Chapter 21: Infernal Showdown

Chapter 21: Infernal Showdown

Jiang Lei was furious, and wanted to find the owner of the voice and teach it a lesson. But now was not the time to act rashly, he had to calm down and concentrate on dealing with the crisis at hand.

Three fiery red lights swirled around Jiang Lei, emitting a suffocating pressure. Jiang Lei took a deep breath, mobilized all his spiritual power, and prepared for a desperate fight. He knew that this would be a battle of life and death, and a small mistake could result in his death.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh

The red light suddenly accelerated, turning into three streams of light, whizzing towards Jiang Lei at an incredible speed. Jiang Lei's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, but he did not retreat at all. He knew that only by going through the test of life and death could he truly grow into a powerful cultivator.

In an instant, both bolts shot towards Jiang Lei at an incredible speed. At the critical moment, Jiang Lei burst out with all his strength and used his Ember Steps and his cultivation at ninth level of Qi Condensation to the limits.

The fire Qi indiscreetly rushed in his body like a broken dam. His figure flashed in the red light, so fast that it was nearly impossible to catch.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three red lights hit the position where Jiang Lei was originally located one after another, causing a deafening roar, and the space within a hundred meters was shaking violently.

"Pooh"

Although Jiang Lei dodged the frontal attack with the Ember Steps, he was still injured by the aftermath, and his meridians and bones were injured to varying degrees. He gritted his teeth, endured the severe pain, and secretly thought of a countermeasure.

His face was distorted, and he murmured in pain: "If this continues, I can't even hold on for a minute, let alone ten minutes."

Just as he was trying to think about a plan, three crimson bolts appeared in front of him, each emitting a more powerful force than the previous one.

Jiang Lei's brain raced, trying to come up with a solution, but he couldn't think of any. In desperation, he had no choice but to ask the system for help.

"System, is there any way you can help me get out of this situation?"

[System: Master, you should use system points to improve your skills. ]

Hearing this answer, Jiang Lei was frustrated: "I know this too, but do you think I have enough time to study here? These red bolts will kill me before then."

[System: Master, if you use a large amount of system points to learn a low-level skill, you can learn it without practicing. ]

"Really?" Jiang Lei's eyes sparkled with hope, and he said quickly, "System, quickly improve my proficiency in the Ember Steps."

[System: Congratulations to the master for spending 800 system points and successfully learning the 'Ember Step' to the 'Perfect Realm'. ]

Suddenl, a huge stream of information was instantly poured into Jiang Lei's brain, and those complex ideas that he had previously been unable to understand now became crystal clear.

This is completely different from the process he had previously gone through to learn each skill with difficulty through "insight mode".

Now, he doesn't need to learn, it's as if he has practiced these skills for many years and has already mastered them by heart.

This difference is like a ten-year-old child learning the profound ancient secrets and practicing the most basic mental methods. The latter is much easier than the former.

"Whoosh" "Whoosh" "Whoosh"

The Bolts had already attacked on him, making tearing sounds on the way it went.

The conversation was happened in mind and the the information was transmitted directly to the brain, so although it may seem to take a while, it is actually less than a second.

Jiang Lei reacted quickly. His Embers Steps had reached an unprecedented level and his speed suddenly increased to an astonishing level.

The state of perfection is not something that anyone can achieve if they want to. To reach this level, a practitioner must either be the founder of this practice or have a talent far superior to that of the founder.

This is also the reason why even a genius like Li Xun cannot reach such a height.

"Swoosh"

At the moment when the fire bolt was about to hit Jiang Lei, his figure disappeared from the spot.

Then, several afterimages appeared on the trajectory of the crimson bolt, like phantoms.

"Boom"

The three red bolts exploded, generating an even more powerful shock wave. However, Jiang Lei, who had already mastered the "Ember Step", had already avoided the range of the impact.

"This... what speed is this?" Jiang Lei widened his eyes in shock. He felt his body become extremely light, as if floating like a feather.

Jiang Lei came back to his senses from the shock, and looked at the place where the fire bombs collided, his face gradually darkened. He swore in his heart: "Don't let me know who is behind this, or I will make him suffer for this!"

The shock wave was so powerful that Jiang Lei was sure that even if he was on the edge, he would be seriously injured or even die.

But Jiang Lei had no time to think about how to retaliate against that person, because the fire bolts attacked again, and this time, the number increased to four.

"It seems that every time I dodge a wave, the number of fire bombs will increase." Jiang Lei analyzed while dodging.

As if mocking Jiang Lei, this time the number of fire bombs increased by not one but two, and the speed also became faster.

Jiang Lei dodged the attack again. Although the speed of the fire bomb had increased, it was still far behind his.

"Whoosh" "whoosh" "whoosh"

The number of fire bombs continued to increase, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, eighty...

The fire bolts whizzed past and exploded around Jiang Lei, making a deafening explosion. Jiang Lei's ember steps had reached an unprecedented level, but facing the overwhelming fire bombs, he began to feel powerless. These crimson bolts pursued Jiang Lei relentlessly, vowing to kill him.

