Immortality Cultivation

Chapter 284: Return

However, just as Fang Hao was healing and pondering, the intense energy fluctuations from the direction of Broken Blade Cliff suddenly underwent an unexpected change after reaching their peak!

First, the aura of the soldier fiend spirit fire surged violently. Dark red and platinum light illuminated half the sky, while a scorching heat and sharpness, as if it could burn the heavens and destroy the earth, swept outward. Even from a hundred miles away, Fang Hao could clearly sense it.

Immediately following that was a sharp cry from Crimson Phoenix, filled with unwillingness, anger, and even a trace of panic!

Then came a roar from the Soldier Soul, even more violent and seemingly filled with a sense of triumph!

After that, the soaring flames of the spirit fire were suddenly extinguished as if by an invisible hand, dimming instantly. All that remained were chaotic and violent Evil Qi fluctuations, along with a miserable, aura-withered crimson streak of light that rushed out from the direction of Broken Blade Cliff at a speed akin to fleeing for one’s life, frantically escaping toward the outside of the Valley of Buried Soldiers without ever looking back!

It was none other than Crimson Phoenix!

Judging by her unsteady flight and chaotic aura, it was clear that she had not only failed to collect the soldier fiend spirit fire but had also suffered significant injuries while being pursued by the Soldier Soul. She might have even used some secret technique that damaged her Origin to barely escape.

"She failed..." Fang Hao, hiding in a crevice, watched the distant crimson streak of light, his eyes flickering.

Crimson Phoenix’s failure did not come as a surprise to him.

The strength of the Soldier Soul, the violence of the soldier fiend spirit fire, and the difficulty of collecting it could well be imagined.

No matter how well-prepared Crimson Phoenix was, failure was to be expected when facing such unexpected variables.

However... had the soldier fiend spirit fire truly been abandoned?

A bold thought sprouted and grew wildly in Fang Hao’s mind like weeds.

Crimson Phoenix had failed in her attempt and fled, heavily injured.

Although the Soldier Soul had forced Crimson Phoenix to retreat, it had also suffered immense consumption due to the destruction of the fiend soul crystal and its struggle against the spirit fire; it might even have been injured itself.

The defenses at Broken Blade Cliff were likely at their weakest right now!

As for him, although he was injured, it was not fatal. With the Chaos Derivation Art and his powerful Physical Body recovery, he was confident that he could regain some of his combat strength in a short time.

More importantly, within his Dantian, he had long since refined and subdued a rare elemental fire—the Earth Core Flame Fire!

Although this fire did not possess the fused weapon-based Evil Qi and killing sharpness of the soldier fiend spirit fire, it was still formed from the essence of earthly fire veins. It was extremely Yang and rigid, with a solid Foundation, and more importantly, it was connected to his mind and completely under his control.

If he could return to Broken Blade Cliff and take advantage of the Soldier Soul’s weakened state, using the Earth Core Flame Fire as a base, he might be able to attempt to subdue or at least "fuse" with a portion of the soldier fiend spirit fire’s Origin... He might just have a chance!

Once this thought appeared, it could no longer be suppressed.

Fortune is found in danger!

The soldier fiend spirit fire was a peerless Opportunity. With Crimson Phoenix’s failure, was this not his chance?

Moreover, he possessed the Chaos Derivation Art, which could evolve all things and was all-encompassing, and he had the Earth Core Flame Fire as a Foundation. Perhaps he had an advantage over Crimson Phoenix in subduing the strange fire?

After all, Crimson Phoenix seemed to only want to refine this fire to strengthen herself, whereas he could perhaps attempt to walk the path of "Fusion" and "Evolution"!

The risk was immense!

Even if the Soldier Soul was weakened, it was by no means an easy opponent.

The soldier fiend spirit fire was violent; the slightest carelessness would result in being consumed by the flames and suffering the destruction of both body and soul.

But... it was worth a shot!

A look of struggle and hesitation flashed across Fang Hao’s eyes, only to be immediately replaced by firmness and determination.

He no longer hesitated and immediately circulated his Cultivation Technique at full power to heal. At the same time, he took out several precious Medicinal Pills for healing and recovering Qi from his Storage bag, swallowing them as if they were worthless.

He had to recover his combat strength as quickly as possible before Crimson Phoenix was completely gone, before the Soldier Soul could fully recover, or before other unforeseen events occurred, and then... launch a counterattack!

An hour later, Fang Hao suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance passing through them.

Although his internal injuries had not fully healed and his right arm was still somewhat hindered, his Qi had mostly recovered, his Physical Body injuries had stabilized, and he now had the strength to fight.

He carefully emerged from his hiding place, his Divine Sense fully extended, and carefully scanned his surroundings. He confirmed that Crimson Phoenix’s aura had long since vanished and that no other dangers were lurking nearby.

He changed into a new set of black martial attire, suppressed his aura to the extreme, and once again silently snuck toward the direction of Broken Blade Cliff.

This time, he was even more cautious, pushing the effects of the Divine Spirit Steps and Ethereal Art to their limits, moving like a ghost blending into the shadows of the Evil Qi.

When he approached the Broken Blade Cliff area again, he could feel the even more violent and chaotic energy fluctuations remaining there from afar.

The pool of Evil Qi churned endlessly, and the area around the hole on Broken Blade Cliff was charred black, clearly having experienced an intense battle.

The figure of the Soldier Soul still stood by the pool of Evil Qi, but it was noticeably more illusory and dimmer than before. The Evil Qi swirling around it had also thinned significantly, and the phantom of the broken axe in its hand was even more lackluster.

Its empty eye sockets stared in the direction where Crimson Phoenix had fled, still burning with flames of anger, but there was more of a sense of lethargy from excessive consumption.

The soldier fiend spirit fire was still suspended below the hole, but its volume seemed to have shrunk, its light was slightly dimmer, and its flickering frequency had slowed significantly. It seemed that it, too, had consumed quite a bit of power during its confrontation with Crimson Phoenix and the suppression by the Soldier Soul.

"As expected!" Fang Hao thought, secretly delighted; his judgment had been correct!

Although Crimson Phoenix had failed, she had heavily injured the Soldier Soul and exhausted the spirit fire. This was the perfect moment for the fisherman to reap the rewards while the snipe and clam battled!

He waited patiently, like the most seasoned hunter, waiting for the best Opportunity to strike.

He had to wait—wait for the moment when the Soldier Soul’s vigilance dropped to its lowest due to excessive consumption, or when it became negligent due to the effort of maintaining its form and suppressing the spirit fire.

Time passed bit by bit.

The eternal grayness of the Valley of Buried Soldiers made it difficult to determine the exact time.

Like a stone statue, Fang Hao lay in wait behind a huge, rusted shield wreckage in the distance. His breathing had almost stopped, his heartbeat had slowed to a minimum, and he had almost merged with the surrounding Evil Qi and deathly silence.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, the Soldier Soul, likely due to the excessive consumption, became slightly more illusory. It slowly turned around to face the soldier fiend spirit fire, seemingly wanting to re-establish a stable connection with it or absorb power from the pool of Evil Qi to recover.

Now!

A fierce look flashed in Fang Hao’s eyes, and he no longer hesitated!

He dashed out from his hiding place, pushing the Divine Spirit Steps to their limit. His entire body transformed into a gray streak that almost merged with the shadows, as he rushed silently yet with extreme speed toward the slightly dimmed soldier fiend spirit fire beneath Broken Blade Cliff!

He did not attack the Soldier Soul, as that would immediately alert it.

His target, from the very beginning, was that masterless, exhausted soldier fiend spirit fire!

Success or failure hinged on this one move!