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In the midst of a fiery sea, eye-searing flames clashed, waves of fire devouring one another. All elemental power save for the fiery essence was driven out.

From the viewing platform, Jiang Wang on the field side could barely suppress the divine power seed within his first inner mansion. Witnessing two formidable fire attribute divine powers simultaneously, his Samadhi True Fire stirred with eager anticipation!

However, considering the nascent state of his divine power, he could not yet directly participate. Yet, relying on his All Things Birth and Death Fire Realm, it was not entirely impossible to contend. Especially in this environment where fire alone held sway, it was supremely suited for the fire realm’s burgeoning growth.

This was an assembly of the various kingdoms’ Heavenly Pride, and almost every moment held the potential to ignite his fighting spirit. This feeling was truly exhilarating!

Submerged within the sea of fire, the two combatants were utterly transparent within his Qian Yang Pupil. Even without cultivating the Qian Yang Pupil, his mastery over the fire element allowed for effortless insight.

In his vision, the crimson Vermilion Bird and the scarlet red lotus faced off. Their respective seas of fire collided, each refusing to yield. They devoured one another, yet also canceled each other out.

And in the distant starry sky, almost simultaneously, two points of light ignited. The two combatants, together, illuminated the Starlight Holy Tower situated within the southern Vermilion Bird constellation domain! Starlight descended like a waterfall.

Behind Zhongshan Wei Sun, the Vermilion Bird was encircled by a ring of golden flame, lending him an even more divine and extraordinary aura. Behind Yan Shaofei’s red lotus, two slender streams of silver fire flowed and twisted, resembling dragons or serpents.

In their collision, the two had once again made the same choice: using the starlight of the Starlight Holy Tower to augment their divine power.

A sudden realization dawned upon Jiang Wang. Perhaps it wasn’t a tacit understanding, but rather… this was likely the correct path for external layer fire attribute divine power. Utilizing the corresponding Starlight Holy Tower to aid the development of divine power, nurturing a divine power spirit form… just like this Vermilion Bird, just like this red lotus. These two individuals had merely arrived at the same destination via different paths.

Thus, after he advanced to the outer layer, he would likely understand how to further cultivate his Samadhi True Fire. Guiding the star tower, nurturing the spirit form, and walking this path forward.

The golden flame Vermilion Bird circled and flew, continuously strengthening the scarlet fire sea. The silver fire red lotus also spun, supporting the crimson fire sea.

The development level of both sides’ divine power was quite similar, and their comprehension and utilization of the Starlight Holy Tower were also hard to distinguish. Such development would likely devolve into a pure clash of cultivation. Until their divine power was exhausted and their fierce flames burned out, no one would know who would emerge victorious.

As a Heavenly Pride of the Jing Kingdom, Zhongshan Wei Sun naturally refused to see such a situation unfold. He ought to seize victory with overwhelming advantage, not rely on a bitter endurance contest comparing foundational strength. His opponent was not of the Six Great Powers, merely a wandering knight from the Wei Kingdom! He had more choices, so how could he be willing to entrust victory or defeat to a simple collision of this one divine power? The strong must not simply ‘also’ win; they must dominate.

Zhongshan Wei Sun thrust his fist forward, his entire body swiftly retreating. As he rapidly withdrew, he simultaneously raised a single fist! Witness the Soldier Evil rising like a tornado. And that golden flame Vermilion Bird raised its head and cried out, swallowing the flames into its belly, the endless sea of fire all returning to its body. Its double wings flapped, bringing a long tail of flame that intertwined with the Soldier Evil tornado. Black and red interwoven, dragon and vermilion bird entwined.

Along with Zhongshan Wei Sun’s fist striking forward, a howl rose, rushing directly towards Yan Shaofei. This was a killing technique combining divine power, the holy tower, and soldier path secret arts into one furnace, one of his trump cards for contending for the championship. If not used now, when would it be? Its name was Dragon Que Soldier Kill!

