The Bull Demon King spat out the Plantain Fan from his mouth, and in an instant, it expanded in his hand. With a forceful wave, a great wind immediately blew violently towards Flame Mountain.
The raging flames were suppressed by the strong wind, and the shooting sparks were lowered by half. However, it seemed as if the wind enraged the flames; after the gale, the previously subdued sparks rose up once more, with even more ferocity than before.
"Why have these flames become so strong, that even a small path can’t be blown open!" the Bull Demon King murmured to himself.
Not long ago, he had been able to carve a path through the sea of flames with the Plantain Fan, but now, he could only slightly suppress the fire.
Meanwhile, Lu Yu, who was meditating with his eyes closed at the peak of the mountain, keenly sensed the changes in the flames. He opened his tightly shut eyes and looked down the mountain in surprise, feeling as though he had just perceived a shift in the airflow.
Upon opening his Dharma Eye to spy, he quickly noticed the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan at the foot of the mountain. He was somewhat taken aback, as his exploration of fate and the river of time had not revealed any information about the Bull Demon King. Yet, with the intelligence he currently possessed, he could infer the abnormality of the situation.
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Logically, at this point, the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan should have already been at odds, with the Bull Demon King hiding at Princess Jade-Faced’s place, not making any appearances. It was curious for him to show up alongside Princess Iron Fan.
Furthermore, after Lu Yu placed the fire bricks, he deliberately collected the surrounding heat overflow, making Flame Mountain even more fearsome, but reducing the destruction to the surrounding environment. Hence, there was no need for the people to seek out Princess Iron Fan to cool it down at this time.
From this deduction, the two of them were likely under the control of the Nether River, acting as chess pieces he had placed there. Thinking this, Lu Yu quickly withdrew his gaze. If it were truly the Patriarch of the Nether River, his spiritual perception would naturally be stronger than that of the Bull Demon King, and he might sense his spying.
"Who’s there?" the Bull Demon King suddenly exclaimed. His gaze swept around him, everywhere alight with blazing fire. The high temperature caused the air to twist, making it impossible to see anything clearly on the other side.
However, the feeling of being watched lingered in his heart and refused to dissipate. At this moment, after all, it was the Bull Demon King’s body being manipulated by the Nether River, like an adult squeezed into a child’s body, with more mind than muscle.
"Damn it! If it weren’t for the limitations of this body, I wouldn’t be in such a wretched state!" cursed the Bull Demon King.
With this in mind, he gritted his teeth, mana surging through his body, and he swung the Plantain Fan continuously. Endless great winds swept across Flame Mountain instantly.
As the winds rose and clouds surged, blue sky peeked through where the flames had once painted the heavens a fiery red. Soon after, dark clouds began to spread, and the surrounding water vapor rapidly gathered under the guidance of the fierce wind.
The gale overpowered the flames, revealing the land that had been scorched for over five hundred years. A flicker of hope flashed in the Bull Demon King’s eyes, and he continued to flap the Plantain Fan.
Even stronger great winds surged toward the depths of Flame Mountain, where the beasts made of fire began to emit silent roars as they charged against the wind. However, like stones sinking into the sea, they caused no ripples; the Bull Demon King, while waving the Plantain Fan, made his way deeper into Flame Mountain.
Lu Yu sat cross-legged at the summit of Flame Mountain, saw the dark clouds overhead, and felt the relentless onslaught of the violent wind. With a gesture of his hand, his mana surged toward the fire brick. The brick radiated light as the flame runes shone brightly, connecting to the surrounding natural arrays.
Fierce flames erupted from the surface of the fire brick, sweeping across the area. The fire that the Plantain Fan had suppressed seemed invigorated, breaking through the wind’s constraint and roaring skywards. Countless sparks fell from the sky, touching the ground only to ignite roaring fires anew.
The Bull Demon King, witnessing this turn of events, furrowed his eyebrows even deeper. Despite his determination, he continued to wave the Plantain Fan in his hands as endless gusts of wind howled past.
However, the effect was less pronounced this time. Terrifying fire beasts surged from the depths of Flame Mountain, hurtling towards the Bull Demon King with silent roars and searing flames aiming straight for his face.
The Bull Demon King was forced to step back several times, marking the first time he had retreated since entering the mountain. His body was drenched in sweat, and droplets kept sliding down from his face, hissing as they hit the ground of Flame Mountain.
His constant fanning with the Plantain Fan had almost depleted his mana, yet the peak of Flame Mountain seemed still out of reach. A flash of resentment shone in the blood-red eyes of the Bull Demon King.
Princess Iron Fan, who had stood numbly by his side, suddenly snatched the Plantain Fan and continued to wave it. Changing tactics, she and the Bull Demon King took turns pressing onwards; having come this far, they were not willing to give up just yet.
The wind kept howling, but instead of quelling the flames, it seemed to enrage them. Countless fiery creatures formed from the flames surged towards the two, blocking the wind and preventing further progress. The suppressed flames seemed even more resolute, reigniting with a force far greater than before.
The blistering heat began to envelop them. At this point, both the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan were gasping for breath. They had exhausted the mana in their bodies, and although the peak was now visible—Patriarch of the Nether River could even sense the presence of his own restrictions up there—it seemed like divine retribution; no matter how hard they tried, they could not get any closer to their destination.
In desperation, the Patriarch of the Nether River considered channeling his true form to forcefully break through, but at that moment, a powerful will descended upon the Bull Demon King from the sky.
This was a will of destruction. Through it, the Patriarch of the Nether River glimpsed the end of all things, the collapse of heaven and earth, the extinction of the universe. This was the Dao of destruction and the end. It was at this moment that Lord Lingbao made his move.
The soul of the Patriarch of the Nether River instantly felt as if it were being torn apart by countless Sword Qi, excruciating pain spreading throughout his soul. Even his true form, seated upon the Sea of Blood, could not help but let out a pained howl.
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This was Lord Lingbao, a symbol of the end of the Great Dao. The Patriarch of the Nether River considered himself first in slaughter, but he was a mere novice in the presence of a great witch like this, a symbol of both the end and destruction itself.
In agony, the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan fell to their knees on Flame Mountain, unable to move even as the fire engulfed them. Such was the might of a Saint—just a single will was enough to leave the Patriarch of the Nether River powerless.
The will came swiftly and left just as rapidly, as if it were merely a warning to the Patriarch of the Nether River not to act rashly, not to disturb Flame Mountain, for death would be his fate otherwise.
The disheveled Patriarch of the Nether River managed to get the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan on their feet and, using the last of his mana, carved out a path and swiftly departed Flame Mountain. After all, with the present circumstances, he could only wait for the Journey to the West party to pass this way; these two pawns were not ones the Patriarch of the Nether River was willing to discard.