Hu Mu's and Bai Qi's fight began with an aura clash.

From the information that Bai Qi had obtained about the '11th Spring Expanse', the level limits applied to any power or skill, including his far more advanced soul. Thus, Bai Qi's maximum aura was limited to the same 7th level of the Sage as the limit. Well, at least when not in a challenge where he did have access to his full potential. Such a strange situation was caused by the desire of the Immortal to prevent someone like him, someone like Bai Qi, from dominating all participants.

Still, even a 7th level should have been enough to suppress the 5th level of Hu Mu, but surprisingly, he also had some method, skill, or secret that allowed his Soul strength to surpass his cultivation.

So the clash ended without a clear victor, with both of them showing auras comparable to a 7th level Sage realm cultivator.

A silent glance at their respective opponent later, both started their combat in earnest.

Regretfully, Bai Qi had found the worst opponent for his current set of techniques and skills. Hu Mu avoided close range himself as well as he also prevented Bai Qi from doing it. Crimson qi balls as his failed surprise attack were sent in an interminable barrage, forcing Bai Qi to keep dodging both the projectiles and the qi explosion that followed.

*Boom*

*Boom*

The only bright light in this exchange was that Hu Mu spent qi to no avail. While thanks to the practically indestructible trees, which from the Immortal's recollection could resist anything below the Warrior Emperor realm, Bai Qi remained unharmed.

"You can not dodge forever" Hu Mu said in a cold tone, sending several projectiles at Bai Qi's current cover.

"And who says that I am planning to?" Standing behind a tree and monitoring each incoming projectile, Bai Qi answered similarly. He had not been dodging just for the sage of it, spending all this time to analyze the opponent's skill. And even though he could still not determine what type of skill it was, with Hu Mu creating them from his aura, Bai Qi already saw their weakness.

Indeed, they were unstoppable with physical means, even the trees were intact only because of the formation, but at the same time, they could not stop an attack either, could they?

Bai Qi lacked any ranged combat ability except for spells and throwing daggers. The former required time and concentration to be cast, while the latter could indeed work now.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh*

Quickly jumping out of cover, Bai Qi sent a pair of daggers from each hand before landing and then rolled behind another tree.

Following the daggers with his eyes, he saw how they passed through the crimson qi as it was simple air.

They failed to do any harm, avoided with a simple sidestep, but the point was proven. Bai Qi's stock of throwing daggers was enormous, with him still having over a hundred of them from his first plane. Not to mention the several hundred from his refining. Thus, he could afford to continue throwing them until he landed a lucky hit.

Not that he intended to leave it to luck, though. Bai Qi's strategy was simple but effective, one based on deceit.

*Swoosh* *Boom* *Swoosh* *Boom*

Moving between cover and cover while avoiding the barrage of qi projectiles, Bai Qi began throwing dagger after dagger.

*Swoosh* *Boom* *Swoosh* *Boom*

Hu Mu remained essentially standing, dodging them with small and accurate movements. And that was exactly what Bai Qi wanted. He summoned his only two explosive talismans while telling himself to stock on them, and attached them to the next pair of daggers.

*Swoosh* *Boom* *BOOM*

The second explosion was far stronger, and it was not from Hu Mu's projectiles, but from the talismans that Bai Qi timed to explode as soon as they neared the former.

"Blazing Claw, Scorching Claw" Activating his two currently strongest hand-to-hand skills, Bai Qi launched from behind cover and into the cloud of smoke that always followed an explosive talisman.

Bai Qi immediately clawed with both arms as his senses pinpointed the location of Hu Mu...

"Blood Dome" But as the claws were about to tear into Hu Mu's flesh, his voice sounded and a crimson dome, one that truly looked as formed from blood surrounded him. Blocking both claws, and rebounding Bai Qi a few feet.

***

The blood dome dispersed after a few moments, but Bai Qi did not rush into combat again. Such a skill would not disperse so quickly if the user did not will for it, and so it could be a trap.

"Interesting choice of clothing" Bai Qi mocked at the now naked youth in front of him.

"When one sees the holy lines, one is fated to die" Hu Mu declared without any emotion as dozens of blood-colored tattoos began appearing on his entire body. Each of them, each line! Represented a consumed life. And even without counting, Hu Mu's body had over a half hundred of them!

"A cultivator of the blood path?!" Bai Qi's eyes grew wide. He had met several sects and clans that used evil means to improve their cultivation, and the blood path was definitively amongst them. Not only did they consume the lifeforce of a cultivator while absorbing the latter's blood, but some even reared people like cattle.

Bai Qi did not know what sort of power was behind Hu Mu or even what kind of blood path variation the youth used, but one thing was absolute - he had to deal with Hu Mu here and now. Otherwise, all of the participants would be in severe danger.

"So you know of it? And as the others consider us evil to be hunted down?" Hu Mu did not move while asking in a slightly husky voice.

"I do know of it, as for hunting you down? I would normally not care, but you are a danger to anyone present. Not to mention that you already killed" Bai Qi answered while preparing to launch.

"You have also killed, it is easy to see. So why can you do it while I am not allowed to? Why do the so-called righteous powers kill their enemies just because they are enemies and we can not even consume a single one without being called evil? Even though all who had fallen before me lost in an open battle?" Hu Mu began asking in quick succession, but Bai Qi did not even listen to half of it.

