Seemingly provoked by Zhang Zhiliang's words, the flames entwined with the Immortal Lords intensified their burning, using the opponent's power as fuel, becoming increasingly fierce. Like a festering sore that was difficult to eradicate, it stubbornly persisted. Even though Zhang Zhiliang continuously activated formations, constantly shifting the positions of the five Immortal Lords, it only slightly slowed down the speed of the crimson flames' burning.
"Fellow Daoists, let's use offense as defense!" The voice of Immortal Lord Hongxi resounded.
As he spoke, a mountain inverted like a needle pressed down on Crimson Flame.
The mountain was thin as a needle but seemed as heavy as a million catties.
The flames around Crimson Flame danced ceaselessly, as if blown by a strong wind.
Its body involuntarily sank downward.
A shockwave erupted from the point of contact between the two, sweeping and spreading towards the surrounding area, causing giant waves and continuously expanding towards the outer edge of the Cloud Sea.
Sweeping over the Wanxian Island below, it even caused a slight sway in the Seven-Colored Falling Immortal Array.
Under the inverted mountain, the flames flickered.
It seemed to disappear for a moment, attempting to use the same tactic to change its position.
However, unexpectedly, the next second, it was somewhat embarrassedly forced to reappear in the original position.
In the surrounding space, one could vaguely see the image of countless mountain ranges undulating.
Crimson Flame seemed to be trapped in a cage formed by the mountains, unable to move!
It lowered its head slightly, seemingly contemplating something.
Next, everyone saw that the flames that were constantly leaping on its body suddenly stopped.
Then, they rapidly contracted towards the center.
Before everyone could react, Crimson Flame had turned from a humanoid figure into a pure red flame.
Dazzling, fierce, filled with the power of destruction.
The mountains that trapped it began to dissolve and collapse due to the extremely high temperature.
Seeing that Crimson Flame was about to break free, the attacks from the other Immortal Lords suddenly arrived.
"Endless Jiang River, unceasingly flowing!"
Silver chains descended from the sky.
Like wandering dragons, they fiercely collided with the flames.
Although the Jiang River was evaporated in an instant, the water from the Lancang River seemed infinite, never ceasing, slowing down the process of Crimson Flame's escape once again.
"Die!" A childish and tender voice, yet full of murderous intent.
In the vast river, a black and red figure appeared silently next to Crimson Flame.
Without the slightest breath of life, even with Crimson Flame's perception, it was only when the figure approached that it suddenly realized.
"Tianyang?" Regarding this black and red puppet, Li Fan was naturally familiar.
Unlike the colossal figure seen before, the current Tianyang puppet had returned to a normal human size.
Even Tianyang's voice was no longer mechanical but human-like.
Under the scorching temperature of the fiery red flames, everything that approached melted.
Even the Nascent Divinity-level Tianyang puppet was no exception.
Its appearance seemed like snow under the sun, continuously melting.
However, despite the body being destroyed and turning into a boiling black-red viscous liquid.
Tianyang completely unleashed his power.
"Tianyang's lifetime..."
"Not weaker than humans!"
The viscous liquid kept surging, like water yet like fire.
Entangling the crimson flame, regardless of how scorching it was, it didn't retreat at all, intending to contaminate it with its own substance.
Under coercion, the crimson flame was forced to shrink again.
As Crimson Flame became the focus of the attacks, the power of the continuously burning flames accompanying the Immortal Lords also diminished.
Their attacks became more fierce.
Under the siege of the five Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords, Crimson Flame continued to compress itself.
It seemed like victory was within reach.
However...
When compressed to the extreme, the flames disappeared.
It was just a particle emitting a dazzling light, making it impossible for anyone to look directly at it, surrounded by the Immortal Lords.
Then, the red particle moved.
At a speed surpassing the perception of all the cultivators present, it drew a crimson line on the vast sky multiple times.
Passing through the black-red viscous substance, it punched a large hole in Tianyang's body.
The central substance completely evaporated, and the viscous material around it surged to heal, but it was suppressed by the remaining high temperature and couldn't recover.
The Jiang River and the inverted mountain were instantly split in two by the crimson line.
The river dried up, and the mountain crumbled.
Two muffled groans sounded simultaneously.
Haoran Immortal Lord continuously fired silver arrows, but the silver radiance unexpectedly couldn't keep up with the speed of the crimson line's movement.
Instead, in the pursuit, they were assimilated by it, transformed into crimson flames, and shot out in different directions.
The crimson line kept bending and looping in the sky, unrestrained and rampant.
Anything obstructing its path was vaporized by its destructive power.
Silver radiance flashed continuously, which was Zhang Zhiliang helping the Immortal Lords change positions, resisting Crimson Flame's attacks.
