21: The dead air leads to the burning fire

The sky was dyed crimson.

That wasn't the sunset; it was fire.

With Mu Changqing at the center, azure flames shot up into the sky, converging into a rolling sea of fire mid-air.

Azure Wood Transformation Flame!

This was a forbidden Spell of Hundred Herb Valley, a Divine Ability that, at the cost of burning one's own Wood Origin, unleashed the Yi Wood Divine Fire, capable of incinerating all things!

"Elder... Elder he..."

The twenty-odd surviving Disciples of Hundred Herb Valley had faces full of terror.

They could feel the Spiritual Qi in the air being frantically devoured and scorched by this sea of fire.

This forest was turning into a desperate land, a vacuum of Spiritual Qi!

This was a no-holds-barred move, intending to turn the murderer lurking in the shadows, along with the entire forest, into cinders!

Mu Changqing's eyes were crimson, his expression frenzied.

The tragic state of his Disciple and the Sect's losses had caused him to completely lose his reason.

He wanted that murderer to be burned alive in despair!

The sea of fire poured downwards.

Crimson tongues of flame licked the earth; trees, vines, and rocks ignited upon contact, turning to ash in an instant.

A wave of destruction spread wildly towards the depths of the forest.

However.

Just when everyone thought the murderer would flee in disarray or be forced to reveal himself and fight to the death.

A figure emerged from the shadows of the forest, walking against the direction of the sea of fire.

Jiang Chen.

On his face, there was no fear, no panic, not even a hint of solemnity.

It was a kind of calmness, a calmness of observing an already established fact.

"He's out!" a Disciple shrieked.

Mu Changqing's gaze instantly locked onto him.

The hatred in his eyes seemed capable of devouring Jiang Chen alive.

"Little beast! It was you!"

"I will make your Divine Soul scatter, never to reincarnate!"

Mu Changqing roared, urging the sea of fire to press down frantically towards Jiang Chen's location.

Jiang Chen ignored his roar.

He merely glanced at the world-destroying sea of fire, then made a move that everyone, including Mu Changqing, found incomprehensible.

He turned and rushed towards the black swamp that had just swallowed several Hundred Herb Valley Disciples.

Under Mu Changqing's bloodshot, astonished gaze.

Jiang Chen leaped.

With a "plop."

He plunged his entire body directly into the putrid swamp, which had accumulated a thousand years of Earth Fiend Corrosive Qi.

...?

Mu Changqing's mind went blank for a moment.

What was he doing?

Seeking death?

The corrosive Qi of that swamp could instantly melt a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator; wouldn't an Early Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator jumping in be courting death?

Beneath the swamp.

The world transformed into a different scene.

Thick, foul-smelling black mud and toxic water capable of corroding steel surged from all directions.

Countless venomous insects, leeches, and vengeful spirits hidden in the sludge were startled and swarmed madly towards this uninvited guest.

But as they approached within three inches of Jiang Chen's body, they suddenly stopped.

Hundred Herb Spirit Body!

A sense of affinity originating from the Origin of life emanated from Jiang Chen.

These low-level venomous creatures, acting on instinct, perceived not food from him, but an irresistible, high-level life-force soothing presence.

They quieted down, even actively clearing a path for him.

Jiang Chen's body, enveloped by Formless Life Essence, was insulated from all corrosion and poisonous Qi.

His eyes glowed astonishingly in the dark, muddy water.

Array Dao Heavenly Heart!

In his vision, this swamp was no longer murky sludge.

Countless gray-black energy lines, representing death and decay, converged from all directions, ultimately pointing to a single spot deep within the swamp's bottom.

That was the core Origin of this swamp's thousand-year Earth Fiend Corrosive Qi.

A naturally formed Earth Fiend Array Eye.

Jiang Chen's figure descended like a swimming fish.

Soon, he reached the location of the Array Eye.

It was a human-head-sized, black crystal-like concretion, pulsating with an inhale and exhale, swallowing and refining the surrounding Death Qi.

Jiang Chen extended his hand and gently pressed it onto this "Earth Fiend Origin."

Icy cold, deathly still.

As if touching death itself.

He raised his head, sensing the Yi Wood Divine Fire burning everything above through the thick mud and toxic water.

The most Yang and purest Fire of life.

The most Yin and foulest Origin of death.

Incompatible like water and fire.

Opposite like life and death.

Any Cultivator would try to keep these two as far apart as possible.

But Jiang Chen, however, intended to forcibly bring them together.

He slowly drew the broken sword from his waist.

That was Ye Liuyun's sword.

Upon the sword's body, a stubborn, rebellious Ai Yu Sword Intent slowly flowed.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath.

He mobilized the Sword Intent within his body, not for attack, not for destruction.

But for... connection!

He precisely pierced the core of the Earth Fiend Origin with the Sword Qi transformed from the Ai Yu Sword Intent, like an embroidery needle!

Buzz!

The Earth Fiend Origin vibrated violently.

But Jiang Chen did not stop.

Using Sword Intent as a guide, he forcibly opened a subtle spatial passage between the Yi Wood Divine Fire and the Earth Fiend Origin.

Grafting!

He intended to forcibly "graft" the energy of the sea of fire in the sky onto this underground source of death!

A wisp of the most Yang and purest azure flame, pulled along the passage opened by the Sword Intent, dripped onto the pure black Earth Fiend Origin.

Time, at this moment, seemed to stand still.

No sound.

No light.

The entire world fell into an eerie silence.

The next instant.

The world lost its color.

An indescribable, pure white light erupted from the depths of the swamp, instantly engulfing everything.

No thunderous roar.

Only an absolute silence.

Immediately after, a silent, unstoppable destructive force, centered on the swamp, swept out in all directions!

The rolling azure sea of fire in the sky, before this force, was like a candle flame blown by a strong wind, instantly torn apart and dispersed!

The earth was ripped open.

Dozens of feet thick black soil, mixed with the thousand-year accumulated Earth Fiend Corrosive Qi from underground, was thrown high into the sky by an immense force.

They violently collided with the still unextinguished Yi Wood Divine Fire in the heavens.

An enormous, terrifying mushroom cloud, mixed with green flames and black Death Qi, shot up into the sky, reaching straight into the clouds.

This was not a Spell.

This was not a Divine Ability.

This was a "natural disaster" personally orchestrated by Jiang Chen.

A Law murder targeting a Golden Core Cultivator!