But as he looked at the person before him, Zhou Yan's pupils suddenly contracted, for this figure was Ye Haochuan.
At this moment, Ye Haochuan exuded a strong killing intent. In his left hand, he held a gleaming short blade, and in his right, a black bead.
Ye Haochuan strode towards Zhou Yan, a cruel smile curving his lips.
Zhou Yan's face was deathly pale, his clothes soaked in blood. Terror filled his eyes as he stumbled backward.
Just then, the bead in Ye Haochuan's hand suddenly exploded, dissolving into a vast expanse of black mist that filled the sky and earth, instilling a sense of infinite dread.
And Ye Haochuan had already vanished.
"What… what in the world is this thing?!" Zhou Yan felt his scalp tingle, a chilling sensation coursing through his entire body.
Zhou Yan knew that his chances today were slim. Though he was a top contender on the Twelve Star Generals' list, his strength paled in comparison to Ye Haochuan's.
He could not escape. Not unless he, like Zhou Yan, sealed his own body completely. But the consequence of that would be his utter demise.
At this thought, beads of sweat trickled down Zhou Yan's forehead.
At that very moment, Ye Haochuan appeared before Zhou Yan.
Seeing Ye Haochuan, Zhou Yan felt an intense sense of crisis. He knew his end was near.
He gritted his teeth, preparing to unleash his final gambit. He knew Ye Haochuan's power was immense, and using his last resort would likely mean his death.
But just then, Ye Haochuan suddenly smiled.
He punched through the void, sending ripples spreading outwards. Then, he beckoned Zhou Yan with a hooked finger and said, "Come, fight me."
Ye Haochuan's tone was unnervingly calm.
But the calmer he was, the more it signified a terrifying prelude to slaughter.
Zhou Yan trembled inwardly. He knew he had no hope of victory in this duel.
"No, I surrender. I am no match for you!" Zhou Yan said through gritted teeth.
"No, I don't like repeating myself. Come on!" Ye Haochuan grinned.
"Fine." Zhou Yan sighed in resignation. He dared not defy Ye Haochuan's command and chose to yield.
Then, Zhou Yan closed his eyes, allowing Ye Haochuan to do as he pleased.
Streams of pure spiritual energy seeped into his body through his pores, intensifying the pain in his already battered form.
Ye Haochuan glanced at Zhou Yan, then ignored him, focusing solely on controlling Zhou Yan to help him enter the proper state as quickly as possible.
In a short while, Zhou Yan felt a lightness spread through his body, a refreshing sensation that encompassed him entirely. It was an unprecedented feeling of comfort.
"Hoo~"
Zhou Yan took a deep breath, then opened his eyes abruptly, looking at Ye Haochuan. "Now, can you let me go?"
"Of course, but we haven't decided the victor yet," Ye Haochuan said calmly.
"What?" A flicker of shock crossed Zhou Yan's face. He hadn't expected Ye Haochuan to still be playing.
"Since we haven't decided the victor, let's press on and continue our spar!" Ye Haochuan said.
Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes, then nodded. "Alright!"
With that, Zhou Yan lunged at Ye Haochuan, who met him head-on.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The two exchanged dozens of blows in rapid succession, each strike unleashing a tempestuous surge of energy that devastated the surrounding rocks and trees, kicking up dust and debris.
"Good!"
After an unknown amount of time, both Ye Haochuan and Zhou Yan let out a shout of acclaim.
Ye Haochuan retracted his spear and said, "Good!"
Zhou Yan wiped the blood from his lips, took a deep breath, and with a hint of excitement in his eyes, said, "Your strength is indeed formidable. I concede defeat!"
"I haven't even used my full power. How do you know I haven't?" Ye Haochuan sneered.
Zhou Yan paused, then relaxed. "Since you say so, I have nothing to argue against."
"Very well. It's my turn to attack next. If I can defeat you, you must agree to my terms!" Ye Haochuan said with a faint smile.
"Agreed!" Zhou Yan nodded.
"Then you strike first!" Ye Haochuan said.
"No! I want you to strike first!" Zhou Yan shook his head.
"Then what do you want?" Ye Haochuan asked, surprised.
"You attack first!" Zhou Yan insisted.
"Alright!"
Ye Haochuan shrugged helplessly. He then stomped his foot, and a lotus flower appeared on the ground. Stepping onto the lotus, Ye Haochuan charged towards Zhou Yan.
"Come on, my swordsmanship is not weak either!"
Zhou Yan roared, his figure flickering as he lunged at Ye Haochuan.
In Zhou Yan's hand, a pitch-black sword gleamed with a chilling radiance under the moonlight.
The blade was shrouded in a sinister aura, clearly indicating that Zhou Yan's sword had claimed countless lives to forge such malevolent energy.
"Swish!"
Zhou Yan flicked his wrist, unleashing his sword in a swift arc. A black sword energy then slashed towards Ye Haochuan.
Seeing the black sword energy approach, Ye Haochuan showed no fear. His body suddenly flickered, and he vanished.
Zhou Yan's gaze darkened. He hadn't expected Ye Haochuan to possess such an evasion technique. He immediately turned to look behind him, but found no trace of Ye Haochuan.
"Huh?"
Zhou Yan's expression turned extremely grim.
"I refuse to believe you can hide behind me forever!" Zhou Yan roared inwardly, and suddenly kicked out.
With a "pfft" sound, Zhou Yan's kick landed precisely where Ye Haochuan had been standing.
"Huh?"
Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow, a look of astonished uncertainty in his eyes.
He had kicked forcefully, but found that Ye Haochuan had simply disappeared.
"Where in the world is this guy hiding?"
Zhou Yan's mind was filled with questions, but he did not panic. He continued to search.
He believed Ye Haochuan was still nearby, otherwise, he wouldn't have missed his kick.
Inside, Ye Haochuan sneered repeatedly.
Zhou Yan's cultivation was merely at the early stage of the Soul Condensation realm, far below Ye Haochuan's recently advanced Soul Refining realm. Furthermore, Zhou Yan's body was heavily injured. For him to defeat Ye Haochuan was simply a pipe dream!