Proofreader: Papatonks
In any soul domain battle, each domain clashed with the other for supremacy, as no domain would allow another to exist in the same space.
It was either one or the other. When the domain fell, so did the soul.
Yet, just now, Yan Mo used the Yin Yang flames to strike at Wu Qingqiu’s Clarity Domain. The latter did not meet with an equal force and instead took that power for himself.
It was the same effect employed by the Demon Transformation Art.
Zhuo Fan recalled the bitter experience in the Lightning Canyon. Even by using the azure flame to protect himself, he still ended up with purple lightning burrowing deep inside him. To absorb this purple lightning through the Demon Transformation Art, he had to use Qiao’er’s egg as the medium.
[Since it worked once, maybe it will work against Ye Lin?]
No matter how amazing the Decimating Golden Flame was, there was no way it could top the purple lightning from the Lightning Canyon. He was not looking to block that power but to take it within and make it his own.
[He-he-he, isn’t this the same reason I chose the cultivation method in the first place? How could I forget it?]
However, this was only a guess. To get some hard evidence, he needed to do some tests. The last time was a static array that launched automatic attacks while he would be facing a live human being who could change his attacks at any moment.
This epiphany acted as a reminder.
Zhuo Fan’s eyes narrowed as he watched the two fight, constantly thinking…
Yin Yang Flame Circle!
Yan Mo changed his attack. With a sign, two flaming pythons, one red and one blue circled the Clarity Domain from each side. They soon turned like the ring of snakes behind Yan Mo, spinning with the Clarity Domain in its center.
Yan Mo’s sign changed again, and the burning heat soared into a huge fire wall, bearing down closer on the Clarity Domain.
One could see how the Yin Yang flames were eating away at it. The sizzling, piercing flames were forcing the domain into a corner.
From the outside, it looked like the domain was swallowed whole by flames.
Wu Qingqiu frowned and made quick gestures. The taiji symbol underneath spun faster as strong wind blades shot for the Yin Yang flames, making them scatter.
Yan Mo worked to stabilize the flames.
Just then, Wu Qingqiu also worked to break through, shouting, “The great world holds everything and has everything, World Harmony!”
Whoosh~
Wu Qingqiu spread his arms. The Clarity Domain collapsed and the walls of flames flooded in without restraint, reaching Wu Qingqiu in a blink and swallowing him whole.
However, the taiji symbol beneath Wu Qingqiu began spreading within the flames, covering all of Yan Mo’s domain.
Yan Mo narrowed his eyes, understanding what Wu Qingqiu was after, and shouted.
Too little, too late.
A hum was the only sign of what had happened. The taiji symbol started shining in black and white as it spun around. It was like a huge sea, spinning everything it contained, even the raging flames, as it neutralized them.
Yan Mo hurriedly made signs to regain control of the flames, but it was just too late. His entire flame domain was already taken by the Clarity Domain and out of his hands.
Looking at the bright sky above, Yan Mo shook his head and sighed. The circle of snakes behind him kept rotating, yet it lost the vigor it had at the start.
“Brother Yan, you let me win.” Wu Qingqiu grinned and cupped his hands.
Yan Mo sighed and shook his head, “I still lost. Wu Qingqiu, you truly are the best talent in western lands.”
“Brother Yan is too kind. To be honest, I was starting to sweat when our domain clashed. I could only win against brother Yan, thanks to luck.”
“Faker!”
Yan Mo’s face twitched, “You don’t have to pat me on the back. I can see it myself. You still held back against me. It’s because the path you follow isn’t that of brute strength. You used softness to grasp victory in the last moments. Otherwise, I would have been seriously injured when my domain collapsed.”
Wu Qingqiu chuckled, “Brother Yan, I admire your candid nature. However, you were wrong about one thing. I have long since lost the title of the best talent in western lands.”
Wu Qingqiu turned to Ye Lin, then to Zhuo Fan, “I just can’t help but wonder who among the two will be it?”
“They both walk the path of power, showing no mercy. You will be thrown back in pain and defeat if you fight them. Going easy on them will be your weakness. You saw it yourself. Your junior brother killed someone in the first strike. Zhuo Fan also obliterated souls without remorse. He even left me with a heavy wound back then. They are men of power, not someone a modest gentleman can face.”
