Chapter 55: The Sacred Flame

The one-horned muscular man was struck with inexplicable terror at this moment, looking at Qin Changsheng as if he had just laid eyes upon a ghost.

He simply could not comprehend how, even after elevating his strength to the realm of a saint, he was still entirely incapable of breaching Qin Changsheng’s defense.

Just how formidable had the other party’s physical body truly become?

Qin Changsheng looked at him, smiled faintly, and said, "From the moment you claimed you were surrendering, I knew you were lying. After all, those with far inferior strength to yours are all capable of igniting the holy fire; there is no reason you could not do the same."

"Since you did not ignite the holy fire, how could you possibly surrender? How could I possibly fail to be on my guard?"

"Even so, why were you able to withstand my attacks?" the man asked in a trembling voice.

Qin Changsheng smiled lightly and replied, "This is merely a body-refining technique I cultivate, known as the Indestructible Golden Body. Tell me, do you now feel that your previous choice was somewhat mistaken?"

Hearing this, the expression of the one-horned muscular man turned even more unsightly. He truly had not anticipated that his painstakingly plotted fake surrender would still fail to inflict even the slightest scratch upon Qin Changsheng. Now, it appeared the other party still held trump cards in reserve, and his own prospects were grim indeed.

"Hmph! So what if you possess the Indestructible Golden Body? The methods of my Desolate Clan extend far beyond this!" He let out a cold snort, once again gathering his power in preparation to launch an assault.

However, just as he was about to strike, Qin Changsheng actively stimulated his golden body further. "I have a proposal. Why don't you attack me with all your might a few more times? If you manage to kill me, it is a testament to your ability; if you cannot, then obediently lead me to the place where the holy fire resides. I, too, wish to see where the absolute limit of this Indestructible Golden Body truly lies."

Upon hearing these words, the one-horned muscular man froze. He doubted whether he had misheard; someone was actually taking the initiative to ask to be attacked? Furthermore, judging by Qin Changsheng’s demeanor, he did not appear to be merely bluffing, but genuinely wished to test the limits of his physical resilience.

"You are unbearably arrogant! Are you courting death?"

Seeing this, the one-horned giant could not help but sneer.

Though he had no idea what scheme Qin Changsheng was plotting, since the other party was being so conceited, he did not mind indulging him once more. Perhaps he could seize the opportunity to discover the opponent's weak point and execute him in one fell swoop.

With this thought in mind, he gathered his power once more and launched a ferocious onslaught against Qin Changsheng. His figure flickered continuously in mid-air, and every time he reappeared, it was accompanied by a vicious, sharp strike aimed squarely at Qin Changsheng’s vital points.

Yet, no matter how lightning-fast and fierce his attacks were, Qin Changsheng maintained a completely calm expression throughout. The golden light shimmering over his body acted as if it were a layer of formless defense, effortlessly blocking every single blow.

"This is simply absurd." The more the one-horned man fought, the more alarmed he became. He realized that striking Qin Changsheng was no different from hitting a pile of cotton—it could cause no damage whatsoever.

Qin Changsheng, on the other hand, smiled ever more brilliantly. Feeling his Indestructible Golden Body grow increasingly stable under the barrage of attacks, a sense of quiet satisfaction welled up inside him.

The little monk’s Indestructible Golden Body was indeed remarkably powerful.

"Well? Shall we continue?" he asked playfully, looking at the one-horned muscular man.

At these words, the one-horned man turned ashen-faced. He knew that continuing this fight would be entirely futile. Moreover, he now began to worry whether Qin Changsheng might suddenly launch a counterattack and slay him in an instant.

"No more fighting," he said through gritted teeth, "I admit defeat, I concede. Spare my life, and I swear on my honor never to trouble you again."

Instead, Qin Changsheng shook his head. "Do you truly believe I would trust your words once more?" he said indifferently. "You have already attempted a fake surrender once; how could I possibly grant you a second chance?"

The one-horned muscular man’s heart sank upon hearing this. He knew that this time, escape was likely impossible.

"If that is how it must be, then I have no choice but to try and run for my life."

The one-horned giant drew a deep breath.

He once again ignited his holy fire, but the moment he did so, Qin Changsheng silently unleashed celestial Qi. As the celestial Qi emerged, the Yin-Yang Dao Laws manifested, and in a fraction of a second, Qin Changsheng materialized directly before the one-horned man.

He raised his hand and gently pressed forward.

The Tai Chi Yin-Yang Fish appeared once more!

Instantly, a terrifying wave of force crashed heavily against the muscular man's chest.

Before he could even react, the giant was sent flying backward. His sternum shattered instantly, and his internal organs ruptured completely.

