6kv Chapter 87: Fox Flames Burn the Sky
Chapter 87: Fox Flames Burn the Sky
At this moment, the carnage in the valley was nearing its end.
The Golden Flame Fox had already trampled down most of the camp, leaving scorched earth in its wake. It shook its head, brushing off the few remaining embers of human fire clinging to its mane. Its emerald green eyes, tinged with blood, slowly turned and finally landed on the small group of people still putting up a fight near the valley entrance.
Especially that human wielding a longsword crackling with blue-white lightning, whose aura stood out like a torch in the chaotic arena—Liu Xiong. To the berserk fox demon, the spiritual energy fluctuations of a Core Formation Realm cultivator were nothing less than the most tempting prey in the darkness, and the most deserving provocateur to be utterly crushed.
"Awooo—!"
A long howl, brimming with savagery and bloodlust, drowned out all the noise of the battlefield. The fox demon slightly bent its four legs, and golden flames around its body suddenly surged several feet, making it appear like a demon god emerging from the core of the sun. The next moment, its massive body transformed into a golden meteor that scorched the heavens and simmered the earth, ignoring the scattered demonic beasts and fleeing human soldiers still tearing at each other along the way, and with a fierce momentum that could reduce everything to nothingness, it pounced towards the location of Liu Xiong and the others! Wherever it passed, whether it was the still-burning wreckage of tents or the corpses of fallen demonic beasts, all turned into wisps of smoke in the lingering heat of the golden flames.
Ahead lay the annihilating attack of the Core Formation Demon Fox, while their rear was completely blocked by the seemingly crumbling yet unbroken orange-yellow light wall.
Liu Xiong and his group were trapped, with no way out.
The scorching heatwave, like a tangible ocean tide, crashed down before the fox demon's body could be felt. Liu Xiong could even see every eerie flame leaping from the tips of the crimson-gold fur, smell the nauseating stench of burning sulfur in the air, and feel the faint, mournful sizzling sound of his protective true essence being roasted by the high temperature rapidly diminishing.
There was nowhere to retreat, nowhere to avoid.
Despair, like a cold, venomous snake, coils around everyone's heart.
Liu Xiong abruptly ripped open the front of his brocade robe, already soaked with sweat and blood, revealing a soft armor beneath that shimmered with a pale purple light. His eyes were bloodshot, almost bursting at the corners, and he let out a beastly howl that was inhuman: "Form a circular formation! Fight to the death—!"
The "Thunderclap" sword erupted in his hand with a final, blinding flash of bluish-white lightning. The blade trembled violently, emitting a clear, resonant cry like a dragon's roar, as if mourning its master's last stand. Instead of retreating, he advanced, using himself as bait, thrusting his sword towards the golden flame that was destroying everything! The remaining twenty-odd henchmen, at this moment, were forced to unleash the last vestiges of their desperado nature. Roaring and cursing, they barely managed to form a flawed circle, blades pointing outwards, runes glowing with various faint lights, making a final, desperate struggle, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot or moths to a flame.
The fox demon's eyes turned even redder, carrying a cruel mockery. It didn't even bother to change the trajectory of its attack in the face of the futile resistance of these ants. It simply made the golden flames around its body burn even more fiercely, like a real meteorite of the sun, crushing down!
Just as the destructive golden shadow was about to engulf everything, at the very moment when the lightning at the tip of Liu Xiong's sword and the sparks spewed from the fox demon's nostrils were about to collide—
A gray figure, like lightning tearing through the night, darted out from behind a pile of still-smoking charred wood debris at the edge of the battlefield! Its speed was so great that it left only a faint, distorted afterimage in the air, heading straight for the side of the demon fox where the golden light was strongest!
It was Lin Yan.
His current appearance was even more wretched and pathetic than when he had lured the demon fox out of its den. His leather armor had long since turned into tattered rags with charred shreds, and his exposed skin was a tapestry of old and new wounds, the most horrifying being his right shoulder—flesh and bone torn open, dark red scabs mingling with charred burns, warm blood still seeping out with his rapid movements, staining half his body as if he had been pulled from a pool of blood. But his eyes, amidst the smoke, fire, and blood, shone with a burning, almost ruthless resolve, a mixture of ice and fire. He knew very well that, with his severely injured body or Liu Xiong's exhausted state, anyone facing this Core Formation demon fox alone would only perish. The only, faint glimmer of hope lay in this split-second coordination, in the fleeting moment when Liu Xiong had drawn most of the demon fox's attention!
The fox spirit's senses were incredibly sharp; the sudden gust of wind from its flank caught its glimpse in its emerald-green blood-red eyes. A faint hint of mockery and impatience, typical of a high-ranking predator towards an overconfident troublemaker, flashed in its eyes. It didn't even slow its forward lunge, nor did it stop the ever-burning golden flames gathering in its throat. Its massive tail, thicker than a grown man's waist and wreathed in tangible golden fire, swept across the gray shadow attacking from its flank with an incomparably savage motion, like an enraged fiery python, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek and melting heat. Where the tail passed, the air was whipped into visible white explosions, and the scorching wind pressure descended first, causing Lin Yan's breath to catch in his throat, his noodles feeling as if they were being branded with a hot iron.
