Chapter 2722 - 2721: Escape

Huo Chou, struck in the chest by Huo Tian’s mightiest flame attack, was sent flying, crashing into several red earth volcanoes in the distance. His face was filled with deep shock, seemingly unable to believe what he had witnessed.

Furious to the extreme due to the massacre of his clansmen, Huo Tian was nearly exhausted after unleashing that most powerful blow. He slowly descended from the air to the ground, looking at Huo Chou who lay in the rubble far away, the Black Flame had completely extinguished.

Huo Tian’s face held no trace of joy from the battle victory, but rather he showed a sorrowful expression as he looked at the skeletons of his clansmen scattered on the ground. What sin had the Huo Clan committed to end up like this?

In Huo Tian’s perception, Huo Chou was fated to die. He slaughtered so many clansmen, using their life essence and natal fire to enhance his own power, committing such a grave sin that Huo Tian could never forgive Huo Chou.

That strongest flame attack was the best proof. Although Huo Tian was Huo Chou’s biological brother, at that moment, he still struck with all his might, carrying intense killing intent to try to put Huo Chou to death.

Even though Huo Tian’s body was now extremely weak, the golden flames on his body long extinguished, he still struggled to crawl up from the ground, dragging his frail body toward Huo Chou in the distance.

"What does he intend to do?" Ling Feng shook his head, "I guess Huo Tian has no strength left after using that move. What’s the point of walking over like this? Is he about to put on a show of brotherly love?"

In Ling Feng’s view, today Huo Tian and Huo Chou were like the brothers from a tragic play, once both prodigies of the Huo Clan, but ultimately diverging due to various reasons and Huo Chou’s own nature, growing ever further apart.

It was inevitable they’d meet in battle, and when the wicked brother was about to die, the kind brother would often forgive him. Finally, Huo Chou would slowly die amidst Huo Tian’s tears and reluctance, leaving Huo Tian to spend his life in regret and solitude.

Song Ruozhao, however, shook her head: "That kind of dramatic scene from a novel you’re not likely to see today. I noticed Huo Tian’s expression just now, although he showed sadness on his face after knocking Huo Chou away,"

"There was absolutely no guilt or regret present. That sadness was for himself and the dead clansmen, not for the battle between him and Huo Chou. Now, I can feel Huo Tian’s killing intent still very strong,"

"When he reaches Huo Chou’s side, that will be the time of Huo Chou’s demise..." Song Ruozhao concluded.

Although Ling Feng wanted to witness a tragic performance, he couldn’t help but nod in agreement with Song Ruozhao’s judgment. Indeed, regardless of whether such a tragedy happened, Huo Chou, who committed such a grievous wrong, was destined to die.

So, whether or not the tragedy would play out wasn’t really important.

Huo Tian had now reached Huo Chou’s side, looking at his brother trapped under the debris, crushed by many rocks, with no trace of mercy in his eyes. He just shook his head and said:

"You longed to revive the Huo Clan and annex our rival, the Shui Clan, but little did you know the Huo Clan has been utterly destroyed in your hands. Even though I opposed, I could understand your actions against those who mocked and excluded you,"

"But what about the innocent Huo Clan members? Can you honestly say all Huo Clan members treated you poorly? I originally intended to execute you, but Elder Huo Yue and others strongly opposed my decision,"

"They all said you momentarily fell into wicked thoughts, and despite slaughtering Huo Clan members, it was later confirmed those people were villains and traitors within the clan, so you didn’t deserve death and were sentenced to imprisonment instead,"

"Yet you didn’t repent and could even cruelly kill Elder Huo Yue, how ruthless! Today you’ve slaughtered the Huo Clan members too, no one can tolerate you, not heaven or earth,"

"If I let you go today, it would lead to upheaval in the Nine Nether. Today, I shall act for heaven and execute you!"

Huo Tian raised his hand, using his final flame attack of the day, striking toward Huo Chou’s crown.

In the face of Huo Tian’s words, even with a breath left, Huo Chou didn’t argue, only gasping, meeting his brother’s final attack.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to defend, but that strongest flame had shattered all his internal meridians and strength, with his organs also sustaining various degrees of damage. Huo Chou didn’t even have the strength to raise his arm, let alone defend.

As Huo Tian’s flame attack was about to hit Huo Chou’s head, a black mist suddenly rose from the ground, enveloping Huo Chou’s head entirely, resisting Huo Tian’s flame attack.

