Chapter 135: Blue Flame (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135: Blue Flame (8)
—This should rightfully be called the Jeong Family Dynamic Art.
The night was cloudy.
An old man of noble standing shed tears in secret.
Tucked safely within his robes was the manual for the Jeong Family Dynamic Art, which he had fiercely protected from his son, Ma Jin. He cherished this secret manual, left behind by his grandson, as if it were a priceless treasure.
Jeong Yeon-shin had claimed it was merely a good martial art for preserving one's health. But with Ma Yeon-jeok's vast experience in the martial world, he knew that was far from the truth.
It stimulated the muscles and blood flow, refining even the most minute vessels and meridians throughout the body. It transformed the physical form into a heaven-blessed vessel. It was a martial art that completely reforged the bones and muscles.
A mysterious method of cultivation. Truly, a divine art.
Ma Yeon-jeok was a peerless martial artist.
The realm of completely dominating the internal energy within his body was merely a baseline for him. This remained true even after his unity of essence, qi, and spirit had been shattered.
Only his physical body had been decaying. Rusted with age, his mortal shell simply could no longer withstand his tyrannical martial arts.
But his sharp mind and supreme internal energy were a different story. They remained exactly as they had been in his youth, back when he reigned as the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps. Sharp and unfathomably deep.
"Your father," Ma Yeon-jeok had told Ma Jin. He had summoned his son to the Desolate Fortress's Giju Branch after suddenly sensing the presence of the Blood Flame Cult Leader. "Does not regret sending his daughter away like that. To protect Sang-ah's happiness and the honor of our family... even looking back now, there was no other decision to be made."
"..."
"It would have been best if I could have ended him early. Before that bastard Jeong Pan-ak ever met my daughter."
"It is a lifelong regret."
"Yeon-shin is a blessing. We must protect that child. It simply bothers me that a dreadful blood ghost is lingering around. It seems to be targeting Yeon-shin."
"Is it truly the Blood Flame Cult Leader? Then the Elder Council Head is indeed..."
"It seems a heavenly mandate has descended upon me. What I failed to do even while leading the Divine Sword Corps, I must accomplish this time."
"Can you handle it?"
"Handle it...? There is something you must keep in mind. Few among the world's experts remain stagnant. Unless the natural order of heaven blocks their bodies as it did your father's, you must assume that even those Lords of the Thirteen Heavens and the leaders of the Nine Sects are growing. They are all madmen obsessed with the martial path. None of them settle. And..."
"...?"
"I am no different."
He was a Purple Rank of the Desolate Fortress.
Ma Yeon-jeok grasped the profound truths of the Jeong Family Dynamic Art in an instant. He was a peerless expert whose control over internal energy had reached the absolute peak as the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
Penetrating the core of the mnemonic, he executed the Great Heavenly Cycle without a single pause. His internal energy circulated at the speed of light.
His body gradually began to revitalize. The effect was truly profound.
The mnemonic that had accompanied his grandson's childhood now stroked the muscles and veins of his own limbs, as gentle as a mother's touch. His internal energy flowed with a comforting warmth.
The 'essence' in the unity of essence, qi, and spirit refers to the physical body, while the 'spirit' is the mind dwelling within the brain—thus, it is called the mind-spirit. Qi is the internal energy a martial artist accumulates by breathing in the power of the natural world.
By mastering the Jeong Family Dynamic Art at an accelerated pace, Ma Yeon-jeok had finally achieved the unity of essence, qi, and spirit once again.
This breakthrough occurred right as he was tracking the Blood Flame Cult Leader.
At that moment, alongside a wave of euphoria that washed over his entire body, a profound realization bloomed in his mind like a lotus flower.
Extinction, liberation, shedding... words borrowed from Buddhist scriptures to grandiosely describe a martial artist's enlightenment flashed through Ma Yeon-jeok's mind.
Simultaneously, completely separate from the Jeong Family Dynamic Art, a book he had long cherished unfurled within his mind. It felt as if the pages were fluttering and turning on their own. The phrases written within penetrated his mind with absolute, crystalline comprehension.
The very moment his entire body was elevated by the reunited essence, qi, and spirit, his martial attainment surged toward its absolute peak.
It all happened in an instant.
A fated encounter. It was truly a fated encounter.
