Starting as a supporting character in Doupo

Xiao Xun'er's eyes darted around, and she smiled slyly, "I'm not good at fighting, how would I know?" Xiao Yan shook his head and didn't press the matter. He didn't believe that Xun'er really couldn't fight.

On the arena, both fighters had nearly finished preparing their techniques. Wu Hao gripped his blood-red greatsword tightly with both hands and slashed fiercely towards Xiao Fan.

Blood Slash!

A crimson blade of energy, about ten feet in size, slashed fiercely towards Xiao Fan from Wu Hao's position, only to collide with a blue crane midway.

Just like in the battle with Baishan, Xiao Fan's crane shadow shattered the blood-red blade light. The agile crane shadow, like a real living being, bloomed with brilliant light not far in front of Wu Hao.

boom!

The violent explosion knocked Wu Hao back several steps. In everyone's view, Wu Hao's original blood-red robe was now tattered and hung on his body like strips of cloth. Xiao Fan, on the other hand, remained calm and stood in the same spot.

"Wow, Xiao Fan is so handsome, it would be a shame if he didn't get first place!"

"Didn't you guys notice? Whether it's Bai Shan or Wu Hao, Xiao Fan always seems so calm and collected!"

Wu Hao's internal injuries weren't serious, though he looked rather miserable. Looking at Xiao Fan, whose breathing wasn't even slightly disordered, Wu Hao couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. "Is the difference in skill really that big?" His most proficient fighting technique hadn't even disrupted Xiao Fan's breathing.

"You're a freak." Looking at Xiao Fan opposite him, Wu Hao shook his head helplessly and said loudly, "I admit defeat."

As Wu Hao conceded defeat, the referee immediately announced the result of the match. Then, the surrounding instructors helped Wu Hao down to treat his injuries. After all, each of them was a precious genius of the academy, and they couldn't afford to leave any hidden injuries.

Xiao Fan waved to the approaching therapist to indicate he was alright, then returned to the stands and sat down next to Xiao Yan. "It's your turn." He nodded to Xiao Yan and, before Xiao Yan could ask anything, pointed to Hu Jia, who was already on stage.

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, said something to Xun'er beside him, and then rushed towards the competition stage.

After Xiao Yan went on stage, Hu Jia looked him over and even said that the loser should leave Xun'er. Xiao Yan shook his head, both amused and exasperated. In response, Hu Jia threw two white fists at him, and he finally understood why everyone in the academy called her the Little Demon Girl.

The battle between the two was extremely fierce. The little demon girl's fists were no joke; she had probably dealt with half the students in the academy. So when they saw that Xiao Yan was able to fight her to a standstill, and even after losing the Xuan Heavy Ruler, he was still able to subtly suppress Hu Jia, the audience found the match very exciting.

In the end, Xiao Yan relied on his agility and the characteristics of his strange fire to force Hu Jia into a corner of the arena, then knocked her off the stage, securing victory. Therefore, the three who advanced to the top three were Xiao Fan, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Xun'er.

Chapter 112 The Conflict Between the Two Xiaos

The emergence of the top three made the surrounding crowd even more excited. After all, Xiao Xun'er was already very popular in the academy, and now with the added status of possibly winning the championship, the male students and even some female students around her went crazy for her. Of course, they all ignored the existence of Xiao Yan.

It was still Hu Gan, carrying a box in his hands, who walked up to the stands and, under everyone's gaze, once again reached his hand into the wooden box.

"Xiao Xun'er".

"Ah, what a pity, Kaoru didn't get a bye."

"Xiao Yan."

"Ah, this is even more exciting! Goddess Xun'er, please defeat Xiao Yan! Crush him under your feet! He's not worthy of you!"

Upon hearing the list drawn by Vice Dean Hu Qian, the surrounding students became excited. Judging from their cheering for Xun'er, they harbored some malice towards Xiao Yan.

