Chapter 357: The Chaotic Demon Flame Revealed
The faint ripple came suddenly, barely noticeable, yet Lin Langtian immediately felt it, as it originated from the demonic seed within him. What was strange, though, was that it seemed drawn to the Inferno Demon Space—a response he had never seen from the seed before.
While Lin Langtian considered this, Xia Yan, one of the Seven Spirit Generals, cast a glance his way.
"So, you're Lin Langtian," Xia Yan sneered, his tone cold. "I'm Xia Yan, Spirit General of the Gold Division. To hear about a newcomer who reached the position of Spirit General within six months of joining Yuan Gate is indeed rare. But it seems you lack respect for your seniors. There's an old saying—'The faster you rise, the harder you fall.' I'd keep that in mind if I were you."
With Xia Yan's jab, the other Spirit Generals also turned their indifferent gazes on Lin Langtian, making the tension among them clear. News of Lin Langtian's victory over Wang Yan had spread fast, and it seemed his rising prominence was enough to overshadow the other Seven Spirit Generals, sparking resentment.
Lin Langtian sensed this hostility and glanced at Xia Yan, arching a brow. He had heard of Xia Yan—a close ally of Ling Chi, the former Fire Division Spirit General—so he wasn't surprised by the poorly concealed animosity.
But if Xia Yan intended to provoke him, Lin Langtian had no intention of holding back. "Xia Yan, if I'm not mistaken, you were once defeated by Wang Yan. So in a way, I avenged you. Or perhaps you want to flaunt your seniority because you lack the strength?" Lin Langtian's lips curled into a mocking smile. "As far as I know, Yuan Gate doesn't have a rule for that."
"You…!" Xia Yan's face twisted with anger as Lin Langtian struck a nerve. Xia Yan had once crossed paths with Wang Yan, who was then seeking revenge for his sister and ruthlessly slaughtering Yuan Gate disciples. Despite his title as Gold Division Spirit General, Xia Yan had suffered a harsh defeat in that battle. This loss had left a scar on his reputation, one that no one dared mention—until now.
The other Spirit Generals exchanged glances, impressed by Lin Langtian's unyielding demeanor. It was clear he was not one to be trifled with, and their previous indifference shifted to a wary respect.
The intense look of resentment in Xia Yan's eyes flared for a moment, but he forced himself to take a steadying breath. "Hmph, a hot-headed junior who doesn't respect his seniors. Still, I hear you have high hopes of conquering the Chaotic Demon Flame, just like with Wang Yan. Let's see if you can pull off another miracle."
"Don't trouble yourself," Lin Langtian replied coolly. Ignoring Xia Yan's provocations, he walked forward, stopping at the edge of the black vortex. Reaching out, he lightly touched the swirling mass.
The moment his fingers made contact, a wave of energy shot through him, cold and devoid of life, carrying an insidious, destructive force. The energy felt like it could erase all existence in its path.
"No doubt about it…this is the Chaotic Demon Flame," Lin Langtian murmured, sensing its unusual fusion with the eerie force of the demonic. Whatever power had transformed the flame, it was now inseparably linked with dark demonic energy.
As Lin Langtian pondered this, Xia Yan and the others stepped forward, each placing a hand on the black vortex's edge. The sinister energy coursed into them as well, making their faces pale in shock.
Buzz!
As the eight Spirit Generals touched the black vortex, it began to spin faster. From within, dark beams of light shot out, surrounding Lin Langtian and the others, enveloping them completely.
As the light surrounded him, Lin Langtian felt a powerful, uncontrollable force pulling him in. His vision blurred, and everything around him faded to black.
The crowd watched in anticipation as the eight were swallowed by the black pillars of light, signaling the beginning of their attempt to subdue the Chaotic Demon Flame.
"Brother Yuan Cang, do you think anyone will succeed this time?" Ling Zhen, one of the Three Princes, asked, observing the motionless figures within the black light with a faint smile.
Yuan Cang's gaze was focused on the swirling black vortex, a pensive look in his eyes. "The Chaotic Demon Flame is powerful beyond measure, but logically, Fire Division members should have the best chance, as they're most adept at manipulating flame. Even so, the Chaotic Demon Flame isn't a mere fire—it harbors an evil, icy power. If you can't overcome that, taming it is impossible."
Ling Zhen nodded, his expression grim. The Three Princes themselves had attempted to subdue it during the last opening of the Inferno Demon Space, but none of them had lasted more than a day against its oppressive, sinister aura.