"My lord!" From behind the wall of light came Su Qingyao's short, distorted cry of alarm, filled with heart-wrenching terror.
Lin Yan's pupils shrank to pinpoints. In the final instant before the fox tail reached him, he pushed his [Swiftness] talent to its limit, unleashing a burst of power from his waist and abdomen. His entire body was as if slammed to the ground by an invisible hand, almost skimming the surface as he darted away, narrowly avoiding the deadly sweeping attack that could pulverize a boulder! The scorching tail wind brushed past his back, instantly turning the last few tattered pieces of cloth on his back to ashes. A piercing burning pain shot through his exposed skin, leaving behind a gruesome wound with torn flesh and charred edges.
But he didn't stop! Using the momentum of his low-speed dash, his speed increased by another three points, like a gray crossbow bolt flying close to the ground, continuing to shoot towards the fox demon! His target was clear—the small patch of pale gold, relatively soft and without thick fur, slightly exposed below the side of the fox demon's neck as it raised its head to gather strength and the golden flames in its throat shone brightest!
Anger surged in the fox demon's eyes. Not only had this ant not been swept away, but it dared to approach so closely! The golden flame in its throat had reached its peak, its light as intense as the midday sun, illuminating every detail within a radius of several dozen feet. It was about to spew out and turn the sword-wielding ant below, along with this annoying gray shadow, into nothingness!
"Liu Xiong! Attack its left eye!" Lin Yan roared hoarsely as he charged forward, his voice hoarse and broken from the high speed and the smoke.
Liu Xiong was now facing the demon fox head-on, enduring immense pressure and the threat of death. Hearing the roar, though his hatred for Lin Yan ran deep, he knew their fates were now intertwined. His survival instinct overwhelmed everything; he bit his gums until they bled, ignoring the tearing pain in his meridians, and frantically poured the last of his true energy into the "Thunderclap" sword. With a flick of his sword technique, the lightning-streaked longsword flew from his hand, transforming into a sharp, resolute blue-white streak, accompanied by a piercing shriek, shooting directly at the demon fox's left eye, which was slightly narrowed from gathering power and now reflected the golden flames!
Attack where they must defend!
The fox demon's golden flames, poised to erupt, were abruptly interrupted by this sword strike aimed directly at its vital point. Instinctively, it jerked its head to the side, a flash of anger crossing its emerald-green blood-red eyes. At the same time, it raised its left forepaw in response, golden flames swirling around its claw tip, and with the force of shattering rocks, slammed it fiercely against the incoming sword light.
It was in that brief moment when the golden flames were slightly interrupted!
Lin Yan's eyes flashed with a sharp light, like the last two sparks igniting in the darkness. He pushed [Swiftness] to the limit of his meridians, transforming himself into a pale gray phantom that was difficult to detect with the naked eye. He darted through the fleeting gap between the fox demon's claws like a fish, lunging towards that coveted, pale golden vital spot on the neck!
However, the reaction and sense of danger of a Core Formation Realm demon beast far surpassed the imagination of ordinary people. Despite being disturbed by the flying sword, the demon fox still sensed the chilling, deadly threat coming from below its neck at the critical moment! Its head suddenly spun around at an incredible speed and angle, and the golden flame in its mouth, which had been condensed to its extreme and was as bright as a small sun, abruptly changed its direction of attack. Instead, it spewed out a terrifying line of fire, extremely condensed and only as thick as an arm, yet blazing white in color and so hot that even the space around it rippled slightly, towards Lin Yan, who was already poised to pounce on its neck!
"laugh--!"
The fire was silent, yet more terrifying than thunder. It pierced the air, leaving a long, lingering, twisted, and transparent burn mark, reaching Lin Yan's chest in an instant!
At such a distance and at such a speed, dodging is a pipe dream.
Lin Yan only had time to channel all the remaining gray-black Devouring Spirit True Essence with devouring properties into his right arm, hastily setting up a thin, cicada-wing-like True Essence shield in front of his chest, while simultaneously twisting his body to the side to dodge.
"puff!"
A soft sound, like a hot knife cutting into solidified butter.
The blazing white line of fire pierced through the hastily formed true essence shield without any hindrance, grazing the edge of Lin Yan's right rib and passing right through!
No blood gushed out. The instant of contact, the terrifying heat of the fire instantly carbonized and vaporized the skin, flesh, bones, and even blood around the wound! A horrifying hole, the size of a fist, with clean, cast-like edges, a charred, glassy appearance, and the outline of internal organs clearly visible, appeared in Lin Yan's right rib. At the edge of the hole, a few tiny, tenacious golden flames still leaped and burned, emitting a sizzling sound, frantically eroding the surrounding life force, bringing an excruciating pain beyond the limits of mortal endurance, as if the very soul were being ignited!
