Chapter Seventy-Three: The Primordial Flames That Consume the Heavens

"Ah..."
Ling Yan let out a painful groan, her body falling like a kite with its string cut, dropping toward the spot where Tian Fen Master stood.
"Perfect timing!"
Tian Fen saw this young girl struck so hard by his second senior brother that she spat blood on the spot. He thought that if he simply delivered another light palm, he could easily capture both of them, and this brutal battle would come to an end.
With this thought in mind, Tian Fen calmly raised his arm, aiming at the direction Ling Yan was about to fall, and unleashed a seemingly effortless palm strike infused with immense force.
"Careful!"
Bai Mu, who had just managed to steady himself on the left, saw Ling Yan beset by the two Holy Sons from both sides and, startled and terrified, leaped toward her. At the very moment when Tian Fen Master’s overwhelming energy was about to strike Ling Yan, Bai Mu resolutely blocked it with his own back.
The instant the palm force struck Bai Mu’s back, it also jolted the pack he carried, scattering its contents. The White Ze Spirit Beast Painting, which he had brought from Eastward Mountain, slipped free from its wrappings and drifted down from the sky like a leaf.
"Ugh..."
A faint sweetness rose in his throat, and blood sprayed from his lips involuntarily. He felt as if his internal organs had been knocked out of place, his body in turmoil; the sensation was hardly better than being struck by sword energy.
Yet Bai Mu was stubborn by nature. Even though he was gravely wounded, he managed to stretch out his long, sturdy arm and pull Ling Yan into his embrace, and together they tumbled onto the ground before the Sword Pavilion.
The White Ze Spirit Beast Painting, shaken loose, landed precisely at Bai Mu’s right hand.
The blood Bai Mu spat fell in droplets onto the pale yellow scroll, slowly spreading like a halo and rendering a certain mountain peak depicted in the painting even more magnificent and lofty.
As the two landed together, Ling Yan suffered no further major injury thanks to Bai Mu’s body cushioning her fall.
The terrifying energy from Tian Qian Master’s earlier attack could have ended her life on the spot, but at the crucial moment, the barrier formed by Yu Han Xiao absorbed at least half of the force, so apart from feeling her organs displaced, her life was not in immediate danger.
As for Bai Mu, though blood gushed from his mouth, Tian Fen was ultimately a compassionate man. From the moment he struck, he harbored no murderous intent, so the power in his palm was not enough to kill.
Still, a Holy Son’s strength is legendary; even a casual movement could shake the heavens. To take his palm head-on—how could one emerge unscathed?

After landing, Bai Mu felt as though every bone in his body had been shattered; the residual force carried by the energy continued to ravage his meridians, as if at any moment it might invade him like sword energy and flare up with every full moon.
"Bai Mu, how are your injuries?!"
Ling Yan struggled up from the ground, her voice choked with tears.
"I..."
"Ugh..."
He managed only one word before another mouthful of blood burst forth, his face pale as gold foil, his body fragile, as if it might vanish with the mountain winds.
"Bai Mu, hold on! I’ll take you away right now!"
Ling Yan reached out to help him, but sadly, she herself could barely stand; as she exerted herself, a wound in her back split open visibly, causing her to grimace in pain.
"You... you go by yourself. I... I won’t make it." Bai Mu shook his head weakly.
"No!"
Ling Yan forced herself to endure the pain, retorting loudly, "We once promised to roam the wild realms together, to vanquish all evil. How can I let you die alone here on Floating Jade Mountain?"
Bai Mu gave a helpless, bitter smile, sighing, "Ling Yan, to have met and known you—my life has no regrets. Only..."
"Ugh..."
He spat out blood again, which splattered onto the White Ze Spirit Beast Painting, staining the scroll red. The creatures and mountain peaks depicted within suddenly became strange and unpredictable, almost as if they were about to leap out of the scroll.
"Today, neither of you will leave Floating Jade Mountain alive!"
Tian Qian Master strode over from behind, his gaze sweeping contemptuously across them before settling on the blood-soaked spirit beast painting.
Hmm!

"This scroll looks familiar somehow."
"Feels like I’ve seen it before..."
"Is that so?"
Tian Fen Master hurried over as well, attempting to crouch and examine the painting.
But as he bent down, the previously silent spirit beast painting suddenly radiated a white-gold light from within, spreading rapidly and enveloping everyone present.
This white-gold light differed from ordinary sunlight; sunlight was warm and gentle, but the glow from the spirit beast painting was dazzling and carried a trace of heat.
"This is Primal Karma Fire—be careful, Tian Fen!"
Tian Qian cried out in alarm, leaping back at once.
Tian Fen was less than a meter from the painting, and as he bent down and glimpsed the golden light emanating from it, he didn’t take it seriously, relying on his own skill and courage.
Only when his senior brother shouted about Primal Karma Fire did he realize the danger and, shocked, used a swift movement technique to retreat.
But it was already too late.
As he turned to flee, the White Ze Spirit Beast Painting unleashed several streams of blazing Primal Karma Fire at lightning speed, sweeping across the area like autumn wind scattering leaves.
One stream of fire shot straight at Tian Fen’s back, instantly setting his white robe ablaze.
Luckily, Tian Fen Master possessed deep cultivation; had it been an ordinary person, they would have been burned alive in seconds, with no time even to scream.
Primal Karma Fire is a unique existence, distinct from ordinary flames in the wild realms; throughout the world, it is found in only three places.