"Rabid beasts are meant to be put down" Bai Qi spat out and launched.

Both hands covered in black flames moved as one, in a sideways sweep. Only for the blood dome to appear right before the claws reached Hu Mu.

*Swoon*

The dome quickly expanded, covering around fifteen feet with hu Mu in the center, and Bai Qi was pushed back.

"You are not enough to break my Blood Dome" Hu Mu said while raising one hand.

"Ninety-Nine Blood Gods, Savage Maws" As he declared the skill name, nine transparent circles appeared around the dome. They quickly began materializing further, and Bai Qi felt slightly nervous. Each of these apparitions released an individual aura, and each of the latter was comparable to Hu Mu's one!

"Bite him to death!" Hu Mu's raised hand swung down, and the nine circles, suddenly parted in the middle, showing a truly beastly maw filled with sharp fangs.

"Haa..." Bai Qi exhaled while closing his eyes.

His cultivation method, the 'Master of Everything, Ruler of Nothing' set, could fuse techniques and skills, and even create one's own. An ability that Bai Qi had only used once, and to create a pretty simple technique. Not because he was reluctant in using it, no, he simply did not need a stronger skill set.

But after the Bonejade incident, it was made painfully clear that Bai Qi's current combat methods, especially the simple spirit technique 'Flaming' set had reached the limit of their usefulness.

Granted, the 'Ghostflame' and the 'Incarnation' worked well together and allowed it to become comparable to a decent martial skill, but it was the absolute limit.

His current cultivation also influenced the effectiveness of his 'Flaming Incarnation', with the latter being simply not able to channel all of his qi. Thus, he would only get a double or so increase in prowess, a result that he could get simply by cloaking himself in his aura or infusing more qi into his normal attacks.

Still, the 'Incarnation' had been a great method and one that Bai Qi was reluctant to simply exchange for something else. Not to mention that this something else had to be a martial skill full set, which did not just simply lay around waiting for him.

And so, during his training session with the Quan brothers, Bai Qi began working on a new 'Incarnation'. One that would not be simply infused with the 'Ghostflame', but created from it. Making it an individual technique, and one that would grow along as the flame progressed.

To do so, he carefully examined the inner works of every 'Flaming' technique and coupled it with the 'Everchanging Path, Everchanging Flow' mantra. As well as adding the 'Eagle Wings' movement skill and making a few other changes he set up the base.

Then, he spent over an entire day commuting with the 'Ghostflame' inside his dantian. It remained unintelligent, but now that they were fused, its sentience was slowly evolving.

And with its cooperation in place of use, Bai Qi created something new and unique.

An entire set that was just a single skill.

Impossible to copy or use by anyone except him.

And one that could be improved along his path.

Now, it was time to test it in real combat.

"The maws will attack even if you surrender" Seeing Bai Qi closed eyes and slowly dispelling claw skills, Hu Mu assumed the former had given up.

A very mistaken assumption, as just a moment after his words, Bai Qi's eyes opened. And inside them, on the almost ebony iris, an even blacker flame was dancing.

"Let's go my flame" Slowly pronouncing the words, Bai Qi inwardly called for the Ghostflame.

"Tear him!" Sensing that his opponent was planning to do something, Hu Mu quickly commanded and the nine floating jaws flew towards Bai Qi at impressive speed.

The distance was close, and the speed was impressive. It would take not more than a breath for them to reach and devour the undefended Bai Qi. But...

*ROAR*

With a roar that could be easily attributed to a demon or a savage beast, a torrent of black-colored flames gushed out of every pore of Bai Qi's body, surrounding him in a cocoon of flames that the 'Savage Maws' were forced to back from.

A pitch-black armor formed from shifting flame tendrils surrounded every part of Bai Qi's body.

Enormous claws, almost twice as long as the ones from his skills extended from both hands and toes.

Golden-colored wings with black flames covering each of the feathers appeared on his back.

And a demon-like visage, with sharp fangs and horns, covered his head as a helmet.

A visage that even now Bai Qi could not understand from where it came. After all, neither the 'Flaming Set' nor his initial plan held such an idea. But for some reason, every time he covered himself with flames, they would assume such form around his head.

After trying, to no avail, to somehow get rid of them, Bai Qi was forced to concede. As for the cause, he could only blame the 'Master of Everything' set, at least until he found another culprit.

"Black Flame Demon Incarnation" Bai Qi's voice sounded from inside the cocoon as it dispersed with a flash of gold.

"What?!" Hu Mu looked at the bizarre form that his opponent had assumed and felt cold sweat. After all, it was... it was almost like a "Demon God?!"

"Demon God? Heh" Albeit it could not be seen Bai Qi smirked beneath the flames while thinking, "And now I know from where he comes. Demon worshippers, huh?"

"No, no, no, it's impossible. You have just covered yourself with some cheap fire technique! Go, maws, tear him, tear him!" There was no sign of Hu Mu's previous lack of emotion or cold manner, replaced by an almost hysteric shouting.

"Let's go, Ghostflame" Bai Qi muttered and jumped high, aiming one of his claws at the nearest maw...