"Journal?"
"Observation Copy?"
The young girl had bright eyes and white teeth. Her fiery red hair added a touch of seductive charm that did not match her age.
A trace of doubt flashed in her eyes as she reached out to touch the ancient book that emitted strange fluctuations.
This was the heart of Burning Flame Valley. She didn't believe anyone could harm her here.
"Hm?"
The moment her fingers touched the ancient book, countless pieces of information surged into the young girl's mind.
It felt like an instant, yet also like several months. As the ancient book turned into flowing light and sank into the girl's forehead, she had already digested all the previously recorded information.
"World Observer, Xiao Ting!"
"Battle Qi Continent, outside the plane?"
"Eight Ancient Clans…"
"Helping me, Tang Huo Er—does that mean I failed to fuse with the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame!?"
After sorting through all the information, Tang Huo Er rested her chin on her hand, her pretty brows furrowed as she shook her head and pondered.
She had heard her father and ancestors mention the Eight Ancient Clans when she was young.
Ice River Valley and their Burning Flame Valley were mortal enemies. They wanted to destroy each other whenever they had the chance.
Why hadn't their Burning Flame Valley's ancestor, whose Heavenly Flame strength had reached Dou Saint, taken action? Destroying Ice River Valley would only require a single slap.
At that time, the Burning Flame Ancestor had said that the Eight Ancient Clans had an alliance pact: Dou Saint experts were not allowed to casually attack forces that did not have Dou Saint experts guarding them.
Dou Saint experts at Five Stars and above were forbidden from taking action on the Battle Qi Continent.
Therefore, as the eldest young miss of Burning Flame Valley, although she was proud, she was not arrogant to the point of looking down on everyone.
After all, in front of the Eight Ancient Clans, Burning Flame Valley was nothing.
Additionally, the ancestor had mentioned that the founder of Burning Flame Valley seemed to have had a good relationship with the Xiao Clan.
It was a pity that the once-glorious Xiao Clan had now completely declined.
"Xiao Ting's 'Xiao' is the Xiao Clan's Xiao."
"Gu Xun Er's 'Gu' is the Gu Clan's Gu. She is also the daughter of the Gu Clan's clan leader."
"Nine-Star Dou Saint late-stage expert—terrifyingly powerful~"
In just an instant, Tang Huo Er made up her mind to become good best friends with Xun Er.
When her best friend cultivated the Flame Mantra and became a Flame Empress, she could also rise along with her.
As for herself, not to mention she had no chance of obtaining the Flame Mantra from Yao Lao—even if she could, with both Xiao Yan and Xun Er cultivating it, this path would become very difficult to walk.
Heavenly Flames were already rare and scarce. If two people were already walking the path of devouring Heavenly Flames, jumping into the same track would be brainless.
"If Xun Er listens to Xiao Ting's suggestion in the future and cultivates the Flame Mantra, she will definitely want the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame."
"The Nine Dragon Lightning Flame carries the imprint that our Burning Flame Valley has reinforced for generations. It definitely cannot be given away."
"However, the sub-flame that Father cultivated for me can be given."
Tang Huo Er felt this was a great opportunity to become Xun Er's best friend.
But there was one person whose thoughts were completely different.
…
"Gu Clan's clan leader's daughter… Flame Mantra."
Inside the Yan Clan's Yan Realm, Huo Zhi had also obtained a Journal copy and digested all the information.
As a core disciple of the Yan Clan, she naturally knew everything about the Eight Ancient Clans.
Because her aunt Huo Ling often mentioned it, she was not unfamiliar with the Xiao Clan, which had been the strongest among the Ancient Clans a thousand years ago.
She simply hadn't expected that someone from the now-declined Xiao Clan would become the protagonist of this era.
She didn't take the "story protagonist" talk to heart. She knew very clearly that she was a real living being.
The Red Lotus Karmic Fire could illuminate the heart and see one's true self, burning away desires and sins.
The so-called story protagonist, in her view, was just like how Xiao Ting understood it—a Child of Destiny.
But now that Xiao Ting had come to the Battle Qi Continent, he was very likely the true Child of Destiny, even though he positioned himself as a World Observer.
"He knows so many things. Maybe he has a way to help Father break through to Nine Stars and find other Dou God Origins!" Huo Zhi instinctively wanted to capture Xiao Ting and bring him back to the Yan Clan.
