Chapter 314: 323 Questioning Fire

In the forest, a great fire had already surged up.

The flames were golden-red, burning at an extremely high temperature; the color did not even look like something ordinary flames could produce. If an ordinary mountain forest had burned to this color, it would likely have set half the sky ablaze, with the wildfire spreading for dozens of miles, unstoppable. Yet, the flames in the forest at this moment were like individual torches, in clusters and clumps, and there was even a forest formed by flames within the forest.

Deep inside every cluster of flames, the ground had been scorched bare; everything was exploding into flames, and all existing things were being consumed—wood, leaves, insects, and even rocks were all burned into a pile of charcoal by the high temperature. After burning everything, the flames did not spread, but withered in place. It seemed as if the flames had come into this world solely to burn what needed to be burned.

Boom—another cluster of flames exploded, and a large tree was instantly engulfed.

At the critical moment, a figure swooshed out from behind the large tree and darted behind another dirt slope.

"Dodged it again, have you?"

A voice filled with heat came over, and one could see a red-haired man standing on a large rock, staring coldly at that figure. Although the rock was not burning, it had somehow turned red, as if it were being scorched by the high temperature.

"You really are a fool from the Land Inspection Division, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, though you certainly have a knack for dodging trouble. How much longer can you hide? Come on, use your wine-breath to spray me? Too afraid now?"

He laughed loudly, "Aren't you from the Land Inspection Division? Aren't you a majestic high official of the Imperial Court? Aren't you under orders to drive away us refugees? Shouldn't you be chasing me, shouting and killing? How did an official of the Land Inspection Division end up like a stray dog?"

As he spoke, flames continuously rose all around. Those flames came from every direction, seemingly to surround and intercept, but more so to bolster the momentum of his boastful words. He burned a spot with every sentence, as if his words commanded the law.

"Boom!"

Another cluster of flames rose.

He looked down from his high position, the forest of flames already arranged impenetrably, and stared fixedly at one spot, saying: "Come out. Do you want to be burned into charcoal silently in the weeds? Even a dog official wouldn't want to die like a dog, would he? Come out, and I'll set off a big firework for you as your funeral."

A sneer was heard, and a man walked out from behind the dirt slope.

This person was dressed in green, with drunken, bleary eyes; it was none other than Chi Deputy Envoy of the Land Inspection Division. At this moment, his hair was slightly scorched and curled, and he was covered in sweat, looking quite disheveled from the roasting. However, he never had much of an image to begin with, so it wasn't particularly jarring today.

He was still holding a wine gourd in his hand, muttering: "Asking where the tavern is... the shepherd boy..."

While he was still chanting, that red-haired East Pillar of State had already shouted: "Fine, I've decided, I'll use this move to burn you—" As he spoke, a layer of flame-like Sword Qi ignited on his sword. This cluster of flames emitted a golden light, but the color had already turned pale; the higher the temperature, the clearer and paler it became.

"Apricot Blossom Village!"

A violent shout!

The previously listless Chi Deputy Envoy suddenly widened his eyes and pointed forward, aiming directly at the red-haired man.

Pfft—

A burst of wine-breath sprayed out from the rock under the red-haired man's feet, splashing all over him. Instantly, his clothes and skin were drenched in strong liquor.

It was the strongest, most potent 'burning knife' liquor, the kind that, once the vapors were steamed out, would ignite at the touch of a flame.

Whoosh!

The flames on the sword did not pause for even an instant, sweeping upward and engulfing the red-haired man without hesitation, turning him into a human torch.

"Hit him." Chi Deputy Envoy showed a hint of joy.

In the recent round of confrontation between wine and fire, although he did not have the upper hand due to the natural opposition of their attributes, he had not done nothing. Throughout his running back and forth, he had quietly sprinkled the wine-spring on the ground as a hidden move. He had come out just now at the risk of being burned to ash without a word, just to detonate it.

This gamble seemed to have succeeded...

"Hahaha..."

Inside that mass of flames which had already become a torch, someone was laughing wildly. There was no pain or strain in the laughter, only triumph and mockery. In the firelight, one could see that the man was still standing casually, his body seemingly a part of the flames, like a fish in water, and his hair had completely blended into the color of the flames, indistinguishable at all.

"How is this possible..."

Chi Deputy Envoy was extremely astonished. He had never expected the flames of the red-haired man's own Sword Technique to backfire; unless the Sword Heart had completely collapsed into a mess, a Sword Guest was immune to their own Sword Technique. But the fire he had just triggered was not a Sword Technique.

Although it was ignited by the flames of the Sword Technique, it had used the strong liquor as a medium; it was a naturally ignited fire, a real fire, not a Sword Technique. Even if it mixed with the Sword Technique's flames, it remained distinct and was not under the red-haired man's control; theoretically, it should have been able to burn him.

Could it be that the red-haired man really had such fast reflexes that he used some kind of Body Protection Sword Technique in an instant to isolate the burns?

"Do you think I used some Sword Technique to fireproof myself? Hahaha, I tell you, no!"

"Because there is no fire in this world that can hurt me; I am a person who will not burn!"

"Did you guess it? This isn't my innate ability, but a gift from that calamity. Aside from destroying my family, forcing me to leave my home, and subjecting me to the world's cold stares, the calamity ultimately gave me one gift, making me different from others. I am completely unafraid of flames; perhaps—am I no longer human?"

