Chapter 869 - The Giant God of Fire
Chapter 869 - The Giant God of Fire
“What a foolish person. They’ve gone to such great lengths to launch this attack. If they can’t even seal off this region, Gong Yuan would have escaped a long time ago!”
Li Qingshan shook his head and sighed. Great Shifting talismans were precious, but he had plenty of them in his possession. However, Yin Qing in the Asura Field had told him long ago that the surrounding space was under the interference of a great power. Even if she used her technique to move through space, she might not necessarily be able to escape from here. A layman trying to rush out of here with just a talisman was no different from suicide.
Gong Yuan shot a glance at Li Qingshan. “I really don’t know whether you’re utterly audacious or there’s something wrong with your head. Do you really think the fire devourers will be kind enough to let you go?”
“Heh, I’m not that naive. They’ll let anyone go but me. I’m guessing that I’m their third target, only after you and fellow Ji, right, Fire Devouring King?” Li Qingshan asked loudly.
“Yes, except you’re wrong about one part.”
“Oh, what part am I wrong about?”
“You’re the second target!” Zhu Yan said, “Last time, you managed to slip away, but you’re dead for sure this time!”
That took everyone by surprise, and they all looked at Li Qingshan. He was actually an enemy that the fire devourers regarded as only second to the Merfolk Queen. He even ranked above a great cultivator like Ji Changfeng. Just what had he done to the fire devourers to deserve this?
In the very beginning, Zhu Yan did not worry too much about Li Qingshan. He was merely a foolish mortal who had visited with some wishful thinking. However, when Li Qingshan devastated the Myriad Poison cult and killed a hundred thousand Bone Eating shamans, Zhu Yan no longer dared to think like that. He had not even undergone the third heavenly tribulation and was already so vicious. Once he underwent the third heavenly tribulation, it would be absolutely horrifying. With his age, that was basically guaranteed to happen, so compared to Ji Changfeng who was close to the end of his lifespan, he was the truly terrifying threat. He had to nip him in the bud.
Gong Yuan suddenly found Li Qingshan much more pleasing to the eye. Compared to that old fogey Ji Changfeng who was overcautious and indecisive, wholeheartedly wanting to play the neutral card, now that was called having a firm stance and high aspirations. Of course, if he could drag a Fire Devouring King down with him, that would be even better.
Li Qingshan laughed aloud. “Zhu Yan, I couldn’t tell, but you’re still quite insightful. Though, who knows who’ll be living and dying! Queen Gong, what did I say? I have grievances with the fire devourers! Aren’t you glad that you didn’t fall out with me in the Feilian hall now?”
“Hmph, then why don’t you get over here and work with us to fend off the enemy?”
Gong Yuan’s voice became a little gentler. The enemy of enemies were allies. At this moment of life or death, their tiny conflicts of the past were nothing now.
“Sure!” Li Qingshan flew to the top of the mountain and said through his soul sense, “Though, I do have a small request. I heard you have a Heart of the Abyss. If you give it to me, I’ll help you escape. How’s that?”
“How did you know?” Gong Yuan’s expression changed slightly. There had always been an extremely small number of people that practised All Water to Ruin’s End and not a lot of people knew about the Heart of the Abyss even among the Merfolk, so how could a kid from the Green province know so much? She suddenly thought of a reason. “You know that wretched spawn?”
“Don’t worry about how I know. I’m just asking whether you’ll give it to me or not,” said Li Qingshan.
“You can forget about it!” Gong Yuan was infuriated by Li Qingshan’s attempt to commit daylight robbery. Her favourable impression that had just developed immediately vapourised.
“That’s up to you, but I’d advise you to consider the bigger picture.”
Li Qingshan returned to his original spot and stood with his hands behind his back, continuing to watch the show. The current situation was dangerous, but when he considered it calmly, he discovered the danger was not lethal. Instead, it was an opportunity.
