Battle Through the Heavens: Beauties Abound Starting with Yunlan and Her Disciples

336: Section 336The clamor around the elder seats instantly froze. The women first looked at Yun Xiancheng with concern, and then simultaneously raised their heads, casting their gazes toward the clear sky that was now encroached upon by shadows.

A ripple also stirred in Yun Xiancheng’s heart.

According to the original work, internal affairs like the Ancient Clan receiving bloodline descendants usually didn’t involve much fanfare. But arriving so openly during the Inner Academy Grand Competition, at this moment of intense public focus, seemed overly ostentatious.

Clearly, this was another subtle difference in this world: the youths of the Ancient Clan were far more arrogant and unrestrained.

Above the sky, more than ten figures approached in formation. All the arrivals were youths around the age of twenty, but the aura surrounding them was astonishingly powerful.

Within the formation, Dou Wang cultivation was common, and Dou Huang experts were frequently seen. The imposing aura of the person leading them was pressing straight toward the Peak Dou Huang realm. Beneath everyone, they rode a quadrupedal exotic beast resembling a Qilin.

This beast had flashing silver horns, was wreathed in wind and thunder, and every beat of its wings stirred up fierce gales on the ground.

Uniform Dou Huang-rank flying magical beasts, equipped with standardized saddles and armor—that sense of unified pressure could only belong to a superpower with unfathomable foundations.

The might invoked by the mere appearance of this team was enough to shatter the fervent atmosphere of the entire arena, causing the geniuses Jia Nan Academy prided itself on to pale in comparison.

Elder Su Qian and the academy’s senior staff dared not delay. They swiftly mobilized their Dou Qi and rose into the air, heading to meet the team of uninvited guests.

They hovered mid-air. Su Qian stepped forward first, facing the group of youths who were barely a fraction of his age, and solemnly cupped his hands in a bow. ”May I ask, esteemed guests, why you visit my Jia Nan Academy today?” His voice was steady, and his words conveyed humility.

A Dou Zong expert who had been famous for many years, the head of the academy, actually performed such a grand gesture toward a group of younger generations, adopting an extremely low posture. It certainly showed great respect for the other party.

The leading youth wore heavy dark-black armor, his brows furrowed, possessing the chilling aura of a Young General.

However much he tried to keep his expression stern, the contempt in the depths of his eyes for this ”barbaric land” still shone through, undisguised like a cold glint.

”We have important business today,” the youth slowly stated, his voice cool and clear. ”It just so happens that your academy is holding a martial arts competition, which provides a bit of spectacle.”

His gaze swept over the thousands of students below. His tone was flat, yet every word carried an air of condescending scrutiny: ”I have always respected heroes of the world. Although you reside in this remote corner, your dedication to arduous cultivation is somewhat commendable.”

Changing the subject, he added with a faint, almost imperceptible sneer: ”It’s just a pity that after observing the sky from the bottom of a well in this tiny place for so long, you ultimately don’t know what a true Child of Heaven is.”

”It is human nature to become lazy, self-righteous, and mistake the light of a firefly for the radiance of the bright moon.”

His eyes sharpened. Ignoring Su Qian and the others, he coldly ordered his subordinates: ”Twelve, Twenty-One, step forward!” As his voice fell, he added, ”The two of you, go down and challenge the students here to a battle within the same realm. If you lose, you will be automatically removed from the Black Torrent Army.”

Two youths wearing standardized armor stepped out in response, their movements crisp and neat. They cupped their fists together and accepted the order. Their auras were at Peak Dou Wang, making them the two weakest members of this group.

Then, they turned around, their cold, emotionless gazes piercing straight toward the thousands of students in the arena below, like two drawn swords.

Su Qian’s expression completely darkened. Were these arrogant, unrestrained young people deliberately choosing today to humiliate the reputation of his Jia Nan Academy?

What puzzled him even more was that the space where the Inner Academy was located was an academy secret, rarely known to outsiders. How had this group managed to find this place so precisely? What exactly was their underlying goal? Countless doubts surged into Su Qian’s mind all at once.

