Word Count: 3,687 Words
******
Two low hums rippled through the air the instant the soul imprints appeared. A vast surge of Spiritual Strength followed, so immense and oppressive that every Hun Clan expert went rigid with dread. Goosebumps crawled over their skin, and a sheen of tears gathered in Xiao Chen's eyes.
"Xiao Xuan's power!" Gu Nanhai's heart lurched, and he snapped his head toward Mao Wu. Like Hei Qing, he had lived in the same era as Xiao Xuan.
"Xiao Xuan! You… It's you, Xiao Yan!" Huo Yao's gaze whipped toward Xiao Yan, who was still locked in a brutal contest of strength against the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. In that instant, everyone finally understood. This bizarre black cat, suspected of being related to the Nihility Devouring Flame, was actually one of Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames!
Huo Yao could not see Xiao Yan's face from this angle, but he did not need to. He could already picture the curve of that smile.
Xiao Yan had prepared a countermeasure against the Yan Clan from the very beginning!
The moment Xiao Xuan's soul imprints emerged, the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame and the Red Lotus Karmic Flame began to tremble like frightened beasts. Faint clinking sounds rang out from deep within them, like chains loosening as seals were forced apart.
Gu Nanhai and the others weren't surprised by that sound at all. Everyone from that era knew what Xiao Xuan's Heavenly Flames had been. They had lived in the same age, and some had even crossed hands with him more than once. Xiao Xuan's final battle with Hun Tiandi had been fought within the Heavenly Tomb, right under the Gu Clan's very nose.
Only three clans had truly participated in that battle, but the spectators had included nearly all the Dou God Clans.
After Xiao Xuan's death, it hadn't taken the Yan Clan long to obtain the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame and the Red Lotus Karmic Flame. Their public claim that these Heavenly Flames had been 'inherited for a thousand years' was not entirely false. A thousand years really had passed.
The Dou God Clans had simply, and knowingly, kept their mouths shut. When the Xiao Clan had 'dropped coins,' many had also picked up some of the spoils. No one was in any position to criticize the Yan Clan for doing the same.
What no one had expected was that this fallen clan's Little Clan Leader still had the composure to scheme against the Yan Clan in the middle of a battle like this!!
"Quick! Use the Fire Emperor Profound Canon and pull the Heavenly Flames back!" Huo Yao barked. If they failed to obtain the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame and also lost the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame and the Red Lotus Karmic Flame, the Yan Clan would suffer a complete collapse!
"Elder Huo Yao, they're… losing control!" Huo Zhi ground out through clenched teeth. Even behind her veil, the loss of color in her face was visible. She had never imagined things could turn this ugly!
Huo Xuan frantically circulated his Qi Method, straining to recall the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame. Yet Xiao Yan did not need to spare any attention at all. Mao Wu's devouring force, combined with the remnant might of Xiao Xuan's soul imprints, was more than enough to suppress Heavenly Flames that had already been refined once, including the Fire Cloud Water Flame that had only just been drawn out.
Master and servant, one seizing from the front and one tightening from behind, snatched Heavenly Flames without wasting a single heartbeat.
For a moment, Xiao Yan looked as though he held the entire board in his hands. Yet he knew better than anyone that the game was far from over. His gaze never left the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. He knew the Demon Flame still had trump cards left to play, and so did he.
In this round, neither joker had yet been thrown down.
"Brat! Don't think having those Heavenly Flames means you can trap me!" The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame roared from within the net of fire threads. "I am the one and only Heavenly Flame under heaven! You think these low-grade flames can contend with me? Keep dreaming!!"
"Refining Sky Ancient Formation, appear!"
A sudden change erupted from the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame's Essence Flame. Countless milky-white fire lines burst outward and swept across the space like a storm. They did not strike the crowd. Instead, they pierced into the very fabric of the Demon Flame Space itself and vanished into its depths.
As those fire lines sank in, the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame shouted again.
A thunderous rumble answered from all directions. Under the horrified gazes of the experts present, a colossal fire formation tens of thousands of feet across slowly pushed out from the void high above, as though the sky itself were giving birth to a burning wheel.
"What?!"
"What kind of formation is this?!"
The rumbling did not stop. The boundless magma sea below began to churn and heave. Under countless stunned gazes, a second fire formation, equally vast, slowly rose from the molten depths, as if dragged upward by an invisible hand.
One above. One below.
The moment the two formations fully revealed themselves, the milky-white fire lines sharpened into blades. With a single sweeping flash, they severed the fire-thread seals woven by the twelve Heavenly Flames and released the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame.
