Battle Throught The Heavens: Reborn Yan Emperor Ts

"Boom!"

Amid a thunderous bang, Xiao Yan smiled as he slowly opened his eyes and looked down.

"Finally, we have broken through this rebound restriction."

Xiao Yan regarded the scene below with indifference—the long-awaited moment had finally arrived.

Just before this, Yuan Qing, who had been relentlessly attacking the rebounding restriction, suddenly altered his expression. The figure once flying straight toward the restriction veered forcefully in midair and backhandedly struck toward some point in the void, while the two incarnations flanking him also rushed in his direction.

In the ensuing instant, Yuan Qing's palm collided violently with a thin, unexpected hand emerging from the void. Moments later, a fierce explosion echoed; at that point, they were only a few feet from the mountain wall. With Yuan Qing and the old demon Yan Mo at the epicenter, they bore the brunt of the blast, sustaining severe injuries. Simultaneously, as the two incarnations shattered, a terrifying energy storm swept over a vast stretch of forest. The force hurled both combatants backward, and the mountain wall's restrictive light curtain trembled as if one final blow might bring the entire structure down—it looked extremely perilous.

The next moment saw Yuan Qing's body, flying backward and bending forward, crash heavily into the already crumbling restriction light curtain. A crisp sound reminiscent of breaking glass rang out as the previously imposing barrier shattered. Yet even then, the recoil from the impact further aggravated Yuan Qing's already grievous injuries.

Meanwhile, the old demon Flame—who had just exchanged a palm strike with Yuan Qing—also sustained injuries, though they paled in comparison to those of Yuan Qing.

"Cough, cough, cough! Old Flame Demon, you… you are despicable!"

Yuan Qing, blood spurting from his mouth, glared at the slowly approaching old Flame Demon with bloodshot eyes as he cursed.

At this moment, Yuan Qing no longer resembled the immortal he once was. His green robe was in tatters, with a large gash exposing bloody, raw skin and hints of white bone beneath. Blood dripped from his lips, staining his robe red, and his snow-white hair fluttered in the wind—stray locks clinging to his bloodstained face, making him appear both hideous and terrifying, evoking a deep, chilling dread.

"Hehehe, old man Yuan Qing—how does it feel after my Demonic Cloud Swallowing Sky Palm hit you? Hahahaha!"

The old demon Yan Mo advanced step by step, his voice dripping with sneers as he stared blankly at Yuan Qing. At that moment, most of the black mist enveloping the old Flame Demon had dissipated, revealing his lean form and a confident, victorious expression. Each step he took seemed to trample on Yuan Qing's heart, leaving Yuan Qing paralyzed by fear.

High above, Xiao Yan observed the conflict calmly. The Dou Qi in his body circulated steadily through his meridians as he leaned forward slightly, fixing his gaze on the old demon Yan Mo—ready to intervene if necessary. At their level of power, both combatants possessed acute perception. No one would launch a covert attack unless they were absolutely sure of a backup plan—or that the target was caught unaware. In such a case, even a successful sneak attack might have little effect, for if the opponent has already detected the move, victory is far from certain.

The old Flame Demon continued his slow advance toward Yuan Qing, seemingly savoring the psychological suppression he inflicted upon his enemy. Finally, he closed to within three feet of Yuan Qing.

At that moment, Yuan Qing had grown numb to the oppressive fear and pressure imposed by the Flame Demon Old Ghost. Slowly, he raised his head and stared calmly at the encroaching enemy. His impassive gaze caused the Flame Demon Old Ghost to pause momentarily. Then, a surge of anger welled up inside the old demon—as though he were frightened by a dying man. His pace suddenly quickened, and within a few breaths he was in front of Yuan Qing.

"Hahahahaha, old man Yuan Qing—you were probably still planning how to kill me after breaking the restriction. It's a pity I was a bit ahead of you, hahahaha!"

