Chapter 394: Heaven and Earth Alien Species, Body of the [Flame Demon]

BOOM!

The figures of a man and a demon collided in mid-air.

The resulting shockwave radiated outward from the point of impact, clearing away all the clouds and mist within a radius of hundreds of yards!

The sky above Celestial Waterfall Peak was blotted out by a swirling vortex of clouds. Lightning flashed within the dark mass, instantly transforming the pleasant spring day into an apocalyptic scene.

Fu Juemin braced his hands firmly against the Hou Beast’s front claws.

A mountainous force pressed down on him, forcing Fu Juemin’s body downward. His Black Crystal Armor emitted a series of sharp creaks under the pressure.

BOOM!

With every bit he fell, the air beneath his feet seemed to collapse and buckle.

CRACK… CRACK… CRACK…

The Fire Centipede Steps on his back slowly unfolded. Each one, flowing with molten flame, extended like a Flaming Spear charged to its absolute limit, thrusting upward with a scorching current of fire toward the Hou Beast’s chest and flank!

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—

The dense cacophony of metal striking metal was like a thousand hammers striking an anvil at once.

The swarm of Fire Centipede Steps struck the Hou Beast’s scaled hide, sending up countless sparks, but they only managed to leave faint white dents on the dark golden scales.

ROAR!

The Hou Beast roared in pain, and in that instant, vast golden-red flames erupted from its colossal Demon Body.

The terrifying Flame Force seemed capable of melting the very air. Fu Juemin released his grip just in time, but the Hou Beast violently swung its head, smashing its pair of thick, short horns toward him.

Fu Juemin blocked with both arms, but the next second, he was sent flying with a BANG! He smashed through a nearby rock ridge, sending countless shards of stone flying!

BOOM!

The shattered rock ridge exploded outward, and Fu Juemin strode out from the rubble.

He kicked off the ground, and a massive shockwave erupted from beneath his feet.

Like a shooting meteor, Fu Juemin plunged headfirst into that searing golden-red inferno!

RUMBLE!

The large and small figures collided violently beneath the swirling vortex and raging lightning.

A brilliant burst of fire bloomed in an instant. Under the terrifying aftershocks, the entirety of Celestial Waterfall Peak seemed to tremble violently.

This was a life-or-death struggle between two top-tier Great Demons!

The spectators below retreated continuously amidst the shaking ground and tumbling rocks and lava, terrified of becoming collateral damage.

WHOOSH—

Fu Juemin vaulted onto the Hou Beast’s back.

His toes curled like grappling hooks, digging firmly into the gaps between the Hou Beast’s scales.

Golden-red flames surged around him, causing his own Great Demon Force Field to crackle and pop!

He didn’t delay for a moment. As soon as he landed, he began sprinting across the Hou Beast’s massive, mountain-like spine.

Like a black blade, he sliced smoothly through the obstructing golden Demon Fire, reaching the Hou Beast’s head in an instant.

He kicked off the top of its skull with his right foot!

BOOM!

Fu Juemin shot into the air!

As he leaped—SWISH—!

A colossal, scale-covered tail whipped toward him!

Fu Juemin’s body shifted in mid-air. Nimbly dodging the terrifying tail’s sweep, he twisted his upper body, brought his hands together, and a pale Bone Blade erupted from beneath the Crystal Clusters on his forearms.

Along with the three Scorpion Tails on his back, they all stabbed viciously at the Hou Beast’s eyes, which were now just inches away!

“Celestial Star!”

A terrifying power exploded on the Hou Beast’s face!

BANG!

A torrent of fire erupted, and accompanied by the Hou Beast’s frenzied roar, the man and the demon were abruptly thrown apart.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH—

The pained Hou Beast thrashed and shook its head wildly. Golden-red flames shot out in all directions like stray arrows, igniting the scattered pines, cypresses, and plants on Celestial Waterfall Peak.

Fu Juemin landed a short distance away, slowly lowering the hands from which meter-long, serrated Bone Blades now extended.

He stared at the maddened Hou Beast. When it stopped thrashing and locked onto him again with its enormous, amber vertical pupils that held a trace of dark red, Fu Juemin’s expression couldn’t help but darken.

Although the Celestial Star strike, combining his Scorpion Tails and forearm Bone Blades, wasn’t his full-power attack, it had been delivered at point-blank range against a weak point like the eyes.

