Chapter 443: Boundary Suppression

The previously dim and oppressive arena now glowed fiery red, as if it had suddenly plunged into an inferno. At this moment, the sky-scorching flames, which had soared hundreds of feet high, began to descend, detaching from the Phoenix Stage and spreading wildly in all directions.

A colossal wave of fire, seemingly from purgatory, swept towards them with terrifying heat, painting a picture of an impending apocalypse. Even from hundreds of feet away, the profound practitioners felt as though their bodies were melting from the scorching heat. Despite channeling all their profound energy to resist, they remained in agonizing pain. The entire arena was filled with cries of extreme terror.

Whoosh... The closest rows of seats to the Phoenix Stage began to melt and burn, as the rampant Phoenix flames continued to spread at an alarming speed. Feng Feiyan flew high into the air and roared in a deep voice, "Quickly erect a barrier!"

No sooner had he spoken than the various Tyrant profound practitioners had already sprung into action. The Tyrants from the five nations and several elders from the Divine Phoenix Sect rapidly ascended, dispersing in all directions. Their profound energy surged, and a massive circular defensive barrier began to spread, connect, and form, completely enclosing the rampaging Phoenix flames. Its might and scorching heat were firmly contained.

The panic in the arena finally subsided somewhat, but the shock on everyone's faces could not be suppressed. They stared wide-eyed at the central arena, which had completely transformed into a sea of fire, fearing they might miss a single moment. They knew that such an appalling sight might never be witnessed again in their lifetimes.

The profound practitioners from the five nations huddled in corners, their faces pale with terror. As their seats were closest to the Phoenix Stage, they were all affected when the Phoenix flames ran wild. The less fortunate had their clothes burned to tatters, while others suffered multiple burns. Watching the Phoenix flames contained by the barrier, cold sweat streamed down their faces like waterfalls. They couldn't imagine that they had previously fought against such a monstrous power and had actually walked away alive.

The profound practitioners participating in the Seven Nations Ranking Tournament were undoubtedly the top geniuses of their respective nations. As such, they naturally carried a deep sense of superiority, confidence, and even arrogance. They believed they were destined to be the protagonists of Heavenly Profound in the future, the overlords of their era. But at this moment, all their confidence, even their beliefs, had completely crumbled. Facing this catastrophic power, they realized that it would be almost impossible for them to reach such a height, not to mention now, but even throughout their entire lives.

The flames intensified. Around the defensive barrier, several elders of the Divine Phoenix Sect remained relatively composed, but the sole Tyrants from the five nations were all trembling with fear. As they supported the barrier, their hands, though they were Tyrants, were burned fiery red and were agonizingly painful. Their terror knew no bounds. This was not a contest between two world-renowned supreme experts, but merely between two young individuals in their early twenties! Having cultivated for hundreds of years to become the sole Tyrants of their nations, revered throughout the land, they clearly felt a sense of shame in the presence of these two terrifying youths.

To achieve such power at such a young age, their future accomplishments were simply unimaginable! Everyone from the Divine Phoenix Sect, from Feng Hengkong down to the various Hall Masters and Elders, could no longer sit still and had risen to their feet. The calmest person in the entire arena was undoubtedly True Master Gu Cang. He merely watched silently, his face unperturbed. At this moment, his brows twitched slightly, as he sensed the aura of his disciple.

True Master Gu Cang concentrated his mind, and with his incomparably profound energy, he sent a telepathic message: "You've finally arrived. Show your Holy Land proof to the guards of Phoenix City, and they will naturally bring you here. You've come just in time; otherwise, you would have missed a prodigious talent whose future achievements might not be inferior to yours."

Soon, he received a reply via telepathy: "Is that so? The Divine Phoenix Sect is the foremost sect in Heavenly Profound. Surely, there are such geniuses in every generation."

True Master Gu Cang closed his eyes and sent another telepathic message: "No, the person your master is referring to is not from the Divine Phoenix Sect. He is, like you, from the Azure Cloud Nation. With his abilities, he should have been famous in the Azure Cloud Nation for a long time. Perhaps you've heard his name... This young man's name is Yun Che."

For a long time, True Master Gu Cang received no reply from his disciple. His attention returned to the colossal Phoenix flames that blotted out the sky.

The Phoenix Stage was sinking rapidly at an astonishing rate. Beneath Yun Che and Feng Xiluo's feet was a horrifying expanse of glowing red magma. At the center of the two Phoenix powers, both continued to unleash their profound Phoenix energy, but their expressions were starkly different.

Yun Che remained utterly calm; from his expression to his eyes, there was not a ripple of emotion. In contrast, Feng Xiluo's eyes were bloodshot, his entire face completely distorted, and deep roars continuously rumbled in his throat. If he had held back before, he was now completely unleashing all his power, almost squeezing out every ounce of strength from his very bones. If not for his sweat instantly evaporating upon appearing, his entire body would have already been drenched.

Yet, despite this, his Phoenix flames were completely held at bay by Yun Che. No matter how much he exerted himself, he could not suppress them.

Furthermore, although he possessed the Phoenix bloodline and had strong resistance and control over Phoenix flames, he was by no means completely immune to flame damage like Yun Che. As time wore on, Yun Che's flames tormented him with unbearable pain throughout his body. More than half of his hair was scorched, and wisps of black, burnt-smelling smoke began to rise from various parts of his body.

