Chapter 372: The Fall of the Ninth Heaven Venerate
At that moment, the Ninth Heaven Venerate finally understood just what kind of monster he had provoked.
Never mind when Xiao Yuan had swapped out his true body for a decoy to toy with him like a fool.
Just looking at the five elemental flame spirits alone, each forged from a different Heavenly Flame, was enough to shake his composure.
Even with his current power, attempting to refine just two types of Heavenly Flames would result in instant self-destruction.
Yet this brat had refined five!
And the real question was—where had he even found so many Heavenly Flames?
Of course, in his current predicament, none of that mattered anymore.
Although the Ninth Heaven Venerate had never seen the Fivefold Lihuo Formation, as a seasoned powerhouse, he recognized its terrifying might. With five types of Heavenly Flames woven into an array, the resulting destructive force would be unimaginable. If he didn't go all out, he'd end up like those fools from the Heavenly Underworld Sect—nothing but dust in the wind.
Xiao Yuan didn't waste a word. As his hand seals changed, the blazing curtain around them pulsed, and then—
A swirling inferno of six-colored flames surged forth.
Though beautiful, the fire radiated a terrifyingly destructive energy. Even the Ninth Heaven Venerate, a peak Seven-Star Dou Zun, turned ashen at the pressure.
This six-colored flame—born of five Heavenly Flames—was nothing short of catastrophic.
"Lihuo Incinerates the Heavens!"
Xiao Yuan's expression was icy. Boundless Dou Qi surged into the array and then, with a thrust of his finger, the six-colored inferno roared toward the Ninth Heaven Venerate like a fanged beast, distorting the air as it ripped through space.
In response, the old man unleashed a flood of water-based Dou Qi. A gigantic blue beast materialized in a tidal wave of energy and slammed into the fire.
But Xiao Yuan merely flicked his finger.
Space collapsed.
The beast evaporated instantly.
Boom!
The fire swelled, coalescing into a giant dragon. With a deafening roar, it lunged at the Ninth Heaven Venerate.
Sensing the lethal threat, the Venerate's expression twisted in fear. He formed seals in a flurry, summoning a massive blue water barrier that enveloped his body.
But the dragon collided.
The clash distorted the entire realm. Space twisted and cracked as the blue barrier shattered like glass. Rain poured from the skies, drumming violently on the forest below.
Thud!
The Ninth Heaven Venerate staggered back hundreds of meters, coughing blood. One strike—and he was wounded.
And the fire dragon hadn't even been slowed down.
It circled back, its tail sweeping forward in a killing arc.
The old man grit his teeth, summoning an endless tide of water energy. From the sky, it fell in droplets—tiny, dense, and countless.
Xiao Yuan caught one and studied it. Each droplet held enough corrosive power to punch through a Dou Emperor's defense. There were billions of them.
A frightening technique.
But Xiao Yuan simply smiled.
His hand seal changed.
Above, the six-colored flames gathered into a blazing sun, raising the temperature until the rain began to vaporize into steam.
The Ninth Heaven Venerate's face darkened.
He was being completely suppressed.
"Condense!" he shouted.
The rain coalesced into a colossal azure water sphere the size of a mountain, swirling with explosive energy.
A final move.
It was powerful—on par with Xiao Yuan's Fourfold Emperor Seal technique.
But Xiao Yuan only lifted a finger.
The blazing sun above him exploded into eight fireballs. Eight more flame dragons formed and joined the first—nine total.
"Ninefold Fire Dragon Ascent!"
"Hmph. Let's see if your fire outburns my storm!"
The Ninth Heaven Venerate formed a blood sigil and infused it into the sphere.
"Rain Erodes the Heavens!"
The spinning water sphere, powered by blood, surged forward with a whirling gale.
In reply, Xiao Yuan activated his Nine Dragons. They breathed pillars of six-colored flame, tearing the air apart as they collided with the sphere.
BOOM!
The shockwave was apocalyptic.
Energy storms lashed out in waves. The fire curtain wavered. Without it, the entire mountain range might have been vaporized.
And in the center of it all, the nine dragons overwhelmed the water sphere. Slowly, the energy glow shifted—from icy blue to radiant six-color flame.
Xiao Yuan simply stood there, serene.
He wasn't finished.
His hands formed more seals. The leftover flames gathered into a towering six-colored arm, brimming with annihilating power.
One downward swipe—
And the arm obliterated the energy storm and slammed toward the Ninth Heaven Venerate.
He panicked. Blood spurted from his mouth as he summoned a blood-red rune—a transmission signal, using his life essence to send out his location.
He had only one hope: to call upon the Fourth Heaven Venerate, Blood River Venerate.
"Fourth Bro—hel—"
He didn't finish.
A five-colored light stamp shot out, smashing into his rune and erasing it.
Then came Xiao Yuan's cold voice:
"Break."
The stamp shattered the Venerate's defenses and smashed into him.
Buzz...
Though it didn't kill him outright, his limbs went limp. His soul couldn't move. His body was no longer his to command.
From the void, Xiao Yuan appeared.
He slowly extended his hand.
The massive flame arm clenched into a fist, seizing the Ninth Heaven Venerate.
Sizzle—
The extreme heat caused his flesh to sizzle and hiss. He couldn't even scream.
Xiao Yuan said softly:
"I've always wondered… if the material is strong enough, why limit puppet refinement to dead bodies?"
The Ninth Heaven Venerate trembled with dread.
"Your soul may survive. Or maybe not. Either way, I'll erase it if needed. With my methods, I can cycle your body through destruction and reconstruction until the process is complete."
His tone was calm, but every word sent chills down the Venerate's spine.
"Besides… puppet refinement is cruel. But you're from Soul Hall—surely the rules of heaven don't apply to you, right?"
Pure terror filled the Venerate's eyes.
Xiao Yuan was going to refine him alive—into a puppet!
"Don't worry. It won't take long."
Xiao Yuan smiled coldly.
And then—his flame arm turned into a massive cauldron.
And the legendary Ninth Heaven Venerate, Demon Rain, was drawn into the furnace.
To be refined into a new kind of Heavenly Demon Puppet.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1