However, even so, the Immortal Lords' disadvantage kept expanding.
At this moment, Zhang Zhiliang finally took action again.
One, two...
Thousands, tens of thousands...
Countless silver cubic formations suddenly appeared in the sky.
They seemed chaotic, but Li Fan could see that these vast and star-like arrays were both real and illusory, forming a certain formation.
"Gather the spirits!"
Zhang Zhiliang said coldly.
Part of the array in the sky, following Zhang Zhiliang's voice, emitted silver light together.
A super-large-scale array formed by countless small gathering spirit arrays suddenly appeared.
A strong wind swept across the Cloud Sea, raising towering waves.
The spiritual energy surged towards the array-locked area, absorbed by the injured Immortal Lords.
In an instant, the Immortal Lords' combat power returned to its peak.
"Ice cold!"
Zhang Zhiliang took action again.
Another part of the array emitted brilliance at his command.
The temperature in the sky plummeted, and ice crystals condensed in the air.
It seemed like even the air itself was frozen.
The speed of Crimson Flame's movement was inevitably slowed under the cold.
"Sluggish!"
In an instant, countless silver-white threads emanated from the array, entwining the crimson line.
"Life and death!"
"Annihilation!"
...
Under the joint attack of numerous arrays, one after another, Crimson Flame's strength was suppressed, and the Immortal Lords' strength increased.
With this exchange, the two sides gradually reached a stalemate in the battle.
The chains composed of the sun and the galaxy in the sky blocked the communication between Crimson Flame and the heavens.
However, the five Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords could recklessly absorb the spiritual energy from the Cloud Sea to replenish themselves.
Although Crimson Flame in this world was much stronger than the previous simple furnace worker, if things continued like this, defeat was only a matter of time.
Just when Li Fan thought the battle would continue in the direction of attrition, the situation changed again.
Sensing that they were about to fall into an unfavorable situation, Crimson Flame transformed again from the glowing particles, this time into a humanoid form.
"What is this going to do?"
Not only Li Fan but all the cultivators present were somewhat puzzled by this scene.
However, the Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords in the battle were all startled.
Suddenly, a shadow entirely composed of flames, resembling weapons, appeared beside Crimson Flame.
Swords, spears, axes, hammers...
Crimson Flame's figure flickered.
Then, beside each weapon, there was a Crimson Flame!
In an instant, the world above and below fell into a strangely static state.
A total of eighteen Crimson Flames attacked the five Immortal Lords in different directions.
There was a commotion on Wanxian Island.
"Is this the technique of creating clones?"
"One Crimson Flame is already difficult for the Immortal Lords to deal with. Now there are eighteen... how can they fight against this? Won't it be a certain defeat?"
"I'm not so sure. These clones and the original Crimson Flame still have some differences."
"But with so many, the sheer number is overwhelming! And look, the weapons Crimson Flame is using are not just for show. Every move is fatal, and the offensive power seems to be much stronger than before."
...
In the discussions of the crowd, some cultivators already felt that something was wrong.
They attempted to leave through the teleportation arrays, but were horrified to find that all the teleportation arrays had become ineffective.
Panic then spread in a small area on the island, and some cultivators unleashed their escape lights, trying to fly away from the Cloud Sea alone.
But more cultivators still believed that the Immortal Lords of the Wanxian Alliance would not be defeated.
They watched attentively at this world-shaking battle.
At the beginning, facing the sudden appearance of eighteen Crimson Flame clones, the five Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords were indeed caught off guard.
Each of them was severely injured.
But after all, with Nascent Divinity cultivation base, they wouldn't be instantly killed by the Crimson Flame clones.
With Zhang Zhiliang's powerful assistance, they gradually recovered.
However, they were still suppressed by numerous Crimson Flame clones.
"Everyone, don't hold back at this time!"
The voice of Immortal Lord Hongxi resounded.
"Go all out! As for who can finally integrate the Dao, it depends on each individual's destiny!"
"Exactly what I was thinking! I'll show you my skills first!" Haoran Immortal Lord's hearty laughter echoed through the heavens and earth.
"Hit!"
The battlefield underwent another change while Li Fan thought the battle would continue towards a war of attrition.
Perceiving that they were about to fall into an unfavorable situation, Crimson Flame transformed again from the hot glowing particles, this time into a humanoid form.
"What is this trying to do?"
Not only Li Fan, but all the cultivators present were somewhat puzzled by this scene.
However, the Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords in the battle were all startled.
Suddenly, a shadow entirely composed of flames, resembling weapons, appeared beside Crimson Flame.
Swords, spears, axes, hammers...
Crimson Flame's figure flickered.
Then, beside each weapon, there was a Crimson Flame!
In an instant, the world above and below fell into a strangely static state.
