As Jiang Yun's words fell, silence returned to the surroundings!
This space seemed to solidify, an oppressive aura enveloped the underground area, and Qing Ming's expression was more solemn than ever, staring intently at Jiang Yun, observing his every move, fearing any mistake.
Time passed by minute by minute!
The silent space lasted for about several minutes, when the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame within Jiang Yun's body suddenly appeared uncontrollably, the flames slowly flickered, and then ripples spread out, and at the same time, a soft chuckle slowly emanated.
"Little fellow, how did you find me!"
The appearance of this voice immediately made Qing Ming's entire body tense, and the Qing Ming Pagoda began to revive involuntarily, its already scarce power roaring like a flood; if there was any movement, an assault like a torrential rain would immediately erupt!
Even if it meant completely shattering and being unable to suppress the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame at the bottom of the pagoda, burning the entire Black-Corner Region to scorched earth, Qing Ming would not hesitate!
"Heavenly Demon Emperor!!!" Even though he was mentally prepared, Qing Ming couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart the moment he truly saw the other party.
At this moment, the Heavenly Demon Emperor had no intention of bothering with Qing Ming; instead, he watched Jiang Yun with interest, as if trying to see through him, wanting to know why he could discover him.
One must know that even Jiang Ya hadn't discovered him, so how could Jiang Yun, a mere Divine Soul (Dou Ling), have discovered him? This left him puzzled.
Jiang Yun was not as nervous as Qing Ming; instead, he looked directly into the Heavenly Demon Emperor's eyes, and after a moment of silence, he said faintly, "Perhaps it's talent!"
"It was the flaw you showed the last time you first saw the Fallen Heart Flame that gave me the answer in my heart!"
Jiang Yun's answer was absurd; how could he talk about talent in front of the Heavenly Demon Emperor?
However, the Heavenly Demon Emperor surprisingly nodded in approval, "You are indeed a very talented person, what a pity..." As he spoke, his voice suddenly turned cold, "Those who betray my clan deserve to die—"
"Saint Heaven, there's no need to bluff. I suspect your current power isn't much stronger than mine, is it?"
The Heavenly Demon Emperor's sudden change immediately made Qing Ming nervous, but Jiang Yun remained calm, uttering words that even made the Heavenly Demon Emperor momentarily lose his composure.
"You are indeed very clever!" the Heavenly Demon Emperor said with a lingering tone.
"You have answered your question. May I ask Saint Heaven to enlighten me on my question?"
Under Qing Ming's puzzled gaze, Jiang Yun and the Heavenly Demon Emperor actually began to converse as 'equals'!
Humans are indeed complex!
The Heavenly Demon Emperor was very interested in Jiang Yun, this special Demonic Spirit Clan member, and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Patriarch Jiang Ya and Senior Qing Ming clearly annihilated the will within this sub-flame, so why is it still like this?"
"Heh—" Jiang Yun's question brought a disdainful smile to the Heavenly Demon Emperor's face, "How could Jiang Ya and this mere small pagoda know my methods? Your biggest mistake was leaving that sub-flame. As long as the flame doesn't die, I won't die!"
Qing Ming, who was standing by, felt a bit awkward upon hearing this answer. They had thought they had done so well, but it turned out everything was happening right under his nose.
"However, Senior, you must have suffered a great deal of damage, right?" Jiang Yun spoke up at this moment to save some face for Jiang Ya and Qing Ming, "Otherwise, why would you only recover a trace of consciousness upon encountering the Fallen Heart Flame!"
"Annoying brat!" the Heavenly Demon Emperor said coldly, but he didn't refute it.
"Second question, what exactly is the Fallen Heart Flame?" At this moment, Jiang Yun's expression became much more serious. This question would likely unveil the mysterious veil of the Dou Qi Continent.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor looked at Jiang Yun with a lingering gaze and smiled faintly, "Nothing, just the origin of a loser from my clan!"
Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Jiang Yun's eyes, and he blurted out, "It's the previous owner of the Myriad Flames Undying Body!"
"That's right, the Great Thousand World originally had ten Primal Dharma Bodies, with the potential to break through boundaries. Unfortunately, five of them were destroyed by my clan fifty thousand years ago, and the Myriad Flames Undying Body was among them!"
The Heavenly Demon Emperor said in a flat tone, as if destroying five Primal Dharma Bodies was just a common occurrence for them.
"However, I didn't expect that after so many years since his demise, he would actually cause this continent to give birth to such a peculiar flame!"
After knowing the answer, Jiang Yun immediately felt relieved. He now had a rough plan in his mind, but he would have to wait until he had overcome this difficulty.
"I've finished my questions. Now, I can ask Heavenly Demon Emperor to meet his end!"