But just at this moment, Zhongshan Wei Sun heard a sword cry. It was an incredibly light cry, yet also incredibly heavy, as if countless unbearable past events had fallen upon this sword. Old homeland, old dreams, nowhere to be sought.

The crimson fire sea did not seize the advantage and sweep forward. Quite the opposite, almost at the same moment the golden flame Vermilion Bird withdrew the sea of fire, the crimson red lotus karmic fire belonging to Yan Shaofei also all returned to the silver fire red lotus. He held the pride of a hegemonic kingdom’s Heavenly Pride, and Yan Shaofei also possessed the pride of his own Wei Kingdom hero. What he was unwilling to do, Yan Shaofei was also unwilling! So they once again made the same choice.

The only difference lay in this: he extended his fist, while Yan Shaofei drew his sword.

Yan Shaofei’s entire body, his attire ordinary, was the kind one could see everywhere walking on the street. Only his sword, just looking at the scabbard, spoke of immense value. Hooked jade threads, washed silver patterns, inlaid gold lun, set with gemstones. A master’s craftsmanship, a rare treasure in the world. When this sword was drawn from its sheath, it was as if a dragon soared through the nine heavens, a phoenix cried out in the eight wilderness, like the rising sun hanging high, possessing an absolute and peerless presence. The sword was three and a half feet long, the blade overflowing with radiant light. This sword had no sword guard. The sword hilt ended immediately at the blade. Because its sharpness could not be obstructed.

This was an incredibly dazzling sword, a sword born to seize all light. But in Yan Shaofei’s hand, it was so gentle, so sorrowful… so heavy.

Yan Shaofei drew his sword and picked the red lotus. That resplendent red lotus, carved like blood jade, floated lightly on the sword tip, without a single tremble. But it gave a feeling of immense weight. The unbearable weight of life. A lifetime of sins all contained within, all borne upon this sword. So even such a dazzling, such an eye-catching sword, was also so desolate and cold.

This sword, it could no longer bear the heavy burden!

Yan Shaofei simply picked the red lotus with his sword and sent it towards Zhongshan Wei Sun. As if sending this heavy red lotus to that arrogant Dragon Que.

The interwoven Dragon Que, also opened its angry maw. The red lotus was already withered, dejected and wanting to fade. They collided. Dragon Que Soldier Kill, sword picking the red lotus. A frontal collision.

No sound. Even the light and shadow seemed to slow. Piece by piece, red lotus petals floated down. Branch by branch, broken feathers of the Vermilion Bird spun in the air. Soldier evil and sword energy flew away from each other.

Everything became very slow. It was that kind of “slow” seen in the vision of a killing blow. Because it was difficult to follow the details of this terrifying scene, the senses experienced a “slow” misperception.

Until… the first red lotus petal fell to the ground.

A loud bang, awakening the spectators on the circular viewing platform. It also seemed to “awaken” this martial arts stage.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions echoed in quick succession. The shattered broken feathers of the Vermilion Bird, and the already withered red lotus petals, exploded open one after another. The broken sword energy flew wildly, the severed soldier evil danced all over the sky. Groups of flames, red as flowers, crimson as blood, flew and spun everywhere.

In this world of flowers and blood, Yan Shaofei stepped forward. He was like someone walking through a flower garden, drawing his sword amidst the falling petals, a single sword thrusting directly forward. This sword burst forth with a brilliant light that made it impossible to look directly at, agile, leaping, free! It had a momentum of “when I stand at the absolute peak, the mountain high shall be my summit.” Open and upright, natural, brilliant! It was the exact embodiment of washing away the lead and revealing the essence, the dragon light shining everywhere. As if after picking away the red lotus, it then saw its true self!

Please, noble sir, try this long sword. Characters enough to be wind and flow. This person is Yan Shaofei, a wandering knight from the land of Wei. This sword is named ‘Get Proud’. Given before his departure by the Emperor of Wei. At that time, he said—Under the heavens, heroes should behold Yan Get Proud!