”Who is this person? What arrogance!” The crowd below instantly erupted. Which student of Jia Nan Academy wasn’t a genius in their own right? When had they ever endured such blatant humiliation? Astonishment, rage, and unwillingness quickly spread through the crowd.

”Look at this display, could they be a major power from the Central Plains? Damn it, who exactly are they?” Those with extensive knowledge whispered among themselves, ”In my memory,”

”even those top sects in the Central Plains definitely couldn’t cultivate such a batch of elites who are so young yet all are Dou Masters and Dou Huangs!”

Discussion rose and fell, merging into a chorus of murmurs. Even those disciples who originally hailed from Central Plains aristocratic families racked their brains but still couldn’t match the team before them with any known power.

Yun Xiancheng’s gaze remained calm as water, pausing briefly on the Young General leading the group. Peak Dou Huang, Ancient Clan bloodline... this level of strength and background—

—was indeed worthy of this arrogance.

Xiao Xun’er looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar faces in the air, lightly biting her lower lip with her pearly teeth. The hand that was tightly grasping Yun Xiancheng’s tightened further.

”The clan elders have sent messages multiple times, urging me to return...” Her voice carried a hint of helplessness.

Yun Xiancheng turned his hand over, enclosing her soft hand in his palm, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, and said warmly, ”It’s fine. This temporary separation is only for the sake of spending the rest of our lives together later.”

The warmth transmitted from his palm and his gentle, peaceful words instantly calmed the ripples in Xiao Xun’er’s heart. She nodded, her gaze once again turning toward the intimidating team in the air, and softly said:

”Mhm... bringing me back to the clan should be their only mission. I just don’t know why they are needlessly stirring up trouble here.”

Yun Xiancheng’s lips curved slightly as he uttered eight characters: ”Arrogance and ingrained habits are hard to change.” As soon as he spoke, it seemed to trigger some invisible mechanism.

The Young General’s gaze locked precisely onto Yun Xiancheng. When his sight landed on the hands of Yun Xiancheng and Xiao Xun’er tightly clasped together, that sharp gaze instantly transformed into palpable hostility. His fist clenched under his armor, grinding loudly, and his disgust was evident.

In response, Yun Xiancheng merely met the gaze with eyes as calm as an ancient well, greeting him placidly without the slightest ripple of emotion. Seeing that evasion was impossible, Su Qian took a deep breath and announced loudly:

”Since you, esteemed guest, have this refined interest, my Jia Nan Academy will naturally comply! This battle is limited to the same realm. The challengers must not use cultivation that surpasses the students of our academy who answer the challenge; those who violate this rule lose! Furthermore, this must be a match to stop short of serious injury, and absolutely no lives shall be harmed!”

As soon as Su Qian finished speaking, the long-suppressed fighting spirit below instantly erupted.

The students of Jia Nan Academy were all proud and ambitious. Now that they were being bullied by outside enemies, the hot blood in their chests had long been boiling! So what if they were visitors from the Central Plains? The name of ’genius’ must be defended with fists!

”I’ll go!” ”Count me in!” Calls to battle rose one after another. Innumerable young faces were filled with soaring fighting spirit, and everyone wanted to step forward and personally measure—

—the weight of these so-called ”Central Plains visitors.”

396 There is always a higher sky

Although the students of Jia Nan Academy fought with all their might, the gulf between them and the Black Torrent Army Soldiers remained shocking and insurmountable. Even with cultivation deliberately suppressed to the same realm, the comprehensive crushing superiority in cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, combat experience, and even battle mentality was still the cold, iron rule that determined victory or defeat.

Whether it was a novice Great Dou Master or a battle-hardened six or seven-star Dou Ling, not a single person could last ten rounds against those Black Armored Guards.

The battle situation could only be described as ”miserable.” Every Inner Academy disciple who entered the ring suffered a crushing defeat, covered in dirt and dust, with glaring streaks of blood at the corners of their mouths.

