Watching the spiritual light screen, Xia Ya's figure gradually faded into the distance.
At this mont, everyone was silently hoping that Xia Ya would suddenly pull out so trump card at the last second and stage a miraculous coback.
Even though he was up against dozens of arsonists alone—including a Third-Ring among them—which made the idea seem utterly impossible, that wish was undeniably present in everyone’s hearts.
But it didn’t happen.
The thin figure in the light screen simply walked step by step toward the pitch-black altar.
The mont he approached, the altar seed to be suddenly provoked.
A far more intense and profound black fla erupted, surpassing any previous reaction it had displayed when attacked.
The pitch-black fire surged violently, dancing around Xia Ya as if craving sothing.
It was as if, to these flas, Xia Ya was an irresistible delicacy.
Tendrils of black fire licked at his body, scorching his skin.
Previously, even the elite mbers of the student council had been rendered unconscious the instant they made contact with these flas. But despite being in a far more dangerous situation than them, Xia Ya remained calm.
He ignored the flas and simply continued forward.
Soon, his thin figure disappeared into the altar, now engulfed by the black flas.
The dark fire roared, surging wildly.
Not only did it block the Void Eye’s vision, but it also obscured the sight of the arsonists present.
…
“Will Xia Ya… die?”
Among the students, soone couldn’t help but ask.
No one answered.
Everyone remained silent, staring at the light screen.
But on the screen, aside from the black flas forming a crown-like inferno, there was nothing else.
Sowhere in the crowd, the quiet sound of a girl sobbing could be heard.
After a mont of silence, a solemn voice rang out.
"You have fought the good fight..."
"You have finished the race..."
"You have kept the faith..."
A professor, seemingly a follower of the Church, took out a pure silver scale from his robes.
It was the emblem of the Goddess of Justice and Judgnt in the Church of Dawn.
He gently bowed his head, cradling the silver scale in both hands, and traced a cross over his chest.
"Xia Ya Egut."
"From this day forward, a crown of righteousness shall be reserved for you..."
…
Everything happening at the burning site was, of course, noticed by the three Fourth-Ring Masters battling in the distance.
"Haha!"
"Zieg, Kahn…"
"I really should be thanking you two."
Even though his Molten Giant was on the verge of collapse, with its shoulders and head shattered, and its left arm torn off by Colonel Zieg’s Giant Bear, the Ashen Order's Pontiff still couldn't help but grin.
After all, seeing Xia Ya walk into the black flas without resistance ant that the fire sacrant was about to be completed.
Even if all the Ashen followers sent to the Fresta Imperial Capital perished, it would still be worth it.
On the other side, where Kahn and Colonel Zieg had the upper hand, neither of them looked the least bit victorious.
"Righteousness, courage, fearlessness..."
"For such a talent to fall here before he even has a chance to grow—it’s truly a waste."
"Given ti, he could have reached the Titled level, perhaps even beco a Legendary… a future pillar of the Empire."
Beside the earth-toned Monarch-tier War Bear, Colonel Zieg looked equally grim.
From a results standpoint, sacrificing one person to ensure the safety of hundreds of academy students was an undeniable rit.
Once he reported this to the Military Departnt, he might even be rewarded.
But—if viewed from the Empire’s perspective as a whole…
Hundreds of ordinary students couldn’t compare to a single potential Legendary.
A Legendary Beastmaster—
That was the pinnacle of the entire Western Continent.
Due to their rarity, every single Legendary was a focal point of power, and even a simple statent from one could shift the balance of the entire continent.
For any force, no matter how small it was before, the mont it produced a Legendary, it would instantly rise to the ranks of the Western Continent’s elite powers.
This was why the Church of Dawn, the Fresta Empire, the White Chalk Tower, the Shadow Council, and other extraordinary organizations held such unparalleled influence—because they had always had Legendaries standing among them. In fact, the Church and the Empire often had more than one at a ti.
"Yes, in all my years of teaching, I’ve never seen a Beastmaster talent quite like Xia Ya’s."
A trace of deep regret flickered in Professor Kahn’s eyes.
Unlike the other students and teachers, he knew Xia Ya fairly well.
Back in Xia Ya’s first year, he frequently ca to ask him questions, seemingly trying to use alchemy to create so kind of explosive talisman. It had left quite an impression on him.
"Xia Ya?"
Hearing the na, Colonel Zieg suddenly froze.
"His full na—is it Xia Ya Egut?"
"Yes, Xia Ya Egut. Why?"
Professor Kahn nodded, puzzled.
"It’s nothing." Colonel Zieg seed to realize sothing, his eyes flashing with understanding.
"Xia Ya Egut… I see. No wonder Her Highness's contingency plan has yet to activate."
His gaze returned to the battlefield.
"In that case, maybe so unexpected developnts are still yet to co…"
…
"Why do I feel like soone’s cursing to death?"
"And judging by the frequency, it’s more than just one or two people."
Xia Ya sneezed, his expression darkening slightly.
He was deep inside the pitch-black altar, surrounded by the increasingly fervent black flas.
Though his soul’s strength far surpassed that of the student council mbers, even he could feel the burning sensation searing into his very core.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before his soul and body were reduced to ashes—becoming the very sacrifice those arsonists envisioned.
"Ridiculous. I’ve seen a real Evil God in its sealed state. Do you think I’d be afraid of so commotion caused by a re severed finger bone?"
Xia Ya let out a cold laugh and retrieved a Mithril Box from his Spatial Pocket.
It was the Twilight Corrupted Object he had intercepted earlier in Resa City.
Originally, that corrupted object had completely lost its aura and sentience after activating the Historical Echo of the Cangting Ancient Kingdom.
However, when he used Illusion Arts to soothe the out-of-control Sylvia in the Historical Echo, he had also taken the opportunity to replenish the object’s aura and sentience—sealing it once again inside the Mithril Box.
Sure enough.
The mont the Mithril Box was opened—
The black flas, which had been greedily licking at Xia Ya, eager to consu both his body and soul, suddenly hesitated.
Then, like a territorial beast sensing an intruder, they completely abandoned Xia Ya and surged madly toward the Stone Statue inside the Mithril Box.
Zzzzz—
A burning sound crackled as the dim yellow glow of the corrupted object clashed against the pitch-black flas, the two auras eroding each other.
Of course, compared to the dominant black flas, the dim yellow glow was clearly weaker in volu. Within seconds, it would be completely devoured.
But even so, it had bought Xia Ya several seconds of ti.
"As expected, you still have to use magic to defeat magic."
The overwhelming black flas, along with the soul-burning agony, vanished entirely.
At the sa ti, Xia Ya caught sight of sothing deep within the altar—
A massive, withered, and emaciated finger bone that bore no resemblance to anything human.
And in his mind, a system prompt flashed—
[Left Finger Bone of the Ashen King]
[Category: Corrupted Object | Transcendent Material]
[Tier: Sixth Tier]
[Attributes: Fire | Darkness | Curse]
[Description: No blood, No bone, No ash]
…
[A fire source matching Silver’s skill prototype "Amaterasu" has been detected. Would you like to complete the skill prototype?]
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