Chapter 97: Crushing the Martial Sovereign

"The wind aids the flames; this sea of fire is the manifestation of the Wind‑Wave Technique's power. If you want to kill me, you must first get through this fire sea transformed by the Wind‑Wave Technique!"

His voice just rose, and the surrounding fire demons and blazing flames surged up, swirling toward Lei Di.

"Bang!"

The thunder fire demons collided, exploding with a roar, churning scorching, and once again transformed into thunder fire; the aura was imposing, and the thunder fire demons all stepped back.

"How is that possible? That person clearly gave you up; how can you still block me?"

Lei Di's face turned horrified; his thunder hammer swirled, blasting the surging fire waves apart, yet his eyes stared fixedly at Lu Fan, a look of utter disbelief.

"Block you? You underestimate me and overestimate yourself!"

Lu Fan gave a cold smile, leapt upward, stepping on the fire waves, and actually dove into the thunder fire turbulence zone. "The wind aids the flames, thunder fire shares the same source! Qing Yi, you can't handle this; if another you joins, you will surely die today!"

He flicked his sleeve, and the previously chaotic thunder fire instantly steadied, gathering into clusters that formed thundercloud flames, converging around Lei Di.

"This is... the Art of Subduing Thunder!"

Lei Di's eyes widened, his spirit trembling. The fire waves and thunder‑born thunder fire were boundless in power—almost equivalent to him teaming up with Qing Yi against an opponent.

The thunder hammer in his hand swung repeatedly, lightning flashing as he hammered at the thundercloud flames. Yet as soon as they touched, before the power could manifest, the cloud swelled, swallowing the thunder, and the thundercloud flame's momentum surged, speed spiking, and it suddenly appeared before him.

"Puff—!"

The thundercloud flame, though weak, burst like a liquid light sphere, attaching to his chest, searing intensely.

He barely thought about it; his true qi condensed into a rigid form, forming a protective shield around him. Yet the thunder fire clung to the shield like bone‑eating maggots, with successive killing forces eroding it, and the shield's aura weakened greatly.

Lei Di's spirit tightened, unable to attend to anything else, he leapt backward like a bereaved dog, fleeing in disgrace.

"Heh heh! Only now do you think of leaving; don't you think it's a bit late!"

Lu Fan sneered, waved his palm, and the thunder fire waves birthed a dozen thundercloud flames, which instantly shot out, swirling toward Lei Di.

At the same time, the alchemical crystal furnace slammed down, mobilizing the entire fire sea's power, collectively pressing toward Lei Di.

This fire sea was originally the manifestation of the Wind‑Wave Technique, already sealed by Qing Yi's Martial Sovereign divine skill. Lei Di, who was already at a disadvantage against Qing Yi, now panics in disgrace, entangled by thunder fire; his full capabilities are reduced to only seventy percent, unable to escape.

In an instant, the situation flipped. The arrogant Martial Sovereign strongman became a bereaved dog, dodging east and west within the fire sea, utterly wretched.

The onlookers were repeatedly delighted, thinking it indeed turned out that way, yet they couldn't help sighing. Lu Fan, at such a young age, has already reached a level that can match a Martial Sovereign strongman; though achieved by clever force, it's still quite remarkable.

"Monster! He's literally a monster! Right now he's just a petty Martial Master, only third tier on the Seal Path; if given time, his future achievements would be unimaginable!"

"No wonder the news a few days ago said the Sacred Martial Hall's Wei Kuang Blade fell into his hands and turned him into a cripple. I thought it was nonsense, but now it seems that's exactly what happened!"

"The bright moon will rise; this child must be my Mingyue's blessing!"

At this moment, Wang Wu wore an excited expression. A few months ago, Lu Fan couldn't even pass the guild assessment and almost lost his life. In such a short time he made a meteoric leap, his methods astonishing—surely the result of that senior's teaching.

She thought that being able to apprentice under such a senior, receiving his teachings, becoming a dragon and phoenix, would surely free her from destiny and no longer be manipulated by her clan.

"This kid is amazing, using momentum; as long as the enemy can't grasp his method, defeating a stronger foe with weakness is a given."

