Chapter 783: Dean of Fire (1/2)

“Aouuuuuu—” the scarlet ape formed from pure connate flames roared a challenge at its opponent. Manifesting three heads and six arms, it charged at the pitch-black moat snake.

Two vicious beasts ripped and tore into each other in the sea of flames while the interior of the volcano rampaged further out of control. Lu Yun deployed the Mastery of the Five Elements and continuously fed connate fire essence, as well as connate li fire, to the scarlet ape manifested by his nascent spirit observation method.

With the two acting in tandem, the battlefield became Lu Yun’s home ground. Inside the kingdom of hell, his nascent spirit sent an unbroken stream of energy to the scarlet ape to bring it further into reality.

The moat snake in front of him was a vicious ghost and Lu Yun’s nascent spirit was a natural deterrent to any ghostly entities. However, that combined with his projected scarlet ape was only able to fight the moat snake to a standstill!

Up in the air, he took a cross-legged position and operated the method at maximum power, not daring to relax for the fraction of a second.

……

“What can we do, the altar of fire is about to collapse!” Despair suffused the priest of fire’s exquisitely formed face. The great battle between the two enormous beasts had sent the local space into unusual pandemonium, and her normal command of the altar’s power was no longer enough to maintain it. After all, what she stood on wasn’t the real altar, just something manifested by the volcano.

“Priestess of fire.” Ashu spoke slowly after throwing a glance at the girl. “I can give you the Fire Altar and help you break away from this world. In return, come with me to the Dao Academy and become a dean of one of its schools—the dean of fire.”

The girl paused. “Dao Academy? Dean of fire?”

Ashu pointed with his hand and transferred knowledge about the Dao Academy into her mind. She stilled as she digested newfound knowledge of the world.

“I must protect Xuan Yuan.”

“Without the real Fire Altar, the five of you are just false priests when all is said and done.” Ashu stretched out his arm to reveal a fist-sized altar over his palm.

The Fire Altar.

Lu Yun’s heart of the world came from Ashu, which naturally meant that he possessed its home, the Fire Altar, as well.

As soon as the real altar appeared, the violent energy of the flames surged to new heights. Affected by its presence, connate li flames churned furiously toward the projected scarlet ape to strengthen it even more.

The priest of fire yet remained quiet. Cracks fractured the altar of fire beneath her feet, an obvious sign that it was about to disintegrate.

“Once Lu Yun tames the moat snake, he’ll be able to control the two tomb realms of the Xuan Yuan Tomb through it.” Ashu’s tone was calm, like he was recounting a most ordinary happening. “And once the two tomb realms are within Lu Yun’s grasp, nothing will be able to threaten Xuan Yuan’s body. It may even be possible that he resurrects one day.

“All of you have learned too many of Lu Yun’s secrets, and while he may not mind, as his follower, I must help him nip some unnecessary trouble in the bud.”

“…you!!” That finally provoked a response from the priest of fire. “But… you are… you’re actually willing to follow Lu Yun and be his subordinate!”

Ashu shook his head slightly. “I’m just a spirit born of that tree.”

The girl fell silent for a moment. “I think you’ll regret this once you find your way back to yourself.”

“Find my way back to myself and become that person again?” Ashu snorted. “That person is dead, Xuan Yuan is also dead. The vast reaches of land before Emperors Fall, the only primary world in the universe is also destroyed and become the great cosmos in our eyes…”