The First Venerable of All Paths

"Seven heads, third tier; three heads, fourth tier!"

Fang Xuan's expression turned serious.

Once the Fire-Eating Insect reaches the third tier, it will undergo a fundamental change.

Ordinary flames, they can be swallowed whole in a single bite.

When their numbers become large enough, even subterranean fire cannot defeat them.

As for the fourth tier, the threat posed by Heavenly Fire to them will become even lower.

Furthermore, fourth-tier fire-eating worms can even grow stronger by harnessing the power of heavenly fire while fighting.

Once a Fire-Eating Insect reaches the fourth rank, it will search everywhere for traces of Heavenly Fire and devour it to strengthen itself.

In ancient times, the Fire-Eating Celestial Worm was the most feared creature by countless alchemists.

For the Fire-Eating Heavenly Worm, every alchemist is a walking delicacy.

Fang Xuan possessed two heavenly flames, which these fire-eating celestial insects considered to be extremely rare tonics.

He glanced at Li Guanlan, who was still recovering, and quickly made a decision.

"Instead of waiting to be killed, we should take the initiative."

If they stayed here, both he and Li Guanlan could be in danger if the Fire-Eating Heavenly Worms managed to break through.

The fire-eating cricket is not invincible.

They only restrain the Heavenly Fire, but Fang Xuan has more than just the Heavenly Fire as a trump card.

Fang Xuan quickly set up a small array to protect Li Guanlan, then got up and walked towards the cave entrance.

"Click-clack!"

With the sword formation broken, an even larger and more ferocious Fire-Eating Heavenly Worm transformed into a black lightning bolt and charged towards Fang Xuan.

"court death!"

Fang Xuan's eyes turned cold, and he pointed out with a finger.

"Sizzle!"

Sword energy burst forth from his fingertips, instantly killing the third-tier Fire-Eating Heavenly Worm.

"Buzzing!"

More fire-eating worms roared in, numbering in the hundreds.

But Fang Xuan was faster.

With a wave of his hand, countless sword energies burst forth from the innate sword box, forming a sword curtain that protected him within.

At the same time, Fang Xuan, wielding the Phoenix Cry Sword, unleashed a flurry of sword shadows, slaying all the Fire-Eating Heavenly Worms.

Compared to the Azure Lotus Sword, the Phoenix Cry Sword is more powerful and sharper.

In particular, the immortal phoenix power contained within it also exerts a certain bloodline suppression on these fire-eating celestial insects.

In the blink of an eye, Fang Xuan had completely wiped out the fire-eating worms that had flooded into the cave.

It also includes two third-order fire-eating celestial worms.

Fang Xuan stepped out of the cave and stood at the entrance with his sword in his hand.

With a loud crash, the boulder fell, completely blocking the cave entrance.

Outside, all was darkness.

In the deep darkness of the night, Fang Xuan could hear the sound of wings vibrating in the air.

Fire-eating crickets, densely packed, numbering in the thousands.

This is a gregarious insect, and given its extremely fast reproduction rate, it's normal for it to be numerous.

But Fang Xuan showed no fear.

Holding the Phoenix Cry Sword, he continuously unleashed sharp sword energy to slay the Fire-Eating Heavenly Worms.

Fang Xuan's sword strikes were fast, but the number of Fire-Eating Heavenly Worms was too great.

In particular, the three fourth-tier fire-eating celestial worms did not appear at this moment, as if they were looking for an opportunity.

"Do you want to wear me down?"

Fang Xuan's eyes flashed with killing intent, and the sword energy around him grew increasingly fierce.

Li Guanlan once said that the Valley of the Dead is extremely dangerous at night, and the longer one stays there, the more likely something bad will happen.

Fang Xuan didn't want to waste time.

He wanted a quick victory.

"Sing!"

With a sword cry, the misty blue Azure Lotus Sword reappeared beside Fang Xuan, and he grabbed it.

Holding the sword with both hands, Fang Xuan's internal sword bones trembled wildly.

"Buzzing!"

One after another, streaks of cyan and crimson sword energy burst forth from the two longswords, hovering around Fang Xuan.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of sword energies appeared, arranged like soldiers in battle formation, their sword aura chilling.