Then... under everyone's gaze, Xiao Xun'er slowly stood up, her elegant voice carrying with it her fighting spirit, echoing throughout the scene.

"I surrender."

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even greater clamor. Xiao Yan, standing to the side, hadn't expected Xiao Xun'er to concede so readily. He shook his head helplessly and looked at the girl beside him. "Xun'er..."

Xiao Xun'er stretched out her index finger and covered Xiao Yan's mouth, looking at him with a charming smile. "Brother Xiao Yan, go ahead." Then she turned her gaze to Xiao Fan beside her, "Brother Xiao Fan, good luck!"

Xiao Fan said with a look of surprise, "Oh, I didn't expect Xun'er to actually care about me!"

He then exchanged a glance with Xiao Yan, and almost simultaneously, the two flew towards the competition stage.

On the stands, an old man in a yellow robe glanced at Hu Qian, who was grinning strangely beside him, and said indifferently, "Are there really names on those slips of paper?"

Hu Qian smiled at him, took out a pen, and wrote Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er's names on the blank slip of paper he had just received. After a moment's thought, he wrote Xiao Fan's name as well. "Do the other two need to be written?"

The old man in the yellow robe: ......

Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan landed on the dueling platform almost simultaneously. Ignoring the gazes from the surrounding stands, Xiao Fan and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance, suddenly feeling as if they were still sparring under Yao Lao's command.

"Old rules?"

"Ok!"

Without a word or any preparatory stance, as the referee's words fell, the two figures vanished from their original positions in an instant. A dull thud echoed from the center of their positions, their bodies now intertwined.

Immediately, the surrounding students stared in disbelief as the two fighters on the field clashed hand-to-hand without using any battle aura. They relied solely on the strength of their bodies to continuously collide, using fists, elbows, knees, legs, feet, and even their heads as weapons. A series of muffled thuds echoed from the field, and even without using battle aura, many spectators could not clearly see their movements.

"What are they doing...?"

"This is real, bone-crunching combat! So exciting!"

After receiving treatment from his mentor, Wu Hao sat upright in a corner of the stands, his gaze following the two fighters on the field. A fervent look gradually appeared in his eyes. He was a complete martial arts fanatic, and he was most moved by the fierce battle between the two on the stage. The fight between the two was like a life-or-death struggle, and Wu Hao watched with rapt attention.

Even the old man in the yellow robe next to Hu Qian looked surprised and said to Elder Huo, "Are all alchemists at this level of combat?"

Old Man Huo watched the two fighting back and forth on the field, ignoring the words of the old man in yellow robes. Even in their eyes, the two men's martial arts skills were terrifying. Without going through a life-and-death ordeal, they would never have reached such a level.

"Their fighting styles are very similar," the old man who hadn't spoken until now said calmly.

"According to my information, they seem to be fellow disciples," Hu Qian added. After all, Xiao Fan and the other two hadn't deliberately hidden this information; their usual way of addressing each other had already given it away. As long as the outside world was unaware of their teacher's existence, that was fine.

The two on the field separated again after another punch, both showing a sense of unfinished business. After all, in their daily training, they rarely had anyone to vent their frustrations so freely. When they encountered enemies, they usually used fighting techniques, and their fist and foot skills were mainly used when they were at lower levels. However, their opponents now were far stronger than themselves.

The two exchanged a glance, unleashing their Great Dou Master power without restraint. On the stands, they stood facing each other like two blood-soaked demons. With a flick of their wrists, the heavy Xuan Heavy Ruler and the crystalline Thousand Flame Spear appeared in their hands. They exchanged another knowing look and clashed once more.

"What terrifying aura." In the alchemy area, Lu Mu looked at the two people on the stage, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. These were Xiao Yu's two cousins? The unrestrained aura they exuded put immense pressure on Lu Mu. Because of his alchemy background, he had a clear perception of the levels of power.

