Chapter 420: Superconductor Sorcerer

Chapter 420: Superconductor Sorcerer

Huff...

Ji Xinghuo flew north swiftly, leaving behind a trail of destruction. A giant wave of black flame swept through, incinerating everything in its path—trees, rocks, and mountains turned to ash, and even the sky darkened under its scorching heat.

The Doomsday Black Flame Dragon cast a menacing shadow from above, its terrifying aura encompassing hundreds of kilometers, causing hearts to tremble.

"That was close!"

Ji Xinghuo wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he watched the Black Flame Dragon retreat into the distance. He was grateful for his quick reflexes; if he had hesitated any longer, he would have been consumed by the dragon's breath, ending his participation in the Doomsday Dragon Ritual before it even began.

He turned back to survey the damage. In the once lush forest, a charred scar stretched nearly thirty kilometers wide, leaving nothing but ash and molten rock in its wake. The intense heat had reduced everything to cinders, and the ground had transformed into a river of lava.

The crust of Dragon Guard Seven was thin, and the earth had split open, spewing endless streams of lava from its depths.

And this was just the most visible danger.

The remnants of the black flame's breath lingered in the air, drifting for hundreds of kilometers and spreading in all directions.

Even those who hadn't been directly hit by the dragon's breath found themselves in peril as the surrounding area ignited. The ground caved in, and the fire spread like wildfire.

A destructive storm of flames devoured everything.

Ji Xinghuo witnessed several Exotics who, though not directly hit by the dragon's breath, failed to escape its reach in time. They were engulfed by the trailing flames, their armor, skin, and flesh ignited. No matter how desperately they tried to extinguish the fire, their efforts were in vain as they eventually turned to ash.

"Terrifying!" Ji Xinghuo's heart pounded with fear as he grasped the true power of a doomsday-level true dragon. Even the slightest ripple of its energy was enough to incinerate legends.

Anywhere the Black Flame Dragon's breath touched was rendered uninhabitable.

And the effects would linger for a long time.

"No wonder no one wants to hide in areas ravaged by the Black Flame Dragon," Ji Xinghuo shook his head. "It's as good as signing your death warrant." With the fire storm approaching, he quickly flew away to maintain a safe distance.

Only after traveling over fifty kilometers did the intensity of the black flames finally wane, posing less of a threat.

His personal terminal displayed a map and the number of survivors.

The Black Flame Dragon was advancing along the equator, and its projected path of destruction was clearly marked. Rather than circling Dragon Guard Seven entirely, it would traverse half of the planet and then turn back, continuing until a quarter of the planet's surface was obliterated before moving to the other hemisphere.

The habitable areas were shrinking.

The timer showed that in 99 stellar hours, the dragon would completely annihilate the planet's surface.

And this was just the beginning; in the mere fifteen minutes since the ritual started, the number of participants had already decreased by tens of thousands, with nearly half perishing from the dragon's breath alone.

"I need to head to the Northern Hemisphere."

Ji Xinghuo made his decision swiftly.

Though the final safe zone was yet to be determined, the Northern Hemisphere offered temporary refuge.

He increased his speed slightly as he flew north. Ahead lay a vast canyon stretching for dozens of kilometers, its rugged terrain and breathtaking beauty adorned with countless exotic flowers and plants, resembling a colorful ocean of vegetation.

However, amidst this picturesque landscape lurked countless dangers, with unseen eyes watching from every corner.

Ji Xinghuo slowed down and began his descent.

Before he could land, a cold arrow shot out from a hidden corner of the canyon, silent and deadly, aimed directly at Ji Xinghuo's heart.

Instant Step!

Ji Xinghuo had sensed the impending attack and dodged with a swift movement.

Lingxuan Song drew her bowstring, turning and firing a splitting arrow forward. The arrow split into five in mid-air, each shooting toward a different direction.

A thunderous crack split the air.

Five arrow arcs struck their targets almost simultaneously, all within a three-kilometer radius. The closest arrow landed just two hundred meters from Ji Xinghuo, revealing a figure in the air, their face contorted in disbelief before they vanished into light dots.

The other four assailants met the same fate, including the one who had fired the cold arrow at Ji Xinghuo.

Without pausing to observe the results, Ji Xinghuo continued his rapid firing.

Electric lights flashed, and thunderous sounds reverberated.

The splitting arrows flew in all directions, like a celestial shower of flowers. Each electric arc arrow found its mark, piercing through obstacles and bending around corners to reach their targets. Regardless of their profession, race, or abilities, the assailants' defenses were no match for the arrows' power.

Not a single arrow missed its mark, and each assailant was instantly slain.

Within a few breaths, Ji Xinghuo had cleared a three-kilometer radius around him of any threats.

