Chapter 1022: Blood Splatters Over Profound Ancient City

With this thought, Li Qing attempted to counter the radiance using his refined heavenly spirit fire.

However, the Cursed Flame Radiance's power level was far too high. Even the heavenly spirit fire, enhanced by his perfected Crimson Blaze Heaven-Burning Art, was instantly dispersed by the crimson glow.

"Intriguing," Li Qing murmured. "This Heavenly Light is nearly as potent as the Violet Zenith Heavenly Light. It's a pity I haven't advanced to the void refinement realm yet, so I can't fully unleash the Violet Zenith Heavenly Light's power."

Deciding to switch tactics, he ceased channeling the heavenly spirit fire and began circulating the Nine Serpent Heart Sutra. Having perfected the first layer of the sutra, he had also mastered most of its divine abilities.

Li Qing blinked, his pupils transforming into golden vertical slits that radiated a chilling aura. This transformation, the Serpent Gaze of Deception, was a manifestation of the Nine Serpent Heart Sutra's divine abilities, turning his eyes into serpentine orbs of deception.

His frigid gaze held no trace of emotion, as if he had become a nine-headed serpent surveying the mortal realm from above.

As the Cursed Flame Radiance surged toward him again, Li Qing surprisingly reached out with his bare hands to intercept it. His hands were now covered in fine, reflective scales that shimmered with a cold light.

"Seeking death!" the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son sneered. He knew the devastating power of the Heavenly Light he had refined. If Li Qing dared to make physical contact, his death would be agonizing.

The outcome defied his expectations. The Cursed Flame Radiance, his trump card, failed to incinerate Li Qing's hands. Instead, it was effortlessly suppressed, like a crimson silk ribbon clamped in Li Qing's grip.

"How is this possible?!"

The series of unexpected reversals unsettled the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son. This technique had been prepared for heavenly prodigies of other races in the void refinement realm, yet it was now being contained by a human in the divine transformation realm using nothing but his fleshly body.

Li Qing remained unfazed. This divine ability, cultivated from the True Spirit Nine-Headed Serpent, possessed a power far surpassing that of the Heavenly Light.

He pressed his palms together, trapping the crimson, silk-like radiance between them, intending to forcibly retain it and refine it later.

However, the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son remained the master of this Heavenly Light. He couldn't simply stand by and watch his power be stolen.

In the next instant, he spat out another mouthful of blood mist, causing the Cursed Flame Radiance to disintegrate.

Boom!

The crimson radiance scattered into shimmering fragments. Li Qing failed to retain it, forced to watch as the Cursed Flame Radiance retreated back into the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son's body.

"It seems I have no choice but to kill you today," Li Qing said, his cold, golden vertical pupils locking onto the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son once more.

The holy son trembled slightly, gripped by an absurd feeling of being hunted by a natural predator. As he stared at Li Qing, he felt as if a phantom shadow of a nine-headed serpent had materialized around the man, its heaven-devouring aura filling him with dread.

Having exhausted all his trump cards without harming Li Qing, the holy son now had only the forbidden techniques within the Phoenix Treasure Art to rely on.

However, forcibly activating such forbidden techniques would leave severe aftereffects, consequences even he might not be able to withstand.

This man possesses extreme speed. Escape is unlikely to succeed.

Since Profound Ancient City sent forces to deal with the human race, the Golden Roc Elder probably didn't accompany them. I may have no choice but to fight to the death.

I never imagined I would be pushed to such extremes by a mere human in the divine transformation stage.

With grim resolve, he decided to invoke a forbidden spell from the Phoenix Legacy, hoping to defeat his enemy.

Buzz!

The flames burning around the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son suddenly retreated into his body, and his eyes ignited with crimson fire.

"Crimson Phoenix Burns the Eight Desolations!"

But before he could unleash the forbidden spell, Li Qing murmured:

"Nine Serpents Plant the Divine!"

As the words fell, the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son froze. His eyes, which had been burning with fiery intensity, abruptly transformed into golden, vertical pupils.

A chilling aura emanated from his eyes, abruptly halting his attempt to ignite his true blood for the forbidden secret technique.

This was a divine ability from the Nine Serpent Heart Sutra, an overwhelmingly powerful technique that conjured a phantom snake aspect within the enemy's mind, forcibly occupying their sea of consciousness and suppressing all thoughts and intentions.

The conditions for activating this ability were extremely demanding: prolonged eye contact with the Serpent Gaze of Deception, coupled with the target experiencing intense unease and fear toward the caster.

Undoubtedly, Li Qing had succeeded.

Within the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son's sea of consciousness, a chilling phantom shadow of a nine-headed serpent materialized—the very same nine-headed serpent phantom Li Qing had visualized while cultivating the Nine Serpent Heart Sutra.

Without the protection of the Exquisite Immortal Sound, the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son was utterly unable to regain his self-awareness within the brief window of opportunity.

Without hesitation, Li Qing drew the radiant golden Immortal Slaughtering Sword and slashed at the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son, who stood frozen in place.

A golden sword flash streaked across the night sky, instantly severing the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son's body. Scarlet blood, as radiant as dawn, cascaded from the wound.

Seeing this extraordinary blood, Li Qing moved with lightning speed, capturing every drop.

This was Crimson Phoenix True Blood, containing the divine essence and mysteries of the True Spirit Crimson Phoenix—a treasure that could not be wasted.

A searing pain jolted the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son back to consciousness from the Nine-Headed Serpent's phantom shadow. What he saw next nearly made him faint.

The Crimson Phoenix True Blood, which he had always considered his greatest pride, was now being collected by Li Qing, who had already claimed the majority of it.

"You—!" he sputtered, fury rising in his chest. But the waves of weakness surging through his body left him powerless to act.

Li Qing remained silent, determined to completely eliminate this Favored Son of Heaven from the Flying Spirit Clan, leaving no room for error.

As he continued gathering the Crimson Phoenix True Blood, a faint golden light flashed between his eyebrows.

A primordial spirit resembling Li Qing stepped forth from that point, wielding a golden lance.

In the next instant, Li Qing hurled the lance, aiming directly for the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son's sea of consciousness.

Primordial spirit weapon: Divine Invasion Spear!

Caught completely off guard, even a powerhouse in the void refinement realm would struggle to withstand the attack of a primordial spirit weapon, let alone the already critically wounded Crimson Phoenix Holy Son.

The Divine Invasion Spear effortlessly pierced the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son's sea of consciousness. Just as it was about to annihilate his demon spirit, an inexplicable force surged forth from within his sea of consciousness.

Boom!

In an instant, a spatial vortex materialized behind the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son, forcefully pulling him into its swirling depths.

Seeing this, Li Qing dared not approach further. He swiftly withdrew the Divine Invasion Spear and retreated from the suddenly appearing spatial vortex.

"So he had a life-saving measure after all—a sealed power within his sea of consciousness. My Divine Invasion Spear must have triggered its activation when it pierced his sea of consciousness."

"This must be the work of some body integration realm old monster from the Flying Spirit Clan. Such thorough protection is truly impressive."

Li Qing muttered to himself, then glanced at the Crimson Phoenix True Blood he had collected.

The blood had coalesced into a miniature, crimson phoenix.

Though he failed to obtain the Cursed Flame Radiance, this precious blood alone would likely shake the world.

However, the troubles ahead would likely be considerable.

"Let's hope the inter-clan agreements hold strong enough."