Immortal Martial Emperor

"Three!"

Hong Yu’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Wang Jiankun. "Three breaths are up. Tell me your decision!"

Wang Jiankun suddenly let out a series of sharp, piercing laughs.

Each laugh was so chilling it sent a cold dread through one’s bones. He stared at Hong Yu with venomous eyes and said sinisterly, "My decision is this—from now on, I will count to three. If you do not surrender, I will kill one person. I’d like to see just how hard your heart truly is!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Jiankun immediately roared, "One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

He gave Hong Yu no room to interrupt, waving his hand abruptly.

The Fire God Illusion, formed by the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array, suddenly opened its maw, which was filled with scorching flames. With a deep inhale, it sucked a Hong Family disciple from the mountain peak into its mouth.

"AHH!"

With a blood-curdling scream, the Hong Family disciple was reduced to a flash of fire and devoured by the Fire God Illusion.

"Wang Jiankun, you’re courting death!"

Hong Yu was furious.

The Godslaying Spear in his hand pulsed with a sharp, golden Spear Aura, like an enraged Golden Dragon about to leap from his grasp.

But Wang Jiankun, confident in the Shelter of the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array, was fearless. He looked at Hong Yu with a triumphant and savage expression. "So what if I’m courting death? What can you do to me? That was just a little test. The main event is yet to come!"

"Hmph?"

Hong Yu forcibly suppressed his rage.

His icy eyes remained fixed on Wang Jiankun.

The corners of Wang Jiankun’s lips curled up. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, the captured experts from the Wind and Snow Association and the Hong Family disciples all shuddered violently.

Behind each of them, raging fires flared to life.

The scorching heat waves from these flames traveled along the iron chains that bound them, finally conducting into their bodies through the Pipa Locks piercing their shoulder blades.

In an instant, the entire mountain peak was filled with incessant screams and wails of agony.

"So hot, it’s so hot..."

"Kill me, just kill me already..."

"Hong Yu, you bastard! You’re just watching us die! You don’t deserve the name Hong."

"Damn you, Hong Yu! You’re just standing there watching your own family suffer! May you die a horrible death...!"

Under the excruciating torture, many of the Hong Family experts roared hysterically, cursing Hong Yu.

In contrast, however, were the experts of the Wind and Snow Association.

White Cloud Peak’s face was flushed red. The Pipa Lock on his shoulder burned his body, causing his sealed wounds to burst open again, fresh blood streaming down.

Yet he clenched his jaw, his steady voice as kind as ever. "Little Yu, you must go. Don’t worry about your master. You are the greatest pride of my life. To see you one last time before I die... I have no regrets!"

"Master..."

Gazing at his master, White Cloud Peak, who was suffering so much yet lacked even the strength to take his own life, Hong Yu’s eyes nearly split with rage.

"Xiaoguai..."

Feng Xue Xin let out a low, grief-stricken roar.

His eyes were crimson, as if veiled by a bloody halo. Watching Luoo Xiaoguai, drenched in blood under the torment of the flames, Feng Xue Xin felt a pain like his heart was being twisted by a knife.

Feng Xue Xin wished he could charge over and rescue Luoo Xiaoguai immediately.

But he understood that even though he had reached the Primordial Embryo Realm, he couldn’t possibly break through the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array.

As Feng Xue Xin agonized, Hong Yu took a deep breath, having already made his decision.

"Senior Brother Feng, please help me protect Tianshuang!"

Feng Xue Xin was taken aback. "Junior Brother Hong, are you planning to charge into the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array?"

Hong Yu nodded.

Feng Xue Xin shook his head violently, trying to dissuade him. "No, you can’t! The Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array is constructed from Earth Vein Fire. The temperature inside the array is so high that even a Primordial Embryo Realm Powerhouse would be burned to death. If you go in like this, it’s certain death."

This time, Beichen Tianshuang also looked at Hong Yu with worry.

The sight of the Fire God Illusion devouring a life with a single breath had been too great a shock for her.