Yan Mo looked at the two as he said this. Wu Qingqiu chuckled and shook his head.
Unlike Ye Lin and Zhuo Fan, he was an orthodox righteous disciple, always conducting himself with courtesy. They did not have such restraints. He reckoned he wouldn’t last three moves with them.
However, he was decent and not pedantic, earning the respect of many. Even Yan Mo, his strongest adversary, respected him.
“But…”
Yan Mo spoke, “You will always be the best talent in western lands to me. Those two are monsters, not humans.”
Yan Mo left the stage, not even waiting for the judge to announce his withdrawal. Unlike Zhao Dezhu’s, his was different.
He fought with all he had and would have staked his life if it meant winning. But he knew that not even that was enough against the opponent’s domain. It was better to quit ahead.
Watching Yan Mo go, Wu Qingqiu nodded.
[He’s anything but nice, having defiled and committed crimes, but he is a man, after all.]
The judge also watched him go with a nod, then proclaimed it Ultimate Clarity Sect’s win.
The next matches between Ultimate Clarity Sect and Hellion Flame continued. Maybe it was because of the friendliness the two captains showed in their fight, or today was filled with bizarre occurrences since the matches were fought with all their power but were akin to sparring rather than death battles.
Ultimate Clarity Sect’s disciples’ character was mild, that was certain, but even when the Hellion Flame’s disciples won, they did not finish them off. They not only showed respect but were even lenient.
And so, the singles round ended without a single casualty, despite some sporting heavy wounds. As for the two sects, they had no feud with each other. In fact, they joined efforts in mocking the Universal Righteous Sect.
Zhao Dezhu’s team felt like wailing about the injustice.
[What’s wrong with our sect? Haven’t we given up without a fight? Why are you looking at us like that?]
[For god’s sake, we’re innocent here!]
Next were the three sects’ team battles. This would be glorious, a fight that would include the best sects in western lands. But since a freak like Ye Lin was among them, the gap was huge.
In the Ultimate Clarity Sect against Hellion Flame, Wu Qingqiu kept Yan Mo busy while Ye Lin dealt with the other nine easily.
Yan Mo saw this and admitted defeat.
As if to copy Zhuo Fan’s challenge when he fought ten by himself, Ye Lin issued the same proposal. He wanted to finish off Hellion Flame by himself, but Wu Qingqiu refused him.
He wasn’t afraid Ye Lin would end up doing something wrong, but Yan Mo’s self-respect would be crushed. So that was how it turned to two vs. ten. Wu Qingqiu kept him busy while Ye Lin dealt with the rest.
Yan Mo was also aware of this, though not in the least pleased. He knew Ye Lin was just as scary as Zhuo Fan, if not more. He had no way to defeat the guy, so he could only bottle it in.
As for Universal Righteous Sect’s attitude, it did not fail to be within the people’s expectations, still trying to save their strength. When fighting the Ultimate Clarity Sect, they gave up after several exchanges while showing their kind side.
This only worked to enrage Wu Qingqiu. He would’ve beaten the hell out of Zhao Dezhu by now if not for his gentle character.
The same couldn’t be said for Ye Lin.
[Our sect isn’t here to play along. Fight if you want to. If not, get the hell out of here.]
[If you start playing around, I’ll kill you!]
Before Zhao Dezhu could even speak, Ye Lin shot three golden flames into three disciples, killing them on the spot.
Zhao Dezhu was feeling pure regret right now. Those three were among the best on his team. But he had no choice since he feared Ye Lin and Ultimate Clarity Sect’s power.
In the next fight with Hellion Flame, Universal Righteous Sect just quit before they started.
Ultimate Clarity Sect had Ye Lin, who took three of his best men, and now he had Hellion Flame, who was itching to tear into them.
Zhao Dezhu feared he wouldn’t even have the time to announce his surrender.
This was how the superior-three sects stage came to a close in a single day. Ultimate Clarity Sect and Hellion Flame fought hard, ending with both sides bruised and weary, while Universal Righteous Sect kept most of their strength based on tricks alone.
Their targets were the upstarts, Demon Scheming Sect, and Sword God Sect…