Cai Lin and the others' faces went ashen the instant they saw the two formations appear and watched Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flame seal shatter.
"Hahaha, brat, you didn't expect this, did you? This sealing formation, laid down personally by the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint, has ultimately fallen into my hands. Over these thousands of years, I have fully comprehended its mysteries. Inside this Demon Flame Space, who can possibly contend with me?!" The ancient formation that covered the sky rotated slowly as the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame laughed madly.
Everyone watching drew in sharp, cold breaths. This terrifying formation was countless times stronger than the Tianluo Sealing Demon Formation the Hall Chief of the Hall of Souls had displayed earlier.
Gu Nanhai fixed his gaze on the massive formations in the sky and above the sea. His expression was solemn, and stormy waves surged in his heart. He could sense that if this great formation allowed even the slightest sliver of energy to leak out, it could easily slaughter them all.
"This is the Refining Sky Ancient Formation… the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint's strongest killing move. Legend says that when the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint controlled this formation, he possessed battle strength infinitely close to that of a Dou God. That is why he was known as the person closest to the Dou God realm."
This was a Quasi-God Class formation!
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly the moment the Refining Sky Ancient Formation appeared. He could sense that the reason the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame could control this formation was because the flame itself was a piece of it.
'No wonder this array was never discovered. The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame must have known the formation was also his own weakness, so he kept it hidden all along.' Xiao Yan sneered inwardly. The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame was indeed cautious.
As the Refining Sky Ancient Formation emerged, Xiao Yan felt something else as well. That special Spiritual Strength which had entered his body earlier began to stir again, like boiling water beneath a lid, as though something was about to wake.
At the edge of the Demon Flame Space, the void shuddered. A faintly rotating spatial tunnel slowly widened, its opening stabilizing into a passage back to the Central Plains.
The stalemate between Mao Wu and the three from the Yan Clan continued nearby. The black cat crouched in mid-air, its tiny body haloed by a pitch-black vortex of devouring force. Opposite it, the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame and the Red Lotus Karmic Flame strained against Xiao Xuan's soul imprints while their masters poured every ounce of strength into keeping them anchored.
Huo Xuan's face was deathly pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the hand seal he maintained trembled visibly. Huo Zhi fared no better beside him. Blood seeped from the corner of her lips. They were only Half-Saints. Against the remnant power of an Emperor State soul, they could barely hold their ground.
Not far away, Yao Tian watched the stalemate with clenched fists. His jaw was tight, and his gaze kept flicking between Mao Wu and the two struggling Yan Clan youths. The urge to act burned through his chest like acid.
'That bastard Xiao Yan.' The humiliation from the Demon Flame Plains still seared fresh in his memory. Xiao Yan had beaten him bloody at the entrance in full view of every faction present. Now the same man was on the verge of snatching Heavenly Flames right under everyone's noses.
Earthen-brown flames flickered at his fingertips. Behind him, the savage outline of a giant tortoise bristling with spikes materialized faintly as he gathered his Dou Qi. Its jagged maw gaped with blade-like fangs, and the flames wreathing it carried the dense, compressed weight of countless eons spent beneath the earth's crust.
Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame. Ranked thirteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
Yao Tian drew his arm back, ready to hurl the Essence Flame into the fray and shatter Mao Wu's devouring vortex by force. A third Heavenly Flame colliding with that struggle would break the deadlock instantly.
"Brother."
Yao Ling appeared at his side, her long dark-blue hair flowing like spilled ink behind her. Those striking, frost-bright pupils fixed on him with quiet alarm. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going to slam my Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame into that strange cat's vortex and break the deadlock." Yao Tian's voice was a low growl, barely restrained. "The Yan Clan will owe us, and Xiao Yan loses. Two birds, one throw!"
"You're going to get us all killed." Yao Ling's tone did not rise, but it cut through his fury like cold water. "Look at Elder Wangui."
Yao Tian's eyes snapped sideways. Yao Wangui was hunched a dozen paces away, one hand pressed hard against his chest. His breathing came in ragged, shallow gasps, and his complexion had taken on a sickly gray pallor that worsened visibly with each passing moment.
The injuries from the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame's earlier eruption were consuming him from the inside. Even now, wisps of milky-white heat flickered beneath his skin, gnawing at him and devouring his vitality drop by drop.
"Every moment we remain in this space shortens his life. If we don't leave now, he won't survive," Yao Ling said, her voice low and even.