Perhaps it was the result of refining his mind while watching his grandson enter the main fortress. All Ma Yeon-jeok needed now was time to consolidate this sudden realization.
Even if the Blood Flame Cult Leader had foreseen the clash between the Tang Clan and the Thirteen Heavens and ambushed his subordinates in advance, it no longer mattered.
The former Commander of the Divine Sword Corps was ready to risk everything.
'The divine sword of the Desolate Fortress will set alongside righteousness.'
The old man resolved to burn away the worries burdening his grandson and the common people with his own two hands.
Even if his body burned to ashes in the process, so be it.
It was what had to be done.
* * *
The outer courtyard of the Tang Family Pagoda.
Ma Yeon-jeok had told his grandson that he would show him the true Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
"..."
It was a declaration that commanded absolute silence from the surroundings.
The sheer prestige carried by the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps of the Desolate Fortress reached even the outermost borders of the Central Plains. It was not a claim that should come lightly from an old master who hadn't even walked the orthodox path of the Nine Sects, but had merely spilled blood in his youth before his strength waned.
"Intriguing."
A smooth voice echoed from above. It was the Blood Flame Cult Leader, standing gracefully at the edge of the roof. His bright red lips curved into a wicked arc.
"Yeon-jeok, ah, Yeon-jeok. I remember when you were just a brat in black robes. Your youthful bravado from those days is still vivid in my mind. You blocked my path alongside the brats of the Nine Sects, claiming you would capture me and the Leader of the Deep Martial Alliance. Didn't you all even make that noisy pledge called the Mount Hua Agreement?"
He was unusually verbose.
Ma Yeon-jeok knew why. He could guess the reason just by looking at the bastard's appearance and aura.
Ssshh—
The Blood Flame Cult Leader's white hair swayed like a heat haze. The space around his body shimmered, distorting like air baked under a scorching sun. The bulging veins on the backs of his pale hands were equally grotesque.
His smile, framed by slightly furrowed brows, was sinister, but to Ma Yeon-jeok, it was an obvious bluff.
He couldn't fully control his energy. He was talking to buy himself even a little bit of time.
There was, after all, a strict limit to the amount of internal energy a human body could handle at once.
'Blood Flame Cult Leader. Even if he is no longer entirely human, the same rule applies.'
Heaven does not grant infinite power to a single individual.
The same applied to the time required to digest such power. A martial artist's true qi is not so easily forged. One has to store the energy breathed in from nature over a long period, meticulously refining it through an inner cultivation method.
The blood arts would be no different. Such was the natural order of the world.
'He cannot fully handle the true qi of the Lord of the Tenth Sect.'
Ma Yeon-jeok saw his path to victory right there.
To fully absorb the profound internal energy of the Lord of the Tenth Sect, one would normally have to refine the true qi through closed-door cultivation for over a decade. The stolen power currently contained within the Blood Flame Cult Leader's body was highly unstable.
Because it was not his own true qi, precise control over his internal energy was impossible. This meant the usual refinement of his techniques had vanished.
Furthermore, the dying resistance of the Lord of the Tenth Sect had been formidable.
Ma Yeon-jeok had witnessed the clash between the Lord of the Tenth Sect and the Blood Flame Cult Leader using his own eye technique. He had captured the entire sequence within his purple-tinted vision while rushing over from afar.
The Blood Flame Cult Leader, who had concealed himself by manifesting his own personal night, was undeniably terrifying. Taking advantage of the exact moment when the Lord of the Tenth Sect's senses were entirely focused on Jeong Yeon-shin and the Tang Clan Leader, the bastard had slipped behind him using the stealth technique of his peerless blood art and initiated essence absorption.
It was a fatal strike where the grandmaster of the blood arts had personally sunk his fangs into his prey. Normally, it should have ended right there.
But it hadn't. A vicious battle had unfolded in the span of a single instant.
A lethal exchange at a distance so close it could hardly even be called point-blank.
The Lord of the Tenth Sect had manifested his internal energy armor right where he stood, raising his materialized true qi like jagged thorns to impale the front of the Blood Flame Cult Leader's body. It was an incredibly sublime manipulation of internal energy—one that had surprised even Ma Yeon-jeok.
Even in a situation where he had already been defeated with disappointing ease, the Lord of the Tenth Sect had still managed to deal a severe blow to the Blood Flame Cult Leader.
