Chapter 1206

Although she herself is also a four-star Dou Saint, this person, purely in terms of Dou Qi level, is still much higher than her.

If one must speak, this person's strength is terrifying, already half-stepped into the five-star Dou Saint realm.

And such strong individuals were actually turned into fire slaves by that Pure Lotus Demonic Fire.

"Even strong individuals who have half-stepped into the five-star Dou Saint realm can be enslaved; just how terrifying has this Pure Lotus Demonic Fire become?"

"Upon seeing the gaunt man in the sky, Yun Yun's brows involuntarily furrowed, her eyes filled with a solemn expression."

"Hehe, this person can only barely be considered a fire slave; he still possesses a trace of his own spiritual awareness, and although it's only a sliver, compared to those fire slaves completely controlled by the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, he retains some degree of autonomy."

Having said that, Lin Feng narrowed his eyes slightly and continued: "However, the biggest difference between this person and those fire slaves is that he possesses his own life, not being a lifeless object. This point, however, makes things a bit troublesome."

"Alive?"

Upon hearing that, Yun Yun's soul power swiftly erupted; after sensing the opponent's life aura, her pretty face involuntarily tightened, she raised the green energy fine sword in her hand, preparing for battle at any moment.

However, seeing her prepare for battle, Lin Feng suddenly reached out and placed his hand on her soft, smooth little hand that gripped the fine sword, signaling her not to rush.

"Husband, could it be that you have some other method?"

Seeing him stop her action, Yun Yun immediately turned her head in confusion and asked.

Upon hearing that, Lin Feng lightly withdrew his hand, and with a calm smile amid his wife's doubtful gaze, he said: "Since this is not an illusion and there is a half-step five-star Dou Saint level expert guarding here, I think the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire wouldn't go to the trouble of assigning such a high-level roadblock to every team."

"Therefore, if I'm not mistaken, others should still arrive here. Before that, why should we ourselves go through the trouble of dealing with this half-step five-star Dou Saint expert?"

After hearing his explanation, Yun Yun turned her gaze backward, lightly parting her red lips and said: "Husband, you mean we wait for those people behind to come over, then let them fight that mysterious Dou Saint expert?"

"Hehe, that's right, after all there are still a bunch of four-star Dou Saints who haven't arrived yet; since they are the 'strongest,' let them bear the hardship."

Seeing him understand, Lin Feng spread his hands, his face full of smiles.

And upon hearing that, Yun Yun immediately turned her head back, gently nodding and said: "Then let's do as you say, husband."

As soon as the words fell, she dispersed the energy long sword in her hand, stood in place, and warily gazed at the gaunt man.

Although she didn't intend to attack now, facing such an expert, she couldn't help but be on guard.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

This wait, after lasting about ten or so minutes, was followed by a series of tearing-through-space sounds coming from behind Lin Feng and the two of them.

Not long after, the Ancient Clan Elder who is a four-star peak Dou Saint led Gu Xun'er and Xiao Yan out from the white space behind, rushing forth, and then stopped a hundred zhang behind Lin Feng and Yun Yun, warily eyeing the two.

At the same time, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall likewise brought two black-robed individuals, one with three-star Dou Saint strength and the other at late-stage two-star Dou Saint, to this place.

Immediately after, they, like the Ancient Clan's people, also warily gazed at Lin Feng and the two.

During this time, they could be considered afraid, as the methods of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire far exceeded everyone's imagination.

"Hehe, you don't need to look; this place is no longer an illusion but truly exists, including that expert above, who is likewise real."

Sensing the reaction of the two clans behind him, Lin Feng faintly smiled, turned around, and pointed obliquely upward.

"Half-step five-star Dou Saint?!"

When the Ancient Clan Elder and the Hall Master of the Soul Hall, following Lin Feng's indicated direction, raised their heads and saw the gaunt man standing with closed eyes in the high sky, they simultaneously stepped forward in unison, bursting out with an incredulous exclamation.

"What? Half-step five-star Dou Saint!"

Just as the voices of the two earlier fell, the other members of the Ancient Clan and Soul Hall all had their expressions drastically change, staring in shock at the gaunt man above.

Although they had paid a great price to reach this place, before this, no Dou Saint-level combat power had ever appeared!

But why has the difficulty of this next spot suddenly surged to a level that could almost eliminate any team!

And the Hall Master of the Soul Hall, after staying silent for a while, then curled his mouth with a face full of killing intent and said: "However, fortune and misfortune depend on each other; it seems this is the final gate—if we break through, we should be able to reach the place where the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire resides."

"Huh"

As the former's words fell, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, his face full of determination as he gazed upward.