Qing Yi let out a sigh, her beautiful eyes flickering, becoming even more curious about the person behind Lu Fan.

The crowd below had varied thoughts, but Lu Fan was not as relaxed as he seemed. Though he wielded the Wind‑Wave Technique's power with clever force, after all it is a Martial Sovereign method, and it cost him great effort.

Lei Di is no pushover either; he himself is a Martial Sovereign strongman. With his thunder divine skill, he doesn't have the upper hand in the Wind‑Wave Technique, but self‑preservation is never an issue.

As time passed, the Wind‑Wave Technique's power waned, the thunder fire's strength lessened, and the fire waves' momentum and force were far weaker than before, giving Lei Di a chance to catch his breath.

He saw Lei Di swing a palm, shattering the last thundercloud flame, growling viciously: "Lu Fan, today I'll spare you for now; after I refine the entire Lu family, I'll come suppress you!"

As soon as the words fell, his figure suddenly became ethereal, turning into a wisp of green smoke, diving toward the edge of the fire sea.

"Hmph! You have no chance!" Even now, the opponent still dares to threaten Lu Fan with the Lu family; Lu Fan could never tolerate that.

"Seven‑Star Illusion Mirage Banner, Star‑Locking Soul, suppress them!"

Lei Di had already reached the fire sea's edge, swung his thunder hammer again, trying to blast open the seal and escape.

At that moment, a flash of radiant light burst, splitting into seven strands, solidifying into seven beams of starlight that instantly suppressed Lei Di all around.

Space suddenly stilled, and Lei Di's massive force wielded with his Dark Demon Hammer barely gathered, hovering mid‑air.

He wore a terrified expression, his whole body trembling, sweat dripping from his forehead, yet he maintained a strange pose, like a statue.

"Hahaha! Kid, your tactics are good; without my aid you managed to suppress this person. Once I devour him, I'll reward you properly!"

Within the fire sea, a vague beast silhouette suddenly revived; though its features were blurry and its eyes hollow, it opened its mouth to speak. Its snarling was terrifying, oddly incomprehensible.

Lu Fan's pupils contracted, his face startled, and he instantly became solemn. The wild beast's phantom had regained consciousness—that would indeed be troublesome.

With that thought, the snarling beast silhouette lunged at Lei Di, clearly coveting the Sixth‑Tier Martial Sovereign's essence and blood. If it devoured him again, the beast would likely solidify further, perhaps even manifest a pair of faces.

"Your imagination is flattering! He is my captive; without my permission, no one may lay a hand on him!"

Lu Fan barked a cold shout, inhaled deeply and leapt into the air, positioning himself before the wild beast, cradling the alchemical crystal furnace in his hand, scattering seal incantations, intending to draw the beast silhouette into the furnace.

Suction forces stretched through the void, wrapping the beast silhouette, instantly blurring it. The beast's snarling visage changed dramatically, growling:

"Ah—this kills me. I won't let you have your way; I never want to return to that broken cauldron again!"

He roared skyward, boundless fire waves fluttered and surged; under the wild beast's howl, they gathered together, no longer obeying Lu Fan's command.

"Hmph! If I can suppress you once, I can suppress you a second time! You petty remnant dare to be reckless, seeking death!"

Lu Fan's brows tightened in anger, leaving no mercy; he cupped the alchemical crystal furnace with both hands and thrust it forward.

The furnace's lid opened by itself, a surge of seal wind burst out, forming a vortex that surged toward the wild beast's head.

Countless seal sigils flickered, their brilliance dazzling; the suction they emitted formed a continuous seal wind, resembling a bottomless abyss, firmly enveloping the beast.

"Roar! Howl!" The wild beast's phantom shouted repeatedly, its sole pair of eyes fixed on Lu Fan, as if to devour him.

Among the crowd below, Zhao Zhenchuan and Zu Qing Tan's faces flickered with excitement. Beside them, Ke Da Shi also flushed red, his emotions barely restrained.

"This must be the Heaven‑Earth Spirit Fire; countless seal cultivators exhaust a lifetime's strength yet cannot obtain this Heaven‑Earth Spirit Fire!"

