Yu Chen had just finished setting up the witchcraft curse when flames burst forth from every direction, spreading relentlessly toward where he stood. These flames were peculiar: they did not burn the grass and trees themselves, but scorched vital energy instead. The rune seeds Yu Chen had buried in the soil were burned utterly clean. The Azure Light Mirror was exposed, giving off a faint glow as it kept the surrounding flames from drawing near.
The flames merely suppressed the Azure Light Mirror and did not care whether they could burn the mirror itself. As the blaze spread, however, a strange fragrance filled the air. Yu Chen caught only the faintest whiff, yet felt fury ignite within his heart, nearly driving him to lose control and attack first.
The divine soul within his sea of consciousness glanced at the manifested anger. The wheel of light behind its head turned, instantly grinding it to dust.
At the same time, Yu Chen stamped lightly. The witchcraft runes arranged around him emerged with faint glimmers, sealing the flames outside.
"I thought you might have some clever trick. I even deliberately slowed down and gave you some time. And this is all you've got?"
A youth wearing a crown of green vines and a crimson robe slowly emerged on blazing flames. Scarlet smoke billowed around him, black mist coiled about him, and he looked rather mysterious.
But Yu Chen saw at a glance that this fellow's aura was gloomy and sinister, not of any righteous path. The black mist around him was practically manifest resentment; he was no good man either. The only thing that let Yu Chen breathe a little easier was that, although this fellow's cultivation far surpassed his own, he had yet to reach the Ghost Immortal Realm. He was roughly