Chapter 45

"I have come."

Long Chen let out a cold shout, and the flames enveloping his body suddenly surged, enveloping the space within several dozen feet in terrifying heat.

"Huff"

With a palm strike, the intense heat from Long Chen's palm caused the space to warp on a large scale, creating a terrifying momentum as it shot towards Huang Shang in the distance.

Huang Shang was greatly alarmed. He had an indescribable fear of the flames on Long Chen's body. Seeing Long Chen's attack, he hurriedly moved his feet to avoid Long Chen's palm.

However, just as he avoided Long Chen's palm, he suddenly saw a hint of a cold smile on Long Chen's lips, and a sense of great danger rose in his heart.

"Bad"

Huang Shang's face changed drastically. Long Chen's terrifying palm strike turned out to be a feint. The real attack was the silent kick. By the time he realized it, Long Chen's foot had already kicked him hard in the abdomen.

"Ahh"

Huang Shang's scream echoed throughout the square. Long Chen's kick did not seriously injure him, but the flames ignited the fur covering his body.

"Beasts indeed fear fire"

Long Chen felt a sense of relief. Although Huang Shang's beast transformation brought the combat power of a magical beast, it also inherited the weaknesses of a magical beast.

Fur-covered magical beasts are naturally afraid of fire, so the Dan Fire had a significant restraining effect on Huang Shang, causing him to feel an instinctive fear.

The flames on Long Chen's foot ignited Huang Shang's body, and a strong smell of roasted bird feathers quickly spread.

Seeing Huang Shang desperately slapping the flames on his body, when the flames were finally extinguished, the yellow fur that had covered Huang Shang was now charred and black, making him look like a rat that had just crawled out of a stove.

Seeing this, Yun Qi secretly let out a sigh of relief. It was very rare for Long Chen to find Huang Shang's weakness so quickly.

Most importantly, even if others knew, it would be useless. Only Long Chen, who could condense Dan Fire, could exploit this fatal weakness.

"Ahh"

Huang Shang's skin was charred black, and his fur was burned off in an instant. Although he was not seriously injured, he could not suppress his innate fear of fire, and he let out a roar of anger.

The situation had become very clear. Long Chen's Dan Fire was a perfect counter to Huang Shang.

As Huang Shang howled, Long Chen, like a human flame, rushed towards him with his palms flying.

"Boom, Boom, Boom"

Long Chen moved extremely fast, delivering three consecutive palm strikes. Seeing that he could not dodge, Huang Shang could only grit his teeth and desperately resist.

However, while he might not fear Long Chen's strength, after each of Long Chen's palm strikes, his claws seemed to retract as if from a furnace.

After three palm strikes, Huang Shang felt as if his hands were no longer his own, and he could even smell the faint aroma of cooked meat from his palms.

Earlier, Long Chen had been forced to dodge everywhere, but now the situation had completely reversed. Under Long Chen's Dan Fire, Huang Shang could only flee like a rat, unable to fight back.

Seeing this, Yu Zhi and the others could not help but be overjoyed. As long as Long Chen could hold on, victory would belong to him.

"Huang Shang, kill him"

Xia Changfeng stood up and shouted coldly. Long Chen's strength far exceeded his expectations, even causing him to feel fear. A limitless alchemist who was also a martial genius with boundless combat power.

Such a person must either be brought under his command or completely eliminated. Now, with the relationship between him and Long Chen like water and fire, the first option was impossible. Therefore, he would spare no effort to eliminate Long Chen, or he would not be able to sleep or eat in peace.

Huang Shang, seeing Long Chen surrounded by flames, his eyes filled with hatred, could not believe that what started as a simple killing game had escalated to this point.

"Long Chen, you die now"

Receiving Xia Changfeng's order, Huang Shang let out a beast-like roar. Suddenly, blood filled the air, and his entire body turned red, even his eyes.

"What?"

"Did he actually use the Blood Surge Technique?"

"This is too crazy"

In the spectator stands, the marquises of Phoenix Cry Empire let out a chorus of exclamations, recognizing Huang Shang's technique.

The Blood Surge Technique is an extremely terrifying secret art. Blood Condensation Realm experts would only make such a ruthless decision when facing an overwhelmingly powerful opponent and certain death.

The Blood Surge Technique ignites the user's entire blood and qi, temporarily doubling their combat power.

However, the cost is extremely severe. Once used, the user's blood essence is completely burned, and even if they survive, their cultivation will be permanently fixed, unable to advance any further.

This situation is very rare, and no one would do this unless absolutely necessary. But now, Huang Shang had done it.

Master Yun Qi glanced at the wooden-faced marquises of Phoenix Cry Empire and sighed inwardly. Phoenix Cry was beyond saving. A genius like Long Chen appeared, and no one stood up for him.

Regardless, Long Chen was still a citizen of Phoenix Cry Empire and the son of the highly esteemed Marquis Zhenyuan. Even if Long Chen had made no contributions to Phoenix Cry, Marquis Zhenyuan had guarded the border for over a decade, fighting bloody battles to repel the savage barbarians, allowing Phoenix Cry Empire to enjoy peace.