"Whoosh--" Another fire bomb flew past Jiang Lei's ear, and the hot air flow almost burned his skin. Jiang Lei gritted his teeth and concentrated on performing the ember footwork, shuttling between the gaps of the fire bombs.

However, something changed this time, after he dodged this attack, the dark space suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Jiang Lei's heart tightened, and his intuition told him that this was just the calm before the storm.

Suddenly, the dark space was illuminated by a blinding light, as if a scorching sun was rising in the moonless night sky.

A huge fire bolt appeared in front of Jiang Lei. Unlike others, this fire bolt was dozens of meters long, covered with tumbling and jumping flames, emitting suffocating high temperatures.

Jiang Lei felt an unprecedented pressure, as if the entire space was dominated by this giant fire bomb. His breathing became rapid, his heartbeat accelerated, and facing such a behemoth, he felt powerless for the first time.

The fire bolt slowly rotated, and the flames circled on its surface like dancing red dragons. The heat waves it emitted distorted the surrounding air, and the ground also shook slightly under this pressure. Jiang Lei felt like an ant facing a volcano that was about to erupt.

"What kind of monster is this..." Jiang Lei's voice was trembling with fear, and even he could hardly hear it clearly.

Cold sweat oozed from his forehead, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. Facing this giant fire bolt, Jiang Lei felt a trace of despair for the first time. Even though his ember steps had reached perfect level, he seemed so small and powerless in front of this huge fire bolt.

"Am I really going to die here?" Jiang Lei smiled bitterly, and a sense of sadness rose in his heart.

He thought that he had finally became so strong, the future ahead would be bright. But now he was going to be buried in this unknown space, and he couldn't help but feel hopeless.

At this moment, the giant fire bolt suddenly accelerated and headed straight for Jiang Lei. It was faster than the previous fire bolts, bringing up scorching waves. Jiang Lei's pupils shrank, and he realized that he had to go all out to avoid this disaster.

But how could he do so? In this suffocating pressure, he couldn't even move a finger, let alone save himself.

"Okay, If death is inveitable, then I'll go all out!" In this terrifying situation, Jiang Lei's mind calmed down. He gritted his teeth and said to the system, "System, use all my points to break through the realm!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Lei felt a force surging in his body. A strong energy wave burst out from Jiang Lei's body. He felt his blood boiling and his meridians expanding, as if every cell was clamoring to become stronger. The restraints that bound him began to loosen.

Simultaneously, a pair of notifications rang in his ears:

"Congratulations to the host for consuming 100 system points and successfully advancing to the tenth level of the mortal realm!"

"Congratulations to the host for consuming 100 system points and successfully advancing to the eleventh level of the mortal realm!"

"Boom boom..." With a deafening sound, Jiang Lei's cultivation level advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking through the Qi Condensation stage nine to twelve in an instant. His strength, speed, and reaction were greatly improved, and his body became stronger.

The power surging in his body made Jiang Lei feel extremely powerful, as if his strength had no limits, and the previously unbreakable restraints now showed signs of loosening.

He dare not wait anymore. Without wasting time, he immediately took the opportunity to leave the place.

"BOOM!"

As Jiang Lei left, a deafening sonic boom sounded, almost breaking his eardrums.

But just when he breathed a sigh of relief, that voice suddenly whispered in his ear, piercing his relaxation, "Congratulations, Jiang Lei. You exceeded my expectations. The fact that you have come this far has proven that you are extraordinary. But this is just the beginning. Next, let me see how far you can go..."

"Huh..." Jiang Lei was exhausted, out of breath, his voice trembling with frustration. He looked into the dark void, suppressed his anger, and said calmly, "What kind of twisted trial is this? Do you want me to die? Why do I have to go through these trials?" Jiang Lei looked at the darkness around him, his heart full of questions and confusion.

The voice was quite for a moment before continuing.

"Jiang Lei, I've already warned you before, you cannot blame me now. Remember, this was your own choice, and you must face the consequences of your choice."

Jiang Lei knew the voice was right. He had decided his own fate, he could not cry over it now. "Since I have chosen to move forward, I must take the responsibility." Jiang Lei took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "But I really want to know, what is the purpose of all this?"

Jiang Lei asked, with a hint of dissatisfaction and doubt in his tone.

"Everything has its reasons and purposes, but it's too early to tell now." The voice responded calmly. "You need to keep going and become stronger to truly understand the meaning behind this."

Jiang Lei frowned. Although he still had many doubts in his heart, he realized that it was futile to argue or resist now. He had to keep his calm and face the next challenge.

"Okay, I will continue this trial. But I hope to get a reasonable explanation in the end." Jiang Lei said in a firm tone.

"That depends on your performance." The voice seemed to be a little hesitant. "Now, get ready to face your next opponent."

As these words came out, an ominous figure appeared before Jiang Lei's eyes.

"ROAR!"

"Your next trial is to defeat this monster."

The surrounding scene changed, and Jiang Lei found himself in a forest.

Before him stood a huge lion, majestic and powerful. Its fur had colors like deep red and gold, looking like flames. It can easily catch anyone's attention with its fiery appearance.

