Novel11 Chapter 357 : Scarlet Flame Creation
Chapter 357 : Scarlet Flame Creation
Under the watchful gaze of fifteen Golden Core True Persons, Chen Beiwu stood upon the air, his daoist robe drifting gently in the wind.“No need.”
Chen Beiwu shook his head, not even sparing Xun Xing a glance.
An alliance depended on strength, not numbers.
It was not that Chen Beiwu looked down on the Golden Core prodigies before him, but in the presence of someone like Zhao Yue, a Nascent Soul True Monarch, numbers had no meaning.
Even if all fifteen Golden Core prodigies attacked together, they would not withstand a casual move from Zhao Yue.
To put it plainly, allying with a group of weaklings would not bring Chen Beiwu any benefit. Instead, it would only bring him trouble.
“You might as well hand over your Jade Plaques yourselves, lest I have to take action personally.”
As his words fell, a vast and surging Golden Core pressure exploded outward from Chen Beiwu, engulfing all the cultivators of the three sects present and forming an absolute forbidden zone.
“Chen Beiwu, are you truly forcing the three of our sects to join forces and fight to mutual destruction here?” Xun Xing’s eyes turned ruthless.
He could accept defeat, but he could not accept the Bixiao Immortal Sect being eliminated early and suffering a drastic fall in the rankings of the Assembly of Heroes.
Even if Chen Beiwu was, in Xun Xing’s eyes, a peerless prodigy worth befriending at all costs, that would not change this!
However, just as Xun Xing finished speaking, a calm voice suddenly sounded.
“Brother Xun, that statement is incorrect.”
Everyone turned toward the sound. Meng Chengxian, the chief disciple of the Dongxuan Immortal Sect, slowly shook his head and said calmly, “Bixiao is Bixiao. Dongxuan is Dongxuan. Brother Xun, you are the chief of the Bixiao Immortal Sect, but you do not represent my Dongxuan Immortal Sect.”
Hearing this, Xun Xing froze, disbelief flashing through his eyes. “Meng Chengxian, at this point, Chen Beiwu clearly will not let anyone go. If the three of our sects do not join forces and make one last stand, are you expecting him to show mercy and spare Dongxuan Immortal Sect alone?”
“That is not Brother Xun’s concern.” Meng Chengxian waved his fan lightly, his tone steady. “My Dongxuan Immortal Sect has its own plans.”
“Fine, fine, fine.”
Xun Xing nodded speechlessly. His figure vanished instantly, burrowing into the earth.
Even if the cultivators of Bixiao, Dongxuan, and Fulong Immortal Sects joined forces, they might not escape from Chen Beiwu’s grasp—let alone with Dongxuan Immortal Sect choosing to sit idly by and refuse involvement.
‘Interesting!’
Chen Beiwu’s gaze fell upon Meng Chengxian, a thought stirring in his heart.
As for Xun Xing, who was desperately fleeing underground, Chen Beiwu paid him no heed—because the little fellow would act.
“Na!”
The Five Qi Vine clapped its hands together, circulating the boundless True Qi within its body.
In the next instant, a sudden transformation erupted!
As the Five Elements treasure light shimmered, the primordial forest that covered most of the desert was instantly infused with endless vitality. Ancient trees as thick as vats expanded and fused at an unprecedented speed.
Rumble!
When the surging verdure completely swallowed the desert, a colossal creation that blotted out the sky took form.
It coiled upon the earth, somewhat resembling Golden Egg, yet it possessed five heads. Each head was formed from countless twisted ancient trees, appearing ferocious beyond measure.
Upon its heads were no dragon horns. Instead, five-colored blossoms bloomed, radiating an ancient, savage dragon’s might so terrifying that even the Four Aspects Suppression Formation maintained by Yu Zhaohua and the other three rippled violently.
“What kind of monster is this?”
A cultivator of the Fulong Immortal Sect stared up at the imposing Five-Headed Wood Dragon and decisively abandoned resistance.