If all three Fire Devouring Kings came for him, then that would truly be life-threatening danger. It would be no less dangerous than facing the Dragon King of Ink Sea. However, their first target was still Gong Yuan at the end of the day, and he personally did not believe he was second on the list. Once Ji Changfeng managed to escape, then that would be a bitter feud to the death. The whole point of Fire Melt mountain killing Gong Yuan would diminish drastically.
With the two of them standing in front of him, he was confident that slipping away would be no problem. The phoenix’s nirvā?a was enough for him to withstand one fatal strike, and his Tremors of the Ox Demon could shatter regional boundaries. As long as he left Giant Ship island, he would directly use a Great Shifting talisman to flee. It was impossible for the fire devourers to split up to go after him. Perhaps it was even possible for him to do something while Fire Melt mountain was empty.
Gong Yuan blanked out. If it were not for the fact that her mortal enemies were right beside her, she was basically tempted to butcher Li Qingshan then and there. She thought in doubt, Don’t tell me he actually has a way out? That’s impossible. The three Divine Fire tablets have already turned Giant Ship island into an absolute domain of fire. Even I can’t think of any good ideas.
The communication between their soul senses had occurred in a single moment. It did not waste even a second of time.
Main-mast mountain shook gently. The scorching lava surged at the foot of the mountain, and the flames blazed away. The protective formation produced ripples of light to hold them off, but having lost its foundations, it rapidly dimmed.
“You’re staring death right in the face, and you’re still so stubborn! Alright, I’ll make you all die here and visit the afterlife together!”
Zhu Zai snorted coldly and whirled the Fire Tablet of Earth around, producing a ring of fire. The flames on Giant Ship island all surged towards Main-mast mountain, actually enveloping the entire place in a single moment, turning it into a mountain of fire.
Ji Changfeng could no longer swing the Feilian flag around anymore. He poured all of his efforts into controlling the formation. Even his beard glowed red from the firelight. He roared out, “Fellow Ye, what are you still hesitating about?”
Ye Duanhai had done nothing so far. In terms of battle prowess for direct confrontations, it was very likely for him to be the most powerful on the island as a great sword cultivator. If he stepped in, then they could still put up a battle as three against three.
“Pavilion master Ye, we fire devourers keep a clear record of our friends and foes. You can take your disciples and leave! However, it would be best if you reconsider his majesty’s invitation, otherwise the flames of Cloud Sail sect might reach the South Sea Sword pavilion in the future!”
Zhu Yan followed up quickly. He had done this both because of the King of Southern Yue’s instructions, as well as his qualms about Ye Duanhai’s strength. Their main objective for this trip was still to kill Gong Yuan. If a great sword cultivator joined the enemy’s side, then it would add many additional factors to the equation, so they were better off just letting him go.
“You’re more than welcome to come.”
Cold light flashed through Ye Duanhai’s eyes. He knew the fire devourers had intentionally brought up the King of Southern Yue to draw away the hatred. Originally, he had no plans on getting involved, or he would have taken action long ago. Right when he was about to leave with his disciples, he glanced at Li Qingshan. He had promised to fight for Li Qingshan once, and right now seemed like when Li Qingshan needed help the most.
If Li Qingshan spoke up, then he would truly face a tough predicament. He had some confidence in slipping away from a grand battle against the fire devourers, but the disciples of his sect would probably all die here. He secretly made up his mind to not bring so many people with him again in the future. As a swordsman, he was accustomed to moving around alone and being untethered.
“Pavilion master Ye, there’s no need to look at me. You should go! It’s just three measly fire devourers. That’s nowhere enough to end my life. You can take Yu Wufeng with you too. Go back and focus on cultivating. Once you’ve made up your mind about facing the heavenly tribulation, I’ll release you from the blood oath.”
Li Qingshan waved his hand in an unconcerned manner. He could not waste the opportunity he had earned after so much difficulty here.
