412: Chapter 412 The Yuan Dan Ancestor Actually Calls Himself a Junior?

Facing this lethal finger strike, Ye Tian bit the tip of his tongue hard, the sharp pain instantly clearing his mind.

He immediately circulated the Illusory Sea Heart Sutra to resist the impact of the Yuan Dan pressure on his mind. The chaos bead rotated slowly within his Sea of Consciousness, protecting his Divine Soul from dissipating.

"I have to give it my all!" Ye Tian roared in his heart. He knew very well that when facing the Yuan Dan Realm, even a moment's hesitation would cause his spirit to collapse instantly!

He didn't defend or dodge, because he couldn't dodge it, and he certainly couldn't block it!

"My, Ye Tian's, Dao knows no retreat. If you want to fight, then let's fight!"

With a thunderous shout, Ye Tian gripped his sword with both hands and, using every ounce of his strength, slashed out the most powerful strike he could currently muster against that slowly approaching crimson-gold finger!

In the next moment, a gray sword qi tore through the Void Realm and collided with that terrifying finger in mid-air!

"Boom!!!"

The entire Flame Cave shook violently, and countless boulders crashed down from the ceiling!

"Pfft!"

Ye Tian spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward. Countless bones in his body were broken, and sword flew out of his hand.

He slammed heavily onto the ground, rolling over a dozen times before stopping. Covered in blood, his vision blurred, and he nearly blacked out.

However, to Ancestor Nangong's slight surprise, Ye Tian's desperate sword strike actually caused the light of the finger to dim slightly and its momentum to slow down!

Although it was only for a brief moment, how could a Junior at the Sea-Transformation Realm Level 3 Peak actually shake an attack from a Yuan Dan Realm projection head-on?

Even if this projection only possessed a fraction of the original's power, it was still shocking!

"No wonder you could defeat the Juniors of my Nangong Family one after another; it seems this old man underestimated you."

Ancestor Nangong's eyebrows twitched slightly, but his gaze remained indifferent. "A pity, it ends here."

Light flickered at his fingertips once more as he prepared to deliver a final strike to end Ye Tian's life once and for all.

"Old Ancestor! Kill him! Kill him quickly!" Nangong Zhaotian's face twisted with sickly excitement and malice.

Qin Pojun, Yun Wuji, and the others were filled with rage, but they were powerless to stop it, their hearts overflowing with grief and helplessness.

At this critical moment, a buzzing sound suddenly erupted from within Ye Tian's robes.

Immediately following that, a speck of red light shone through Ye Tian's clothes.

A crimson essence about half the size of a palm floated out of Ye Tian's robes on its own, hovering in front of him.

It was exactly that fire jade essence!

"Hmm?" Ancestor Nangong's finger, about to strike, suddenly stopped.

His eyes, which had been indifferently looking down upon all living things, flickered for the first time as he stared intently at the floating fire jade essence.

From that essence, he sensed a... powerful, yet incredibly familiar aura!

"This is..." Ancestor Nangong's illusory figure actually trembled slightly.

Under everyone's bewildered gazes, the fire jade essence glowed with intense red light, and a slightly illusory, elderly figure slowly emerged from within.

The figure wore a simple crimson robe, with disheveled white hair and a lean face. As his eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if ten-thousand-year-old earth fires were burning quietly within.

Though he was just a phantom, the majesty naturally emanating from him—capable of incinerating the eight directions—made everyone present, including the Bloody Withered Skeleton, feel their Souls tremble!

The level of this aura... far exceeded the Huahai Realm! It was even more awe-inspiring than the projection of Ancestor Nangong before them!

"Ve... Venerable... Venerable Jiehuo?!" Ancestor Nangong's face, which had been as calm as a still well, was now filled with unbelievable shock and even a hint of... trepidation.

His illusory figure involuntarily leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying an unprecedented hesitation and respect.

"Little brat of the Nangong Family..." Venerable Jiehuo's remnant Soul phantom slowly turned his head. His eyes, which seemed to contain earth fire, landed on Ancestor Nangong's projection, his voice carrying the indifference of one who had seen through the world.

"It's been a few hundred years, and you've actually managed to Cultivate to the Yuan Dan Realm. Not bad, not bad."

