Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

The flame was just a tiny, faint wisp, utterly unremarkable in appearance.

But the instant this wisp of flame appeared, the surrounding, churning sea of fire fell eerily still, as if it had encountered some terrifying, monstrous beast.

No matter how the Great Demon below thrashed about, the sea of fire remained completely motionless. It was like an obedient pet before its master, not daring to make a single rash move in front of Ye Chen.

"How can this be?!"

The Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion was stunned speechless by this bizarre scene.

As for the Great Demon beneath the sea of fire, it burst through the surface in a rage, its furious roar shaking the heavens. "What did you do?"

It felt its entire cultivation being suppressed, as if it had encountered a peerless beast whose bloodline was so superior it was completely crushed. A tremor ran through it, originating from the very depths of its soul, making it impossible to remain calm!

Amidst the towering waves of fury, Ye Chen finally got a clear look at the Great Demon beneath the sea of fire.

It was a great vulture with fiery red plumage. Its feathers were as brilliant as blazing flames, and its crystalline eyes glittered with a dazzling light as it stared intently at Ye Chen.

'A Great Demon at the Peak of the Divinity Transformation Realm...'

Ye Chen's eyes glinted with a hint of surprise.

The Great Demon's aura was absolutely horrifying. It was barely half a step away from entering the Divine Might Realm.

Even several Cultivators at the Peak of the Divinity Transformation Realm working together might not be able to withstand its power.

And that wasn't even considering that this was the beast's home turf.

Surrounded by a sea of molten fire, its scorching aura surging, the fierce bird was in its element, its power magnified even further.

Only a true Great Power of the Divine Might Realm would likely be able to subdue it.

Of course, Ye Chen was no ordinary Cultivator.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire he possessed was one of the supreme divine flames in existence. Born from the deepest pits of hell, it could suppress the vast majority of all other flames in the world.

Though this sea of fire seemed boundless, its waves churning like furious dragons, in the presence of the Red Lotus Karma Fire, it was as docile as a child.

When Ye Chen summoned the Red Lotus Karma Fire, the vast sea of molten flame grew perfectly calm and silent. Not a single ripple remained.

The fierce bird's eyes filled with shock. A supreme, world-incinerating light swirled in its pupils, terrifying and dreadful to behold.

"If you dare to stop me, I'll grant you a swift death."

Ye Chen gave the fierce bird a cool glance, then reached out and took the Nine-Color Lotus.

The fierce bird spread its wings, which were covered in intricate flame runes. They shone as brilliantly as the sun, emitting a blinding red light.

It considered attacking Ye Chen several times, but was too intimidated by the tiny wisp of flame in the human Cultivator's hand to act rashly.

The Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion had never seen the fierce bird so docile. It stared, wide-eyed and almost speechless, wondering how Ye Chen had managed it.

"That's more like it."

Ye Chen smiled. He paid the fierce bird no more mind and started back the way he had come.

As Ye Chen's figure receded into the distance, the suppressive power of the Red Lotus Karma Fire gradually faded. The fierce bird threw back its head and let out a piercing shriek, the mighty sound wave causing the entire cavern to tremble.

"Halt!"

"If you don't leave the Nine-Color Lotus behind, you're not going anywhere!"

It shrieked, and the sea of molten fire beneath it began to churn once more. Surging torrents of firelight shot toward the sky in an astonishing display.

"You're not strong enough to stop me."

Ye Chen didn't even turn his head. He walked over to the Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion and said coolly, "Let's go."

The Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion snapped back to its senses.

It gave Ye Chen a deep look, then quickly turned and bolted toward the cave entrance, as if it couldn't wait to get away from this place.

"You... betrayed our master?!"

The fierce bird finally noticed the Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion. It froze for a moment, then beat its wings, sending boundless waves of flame surging toward them, threatening to engulf both Ye Chen and the lion.

The Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion cried out in alarm. The scorching heat nearly set its fur ablaze.

Ye Chen snorted. He flicked a finger at the approaching wave of fire, and a wisp of Red Lotus Karma Fire shot out, its blood-red glow eerie and menacing.

The towering wave of fire instantly dissolved like snow under the midday sun. The wisp of flame, swift as a shooting star, shot straight for the fierce bird.

"I couldn't be bothered to deal with you at first."

"But to keep you from snitching to your master, it's better if I eliminate you now."

Although Ye Chen didn't fear this "master," the Fire Cloud Flame-Devouring Spiritual Lion had taken a great risk by bringing him here. If the master were to find out, the lion would surely face an unimaginable disaster.

Therefore, to prevent these Great Demons from being implicated because of him, Ye Chen decided to silence the witness and ensure no news of this escaped.

"What?"

The fierce bird was aghast, sensing a lethal threat.

In the face of the Red Lotus Karma Fire, it couldn't even muster the will to resist. It frantically beat its wings, transforming into a streak of fiery red light as it tried to flee into the distance.

But Ye Chen would not let it escape so easily. In a flash, he appeared directly in the fierce bird's path.

With a rapid series of flicks from his fingers, sparks shot out, weaving together into a large net made of Red Lotus Karma Fire.

The net pulsed with a terrifying power. Its blood-red light swirled like a gaping maw as it flew straight for the fierce bird, intending to envelop it.

The fierce bird was shaken to its core. The aura of the Red Lotus Karma Fire made its entire body tremble uncontrollably.

Seeing no escape, it let out a piercing cry. The sea of fire churned, and a torrent of flame coalesced into a massive pillar of light that shot toward the net.

If it could just blast a hole in the net, it could escape through the opening.

This human Cultivator was simply too strange. Although his Spiritual Cultivation seemed ordinary, he somehow wielded a power that terrified it to its very core.

Its only thought was to escape as quickly as possible—the farther, the better!

A nice thought, but Ye Chen had no intention of letting it get its wish.

A clear Sword Chant suddenly rang out, echoing across the vast, subterranean sea of fire.

A flash of sword light, as brilliant as the Milky Way, tore through the void and shattered the pillar of flame.

The next moment, as the fierce bird watched in utter terror, the net wrapped itself securely around its body.

The searing heat instantly burned the fierce bird's skin.

Waves of excruciating pain made it gasp. It never imagined that one day, it, of all creatures, would be burned by a Flame.

For this creature, such a thing was simply inconceivable.

'What level of Flame is this?!'

'The Dao Flame I cultivated is so fragile before this Flame that it shatters on contact?!'

That was the last thought to flash through the fierce bird's mind.

The next moment, it lost consciousness.