“Fellow Li, aren’t you cutting off your own path of escape if you do that?” Ji Changfeng panicked. Gong Yuan ground her teeth in resentment towards Li Qingshan too. With that, the situation had become a little more dangerous. He had virtually snuffed out their last ray of hope.
“You don’t have to look at me. He has no grievances with the fire devourers. He never planned on fighting anyway. Since when could you have to beg others for a way out? The only way out is to fight!” Li Qingshan said.
“What a King of Savages. I, Ye Duanhai, won’t forget that!”
Ye Duanhai clasped his hands at Li Qingshan and actually showed a hint of respect. He gathered his disciples, created a sword formation, and rushed out of Main-mast mountain. Sure enough, the fire devourers produced a path for him too. The sea of fire split apart, allowing Ye Duanhai to approach the ocean. He vanished in the blink of an eye.
“Hold on, we don’t have any grievances with fire devourers either. Don’t fire devourers keep a clear record of their friends and foes? Please give us a way out too!” “Yeah, yeah, I’ve always hated merpeople. I have absolutely no intentions of opposing Fire Melt mountain.”
The cultivators of the South sea all cried out, solemnly swearing that they would sever their connection with the Cloud Sail sect and the merpeople of the South sea.
Zhu Fen said, “Hah, do you know what fire devourers hate the most? Weaklings! Because you’re too weak, you all must die today!”
The cultivators of the South sea erupted with curses, but that only made Zhu Fen roar with laughter. He said to Zhu Yan, “King Yan, it’s about time. It’s time for you to take action!”
“I’ve already run out of patience a long time ago!”
Zhu Yan lifted the Fire Tablet of Man high into the air, and Zhu Fen and Zhu Zai’s powers gathered on him. The Fire Tablet of Man surged with flames.
“The Blazes of Man, Advent of the Fire God! All of you can go and die!”
The great flames that ravaged Main-mast mountain suddenly began to move, gathering together.
With a great cry, a fire dragon whistled out from the sea of fire, complete with well-defined teeth, scales, and claws. It slammed its tail against the formation, making it totter and flicker.
“Is that all?” Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow. Compared to the flames of heaven and the flames of earth, the flames of man were just a little too weak. The fire dragon did possess the strength of a regular Daemon King, but that was all. So much for telling them all to go and die!
Gong Yuan suddenly communicated with Li Qingshan in a hurry. “If you can assist me with escaping from here, I’ll lend the Heart of the Abyss to you for a year!”
“Ten years!”
“Three years!”
“Five years!”
“Deal!”
As if Gong Yuan had something major weighing on her mind, she agreed to Li Qingshan’s request very quickly. During their short conversation, there was another dragon’s cry, and a pair of dragons swam through the air together. Gong Yuan’s expression became sterner and sterner. Suddenly, the backs of the two dragons that flew together surged, and two balls of flames condensed into a pair of giant feet on the dragons. Gazing up along the feet, a colossal figure shimmered in the sea of fire, gradually taking shape.
A giant god of fire that stood on the pair of dragons. A well-defined body stood like a mountain, radiating with a primitive, desolate aura. Its face twisted in a blur within the flames, but every single cultivator experienced an unprecedented pressure. They were shocked.
Li Qingshan frowned. The sensation basically felt no different from facing the Dragon King of Ink Sea, and it was much more unpredictable compared to the Dragon King of Ink Sea. The giant god of fire that gave off a violent aura definitely possessed much greater offensive ability. Once it struck, it would definitely be earth-shattering. No one present could take it on in a direct confrontation.
The three Fire Devouring Kings in the air were all emotional. They held their Divine Fire tablets with both hands and bowed towards the giant god of fire from afar.
“Incinerate everything, great god Zhurong!”
Roar! The giant god of fire produced a furious howl at everyone on the mountain, like the eruption of a hundred volcanoes. Waves of heat surged over, and the defensive formation tottered on the brink of collapse.