With the cry of the Flame Bird, terrifying flames surged around it, rushing towards the emerald green ripples without holding back.
Bi Qing was already heavily injured, his face instantly turning ashen. He had finally entered Tongtian Academy, expecting to reach the Saint realm and bring glory to his ancestors. He never imagined he would suffer such a severe blow from this Flame Bird today. If he were to perish at its hands, he would die with deep regret.
"Senior Sister, don't panic, I'm here to save you!"
Lu Fan stepped forward, arriving beside Bi Qing in an instant, intending to forcefully block the Flame Bird.
"You are no match for it. This Flame Bird is a half-Saint beast. You must not underestimate it here."
Bi Qing hurriedly warned, "This has nothing to do with you, hurry and leave!"
Unfortunately, Lu Fan did not agree. In that fleeting moment, a surge of flame power from his palm forcefully collided with the Flame Bird. Su Dan Novel Network
Boom...
With a resounding boom, the Flame Bird was violently repelled, its fiery feathers gradually falling off, as if this blow had inflicted internal injuries.
"You beast, although you have reached the half-Saint beast level, your strength is ultimately a little lacking."
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "How dare you be so arrogant in Tongtian Academy? Today, I shall subdue you!"
The Flame Bird let out a roar, showing no signs of compromise towards Lu Fan. It seemed extremely unwilling that Lu Fan had trespassed into its territory.
Bi Qing stood stunned, somewhat incredulous. He had been worried that Lu Fan would be severely injured, but now it seemed he had worried unnecessarily. Not only was Lu Fan unharmed, but he had also managed to repel the Flame Bird.
He knew very well that the Flame Bird was a half-Saint beast. The fact that Lu Fan could repel it was enough to show the immense strength of his cultivation.
"Junior Brother, you must be careful. That Flame Bird is no ordinary demonic beast," Bi Qing reminded him again.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. No matter what it is, it will perish here today!"
With that, Lu Fan stepped forward forcefully, charging towards the Flame Bird. For some reason, he felt that within the Flame Bird's body lay something he needed.
Bi Qing had intended to help, but seeing Lu Fan fighting with such ease, as if he didn't take the Flame Bird seriously at all, he was momentarily stunned.
Within the entire Eastern Courtyard, his strength was already top-tier, having reached the half-Saint realm. Even he could not easily subdue the Flame Bird, yet Lu Fan was gaining the upper hand. This meant Lu Fan's strength had reached the half-Saint level, or perhaps even more terrifying.
Boom...
Another deafening sound, and the Flame Bird was struck down by Lu Fan's punch, finally losing its life force. However, within its body, there was still a continuous flow of flame power.
"Old man, what's going on?" Lu Fan asked the Hong Meng old man. "Why do I feel a Saint Fire aura within this Flame Bird?"
"The Flame Bird devoured the Thunderous Blazing Flame!"
The Hong Meng old man stated, "This is the Saint Fire ranked twenty-eighth on the Saint Fire Ranking, ten places higher than the White Lotus Saint Fire!"
"Thunderous Blazing Flame?"
Lu Fan's face lit up with joy. If that were the case, he had encountered a great opportunity today. After all, Saint Fires were extremely rare. Now that he could obtain another Saint Fire, he could increase his cultivation by absorbing it.
"Thank you, Junior Brother, for your assistance!"
Bi Qing quickly cupped his fists. "Since you killed this Blazing Flame Bird, the Blazing Flame Sacred Sword it guarded now belongs to you."
"Blazing Flame Sacred Sword?"
Lu Fan was somewhat surprised, but he saw Bi Qing approach the Flame Bird's lair and draw out a long sword, his eyes filled with affection.
To obtain the Blazing Flame Sacred Sword, he had dealt with the Blazing Flame Bird several times, but without success. If Lu Fan had not appeared in time this time, he would likely have met his end.
"You may not know this, but in our Eastern Courtyard, to obtain a Sacred Artifact, one must defeat the Sacred Beast guarding it," Bi Qing explained frankly. "The Blazing Flame Bird guarded the Blazing Flame Sacred Sword! Therefore, this sword belongs to you!"
"So, within a forest, there are many Sacred Beasts. Normally, they won't attack people? Only when one enters their territory will they attack?" Lu Fan asked, a little surprised.
"That's right. I've been here several times, but each time ended in failure. I just didn't expect that Junior Brother could defeat it." Bi Qing nodded slightly, a hint of envy in his expression.
"I see!"
Lu Fan finally understood and smiled. "As the saying goes, a gentleman loves wealth, but he obtains it righteously. I will not take what others cherish."
"What does Junior Brother mean by that?" Bi Qing was slightly taken aback.
"Since Senior Sister likes it, you can take it," Lu Fan stated directly. "I will not compete with Senior Sister for anything, moreover, my actions just now were to save Senior Sister, not to obtain a Sacred Artifact."
"But this is a Sacred Sword!" Bi Qing said earnestly. "Are you truly willing to give this Sacred Artifact to me?"
"Didn't you just say that there are many Sacred Swords in this forest? If I truly wanted it, I would just go and take it," Lu Fan shrugged.
"Sacred Swords are guarded by half-Saint beasts, and some are even true Saint beasts," Bi Qing stated. "It's not that easy to obtain them."
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister!" Lu Fan nodded slightly, but he didn't seem to pay it much mind. In his opinion, these were not significant matters. If he were to claim the Sacred Sword for himself, he would feel rather uneasy.
Bi Qing felt a little awkward. He was quite fond of the Blazing Flame Sacred Sword, but he didn't want to take it from Lu Fan, as he knew very well that the sword did not belong to him.
"Senior Sister, you don't need to feel pressured. I'm not interested in this Blazing Flame Sacred Sword," Lu Fan said directly. "If you truly feel embarrassed, then consider it a favor owed to me. When the opportunity arises, you can repay me."
"Junior Brother, rest assured, from now on, no matter what you need, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!" Bi Qing quickly cupped his fists. "Even... even if you have feelings for me..."
"I'm not that kind of person, Senior Sister, don't overthink it," Lu Fan said with an awkward smile.
"It was my overthinking!" Bi Qing's face flushed slightly. "But no matter what, I must thank Junior Brother."
Lu Fan nodded slightly and turned to leave. However, he did not return to the cultivation pavilion but instead searched for the Flame Bird's corpse. The Flame Bird's interior contained the Thunderous Blazing Flame, which was what Lu Fan truly desired. He would not easily miss such a valuable item. Ranked twenty-eighth on the Saint Fire Ranking, its power must be extraordinary. If he could absorb it, it would also increase his cultivation in the future.
Upon finding the Flame Bird's corpse, Lu Fan forcefully absorbed the Thunderous Blazing Flame into his body. At the same time, he sat cross-legged, intending to suppress it. His strength had greatly increased, so the Saint Fire posed little threat to him now.