Divine War (Part 1)

After learning many key points about divine-level cultivation from Leo I, Lin Tian felt an urgent need to verify his own strength. After careful consideration, he decided to spar with Harry. As a Lower God who, according to Porter, had comprehended both the "Scorching Mystery" and the "Fire Element Mystery," Harry was stronger than Lin Tian and made an excellent touchstone. However, Lin Tian hadn't interacted much with Harry, so he went to find Porter.

Lin Tian arrived at Porter's residence, where Porter was discussing something with Laun. Seeing Lin Tian, Porter was quite surprised and then asked, "Lin Tian, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"

"I want to spar with Great-Grandfather Harry to test my strength, but I don't know where he lives. I was hoping Grandfather could take me to find him," Lin Tian said truthfully.

"That's fine. Father has been paying close attention to you. He told me before that if you had any questions, I could bring you to him. I'll take you to see him tomorrow morning," Porter said with a hearty laugh.

Afterward, Lin Tian stayed with Porter and Laun to discuss the Profound Mysteries of the Laws. Although Lin Tian had only comprehended the Fire Element Mystery, having become a god, combined with his prior knowledge of the Coiling Dragon original work and his exposure to modern concepts, he was able to offer insights from a higher perspective that greatly benefited Porter and Laun. The two couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

The next morning, Porter took Lin Tian to Harry's residence on Fire God Mountain. He gently knocked on the door, and after a moment, it slowly opened, revealing Harry's tall figure. Seeing Porter and Lin Tian, a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, followed by a warm smile. "Porter, Lin Tian, what brings you here?"

After bowing respectfully, Porter said, "Father, I brought Lin Tian here because he wishes to spar with you and test the results of his recent cultivation."

Harry raised an eyebrow slightly, a glint of interest appearing in his eyes as he addressed Lin Tian. "Oh? You've only recently become a Lower God, yet you already have such an idea. Your courage is commendable. However, sparring inevitably carries the risk of injury. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Lin Tian nodded firmly. "Great-Grandfather, I am prepared. Only through actual combat can I truly understand my shortcomings. I hope you will not hold back."

Seeing this, Harry laughed heartily. "Good! Since you're so determined, I'll spar with you. But let me make it clear—I won't go easy on you."

Harry led the two to an open area in a valley on Fire God Mountain. The ground was flat and hard, clearly a place often used for sparring.

Harry said, "This is a place the Ancestor specially built for divine-level training and testing techniques. The surroundings were reinforced by the Ancestor with the help of Senior Walter. Here, you can go all out without worry."

Lin Tian nodded in acknowledgment. Porter felt the air around them ignite and twist from the aura emanating from the two, then quickly moved away.

Harry spoke first. "Lin Tian, you make the first move. Let me see how far your comprehension of the Fire Element Mystery has progressed."

Lin Tian didn't decline. Taking a deep breath, he rapidly circulated his divine power. He manifested the Fire Element Mystery, and in an instant, blazing flames erupted around him. The fire took on a strange golden hue, the result of his deep understanding of the essence of flame. Under his control, the flames danced around him like agile spirits, forming rings of golden fire.

"Ha!" Lin Tian let out a low shout and thrust both hands forward. One of the fire rings transformed into a golden Fire Dragon, claws bared as it lunged at Harry. The dragon was lifelike, every scale of flame seeming to contain immense power. Where it passed, the air sizzled and crackled from the heat.

Watching the approaching dragon, Harry's eyes showed a hint of approval. "Not bad. Your control over the Fire Element is becoming more refined." As he spoke, he unhurriedly raised his right hand, and a ball of dark red flame ignited in his palm. Though small, it radiated astonishing heat—this was the "Scorching Mystery" he had comprehended.

Harry waved his hand lightly, and the dark red flame shot toward the golden dragon. The moment they made contact, the golden dragon seemed restrained by an invisible force, its speed abruptly slowing. Then, the dark red flame surged like a tide over the dragon's body, rapidly eroding it. The golden dragon struggled and roared, but under the high temperature of the "Scorching Mystery," it gradually dissolved into nothing.

Lin Tian frowned slightly. He knew Harry was powerful, but he hadn't expected his attack to be so easily neutralized. Still, he wasn't discouraged; instead, it ignited his fighting spirit.

"Again!" Lin Tian quickly formed hand seals, muttering incantations under his breath. As he moved, the surrounding fire elements surged wildly, converging toward him. In the blink of an eye, a massive golden fire shield materialized before him. This shield was no ordinary defense—Lin Tian had infused it with his unique understanding of the Fire Element Mystery. Mysterious runes flowed across its surface, flickering continuously as if communicating with the surrounding fire elements in some arcane way.

Seeing this, Harry's expression turned serious. He knew that Lin Tian's seemingly simple fire shield actually contained many profound variations. He no longer underestimated his opponent. Waving his hands, the "Scorching Mystery" flames around him blazed even brighter, enveloping his entire body like a physical manifestation of the sun.

With a loud shout, Harry shot toward Lin Tian like lightning. The moment he neared the fire shield, he punched out with his right fist. The dark red flame on his fist instantly expanded several times, striking the shield with earth-shattering force.

"Boom!" A thunderous crash erupted as the fire shield and Harry's fist collided, unleashing a blinding flash and a shockwave. The ground around them was torn up by the immense force, sending gravel flying. Behind the shield, Lin Tian felt the tremendous impact, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground as he was pushed back.

However, Lin Tian's fire shield didn't shatter as easily as Harry had expected. After withstanding the blow, the runes on the shield's surface blazed with light, and a powerful rebound force erupted from it, knocking Harry back several steps.

"Good kid, you've got some skill!" Harry steadied himself, the admiration in his eyes growing stronger. He hadn't expected Lin Tian to endure his attack and even use the shield's properties to counterattack.

Seizing the gap as Harry retreated, Lin Tian quickly launched a counterattack. His form flickered, and he transformed entirely into a fire elemental lifeform, shooting toward Harry as a golden streak of flame. As he flew, Lin Tian constantly shifted his shape—now a flaming longsword, now a blazing battle-axe—making it impossible to predict his angle of attack.