A total of eighteen Crimson Flames attacked the five Immortal Lords in different directions.
There was a commotion on Wanxian Island.
"Is this the technique of creating clones?"
"One Crimson Flame is already difficult for the Immortal Lords to deal with. Now there are eighteen... how can they fight against this? Won't it be a certain defeat?"
"I'm not so sure. These clones and the original Crimson Flame still have some differences."
"But with so many, the sheer number is overwhelming! And look, the weapons Crimson Flame is using are not just for show. Every move is fatal, and the offensive power seems to be much stronger than before."
...
In the discussions of the crowd, some cultivators already felt that something was wrong.
They attempted to leave through the teleportation arrays, but were horrified to find that all the teleportation arrays had become ineffective.
Panic then spread in a small area on the island, and some cultivators unleashed their escape lights, trying to fly away from the Cloud Sea alone.
But more cultivators still believed that the Immortal Lords of the Wanxian Alliance would not be defeated.
They watched attentively at this world-shaking battle.
At the beginning, facing the sudden appearance of eighteen Crimson Flame clones, the five Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords were indeed caught off guard.
Each of them was severely injured.
But after all, with Nascent Divinity cultivation base
, they wouldn't be instantly killed by the Crimson Flame clones.
With Zhang Zhiliang's powerful assistance, they gradually recovered.
However, they were still suppressed by numerous Crimson Flame clones.
"Everyone, don't hold back at this time!"
The voice of Immortal Lord Hongxi resounded.
"Go all out! As for who can finally integrate the Dao, it depends on each individual's destiny!"
"Exactly what I was thinking! I'll show you my skills first!" Haoran Immortal Lord's hearty laughter echoed through the heavens and earth.
"Hit!"
With a violent shout, eighteen silver arrows appeared abruptly on Crimson Flame, all piercing through its chest!
"Cangjiang Water Falls from the Nine Heavens!"
Above the high sky, the river water descended from a distance.
When it fell into the mortal world, it multiplied by eighteen.
Like eighteen silver giant dragons, it entangled with the Crimson Flame clones.
"Creak..."
Small peaks, each only the size of an ordinary person's finger, fell on top of the Crimson Flames.
A terrifying sound, as if even space was being crushed, echoed.
The head of Crimson Flame showed a very obvious depression under the impact.
As the peaks continued to descend, other parts of its body were also about to be crushed.
A black-red viscous substance suddenly expanded, fierce and vicious, transforming into eighteen bizarre and monstrous beasts, tearing at Crimson Flame.
The situation changed again, and the battle suddenly became more intense.
The shockwaves of the confrontation continued to sweep over the Cloud Sea below, creating towering waves.
Even Wanxian Island seemed to experience an earthquake, constantly shaking.
Splitting into eighteen seemed to be a significant drain on Crimson Flame.
Its color visibly dimmed.
However, with Zhang Zhiliang's super supply station, the consumption of the Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords was much smaller.
Slowly, the situation began to tilt in favor of the cultivators.
As the sun rose and set, three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Crimson Flame suffered severe losses, and the eighteen clones merged back into one.
The flames on its body continued to flicker, but its momentum had been greatly reduced compared to before.
"Die!"
The voice of Tianyang, full of killing intent, resounded again.
Transforming back into a black-red puppet, it fiercely collided with Crimson Flame.
As if coordinating with Tianyang's attack, suddenly, the water of the Cangjiang, the silver arrows, the inverted mountains, and the stars of the Milky Way all erupted at the same time.
"Why isn't Zhang Zhiliang taking action?"
"And what about Ye Feipeng..."
Watching as this battle to exterminate the soul of heaven and earth was about to come to an end, these two individuals had yet to make a move, leaving Li Fan somewhat puzzled.
He flew slightly higher, surveying the surroundings, trying to find any traces of Ye Feipeng.
"Hmm?" When he saw the surrounding scene clearly, Li Fan's heart jumped.
While the attention of all cultivators was focused on the unprecedented battle in the sky, Li Fan noticed that the surface of the Cloud Sea had dropped significantly, seemingly countless seawater had disappeared out of thin air. As far as Li Fan could see, even in some shallower areas, the seabed was now exposed.
"So, he hasn't given up." Thinking of Ye Feipeng's comprehension of the Kunpeng Divine Ability, Li Fan's eyes flickered.
And just as Li Fan observed the surroundings, the Crimson Flame above, under the successive attacks of the five Immortal Lords, finally showed signs of defeat.
The flames on its body flickered like a candle in the wind.
The final strike from the five Immortal Lords was also about to come.
"I'll also lend a hand to you, Immortal Lords!" Zhang Zhiliang's voice timely rang out.
But to Li Fan, it sounded a bit cold.
The tens of thousands of arrays that sealed the battlefield simultaneously emitted a faint light.