Yet, all the injuries avoided vital points. This precise control over force silently revealed an even more humiliating truth: the opponents had never used their full strength.

”Lin Xiuya, in terms of Dou Ling level matches, right now only you can fight.” Several close friends familiar with Lin Xiuya gathered around, their words filled with anxiety. ”Although Liu Qing has broken through, she is only newly entered into the Dou Wang realm and her foundation is unstable. Her chance of winning against those monsters is slim.”

Words of encouragement and persuasion rose and fell. Lin Xiuya took a deep breath, his gaze fixed intensely on the two dark-black figures in the arena: ”How could I not know these things? I have been trying to analyze their fighting style, but... our people don’t even have the qualifications to make them show their true strength.”

An unprecedented sense of oppression enveloped the entire arena. The ”genius” halos that once hung high above their heads were now mercilessly trampled underfoot and crushed to powder. A feeling of powerlessness, like a gangrene, corroded everyone’s heart.

It turned out that the brilliance they were so proud of was truly nothing more than fireflies at the bottom of a well.

The leading Young General took in the expressions of everyone below, a cold arc forming at the corner of his lips. Finally, he spoke.

”This is the insurmountable gap between you and us.” His voice was cool, yet it clearly echoed across the entire venue. ”The peak of cultivation methods you can reach, after exhausting your lives and pouring out your hearts, is probably just Low-level Earth-Rank, right?”

He glanced around. Wherever his gaze fell, no one dared to meet his eyes. ”I guess Earth-Rank Techniques are rare here, too. Most of what people rely on are still Xuan Rank Cultivation Methods.”

”Your fate is already sealed. Reaching the Dou Ling or Dou Wang realm is the limit in this life. If you are lucky enough to advance to Dou Huang, that would be a blessing from your ancestors. As for the higher scenery, it has nothing to do with you.”

Every word was like a poisonous steel needle, accurately piercing the softest and most painful spots in everyone’s hearts—the truths they least wanted to admit. Jia Nan Academy claimed to be the number one on the continent, but in reality, it only benefited from being the sole institution of its kind.

Its essence was merely an ordinary sect protected by a Dou Zong. That legendary Dou Zun Dean had long since wandered the four seas, his whereabouts unknown.

Perhaps there truly were Earth-Rank Techniques and Dou Techniques hidden in the Library Pavilion, but besides a handful of people, who had ever seen them with their own eyes?

Those who gathered here were either rough gems emerging from small, remote territories, or collateral descendants sent by second-rate clans from the Central Plains for training. Talent and resources were defined from the start by an insurmountable ceiling.

These words were meant to thoroughly crush the pathetic pride in their hearts, severing their desire to climb higher. To attack the heart thus—how vicious.

”Such cruel methods.” Xiao Xun Er subtly furrowed her brows and murmured softly.

Yun Xiancheng’s expression remained unchanged; he merely commented indifferently, ”There are always people better than you, and skies beyond the sky. He boasts of being the sky beyond the sky, yet he is unaware that what he sees is merely a small square area, and he himself is nothing more than a frog in a well, gazing at the sky from the bottom.”

His words were not loud, yet they clearly entered the ears of everyone nearby, including those arrogant Black Armored Guards in mid-air.

In an instant, the noisy arena fell into a deathly silence. All eyes focused on the snow-white figure sitting on the Elders Bench.

What immense courage was this? To dare to openly mock the mysterious visitor, whose arrogance was currently at its peak!

The Young General’s gaze locked onto Yun Xiancheng like an eagle’s. His fist, hidden beneath his Dark Armor, grated audibly: ”You have guts. How dare the Young Sect Leader of a mere dilapidated sect from a remote territory, the Cloud Mist Sect, speak to me like this?”

