Fire Essence

Wind Dragon coiled above Lu Chen's head. Though he was a demonic beast, he was also an old monster who had lived for tens of thousands of years. In an instant, he understood Nantian Wan'er's feelings and Nantian Xiu's intentions.

Looking at Lu Chen, he cursed with a laugh, "Idiot. You really are a strange man who doesn't understand romance. Can't you see it?"

Hearing Wind Dragon's laughing scolding, Lu Chen was utterly confused. "Wind Dragon, what am I supposed to see?"

"Ah... forget it... Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."

Wind Dragon was speechless at the sight of Lu Chen. He stopped paying attention to him, lay atop Lu Chen's head, and went to sleep.

"Wind Dragon, don't sleep. What did you mean?"

Lu Chen kept calling to Wind Dragon, but received no response.

Nantian Xiu looked at Lu Chen in confusion. "Young man, what is wrong?"

"Ah... nothing. I was thinking about something." Lu Chen suddenly realized Nantian Xiu could not see Wind Dragon, so he quickly shook his head and changed the subject.

"Hehehe, youth is wonderful. Back then, I was also a beauty among beauties, but now, ah..." Nantian Xiu kept sighing as he looked at Lu Chen's youthful and spirited appearance.

"Go help Wan'er pack up. We should prepare to set off."

"Alright, Grandpa Xiu." Lu Chen ran toward Nantian Wan'er to help her pack.

An hour later, Nantian Xiu put away the small house and led Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er toward the depths of the Fire Prison.

Along the way, Lu Chen noticed that most of the surrounding demonic beasts had reached the Qi Descending Realm. These demonic beasts had already developed considerable intelligence and were patrolling their territories.

Lu Chen had now reached a location close to the depths of the Fire Prison. The temperature around him was several times higher than outside, and the Fire Toxin within his body showed faint signs of flaring up again.

Sensing Lu Chen's fluctuating aura, Nantian Xiu extended a hand and released a barrier to shield him.

Lu Chen turned and smiled at Nantian Xiu. "Thank you, Grandpa Xiu."

"We have now entered the true Fire Prison. High-level demonic beasts generally cultivate with the Flame Demon in the depths of the Fire Prison. The lower-level demonic beasts nearby are suppressed by the aura of the Phoenix Ancestor bloodline and will not dare attack us casually. We must hurry and press forward."

Wind Dragon hovered above Lu Chen's head, continuously blowing wind to cool him down.

Lu Chen walked at the front of the group, honing his techniques while clearing the way ahead.

Suddenly, a demonic beast five zhang tall leaped out of a lava pool ahead. Flames continuously burst from the pair of horns atop its head.

This demonic beast differed somewhat from ordinary Flame Monsters. It continuously absorbed fire elements from the lava to strengthen itself.

Sensing the aura of Lu Chen's group, the demonic beast turned to look at them. When it saw Nantian Wan'er, a joyful aura appeared around it.

"A little Flame Demon at the third level of the Breath Regulation Realm. It can release flame attacks, but it cannot withstand freezing attacks. It is condensed from the purest fire elements and only appears where fire elements are highly concentrated. It is rarely found outside."

"After a Flame Demon is killed, it forms Fire Essence brimming with fire energy. We can use it to see whether it will help this little girl." Wind Dragon looked at the Flame Demon before them as he spoke.

"Third level of the Breath Regulation Realm. This Flame Demon came at just the right time. I can test the results of my recent training in releasing spiritual energy externally."

As he spoke, Lu Chen took out the Primal Chaos Greatsword and circulated spiritual energy, coating the blade in a layer of ice-attributed spiritual energy.

"Young man, what are you doing? Do not attack demonic beasts carelessly. A battle might draw the attention of the surrounding demonic beasts." Seeing Lu Chen draw his weapon, Nantian Xiu was greatly puzzled.

"A senior told me that killing this kind of demonic beast can yield a kind of Fire Essence. I think it may be useful for Wan'er, so I want to give it a try."

Before Nantian Xiu could continue speaking, Lu Chen raised the Primal Chaos Greatsword and charged forward.

Star Serpent Hidden in Clouds

Whoosh

Lu Chen slashed the Flame Demon across the back, splitting it directly into two halves.