The atmosphere suddenly became murderous. The Heavenly Demon Emperor said curiously, "Since you know so many secrets, you must have guessed that during your absorption of the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame, your soul has been tainted with my aura. My death means your death."
Jiang Yun and the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame were too deeply intertwined. It was by absorbing the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame that he was able to advance so quickly, and because of this, his soul was tainted with a lot of the Heavenly Demon Emperor's aura.
If this continued, once the Heavenly Demon Emperor's power accumulated to a certain extent, he could completely refine Jiang Yun and turn him into his fire slave.
This was also the reason why Jiang Yun, after discovering the other party, immediately decided to eliminate him.
"That's why I came here!" Jiang Yun smiled mysteriously, revealing his true intentions.
He slowly rose and approached the edge of the blue barrier. Outside, a small fire python was coldly staring at him; that was the core flame of the Fallen Heart Flame.
To completely destroy the other party's will within the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame in his body, Jiang Yun needed the help of the Fallen Heart Flame, which could directly attack the soul, to cleanse his body and soul.
"You must know that with this method, the ultimate outcome depends on whose willpower is stronger. A slight mistake could lead to the annihilation of your soul. Do you have the confidence to win against me?" The Heavenly Demon Emperor's eyes were strange at this moment. Just now, he had shown an appreciative gaze, but now it was as if he was looking at an imbecile.
You want to compare willpower with me, an old man who has lived for tens of thousands of years?
Jiang Yun seemed not to hear the mockery in the Heavenly Demon Emperor's words. Instead, he extended a palm and calmly said, "Life itself is a miracle. Compared to my body, you are ultimately just an outsider."
"Even an ant clings to life. Heavenly Demon Emperor, do not underestimate any living being's desire for survival!"
"If you are careless—"
"Even a dragon can be devoured by ants!"
As his words fell, Jiang Yun lightly waved his palm, and the azure barrier shattered. Seeing this, the Fallen Heart Flame's snake eyes glinted fiercely, and terrifying invisible flames slowly rose from its body, surging towards Jiang Yun.
"Evil Spirit Bind!"
Accompanied by a loud roar, a vertical eye suddenly split open on Jiang Yun's forehead, and an endless purple light gushed out from it, forming a purple soul chain that wrapped around the fire python.
"Jie!"
A sharp shriek filled with furious anger rang out. The invisible fire python, formed by the Fallen Heart Flame, showed terror in its eyes. It felt an extreme threat at this moment.
The surrounding flames suddenly surged, and the crimson magma outside also suddenly boiled, countless bubbles churning ceaselessly, then bursting open.
"A futile effort!"
Jiang Yun sneered. The Evil Spirit Bind was one of the Demonic Spirit Clan's innate divine abilities, directly attacking the soul, and could forcibly drag an opponent into a soul battle.
This attack was extremely dangerous; a slight mistake could lead to the annihilation of the soul. Therefore, even members of the Demonic Spirit Clan rarely used it.
An attack that directly affects the soul also means it's harder to guard against!
The purple chain, like a swimming dragon, instantly pierced through the Fallen Heart Flame's defenses. The Fallen Heart Flame in the crimson world slowly began to become transparent.
A palm-sized, somewhat milky-white flame snake was constantly flickering, its snake eyes filled with invisible flames, and its eyes moved, appearing quite nimble.
At this moment, its snake eyes held a fierce glint as it stared at Jiang Yun, and at the same time, terrifying invisible flames slowly rose from within its body.
"Come here!"
Jiang Yun's eyes lit up, and he chuckled. With a change in his hand seal, several purple soul chains immediately wrapped around the opponent tightly, amidst its terrified expression.
"Jie!"
Sharp hissing sounds continued to ring out, and within the purple glow, a small flame snake frantically darted around.
"Come on, success or failure depends on this one move!" Jiang Yun glanced at the Heavenly Demon Emperor, who was being guarded by Qing Ming at the side.
His face returned to its calm state, but his eyes held an unprecedented determination. Vast soul power formed a translucent purple lotus seat beneath him.
As Jiang Yun slowly sat down cross-legged, the invisible fire python, enveloped in purple luminescence, also slowly moved towards Jiang Yun's glabella.
"Heh—, interesting, truly interesting, Jiang Yun, I must say, in terms of courage, no one in the Great Thousand World can surpass you." Looking at Jiang Yun's declaration of war, the Heavenly Demon Emperor revealed an amused smile.
Then he chuckled, "Let me see what you're made of!"
As his words fell, his figure slowly dissipated, transforming into a black and white Holy Heavenly Demon Flame, which descended towards Jiang Yun's glabella.
"Yun'er." Watching the Heavenly Demon Emperor dissipate, Qing Ming looked worriedly at Jiang Yun, who had already closed his eyes. Even now, he still felt the world had gone mad; someone actually dared to engage in a battle of will with the Heavenly Demon Emperor, and that person was still a child!
