Chapter 277: Xiao Yan Appears, Competing for the Heavenly Flame
"Screech!"
As the energy barrier shattered, a crazed screech of joy burst out from the massive, invisible fire python's menacing jaws, like a clap of thunder!
Freed from its restraints, the invisible fire python didn't flee. Instead, it raised its enormous head, locking its cold, snake-like eyes onto Han Feng. A glint of human-like greed and desire appeared in its gaze.
However, when the fire python noticed Mo Yu standing nearby, the greed in its eyes vanished, replaced by a look of fear and caution.
This unexpected reaction from the fire python left everyone in the sky stunned. Their gazes shifted between Mo Yu and Han Feng. When they saw the blue flames flickering around Han Feng, they suddenly understood—the invisible fire python had set its sights on the Sea Heart Flame.
It was as if the roles of hunter and prey had been reversed.
Amused by the thought, the onlookers were even more surprised by how the fire python reacted toward Mo Yu.
"Is the Heavenly Flame afraid of that silver-eyed youth?"
With this realization, everyone's jaws dropped in disbelief.
Heavenly Flames were known for their immense destructive power, each one on the Heavenly Flame Ranking possessing a legendary reputation. The Fallen Heart Flame ranked 14th, and even Dou Zong (Battle Sect) experts struggled to tame it. Yet, this powerful flame appeared afraid of a human youth, leaving everyone astonished.
"Who exactly is this kid…?"
Han Feng also noticed the subtle reaction of the Fallen Heart Flame toward Mo Yu. His eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured to himself. Mo Yu's earlier display of crimson lightning had been strong enough to rival his Sea Heart Flame, and now, even the Fallen Heart Flame seemed wary of him. Han Feng had to admit that even among the top factions in Central Plains, finding an heir as terrifying as Mo Yu would be difficult.
"Forget him for now. I'll deal with him later. First, I need to capture the Heavenly Flame. I can't believe it's the Fallen Heart Flame!"
Pushing thoughts of Mo Yu aside, Han Feng's excitement grew stronger. Given his knowledge of Heavenly Flames, he understood the immense value of the Fallen Heart Flame. While it might not be as aggressive in battle as other flames, its ability to accelerate cultivation made it a priceless treasure.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, with the help of Lin Yan, Qian Mo, Liu Qing, Lin Xiuya, and Zi Yan—five Dou Wangs or near-Dou Wangs—had successfully escaped from Fan Lao.
Seeing the Fallen Heart Flame break free from its seal, a fiery look of excitement flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. As someone cultivating the Flame Mantra, he had been eagerly awaiting this second Heavenly Flame for a long time.
With the appearance of the Heavenly Flame, the experts from Jia Nan Academy and the Black-Corner Region temporarily stopped fighting. The tense atmosphere eased for a moment.
But peace didn't last long. The invisible fire python suddenly lashed its tail and shot into the sky. Its target? A stunned Han Feng!
Seeing the massive fire python charging toward him, Han Feng's face turned pale. Cursing under his breath, he quickly summoned the Sea Heart Flame. The deep blue flames surged around him like ocean waves. Using the flame's power, Han Feng quickly conjured two massive flaming spears between his palms.
As the fire python drew closer, Han Feng's eyes widened, and he shouted to the other Black-Corner Region experts behind him.
"Everyone, attack together! Whoever helps me capture the Fallen Heart Flame will be richly rewarded!"
As his voice echoed, Han Feng hurled the two massive spears forward. The sound of crashing waves accompanied the blue flames as they shot toward the fire python. Following Han Feng's attack, dozens of powerful energy beams from the Black-Corner Region experts joined in, all drawn by the promise of Han Feng's reward.
"Elder Su, what should we do?" Hu Qian asked as he appeared beside Su Qian, frowning as he watched the Black-Corner Region experts battle the fire python.
"Wait and see," Su Qian narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. "It seems the Fallen Heart Flame is focused on Han Feng. Let them fight it out. Tell the elders to recover their Dou Qi quickly. The battle isn't over yet, and we can't let the Fallen Heart Flame fall into Han Feng's hands."
Hu Qian nodded and quickly retreated.
Mo Yu, watching the scene unfold, crossed his arms and stood back with a calm expression. He wasn't particularly interested in the Fallen Heart Flame, but that didn't mean others weren't.
Besides Han Feng, who was fighting for his life, there was someone else quietly waiting to swoop in like a mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it.
With that thought, Mo Yu's gaze shifted to a serious, dark-eyed youth watching the battle between Han Feng and the Fallen Heart Flame intently…
At this point, no matter how hard Han Feng and the Black-Corner Region experts tried, they couldn't subdue the Fallen Heart Flame, ranked 14th on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
In desperation, Han Feng gritted his teeth, and with a flick of his wrist, two ice-blue jade bottles appeared in his hands.
As the bottles appeared, an intense blue chill spread through the air. Sharp-eyed onlookers could see the moisture in the air freezing into tiny shards of ice as the cold passed by.
Clutching the jade bottles tightly, Han Feng let out a cold laugh and hurled them toward the fire python.