“This pressure—it is no weaker than an early-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch!”
Sensing the terrifying aura, Xun Xing bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood, activating a secret art that dramatically increased the speed of his escape light.
“To gather the vitality of an entire region and condense it into form—this is nearly creation itself. No wonder the Five Qi Vine ranks fifth among the Temperament Studies of Thirty-Six Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts!” Meng Chengxian’s expression tightened in shock.
His intuition told him that Chen Beiwu need not even act. This Five Qi Vine, whose cultivation was close to that of a Four-Realm Beast King, could alone crush the cultivators of Bixiao and Fulong and leave Xun Xing behind.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Without warning, the Five-Headed Wood Dragon suddenly lowered its heads. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered madly within its mouths.
At the same time, countless ancient trees on its body swelled abruptly, transforming into innumerable coiling wood dragons that shot forth like a torrential storm sweeping across the desert.
“Not good—defend!”
As danger struck, several Fulong cultivators instinctively unleashed Companion Beast Transformation, sacrificing their Companion Beasts as defensive treasures in an attempt to resist.
But under absolute suppression of power, the Golden Core True Persons’ resistance was futile.
The instant they made contact with the wood dragons, they were struck as if by a massive blow, blood spraying wildly as their bodies were flung backward like kites with snapped strings, crashing heavily to the ground.
Their Companion Beast treasures let out mournful cries, flying back and revealing their weakened, severely injured Companion Beasts.
“Boom!”
Seeing this, Xun Xing spared nothing. He directly drove the Biluosong, unleashing a Heavenly-Gang killing move and clashing head-on with the wood dragons. Then, borrowing the recoil, he retreated explosively, his escape speed surging.
Golden Egg activated the Three Supreme True Gang and appeared behind Xun Xing, slamming down with a heavy claw.
Under that strike, the Biluosong’s body stiffened as its branches shattered. Xun Xing’s protective True Qi cracked like paper.
At that moment, light flashed within the mouths of the Five-Headed Wood Dragon, which spat out five concentrated cyan-black beams.
Where the beams passed, space itself wailed under the strain. The first to be struck was Xun Xing, who had been fleeing single-mindedly, followed by the slightly weaker chief of Fulong.
Their pupils shrank as they instinctively unleashed every defensive measure.
Boom!
A violent shockwave swept across heaven and earth.
Yu Zhaohua and the other three changed expressions and immediately withdrew the Four Aspects Suppression Formation to avoid being affected by the terrifying aftermath.
Only Chen Beiwu remained calm, standing in place as Five Elements treasure light shimmered around him, quietly annihilating any shockwave that entered within ten zhang of his body.
Before long, the sandstorm and turbulence subsided, revealing ten figures.
Xun Xing and the Fulong chief looked disheveled and ashen-faced.
Behind them stood a group of Golden Core True Persons, barely upright and grim-faced.
“Got them.”
Golden Egg flashed beside Chen Beiwu and opened his dragon claw, revealing fifteen Jade Plaques.
Each Jade Plaque represented one victory point.
There were sixty-five Jade Plaques within the Scarlet Flame Realm. Including those already held by the Yuqing Immortal Sect, one-third were now in Chen Beiwu’s possession.
“Hoo.”
Xun Xing exhaled slowly, suppressing the anger in his heart.
He always cared only for results, not process.
Now that the Jade Plaques had been seized, defeat was defeat. He would not act rashly and further offend a Chen Beiwu whose future achievements were boundless.
“Daoist Friend Chen, impressive methods. I have lost.”
Xun Xing bowed slightly toward Chen Beiwu, then cast a deep glance at Meng Chengxian.
“Let’s go!”
Without lingering to watch Dongxuan Immortal Sect’s fate, Xun Xing led his fellow disciples away in accordance with the Assembly of Heroes rules.
