time a clear cold tender shout sounded within the hall.
“Mu Zhan. Stop now!”
As the tender shout fell, a moon white shadow shot over from another corner of the hall in a lightning like manner. The body strangely floated in midair and appeared in front of Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan glanced at Nalan Yanran’s strange ability to move through midair from the corner of his eyes. His eyebrows twitched without being noticed. This woman had improved greatly in three years…
“Thousand Wind!”
After she swiftly appeared in front of Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran coldly watched Mu Zhan, who did not cease his attack, with her pretty face. Her snow white delicate hand extended out of her spacious sleeve and she prepared to flick her long narrow finger. Five pale-green colored, tornadoes surfaced from the tip of her finger, much like five incomparably sharp green colored fingernails.
The five sharp spiraling winds actually appeared to have tore the space as they wildly rotated. She flicked her finger and the spiraling wind shot out. Immediately, they violently shot at Mu Zhan’s fist which was covered with green colored thorns.
“Bang!”
Following the sound of an explosion, waves of wood fragments were shot out from Mu Zhan’s fist. The ferocious force contained within the tornadoes directly caused Mu Zhan to take a few steps back. Each time his feet landed, he would leave a deep footprint on the ground.
When the last footstep landed, Mu Zhan’s arm quivered fiercely. A shapeless force seeped out of his body and left a deep imprint on the pillar behind his body.
“Nalan Yanran? Hei, I didn’t expect that you would actually have become so much stronger after having not met for only two years. Looks like Sect Leader Yun Yun really put in a lot of effort to teach you.” Mu Zhan licked the fresh blood on his fist. He ignored this little bit of pain as he said with surprise.
“Mu Zhan, this is the Nalan clan, not your Mu clan. Mister Yan Xiao is a guest of our Nalan clan and should not be subjected to your unbridled behavior!” Nalan Yanran softly cried.
Mu Zhan’s eyes narrowed. He tightened his fist as his gaze swept through the hall. After which, he paused on Nalan Jie and Nalan Su who were quickly striding over. Knowing that he had lost the opportunity to attack Xiao Yan today, he could only helplessly spread out his hand. He lifted his chin slightly and stared at Xiao Yan, “On account of Nalan Yanran, I will not cripple you today. But I would advise you to stay away from Ya Fei in the future. Otherwise…”
“I will take you on anytime…” Xiao Yan coldly smiled and said. After the exchange from before, he knew that Mu Zhan’s level was slightly higher than his own. However, if he were to use his hidden cards, it was difficult to tell who would win or lose.
“You got some backbone. I didn’t expect that the moment I returned to the capital, I would meet a person whom I can step on. I’m really excited….” Mu Zhan parted his mouth and grinned at Xiao Yan. The white teeth of his appeared to be quite dense.
“It requires strength in order to step on someone. Don’t end up having your feet pierced before you can even step on the person…” Xiao Yan did not show the slightest weakness or cowering action against this young man who did not bother to hide his arrogance and domineering temperament. His giving a tit for tat manner caused everyone to be extremely surprised.
“Alright, the both of you should speak less. Today is the Nalan clan’s gathering. Don’t disturb everyone’s mood.” These two people who were fighting with each other caused Nalan Yanran to frown slightly as she helplessly scolded.
Xiao Yan shrugged his shoulders. His gaze turned from Mu Zhan’s body onto the beauty who had her back facing him. His eyes narrowed as his finger gently flicked within his sleeves. Nalan Yanran’s attack a moment ago was the first attack that Xiao Yan had seen her use ever since he had met her. It was like a piece of a jigsaw. For her to be able to force back Mu Zhan who was fighting equally with himself, this woman’s strength had improved extremely quickly during the last three years. Although the Dou Technique that she had displayed just now was not of a low class, the high class Dou Techniques would not have much use if she did not have the support of a powerful Dou Qi in this kind of battle where both parties’ levels were very close.
“The Misty Cloud Sect has spared no effort in grooming her. This Three Year Agreement will be fun…” Xiao Yan’s gaze paused on the beautiful curves of Nalan Yanran’s tender body as he muttered in his heart.