No matter what, he has already arrived here; even if there were greater difficulties ahead, he must continue forward.

"Hehe, everyone, we now share the same enemy; why not cooperate to resist him?"

Seeing everyone's solemn expressions, Lin Feng, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke again, his voice slowly echoing in this space.

"Cooperation?"

Upon hearing that, the Ancient Clan Elder and the Hall Master of the Soul Hall immediately withdrew their gazes from above, then looked toward Lin Feng ahead, their brows slightly furrowing.

Immediately after, the Ancient Clan Elder's eyes sank as he spoke: "Then how should we cooperate?"

"Hehe, here only you and the Hall Master of the Soul Hall are the strongest; let you take the main assault, while we also send someone to skirmish on the sides, distracting him and helping you kill him—how about that?"

Upon hearing his inquiry, Lin Feng faintly smiled and stated his plan.

As the previous speaker's voice rang out, without waiting for the blue-robed Gu Elder to answer, Gu Xun'er behind him immediately sneered, "We'll take the lead, you'll reap the benefits from behind—how could there be such a good deal? If we really can't, we can still think of a way to repel that guy, then rush straight over; why must we lock horns with him to the death?"

"Run over?"

Hearing that, Lin Feng didn't hesitate, simply shifted to the right to clear the path, then, making a welcoming gesture, said, "Please, go inside, everyone. I see that guardians of such strength stand watch here; I wonder whether, beside the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire inside, there are any other Dou Sheng Fire Slaves protecting it."

I also want to know—given your Pure Lotus Demonic Fire and other Fire Slaves inside, plus that expert who has half a foot stepped into the five-star Dou Sheng realm surrounding and attacking you—can you possibly retreat completely from this fire space?

As he said that, Lin Feng also spread his hands, wearing a look of watching the show.

"You!"

Seeing Lin Feng's indifferent attitude, Gu Xun'er instantly felt anger well up from her heart.

At the same time, she couldn't help thinking to herself: "This bastard, if I had known I would have tortured him more in the illusion."

And Xiao Yan, seeing one of the people he hated most, couldn't help clenching his fists, thinking resentfully: "No wonder Lin Feng is so confident; it seems he had already figured this out, expecting that if we want to keep going inside to look for the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, we can only cooperate with him to deal with that expert who is about to break through to the five-star Dou Sheng realm."

Thinking of being led by the nose by the opponent once again, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a strong sense of displeasure; this feeling of being manipulated is truly nauseating.

"Hehe, Lin Feng, we agree to your proposal."

However, just as the Gu clan raised objections, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall, who had been silent beside them for a while, suddenly glanced at the Hei Yi Ren at his side and then voiced his agreement with the other party's proposal.

And after saying that, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall immediately turned his head toward the blue-robed Gu Elder not far away and said, "How about it, Gu Nanhai—do you want to join forces with me to take out that roadblock?"

"Hmph, you ask knowingly—without getting rid of that roadblock, how can we rest easy going to take the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire?"

Hearing that, Gu Nanhai couldn't help letting out a cold snort from his nose, then flicked his sleeve heavily.

And after glancing at the silent Xiao Yan beside her, Gu Xun'er also thought better of voicing any objection.

After all, if this person isn't eliminated, they truly can't rest easy continuing inside.

This thing is like a thorn lodged in the throat; if not removed, one can never hope to live in peace.

「Heh heh, if that's the case, then let's act. 」

As soon as his words fell, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall gave a hearty laugh, took the lead in moving his figure, and wildly swept toward the person in the high sky!

「Xun'er, you keep an eye on the others; I'll take care of that person first. 」

Gu Nanhai, seeing that, also didn't hesitate much; after reminding Gu Xun'er to stay safe, his figure instantly vanished from the spot.

Gu Xun'er, seeing the former leave, immediately turned her head toward Lin Feng, her face cold as she said: "We've all gone up; now it's your turn."

「Hehe, with Miss Xun'er constantly thinking of me, I am truly flattered. 」

Upon hearing that, Lin Feng immediately made a teasing remark amidst Xiao Yan's killing intent, then turned to Yun Yun beside him and said: "Yun'er, you're stronger; you should go up in my place."

「Mm. 」 Hearing the speaker, Yun Yun promptly curled her fingers, and a jade-green slender sword reappeared in her hand.

「Whoosh! 」

Afterward, Yun Yun twirled her sword, her lovely figure instantly disappearing from the spot, and in the blink of an eye she appeared in the high sky, her beautiful eyes fixed on the emaciated man surrounded by the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and Gu Nanhai.

