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--- Chapter 260 ---
Nihility Devouring Flame
The Nihility Devouring Flame, the second-ranked Heavenly Flame, is born from nothingness or the void and possesses a mysterious power that allows it to devour objects and convert them into raw power.
At first glance, its innate abilities seem similar to the Nine-colored Heaven Swallowing Python. Regardless, in reality, the Nihility Devouring Flame is significantly stronger in both firepower and devouring capability, as only a few things can withstand its might.
While the Dou Qi Continent remains unaware of the cooperation between the Hun Clan, the Hall of Souls, and the Nihility Devouring Flame, Han Yuan knows the truth because he has read the "BTTH" novel.
This Heavenly Flame not only led to the creation of the Hall of Souls—since it requires rich souls to grow stronger—but it can also grant power and longevity by sharing its flame's seeds with others.
Han Yuan observed the eerie-looking Protector Wu from the Hall of Souls before him. After using a seed of the Nihility Devouring Flame, Protector Wu had become stronger, raising his cultivation by one and a half minor realms to reach the status of a half-step Dou Venerate Expert.
"How troublesome..." Han Yuan muttered, stretching his muscles.
"Hmm, brat, you can still stand before me? Impressive, but your soul is mine!" Protector Wu narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing Han Yuan's calmness.
Even then, the rich 'soul' power emanating from Han Yuan captivated him greatly. After all, the Hall of Souls sought individuals who had strong Soul Force, a trait found in talented alchemists.
How could he resist such greed?
Han Yuan smirked mockingly. "You want my soul? Come and get it, then, old man."
BOOM!
Protector Wu lunged forward, his hand outstretched, conjuring a black hand that seemed to consume everything around it. "Heaven Devouring Palm!"
Han Yuan analyzed the Heaven Devouring Palm with the Eyes of Truth and discovered the reason behind the earlier attack and his injuries.
As expected, the Heaven Devouring Palm utilized the innate ability of the Nihility Devouring Flame, born from nothingness, devouring heaven and earth before manifesting into a horrific force.
Han Yuan's heart raced with excitement. It was the thrill he desired in this world—exhilarating combat that pushed him to the limit. A grin spread across his face as he decided to attack back instead of dodging.
[Authority of Dream - Clear Sky Ant King's Power]
[Clear Skyhorn Transformation - Extreme Penetration]
"Sky-Tearing Claw!" Han Yuan's left hand curled into a claw, each finger coated in golden Dou Qi. As he swung his claw-like hand toward the Heaven Devouring Palm, chaos erupted in the surrounding area.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Protector Wu's eyes widened as he felt the Heaven Devouring Palm slowly being torn apart by Han Yuan's claws. Although this didn't necessarily mean Han Yuan could defeat him, it felt strange.
"Shred apart, hahaha!" Han Yuan laughed, feeling the muscles in his left hand were tearing due to the pressure.
"H-How is this possible?" Protector Wu pressed his palm down even harder, shaking the tornado around them.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The force of the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame tore through their surroundings.
Han Yuan's robe was 'instantly' shredded into rags, and so was Protector Wu's, revealing his hideous gray-white skin.
Yet Protector Wu couldn't believe his eyes at this very moment. Han Yuan wasn't 'actually' harmed by the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame.
While Han Yuan had sustained injuries, they healed almost instantly. Han Yuan unconsciously activated his cultivation technique, one that allowed him to devour the rich elemental energy of the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame, and the other awakened the potential of his physique.
It was painful as Han Yuan's body was constantly being destroyed and healed, but this pain kept Han Yuan alert during the fight.
"Burst!" Protector Wu detonated the Heaven Devouring Palm, intending to injure Han Yuan even further. Han Yuan allowed it to happen and was 'naturally' engulfed in a burst of black energy.
Han Feng cheered, "Yes, kill him, Protector Wu!"
However, this cheer was short-lived, as Han Yuan was, in fact, still alive and well. His robe got tattered, and his body also battered, but the power of Ultimate Life kept him intact despite his injuries.
Dried black blood cracked across Han Yuan's body as he laughed in amazement, "Hahaha, I almost lost my left hand!"
"Monster," Protector Wu muttered. "This brat's physique is weird. My Heaven Devouring Palm couldn't actually kill him."
"But the fight is already decided."
"Nihility Devouring Flame - Burning Nothingness, Scalding Heart!"
Then, Han Yuan's body burst into black flames, as the previous Heaven Devouring Palm was merely a trap left behind by Protector Wu to let the Heavenly Flame's seed engulf him. Soon, the flame would devour Han Yuanto in nothingness and turn his heart to ashes.