“Meng Daoist Friend appears so calm and previously spoke of auspicious divination. Could it be you have some method yet unused?” Chen Beiwu turned toward Meng Chengxian and the five others, smiling faintly. “If you do not mind, allow me to witness it.”
The Golden Core cultivators of Dongxuan Immortal Sect exchanged glances, surprise in their eyes as they looked at their chief.
Indeed—this was something Senior Brother Meng would do.
He always planned thoroughly and left contingencies. No wonder he had not joined forces with Bixiao and Fulong.
Sensing Chen Beiwu’s gaze, Meng Chengxian’s calm face finally showed a ripple.
He shook his head slightly and smiled bitterly. “Daoist Friend Chen jests. I have no contingencies.”
Meng Chengxian specialized in deducing heavenly secrets and divining fortune and misfortune. The probability of error in his divination was minuscule.
Yet Chen Beiwu had forged a Yuanshi Golden Core, beyond calculation. The divination he had cast today had not foreseen Chen Beiwu’s appearance at all.
“In that case, hand over Dongxuan Immortal Sect’s Jade Plaques.” Chen Beiwu did not act directly but chose negotiation.
After all, his encounter with Golden Egg and the formation of their Companion Contract had owed something to that mutated Spirit Turtle of Dongxuan.
He acknowledged that karma and naturally bore more goodwill toward Dongxuan Immortal Sect.
But the Assembly of Heroes rules were ruthless. Dongxuan Immortal Sect could not reach the end. Letting them go now would be equivalent to surrendering victory points and costing Yuqing Immortal Sect the championship.
“I have a proposal. I wonder if Daoist Friend Chen would hear it?” Meng Chengxian said calmly.
“What proposal?” Chen Beiwu showed interest.
“Yuqing likely wishes to defeat Shangqing and seize the championship.”
Meng Chengxian paused, watching Chen Beiwu’s reaction. “I am confident in arranging a layout that will create an opportunity for Daoist Friend Chen to face Fairy Moonfirmament in a fair battle—provided you show mercy and do not take our Jade Plaques.”
Chen Beiwu narrowed his eyes without speaking.
The Shangqing Three Firmaments were indeed formidable opponents.
Yet his view remained unchanged—alliances with the weak were meaningless.
Without formation disks, how could Meng Chengxian alone hold back Qingxiao and Yuxiao?
“This alone is insufficient to persuade me,” Chen Beiwu said gravely. “How will Daoist Friend Meng prove you can restrain the other cultivators of Shangqing Immortal Sect?”
Meng Chengxian’s gaze shifted toward the direction of the Innate One Qi array eye, smiling faintly.
“By the one-use Profound Treasure hidden within the array eye.”
…
Meanwhile, in the southeastern region of the Scarlet Flame Realm—
At the location of the Innate One Qi array eye—
Volcanoes erupted, magma boiled. A slender white figure walked calmly as if strolling in a courtyard.
Before her, Golden Core cultivators from Myriad Calamities and Daluo Immortal Sects stood as if facing a great enemy, unprecedented solemnity on their faces.
Flee?
If possible, they would have fled immediately.
But before a Nascent Soul True Monarch, simple flight was meaningless. It would only result in instant defeat. Better to join forces, use other sect cultivators as cover, and seek a chance to escape.
Buzz!
There were no dazzling collisions of treasure arts, no earth-shattering explosions.
The battle ended in an instant.
With a mere flicker of intent from Fairy Moonfirmament Zhao Yue, the ten Golden Core True Persons present froze. The Earthly Sha True Qi within their dantians solidified instantly, turning them into lifelike ice sculptures with no room for resistance.
Such was the insurmountable gulf between Golden Core True Persons and Nascent Soul True Monarchs!
The Shangqing Immortal Sect cultivators showed no surprise.
In their eyes, unless a Nascent Soul True Monarch entered the field, their chief was invincible.
‘This is what normal Immortal Alliance Golden Core prodigies look like—instant kill with a drop of divine sense.’
Zhao Yue withdrew her gaze, flicked her sleeve, and ten Jade Plaques appeared in her palm.