It was exuding a fiery aura, as if it were made of fire. It's golden body seemed to glow, shining brightly in the sun.

The lion had a strong physique and strong muscles, and every step it takes makes the ground shake slightly. Its eyes are sharp and intelligent, revealing a temperament far beyond that of ordinary beasts.

Underneath its fur, glowing patterns can be seen like pearls and it's mane was flowing like flames.

On the lion's forehead, there is a mysterious mark flashing, indicating its extraordinary identity and power.

"Roar!"

The lion seemed to understand Jiang Lei's purpose standing there, and responded to his challenge with a deafening roar.

When it roared, the sound echoed, and the air seemed to vibrate in response.

Jiang Lei stared at this majestic creature, feeling both awe and a little nervous. He realized that this would be a difficult battle as life threatening as with the Dreadfang.

"It seems that this is my second trial." Jiang Lei took a deep breath and clenched his fists. He looked at the system panel of this monster, and it was a powerful opponent as he expected.

Monster: Fire Hell King Lion

Cultivation: Mortal Realm Eleventh Level

Current combat power: Qi Condensation Realm Sixth Level

Skills: Hell Roar, Blazing Slash

Talents: High Level Fire Talent, High Level Strength Talent (locked)

Just as Jiang Lei was thinking about how to defeat this monster, the system's voice came into his ears.

["Congratulations to the host for successfully activating the system task - defeat this monster, and be rewarded with 5000 system points."]

Hearing the system's voice, Jiang Lei did not show much excitement when he heard the news, because he knew that with his current strength, it was almost impossible to defeat this lion. But he did not give up hope, but began to carefully analyze the situation in front of him.

After a while, as if Jiang Lei had made his mind, a resolute look showed on his face.

Jiang Lei clenched the sword in his hand and took the initiative to attack the monster. This monster was stronger than him, so it was best not to let it strike first.

"Roar!"

The lion roared angrily in response to Jiang Lei's challenge. How could it tolerate a humble human challenging its authority? It thought Jiang Lei's behavior was a naked provocation.

As the lion roared, a surge of energy gathered in its powerful chest. The flames swirled and condensed, forming a huge crimson fireball. This fireball seemed to come from the lion's core, the embodiment of its fiery power.

The lion raised its head and swung the fireball at Jiang Lei. The fireball crackled in the air and whistled towards Jiang Lei. Its dazzling light cast a strange light and shadow on the battlefield.

Jiang Lei felt the terrifying pressure from the fireball and realized that he could not take this blow head-on. He immediately switched from offense to defense.

He concentrated his mind and gathered his energy, condensing the fire burst technique into an energy barrier. The fireball crashed against the barrier, and the two huge forces collided, generating an enormous amount of energy waves around them.

Bang, bang, bang…

Jiang Lei was pushed back several steps by the huge force of the collision. His hands were shaking, and the impact spread throughout his body.

"Roar!"

The monster roared again and fired two fireballs at Jiang Lei in succession. These two fireballs were bigger and stronger than before.

"Fire Burst Technique!"

Jiang Lei immediately swung his sword to attack the fireball with all his strength, and at the same time created a barrier to try to block the fireball.

"BOOOM"

The sword collided with the fireball, and a loud sound rang out around. The sword immediately broke under the impact, but the fireball still shot towards Jiang Lei.

"Boom"

The fireball collided with the barrier again, and Jiang Lei was knocked away by the huge force, spurting blood from his mouth.

"Roar!"

However, the lion was far from satisfied.

Seeing Jiang Lei in such a state of disgrace, the lion was filled with anger and humiliation. It was a dignified mortal realm eleventh level, but it could not completely defeat a mere human after continuous attacks. This was simply a great shame.

If its tribe knew about this, it would be so ashamed that it would have to find a hole to crawl into.

Now, it must not let this human live any longer. Thinking of this, It immediately used its most powerful killing move - Purgatory Flame Slash.

""Buzz——""

The flames all over its body suddenly surged and with a earth shaking roar, it rushed towards Jiang Lei and leaped, it's massive claw imbued with fire rapidly falling at him.

Jiang Lei felt an unprecedented pressure, the space around him was distorted, and the scorching air wave rushed towards him as the claw was nearing. He knew that this could be the decesive move of the Fire Lion King, and he probably could not evade it.

But Jiang Lei never thought of dodging.

Facing this destructive blow, Jiang Lei showed a strange smile. He did not choose to dodge, but rushed towards the fireball, his right fist flashing a dazzling light.

If someone saw him doing this, they would think he was seeking his own death. But only Jiang Lei knew that this was his last chance. Success meant survival, and failure meant death.

Jiang Lei attacked with all his might, not using a single bit of energy to protect himself, but concentrating all his strength on this one attack.

"Boom"

The two brute forces collided. Jiang Lei's attack had reached the third level of Qi Condensation Realm, but it was still not enough to face this behemoth.

"Poooh"

He was knocked hundreds of meters away and fell heavily to the ground, blood gushing out of his body. But even in such a miserable situation, he still had a smile on his face.