"The spirit fire's divine intellect is formidable, its rebellious aura also astonishing. Only someone like Lu Shao, with such extraordinary talent, is qualified to reclaim it!"

"If we could wield the spirit fire, forging seals, refining pills, forging weapons, arranging formations, the success rate would be frighteningly high, and even the quality would greatly improve."

Other seal cultivators, hearing this, wore fervent expressions, eyeing Lu Fan in the sky with envy. If they learned that this so‑called 'spirit fire' is the remnant of a Heaven‑Earth ferocious beast, a single misstep could destroy heaven and earth; they could not imagine the consequences!

The rune vortex had already completely enveloped the ethereal beast silhouette, gradually drawing it into the furnace; just as the wild beast's lingering remnant was about to be suppressed again, the vortex suddenly extended a massive hand, reaching for the immobilized Lei Di.

"Kid, I'll let you have one more smug moment, but I've taken that Martial Sovereign. Once I devour him and condense a physical form, these petty fourth‑grade mystic artifacts will no longer be able to trap me!"

Lu Fan's complexion changed drastically; he didn't have time to wave his technique to block that massive hand. The palm slammed onto Lei Di's back with surging force, and a domineering devouring power erupted.

Bang!

Lei Di's body suddenly burst open, and the overwhelmingly powerful sixth‑stage Martial Sovereign turned into a puddle of flesh.

Seven points of starlight flickered, and a tattered great banner emerged. The massive force imbued by the Yin‑evil Nether Hammer also erupted at this moment, instantly tearing the fire‑wave seal, and thunderous might poured out.

The massive hand swirled, enveloping the puddle of flesh, about to roll it back.

Hum! You think that's beautiful!

Lu Fan's gaze turned cold, his surrounding true Qi erupted, strength surged wildly, "Return to Origin with One Breath." With a mighty shout, the Muscle Transforming Realm barrier shattered in an instant, and he leapt straight into the Bone Tempering Realm, the Great Talisman Master realm.

He had no time to gather Qi; one hand waved at the crystal furnace, while the other lunged for the tattered great banner.

Across a void of several dozen zhang, the banner's radiant glow flashed down and landed in Lu Fan's hand instantly.

"Seven-Star Illusion Mirage Flag, a single flag that covers heaven and earth! Seal it for me!" The great banner spun, and a misty radiance burst forth, turning into a clear qi that in an instant cloaked the massive hand.

Clack!

The massive hand offered no resistance and shattered immediately! Killing aura swirled, and blood‑Qi roiled, terrifyingly dreadful!

Damn it! This is the true one's essence and blood‑Qi; you have no right to seize it!

Within the rune vortex, the phantom of a wild beast howled and roared, but to no avail; its half‑body had already merged into the crystal furnace.

Bang!

Lu Fan flipped his massive hand, forcefully planting the Seven-Star Illusion Mirage Flag before him. Though beneath was merely void, it felt as if it were driven into solid rock. Strength swirled around, the banner fluttered in the wind, and strands of mysterious power radiated outward.

He suddenly turned his head, eyes fierce as a tiger and soaring as an eagle, his blazing gaze fixed on the alchemy crystal furnace, and he slapped it. A deafening "clang" rang out as the furnace's lid snapped shut.

The suction inside the rune vortex surged tenfold in an indescribable speed, instantly drawing everything into the crystal furnace. Even the phantom wild beast hadn't reacted before it was suppressed, leaving no sound at all.

Such a shocking scene, completely unimpeded, fell directly among the crowd below.

"This kid's techniques are astonishing; your master must be an unparalleled figure!"

Qing Yi's eyes flickered, shock beyond words. Lu Fan being able to use her Wind‑Wave Technique to conjure a sea of fire and trap Lei Di was already impressive. Yet the ferocious, terrifying Heaven‑and‑Earth Spiritual Fire was even stronger. That it was also subdued by Lu Fan with seemingly little effort is truly incomprehensible.

At this moment, Wang Wu wore an excited expression, gazing toward Lu Fan's direction with a hint of admiration. Of course, it wasn't for Lu Fan, but for the master behind him. Such a method must be the unparalleled divine skill of a supreme master, perhaps even covertly assisted.