Spurting a mouthful of fresh blood, the giant stared at Qin Changsheng in utter horror!

"An immortal?! You are an immortal?"

Qin Changsheng shook his head without a word, slowly walking toward the incapacitated giant.

"Then what is it that you want?!" Absolute despair gripped the one-horned muscular man.

"It is quite simple," Qin Changsheng smiled faintly. "You need only tell me the specific details regarding the recent upheaval in the Eastern Desolation, along with the true secret of the holy fire. If you do, I might consider granting you a swift and painless death."

A wave of bitter resignation washed over the one-horned giant.

"So be it. In any case, the top experts of your human race will find out eventually; telling you changes nothing."

"There is no particularly profound secret to the holy fire; it is simply the totem fire belonging to the Desolate Clan, much like the dragon breath of the Dragon Clan or the nirvana flames of the Phoenix Clan. The reason the holy fire was ignited is because a Saintess possessing Ancestral Blood has emerged within our clan. She ignited the holy fire and awakened our bloodline power, allowing the Desolate Clan to reclaim our heritage."

"I have told you everything. Can you spare my life now?" he asked with a slight tremor in his voice.

Qin Changsheng looked at him with a flicker of playfulness in his eyes. "When did I ever say I would spare you? Didn't you claim you were going to lead me to the holy fire? Let us be on our way."

With that, he turned and began walking in a certain direction.

"You shameless wretch!" The one-horned giant hesitated for a moment, but ultimately had little choice and followed along. He knew he had reached a dead end and could only pin his final shred of hope on the possibility that Qin Changsheng's genuine interest in the holy fire might afford him a narrow chance of survival.

The two of them walked one after the other, traversing through the secret realm until they arrived at the foot of a mountain. Ignoring the giant's implicit cues to press forward, Qin Changsheng halted. He brought the giant up to the peak, where he activated his celestial pupils. His gaze pierced through numerous obstacles fifty miles away, until it finally locked onto a valley where a roaring inferno blazed. The flames burned a brilliant gold, radiating scorching heat and a terrifyingly high temperature that seemed capable of melting the entire valley down to nothingness.

Surrounding the valley were numerous powerful figures of the Desolate Clan.

These experts continually bathed themselves in the baptism of the holy fire. As the baptism proceeded, their bloodlines were awakened, and their strength surged.

Countless members of the Desolate Clan were undergoing a massive elevation in power.

"Is this the Eastern Desolation Holy Fire?" Qin Changsheng looked at the flames within the valley, a trace of astonishment flashing in his eyes. He could sense that this blaze contained an immensely potent surge of energy, surpassing virtually any other fire he had ever encountered.

"You can see that far away?" The giant stared at Qin Changsheng in utter shock.

Qin Changsheng nodded. "My eyes are somewhat more cooperative than most."

The corners of the giant's mouth twitched, plunging him deeper into despair. "What an absolute freak..."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Indeed, what you see is the Eastern Desolation Holy Fire," the one-horned man said with a complex expression. "As long as you are willing to let me live, I can grant you access to the baptism of the holy fire, allowing you to break through to a higher realm."

"Oh? Is that so? That would truly be wonderful," Qin Changsheng smiled. "However, before undergoing any baptism, I would first like to test the true might of this holy fire."

As soon as these words left his mouth, his figure flashed, and he lunged directly at the one-horned muscular man.

"Are you insane?!" The one-horned giant cried out in shock upon seeing this, attempting to dodge, but it was already far too late.

Qin Changsheng’s palm, imbued with terrifying Yin-Yang Dao Laws, struck the center of the giant's brow. With a single devastating blow, the giant's life was snuffed out instantly.

His eyes remained wide open in death, utterly unable to comprehend why things had turned out this way.

Withdrawing his hand, Qin Changsheng shook his head and murmured, "I apologize, but if I wish to approach the holy fire, I had no choice but to kill you. After all, I feared you might try to pull some tricks—who asked you to be so dishonest?"

Qin Changsheng dusted off his hands.

He placed his hand upon the dead giant's forehead and began extracting his memories.

"Golden Horn, is it?"

Having memorized all the distinct traits of Golden Horn, Qin Changsheng began circulating the Art of Longevity. His physique and aura shifted accordingly, and within moments, he transformed completely into the likeness of Golden Horn.

Even the holy fire’s aura was meticulously replicated using his ultimate Yang energy.

"The human race is destined for total annihilation!" Qin Changsheng clicked his tongue in mimicry.

Having completed these preparations, he raised a hand and incinerated Golden Horn’s corpse into ash, scattering the remnants thoroughly to the winds before walking leisurely toward the valley.