Chapter 176 - 170: Void Fire Haoyang
"But..."
Yun Hejing hesitated. Looking at Yu Changsheng in the image, she saw that while his face was grim, he wasn’t panicking.
Seeing that the other Elders likely shared Elder Li’s opinion, she sighed softly and clenched her fists without realizing it.
’I hope you really know what you’re doing...’
Yun Hejing murmured to herself, somehow feeling even more nervous than Yu Changsheng, the one at the center of it all.
As for Elder Li, seeing the Four Swords of Annihilation again after so many years, he was naturally eager to witness more of its splendor.
......
As Huang Suyu unleashed two sword strikes in a row, Yu Changsheng’s expression darkened. While retreating, he hurled his Soul-Breaking Nail, Fan of Silent Extinction, and various other Magical Treasures he had collected toward the Life-cutting Giant Sword before him.
BOOM!!
In the next instant, the Magical Treasures self-destructed. The resulting blast of power made even the Sword Body tremble and its light dim, but it showed no signs of dissipating or shattering.
Seeing this, Huang Suyu suppressed his body’s weakness and sneered, "Stop struggling. Against anyone in the Foundation Establishment realm, these two strikes are invincible. It’s surprising that you’ve lasted this long, but it ends here!"
Yu Changsheng remained silent. He looked up at the Life-cutting Giant Sword and the Annihilation Dao Giant Sword. The power of both had now built to its absolute peak, becoming completely solid. One sword descended from the sky, the other rose from the ground, both hurtling toward Yu Changsheng in unison.
Yu Changsheng’s gaze hardened. "I’m counting on you, Red Refining Snake, Golden-Winged Eagle."
Two streaks of light appeared as the Red Refining Snake and the Golden-Winged Eagle emerged from his Inner Realm to protect him. Hearing his words, both beasts shook their heads, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
The Red Refining Snake and the Golden-Winged Eagle had been heavily injured by the previous strike, but fortunately, Yu Changsheng had recalled them to his Inner Realm just in time, so they hadn’t lost their ability to fight.
Now released by Yu Changsheng once more, the three beasts responded to one another. The Spiritual Beast Four Extremes Formation activated again, and as their energies linked, torrents of Flame, Wind Blades, and a sea of trees surged forth.
’I don’t have any powerful Divine Power Techniques... but I’m still an Alchemist...!’
Yu Changsheng snapped his head up, his mind suddenly entering a state of perfect clarity. He slowly raised a hand, and a pale-yellow flame, laced with white, gradually materialized before him.
This flame was peculiar. It didn’t seem to possess any particularly violent power at first glance, but the instant it appeared, the Spiritual Power in the air began to riot, gathering into the flame and causing it to grow larger and larger.
’Sword Intent is truly terrifying, and I don’t have it. But this Void Fire of mine... it achieves a similar wondrous effect!’
Void Fire—the ethereal flame of heaven and earth. It was neither illusory nor real; it was both a flame and the very resonance of the world. As a Pill Fire, it could be used as the purest form of power to draw upon this resonance and forcibly improve the quality of an Elixir.
But what would happen if it were used against an enemy?
Yu Changsheng didn’t know, because it was incredibly difficult for anyone to completely master this power. He had asked Gongsun Yang about it once, but Gongsun Yang had advised him against doing something so dangerous.
An Alchemist, after all, was supposed to sit obediently before their Pill Furnace and practice Alchemy. Using one’s Pill Fire to fight was far too dangerous; the slightest mistake could cause a backlash from the flame itself.
The Void Fire burned brightly. Yu Changsheng pursed his lips, using his other hand to cast a technique that controlled the Void Fire, causing it to constantly transform. He used the Void Fire as a core and covered it with another layer of flame. This outer flame was blood-red, and an astonishingly high temperature brewed within it.
The moment they made contact, the flame became unstable. The light flickered as if it was about to collapse, and the Void Fire within it showed signs of going berserk.