Upon hearing this, the expression on Ancestor Nangong's illusory face became extremely complex.

As a Yuan Dan Realm expert, his vision was extraordinary, and he could naturally tell at a glance that the Venerable Jiehuo before him was not the main body, but merely an extremely weak remnant Soul!

But... how was this possible?!

Venerable Jiehuo! He was a peerless powerhouse who had been famous in the Northern Region hundreds of years ago and had even left a legendary reputation across the entire True Spirit Continent!

A half-step Cave-Heaven Realm titan!

With the power to burn mountains and boil seas, he was hailed as one of the fire-path giants most likely to step into the Cave-Heaven Realm!

He was a figure standing at the pinnacle of the entire Northern Region and even broader territories!

How... how did he become a remnant Soul? And why was he attached to a mere Sea Transformation Realm Disciple?

Who?

Who could possibly injure a half-step Cave-Heaven Realm expert like Venerable Jiehuo to the point where only a remnant Soul remained?!

Countless questions churned in Ancestor Nangong's heart.

"Senior Jiehuo... You... You are..."

Ancestor Nangong's voice no longer held its previous indifference and superiority. Instead, it carried the respect and excitement of a Junior facing an elder, or even a benefactor.

Because no one present knew better than him what this old man meant to him.

It was back when he hadn't yet entered the Yuan Dan Realm, or even the Sea Transformation Realm, and was just a collateral descendant of the Nangong Family traveling abroad.

During a journey deep into a dangerous area, he had been besieged by several Vicious Beasts. He was on the brink of death and in total despair...

It was this old man who, with a casual wave of his hand, turned the Vicious Beasts into ashes and saved him from their jaws.

Not only did he save his life, but he also gave him a few pointers on the insights of the Fire Dao, which benefited him immensely. It could be said he owed him a debt of rebirth!

This kindness was engraved in his heart, and he never dared to forget it!

However, Venerable Jiehuo's whereabouts later became elusive, and he gradually vanished from the public eye. Rumors said he was in seclusion seeking an opportunity for a Breakthrough into the Cave-Heaven Realm, and they never met again.

Who would have thought that upon reuniting hundreds of years later, the once dazzling benefactor and Senior would have ended up in such a state...

"Cough... cough cough..." Venerable Jiehuo's remnant Soul phantom seemed a bit embarrassed and coughed lightly twice.

He waved his hand, his tone carrying a hint of sighs. "My story is a long one, so there's no need to ask. It was time, it was fate."

He paused, his gaze turning toward Ye Tian, who was lying on the ground.

"This boy," Venerable Jiehuo pointed at Ye Tian and said to Ancestor Nangong, "has a fated connection with me. You must not harm him."

Hearing this, Ancestor Nangong's heart jolted. Although he had thousands of doubts, how could he dare to disobey when his benefactor had spoken?

Setting aside the debt of gratitude, even if Venerable Jiehuo was currently just a weak remnant Soul, his Realm during his lifetime was too high. With unpredictable knowledge and methods, who could guarantee he didn't have a trump card?

Moreover, if he truly ignored the debt of gratitude today and killed the person his benefactor wanted to protect, once word got out...

The infamy of the Nangong Family's Old Ancestor being ungrateful and biting the hand that fed him would surely last for ten thousand years!

His personal reputation, and even the honor of the entire Nangong Family, would be completely dragged through the mud!

There would no longer be a place for the Nangong Family to stand in the Northern Region.

The consequences were far more severe than killing a single Ye Tian!

Without hesitation, Ancestor Nangong's projection immediately retracted all killing intent and pressure. He bowed solemnly to Venerable Jiehuo's remnant Soul and said, "Since it is Senior's instruction, this Junior will naturally comply.

I was previously unaware of this boy's connection with Senior and have caused much offense. I hope Senior can be magnanimous."

This scene left everyone in the Flame Cave stunned.

Qin Pojun, Xiahou Ba, Han Xiao, Yun Wuji, and the others widened their eyes.

Watching that Yuan Dan Old Ancestor, who possessed such a terrifying aura and had treated them like blades of grass just moments ago, now acting so respectfully toward a phantom and even calling himself a "Junior"!

And that phantom was actually Venerable Jiehuo? That legendary titan of the Northern Region?

He... he was actually protecting Ye Tian?!