An hour later.
Inside the great hall on Earth Pass Island, Heavenfire True Person sat in the seat of honor. Dressed in Daoist robes, he was somewhat small and thin, with fiery red hair and beard.
The old Daoist slammed his teacup down, sparks mingling with the spiritual mist that splashed out. "You're finally here! I've guarded this damned island for nearly five years. Now I can finally return to the sect."
Qing Chen glanced over the scorched beams and pillars in the hall, cupped his hands, and smiled. "Senior Brother Heavenfire, your fire arts inspire awe throughout Canglang. With you guarding this place for five years, our Condensed Jade Sect's territory has been as impregnable as golden ramparts and boiling moats."
"That old rascal Yuji praised your methods as first-rate, and I agree on that much. But the situation on Earth Pass Island is even more complicated now than before. I'll have to test just how much your Body and Dharma Dual Cultivation is worth!"
Suddenly, Heavenfire True Person's hair and beard stood on end, and the teacup in his hand exploded into powder.
Six phantoms of True Essence instantly condensed into crimson chains. It was Fire Prison Shackles, an enemy-binding spell from the Heavenly Will Fire Aspect Scripture!
"Well met!"
Golden light blazed in Qing Chen's eyes, and the Heartless Demon Aspect behind him surged to over fifty zhang tall.
As the Devil Aspect's arms swept about, they left black-gold afterimages. Its five fingers hooked like claws and plunged straight into the ground—with a rumbling crash, every bluestone tile in Red Rosy Clouds Hall was torn up, becoming countless fragments that hurtled toward the Fire Python chains.
The two forces collided without the slightest sound. In midair, the shattered stone melted into a rain of glass that