Screeech!
Within the Canglan Main Hall, a Golden Crow occasionally swooped through the fire, trying to escape the fifty-zhang range. Ji Cangtian raised his hand and slapped, sending an invisible force toward the Golden Crow.
The next moment, the Golden Crow fizzled out like an eggplant hit by frost, obediently returning to the flames.
"You beast, if anything happens to the disciples of our sect, I shall seal your flames in the land of extreme coldness forever," Ji Cangtian whispered softly. The Innate Fires all possess intelligence, and this Golden Crow Radiance Flame is no exception. The only difference is that this Golden Crow Radiance Flame has been sealed in the formation for a long time, so who knows how much intelligence it still retains.
...
Within the flames, the surging energy of the Golden Crow Radiance Flame rampaged through Lin Chen’s meridians, continuously destroying his body. Fortunately, within Lin Chen’s heart, an endless stream of Canglan energy poured down, slowly recovering the charred meridians.
Despite the destruction and reformation of his body, Lin Chen had no time to worry about it. All his spirit was focused on operating the Inextinguishable Divine Face Technique to extract and subdue the energy of the Golden Crow Radiance Flame.
This is a necessary step for the Inextinguishable Divine Face Technique to absorb Innate Fire.
On Lin Chen’s forehead, the mark of Li Fire flickered in and out of sight, while the fiery imprints appeared around his acupoints, each having a cluster of flames.
These flames quickly spread through his meridians to his limbs and body, like a fiery net continuously driving the rampaging energy of the Golden Crow Radiance Flame toward the Dantian.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Golden Crow Radiance Flame’s energy seemed to sense the crisis and began frantically crashing into the fiery net, but it could never break through, eventually being compressed by the net into the Dantian region.
Whew!
In the Dantian, the Golden Crow Radiance Flame’s energy suddenly condensed into a Golden Crow, with its three sharp claws grasping at the fiery net, trying to tear it apart and escape.
But at this moment, Li Fire and Canglan intertwined into a cyclone, forcibly dragging the Golden Crow to the Dantian Qi Sea, the whole cyclone spinning rapidly. With the cyclone’s rotation, the fire sparks around Lin Chen’s acupoints also danced.
The flames started flickering, once, twice, three times...
After nearly a hundred times, the flame suddenly split, transforming from a single cluster into two after another flicker.
The two clusters of flames coexisted within the acupoints, radiating warm energy throughout the limbs and body.
Lin Chen, who had kept his eyes closed, finally opened them at this moment. The step of absorbing and refining the Golden Crow Radiance Flame was finally completed.
Back then, he absorbed and refined the energy of the Li Fire, cultivating a Giant Aspect, able to transform into a ten-zhang Flame Giant, but that was only the first aspect of the Divine Face.
"What will the Divine Face Body become this time?"
There was a hint of anticipation in Lin Chen’s eyes. The Inextinguishable Divine Face Technique is a very special cultivation technique, not just because it’s primarily about absorbing Innate Fire, but also because its subsequent transformations are unpredictable.
The transformation of the Inextinguishable Divine Face Body depends on the type of Innate Fire absorbed.
Of course, to achieve this step, he needs to absorb enough of the Golden Crow Radiance Flame’s energy; the bit he just absorbed is not enough.
Boom!
Once again, Lin Chen absorbed the Golden Crow Radiance Flame within a ten-zhang radius around his body like a whale inhaling water, infusing it into his body.
The fire energy entered his body, quickly settling in the Dantian, finally appearing at the acupoints, slowly merging and fusing with the Li Fire.
A quarter of an hour, half a two-hour period, a two-hour period passed.
...
No one knows how much time has passed. Golden streaming fire surged from Lin Chen’s acupoints, dark golden patterns appeared on his skin, with faint shadows of a Golden Crow spreading its wings flowing through the patterns.
His body did not swell like when he first transformed into a Giant Aspect; instead, it condensed to a normal physique but harbored even more terrifying explosive power.
As Lin Chen’s figure shrank, his spine joints continuously emitted sounds like metal stones colliding. From his scapulae, two dazzling golden lights tore out, forming Flame Wings entirely condensed from the Golden Crow Radiance Flame, with every feather exhaling scorching heat capable of burning space.
When this pair of Flame Wings appeared, a shadow of a Golden Crow’s long cry emerged in the void, a phantom sun seemed to float behind Lin Chen, the brilliant might distorting the space.
Unfortunately, this form only lasted for a moment before dissipating, and the Flame Wings on his back quickly retracted.
The Golden Crow Radiance Flame’s energy is insufficient!
Lin Chen began once more to absorb the remaining flames around, working to stabilize the energy of the Golden Crow Radiance Flame within his body.
...
...
Canglan Main Hall.
Qiao Yuan’s figure appeared at the entrance of the hall, but he did not step inside.
In three days, he had broken through to the Innate Realm, and in another quarter-hour, Lin Chen’s three-day seal period would end.
Lin Chen had not yet broken through, so only he could stand in.
Lin Chen chose to take on the challenge of a hundred thousand consecutive victories, meaning he could not refuse challenges from martial artists ranked behind him on the Martial Arts Mountain, similarly, none ranked ahead could refuse Lin Chen’s challenge.
These three days were the preparation time given to everyone by the Martial Arts Mountain, to avoid scenarios where Lin Chen challenges someone in closed cultivation and, being unable to respond, would have to forfeit by default, causing discontent.
"Sect Leader, how much longer for Lin Chen?"
