The Fire Python's entire body was wreathed in somewhat distorted blood-red flames. Its enormous jaws gaped wide, and its fangs, each as thick as Xiao Yan himself, radiated a warped fluctuation.
At the sight of the strange python before him, a trace of unease stirred in Xiao Yan's heart. He hurriedly fled into the distance.
But just as Xiao Yan fled, the Blood-Red Flame Python behind him suddenly opened its hideous maw. An enormous pillar of lava formed from blood-red flames erupted like a volcano.
Instantly, the lava pillar, within which the shapes of countless beasts flickered, shot viciously toward Xiao Yan's back.
"Explosive Step!" Xiao Yan cried, his speed surging.
Bang!
The pillar of fire swept past two meters from Xiao Yan's side and slammed straight into the yellow sand. The scorching heat it contained actually burned away a section of the clothing along his side.
The burning sensation on his skin made Xiao Yan suck in a sharp breath.
Although the first pillar missed, the python spat out another in the very next second.
This second pillar was clearly much faster than the first. Leaving a crimson streak of flame through the air, it hurtled toward Xiao Yan's back with devastating force.
Looking back at the pillar of flame about to engulf him, Xiao Yan's face filled with absolute horror. The approaching heat had already burned the clothing on his back to ashes, and his slightly dusky skin had turned bright red.
"Explosive Step!"
As his shout rang out, a faint green glow rose from the soles of Xiao Yan's feet. A muffled, explosive report burst out where his feet met the yellow sand.
He stamped heavily across the sand several times in succession, each footfall producing another dull explosion.
In that instant, Xiao Yan's body practically pierced through the air's resistance, shooting out of the pillar's reach like a bolt of lightning.
The enormous lava pillar missed again and plunged heavily into the yellow sand. A thunderous explosion immediately rang out, making the entire desert tremble.
"Hiss!"
Seeing its attack evaded, fury flared in the Blood-Red Flame Python's eyes. Its enormous tail lashed out, smashing viciously toward Xiao Yan.
An explosion sounded beneath his feet, and Xiao Yan launched himself straight up, easily dodging the Blood-Red Flame Python's sweeping tail.
While airborne, Xiao Yan reached back and gripped the Black Ruler on his back, wrenching it free. His foot stamped against empty air, and his body appeared above the blood-red python's head almost instantly.
The Black Ruler in his hand tore through the wind with a ferocious howl. Like a thunderbolt, it gave the Blood-Red Flame Python no chance to react before smashing hard into its head.
Immediately, rivulets of crimson blood seeped from its head.
"Hiss! Hiss!"
Struck so suddenly in the head, the Blood-Red Flame Python let out a piercing hiss. Bloodlust and savagery gleamed in its diamond-shaped pupils as it abruptly opened its blood-filled maw and swallowed Xiao Yan whole.
"No..." Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly, and bitter unwillingness filled him.
He could not believe he would actually die in the jaws of a serpentine soul beast.
Yet the instant Xiao Yan fell into the Blood-Red Flame Python's mouth, a mass of green flames swept from his palm and enveloped his entire body.
A few minutes later.
Inside the blood-red python's belly lay a world of crimson. A mass of blood-red flames drifted slowly through it, the shapes of countless beasts faintly appearing across its surface.
Only upon drawing closer and looking carefully could one make out a body lying within, entirely wrapped in green flames. The surrounding blood-red flames seemed intent on devouring that body, but the green flames prevented them from approaching.
"I'm actually... still alive?"
An extremely faint murmur escaped Xiao Yan's lips. Suddenly, several strands of green light pierced the darkness and shone upon his consciousness.
They prompted Xiao Yan to slowly open his eyes.
What greeted him was a crimson world, along with that mass of blood-red flames bearing the faint shapes of countless beasts.
"So this blood-red python was being parasitized by one of the heavenly flames. No wonder something felt off the moment I first saw it." Emperor flame faintly surged from his palm. Relying solely on his immense spiritual perception, Xiao Yan discerned the origin of the blood-red flames before him.
"You think you're worthy of devouring me?" Slowly raising his head to gaze at the blood-red flames, within which countless beast shapes faintly appeared, Xiao Yan let a chilling smile gradually spread across his lips.
As though sensing the killing intent emanating from Xiao Yan, the mass of blood-red flames seemed to fly into a rage. It instantly transformed into a Blood-Red Flame Tiger and pounced toward him.
Yet no matter how the Blood-Red Flame Tiger attacked Xiao Yan, it could not pierce the thin membrane of green flames covering his body.
"You can't even break through the membrane. You're killing me with laughter."
Watching the blood-red flames surge around him, Xiao Yan shook his head with a smile and mocked them playfully.
"If we were outside, and you fought me using the body of the soul beast you'd parasitized, I really couldn't do anything to you with my current strength. But now, hahaha... I am the knife and chopping block, and you are the fish upon it!" Xiao Yan sneered and flicked a finger. An immensely powerful torrent of green flames surged from his body.
Upon touching the flames fused with the Flame Mantra and green lotus core flame, the blood-red flames fled in every direction like mice seeing a cat, like lingering snow meeting boiling oil.
At the same time, the blood-red python began contracting its belly, trying to vomit Xiao Yan out.
"Too late. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west-fortunes change. It's time we switched roles as hunter and prey." Xiao Yan grinned at the blood-red flames, his gleaming white teeth revealing a chilling menace.
The next second, Xiao Yan's figure flashed, and he shot toward the blood-red flames. Roaring green fire surged from his palms, wrapping his body tightly.
Sizzle!
His hand darted out like a phantom. Then, with a forceful clench, he caught the blood-red flames in his grasp.
"Become my second soul ring."
"Let's see what skill I gain next after devouring you."
As soon as his words fell, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged without any hesitation. The green flames above his palm abruptly blazed brighter.
Under the searing heat of the green lotus core flame enhanced by the Flame Mantra, the blood-red flames, within which countless beast shapes faintly appeared, slowly flowed along Xiao Yan's palm and into his body.
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