Had the Blood Flame Cult Leader lacked his monstrous regenerative abilities, it would have been a scene of mutual destruction.
Although his terrifying aura had evaporated his own bloodstains in an instant, the internal shock lingering inside the bastard was definitely real.
Yet, he was holding out.
He coveted two things: the vast internal energy possessed by the Lord of the Tenth Sect, and the opportunity to prune the great trees and young sprouts of his rival factions.
Judging solely by the energy surging from him like a tidal wave, it truly seemed as if he could accomplish anything.
Ma Yeon-jeok observed his opponent with the cold, calculating eyes of a gambler entering a life-and-death duel.
The bastard's blood-stained lips moved slowly.
"Your Mount Hua Agreement was a troublesome pledge. I wonder if I should have spilled a few more drops of blood that day to kill you all. I let seven brats slip away... and among them, three became sect leaders, while our Yeon-jeok put on the purple robes. If that pledge is passed down to the next generation, won't a new wind blow across the martial world once more?"
"..."
"I know your martial prowess has returned to a surprising degree. But can you truly compare to that Yong fellow? To speak so arrogantly when considering him... Is it because your grandson is standing behind you? A grandfather's fierce spirit is indeed a fine sight to behold."
The current Commander of the Divine Sword Corps was a man from the Yong clan. These were men standing at the absolute peak of the martial world. Naturally, they either knew each other personally or actively gathered intelligence on each other's appearances and circumstances.
It was a light provocation from the Blood Flame Cult Leader, who was clearly anticipating a fierce battle.
Ma Yeon-jeok did not answer.
Step.
Holding the famous sword, Moon Preservation, in his hand, he silently took a step forward.
Having observed the bastard enough, there was no reason to give him any more time to recover.
The old man had a single wish. He wished for this life-and-death duel to be fully captured by his grandson's peerless senses. And thus, serve as the stepping stone to guide his grandson into the realm of super-ascension in the future.
Thud!
The ground split with a single stomp. An earthquake-like vibration spread outward, riding the explosive force of Ma Yeon-jeok's footstep.
By the time the stumbling onlookers regained their balance, the old man had already soared into the sky, arriving right in front of the Blood Flame Cult Leader.
At the edge of the roof, the two peerless experts locked eyes.
It felt as if they were both shrouded in a transcendent atmosphere. Beneath Ma Yeon-jeok's purple sleeves, the snow-white blade of Moon Preservation gleamed like a dragon's tooth.
An invisible, colossal force wrapped around the long sword. It could only be felt through the violent waves battering the air. It was a resonance that seemed ready to tear space itself apart.
The old man in the purple robes swung his sword diagonally while treading on empty air.
The Blood Flame Cult Leader flashed a crimson smile and thrust his palm forward to meet the strike. It was a palm technique specifically designed to suppress the violent aura erupting from Ma Yeon-jeok's Moon Preservation. It was extremely soft and yielding.
Claaaaang—!
Within the Blood Flame Cult Leader's single strike lay the heavy martial intent of an old monster who had lived for hundreds of years. It was as if he had forcefully crammed the stolen internal energy of the Lord of the Tenth Sect into his palm technique, resulting in a monstrous output.
Although his bare palm met the sharp edge of the famous sword Moon Preservation, only a fine mist of blood scattered.
Ma Yeon-jeok's expression remained indifferent. A wave-like shockwave erupted from the hand holding the sword.
In that split second, he had unleashed the subtle principles of the Harmony Realm. It was a profound technique that redirected the colossal force acting on his wrist out into the empty air.
Crash!
The roof the Blood Flame Cult Leader was standing on shattered with a deafening crunch.
It was accompanied by a tempest that felt as if dozens of Thunderbolt Bombs had detonated all at once. The sheer shockwave collapsed the six-story pavilion, sinking it all the way to the ground.
The surging waves of force clawed out in all directions. Deep furrows raced across the earth, kicking up thick clouds of yellow-brown dust.
At the center of the cataclysmic explosion, the wrinkles around Ma Yeon-jeok's eyes deepened, watching as the essence-absorbing monster displayed an elegant body protection scripture.
With his hands clasped behind his back, the Blood Flame Cult Leader lightly stepped from one piece of airborne pavilion debris to another, moving with a speed that dazzled the eyes.
