Against the Dou Zong, Severely Wounded

Before the giant hand seal arrived, Shen Wen had not even used a single Dou Technique.

All the onlookers present, including those who had originally felt a trace of admiration for Shen Wen's strength, now had only one thought left in their hearts: This young man was far too arrogant!

Between a Dou Huang and a Dou Zong lay an insurmountable chasm. The use of Space Power alone was enough to place a Dou Zong expert in an invincible position.

No matter how strong Shen Wen's body was or how abundant his Dou Qi, before Luo Cheng, a Five-Star Dou Zong, he was merely a slightly sturdier ant.

Yet, facing the whistling giant hand seal that contained vast Dou Qi and faint spatial ripples, not only did Shen Wen show no fear, but a sharp glint flashed across his face.

Azure light flowed over his right arm. Beneath the Azure Dragon Membrane, energy gathered within the middle finger of Shen Wen's right hand at astonishing speed.

That finger suddenly swelled in an eerie manner, layers of azure scales appearing over it. In the blink of an eye—

Shen Wen's finger had transformed into an azure dragon finger over a foot long!

The dragon finger was covered in azure scales, radiating a primordial aura. At its tip, cold light flickered as though it could pierce through space itself!

"Azure Dragon Finger!"

Shen Wen shouted softly, and the dragon finger shot forth like a spear!

"Screech—!"

Wherever the dragon finger passed, Luo Cheng's Dou Qi giant hand seal, capable of crushing an ordinary Dou Huang, instantly exploded into a sky full of light particles!

"What?!"

Luo Cheng's pupils abruptly contracted. Though he had not used his full strength in that attack, it was still not something a Dou Huang could break so effortlessly!

What was more, the other party had not used any high-level Dou Technique, but merely a finger condensed through his physical body and some peculiar energy!

Before he could think further, the vast Dou Qi of Shen Wen's Dou Huang Peak cultivation erupted without reservation, his aura soaring into the heavens.

At the same time, he opened his mouth and spat out a ball of incomparably blazing flame.

The flame shimmered with many colors. Countless beastly shadows seemed to race and roar within it, emanating a tyrannical heat that combined the savagery and wildness of myriad Demonic Beasts.

"Is that... beast fire? What an overbearing beast fire!" someone knowledgeable among the crowd cried out, yet they could not identify its origins.

Just then.

Cao Ying, who had been watching the battle, spoke in a bewitching, captivating voice carrying an undisguised trace of pride.

Her voice rang clearly throughout the entire area. "This flame was forged by gathering the source Fire Seeds of over ten thousand Fire Attribute Demonic Beasts, supplemented by countless rare Fire Attribute materials, and refined at enormous cost—the 'Myriad Spirit Beast Flame'!"

Her words paused slightly. As she looked at the surging flame, a glimmer of wonder also flashed through her eyes.

She continued, "Its essence is an imitation of the 'Myriad Beast Spirit Fire' from the Heavenly Flame Ranking, which was formed from the souls and bloodlines of myriad beasts.

"Though it cannot rank among the Heavenly Flames due to lacking the true souls of myriad beasts, its power far surpasses ordinary beast fire."

Luo Cheng's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

To condense the beast fires of so many Demonic Beasts into a single flame—Luo Cheng could think of only one place capable of such a feat.

The Pill Pagoda.

Could this person be connected to the Pill Pagoda?

And he looked so young; he was likely the personal disciple of some great figure.

No matter which great figure of the Pill Pagoda he was connected to, however, none were people Luo Cheng could afford to provoke.

Under Shen Wen's control, the Myriad Spirit Beast Flame let out an earth-shaking roar.

It instantly expanded, transforming into a vivid, multicolored fire dragon dozens of zhang long, its scales clearly defined and lifelike!

The space around the fire dragon warped beneath its extreme heat. With the momentum of burning the heavens and boiling the seas, it swept fiercely toward Luo Cheng in the sky!

The Heatwave rushed at them head-on. Even from far away, the people below felt as if they had been thrown into a furnace, and they retreated again and again in alarm.

The contempt on Luo Cheng's face had long since vanished, replaced by unprecedented solemnity.

His casual attack had first been broken by a single finger from his opponent.

Now, faced with this bizarre and powerful beast fire that could threaten him, how could he dare underestimate Shen Wen in the slightest?

"Come!"

Luo Cheng roared, releasing the formidable aura of a Five-Star Dou Zong without holding anything back.

Vast Dou Qi erupted like a volcano, condensing in his hand into an enormous dark-gold energy spear. Runes flowed along its shaft, radiating an unstoppable sharpness.

"Void Breaking Spear! Go!"

The dark-gold spear tore through the air with a piercing shriek, charging toward the oncoming Myriad Spirit Beast Fire Dragon.

At the same time, Luo Cheng's withered hand clenched fiercely in Shen Wen's direction.

The signature ability of a Dou Zong expert.

He used Space Power!

He intended to use Space Power to forcibly imprison Shen Wen's movements, preventing him from controlling the beast fire with agility!

An invisible spatial ripple descended in an instant.

The space around Shen Wen seemed to turn into solidified glue, powerful crushing force surging in from all directions, intent on locking him down completely.

Luo Cheng looked down at Shen Wen and said coldly, "Junior, it's quite impressive that you managed to force me to use Space Power!"

"Now that you can't break free from the power of space, neither of us has suffered a loss. Let's stop here. Just offer a sincere apology.

No fight, no acquaintance—we'll call it even!"

"Perhaps we can even share a drink someday!"

He could not afford to provoke the Pill Pagoda. Even though he was a Dou Zong, before the Pill Pagoda, he was nothing more than an ant.

If Shen Wen was willing to let the matter rest, that would be for the best.

Upon hearing Luo Cheng's response, the surrounding crowd also approved of his decision.

"To possess such flames, such Dou Qi cultivation, and such a terrifying physique—he must be a disciple painstakingly nurtured by the Pill Pagoda!"

"Indeed. If he truly is from the Pill Pagoda, he's not someone just anyone can provoke!"

"But this also shows the gap between a Dou Emperor and a Dou Zong. This prodigy did not lose unfairly!"

Yet, faced with this spatial confinement that was enough to drive any Dou Emperor to despair, the faint affinity for space within Shen Wen, originating from the Primordial Dragon Essence Blood, along with the Devouring Ancestral Symbol's ability to devour all energy, quietly began to operate.

Though it was not enough to let him freely control space like a Dou Zong, to completely imprison him, Luo Cheng's strength as a Five-Star Dou Zong was still far from sufficient!

"Roar—!"

A faint dragon's roar echoed from within Shen Wen's body. His body suddenly shuddered, and azure light burst forth.

The invisible Space Shackles were actually forced open by a sliver through the sheer strength of his body, combined with his subtle perception of space!

Though he had not completely broken free, it was enough for him to react.

He split his focus in two. On one side, he maintained control over the fire dragon formed from the Myriad Spirit Beast Flame incarnation, sending it into a fierce collision with the Void Breaking Spear.

Flames and golden light intertwined, corroded, and exploded wildly. The thunderous blasts resounded through the sky, while the escaping energy shockwaves made the surrounding buildings tremble and rattle.

On the other side, his hands formed three profound and intricate seals before his chest with lightning speed.

As the hand seals shifted, a terrifying power far beyond his Dou Qi cultivation suddenly erupted from between his brows!

Spirit Realm Mid-stage!