Chapter 270: Fire Temper

At that moment, the expression in the vertical eye showed uneasiness. It could sense something terrifying approaching, and thus erupted with an almost hysterical power.

That seemingly illusory power felt almost substantial.

An and Zhu were directly flung off the pillar platform to the left and right. Shi Chun was in no better shape; he was propelled upwards, tumbling through the air as molten copper and iron rain exploded upon contact with his body.

Yet, the strange, reverse ripples of that palm strike ultimately penetrated the vertical eye.

The more powerful the unleashed force, and the greater the resistance, the denser and more intricate the patterns derived from those strange ripples seemed to become, striking deep into the core with the force of the palm.

The vertical eye first showed terror, then its pupil lost form. The entire eye suddenly expanded, then contracted, finally collapsing and rapidly disintegrating in a twisted manner.

Boom! It disintegrated into countless scattered specks of starlight.

Meanwhile, the vast, fierce flames that had filled all directions instantly lost their expansive power. Like an intake of breath, they rapidly retracted from every corner, retreating like a tide, all gathering back into this underground space and returning to the white flame essence on the pillar platform.

At this moment, the countless scattered specks of starlight, having disintegrated, fell within the space like a shower of flowers, beautiful and captivating.

Zhu and An, who had been flung back, clung to the melted walls, looking around at the scene. They reached out to touch the scattered starlight specks, but felt nothing; the specks passed through their bodies, a substance existing between illusion and reality.

What was released seemed to be the energy within the white flame's body. The white flame itself rapidly shrank to about a foot high, flickering as it drifted towards a hole in the wall, attempting to escape.

Although it had lost its eye, its consciousness clearly remained.

Shi Chun, who had already lunged downwards again, would not let it escape. He immediately pounced.

After reacting, Zhu and An were not to be outdone; they quickly moved to pounce and intercept.

A single flame, having lost its power, could not possibly match the flying speed of three cultivators. Before Zhu and An could intervene, Shi Chun, who was pursuing from above, clamped it down remotely.

Zhu and An were surprised by this. Could their leader also possess fire control techniques?

Unbeknownst to them, it was merely a cluster of translucent green mist, invisible to their eyes, that had locked down the white divine flame.

Shi Chun pushed off the melted cave wall and ascended once more, carrying the desperately struggling divine flame back to the top of the pillar platform.

Zhu and An quickly followed him up, their eyes reflecting both a longing for the divine flame and reverence for Shi Chun. They had witnessed their leader defeat Mu Lanqingqing years ago, and seeing him display such capability again today filled them with profound respect.

Even in their specialized field, their leader was no weaker than them!

However, Shi Chun's gaze at the two was filled with anger. He had nearly been killed by this unscrupulous pair, so it was no wonder he was furious. He reprimanded them directly: "Who guaranteed me that you could subdue it? Greedy and incompetent, do you realize you almost got Chu Jing-tang and the others killed?"

He could say this because his right eye's special ability had detected that Chu Jing-tang and the others were still alive.

The two immediately felt unbearable shame, lowering their heads and stammering, unsure of what to say.

Yet, the allure of the divine flame remained strong. Their gazes occasionally drifted towards the flame, and finally, An Wuzhi hesitantly asked, "Leader, how should we deal with this divine flame?"

Shi Chun retorted, "What is this divine flame called?"

An Wuzhi replied, "Given that it absorbs scattered starlight within this metallic space and is white, this divine flame is very likely 'Golden Flame'."

Shi Chun was puzzled, "'Golden Flame'? As in, the color gold?"

Realizing his confusion, Zhu Xiangxin quickly explained, "Yes, 'gold' as in the metal. Leader, you might find it strange that it's called 'Golden Flame' when it's not gold in color. However, this is one of the Five Elemental Flames – the 'Metal' element among Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Its color is actually white. The fire Tong Mingshan absorbed earlier was also an Elemental Flame."

With this explanation, Shi Chun understood. Holding the flame in his palm, he said, "There's only one divine flame, but there are two of you. Only one can have it. Who should it be?"

Both wanted to say "me," but they stammered, finding it difficult to voice their desire.

Shi Chun then asked, "Do you make the decision, or do I?"

"The leader decides.""We'll listen to the leader."

Both rushed to express their agreement, though secretly, they still hoped to receive it themselves.

Shi Chun couldn't be bothered with further nonsense from these two scoundrels. He extended the flame in his palm directly towards Zhu Xiangxin, saying, "Take it."

