Chapter 309 - 168: The Soul Fire Shows Its Might

A formidable physique was the foundation upon which a Martial Artist stood.

In this regard, Li Chang’an had always excelled.

Even when the flames from the Fire Dragon scorched him directly, they could only char his skin, failing to harm Li Chang’an’s resilient flesh and the vigorous life force flowing within him!

"Break!"

Time ticked by, second by second. Li Chang’an could clearly feel the two elemental summons slowing down. He dodged the Earth Dragon’s attack, then used his powerful legs to leap dozens of meters forward. Landing before the ashen-faced, white-robed old man, he threw a ferocious punch.

The white-robed old man raised his arm to block.

His other, undamaged sleeve once again swept down to envelop Li Chang’an.

But Li Chang’an was prepared. Instead of slowing, his speed had actually increased since the start of the battle, while the white-robed old man was now a step slower.

This time, before the old man’s sleeve could even fully unfurl, Li Chang’an was already behind him, unleashing another vicious punch!

The punch didn’t result in a gory mess, for the white-robed old man was merely an incarnation, possessing no flesh and blood.

However, this did not mean Li Chang’an’s attack was ineffective.

His fist plunged into the old man’s chest, and he ripped away a large, cotton-like mass of some unknown substance. The white-robed old man’s face grew even more ashen. He stumbled back two steps, intending to retaliate.

But having fought so hard to get this close, how could Li Chang’an possibly let him escape so easily?

He grabbed one of the old man’s arms and, with another vicious downward tear—this one even more brutal than the last—he ripped away half of the incarnation’s body.

He casually tossed the torn, cotton-like chunks to the ground and prepared to lunge again.

This time, however, the white-robed old man offered no more resistance.

Instead, unsteadily propping up his ruined half-body, he fixed Li Chang’an with a deathly stare and spoke. "Just you wait. You’ll die without a grave!"

Li Chang’an sneered. "You think I care?"

The white-robed old man’s expression was one of pure fury. Wisps of his soul began to drift out from the cotton-like remains of his body. It turned, preparing to depart.

Li Chang’an froze for a moment at the sight.

Then, a sudden thought struck him.

’What if I use the Soul Fire to capture his soul right now?’

Previously, Li Chang’an hadn’t dared to use his Soul Fire, fearing that its use would be detected by the old man’s true body thousands of miles away.

But now, seeing this wisp of soul, Li Chang’an changed his mind.

Since his foe had descended into this world by splitting off a piece of his soul, his true body probably had no idea what was happening until that soul fragment returned.

’He can probably only sense that his soul fragment is in a fight.’

With this in mind, Li Chang’an didn’t hesitate. He flicked a pale yellow flame from his fingertip, sending it shooting toward the white-robed old man’s soul.

The flame shot out with incredible speed.

To prevent the white-robed old man from detecting the danger, Li Chang’an had intentionally used the pale yellow Bone and Flesh Fire.

Just as he’d expected, the white-robed old man scoffed at the Bone and Flesh Fire. He sneered, "Do you have any idea what state I’m in? Even if you tear my body to shreds, you’ve only cost me an incarnation. As long as my soul remains, I haven’t lost a thing. A bunch of native Martial Artists... you’ll likely never comprehend the methods of a Cultivator in your entire lives..."

He didn’t dodge, because from his perspective, there was simply no need.

’A physical flame can’t possibly harm a soul.’

But as the pale yellow flame passed through the white-robed old man’s soul, the original Bone and Flesh Fire suddenly transformed into a deep black, spectral flame!

Soul Fire!

The instant the Soul Fire touched the white-robed old man’s Divine Soul, the previously disdainful old man shuddered violently and let out a blood-curdling scream. "AHHHH..."

The deep black flame ignited the white-robed old man’s soul.

It burned so fast—like a spark falling into a barrel of gasoline. In the blink of an eye, the flames devoured everything, to the point that the old man’s human form was no longer recognizable.

Only his blood-curdling screams could be heard.

Watching this unfold, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but feel his brow twitch.

When Lu Shang had used Soul Fire on him before, Li Chang’an’s own spirit and soul had been far stronger and more resilient. That, combined with his physical body, meant that while he felt pain...

...Li Chang’an had been able to endure it.

But now, hearing the blood-curdling screams of this wisp of a soul from a Nascent Soul Cultivator as it was set alight by the Soul Fire, Li Chang’an was once again reminded of the terrifying lethality the fire possessed against a pure soul.

’At this rate,’ he thought.

’If I ever run into a world full of ghosts and spirits, I could act as a Daoist and purify departed souls without even needing a class change.’

The Soul Fire did not burn for long.

Because the white-robed old man had lost his body and was nothing but a soul, he was almost completely defenseless against the Soul Fire. Every second inflicted a massive amount of true damage.

And so, in less than a minute...

...the white-robed old man had been completely transformed into a ball of pure, burning Energy, which returned to Li Chang’an’s body at his summons.

When the Soul Fire returned to his body, carrying that ball of Energy with it, Li Chang’an clearly felt his own soul grow stronger—and by a significant margin!

If Li Chang’an’s soul were a lake, then this new energy was like a small stream, continuously feeding into it.

The strengthening of his soul left Li Chang’an feeling refreshed and clear-headed. Even the pervasive pain racking his body became less unbearable.

Once he had completely assimilated the captured soul’s essence...

Li Chang’an’s eyes were bright and clear, and he was in an excellent mood.

’Indeed, the *Martial Scripture: Divine Soul Chapter* is the greatest reward from this reincarnation!’

...