Even so, this display struck awe into those who witnessed it, and they scattered like startled birds, frantically fleeing the canyon.

The interface of the Myriads Star Pupil was flooded with notifications.

A string of spiritual source energy prompts appeared, indicating that he had defeated over thirty opponents and gained more than 700 points of spiritual source energy.

On the Leaderboard, his ranking had also jumped significantly.

He had initially dropped out of the top 1000, but now he soared back up to the 50s.

Ji Xinghuo glanced at the top of the leaderboard. Tai Cob Zhenhe had dropped to second place, with over 230 kills, but someone else had taken the first position.

"Ukucalang."

The strange name immediately rang a bell for Ji Xinghuo.

According to the information Tai Co Lan had shown him, this Ukucalang was one of the hottest contenders for the championship.

He was a "Bellicose Flier," one of the most well-known branches of the Bug Tribe, with a large population, strong reproductive capabilities, and incredibly resilient life forces. Subtypes of the Bellicose Fliers could be found in both the Star Realm and the Galaxy, showcasing their adaptability.

The Bellicose Fliers were a warlike race, shunning production and embracing battle as a way of life. Their culture knew no concept of fear, and they faced death with unwavering resolve.

They not only killed their enemies but also relished killing their own kin.

In their endless cycle of internecine strife, those who survived and rose above their fellow tribesmen were endowed with talents akin to genetic mutations, paving the way for higher evolution.

This "Ukucalang" was a product of such a brutal environment.

His profession was a "Power King," an advanced form of the "Giant General" and "Gravity Master," with all his might focused on close-quarters combat. Gravity manipulation served to augment his already formidable strength, and his defense was equally terrifying. Using his body as a weapon, he had once fought and defeated several Heavenly Kings.

Ukucalang had already taken down nearly 300 people, slightly more than Tai Cob Zhenhe.

Ji Xinghuo scanned down the leaderboard.

The names near the top were all renowned geniuses of the Dynasty, and they were starting to make their moves.

At that moment, the leaderboard refreshed, and a name that had been lingering outside the top fifteen, Cang Ya, suddenly jumped to the third position. Her kill count had increased by over fifty, placing her right behind Tai Cob Zhenhe.

"A powerhouse has been taken down."

Ji Xinghuo immediately understood what had happened.

When a target was successfully eliminated, if their kill count exceeded 100, the victor would gain half of their opponent's kill count.

This rule was implemented in the Doomsday Dragon Ritual to encourage intense battles between exceptionally powerful individuals, rather than having them avoid confrontations for the sake of maintaining their rankings until the final clash. Moreover, as time progressed, the proportion of kill count transferred would decrease.

"Cang Ya."

Ji Xinghuo had a strong impression of this person.

She was a female True Dragonborn from the Cang Dragon Clan of the Azure Wave Dragon Domain, a legendary pinnacle with quite a reputation throughout the Dynasty.

Most importantly, Cang Ya was rumored to be a peerless beauty.

Her arrival in Titanium Ring City had caused quite a stir, and many male True Dragonborn from the Yuan Magnet Domain had vied for a glimpse of her, even sparking a few feuds along the way.

Cheng Sheng had also mentioned her a few times.

With the True Dragonborn and residents of Titanium Ring City watching the Doomsday Dragon Ritual, their attention was likely focused on these geniuses, leaving Ji Xinghuo unnoticed.

Ji Xinghuo hadn't intended to become a target so soon.

He remained in the canyon.

Soon enough, someone else drew near and discovered his presence. Some chose to observe from the shadows, while others made their move.

Regardless of their intentions, as soon as they entered the three-kilometer radius, Ji Xinghuo's Spirit String Song sent an arrow their way, instantly ending their lives.

With his current strength, the arrows fired from his Apocalypse-level bow were nigh-impossible for an average Legendary to withstand or dodge. A hit meant certain death.

As he wasn't actively seeking to take lives, Ji Xinghuo's kill count didn't rise quickly, and his ranking hovered around the 50s.

Even so, he began to attract attention.

Especially in the vicinity of the canyon.

Gradually, word spread, and people became aware of the archer on the leaderboard who lurked in the canyon, striking down anyone who dared approach. Some doubted the stories, attempting to stealthily launch ambushes, only to meet their end in a burst of arrows.

Several hours later...

Ji Xinghuo's kill count had surpassed 400, but his ranking remained in the 50s.

Suddenly, he looked toward the west.

A terrifying aura approached from the distance, causing Ji Xinghuo's expression to shift. The path of destruction left by the Doomsday Black Flame Dragon was turning back.

Within the lightning bolt was a white figure, human from the waist up but with a serpent's tail, its body covered in scales that were as clear and crystalline as jade. It had four arms, and its narrow, elongated eyes held a cold, indifferent gaze.