"Return to Nothingness Sword Formation, Slash!"

Fang Xuan used his divine soul power to control the sword formation, wielding the God-Slaying Spear, and charged into the dense swarm of insects.

At this moment, Fang Xuan unleashed his full spiritual power, searching with all his might for those fourth-tier alien insects.

Fire-eating worms that reach the fourth rank in strength are known as the Insect King and can command swarms of insects.

Only by killing them can these fire-eating worms be deterred and driven away.

With the Guixu Sword Formation combined with the Killing God Spear, Fang Xuan was like a killing god, and no alien insect could get close.

Touch it and you will die!

"Ding ding ding!"

Suddenly, three fire-eating worms, several times larger than themselves, rushed toward Fang Xuan with incredible speed, attempting to break through the sword energy.

It's not that these fire-eating worms are fearless of death.

It was the aura of heavenly fire within Fang Xuan's body that drove them mad and made them fearless of death.

"A hundred battles in reincarnation!"

Fang Xuan flicked his spear, creating a flurry of spear flowers, and pierced through the three-headed Fire-Eating Heavenly Worm.

At that moment, a strong sense of crisis suddenly arose in Fang Xuan's heart.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Xuan launched a counterattack, his spear surging with murderous aura, accurately piercing a giant insect the size of a fist.

"A fourth-tier fire-eating celestial worm!"

Fang Xuan's heart sank.

This fourth-tier alien insect was not the usual black; several golden lines had appeared on its shell.

If Fang Xuan hadn't possessed extraordinary eyesight and been empowered by his divine soul, he would have almost failed to notice that his opponent was launching a sneak attack from behind.

The Fire-Eating Insect King was not killed by Fang Xuan's shot. It shook its head and charged at Fang Xuan again.

"A hundred kills turn to frost!"

Fang Xuan's expression was icy, and a sharp, sinister spear light instantly enveloped the insect king.

"Click click click!"

No matter how hard the insect king's shell was, it began to crumble inch by inch under the strangulation of the sharp spear light, and was finally pierced through by Fang Xuan's spear.

"Thump!"

At the same time, another insect king crashed directly into Fang Xuan's sword formation.

The sword formation shook violently, and the immense force forced Fang Xuan to stagger back several steps.

But the Phoenix Cry Sword let out a phoenix cry, splitting off a wisp of sword energy that severed one of the insect king's wings.

The Insect King fell to the ground with a thud, trying to struggle and fly away, but it couldn't manage it at all.

Fang Xuan originally intended to finish off the insect king with a final shot.

However, the last Tier 3 alien insect and the Tier 4 insect king, along with a large number of alien insects, rushed towards Fang Xuan.

"Um?"

Fang Xuan was taken aback, then sneered, "A death throes!"

Fang Xuan planted his spear in the ground and formed a sword seal with his hands.

"Sword cleaves through the peaks!"

Sword energy erupted, slashing towards the swarm of insects.

In particular, the two alien insects of the third and fourth tiers were pointed at by the Phoenix Cry Azure Lotus Twin Swords, their killing intent unparalleled.

"Ding ding ding!"

The two fire-eating worms were still trying to resist.

But no matter how fast they are, they can't outrun Fang Xuan's natal flying sword.

Where the heart leads, the sword points.

"laugh!"

The Fire-Eating Insect's hard shell was instantly pierced by the sword energy, killing it on the spot.

Upon seeing this, the other alien insects began to retreat, as if they had been intimidated.

Just when Fang Xuan thought they would retreat, an unexpected scene unfolded.

"Buzzing!"

The Fire-Eating Insects began to become agitated and even more frenzied.

They rushed desperately in the same direction, surrounding a golden-red insect.

"A...a fifth-tier Insect Emperor?!"

Fang Xuan's expression changed drastically, and a rare look of fear appeared in his eyes.

A fifth-tier fire-eating celestial worm is equivalent to a human powerhouse at the Divine Realm.

However, it has a natural suppressive effect on Fang Xuan, who is burdened with heavenly fire.

