Chapter 277: The Colossal Furnace, Death-Seeking Black Light!
Lin Fan and the others turned toward the sound, only to see that the glowing barrier over the stone altar had silently vanished.
At that moment, the altar exploded with a deafening blast.
Shattered stone shot in all directions, and endless black mist erupted from the depths below, releasing a chilling evil that blanketed the sky and earth.
"What is that?!"
Ling Qingzhu's gaze turned sharp as she stared at the spreading mist.
Even her expression shifted slightly—this level of malevolence and cold was something she had never encountered before.
"It's the source of the ancient war… Looks like it wasn't fully eliminated back then. It was sealed here and is now trying to break free."
Lin Fan's expression turned grim.
"What do we do?" Ling Qingzhu asked, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Step back, for now."
Lin Fan calmly took her hand and quickly led her away from the altar.
Before retreating, he activated the Flame Ancestral Symbol, reducing the bodies of Yuan Cang and Ling Zhen to ashes.
[Ding! You patted Ling Qingzhu. Obtained 1 Wheel Realm-level Devouring Death Corpse!]
The familiar system voice echoed in Lin Fan's mind again, but he temporarily ignored it.
Naturally, Lin Dong followed close behind without hesitation.
"Let go," Ling Qingzhu said coldly after they'd retreated a fair distance from the black mist creature.
Lin Fan complied and released her, then lifted his gaze toward the sky.
From above, a powerful fluctuation was emanating.
"There," Ling Qingzhu followed his gaze and quickly noticed the anomaly as well.
BOOM!
Just as her voice fell, a deep, resonant bell chime echoed down from the crimson sky.
With the tolling sound, a red ripple spread rapidly across the sky—visible even to the naked eye.
As the wave expanded, Lin Fan noticed that the distorted space around them was beginning to dissolve.
Soon after, numerous powerful and weak auras appeared throughout the space—it was the other participants of the Sect Competition, finally being released.
"The formation's been undone…" Ling Qingzhu confirmed softly.
Lin Fan nodded. His eyes remained fixed on the sky, where the distortion began to take shape—forming an enormous crimson furnace.
"Looks like we've been trapped inside this furnace the whole time," Lin Dong said, pointing at the massive construct, awe written on his face.
"It must be an extremely powerful Pure Yuan Treasure," Ling Qingzhu added, her eyes focused on the inner walls of the furnace.
"It's being controlled by someone," Lin Fan noted. "Likely to suppress the black mist creature."
BOOM!
Suddenly, crimson light surged from the massive furnace, descending from above—right toward their location.
As it approached, the light formed a massive array in the sky before enveloping the black mist creature below.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The mist slammed violently against the array, shaking it with booming force.
"Damn you, Old Ghost Burning Heaven! Even in death, you still haunt me!"
The creature howled, its piercing voice spreading across the world.
"The array might not hold for long…" Ling Qingzhu said, her brows tightly knit as she observed the tremors coursing through the barrier.
Buzz—!
At that moment, a crimson ripple surged outward from above.
As it swept through the air, Lin Fan suddenly felt the surrounding space pushing him away.
Behind him, the space distorted violently—it was attempting to expel him.
"What's going on?" Ling Qingzhu asked, her voice laced with surprise.
"The furnace is ejecting us," Lin Fan explained.
"Don't resist."
He allowed the force to carry him, and the world quickly turned dark.
But the darkness didn't last long—soon, crimson light shone through, and his vision rapidly cleared.
He was no longer in the crimson wasteland but above a vast red mountain range.
Floating in the air above the mountains was the colossal crimson furnace, radiating a continuous wave of scorching energy.
Whoosh!
Not long after, Ling Qingzhu and Lin Dong also reappeared nearby.
Next, one figure after another was ejected from the distorted space.
In mere minutes, the once quiet skies above the mountains were crowded with people.
"Lin Fan!"
A voice called out joyfully from the crowd.
Turning, Lin Fan saw a group rushing toward him—Xiao Xiao, Ying Huanhuan, and Wang Yan leading the way.
"You're alright?" Lin Fan asked with a smile.
"We're fine. But this treasury is seriously weird," Xiao Xiao said, her expression grim. Clearly, she had experienced the power of the Burning Heaven Formation.
"Big Brother Lin Fan!"
Another excited voice called out. This time, it was Qingtan, along with Huo'er and Chen Kui, speeding over from the distance.
The sky was now in chaos, with various sects quickly regrouping.
The air was thick with tension, and the noise alone felt like it might rip the sky apart.
"Everyone stay sharp," Lin Fan warned. "If something goes wrong, leave immediately."
Everyone nodded in acknowledgment.
"Lin Fan, look over there," Ying Huanhuan said suddenly, pointing toward the tallest mountain peak in the crimson range.
That peak had molten lava flowing down its sides—an active volcano.
Lin Fan narrowed his eyes and followed her finger. At the summit, a shadowy figure could be seen sitting cross-legged amid the lava.
"Is that… a person?"
Xiao Xiao and the others spotted it too, their expressions growing tense.
"Looks like a corpse," Lin Dong muttered.
"No," Ying Huanhuan shook her head, her clear eyes flashing with icy-blue light. "He's... barely alive."
"Barely alive?" Everyone was confused.
Lin Fan, however, remained calm. He understood immediately.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the massive furnace above shuddered violently, releasing a thunderous crash.
"Hehehe… Old Ghost Burning Heaven, even in death, you still try to bind me?"
Dark mist surged from within the furnace, and a piercing, sinister laugh echoed through the mountain range.
Within the mist, scarlet eyes began to glow—like demonic pupils peering out from hell.
"So many insects…"
The voice swept over the gathered crowd, filled with disdain.
In the next instant, countless black beams of light erupted from the mist like rain.
Shhk!
Some people were struck before they could react. To everyone's horror, their bodies withered instantly, turning to dust without even bones left behind!
"Everyone retreat!"
Lin Fan's voice turned icy. He immediately ordered Qingtan, Ying Huanhuan, and the others to fall back.
Without hesitation, the group retreated.
Black beams whizzed past them from all sides. Anyone struck by the deadly light vanished into ash!
The sky itself began to rain gray flakes—a storm of death.
Suddenly, Lin Fan's pupils shrank violently.
Within the sea of black beams, one streak was heading straight for him!
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1