Battle Through the Heavens: Harmony of Flame and Shadow

"大猴子,看拳!" ("Big Monkey, take my punch!")

Zi Yan shouted coquettishly, took a step into the void, and disappeared from beside Jiang Yun. When she reappeared, she was already half a meter away from her opponent, raising her tender white fist and delivering a punch. As the punch was thrown, a shockwave resonated in the air, with the pure power causing an explosive sound.

The Snow Devil Ape woke up at this moment, its crimson eyes flickering with fear. It suddenly remembered that this little one before it had beaten it up the last time.

A being it couldn't afford to provoke!

A sense of crisis surged within it, making the Snow Devil Ape exhibit an agility that belied its large body. Just as Zi Yan's punch was about to land on it, it sidestepped and avoided the strike.

"Boom——"

A visible wave of energy rippled out fiercely, shattering the surrounding boulders into several cracks.

"Hold on, let's talk!" 

Seeing the destructive power of Zi Yan's punch, a bead of cold sweat appeared on the Snow Devil Ape's forehead as it hurriedly raised its hands in surrender.

"Hmph——"

"Now you know how to beg for mercy?"

"Too late——"

Despite the Snow Devil Ape's plea for mercy, Zi Yan was relentless. She wasn't going to let it off easily without giving it a good beating.

In the blink of an eye, the space around them rippled again, and Zi Yan's figure disappeared once more.

"Where is she?"

The Snow Devil Ape was equally vigilant, having suffered at the hands of this human girl before. It remained on high alert.

But differences in innate talent and species were simply unreasonable.

"Here I am!" Zi Yan's voice sounded again. Before anyone noticed, she had appeared in the arms of the Snow Devil Ape.

Zi Yan, only about 1.4 meters tall, looked like a delicate porcelain doll with her fair and tender appearance. In contrast, the Snow Devil Ape was a towering four meters tall, exuding a ferocious aura from head to toe.

The two appearing simultaneously in the same frame created a stark contrast that made one worry Zi Yan would be torn apart.

But the reality was entirely different.

Zi Yan's tender fist landed heavily on the Snow Devil Ape's chest, producing a loud thud. The Snow Devil Ape's body, as if struck by a powerful force, flew horizontally and crashed into the mountain wall.

"Boom——"

With a massive sound, rocks shattered and flew in all directions. The Snow Devil Ape's body was embedded in the mountain wall, its gigantic form sent into the mountain by Zi Yan's punch.

No wonder she's called a humanoid tyrannosaurus!

Zi Yan's current physical strength was enough to overpower 99% of Dou Kings on the Dou Qi Continent!

Witnessing such a violent scene, Jiang Yun couldn't help but be filled with emotion. Although his physical strength was also terrifying, he was still not used to such a brutal fighting style as Zi Yan's.

"Big monkey, you're still so weak!"

Looking at the Snow Devil Ape knocked down by her punch, Zi Yan put her hands on her hips, dissatisfied. She hadn't even used her full strength, and it had already fallen. It wasn't as tough as the last time.

"Roar——" 

"Too much bullying——"

A fifth-tier magical beast's intelligence was no less than a human's, and this Snow Devil Ape, which guarded the Earth Essence Brilliant Milk, had an even more formidable intellect, comparable to a sixth-tier magical beast. Hearing Zi Yan's words drove it into a rage.

The Snow Devil Ape roared, its snow-white fur turning crimson, and its already red eyes became entirely blood-red.

Its body expanded, muscles bulging even more, and a blood-red energy began to spread from it in all directions. Its aura also swiftly increased.

If it had previously been comparable to a three-star Dou King, it could now contend with a five-star Dou King.

"Bloodline power, it seems it has been pushed to the brink!" Seeing the opponent using its most desperate measure, Jiang Yun knew the outcome would be decided soon.

Was he about to win without any effort again?

"Die!"

With its innate ability unleashed, the Snow Devil Ape felt an immense boost in confidence. It roared, lifting a millstone-sized rock and hurling it at Zi Yan. The stone, accompanied by the sound of wind, hit the spot where Zi Yan had been standing, followed by a rain of stones.

Even more terrifyingly, the stones exploded continuously in mid-air, releasing sharp cold air. If hit, even the body of an Ancient Void Dragon would suffer.

Facing the Snow Devil Ape's assault, a flash of purple light appeared in Zi Yan's eyes. She took a deep breath, and from her abdomen, a series of faint dragon roars sounded!

A surge of Dragon's Might erupted from Zi Yan's body. Although she still looked young, an invisible aura of majesty emanated from her, causing the Snow Devil Ape to quiver.

"This——" Watching from the sidelines, Jiang Yun suddenly felt a sense of oppression, the aura of a high-level predator. His Nine Godly Veins emitted a faint glow, seemingly displeased with this bloodline aura.

"Roar——"

A terrifying dragon roar escaped from Zi Yan's mouth, echoing across the skies. In that moment, Jiang Yun seemed to see a massive purple dragon awaken and roar.

The dragon roar swept through, its mighty Dragon's Might capable of destroying everything.

The Snow Devil Ape's attack disintegrated. The stones encased in cold air crumbled under the sonic assault.

The Snow Devil Ape also suffered, blood trickling from its ears and eyes.

Its berserk appearance was nowhere to be seen, now quivering in fear of Zi Yan's dragon roar.

With fear overwhelming it, the Snow Devil Ape could not resist Zi Yan's strength. It was pinned down and beaten, each of Zi Yan's punches driving it out of its berserk state.