He laughed loudly, but as he laughed, there was no mirth left: "Did you never realize my difference at all? Did you think I only had ugly red hair? Isn't your Land Inspection Division supposed to be recruiting able-bodied men from among the refugees? Aren't you known for daring to break into forbidden zones? As a Deputy Envoy of a city, you didn't even seriously learn about the people who might become your subordinates? Or do you not consider them people at all? Do you treat them as livestock for you to drive? The Yunzhou Land Inspection Division is hypocritical to the extreme!"

In the flames, one could vaguely see him lift his head.

"Since I have entered this state, I will use that move."

He drew his sword and pointed it upward.

"Sword Technique—Vermilion Bird Descends!"

A cry echoed from the sky.

In the heavens, as if glowing with rosy clouds, a giant divine bird descended from the sky.

Although this form was still very thin and not like reality, but rather like a mass of thin rosy light, it was undoubtedly a divine bird. Its wings spread, covering the sky and blocking the sun; the feathers on its body were clusters of flames, and the endless firelight added divinity to its trailing tail.

It descended, and endless heat waves pressed down, with high temperatures rising. If the forest of flames had been restrained before and often had moments of extinguishing, the forest at this moment had begun to burn uncontrollably.

Any flammable material—trees, withered grass, fur—had begun to smoke, constantly cracking and curling, ready to spontaneously combust in the next second. And those torches that had not yet burned out rose up, crazily expanding outward. It was clear that a forest was about to turn into a sea of fire.

Chi Deputy Envoy was in the midst of it, not yet burning; his whole body was covered in Sword Essence, which could block the high temperature—usually, he used Sword Essence to turn into wine-breath for Body Protection, but at this moment, he naturally dared not, using the purest Sword Essence instead. Although temporarily safe, he still felt a sense of heart-palpitating dread.

And the sea of fire was merely the prelude to the Vermilion Bird's arrival. Chi Deputy Envoy did not doubt that the moment the Vermilion Bird's feathers touched the ground, flames with temperatures a hundred times higher than the forest fire would incinerate everything before him; that was a power no living being could resist.

How could this be?

This destructive power should not be a Sword Technique. Even if a Sword Technique were entirely stacked on fire damage, it had a limit; the momentum of this Vermilion Bird was already at the level of Sword Law.

Could it be that this was truly a special ability of the Yin Calamity survivors?

Chi Deputy Envoy gave a bitter smile—he realized the red-haired man was right. The Deputy Garrison Commander who had personally gone to Yinhuo Township to recruit Land Inspection Division personnel had not actually taken the time to understand those people with different hair colors.

At this moment, the fire was imminent. Although he was flustered, he was not yet desperate—as a veteran Sword Guest, he always had a trump card to escape. But escaping meant truly escaping, instantly a hundred miles away; it would be very difficult to return to this battlefield again.

That was equivalent to a battle of three people; if he left without permission, he would leave two comrades to face many with few. He wasn't worried about Xing Ji; a Sword Hero was much harder to eliminate than a Sword Guest and could also withdraw. But wouldn't Tang Zhao be screwed to death by him?

He had just said with his own mouth that Tang Zhao should just stall if he couldn't win, waiting for him to finish off the enemy and come to the rescue. Perhaps Tang Zhao was still fighting stubbornly, bitterly waiting for him.

A man surnamed Chi never went back on his word, even to an enemy, let alone to his own child.

Even with the Vermilion Bird looming over him, he was still frantically racking his brain—how to shift over to Tang Zhao's side and save the child—

"Sword Technique—Morning Light!"

A beam of light shone from behind, piercing through the heavy flames and opening a path of light.

At this moment, flames were still everywhere; any substance would burn upon approaching, even glaciers would melt, and cold water would evaporate; no existence could pass through the layers of the sea of fire.

Except for light!

That light was so gentle and pure that even Chi Deputy Envoy, who had been parched by the roasting heat, could feel the warmth unique to light.

The light pierced through the flames, isolated the smoke and dust, and shone upon Chi Deputy Envoy.

Chi Deputy Envoy was stunned for a moment, then heard Tang Zhao say, "Deputy Envoy, do not resist, trust the light, and follow me."

Chi Deputy Envoy felt his heart relax and released the protection of his Gang Qi and Sword Essence; in just an instant, he seemed to melt into the light, and with a *whoosh*, his figure vanished from the spot.

At the origin of the light, Chi Deputy Envoy appeared again.

He saw Tang Zhao at a glance, holding his sword and looking at him with a grin.

How could he not know what was going on at this point? This person had come to save him, and he couldn't help but secretly exclaim: How shameful!

He had originally intended to finish the battle quickly to save Tang Zhao, but he hadn't expected to be saved by Tang Zhao, who had rushed over. This kid really had ability and had improved even more than before. Although his opponent was the weakest, a Spirit Official still had some skill. To resolve it in such a quick, two-or-three-stroke manner, it would have to take at least...

"You kid are quite nimble with your hands. That guy couldn't take a beating... Wait—"

Chi Deputy Envoy stared at Tang Zhao, his gaze fixed firmly on the sword in Tang Zhao's hand; it was the dark golden sword he had seen by the swamp, now undoubtedly unsheathed, revealing a blade with flowing radiance:

"You... how is your sword unsheathed? You... you damn well are already a Sword Guest?"