190: war!

Almost simultaneously—

"By the order of the Army Breaker Manor, slay the White Lotus Cultists and protect the Legacy of the Righteous Path!"

Xiao Zhan's voice was as cold as iron, carrying an unquestionable iron-blooded majesty.

His Yanling Saber was already unsheathed, its snow-bright saber energy tearing through the starry sky like a bolt of cold light, slashing directly at the agent controlling the tentacle-like arm! Within the saber energy was a murderous Evil Qi that suggested thousands of troops and horses charging into battle; it was the Army Breaker Manor's secret military killing move—"Army Breaker Slash"!

"Boom! Boom!"

Two massive explosions rang out almost simultaneously!

Yan Chen's red-gold fist energy and Xiao Zhan's snow-bright saber energy intercepted the fatal attacks of the two White Lotus Cult Agents with pinpoint accuracy!

Qi energy exploded as the black mist clashed violently against the red-gold and snow-white lights, annihilating each other!

The two White Lotus Cult Agents let out muffled groans and were forced to retract their moves and retreat hastily, their gazes toward Yan Chen and Xiao Zhan filled with malice, alarm, and fury.

They hadn't expected these two Central Plains Geniuses, who should have been competitors or even hostile toward each other, to step forward without hesitation to help Chen Linsheng at this moment!

"Yan Chen! Xiao Zhan! Do you intend to become enemies of our Holy Sect?" the armless agent shrieked.

"Holy Sect?" Yan Chen sneered, the red-gold air currents around him growing even more intense. "Evil heretics who hide their heads and show their tails while performing blood sacrifices on the innocent—how dare you call yourselves 'Holy'? I don't care who ends up with this Legacy today, but I won't let it be touched by rats in the gutter like you!"

Xiao Zhan pointed his long saber diagonally, his gaze like ice. "The duty of the Army Breaker Manor is to guard the northern border and purge all evil. White Lotus Cultists are to be killed on sight. No further words are needed."

The three parties stood in a tense standoff, the atmosphere thick with hostility!

Chen Linsheng managed to catch his breath and quickly suppressed the turmoil in his Sea of Consciousness, carefully merging that wisp of "Great Sun True Flame" Origin seed into his Heart Fire Qi Vortex. The collision and Fusion of the new and old flames brought waves of searing pain, but it also rapidly stabilized his aura, which even began to show signs of rising.

However, the greatest threat had yet to be neutralized.

That White Lotus Cultist—Wei Jingtong's Senior Brother—was now slowly drifting closer. Black flames flickered on his hands, and the vortex in his pitch-black pupils accelerated its rotation. His voice sounded like a cold wind blowing from the Nine Netherworld:

"Like a mantis trying to stop a carriage, you court death. Since you all wish to die, then all of you shall become nourishment for my Black Lotus Holy Fire!"

He slammed his hands together!

Two masses of black flame surged and merged, transforming into a pillar of pitch-black fire about a zhang in diameter. Within the pillar, countless faces of twisted, wailing vengeful souls flickered in and out, emitting a nauseating aura of frigid cold and despair as it swept down toward Chen Linsheng, Yan Chen, and Xiao Zhan!

"Watch out! This black flame corrodes souls and defiles blood; it cannot be taken head-on!" Xiao Zhan warned sharply. He slashed repeatedly with his Saber Intent, but the snow-bright beams were swallowed and dissolved by the black flames like mud oxen entering the sea.

Yan Chen roared as his red-gold air currents transformed into blazing golden flames, attempting to counter fire with fire. However, when the golden flames touched the black flames, a sizzling sound of corrosion erupted; the golden flames quickly dimmed and were instead encroached upon by the black fire!

Chen Linsheng's expression was grave. He could feel the extreme filth and resentment contained within that black flame, which specifically countered the masculine Hunyuan Qi and Blood of the Righteous Path. His mind raced as he tried to mobilize the wisp of "Great Sun True Flame" Origin he had just obtained.