"Is that it?"

Lu Chen looked at the Flame Demon, which had been cleaved in two by a single strike, in confusion. No matter how sharp the Primal Chaos Greatsword was, a demonic beast in the Breath Regulation Realm should not have been this weak.

"Lu Chen, watch your back!" Nantian Wan'er's voice came from behind him.

Two little Flame Demons emerged from the lava behind Lu Chen and spat fireballs at him.

Star Serpent Hidden in Clouds

Lu Chen hurriedly used his Movement Technique to leap backward.

"Wind Dragon, what is going on? Why isn't it dead after being cut in two?"

Wind Dragon pondered for a moment before speaking. "This should be the Flame Demon's trait—immunity to physical attacks. As long as fire elements remain, the Flame Demon will never die. Do you see the Flame Demon's horns? What is stored inside them is the Flame Demon's Fire Essence energy."

"What you need to do now is continuously deplete the fire elements within. Only when the fire elements inside are exhausted can you kill the Flame Demon."

Seeing Lu Chen evade the attack, the two Flame Demons merged into one again. Their aura immediately rose to the fourth level of the Breath Regulation Realm as they swung a massive fist at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen did not dare underestimate the Flame Demon's attacks. He continuously used his Movement Technique to evade while taking the chance to observe its attack patterns.

"Now!"

A gap appeared in the Flame Demon's attacks. Lu Chen once more condensed water elements over the Primal Chaos Greatsword and attacked the Flame Demon.

One slash, two slashes, three slashes...

The Flame Demon's body was hacked into piece after piece.

"This time it should work, right? Its body has already been chopped into so many pieces."

Looking at the Flame Demon's body, Wind Dragon suddenly shouted, "Little Lu, keep attacking! Don't let them gather together again, or their cultivation will rise another level!"

From the Flame Demon's severed body, little Flame Demons formed one after another, and they began gathering together once more.

"What..."

Azure Emperor Divine Tree

Hearing Wind Dragon's words, Lu Chen hurriedly summoned the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, intending to bind the little Flame Demons.

"Don't attack with the vines. Wood feeds the flames; this will only make the Flame Demon stronger."

Seeing Lu Chen use the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, Wind Dragon hurriedly tried to stop him.

Unfortunately, the Azure Emperor Divine Tree was directly burned to ashes by the Flame Demon, and the Flame Demon's cultivation directly leaped to the fifth level of the Breath Regulation Realm.

Looking at the Flame Demon before him, which had nearly crossed an entire major realm, Lu Chen sighed. "Ah! I still know far too little about strange demonic beasts."

"Every time you kill the Flame Demon, it consumes Fire Essence, then slowly gathers itself and raises its realm. Only by preventing the separated Flame Demons from reuniting can you slowly wear it to death," Wind Dragon reminded Lu Chen from the side.

Puff, puff, puff

The Flame Demon sprayed fireballs at Lu Chen. The fireballs rained down around him, forming a rain of fire that burned the remaining trees in the area completely clean.

Seeing that Lu Chen still could not deal with the demonic beast, Nantian Xiu said, "Young man, do you need my help?"

"Grandpa Xiu, there is no need to trouble you. I can still handle it."

"I'm going in—heyah!"

Looking at the Flame Demon, whose realm had risen, Lu Chen seized the cover of firelight, raised the Primal Chaos Greatsword, and charged toward it. He slashed at the Flame Demon's arm.

Puff

With one slash, only a small portion of the Flame Demon's body was cut open before it rapidly healed.

"Fifth level of the Breath Regulation Realm. Its body really has become tougher. I refuse to believe it—again!"

Roar...

This strike hurt the Flame Demon. Firelight gathered around its fists as it swung a punch down at Lu Chen.

Feeling the force of the Flame Demon's fists, Lu Chen hurriedly dodged backward several paces. As he continued dodging, he seized opportunities to attack the Flame Demon.

"Wind Dragon, this Flame Demon heals too quickly in the lava. Is there any way to slow its recovery?"

Wind Dragon looked at the Flame Demon and thought for a moment. "It relies on dense fire elements to restore its body. As long as it remains in the lava, the Flame Demon will have an endless supply of fire elements to repair itself."

