BTTH: Demon Emperor Xiao Yan

"When are we going in?" Zi Yan stared at the crowd around them with growing impatience. She could sense countless precious heavenly materials and earthly treasures within the Fallen Grounds and was itching to rush in and plunder them all. But Xiao Yan had pinned her down in place, forcing her to stare longingly at the treasure trove just ahead, unable to act. It was nothing short of torture.

"Don't be in such a rush. We'll wait until that energy pillar disperses first," Xiao Yan said as he tugged gently on her hair. He was just about to offer a few more words of comfort when he suddenly sensed a probing soul force sweep across him. Although he had long anticipated such an event and had already set up defenses to obscure his true soul presence, the sensation of being spied upon still irked him.

With a thought, Xiao Yan's own soul force surged silently in response, tracing the origin of the scan. Compared to the one that had just probed him, his soul force was vastly stronger. As the other party retracted their scan, they didn't even notice that a counter-probe had been launched.

The source was a man dressed in cyan robes. On his chest was a badge bearing the image of an alchemy cauldron with six golden lines—symbolizing a sixth-tier alchemist. In the Black-Corner Region, individuals of this level were few and far between. Even without seeing him directly, Xiao Yan had already deduced his identity.

The Alchemy Emperor—Han Feng!

At this moment, Han Feng, the man who ruled over the entirety of Maple City, furrowed his brows. His recent soul probe had detected a few Dou Huang-level individuals, but none seemed overly concerning. However, one person did draw his attention—a mysterious figure hidden beneath a black robe.

Xiao Yan, now nearly thirteen years old, had a maturing physique thanks to body refinement techniques, and while slightly shorter than a typical adult, he still fell within a believable range. The only trait that might expose his true age was his youthful face. Fortunately, he wore a mask made of magical beast hide that concealed his features, making it nearly impossible for others to guess he was still a child.

Han Feng did note the man's rather slender frame, but he didn't think too much of it. The Black-Corner Region was full of strange individuals, and as long as one was strong, no one cared how they looked. Besides, the disguised Xiao Yan merely appeared ordinary—not disfigured.

"That man in the black robe is probably the newly risen leader of Xiao Gate," Han Feng muttered inwardly. "His soul presence is a bit stronger than a typical fifth-tier alchemist."

Given his status in the Black-Corner Region, Han Feng naturally had his own intelligence network and had heard of the high-ranking alchemist from Xiao Gate. In a sense, they were rivals. Many who couldn't afford or access Han Feng's pills often turned to Xiao Yan. And since Xiao Yan rarely refused clients, the two were effectively competing.

Even so, Han Feng didn't think much of him. Stronger than an average fifth-tier alchemist? That still made him a fifth-tier. Compared to a peak sixth-tier like Han Feng, the gap was substantial. There was no way such a person could threaten his standing.

What Han Feng didn't know, however, was that the soul force he had sensed was merely a disguise. Xiao Yan's true soul strength was far superior to his. The very fact that Xiao Yan had traced his soul presence into Han Feng's quarters undetected was a testament to that.

Though Han Feng didn't sense danger, he couldn't shake a nagging feeling—a vague intuition that he and this mysterious gate master were destined to become mortal enemies. He had no evidence, but he trusted his instincts.

"Judging from his aura, that guy's strength is at most at the peak of the Dou Wang realm. The two beside him? One's barely a Dou Wang, and the other isn't even a Da Dou Shi. They shouldn't be hard to deal with," Han Feng mused. His gaze sharpened. "If an opportunity presents itself, I'll make sure that Xiao Gate's leader never leaves here alive."

First, however, the most important matter was still the Heavenly Flame.

"Heavenly Flame…" Han Feng muttered the words under his breath. Just the name was enough to drive cultivators mad with desire. He had searched for so many years and finally received a clue here in the Black-Corner Region. If the Fallen Grounds truly contained a Heavenly Flame and he could obtain and refine it, his strength would skyrocket.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, who had been standing on a giant stone waiting for the situation inside the Fallen Grounds to stabilize, revealed a faint smile. With his soul perception, how could he not notice the wave of killing intent Han Feng had just directed toward him?

'He has no idea what kind of monster he's facing.'

In recent days, Xiao Yan had confirmed something based on intelligence gathered by Xiao Gate: Han Feng's master, the so-called Medicine Sovereign, was none other than Yao Lao, whose spirit currently resided within his ring. In other words, in terms of seniority, Han Feng was technically his "senior disciple brother."

But Xiao Yan also knew full well that Yao Lao's mysterious death was likely connected to this Han Feng. Killing him would not only be self-preservation—it would be revenge.

'Wait… I feel like I'm forgetting something important… is it just my imagination?'

In any case, the two were fated to be enemies. They were both after the Heavenly Flame said to be hidden within the Fallen Grounds. From that alone, there was no room for coexistence. Add to that the killing intent Han Feng had shown, and it was obvious: one of them wouldn't walk out alive.

'You'll have many "surprises" waiting for you when we finally clash, senior brother.'

Xiao Yan lifted his head and looked toward the tower where Han Feng resided. Coincidentally, the man opened his window at that moment, and their gazes met in the air. One gaze brimmed with undisguised killing intent, while the other remained utterly calm.

"You're still too green, senior brother." A faint smirk curved Xiao Yan's lips. He moved his mouth without making a sound—words only he could hear:

"I'll be taking both your Heavenly Flame and your life."

(End of Chapter)

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