Even some of the powerful Dou Ling experts he had seen before didn't exert as much pressure on Lu Mu as the two fighting on the stage. "Maybe it's just my imagination?" Shaking his head, Lu Mu banished the thought from his mind. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible. Could the battle between two Great Dou Masters really be comparable to the strength of a Dou Ling?

Meanwhile, on the other side, Hu Jia had somehow sneaked up to Xiao Xun'er's side. Sensing the clash between the two on the stage and the echoing battle aura, even she was astonished. "Could it be that Xiao Yan was holding back his strength during our fight?" Having finally escaped the shadow of being defeated by Xiao Yan, she was now looking at the girl beside her with a pitiful expression. The fighting power Xiao Yan was unleashing was clearly even stronger than when they fought.

"Xun'er, I'm so sad, you have to make it up to me."

Every clash of their weapons during their battle was accompanied by a surge of fighting spirit, and the strange fire contained within it also scattered in the surging fighting spirit, leaving dark dents on the surrounding stone platforms.

The spectators in the stands had fallen silent, watching the dazzling battle aura on the stage and the struggle between the blue crane and the blue snake. Meanwhile, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, under the user's control, manifested different fire spirits.

The green crane and the green snake clashed, launching fierce attacks at each other and drawing everyone's attention.

hum!

With a mistake by the green snake, the green crane left a deep claw mark on the snake's head. The green crane seemed to show a human-like mocking expression before being forced back by the green tail that swept across it.

Chapter 113: Lost

hum!

On the dueling platform, the energy fluctuations generated by the fierce battle between the two thrilled the audience, who shouted and yelled from the stands.

Xiao Yan's eyes were filled with fervor, a joy he hadn't felt in a long time.

The Xuan Heavy Ruler in his hand clashed with Xiao Fan's spear once more, the residual force of the impact forcing both of them back several steps. Holding the Xuan Heavy Ruler upright beside him, Xiao Yan panted. "Senior brother, come on!" Then, a smile appeared on his lips, like a child showing off his toy to an adult.

Xiao Fan's breathing wasn't so disordered. Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, he grinned and nodded.

"Senior brother, I want to see your strongest attack!" As if he had thought of something, Xiao Yan shouted at Xiao Fan. He wanted to see just how big the gap was between himself and his senior brother.

Seeing the hesitation on Xiao Fan's face, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes and said loudly, "I'm fine!"

Xiao Fan glanced at Hu Qian and the other powerful figures around him. After thinking for a moment, he figured that even if things got out of his control, these four people would be fine. After hesitating for a second, Xiao Fan nodded.

"Okay, but I'm not sure I can handle this move, so you'd better be careful."

Hearing Xiao Fan's words, a look of seriousness flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. He naturally knew Xiao Fan's temperament. Since Xiao Fan had said this, it meant that he might really be in danger. However, after two years of training, Xiao Yan had already overcome his fear, and his respect for Xiao Fan had never changed. He just wanted to see how big the gap was between himself and his senior brother.

Whether it was helping him out of his slump, arranging for someone to deliver the map to the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame during their journey, or sending people to protect his father even after he was kidnapped by the Soul Palace, all of these actions earned Xiao Yan's utmost respect for Xiao Fan.

But he also possessed youthful ambition. He knew there was a gap between him and Xiao Fan, but he wanted to see just how big that gap was. It wasn't out of jealousy or resentment; just like pursuing a goal, he needed to know where the gap lay to maintain his motivation.

Deep within the ring in Xiao Yan's hand, Yao Lao's face also revealed a trace of kindness and heartache.

He was the one who spent the most time with Xiao Yan, so he naturally understood the young man's respect for his senior brother. However, he had only reached his current level after going through many trials and tribulations, and naturally he also wanted to prove his strength. As for his other disciple, although his origins were mysterious, Yao Lao could feel that his concern for Xiao Yan was genuine, which made him very curious about the upcoming battle between the two.

