Amid the roaring flames that swept across the sky, the fearsome cry of the Eight Wilds Fire Dragon sounded oddly distant. Facing the monstrous waves of fire and the crumbling earth beneath their feet now transformed into a hellish sea of lava, Gui Li and Lu Xueqi found themselves at the mercy of an apocalyptic force. The ground shattered, leaving only fissures and surging red-hot magma, which hissed and spat as it consumed the charred remnants of rock.
In this maelstrom, a sense of suffocating dread permeated the air, and the faces of the two warriors, glowing red from the inferno, were etched with determination and despair. As if in response to the overwhelming danger, Gui Li’s forehead flashed with visible veins, his eyes wide with resolve. With a mighty roar, he released the Soul Devouring Rod, and it hovered before him. His hands formed a seal, not of the pure golden radiance common to the Celestial Sound Temple, but a strange, eerie crimson light.
With Gui Li’s will, the rod stood erect in the air, its Bloodthirster Pearl shimmering with holy Buddhist scripture. Between him and the rod, a Taiji symbol slowly coalesced, but instead of the pure light of the Azure Ethereal Conclave, it bore the mixed signs of demonic arts.
The most powerful mystical arts were, for the first time, converging in one person.
Beneath the faint blue glow of Tian Ya, Lu Xueqi silently stood behind Gui Li, her eyes fixed on the man who faced the raging fire dragon. The blue light of Tian Ya shone from behind Gui Li, illuminating the fierce wind that whipped her hair.
In the next moment, the fiery inferno surged forth, engulfing everything in a torrent of heat and chaos. It felt as if the entire world had been reduced to a blazing furnace, and the relentless fury of the flames threatened to tear them apart.
Yet, amidst the inferno, a glimmer of hope persisted. The Soul Devouring Rod, enveloped in a tricolor aura of gold, azure, and crimson, formed an invisible barrier, protecting its master from the onslaught of the Eight Wilds Fire Dragon.
As if by a miracle, the dragon’s devastating attack was halted. Even Xiao Hui, the little monkey perched on Gui Li’s shoulder, bared its three blood-red eyes and roared defiantly.
Gui Li, though visibly pale, felt Lu Xueqi’s steady hand supporting him. The intense heat radiating from his body was almost unbearable, even for someone as well-versed in cultivation as Lu Xueqi. But she held firm, sensing the tremors in Gui Li’s arms.
The might of the attack was terrifying, but the two stood resolute.
The dragon, momentarily taken aback, lowered its head, its fiery gaze fixed on the two figures. Suddenly, a sharp chirp echoed, and the blue light of Tian Ya leapt from Lu Xueqi’s hand. She stepped forward, placing herself between the dragon and Gui Li, her resolve unwavering.
Even in this hellish blaze, a familiar, soothing fragrance filled her senses. In moments of utter despair, is there anyone to stand by your side?
The dragon, driven by some unseen urgency, roared again, and the ground dissolved into molten lava. The magma, once chaotic, now began to flow in a single, directed stream, creating a colossal whirlpool that emitted a thunderous rumble.
From the depths of the vortex, a pillar of molten rock erupted, barreling towards the two. The sheer power was staggering, and the ground beneath them crumbled, revealing more lava. Above, the dragon loomed; around them, a sea of fire raged.
What could they fear in this final stand?
Lu Xueqi and Gui Li, hand in hand, stood together, the brilliance of Tian Ya and the Soul Devouring Rod shining brightly. As the pillar of fire approached, their spirits remained unbroken.
Suddenly, the rod flared with a brilliant light, and the mysterious circle of the Eight Fiend Totems, which had dimmed, flickered again. The flame within the totems, now part of the dragon, brightened, revealing the true form of the Beast God, a figure withered and frail, yet with eyes still burning with undying love.
“Rong Ling…”
The Beast God, forgetting all else, embraced the apparition. But the dragon, sensing the threat, let out a deafening roar. The Beast God, ignoring all, clung to Rong Ling, closing his eyes in contentment.
The dragon’s anger reached its peak, and the world trembled. Lava boiled and exploded, and the ground collapsed. Amidst this, the Soul Devouring Rod cast a protective glow around Gui Li and Lu Xueqi, lifting them to safety.
As the world burned, the two were saved, but the destruction continued. The ancient statue of Rong Ling, shattered by the heat, and the Beast God, united in their final embrace, vanished in the flames.
In the aftermath, rain fell—rain of fire—for three days and three nights over the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. And in the years to come, who would remember this fateful day?
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