Without time to worry, Qing Ming took out the Bodhi Tree remains that Jiang Yun had produced before falling into slumber and placed them behind Jiang Yun. Instantly, wisps of clear energy descended, slowly merging into Jiang Yun's purple vertical eye.
Having provided the last bit of help, Qing Ming stared intently at Jiang Yun, muttering in a low voice, "You must succeed!"
Regardless of Qing Ming's worries outside, at this moment, Jiang Yun's soul space had already transformed into a battlefield.
"Roar—"
A giant invisible fire python let out an angry roar. At this moment, it restlessly watched the black and white flame that had just appeared. It felt an extreme threat and an extreme temptation from it.
And under its roar, within this space, the invisible flames immediately surged wildly.
"A long-lost aura!" The Holy Heavenly Demon Flame transformed into a human figure, a reminiscent smile appearing on his face, as if he was recalling something.
"How do you wish to compete?" The Heavenly Demon Emperor turned to look at the small soul figure beside him, who was Jiang Yun.
At this moment, he appeared in a noble, mysterious purple, and he coldly stared at the Fallen Heart Flame and the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
"In my home ground—"
"Of course, you all shall be suppressed!"
As Jiang Yun's domineering voice fell, the invisible soul space immediately turned purple. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that the purple space had faint black and white stripes.
A purple soul fire appeared, surging overwhelmingly towards the two, with such momentum that it seemed to want to fight two against one?
"Hahaha—, good, I'll play with you, junior!" Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon Emperor let out a hearty laugh, and then his entire being transformed into a black and white Holy Heavenly Demon Flame, simultaneously rushing towards the Fallen Heart Flame and the purple soul fire that Jiang Yun had become.
"Roar—" At this moment, the Fallen Heart Flame, being attacked by both, also let out an angry roar, its surrounding flames surging as it attacked both of them.
As soon as the battle began, Jiang Yun felt an extreme pain, as if his soul was being torn to shreds. As Jiang Yun's soul vibrated, a cool sensation came from the depths of his soul, stabilizing it.
The entire soul space transformed into a sea of fire, with purple, black and white, and invisible colors, three different flames interwoven here.
However, upon closer inspection, one would notice subtle differences between the three parties at this moment.
The Fallen Heart Flame was the strongest, occupying most of the space, while the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame, with the Heavenly Demon Emperor as its proxy, occupied the second largest space. Only Jiang Yun—
Only occupied a small piece of territory, roughly one-tenth!
However, facing the stormy attacks from the two, the purple flames remained as unmoving as a mountain.
Although all three attacked indiscriminately, the strongest among them, the Fallen Heart Flame, instinctively directed more attacks towards the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
As a result, the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame continuously extracted black and white threads from the purple barrier, and under this effect, Jiang Yun gradually freed himself from the Heavenly Demon Emperor's influence.
In the purple sea of fire, Jiang Yun's small soul figure's eyes slightly opened, then settled back into stillness.
As time passed, Jiang Yun always occupied that one-tenth sized territory, and the black and white stripes on the surrounding barrier slowly dissipated. The fiercely entangled Fallen Heart Flame and Heavenly Demon Emperor did not notice that at the edge, countless faint purple flames were slowly appearing.
In the underground space, Qing Ming watched nervously ahead. There, Jiang Yun sat quietly, cross-legged with his eyes closed, and in front of him was a giant invisible fire python. At this moment, this originally extremely fierce fellow had also fallen into a strange silence.
At this moment, Qing Ming noticed that Jiang Yun's body would tremble violently every now and then.
As a flame that could directly attack the soul, Jiang Yun had even taken the Fallen Heart Flame into his sea of souls. Now, with the three parties engaged in a great battle, it was already a miracle that Jiang Yun hadn't directly collapsed.
Every collision was equivalent to scorching Jiang Yun's soul, and the pain involved was unimaginable to ordinary people.
Qing Ming didn't know how Jiang Yun managed to persevere, having to focus his energy on maintaining the confrontation with the Fallen Heart Flame and the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame, while also enduring the pain of his soul being scorched.
"Jiang Ya, I can now clearly answer you: this child is indeed the hope of the Demonic Spirit Clan."
"Yun'er will definitely lead the Demonic Spirit Clan to glory!"
A faint murmur sounded, and Qing Ming looked with complex eyes at Jiang Yun, who was now thoroughly drenched in sweat. At this moment, he seemed to see a vast future in the other party.
In the end, for the sake of my dear readers, I won't take a leave of absence. I'll go home at eleven at night to revise it!
Tomorrow is my cousin's wedding, so I'll also soak in some of the joy and wish them a happy marriage for a hundred years! I also wish my book better and better results!