Logically, it should have left some kind of mark, but the result was a huge disappointment to Fu Juemin.

Recalling the feeling of being in close contact with the Hou Beast’s Demon Body, a thought violently churned in Fu Juemin’s mind.

‘My current Flood Dragon Level body is still seared by this beast’s flames. The heat is almost unbearable.’

‘This thing isn’t an ordinary Demon Fiend.

It’s a Heaven and Earth Alien Species, born of drought! A top-tier monster created by the heavens and the earth themselves!’

Even among the Flood Dragon Level, there are still differences in strength.

Compared to the Hundred-legged Fire Centipede, this Hou Beast was undoubtedly a champion among Flood Dragon Level—or rather, Sin Level—Great Demons!

Whether it was strength, speed, Defense, or its mastery of Demon Fire, it was a cut above Fu Juemin!

Especially the last point.

Its “Fire Resistance” was simply too high. It severely weakened the strongest aspect of Fu Juemin’s Flame Monarch Demon Body, leaving him feeling like he had no way to even start.

‘However…’

Fu Juemin’s eyes glinted. ‘After this battle, this fire… will be mine!’

ROAR!

Having taken a hit, the Hou Beast recovered and immediately charged at Fu Juemin.

This time, Fu Juemin didn’t meet it head-on. Instead, he began running up the rock face toward the summit of Celestial Waterfall Peak.

The man and the demon gave chase on the face of Celestial Waterfall Peak.

Dark clouds gathered and lightning flashed. Amidst it all, the silver waterfall continued its tireless, thundering descent. Any splashing mist or vapor was instantly evaporated by the heat waves in the air before it could even disperse.

Fu Juemin climbed rapidly up the cliff face. When he was only a few meters from the celestial waterfall above, he abruptly stopped, his feet digging deep into the rock wall. He then turned to face the enraged Hou Beast hot on his heels and gave it a savage grin.

“You’re a little too fiery… Let me cool you off a bit!”

‘Since we’re both fire-attributed and I can’t out-burn you—then neither of us gets to play with fire!’

Lifting Power!

Fu Juemin spread his arms, his fingers forming a grasping motion in the air.

On his arms, which were covered in Black Crystal Clusters, intricate glowing patterns suddenly lit up from beneath the surface.

An invisible “Momentum” spread from his palms, taking remote control of the silken white waterfall descending from the sky.

Once the fully charged force of Lifting Power had successfully seized the celestial waterfall, Fu Juemin violently swung his hands downward!

In an instant, the waterfall, which had been plummeting straight down, abruptly veered sideways. It transformed into a massive water dragon, crashing violently toward the Hou Beast that had just about reached him!

The water of Lu Mountain’s Celestial Pool, which had flowed for ten thousand years, collided with the Exotic Demon Fire. The impact instantly produced a sky-blotting billow of steam.

ROAR—!

The vast, spreading mist was like a suddenly formed sea of clouds. Fu Juemin stood at its peak. After redirecting the waterfall downward, he assumed a commanding position, brought his arms together, and swung down with a vicious “blade” toward the unextinguished golden-red glow within the churning vapor!

The Shadow Manipulation Force carved a huge, sickle-shaped Black Moon in the air. It sliced through the mist and landed with perfect precision on the Hou Beast’s head!

CLANG!

The Black Moon shattered. The Hou Beast roared. Fu Juemin’s expression remained unchanged as he instantly switched from a “blade” to a fist, following up with another punch smashing down!

“Sumeru Incline!”

BOOM!

Driven by the pure physical might of a Flood Dragon Level Great Demon, this punch was like the heavens striking a great drum, releasing an incredibly deep and muffled boom.

The shockwave from the punch spread out, rapidly flattening the layers of steam. Only then did dozens of solid-looking white pillars of vapor shoot up from within the mist.

THUD—!

The Hou Beast suddenly lashed out, using its head like a hammer. It slammed viciously into Fu Juemin’s chest, knocking him straight out of the sea of clouds.

Despite being battered by an entire waterfall, the Hou Beast’s momentum was undiminished. The golden-red flames around its body still burned with intense ferocity.

The moment the man and the beast emerged from the mist and steam, locked in combat, it was as if a rising sun had rapidly ascended from the sea of clouds.

“Karma World Wheel!”

Fu Juemin pinned down the short horn on the Hou Beast’s head with one hand while unleashing the Four Demon Buddha Forms with the other, wildly pummeling the beast’s forehead.