Yun Xiancheng lifted his head, meeting the hostile gaze, his expression still calm and unperturbed. This composure completely enraged the opponent. The Young General sternly rebuked:

”A single Black-rank High-grade Cultivation Method passed down for nine generations—is this the foundation your sect boasts of? Based on this, what right do you have to question us?”

”The Earth-Rank Technique that you treat as a treasure and seek for nine generations without success, in my clan, is only fit to prop up a table leg. The Earth Grade High-Level Cultivation Method you regard as heaven-defying is everywhere in my clan’s Library Pavilion. As long as my cultivation realm is sufficient, even the Heaven Class Technique can be practiced by me!”

”The resources sought by cultivators from these remote regions throughout their entire lives are nothing more than common, ordinary items within my clan.”

He pointed toward the distant Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda, his contempt obvious: ”Towers like this, which accelerate cultivation, stand everywhere in my clan. What you regard

as a treasure is, to us, utterly ordinary.”

”The difference between me and you is like a god on the clouds looking down upon ants in the mortal world.”

Every phrase, every word, was like a heavy hammer smashing into the hearts of the Jia Nan Academy students. The sliver of fighting spirit and indignation they had just managed to gather instantly disintegrated.

This was no longer a difference in talent, but in background, perspective, and resources... it was an uncrossable chasm rooted in the very source of their bloodline.

Listening to the ceaseless, noisy words, Yun Xiancheng finally made a move. He remained seated in his chair, merely stretching out a finger casually and lightly tapping the empty space in front of him.

”Silence.”

As the two indifferent words left his mouth, an invisible, massive wave of Qi suddenly swept out from him, centering on his position!

In mid-air, the Young General’s expression changed. He hurriedly crossed his arms over his chest, barely managing to resist the fierce gale that was impossible to ward off. The students on the ground only felt a gentle yet powerful breeze sweep past, and the oppressive atmosphere in the arena vanished. In the eyes of the crowd, which had originally dimmed,

light instantly rekindled, and they all looked toward the white-robed figure.

”This person... I remember him. Isn’t he the lover of jade-faced spear Liu Qing?”

”No, no, I heard he was the husband of Nalan Yanran, the Young Sect Master of Yunlan Sect?” ”You’re all wrong! He’s clearly the man of that new genius alchemist from the Xiao Family!” ”That’s not it. I saw him enter the Moon Spirit residence directly; he’s actually Han Yue’s lover.”

Whispering arose everywhere. Many people recognized Yun Xiancheng, but regarding his specific romantic ownership, opinions were divided and confusing.

The suffocating atmosphere of despair earlier was completely washed away by this sudden gossip. The pressure painstakingly built up by the Young General was thus effortlessly dissolved by Yun Xiancheng with a single, light tap.

Just then, a delicate and charming figure walked out from the crowd, lightly stepping onto the Competition Stage. Her orange-red long hair traced a beautiful arc in the air.

”Hu Jia, Two-star Dou Ling, I ask for your guidance!” The girl held a long whip, pointing it toward the Black Armored Guards opposite her. Her voice was clear and her fighting spirit was blazing.

The person who came forward was Hu Jia. She had quietly sought Yun Xiancheng’s opinion just moments ago and received his affirmative nod. With the tacit approval of her beloved, she had no reservations, and her passionate enthusiasm entirely transformed into fighting will.

The Black Armored Guards codenamed ”Twelve” frowned tightly the moment Hu Jia stepped onto the stage. The condensed and unscattered Dou Qi emanating from her far surpassed all previous opponents. She was a formidable adversary.

He dared not be careless in the slightest, leveling the long spear in his hand and adopting a standard combat stance.

The whip shadow and spear aura instantly intertwined, and the clang of metal against metal was incessant. This was the first Jia Nan Academy student since the start of the battles who could fight the Black Armored Warrior to a standstill in a head-on confrontation!

The spectator seats instantly erupted in thunderous applause. Everyone’s emotions were ignited! ”Who is this junior sister? She’s incredible!”

”It’s her! Hu Jia, number twenty on the strong ranking list! I’ve seen her; she often follows that white-robed senior brother!”