"Hmph——, truly a creature that doesn't learn its lesson." Zi Yan clapped her hands after the beating, feeling content.

Looking at the battered Snow Devil Ape, Jiang Yun felt no pity. The law of the jungle was real here. Letting it live was mercy enough.

"Let's go, it's time for the harvest!"

With Zi Yan, the 'treasure-seeking dragon,' they soon reached the location of the Earth Essence Brilliant Milk.

This underground world was filled with stalactites of various forms. The stalactites emitted a soft white light, illuminating the place like glowing pearls.

"Over here!"

As Jiang Yun marveled at the natural wonders, Zi Yan excitedly shouted, pulling Jiang Yun towards a spot on the left.

There, the earth power was most concentrated.

Soon, a giant inverted stalactite appeared before them, one end connected to the mountain ceiling, the other hanging down. It was over a hundred meters long and as wide as two people hugging it.

A faint glow seeped through, making it look like a crystal pillar. This was undoubtedly the largest and most special stalactite here, akin to the king among stalactites.

"How strange, I remember taking everything last time. How is there more so soon?" Zi Yan was puzzled, staring fixedly at a spot.

It was a large bluestone with a groove at the top where stalactite drops had formed the hollow over countless years.

The shallow groove contained some milky white essence emitting a faint glow, with a wisp of white mist above.

Approaching it brought a refreshing feeling.

Zi Yan looked puzzledly at the Earth Essence Brilliant Milk that had gathered again. She had taken it all last time!

Could it be that it wasn't as rare as Xiao Yun said? But the immense energy within wasn't fake. With all her years of experience, she could distinguish the rarity of treasures.

"These are not genuine Earth Essence Brilliant Milk, but diluted versions. The real treasure is up there!" Jiang Yun said, smiling at the puzzled Zi Yan, pointing to the top of the cave.

"Hmph——"

"Who asked it to hide so well!"

Looking up, Zi Yan, blushing, stomped her foot in mock anger.

Jiang Yun chuckled, gently reassuring her, "It's fine. No matter how well it hides, it can't escape Zi Yan's treasure hunt."

"That's right!" Zi Yan nodded vigorously, looking at Jiang Yun with admiration. He understood her!

I didn't find it on purpose. I wanted to share the surprise with Xiao Yun!

Consoling herself, Zi Yan wrapped her arms around Jiang Yun's waist, her purple Dou Qi wings unfurling, and flew up along the 100-meter-long stalactite.

Soon, they reached the mountain ceiling, surrounded by hanging stalactites emitting faint light like lamps, brightening the underground world.

The point where the giant stalactite met the mountain ceiling emitted a soft glow, making it look like a beautiful transparent crystal. This was where the real treasure was hidden.

"Move closer!" Jiang Yun directed Zi Yan, carefully cutting a small hole into the stalactite with a fine jade piece.

Under Jiang Yun's precise soul perception, he perfectly carved a small circle. Inside the stalactite, a mass of jade-green viscous liquid floated.

The essence, filled with pure energy, circled inside, ten times more potent than the liquid below.

"Hurry, Xiao Yun!!!"

Zi Yan, unable to use her hands, drooled, staring at the Earth Essence Brilliant Milk. If she weren't holding Jiang Yun, she would've rushed over.

Jiang Yun didn't make her wait long. He carefully collected a large portion of the milk, the stalactite darkening slightly but left to recover over the years for the next lucky finder.

After securing everything, Jiang Yun handed the vial to Zi Yan.

"I suggest you don't drink it now. The Earth Essence Brilliant Milk contains immense earth power accumulated over ages, perfect for helping you reach the sixth tier."

Zi Yan, hesitant, looked at the vial, her face scrunching with reluctance.

After a moment, she handed the vial back, resolutely saying, "Xiao Yun, you keep it. I'll soon reach the peak of the fifth tier."

Jiang Yun took the vial, patting Zi Yan's head, "Let's go outside and see what other treasures we can find. It's a rare trip out."

"Let's go!" Zi Yan's eyes lit up, dragging Jiang Yun outside eagerly.

"Grow up, get treasures..."

"Have you heard? A Dou Zun secret realm has appeared in the Black-Corner Region's plains."

"Dou Zun——"

"The Black-Corner Region hasn't seen a Dou Zun for years. The big shots will go crazy!"

"No wonder there are so many people here; they're treasure hunting!"

"Hmph——, that secret realm borders the Magical Beast Forest. We deserve a share too."

"Right, let's go together!"

Two massive beast shadows rose into the sky and flew away. Judging by their aura, they were both sixth-tier magical beasts, equivalent to human Dou Emperors.

Shortly after they left, a shadow flickered into a dense bush. Two small heads peeked out.

"Did you hear that?" Zi Yan, excited, turned to Jiang Yun. A secret realm meant treasures, and she loved treasures the most.

But Jiang Yun had a different thought. The Dou Zun secret realm would stir the entire Black-Corner Region. It would attract numerous Dou Emperors and possibly Dou Zongs.

To be honest, they were a bit outmatched.

"Zi Yan, it's a place of trouble. Dou Emperors and Dou Zongs will flock there. We can't ensure our safety."

"Ah~~~" Zi Yan deflated like a punctured balloon, disappointment evident.

"Go!" Just as Jiang Yun was about to head back to the Inner Academy, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

Jiang Yun was surprised; it was Qing Ming's voice. Qing Ming usually adopted a hands-off approach, so this was unusual.

"Is there something special about that secret realm?"

Jiang Yun could only think of the secret realm, wondering what caught Qing Ming's attention.