Qiao Yuan looked at Ji Cangtian. At this moment, not only was Qiao Yuan at the entrance of the main hall, but Zhao Yulin, Du Xiaofeng, and his disciples were also there.
"I estimate that it will still take two to three days."
"Alright, I’ll buy Lin Chen two to three days’ time."
Qiao Yuan nodded and took out the Martial Arts Seal from his chest. His current strength on Martial Arts Mountain was still below the Innate level. Only by going up and experiencing a challenge would Martial Arts Mountain update him to an Innate Martial Artist.
...
After entering Martial Arts Mountain for only ten breaths, Qiao Yuan descended from the mountain.
"I’m now ranked thirty-eighth."
Qiao Yuan calmly stated that with his breakthrough to the Innate Realm, defeating a non-Innate opponent ahead of him was an easy task.
"Qiao Yuan, I thank you on behalf of our junior brother."
Chai Daoqi spoke up; he was more than a decade older than Qiao Yuan. When Qiao Yuan began his cultivation, Chai Daoqi was already an Innate Martial Artist.
"Senior Brother Chai, I’m not doing this for Lin Chen; I’m doing it for the Canglan Sect."
However, Qiao Yuan did not accept the thanks, causing the corner of Chai Daoqi’s mouth to twitch. It seemed Qiao Yuan was truly arrogant.
After fifteen breaths.
The Martial Arts Seal in Qiao Yuan’s hand suddenly trembled, and when it calmed, Qiao Yuan frowned slightly: "Sect Leader, Martial Arts Mountain has opened the top hundred spectating."
"As expected."
Ji Cangtian wasn’t surprised. This was the rule of Martial Arts Mountain: When someone reaches the summit, all Martial Arts Seals can project the summit battle.
Every summit battle draws the attention of the entire Flame Dynasty.
The difference this time was that normally only the final summit battle would be available for spectating, but this time the top hundred battles could be watched.
This was because Martial Arts Mountain had learned that Canglan Sect planned for Qiao Yuan to bear the Innate Martial Artists’ challenges meant for Lin Chen, hence the exposure.
For the Canglan Sect, this would be a test of their reputation.
As Lin Chen ascends with consecutive victories, with Qiao Yuan blocking the Innate Martial Artists following him, if this matter became known, a successful summit by Lin Chen would be fine, but failure would be a huge blow to Canglan Sect’s reputation.
Going through all this effort and failing to reach the summit would be seen as Canglan Sect’s incompetence.
Elders Zhao Yulin and Du Xiaofeng exchanged a glance. After Qiao Yuan’s strength update to the Innate Realm, Martial Arts Mountain suddenly opened the top hundred spectating, clearly targeting their Canglan Sect.
However, they knew this was a treatment faced by any disciple attempting the summit.
Martial Arts Mountain wasn’t specifically targeting Canglan Sect, but anyone aiming to reach the summit, especially those attempting to break a record.
Five hundred years ago, a genius disciple from the Ten Thousand Souls Sect also attempted a consecutive victory summit. Similarly, Martial Arts Mountain opened for spectating battles with several Innate Martial Artists, revealing the disciple’s trump cards and ultimately stopping at rank three.
The record he challenged was a nine-thousand consecutive victory summit, yet it faced such hurdles, so for Lin Chen attempting a ten-thousand victory summit, Martial Arts Mountain was bound to target him.
"Sect Leader, Master, Elder Du, I’m heading out."
As time dwindled to the last few breaths, Qiao Yuan’s figure once again entered Martial Arts Mountain.
Three breaths later!
The Martial Arts Seal hovering above Qiao Yuan’s head shot out a light curtain, projecting into the sky.
Not only above Qiao Yuan, but all disciples holding a Martial Arts Seal saw a projection emitting light.
East Sea Divine Palace, Thousand Mechanism Sect, Void Sect, Celestial Yang Hall, Star Luo Sect, Profound Frost Sect...
Throughout the Flame Dynasty’s territory, not only the twenty-four Super Sects but other sects’ geniuses holding Martial Arts Seals were all staring at the airborne projection.
Even though it’s the top hundred spectating, everyone knew that the top hundred-ranked martial artists, except for those challenging Lin Chen or being challenged by him, wouldn’t initiate challenges at this time.
Huh!
But at the next moment, when the two figures appeared on the projection, along with their introductions, exclamations of surprise arose from many places.
"Who is Qiao Yuan from Canglan Sect?"
The two figures on the projection: one was a disciple from the Super Sect Profound Frost Sect, while the other wasn’t their expected Lin Chen but someone called Qiao Yuan.
"Wasn’t it supposed to be Lin Chen initiating a consecutive victory summit? Why is it Qiao Yuan appearing?"
"Canglan Sect anticipated many geniuses would block Lin Chen, so they dispatched another disciple to buy time for Lin Chen to challenge up to rank thirty. Once within the top thirty, those Innate Martial Artists not present on Martial Arts Mountain wouldn’t have the chance to challenge Lin Chen."
Experts from the sects immediately saw through the strategy, indeed a clever tactic.
...
Inside Martial Arts Mountain.
Disciple Su Lin from Profound Frost Pavilion glanced at Qiao Yuan and instantly understood the situation.
"I wondered what kind of genius Lin Chen was; turns out he’s just a coward, even sending someone to defend him on Martial Arts Mountain."
Facing Su Lin’s taunt, Qiao Yuan’s expression remained unchanged; wearing a cold demeanor, he raised his right hand, and the Canglan Finger pointed out, a colossal finger descended from the sky.