"Ugh...hah..." Lin Yan let out a broken, incoherent groan. His vision suddenly went black, and countless stars flashed before his eyes. Most of his strength drained away instantly with the burning, penetrating wound, and he almost fainted on the spot. The chilling aura of death had never been so clear.
But he bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain and the salty taste of blood stimulating his numb nerves, forcibly clinging to the last vestige of clarity. He couldn't fall! If he fell now, all his previous efforts would be in vain, and everyone, including her behind the wall of light, would perish with him!
Using the immense force of the impact from being pierced by the fire, Lin Yan advanced instead of retreating, like a moth drawn to a flame, pouring all his remaining will, strength, and even the will to survive into the five fingers of his right palm! The dark gray Devouring Spirit Essence was frantically compressed and solidified at his fingertips, its color as deep as a black hole that devoured all light. Even the heat from the remaining golden flames caused wisps of smoke, carrying the smell of burnt flesh, to rise from between his fingers. The veins along his entire right arm bulged, and beneath the skin, a fierce clash and flow of gray-black and pale gold light emanated.
"Die!!"
A roar, seemingly from the depths of his soul, a mixture of endless pain and overwhelming killing intent, exploded from Lin Yan's chest! With his last ounce of strength, he plunged his hand, which seemed to gather all his strength and resembled a claw reaching out from the underworld, into the side of the fox demon's neck—the very spot that had been stretched the most open by the rapid turning of its head to spew fire, where the pale golden skin was thinnest and the blue veins beneath were faintly visible!
"Pfft—!"
The initial sensation was the resistance of the tough leather, which then broke through, producing a dull thud as muscles and fascia were torn apart and warm flesh was penetrated.
Scalding hot demon blood, imbued with the intense aura of golden flames and raging life force, erupted violently from the wound like a volcano that had been suppressed for millennia! The blood wasn't pure red; it was mixed with specks of molten gold-like brilliance, drenching Lin Yan from head to toe, turning him into a terrifying blood-soaked figure. The scalding demon blood stung his skin, but it also instantly brought forth a vast, almost savage, life energy.
His five fingers, like the most greedy roots, dug deep into the fox demon's neck, gripping the powerfully pulsating blood vessels and resilient bones. The Soul-Devouring True Essence, already poised to erupt, surged forth like sharks smelling blood, flowing wildly into the fox demon's body through the wounds on his fingertips. It began to relentlessly tear, devour, and annihilate everything it touched—the boundless demonic power, the vigorous vitality, and even the raging soul originating from the depths of its bloodline!
"Awooo—!!!!!"
The Golden Flame Fox let out a deafening howl, filled with extreme pain, rage, and the terror of impending death! The howl was so powerful that it suppressed the surrounding flames, causing visible ripples in the air. Its massive body stiffened abruptly, as if struck in the chest by an invisible hammer. The raging golden flames around it first froze, then erupted, exploded, and flickered wildly like a runaway volcano! It no longer cared about spewing golden flames or flailing its flying sword; its two front paws frantically clawed at its neck, trying to dig out and crush the "poisonous thorn" that had burrowed into its body, bringing boundless pain and weakness!
Lin Yan, like a small boat in a raging storm, clung tightly to the fox's neck, refusing to let go no matter how frantically the fox struggled, rolled, and thrashed! The Devouring Spirit True Essence surged and crashed within the fox's body, greedily consuming it. At the same time, streams of intense, violent, and destructive demonic essence and life force poured into his arm, like a flood bursting its banks, washing over his riddled and collapsing body.
The process was excruciatingly painful, as if every inch of meridian and every bone was being burned by flames and forged by an iron hammer. At the horrific, penetrating wound in his right rib, the newly surging, immense demonic power intertwined with the instinctive regenerative power of his own Soul-Devouring True Essence. The carbonized edges were peeling away, the charred flesh was falling off, and tender new flesh was growing and intertwining at a visible speed, attempting to fill the horrifying void; broken tendons and bones were joining and mending; charred skin was regenerating…
The fox demon's struggle was weakening at an alarming rate. Its carotid artery was torn apart, and its demonic energy was being frantically devoured. Even a peerless ferocious beast at the Core Formation Realm could not withstand this fatal blow from within, striking at its very core. The overwhelming bloodlust and savagery in its eyes receded rapidly like the tide, replaced by a deathly gray and dissipating aura. The golden flames that had blazed across its body grew dimmer and dimmer, their flickering frequency decreasing until finally, they turned into a few scattered, struggling golden sparks, flashing briefly in the night wind before quietly extinguishing.
It let out a faint, almost inaudible wail, filled with resentment and bewilderment. Its massive body trembled violently, and it crashed to the ground with a deafening roar, sending up a cloud of dust mixed with blood and scorched earth.
The earth trembled.
Apart from a few sporadic howls of monsters and the crackling of flames in the distance, the valley was completely silent.
The Golden Flame Fox, the ferocious and powerful Core Formation Realm demon king who had entrenched itself in Seven Star Valley, is dead.