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墨書 Inktalez
In the Gouli Continent, the Jiu Li Tribe's Flame Clan is an extraordinarily peculiar existence. Their warriors can transform their flesh and blood into flames once they have mastered their martial arts to the peak. However, Banma and Fang Lin Kong merely regarded this as a casual rumor, until they encountered the Legion Commander who received them, confirming that the tales were indeed true.
The Legion Commander was entirely composed of high-temperature flames, rendering ordinary military attire incapable of withstanding such a body. Thus, he was clad in a special set of fiery red armor. Only in the areas not covered by the armor did fierce flames emerge, especially beneath the helmet, where two clusters of dazzling white flames shone even brighter than those forming his body. They flickered like eyes, radiating slender streams of white fire that danced and swayed in a most extraordinary manner.
Upon seeing Fang Lin Kong and Banma enter, the Legion Commander smiled lightly, his voice muffled as if speaking from within a metal barrel. "I had intended to visit my neighbors, but it seems you have come to visit me first. On behalf of our Red Army, I welcome you both. My name is Lie Chixia, and I am the Legion Commander of the First Legion of the Red Army!"
Fang Lin Kong blurted out, "You are the Fire Saint! Lie Chixia!"
Lie Chixia chuckled softly, his demeanor very gentle. "Some well-meaning individuals have compared me to Martial Saint Li Canghai, Beast Clan Blade Saint Viro, and Lord Kalan of the Froloda Faith. I suppose that means they hold me in high regard."
Hearing Lie Chixia's modesty eased Fang Lin Kong's concerns, prompting him to casually ask, "Since it is indeed the Fire Saint here, this armor must be the legendary Fire Qilin Armor? It truly complements your power; otherwise, ordinary clothing would not withstand your fierce true energy."
Lie Chixia chuckled again and gestured for his subordinates to bring tea. He had nothing placed before him and simply smiled as he said, "In my current state, anything I touch would catch fire; I cannot sit or lie down, nor can I eat or drink! I apologize for not being able to entertain my guests."
Fang Lin Kong replied with a smile, "Just a few days ago, I happened to receive an order and did not expect to see my produced goods here for the first time. I wonder if my Four Seas Inn's ammunition bags and quivers are still useful?"
Lie Chixia paused at this remark and then exclaimed in surprise, "So you are Mr. Ember! No wonder you both dared to venture into my camp alone. I had already heard from Tengu Zongyuan that you two possess remarkable skills; seeing you today confirms that reputation."
Banma coldly snorted and said, "Tengu Zongyuan did not see me that day. It was that Nine-Headed fellow who was with Fang Lin Kong!"
Upon hearing this, Lie Chixia was even more astonished. Tengu Zongyuan had ordered ammunition bags and quivers on his behalf due to his suggestion. He had heard that two extremely formidable experts were encountered along with a group of powerful subordinates. However, he could not identify Fang Lin Kong and his companions among Gouli Continent's renowned experts. After careful consideration, he could not deduce their origins. Upon seeing Fang Lin Kong and Banma together, Lie Chixia found himself doubting Tengu Zongyuan's assessment. Fang Lin Kong had just absorbed energy from the Three-Headed Ancient Beast Spirit; although he could suppress it so that ordinary people could not perceive it, it was still evident to Lie Chixia's keen eyes trained in unique cultivation methods.
As for Banma, there was no need for further explanation; he recognized him outright.
Yuan Qian Kun had once gathered some promising youths with good potential on Gouli Continent and indoctrinated them with various ideologies while teaching them martial arts spells and advanced knowledge from Earth. Some of these individuals had even studied abroad on Earth. Yuan Qian Kun's methods were astute and well-concealed; no one suspected anything unusual. Lie Chixia had previously learned about ethics from Yuan Qian Kun’s guidance and had worked as a mercenary in Africa as part of United Nations peacekeeping forces. Therefore, he had encountered Banma before.
After returning to Gouli Continent and under years of indoctrination with ideals of freedom and equality—along with Yuan Qian Kun’s subtle manipulation—Lie Chixia suddenly felt that this world was profoundly unfair. He resolved to dismantle all classes and establish a better society. Consequently, after studying various philosophies from Earth such as separation of powers and Capitalism among other significant works, he authored a groundbreaking theoretical treatise that shocked Gouli Continent and took direct action against it.
The Lihan Empire was already gradually decaying; not only was there a half-literate state among various Duke Provinces but also severe inequality in wealth distribution across society. The inability of different ethnic groups to attain equal social status was enough to incite the populace to take up arms.
After establishing the Red Army and leveraging Lie Chixia's personal charisma along with his formidable martial prowess, he indeed ignited a fervent revolutionary fire. However, lacking thorough research into social ideology led him to misjudge societal conditions. The Lihan Empire had not yet reached its breaking point; although the Red Army achieved certain victories, it failed to incite nationwide rebellion fervor. After several ups and downs marked by significant defeats, Lie Chixia was forced to retreat into deep mountains and forests to evade pursuit by the Lihan Empire's nobles.
