Chapter 1279: Self-Ignition

A colossal cauldron stood between heaven and earth, its immense height unknown, enveloping the entire Ancestral Soul Mountain within it.

Inside the colossal cauldron, torrents of blood-red flames surged like a fiery ocean, engulfing Shi Ying at the center and completely sealing off any escape. The blood-red flames were terrifyingly potent. Even though Shi Ying unleashed a power capable of near-total destruction, he was still unable to push back the inferno. Instead, many of his assaults were completely consumed by the flames.

It was clear to all that Shi Ying had been forced into an extremely perilous situation.

Witnessing this scene, Ai Tuanzi and the others couldn't help but swallow, their faces reflecting profound shock and awe. After all, they had previously witnessed Shi Ying's invincibility firsthand. Yet, this formidable being was now being driven into such a desperate corner by the female saint so closely associated with Zhou Yuan. This left them feeling a profound sense of relief, accompanied by an even deeper reverence. Consequently, their gazes towards Zhou Yuan now held a new level of deference. However, this respect stemmed more from his ability to earn the favor of such a powerful being than from his own strength. From a certain perspective, this indeed suggested that Zhou Yuan possessed unique qualities.

The torrent of blood-red flames continued to churn.

Shi Ying let out a furious roar. Being merely a half-Saint Lotus Incarnation, he was gradually struggling to resist the power Yao Yao had conjured from the malevolent aura of the Ancestral Soul Mountain. If this continued, it would only be a matter of time before he was refined. Once this half-Saint Lotus Incarnation was destroyed, Shi Ying's true body would suffer indescribable damage, and recovery would take an immeasurable amount of time.

Thus, Shi Ying's shock and fury at this moment were truly difficult to contain. Their Saint Race had meticulously planned this for a long time, even ascertaining the number of Saints guarding the Myriad Beasts Heaven during this period. The God Ruins Temple had also deployed interference tactics. Yet, despite all their calculations, they had not anticipated the Third God's presence in Myriad Beasts Heaven! Furthermore, judging by the power wielded by the Third God, she appeared to be gradually awakening; otherwise, even someone of his strength would not have felt such pressure.

Shi Ying's expression flickered on his face. Eventually, he abruptly ceased his resistance, a look of grim determination surfacing in his eyes. Since he was now trapped, he could only resort to his final measure: self-immolating this Saint Lotus Incarnation!

By harnessing the power of self-immolation, the Saint Lotus Incarnation could escape in a damaged state, incurring a significantly smaller loss. However... Shi Ying had no intention of fleeing. He lowered his gaze, fixing his eyes on the Ancestral Soul Mountain below. The mission was not yet complete. The Ancestral Soul Mountain could not be moved now. If that was the case... then he would simply have to fulfill the original mission. "Hah, these Saints of Myriad Beasts Heaven believed the Saint Race's objective was merely the Ancestral Soul Mountain; how utterly foolish."

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Shi Ying hesitated no longer. He clasped his hands, and the next instant, golden patterns suddenly began to spread across the surface of the Saint Infant's body. An indescribable, tumultuous power erupted from that small body. The sheer force of this power instantly repelled the encroaching blood-red flames. Golden flames seeped from the Saint Infant's body, then blazed fiercely, like a torch capable of destroying the heavens and earth.

Even Yao Yao, watching from the void mirror, narrowed her eyes at this sudden development. "'Self-immolating the Saint Infant... is he planning a desperate last stand?' she murmured, a hint of confusion in her voice. The Saint Race's resolve was proving to be more extreme than she had anticipated."

Terrifying power surged within the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven, causing the space itself to show signs of imminent collapse. Ultimately, just as Yao Yao braced herself, Shi Ying suddenly let out a loud laugh: "For the Holy God!"

The next moment, the destructive power unleashed by the burning Saint Infant, unexpectedly, did not surge towards the colossal cauldron. Instead, it slammed directly down onto the Ancestral Soul Mountain beneath his feet.

Boom!

The instant it struck, the entire Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven erupted in colossal tremors. Abyss-like fissures, spreading like a spiderweb from the Ancestral Soul Mountain, rapidly extended in all directions, engulfing the entire Grotto-Heaven. Millions of miles of mountains were transformed into deep oceans, plains were torn asunder, and seas were filled in. The topography of this entire space was utterly transformed.

Zhou Yuan and the others all wore expressions of horror, hastily evading the terrifying aftermath of the power to avoid being pulverized. The terrifying tremors persisted for the duration of half an incense stick before gradually subsiding.

Zhou Yuan and the others cast their gazes towards the peak of the Ancestral Soul Mountain, where a dim figure flickered like a candle in the wind. It was Shi Ying's Saint Infant. However, the Saint Infant was now dim, almost transparent, on the verge of dissipation—clearly a result of its expended power. What unsettled Zhou Yuan, however, was the complete absence of unwillingness on Shi Ying's face. Instead, he saw a peculiar smile.

"'Third God, even with your intervention today, you cannot halt my Saint Race's grand scheme. My mission is complete.'"

As his voice faded, the Saint Infant's body shattered into countless specks of light that scattered across the sky. The Origin Qi throughout the entire world seemed to surge and boil, becoming exceptionally abundant at that very moment.

However, Zhou Yuan and the others had no inclination to notice this, for they had all detected that the Ancestral Soul Mountain was beginning to tremble subtly.

Crack!

As the trembling persisted, a crack suddenly appeared on the peak of the Ancestral Soul Mountain, then rapidly spread downwards. The Ancestral Soul Mountain had cracked open!

Zhou Yuan stared blankly at the scene, his eyes filled with confusion. Did the Saint from the Saint Race really self-immolate a Saint Lotus Incarnation just to crack the Ancestral Soul Mountain?

In the void mirror, Yao Yao's slender brows furrowed slightly. Her eyes flickered as she gazed at the cracking Ancestral Soul Mountain. A few moments later, as if sensing something, her beautiful face abruptly changed.

"Retreat now!" Her urgent cry reverberated in the ears of Zhou Yuan and all of Ai Tuanzi's companions. Zhou Yuan, Ai Tuanzi, and the others didn't hesitate for a moment. Their Origin Qi surged, and they frantically retreated.

The very moment they retreated, the Ancestral Soul Mountain violently erupted, spewing forth an endless malevolent aura that instantly turned the sky of the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven blood-red. Yet, this was not the most terrifying aspect. As the malevolent aura raged, Zhou Yuan and the others witnessed firsthand a blood-red lotus slowly rising from the peak of the Ancestral Soul Mountain.

The blood-red lotus was covered in incredibly ancient patterns, and its luminous glow seemed to make the heavens and earth tremble. An indescribable pressure diffused from it. The pressure was mysterious, ancient, and primordial. However, a closer look would reveal that the pressure did not originate from the blood-red lotus itself, but rather from a pool of dark gold liquid, resembling a living entity, coalesced at its center. The dark gold liquid slowly writhed. Upon its appearance, the very light in the world seemed to be consumed by it.

Zhou Yuan and the others couldn't identify the object, but they instinctively knew it was something terrifyingly powerful.

Outside the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven, Jin Yanghuang and other Saints from Myriad Beasts Heaven also sensed this. After a moment of stunned silence, they finally recognized its origin. Their pupils instantly constricted, and a profound chill surged from their hearts, spreading throughout their bodies.

Within the void mirror, Yao Yao's bright eyes sharpened. Her delicate hand slowly tightened its grip on the jade gourd she held, and as her red lips parted slightly, a grave voice softly spoke.

"This is..."

"Holy God Blood Marrow!"

It turned out that the Ancestral Soul Mountain had been suppressing this very object all along!