The hard ground, under the searing flames, began to show signs of melting. The ferocious blaze, spewing from the maw of the Crimson Flame Beast, seemed to possess a destructive might capable of annihilating everything, turning this vast stone chamber into a terrifying sea of fire.
Gui Li’s figure had vanished into the flames from the very beginning, never to reappear again.
After unleashing a mountain of flames, the burning eyes of the Crimson Flame Beast fiercely stared into the depths of the inferno, as if searching for something. It paused for a moment, and the scorching flames continued to burn on the ground, while the air around them seemed to boil.
However, Gui Li and his companion, the little monkey Xiao Hui, disappeared simultaneously.
Had he turned to ashes?
Moments later, the answer emerged. In the sky above the sea of fire, Gui Li’s figure appeared out of thin air. In an instant, he had flashed like a specter right above the Crimson Flame Beast, evading the terrifying flames entirely.
In his hand, the glowing Azure Ethereal Vapors shone with a bluish light amidst the flames, and his face was stern yet composed.
Xiao Hui, perched on Gui Li’s shoulder, suddenly bared its teeth and let out a roar, clearly agitated by the old adversary. Even though it was just a monkey, having been by Gui Li’s side for so long, it had inevitably absorbed some of the fierce and ruthless aura of the Demon Blood Pearl.
The Crimson Flame Beast let out a deafening roar, which echoed far and wide, sounding like thunder. Then, its massive body suddenly leaped into the air, and the intense heat of the surrounding flames nearly evaporated all the breathable air, leaving only blistering heat. The colossal, fiery form, brimming with a malevolent glow, charged towards them.
This time, Gui Li did not dodge. Looking at the ancient beast that towered over him, a strange light flickered in his eyes. Behind the charging form of the Crimson Flame Beast, the eight vicious statues of the Nexus of Immortalbane still followed, slowly rotating, their brightness fluctuating like a mysterious eye, coldly watching the battle.
On the tip of the Demon Blood Pearl, the dark red blood veins suddenly lit up one by one, shining brightly as the beast charged. Instead of retreating, Gui Li faced it head-on.
The Crimson Flame Beast, seemingly astonished by this human’s audacity, hesitated briefly, but then intensified its flames, letting out a roar as it lunged.
Huge sparks rained down like celestial rain, but when they reached within three feet of Gui Li, they encountered an invisible barrier and were deflected away. Meanwhile, Gui Li moved forward, almost coming face-to-face with the beast’s blazing eyes.
Amidst the swirling flames, Xiao Hui let out a sharp cry, and Gui Li thrust the Demon Blood Pearl forward, aiming for the beast’s head.
The azure light burst forth, like a brilliant lotus blooming in the fire, and from the depths of the lotus, a vivid, blood-red flower unfolded.
Crimson red!
The Demon Blood Pearl trembled in the scorching air, and the power coursing through it was more potent than it had been in years. The azure energy swirled rapidly within the pearl, as if thirsting for blood.
Though they were surrounded by a sea of fire, the temperature plummeted, and a cold, icy presence descended, enveloping the Crimson Flame Beast. For the first time, this ancient guardian beast felt a primal fear, but its more powerful instinct drove it to unleash an even more ferocious roar and lunge at Gui Li once more.
As the giant maw descended, the raging flames crashed down, and at that moment, Gui Li plunged the Demon Blood Pearl deep into the beast’s howling mouth.
The massive body halted mid-air, and though the air remained scorching, a chill emanated from deep within, as if from the very soul. At some point, Xiao Hui, still perched on Gui Li’s shoulder, showed no change in his form, but his three eyes, seemingly stimulated, had turned blood-red, piercingly bright.
Now, as the Crimson Flame Beast, under Gui Li’s strike, showed signs of faltering, Xiao Hui bared his fangs and let out a snarl, his face twisted in a sinister grin.
In an instant, the temperature continued to drop, and the heat from the Crimson Flame Beast receded. Its flaming eyes, now tinged with a trace of indescribable fear, glowed with dread.
Hovering in mid-air, Gui Li slowly raised his head. From the Demon Blood Pearl, a red light filled the entire weapon, as if it were mercilessly siphoning the essence of the Crimson Flame Beast.
A hint of pain crossed Gui Li’s face, and a layer of red-yellow light appeared, but after flashing three times, it was replaced by a golden glow.
The Crimson Flame Beast could no longer support its immense body and fell heavily to the ground. The once mighty beast now lay weak and vulnerable, almost unbelievable to witness. The flames in the stone chamber dissipated rapidly, and the temperature dropped, replaced by an icy cold and a hint of an evil aura emanating from Gui Li.