Zhu Xiangxin was instantly ecstatic, almost kneeling to kowtow in gratitude. At that moment, she would have even offered herself to him.

Of course, even without this specific event, she had long been willing to offer herself to him. She had been attracted to Shi Chun ever since leaving prison, but knowing her own plain appearance compared to the beautiful Lan'er, she likely understood that a man like him wouldn't be for her, so she kept her feelings hidden.

At this moment, she was so excited she stammered, "Thank you, Leader, for fulfilling my wish. Xiangxin will always obey your commands."

She then reached out with both hands to receive it.

An Wuzhi's disappointment was evident, but he couldn't say anything, having just verbally agreed to the arrangement. However, his eyes soon lit up again.

This was because Shi Chun had pulled back the divine flame he had offered.

Zhu Xiangxin's hands met empty air, and her heart sank.

Shi Chun said with a grim face, "Some things need to be made clear first. Zhu Xiangxin, if you dare to fool me again, I'll kill you! I ask you, are you certain that after acquiring this divine flame, your cultivation technique can absorb it? If not, don't waste it. This is something we nearly sacrificed several lives to obtain. Don't be greedy and brainless with me."

Zhu Xiangxin quickly patted her chest and vowed, "Leader, I swear to heaven, I can absorb it, I definitely can absorb it, there will be no problem. If I speak even half a lie, may I suffer divine retribution!"

"Swearing to anyone is useless," Shi Chun grumbled, "I've already suffered a loss by trusting someone who gambled their life for this divine flame. If I easily believe you again, then I deserve to die!" To this day, the previous situation still left him with lingering fears. Who could understand that despair?

He turned and looked at An Wuzhi, "Tell me, do you think she can successfully absorb it?"

An Wuzhi naturally wanted to say no, but some lies couldn't be told. There were too many people here who understood fire-attribute cultivation techniques; a simple inquiry would reveal the truth.

Zhu Xiangxin immediately tensed up. She hadn't expected Shi Chun to pull such a move – it was brilliant – having her competitor verify her words.

She stared anxiously at An Wuzhi, genuinely afraid he would sabotage her. Of course, she knew he wanted it too.

After his Adam's apple bobbed several times, An Wuzhi, though reluctant, had no choice but to tell the truth: "The concentrated power of the divine flame has already been dispersed. It would be difficult for it to recover even a fraction of its strength in another decade or two. Control isn't hard. Anyone proficient in fire-attribute cultivation techniques who can suppress it should be able to absorb it. It's just a matter of how long it takes. She should be able to do it!"

After saying this, he felt as deflated as a punctured balloon.

Without another word, Zhu Xiangxin immediately bowed and thanked An Wuzhi with cupped hands.

Only then did Shi Chun feel somewhat relieved. Of course, he was still inwardly cursing; what should have been a simple matter had been forced into such complexity.

Ultimately, the divine flame was handed to Zhu Xiangxin.

Once Zhu Xiangxin successfully received it, she was so overjoyed she wept tears of genuine happiness, repeatedly bowing to Shi Chun in thanks, "Thank you, Leader, thank you for making this possible!"

At that moment, it truly felt like a dream. She was so excited, shedding tears and trembling.

She had expected a miserable fate after being expelled from her sect. Who could have imagined she would enter the Divine Flame Domain and obtain the divine flame that alchemists only dreamed of?

She knew very well that after absorbing this item, it would be like having a divine artifact in hand, and her future life would ascend to another, highly esteemed echelon.

She couldn't believe it; even with the item in her grasp, it remained incredible.

Shi Chun said, "Although I've given this to you, let me be clear: remember, until we leave the Divine Flame Domain, and unless absolutely necessary or I instruct otherwise, you must never easily reveal that you've absorbed the divine flame, especially not to the Four Cauldrons Sect."

Although she didn't fully understand what their leader intended, Zhu Xiangxin absolutely understood that there must be some plan involved. She nodded repeatedly, saying, "Rest assured, Leader, Xiangxin has noted it."

She was utterly compliant now.

Shi Chun then looked at the dejected An Wuzhi, "Alright, she's a woman; as a man, you should yield to her first. There's still plenty of time ahead. I won't forget you, and I'll consider you at the appropriate moment."

Zhu Xiangxin, wiping away her tears, also quickly reassured him, "Brother An, don't worry. With our leader here, there will surely be another opportunity. The next chance will definitely be yours."

