Chapter 1771: Don’t Blink!

"Yun Xiao, stop struggling. With your level of cultivation, there’s no way you can break free from my Spirit Fire Ring!"

Ma Nanfeng’s complacent voice echoed, causing many people to have strange expressions on their faces, as none had witnessed what he claimed.

"Struggling? Which eye of yours saw me struggling?"

As Yun Xiao’s soft voice spread, everyone understood the source of their peculiar feeling because, from start to finish, the poorly clad youth hadn’t moved at all.

Just as Yun Xiao said, he hadn’t even moved a finger, much less struggled. Ma Nanfeng’s smug words sounded somewhat ridiculous when faced with Yun Xiao’s complete stillness.

"Facing death, and yet you still argue with words!"

Blocked by Yun Xiao’s retort, Ma Nanfeng struggled to maintain his composure, but seeing Yun Xiao bound by the Fire Ring lifted his spirits inexplicably. His heavy tone revealed the truth.

After all, no matter how sharp Yun Xiao’s tongue, if he couldn’t break free from the Spirit Fire Ring, his life remained in Ma Nanfeng’s hands, and the forthcoming end would be extremely tragic.

"I say, you really think this flimsy Fire Ring can hold me?"

Just as everyone was certain, the youth bound by the Fire Ring spoke calmly once again. His words not only cast doubt among the crowd but also brought mockery to the faces of the Emperor Palace cultivators.

"Well then, why don’t you come out?"

The Second Elder of the Emperor Palace, obviously talkative, had become Ma Nanfeng’s spokesperson and did not stop speaking, since his words reflected Ma Nanfeng’s thoughts exactly.

With everything seemingly in control, Ma Nanfeng had no intention of merely toying with a mouse before a crowd. He genuinely desired to see the youth exhaust all means and still fail to escape his grasp, for that would be the perfect outcome.

The Spirit Fire Ring was a Heavenly Rank Advanced Meridian Technique cast by Ma Nanfeng, a Heavenly Realm Peak expert. Even someone like Meng Zhidao, at the same level, could only sigh helplessly when bound.

Not to mention Yun Xiao, a mere Heavenly Realm Late Stage rookie. Ma Nanfeng had the confidence, thus he watched the stillness of the poorly clad youth with sarcastic eyes.

"Well then, watch carefully and don’t blink!"

Hearing the Second Elder’s mocking words, the hint of humor in Yun Xiao’s eyes vanished quickly. After speaking, everyone witnessed an unbelievable scene.

Whoosh!

The Flame Ring binding Yun Xiao vanished instantaneously, disappearing completely without a trace visible to the naked eye.

"What happened?"

Especially as the practitioner, Ma Nanfeng’s face changed dramatically, for he knew the disappearance wasn’t under his own control but was consumed by an unknown force.

This scene left Ma Nanfeng bewildered. That was a Heavenly Rank Advanced Meridian Technique, the Flame Ring wielded by his powerful Fire Attribute Ancestor Vein—how could it vanish so mysteriously?

"Did he really nullify it?!"

The onlookers, although clueless about the process, knew from Ma Nanfeng’s expression change that Yun Xiao employed some unknown method.

The formidable Flame Ring posed not the slightest threat as everyone had thought. Yun Xiao’s apparent calm was not a facade but a true display of confidence.

This moment seemed like an Earth Rank Third Realm cultivator showing off in front of a Heavenly Rank Third Realm expert, who merely crushed him with a finger.

Yun Xiao’s words of "don’t blink" still echoed in their ears, yet no one understood how the Flame Ring disappeared.

Especially the Second Elder of the Emperor Palace, whose old eyes widened in disbelief—his face burned with shame. How could such a young man’s technique be so bizarre?

In fact, at that moment, Yun Xiao had activated the Fire Attribute Ancestor Vein in his right arm, instantly devouring the Fire Ring’s energy.

Yun Xiao, possessing two Chaos Sub-fires, though not the ultimate fire, could easily use the Ancestral Vein Fire against Ma Nanfeng’s flimsy Flame Ring, akin to using a butcher’s knife on a chicken.

Ma Nanfeng’s supposedly overwhelming Spirit Fire Ring Technique was merely a boast—it crumbled before Yun Xiao’s simple prowess.

"Since yours is useless, taste mine!"

Yun Xiao did not have so many thoughts. After neutralizing the flame ring, he let out a soft sound, and immediately in front of him, there was also a blood-red flame ring forming.

"Is that... the Ancestral Vein Fire? I didn’t expect this kid to also be a fire attribute cultivator!"

