Fighting the Candle Dragon

Chaos.

Haotian and Candle Dragon arrived one after another.

Haotian shrouded himself with the Haotian Tower, the Haotian Sword gripped in his hand.

Candle Dragon, meanwhile, held a Bright Silver Spear, with a fist-sized Dragon Pearl spinning unceasingly atop his head.

As the Dragon Pearl revolved, streams of clear light cascaded down.

It shielded Candle Dragon from the erosion of the Chaos Qi.

Seeing that Haotian did not immediately deploy his Law Domain, Candle Dragon understood that Haotian intended to test his measure as well.

Thus, Candle Dragon spoke: "Daoist friend, if you please!"

Haotian replied upon hearing this: "Daoist friend Candle Dragon, you go first!"

At Haotian's words, Candle Dragon did not stand on ceremony.

He immediately swung his long spear and charged at Haotian.

As a Quasi-Saint, such a short distance in combat was naturally crossed in an instant.

By the time Candle Dragon appeared, Haotian saw only a spray of spear blossoms before his eyes.

Seeing this, Haotian calmly raised the Treasure Sword in his hand.

The sword instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning, stabbing straight into the center of the spear blossoms.

No matter how flashy the feints, the center of the spear blossoms remained the locus of the true strike.

"Clang."

With a light sound, Haotian's Treasure Sword flew back.

The spear blossoms Candle Dragon had been spinning also came to a halt.

Seeing his move broken, Candle Dragon's expression did not change in the slightest.

This was only the beginning, barely a probe of basic technique.

From this single exchange, both had solid foundations in fundamental skills.

Yet, though Candle Dragon's face remained unchanged, his heart could not help but stir with doubt.

His own basic techniques were so solid because of years of actual combat and slaughter.

He had accumulated them bit by bit through battle.

But what about Haotian?

Before becoming the Heavenly Emperor, this fellow had always stayed in the Purple Cloud Palace.

After ascending, he had rarely been seen fighting many cultivators.

Where did he get his training?

Thinking this, Candle Dragon's hands moved without any pause.

In the blink of an eye, he split into countless clones, all attacking Haotian at once.

Seeing this, Haotian's expression remained calm.

He simply tossed the Treasure Sword into the air.

Then, with a thought, the sword multiplied into thousands.

The sky-filling swords covered the battle circle between him and Candle Dragon.

Just as Candle Dragon and his clones were about to act, the myriad swords fell like lightning.

As the swords descended, Candle Dragon's clones were instantly wiped out.

Only Candle Dragon's true body, protected by the Dragon Pearl, remained unharmed.

He continued thrusting his spear at Haotian.

Haotian did not recall the swords; instead, he pointed a single finger at the oncoming spear tip.

Seeing Haotian use a finger to counter his attack, the smile at the corner of Candle Dragon's mouth could barely be suppressed.

What are you pretending for, Haotian?

We are both Quasi-Saint cultivators.

You actually think you can block my attack with one finger?

If you really pull this off, how will the cultivators of the Primordial World view This Seat?

With this thought, Candle Dragon's Mana circulation speed instantly increased severalfold.

In a flash, the Bright Silver Spear in Candle Dragon's hand met Haotian's finger.

Candle Dragon, gripping the Bright Silver Spear, felt the spear's momentum suddenly stall.

Then he felt a tremendous force transmitted from the spear.

Before he could react, Haotian thrust his right arm forward.

Candle Dragon was sent flying backward a great distance.

A moment later.

Candle Dragon steadied himself.

He asked with a puzzled expression, "What kind of divine ability is this?

To be able to withstand This Seat's attack with mere physical strength."

Haotian replied indifferently, "Imperial We named it 'Sky Imprisoning Finger.'

What do you think?

Does this finger of Imperial We meet your Dharma Eye, fellow Daoist?"

Candle Dragon made no comment.

Instead, he raised his hand and unleashed a Water Filth Thunder.

Seeing this, Haotian said softly, "Thunder techniques?

Imperial We has also dabbled in a bit."

