"Sensing the severe blow you took, I was naturally awakened."

"Little one, there's no need for you to intervene in what happens next."

After the fiery-red figure offered this brief explanation, his gaze returned to Xuan Lang.

"To think I'd encounter such a formidable demonic beast immediately upon awakening. It seems even the heavens wish for me to have a proper battle." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"A Spirit Devouring Beast, still present on the Star War Battlefield... This is indeed shocking."

"However, even after cultivating for several hundred years, your cultivation is merely so-so. Compared to me, at least, you're still rather frail."

Xuan Lang stared coldly at the fiery-red figure before him. He could feel an immense intimidation, an absolute suppression stemming from a higher echelon of power.

Clutching his long spear, Xuan Lang adopted an attack stance, but he was secretly inching backward.

Wang Zhan saw his intent and quickly shouted, "Look out! He's trying to escape!"

The fiery-red figure merely chuckled. With a flick of his hand, a massive, red light screen materialized behind Xuan Lang, sealing his escape route.

Xuan Lang's expression changed. He instantly raised his long spear and smashed it ferociously against the fiery-red light screen behind him.

However, the bizarre light screen before him didn't even waver.

His eyes widened as he glared at Wang Zhan, his voice chillingly cold, "Enough of your useless drivel!"

"Even if I die here, I'll drag you down with me!"

As he spoke, Xuan Lang raised his long spear and hurled it at Wang Zhan.

At this moment, Wang Zhan was utterly spent, lacking even the strength to stand. How could he possibly defend against such a long spear?

Just as the long spear was about to pierce Wang Zhan's head, an unusual light screen manifested around his body, and the spear found itself unable to penetrate it.

"Who on earth are you?"

At this moment, Xuan Lang was thoroughly panicked.

The fiery-red figure squinted at Xuan Lang, then chuckled. "I've said it before: in my eyes, a mere Spirit Devouring Beast is no different from an ant. It poses no threat to me whatsoever."

"Remember my name. My Daoist title is Fire Deity."

Upon hearing this name, Xuan Lang's expression turned exceedingly grim, his eyes filled with terror.

"You... you're the renowned Fire Deity?"

Xuan Lang retreated step by step until, after a few paces, he collided with the fiery-red light screen. He was trapped, with no path left for retreat.

In that instant, Xuan Lang fell into complete despair.

"I can't believe this fellow is so fortunate as to receive your favor."

Wang Zhan glanced at the fiery-red figure standing before him, yet he had no memory whatsoever of this Fire Deity.

Ignoring Xuan Lang's words, the Fire Deity slowly raised his hand. Then, with a casual point of his finger towards Xuan Lang, a colossal, fiery-red beam of light descended rapidly upon Xuan Lang's forehead.

By the time Xuan Lang could react, the fiery-red beam was almost upon him. He desperately channeled all the baleful energy within his body to form a shield above his forehead, but it was futile. His defense seemed utterly nonexistent before that fiery-red light.

A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. In the next instant, Xuan Lang, who had been standing there mere moments before, disintegrated into a wisp of flying ash.

What astonished Wang Zhan was that several black beads had appeared where Xuan Lang had just been standing.

Wang Zhan quickly glanced at the Fire Deity beside him and urgently asked, "What are those?"

These beads looked ordinary, but Wang Zhan recalled that when a demonic beast was slain, it would usually leave behind demon cores. This time, however, there were these peculiar black beads.

The Fire Deity extended his hand, and the black beads, as if they had found their owner, flew into his palm.

The Fire Deity squinted at these beads, a faint smile touching the corners of his mouth. "I must say, little one, you are indeed quite fortunate. These beads are the crystallized essence of Xuan Lang's entire life's cultivation. If you can purify them and assimilate their power, your strength will improve considerably."

"However, purifying these beads is no simple feat. After all, Xuan Lang's power was substantial, and his temperament exceedingly violent. Attempting to utilize these beads with your current level of strength is no simple matter."

Wang Zhan sighed. He had initially hoped to obtain a decent demon core, return to Hu Xianfeng's residence, and resume learning the art of elixir refinement. Now, however, it seemed he had merely acquired a few useless items.

The Fire Deity beside him seemed to perceive his thoughts. He shook his head and said, "Don't lose heart so quickly, little fellow. While you can't use them to directly enhance your cultivation, they have another purpose. If you encounter a powerful enemy, you just need to take one out and activate it. The bead will explode instantly."

"Even I, in my current state below my peak, would be somewhat affected by such power."