Stretching out his hand, the old demon Flame produced a three-foot-long, ink-black sword. He gripped its hilt with both hands, slowly raised the sword above his head, and fixed Yuan Qing with bloodthirsty intent before suddenly bringing it down in a powerful chop.

"Good opportunity! Mysterious Fire Finger—kill!"

Seizing the moment, Xiao Yan swooped down and simultaneously unleashed his Mysterious Fire Finger. At that instant, as the inky black sword neared within a foot of Yuan Qing's head, the old Flame Demon abruptly twisted his wrist and forced the sword to block above Yuan Qing's head.

"Crack!"

The temporary defense was brief; with a crisp breaking sound, the ink-black sword shattered in the old Flame Demon's hand. Xiao Yan's powerful finger paused momentarily before continuing its relentless charge toward the old Flame Demon.

Sensing the terrifying, dangerous aura bearing down upon him, the old demon's face grew solemn. He could clearly perceive the extraordinary nature of Xiao Yan's attack. Should it land, even if he did not die, he would suffer grievous injuries—and the choice between life and death would become inevitable.

How could the old demon Yan Mo so easily relinquish the longevity he had painstakingly acquired over the years? Reluctantly, he realized he could not evade the onslaught of the Black Fire Finger. Already, its aura had ensnared him, leaving him with no option but to try to avoid his vital areas.

As the saying goes, "Thinking is doing." The old demon Flame Demon fixed his gaze on the rapidly approaching Black Fire Finger. In a swift, twisting motion, he maneuvered in midair and successfully dodged the most vital parts of his body.

"The Wrath of the Underworld! Mou!!"

For a moment, his evasive body froze before he reacted—but it was too late. In battles among formidable warriors, victory or defeat hinges on a split second. In the very next instant—

"Ah!"

Accompanied by the sound of something piercing, the old Flame Demon let out a violent, distorted scream as his body was hurled backward by the massive impact. His form crashed against the ground, leaving a skid mark stretching hundreds of meters and shattering several towering ancient trees along its path. Finally, he slammed into a rock wall; his body came to an abrupt halt only when embedded in the hard stone.

Xiao Yan stood quietly as he glanced at Yuan Qing, who was now using elixirs to tend to his wounds with an expression of gratitude. Then, with anticipation, Xiao Yan looked toward the direction of the old Flame Demon.

Although the old Flame Demon had indeed been struck by Xiao Yan's Mysterious Fire Finger—so much so that dozens of ancient trees had been shattered along the way—his strength was at their level, and he was extremely powerful. To him, these injuries were merely superficial wounds; with time to recover, he would naturally heal completely.

"Boom!"

Stone chips scattered in all directions, stirring up a gray mist. A sudden breeze dispersed the mist, and a slightly weakened figure emerged. Given the old Flame Demon's basic cultivation level, such a recovery should not have been possible—but after sustaining injuries from Yuan Qing's incarnations and a blow from Xiao Yan's Mysterious Fire Finger, he appeared somewhat feeble.

At that moment, the old Flame Demon's black robe was torn to shreds, and the surrounding black mist had largely dissipated, revealing his true form. His body was gaunt, with shriveled skin. On his right shoulder, a thumb-sized, charred hole—evidence of a severe burn—was clearly visible, accompanied by a faint odor of scorched flesh.

The old Flame Demon examined the wound on his right shoulder in surprise; the injury was not as dire as he had feared. Realizing he was not critically injured, he relaxed slightly, assuming that his opponent's attack had been nothing more than a bluff. He then glanced at Xiao Yan, who was watching him from a distance with a mocking sneer. It wasn't until he saw the sneer on Xiao Yan's face that he suddenly realized something was amiss.

"Bang!"

In the next instant, a loud bang erupted from the old Flame Demon's body, and he was violently thrown backward, spitting blood as though struck by a heavy weapon. He collided with a pile of rocks, leaving a skid mark hundreds of meters long.