A White Serpent!

Ji Xinghuo's eyes perceived the world in slow motion, allowing him to clearly see the approaching enemy.

A legendary pinnacle Superconductor Sorcerer.

He immediately identified the White Serpent's profession and appearance as that of 'Mahake,' a genius legendary strongman from the Yuan Magnet Domain's Serpent Clan. His name, when translated into True Dragon language, sounded like "Holy White."

Mahake was ranked 35th on the Kill Board, having slain over 600 opponents. He must have been lurking nearby, biding his time, upon hearing of Ji Xinghuo's presence in the area.

"Your stealth skills are impressive. I didn't detect your presence beforehand," Ji Xinghuo thought to himself.

At that moment, Mahake's four arms began to gather energy for an attack, each arm wielding a different power: lightning, beams of light, fireballs, and explosive energy. The various lights flashed as the energies converged, creating a chain reaction of destructive force hurtling towards Ji Xinghuo.

Moreover, Mahake chose to strike just as the Black Flame Dragon's path of destruction was turning back, indicating his strong confidence in being able to take down Ji Xinghuo before the canyon was destroyed.

A cold smile played at the corners of Ji Xinghuo's mouth.

However, he didn't immediately go all out. Instead, he nocked an arrow and let it fly.

Twang!

In an instant, an electric arc arrow shot out, speeding towards Mahake, who was now less than a hundred meters away. The two bolts of lightning collided.

The electric arc arrow was deflected, but Mahake seized control of the situation. One of his arms reached out, and with an invisible force, he captured the current released from the arrow, absorbing it to enhance his own lightning attack, which he then directed at Ji Xinghuo.

Boom!

Ji Xinghuo employed "Acceleration" to retreat, creating distance between them. Even so, the lightning was too fast, and he couldn't outrun it. It wasn't until he was nearly a thousand meters away that the lightning's power began to wane.

Mahake's serpent eyes widened in disbelief.

In the midst of his retreat, Ji Xinghuo's hands moved like phantoms as he swiftly drew the bowstring of the Spirit String Song, releasing a barrage of electric arc arrows. However, he didn't aim directly at Mahake. Instead, the arrows split into countless fragments, transforming into a shower of electric arcs.

Dozens of electric arc arrows, like guided missiles, each traced a unique trajectory, assaulting Mahake from all directions.

The sheer number of arrows overwhelmed Mahake's defenses, leaving him unable to block or dodge them all.

As Mahake pursued Ji Xinghuo, attempting to close the distance between them, he simultaneously executed a series of instantaneous movements, his body disappearing and reappearing to narrowly avoid the onslaught of arrows.

The spent arrows adjusted their trajectories and gave chase, homing in on Mahake. But just as they were about to find their mark, he vanished once more.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...

Mahake's body moved like lightning, his form flickering in and out of sight. The arrows pursued relentlessly from behind.

However, Ji Xinghuo was pulling further and further ahead.

Just as it seemed Ji Xinghuo would escape Mahake's attack range, Mahake's eyes narrowed. The scales on his left and right arms, originally white, now glowed a fiery red, emitting intense heat. He brought his hands together, palms cupping a five-centimeter-wide metal ball, instantly melting it into a liquid state.

A thunderous boom shook the air.

The molten metal ignited, transforming into an extremely compressed fireball. Mahake raised his arms, taking aim at the distant Ji Xinghuo, his gaze locked on his target.

This was his most powerful attack, a combination of his level six "Fire Scale Arm" and "Molten Gold Fireball" abilities, releasing a "Metal Jet Stream" that was faster than lightning and packed an even more devastating punch.

In the past, this move had helped him defeat several formidable foes.

"Goodbye, Barbarian," Mahake said coldly.

As his words trailed off, he channeled his star power, and the molten metal in his palms shot forth, transforming into a red light that moved faster than the eye could see. Its speed exceeded twenty times the speed of sound on Dragon Guard Seven, hurtling directly towards Ji Xinghuo's head.

Mahake didn't need a direct hit. As long as he came within a hundred meters of his target, he was confident he could annihilate his foe.

A deafening explosion rocked the heavens and the earth.

A massive fireball, over a hundred meters in diameter, blossomed in the distant sky, engulfing Ji Xinghuo's figure.

A smile of victory curved Mahake's lips, but it froze in the very next moment. Disbelief filled his serpent eyes as he looked down at his chest, his body slowly splitting into two halves—serpent and tail separated.

Ji Xinghuo's figure appeared behind him, electric battle blade in hand, hovering in mid-air.

"Goodbye, White Serpent," Ji Xinghuo said.

Mahake's body disintegrated into light dots.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end