Chapter 276: Fire vs Thunder, the Seal Breaks Again
"Gao Li, die!"
Watching the Sect Master of the Savage Beast Sect being killed by Mo Yu's blow, everyone present—whether the powerful figures from the Black-Corner Region or the elders and students from Jia Nan Academy—showed shocked expressions.
Gao Li was a peak-level Dou Wang (Battle King). With his strong physical strength, he had earned a solid reputation even in the Black-Corner Region, where experts gathered in abundance.
Yet, this well-known figure had fallen at the hands of a young student at Jia Nan Academy. How could this not be surprising?
The inner courtyard elders, including Su Qian and Hu Qian, were also shocked to see Mo Yu swiftly kill Gao Li. Even their experienced eyes could not hide a trace of astonishment.
Gao Li's strength was such that, within Jia Nan Academy, only the top ten elders could match him. Most others would not be his equal.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was killed by Mo Yu, who was just a student. It was truly unbelievable.
Mo Yu had been highly regarded by the academy, but after missing the Strong Ranking Competition for unknown reasons, the academy's focus on him had diminished somewhat.
However, at this moment, the academy's top leaders were forced to reevaluate this silver-eyed young man.
If the elders had once viewed Mo Yu as merely a junior student, now, after displaying his terrifying strength, many saw him as an equal.
After all, while the Dou Qi Continent respects seniority, true strength is the ultimate measure.
Although Mo Yu was only about twenty years old, his power surpassed most of the people present.
At this point in the battle, with Gao Li's fall, the situation had changed drastically.
Especially now, after Mo Yu had killed a peak-level Dou Wang from the Black-Corner Region, his addition to the fight had started to turn the tide in favor of Jia Nan Academy.
It could be said that Mo Yu alone had reversed the situation!
"Who is this kid? He even killed Gao Li! When did the students of Jia Nan Academy become this strong?"
In the sky, Han Feng's face was dark as he glared at Gao Li's corpse. A deep blue flame flickered in his palm like liquid as he used the power of his Heavenly Flame to push back Hu Qian, voicing his anger.
Of the many powerful figures Han Feng had invited from the Black-Corner Region, Gao Li wasn't the strongest. But it was for that reason that Han Feng had hoped to develop him into a loyal subordinate in the future.
A peak-level Dou Wang could be trained into a capable Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) with a few years of cultivation under Han Feng's expertise as a sixth-tier alchemist.
In Han Feng's mind, he had long intended to make the Black-Corner Region his own domain.
After betraying Yao Lao (Old Yao), Han Feng had been too afraid of being hunted down by Yao Lao's friends, like Venerable Feng, so he dared not return to Central Plains.
Aside from Central Plains, no other region in the Dou Qi Continent interested Han Feng, who viewed them as beneath him. Only the chaotic Black-Corner Region, filled with opportunities, had caught his eye.
In Han Feng's grand plan, he hoped to use his status as a sixth-tier alchemist and peak Dou Huang strength to dominate the Black-Corner Region.
Although Han Feng was revered as the Medicine Emperor in the region and had made many powerful allies, it wasn't easy to fully control these influential figures, each with their own interests and vast holdings.
Only Gao Li seemed willing to pledge loyalty to him.
But all of that was ruined now, as Gao Li had been slain.
Thinking of this, Han Feng's eyes flashed with deep killing intent as he looked at Mo Yu.
"Where did this damn brat come from, ruining my plans?"
Cursing under his breath, Han Feng's eyes narrowed. After shaking off Hu Qian, he waved his sleeve, and the deep blue flame surged from his body like a tidal wave, forming a blue shockwave in his hands.
"Hah!"
With a sudden hand gesture, Han Feng pressed his palms down toward Mo Yu in the distance. The sky filled with a vast sea of blue flames, rolling like crashing waves, rushing toward Mo Yu.
"Not good!"
Seeing Han Feng's sudden, dishonorable sneak attack, Mo Yu's face grew serious. Though Han Feng was foolish, his strength was not weak.
