Chapter 898: Spirit Flame

Seeing that he had won the vote as expected, Cao Tian felt a surge of triumph in his heart.

He looked at Wang Jianqiang with a grin, "Wan Guiyuan, it seems I have won again this time."

Wang Jianqiang's mood at this moment seemed very poor.

His expression was extremely unsightly.

He looked at the crowd, a flash of unwillingness flickering across his expression.

He sighed, "Wan has already done his best. Since everyone has made this choice, I hope that if any accidents occur later, you will all be able to bear the consequences."

"Wan Guiyuan, spare us the useless talk." Cao Tian sneered, "Do you really think you're something special just because you're a Leader? You are merely the Leader of Youzhou. Whether you could even become a Leader in any of our other continents is a different matter entirely."

"You are not necessarily better than us, so you can save these preachy words."

Wang Jianqiang's expression faltered.

He looked at the others; aside from the three who explicitly supported Cao Tian, although the others had not made their stance clear, it could be seen from the subtle changes in their expressions.

Regarding Cao Tian's words, they seemed to hold a similar view!

Wang Jianqiang shook his head and sighed with a hint of helplessness, "Since that is the case, then everyone, please form your own teams."

"Four people per team."

As Wang Jianqiang's voice fell, the group immediately began to form their teams.

Not long after.

Three teams were formed.

Only Wang Jianqiang, Xiaoyue Daoren, Mu Lingxi, Cao Tian, and one other Cultivator from Cangzhou remained without a team.

Cao Tian looked at Wang Jianqiang, Mu Lingxi, and Xiaoyue Daoren, his eyes flashing, "Since only the few of us are left, let us form a team."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jianqiang sneered inwardly.

This Cao Tian certainly had a clever scheme.

The two from Tengzhou clearly saw eye-to-eye with him, yet those two did not team up with him, which obviously meant they had received his instructions.

He was deliberately teaming up with him.

Given the relationship between himself and Cao Tian, the purpose of Cao Tian's actions was self-evident.

It was nothing more than wanting to find an opportunity to strike at him.

However...

Sometimes, the hunter and the prey are not absolute.

Cao Tian viewed him as prey.

But everyone present was his prey!

Wang Jianqiang frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with this distribution result, but he did not voice any opposition.

The team distribution phase ended there.

Afterwards, the four teams split into four directions and flew toward the depths of the flames.

After the four teams dispersed, Cao Tian, seemingly unsure of his ability to take down Wang Jianqiang, Mu Lingxi, and Xiaoyue Daoren all at once, did not act rashly.

The group of five flew forward while searching the surroundings with their Spirit Sense.

Not long after.

A firebird suddenly flew up from a flame tree and charged ferociously at the group.

Wang Jianqiang was about to strike.

Cao Tian, who was to the side, suddenly reached out and grabbed at the firebird.

This firebird, whose strength was comparable to an ordinary Seventh-Order Will Stage Cultivator, seemed to be caught by an invisible hand, instantly freezing in mid-air before exploding into a sky full of shattered flames with a boom.

Cao Tian opened his mouth and inhaled.

Those shattered flames were simultaneously drawn toward him.

His mouth seemed to have turned into a bottomless pit, and countless shattered flames were swallowed up entirely.

Wang Jianqiang glanced at Cao Tian and said calmly, "Continue forward."

Having said that, he flew forward together with Mu Lingxi.

Xiaoyue Daoren and the other person from Cangzhou followed them out.

Cao Tian watched Wang Jianqiang's back, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and he followed.

During the journey that followed, the five of them were occasionally attacked by flame spirits.

As the five of them delved deeper into the Flame World, the temperature in the air continued to rise, and the strength of the flame spirits they encountered also continued to increase.

One day later.

Among the flame spirits the five encountered, beings comparable to Ninth-Order Will Stage Cultivators had already appeared.

Another half-day passed.

The five appeared above a sea of fire.

Just as the group was about to approach the center of the sea of fire, they suddenly saw a Green Lotus in the fire sea.

The Green Lotus was rooted in the sea of fire.

Amidst the scorching flames, this Green Lotus rose and fell slightly, its green leaves swaying constantly.

The stem and leaves of the Green Lotus were entirely condensed from green flames.

At its top, a lotus flower bloomed.

In the center of the lotus, a fist-sized flame burned quietly.

The flame was pale purple throughout.

Its temperature was restrained; not a hint of heat could be detected on its surface, but if one observed carefully, one could perceive a destructive aura within it that made one's heart turn cold.

"This is..."

"Spirit Flame!"

Seeing this Green Lotus and the flame upon it, Cao Tian's eyes suddenly lit up.

His figure flashed, appearing beside the Green Lotus, and he reached out to collect the flame on the lotus.

However, at the very instant he made his move.

The sea of fire beneath the lotus suddenly erupted.

Over a dozen pillars of fire, carrying immense power, surged into the sky.

Cao Tian's expression startled, and he shrouded his entire body in Spiritual Power.

The next moment, he was struck by the dozen pillars of light; his external Spiritual Power shield flickered violently, and he was sent flying backward.

After steadying his figure, he looked toward the sea of fire ahead, his expression shifting, "It is a Flame Spirit; there are Flame Spirits hidden within this sea of fire, and their strength is quite formidable!"

At the very instant his voice rang out.

The pillars of fire dissipated.

Over a dozen Flame Spirits of various forms flew out from the sea of fire and lunged toward the group.

"Kill these Flame Spirits!"

Cao Tian let out a low shout and was the first to strike.

The moment he moved, another Cultivator from Cangzhou also struck.

Xiaoyue Daoren stared at the Spirit Flame blocked behind the Flame Spirits, his gaze flickering, and he also charged forward.

"Senior Brother, shall we make a move?"

Mu Lingxi looked at the battlefield and asked Wang Jianqiang.

Wang Jianqiang chuckled, "Of course we must move; we are a team, and team members must be friendly and help one another."

"You stay and watch from a distance first; I am going."

Having said that, his figure flashed, and he charged into the battlefield.

His strikes were wide and powerful, his Spiritual Power surging out as if it were worthless, appearing as though he were giving his all.

With the strength of one person, he blocked nearly half of the Flame Spirits.

Seeing this scene.

Xiaoyue Daoren and the other Cultivator from Cangzhou simultaneously revealed looks of shock.

Each of these Flame Spirits was enough to rival a Ninth-Order Will Stage Cultivator, yet this Wan Guiyuan had actually blocked seven of them single-handedly.

This strength...

It is astonishing!

On the other side.

Cao Tian looked at the awe-inspiring Wang Jianqiang and raised an eyebrow.

Immediately, a cold sneer appeared on his face.

This Wan Guiyuan was indeed capable to have become a Youzhou Commander, but if this was the extent of his means, he was confident he could kill him.

Furthermore.

This Wan Guiyuan was far too foolish.

He had unleashed his full strength the moment he attacked, attracting so many Flame Spirits.

However, this actually helped him quite a bit.

There were fifteen Flame Spirits in total.

Wan Guiyuan had blocked seven by himself, Xiaoyue Daoren had blocked two, and the other person from Cangzhou had blocked two.

As for him, he was only facing four.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and as he attacked, the power of his strikes surged.

The four Flame Spirits before him were instantly repelled, and he took the opportunity to dash forward, arriving beside the Green Lotus in the blink of an eye.