Chapter 173

Chapter 173: Burning Divine Soul Power

Immortal Lord Chang Li refused to yield. Gritting his teeth, he also fed the Fire Phoenix a fresh surge of power. Where dragon and phoenix collided, the spray of fire tore through the air like a volcano exploding.

Neither man held back. The heat at the heart of the clash felt hot enough to melt the whole platform. The entire Fengling Terrace lay under a blanket of fierce temperature. The flames of Mid and Late Divine Transformation were far beyond what the watching Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators could endure. Only those at Nascent Soul and above could barely hold on.

But the temperature kept rising. The two men hurled fire spiritual power like they had no care for limits. The scene was close to losing control. If this continued, the people on the terrace would truly be roasted.

At first, everyone assumed this was just a normal elder spar. Who could have known that just watching a match would risk their lives?

Elders from each sect threw up shields powered by their spiritual strength to protect their disciples. Rogue cultivators went pale with regret. With the terrace sealed, they could not flee even if they wanted to.

True Lord Gu Ci’s brows twitched. With a light wave, she spread a gentle force that formed a barrier ward around the platform. It was her duty to keep the people on the terrace safe.

The worst of the heat was cut off. The rogue cultivators finally let out the breath they were holding and patted their chests in relief. The top powerhouses of the Cultivation World were terrifying.

True Lord Gu Ci only set the barrier. She did not stop the two. Even if they destroyed the terrace, a winner had to be decided. Those were the rules.

Master Ling Xiao controlled the Fire Dragon with one hand, face calm and steady. Immortal Lord Chang Li also used one hand, but his jaw was clenched. He had begun to feel the strain. At their level, even a small realm gap meant a world of difference. That he had fought Master Ling Xiao this far was already remarkable.

Master Ling Xiao sneered, voice like ice: “A petty insect trying to stop a chariot? You’re already at your limit, while I’ve been using only half my strength. With just this, you think you can defeat me? Dream on.”

Immortal Lord Chang Li’s strength had surprised him, and the man’s art was not beneath his own. But soon, he would stamp this impostor underfoot. He would make Shen Sang Ruo watch and understand that he was the Cultivation World’s unshakable number one, the greatest master of fire spiritual power.

He lost patience. He brought both hands to bear, and the Fire Dragon doubled in size. Its terrible pressure made heaven and earth seem ready to change color. This was his full strength. He would end Immortal Lord Chang Li with one last strike, an absolute crush.

Immortal Lord Chang Li bared his teeth in a hard smile: “I’m at my limit? Ha.” He formed a seal with his right hand and raised it to his brow, chanting under his breath.

A tiny flame appeared at his brow and danced at his fingertip. The power inside it was so strong it warped the air around him.

“Go.”

At his low command, the flame sank into the Fire Phoenix. The bird threw back its head and let out a piercing cry. Its flaming body deepened from red to a dark, bloodlike crimson. The drifting Glazed Flame turned into bead-like drops of blood-red light. The Fire Phoenix bathed in blood and was reborn.

Someone shrieked from the stands: “He’s burning his Divine Soul Power!”

Shen Sang Ruo’s pupils tightened: “Master!” She knew how insane it was to burn one’s Divine Soul Power.

Ye Huai and the others wore pained looks, but they understood that only this way could their Master stand against Master Ling Xiao. Their Master had always been like this. They could not stop him.

Daoist Wu Wei and Immortal Maiden Azure Luan could not bear to watch and turned their eyes away.

Every cultivator on the terrace stared at Immortal Lord Chang Li like he was a madman. That was Divine Soul Power. The body could heal, but the soul was far harder to restore. Damage to the soul would affect cultivation and could even lead to qi deviation. The process of drawing out soul power also brought a pain few could endure. Unless there was no other choice, almost no cultivator would burn their own soul.

By now, everyone on the terrace had reached one opinion together: the people of Ninghua Sect were all terrifyingly ruthless. This was only an elder match. How could they push it this far? If they reached Divine Transformation themselves, they would pamper their souls like precious jade and not give up even a single hair. They could not understand Immortal Lord Chang Li’s choice.

Master Ling Xiao’s eyes shifted; he had not expected his opponent to burn his soul to fight him. “I will make you pay,” Immortal Lord Chang Li said, and the words reached Master Ling Xiao’s ears. He immediately understood the man’s purpose.

Shock vanished from his gaze, replaced by a storming fury. Make him pay? Since when did Immortal Lord Chang Li have the right to speak for Shen Sang Ruo? “You overestimate yourself.” If that was how it would be, he would make Immortal Lord Chang Li lose everything: victory, dignity, and Divine Soul Power.

Master Ling Xiao’s stare hardened. He, too, unleashed all of his power, the clear intent of a duel to the death.

Faces across the terrace went white. [We’re not going to die here, are we?] Their silent prayers rose together: True Lord Gu Ci, let the barrier hold. True Lord Gu Ci braced herself, ready to meet the incoming shock.

The two vast forces crashed together. The sound alone made ears ring. The blinding light forced everyone’s eyes shut. No one could see what was happening at the center of the platform. True Lord Gu Ci pressed her lips tight and held nothing back to keep the dragon-and-phoenix shockwave from sweeping over the crowd.

Boom!

The explosion went on for nearly thirty seconds. When the roar finally faded, a deathly stillness fell over the terrace. As the ringing and momentary blindness eased, every head turned toward the center of the platform, desperate to see the result of that insane clash.

The people of Ninghua Sect and Flying Cloud Sect rose to their feet as one, eyes tight with worry. Shen Sang Ruo’s face was grave as she stared at the platform.

But the platform was drowned in thick, rolling smoke. No one could see a thing.

Immortal Maiden Azure Luan clicked her tongue, out of patience. She lifted a hand, and fierce winds swept in. As the smoke was blown away, the scene on the platform slowly appeared.

Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.

Who had won?