Realizing something unexpected occurred, Huo Tian immediately retreated to guard against the black mist launching an attack he couldn’t withstand. However, after the mist appeared, it didn’t take further action, only wrapping around Huo Chou’s body, then slowly lifting it into the air.

"Don’t go!" Huo Tian shouted, then tried to raise flames under his feet and fly into the sky to hold Huo Chou back, but his strength was almost exhausted, leaving him unable to perform the flame technique for flying.

Huo Tian could only watch as Huo Chou ascended higher and was close to escaping.

A black mist suddenly spread out in the air, forming an evil face with red eyes.

Song Ruozhao and Ling Feng immediately came to Huo Tian’s side, looking at the all too familiar face above, almost simultaneously they said:

"Zhou Ming!"

Indeed, the black substance was Zhou Ming’s body manifesting, confirming that Huo Chou’s Black Flame power came from Zhou Ming, who was behind all the tragedies in the Lava World.

"Zhou Ming, you ugly thing, why do you always like to cause trouble in other people’s worlds? Are you a homeless orphan? If you really have nowhere to stay, come to me, you can be my pet, I’ve got plenty of space!"

Ling Feng shouted below, full of mockery, trying to provoke Zhou Ming, hoping it would reveal a flaw or say something, anything to avoid letting Zhou Ming leave so easily.

Zhou Ming indeed paused his departure and then looked at Ling Feng and the others below, laughing: "Ling Feng! Song Ruozhao! Don’t spout useless words, I won’t be deceived by you,"

"You just need to enjoy the wonders of the Nine Nether World, I hope you can find a way out soon, otherwise you’ll be trapped here forever!" Zhou Ming laughed.

Then Zhou Ming cast his gaze on Huo Tian, whose face was full of rage, recognizing the damned black mist as the culprit behind the Huo Clan’s tragedy. His heart was full of anger, but Huo Tian, whose power was nearly exhausted, could do almost nothing now.

"Are you the Clan Leader of the Huo Clan? How does it feel to have your clan wiped out? Didn’t expect that the ones who destroyed your Huo Clan weren’t the Shui Clan, but your own people, right? And it’s your own younger brother! Hahaha!"

Zhou Ming laughed wildly, seemingly enjoying the outcome of the nearly obliterated Huo Clan: "Tsk tsk, brother killing brother, it’s a play that never gets boring, every time I watch it, I laugh again,"

"Apologies everyone! I can’t hand over this confused child to you; he’s still of some use to me. You’ll meet again someday!" Zhou Ming left this last remark, the black mist tearing open a rift in the Lava World’s space, then taking Huo Chou with him.

"Brother, we have a long future ahead!" Huo Chou’s voice echoed among the heavens and earth, clearly reaching everyone’s ears.

Huo Tian angrily pounded the ground with his hand, just a little more, and he could have dealt with this treacherous Huo Clan criminal himself! But letting him escape is something Huo Tian cannot accept; he cannot accept that Huo Chou could escape unscathed after killing his clansmen!

But Huo Tian somewhat overlooked that Huo Chou’s situation wasn’t great either. Now, even with the powerful Black Flame, Huo Chou couldn’t use it as he pleased, and even now, Huo Chou was just a puppet for Zhou Ming.

Ling Feng shook his head, clearly not seeing what he hoped to happen, and instead saw what he didn’t want to happen, plus they had come here and still hadn’t found any trace of the Fire Lotus, which was unacceptable to Ling Feng.

Just as the three continued in silence, a lotus brimming with flames suddenly emerged from the Blood Pond where Huo Chou had practiced dark magic, emanating a powerful wave around it.

Ling Feng and the others, along with the native of the Lava World, Huo Tian, almost simultaneously sensed the presence of this aura, and they turned to look back in unison.

After a brief moment of surprise, they suddenly realized this was the Fire Lotus they had been searching for a long time!

"Little Fei!" Ling Feng immediately summoned Little Fei, jumped onto its back himself, and flew towards the Fire Lotus, Huo Tian, who was near exhaustion, also charged towards the Fire Lotus with the fastest speed he could muster.

Just as Ling Feng’s hand was about to touch the Fire Lotus, a strong red hand suddenly grabbed Ling Feng’s hand.

Ling Feng, upon seeing who it was, instantly turned cold.

"Clan Leader Huo Tian? What do you mean by this?"