Capítulo 52: Chapter 52 - Walled In!
On this side, Mo Ya, who had also found nothing, wore an ugly expression. The efforts they had made once again benefited Han Feng, and he couldn't swallow that bitterness.
"Young Sect Master, there is still no trace of the Yao brothers." At this moment, a Dou King reported, respectful without daring to anger the other party.
"They probably ran away during the earlier melee. They got lucky this time," Qi Shan said in a deep voice after a moment's thought.
Waving his hand to dismiss the cautious Dou King, Qi Shan looked at the grim Mo Ya and said, "That Han Feng is already a Dou Zong. We can't win against him, so there's no need for the Young Sect Master to take it to heart."
"The urgent matter now is to notify the Sect Master. According to my observation, the fire furnace only contained a small flame separated from the 'Falling Heart Flame.' The three of them must have found the body of the 'Falling Heart Flame' but were unable to subdue it, so they only obtained a small flame."
"Han Feng will surely use that small flame to locate the body of the 'Falling Heart Flame.' Given the power that small flame exhibited, its main body is not simple. Han Feng may not be able to subdue it. When that time comes..."
Qi Shan's words brightened Mo Ya's expression, who hastily said, "Right, the 'Falling Heart Flame' is only one position higher than the 'Sea Heart Flame.' Han Feng may not take such a risk to replace his current flame. He might end up losing everything."
Having been reassured by Qi Shan, Mo Ya regained his composure and bowed to Qi Shan. "Thank you, Elder Qi. I will convince my father to help you fully subdue the 'Falling Heart Flame.'"
Qi Shan nodded with a smile, his eyes full of eagerness. As long as the strange flame hasn't been refined, he still had a chance. Han Feng surely couldn't refine two strange flames, right?
Maple City!
In a secret chamber, Han Feng opened the fire-gathering furnace with fiery eyes, looking at the small flame serpent inside with an intense gaze—it was the second strange flame he had dreamed of.
"Hmm?" Soon, Han Feng furrowed his eyebrows at the flame in the furnace, revealing a knowing expression. "So, this is only a separated flame. No wonder its power is so weak."
At this moment, all of Han Feng's doubts vanished. He had been wondering why the strange flame's aura was so weak. At that time, surrounded by a pack of wolves, he was so elated to find the flame that he didn't ponder deeply.
Now everything made sense. Otherwise, with the Yao brothers being only Dou Kings, how could they capture the 14th-ranked 'Falling Heart Flame'?
When he had obtained the 'Sea Heart Flame,' he had even greater strength and was still nearly burned to death. If it hadn't been for the power of the Burning Technique, he would have turned into a pile of ash long ago.
Those memories still made him break out in a cold sweat! If it weren't for the Burning Technique, he never wanted to experience the pain of refining a strange flame again.
Now, he had no retreat left!
Focusing his gaze, Han Feng stared intently at the small serpent before him, a hopeful smile tugging at his lips.
"Let's see where you're hiding, then."
With the protection of the 'Sea Heart Flame,' and since the small flame had already consumed much of its power, Han Feng easily refined it. Feeling the movement of the Burning Technique within, his desire for the 'Falling Heart Flame' grew stronger.
Carefully sensing, Han Feng suddenly opened his eyes wide, staring brightly into the distance where he felt a faint calling.
"The eastern region of the Black-Corner Domain!"
"If I remember correctly, that area used to be a cluster of volcanoes that extinguished and, over countless years, turned into a dense forest."
"It must be the formation of the 'Falling Heart Flame' absorbing too much energy, leading to the volcanoes' extinction."
Thinking of this, Han Feng couldn't suppress his eagerness and almost immediately set off to investigate.
But rationality prevailed. He didn't move right away, knowing many eyes were on Maple City. His departure would alert the entire Black-Corner Domain to the strange flame's location.
"Han Beng."
In the verdant forest in the eastern Black-Corner Domain, magical beasts occasionally burst into the air, presenting a primitive scene.
At this moment, a few figures stood quietly on a concealed branch. A purple silhouette sat bored, swinging her long, white legs.
"We've been waiting for two days, why hasn't anyone come yet?" Unable to bear the boredom, Zi Yan leaned her head on Jiang Yun's thigh, looking up at his chin.
"I told you it was enough with the First Elder and me, but you insisted on coming. Now, are you regretting it?" Jiang Yun gently brushed her hair by her lips, speaking pettingly.
"Hmph—it's not because you, Xiao Yun, are too weak. You're only a Dou Wang, yet have the guts to target a Dou Zong. If I weren't here to keep an eye on you, wouldn't my efforts in making you a tier-six alchemist be in vain?"
Though Zi Yan's tone held some reproach, Jiang Yun heard deep concern. With a softer tone, he seriously said, "I won't be in trouble before you've had enough to eat!"
"Promise?" With Jiang Yun's assurance, Zi Yan beamed, carefree.
Nearby, a few figures were filled with envy. They were Su Qian, and the newly-promoted Dou Zong warriors Hu Qian, Wu Tianlang, Qing Elder, and Huo Elder.
Evidently, Jiang Yun's refined 'Zong Breaking Pill' was of high quality, coupled with their solid foundations, none of them had failed in advancing.
Seeing Jiang Yun and Zi Yan's unaffected behavior, their hearts ached. Were they here to ambush enemies or to flirt? And was it really a good idea to be so blatant?
