Chapter 88: The Price Of Forbidden Power

"Spirit Rank Low Grade Secret Art..." Gareth’s hoarse voice rang out. "Scarlet Flame Blood Burning Technique!"

The moment the words left his mouth, strange crimson lights flickered across his body. The external wounds covering his flesh abruptly stopped bleeding, and the damaged areas began to heal. At the same time, the aura within him surged, growing stronger with every passing second.

In the next instant, his aura erupted to its peak, unleashing a powerful shockwave that swept through the surroundings and sent the nearby low-tier exotic beasts flying.

Crimson flames surged around his body like boiling seawater, churning wildly as his strength began to climb at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His cultivation rapidly advanced from Origin Spirit Realm Peak, breaking through the major realm barrier and soaring all the way to Origin Ascendant Realm Middle Stage before finally stabilizing.

He had crossed an entire major realm and advanced two minor stages in a single burst!

The Origin Energy that had nearly been exhausted within Gareth’s body now seemed inexhaustible, surging through his meridians like an overflowing river. His aura radiated outward in powerful waves, creating an awe-inspiring and almost suffocating presence.

"This technique... Is that a Burning Blood Forbidden Art?!"

Perched on a tree branch, Ryan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He hadn’t expected Gareth to be so desperate as to resort to such a dangerous technique.

Most secret arts that burned one’s essence blood were classified as forbidden arts and were rarely available on the market.

The reason was simple: many Burning Blood Arts required the user to burn half, or even two-thirds, of their essence blood to unleash their power.

Such a sacrifice could severely damage one’s vitality and Bloodline talent, potentially compromising their future cultivation.

Although these techniques could grant a tremendous increase in strength for a short period, the price was often irreversible.

At worst, the user could suffer severe foundational damage, lose their Bloodline talent, and experience a permanent decline of half a major realm or more. Even in less severe cases, their cultivation could regress, their vitality could diminish, and their body could age prematurely, leaving them with a drastically shortened lifespan.

"Fire Crow! This is a matter of life and death! Stop your secluded cultivation and come help me immediately!"

Having reached Origin Ascendant Realm Middle Stage, Gareth let out a furious roar.

His aura surged violently, and a powerful current of air gathered beneath his feet, lifting him off the ground. Another wave of pressure burst from his body, scattering the surrounding sand and dust.

With a grim expression, he slapped the beast pouch at his waist.

WHOOSH!

A streak of blazing red light shot out of the pouch.

In the blink of an eye, a half-human-sized Fire Crow appeared in the air. Its aura had reached Two-Tier Peak, placing it just a step away from Three-Tier.

The Fire Crow circled Gareth, its body enveloped in surging crimson flames. It looked like a divine bird reborn from the heart of a blazing inferno, radiating an extraordinary and mystical presence.

As soon as it appeared, the surrounding temperature soared. The air grew scorching hot, as though a molten volcano had suddenly erupted nearby, forcing the surrounding low-tier exotic beasts to flee.

"What a terrifying Burning Blood Art! It can actually break through the shackles of the Origin Spirit Realm, push Gareth all the way to Origin Ascendant Realm Middle Stage, and even grant him the ability to fly!"

Ryan stared at the scene in astonishment.

"And Gareth’s main pet beast is a Fire Crow that’s on the verge of advancing to Three-Tier!"

He finally understood why Gareth hadn’t summoned his pet beast earlier.

At first, Ryan had assumed Gareth was deliberately concealing his strength, waiting for the perfect opportunity to launch a fatal counterattack.

Now, however, the truth was clear.

The Fire Crow had been in secluded cultivation, attempting to break through to Three-Tier. Such an opportunity was exceedingly rare, and interrupting the process could ruin its chances of advancement.

Once that opportunity was lost, the Fire Crow might have to wait a long time before encountering another.

ROAR!

Seeing Gareth hovering in the air and looking down at it, the Earth Tyrant Bear erupted into a thunderous roar.

The earthy-yellow protective barrier surrounding its body suddenly brightened, radiating dazzling light. Then, its massive body shot upward, charging violently toward Gareth.

Despite its enormous, nine-meter-tall frame, which made its movements appear somewhat clumsy, the Earth Tyrant Bear’s flight speed was astonishingly fast. It was even faster than Gareth, a clear indication of its superior physical strength.

Once a human broke through to Origin Ascendant Realm or an exotic beast advanced to Three-Tier, they could gain the ability to fly, even if they had previously been incapable of doing so.

However, this form of flight was constrained by the world’s gravitational shackles and consumed enormous amounts of Origin Energy. Consequently, it was rarely used unless absolutely necessary.

Only upon reaching Four-Tier, when their bodies underwent a substantial transformation and sublimation, could humans and exotic beasts break free from most of these gravitational restrictions and achieve true sky-soaring flight. At that level, they could remain airborne for extended periods without consuming excessive amounts of Origin Energy.

"Hmph! All of you can go to hell!"

Watching the Earth Tyrant Bear charge toward him, Gareth’s expression twisted with fury as he frantically circulated the Bloodline power within his body.

He raised his right arm high, turning his palm toward the sky.