The low roars from his throat were half from furiously unleashing profound energy and half from agonizing pain.

However, his physical pain was far less than the terror in his heart.

Phoenix flames were the strongest profound flames on the Heavenly Profound Continent. The Phoenix bloodline was the only divine bloodline on the Heavenly Profound Continent! If the Divine Phoenix Sect's history, like the Sacred Grounds, spanned over ten thousand years, it would surely surpass the Sacred Grounds by virtue of this unique divine bloodline! And he was a Prince of the Divine Phoenix Empire, inheriting the lineage of the imperial family, possessing the strongest Phoenix bloodline, and was also the most talented among the younger generation of the Phoenix Divine Vein...

Yet, someone he had initially disregarded, someone he called a "mongrel," had completely withstood his full-powered Phoenix flames!

And astonishingly, he appeared completely at ease, as if he still had strength to spare.

The low roars from Feng Xiluo's throat grew increasingly hoarse and sharp; his teeth were almost grinding to dust. Yet, even after more than ten breaths, he was still unable to suppress Yun Che's Phoenix flames.

"I don't believe it... I don't believe it... I am a Prince of Divine Phoenix... I have imperial blood flowing through my veins... How could I possibly lose to a mongrel like you... How could I possibly lose to a mongrel like you!!"

Feng Xiluo's voice was incredibly dry and hoarse. When he opened his mouth, a wisp of black smoke directly emerged, demonstrating the extent to which he was pushing himself.

The moment he spoke, his aura slightly faltered. Yun Che's brow furrowed, and his Phoenix flames surged forward.

Feng Xiluo's hair immediately burst into flames. His nearly two-foot-long black hair rapidly turned to charcoal.

Feng Xiluo had long since unleashed all his power, holding nothing back. When Yun Che's Phoenix flames suddenly bore down, he had no remaining strength to counterattack. He began to feel his body and flames increasingly suppressed, all his own flames gradually being devoured by Yun Che's.

Fear appeared in his eyes, followed by a fleeting moment of despair, which then transformed into ferocity and madness.

"How could I possibly... lose to... you mongrel!!!!"

Feng Xiluo roared with all his might, his eyes blood-red. Then, he threw his head back and violently spat out a large mouthful of blood. This blood splattered onto his body and quickly ignited.

Yun Che's gaze shifted slightly... because Feng Xiluo had not spat out ordinary blood, but his vital essence!

Ordinary blood could regenerate, but vital essence had almost no chance of regeneration. Its expenditure consumed not physical strength or profound energy, but talent, life, and origin power! A profound practitioner would never choose to burn vital essence unless they were in a desperate, life-threatening situation.

Feng Xiluo had completely lost his mind!

If his opponent had been a strong practitioner of Yun Che's age and equal strength, Feng Xiluo, even if defeated, might have felt loss and unwillingness, and perhaps even lost his composure, but he would certainly not have been deranged enough to burn his vital essence.

However, Yun Che had always concealed his true strength, and his seemingly very weak profound energy level was clearly displayed. Therefore, as a Phoenix Prince and the foremost young talent, Feng Xiluo had always considered himself superior to Yun Che. In front of all the heroes of the world, the Seven Nations of Heavenly Profound, and the Sacred Grounds, he had scorned, mocked, disdained, and even continuously called Yun Che a "mongrel" as if he were a judge.

If he were to lose just like this, especially by his strongest Phoenix flames, then all his scorn, mockery, disdain, and insults towards Yun Che would be returned to him manifold. All his previous demeanor would turn into a clownish display of arrogance. In the past, people associated him with his prestige and fame. From now on, the first thing they would think of would be his ridiculous, clown-like failure! Unable to defeat someone he called a "mongrel," he would undoubtedly become worse than a "mongrel," a laughingstock and a disgrace that could never be erased in this lifetime.

Therefore, he absolutely could not lose... even if it meant burning his vital essence, he must not lose!

With his vital essence burning, Feng Xiluo's suppressed Phoenix flames instantly surged, violently pushing back against Yun Che. His eyes filled with sorrow, which then morphed into a frenzied cackle: "Mongrel... die!!!!"

When facing Feng Xiluo, Yun Che's advantages lay in his physique, profound arts, profound skills, and the purity of his Phoenix bloodline. However, if solely considering the intensity and profoundness of profound energy, he was significantly weaker than Feng Xiluo. Under Feng Xiluo's desperate act of burning vital essence, in just a few breaths, Yun Che was steadily pushed back, and nearly ten percent of his own Phoenix flames were swallowed in an instant.

Despite this, there was no panic on Yun Che's face, not even surprise; instead, he showed deep pity. His eyes narrowed, and the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture was instantly elevated to the fifth stage—"Falling Star Flame"!

Rumble... The Phoenix flames around Yun Che suddenly surged. Their already intense heat abruptly soared once more, and the already wild flames became even more rampant. In that instant, every person from the Divine Phoenix Sect present, from Sect Master Feng Hengkong down to the ordinary Phoenix disciples, distinctly felt their Phoenix bloodline throb within them...

That strange sensation was not a suppression of power, nor an aura suppression, but clearly a... realm suppression!