After Wang Zhan managed to struggle to a sitting position, he squinted at the Fire Deity beside him and quickly asked, "Then, how strong are you when you're at your peak?"

The Fire Deity let out two hearty laughs, his voice brimming with heroic spirit. "I can tell you this: even if ten thousand Xuan Langs were to join forces, they still wouldn't be my match."

Wang Zhan's eyes widened instantly, his face a mask of disbelief.

"Doesn't that mean your strength has long surpassed the peak attainable by humans?"

The Fire Deity paused. "Humans?"

He chuckled, shook his head, and then elaborated, "On the Star War Battlefield, while many humans exist, there are also things here beyond your current understanding. This is not merely a battlefield between humans and demonic beasts. Since I am known as a deity, I have naturally transcended the limits of humankind."

"It's still too early for you to comprehend these matters, little fellow. You should focus on your own path for now. With your current strength, it will likely be a very long time before you can even begin to approach beings of my echelon. Indeed, even if you were to dedicate all your remaining years, you might still never reach this stage."

Hearing this, Wang Zhan couldn't help but sigh.

The Fire Deity beside him smiled and waved his hand. "Very well. Our meeting was destined by fate, so I shall grant you a fortuitous boon."

As he spoke, the Fire Deity raised his arm and, with a flourish of his sleeve, Wang Zhan immediately felt a ceaseless torrent of energy surging into his body, and the Fire Deity Armor clinging to him began to tremble incessantly.

Wang Zhan could feel his cultivation steadily rising, and his physical body undergoing continuous tempering.

This sensation persisted for a good while before color gradually returned to Wang Zhan's face. The next moment, he rose from the ground, bowed respectfully to the Fire Deity before him, and said with urgency, "Many thanks for your assistance, Senior!"

The Fire Deity nodded lightly and then chuckled. "As I said, our encounter was fated. Moreover, had I not met such a formidable adversary, I doubt I would have ever laid eyes upon this world again."

"Alright, little one. That display just now exhausted all my remaining strength. I believe it is time for me to depart."

As he spoke, the Fire Deity slowly spread open his hands.

Wang Zhan noticed his form was gradually becoming much more ethereal.

With a few more hearty laughs, the Fire Deity finally vanished before his eyes.

Wang Zhan clenched his fists tightly, his gaze filled with reverence as he looked toward the spot where the Fire Deity had just stood. "Safe travels."

In the next second, the laughter gradually faded. The crimson light that permeated the sky converged directly into Wang Zhan's body, causing the Fire Deity Armor he wore to blaze with an even more dazzling brilliance.

Wang Zhan clenched his fist, instantly feeling an inexhaustible surge of power. He then slammed a fierce punch into the ground.

A massive, bottomless fissure instantly appeared out of nowhere.

Meanwhile, the demonic beasts that had been cowering and observing the battle scattered in a mad frenzy, fleeing in all directions.

Wang Zhan squinted at their retreating forms. He raised his hand, and the Deep Fire Blade instantly materialized in his grasp. Then, with a single, sweeping slash of immense power, all the fleeing demonic beasts were slain.

Witnessing this, Wang Zhan murmured to himself, "Well, at least I managed to get a good number of demon cores. This trip wasn't entirely in vain."

Of course, for Wang Zhan, the greatest treasure gained from this encounter was meeting the Fire Deity. Without the Fire Deity's timely appearance, he would not only have met his demise on the spot but would also have missed out on the profound boon the Fire Deity had bestowed upon him.

After briefly clearing the battlefield, Wang Zhan roused Han Junxiong and the others.

Upon regaining consciousness and seeing Wang Zhan standing before them, they immediately erupted into a cacophony of questions and exclamations.

"Mr. Wang, what happened to Xuan Lang?"

"Judging by the scene, Mr. Wang, you must have dealt with him, right?"

Wang Zhan simply smiled and nodded. He didn't explain the matter of the Fire Deity to them; after all, it would be pointless even if he did.

For them, the outcome was all that mattered.

Seeing Wang Zhan's affirmative nod, the group burst into cheers.

Nearby, an excited Han Junxiong strode over to Wang Zhan, clapped him on the shoulder, and declared with a laugh, "I knew it! As long as I'm with you, there's no need to worry, even if the sky is falling down!"

Wang Zhan smiled noncommittally. This time, it had truly been a stroke of sheer luck.

"Alright, let's head back for now. We must avoid further delays, lest new complications arise!"