His silky white hair fluttered gently. His sublime movements exuded an eerie sense of dignity. He had suffered absolutely no disadvantage in that initial exchange.
This was unlike Ma Yeon-jeok, whose minute vessels in his right arm were already strained, despite his power rushing toward its absolute peak.
'It hurts.'
The old man thought. His wrist throbbed, much like the troublesome chronic ailments of any ordinary elderly person. It felt as if small fire bombs had detonated inside his body. The vortex of shockwaves generated by his opponent was truly terrifying.
The Blood Flame Cult Leader.
He even possessed the ability to regenerate. He was truly reaching a state of absolute perfection. To the point where one might wonder if he intended to challenge the Lord of the Desolate Fortress himself.
Ma Yeon-jeok stepped on empty air once more.
His pitch-black eyes tracked every single one of the Blood Flame Cult Leader's erratic, ghostly movements. When his gaze—darting up, down, left, and right—finally locked precisely onto the handsome, white-haired man, the old man took a single step that seemed to warp space itself.
It was a mysterious form of Void Treading.
In an instant, he intercepted the trajectory of the Blood Flame Cult Leader's movement technique, arriving right in front of him.
His purple robes fluttered proudly in the wind.
The Moon Preservation sword once again gathered a terrifying shockwave, while the Blood Flame Cult Leader's pale fingers twitched playfully in response.
The white trajectory unleashed by Ma Yeon-jeok fell in a short, unimaginably sharp arc. The shockwaves scattered by the sword path alone seemed ready to shatter the atmosphere.
The explosive force of the fa jin gathered on the back of the Blood Flame Cult Leader's hand, which had casually deflected the sword strike, detonated with terrifying power.
Rumbleeeee—!
A deafening roar filled the surroundings. Ma Yeon-jeok's swordplay and the Cult Leader's fa jin existed in entirely different realms. They contained the ultimate, absolute secrets of cutting and exploding.
It was a peerless realm where a mere fraction of internal energy could generate thousands of pounds of destructive force.
From that moment on, the two absolute masters furiously exchanged blows in midair. Blurry, overlapping trajectories shrouded the twilight sky, and even the wind stirred by their evasive footwork expanded into a mighty typhoon.
The sheer aftermath of their clash began to completely devastate the Tang Family Pagoda.
Rumble!
The ground, which they hadn't even touched, began to collapse. It was a localized earthquake that spanned the entire outer courtyard of the Tang Family Pagoda. Ancient trees were uprooted, scattering their leaves everywhere, while lashing fragments of stray force carved deep, jagged trenches into the earth.
Hup—!
Argh!
A dozen or so experts from the Tenth Sect, the Tang Clan, and the Blood Flame Cult fighting near their feet suddenly collapsed, hacked to pieces by the invisible blades of force raining down from above.
Every time Ma Yeon-jeok unleashed the shockwaves of the Harmony Realm, the very ground flipped over. A colossal force—not just a wave, but a veritable tsunami of qi—crushed experts of all factions indiscriminately.
The old man could not afford to care about the collateral damage.
Having originally mastered a tyrannical style of martial arts, his compatibility against the current Blood Flame Cult Leader was exceptionally poor. The essence of Ma Yeon-jeok's swordplay lay in the subtle art of handling immense power, but the Blood Flame Cult Leader was also wielding the vast internal energy of the Lord of the Tenth Sect, albeit clumsily.
Every single time he exchanged a blow with the bastard, he was forced to redirect the overwhelming impact using the techniques of the Harmony Realm.
He had to make two moves for every single one of his opponent's strikes. Yet, despite this, he stood on equal footing with the monster.
He pried into the gaps left by the Cult Leader's imprecise techniques, viciously slashing across his entire body. But each time, that monstrous regenerative ability instantly sealed the bastard's flesh back together.
Ma Yeon-jeok was not unscathed, either.
He could not easily withstand the monstrous shockwaves generated by the blood art's true qi. Bloodstains were beginning to bloom here and there across his sturdy body.
'This bastard. What is he aiming for?'
The old man pondered rapidly. Did he actually have the leisure to consolidate the Lord of the Tenth Sect's internal energy in the midst of this high-speed battle? Or was he preparing to unleash an ultimate technique to settle the match quickly?
The answer was not far off. Perhaps they had exchanged about fifty bouts when it happened.