With just one bite, he could turn Fang Xuan into a dried-up corpse!

"Walk!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Xuan prepared to leave on his sword.

The moment this thought crossed Fang Xuan's mind, he was jolted awake.

Because he discovered that he couldn't move at all.

My body felt as if it were bound and restricted by some strange force, and I couldn't even move my fingers.

Moreover, a chilling, evil, and eerie aura is rapidly approaching from afar.

Fang Xuan looked up and his pupils suddenly contracted.

In his vision, a grayish-white mist was spreading wildly from the end of the darkness.

Wherever it passed, sand and gravel turned to dust.

All the vegetation and flowers that were visible during the day were instantly stripped of their vitality.

"This is... a strange wind!"

Fang Xuan's voice was somewhat bitter, containing immense fear.

Strange winds and weak waters are known as the two great natural disasters.

Where the strange wind passes, all life is lost.

In the Weak Water, all spirits dissolve.

Fang Xuan never expected that this legendary natural disaster, the strange wind, would actually appear here.

"Buzzing!"

The fire-eating celestial insects also knew the power of the strange wind, and immediately flew to a more distant place under the leadership of the insect king.

Even Fang Xuan, who possessed the Heavenly Fire, couldn't care less.

As for Fang Xuan, unable to move, he could only watch helplessly as the strange wind approached.

"There must be a way, there must be!"

Fang Xuan was so anxious that he broke out in a sweat.

All the power within his body surged wildly, trying to break free from the force that was binding him.

"No!"

Fang Xuan's voice trembled slightly.

Heavenly fire is useless.

Even the sword bone was useless.

Seeing that the strange wind was less than a meter away from Fang Xuan, Fang Xuan hardened his heart.

"Chaotic Holy Body, get moving!"

With a low shout in his heart, Fang Xuan's Nine-Turn Golden Pill began to operate wildly.

Purple chaotic essence flowed out like a tide, surrounding Fang Xuan.

The Chaos Saint Body, wielding power over all paths!

No matter how strange or terrifying the wind may be, the Chaos Holy Body should be able to maintain its power for some time.

"call!"

The moment the Chaos Sacred Body was activated, a strange wind howled past.

Fang Xuan felt an indescribable power envelop his body.

It was chilling, eerie, and suffocating.

"call!"

Two flames appeared, protecting Fang Xuan.

However, under the strange wind, the two heavenly fires could not even last two breaths before retreating into their dantian.

Fortunately, the primordial chaos barely withstood these strange winds.

But Fang Xuan still sensed a cold and eerie power attempting to break through the power of the chaotic origin and erase all his life force.

Even the power of the soul is frozen by the eerie and chilling wind.

Fang Xuan changed the hand seals, and golden patterns appeared all over his body.

"Buzz!"

Golden light burst forth, completely blocking out all the strange winds.

Too bad it didn't last long.

After a short time, the power of the primordial chaos began to weaken rapidly.

The golden light and patterns gradually dimmed.

"Are we nearing our limit?"

A hint of resentment appeared in Fang Xuan's eyes.

"We can't give up like this!"

Fang Xuan's mind raced, trying to find a way to break the deadlock.

Suddenly, Fang Xuan thought of the fragments of the array diagram in his dantian.

"This is a fragment of an imperial weapon. Although its power has been weakened considerably, it should still be able to withstand the strange wind."

Just as Fang Xuan was about to summon the fragments of the Three Thousand Array Diagram to protect himself.

A blinding ray of light suddenly pierced the darkness.

The light arrived extremely quickly, instantly turning the entire Valley of the Dead into daylight.

The omnipresent strange wind vanished completely under the light.

"Is it dawn?"

Fang Xuan was somewhat taken aback.

At the same time, he found that his body had regained its mobility, but it had reached its limit.

Fang Xuan plopped down on the ground, panting heavily.

"That was close."

Fang Xuan wiped away his sweat, looking like he had just escaped a disaster.

"I almost died here."

Fang Xuan licked his dry lips and murmured, "Fire-eating Heavenly Worm, Strange Wind, what exactly is this Valley of Death?"