Amidst the discussion, everyone grew more curious about Hu Jia’s identity. This girl usually kept a low profile in the Academy, rarely going out, and when she wasn’t cultivating, she was with Yun Xiancheng.

If she hadn’t gained fame in this second battle today, probably very few people in the Inner Academy would recognize her.

”Hu Jia, junior sister, keep going!” ”Defeat him! Bring honor to our Academy!” The cheers surged higher and higher, converging into a powerful spiritual force directed toward the girl in the arena.

The battle on the stage was fierce, and for a time, it was difficult to distinguish who had the upper hand. However, after dozens of exchanges, Hu Jia’s heart gradually sank.

She realized that several of her trump card ultimate skills, whether it was the exquisite movement technique or the strange Pupil Technique, were used clumsily and were far from reaching a state of perfect mastery.

Even that whip technique, which evolved from the Yunlan Sword Dance and was personally tailored for her by Yun Xiancheng—

The rank of this entire set of Dou Techniques had already been raised by Yun Xiancheng to the Quasi-Heaven Rank level, possessing infinite power.

It wasn’t that she cultivated lazily; rather, with her Two-star Dou Ling cultivation, forcefully activating a Quasi-Heaven Rank Dou Technique led to an extreme consumption of Dou Qi within her body, which was truly unsustainable. After struggling for dozens more moves, following a fierce clash, their figures suddenly separated. Hu Jia gracefully retreated, put away her long whip, and faced her opponent,

cupping her hands from afar: ”I concede.”

The Black Armored Guards tightly gripped his long spear, his chest slightly rising and falling, his breathing somewhat erratic. He looked at Hu Jia in confusion, not understanding why she would voluntarily admit defeat when she seemed to have the upper hand.

He knew clearly that if the fight continued, at the same cultivation realm, he had no chance of winning.

The opponent had only used some Xuan Rank Dou Techniques to contend with him from start to finish; the more powerful Di-rank Dou Techniques were never unleashed. He figured she was unwilling to expose her trump cards too early in such a setting.

This action was quite reasonable. Exposing a life-saving killer move for a mere sparring match, only to perish later in a life-and-death struggle, would be the most foolish behavior.

He could only attribute Hu Jia’s concession to this.

If he knew that the opponent only conceded because her Dou Qi was insufficient, preventing her from fully executing that Quasi-Heaven Rank Dou Technique, perhaps the dao heart of this Ancient Clan Elite would shatter on the spot.

Thinking of this, the Soldiers also solemnly returned the salute, acknowledging his respectable opponent.

When he looked up again, the orange-red figure had already skipped back to the Elders Bench, leaning affectionately against the white-robed man, tilting up her small face as if asking for praise.

Yun Xiancheng smiled and rubbed her head.

397 Showing Off Power

The gloom named ”Invincibility” that shrouded the arena was torn open by Hu Jia’s whip tip. A faint glimmer of hope reignited the extinguished fighting spirit of the students.

After Lin Xiuya analyzed the many moves of Eleven, believing he now had a chance to win, he stepped out, moving step by step onto the platform, walking on air as if he were a Dou Zong.

His appearance immediately ignited the long-suppressed emotions of the audience. Thunderous cheers erupted from the ground, and countless fervent gazes converged on him.

”Lin Xiuya, victory is certain!”

The name ”Lin Xiuya” and his ability to walk through the air now directly carried the honor and anticipation of the entire Jia Nan Academy.

Compared to Hu Jia, who had just astonished everyone, the prestige of this veteran expert gave people more solid confidence. In contrast, the Young General in the sky scoffed: ”Petty tricks.”

He could already tell that Lin Xiuya was using Wind-Attribute Dou Qi attached to the soles of his feet to pretend he was walking on air and boost morale.

On the stage, the chest of the Black Armored Guards codenamed ”Eleven” was still rising and falling almost imperceptibly; the exhaustion from his battle with Hu Jia had not yet fully subsided.