Chapter 340 A Single Thought Repels a Half-Saint
Crackle, crackle…
The flames Huojiangui spat crackled sharply. In the dead silence above Lihuo Gate, every sound was painfully clear.
The cultivators had not dispersed. They were waiting, eyes fixed, to see what would happen next.
No one dared to interrupt Huojiangui now. None could guess what shocking act he might commit in the next instant.
Meanwhile, inside the volcanic cave, Princess Qinghe placed the divine beast egg into the magma, letting the heat nurture its hatching.
Time slipped away.
Three days and nights passed in a blink.
All the fire essence within the magma was drawn into the egg.
Princess Qinghe clearly felt the little creature within awakening, ready to break free of its shell.
Elsewhere, Fang Mu's Little Spirit Flame had finished devouring the heavenly flame, finally transforming into the likeness of the Volcanic Stone Flame.
"Linglong, how goes it?" Fang Mu asked.
"Just a little longer. The two fire veins' essence was partly consumed by other heavenly and spirit flames, so this little one hasn't hatched yet. Once I return to Dayuan, I'll borrow a fire vein there and finish the process."
"Good. Then let's tidy up and prepare to leave."
Princess Qinghe nodded softly. "Mn."
Outside Lihuo Gate, in these three days the watching cultivators had scarcely blinked, their gazes glued to the pill furnace.
What they wondered most was—what kind of pill would emerge?
Just as impatience was setting in, two figures flew out of the cave—Fang Mu and Princess Qinghe. Their sudden appearance caught the crowd off guard.
The true protagonist of this Lihuo Gate affair should have been Fang Mu. Yet Huojiangui's brilliance had stolen the stage, leaving many to forget Wendao Academy's prodigy.
"Senior Brother."
Fang Mu cupped his hands to Huojiangui.
"Mn."
Huojiangui nodded. "In a few hours, this pill will be complete. You two, go down the mountain first."
Within the furnace, the Scarlet Flame Python's body had long turned to ash. Only its soul still struggled, but even that was fading.
"Alright."
Fang Mu said, then departed with Princess Qinghe for the Wendao Academy and Yunlan Sect camp.
As soon as they landed, Elder Fang and Yun Ye hurried forward. "You're unharmed?" they asked together.
"We're fine," Fang Mu replied with a smile.
Elder Fang stroked his beard in relief. "Good, good."
"Once Senior Brother finishes the pill, we can depart as well," Fang Mu added.
"Indeed."
Elder Fang sighed. "Young Lord Mu, truly worthy of being Head Chu's disciple. To have such a heavenly flame expert as companion is remarkable."
Fang Mu said modestly, "Senior Brother Huo is my friend. We were fortunate to have him, or things would not have gone so smoothly."
As they spoke, a furious roar suddenly erupted from the furnace.
"Damnable heavenly flame! Even if I die, I'll drag you to hell with me!"
???
Huojiangui, puzzled, swept his divine sense over the nearly annihilated Scarlet Flame Python. "So be it," he said coolly. "I'll oblige you."
He flew beneath the furnace. At once, its heat flared dramatically.
"Ahhh!!!"
A scream echoed. Then the lid flew open.
Two streaks of light shot out.
Huojiangui's divine sense caught them instantly—one a pill, the other a fiery crystal.
Without hesitation, he swallowed the crystal whole, tucked the pill back into the furnace, then swallowed the furnace itself.
Just as all thought the matter concluded, a deafening roar thundered from the depths of Yunxia Mountain.
"Who killed my grandson?!"
With but a single shout, cultivators around Lihuo Gate collapsed to their knees, unable to bear the pressure.
The voice carried supreme might. Even Huojiangui shuddered in alarm.
Of all present, only Fang Mu, Princess Qinghe, Elder Fang, and a handful remained standing.
"This… this is the might of a Half-Saint," Elder Fang whispered.
Before his words finished, the sky split with a colossal fire-red serpent shadow.
Then, a tail the size of a mountain swept down toward Huojiangui.
Even before striking the earth, its pressure filled all with despair.
Though Huojiangui had cultivated for years at Chu Feng's side, the sight of that tail stirred a single thought in his mind: My life is over.
Unbidden, the words spilled from his mouth: "Master, save me!!!"
