A vast black canopy of cloud and mist descended from the heavens, suppressing everything beneath it. Yet the Three Thousand Burning Flame showed no fear. The great dragon opened its jaws, spewing forth a beam of violet-black fire that split the void in an instant.
Mu Gu's lips curled into a cruel smile. His hands flashed through a series of seals, and he pressed down heavily. At once, countless wails of anguish echoed from within the layered shroud above.
Boom! Hiss!
The blazing pillar tore through the black veil, revealing faint outlines of trapped souls. Those spectral figures screamed as they were burned to nothing, and as they vanished, the fire itself gradually dimmed.
"Soul Lock!"
Mu Gu's cold voice cut through the roar of flames. The three Hall of Souls Dou Zuns instantly understood and changed their hand seals. From their sleeves, waves of dense black mist poured forth, feeding back into the dark canopy above.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of chains rang out from within the mist. The next moment, thick black chains emerged, writhing like serpents as they coiled around the colossal draconic body of the flame. The chains exuded heavy black miasma, attempting to smother the violet-black fire.
Indeed, as the chains' trapped souls burned away, the Heavenly Flame weakened slightly—but only slightly.
Mu Gu sneered, eyes flashing with satisfaction. "Foolish beast! Did you think we came here unprepared? You could've lived if you'd submitted—but now? Heh…"
The Three Thousand Burning Flame twisted its massive body violently. Its immense strength snapped half the chains instantly. Each broken link released an ear-piercing wail—the cries of the souls used to forge them.
"Pour in more Soul Locks!"
Mu Gu's furious shout shook the air as he led by example, unleashing another surge of dark mist. The other three Dou Zuns hesitated only a breath, their faces pained at the cost—it took countless souls to forge each chain—but compared to capturing this flame, such a price was nothing.
Endless black vapors swelled, birthing a storm of chains that cocooned the Heavenly Flame until it looked like a bound sacrificial offering.
"You dare bind me? You seek death!"
The Three Thousand Burning Flame roared in fury. Flames surged violently, shifting from violet-black toward pure black. The inferno began to spin, faster and faster, until it became a vortex of annihilation. In a single breath, all the chains turned to ash.
Freed once more, the flame's dragon body whipped its tail through the void. Its eyes gleamed with pure killing intent as it locked onto Mu Gu. The murderous aura pouring from that gaze made his scalp tingle and his breath hitch.
The dragon's wings flared wide, sending out a gale that shredded the air as it launched forward like lightning. Its momentum alone felt like a storm that could crush the heavens.
Mu Gu's face turned deathly pale. A single glance toward Liu Xi and the others—still calmly watching from afar—told him he couldn't count on anyone's mercy. If he didn't act now, he would die here.
"Offer the Life Soul Locks! Quickly!"
The three other Hall of Souls Dou Zuns paled, but they knew retreat was no longer an option. Even with Liu Xi's group watching, survival came first.
Their seals changed again. Above each of their heads, an ethereal black chain slowly emerged, turning solid as it connected directly to their souls.
"The Life Soul Locks…" Elder Qiu Ling muttered, almost in awe. "If even one is damaged, their souls will be wounded. For them to use this… the flame must have driven them to the brink."
He gave a mocking smile. "Serves them right. You unsealed it—now deal with it."
Liu Xi nodded slightly, his expression calm. 'Good. They've shown their trump cards. The next step is to strike alongside the Three Thousand Burning Flame and leave none of them alive.'
Mu Gu must die. With his hatred toward Liu Xi, letting him live would mean endless trouble later. Better to end him now—and preferably with the Pill Tower's blessing, keeping Liu Xi's role hidden.
He had no illusions; his growing fame had already drawn the Hall of Souls' attention. His only strategy now was to act from the shadows—strike, but never shine too brightly.
Meanwhile, the four Dou Zuns, their Life Soul Locks entwined with the greater network of chains, managed to restrain the raging flame for a moment.
"Hold it steady! Once I take its core flame, our mission will be complete!"
Mu Gu's eyes were bloodshot as he grinned manically and shot toward the dragon's head.
"Hurry!" one of the exhausted Dou Zuns rasped. "We can't hold it for long!"
"I know!" Mu Gu snapped back, his body cloaked in black fire. With a single step, he flashed before the flame's head.
There, beneath a broken scale, lay a half-meter-wide dark hollow—the hiding place of the flame's Origin Flame. Greed burned in Mu Gu's eyes as he moved closer, reaching toward it—
And at that moment, the Three Thousand Burning Flame suddenly stopped struggling. Its massive eyes flashed with a cruel, calculating glint.
A sharp hiss split the silence.
Mu Gu froze, unease clawing up his spine. Before he could react, a miniature dragon of violet-black fire shot out from the hollow like lightning. As it streaked forward, its flames condensed and darkened until they became a chilling black.
A wave of annihilation rolled from the little dragon's body.
"This beast has gone mad—it's forcing out its own core flame!" Mu Gu gasped in horror.
He didn't have time for another thought. The tiny black dragon slammed straight into his chest.
Boom!
It didn't look powerful, but the impact sent Mu Gu flying like a broken doll. His face turned ashen, a mouthful of blood spraying into the air.
"Heaven Burning Finger!"
The voice that followed was calm, almost gentle—yet in Mu Gu's ears, it was the whisper of death itself.
A blinding azure light flared behind him. Mu Gu twisted desperately, but it was too late. The last thing he saw was a blazing cyan sun descending toward him.
Then came endless heat. His Dou Qi, his Spiritual Power—none of it could respond in time. The inferno consumed everything.
'My body… it's—'
He never finished the thought. Darkness swallowed his vision, and in the next instant, Mu Gu was gone—body, soul, and all—devoured by Liu Xi's azure sun.
(End of Chapter)
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