"We can try using wind and ice to freeze the surrounding lava and draw it out."

"Wind and ice? I'll try."

Lu Chen released the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, forming a shield around himself for protection.

Then he condensed ice elements and wind elements around his body. Wind Dragon released his source spiritual power from the side, helping Lu Chen continuously strengthen the wind elements.

Whoosh...

Gradually, an icy hurricane spread outward with Lu Chen at its center.

Nantian Xiu extended a hand and sensed the wind slowly gathering around them. "Wind elements? There also seem to be water elements mixed in. This young man is not simple."

"Little Lu, now! Freeze the lava and draw the Flame Demon out."

"Go!"

Lu Chen swung the greatsword, whipping up the surrounding wind and blowing it toward the Flame Demon.

The Flame Demon was directly swept into the air and drawn out, its aura slowly weakening.

Roar...

Seeing its connection to the fire elements cut off, the Flame Demon let out a howl in midair. Flames burst from its fists as it tore at the hurricane, trying to break free from the wind's restraints.

"Quick, wrap ice around the Azure Emperor Divine Tree and cover the lava." Wind Dragon continued reminding Lu Chen from the sky.

Seeing the Flame Demon about to break free, Lu Chen hurriedly spread the Azure Emperor Divine Tree in rows over the surrounding lava, freezing it solid.

Boom...

The Flame Demon broke free from its restraints, and its huge body smashed straight onto the icy surface. Without a connection to fire elements, the Flame Demon's aura plummeted.

Roar...

Firelight gathered around the Flame Demon's fists as it charged at Lu Chen.

"Good timing. Wind Dragon, let's go."

Lu Chen shouted, wielding the Primal Chaos Greatsword as he used his Movement Technique to rush at the Flame Demon.

Without support from external fire elements, the Flame Demon's ability to recover on its own plummeted. After several sword strikes, Lu Chen split it directly into two halves.

"Keep attacking! Don't let them gather together!"

Silver Serpent Emerging from its Lair, Dragon Descends to the Sea

Heyah!

Lu Chen unleashed his strongest attacks, continuously striking the Flame Demon.

One, two, three...

More and more little Flame Demons formed across the battlefield, while the threat they posed to Lu Chen grew weaker and weaker.

Looking at the Flame Demons covering the ground, Lu Chen put away the Primal Chaos Greatsword and gathered the cold energy within his body above his head.

This was a new move he had recently comprehended—Six Yang Palms that Split the Heavens: Cold Yang Holds Up the Sky.

Lu Chen soared into the air. A pair of giant hands appeared above his head, radiating boundless cold energy as they held up an icy yin sunwheel.

"Go!"

The icy yin sunwheel above Lu Chen's head instantly expanded and pressed down toward the ground.

The instant the icy yin sunwheel touched the ground, its frigid aura scattered in all directions, freezing the surrounding Flame Demons.

Lu Chen followed close behind, wielding the greatsword with both hands as he slashed at the frozen Flame Demons.

At this sight, Nantian Xiu sucked in a cold breath and praised Lu Chen's formidable combat strength.

Cultivators at the Qi Gathering Realm were generally still tempering their bodies and refining essence into qi. Few could unleash such overpowering attack methods.

Bang, bang, bang...

As the ice dispersed, all the little Flame Demons completely vanished along with the fragments.

A fiery red vortex slowly formed above the Flame Demon horn left behind on the battlefield.

Looking at the vortex that had formed, Lu Chen turned to Nantian Xiu. "Grandpa Xiu, this is the Fire Essence. Quickly let Wan'er take it."

Nantian Xiu lifted the vortex, formed a hand seal, and had Nantian Wan'er consume it.

"Grandpa, I can feel the cold energy in my body decreasing. The Fire Essence is hundreds of times more effective than Bright Sun Grass. If we find Fire Essence of even better quality, I think the yin-cold energy will disappear completely," Nantian Wan'er said as she sensed the aura within her body.

"It seems we chose the right direction, but we still need to search faster. If we do not find better-quality Fire Essence before the end of the month, I fear Wan'er will not make it through." Nantian Xiu looked at Nantian Wan'er with concern.