The vertical fire-mark between his brows throbbed violently, and his bewitchingly handsome face became utterly savage!

The man and the demon fought from the ground to the sky.

From the base of the peak to its summit.

The mighty celestial waterfall was torn apart and cut off by the two of them. Water and rock fragments flew everywhere. The thunderclouds in the sky roiled, and this small patch of the firmament itself seemed to shake and tremble.

‘Dharma!’

As Fu Juemin furiously traded blows with the Hou Beast, he roared in his heart: ‘I can’t access the Dharma! I can’t grasp the Dharma!’

‘I have the body of a Flood Dragon Level, but none of the corresponding Flood Dragon Level techniques!’

‘Against an ordinary Flood Dragon Level Great Demon, it would be one thing, but compared to a Demon Fiend like this with a top-tier bloodline and origin, I’m ultimately a step behind!’

‘I can’t break its Defense, and killing it is even more difficult!’

ROAR—!

Amidst roars and explosions, Fu Juemin and the Hou Beast fought to a fever pitch.

His attacks rained down, displaying the full exquisite transformations of the Martial Dao. He hammered blow after blow onto the Hou Beast’s head and face, slowly cracking and shattering the scales on a small patch of its skull until blood began to seep out.

However, his own Black Crystal Armor also showed large patches of damage. If not for the layer of Profound Skin Dragon Armor underneath, his Demon Body would have been beaten to a pulp long ago.

There was also a clear gap in their physical constitutions.

Finally, as the repressed emotions in his heart built to a crescendo, a savage light flashed in Fu Juemin’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and, on a whim, detonated all the remaining “Innate Primordial Liquid” in his Dantian!

BOOM!!

In an instant, it was as if ten thousand thunderbolts had detonated inside him, unleashing a vast, ocean-like torrent of Vitality!

A huge, viscous cloud of energy, visible to the naked eye, expanded in mid-air, pushing the Hou Beast’s figure far away.

Immediately after, the countless clouds and mist in the surroundings began to converge on a single point, forming a gigantic “Cloud Cocoon” in the blink of an eye that enveloped Fu Juemin.

The swirling vortex of clouds gathered above Celestial Waterfall Peak suddenly expanded, pressing down like a dark lid to encompass several surrounding mountain peaks.

Within the vortex, silver lightning snaked and flashed wildly.

When that indescribable “Momentum” in the air had built up to a certain point—

CRACK—

The lightning brewing in the vortex was unleashed, and ten thousand silver serpents fell as one.

In the instant the world was bleached a ghastly white, the giant “Cloud Cocoon” finally broke open.

From within the cocoon, a figure that had grown to a full eight meters in height slowly emerged! Its entire body was covered in thick, viscous purple flames and a dense forest of black bone spikes!

Having unreservedly detonated all his “Innate Primordial Liquid” to attempt a “Second Form” transformation on the foundation of his Flood Dragon Level Demon Body, Fu Juemin had now entered an unprecedented “Frenzy” state.

If before he was the Flame Monarch, then now, he was the Flame Demon!

Although he barely maintained a humanoid form, he now had six Scorpion Tails and eight massive centipede legs!

His entire body was covered in thorn-like bone spikes, his black hair rose and swayed like fire, his eyes glowed like burning coals, and between his brows… was a bewitching fire-mark, many times more intricate and complex than before, a chi-red so deep it was almost purple.

An utterly domineering, evil, and arrogant aura—one that seemed to want to bring chaos to the world and devour the heavens and earth—slowly spread out with Fu Juemin’s reappearance.

The already dim sky grew even darker, and the lightning brewing within the massive vortex looked as if it could strike him at any moment.

Beneath the dispersing clouds, everyone, including Xie Mingzhi, stared up blankly at that utterly ferocious figure.

Fu Juemin’s gaze lowered slightly, landing gently on the distant Hou Beast.

Spikes seemed to have grown even on his vocal cords, and his voice became incredibly dull, rough, and deep.

“Cannot obtain the ‘Dharma’…”

Fu Juemin slowly clenched his fist and spoke in a low voice, “Then I will first become ‘Power’. One punch at a time… I’ll beat you to death eventually.”

Below, the frenzied and savage Hou Beast showed a faint trace of unease for the first time.

It stared at Fu Juemin, pawing at the ground with its four feet and growling incessantly.