Their voices were not muted, and people in the surrounding stands naturally heard their conversation.

"I'm really curious about your strength, Brother Xiao Fan..." Xiao Xun'er, dressed in green, stared at the two figures on the stage, a golden light flashing deep in her eyes, and uttered a barely audible murmur.

"Such an intense battle, and it's not even your strongest strength...?" Hu Jia, who was holding Xun'er's arm, said with some surprise after hearing their conversation. She then stared intently at the stage, afraid of missing any interesting scenes.

On the stands, the two exchanged a glance. Xiao Yan's Xuan Heavy Ruler once again glowed with a blue light, and a dense aura began to surround him. An oppressive aura spread outwards from Xiao Yan as the center.

"Is this the true power of a Earth-rank combat skill? Can Xiao Fan withstand it?!"

"Xiao Yan was holding back the whole time, wasn't he? This oppressive atmosphere, the battle in the division just now suddenly felt like children playing house."

Just as everyone was discussing the aura emanating from Xiao Yan, Xiao Fan stretched out his hands, and azure flames ignited from his left hand. While everyone was still wondering, a cold white flame suddenly appeared from his palm in his other hand.

On his left was the raging Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, and in his right hand he controlled the bone spirit cold flame, which was as cold as ice. Seeing Xiao Fan's actions, Xiao Yan had a vague guess in his heart. After all, back in the desert, Xiao Fan had shown him a combination of Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame and purple flame. For this, he had also exchanged the royal family's Qianlan Water Flame in the Jia Ma Empire and released that move.

Could it be... that Senior Brother is planning to fuse two different flames?

The crowd in the stands was also drawn to the two flames on Xiao Fan's body. The students from the alchemy department were even more astonished. Possessing two different flames was something they had never heard of before. What drove them even crazier was that, under the watchful eyes of the entire audience, the flames in Xiao Fan's left and right hands were slowly merging together.

"Is he insane?" On the stands, Elder Huo stood up excitedly, pointing at Xiao Fan in the arena, and said, "Each of the different flames is the most powerful and violent existence in the world. To possess even one is already an immense blessing. He possesses two different flames, and he actually wants to fuse them together?" He became more and more agitated as he spoke, and then, disregarding etiquette, he hurriedly grabbed Hu Qian's sleeve, "Stop the match immediately! If this continues, they're doomed. The explosion of the different flames is simply earth-shattering."

Hu Qian tugged at Elder Huo, signaling that some students around him had also turned their heads to look because of the tug-of-war between the two. He forcibly pressed Elder Huo down to sit down and said calmly, "Don't worry, with the four of us here, what kind of accident will happen? I'd like to see what kind of waves they can stir up."

Old Man Huo glanced at the composed Hu Qian, then at the two old men beside him, and pondered for a moment. The strange fire now used by Xiao Fan, no matter how powerful, should still be limited. The four of them could indeed block it.

"Alright, but we need to be extra careful in the upcoming battles. If anything happens to them, it will be a huge loss for the academy!"

As Xiao Fan brought his hands together, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame gradually intertwined, and a chilling aura slowly rose from Xiao Fan's hands. Even Xiao Yan, opposite him, felt a slight pang of regret. Gritting his teeth, Xiao Yan naturally couldn't give up now, but looking at the two-colored flames in his senior brother's hands, a fervent glint appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes. After all, it seemed he could do it too...

As the flames in his hands climbed and intertwined, Xiao Fan's fighting spirit was being rapidly depleted.

"Luckily, my fighting spirit is strong; otherwise, just fusing the two different flames would probably consume more than half of my fighting spirit." After all, the fusion of different flames is extremely terrifying. I only dared to do this because I have the Chaos Flame Body. I don't know how the original owner, Xiao Yan, came up with this method.

If an ordinary person dared to try this, they would probably be burned to ashes by their own strange fire, and the explosion caused by the contact between the strange fires would also cause a huge disaster.