Shi Chun interjected coldly, "Do you get to decide that?"

At this point, his words were often sharp, for he couldn't help it. The previous events still left him with lingering fear, and he still found these two despicable individuals irritating.

"Uh..." Zhu Xiangxin quickly shut up, convinced both outwardly and inwardly. At this moment, she dared not harbor the slightest objection, appearing submissive with lowered brows, fearing that any hint of dissent might cause her to lose everything.

Inside the cave, Chu Jing-tang and the others, facing the raging flames, kept their distance, sighing with awe but not daring to approach.

They had tried several paths, but all were blocked by fire. They had no idea about the situation of Shi Chun and the others, but they certainly couldn't advance further.

"Could it be over?" Chen Wuji asked with a wry smile.

Hao Ji replied, "Not necessarily. The fire is still burning, which could also mean the confrontation inside hasn't ended yet."

Indeed, that made some sense.

No sooner had he spoken than Chu Jing-tang suddenly raised a hand to stop them, tilting his head to listen. After a moment, he asked, "Did you hear anything? I thought I heard the sound of a struggle."

Hao Ji asked, "Did you?"Chen Wuji said, "I think there was a bang, I heard it too. But it might not be a fight; it could just be the sound of the flames exploding due to something they encountered."

Just as he finished speaking, the three men's gazes froze. The wall of fire ahead suddenly receded like a tide, quickly vanishing without a trace, leaving them feeling as if they had plunged into darkness.

Of course, the so-called darkness was merely a contrast to the intense white light they had just witnessed. Inside the cave ahead, molten iron still dripped, and the metal glowed red-hot.

They still dared not trespass, discussing suspiciously what might have happened, worried that the cessation of the flames truly signified some kind of end.

To be honest, without Shi Chun keeping them in check, they had no intention of risking further danger. They wouldn't even heed Wu Jinliang's commands.

They had all been elite disciples of various sects, and they weren't easily commanded.

Without Shi Chun, Wu Jinliang held little authoritative sway over them. While they didn't deny Wu Jinliang's capabilities, they could sense that he couldn't provide the same sense of direction that Shi Chun did.

It was a difficult feeling to describe. Although they sometimes found their leader a bit absurd, they wouldn't express significant resistance for fear of being dealt with, and would ultimately continue to follow him.

They didn't feel it normally, but the thought of replacing him immediately brought to mind the comparison they implicitly knew.

Without Shi Chun, they would undoubtedly run back to the exit area, content to wait until the cave entrance reopened to leave. They believed they wouldn't gain any benefits from the opportunities here.

However, once the metallic cave walls had cooled slightly, they continued to venture deeper, searching. They feared it would be awkward if Shi Chun were still alive and they hadn't shown up, so relying on their previous impressions, they made their way towards the underground space.

Halfway there, they suddenly saw light illuminating the path ahead. The three men paused, startled and suspicious.

Soon, they saw Shi Chun and the other two appear, completely unharmed, and also noticed the divine flame that Zhu Xiangxin now controlled. Chu Jing-tang and the other two felt a wave of relief and quickly ran forward to greet them.

"Leader, are you alright?" Chen Wuji asked with genuine concern, though he was truly curious: how did you, sir, manage to avoid the divine flame's power while within its burning range?

Previously, their hope was that Shi Chun had also escaped the divine flame's burning range and simply gotten lost. Who would have thought they would see their leader emerge from the very area filled with the divine flame? How could they not be astonished?

Shi Chun calmly replied, "I'm fine. You, on the other hand, ran quite fast."

Indeed, they had run faster than him. His cultivation had only recently broken through to the high martial arts master level, while these individuals had long been at that level. Even within the same cultivation realm, there were still differences in proficiency.

The three chuckled awkwardly. Hao Ji sighed, "Good thing we ran fast. If we'd been any slower, we'd be dead. Damn, that was too dangerous! Luckily, we'd scattered so much white ash earlier, otherwise, if we'd run into a dead end, we would have lost our lives."

Shi Chun certainly agreed with that sentiment.

Chu Jing-tang, however, lashed out at An and Zhu, "What were you two doing? If you weren't sure you could control it, couldn't you at least give us a heads-up so we could get further away? Is this how you play? Leader, if they keep doing things like this, we really can't work together anymore. Even if we don't get burned to death, we'll be scared to death. This is truly horrifyingly selfish! My handsome sideburns are all scorched!"