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--- Chapter 226 ---
Deep in a strange and eerie forest, two figures walked side by side. Their surroundings are dark and gloomy with a hint of iron in the air. The trees are brownish-purple, constantly oozing coppery liquid, and there isn't even a patch of grass here.
One figure, thin and feminine, wrapped in a purple-white robe. Standing over 160 centimeters tall is a young lady with fair skin, lustrous, long white hair, and a pair of violet eyes.
Despite her young age, she had already shown a beauty that could topple a country. Just a few more years, and her beauty would be one of the top in the world.
Yet, this beautiful girl is currently pouting in displeasure.
"Brother, are we really in the right place? We have been walking in circles for hours now, and I don't sense the Heavenly Flame rumored to exist in this forest." She complained to the figure beside her.
"Be patient, if Heavenly Flame is so easy to find, everyone would have them as decoration at this point," said the other figure, chuckling at her complaint.
The other figure is tall and compactly muscular, wearing a loose dark-blue martial robe that covers his body loosely. Standing over 175 centimeters tall is a young man with a sharp look, spiky, long black hair, and a pair of striking silver eyes. His right arm is 'tightly' clad with a white-gold strip much like a bandage, as if hiding something much more mysterious.
He's attractive for sure, the kind who could make a maiden's heart flutter with his manliness.
Paired with the girl, they looked like an unmatched couple.
Yes, these two are none other than Han Yuan and Xiao Yixian!
Many things have happened in the last five years, and they have grown into better versions of themselves. And they are in this unknown forest because they got information about the "Ten Thousand Beast Flame" residing here.
Ranked 21st in the Heavenly Flame List, Ten Thousand Beast Flame is a unique Heavenly Flame that was born from the culmination of countless Magical Beasts that had unfortunately passed away in one place, packed, and became a living flame that could swallow and burn blood, especially Magical Beasts' blood, to grow stronger.
Ten Thousand Beast Flame is 'very' overlooked, not well explained in the book, as it exists within the Ancient Mansion to be a plot device to allow Xiao Yan to grow into a Dou God Realm by absorbing it using his Flame Mantra.
However, Han Yuan genuinely believed there was more to Ten Thousand Beast Flame. Since the book hasn't explained the power of this Heavenly Flame, he keenly thought that anything related to "Beast," "Blood," and "death of a large number of things" can't be ordinary.
Depending on the reason, the Ten Thousand Beast Flame's manifestation isn't a simple death of many Magical Beasts. And Han Yuan guessed it had something to do with bloodline.
Combining these factors, the Ten Thousand Beast Flame might have the power to awaken, if not strengthen, the Magical Beast's bloodline!
With such a unique power, how could Han Yuan not be tempted to grab this Heavenly Flame for himself? So, when Han Yuan got the news about Ten Thousand Beast Flame, he secretly left Wu Tan City with Xiao Yixian, not wanting to disturb a "certain" stalking girl.
Suddenly, Han Yuan's spiritual power fluctuated. He grabbed Xiao Yixiain by her shoulder, "Stop."
"It is here."
"Hmm?" Xiao Yixian stopped, looking around in puzzlement. "I don't see anything, though."
"Use your Heavenly Demon Eyes." Han Yuan chuckled, wanting to see the girl's surprised expression.
Xiao Yixian's violet eyes immediately gained a golden tint as she saw her surroundings changing at an alarming rate. The eerie forest transformed into a vast field of blood and countless shadowy figures of Magical Beasts.
They are roaring, clawing, fighting each other for dominance.
She was shocked, "T-This is..."
"Ten Thousand Beast Flame?"
"Yup, in all its glory." Han Yuan smiled happily.
...
[Ten Thousand Beast Flame (Juvenile)]
[Ranked 21st of the Heavenly Flame List, soaked in crimson, born from death, the Ten Thousand Beast Flame ruled over the blood of countless Magical Beasts, possessing the ability to devour, rob, and strengthen bloodline with sufficient energy of heaven and earth. Powered by blood, burned with beastly instinct, the Ten Thousand Beast Flame is both nemesis of Magical Beasts and the key to unlock their full potential.]
[Warning: Due to its being a juvenile, this Ten Thousand Beast Flame has yet to let its beastly instinct settle down and grow a main spirit. It is a wild force of nature!]
...
...
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
A bloody battle between countless Magical Beasts' resentment happened before Han Yuan and Xiao Yixian's very eyes. It was very intense as each beast tore the other apart.
"Well, they are surely wild ones," commented Han Yuan.
Xiao Yixian frowned, "Brother, you're not going to tame these beasts, right?"
Han Yuan smiled, "That depends."
"If they are good boys, I wouldn't bother doing it."
"But... Look, they are eyeing us like a piece of meat."
Xiao Yixian froze upon hearing this. She awkwardly moved her gaze to the bloody battlefield and saw that the remaining magical beasts were staring at them hungrily.
Knowing these beasts are no different than ghosts makes Xiao Yixian feel even worse.
"Stay here, it will be over soon," said Han Yuan while walking forward. He grasped the 'bandage' on his right arm, which wasn't your typical one, as it was actually an artifact.
As Han Yuan pulled the bandage off, the burn on his right arm, left by the "incinerating" power of Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame, lit up with a golden runic tattoo.
The tattoo spread from Han Yuan's right arm to his entire right side, but was 'naturally' hidden by his martial robe, so only the one on his arm is exposed.
Xiao Yixian saw Han Yuan's transformation, and no matter how many times she saw it, she couldn't help but sigh in amazement.
The reason is simple. Those runic tattoos aren't just for show; each of them is actually a manifestation of laws that chose Han Yuan as their bearer.
No, in fact, they are grovelling to be part of Han Yuan!
Two years ago, Han Yuan was on the verge of breaking through to the upper stage of the Dou Grandmaster Realm.
He practiced his inner and outer cultivation arts to the highest degree he could achieve in that realm, perfecting not only his body, but also his mind and spirit.
His Dou Qi cyclone is no different than an inner world at this point, making him the dear of heaven and earth.
That day, the sky in Wu Tan City changed.
Two laws of the universe in particular descended upon Han Yuan's body, and they are the Law of Lightning and the Law of Wind.
Upon accepting these laws, Han Yuan instantly entered the Dou Ling or Dou Spirit Realm.
Then, Han Yuan obtained an artifact known as the "Storm's Belt," which can strengthen his physical prowess, control gravity, lightning, and wind to a certain degree.
It was a hassle for Han Yuan to replace his bandages, so he used Storm's Belt instead out of convenience. Not to mention, due to its innate ability to control gravity, it was a great training tool for him.
As far as Xiao Yixian remembered, Han Yuan's own body was under 20x gravity or more. She stopped asking last year.
What Xiao Yixian didn't know was that Han Yuan didn't magically obtain an artifact. It was a delivery, a very late one, from the Douluo Continent, an incomplete divine tool that "Alpha" has somehow repaired and sent here through the "Sky Poison Pearl" channel.
As expected, the time difference between the two worlds is still too big, and they couldn't hold another meeting yet.
Yet, both sides could confirm something. Both worlds have influenced each other in some ways.
It might not be significant for others.
But Han Yuan? It was a big loophole.
The golden runic tattoo on Han Yuan's body is proof.
For Dou Qi Continent's natives, they looked aesthetic and confusing, but for Douluo Continent's natives, these runes looked like the spirit ring's marks!
Han Yuan stared at the Ten Thousand Beast Flame, "Clear Sky Ant King's..."
"1st Spirit Skill."
"Skyhorn Transformation - Extreme Penetration!"