That figure's tightly closed eyes slowly opened, a pair of pitch-black pupils, indifferent and ruthless, yet compared to the Fire Slaves previously encountered, they clearly had a bit more liveliness—only, they were too icy.

But as the three in front approached a certain distance, the emaciated man's eyes suddenly snapped open, cold and indifferent, staring fixedly at the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and Gu Nanhai before him.

At this moment, although neither side spoke, the atmosphere in the air instantly turned cold.

However, upon drawing nearer, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and his companions finally got a clear view of everything about that emaciated figure.

That figure stood upright in this expanse of sky, like an eternal guardian stationed here, wearing only the most ordinary gray hemp clothing, yet the pressure it exerted on the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and Gu Nanhai was immense.

As for the man's face, it was as if it had stiffened, showing no expression at all, and his cold gaze was like ten-thousand-year-old black ice, freezing to the bone.

「Boom! 」

The silence in this space didn't last long before it began to shake violently without warning.

At the same time, the emaciated figure lightly grasped the void before him, and a blood-red great axe, several zhang long and a zhang wide, appearing extraordinarily exaggerated and bizarre, materialized out of thin air before him.

Against the backdrop of that huge axe, the man's emaciated figure seemed somewhat comical.

But none of those present could bring themselves to laugh.

Because they could clearly sense that within that emaciated body lay a terrifying power of extreme magnitude!

「This person... is stronger than I, the Hall Master, had anticipated. 」

Having sensed the change within him, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall quickly grew solemn and readied himself to strike at any moment.

The power of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire now also exceeds his expectations.

He simply can't imagine that a powerhouse of this level would actually fall before the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire.

As for the silent Gu Nanhai beside them, he stared blankly at the blood-red great axe in the opponent's hand, his brow slightly furrowed as if pondering something.

Meanwhile, as soon as the blood-red great axe appeared, the emaciated man uttered no nonsense, his icy gaze locked on the two before him, and a fierce wind suddenly rose around him.

Gu Nanhai and the Hall Master of the Soul Hall, sensing his movement, dared not be careless; they both gathered their focus and carefully watched him.

「Swish! Swish! Swish! 」

The next instant, three figures collided in the most overbearing manner; instantly, the tremendous shockwave from their battle forced Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er, and the others far away to retreat several steps.

After all, a clash between three four-star Dou Sheng experts is not something these people can readily intervene in.

Just the aftershocks alone give a chilling feeling; if they rashly plunged in, they'd likely soon find themselves without a burial place.

Yet as they retreated, their gazes remained tense, following the three's movements.

Of course, at this moment Xiao Yan still hadn't forgotten Yun Yun standing in the high sky.

Thinking of the opponent's three-star peak Dou Sheng, he couldn't help cursing: "Go on, go on, best to be beaten to death here by that Fire Slave of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire. That way, this early three-star Dou Sheng Lin Feng, within the demonic fire space, would be left helpless."

「Clang! Clang! 」

While Xiao Yan kept cursing Yun Yun, the three black shadows in the sky flickered at a dazzling speed, and as they flashed, tens of zhang of fire continually sprayed out, blooming in the sky like fireworks.

Meanwhile, amid the three's combat, the surrounding space shattered inch by inch, and countless black fissures hundreds to thousands of zhang long spread across the horizon in an instant!

However, although the combined might of the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and Gu Nanhai was terrifying, the emaciated figure wielding the massive blood axe was not forced into a disadvantage; on the contrary, he handled it with ease.

On the other hand, Gu Nanhai and the Hall Master of the Soul Hall appeared somewhat embarrassed.

Yet whenever Yun Yun saw an opening, she would swing her slender sword, releasing a potent sword qi capable of killing an ordinary early three-star Dou Sheng, which would strike straight at the emaciated man, forcing him to divert attention to block it.

As the battle progressed, the emaciated man in the high sky swung his great axe like a whirlwind, leaving observers dazzled.

At the same time, a nauseating smell of blood gradually permeated the space.

Although the man's strength was formidable, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and Gu Nanhai were no pushovers either.

As the fight continued, they gradually increased their attack power, slowly pressing the opponent into a disadvantage.

But facing this situation, the emaciated man's occasional counterattacks still left the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and Gu Nanhai somewhat embarrassed.

「Hehe, although these two aren't using their full strength, from the current situation, if they fought one-on-one, I doubt either could be a match for Xiao Chen. However, this time someone is even more anxious than I am. 」

Seeing the Hall Master of the Soul Hall and his group gradually gaining the upper hand in the sky, Lin Feng couldn't help but think to himself.

At the same time, his gaze swiftly slid from the emaciated man to Xiao Yan, a flash of light in his eyes as he pondered something.

