Chapter 79: Celestial Demon Flame

Ye Jiuyao and his companions furrowed their brows, surprised that someone had the audacity to challenge their sect at such a crucial moment, ruining their mood. Especially Ye Jiuyao—his eyes narrowed, a cold gleam flashing through them, revealing just how foul his temper had become.

“Let’s go see who has the nerve to court death,” Ye Jiuyao declared, leading his group out of the Tongxuan Pagoda, their aura fierce as they flew toward the sect gates, only to be met by a large crowd.

“Well, what evil wind blows today, bringing a horde of heretics to our door?” Ye Jiuyao said with no hint of politeness.

“Hmph! Just a minor sect, yet you dare boast of surpassing the Divine Artifact Pavilion and the Yuan Pill Pavilion? Even the top-tier superlative sects wouldn’t dare such arrogance—where did you get the nerve?” one figure strode proudly through the air, his face radiating pride, his tone brash and imposing.

“Do you know what to do?” Ye Jiuyao glanced at the two beside him.

“Beat them to death!” Tong Zhantian and Xuan Tianzha replied, each producing their favored weapons: one wielded a heavy barreled gun, the other a small pill engraved with the visage of a demon.

“Good. Hold them off. If anyone refuses to submit, deal with them mercilessly. If anything happens, I’ll take the blame,” Ye Jiuyao instructed, then turned and flew back toward the Tongxuan Pagoda.

These irritating interlopers were, no doubt, the result of Ye Chaofeng spreading slander to the Divine Artifact Pavilion and the Yuan Pill Pavilion, blackening their reputation and inciting such troublemakers.

He also noticed many spectators, their faces etched with curiosity, confusion, longing, and other emotions—clearly townsfolk of Xuantian Town, drawn by the commotion.

The matter at hand was to uncover the secret within the Tongxuan Pagoda; not a moment could be wasted.

“The earthfire beneath the Tongxuan Pagoda has burned for a hundred years—it should have developed intelligence. Perhaps, to suppress it, the answer will reveal itself today!”

Ye Jiuyao formed a spell with his fingers, sending his Universe Ring flying forth. With a thought, a torrent of primordial crystals poured out like the Yellow River.

“Rise!” Ye Jiuyao cast another spell, causing the energy in his dantian to resonate, as if it were merging with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, forming a loop.

“Rumble…” Suddenly, the Tongxuan Sect trembled wildly, the mountains shaking, massive boulders tumbling from the peaks in a cascade that grew ever more intense.

Ye Jiuyao remained unfazed. His eyes snapped open, a beam of light bursting forth. The pile of primordial crystals on the ground became a crimson storm.

With a flick of his right finger, the crimson storm surged forward, drilling directly beneath the Tongxuan Pagoda.

But soon, resistance was encountered.

A cheerful sound erupted, accompanied by a wave of scorching heat rising from beneath the pagoda, as if wishing to burn the heavens and earth. In an instant, the clouds above the sect turned blood-red, as if scorched by fire. Ye Jiuyao’s gaze hardened, worry etched on his face.

As the storm of primordial crystals continued to pour below, the cheerful cries grew clearer, filled with delight.

Then, a thunderous explosion erupted.

Boom!

A surge of intense heat shot upward, a fire spirit—ethereal, blazing red—appeared amidst roaring flames, as if alive, facing Ye Jiuyao.

“Yiya!” The little fire spirit cried out in joy, then its aura swelled madly, forming a great mouth to greedily absorb the spiritual energy formed by the primordial crystals.

Ye Jiuyao watched as most of the energy was absorbed, then gathered within the fire spirit.

“Yiya!!”

Suddenly, the fire spirit erupted, flames engulfing Ye Jiuyao in an instant, murderous intent palpable.

“You dare defy me!”

Ye Jiuyao sensed the killing intent, dispersing the spiritual energy back into heaven and earth, then summoned his Star-Seizing Hand.

Boom!

The giant hand slammed down, as if to obliterate the fire spirit, but the spirit sensed danger and flared up again.

Boundless flames converged instantly, even the spiritual energy tainted by the fire spirit’s presence became wild and violent.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered like a suit of armor, seemingly slow, yet forming rapidly upon the fire spirit—everything happening at breathtaking speed.

In a flash, a suit of flame armor took shape, standing before Ye Jiuyao like a king of fire.

“You’re looking for a fight. It seems you are the greatest secret of the Tongxuan Pagoda, and perhaps the very reason the sect exists!”

Ye Jiuyao gazed at the fully transformed fire spirit, his voice calm, for at that critical moment, Sun Qigang spoke.

“This thing—the Celestial Demon Flame!”

“Let me out. You don’t know how to handle it. Only I can subdue it. Perhaps, after today, there will be no more Sun Qigang…”

Ye Jiuyao didn’t catch the last part, but felt a chill of sorrow, like the wind moaning over the River Yi.

“Little Sun, is there danger?”

“Let me out, only I can deal with it…”

Ye Jiuyao hesitated, and as he did, rumbles of battle echoed from outside—the fight had erupted.

Perhaps those clowns weren’t a match for Tong Zhantian and his group, but caution was always necessary.

For the Divine Artifact Pavilion and the Yuan Pill Pavilion, such powerful entities, stirred by the younger generation of the Ye family, their unskilled disciples rallying together—what could they possibly be scheming?

After much deliberation, Ye Jiuyao opened the Canglang Diagram, allowing Sun Qigang to emerge. The fire spirit hesitated to attack, sensing the aura of dread.

At the moment Sun Qigang appeared, the fire spirit bristled, its flames burning fiercely.

“Yiya!!”

The fire spirit, innately hostile to Sun Qigang’s demonic aura, erupted with speed, charging at him.

“Even as a juvenile Celestial Demon Flame, it carries the intent to suppress my nine brothers. Truly, this is a calamity—it seems the great tribulation approaches…”

Sun Qigang sighed mournfully toward the heavens. Behind him, the power of the stars surged; a long staff shattered forth from the void.

Buzz!

The staff resonated with a hum, forming a terrifying force, carrying starlight across the sky.

Ye Jiuyao recognized the move—the true Star Staff Technique. He himself had always lacked a certain finesse, but Sun Qigang displayed its authentic form, wielding the power of the stars, as if a single swing could stir all the heavens.

With supreme might, he struck.

“Yiya!”

The fire spirit’s armor transformed endlessly, finally becoming a giant flaming hand, reaching to seize Sun Qigang’s Star Staff Technique.

Boom!

The terrifying force shook the void, the world torn asunder by its destructive power.

Ye Jiuyao was stunned—a mere fire spirit possessed such dreadful strength.

Had it not been for Sun Qigang, perhaps he would already be halfway on the road to the underworld.