“Combustion of the soul? Xiáo Xuán, have you gone mad!” Looking at the strange flame rising from Xiáo Xuán’s body, the colossally sized face suddenly expressed a trace of shock, its voice shrilly shouting, “Soul combustion—you truly want to completely vanish from this world!” “Soul combustion?” Below, Xiáo Yán’s whole body suddenly trembled. Turning pale, he instantly realized its meaning. As an apothecary, surely he understood what was meant by combustion of the soul—an equivalent to body explosion—by means of unleashing great short-lived power that demanded life as its price, consuming souls themselves for immense temporary strength. Yet the price for this was that the soul too would be completely obliterated. “Ancestor,” Yián shuddered slightly while fixing glistening red eyes on him. Xuán had made no mention before this about consuming his soul itself.
“My mission has already been fulfilled. Whether I exist or not no longer matters.” Confronting the somewhat panicked spirit of the Celestial Graveyard, Xuán smiled subtly before lifting a fiery hand. Stretching forward toward it sharply, a terrifying force of suction instantly gathered within the center of his palm, whereafter the giant spirit’s mouth echoed an intense ripple, something seemingly forcefully drawn forth. “If you wish for death, don’t take me with you!” Roared angrily the great spirit; upon its howls the entire Tianmu shivered violently, and its great mouth widened suddenly unleashing an enormous invisible soul-lance over hundreds of feet in length. Breaking space apart, the lance ruthlessly pierced Xuán.
“I have resolved myself to soul consumption—you cannot stop me.” Remaining composed despite the Celestial Graveyard spirit’s furious resistance, Xuán simply chuckled. Extending his hand directly he gently closed his grasp. That sharp wave-laced lance shot his way halting dead in tracks; a sweep aside, his sleeves brushed it back with greater ferocity than before, the returned missile bearing a trail of peculiar fires—an inferno of self-sustaining consumption devouring it all.
With swift precision the lance reversed direction. Instantaneous, it transformed into blazing firelight, piercing through the great features immediately as flame engulfed wood-bone in an explosive eruption. “No!” Fire swept wide causing soul-bound shrieks of agony across Tianmu. If the clash continued evenly he’d only feel apprehensive—not real fear—but when their foe attacked unhesitatingly with soul combustion’s full might their strength surged terrifyingly strong, enough for such as this celestial spirit itself to scarcely stand against, especially with Xuán’s consuming fire posing such an extreme threat to a spirit’s essence body.
Celestial high flames spread across immense soul-features that now shriveled quickly, while from the entity continuous waves and surging pulses erupted outward, convulsing this realm utterly. Energy creatures from all regions fled afield, terrorizing each soul in their paths—no wishing a shattered eternal oblivion by being drawn into the chaos.
Surrounded by lotus妖fire, despite these soul shocks’ immense force, Yán maintained the capacity to match their intensity with little inclination to flee entirely, solely keeping his watchful gaze on that battle above. Presently within Xuán the very power of an incalculably frightening measure coalescing, no matter how deeply he explored, no boundary could detect their limits—the burning of a soul had elevated this remnant almost beyond contest in battle prowess.
Yet even just remembering that his temporary invulnerability would only cost Xuán his immortal existence sent Yián’s hands clenching involuntarily, hardening his fists. Though barely a lingering trace now, he did still exist—but once this conflict ended with Xuán’s soul entirely devoured in combustion, then forever would he fade from earthly life.
“I shall never forgive, Xuán!” Screams tore out upon the shrinking blaze’s waning flames that transformed partially, its shape adopting that resembling a man—two red furious orbs glaring hatefully toward Xuán, drowning utterly in vengeance’s pull.
Yet in face of the Tianmu-bound wail Xuán took not the slightest heed. Pressing his hands together, rapidly he shaped intricate seals; through such finger motions blazing trails shot from fingertips weaving a huge intricate array in mid-air over their opponent. And within this gigantic circle centered the essence of Tianmu spirits—its core.
