The flames took the shape of swords, or transformed into lotus flowers, or flowed like drifting clouds. Within them danced and shuttled countless strands, each one capable of easily incinerating the body and soul of an early-stage Heavenly Immortal cultivator.
Inside the sword domain, space was completely sealed. Scorching heat distorted perception, and sharp sword intent filled every corner, frantically crushing and burning everything within the domain.
This was the signature ultimate technique of Heavenly Fire Sword Venerable, and his greatest reliance for dominating the Ten Heavens.
“Senior!”
“Senior Chen!”
Lie Tian, Ling Shuang, and the others cried out in horror upon seeing this.
Under such a terrifying sword domain, they could barely protect themselves, let alone offer help.
Faced with this Incinerating Heaven Sword Domain that could force an ordinary seventh-grade Heavenly Immortal cultivator to perish on the spot, Chen Ping merely let out a soft sigh.
“It seems reasoning will not work.”
He reached out and grasped the hilt of the seemingly ancient long sword on his back.
“Buzz!”
A clear and resonant sword hum, like a dragon’s chant soaring through the nine heavens, or the first strand of dao sound at the dawn of chaos, suddenly rang out.
This sword hum was not particularly grand, yet it strangely pierced through the raging flames and sword intent howls of the Incinerating Heaven Sword Domain. It clearly reached everyone’s ears, even causing the surging flames to pause for a moment.
Chen Ping drew his sword.
The Dragon Slaying Sword left its sheath.
There were no heaven-shaking phenomena, no overwhelming momentum.
The blade of the Dragon Slaying Sword displayed a chaotic dark hue, as if it could devour all light.
But when Chen Ping held the sword and casually swung it forward,
An indescribable “intent” suddenly spread out.
It was not scorching heat, not freezing cold, not sharpness, nor heaviness.
It was a realm where “destruction” and “rebirth” intertwined, seemingly transcending the five elements and standing above the rules.
It was the grandeur and vastness of chaos separating, yin and yang first distinguishing.
In the face of this “sword intent”, the all-incinerating heat and sharpness of the Incinerating Heaven Sword Domain actually seemed somewhat petty, somewhat superficial in form only.
“What?!”
Ling Yan’s expression changed drastically. He sensed that his proudly acclaimed Incinerating Heaven Sword Intent, upon contacting the opponent’s strange sword intent, involuntarily felt suppressed like a subject before a sovereign, even on the verge of collapsing and disintegrating.
How was this possible?
His Incinerating Heaven Sword Intent had been comprehended over thousands of years observing the “Undying Flame Seed” at the core of the Li Fire Secret Realm, achieved through countless hardships as the supreme sword intent of fire.
How could it be suppressed by the sword intent of a mere seventh-grade Human Immortal junior?
“Break.”
Chen Ping uttered a simple word.
The Dragon Slaying Sword in his hand followed a profound and indescribable trajectory, gently thrusting forward.
This thrust appeared slow, yet was in reality swift to the extreme, as if ignoring the barriers of space and flames.
This thrust produced no vast sword qi, no dazzling brilliance.
But wherever the sword tip passed, the raging flame sword qi within the Incinerating Heaven Sword Domain melted away silently like ice and snow under the blazing sun, retreating and dispersing.
The sword domain itself emitted creaking sounds of strain, as if a massive piece of glass had been lightly tapped, instantly covering with countless fine cracks.
“Crack!”
A clear shattering sound echoed through the valley.
Ling Yan’s Incinerating Heaven Sword Domain, capable of trapping and killing cultivators of the same level, collapsed with a boom under Chen Ping’s seemingly casual sword strike.
It turned into scattered sparks filling the sky, quickly extinguishing in the air.
“Pu!”
With the sword domain forcibly broken, Ling Yan’s mind suffered backlash. He let out a muffled groan, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with utmost shock and disbelief.
His sword-holding hand actually trembled slightly.
It was not a gap in power, but a crushing superiority in the level of sword dao.
The “intent” contained in the opponent’s sword far surpassed his understanding of “fire” and “sword”. It was a higher-dimensional sword dao realm that he had dreamed of yet could never touch.
Chen Ping stood with his sword withdrawn, the Dragon Slaying Sword pointing diagonally at the ground, the chaotic glow on the blade slowly converging.
He looked at Ling Yan, whose face was pale and eyes confused, and said calmly, “Now, can we go in?”
Ling Yan stared fixedly at Chen Ping, then at the Dragon Slaying Sword in his hand, his chest heaving violently.
That single sword strike had completely overturned his worldview.
This seventh-grade Human Immortal youth was no ordinary person.
That bizarre sword intent, that strange sword, and the mentions of Li Fire Demon Lord and Fire Spirit Star Lord, all pointed to one possibility. This person might truly possess an unimaginable background and fortune.
Continue fighting?
Ling Yan had no confidence.
The opponent’s sword intent was too strange, completely countering his fire sword dao. Moreover, he vaguely felt that the opponent’s earlier sword had perhaps not been at full strength.
After a full dozen breaths of silence, the overwhelming aura on Ling Yan gradually receded, and his all-incinerating sword intent withdrew like the tide.
He took a deep breath, as if expelling all the shock and frustration in his chest.
Finally, he stepped aside from the path to the burning rock wall, his voice dry as he said, “…Go in.”
He asked no further questions.
Some answers were perhaps better left unknown.
Upon hearing Heavenly Fire Sword Venerable agree, Chen Ping secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
If Heavenly Fire Sword Venerable had continued attacking, he truly could not have withstood it.
If not for the inheritance from Ten Thousand Swords Star, and using those fire meteors in the void passage to temper an incomparably pure sword intent, Chen Ping would have had no way to block Heavenly Fire Sword Venerable’s strike just now.
Chen Ping dared not think further. He said to Lie Tian, Shi Yan, Ying Wu, and the others behind him, “We go in.”
He walked to the rock wall, took out the Li Fire Pendant given by Ling Shuang. Without needing deliberate conversion, with a thought, a strand of chaotic immortal power infused it, and the Li Fire Pendant lit up again.
At the same time, his divine sense moved slightly, instantly forming the dharma seal taught by Ling Shuang and striking it into the rock wall.
This time, there was no obstruction.
The flames on the crimson crystal rock wall churned violently, quickly parting to both sides, revealing a stable portal three zhang high, burning with golden flames.
Beyond the portal was a curtain of light interwoven with crimson and gold, twisting and fluctuating. The specific scene could not be seen clearly, but extremely dense and pure fire-attribute energy already rushed towards them.
“Go.”
Chen Ping stepped into the light curtain first.
Shi Yan and Ying Wu hurriedly followed, supporting the heavily injured Ling Shuang.
Lie Tian then directed the surviving Ten Thousand Beasts Sect disciples, who felt as if they had awakened from a dream, to step one by one into the legendary Li Fire Secret Realm with complex and indescribable emotions.
Ling Yan stood in place, watching the figures gradually disappearing into the light curtain, especially Chen Ping’s back. His eyes flickered uncertainly, finally turning into a long, complex sigh.
The Crimson Flame Valley once again returned to its usual scorching heat and silence, with only the flames on the rock wall continuing to burn tirelessly.