When the bottles were about ten meters from the fire python, Han Feng clenched his fist.
"Explode!"
"Boom!"
The ice-blue jade bottles shattered, releasing a torrent of blue frost that quickly engulfed the sky. In an instant, the massive area was covered in freezing mist, and the fire python was caught in it.
Under the influence of the icy mist, the fire python's invisible flames began to flicker, becoming weaker.
"That blue mist is probably 'Heavenly Frost Qi'. It's just as rare as a Heavenly Flame and only exists in the deepest parts of extreme cold regions.
Normal flames go out when they get close to it. Only a Heavenly Flame can resist it, but even then, its power will be weakened."
The voice of Uncle Snake echoed in Mo Yu's mind with surprise. "I didn't expect him to have such a thing. It's a shame, though—if it were in your hands, it could be refined into a weapon to suppress even a Heavenly Flame."
Over time, Uncle Snake had developed a deep understanding of Mo Yu's abilities. In his opinion, if Mo Yu had more strength, his weapon-crafting skills would be unmatched on the continent.
Mo Yu shook his head regretfully. If the Heavenly Frost Qi were in his hands, he could combine it with other materials to forge a weapon capable of suppressing a Heavenly Flame. Unfortunately, Han Feng had acquired such a rare treasure but was wasting it.
"Hmph, no matter how smart you are, beast, you can't escape being captured!"
Seeing the fire python weakened by the icy mist, Han Feng laughed. Deep blue flames surged from his body again, forming a rapidly spinning flaming drill at his fingertips.
The fiery drill spun with a sharp hum, sending ripples through the air.
Despite being in the icy mist, the drill's intense heat distorted the space around it.
"Go!"
With a flick of his finger, Han Feng sent the flaming drill hurtling toward the fire python like a bolt of lightning. The drill tore through the mist and struck the python's massive body.
"Screech!"
The flaming drill pierced through the fire python's scales, and a deafening cry of rage and pain echoed across the sky.
Seeing this, Han Feng's face lit up with joy. But before he could celebrate, a dark figure suddenly flashed before his eyes.
A young man in a black robe appeared, his feet shimmering with faint silver light. The soft rumble of thunder echoed in the sky.
In the next moment, the black-robed youth vanished, leaving only an afterimage behind.
"Screech!"
Countless eyes watched as the black-robed youth made his move, and soon their faces filled with disbelief.
The youth was charging straight toward the Fallen Heart Flame!
"That kid is trying to take advantage of the situation. And that movement technique... It looks like the Three Thousand Lightning Movement. I didn't expect Xiao Yan to master it so quickly," Mo Yu mused.
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, afterimages flickered rapidly in the sky. The real body of the youth, like a bolt of lightning, weaved through the battlefield, drawing closer to the massive flame beast.
"Who's this brat? How dare he interfere with my plans!"
Han Feng's face darkened as he saw Xiao Yan approaching the Fallen Heart Flame. However, he quickly sneered. Having fought the Fallen Heart Flame firsthand, Han Feng knew how terrifying its power was.
Although the Fallen Heart Flame had been weakened by the Heavenly Frost Qi, it was still far too powerful for a mere student to handle.
Many others shared Han Feng's thoughts, including Su Qian, who tensed, ready to intervene.
But while most were worried about Xiao Yan's reckless actions, Mo Yu watched with interest.
He knew that with Yao Lao's guidance, Xiao Yan had special techniques for capturing Heavenly Flames.
Sure enough, as Xiao Yan's blow struck the fire python, the creature let out a piercing screech. Its massive head reared back, and it wailed in pain as its body began to fade.
"The flame is revealing its true form... Yao Lao really knows his stuff. Now Xiao Yan will try to capture the flame, but Han Feng won't just sit back and watch."
Mo Yu couldn't help but admire Xiao Yan's precise timing. Glancing at Han Feng, he saw the man's face darken with frustration.
Having spent so much effort fighting the Fallen Heart Flame, Han Feng was furious at seeing someone else step in to take the prize.
Angered, Han Feng's figure flickered as he appeared behind Xiao Yan like a ghost. His fist clenched, blue flames swirling around it, and he struck at Xiao Yan's back with terrifying force.
But just as Han Feng was about to land the blow, a fierce glint flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. His shoulder trembled, and green flames erupted from his body, blocking the attack.
The fact that Xiao Yan could still defend himself in this situation surprised Han Feng. But when Han Feng saw the green flames, his eyes widened in shock.
"A Heavenly Flame!"
He couldn't believe that someone as young as Xiao Yan had already obtained a Heavenly Flame. Han Feng had nearly lost his life to obtain the Sea Heart Flame, which was ranked 15th on the Heavenly Flame list. And now, there was another Heavenly Flame in front of him!
Driven by greed, Han Feng's shock quickly turned into murderous intent.
"Boom!"
The violent clash between the two forces sent both figures flying through the air. They each tumbled back several meters before stopping.
In the sky, two figures stood, one surrounded by blue flames and the other by green, their gazes filled with killing intent.
(End of Chapter)
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