On the ground, the Three Giants of Danta looked grotesque—skin shifting in hues of blue and purple, an unsettling spectacle for all. They had ruled for decades, their prestige unchallenged. And yet here they were, being scrutinized by a junior. How could they maintain any dignity?
Becoming a Giant of Danta required a rigorous benchmark: the ability to refine an eighth-grade elixir. There were fewer than twenty such alchemists across the entire Zhongzhou Continent—and ninth-grade alchemist were even rarer. But in Ye Feng's eyes, the three giants' alchemy was middling at best—a lukewarm endorsement, not exactly high praise.
"If it can't be sealed in the sky, then where else?" Ye Feng asked coolly.
"Underground," Zi Yan interjected.
"Underground?" Ye Feng raised an eyebrow. "There's no starlight beneath the earth. The Three Thousand Flames are celestial fire—without stellar energy, they can't grow. How would that stop the seal from breaking?"
Zi Yan considered this, eyes narrowing. "You're half right. If you bury it under earth, the flames—bound by terrestrial power—will weaken over time. Once sufficiently depleted, they could be refined."
"But why didn't they do that from the start?" Ye Feng pressed. "If they couldn't seal it on the ground during the battle in the sky, why not create a mountain and bury it?"
"Built a mountain?" Zi Yan asked, skeptical.
"Yes! They're the Three Giants of Danta. With their Dou Zun cultivation and Danta's resources, building a mountain wouldn't be a stretch."
As Ye Feng spoke, he raised his hands overhead and grasped the air.
Bang... Bang... Bang…
Space tore like cloth, fissures spreading. The temperature above Saint Dan soared. Then a blinding light burst from the rift, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
When the brilliance subsided, a colossal dragon hovered in the void—endless in length, eyes sealed, body coiled in anticipation. Strange purple-black flames coursed across its hide, warping space around it. The sight was unforgettable: a dragon aflame with starfire.
"Taixu Ancient Dragon?" Zi Yan gasped, seeing something familiar in its immense form.
"No," Ye Feng said quietly. "Although the Three Thousand Flames do tie into the Taixu Dragon clan…"
"The seal has broken?"
The dragon's eyes snapped open—cruel and fierce. They locked onto the three giants, Xuan Kongzi, Xuan Yi, and Heavenly Thunder. Rage radiated from its gaze as it snarled, "Are you ready? I said that if I break free, I'll massacre Shengdan City."
"Little brother!" Xuan Kongzi called out to Ye Feng, but Ye Feng ignored him. He frowned, "Am I being... ignored?"
Ye Feng summoned the gray Xuanyuan Sword spirit—ten golden spirit rings circling his feet.
Divine Skill: Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin.
Gray energy congealed into countless spectral swords around him. He waved his hand, directing their descent into the dragon's massive form like a torrential hail of steel.
The dragon shrank, its colossal form compressing as the swords pierced it. Yet, from within, starlight pulsed—restoring and bolstering it even as it was assaulted.
"As expected... the immortal fire," Ye Feng murmured. Then he raised his voice: "Double the force."
The golden spirit rings blazed. Ye Feng drew on heaven-and-earth energy from the surrounding environment. What had been ten thousand spectral swords now became one hundred thousand—each cutting deeper, condensing the dragon's form at an even faster rate.
Elder Cao watched in awe. "He's siphoning off the energy of heaven and earth… is that a power unique to Emperor Realm Masters?"
"No," Xuan Kongzi replied. "That ability comes from the halos behind and beneath him."
"The halos?" Elder Cao frowned.
"Don't ask me," Xuan Kongzi admitted. "None of us in the Doupo realm know about it
Between Ye Feng's eyebrows glowed a gray, tree-shaped crest. Elder Cao's eyes widened.
Elder Cao's heart sank. Revenge was no longer on his mind.
Above them, under Ye Feng's relentless assault, the dragon shrank from its celestial bulk to barely over ten meters in length. Finally, Ye Feng swung his palm—and the weakened creature slammed into the ground with a bone-jarring impact.
"Rise!" Ye Feng commanded. Ancient stone doors materialized around the dragon, forging a seal of earth energy. The beast, already faltering, faded further under the magical restraint.
"Zi Yan, go," Ye Feng urged. "Take a pill from your pouch. Put your hand into the silver-white scale on its belly—there lies the origin of the Three Thousand Flames. Absorb it, and you'll gain its power."
On the outskirts, Xiao Yan gnashed his teeth, blood welling in his eyes. If not for that meddling medical fairy and Ye Feng's interference, this year's championship—and the Three Thousand Flames—would've been his.
"Teacher, what now?" Xiao Yan whispered, panic edging his voice.
"Did you hurt them?" Yao Chen asked over his shoulder, without turning.
"I... I couldn't beat him."
"Then run," Yao Chen advised calmly. "Once Ye Feng strikes, there's no chance to win. Leave now—I feel Feng Xian and the others coming. They've come to finish this."
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9