Xi Ren Yuan Jun, naturally not someone who doesn't understand reason, immediately gritted her teeth and did her best to unleash her Netherworld Cold Fire to burn the great formation.
After Xi Ren Yuan Jun went all out, the formation began to dissolve at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Wan Lei was shocked, thinking how powerful Xi Ren Yuan Jun's Netherworld Cold Fire was, truly capable of burning anything.
This had already surpassed the scope of physical attacks; it was directly burning the formation's patterns and Dao rhymes like unraveling silk. No matter how exquisite the formation was, a hole could be poked through it, leading to the formation's complete collapse.
Wan Lei immediately began to set up the third formation, and by this time, the first formation had already been broken.
Seeing that the Netherworld Cold Fire was indeed effective, the Phoenix then generously channeled its cultivation to Xi Ren Yuan Jun, helping her burn the formation.
In this matter, the three sworn enemies truly acted with a common hatred, united as one.
Empowered by the Phoenix's assistance, Xi Ren Yuan Jun's divine might surged, and she burned the second formation at an even faster pace.
Seeing that the enemy's formation-breaking speed was even surpassing his own formation-laying speed, coupled with the burning of Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu's Heart Fire, Wan Lei grew increasingly anxious. Dense beads of sweat formed on his forehead under his mask, and he became more restless.
Wan Lei laid formations, while Xi Ren Yuan Jun broke them. Furthermore, after the initial awkwardness, she was now becoming more proficient, her formation-breaking speed increasing with each passing moment.
Finally, just as Wan Lei finished setting up the eighteenth formation, Xi Ren Yuan Jun broke through the seventeenth, and the Netherworld Cold Fire then struck the eighteenth.
The formation was dissolving at an extremely rapid pace. Wan Lei gritted his teeth and took out another formation bead, preparing to set it up.
Upon seeing his action, the Phoenix let out a sharp cry, spread its wings, and soared upwards, crashing into the formation.
The Molten Giant Phoenix's body was composed of extremely hard rock. With its cultivation erupting, its speed was immense. It smashed through the formation with its head and then collided with Wan Lei.
Wan Lei felt as if a mountain had crashed upon him. He immediately spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward.
"Go, ignore these two brats. Their attacks can't cause us much harm. Let's kill Li Mei Xian first."
The Phoenix turned and dove towards the center of the battlefield, with Xi Ren Yuan Jun and Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu immediately following.
Those two brats' attacks were not particularly strong, but their defense was high, and their methods were unpredictable. Continuing to entangle with them would likely waste more time. Li Mei Xian was the priority.
The Phoenix led the charge towards Li Mei Xian. The old man was also constantly monitoring the situation here. Seeing the enemy approaching, he immediately abandoned his enlightenment and turned to face them.
The old man raised his palm, and three fire lotuses flew out, directly charging towards the three enemies.
The Phoenix, with its thick skin, withstood the explosion of the fire lotuses and, opening its mouth, spewed a pillar of fire towards the old man.
A fire lotus materialized in front of the old man, desperately resisting the Phoenix's attack. Meanwhile, Xi Ren Yuan Jun and Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu had maneuvered behind him.
With a wave of her hand, Xi Ren Yuan Jun sent a large bird formed from Netherworld Cold Fire hurtling towards the old man.
Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu's eyes blazed with pink flames, directly burning into the old man's heart.
The old man's strength was inferior to the veteran powerhouse, the Phoenix. At this moment, resisting the Phoenix required all his might. When Xi Ren Yuan Jun's Azure Bird struck him, he had no capacity to defend.
The Azure Bird crashed into the old man and exploded behind him. The old man's back was immediately torn and bloody, and he himself spat blood, falling forward.
The Phoenix seized the opportunity to break through the old man's fire lotus defense, and a pillar of fire struck him.
The old man crashed heavily onto the ground. He barely managed to stabilize himself, and without even raising his head, he raised his hand and covered himself with a lotus.
The three powerful figures roared towards the old man from three directions. Wan Lei and Fang Xiao Yu desperately attacked Xi Ren Yuan Jun and Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu but were repelled by each of the women's fiery attacks.
The Phoenix then swooped down, its claws transforming into two fire dragons that struck the old man directly. The old man blocked one but could not stop the other, and was once again sent flying.
The outcome of the battle had been determined from the very beginning.
Wan Lei's side was utterly defeated, crushed by the enemy.
There was a reason the old man had been timid before.
He was truly weak.
Perhaps if he faced newcomers like Xi Ren Yuan Jun and Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu alone, he could fight to a draw. But now, he faced three powerful experts. Let alone three, even the Phoenix alone could easily defeat him.
As for Wan Lei and Fang Xiao Yu, two mere Nascent Souls, even if they performed beyond their limits and could barely defeat a peak Mahayana stage Xi Ren Jun, they were still crushed when facing Tribulation Transcenders.
The battle strengths were severely imbalanced from the start. Even with all of Wan Lei's tricks, he could not make up for the gap in power.
A free-for-all ensued.
Rather than a free-for-all, it was one side ravaging the other.
Wan Lei used the Thunder Sea, the Invoke Wind and Rain, and the Blood Demon Art.
These techniques could play a significant role when facing opponents slightly stronger than oneself, allowing one to equalize the disadvantage and defeat enemies.
However, when facing opponents who could completely crush you, these attrition tactics were completely ineffective.
This time, the opponents matched for Wan Lei and Fang Xiao Yu by the Immortals were a bit too strong.
The Thunder Sea was shattered by the Phoenix.
The Invoke Wind was forcefully pushed back by Xi Ren Yuan Jun.
The Rain that was summoned, the torrential downpour, not only failed to extinguish the flames but was directly evaporated.
As for the Blood Demon Art, it was laughable. If even Xi Ren Jun could break it, what hope did these current powerhouses have?
Merely an hour after the battle began.
Wan Lei and Fang Xiao Yu were already heavily injured.
The old man fared even worse.
The surrounding swordsmen remained silent. Their role model had been defeated so shamelessly by the combined efforts of the three powerhouses.
Fighting three against one, it was not unusual to lose.
After all, they were all long-established great powers.
If one person fought three others, then there would be no such thing as great powers.
Wan Lei had been keeping an eye on Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu. Previously, it had only been the Phoenix and Xi Ren Yuan Jun occasionally attacking them, while Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu had been dealing with the old man, seemingly without much effect.
At the height of the battle, a cold smile flickered across Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu's lips. She murmured,
"Explode!"
On the old man's chest, without any warning, pink flames began to burn.
That was... Heart Fire.
Heart Fire eruption meant certain death!
The old man fell.
"Old man!"
Wan Lei cried out in shock and immediately flew to the old man's side with Fang Xiao Yu. Wan Lei quickly set up a formation to protect them.
"Old man, how are you? How can we save you?"
Wan Lei fumbled through his storage bag, desperately searching for any pills that could save the old man.
"It's useless... Stop looking. With Heart Fire erupting, anyone will succumb. Even if I survive, I'll be unable to fight, and we will still be killed by the enemy.
It is I who am too weak, my Dao heart not firm enough. My death is no one's fault. When I stepped out, I knew I couldn't defeat the three of them."
"Is there no way? There must be a way to save him."
Wan Lei frowned deeply.
"There is a way. Isn't your mission to help Li Mei Xian obtain the Holy Fire inheritance?"
"Yes."
"You... can still live."
"What do you mean?"
A sense of foreboding suddenly gripped Wan Lei's heart.
"Because... Li Mei Xian was never alone."