She wasn't afraid of offending Xun Er either. The Gu Clan would absolutely not confront the Yan Clan over the fallen Xiao Family.
Moreover, since Xiao Ting had captured Xun Er's heart, if the higher-ups and geniuses of the Gu Clan knew, they would only thank her for taking Xiao Ting away.
Unless Gu Xun Er had told the Gu Clan about Xiao Ting's situation. But judging from the Journal contents Xiao Ting had written so far, she had not done so.
"Hm?"
The moment the thought of capturing and imprisoning Xiao Ting appeared, Huo Zhi felt as if her heart was being gripped by a hand.
Her soul, which had reached the Spirit State level, seemed to be exiled into eternal darkness, on the verge of shattering at any moment.
"Hu… hu…"
It felt like ten thousand years, yet it was only an instant.
Huo Zhi's entire dress was soaked with sweat, revealing her graceful figure. Her face was deathly pale as she gasped heavily. Her beautiful eyes were filled with fear and dread.
Not long ago, she had just broken through to Dou Venerate. Her aunt had declared that she could reach Dou Venerate peak within ten years and attempt to break into Dou Saint.
Yet facing the power from the Journal copy, she couldn't even generate the slightest thought of resistance.
"So that's how it is."
Huo Zhi finally understood why Xun Er had not forcefully brought Xiao Ting back to the Gu Clan and why she had not leaked the Journal contents to the Gu Clan.
It wasn't that she didn't want to or was unwilling—it was that she couldn't.
"Can't harm Xiao Ting."
"Can't leak Journal information."
After sinking into deep thought for a long while, a smile appeared on Huo Zhi's stunningly beautiful face.
"I know what to do now!"
Xun Er was the daughter of the Gu Clan's clan leader. She was also the daughter of the Yan Clan's clan leader.
Xun Er had the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame. She had the Red Lotus Karmic Fire.
Xun Er was a Dou God descendant. She was also a Dou God descendant.
Although the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame was ranked higher than the Red Lotus Karmic Fire (which was eighth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking).
Although Xun Er had God Grade Dou God bloodline while she only had ordinary peak Fourth Grade Dou God bloodline.
However, she could also cultivate the Flame Mantra. She could also let Xiao Ting eat soft rice until he was full.
Just as Xiao Ting wrote in the Journal, the Yan Clan controlled many Heavenly Flames. Cultivating the Flame Mantra would yield twice the result with half the effort.
At this thought, Huo Zhi took out a veil and put it on. Heavenly Flame rose within her body, instantly evaporating all the sweat. She then left her closed-door cultivation area.
"Hm?"
The moment Huo Zhi left her cultivation grounds, she was noticed by Fairy Huo Ling, who had been paying attention to her.
"Little Zhi Er, you successfully entered the Fire Emperor Mysterious Scripture?" The graceful and charming big sister beauty appeared in front of Huo Zhi.
The Yan Clan was a great clan that had given birth to more than one Dou God expert.
The founder of the Yan Clan had the surname Yan, hence the Ancient Clan was named Yan Clan. The last Dou God of the Yan Clan had the surname Huo. The Fire Emperor Mysterious Scripture was created by that Dou God.
Direct descendants could cultivate the low-grade Heaven Tier portion after reaching Dou Venerate.
After breaking through to Dou Venerate peak and entering the Nine Revolutions Becoming Saint stage, they could cultivate the mid-grade Heaven Tier portion.
Half-Saints could cultivate the high-grade Heaven Tier portion, and Dou Saint Five Stars qualified one to obtain the Emperor Tier portion inheritance.
However, even cultivating an Emperor Tier technique did not guarantee breaking through to Dou God.
"Not yet, Aunt," Huo Zhi gently shook her head, her beautiful eyes blinking. "I just feel that constantly secluding myself isn't good."
"I have finally successfully broken through to Dou Venerate. I want to go out and gain some experience on the continent before returning to the Yan Clan to cultivate the Fire Emperor Mysterious Scripture."
Hearing this, Fairy Huo Ling stepped forward and placed a hand on Huo Zhi's shoulder, smiling with her eyes: "That's the right way to think. What's so interesting about staying in the Yan Realm?"
"You're so young yet you've already reached Dou Venerate. You should go show off a bit on the continent."
Huo Zhi: "..."
…