Word Count: 2,727 Words
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"An early 3-star Dou Saint withstood a 4-star like Yao Wangui and almost beat Yao Tian to death?!"
Xiao Yan had pulled his fist back, yet every gaze across the sky remained frozen on him in disbelief. Almost as one, those gazes shifted to the other 'Xiao Yan,' the figure wreathed from head to toe in crackling silver lightning. Throats worked up and down as people swallowed unconsciously.
"That should be the secret technique of the Wind Lightning Pavilion that Xiao Yan annihilated, the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body. But how could a High Di Class technique produce a clone with Dou Saint-level strength?"
More and more eyes locked onto the lightning avatar. That figure, wrapped entirely in silver arcs, was indistinguishable from Xiao Yan in both appearance and aura. Even its cultivation matched exactly: early 3-star Dou Saint.
If these two Xiao Yans joined forces, even Yao Wangui would stand no chance against him.
"That's not just the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body. Xiao Yan's lightning clone is also fused with the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame. More importantly, his own Spiritual Strength has reached the perfected Heavenly State." A Lei Clan expert spoke quietly, explaining to the juniors clustered around him.
The Lei Clan likewise possessed agility-type Dou Techniques similar to the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body, and of far higher class at that. Yet even they could not produce a clone this solid, much less one that copied the user's full 3-star Dou Saint cultivation.
"Perfected Heavenly State Spiritual Strength, 3-star Dou Saint cultivation, and multiple Heavenly Flames merged into one body... Xiao Yan is determined to claim the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame this time." A knowing light gleamed in the veiled Huo Zhi's beautiful eyes. Her gaze swept over Cai Lin and Zi Yan standing behind Xiao Yan, taking the measure of the lineup at his back.
Xiao Yan's formation was in no way inferior to those of the Gu Clan or the Hun Clan. They were clearly one of the strongest contenders for the Demon Flame this time.
Beside her, Elder Huo Yao's brows drew tighter and tighter. He knew very well that Xiao Yan cultivated a miraculous Qi Method capable of merging Heavenly Flames, and his own Yan Clan possessed the greatest number of Heavenly Flames on the continent. He had already been an Elder of the Yan Clan back when Xiao Xuan fought Hun Tiandi, and there were few secrets of that era he did not know.
A vague unease stirred in his chest. The danger was not to him personally, but to the clan as a whole. After all, even the seventh-ranked Nine Serene Golden Ancestor Flame resided within their Clan Head.
For their own gain, the Hun Clan had gone so far as to establish the Hall of Souls to hunt down alchemists across the Dou Qi Continent. Even within the Yao Clan, clansmen vanished from time to time. No matter how secretly the Hun Clan acted, everyone understood whose hands those people had fallen into.
If not for the Yan Clan's own strength, Xiao Yan would likely have already moved against them!
Xiao Yan's clash with the Yao Clan had ended in the blink of an eye. Yet those few brief exchanges were enough for everyone present to gain a far deeper understanding of this Little Clan Leader from a fallen Dou God Clan, this son destined to revive his ancestral line. Their wariness toward him deepened by several degrees.
Until now, they had thought Xiao Yan relied chiefly on his status as an alchemist. Now they understood that his alchemy was merely auxiliary. His own terrifying combat strength was the true foundation upon which the Xiao Clan's resurgence rested!
The entire sky fell silent. Countless gazes fixed on Xiao Yan in stunned disbelief. Some eyes held fear, some astonishment, some indifference, and some deep, wary frowns.
And of course, there were those that smoldered with rage.
Blood dripped from the corner of Yao Tian's mouth. Scarlet veins crawled through his eyes. The humiliation cut deeper than a killing blow ever could.
"You... you dared to strike me!"
The stillness lasted only a heartbeat before he snapped out of his shock and fury. His eyes turned blood-red in an instant as he glared at the lightning soul clone, mad and twisted.
A surge of brown flame erupted from his body. Beneath a sky-shaking roar, it condensed into the form of a colossal tortoise. Its entire body bristled with jagged, blazing spikes, and its ferocious maw was lined with fangs sharp as blades.
"Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame, ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."
"When the Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame rises, it takes the shape of a giant tortoise covered in sharp spikes, with a savage maw filled with blade-like fangs. The flame burns an earthen brown, born deep within the strata of the world. After countless eras of crustal pressure, tempering, fusing, and compressing, a wisp of earth-attribute flame carrying its own spirituality is finally born."
Xiao Yan spoke without hesitation, each word smooth and precise, as if reciting from his own family records. A single glance was all it took for him to identify the Heavenly Flame Yao Tian possessed.
The Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame was a dual earth-and-fire attribute Heavenly Flame. After refining it, one's Dou Qi would naturally acquire an earth attribute, and when unleashed, a layer of rock-like plating resembling a tortoise shell would appear across the body, greatly enhancing one's defense.
Its destructive power might not compare to certain other Heavenly Flames, but the Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame was the only one that strengthened defense, and it was born with its own Fire Spirit.
Yao Tian's anger had burned hot enough to drown out what little reason he had left. Yao Ling hurriedly cried out, "Brother!"
A ripple of Spiritual Strength surged into Yao Tian's mind, clear and resonant as the toll of a soul bell. His frenzied thoughts slowly settled.
Yao Ling's shout stayed his hand, but his teeth still ground together hard enough to crack. When in all his life had he ever suffered such disgrace?
Most opponents at least exchanged a few words before throwing the first blow. Not Xiao Yan. His fists hit hard and his mouth stayed shut. At the slightest disagreement, he simply struck. He was the kind who let his knuckles do the talking!
"Xiao Yan, I, Yao Tian, will remember this!" Yao Tian's face twisted as he roared, "Don't think my Yao Clan has no powerhouses. It is only because of the pact between the Dou God Clans that our experts cannot act. Wait until you reach 5-star Dou Saint. We'll see how arrogant you are then!"
Their Yao Clan's Supreme Elder, Yao Wanhuo, was a 6-star Dou Saint, and their Clan Head had reached the 7-star stage. The higher the realm, the harder it became to fight above one's level, especially when Clan Head Yao Dan cultivated the Yao Clan's highest-grade Qi Method and Dou Techniques.
With Qi Methods and Dou Techniques of equivalent rank, victory and defeat came down solely to cultivation.
"Xiao Yan, don't get ahead of yourself. My Yao Clan may conduct itself quietly, but if you mean to dance on our heads without real ability, your end will hardly be a pleasant one!" Yao Wangui's rage had reached its peak as well. His face was livid as he forced the words out.
Xiao Yan smiled, noncommittal. "With an Elder like you running the Yao Clan, and a worthless alchemist who only knows how to boast at his side... I don't know what end I'll meet, but I can promise yours won't go smoothly."
"You—!" Yao Wangui was about to snap back when Yao Ling suddenly caught his sleeve and gave the slightest shake of her head.
Trading barbs here would gain them nothing. The pact binding the Dou God Clans was still in effect, and below the 5-star line, the strongest expert the Yao Clan could field was Yao Wangui himself. He had just lost. Since they could not win, the only path left was to endure.
Clinging to face now would only invite disaster. If they broke the rules and handed the Hun Clan an excuse, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Yao Wangui and Yao Tian could only choke down the curses burning on their tongues. They shot Xiao Yan a final, venomous glare, then flicked their sleeves and withdrew into the distance.
A quiet wave of exhalations rippled through the onlookers as Yao Wangui's group finally withdrew in such a sorry state. Gazes drifted back to Xiao Yan's party with undisguised surprise. No one had expected him to make a Dou God Clan suffer so humiliating a setback by relying on his own strength alone.
In the distance, the Shi Clan experts also knit their brows. Their clan's overall strength was more or less on par with the Yao Clan's, and for every Dou God Clan, the Xiao Clan's resurgence could only be bad news. With the Yan Alliance behind him, Xiao Yan could now justifiably contend with them for resources, reclaiming the territories, secret realms, blessed lands, and other assets that had once belonged to the Xiao Clan.
When that day came, would they spit those gains back out, or fight to the bitter end?
The sudden interlude closed with Yao Wangui's frustrated retreat, and the strength Xiao Yan and his companions had displayed left many experts and factions looking at them in a very different light. Only now did everyone truly accept that the once-fallen Xiao Clan had really returned!
Xiao Yan might well become the next Xiao Xuan. And should he obtain the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, he might even surpass his ancestor!
With the farce over, attention shifted back to the ruptured space in the distance. The milky-white radiance pouring from it had thickened into an unbroken stream, falling like liquid. The desert below had become a sea of pale magma, bubbles occasionally rolling to the surface and releasing jets of blindingly hot air.
BOOM! BOOM!!
The wait dragged on for roughly three more hours. In that time, the ruptured space expanded from some thirty feet across to several hundred. Faint, eerie sounds echoed from within, just barely audible.
When the shattered space finally swelled to nearly a thousand feet, its growth at last came to a slow halt. Within the broken void, a milky-white ring of light gradually took shape.
To many, breathing suddenly felt difficult.
The instant that halo fully formed, every expert present snapped their eyes open. They all sensed it at once. The surrounding temperature had just spiked nearly a hundredfold!
Xun Er also opened her eyes. Her beautiful gaze turned to Xiao Yan, and she spoke softly. "Xiao Yan ge-ge, the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame is about to break through the seal."