Within the Heart Fire Qi Vortex, that speck of blazing white starlight trembled slightly, seemingly feeling extreme loathing for the black flame and transmitting an eager intent to incinerate it.

At the critical moment just as the pillar of black flame was about to strike them—

"Buzz!"

In the center of the starry sky, at the position where the phantom of the Great Sun Burning Heaven Physique jade scroll had been floating, the residual Legacy power was suddenly stimulated by the dual presence of the Great Sun True Flame aura and the black flame's evil energy, causing it to resonate abruptly!

A faint yet incredibly pure red-gold light shield instantly expanded outward with Chen Linsheng at the center, enveloping him along with Yan Chen and Xiao Zhan!

"Sizzle—!!!"

The black flame pillar slammed into the red-gold light shield like boiling oil poured onto snow, erupting with an earth-shaking sound of corrosion! The shield vibrated violently, flickering unsteadily as its surface was pitted by the black flames, but it ultimately managed to withstand the terrifying strike!

"Legacy protection?" The black flames in the White Lotus Cultist's eyes flickered, followed by a cruel grin. "Mere residual power—let's see how long you can last! Break!"

He bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood into the black flames.

The power of the black flame pillar surged once more, its color turning from pitch-black to dark red. The wailing of the vengeful souls became piercingly sharp, and the light shield immediately became precarious as cracks began to spread!

Inside the shield, Chen Linsheng's face turned pale. Maintaining the shield consumed his newly merged and unstable Great Sun True Flame Origin and his own Hunyuan Qi and Blood; every breath felt like his marrow and bones were being drained. Yan Chen and Xiao Zhan also continuously poured their power into the shield, their internal energies briefly linking as they resisted together.

"This can't go on!" Yan Chen gritted his teeth, a trickle of golden blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. "This turtle shell won't last much longer!"

Xiao Zhan's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's as he scanned the surroundings. "Those two agents are circling on the periphery, ready to finish us off at any moment. This heretic's black flame is bizarre and difficult to break through with force; we need to find its weakness."

Chen Linsheng strained to maintain the shield while his consciousness dove into his Sea of Consciousness, frantically digesting the opening chapters of the Great Sun Burning Heaven Physique.

This supreme yang and masculine body-tempering divine technique appeared like a lighthouse in the darkness.

In a moment of inspiration, he used his will to guide the speck of Great Sun True Flame starlight from his Heart Fire Qi Vortex. Following a rudimentary application method from the Legacy called the "True Yang Body Protection Incantation," he attempted to combine its aura with his own Hunyuan Qi and Blood and the energy membrane of the Golden Robe Skill.

At the very instant the light shield was about to shatter completely—

On the surface of Chen Linsheng's body, the pale gold "Golden Garment" energy membrane suddenly flickered with a faint but incredibly pure blazing white luster!

It was like a thin garment woven from sunlight draped over the Golden Garment.

When the black flames corroded it, a "sizzling" burning sound erupted. Although the wisp of blazing white light was faint, it was incredibly persistent, continuously incinerating and purifying the sinister resentment within the black flames!

"What?!" The White Lotus Cultist's expression changed.

Chen Linsheng's spirits soared! It worked! The essence of the Great Sun True Flame was supreme yang and righteous, specifically countering all things sinister and evil!

He gave a low shout, focusing more of his mind on guiding that wisp of blazing white light. Although the large shield broke, a miniature "pure land" seemed to open up within three feet of the three of them. The black flames surged forward only to be continuously worn away upon touching that blazing white light.

"His black flame is being countered!" Yan Chen's eyes lit up.

"Attack!" Xiao Zhan said succinctly. Shifting his saber stance, he stopped attacking the fire pillar sporadically and instead concentrated all his Saber Intent into a single, extremely refined snow-white line, piercing directly toward the White Lotus Cultist's brow! This strike discarded all variations, focusing solely on speed and penetration!

Yan Chen understood and compressed the red-gold light in his fists to the limit, like two miniature suns, following closely behind the saber energy as he smashed toward the heretic's chest!