Then, they extinguished simultaneously.
In the instant they disappeared from the sky, they quietly moved and changed their positions.
Suddenly, a formation emerged.
"Gather the spirits!"
Zhang Zhiliang's indifferent voice resounded again.
This voice had appeared countless times on the battlefield, and the cultivators, including the Immortal Lords in the battle, were already accustomed to it.
However, unlike before...
A closed giant eye appeared in the sky.
When the words "Gather the spirits" sounded, the eye suddenly opened.
The super-gathering spirit array was activated, but the area where spiritual energy was extracted was no longer the Cloud Sea.
It was the battlefield covered by the eye!
The density of spiritual energy around dropped at a terrifying speed. The five Immortal Lords immediately sensed that something was wrong.
"Zhang Zhiliang, are you seeking death?" The voice of Immortal Lord Hongxi resounded with shock and anger.
The inverted mountain changed its target and smashed towards the one-eyed sky.
However, the space ahead kept distorting.
The incredibly heavy and seemingly crush-everything inverted mountain couldn't fly to the eye in the sky no matter what.
Not only that, the attacks of other enraged Immortal Lords couldn't penetrate this sealed space.
All attacks fell completely short.
"The Microcosm Dust Array? Have you broken through to the Nascent Divinity realm?"
At this moment, Purple Cloud Immortal Lord, who had been silent from the beginning, finally spoke.
The crisp voice caused the expressions of Hongxi and others to change dramatically.
Zhang Zhiliang remained silent.
On the side, the previously heavily injured Crimson Flame seized the opportunity to launch an attack against the astonished Nascent Divinity Immortal Lords.
Hongxi and the others were forced to face Crimson Flame again.
However, this time, not only did the spiritual energy within the Microcosm Dust Array significantly decrease, but they also couldn't recover.
Even the one-eyed entity in the sky occasionally cast its gaze, freezing everyone's actions.
Before long, facing the dual attack from Crimson Flame and Zhang Zhiliang, the Immortal Lords became covered in wounds.
"Zhang Zhiliang, as a Nascent Divinity cultivator and a master of formations, how can you act so despicably?"
"Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?" scolded Lancang Immortal Lord.
In response, there was a deathly gaze from the one-eyed entity.
Hongxi Immortal Lord hadn't expected that they would fall into the calculations of this former subordinate.
"Please, Senior Jin Ri, help me break free!" he shouted anxiously.
The golden sun in the sky hesitated for a moment, then cast down a beam of golden light.
Just as this beam of light was about to fall on the one-eyed entity, a wisp of black cloud suddenly appeared, blocking the golden light.
"Zhang kid, go ahead with confidence! Jin Ri won't die easily. Don't think about hindering you!" Zhang Zhiliang finally spoke at this moment. "Black Crow?!" Jin Ri's voice sounded surprised and angry. However, faced with the dark cloud that covered the golden sun, Jin Ri fell silent. After a moment, the sun that shrouded the Cloud Sea slowly receded.
"Senior Jin Ri!" Hongxi, while fending off Crimson Flame's attacks, shouted in despair.
But there was no response.
Seeing that even the one they relied on had chosen to give up, a river of stars appeared in the sky.
Purple Cloud Immortal Lord turned into starlight and instantly pierced through space.
Without saying a word, he fled far away.
The one-eyed entity watched from a distance and, after a moment, retracted its gaze.
Zhang Zhiliang chose not to pursue.
He just watched the life-and-death struggle within the Microcosm Dust Array.
For Crimson Flame, everything before it was an enemy to be eliminated.
So, the offensive did not let up for a moment.
But for the remaining four Nascent Divinity cultivators, survival was their instinct.
Facing Crimson Flame's attacks, they couldn't afford not to counterattack or simply await death with closed eyes.
However, with several of them already heavily injured and lacking the assistance of Jin Ri and Purple Cloud, they were no match for Crimson Flame.
Thus, even though they were reluctant, they had to fall into Zhang Zhiliang's plan, using their lives to deplete the remaining power of Crimson Flame.
Lancang Immortal Lord fell first.
Followed by Haoxuan and Hongxi, who died one after another.
Only the most tenacious Tianyang was still barely holding on.
As the moment of victory approached, the achievement of becoming an Immortal Venerable by slaying the soul of heaven and earth was within reach.
Even Zhang Zhiliang, with his deep scheming, couldn't help but feel excited.
Just as he was about to take action.
Suddenly, he realized that a shadow covering the entire Cloud Sea had unknowingly enveloped him.
As if a voice that could not be described in language, a terrifying monstrous beast emerged from the depths of the sea, swallowing him and Crimson Flame, which was blocked by countless arrays, in one gulp.
(End of this chapter)