After the time it took for one incense stick to burn, the Innate One Qi array eye dissipated, replaced by an ancient talisman.
Zhao Yue glanced at the talisman and casually put it away.
“Elder Sister, can we now use Soul-Chasing Profound Ability to lock onto Chen Beiwu and Wang Chan’s positions?” Zhao Yu suddenly asked.
Within the Scarlet Flame Realm, the only ones they feared were Chen Beiwu and Wang Chan joining forces.
“No rush. The time cultivators can remain in the Scarlet Flame Realm is limited. Sooner or later, we will meet Chen Beiwu.”
Zhao Yue shook her head, gazing at the three Great Suns in the sky. “Rather than searching for Chen Beiwu, I am more concerned with the rumors within the sect regarding the Scarlet Flame Realm.”
“What rumors?” Zhao Qing blinked.
“The Scarlet Flame Realm was originally a middle-thousand world, captured three thousand seven hundred years ago by the Immortal Alliance’s Temple of Accord Sky-Patrol Division.”
Zhao Yue frowned slightly. “As far as I know, the strongest being here was a Fifth-Realm Beast Sovereign who styled himself the ‘Flame Emperor.’”
“That?” Zhao Qing rolled her eyes, relaxing. “Daring to style himself Flame Emperor before Tianyan Immortal Sect is no different from courting death. After so many years, that Beast Sovereign is probably long dead—ashes gone.”
“No, that’s not right.” Zhao Yue cast her an exasperated glance. “A Fifth-Realm Beast Sovereign—what kind of existence is that? If it were you, Second Sister, would you be willing to kill such a Fifth-Realm Origin Beast?”
Zhao Qing shook her head quickly.
Joking aside, even a fire-attribute Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beast would be worth contracting—let alone a Fifth-Realm Origin Beast.
“Before attending the Immortal Sect Exchange, Master mentioned that the Scarlet Flame Realm holds an opportunity related to Divine Transformation, advising me to pay attention but not force it.”
Zhao Yue transmitted through divine sense. “I gathered extensive records regarding the Scarlet Flame Realm and reached an uncertain conclusion.”
“What conclusion?” Zhao Qing and Zhao Yu felt their hearts stir.
“I suspect the Flame Emperor may have fallen, but not been completely extinguished. After all, that was an existence at the level of a Divine Transformation True Venerable.”
Zhao Yue speculated, “The increasingly harsh environment of the Scarlet Flame Realm may be due to Tianyan Immortal Sect’s higher-ups using supreme Profound Ability to draw upon the world’s fire origin, reshaping its Three Flowers and reforging its Five Qi—intending to create a true Flame Emperor loyal to the Immortal Alliance!”
Hearing this, Zhao Qing and Zhao Yu swallowed and glanced at their oblivious fellow disciples.
Their elder sister’s guess was outrageous—but not impossible.
For an Immortal Alliance prodigy, what Divine Transformation opportunity could compare to a Fifth-Realm Origin Beast that had once ascended to the rank of Beast Sovereign?
“Does Master mean for you to subdue that Flame Emperor? But how could Tianyan Immortal Sect allow it?” Zhao Qing transmitted nervously.
If she were Tianyan’s higher-ups, she would never permit outsiders to covet a Fortune-Origin Beast cultivated for thousands of years.
“Second Sister, you are still too young.” Zhao Yue smiled coldly. “When the Scarlet Flame Realm was conquered, Tianyan Immortal Sect may have acted, but I suspect the true instigators were the Upper Three Immortal Sects.”
“Combined with Master’s words, I believe that any destined prodigy from the Upper Three Immortal Sects or Tianyan Immortal Sect may attempt it and take it.”
“Rather than search for Chen Beiwu and Wang Chan to seize the Assembly of Heroes championship, we should determine the Flame Emperor’s location and seek the greatest creation in this world!”
Her eyes burned bright, matching none of her usual cold demeanor.