Chapter 1025: Thunderflame Wraith Claw

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"Heaven Sealing Sword Art, Heaven Breaking Strike!"

A dignified man with a gray robe fluttering in the wind appeared. He had sharp eyes and sharp features. He wielded an azure longsword, giving a dazzling light.

Its sharp edge promised to cut everything in creation, even the world, humming all along. The sharp sword energy rushed out of the tip and went for the ice dragon, moving with incredible speed through the air.

The others watched in awe as the best in northern lands made his move.

As he was in mid-strike, someone shouted at him, "Brother Lingtian, please go easy. The ice dragon has my disciple sealed. Please spare his life."

"There's actually someone in there? Isn't it like the disaster two thousand years ago?"

Ouyang Lingtian's eyes shook from the news and he halted the attack. He looked back to see western lands' Exalted Hei Ran speaking up.

Ouyang Lingtian went back to the raging ice dragon about to run into Zhuo Fan. He was hesitating, not knowing where the sealed disciple was under all that ice and one wrong move would cleave him. By hurting Exalted Double Dragon's precious disciple would mean ruining their cooperation.

While delaying would also implicate the people it targeted, under the ice's torment from the dragon. The sudden conundrum had the best in northern lands stuck.

Save one and let many die to keep the land's friends still? Or accept the loss of a single life for the good of many?

Ouyang Lingtian found it a very tough choice to make. Which was worth it? The alliance or the lives below? It was a headache even for the most righteous characters.

But he had omitted one last choice, inaction, leaving the ice dragon to rampage for Zhuo Fan's group. Now no one could save them. His attack would be too late for the sword energy to reach them in time. The ice dragon would've crushed them to pieces by the time he struck.

To others, it looked like Ouyang Lingtian had made no choice when he actually did.

Ye Lin was brought at their invitation by Exalted Hei Ran with the promise of safety. With western lands' crucial situation, his safety was just as vital. Far more so than a few random lives.

The righteous path stated that all lives were equal. But when people were involved, that value tended to change to suit their needs.

Ouyang Lingtian held the sword tight and sighed. Down below it was life and death yet the matters of the world had won over his principles.

He wanted to save everyone, but he stayed his hand. Not for the life inside the ice dragon, but the ties among the two lands.

No matter how huge the collateral, the essential personnel had to be kept alive, lest it would cause tension between factions. Such was the secular world.

The five lands' best experts could be all noble as much as they wanted, but it still didn't change the fact they were tied in the vicious interests of the world around them.

Shangguan Qingyan had hoped for Ouyang Lingtian's appearance, so that Zhuo Fan would be saved. But the best in northern lands' rescuing strike failed to deliver. It astonished her to no end, "Why aren't you doing anything?"

"Yeah, dad would always help people in need. Why is today any different? Is he afraid of harming innocents from how far we are?" Ouyang Changqing cried out.

Murong Xue's brow shook and sighed, "It's not a stray attack he fears, but his already stray heart..."

The ice dragon roared once more, caring unstoppable power straight at Zhuo Fan, surrounding them in a harsh cold mist. The slightest touch would mean being frozen on the spot. Now there was no escape.

"Junior sister Qingcheng, junior sister Shui!"

Wu Qingqiu cried out, with the others around him nervous for their fate. Shangguan Qingyan cried out in panic, "Look out Zhuo-"

There was no stopping the ice dragon's charge. It raised its claw and went for their lives, to crush them to an icy pulp.

Shui Ruohua and the other girl stood rooted in place. They glanced at the unfazed Zhuo Fan, still sitting in his spot, with reproachful gazes.

[I told you we should run, but you just had to play it cool. Now look what happened, there's nowhere to go now. If you find death so nice, why the hell did you have to drag us with you as well? Look at Qingcheng, she's still lost in her own mind. The poor girl is about to fade away all due to some damn stranger!]

[Well, aren't you all pissed your boss is so stubborn he just had to have you all die as well?]

Shui Ruohua turned to the guards then, only to find them just as cool.

Shui Ruohua was stumped.

[Are they all suicidal? You don't mind dying with such a master?]

Having been around Zhuo Fan for this long journey, they figured out early on how he operated. From inciting Frigid Rain Sword King, to facing Invincible Sword, whenever he showed complete calm, then it was proof enough that all would be fine.

Zhuo Fan held Chu Qingcheng's hand, her head leaning on his shoulder, in utter tranquility, even more so than usual. So why would they wrack their nerves?

They had complete trust in Zhuo Fan's control, worshiping his flawless skills. It could have come from a horde of dragons for all they cared. So long Zhuo Fan was chill, so were they.

Hu~

The ice winds blew, surrounding the area in its great power. Even the seats chilled over and froze their rears. It was then the two claws were right on top of them.

Shui Ruohua's eyes rolled back, about to faint from terror. The onlookers, Wu Qingqiu, Yan Mo, Murong Xue and the others were filled with worry but equally helpless. Ouyang Lingtian sighed, closing his eyes, unable to bear seeing the result of his choice.

They might be collateral, but lives nonetheless that he brought doom upon. He felt he had lost all dignity.

Exalted Hei Ran looked at the three girls below with a shake of his head and guilt. To save Ye Lin and the western lands' future, he had given up on the expendables...

It was certain to all here that Zhuo Fan's group was finished, sighing at the loss. But the deadly ice claws halted for no reason just above them.

To everyone's shock, they watched as a black claw formed between Zhuo Fan and the ice dragon, blocking the ice claws from coming any closer.

"What is this? Why isn't he sealed in contact with the ice dragon?" One elder shouted in disbelief, "The ice dragon seals everything, arts, souls and even Yuan Qi, in its body. How is it that someone is still unaffected when touching it?"

Ouyang Lingtian watched the spectacle with equal shock, forgetting to even mind his flying.

[Heaven Sealing Sword Art can no longer seal?]

[That's not possible!]

Shui Ruohua was waiting for her life to end at the ice dragon's claw but found it to be late. She cracked an eyelid open and saw the black claw keeping it back with a dumb look.

[Wasn't this dragon unstoppable? Exalted Hei Ran couldn't stop it earlier so why can this man?]

"Sir..." Shui Ruohua turned to Zhuo Fan in shock.

Zhuo Fan only had eyes for Chu Qingcheng who still leaned on his shoulder with a smile. Then he glanced at the halted ice claws with a hard expression.

"You ruined the mood, bastard!"

"Thunderflame Wraith Claw!"

His left eye acted up and the black thunderflame exploded. It spread over the black claw and enlarged it many times into a huge thunderflame claw.

The crackling fire filled the air with death.

It was a power and aura that struck fear to the core of the disciples and the mighty experts above, including Exalted Hei Ran and Ouyang Lingtian.

As for the ice dragon, it actually showed fear under the black thunderflame's power. Its huge icy bulk quaked from it...