She gently tugged on Hong Yu’s sleeve. "Can you not go?"

Hong Yu shook his head.

Beichen Tianshuang bit her lip and whispered, "Then you have to come back alive. If... if you die, I... I’ll come join you!"

BZZT!

Hong Yu’s heart trembled.

Looking into the young woman’s earnest and clear eyes, he felt for the first time that he could be moved to speechlessness.

He silently nodded.

Hong Yu took a deep breath, stepped onto the void, and charged toward the Grand Array.

Watching Hong Yu dive toward the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array, Wang Jiankun was stunned for a moment before breaking into a disdainful sneer.

"Pfft, HAHAHA..."

Wang Jiankun laughed so hard he bent forward and back, almost squeezing out tears. "This is killing me! You’re actually trying to break through the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array with your mortal body? Hilarious! If you want to die, you don’t have to do it like this! Hahaha..."

Behind Wang Jiankun, the disciples of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect loyal to him all roared with laughter.

"Is this idiot really the number one True Dragon of the martial gathering?"

"Not even a Primordial Embryo Realm Powerhouse can withstand the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array. For him to charge in like this is simply suicide!"

"One might survive a calamity from heaven, but never one of their own making!"

The Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array was indeed incredibly formidable. Even a Primordial Embryo Realm Powerhouse with Mastery over the Dao of Fire would find it difficult to guarantee they could emerge unscathed.

Although Hong Yu was strong, his cultivation was only at the Primordial Core Realm. Logically speaking, he didn’t have the slightest chance of breaking the array!

But in reality, Hong Yu did have a sliver of hope.

Even if that sliver was incredibly slim!

’I have a Fire Spirit Body, and I’ve even devoured the Three-legged Fiery Firebird True Martial Arts Intent. I can probably last about five minutes inside the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array.’

Hong Yu was suddenly enveloped in brilliant golden light, his eyes exceptionally sharp, as profound and sacred as those of the Deities. ’I have to find the core of the Earth Fire within five minutes and sever its connection to the Grand Array. That’s the only way to break the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array. If I fail, then everyone, including me, will be incinerated to nothingness by it.’

WHOOSH!

Hong Yu looked at White Cloud Peak and the others, who were constantly shaking their heads and shouting for him not to risk his life. He let out a long breath. ’Master, just wait a little longer. As soon as I break this damn Grand Array, your disciple will definitely drag out the mastermind behind this and wash away the grievances you’ve suffered with their blood!’

With that thought, Hong Yu suddenly accelerated, rushing into the Grand Array with a SWOOSH.

BOOM!

Inside the Grand Array, the heat was overwhelming.

The moment he entered the array, Hong Yu understood the terror of the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array.

This array drew its energy from the entire vein of Earth Fire beneath the Cyan Nether Mountain Range. The heat was so intense that even a Primordial Embryo Realm Powerhouse would be burned to ash.

No wonder the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array had such a fearsome reputation!

’Where is the connection point between the Earth Fire and the array?’

Beads of sweat had just formed on Hong Yu’s forehead before they were instantly evaporated.

If not for the powerful physique granted to him by the Eighth Transformation of the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique, he would have already been roasted into a dried husk in the short time he’d been inside.

"Little One, a little help," Hong Yu said in his mind.

Inside the Profound Celestial Tower, Little One took a drag from its Big Smoking Pipe and declared righteously, "Young man, for millennia, I have always put loyalty and honor first... However, the world changes too quickly. It’s a materialistic world, and you know I have to pay a considerable price every time I make a move. This, that..."

Hong Yu gritted his teeth in anger. "What’s your price this time?"

"Young man, how can you think of me like that? I always put loyalty and honor first..."

Hong Yu rolled his eyes. "Get lost. As if I don’t know what you’re like."

"Er..."

Little One took a deep drag from its Big Smoking Pipe, exhaling a cloud of smoke, and said calmly, "After you take down the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, I want one-third of the Treasures in the Sword Sect’s vault!"