With his peak Dou Huang strength, even Mo Yu, despite his power increase, couldn't match him.
Fortunately, Han Feng hadn't used his Dou Techniques right away, instead opting to rely on his Heavenly Flame.
Perhaps, in Han Feng's mind, just using his Sea Heart Flame was enough to easily kill Mo Yu.
After all, Mo Yu had only managed to kill Gao Li with the help of techniques equivalent to those of a seven or eight-star Dou Wang.
While others might find such Dou Techniques rare and impressive, to a sixth-tier alchemist like Han Feng, they were nothing special.
However, in his overconfidence, Han Feng overlooked a crucial point.
Mo Yu, though not as strong as him, possessed a force just as powerful as his Heavenly Flame—his Mystic Thunder!
With this realization, Mo Yu's expression calmed, and he spread his hand. With a crackling sound, a crimson bolt of lightning appeared.
"Hmph, today I'll show the world the power of the Vermilion Bird Skyfire Thunder!"
At Mo Yu's command, the fiery red lightning surged from his body like flames, releasing a powerful electrical charge.
"Thunder?"
As soon as the red lightning appeared, gasps of surprise filled the sky. With their keen eyes, the onlookers quickly recognized that Mo Yu's lightning was extraordinary.
Many even speculated that the crimson lightning might be on par with Han Feng's deep blue flame, sparking intense curiosity.
"Oh? Is that the Nine-Dragon Lightning Flame? No, it can't be. The Nine-Dragon Lightning Flame is the ultimate treasure of a powerful faction in Central Plains; it couldn't have ended up here in the Black-Corner Region.
Besides, this is clearly a fire-like thunderbolt. Since when did the Dou Qi Continent have such a terrifying lightning force that rivals a Heavenly Flame?"
Seeing Mo Yu summon the Mystic Thunder, Han Feng's eyes flashed with surprise. His vast knowledge made him wary of the Vermilion Bird Skyfire Thunder.
After thinking for a moment, unable to identify the red lightning, Han Feng's brow furrowed, and he coldly snorted.
"No matter what it is, today you'll learn the power of a Heavenly Flame!"
The deep blue Heavenly Flame and the crimson lightning divided the sky in two, as if the different colors were pushing against each other. The scene was spectacular.
"Boom!"
When the Mystic Thunder and Heavenly Flame collided, the thunderous explosion echoed in everyone's ears.
As fire and lightning clashed, even the academy students below could feel the atmosphere in the sky becoming wildly violent.
In this chaotic energy, lightning bolts like spears pierced the heavens, while below, the heat from the flame caused the ground to crack, and some dried branches spontaneously combusted.
The scene of lightning in the sky and flames erupting on the ground was like the end of the world.
Fire and lightning are two of the most destructive elements in existence.
The Heavenly Flame and Mystic Thunder, as rulers of their respective elements, each had the power to destroy worlds.
Now, under the control of Mo Yu and Han Feng, the battle between the Vermilion Bird Skyfire Thunder and the Sea Heart Flame was fierce, like two equally matched forces. The entire inner courtyard had turned into a battlefield of flames and lightning.
The energy ripples caused by the collision forced Han Feng to retreat a dozen steps before he could stabilize himself.
Looking down, he saw the deep blue flames and the crimson lightning clashing like a fiery water curtain against a thunderous vermilion bird, evenly matched.
"This guy's lightning can actually stand up to the Sea Heart Flame. Could the continent have truly produced a lightning force that rivals a Heavenly Flame?"
His face darkened, Han Feng glanced at Mo Yu, who stood with his arms crossed, casually watching the battle between the fire and lightning. Han Feng cursed in his heart.
"Where did this kid come from? Could he be a student from one of those mysterious, powerful families in Central Plains?"
As this thought crossed his mind, Han Feng's expression shifted. Without Yao Lao as his backing anymore, he had to be cautious when dealing with the powerful forces of Central Plains.
