Chapter 1040: Power of the Heaven Flame
A nascent soul state cultivator fled from the south gate to the north, Ye Mo in relentless pursuit. Had Ye Mo not been carefully choosing his path, the persistent pursuit would have suggested outside assistance.
Leaving the north gate, the cultivator accelerated, his unease growing with Ye Mo's unwavering approach. Twenty thousand kilometers from the city, he halted, convinced of Ye Mo's fearless resolve. The cultivator couldn't fathom why a nascent soul state level three cultivator wouldn't fear him, but he chose to end the chase quickly.
Without a word, he drew a blood-red sword, whirling it to unleash a torrent of white demonic chi at Ye Mo. He aimed for swift, decisive annihilation, regardless of any schemes Ye Mo might employ.
A demonic cultivator? Ye Mo unsheathed Zi Xu, releasing purple sword rays in response. Before the demonic chi reached him, faint crackling sounds indicated corrosive demonic energy. Ye Mo hadn't anticipated such a capability from this seemingly ordinary cultivator. Even if he could deflect the energy, he wouldn't risk contact, uncertain of its potency.
Without hesitation, Ye Mo unleashed Zi Xu's power, the cascading purple sword rays forming a defensive formation. For the first time, he combined his Illusion Cloud formation kill strike with a defensive array. His potent cultivation essence, amplified by the intensifying sword rays, completely blocked the demonic chi.
The nascent soul state cultivator's initial surprise quickly shifted to amusement. He hadn't expected such power from a nascent soul state level three cultivator. It indicated Ye Mo's confidence in his ability to kill him without assistance. Ji Chuanxue had been right; this was an audacious individual. His disdain for Ji Chuanxue and Wen Caiyi, coupled with his apparent strength, had led the cultivator to assume a significant background. Now, he saw only an arrogant fool, doomed regardless of today's outcome.
His apprehension gone, the cultivator unleashed a sharp howl, his demonic chi surging with increased ferocity, piercing Ye Mo's formation. A putrid stench filled the air. "Punk," the cultivator sneered, intensifying his attack. "You think you can block my Zero Life Demonic Mist with a mere sword ray formation?"
Ye Mo recognized the pretense. He possessed the strength of a nascent soul state level three cultivator, blessed with eight spirit roots and cultivating the supreme Three Birth Chant. His cultivation essence and spiritual sense far surpassed those of ordinary cultivators; he could easily dispatch even a nascent soul state level eight cultivator like Ge Lian. Yet, this nascent soul state level seven cultivator possessed incredibly dense cultivation essence, and his Zero Life Demonic Mist was astonishing. Even Wu Yu would struggle against it.
The demonic chi's intensity grew, overwhelming his Illusion Cloud formation kill strike. Normally, Ye Mo would employ purple eye soul sever or shadowless, but against this demonic cultivator, those techniques were unsuitable; the demonic chi would persist even after his death.
Seeing Ye Mo's defenselessness, the cultivator sneered. A mere nascent soul state level three, possessing impressive strength, yet ultimately cowed. Ye Mo, however, sensed the absence of other cultivators within a thousand kilometers, emboldening him. His power surged, and the Illusion Cloud formation kill sword rays intensified.
"Pre-death struggle…" the nascent soul state level seven scoffed. "Die!" A bone-chilling red ray erupted from the blood-red sword, piercing the mist and aimed directly at Ye Mo's dantian.
Ye Mo countered with a red flame, which blossomed into a terrifying conflagration. Sizzle. The demonic mist vanished, leaving only the scent of burning. Clash. Zi Xu and the blood sword collided, sending blood rays flying, instantly consumed by the flames. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Mo unleashed his Illusion Cloud whirlpool strike.
The nascent soul state level seven, astonished by Ye Mo's superior cultivation essence, spat blood—blood instantly vaporized by the encroaching flames. "My Zero Life Demonic Mist!" he cried, barely retracting his sword before the flames enveloped him. "You have a heaven flame..." his words were cut short as the Mist Lotus Heart Fire consumed him. He understood then why Ye Mo had shown no fear, and he died, his consciousness obliterated by the heaven flame.
Ye Mo retrieved the storage ring and departed, re-entering the city through the south gate, ignoring the blood-red sword. He knew the powerful demonic mist would inevitably attract attention despite their distance from the city, so he returned immediately. The encounter spurred him to develop battle techniques for his heaven flame. Its raw power was undeniable, but it needed refinement for dealing with stronger, fire-attuned opponents.
Fifteen minutes later, two vastly superior cultivators arrived. One frowned, gazing in the direction of Ye Mo's departure. "Blood sword?" one said, picking up the discarded weapon. The other nodded. "It's a legendary weapon, wielded by the blood demon Shi Lan three thousand years ago and, more recently, by Lu Jianqiang, a ruthless demonic cultivator. How could he be killed? He was careful, always avoiding risk."
The first cultivator explained, "It's called the Blue Butcher. Its presence here, discarded, confirms Lu Jianqiang's demise. The battle signs and traces of Zero Life Demonic Mist suggest a similarly powerful opponent."
"But why leave the Blue Butcher? It's a top-grade artifact, yet it seems to have lost its spirit," the other commented.
The first cultivator, after a moment's reflection, said, "Brother Mi, if I'm not mistaken, there are traces of a heaven flame. The Blue Butcher was destroyed by it, hence its abandonment."
"What? A heaven flame? There's a cultivator with a heaven flame?" The other cultivator was profoundly shocked.