"Looks like it'll end the same as always. The Chaotic Demon Flame will remain untamed," Ling Zhen mused, watching the black vortex with a calm smile.
Inside the Inferno Demon Space, the sky was a sea of dark clouds, so densely packed that not a trace of light seeped through, creating an oppressive atmosphere that seemed ready to crush the world below.
Beneath this oppressive sky lay a boundless, barren land, covered in blackened earth with an occasional patch of withered grass—dry and lifeless, cracked in places by intense heat, with fissures spreading out toward the horizon.
Lin Langtian stood alone on this desolate ground, taking in the alien landscape. As he looked around, his mouth curved into a wry smile. "I guess I'd better find the Chaotic Demon Flame first."
He scanned his surroundings, but his gaze met only endless dark mist in all directions, the mist saturated with an eerie, malevolent chill that seemed entirely out of place. This mix of intense heat and sinister cold gnawed at his resolve, as if he were straddling two realms of torment.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Langtian steeled himself. He had come this far; he wasn't about to leave empty-handed.
The barren, blackened earth crunched under his footsteps, sending up tendrils of shadowed mist that hinted at both heat and evil energy within even the dust itself. Lin Langtian looked toward the limitless black mist with a serious expression. He had been wandering in this place for three days.
For three long days, the landscape remained unchanging—an endless dark plain that seemed to stretch into oblivion. His skin had darkened under the scorching heat, and an unsettling blend of searing energy and black demonic qi had begun seeping into his body, slowly sapping his strength.
Luckily, Lin Langtian was prepared. As the fiery, black-tinged qi infiltrated his body, he absorbed and neutralized it, turning the fiery energy into fuel with the furnace-like core within him, while his demonic seed devoured the poisonous, frigid demonic qi.
"No wonder no one's been able to conquer the Chaotic Demon Flame after all these years. This Inferno Demon Space is even more dangerous than I thought," he muttered. Lin Langtian was now convinced that, if not for his unique powers, he would have had to abandon his quest halfway.
Resolute, Lin Langtian steadied himself and continued forward, determined to seek out the elusive Chaotic Demon Flame.
Meanwhile, two days prior, outside the Inferno Demon Space, a full day had passed since its opening. Yet despite the passing time, a dense crowd continued to gather outside, filling the mountains and skies. Far from dwindling, the crowd had only grown as more disciples arrived, their collective excitement creating a grand spectacle.
All eyes were locked on the eight black pillars of light before the vortex, where eight figures sat cross-legged, appearing motionless like statues lost in meditation.
Buzz!
Suddenly, a faint hum filled the air. In a heartbeat, all eyes were drawn to the black pillars, which began to waver. In mere moments, the pillars dimmed, weakened, and then finally shattered, disappearing completely.
With the light gone, the seven Spirit Generals who had entered the vortex slumped backward, faces ashen.
Their fellow disciples, waiting nearby, quickly rushed forward to support them, looking on with pale, fearful expressions. If the Inferno Demon Space could do this to the strongest Spirit Generals in Yuan Gate, what horrors did it contain?
In the tense silence that followed, Ling Zhen, one of the Three Princes, broke it with a cool laugh. "So, it's down to just Lin Langtian now."
"Hmph. He's from the Fire Division, so he may hold out a bit longer than the rest. But he won't last. That sinister qi alone will bring him down soon enough," sneered Lei Qian.
"Let's go; there's no point watching," Yuan Cang said, shaking his head. With seven Spirit Generals already defeated, he doubted that Lin Langtian would fare any better.
As the Three Princes departed, their air of superiority and disdain unsettled those who remained. The crowd began to thin, too, convinced that the quest for the Chaotic Demon Flame was doomed to fail yet again.
Unaware of the assumptions outside, Lin Langtian continued his journey through the Inferno Demon Space, undeterred as he traversed countless miles of barren land. Just as he crossed another ridge, a sudden, blinding light appeared in the distance.
Gulp.
Lin Langtian's eyes widened, his throat tightening as he struggled to swallow. Within the light was a massive demonic dragon, stretching endlessly. Its enormous body was coiled, eyes shut, with a dark, evil flame flickering around it, exuding a chilling aura that seemed to permeate the very air.
The dragon lay there, a colossal figure in the vast, empty space, with the black flame seeping from its body in an endless, sinister burn. The sight filled Lin Langtian with awe and an overwhelming sense of insignificance, as though he were a mere insect before this behemoth.
"So… this is the Chaotic Demon Flame," he whispered, his heart racing with a blend of fear and exhilaration.
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