Han Yuan noticed this and chuckled. "Interesting, very interesting. Do you think burning me is enough to kill me? Then burn this sight into your damn eyes, old man!"
[Authority of Dream - Heavenly Demon's Powers]
[Demonic World: Invade, Plunder, Absolute Demise...]
Han Yuan accessed the Heavenly Demon's powers, instantly activating the "Domain - Demonic World," which seized the very rules of the surrounding area and handed them over to him.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
Jet-black wings spurt out from Han Yuan's back as the surrounding area darkened, allowing a pulsing dark purple energy to invade, corrupt, and take over everything.
As its source, Han Yuan's body is still burning. Yet, his black hair changed color to silver. The nightmarish sight made Protector Wu and Han Feng shiver down their spines as a pair of silver demonic eyes gazed at them.
"You are not human..." Protector Wu felt a sheer horror when his control over Spatial Power slipped away. No, he couldn't control the surrounding Heaven and Earth either.
It feels as if the world itself is changing.
Then, under Protector Wu and Han Feng's watches, Han Yuan stretched his right hand and whispered, "Refine."
"No..." That familiar word sent 'terror' through Han Feng's very soul.
The same gesture.
The same word.
The same voice.
"Protector Wu, don't let him do that!"
Han Feng shouted in panic.
"Heaven Sealing Palm!" Protector Wu listened to Han Feng, but it wasn't because of his terror-stricken voice, but because he felt immense danger if what Han Yuan did right now succeeded.
So, without further ado, Protector Wu launched another variant of his Dou Technique. Still, different from the overbearing Heaven Devouring Palm, this one intended to seal the opponent with devouring and destructive force.
Soon, a massive red hand appeared, but this palm didn't sweep, but clench the space around Han Yuan.
Feeling the tight grasp in the atmosphere, Han Yuan didn't move and watched the red hand wrap around him.
The buzzing wind and thunderous roar of the Heavenly Flame followed as if it were being 'forcibly' tamed by a terrifying being.
Outside the tornado, Queen Medusa, Hai Bodong, Yafei, and others saw a dark-winged silhouette forming in the sky, grasping the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame as if it were just a little twerp. The silhouette is as tall as the sky, but weirdly, it is faceless.
"What is that..." Queen Medusa shuddered in the presence of this dark figure. The same goes for Hai Bodong and others, but Yafei gazed at the faceless figure and felt something different.
Dark purple gas suddenly burst and enveloped the Heavenly Flame, no, strangling it!
BOOOOOOOOM!!
The dark purple gas dispersed alongside the Heavenly Flame, revealing the transformed Han Yuan, horrified Han Feng, and grim Protector Wu.
"Han Yuan..." Yafei murmured, covering her mouth in shock.
Queen Medusa had a similar reaction, and her eyes couldn't help but widen as the current Han Yuan is truly demonic, whether in charm or presence, which somehow made her feel wrong.
"Aah, how could you become more irresistible like this, Han Yuan?" She sucked a cold breath and breathed heavily, feeling her body tingle in wonder.
Han Yuan gazed at Han Feng and Protector Wu deeply, and then smiled playfully, "Too bad you two failed."
"Let's continue our dance, shall we?"
"But before that, why don't I give you a little show?"
Snap!
Han Yuan snapped his fingers, causing a blood-red flame, cyan-green flame, oceanic blue flame, and finally greenish-purple flame to appear from thin air. Each flame gave suffocating pressure.
"So, are you ready for the second round?"
His playful voice rang in the atmosphere.
"Run!" Protector Wu was frightened by the sight before him.
Before Han Yuan could even try to scare him more, Protector Wu already grabbed Han Feng by his neck and used a secret technique to teleport a thousand miles away.
The Nihility Devouring Flame's seed spread and swallowed them whole, leaving Han Yuan gazing at 'empty' space.
"..."
Han Yuan tilted his head and ran his hand over his now-silver hair, "Ah, this is indeed troublesome."
"What to do, what to do, hmm..."
...
...
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Protector Wu ran with all his might.
He cursed Han Feng, "What kind of being did you actually provoke, Han Feng? That thing is not human!"
Han Feng shuddered, "I... I don't know!"
"That brat just appeared out of nowhere and ruined my plan. H-He also stole my Ocean Heart Flame, and only then did I summon you, Protector Wu."
"Y-You..." Protector Wu was speechless. He thought Han Feng knew a few things about Han Feng at least, but this?
"Fuck!"
