Xiao Ning smiled but did not answer. 'Be obedient, or I will devour you,' he conveyed his thoughts to Green Lotus Core Flame, who had suddenly started getting grumpy after it sensed the presence of another heavenly flame.
The restless Green Lotus Core flame became quiet.
Xiao Ning stepped out, and the nine petaled green lotus behind him shrank to an adult's fist size and floated above his palm.
"You like playing with the flames. You love toying with your opponents, right? Bai Ya?"
"If you can survive my next attack, I will let you leave."
Xiao Ning glanced at the small lotus floating above his palm and said, "Now you will know why heavenly flame is called the sovereign of flames."
"I admit your strength is far greater than I expected it to be, but do you think you can stop me from leaving? Don't be so arrogant." Bai Ya spoke, and while he was talking, every part of his body was filled with dou qi; he was ready to act at any moment.
In response, Xiao Ning gently blew the lotus floating on his palm. Under his influence, the green lotus petals detached from the lotus and got carried away by the wind. Nine lotus petals flew randomly and dropped on the sand.
Nothing suspicious happened in the next few seconds, and everyone looked at Xiao Ning.
Bai Ya also blinked his eyes, and the next second he laughed loudly. He thought that Xiao Ning couldn't control the heavenly flame and failed.
Twelve other pairs of eyes were glued to Xiao Ning's figure to see if what they thought was the truth.
Xiao Ning ignored Bai Ya's mockery and looked down; even he was curious about its power. It was the first time he used it in the battle, and his control over the heavenly flame was rough.
'Rumble!' Then, the ground beneath them began to tremble the next moment. The vibrations spread in all directions in no time, and the city also started shaking.
It was only the beginning, and it only got stronger with time. Then, cracks appeared on the ground in a fraction of a second.
The ground ruptured; it swallowed the sand, forming gigantic pits. The desert below them disappeared in a blink of an eye, and a desolate land filled with craters replaced it.
Just by looking at it, everyone felt a chill running down their spine, and their bodies shivered. The tribe leaders felt their throats dry as they saw the cracks spreading toward the city.
If not stopped, it would swallow the entire city and its people. It even alarmed Medusa watching everything from her palace. She rushed out and stood in the void outside the city instantly.
Seeing Queen Medusa, everyone had a different reaction. The people in the city and tribe leaders were relieved. Bai Ya felt an indescribable shock. His dull eyes stared at her figure, and an alarm went off in his mind to leave instantly.
Even Yao Lao felt shocked, let alone Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan stupidly stared at the enchanting figure standing in the void. He couldn't control himself, and an evil fire arose within him.
"Brat, wake up! Do you want to die?" Yao Lao released a trace of his spiritual energy and hit the back of Xiao Yan's head.
"Uggh....what did just happen?" Xiao Yan asked embarrassedly, and he felt his face getting hotter.
"It is Medusa's innate charm ability. Don't stare for too long; she is a Dou Ancestor; she will sense it." Yao Lao warned in a heavy voice.
Xiao Yan nodded, but the fear in his eyes did not disappear, and with the presence of a Dou Ancestor, he felt things were getting out of hand.
...
Medusa snorted lightly and released a vast quantity of dou qi. Just looking at the sphere of red-colored tangible dou qi was enough to strike fear in people's hearts. But then, the sphere expanded, and it enveloped the city within.
A Dou Ancestor can slightly control the space around them, and the control increases with their strength. Queen Medusa was a special being and had greater control over space compared to others.
The red barrier protected the city from physical damage and temporarily isolated the space within.
Xiao Ning also raised his eyes and looked at Medusa, and a slight shock emerged in his heart as he sensed the vast dou qi condensed within her body.
"Rise!" He was relieved after seeing Medusa take action. 'Now I can act freely,' he thought. However, Xiao Ning was worried that his attack would also damage the city.
The moment he muttered, the ground shook, and nine large craters glowed with a bright red light.
'Swish!' Hot dry jets of air gushed out of the pits and blew into the sky. Then, as the temperature rose, the air between Xiao Ning and Bai Ya twisted.
'What is he doing?' The moment he saw Medusa, Bai Ya's laughter stopped. Then, as he sensed the changes happening underground, his mind went blank.
The eight pairs of wings on his back glowed in a deep shade of purple, and he prepared to escape.
"Now it's too late."
Xiao Ning made a strange hand seal.
'Rumble!' The ground shook as nine red pillars of lava blasted out of the nine large pits. It was the same pits where the lotus petals landed.
Many molten rocks and flaming rocks accompanied the lava, flew randomly, and caused destruction everywhere.
As the pillars of lava rose into the sky, it took the shape of a dragon, and a green flame coated it from the outside. Nine magnificent green dragons rushed into the atmosphere. Each moved in a specific path forming a complex array, trapping Bai Ya within it.
'Hong!' Bai Ya roared as he frantically tried to escape, yet, failed. The nine lava dragons closed in and tightly bound his body.
'Ahh!' He screamed in pain as lava burned his scales to crisp and entered his body.
A single was enough to turn the entire region into a death zone. Now, nine of them attacked Bai Ya.
In his agonizing screams, Bai Ya saw and felt every fiber of his body being burned by lava. It wasn't instant death but a slow and cruel one.
He felt molten magma raging within him, burning everything in its path.
Everyone shivered when they heard his screams and saw Bai Ya's condition with their own eyes. Even Medusa was a little surprised; she didn't expect Xiao Ning to be cruel to this extent. But after looking at the latter's indifferent face, she understood his mood.
...
Xiao Ning blankly stared at Bai Ya being burned to death. His indifferent face showed no trace of emotions.
"Now it is your turn," Xiao Ning muttered as he thought of the hidden spectator. A few moments ago, he sensed the latter's qi and traced his location.
He raised another finger, and another pillar of lava burst out in the distance.
...
Xiao Yan's face showed a trace of fear as he saw Bai Ya's fate and experienced the horror of a heavenly flame. In that moment of fear, his qi fluctuated sharply. But, unfortunately, Yao Lao also failed to pay attention to it.
Then, the next instant, Xiao Yan's senses screamed of danger. He looked around sharply and failed to find anything.
"Teacher?" With a puzzled face, Xiao Yan asked nervously.
"It's from below. Run!" Yao Lao replied instantly.
Xiao Yan's pupils shrank as he understood why he felt a sense of danger.
'Rumble!' In a fraction of a second, a smaller pillar of lava burst out from beneath Xiao Yan and enveloped him.