"Rumor has it that the Little Immortal commands three true fire divine abilities. This black flame doesn't seem to be one of them. Could it be a new flame he's testing on us?"
With this thought, he kept his eyes fixed on the black flame.
The Samadhi True Fire, capable of burning essence, spirit, and energy, even affected one's perception. The Wood Island Master was entirely unaware that the other battle had already concluded.
As the Samadhi True Fire approached, it didn't take on any extraordinary shapes. It remained a seemingly ordinary flame, yet it exuded an overwhelming sense of dread.
Seeing the black flame nearing, the Wood Island Master let out a shout and unleashed the two fist imprints.
It was as if the void itself trembled.
The two fist imprints descended with earth-shattering force, finally revealing their latent dominance. They were no weaker than the Dragon Island Master's Sword Dao of Slaughter.
This was the path the Wood Island Master had comprehended from the stone wall's martial art, inspired by the phrase "The Five Peaks Bow Lightly."
Heavy as the Five Peaks, held within one's palm.
The Wood Island Master's eyes gleamed, and even the Dragon Island Master held a glimmer of hope.
In the next instant, both were dumbfounded.
Ning Changge watched with a smile, his eyes gleaming with insight. With a simple hand seal, the Samadhi True Fire surged, transforming into fiery chains that tightly bound the two fist imprints.
All the terrifying momentum dissipated in an instant.
Cold sweat dripped from the Wood Island Master's brow. He frantically channeled his true energy, but no matter how much he poured into it, the black flame incinerated it instantly, as if it had never existed.
The two green fist imprints slowly disintegrated.
Only a faint green glow escaped, which the Wood Island Master quickly retrieved. His face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with shock as he looked at Ning Changge.
"How is this possible?! What kind of divine ability is this?"
Moments ago, he had felt as if a Land Immortal's true energy was as fragile as straw before the black flame, incinerated in an instant.
A sense of reverence arose within him.
Had Ning Changge not shown mercy, his path would have been destroyed, leaving him unable to progress further.
As the black flame dissipated and his perception returned, the Wood Island Master glanced at the Dragon Island Master and saw his old friend in the same state—blood at the corner of his mouth, face pale, and eyes filled with shock.
In mere moments, the two of them, working together, had been subdued by the young Daoist before them.
Realizing this, the Dragon and Wood Island Masters exchanged bitter smiles, inwardly drawing sharp breaths.
They were left in stunned silence.
Huang Yaoshi and the others, meanwhile, were utterly dumbfounded.
What had they just witnessed?
The two Land Immortal masters of Xia Ke Island, working together, had been subdued by Ning Changge in mere moments!
Judging by Ning Changge's relaxed demeanor, it was clear he hadn't even exerted himself. The black flame was unimaginably terrifying!
"Samadhi True Fire… this Immortal Dao divine ability is truly terrifying!"
"Changge is a genius beyond compare. There's likely no one in the world who can match him!"
The first thought echoed in Huang Yaoshi's mind, while the second slipped from his lips as a spontaneous exclamation.
The others nodded in agreement.
"I used to think the stories about the Little Immortal slaying two Land Immortals on Mount Zhongnan were exaggerated. I suspected there might have been some hidden factors."
"But now, it's clear—it was pure, overwhelming strength!"
"This is far more terrifying than most of the rumors!"
"What a pity that only we were here to witness it."
The disciples of Peach Blossom Island looked at Ning Changge with reverence, as if gazing upon a living deity.
Huang Rong's eyes sparkled with admiration and adoration.
Hearing about something and witnessing it firsthand were entirely different experiences.
The Jianghu was prone to exaggeration.
Many had speculated that Ning Changge must have used some underhanded method to weaken the two Land Immortals on Mount Zhongnan. But after witnessing this sparring match, they realized the truth.
There had been no tricks.
It was pure, absolute dominance!
It was even more terrifying than they had imagined. They could now picture the shock and disbelief the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian and the Living Buddha must have felt in their final moments.
The Dragon and Wood Island Masters exchanged bitter smiles, unable to comprehend Ning Changge's immense power. The black flame, in particular, left them deeply unsettled.
At this moment, their attitudes underwent a complete transformation. Bowing deeply, they said in unison:
"Thank you, Little Immortal, for showing mercy!"
Previously, their respect for Ning Changge had been driven by their need for his help. Now, it stemmed from genuine awe.
With such strength, even in a life-and-death battle, they would stand no chance. The only question would be how long they could hold out.
Reflecting on their earlier irritation at Ning Changge's perceived arrogance, they felt a pang of embarrassment.
Ning Changge's demeanor wasn't arrogance—it was simply a statement of fact.
To him, their favor likely held little value, useful only for minor errands. With his strength, his self-created divine abilities might even surpass the stone wall's martial art.
Their hearts swelled with admiration.
Both were seekers of the Dao.
But while they followed the paths of their predecessors, Ning Changge was forging his own. They realized that Ning Changge's divine abilities were likely his own creations, born from years of study in the Library Pavilion. With their prejudices gone, they looked at Ning Changge with newfound respect.
In the Dao, seniority mattered little. Those who achieved mastery were the true teachers.
Though they had lived several times Ning Changge's lifespan, they couldn't match his understanding.