CHAPTER 56: FIRE CLAN ANCIENT TECHNIQUE

"Where is the Sect Leader Ying Ying?!" shouted one of the 26 disciples of the Mu Ying Sect.

The man in the red and black robe smiled grimly. He patted his magic pouch and took out a blue gem which glowed in front of him. When he sent his spiritual energy into the blue gem, a large projection screen appeared and stretched out in front of the Mu Ying Sect.

From it, Li Shen and the others could see 328 members of the Mu Ying Sect. No wonder they hadn’t returned. The Mu Ying Sect had failed to attack the Gu Yang Sect, causing them all to be imprisoned.

Their hands and feet were bound by black chains, with their bodies tied to a large wooden block. It seemed as though they were standing helplessly in a circular field.

"They didn’t kill them. What do they want?" asked Li Shen.

"Sect Leader Ying Ying!" shouted all the disciples when they saw the projection screen.

"Damn you, Gu Yang Sect!" several disciples shouted.

They condensed their spiritual energy and charged forward, targeting the Nascent Soul man. But it was easy for him to block the weak attacks of a Qi Condensation cultivator.

"You fools!" the man shouted.

He swung his hand to destroy the magic sword of the Qi Condensation cultivator. The man seemed to step forward quickly, each step of his feet accompanied by strong magical pressure.

The magical pressure only affected 26 disciples from the Mu Ying sect, Li Shen and Li Xun were completely unaffected. That was enough to draw the man’s attention to Li Shen.

"Looking at the robes you two are wearing, I’m sure you’re not part of the Mu Ying Sect," the man replied.

’I see that the man’s cultivation level is at the Middle Nascent Soul stage, while the woman beside him is at the Perfect Nascent Soul stage. What should I do with them?’ the man asked.

’The more Nascent Soul practitioners we take, the stronger the pills and artifacts will be refined.

"Even so, you’re from the Mu Ying Sect. We can’t ignore you," the man replied, pointing at Li Shen.

"What do you mean?" Li Shen asked.

"Hand over your soul essence and join the Gu Yang Sect," the man ordered, spreading his arms to the sides.

"I’m not part of the Mu Ying Sect. So I don’t need to join your sect," Li Shen stated firmly.

"Oh, you dare challenge me, boy?!" the man said sternly.

Li Shen smiled, bringing forth a ball of spiritual energy from his hand, causing Li Xun to look away and focus on her father.

Realizing that her father was ready to fight the man, Li Xun walked closer, unable to let Li Shen fight him because it would have a devastating impact on this place—massive destruction.

"You don’t need to fight him. Let me handle it, Father," said Li Xun, causing Li Shen’s gaze to shift to the side.

"Are you sure you can defeat him?" asked Li Shen. Li Xun nodded.

"I’m sure. Besides, I’ve been wanting to try out the new technique I learned from Bai Zhen’s Mine Cave," replied Li Xun.

The man watched Li Xun’s optimistic face, seeing no harm in entrusting this battle to Li Xun.

"Alright, be careful."

Li Xun smiled happily after getting Li Shen’s approval to fight. The woman clearly said that she would be careful and win this battle. Li Shen fell silent and nodded.

She flew forward and hovered directly in front of the man in the red-and-black robe. The man laughed loudly in mockery; he had never seen anyone hiding behind a woman.

"A woman is protecting you? Where is your pride, boy?" the man asked.

Li Shen smiled at the insult; it was a natural response since Li Shen was hiding his cultivation level.

"I don’t want to dirty my hands just to kill you. My daughter is enough to do that," replied Li Shen, also flying into the sky.

"How about a bet?" asked Li Shen, challenging the man in the red and black robe.

"What?"

"If we win, you must free us," replied Li Shen.

"If you lose, you must surrender your Soul Essence and come with me to the Gu Yang Sect," added the man, and Li Shen nodded in agreement.

After reaching an agreement, Li Shen spread his arms sideways, covering the sky in a powerful ball of spiritual energy.

Everyone was shocked, including the man in the red and black robe and the other disciples of the Gu Yang Sect.

None of them could break through the defensive wall of the spiritual energy sphere.

"This will be a fair match. The winner is the one whose opponent surrenders or dies," replied Li Shen.

Li Xun nodded, as did the man. Li Shen smiled and flew slowly out of the spiritual energy sphere to allow Li Xun to fight freely inside.

Without warning, the man in the red-black robe charged forward with a physical attack, enough to startle Li Xun. Li Xun raised her hand and blocked the man’s attack, occasionally dodging him.

Each blocked punch caused a beating spiritual energy fluctuation effect, spreading throughout the sky. Li Shen and the others continued to watch the fight.

Li Xun leaped far backward, maintaining a safe distance from the man. Now, both of them took a short break, breathing heavily from the physical battle. However, between the two of them, only the man felt extremely exhausted, even though he had dominated the battle.

"I will not lose!" the man said firmly.

He formed a hand seal in front of his chest, a red spiritual energy aura emanating from his body. Li Shen narrowed his eyes, there were billions of techniques created by cultivators, not all of which were known to Li Shen.

At this moment, Li Shen did not know what cultivation technique the man was using.

The sky suddenly turned red as the man activated the technique, a gigantic pillar of fire striking into the spiritual energy ball and hitting the man exactly.

The pillar of fire caused fluctuations to be felt around the area, spiritual energy fluctuations spreading and pushing many people away.

[Seven Suns Technique Activated]

"Seven Suns Technique? Isn’t that a technique belonging to the ancient fire clan?" asked Li Shen.

The pillar of fire disappeared, revealing the man standing still with iron ornaments in the shape of circles behind his back that seemed to float and follow him wherever he went.

Within the reddish-brown iron ornament, there were seven small circles displaying the shape of miniature suns, containing strong and pure fire element qi.

"These energy fluctuations... that technique is at least as powerful as a 7th level cultivation technique," replied Li Shen.

’What should I do?’ asked Li Xun, asking his father telepathically.

"That technique is just a fragment. It means he hasn’t mastered the entire ancient fire clan’s inherited technique," Li Shen replied.

"But the fire power he’s gained has increased his physical strength by a hundredfold. Your best option is to evade and attack from a distance while waiting for the technique’s duration to expire," Li Shen added.

"I understand!"

Li Xun flew away to avoid every attack from red-and-black-robed man. Li Xun had to admit that his abilities had improved thanks to the use of the Ancient Fire Clan’s Seven Suns Technique.

The woman continued to attack from a distance, throwing many spiritual energy attacks forward. However, the red-and-black-robed man was able to block them.

Li Xun was shocked; she didn’t have time to dodge and was hit heavily in the stomach by the man. She vomited blood and was thrown far down, causing Li Shen to gasp.

Li Shen kept his eyes on Li Xun. Li Xun regained consciousness and got back up, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth with her hand.

"You have to use that technique," replied Li Shen.

"Alright, Father," Li Xun explained.

Both of Li Xun’s hands began to form an active hand formation. A rumble of black clouds gathered above the sky, accompanied by powerful lightning bolts.

The red-and-black-robed man stopped flying and looked up, watching the extraordinary power of the technique, which was on par with the Seven Suns Technique.

"So, you plan to end this battle quickly, huh?" the man asked.

"I don’t mind! I’ll show you the true power of the ancient fire clan’s inherited technique!"