But Han Feng quickly made up his mind. Since he had already made an enemy of Mo Yu, he might as well eliminate him completely. If Mo Yu's family came looking for revenge, he could always flee to another region.
Resolving himself, Han Feng stopped paying attention to the battle between the Sea Heart Flame and the crimson lightning. He slowly raised his right hand.
As his palm moved, an immense, solid mass of Dou Qi swirled in his hand, causing the space around him to tremble from the sheer energy.
This time, he planned to use his full strength to crush Mo Yu!
Noticing Han Feng's actions, Mo Yu's silver eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that Han Feng was about to get serious.
With Han Feng's peak Dou Huang strength, Mo Yu was no match for him. It seemed he would need to call upon Uncle Snake's help.
Just as Mo Yu was preparing to hand over control of his body to Uncle Snake, a sudden change occurred!
A crisp sound of energy shattering echoed through the heavens.
Although the sound wasn't loud, it seemed to carry some kind of magical power, causing all the battles in the sky to come to a halt instantly.
All eyes turned downward, focusing on the now-cracked tip of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower. Immediately, everyone's faces changed!
"No! The beast has broken through the seal again!"
At the sound, Su Qian's face turned pale, and his gaze snapped toward the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower. His voice was filled with uncontrollable fear.
"Elders of the inner courtyard, prepare the formation!"
Without hesitation, Su Qian freed himself from the entanglement with the Gold and Silver Elders and shouted orders to the other elders.
Hearing Su Qian's command, the elders hesitated for a moment. Glancing at the Black-Corner Region experts around them, they quickly gathered in the sky above the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, reforming the sealing formation from earlier.
The experts from the Black-Corner Region also gathered together, their eyes filled with curiosity as they focused on the cracked tip of the tower.
As the elders' Dou Qi surged into the air, a faint energy barrier appeared once again. However, compared to the previous formation, this one was much weaker—clearly, the earlier battle had taken a toll on the elders.
While everyone in the sky had their own thoughts, the sealing formation controlled by Su Qian emitted a bright light once again.
But just as the light reached its peak, a sharp screech echoed from the tip of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, sending rippling sound waves outward, further destroying the already ravaged surroundings.
As the sound waves spread, a massive figure erupted into the sky amid deafening thunder and shocked stares from the onlookers.
The formless flames surged like a storm, crashing into the energy barrier. Under this powerful assault, ripples spread rapidly across the barrier, showing signs of imminent collapse.
At the moment of impact, many of the elders turned pale, their auras weakening noticeably.
"Is this... the Heavenly Flame of the inner courtyard? My god, it's nearly evolved into a physical form!"
Seeing the massive, serpentine figure dominating the sky, the Black-Corner Region experts who were witnessing it for the first time exclaimed in shock.
Even Han Feng was stunned by the sheer size of the Fallen Heart Flame, causing him to pause in his actions.
Compared to the Fallen Heart Flame, killing Mo Yu could wait.
Mo Yu also watched the scene with bated breath, his silver eyes flashing.
The Fallen Heart Flame had finally broken free once more.
Now, the real show was about to begin...
"Screeeech!"
A strange screech echoed through the sky as the formless flame serpent seemed to sense that the seal was about to break. Its massive tail whipped around like a bolt of lightning, crashing into the energy barrier with earth-shaking force.
"Crack!"
With this powerful blow, the already rippling barrier emitted a cracking sound, and in the horrified gazes of the elders, a small fissure appeared. Like a spider web, it quickly spread across one side of the barrier.
Staring at the rapidly cracking energy wall, Su Qian knew that the seal had failed.
"Boom!"
The serpent's massive head smashed into the already fragile energy barrier, and with a final burst of force, the entire structure shattered. For a moment, energy fragments danced in the sky, and the cylindrical energy wall crumbled completely.
The Fallen Heart Flame had broken free once again!
(Chapter End)
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.