’Using the Fireball Skill to control the Void Fire... Borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth to amplify this Technique and maximize the advantage of the Spiritual Beast Four Extremes Formation... It’s dangerous, but it’s worth a shot!’
A sharp glint flashed in Yu Changsheng’s eyes. He clenched his jaw, his Divine Sense carefully monitoring every subtle change in the fireball. He continuously circulated his Minor Achievement-level Fireball Skill. Though he should have been completely proficient with it, he now felt as if he were trying to control a raging beast. The Void Fire within the fireball was beginning to show signs of dissipating.
’It’s not working! My Fireball Skill isn’t enough for me to maintain complete control. I’m just short!’
Beads of sweat dripped from Yu Changsheng’s forehead, evaporating into thin air before they could fall. The fireball before him grew larger and larger, its power becoming more unstable as its brilliant light swirled.
’In that case, then... I’ll add points!!!’
’Add points to the Fireball Skill!!’
Yu Changsheng roared in his mind. He didn’t have enough Essence left to advance his Fireball Skill to the next level. But mastering a Technique was a gradual process; a so-called advancement was simply the culmination of practice reaching its limit for a certain stage.
As Yu Changsheng poured his Essence into it without a second thought, all sorts of insights regarding the Fireball Skill flooded his mind, as if he had personally practiced it tens of millions of times.
[Fireball Skill: Minor Achievement (435/100,000)] → [Fireball Skill: Minor Achievement (55,000/100,000)]
After exhausting all of his Essence, Yu Changsheng’s hands paused for an instant, then began to move with swift dexterity. He cast Void Fire and the Fireball Skill simultaneously. His control was far more masterful now, and the ball of Void Fire before him swelled, quickly filling his entire field of vision. Its previously unstable state rapidly stabilized as nature’s spiritual energy poured into it, becoming its fuel.
The Red Refining Snake roared, the Golden-Winged Eagle beat its massive wings, and the Colorful Star Deer frantically poured in its Demon Power. The sea of trees churned as the Spiritual Beast Four Extremes Formation shone with immense light. A triangular phantom slowly materialized in mid-air. The power of all three beasts transformed into the Red Refining Snake’s Flame, which then merged into the fireball before Yu Changsheng, empowering it.
"Red Refining Snake!" Yu Changsheng roared.
The Red Refining Snake understood, spewing an endless torrent of Flame from its mouth that swept up and merged into the Hao Sun.
"Golden-Winged Eagle!" Yu Changsheng yelled again.
The Golden-Winged Eagle spread its wings with a clear shriek, a sound sharp enough to shatter stone. An endless Black Wind gathered into a Tornado, fanning the ever-brightening Hao Sun above.
"Colorful Star Deer!"
The Colorful Star Deer’s antlers suddenly grew and spiraled, flashing with rainbow light. Illusory images of countless trees formed a bridge, connecting to the Void Fire Haoyang. At once, the Red Refining Snake’s Flame and the Golden-Winged Eagle’s raging wind surged along this arboreal bridge, connecting to the Hao Sun.
Empowered by the three Spirit Beasts, the ball of Void Fire expanded rapidly, growing dozens of times larger in the blink of an eye. It floated above Yu Changsheng’s head, and at first glance, it looked as if a second sun had appeared in the sky.
The Void Fire within the massive fireball completely dissolved into fine wisps of flame, merging perfectly into the whole.
"His... his mastery of a Technique has actually reached such a terrifying level?"
Elder Hai stared at the second sun, his eyes glazed over as he couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment.
"What kind of talent does it take to command the Fireball Skill to this extent!" Elder Li’s expression froze, his face a mask of stunned disbelief.
"Something’s not right. There seem to be traces of an Array between Yu Changsheng’s Spirit Beasts!"
Elder Cao was more discerning and remained relatively calm. He took a deep breath, his eyes shining with a strange light as he watched Yu Changsheng.
Yun Hejing’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly, but she pursed her lips, her heart once again leaping into her throat.
"For a battle between just two Foundation Establishment cultivators, this commotion is getting rather large."
Elder Hai remarked with emotion, his mind reeling.