"First Elder, aren't you going to do something about them? Zi Yan, she's...she's just a child." Overwhelmed by resentment, Elder Qing complained to Su Qian.
"???" Su Qian looked puzzled at Elder Qing, sighed, and patted his shoulder. "Zi Yan is a magical beast. She might be older than you. Besides, children grow up, how can this old man manage?"
"..."
"Youthful matters should be resolved by the young. We shouldn't meddle," Hu Qian chimed in. As a family man, he understood the sweetness and volatility of youthful relationships—best to steer clear lest one wanted a mixed beating.
"This old man isn't suggesting that..."
"Someone's coming!"
Just as Elder Qing was about to retort, Jiang Yun suddenly raised his head, a glint in his eyes.
In an instant, everyone stiffened, sharp gazes fixed on the sky. While they joked and teased earlier, they were reliable when it came to serious matters.
A figure streaked through the air swiftly, soon passing over their heads, heading towards a sensed hill.
"It's Han Feng!" Recognizing the figure, Su Qian and others were elated. Their primary target had arrived unexpectedly smoothly.
Given that he already had one strange flame, why was he so eager for a second?
"The fish has entered the net. Let's see how many more we catch!" Unlike the thrilled group, Jiang Yun remained calm.
Hearing his words, everyone nodded, trusting in their meticulous arrangements and not panicking, confident that even a Nine-Star Dou Zong wouldn't escape.
Meanwhile, Han Feng had landed at a location based on his senses.
"Here!" Eagerly gazing at the ground, Han Feng felt the target nearby. Despite the excellent disguise, his soul power detected the earth was artificially covered.
This must have been the Yao brothers' work!
With the strange flame so close, he could no longer wait, sending out a powerful slap.
A massive Dou Qi blast ripped half the mountain apart, sending rocks rolling and shaking the entire mountain. Surrounding magical beasts fled frantically sensing danger.
The explosion revealed a dark, glowing red tunnel, with rising temperature around.
Following the tunnel was a fiery magma sea, its red-gold molten rock bubbling occasionally. At first glance, Jiang Yun suspected this connected to the ancient emperor's underground magma sea, perhaps covering the entire Black-Corner Domain.
The fiery magma world had invisible currents, sometimes surging with ferocious torrents from unknown places.
In the magma sea, a small snake lay coiled silently, emitting a faint red glow, echoing the magma around it.
Clearly, Jiang Yun had made some modifications here!
Feeling the pull from below, Han Feng couldn't wait any longer and swiftly dove into the tunnel.
"He's in!" Hu Qian exclaimed with bright eyes.
"More are coming, and there are quite a few!" Jiang Yun's eyes shifted, spotting several black dots approaching rapidly from the distance.
"Looks like Han Feng couldn't evade them," Su Qian observed seriously. The incoming group meant trouble—they were formidable warriors.
Mo Tianxing, the Gold and Silver Elders, Fang Yan, and others had arrived.
"The strange flame is there!" They spotted the heat-radiating tunnel immediately.
"Go!" Several figures rushed in.
"They've all gone in. Time to act!" Enthused even Wu Tianlang, usually calm.
"Wait, there's still a big guy!" Restraining Wu Tianlang, Jiang Yun watched a seemingly insignificant spot intently.
There, the space twisted slightly, revealing an elderly figure exuding a vicious aura. His deep-set, glowing eyes, like ghostly flames, fixed on the tunnel.
Invisible spatial fluctuations hinted at his profound cultivation.
"What an old monster!" Following Jiang Yun's gaze, others saw nothing. But Zi Yan, sensing something unseen, clenched her fists in unprecedented seriousness.
"The Earth Demon Old Ghost!" Jiang Yun's whisper struck terror in Su Qian and the others.
"Him!"
Frowning, they recognized this formidable contemporary of the Canaan Academy dean—a Dou Zong back then who'd likely reached Five or Six-Star Dou Zong now, an immense threat.
"Can your setup handle him?" Inwardly anxious, Su Qian asked Jiang Yun, doubting despite his earlier assurance.
"Seven-Star Dou Zong!"
"What?"
"The Earth Demon Old Ghost is a Seven-Star Dou Zong."
"Hiss—"
Jiang Yun's words drew sharp breaths. Even their strongest, Su Qian, a Three-Star Dou Zong, fell four stars short. Wouldn't they be crushed?
"Don't worry, it'll work. Even a Nine-Star Dou Zong can't escape!" Jiang Yun's confident grin eased their fears somewhat.
"Hopefully."
As they conspired, the Earth Demon Old Ghost frowned at the tunnel before realization struck with a murmur.
"No good!"
As he darted toward the tunnel, almost instantaneously reaching it,
inside...
Just as Han Feng stepped near the 'Falling Heart Flame,' it erupted with brilliant white light. Patterns appeared across the world, responding to it.
Even without understanding these patterns, Han Feng sensed extreme danger—he'd been tricked.
"Damn it—"
With a furious roar, the 'Falling Heart Flame' suddenly exploded, the patterns collapsing, plunging the fiery world into a terrifying upheaval.
A colossal explosion resounded across the Black-Corner Domain's eastern part, a pillar of fire shooting skyward, turning the skies crimson. Smoke billowed, lava flowed rampantly, obliterating the ancient forest.
(Chapter End)
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