Suddenly, the Blood Flame Cult Leader's toes pointed downward.
"Form ranks!"
"Fall back! The poison caltrops have been laid!"
"Do not approach the Grand Preceptor! Do not clash with his sword techniques!"
A chaotic bloodbath was unfolding on the ground below. The murderous intent of the Tenth Sect experts, who had just lost their sect leader, was incredibly fierce. They seemed to believe this was all a joint conspiracy between the Blood Flame Cult and the Tang Clan.
The Blood Flame Cult experts, who had ambushed from all directions, continuously unleashed blood art shockwaves without distinguishing between ally and foe.
The members of the Tang Clan, making their last stand at the Tang Family Pagoda, refused to back down. The Myriad Blossoms Rain scattered through the air alongside various other hidden weapons, blooming gruesome flowers of blood wherever they landed.
The three factions were completely and hopelessly entangled in a chaotic melee.
Right in the center of it all was Jeong Yeon-shin, who was single-handedly slaughtering over a dozen Blood Master Swords.
The violent fluttering of his pitch-black robes seemed to scream of absolute invincibility. None of his opponents could withstand more than two exchanges. They were merely holding him back for a brief moment.
He was carving out a zone of death all by himself.
"There he is."
At the end of the Blood Flame Cult Leader's downward trajectory through the air, the young Grand Preceptor stood waiting.
It was obvious just from the shifting steps of his movement technique. The Cult Leader was trying to shake off Ma Yeon-jeok, who had proven to be a formidable foe, by targeting his weakness.
'Blood Flame Cult Leader.'
Jeong Yeon-shin had already been keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the battle between his maternal grandfather and the Blood Flame Cult Leader.
It wasn't just because he had reached a realm where he could effortlessly slaughter multiple Blood Master Swords without even looking at them.
It was because he was deeply worried about his grandfather, whose earlier words had sounded far too much like a man preparing for his final moments.
Exceptionally powerful individuals were mixed among the Blood Master Swords, closing in.
They were nearly on par with a typical Blue Rank from the Desolate Fortress.
In a great heretical sect of such vast influence, these were the warriors who answered directly to the Cult Leader himself. It would have been stranger if they were weak.
Jeong Yeon-shin considered it a blessing that the Apostles, who were said to be scattered across the various branches of the Central Plains, hadn't had enough time to arrive.
"His left rear is open!"
"Strike!"
Their joint attack was complex, a sword formation infused with the subtle principles of formation arts. Five or six swordsmen pressed from the front, their movements perfectly synchronized—a clear acknowledgment that they were the underdogs.
'What about Lazy Flame Dragon?'
The boy shifted his focus behind him for a moment. He could feel the searing aura of Fervent Yang Energy that belonged to Lazy Flame Dragon. His ally was struggling to break through the Tang Clan experts to reach him.
"Temporary Unit Commander! If you die before I do, I'll kill you with my own hands! Don't you dare get boring on me!"
The warriors of the Tenth Sect fought like fiends. While the majority of the Blood Master Swords pinned down Jeong Yeon-shin, the other experts of the Thirteen Heavens clashed with the Tang Clan. Some even managed to drive their swords into the backs of the Blood Master Swords engaging Jeong Yeon-shin.
It was a chaotic melee. The boy turned his senses forward once more.
Having lost three of their number in the initial clash, the remaining swordsmen had grown exceedingly cautious. The strongest among them kept Jeong Yeon-shin tied down while the others darted around with lightfoot techniques, hurling Thunderbolt Bombs in every direction.
There wasn't just one or two.
Boom, boom, crash!
It was a ruthless tactic, making no distinction between friend and foe. Jeong Yeon-shin gritted his teeth as a sharp pain stung his back. He had instantly unleashed the shockwave of Myriad Blossoms Rain, but he hadn't had enough time to execute it fully.
The impacts accumulated, and internal injuries piled up.
Even so, the boy was a Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress.
Though the relentless explosions forced him to one knee time and again, he continued to carve fear into the faces of his enemies. He slashed their necks with the straight, clean strikes of the Radiant Brilliance Sword Style. With his left hand, he used the Infinite Flower of Time Hand to detonate not only the bodies of his foes but the very air around them.
Snow-white arcs of his sword and the shadows of his palm strikes erupted with overwhelming power. It was a martial art capable of single-handedly confronting the elite of a great sect.