Her words seemed to carry a kind of magic. The moment they left her lips, urgent sounds of wind cutting through the air erupted from every direction. One figure after another, each carrying a deep and powerful aura, shot over from the distant sky like bolts of lightning. In a chorus of sharp whistles, they plunged headfirst into the milky-white ring of light without a shred of hesitation.
No one wanted to be even a step late and let someone else seize the advantage.
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, and a fiery light danced in the depths of his black pupils.
The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. I've finally waited until this day!
"Hehe, Brother Xiao Yan, we'll be going in first!"
Not far away, Huo Xuan cupped his fists toward Xiao Yan with a smile. Then, led by Elder Huo Yao, their figures blurred and streaked into the ring of light, vanishing from sight.
The Hall Chief of the Hall of Souls, Hun Mie Sheng, shot Xiao Yan an obscure look before leading Deputy Hall Chief Hun Zhu and Hun Feng in after them, flying straight into the Demon Flame Space.
Xiao Yan caught Hun Mie Sheng's glance and let roughly ten seconds pass, watching until the Hall of Souls' group had fully entered the Demon Flame Space before finally speaking. "We should move as well."
"Xiao Yan ge-ge, legend says the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame can use human emotions as a catalyst, causing the Demon Flame to be born from within a person's body. Once the Demon Flame appears inside you, even your soul will be burned into nothingness."
Xun Er nodded slightly as she spoke, her tone turning grave. "So after we enter that space, no matter what you see, do your best to keep your heart calm. Don't be carried away by good fortune or crushed by setbacks. Any joy, anger, sorrow, or resentment, try to keep them all under control. Otherwise, these emotions will draw the Demon Flame to you."
Cai Lin and Zi Yan both furrowed their delicate brows. For them as magical beasts, formless, intangible forces like Spiritual Strength and emotion were always the most troublesome to deal with. Their physical bodies were powerful. They could attack and defend with terrifying combat power even without Dou Qi to back them.
But if their emotions became fuel for the Demon Flame, the danger would be very real.
Xiao Yan swept his hand, and wisps of transparent Heart Flame slowly rose within everyone's chests. "The Fallen Heart Flame may only rank fourteenth, but it too can stir emotions. This Heart Flame should give everyone a measure of protection."
"Everyone, be careful. Let's go."
He slowly exhaled, and without wasting another word, flicked his sleeve and shot forward. He transformed into a streak of light that plunged into the ring of light, and Xun Er and the others followed close on his heels.
"By the way, Xiao Yan ge-ge, you've gathered all the map fragments, haven't you?" Just as they flew toward the Demon Flame Space, Xun Er's voice entered his mind through a spiritual transmission.
Xiao Yan turned to look at her, a knowing smile touching his eyes. He answered quietly. "The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame has descended so many times before, and yet just as this emergence drew near, the Ancient Treasure Pavilion happened to put up a map fragment for auction. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?"
"Ancient Treasure Pavilion… 'Ancient' (Gu) Treasure. It wouldn't happen to have ties to your Gu Clan, would it?"
One shouldn't take Xiao Yan for a fool. How could anyone truly believe a Purifying Lotus Demon Flame map fragment would simply be put up for auction? After all, gathering every piece meant a chance to obtain the legendary Purifying Lotus Demon Flame!
Unless the fragment's owner already knew they could never complete the map themselves.
And how convenient that, with only two or three years remaining before the Demon Flame's emergence, the Ancient Treasure Pavilion just happened to offer one for sale.
Xun Er said nothing. She only smiled faintly, and those beautiful eyes that seemed to speak volumes blinked at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan gave her a helpless look. "You little minx."
With a sharp whistle of parting air, he took the lead and flew toward the spatial rift leading into the Demon Flame Space. Just as he was about to cross through, his peripheral vision caught something. An utterly common, unremarkable creature of a kind one could find anywhere gently flapped its wings, and a faint breeze brushed against his cheek.
'A butterfly?'
Before he could dwell on it, a second whistle split the air, and his body plunged through the ring of light. Every inch of his skin pulled taut in that instant. The passage took only a heartbeat. When the radiance before his eyes flickered and cleared, Xiao Yan found that the space around him had completely changed.
'What a terrifying heat.'
That was his very first sensation, as though he had stepped straight into a giant furnace. His gaze swept around in a flash. He stood within a strange space suffused entirely with milky-white flames. The pale fire pervaded every corner. Even he, who had devoured eleven Heavenly Flames, felt an abnormally scorching heat radiating from those milky flames, fierce enough to set his blood simmering.
With a thought, his Heavenly Flames slowly surged out from within and wrapped his entire body. Only then did that scalding heat subside considerably.