Techniques and Dao

Chapter 225 Fire and water are incompatible
Tianjizi and the brown evil dragon chased each other in the night sky of Chang'an.

The magical orbs, interspersed with green flames, roared through the air, grazing past Tianjizi several times. With the Five Elements Sword providing protection, the magical spells were temporarily unable to harm him.

However, Tianjizi was ultimately only capable of dodging and parrying. The continuous battles of the past two days, coupled with the black poison invading his already injured body, made him feel even more exhausted. His resistance became increasingly difficult.

"When the poison reaches the heart, it's all over." Madeline's voice came from behind.

Tianjizi sneered and retorted, "This immortal has the Purification Mantra protecting me. I'm afraid it won't burn my shoulder for at least three to five years."

Madeline waved her long, black magic wand and said, "You should hope this ends soon."

Suddenly, Tianjizi felt as if he had drunk scalding lava, the burning pain almost causing him to faint. His body felt as if it were being torn apart, the skin and flesh on his neck and arms being peeled away bit by bit wherever the black poison touched.

Perhaps the confrontation with the Platinum Dragon had exhausted almost all of his immortal power, making it so easy for the black poison to invade. Tianjizi sensed that the black poison was trying to burrow into his heart.

He recited the Purification Mantra again, and he was certain that the magic spell would not fail, but the spread of the poison did not slow down as it had before.

Madeline pointed her long, black wand at Tianjizi, then opened her other palm, revealing a fine powder of black crystals. Tianjizi then realized that this fine powder had been scattered throughout the air, almost covering his entire sky.

Madeline said, "You think slowing down the spread of this poison is enough? But do you know there's a kind of magic that can accelerate the process? It can make the magic more effective and intense, shortening what you call three to five years to three to five minutes!"

Tianjizi gritted his teeth and shouted, "Killing you is enough!"

He gripped the Five Elements Sword tightly with his throbbing hand, turned around, and thrust the sword at Madeline. Madeline pulled on the reins, and the dragon rose to dodge, while at the same time the brown dragon opened its mouth wide, about to spew flames again.

Within the dragon's dark mouth was a long, blood-red tongue, upon which grew a bright red fire bead about two palms wide. Tianjizi's sword struck this fire bead precisely, and the moment the sharp Five Elements Sword touched it, a violent explosion erupted within the dragon's mouth.

This fire bead was clearly the brown dragon's weakest point, yet it was hit by Tianjizi's sword by sheer luck! After the explosion, the brown dragon immediately plummeted downwards as if it had lost its soul.

Madeline sneered, as if she had been prepared all along; she didn't even glance at it twice. She then abandoned the brown dragon and descended using the power of her wand.

After his counterattack, Tianjizi realized that the fire poison had already infected most of his body. He could no longer control his body and could only fall straight down.

Tianjizi wanted to recite the incantation to ascend, but he was interrupted by a sharp pain in his throat halfway through the incantation. It was too late to continue the spell, and he fell into the mountains and forests below.

With a deafening roar, Tianjizi, unable to stop his speed, smashed a mile-long gap in the forest, scattering trees to pieces. Fearing that Madeline would take advantage of the situation, Tianjizi tried to retaliate quickly, but he was almost unable to move.

"You fell into the forest, which proves that you used up your last bit of luck when you were attacking the dragon."

The voice of the dark sorcerer could be heard from not far away.

"The Flying Dragon Fire Orb, combined with the magic powder covering the mountains and plains, will instantly turn the forest into a raging inferno. The black poison is already beyond your resistance, and this fire will burn you to ashes in an instant!"

Following the sound, Tianjizi saw Madeline standing in a lake, with most of her body hidden underwater.

Madeline continued, "I stand in the lake, and by sinking myself into the lake, I can turn the water into an ice wall to stop the flames."

Tianjizi looked up and saw the fiery pearl he had pierced the brown dragon burning fiercely as it plummeted downwards. Madeline stood in the lake, while he himself was immobilized on a tree-covered hilltop.

Madeline said to Tianjizi, "The fireball falling into the forest will end your suffering sooner than the black poison reaches your heart. That's your luck!"

Tianjizi plunged his sword deep into the earth, gripping the azure Five Elements Sword tightly for support, attempting to stand. However, his body was out of his control, and the black poison spread rapidly from his arms and neck towards his heart. He knew he had expended too much energy today, and there was no longer any possibility of ascending and escaping.

The hillsides were covered in powder that amplified the magic; even a tiny spark was enough to ignite a sea of ​​fire. Conversely, even if a fireball were ten times larger, it would be extinguished instantly upon landing in the lake where Madeline was.

Although Madeline was unable to leave the lake with the help of the dragon, she remained undefeated.

It was impossible for Tianjizi to leave the mountains and forests; it was too late. He also wanted to recite the Frost Immortal Incantation to resist the impending raging fire, but his attempts were always interrupted by excruciating pain.

However, nothing is set in stone yet.

Compared to the mountains, forests, and lake below, the fireball was far too small. Falling from such a height, the wind direction could change at any moment, and its final landing point might not necessarily be in the forest. Under normal circumstances, the fireball would certainly avoid the trees.

However, Madeline's "curse" can change luck and make it disappear.

Even if his luck ran out, at least the area of ​​the forest he was in was roughly the same size as the lake where Madeline was. There was at least a 50% chance he could avoid the fireball falling from such a height.