He really wanted to beat Han Feng to death right now. However, the Hall of Souls had vowed to keep him safe after their past cooperation, so harming him is a no-no.
Suddenly, Protector Wu felt a jolt in his soul. His soul is screaming due to the sensation of death gripping his heart. "You gotta be kidding me, we have traveled a thousand miles away."
"He wields a weird power, but I don't sense any Spatial Power."
"So, how the fuck is he here!" Protector Wu gazed at the sky slightly above him in disbelief.
Han Yuan hovered in the sky, yawning and scratching his neck lazily as if he were waiting for someone, "Yo, you guys are finally here."
"You are so slow."
"I've been waiting for a while, I mean, a few seconds."
"H-How..." Han Feng finally saw Han Yuan, too.
Han Yuan rubbed his chin, "Hmm, how do I explain the notions of extreme speed and frictionless conditions to you all?"
"Simplu put, I used the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame alongside the Ocean Heart Flame to reduce air friction, allowing me to travel here on foot quickly."
"I only need one breath to travel a thousand miles because of it."
He smiled, "So, when you just exited your teleportation, I am already here, waiting."
'Speak Human, You Monster!' Han Feng and Protector Wu screamed in their hearts.
Protector Wu put on a flattering look and said, "Um, Sir, I think there is a misunderstanding between us."
"Misunderstanding? Ah, yes, I understood," Han Yuan nodded calmly as if he were a benevolent person.
Then, he smiled indifferently."I understood that you don't want to live anymore..."
"Eh?" Protector Wu suddenly felt pain in his chest.
Puff!
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A segmented greenish-purple spear stabbed Protector Wu's chest and then pinned him to the ground brutally. Then, a cyan-green flame engulfed him like a fiery shell.
Meanwhile, Han Feng found himself bound by the Storm Belt and felt his body become heavier than a mountain and sink to the ground as well.
BOOM!
Han Yuan watched Han Feng kneel and sighed, "You know, it wasn't supposed to be like this. I don't mean to win like this."
"We are supposed to fight over the Heavenly Flame fairly."
"Unfortunately, you called someone from the Hall of Souls, and let's just say their method of stealing and consuming souls is rather disgusting in my eyes." He added indifferently, recalling an unpleasant memory of his 'second' life.
"Kill me..." Han Feng couldn't bear the pain and expression.
"Kill me, you bastard!"
"End my life!"
Han Yuan stomped on Han Feng's face and said, "Of course, I would kill you, but I won't make it easy..."
"Don't tell me you forgot that you threatened me by saying you'd steal Medusa and Yafei and then make me feel despair by doing inexplicable things to them?"
Han Feng's soul shuddered. "N-No, just kill me!"
"D-Don't torture me! Please, don't-!"
"Too late." Han Yuan replied emotionlessly. He willed a Spiritual Flame to appear and used it to burn Han Feng's mind, soul, and spirit, completely breaking him apart.
He also gets the incomplete 'Flame Mantra' that Han Feng had, followed by Yao Chen's legacy in alchemy. Although Yao Chen hadn't taught Han Feng everything, it was more than enough for him. He also got some information about the Central Plain and Hall of Souls.
"AAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHHHH!"
Han Feng writhes, screaming at the top of his lungs as his very mind, soul, and spirit are 'brutally' tortured in the spiritual flame that Han Yuan made, which made one second feel like a year. Although his body is untouched, everything else is gradually turning into ashes.
Eventually, Han Feng perished.
Han Yuan stared at the human shell named Han Feng and tossed it into the Sky Poison Pearl because it had its own uses in the future.
Puff!
"S-Spare my life..." Protector Wu wailed, shaking his weak arms.
"Sir, I am innocent."
Han Yuan glanced at Protector Wu and chuckled, "Innocent? Then, why are there countless resentful ghosts around you?"
"You can't feel it, but I can as the Master of Souls."
"So, die..."
Han Yuan didn't give Protector Wu another chance to say anything and used his ability to manipulate souls to refine this trash into a pure Soul Force. As for the Protector Wu's body, an 8-Star Dou Ancestor's body is excellent material to refine a puppet.
Not to mention, there is the seed of Nihility Devouring Flame. Although only a seed, and not the real one, it was priceless.
Anyway, Han Yuan got everything he wanted, and there is one less trash in this world.
Han Yuan cancelled the Authority of Dream and then sighed, rubbing his forehead in pain. "The ability of this 'Profound Veins' is strong, but I felt empty after using it."
"The consumption is too much."
"I need to familiarize myself more with it."
"But first, let's go back."