Chapter 346: Flame Wolf Beast Fire
At the center of the dueling arena, a cold gleam flashed in Ling Chi's eyes as he accepted Lin Langtian's challenge.
"Boom!"
Ling Chi clenched his hand, and a brilliant blaze burst forth, forming a massive flame sword in his grip. The blade radiated an intimidating power that even other Eight-Seal Nirvana practitioners watched with heavy expressions.
"Swish!"
Taking a step forward, Ling Chi swung the fiery blade, sending out over ten sharp energy arcs that slashed through the air, their deadly whistling echoing loudly as they tore apart the atmosphere. Lin Langtian met the onslaught with a calm gaze. He extended his hand, and instantly a massive, pitch-black ancient tree appeared in his grasp.
With a firm grip on the tree's roots, Lin Langtian swung it with immense, crushing force directly at Ling Chi.
"You're seeking death!"
Seeing Lin Langtian attack him with what seemed like a mere dead tree, Ling Chi sneered, holding his flame sword at an angle. With a swing, he struck Lin Langtian's tree with intense, blazing heat.
Clang!
The collision between fire and wood reverberated with a sharp metallic clang, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. But Ling Chi's expression shifted suddenly, and surprise flashed in his eyes. The moment his flaming sword made contact with the black tree, he felt the energy in his body slow, as if suppressed by some unseen force.
"This…is a branch from the Xianyuan Ancient Tree!"
With a practiced eye, Ling Chi quickly recognized the rare tree in Lin Langtian's hands. Reacting swiftly, he attempted to leap back to avoid it. Yet Lin Langtian, seizing the opportunity, channeled the power of his internal Flame Furnace, pouring explosive force into the blow.
Boom!
The intense energy shot forward, striking Ling Chi like a speeding cannonball and blasting him back. He stumbled several steps in midair before regaining his balance, confusion flashing on his face, which quickly twisted into anger. He couldn't believe that in their very first exchange, Lin Langtian had gained the upper hand.
"A branch of the Xianyuan Ancient Tree?"
Seated at the head of the platform, Fen Cang's gaze flickered with interest at the sight of the black branch in Lin Langtian's hands. "The Master actually granted Lin Langtian a branch of the Xianyuan Ancient Tree. This kid really is lucky. The elders of the Wood Division have requested it countless times but were never granted even a piece of it," he murmured, narrowing his eyes.
At the center of the arena, a wave of icy anger washed over Ling Chi. His eyes burned with killing intent as his figure abruptly vanished.
Lin Langtian hovered in midair, releasing his spiritual energy and immediately sensing Ling Chi's sudden movement. With a calm smile, he focused his power through his arms, filling them with an intense force fed by his internal Flame Furnace. Gripping the Xianyuan Ancient Tree, he swung it down hard in front of him.
Whoosh!
The branch sliced through the air with a piercing sound, as though it were cutting the air itself. At the exact spot where Lin Langtian's branch landed, a flaming fist burst out of thin air, carrying immense destructive force as it collided directly with the branch.
A booming impact echoed across the platform, and the tremendous shockwave that erupted tore through nearby peaks, sending rocks crashing down.
Shhh!
Both fighters staggered back from the collision, coming out evenly matched in strength.
"Impressive, you're certainly no ordinary Nine-Seal Nirvana practitioner," Lin Langtian noted, steadying himself. "To match the strength of my Eight-Seal Nirvana combined with the Xianyuan branch, your title as Fire Division Spirit General is well-earned."
"So you've reached the Eight-Seal Nirvana level…no wonder you had the audacity to challenge me," Ling Chi replied, a glimmer of surprise in his red eyes. Lin Langtian's rapid progress was startling, especially considering he'd only joined the Fire Division a few months ago.
"An Eight-Seal Nirvana level?" Zhang Hao, who was observing from above, felt a chill as he realized Lin Langtian's level had caught up with his own. Knowing that Lin Langtian had already been stronger when he was at Seven-Seal Nirvana, the revelation made Zhang Hao clench his fists, a sense of dread creeping over him.
"Could this guy actually take the Spirit General's position?" he muttered through gritted teeth.
The disciples surrounding the arena were just as stunned, marveling at Lin Langtian's strength. That the division's top disciple Ling Chi could be so evenly matched with him was unbelievable.
"Hmph, that was only a warm-up. Now, I'll show you the true strength of a Nine-Seal Nirvana master!" Ling Chi's face darkened as he heard the murmurs around them. He clenched his hand, summoning a massive scarlet spear that radiated wild, fiery energy.
"Fire Blaze War Spear!"
With a loud battle cry, Ling Chi channeled overwhelming energy to the tip of his spear. It condensed into a raging flame that seemed capable of incinerating the world, and he hurled it at Lin Langtian with lethal intent.
Crash!
The spear struck, and Lin Langtian was thrown backward by the sheer force, rippling the air around him with violent energy that distorted the very air. The onlookers were visibly shaken by the display of power; the might of the Fire Division Spirit General was undeniable.
"Even if you have the Xianyuan Ancient Tree branch, don't think that will be enough to rely on!"
In the center of the dueling arena, Ling Chi's expression turned steely in response to Lin Langtian's challenge.
Boom!
Ling Chi's grip tightened, and fierce flames erupted from him, forming a massive fire-blade. The blade radiated an overwhelming power, spreading a force that caused even Eight-Seal Nirvana masters to grimace.
