Chapter Four: Battle!

But now, it was clearly too late. The flames on Chen Xuan’s body gradually adhered to his blade, turning the entire weapon a molten crimson, as if forged from magma itself. Bai Feiyu noticed the glowing orbs falling from Chen Xuan’s body grew brighter, one landing right at his feet. He stepped on it without hesitation.

“Gained one point of mutated fire energy. Collect one hundred points to gain immunity to ordinary fire, and 40% immunity to this mutated fire.”

“One hundred points?” Bai Feiyu muttered under his breath.

He gazed at Chen Xuan, whose eyes had turned crimson, his whole being exuding a dangerous aura, and a chill rose up Bai Feiyu’s spine. He had a distinct premonition that if he didn’t handle this properly, he might be destroyed by this bastard.

Did he have anything on him now that could help defeat this foe?

“Can I use the White Tiger bloodline?” Bai Feiyu asked in his heart.

“Ding—Host has activated the White Tiger bloodline. For three minutes, you will gain a 300% increase in speed, a 150% increase in strength, and additional ice powers. Each point of ice power will be consumed every three seconds.”

Bai Feiyu grimaced; this would all be draining his strength. Thankfully, he had just obtained three to five hundred points of ice power.

Three minutes—would that be enough? Yes!

Now he’d show them what it meant to be a true man for three minutes!

In an instant, Bai Feiyu felt a strange sensation flood his entire body. He felt light as a feather, as if he could stride upon the wind, and a tremendous surge of explosive force welled up within him, as though a single punch could shatter mountains and rivers.

He let out a long howl and charged straight at Chen Xuan.

Qianshuang, standing to the side, covered her mouth in shock.

This outer disciple was truly daring. The flames on Chen Xuan’s body could harm even Spirit Masters of the Heroic Qi stage, possibly inflicting serious injury.

Yet Bai Feiyu rushed straight in.

His speed was astonishing, leaving afterimages in his wake as he appeared before Chen Xuan.

He even abandoned his sword, swinging his fist in a wild, unrestrained, and brutally direct manner.

After unleashing this power, Chen Xuan’s mind had become almost completely clouded. Seeing Bai Feiyu charging at him, he roared, gripping his blade, bringing forth a wave of scarlet flame to meet Bai Feiyu’s fist.

Under Qianshuang’s worried gaze, the thing she feared most did not happen.

Bai Feiyu’s fist was not immediately incinerated, though it was clear his skin was gradually blackening like charred wood.

Yet he was also enveloped by a great deal of ice energy, which rapidly devoured Chen Xuan’s flames. Where their attacks collided, white mist billowed forth, quickly obscuring everything from view.

Qianshuang’s anxiety mounted once more.

Neither of these two could afford to fall!

When one punch wasn’t enough, Bai Feiyu followed with another. Chen Xuan, now almost mindless, barely reacted.

This time, Bai Feiyu landed a solid blow.

Though Chen Xuan’s strength had increased, his defenses had not. Bones shattered instantly within his body. The added power of frost snuffed out most of Chen Xuan’s flames; thick white steam erupted, making it impossible for Bai Feiyu to see clearly.

Instinctively, he kept raining down blows.

During this onslaught, he heard the notification chime repeatedly in his ears.

“Gained ten points of mutated fire energy.”

“Gained three points of mutated fire energy.”

“Gained fifty points of mutated fire energy.”

A hundred points seemed easier than he’d expected. In no time, especially as he deliberately collected the glowing orbs amid the mist, the number reached ninety-nine.

“The White Tiger bloodline is now on cooldown. It will be available again in forty-eight hours.”

His strength vanished at once, his body trembling from the sudden depletion, a wave of weakness and nausea sweeping over him, and he collapsed awkwardly to the ground.

As the mist before him gradually cleared, Chen Xuan’s condition was revealed to all.

Chen Xuan had fallen into deep unconsciousness, his aura barely detectable, the flames long extinguished. His body was soaked from the vapor, with several areas visibly caved in from Bai Feiyu’s fists, even half his face sunken.

Qianshuang gasped in horror, hurrying over to check on Chen Xuan. The sight was almost too grisly to bear. Quickly, she rummaged through her storage ring for medicinal pills, administering them to Chen Xuan.

This condition was largely due to Chen Xuan’s own backlash, compounded by Bai Feiyu’s assault, which left much of his skeleton shattered.

Qianshuang couldn’t help glancing at Bai Feiyu.

He didn’t look much better—face pale, hands nearly burnt to a crisp, his whole body weak.

Of course, Bai Feiyu’s state was due only to his body’s inability to adjust after the sudden loss of power.

His gaze fell to the ground.

He wanted to find another of those crimson orbs, but there were none.

Damn! Was his attribute going to be stuck at ninety-nine?

There were other items scattered about, so he swept them up with his foot.

“Gained blade technique: Crimson Flame Blade.”

“Gained movement skill: Blazing Fist.”

“Gained one point of vitality energy, automatically used to recover injuries.”

“Gained…”

There was indeed plenty, just nothing that added mutated fire energy.

Bai Feiyu cast a speechless glance at Chen Xuan.

Useless—couldn’t he have held on just a little longer?

Qianshuang didn’t know what to say either. Chen Xuan needed to be taken back for treatment immediately.

She sighed. “You… never mind, take the Snow Tiger and go first.”

“He can’t leave!” At last, the two other disciples realized the gravity of the situation.

“Senior Brother Chen is in this state—he must take responsibility!”

They, too, were inner disciples, but not all inner disciples were equal. They were merely disciples of ordinary elders, while Chen Xuan was the Grand Elder’s grandson.

Now, with Chen Xuan in this condition, even if the Grand Elder said nothing, their own master would surely punish them to appease the Grand Elder.

Naturally, they now bore a grudge against Bai Feiyu.

“How dare you, as an outer disciple, openly harm an inner disciple. Do you wish to be banished?”

Bai Feiyu, already irked by failing to obtain the attribute he wanted, looked up and sneered.

“He’s the one who tried to rob me, insisted on fighting me, and lost because he wasn’t as skilled. And now I’m supposed to take responsibility? Do inner disciples really get to act this arrogantly?”

With that, he stood up from the ground.

The two disciples instinctively took a step back, Chen Xuan’s sorry state serving as a warning. Yet they quickly realized their timidity and their expressions grew complicated.