When he saw Banma, he felt a surge of excitement within him. However, since Lie Chixia had been in the position of leader of the Red Army for quite some time, he did not show any signs of it.
The three of them engaged in casual conversation, which helped to bridge some gaps in their relationship. Fang Lin Kong and Banma soon realized that this Fire Saint was far from being an unknowledgeable native of Gouli. His vision was broad, his knowledge profound, covering subjects like philosophy, politics, art, culture, and military affairs—skills that were rare even on Earth. During their discussions, Lie Chixia casually mentioned the customs and culture of Earth, which astonished Fang Lin Kong and Banma, causing them to regard this Fire Saint with greater respect.
Originally, Banma intended to say that if this army became a nuisance, he and Fang Lin Kong could easily wipe them out. With Banma's skills and Fang Lin Kong's abilities, defeating an army of over forty thousand was not impossible. However, upon realizing that the Red Army posed no threat, Banma lost interest in taking such drastic measures. After discussing some specific matters with Lie Chixia, Banma took his leave with Fang Lin Kong.
After leaving the Red Army camp, Fang Lin Kong remembered his encounter with Wu Dong Shen and mentioned it to Banma but concealed the existence of the Demon General. Upon hearing this, Banma could only smile wryly and said, "Kyo Kusanagi's actions are beyond our comprehension. At least... we do not have the ability to travel freely between Gou Li World and Earth! I will inform everyone later that Wu Dong Shen is in this realm. However, I have no good ideas on how to confront him! Since he has gone to hunt down the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon, it likely won't be a matter of days; we can rest easy for now."
A few days later, the Red Army sent someone to invite Fang Lin Kong and Banma for a meal. Banma couldn't be bothered but Fang Lin Kong eagerly accepted. This time, the scale of the reception was larger; all eight division commanders of the Red Army's First Legion were present to toast him. The Fire Saint Lie Chixia's warm welcome made some of these fierce warriors from the Red Army feel somewhat displeased. During the banquet, Jian Bozan, the commander of the Fourth Division of the Red Army, raised his glass and said to Fang Lin Kong, "Our Northern Gouli Continent has always prided itself on martial prowess. I heard from the Legion Commander that you have some skills; why don't we have a friendly competition so we can witness martial arts from Earth?"
Fang Lin Kong was taken aback by Jian Bozan's directness about his origins but quickly smiled innocently and replied, "That sounds great! A little sparring would certainly enhance our spirits for drinking. I happen to be feeling a bit restless myself."
Fire Saint Lie Chixia chuckled but neither stopped nor encouraged it; he merely gave Fang Lin Kong a curious look. The division commanders around him were already excitedly clearing space for the match. The Red Army camp was established on a spacious little plain; although there were no barriers around it making it less defensible, it provided a wide field of vision without fear of ambushes. There was no shortage of space for Fang Lin Kong to duel Jian Bozan.
Upon hearing that Jian Bozan was going to duel Fang Lin Kong, the soldiers in the camp buzzed with excitement. Although military discipline kept many from watching openly, numerous figures could be seen lingering around. Lie Chixia did not stop them; it was tantamount to tacit approval of their voyeurism.
Jian Bozan grinned and said, "I recently learned how to harness atmospheric energy to fly through the skies. I wonder if our battle will take place in the air or on land?"
Fang Lin Kong scratched his head and replied, "I personally don't mind either way; however, since everyone seems relaxed about this match, fighting on land might make it easier to control the level of combat!"
Jian Bozan assumed a stance and declared, "In that case, let's begin right now!"
As Jian Bozan moved into action, Fang Lin Kong noticed hints of Earth martial arts in his style—quite different from pure Gouli Continent techniques. Since Jian Bozan claimed he could fly using qi manipulation, he must have at least reached a Golden Core level of mastery. Against such an opponent, Fang Lin Kong felt confident he could defeat him in one move.
"For everyone's sake, I'll let him have a few moves!" Fang Lin Kong thought to himself while smiling amiably without any hint of hostility. With a flick of his fingers, he unleashed a streak of green sword light aimed directly at Jian Bozan's chest.
Jian Bozan shouted loudly as his true energy erupted fiercely; dust swirled around him within a hundred steps as wind columns formed around him. Dozens of wind columns rolled back and forth instantly blocking Fang Lin Kong's sword light.
Fang Lin Kong was surprised; he had indeed underestimated his opponent. The sword light he released was merely one of Voidbreaker's treasured techniques—remarkable but not comparable to an Innate Sword Artifact or Liexie Twin Hooks level technique. Confronted by Jian Bozan's wind columns, even if Fang Lin Kong wanted to break through forcefully, he had to consider whether this sword light could withstand more powerful true energy.
