The three swept their gazes around the hall, finally locking collectively onto Ian Song.
“Greetings, Master. Greetings, Martial Uncles!”
Vulcan Pi stepped down from his throne and bowed respectfully to the three, his manner very deferential.
“How did things end up like this?”
The youth in the middle spoke—his name was Vulcan Kong, former Church Master of the Fire God Church. After reaching late Tribulation, he had passed the sect leader position to Vulcan Pi.
It’s said the Fire God Church inherited the incomplete Dao-lineage of the Fire God Vulcan, so every new Church Master abandons their birth surname and adopts Vulcan as their own.
Vulcan Pi briefly explained what had happened.
After hearing this, Vulcan Kong’s gaze fell once more on Ian Song, with a hint of surprise and appreciation. “Your name is Ian Song, right?”
“That’s right,” Ian Song replied, smiling and nodding.
Vulcan Kong continued, “Interested in joining my Fire God Church? I can guarantee that when Vulcan Pi retires, you’ll be the next Church Master!”
Ian Song was taken aback, then smiled and said, “I appreciate the senior’s kindness.”
Vulcan Kong went on, “Having early Combined-Body cultivation at such a young age is impressive enough, but your battle power is truly terrifying.
Once you cross the Heavenly Tribulation, you might even be able to fight Immortals. Anyone with an enemy like you would lose sleep. So there are only two ways to deal with someone like you: make you one of our own, or make you a corpse!”
At this, Vulcan Kong gave Ian Song a meaningful look. “Do you understand what I mean, young friend?”
Ian Song laughed, “Senior, you’re refreshingly honest—and also a true villain! How about we make a wager? I’ll fight you. If you win, I join the Fire God Church. If I win, you just have to promise the Fire God Church and the Song Dynasty won’t target the Tang Dynasty!”
“Interesting!” Vulcan Kong couldn’t help but laugh.
After a moment, everyone moved outside the Blazing Fire Hall.
Ian Song and Vulcan Kong faced each other, a hundred meters apart.
“Young friend, you may strike first!”
Vulcan Kong said with a smile.
“Alright!”
Without any further words, Ian Song stepped into the air. The Azure Flood-Dragon Sword in his hand unleashed a ten-zhang blade of sword light, slashing violently toward Vulcan Kong.
Seeing this, Vulcan Kong raised his hand and punched, easily shattering the sword light.
Then, he threw out dozens of punches in rapid succession. Instantly, dozens of fist-intent true forms, like lightning, surged toward Ian Song.
These fist-intent true forms were all fiery red humanoid figures, their bodies wrapped in blazing flames.
Each one displayed a profound martial divine art. The combined pressure from these dozens of humanoid true forms actually surpassed that of the Ten-Absolute Formation previously unleashed by the ten mid-Tribulation experts.
“It seems late Tribulation strength is more than ten times greater than mid-Tribulation. I wonder what kind of power an Immortal might wield?”
His mind racing, Ian Song activated Skyless and charged toward the dozens of humanoid true forms.
“Pupupupupu!”
Sword light flashed repeatedly, and one by one, the humanoid true forms were cut down by Ian Song.
In less than ten breaths, all the dozens of humanoid true forms were wiped out by Ian Song.
“Young friend, your swordsmanship is truly extraordinary!” Vulcan Kong narrowed his eyes, and a fiery-red spear appeared in his hand.
“Puh!”
The spear shot out like lightning.
Piercing God!
“Ding!”
The spear tip and sword tip collided in midair. Ian Song was knocked back dozens of meters, while Vulcan Kong only retreated two or three steps.
For a moment, Ian Song’s expression grew more serious. This time, Vulcan Kong’s strength was at least fifteen times that of a mid-Tribulation expert. Could late Tribulation strength be twenty times greater? Ian could sense Vulcan Kong was still holding back.
“Again!”
Ian Song called out, swinging his sword again.
Blood-Soaked!!
With this move, blood rain suddenly began to fall from the sky, and a mysterious, indescribable sword intent spread everywhere.
“Kill!”
In the next instant, Ian Song stepped into the blood rain and vanished bizarrely.
Previously, Princess Qingping froze a hundred li and summoned pale blue snowflakes from the sky, but she couldn’t merge into that world. Now, Ian Song melted into the blood rain, becoming thousands—yet among all those drops, no one could tell which was him.
Seeing this, Vulcan Kong’s expression changed, becoming extremely grave.