The Crimson Flame Beast lay on the ground, its once roaring flames now barely flickering. It seemed to have lost most of its power, and after a hate-filled stare at the descending Gui Li, it let out a final roar before its massive body slowly dissipated into the air.
Yet, the mysterious light circle of the eight vicious statues remained, unaffected by the previous battle, continuing to rotate slowly, gradually retreating, and finally hovering above the ancient fire cauldron, in front of the weary but smiling face of the Beast God.
In the fire cauldron, the flames burned quietly.
In the icy, demonic aura cast by Gui Li’s Demon Blood Pearl, this was the only source of fire and light, seemingly immune to Gui Li’s demonic influence.
Gui Li landed on the ground, but there was no joy of victory on his face. Gazing at the still-burning flames, his pupils contracted slightly.
The mysterious light circle slowly rotated, and the eight ferocious statues, one by one, lit up, dimming and brightening, as if whispering secrets of the ancient past.
Below the light circle, the Beast God’s face, despite its deep weariness, still bore a smile.
“Clap, clap, clap…”
The Beast God clapped gently and smiled warmly, “Impressive, impressive. I never expected you to have such cultivation and such a formidable treasure. Although I knew your cultivation was high, I didn’t think it would be this high.” He sighed softly, as if mocking himself, “I seem to always be wrong, don’t I?”
Gui Li looked at him and spoke slowly, “The Crimson Flame Beast that appeared this time, although intimidating, was not as powerful as the one in the Burning Incense Valley’s Fire Altar.”
The Beast God looked at Gui Li, his eyes slowly showing admiration, and nodded.
Gui Li said calmly, “This Crimson Flame Beast is clearly the guardian spirit of the Eight Fiendish Mystical Fire Array, a legacy of the witch clan. As long as the array is still active, this beast can be summoned. However, the Crimson Flame Beast is a soul beast confined within the array, and the greater the mystical fire power in the array, the more powerful it becomes.”
He glanced at the fire cauldron in front of the Beast God, “Is this the legendary ‘Fire Gathering Cauldron’ that can gather the essence of celestial fire?”
The Beast God smiled, “Yes, it is the Fire Gathering Cauldron.”
Gui Li nodded and said calmly, “With this Fire Gathering Cauldron, you can use its celestial fire to activate the array and summon the Crimson Flame Beast. But though this treasure is wondrous, it cannot compare to the continuous, centuries-old fire supply from the molten rock beneath the Fire Altar in the Burning Incense Valley. So, the Crimson Flame Beast you summoned, though it looks powerful, is nothing more than an empty shell.”
“Hah, good, good,” the Beast God laughed, clapping his hands, “Good phrase, ’empty shell.’ Well said. I wonder if anyone else in the world could say this besides you?”
Gui Li looked deeply at him, “At least, the person who inflicted a severe injury on you has the right to say it.”
The Beast God’s expression suddenly darkened, his gaze becoming cold as he looked at Gui Lu. Though Gui Li met his gaze, he could feel a chilling aura emanating from the seemingly weak body.
The Beast God, looking at Gui Li, spoke slowly, “I heard that the person who injured me also has some grudge against you, is that true?”
Gui Li’s face changed immediately.
The two men stared at each other, silent, but the atmosphere in the stone chamber seemed to freeze.
At that moment, both of them sensed something, and the Beast God raised his eyes slightly, while Gui Li turned to look at the entrance of the stone chamber.
In the darkness, a figure, gently illuminated by a soft blue light, stood quietly. A familiar face, appearing after a moment, as if thousands of years had passed.
Staring at her, step by step, slowly approaching.
Lu Xueqi’s hand, pale in the faint light, held tightly onto the Tianya. But her face, as cold as ever, showed no emotion, as it did when they first met.
She walked slowly, closer.
Standing by his side, she said nothing, her eyes reflecting only the flames. How long did this moment last?
The Beast God watched their strange interaction, saying and doing nothing. In his unreadable eyes, a complex emotion flickered, but who could understand it?
Standing beside him.
Lu Xueqi, after walking over, did not look at Gui Li. After a long silence, in the somewhat odd atmosphere, she said softly and calmly, “So… it really is you…”
Gui Li did not speak, gazing at her beautiful, delicate face. After a long while, he did only one thing.
He slowly smiled at her.
Then, standing beside her, he took a deep breath, the flame in his chest warming his heart.
Lu Xueqi, sensing something, her face paled, but she did not hide it. She simply, on her icy face, smiled faintly at the flames reflected in her eyes.
Such a warm smile!
