Chapter 108: Solaris Infernum-Lunara Glacies

As Jiang Feng and the others had a stare off, behind them the water, once divided into its fiery and icy halves, began to churn violently as an intense light shined out causing Jiang Feng and everyone else to look over. Waves rose and fell, their crests glowing with an unnatural light. The two flames that were on the stone platforms flared to life, their brilliance blinding as they sent out waves of furious heat and cold.

The temperature in the area shifted erratically, scorching one moment and freezing the next, as if the realm itself could not decide between fire and ice. The spiritual energy in the atmosphere sharply increase as the blinding light began to spread outwards.

Then, with a deafening roar, the lake erupted. Four massive eyes opened beneath the surface, their glow piercing through the water like twin suns and moons. The ground trembled as two colossal beasts emerged, their forms shimmering with spiritual energy. On one side of the lake, a Golden Crow took flight, its feathers ablaze with golden fire. Each beat of its wings sent waves of searing heat cascading across the battlefield, its presence radiating the unrelenting fury of the sun. This was the spirit of **Solaris Infernum**, the sun flame.

On the other side, an Ice Phoenix rose from the depths, its crystalline feathers glistening with frost. The air around it froze instantly, forming delicate snowflakes that drifted lazily to the ground. Its eyes, cold and piercing, seemed to freeze the very soul of anyone who dared to meet its gaze. This was the spirit of **Lunara Glacies**, the moon flame.

The appearance of the two spirits sent shockwaves through the battlefield. The cultivators, already struggling to withstand Jiang Feng's Skyforge Zone, now faced the overwhelming presence of these ancient beings, their aura threatening to force them t kneel. The Golden Crow let out a piercing cry, its voice echoing like the toll of a celestial bell. The Ice Phoenix responded with a haunting melody, its song carrying the chill of the void.

"Kreee-aaahhh!"

Jiang Feng's eyes narrowed as he felt the shift in the air. The shadow cultivators, Ling Meixue and Han Yunfei, hesitated for a moment, their cold, eyes flickering with uncertainty. Even they could not ignore the sheer power radiating from the spirits of the flames, they didn't even knew flames could have spirits.

The only reason they associated the spirits and the flames was that they gave off the same aura and presence!

The Golden Crow spread its wings, sending a wave of golden fire across the lake. The flames surged toward Jiang Feng, Ji Moran and the others, their heat intense enough to melt stone. At the same time, the Ice Phoenix unleashed a blast of freezing wind, its icy tendrils reaching out to encase everything in frost. The two attacks converged on Jiang Feng and the others, their combined power threatening to overwhelm them.

As Jiang Feng and the others stood frozen in awe of the sight of the two majestic beats, the Golden Crow and Ice Phoenix unleashed their combined fury. The Golden Crow's golden flames surged forward like a tidal wave of fire, while the Ice Phoenix's icy winds swept across the battlefield, freezing everything in their path. The two forces collided in a spectacular explosion of heat and cold, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

Jiang Feng's instincts kicked in. He knew he wasn't strong enough to face these ancient spirits head-on, but he couldn't let Ji Moran die. With a swift motion, he summoned his Ember Armor that he was storing as a last resort, the armor shimmered to life across his body within an instant. The armor absorbed some of the heat and but little to no cold, because it had its limits and wasn't made for that purpose. He gritted his teeth, feeling the strain as he dashed toward Ji Moran.

"Ji Moran, move!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring flames and howling winds. He grabbed her arm, pulling her away just as a wave of golden fire and icy shards crashed into the spot where she had been standing. The force of the blast sent them both tumbling to the ground, their bodies battered and bruised.

"We got to go now!" Jiang Feng shouted as he pulled her up.

Around them, the other cultivators weren't as lucky. The shadow cultivators, Ling Meixue and Han Yunfei, were forced to retreat, their movements sluggish as the icy winds slowed them down. Danue Ge's Water Prison shattered under the combined assault, leaving him and his allies exposed. Zhen Ruyi, Lan Xue, and Zhao Tian huddled behind a crumbling formation shield, their faces pale with fear and exhaustion.

Even though the spiritual energy in the atmosphere had drastically increased by eighty percent of the outside world, the frightening appearance of the two spirit beast was too shocking for them to even find the time to absorb it much less cultivate. If any of them were to stop and do so, there was a hundred percent certainty that they would die a horrible death!

The Golden Crow let out another piercing cry, "Kreee-aaahhh!" Its wings beat the air, sending more waves of searing heat across the battlefield. The Ice Phoenix responded with a haunting melody, "Shreeee-ooohhh!" Its icy breath froze the ground, creating jagged spikes of ice that shot up from the earth.

Jiang Feng helped Ji Moran to her feet, his eyes scanning the chaos. "We need to get out of here," he said, his voice strained. "These spirits are on another level and may very well kill all of us here." Jiang Feng hurried as he spoke, he had no recollection of these two beast in the dreamscape so he was caught unprepared and unawares.

But before they could move, the two spirits suddenly stopped their assault. The Golden Crow and Ice Phoenix hovered in the air, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. The flames on the stone platforms flared brighter, and the spiritual energy in the area intensified to an almost unbearable level.

