As if sensing Liu Xi's gaze, Yao Tianhuo gave an embarrassed smile. He still hadn't finished off Xie Bi Yan, which left him feeling rather awkward. Composing himself, he began to form hand seals.
With solemn focus, he murmured softly, "Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation—form!"
Five flaming spirits—wolf, leopard, lion, tiger, and dragon—let out deep roars as they dispersed, forming a pentagonal array that sealed off all the poisonous mists within a hundred-meter radius.
Ancient flame sigils began to rise and link together, weaving into a magnificent formation. A blazing curtain of fire descended from the heavens, trapping Xie Bi Yan within it as his face turned darker than ever.
The fire inside the array condensed violently, releasing waves of heat strong enough to melt gold and stone. The sheer pressure of the burning energy made even Xie Bi Yan feel a tremor of fear.
Outside the formation, Liu Xi hovered midair. Jia Xingtian, pale and breathing heavily, stepped forward on the void to join him. Despite his exhaustion, his tone carried genuine respect. "Master Liu, it's thanks to you that our Jia Ma Empire has survived this calamity."
Liu Xi smiled faintly. "The Jia Ma Empire is my homeland too. Naturally, I can't watch it fall into ruin. Once this is over, I'll be leaving for the Central Plains to temper myself further. I'll leave the empire in your care, Elder Jia."
He then turned toward Yao Tianhuo. "Elder Yao, once this battle ends, we'll depart for the Central Plains and begin preparing your new body. But before that, let's finish off this venomous old monster once and for all."
Hearing this, Yao Tianhuo's face brightened. The corners of his mouth lifted into a fiery grin. "Rest easy, little friend—this old man will handle it!"
"Wait!"
The sudden, desperate voice came from within the blazing formation—it was Xie Bi Yan.
Emerging from the poisonous fog, his withered face twisted into a forced smile as he rasped, "It was my fault this time. Spare me, and I'll immediately order a retreat. I swear upon my life—never again will I invade the Jia Ma Empire!"
Liu Xi's expression didn't waver for even a second. Not a word of Xie Bi Yan's plea reached his heart. Jia Xingtian, however, laughed coldly—after years of humiliation at this man's hands, he had waited long for this moment.
Had it not been for Fa Ma's 6th Tier Detoxification Pills, he would have died to Xie Bi Yan's poisons long ago. His hatred ran bone-deep.
"Regret now? Too late! Xie Bi Yan, next year today will be your memorial!" Jia Xingtian barked.
Xie Bi Yan ignored him, his gaze locked on Liu Xi—the one truly in command. But seeing only icy resolve in Liu Xi's eyes, the last flicker of hope died in his heart.
Above, the gathered flames burned brighter, bathing his wrinkled, sinister face in hellish light. His tone suddenly turned cold. "So you've decided—no mercy, no retreat, no path left for me!"
Liu Xi's voice was calm, almost indifferent. "Had the Jia Ma Empire fallen today, would you have shown us mercy? You and I both know the answer. You're a formidable figure of the Chu Yun Empire—why not face death like one?"
A cold smile twisted Xie Bi Yan's mouth. "Do you think it was I who sought the destruction of Jia Ma? Even if I die here today, your empire will follow soon enough!"
Jia Xingtian's face changed drastically. "Nonsense! Even if the Chu Yun Empire falls, Jia Ma will stand strong—"
"You needn't worry about that," Liu Xi interrupted coolly. "Elder Yao, do it."
"Very well!" Yao Tianhuo's seals shifted sharply. Half his spiritual essence flared, his ghostly body flickering almost transparent as he shouted, "Five Ring Flame Expelling Formation—descend!"
A ripple surged through the blazing formation. All flames converged into a single point at its center before a towering column of fire roared downward, striking Xie Bi Yan.
Raising his head, the old man's expression was calm, yet his eyes burned with unwillingness. "Scorpion Spirit Extinction!"
The scorpion head atop his cane exploded, and an aura of savage evil erupted forth. The poisonous mists condensed into the phantom of a massive beast—a four-winged demon scorpion over five meters long.
Its crimson eyes burned with malice and cruelty—it was a 6th Rank magical beast, the Four-Winged Sky Demon Scorpion.
The flame pillar struck its armored back with a sizzling roar, releasing clouds of white smoke. The phantom scorpion let out a shrill, agonized cry. Moments later, the pillar tore straight through it, reducing the creature to nothing.
A thunderous explosion followed, the poisonous fog dispersing as waves of searing fire swept outward.
Then, suddenly—
A sharp streak of black light, no thicker than a thumb, burst forth from the explosion's heart.
It was small, yet impossibly fast, so fast it seemed to pierce through space itself. In the blink of an eye, it shot to the edge of the flame barrier.
The fire curtain resisted only for an instant before being pierced clean through. The black light shot straight toward Liu Xi outside the formation.
For a heartbeat, Liu Xi froze. A wave of dread crawled up his spine as he sensed the deadly energy within that black light.
But as death loomed, his mind grew calm. His thoughts raced, seeking a countermeasure.
A spark flashed in his eyes—he willed the Fallen Heart Flame within his chest to move. From his heart burst a small, serpentine wisp of invisible fire—it was the core of the Heavenly Flame itself.
The black light struck it head-on. Though it couldn't destroy the Heavenly Flame, it splashed against it like liquid, spreading fine threads of black energy that wrapped around the invisible fire serpent.
From the fading inferno, Xie Bi Yan's voice echoed with mad laughter. "Hahaha! The Jia Ma Empire will burn with me! You called me a monster, boy? Then this—this is my parting gift!"
Liu Xi's expression darkened. Retrieving the Fallen Heart Flame, he examined it closely. Black filaments were entwined around it—poisonous, malignant. For now, he dared not channel its power further.
Jia Xingtian and Yao Tianhuo both looked uneasy. The sudden twist had caught them off guard, neither quick enough to react.
As the borrowed Dou Zong strength ebbed away, Liu Xi's aura fell back to his original 7-Star Dou Huang level. Yet his tone remained steady. "Clever move... but not enough to kill me."
Within the formation, all sound ceased. Xie Bi Yan had finally been reduced to ash.
---
Meanwhile, deep within the shadows of the allied army's camp, a hoarse voice whispered from a swirl of eerie black mist.
"Useless fool... Still, four Dou Zong-level fighters—that's more than I expected."
The voice paused, tinged with grim hesitation.
"I'll have to act personally. As long as I can retrieve that artifact... everything will be worth it."
(End of Chapter)
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