Chapter 263: It's Time to End This!

Lin Xuan was unhurried; he formed a seal with his hands, and a golden light instantly bloomed. Those black blades dissolved without a trace the moment they touched the golden light, just like ice and snow meeting a scorching sun. The black Qi let out an angry roar, constantly changing its form to launch attacks, but each time it was easily neutralized by Lin Xuan.

"It's time to end this." Lin Xuan suddenly accelerated, his entire person transforming into a stream of light as he charged directly into the center of the black Qi. The golden light flared, illuminating the entire space. The black Qi let out a strange sound that resembled both crying and laughter, and then it completely dissipated.

Following the disappearance of the black Qi, a raging flame appeared in the center of the space. Within the flames, a seemingly cute little spirit flickered in and out of view. It had fiery red hair, a body that seemed to be composed entirely of flames, and a hint of mischief in its eyes.

"A Fire Spirit?" Xiao Qing said in surprise, "No wonder this flame has a spirit. It seems the origin of this Tang Sect treasure is not simple."

The Fire Spirit curiously sized up the three of them, appearing extremely interested, especially in Lin Xuan. However, the next second, it suddenly launched a fierce attack on Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai. Flame Bullets struck like a rainstorm, forcing the two women to dodge continuously. Strangely, it consistently avoided Lin Xuan, not attacking him even once.

"It is testing our strength." Lin Xuan saw through the trick, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, "You two handle it carefully; I will prepare to absorb its power. This little fellow is much smarter than I imagined."

Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai coordinated with tacit understanding, one controlling the area while the other was responsible for output. The powers of ice and gale intertwined, quickly forcing the Fire Spirit into a desperate situation. Just at this moment, Lin Xuan opened his Spirit Sense and began to extract the spirituality within the flames.

The Fire Spirit let out a mournful cry, wanting to resist, but it was already too late. Lin Xuan's Spirit Sense was like a vast net, binding it firmly. Subsequently, Lin Xuan began to devour the power of the flames; the entire process was smooth and fluid, clearly prepared well in advance.

At this critical moment, Tang Miaoxing and the others finally rushed in. For some reason, the power that had originally blocked them outside suddenly vanished. When they saw the scene before them, everyone was stunned.

"Stop!" Tang Miaoxing shouted at the top of his lungs, "This flame is related to our Tang Sect's heritage; it cannot just disappear like this! Lin Daozhang, I beg you, stop!"

Lin Xuan turned a deaf ear, continuing to focus on the devouring. Tang Miaoxing turned to persuade Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai: "You two, quickly persuade Lin Daozhang; this is a matter of great importance! Once this flame disappears, the foundation of my Tang Sect for hundreds of years will be ruined!"

Xiao Qing glanced at him coldly: "Our benefactor has his own sense of propriety in doing things. It would be better for Sect Leader Tang not to make reckless speculations."

Xiao Bai said even more directly: "Are our benefactor's methods something you can understand? Just watch quietly."

"You!" Tang Miaoxing was so angry his whole body trembled, but he was helpless. Given the strength Lin Xuan was currently displaying, everyone present combined would not be his match.

Xu Xin was so anxious he stomped his feet, his eyes filled with despair: "What can we do? If this flame disappears, our Tang Sect's hundreds of years of foundation..."

"Wait!" Dong Chang suddenly shouted, his voice filled with astonishment, "Look! What is going on here?"

Everyone looked closely and discovered that the process of Lin Xuan devouring the flame seemed different from what they had imagined. Those flames did not completely disappear, but were instead reconverging in a special way, becoming purer and more powerful.

"This is..." Tang Miaoxing widened his eyes, unable to believe everything he was seeing, "He is not destroying it, but purifying it? This kind of method..."

Lin Xuan finally opened his eyes and looked at the dumbfounded crowd. His eyes still held a lingering trace of the flames, appearing exceptionally deep: "No need to worry, I am merely removing the impurities from this flame to make it more refined. For your Tang Sect, this is actually a good thing."

Hearing this, Tang Miaoxing and the others finally let out a sigh of relief. But watching Lin Xuan handle this level of power so easily, their hearts were still filled with shock. This kind of method had completely exceeded the scope of their understanding.

"Many thanks to Lin Daozhang for showing mercy." Tang Miaoxing bowed, his tone carrying a sincere apology, "We were too reckless. I didn't expect that not only did Lin Daozhang not destroy the flame, but he actually made it even more powerful."

Lin Xuan smiled faintly: "It is nothing. However, next, I need some time to stabilize this power. After all, the energy contained within this flame is far more powerful than you imagine."

Tang Miaoxing nodded repeatedly: "Of course, of course! I will arrange for people immediately; I will absolutely not let anyone disturb you."

Just like that, an incident that could have triggered a major conflict was perfectly resolved through Lin Xuan's methods. However, no one noticed that when Lin Xuan subdued the flame, a deep light flashed in his eyes, as if an even greater plan was currently underway.

Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai exchanged a glance, both seeing a smile in the other's eyes. They knew their benefactor too well; every seemingly casual action had a hidden meaning behind it. This flame, I fear, would not be so simple either.

Just as everyone was preparing to leave the high tower, Lin Xuan suddenly stopped his steps, his gaze cast toward the darkness in the distance. Over there, several figures were peeking from the shadows. They exuded a thick Dongying aura, clearly having come for the flame.

"Too strong..." a Black-Clothed Person whispered, his voice carrying unconcealable fear, "An existence of this level has completely exceeded our expectations. The intelligence the organization gave us is seriously inaccurate!"

"Retreat." The leader ordered, his tone filled with helplessness, "I fear this mission is going to fail. This Daoist named Lin Xuan is far more terrifying than we imagined."

Several Black-Clothed Persons were preparing to leave; their movements were as light as night-walking cats, making almost no sound at all. However, at this moment, a voice that was calm to the point of being cold suddenly rang out behind them.

"In such a rush to leave, that's not very good, is it?" Lin Xuan's voice carried a hint of playfulness, "Since you've come, why not stay a while longer?"

Several Black-Clothed Persons stiffened; when they turned around, they saw that Lin Xuan had appeared behind them at some point. The moonlight stretched his shadow long, yet it appeared so clear. That white figure stood there just like that, yet gave people a sense of oppression that could not be overcome.

"Baka!" the lead Black-Clothed Person growled, his voice carrying a hint of unwillingness. A samurai sword flashing with cold light appeared in his hand, and some ancient Runes were vaguely visible on the blade, "Since we have been discovered, then let you see the prowess of our Dongying warriors!"

Before the words had even faded, the other Black-Clothed Persons had already struck simultaneously. Various hidden weapons mixed with strange ninjutsu tore through the air, carving out cold glints under the moonlight. A thick, toxic gas permeated the air; clearly, these weapons had all been specially treated.