Standing side by side, they faced the Beast God, the fearsome demon of the world.
In the Beast God’s eyes, a look of pain flashed, and he slowly lowered his head.
The flames burned quietly, and the scene in the stone chamber, in the flickering light, seemed hazy. The three figures stood for a long time.
Raising his head, the Beast God, after a moment, looked at Lu Xueqi and then at Gui Li, and suddenly said, “Can you promise me something?”
Gui Li, taken aback, asked, “What?”
The Beast God, with deep weariness on his face, said softly, “Whatever your purpose, you are going to fight me. If I kill you, there’s nothing to say. If I lose, I won’t blame you. I just hope that if you leave this ancient cave, you’ll do something for me.”
Gui Li said, “What is it?”
The Beast God, after a pause, said, “Do you remember the stone statue at the cave entrance?”
Gui Li, with a curious expression, nodded slowly, “Yes.”
The Beast God’s voice became low and sorrowful, “If you get the chance to go out, pick a bouquet of her favorite lilies and place them in front of her.”
“Lilies… I understand.” Gui Li nodded slowly, but there was a strange emotion in his voice. Lu Xueqi noticed it but said nothing, only looking at him silently.
The Beast God shook his head, seeming to mock himself, and then, smiling at Gui Li, said, “But what about you? If you stay here and never have the chance to leave, what wishes do you have?” His gaze, moving from Gui Li to Lu Xueqi, with a smile, asked, “And you, do you have any wishes to share?”
Gui Li remained silent, and so did Lu Xueqi. After a moment, she glanced at Gui Li, seeing a complex, painful expression on his face.
Taking a deep breath, she suddenly said, “I have no greater wish!”
Her words, though calm, were firm, leaving no room for doubt.
Perhaps, she truly did not want to give herself any room anymore!
Gui Li’s body trembled.
Then, he looked at the woman beside him, gazing deeply without speaking.
The Beast God, looking at Lu Xueqi, his eyes grew brighter. Suddenly, he clapped his hands, though still unsteady, and stood up. The colorful silk robes swept around him, and Taotie, the beast, stood up, growling softly beside him.
“Good, good, well said!”
The Beast God, looking at Lu Xueqi, radiated a strange fervor, “That’s right, that’s right. There are indeed women like her in this world.”
Laughing wildly, he looked almost mad. As his laughter faded, it turned into a lament, with a hint of weeping. With his movements, a mysterious aura rose, and the slowly rotating light circle of the eight vicious statues suddenly sped up, all eight statues lighting up simultaneously.
The ancient, malevolent aura, different from the previous Crimson Flame Beast, filled the air. The fire in the ancient cauldron, under the power of the demonic aura, grew larger.
This time, the burning flame slowly rose from the cauldron, as if embedded in the light circle of the eight vicious statues, rising to the air, burning fiercely.
“You are right, the Crimson Flame Beast I summoned was indeed weaker due to the insufficient mystical fire power compared to the Fire Altar,” the Beast God’s pale face flushed with a red glow, seeming to revive with the arrival of this unparalleled demonic power, “But this array was personally set by Linglong, far surpassing the ruins of the Fire Altar. Let me show you its secret.”
His ghastly laughter, as his body floated into the air, slowly merged with the increasingly intense flames, disappearing. On the ground, Taotie roared loudly.
In the next moment, the eyes of the eight vicious statues, like bloodshot, all glowed red, as if demons had awakened. In an instant, the screams of gods and demons filled the air, deafening.
The flames burned hotter, and from deep within, thunderous sounds could be heard, the core of the flame turning pure white. Even from a distance, Gui Li and Lu Xueqi, with their cultivation, found the heat unbearable.
Amid the demonic screams, the mysterious incantation echoed, arcane and ancient, as if the ancient people, in their devotion, called upon the divine with all their faith and spiritual power.
Gigantic flames, burning!
The incantation, like a storm, tore at the hearts, and suddenly, a tremendous and unstoppable force erupted from the depths of the huge flame. The power was so great that Gui Li and Lu Xueqi could not resist and were forced to fly backward.
What terrible incantation, and what terrifying entity had been summoned, with such overwhelming power?
Gui Li and Lu Xueqi, both pale, realized this was a force beyond human control.
The flames burned crazily, dancing in the air, as the terror from the depths approached. The hottest part, almost pure white, suddenly, in a violent flash, something seemed to breathe, opening its eyes.
In an instant, the ancient, hard rock walls shattered, and countless cracks appeared on the ground, glowing with a red light, as if the lava beneath was about to erupt.
And the breathing, like a dragon’s roar, echoed in the space.
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