However, since it wasn't a life-and-death battle, Fang Lin Kong had no desire for victory. He simply smiled as he directed his sword light with finesse while executing a complete set of Sword Control Technique techniques to find openings for attack. Using Flying Sword against an opponent made things infinitely more complex than wielding a long sword because it allowed for more diverse maneuvers with tricky angles and broader attack ranges. While Jian Bozan could defend himself adequately against Fang Lin Kong’s attacks, countering proved challenging at that moment.
The Fire Saint frowned deeply. Jian Bozan's skills were on par with Tengu Zongyuan, but when faced with the most renowned swordsmanship of the Eastern Immortal Path on Earth, he found himself restricted and unable to unleash his full potential. If it were a life-and-death struggle, Jian Bozan might have retaliated fiercely, but now he felt somewhat at a loss.
Feeling a bit frustrated under Fang Lin Kong's pressure, Jian Bozan suddenly shouted, "What’s the point of this stalemate? Why don’t we both put in some effort and escalate the battle?" Without waiting for Fang Lin Kong's agreement, he surged with energy, causing Fang Lin Kong's sword light to be engulfed by the wind column.
As Jian Bozan's spiritual power soared from thousands to tens of thousands, the wind column transformed into a chaotic wind whip. Fang Lin Kong harnessed the sword light and soared into the air; after merging sword and body as one, his brilliance intensified. With the battle escalating, the scene expanded significantly. Both Jian Bozan and Fang Lin Kong shared a mutual understanding and chose to rise into the air to avoid damaging the Red Army’s camp.
"This is unfortunate! If we were on Earth, those with tens of thousands of spiritual energy would have long since switched to stronger equipment. How could I continue using such inferior Flying Swords? It seems I must change my weapon..." Fang Lin Kong lamented about his Flying Sword, which was struggling to keep up with the escalating intensity of the battle. With no other choice, he could only smile and say, "Master Jian Bozan’s skills are profound; my weapon cannot withstand such combat. I will switch to another blade if you don’t mind."
Jian Bozan's wind whip danced without leaving a trace, yet Fang Lin Kong always managed to sense it in advance and evade just in time. This left Jian Bozan secretly astonished at this young master from Earth, whose martial prowess was indeed remarkable. Hearing Fang Lin Kong admit that his weapon was inadequate for battle brought Jian Bozan some amusement as he thought, "Finally, I've forced out your true abilities. Now I want to see what weapon you will use to withstand my wind whip!" With this thought in mind, Jian Bozan shouted, "Mr. Ember, feel free to strike! I also want to see how powerful Earth’s Divine Weapon truly is!"
Fang Lin Kong retracted his sword light and raised his hand, conjuring a ball of blazing fire. He unleashed six Solar Pearls that erupted in flames, swirling around him. This time Fang Lin Kong smiled and said, "Just a few minor tricks; they require some preparation first—don’t let Master Jian laugh at me!"
Of course, Jian Bozan wouldn’t voice any disdain, but he felt a hint of contempt as he saw Fang Lin Kong taking so much time to prepare for battle. He began devising strategies based on this delay. Fang Lin Kong smiled knowingly as others misunderstood him; this Solar Pearl was one of his earliest familiar artifacts—there was no need for any preparation time. However, he still wished to leave some misconceptions with the Red Army about his true strength; perhaps it would benefit him in the future.
After switching to the Solar Pearl, Fang Lin Kong sent six fireballs rolling through the air, matching Jian Bozan’s wind whip blow for blow. At this moment, Jian Bozan felt some admiration for Fang Lin Kong's abilities. However, watching from below was Lie Chixia, who felt something was off. His skills were definitely not inferior to Zhou Qingzhe's level. Coupled with his training under Yuan Qian Kun’s guidance, both his martial arts and spells had reached an elite level. While he might not be able to match Zhou Qingzhe’s cunning experience in battle, he should be able to hold his own for several hundred moves. Seeing Fang Lin Kong still having energy left after attacking made him realize that Jian Bozan was not actually Fang Lin Kong's match.
Moreover, this creature named Huan Huo was someone Lie Chixia had never heard of on Earth; such a being wouldn’t just appear out of nowhere. He immediately suspected that Huan Huo might be an alias and that this individual could very well be an ancient demon who had long been famous.
"However," Lie Chixia thought, "this Mr. Ember possesses extremely peculiar martial arts and techniques; I cannot discern his origins at all. The Solar Pearl isn’t particularly special as a treasure; its refining methods are quite ordinary. Yet there seem to be very few people on Earth capable of refining an artifact like the Solar Pearl to such an exquisite level."
"This person... Could he be a reincarnation of some great master? Perhaps he is Wu Bing from back in the day who dominated the world with Purple Fire Ten Soldiers Transformation?" Lie Chixia pondered unknowingly echoing Banma's earlier speculation but missing by a wide margin. He considered that they should recruit Fang Lin Kong into the Red Army or at least make him a friend; such an enemy whose strength remained unknown and potential boundless could become troublesome if they turned into foes.
(To be continued)
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