Before his words faded, Haotian raised his hand and sent out a bolt of Zixiao Divine Thunder.

"Boom!"

A thunderous crash.

The two divine thunders collided in the Chaos.

In an instant.

The Chaos Qi around the thunders exploded.

Earth, wind, fire, and water spilled out in all directions.

Yet Haotian's Zixiao Divine Thunder did not completely vanish after the collision.

The residual lightning shot toward Candle Dragon.

Seeing the remaining Zixiao Divine Thunder approaching.

Candle Dragon hurriedly activated his Dragon Pearl to protect himself.

After a crackling burst like frying beans, Candle Dragon neutralized the residual divine thunder.

Haotian spoke up, "Fellow Daoist Candle Dragon, do you have any other tricks?

If this is all, then this duel might as well end here."

Hearing Haotian's words, Candle Dragon felt a flicker of anger.

He knew he couldn't beat Haotian.

But saying it like that—doesn't it make This Seat look utterly worthless?

If he didn't pull out some real skill now, wouldn't Haotian look down on him?

Then the Dragon Race would truly have no standing in the Heavenly Court.

Having made up his mind.

Candle Dragon shook his form and transformed into his true body, ten thousand zhang tall.

A one-eyed giant dragon appeared in the Chaos.

As the giant dragon's single eye opened and closed, divine light flickered.

Seeing that Candle Dragon had brought out his true strength, Haotian did not act arrogantly.

He shook his form and in an instant turned into a giant.

The moment his form stabilized, Haotian did not wait for Candle Dragon to strike first.

He reached out a giant hand and grabbed at Candle Dragon.

Seeing the giant hand coming, Candle Dragon naturally would not sit idly by.

The eye on his forehead opened wide, and a jet-black divine light shot forth instantly.

Seeing the black divine light approaching, Haotian couldn't help but frown.

Within that dark divine light came a chilling aura of darkness that made his heart tremble.

Since he sensed danger, Haotian naturally wouldn't take it head-on.

He raised his left hand slightly, and a bolt of Zixiao Divine Thunder shot straight toward the black light.

And this bolt of Zixiao Divine Thunder was far larger than the previous one.

Its speed was also many times faster.

In the blink of an eye, the Zixiao Divine Thunder actually overtook the black light despite being launched later.

Before the dark light touched his palm, the Zixiao Divine Thunder had already collided with the pitch-black divine radiance.

What happened next made the Candle Dragon's jaw drop.

The pitch-black divine radiance he had unleashed, upon meeting the Zixiao Divine Thunder, shattered inch by inch.

As the Zixiao Divine Thunder dissipated, the dark light he had emitted also faded away.

Yet Haotian gave him no chance to gawk.

As the pitch-black divine radiance vanished, the giant palm once again reached for the Candle Dragon.

Seeing this, the Candle Dragon flicked his tail.

His entire body slithered like a loach, slipping away from Haotian's giant palm.

At this sight, Haotian immediately twisted his hand.

He swept after the Candle Dragon's form, trying to snatch him.

His Spiritual Sense swept behind him, catching the giant palm clinging like a stubborn bone.

The Candle Dragon felt a trace of helplessness in his heart.

Boundless Chaos, damn that Dao Ancestor!

How in the world did this Haotian train?

His foundational techniques were solid, and his divine abilities came in an endless stream.

What's more, the power of the divine arts he displayed was "not low" at all.

At the very least, it was somewhat difficult for him, the Candle Dragon, to withstand them.

But Haotian cared nothing for the Candle Dragon's thoughts.

His giant hand chased the Candle Dragon's figure through Chaos.

Now darting up and down, now veering left and right.

A grand drama of catching a loach unfolded right there in Chaos.

After chasing for a while, Haotian suddenly raised his left hand again.

He unleashed the Zixiao Divine Thunder once more, shooting it toward the path ahead of the fleeing Candle Dragon.

Purple lightning tore through Chaos.

The fleeing Candle Dragon felt his scalp tingle.

Then, forcing his body to twist, he narrowly dodged the thunderbolt.