As long as the fireball falls into the lake, Tianjizi will be able to escape disaster and buy time to counterattack.

Thinking of this, Tianjizi raised his head. The fiercely burning fireball roared towards the ground, its trajectory seemingly moving away from its current location.

Just as the fireball was about to fly towards the lake, a sudden flash appeared in mid-air, its brightness almost illuminating half the city. Immediately following was a deafening explosion; the fireball had exploded in mid-air, the small fireball instantly shattering into countless fiery fragments that scattered across the sky!

Everyone knows that if even one of these thousands of fire fragments, or even just a single spark, falls into the forest, Tianjizi will be burned to ashes by the sea of ​​fire.

Seeing this, Madeline shook her head with a cold smile, as if she could see Tianjizi sentenced to death by fate. Tianjizi said in a hoarse voice, "Fire will also fall into the lake."

Madeline replied coldly, "In a place where everything accelerates, even the largest fire will be swallowed up by the lake in an instant. This is basic common sense."

Tianjizi seemed to be completely exhausted, the light in his eyes was gradually fading, and he could only keep his body upright by leaning on the sword.

He said slowly, "That's right, water can extinguish fire. This fire has magic, and now you've also cast a spell on this water. But fire is still fire, and water is still water."

Madeline seemed not to understand what the other person was rambling on about, and said, "Everything has its own properties. Is this your last words?"

Tianjizi lowered his head and actually laughed.

Madeline snorted and said, "A fragile madwoman."

Tianji Zi murmured softly, "The nature of all things in the world...their nature."

In the eyes of the young man before her, covered in wounds and barely able to move, Madeline saw not a trace of fear or hesitation. It was as if the only key to victory lay in the hands of this dying man, not in her.

A strange fear suddenly flashed through Madeline's mind, a feeling she hadn't experienced in decades.

In the past, she had only read fear in the eyes of her opponents, but now, in the eyes of this young man about to perish in the flames, she read pity.

The other person looked at him as if he were a condemned prisoner walking to the execution ground, or a blind horse heading towards a cliff.

But lake water is lake water, trees are trees, and fire is fire. Regardless, it should be the person opposite them heading towards destruction. So why is Madeline herself uneasy now?

Why look at her like that? Why pity someone who is unable to move and is about to die?

Could it be! ?
Madeline immediately sensed something was wrong.

This young man should be the one to win!
How could he possibly win when he can't even save his own life? If this young man had any special tricks up his sleeve, he should have used them long ago; there's no need for him to keep risking his life. He definitely won't have any more tricks up his sleeve to turn the tide!

He must be the one who died!
Soaked in the lake water, Madeline raised her black wand and roared, "Taste the fiery hell!"

At this moment, Tianjizi laboriously raised his hand, blackened by the fire poison, and waved his index finger back and forth, denying Madeline's words. Then, he said, word by word, "The one who tasted this bitterness was you!!!"

Suddenly, Tianjizi gripped the azure sword standing upright on the ground with both hands, twisted the blade as if turning a key, and shouted, "Hurry, hurry, as the law commands!"

In an instant, the sword emitted a magnificent azure light, which pierced the surroundings as dazzlingly as needles.

At that moment, Madeline suddenly understood something. Why was this young man so confident of victory? Why did he still believe he wouldn't be burned to death even though he was clearly unable to cast spells?

"Impossible! You!!" Madeline roared, "Are you trying to change the properties of an object?! That's impossible!!"

Tianjizi took a deep breath and shouted, "Five! Elements! Chaos!"

The blue light, like an electric current, extended from the Five Elements Sword as its center to the ground, mountains, forests, and lakes!

Almost simultaneously, countless flames fell from the sky, spreading to every corner.

The mountains and forests remained as still as mountains, as silent as forests.

Flames scattered into the woods, like a gentle spring rain caressing tender leaves.

But then, the entire lake suddenly burst into flames! Explosions! Loud roars echoed everywhere!
The lake water transformed into scalding lava, its surface churning like a boiling oil pan. The intensely burning water splashed into the forest, but it was like flames falling into icy water, hissing and leaving behind a trail of blue smoke.

Tianjizi, who was in the mountains and forests, looked down coldly at this fiery inferno and sighed. He then turned the hilt of his sword forward, and the reactions of water, fire and wood suddenly stopped, and they stopped interfering with each other.

Countless flames swam up and down on the lake, burning freely in the water. When the flames fell into the forest, they danced like fallen leaves, becoming blossoms on the treetops.

The causal connection between water, fire, and wood has been severed.

This is the unexpected power of the Five Elements Sword!
Tianji gritted his teeth and pushed his palm into the lake. The black magician Madeline, who had already lost consciousness, was lifted out of the lake and fell to the shore.

He struggled to his feet. He slammed his palm on the hilt of his sword, and half of the Five Elements Sword was deeply embedded in the soil. The ground beneath his feet emitted bursts of blue light, and then the city was filled with swirling clouds and a deep blue celestial array rose into the sky, merging with the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams array in the air, covering the entire city of Chang'an.

"The Five Elements Heavenly Formation! Please... defend Chang'an..."

After saying this, under the blue Five Elements Heavenly Array, Tianjizi's vision went black and he collapsed beside the sword.

(End of this chapter)