Harry did not dare let his guard down. He focused his mind and carefully watched Lin Tian's movements. The instant Lin Tian transformed into a flaming longsword and thrust toward him, Harry swiftly unleashed the Fire Element Mystery, condensing a shield of fire before himself. Unlike Lin Tian's fire shield, this one was more solidly condensed, its surface flickering with a dark crimson glow. It had clearly incorporated the power of the Scorching Mystery.
The flaming longsword struck the fire shield with a crisp metallic clang. The moment it touched the shield, Lin Tian felt a powerful resistance and searing heat. His heart tightened as he realized that Harry's Scorching Mystery was at work, attempting to melt his flaming longsword.
Lin Tian had a sudden idea. He quickly altered the shape of his flaming longsword, turning it into countless tiny flaming needles that shot toward Harry from every direction. These flaming needles were incredibly fast, and each one contained powerful Fire Element energy.
Seeing this, Harry rapidly waved his hands. The flames of the Scorching Mystery around him quickly spread outward, forming a massive vortex of fire. The vortex spun, drawing in every flaming needle and reducing them to ashes in an instant.
At that moment, Lin Tian once again unleashed the Fire Element Mystery. Countless golden chains of flame suddenly appeared in the space around Harry. As though alive, they coiled toward him. Harry tried to break free, but the chains were exceptionally tough. Moreover, the more he struggled, the fiercer the flames upon them burned, binding him ever tighter.
"This is..." Harry was startled. He could sense Lin Tian's exquisite control over the Fire Element Mystery within those flaming chains. To think Lin Tian could set such a trap amid a battle this fierce.
As Harry struggled to free himself from the flaming chains, Lin Tian seized the opportunity to condense a golden flaming saber. Gripping it with both hands, the fiery aura around him surged to its peak. Then Lin Tian leaped high into the air and slashed down at Harry like a burning meteor. He had poured all his strength into this strike. Even the space around the blade warped from the flames, emitting waves of buzzing sounds.
Harry knew full well how powerful this strike was, and he no longer held back. The fiery radiance around him flared brilliantly as the Scorching Mystery and the Fire Element Mystery merged perfectly, forming a powerful Flame Shield. This shield possessed not only the extreme heat of the Scorching Mystery, but also the formidable defensive power of the Fire Element Mystery.
Boom! The flaming saber struck the Flame Shield, erupting in a blinding flash. The powerful collision tore huge cracks through the surrounding ground, while rocks throughout the valley crumbled one after another. Both Lin Tian and Harry were blasted backward by the force.
After steadying himself, blood trickled from the corner of Lin Tian's mouth. Although his all-out strike had failed to break through Harry's defenses, it had consumed a great deal of his strength. Harry was not in much better shape. Fine cracks had appeared on his Flame Shield, showing that Lin Tian's attack had put him under considerable pressure as well.
"Lin Tian, I never expected you to be this formidable, to force me to use my full strength." Harry looked at Lin Tian with eyes full of admiration. "But this battle is not over yet!"
As soon as Harry finished speaking, the fiery aura around him rose once more. This time, he pushed the Scorching Mystery and the Fire Element Mystery to their limits. His entire body seemed to transform into a miniature sun, radiating light and heat too intense to look at directly.
Harry raised both hands, then fiercely swung them down toward Lin Tian. A colossal dark crimson fireball suddenly appeared in the sky. It was dozens of meters in diameter, its surface flames churning violently as though it could explode at any moment.
The fireball slowly descended toward Lin Tian. Wherever it passed, the air ignited instantly, forming a vast passage of flame. Lin Tian felt unprecedented pressure. He knew that Harry's attack was immensely powerful. If he did not go all out, he would certainly lose.
Lin Tian took a deep breath and focused all his attention. He pushed his understanding of the Fire Element Mystery to its utmost limit. The flames around him became increasingly pure, taking on an almost transparent golden hue.
Lin Tian's hands moved rapidly. In an instant, the flames around him underwent a wondrous transformation. They formed an entirely new power.
Lin Tian gathered this new power of flame into his hands, forming a gigantic divine sword of fire. Its blade was transparent, with golden flame patterns flowing within it, radiating a terrifying aura.
Gripping the divine sword of fire with both hands, Lin Tian charged toward the descending dark crimson fireball. The moment the divine sword touched the fireball, time seemed to freeze. Then a deafening explosion rang out, and the violent shockwave swept through the entire valley. Flames, shockwaves, and scorching heat intertwined, instantly leveling the valley.
A streak of red light shot over from afar and plunged into the smoke and dust.
After a long while, the smoke and dust gradually dispersed.
Lin Tian was seen holding the divine sword of fire as he knelt on one knee. His clothes were badly torn, yet a trace of relieved satisfaction rested on his face. Across from him, Harry was equally disheveled. His hair was messy, and the fiery glow around his body had dimmed considerably.
Leo I stood between them, maintaining a shield of fire. He had watched the battle from afar, and when he saw that both had gone all out, he had rushed over at top speed to protect them.
"Hahahaha!" Harry suddenly laughed. "Lin Tian, I never imagined that you could comprehend the Fire Element Mystery to such a degree in so short a time, unleashing such tremendous power."
Lin Tian slowly rose to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said, "Great-Grandfather, your Scorching Mystery and Fire Element Mystery are incredibly powerful. If the Ancestor had not intervened, I would have been no match for you."
Harry smiled and waved his hand. "Your strength has surpassed my expectations. If the Ancestor had not intervened, I might not have been your match. Your understanding of the Fire Element Mystery is far above mine. And after this spar, you should have gained a clearer understanding of your own strength. Continue working hard, and you will surely rise to greater heights."
Lin Tian humbly replied, "You flatter me. I still have a long road ahead."
Leo I took over, saying, "Lin Tian, there is no need for modesty. Harry's Scorching Mystery and Fire Element Mystery have already begun to merge. Yet you were able to fight him evenly while having comprehended only the Fire Element Mystery. This shows that your understanding of the Fire Element Mystery has already reached a profound level.
"But Lin Tian, remember this: if you wish to go farther in the future, comprehending the Profound Mysteries of the Laws individually will not be enough. Only by merging the Profound Mysteries of the Laws can you go further. And the earlier you begin merging them, the better. When your comprehension of the Profound Mysteries of the Laws is not yet too deep, merging them progresses relatively quickly. Do not waste your talent."
Lin Tian said gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor. And thank you as well, Great-Grandfather. Through this spar, I have indeed discovered my shortcomings and come to understand the direction of my future cultivation."
Before you continue