In an instant, crimson flames spiraled into existence above his palm. Countless streams of fire converged like miniature crimson dragons, twisting and coiling as they gathered into an increasingly terrifying mass.

Beside him, the Fire Crow let out a clear, piercing cry before spewing a torrent of brilliant red flames toward his raised arm.

The two streams of fire intertwined, their crimson and bright-red hues blending together as they expanded. A tremendous quantity of flames erupted in every direction, illuminating the surrounding sky.

Before long, a colossal flame formation resembling a gigantic star had taken shape above Gareth’s palm, stretching nearly thirty meters in both length and width.

The instant it formed, the entire sky seemed to change color.

The dark, gloomy Ashfall Forest was suddenly illuminated by dazzling crimson and scarlet light. The enormous, character-shaped mass of flames hung overhead like a blazing celestial cloud, magnificent in appearance yet terrifying in its destructive potential.

Ash swirled through the air, while sand and stones spiraled violently around the blazing formation. The sheer force radiating from it made the surrounding space seem to tremble.

Beneath the fiery sky, the faces of countless creatures were illuminated by the overwhelming light. The enormous flame formation loomed above them like divine punishment descending from the heavens, reducing everything beneath it to insignificant specks.

"Run!"

Ryan’s pupils contracted sharply.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he swung his right arm outward, activated Spider Silk Swing, and shot toward Ashfall City at full speed.

His heart pounded with shock.

The attack’s range was simply too terrifying. If he didn’t escape immediately, he could be caught in the aftermath even from his current distance.

He had never imagined that, aside from his own Devouring World Art, someone else could possess such a devastating trump card.

The Scarlet Flame Blood Burning Technique was far more terrifying than he had anticipated.

It seems I really can’t afford to underestimate anyone.

Ryan glanced back at Gareth’s desperate attempt to survive.

Under these circumstances, obtaining Gareth’s corpse was probably out of the question. He would have to abandon that plan for now.

ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!

Below, the exotic beasts erupted into chaos.

Witnessing the terrifying formation overhead, they let out frantic roars and shrieks before scattering in every direction, desperately attempting to escape the impending destruction.

Even the normally fearless Earth Tyrant Bear displayed a rare hint of apprehension in its enormous eyes.

Sensing the overwhelming power contained within the flames, it instinctively wanted to retreat and avoid taking the attack head-on.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

A cruel smile spread across Gareth’s face as he suddenly thrust his right arm downward.

"Spirit Rank Middle Grade Battle Skill—Great Character Flame Kill!"

WHOOSH!

The colossal, character-shaped mass of flames descended like a torrent of heavenly fire, hurtling toward the ground with overwhelming momentum.

BOOM!

The moment it struck, the blazing formation erupted and scattered in every direction, blossoming like an enormous rose made entirely of fire.

Waves of scorching heat swept across the battlefield as the flames engulfed everything within their reach, threatening to incinerate all living creatures caught at the center.

The outermost tongues of flame shot nearly thirty meters outward before finally losing their momentum.

By the time the attack subsided, the ground had been transformed into a horrifying, character-shaped scorched crater more than thirty meters across.

Although the Great Character Flame Kill had initially measured thirty meters in both length and width, its destructive force had spread across an area nearly sixty meters in diameter.

The sheer devastation was enough to make one’s blood run cold.

Inside the scorched crater lay the charred remains of countless exotic beasts.

Some corpses continued to burn, their accumulated body fat feeding the lingering flames. Whenever the breeze passed through, the fire crackled and flickered, stubbornly consuming what remained.

Corpses littered the ground. Thick smoke billowed into the sky, mingling with flying ash and the nauseating stench of charred flesh.

The once-lively battlefield had been transformed into a scene straight out of a human purgatory.

ROAR!

A furious roar suddenly erupted from within the crater.

The Earth Tyrant Bear struggled to climb out, its enormous body covered in numerous charred patches. Its face was twisted with rage as it glared toward the sky.

The earthy-yellow protective barrier surrounding its body reappeared, shining brightly as its scorched wounds began healing at a visible rate.

Moments earlier, the Earth Tyrant Bear had taken the Great Character Flame Kill head-on while airborne.

Its protective barrier had been shattered almost instantly, and the tremendous force had sent its massive body crashing into the crater below.

The bear was now thoroughly enraged.

Although its injuries were relatively minor, the attack had still inflicted considerable damage. Had it not possessed an exceptionally tough physique and a powerful defensive Bloodline, that direct hit could have left it severely wounded.

Yet its fury was not solely due to its injuries.

It suddenly raised its enormous head, its bell-like eyes sweeping across the empty sky.

The human who had commanded the Fire Crow was nowhere to be seen.

ROAR!!!

The Earth Tyrant Bear exploded with rage.

It roared furiously and charged through the surrounding forest, smashing everything in its path. Dozens of towering trees were broken or uprooted as it vented its frustration upon the unfortunate surroundings.

Only after causing widespread destruction did it finally begin to calm down.

Shaking its enormous head, the Earth Tyrant Bear turned around and lumbered toward its lair deep within the Ashfall Forest, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground with every step.