「Ding! 」

Just as he pondered, the three figures in the high sky collided violently once more; instantly, the terrifying sound wave from their weapon clash spread like ocean waves.

At the instant the sound wave rang out, the blood-axe figure in the sky was instantly flung backward, flying until it had traversed several li of space before barely stabilizing its posture.

Of course, his body had steadied, but the space where he had just retreated was already shattered by that tremendous force.

But before he could catch his breath, a azure sword qi several hundred zhang long came slashing down from afar once again.

「Roar! 」

Faced with this predicament, the blood-axe figure's hitherto indifferent eyes suddenly surged with a frenzied fervor, and a low roar burst from his throat, spreading outward.

At the same time, a piercing burst of light shot from the brow of the former, amidst everyone's astonished gaze.

At the moment the light blazed, a rune exuding an ancient aura began to slowly appear before everyone's eyes.

Of course, as the rune appeared, this person's aura surged violently, directly stepping into the five‑star rank!

As for Xiao Yan in the distance, the moment his eyes caught sight of that strange rune, he froze on the spot, his face blank and stunned, as if struck by lightning.

Because at this very moment, what appeared on the forehead of that blood‑axe phantom was none other than the Xiao clan's unique clan mark!

"This thing is actually the Xiao clan's clan mark?!"

And beside Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er, upon seeing the emaciated man emanating blood‑qi in the sky, likewise stood frozen in place.

As one of Xiao Yan's most important people, she had often seen that rune on her brother Xiao Yan's forehead when he used his power, so she naturally recognized it at once.

But how could this person possess the Xiao clan's clan mark?!

"Xiao clan clan mark? Could it be that this mysterious wielder of the blood‑colored great axe before us is actually a member of the Xiao clan?"

After clearly seeing the rune on the opponent's forehead, the Soul clan party, old rivals of the Xiao clan, immediately recognized it, and then Man United stared in disbelief at the opponent's gaunt face.

And after confirming the rune's authenticity, the expressions of the three Soul clan members instantly became so shocked they could not be more shocked.

After all, those Xiao clan people were precisely the ones the Soul clan wiped out; if they were to seek revenge now, things might not go well for them.

Thinking of this, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall unconsciously gave a glance to his two distant teammates, wondering what they were scheming.

"Hehe, looking at Gu Nanhai and Lin Feng's expressions, that blood‑colored figure in the sky is undoubtedly Xiao Chen."

Seeing the reactions of those two ahead, Lin Feng was overjoyed and quickly began to devise a countermeasure.

However, Xiao Yan at this moment had no time to stare at those people; his gaze was blankly fixed on the clan mark on the forehead of the gaunt figure high in the sky, while his heart surged like a raging tide.

According to previous information, under normal circumstances, on this Dou Qi continent, only he should possess such a clan mark.

But as things stand now, another person has appeared.

"This person, could he not be one of my Xiao clan's ancestors?"

The next moment, Xiao Yan thought about how long the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire had existed; tracing it back, it was likely no less than ten thousand years.

The Xiao clan, however, was only exterminated by the Soul Heaven Emperor a thousand years ago; if it had captured a powerful Xiao clan member during the clan's existence, that would not be impossible.

But upon thinking this, Xiao Yan's heart involuntarily welled up with a deep sense of joy.

This way, wouldn't he have gained new clansmen, no longer needing to be as lonely as before?

But this joy in Xiao Yan's heart did not last long, and his face gradually sank again.

Because this ancestor of his had likely long since become a Fire Slave of Wu Nie Tun Yan, losing the ability to recognize him.

Even possibly, the Xiao clan themselves already know what he is.

However, faced with everyone's shock, the gaunt man seemed indifferent, or perhaps unable to care.

At this moment, as the clan mark on his forehead was gradually aroused, his strength surged rapidly from half‑stepping into the five‑star Dou Saint level further into the early five‑star stage.

"Boom!"

The next instant, after the man felt his aura surge to its peak, he immediately gripped the haft of his axe, exerted all his strength, and in a split second the terrifying gust tore through space, slamming heavily into the energy shield hastily condensed before Gu Nanhai and the Hall Master of the Soul Hall.

"Crack!"

Faced with this terrifying attack seemingly capable of cleaving heaven and earth, the energy shield hastily summoned before the two by the Hall Master of the Soul Hall instantly shattered like tofu.

And as the energy shield shattered, in an instant Gu Nanhai was struck as if by a heavy blow, his face paling slightly, his steps stumbling back violently by several hundred zhang.

With each step he took, his inner aura became somewhat disordered. (End of chapter)