If his son were to die in the capital, would the royal family not fear the loss of the people's hearts? However, after looking at the Fourth Prince and the Empress Dowager, Master Yun Qi sighed and leaned forward slightly, ready to rescue Long Chen at any moment.

Today, Long Chen's performance had far exceeded Master Yun Qi's expectations. He absolutely could not let anything happen to Long Chen.

After using the Blood Surge Technique, Huang Shang had become a bloodthirsty beast, his eyes completely red.

Huang Shang let out a roar, and suddenly his entire body's blood qi surged, concentrating in his right hand.

His right hand instantly swelled to the size of a thigh, the muscles bulging and emitting a terrifying aura as it reached out towards Long Chen.

"Devil Wolf Claw"

The moment Huang Shang made his move, Master Yun Qi's figure flickered, and he rushed into the arena.

"Yun Qi, don't get in the way"

Wei Cang, who had been prepared, coldly laughed and rushed out, blocking Master Yun Qi and striking with a palm.

Master Yun Qi coldly snorted and struck back, trying to push Wei Cang away.

"Slap"

Their palms met, and Wei Cang's figure wavered but managed to block Master Yun Qi's palm.

When their palms met, Master Yun Qi's face changed. He suddenly felt a chill in his palm, which instantly turned black.

"Yun Qi, my Yin Sha Palm is quite tasty, isn't it? With me here, you won't be able to pass. That kid is dead, hahaha," Wei Cang laughed coldly.

Master Yun Qi was alarmed. He and Wei Cang had a decades-long grudge, and he never expected that Wei Cang had made so much progress in recent years, making it impossible for him to break through his blockade in a short time.

"Old pervert, you're the one who's dead"

A mocking voice came from Long Chen.

Seeing Huang Shang's palm strike coming, Long Chen took a deep breath, pushing his cultivation to the limit. The Dan Fire power was unleashed without any restraint, erupting like a volcano.

"Fire Cloud Palm"

The flames on Long Chen's body disappeared, all the fire power concentrated in his palm. The originally light yellow flames turned slightly red due to the intense concentration.

"Boom"

In the stunned silence of the crowd, Long Chen's palm struck Huang Shang's claw, creating a deafening explosion. Flames danced, and a surge of energy rose.

Even Master Yun Qi and Wei Cang stopped their actions, their faces filled with shock as they watched the scene. When the dust settled, a large pit several feet in diameter was visible.

On either side of the pit, two figures lay on the ground, and the entire arena was silent.

"Slap"

A light sound, and one figure slowly moved. It was Long Chen, covered in blood, his hair disheveled, his clothes torn, and he was panting heavily. But at this moment, Long Chen still looked incredibly strong.

Circling the pit, Long Chen slowly walked to Huang Shang, who was even more wretched, his body charred black, resembling a mummy with exposed bones.

After using the Blood Surge Technique, his defenses had drastically decreased, so the final clash had left him more seriously injured than Long Chen.

"I told you, I would make you see no tomorrow," Long Chen stood in front of Huang Shang, his voice cold.

Huang Shang tried to say something, but his collapsed chest tightly compressed his abdomen, preventing him from speaking.

"Feeling speechless is not a good feeling, is it? Karma comes quickly. You made others unable to speak, and now you can't speak either," Long Chen's lips curled into a mocking smile.

Previously, Huang Shang had used despicable means to enrage Long Chen, deliberately injuring Shi Feng and sealing his breath to prevent him from conceding. Long Chen had seen everything.

Seeing Long Chen's cold eyes, fear rose in Huang Shang's eyes. He wanted to say something but could not.

Huang Shang was afraid. A few years ago, he might not have feared death, but in recent years, indulging in pleasure with Xia Changfeng, he had become attached to the world and did not want to die.

"Save your begging. Someone like you doesn't deserve pity," Long Chen shook his head and slowly raised his foot.

Everyone in the arena watched silently, unable to speak. The intense battle between Long Chen and Huang Shang had deeply shocked them.

"Long Chen, let Huang Shang go, and I will give you a large compensation," Xia Changfeng, unwilling to let his most capable subordinate die, said with a thick face.

"Oh? What do you have that can move me?" Long Chen's face showed interest.

Seeing an opening, Xia Changfeng was overjoyed: "Just name it. Whatever I have, I will not hesitate to give it to you."

Long Chen nodded and extended his thumb: "I didn't expect you to be so righteous. I'll give you a chance. Give me your life, and I'll let him go."

Xia Changfeng's face, which had been full of joy, suddenly turned as if he had been slapped. He stared at Long Chen: "Are you playing with me?"

"Playing with you is not the goal. The goal is to play you to death," Long Chen's face showed a sinister smile as he spoke.

With that, Long Chen raised his foot and, amidst the audience's exclamations, stomped down hard on Huang Shang on the ground.

Just as Long Chen's foot was about to touch Huang Shang's chest, he suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and he heard Master Yun Qi's angry shout. Without thinking, he rolled to the side.

"Swish"

An arrow narrowly grazed Long Chen's waist.