Then, with a deafening roar, the two spirits joined together, their forms merging into a swirling vortex of fire and ice that rose in the sky like a burning two colored sun. The vortex expanded, the higher it went, causing the whole realm to shake frantically. Once the two color vortex reached its highest point at the crown of the massive hills, they pulled the two stone platform upwards fusing with them.

This created a massive ring of energy that stretched from one stone platform to the other. The ground within the ring shifted, transforming into a battleground filled with traps, obstacles, and deadly challenges with several barriers places all over the battleground. Jiang Feng and the others watched, dumbfounded!

But that wasn't all. Outside the illusionary formation, identical gates of fire and ice began to appear nearby the strongest juniors therein without warning. The gates pulsed with energy, and before anyone could react, they were pulled through, one by one. Cultivators from all six cities—Northern Moon, Silver Sword, Mist Ridge, Obsidian Lake, Verdant Sky, and Thunderclap—were dragged into the battleground, their expressions a mix of shock and fear as they felt the oppressive atmosphere and pressuring spiritual energy in the atmosphere.

The aura of the Golden Crow and Ice Phoenix flared, pressing down on everyone like a suffocating weight. The cultivators struggled to breathe, their spiritual energy fluctuating wildly under the pressure. The two spirits' voices echoed in unison, their words reverberating through the air like a divine decree.

"Only the two strongest shall claim the Sun Moon Polaris Flames. Prove your worth, in death the strongest emerge victorious!!."

The two stone platforms were now a battleground of a deadly arena, with traps and obstacles scattered throughout. The rules were clear: the last two standing would claim the Solaris Infernum and Lunara Glacies flames. But with so many powerful cultivators from different cities, alliances would be tested, and betrayals were inevitable as well as death.

Jiang Feng glanced at Ji Moran, his expression grim. "Stay close," he said. "We'll need to work together if we want to survive this." She was the only person he trusted and was the only friend he had other than Yumo.

Ji Moran nodded, her grip tightening on her sword. "I'm with you," she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.

Around them, the other cultivators began to regroup, their eyes darting nervously as they assessed the situation. The shadow cultivators, Ling Meixue and Han Yunfei, exchanged a glance before disappearing into the shadows, their intentions unclear. Danue Ge and his allies from Mist Ridge formed a defensive circle, their expressions tense. Zhen Ruyi, Lan Xue, and Zhao Tian stood together, their formation shield flickering weakly.

The Golden Crow and Ice Phoenix watched from above without anyone noticing four large eyes staring down at them, their eyes glowing with an eerie light. The battleground was set, and the fight for the flames had begun.

The scene on the battleground was one of devastation and carnage, a grim reminder of the brutal nature of the world of cultivation. The air was thick with the stench of burnt flesh and the lingering aura of spiritual energy, a testament to the fierce battles that had taken place. The bodies of cultivators from Thunderclap, Mist Ridge City, and Silver Sword City lay scattered across the field, their lives cut short in the pursuit of power and dominance.

Even those from Northern Moon's Bia Clan were killed in the Skyforge Zone, with many others from the other three cities. Among the fallen were many of the top juniors, individuals who, despite their youthful appearances, were actually decades old due to the longevity granted by their cultivation. These cultivators, though not yet a century old, had spent their lives honing their skills and advancing their Dao, only to meet their end in this brutal conflict.

However, amidst the seasoned cultivators, there were two exceptions: Jiang Feng and Ji Moran. Both were truly young, their ages a stark contrast to the others. Ji Moran, in particular, was a prodigy. Her talent for ice spiritual energy was unparalleled, and her affinity for it was so strong that it had caused the room to freeze when she was born. This incredible ability had been a closely guarded secret by the Ji clan, who knew all too well the dangers of revealing such a powerful talent. Powerful juniors often became targets, and without constant protection, they would inevitably meet an untimely end.

Despite her immense strength and potential, Ji Moran lacked true combat experience. Her family's intense care had shielded her from the harsh realities of the cultivation world, leaving her with weak combat skills and little practical knowledge outside of what she had learned within the confines of the Ji clan and the area of Northern Moon and Poor Man's Corner. Her true age was known only to her closest family members, and even among them, it was a closely guarded secret.

Jiang Feng, on the other hand, was an even greater anomaly. At just shy of eighteen years old, he had only recently begun his journey as a cultivator, not even a full year or two into his training. If the other cultivators were to learn of this, they would be filled with disbelief and envy, perhaps even to the point of despair. His rapid progress and potential were beyond comprehension, and the thought of someone so young achieving such heights would be enough to make many spit blood in frustration.

As the stronger younger generations arrived at the battleground, they initially assumed that the massacre had been caused by the two spirit beasts that roamed the area. However, as members of their factions began to inform them of the true events, their attention quickly turned to Jiang Feng. Heated glares filled with killing intent landed on him, as the realization dawned that he was the cause of so much death, that he had played a significant role in the devastation that had unfolded.

The tension in the air was palpable, and it was clear that Jiang Feng had made powerful enemies. The younger generation, fueled by anger and a desire for vengeance, now saw him as a target. The battleground, already soaked in blood, was about to witness even more conflict as the cultivators turned their attention to the young prodigy who had shaken the very foundations of their world.

**chapter dedication @Mix-Breed