When Ma Nanfeng saw the flame ring, his heart couldn’t help but stir, and he seemed to vaguely understand why his Spirit Fire Ring had vanished without warning.

There are indeed some naturally gifted people in this world who can activate the Ancestral Vein Fire, and the strength of the Ancestral Vein is determined by one’s ancestral inheritance.

At this moment, seeing Yun Xiao’s Ancestral Vein Fire, Ma Nanfeng suddenly had a revelation. It seems that the opponent’s fire attribute Ancestor Vein rank is higher, which allowed him to effortlessly dissolve his Spirit Fire Ring, resulting in the previous scene.

"It seems this kid indeed comes from a powerful family. After this matter is resolved, I must investigate thoroughly!"

Ma Nanfeng thought of many things from this. After all, to activate the Ancestral Vein, one must have strong ancestors. This kid’s fire attribute Ancestral Vein is so formidable, claiming he has no background, he’d never believe it.

Thus, Ma Nanfeng was already considering how, after killing Yun Xiao, to find out and destroy his family. Although he wasn’t confident in wiping out Yun Xiao’s family, wasn’t the Emperor Canglong Palace still standing behind him?

After convincing himself of this, Ma Nanfeng didn’t pay much heed to the scene where Yun Xiao dissolved the Spirit Fire Ring. In his view, it was still a surprising but clever trick.

Whether it was the unbreakable strange wooden sword, the defensive armor hidden under his robes, or the Ancestral Vein Fire effective when he was unprepared, Ma Nanfeng saw them as negligible.

Once these cunning tactics are revealed repeatedly, trying to achieve unexpected effects is undoubtedly impossible, at least that’s what Ma Nanfeng thought at the moment.

Swoosh!

No matter what, Yun Xiao’s blood-red flame ring had already formed at this moment and was swiftly flying towards Ma Nanfeng, mimicking the same motion as the Spirit Fire Ring the latter had just used.

"You dare, kid!"

Seeing this, Ma Nanfeng felt a surge of anger. This kid was clearly trying to provoke him, using his Ancestral Vein Fire ring to embarrass him.

Your Ma Nanfeng’s flame ring couldn’t do anything to me, let’s see if my flame ring can handle you. If it achieves great effect, doesn’t it show that the Emperor Palace Director’s fire methods can’t even surpass a mere boy?

Amidst the peculiar gazes of the crowd, under Yun Xiao’s control, the Ancestral Vein Fire ring finally flew over Ma Nanfeng’s head, appearing as if it intended to encase and trap his body within it.

It is worth noting that compared to the vast and matchless flame power of Ma Nanfeng’s flame ring, the flame ring unleashed by Yun Xiao had a much weaker aura, looking like an ordinary ring ignited by a common person.

"There’s something strange about this!"

One must admit, Ma Nanfeng was indeed a master at playing with fire. The flame ring bore no threat, yet it aroused his vigilance. After several encounters, he no longer underestimated that ragged-clothes youth.

How could a flame pulse technique performed by a Heavenly Realm Late Stage Cultivator pose no threat at all?

This was obviously the ragged-clothes youth’s intention, aiming to lower his guard. Ma Nanfeng instantly realized this fact, so he directly dodged, avoiding the set of the blood-red flame ring.

"This..."

Witnessing this scene, many onlookers revealed odd expressions along with subtle ridicule, silently noting that in the exchange of identical techniques, the Emperor Palace Director was undoubtedly one step weaker.

After all, when Ma Nanfeng performed the flame ring earlier, Yun Xiao remained motionless, allowing it, and ultimately used a miraculous method to dissolve it, mesmerizing the viewers.

But what of the dignified Director? He dared not even touch the flame ring and dodged directly. As a Heavenly Realm Peak expert, would he fear a pulse technique attack from a Heavenly Realm Late Stage Cultivator?

What the onlookers did not know was that Ma Nanfeng had sensed certain things in the flame ring when it was not far from his body, prompting his hasty evasion.

If Ma Nanfeng had displayed some pulse techniques when Yun Xiao unleashed the flame ring, he wouldn’t have dodged so embarrassingly. The cause and effect here, how could the observers understand?

If Ma Nanfeng knew the thoughts of these spectators, would he not spew a mouthful of blood in anger, wondering if no one would applaud his precisely timed dodge?

In this exchange of attack and defense, it seemed a victory was already visible. However, in Ma Nanfeng’s heart, he would never admit he was weaker than the young boy.

This battle was still ongoing.