Swish!
Ling Chi leaped forward, wielding the massive flame-blade with a powerful sweep, releasing countless surging flame arcs. Each slash cleaved through the air, the piercing sound cutting sharply as it rushed toward Lin Langtian. But rather than retreat, Lin Langtian stepped forward, wielding the ancient Xianyuan tree branch as he infused it with his own potent energy sources—an immense wave of spiritual and Nirvana energy, the devouring force, and his Vermilion Bird Flame.
Rumble!
With the fusion of these powers in the Golden Spirit Mirror, the energy radiating from Lin Langtian took on a strange dark-red hue, unleashing a force several times stronger than his regular Nirvana energy alone.
"Ancient Tree Slash!" Lin Langtian stomped forward, sending the black-red energy flashing into the Xianyuan tree branch, which immediately radiated an intimidating aura. The ancient branch, appearing ordinary on the outside, now pulsed with the formidable presence of a high-level Heavenly treasure.
Boom!
Ling Chi's fire-charged spear clashed with the Xianyuan branch, generating a massive explosion in the sky. A shockwave blasted outward from the impact, cracking the ground below and creating fissures several meters long. The disciples around the arena turned pale, scrambling to avoid the ensuing debris.
Thanks to the formidable fusion of his inner energies, Lin Langtian's power reached a level comparable to that of a Nine-Seal Nirvana master. Combined with the strength of the Xianyuan branch, he could easily outmatch Ling Chi.
Ling Chi, sensing the unexpected power, now looked deadly serious. Gone was any trace of underestimating his opponent. With a deep breath, he slowly raised his flaming spear, and a pale cast crept across his face.
Buzz!
The sky above darkened into a deep red, as the energy around them began to grow more turbulent. Flames erupted from Ling Chi, spreading across the heavens, and transforming the space around him into a blazing world. Ling Chi hovered within the fiery storm, his face twisted with a dark resolve. His hands rose slowly, summoning flames that surged together behind him.
Within moments, a giant flame wolf coalesced above him, radiating a fierce and terrifying energy. The massive creature, formed from violent red flames, fixed its cold, beastly gaze upon Lin Langtian, appearing ready to pounce at any second.
"Quite the surprise, huh? I recently subdued this beast flame from a fallen Stormfire Wolf," Ling Chi said with a sinister grin. "Let me show you the true power of the Flame Emperor Art, now that I've fused it with the Stormfire Wolf's flames. Maybe then you'll understand why I hold the title of Fire Division Spirit General!"
"What? Senior Brother actually managed to subdue the Stormfire Wolf's flames?"
"The Stormfire Wolf was a Life Nirvana beast! Its beast flames are so dangerously volatile that most Life Nirvana masters wouldn't dare to even try. And yet, Senior Brother has managed it! Truly impressive!"
"Indeed, Senior Brother's mastery is something we should all aspire to. With the Stormfire Wolf flames, there's no doubt he'll be victorious!"
"Well, I wouldn't be so sure. I've heard Lin Langtian has the Vermilion Bird Flame. Compared to Senior Brother's beast flame, that ancient fire may be even stronger. It's really hard to tell who will win..."
"Ridiculous! Senior Brother is at Nine-Seal Nirvana; of course he'll win!"
The murmurs and whispers surrounding the arena filled the air as the Fire Division disciples grew tense. They knew the critical moment of the duel was near. If Lin Langtian could withstand the Flame Emperor Art, he might actually claim victory and rise to the Spirit General position. But if he couldn't, he'd be the loser—no matter his previous accomplishments.
Mo Tie and the others held serious expressions. They all hoped for Lin Langtian's victory, but most of the Fire Division thought Ling Chi had the upper hand. Though the Vermilion Bird Flame was powerful, they doubted Lin Langtian could fully wield its potential with his current level of strength.
Unlike the others, however, Mo Tie's group trusted Lin Langtian unconditionally. They had seen him defeat many seemingly unbeatable foes on the ancient battlefield. With Lin Langtian's decision to challenge Ling Chi, they felt certain he would prevail.
"A Life Nirvana beast flame from the Stormfire Wolf…" Lin Langtian mused, eyes narrowing as he stared at the massive flame wolf hovering over Ling Chi.
As a cultivation technique, the Flame Emperor Art was not inherently powerful; it required a strong flame to unleash its full potential. Lacking Lin Langtian's luck in finding an ancient flame, Ling Chi had instead harnessed the beast fire of a Life Nirvana wolf to power the Flame Emperor Art. While it was not the most potent flame, it provided a significant advantage at this Nirvana level, making his Flame Emperor Art particularly formidable.
Yet Lin Langtian showed no sign of retreat. He returned the Xianyuan branch to his side, then took a deep breath and began a series of intricate hand seals identical to Ling Chi's, preparing to activate his own Flame Emperor Art.
Boom! Boom!
The moment his hand seals were complete, massive flames erupted behind Lin Langtian. These flames were even more violent and intense than the ones surrounding Ling Chi. With a final shift in his seals, the fiery energy above Lin Langtian condensed, forming an enormous, crimson-red Vermilion Bird in the sky above him.
In that instant, an unparalleled aura spread across the arena, as a fierce energy surged and expanded around him.
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