Support me at patreon to get all the remaining chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk
**
A thousand-li journey was nothing more than a blink of an eye for people like Wei Yang and the others.
Before long, they arrived at the towering mountain region where the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame was said to descend. But the lush mountain range that Xiao Yan had seen that day was now completely gone. In its place was a vast desert, its sand a strange milky white.
A terrifying heat surged upward from the desert. Even the space within a thousand-li radius rippled slightly under the scorching temperature.
"What a horrifying Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. It actually burned such a massive mountain range into a desert!"
Staring at the boundless expanse before them, Wei Yang and the others couldn't help but take in a breath of searing air, shock flickering across their faces. This was the true meaning of burning the heavens and boiling the seas, of annihilation on a world-shattering scale.
Hum—
A faint, illusory black curtain shimmered around Wei Yang's body, wrapping him in a warped black haze like a distorted void, shielding him from the oppressive heat. He lifted his head, gaze locking onto the distant sky.
The space up ahead had split open. Threads of milky-white radiance spilled out from the cracks, each strand carrying a heat so terrifying that even the soul found it difficult to endure.
"The space sealing the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame has already fractured, but the flame itself hasn't broken free yet. It should still be inside that sealed space. These milky-white rays are only some residual heat leaking out." Xiao Yan said quietly as he took in the sight.
"Residual heat, huh..."
Even with Zi Yan's formidable strength, her expression couldn't help changing slightly.
Just a little leaked heat had reduced a vast mountain range to nothing but desert. Such devastation could literally reshape the land. If entering the sealed space meant facing the true body of the flame, how terrifying would that be?!
"What, did you think the third place on the Heavenly Flame Ranking was just for show?" Wei Yang said with a shake of his head.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—
While Wei Yang's group waited, the sound of wind being torn apart echoed from all directions above the desert. One figure after another stopped far from the torn space, all staring at the milky-white desert below with shock in their eyes.
It was clear they knew that before tonight, this place was a thriving mountain range teeming with life.
"It seems that if we want to obtain the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, we'll have to enter the sealed space." Yao Lao said after watching the torn space for a long while.
"Are we going in now?" Xiao Yan asked.
"No rush. Wait."
Wei Yang replied calmly: "This isn't something you get just because you arrive early. Haven't you noticed the ancient clans haven't shown up yet?"
"If they aren't anxious, neither should we be. That sealed space is definitely filled with danger. There's no reason for us to be the first fools to rush in."
"Mhm."
Xiao Yan and the others nodded.
They could all clearly sense the intense danger coming from inside the sealed dimension. Charging in recklessly would only end badly.
Shua!
While everyone stood waiting, unwilling to act rashly, a section of space suddenly writhed.
Moments later, dense black mist poured out from within, spreading across the sky like a tide. A powerful aura rippled outward, forcing everyone present to turn toward it. Under the crowd's watchful eyes, the black mist slowly dispersed, revealing several figures.
"That is... the Hall Master of the Hall of Souls."
Yao Lao's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the black-robed figure at the center, his voice low.
"He's the Hall of Souls's Hall Master?"
Wei Yang raised an eyebrow.
Zi Yan looked as if she was ready to pounce, but Wei Yang immediately grabbed her and held her back. As for Xiao Yan, his hands beneath his sleeves quietly clenched.
Three figures emerged from the dispersing mist.
The man in the lead was dressed entirely in black. His face held no distinctive features, looking exactly like an ordinary person. If he were to mix into a crowd, he would be completely unremarkable.
The pair of hands revealed beneath the black-robed sleeves were slightly rough, like the weathered hands of an old farmer. Yet this seemingly ordinary figure made almost everyone present unconsciously hold their breath.
Their expressions turned solemn, and a deep wariness flickered in their eyes.
The Hall of Souls's Hall Master.
Just four simple words, yet they carried overwhelming weight across the entire continent. That reputation was built atop countless rivers of blood. Across Central Plains, aside from the recently risen Falling Star Pavilion, almost no faction dared openly oppose him through the years.
This was due in part to the Hun Clan standing behind him, yes — but also because of his own terrifying might. This Hall Master of the Hall of Souls had once slaughtered more than dozens of sects in a single night.
That night, blood flowed like rivers, and corpses blanketed the land.
Even five top-tier experts who had reached Two-Star Dou Sheng all fell to his hand alone. That night cemented the Hall of Souls Hall Master's infamous name. It was also the night that secured the Hall of Souls's position as the number-one hegemon openly ruling the Central Plains.
Even the Pill Tower had to avoid direct conflict with them. Right now, that same man — the fierce overlord who shook all of Central Plains — simply hovered quietly in the sky. His gaze was like that of a meditating monk, utterly unmoved.
Whether the eyes directed at him carried awe or hatred, his expression didn't shift in the slightest.
"Hall of Souls's Hall Master…"
Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, fists clenching tightly, refusing to look away from the figure in the sky. Just a few days ago, his very soul had nearly fallen into this man's hands. Even thinking about it now left lingering fear in his chest.
Sensing Xiao Yan's gaze, the Hall Master slowly turned his head. His ancient-well-like eyes, devoid of the slightest ripple, settled onto Xiao Yan.
He looked Xiao Yan up and down with deliberate calm before speaking in a flat, emotionless voice, "For the fallen Xiao Clan to still produce someone with your talent… this is the neglect of my Hall of Souls."
"Heh." Xiao Yan let out a cold, disdainful laugh.
"Hall Master, he's the one who led the attack and destroyed our Hall of Souls branch."
A respectful voice sounded behind the Hall Master.
The speaker lifted his head slightly, revealing half his face — it was the Hall of Souls's Vice Hall Master.
"In time, this boy may become another Xiao Xuan." The Hall Master didn't respond to the deputy's complaint, speaking instead in the same flat tone.
His voice never wavered, not rising or falling, sounding stiff and unsettlingly calm. Hearing the Hall Master praise Xiao Yan that highly, the Vice Hall Master opened his mouth, then quickly looked toward another silent figure beside him. He forced out an awkward laugh.
"No matter how strong he is, he won't surpass the Young Clan Leader. Even if he's the next Xiao Xuan, Xiao Xuan's ending wasn't exactly pleasant."
"Heh."
The Hall Master made a strange nasal sound, something between a scoff and a laugh, then slowly shook his head.
"Not necessarily."
He paused, then added, "Though… it seems we've forgotten about another existence."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted away from Xiao Yan and settled instead on a tall figure beside him — a figure wrapped in the illusion of a distorted void, as though standing within a phantom black hole. At last, some ripples appeared in those ancient-well eyes.
"That one is… Wei Yang?"
At that moment, Wei Yang also turned his head slightly, sensing the attention. His pitch-black pupils instantly deepened, transforming into a pair of bottomless voids that seemed capable of devouring the Hall Master's very soul.
An oppressive pressure filled the air.
Then Wei Yang grinned, baring his teeth.
"Jie jie jie~ so you're… Hun Miesheng?"
**
Support me at patreon to get all the remaining chapters :
patreon.com/YaoIk