C7 Xiao Chen Was Defeated and Ming Yu Was Imprisoned

Xiao Chen's hands wove a seal before his chest, summoning a cherry-red orb of energy that slowly materialized. It deepened in hue, eventually solidifying into a tangible ball of fire.

Surrounding the flame, tendrils of lightning-like energy danced. They seemed faint, yet they pulsed with a heart-thumping power.

"Origin Godfire!"

Upon recognizing the flame, the Chiang family's elders instinctively recoiled, taking a large step back in unison.

A look of deep-seated fear, long absent from their eyes, surfaced once more.

In that moment, the Chiang family's younger members, witnessing their elders' panic-stricken faces, were visibly confused.

These elders had weathered many storms; what about this junior's flame had them so utterly astonished?

Was there more to this fire than met the eye?

Even Yim Wuxie, who was typically unflappable, couldn't maintain his composure at the sight of the flame in Xiao Chen's grasp.

The Origin Godfire, a spiritual flame born alongside heaven and earth, was a true anomaly of nature.

It emerged at the dawn of the Chaos Realm and had thrived for millennia, drawing on the essence of heaven and earth.

Having developed its own consciousness, the flame's energy was boundless.

A wound from this fire meant not just physical ruin but the annihilation of one's very soul.

The most fearsome aspect was its indiscriminate power; whether one was a novice at the First Mystery Stage or at the pinnacle of the Divine Mystery Stage, contact with this flame spelled certain doom for the soul.

No wonder the Chiang family's elders were retreating in terror.

"Could it really be the Origin Godfire?"

"To think Xiao Chen had such an ace up his sleeve. Even the Inferno Lord's Crown Prince might falter before such an onslaught!"

"Xiao Chen is so young, yet so formidable, and with such a trove of rare treasures at his disposal. His potential is beyond imagination..."

Xiao Chen ignored the cacophony of speculation around him. True, the Origin Godfire was formidable, but he was not yet able to wield its full might.

One must understand that this sentient spiritual fire possesses an intelligence far surpassing that of humans. How could it possibly be subdued with ease?

Throughout history, innumerable souls have sought the elusive divine fire, only to be led on a wild goose chase. They've heard of its legend, yet never glimpsed its form.

Even among those who have discovered traces of the divine fire, the number who could successfully tame it is exceedingly small. A single misstep could lead to being consumed by the divine fire, obliterating both body and soul.

Xiao Chen once spent a grueling three months subduing the divine fire in the depths of the Yellow Springs, all under the vigilant protection of Ming Yu. During that ordeal, he nearly exhausted half of the top-tier pills Ming Yu had accumulated in her storage ring.

Now, as Xiao Chen stands before us, his eyes blaze with a demonic ferocity, his aura of battle so chilling that it sends shivers down the spines of all who witness it.

"Yim Wuxie, today I will repay the humiliation and agony you've inflicted upon me—twofold!"

With those words, Xiao Chen covertly channeled his Qi beneath his feet, vanishing from sight. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared above Yim Wuxie like a hawk swooping down on its prey.

In Xiao Chen's left palm, the Origin Godfire blazed with a cataclysmic force, its ghostly flames seeming to belong to the netherworld, threatening to ensnare the soul of anyone who dared to look too long.

At that moment, every onlooker in the Chiang family's plaza was wide-eyed with anticipation, fully aware that a mere touch of the Origin Godfire in Xiao Chen's grasp could disperse the soul of even those at the Heavenly Mystery Stage.

It was clear from the outset that Xiao Chen had no intention of sparing Yim Wuxie's life.

The divine fire in Xiao Chen's hand hurtled towards Yim Wuxie, drawing ever closer until the red glow bathed his face in its ominous light.

But, just as the flames were about to make contact with Yim Wuxie's body...

The fire vanished as if it had never been!

Yim Wuxie raised his palm, effortlessly catching Xiao Chen's incoming fist. With his left leg bent and his right leg coiled, he used the momentum to slam Xiao Chen mercilessly to the ground.

Xiao Chen's eyes rolled back, turning a ghostly white as blood spurted from his throat. He collapsed, unconscious. It was crucial to understand that the strike he had just delivered was his final ace in the hole.

Yet, that decisive strike, meant to determine the victor, had faltered at the crucial moment.

Now, Xiao Chen was utterly out of options.

His body and spirit had hit their breaking point, teetering on the edge of total collapse. He lay on the ground, lifeless as a fallen doll.

The plaza was swept by a wind that carried sand and dust, wailing as it went.

The onlookers were baffled, unable to grasp why Xiao Chen, even after revealing his ultimate move, lay defeated on the ground.

And the Origin Godfire, which had instilled fear in everyone present, why had it vanished into thin air?

Only Yim Wuxie, amidst the crowd, grasped the truth.

The Heavenly Eye of Martial—his original life's divine technique.

Though the move caused no physical harm, it allowed him to perceive the flow of his opponent's Qi and energy waves. Xiao Chen's stealth and short-range teleportation, to Yim Wuxie, were as visible as a blazing torch in the dead of night.

Formidable as the Origin Godfire was, it posed little challenge for the Yim family's deacons and elders to contain, especially since Xiao Chen had weakened it so significantly.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully defeating the protagonist and reducing his destiny value by 500 points. Your villain value has increased by 5000 points!"

Yim Wuxie's heart swelled with elation. To have such a 'leek' to reap, aiding his own experience gain, was a delight beyond his wildest dreams!

Hmph, as if he would let himself be used as a mere experience booster, a stepping stone on the protagonist's path to greatness. It wouldn't be that easy.

In that moment, Ming Yu reemerged.

Today, even if it meant her soul scattering to the winds, she was determined to shield Xiao Chen and ensure their escape!

But before Ming Yu could act, several pitch-black chains streaked across the sky like venomous serpents, binding her translucent form so tightly she couldn't move an inch.

Figures in black robes descended gracefully from the heavens, encircling Ming Yu.

The dark chains, pulsating with chaotic energy, further suppressed Ming Yu's already ethereal form.

Stop your struggling, Elder Ming Yu. These chains have been specially forged to suppress spirits, crafted just for shattered souls like yours that have fallen from grace.

A chilling voice emanated from within the black robes, echoing like a ghastly wraith from the depths of the netherworld.

In this battle, Xiao Chen was defeated.

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