"Screw you! I’m not here to rob the place," Hong Yu said, exasperated.

Little One paused, then rubbed its nose, saying dejectedly, "Then, then... then just give me ten Fourth-Grade Spirit Medicines and two Fifth-Grade Spirit Medicines?"

"..."

A minute was wasted on haggling before they finally settled on five Fourth-Grade Spirit Medicines and one Fifth-Grade Spirit Medicine.

Only then did Little One say with satisfaction, "The core of the connection between the Earth Fire and the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array is in the heart of the Fire God Illusion. There’s a stone tablet inside it, which is the core that activates the array. Just shatter that stone tablet, and you’ll be able to break the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array!"

"Got it!"

Hong Yu immediately seized the moment, flying toward the Fire God Illusion at top speed.

「Inside the Profound Celestial Tower...」

Little One lay contentedly on a rocking chair, humming a little tune.

Not far behind it, the black-and-white Little Beast Huhu opened its eyes. It rubbed its eyes with a furry paw, a strange, thoughtful look flickering in its gaze.

The corners of its mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing an expression that looked silly, yet also a little cunning.

Its expression seemed to say: ’So this is how you make a fortune! Hehe, I’m going to be rich in the future!’

Of course, this was all a digression.

By now, Hong Yu had already charged up to the Fire God Illusion. Two minutes had passed.

Wang Jiankun gave a cold smile. "Fire God Illusion, cripple this brat for me!"

Under his control, the Fire God Illusion roared, and fireballs like molten lava shot toward Hong Yu.

Hong Yu’s figure moved like lightning and wind, agile and swift, dodging the fireball attacks as he drew closer to the Fire God Illusion.

Just as he was about to make contact, the Fire God Illusion suddenly threw a punch.

Its ten fingers shot out, roaring like Fire Dragons.

A golden light sheltered Hong Yu’s body as the Primordial Gang’s Power within him circulated to its absolute limit. His physique was covered in a layer of golden fire, stronger than ever before.

’Eight Desolates Dominating Body, while I exist, I am Wudi!’

The Godslaying Spear shot forward. The Wind Vortex True Martial Arts Intent, combined with the Three-legged Fiery Firebird, empowered the Godslaying Spear, forming a fiery spiral that shook the sky and threw the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into chaos.

SWOOSH!

The Godslaying Golden Spear instantly grew to a hundred meters long, viciously knocking the Fire God Illusion’s palm away.

The Fire God Illusion’s movements faltered.

Although its power was immense, it lacked mobility and flexibility. Compared to Hong Yu, its speed was painfully slow.

After deflecting its attack with one spear thrust, Hong Yu accelerated, charging into the Fire God Illusion’s body.

A torrent of searing heat washed over him.

Hong Yu felt as if his entire body was being cooked, but he could only grit his teeth and force his way inside.

Soon, he saw the stone tablet at the heart of the Fire God Illusion.

’Shatter this, and the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array will break!’

Hong Yu’s gaze turned cold as he thrust the Godslaying Spear forward with all his might.

However, with a loud PANG, the stone tablet merely trembled slightly before returning to normal.

Hong Yu’s eyes narrowed. ’Damn it, this stone tablet is ridiculously hard.’ He calculated the time in his head; four of the five minutes had already passed.

That meant he only had one minute left. If he couldn’t break the tablet, he would no longer be able to resist the Celestial Fire Spirit Burning Array and would be burned to ash.

"One Finger Shakes the Heavens and Earth!"

"Two-Finger Shattering Mountains and Rivers!"

"Three Fingers Slay Divine Spirits!"

Hong Yu unleashed his strongest attacks one after another. Fine cracks did indeed appear on the stone tablet under the terrifying assault, but it remained firmly intact, continuing to control the Grand Array.

The final ten seconds were ticking away.

A look of grim determination flashed in Hong Yu’s eyes...

’Life or death, it all comes down to this final gamble!’