Ji Hao manifested his Yuanshi Dao Body. The Supreme Wuji Yuanshi Celebratory Cloud clustered around something ancient and unfathomable, neither quite a banner nor quite an axe. It had no color, yet seemed to contain every color.
The Pangu Banner slowly descended and merged with the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe. Ji Hao swung it with all his might.
The Flame Emperor refused to be outdone. He drove his Great Emperor body to its limit and unleashed a taboo secret technique from the Hengyu Scripture.
Boom!
An incomparably brilliant burst of sparks erupted in the starry sky. A streak of axe light cleaved space, instantly collapsing its structure. It looked as though an invisible maw had bitten a chunk out of the starry expanse.
Rumble!
A violent explosion erupted. A meteor streaked across several star domains and vanished into the unknown, leaving the Flame Emperor standing alone.
"The pupil has truly surpassed the master! I'm old, truly old! Hahaha!" The Flame Emperor laughed with unrestrained delight. An axe wound across his chest radiated an aura that would endure through the ages.
For the Flame Emperor, this was a tremendous opportunity. His imperial body was precisely what prevented him from breaking beyond the Extreme Dao. Now that the Heaven Opening Seal had wounded it and breached the Hengyu Great Dao, he finally had room to advance.
If the Flame Emperor could elevate his own Great Dao to the alternative path to enlightenment during this time, he would undoubtedly become a formidable fighting force during the Dark Turmoil.
He had found a path forward and given Ji Hao a beating. Double the happiness.
The Flame Emperor was exceptionally cheerful. Swaying his head and humming a little tune, he tore through space and returned to the Primordial World to contemplate the Great Dao.
On a