“Chi Chi!” Formation shaping instantly; before the soul’s guardian managed movement, the blaze threads pierced straightly into Tianmu’s own mass—binding its every limb tightly in restraint suspended upon this arrayed trap. Against such restraint did this spirit struggle hard, soul pulses bursting forth enough even to shock Xiáo Yán sending powerful tremors against the blaze binds, but no matter how fierce its attack, they displayed immense restraint effect—every soul’s shock quickly weakening once contacting the lines themselves.
Were this arrangement insufficient, perhaps my very name of Xuán wouldn’t be enough in battle, “Xuán cast a sidelong view at a violently thrashing Tianmu spirit—a simple smile gracing his features that bore quiet confidence amid great power. A once-supreme being now merely the remnants yet still a formidable aura.
“Cease… cease this, and I’ll grant whatever you want,” begged the Tianmu guardian, long since having lost any edge to its former voice now soft from the failure to prevail. Recognizing clearly this burning form of Xuán’s surpassed anything within grasp—it would take merely enduring this brief flame phase for its tormentor to vanish like smoke from reality.
“Haggling’s useless. Present forth, your core spiritual essence!” Regarding Tianmu with that same smile amidst its weakened pleas Xuán simply changed hand gestures again. Those fiery lines burrowing deeper into the soul guardian suddenly withdrew slowly—pulling forth from its depths a resplendent circle about ten feet wide.
As only the outer rim of that radiant core first revealed its corner brilliant efflorescence showered down copiously. Upon extending his palm into this glow Yián’s very soul flooded with warmth and comfort—his consciousness echoed as if souls near ecstatic from rapture. This…was the Tianmu core soul essence, he whispered in awe, having collected a small fragment during a raid against Soul Pavilion—still nothing compared to this dazzling brilliance whose very potency dwarfed those collected treasures a thousandfold.
Roars echoed, akin now perhaps not a spirit, but an enraged and frightened beast sensing inevitable downfall.
“Take Tianmu for yourself—I shall gift its domain—I promise all!” Pleated now Tianmu in its deepest terror… but still Xuán ignored every plea. Rapid sealing movements increased tension on blazing lines. With greater urgency did that crystalline soul begin emerging from the imprisoned being.
“Have at it then… for one last fight!” Fully awakened now that its energy was dissipating with unstoppable finality this Tianmu guardian unleashed blinding brilliance itself—flares of soul consumption igniting upon it now in final desperation as it mimicked Xuán, preparing its own combustion.
Yet no sooner had fire flickered upon its surface did a descending palm seal strike directly upon the face. Overwhelming impact smashing it backward; concurrently that crystalline orb erupted fully forth, expelled from containment entirely in a sudden burst. “No! Restore it!” Upon removal of its soul core weakness enveloped Tianmu immediately. It cried furiously charging in despair toward its very heart being taken beyond its reach.
Meeting the charging beast’s assault with an easy motion Xuán dismissed this final resistance; a force from sleeve swatting its foe clear off balance crashing downward. And upon its arrival upon earthly ground far distantly other energies nearby glared hatefully from their gazes—finally roaring collectively. Like tidal waters crashing down with unified wrath they swarmed its weakening body without pity.
“No! Spare me!” Weakened so quickly unable defense this spirit’s pitiful form shattered outright under attack. Its remains screamed into an unhearing horizon—an essence filled by rage as fading winds dispersed them eternally…thus had the Tianmu spirit vanished ignominiously.
As Tianmu soul essence finally vanished the surrounding essence energy beings’ crimson eyes regained clarity suddenly. When regarding humans again their previously murderous craving ceased abruptly leaving only stunned expressions followed by reverent posturing; one by slow movement kneeling toward sky where Xuán hovered above the land.
Xuán ignored their gestures however as the crystal soul ring suspended there shimmered brightly before him. Glancing downward he met Yián’s eyes warmly.
“Young one, this little is as much as I could manage. Just what fate permits you toward becoming an Emperior within your spirit shall ultimately depend on—”
He smiled ever softly.
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