Chapter 208 — Terror
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 1 of 5
The hard ground, scorched by the blazing flames, had even begun to show signs of melting. Torrents of fire poured ceaselessly from the massive maw of the Crimson Flame Beast, carrying an aura of utter annihilation, transforming the vast stone chamber into a terrifying sea of fire.
Ming Li's figure had vanished into the firelight from the very beginning, and had not reappeared since.
After spewing a wave of mountain-like flames, the Crimson Flame Beast fixed its burning eyes upon the depths of that sea of fire, as if searching for something, and paused for the moment. The searing flames still burned across the ground, and the surrounding air seemed to boil.
Yet Ming Li and the little gray monkey on his shoulder had both disappeared without a trace.
Could he have been reduced to ashes?
A moment later, the answer came. In the air above the sea of fire, Ming Li's figure appeared out of empty space. In that instant, swift as a demon, he had flashed above the Crimson Flame Beast, evading the dreadful flames entirely. Now the Soul-Devouring Demon Staff, gleaming with azure light, reappeared in his hand, and amid the glow of fire his face was calm and composed.
The little gray monkey on his shoulder suddenly bared its fangs at the colossal beast below and let out a roar, clearly stirred up at the sight of this old adversary. Even a monkey, having stayed so long at Ming Li's side, must have had some of the Blood-Devouring Orb's fierce, savage spirit seep into its blood.
The Crimson Flame Beast let out an earth-shaking roar that echoed far into the distance like thunder, and then its massive body abruptly soared into the air. In an instant the surrounding air was all but vaporized by the scorching blaze, leaving only searing heat. That gigantic form, ablaze with ferocious firelight, came crashing down.
This time, Ming Li did not dodge. Gazing at the ancient beast countless times his own size, a strange light seemed to flit through his eyes. And behind the lunging body of the Crimson Flame Beast, the eerie halo of the Eight Fierce Deities still followed, slowly revolving, bright and dim by turns, like a mysterious eye coldly watching this battle.
At the tip of the Soul-Devouring Demon Staff, the dark red threads upon the surface of the Blood-Devouring Orb lit up one by one in an instant. Facing the onrushing body of fire, Ming Li did not retreat; this time he charged straight in to meet it.
The Crimson Flame Beast seemed not to have expected this insignificant human to confront it head-on, and its body faltered slightly; but the flames immediately blazed fiercer, and with a thunderous roar it snapped its jaws shut.
Enormous sparks fell like rain from the sky, scattering downward—but when they reached within three chi of Ming Li, they met an invisible barrier and were all deflected away. At the same moment, Ming Li had already swept before the Crimson Flame Beast, and those two huge eyes burning with searing fire were almost right in front of him.
Amid the layers of encircling flame, little Gray at his side let out a shrill cry, and the Soul-Devouring Demon Staff thrust forward, driving at the Crimson Flame Beast's skull.
The azure light flared brilliantly in an instant, like a radiant lotus bursting forth within the firelight—and then, deep within that lotus, there seemed to bloom a crimson as vivid as fresh blood…
Crimson!
In the heated air, the Blood-Devouring Orb seemed to tremble faintly. How many years had it been since the power poured into it had been so mighty? The azure aura spun furiously deep within the orb, as if roaring with a thirst for slaughter.
It was plainly a sea of fire, yet the surrounding temperature chilled in an instant. A freezing aura descended from the heavens and enveloped the Crimson Flame Beast. For the first time, this ancient guardian beast felt fear by instinct amid its astonishment—but a stronger instinct drove it to unleash an even more vicious roar and bite down at Ming Li once more.