At that moment of life and death, the soul-mark within him flared—reaching across ten thousand li, alerting Chu Feng.
Crackling sounds filled the air as the flames Huojiangui spat burned fiercely. In the silence above Lihuo Gate, the noise was sharp and distinct.
The cultivators had not left. All stayed, watching with wide eyes, desperate to know what would happen next.
None dared disturb Huojiangui now. Who could guess what shocking move he might make?
Inside Wendao Academy, Chu Feng was instructing Bai Qian and Chen Qianqian in cultivation when he suddenly heard Huojiangui's cry for help. He stopped what he was doing, closed his eyes, and began sensing the divine imprint left within Huojiangui.
Through it, Chu Feng saw a massive serpent tail wrapped in searing flames, descending upon Huojiangui, only a few zhang away. Without hesitation, he infused his divine sense into the mark and thundered one word: "Suppress!"
The word carried through the imprint. Huojiangui instinctively echoed aloud.
"Suppress!"
The moment the word left his lips, a colossal character for Suppress appeared in the sky.
With effortless ease, it blocked the crushing strike of the serpent tail that could shatter mountains and rivers.
In that instant, the suffocating might hanging over Lihuo Gate vanished without a trace.
Hu… hu… hu…
The surviving cultivators gasped greedily for air, their robes drenched in sweat.
Very soon, the crowd erupted with cries of astonishment.
"The Teng Snake! I actually saw this great sage at the outskirts of Yunxia Mountain!"
"And just now—whose voice was that? To stop the Teng Snake Sage's strike…"
"…"
Many turned their eyes toward Fang Mu.
"It was Master. That was Master's voice!" Fang Mu's chest tightened. Though he had seen his master act before, he never imagined Chu Feng could intervene from tens of thousands of li away.
"Who dares?"
The Teng Snake retracted its tail, its vast body writhing in the sky. Then its enormous head emerged.
Compared to this being, the Scarlet Flame Python was nothing more than a newborn serpent.
Light flared from Huojiangui's forehead, and a figure appeared above his head.
The cultivators all stared—this radiant image was none other than Chu Feng.
The apparition cupped his hands and smiled faintly. "I am Chu Feng of Wendao Academy."
At those words, shock rippled across the crowd and even within the Teng Snake's eyes.
Chu Feng's feat of shaking the Eastern Sea was still fresh in their memories.
Though this was but a projection of his divine sense, none dared belittle him.
"Head Chu," Teng Snake rumbled, his voice striving for strength yet laced with caution, "I have no grievance with Wendao Academy, nor you. Why did your subordinate slay my descendant?"
Chu Feng did not laugh. A master of restraint, he would not break composure unless truly moved.
"Daoist friend, we are both renowned across the Xuantian Continent. You understand the law of survival—weak are prey to the strong.
Your grandson was suppressed by my spirit flame because his skills were lacking. Would you destroy my divine imprint over an unworthy junior?"
"…"
The Teng Snake fell silent. Scarlet Flame Python had been his most beloved descendant, yet to erase a Half-Saint's imprint for its sake? That would be folly.
Such an act would be no less than a public slap to Chu Feng's face. With his temper, it would mean endless enmity.
"Daoist friend, I was discourteous earlier. You are right—juniors must rely on their own fate. I cannot protect him forever. I take my leave."
With that, the Teng Snake turned and vanished into the sky.
Chu Feng's projection returned into Huojiangui's mind, quietly settling back within the divine imprint.
Back at Wendao Academy, Chu Feng's sudden closing of his eyes had left the two little girls bewildered.
They dared not disturb him and only stood obediently.
When Chu Feng finally opened his eyes, Bai Qian quickly asked, "Master, why did you suddenly close your eyes?"
Chu Feng chuckled. "Just now, I went to Yunxia Mountain to explain a small principle to a great sage."
Chen Qianqian: ???
Bai Qian: ???
Seeing their puzzled little faces, Chu Feng smiled. "No matter. In a few days, you'll understand."
"Nooo, Master, tell us now!" Bai Qian shook her small tail, pestering him playfully.
Chen Qianqian also nodded, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
Chu Feng's lips curved upward. "Very well. Then let Master tell you what just happened…
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 2 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 32 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/Alex_Cruise