Slash!
The boy slashed upward at the neck of one cultist while preparing for the next assault. He casually dismissed the heavy, dragging sensation in his sword hand.
'He's coming.'
The figure of the Blood Flame Cult Leader, a smooth smile on his face, was swooping down at a sharp angle. His speed was astonishing.
Is this what the Kunlun Sect's legendary Eight Cloud Dragon Forms looks like? The bastard's smile was chilling.
Just then, the Blood Flame Cult Leader's red robes fluttered violently, whipped not by a wind of his own making.
An old man in a purple robe, his expression terrifying, emerged from just behind the Cult Leader's shoulder.
It was Void Flight following Void Treading. He must have detonated his true qi to move with such speed.
Grab!
Ma Yeon-jeok's wrinkled hand seized a fistful of white hair. It happened at the exact moment the Blood Flame Cult Leader, sensing the approach, pierced the old man's abdomen with a hand-blade.
The sound of tearing protective qi and ripping flesh echoed through the air, accompanied by the Blood Flame Cult Leader's wide smile.
"So, I've caught the spry old man. The martial world may have feared you, but this Cult Leader never did. The Ma Clan of the Desolate Fortress lacks resolve."
The two peerless experts fell in that very posture, landing on the ground together with a sharp thud.
"Blood ghost, that stings quite a bit."
The corners of Ma Yeon-jeok's mouth twisted upward. The old man didn't let go of the Blood Flame Cult Leader's head. Though shorter than the noble "blood ghost," he held the man's crown and ignited a spark in his palm like Samadhi True Fire.
It was a blue so cold it was chilling to behold.
"What...?"
Instantly, strength drained from the Blood Flame Cult Leader's body, and he nearly went limp. His eyes, beautiful as red jade, trembled. The Cult Leader felt the full force of the flame—a flame that expelled demons, eradicated evil, and revealed all truth.
No heat could be felt. It was simply, incredibly blue.
This was a martial art taken to its absolute peak.
Using the principles of the Jeong Family Dynamic Art, Ma Yeon-jeok had cast aside all worldly vexations and achieved great completion in his grandson's martial art. The divine dharma power, sparking with deep blue embers that crushed evil and revealed truth, mocked the Blood Flame Cult Leader's vision.
For the first time, the white-haired, peerless beauty's face twisted into a grimace.
Whoosh!
In an instant, deep blue flames erupted. They were immense, large enough to trap the two absolute masters and still burn endlessly.
Before anyone knew it, all movement on the battlefield had ceased. It was a sight that commanded everyone's gaze, forcibly. This was far beyond the realm of mortals. It wasn't even sorcery.
It was a divine skill.
"Leader of the heretical cult."
"Right now, this is...!"
"Aren't you curious about the next world? Reincarnation. You must have studied Buddhist teachings. Didn't you use the Buddha's words to make your heresy sound plausible?"
"No. You cannot! Stop!"
"As the divine sword of the Desolate Fortress, I ascend to the heavens."
Ma Yeon-jeok's voice echoed calmly. The old man slowly continued.
"Shedding this cumbersome husk, I shall carve an immortal name into the world alongside you."
It was as if he had seized the power of his prime and dragged it into the present. A monstrous power surged within his voice. The Blood Flame Cult Leader's voice was just as powerful, but his was laced with sheer horror.
"Dharma power hand art... the Grand Preceptor's...!"
"Grand Preceptor? You are wrong."
Fwoooooosh—!
The blue flames that swallowed the two peerless experts grew even denser. This was the form of great completion. The martial art of the young grandmaster, manifested through the hands of his grandfather.
It appeared before the experts of the great sects, men who lived at the peak of the martial world.
"It is the divine art of the Desolate Fortress's Flash Art."
Within the flame, as deep blue as a comet, the elderly voice echoed. A burning dominance accompanied the weary tone.
Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand.
It pierced the twilight darkness, illuminating the world with the color of the azure sky. The brilliance of a clear sky descending upon the earth was deep and rich. A mystical wave swept across the ground like a gentle breeze.
"Stop! Stop it!"
The Blue Flame burned with a sacred light. In an instant, it swelled to the size of a house, seeming poised to pierce the very heavens.
The once-alluring, beautiful voice had turned into a blood-curdling shriek.