"But Xiao Yan—"
"Is not our concern right now." Yao Ling's slender fingers closed around his wrist with surprising force. "You want to settle a personal grudge? Fine. Do it when we're not standing inside a space that's about to collapse. The Refining Sky Ancient Formation has appeared. Even Dou Saints could be ground to ash in here."
Yao Tian's expression contorted. Humiliation, fury, and reluctant reason warred across his features for a long, visible moment. His fingers flexed once, twice, and then, with a violent motion, he suppressed the Turtle Spiritual Earth Flame. The earthen-brown light died at his fingertips.
"…Damn it all."
Yao Ling said nothing more. She moved to Yao Wangui's side and slipped an arm beneath the elder's shoulder, bearing his weight with a steadiness that belied her frame. Yao Tian took the other side, his jaw still clenched hard enough to crack teeth. Together, they began making their way toward the spatial tunnel at the edge of the Demon Flame Space.
Halfway there, Yao Ling looked back over her shoulder, and her gaze found Xiao Yan's figure across the chaotic battlefield. Those deep, dark eyes studied him for a long moment. Something stirred in their depths. It might have been curiosity. It might have been the faintest ember of acknowledgment. Whatever it was, she buried it a heartbeat later, and her expression smoothed back into flawless porcelain calm.
The Yao Clan became the first ancient clan to withdraw from the Demon Flame Space.
Xiao Yan did not spare them more than a glance. His attention returned to the Yan Clan's struggle. Mao Wu and Huo Yao's group were still locked in their tug-of-war, but the outcome was becoming increasingly clear. Huo Xuan's hand seals trembled uncontrollably, his aura flickering like a candle in a gale. Huo Zhi was even worse off. Blood seeped steadily from the corner of her lips, and her breathing had turned shallow and labored. They were being dragged inch by inch toward the edge of defeat.
The moment Xiao Yan's gaze fell on them, Huo Yao's heart jolted. A cold sweat prickled across his scalp. He did not hesitate. He bit down hard, formed a seal, and growled, "Explode!"
BOOM—
The water-blue Fire Cloud Water Flame, misty and ethereal as drifting cloud-veils, detonated under everyone's gaze. Huo Yao's figure blurred forward in the instant of the explosion. He seized Huo Xuan with one hand and Huo Zhi with the other, forcibly yanking the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame and the Red Lotus Karmic Flame back into their bodies. Both Half-Saints immediately spat blood from the backlash, and their faces turned deathly white as their auras fell into disorder.
Without another word, Huo Yao dragged the two of them toward the spatial tunnel. Their bodies left trails of crimson droplets in the air behind them.
"Cutting off the tail to survive… Decisive enough."
Xiao Yan shook his head with a trace of helplessness. The Fire Emperor Profound Canon really did have something to it. It was likely a genuine creation of Emperor Yan himself. Otherwise, with Xiao Xuan's Emperor State soul and his peak 9-star Dou Saint cultivation, the soul imprints he had left behind would never have been suppressed so easily that even the Yin-Yang Twin Flame could not locate them at all.
Meow~~~
Mao Wu returned with a dejected expression. Although it had successfully subdued the Fire Cloud Water Flame and sealed it within the Acceptance Soul, failing to reclaim the two most powerful Heavenly Flames was still a bitter disappointment.
"There's no rush for such matters. Right now, there's no need to start infighting with the four clans. The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame is just waiting for us to tear each other apart." Xiao Yan's gaze returned to the Demon Flame. That was the true priority now.
The moment the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame realized that Xiao Yan's side wasn't going to erupt into infighting, his eyes narrowed.
Without waiting for Xiao Yan and the others to recover, the massive formations above and below began to revolve. Slow and inexorable, they ground forward like two world-sized millstones closing around the space between them. Compared to those ancient wheels of fire, Xiao Yan and the others looked like ants caught between grinding stones, utterly insignificant.
"He can actually control the formation laid down by the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint…" Hun Mo stared at this turn of events in disbelief. A moment later, he snapped back to his senses and immediately looked toward the distant spatial tunnel that rotated slowly at the edge of the space.
"Retreat now!"
His eyes flickered. Without another word, Hun Mo's figure shot toward the spatial tunnel at full speed. This formation had been laid down by the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint himself. Against that super-powerhouse whom even the Hun Clan Leader of that era had acknowledged as his superior, it did not matter that he had fallen countless ages ago. That legendary reputation was still deeply branded into the minds of all who had heard of his deeds. It could never be forgotten.
The Hall Chief and the other two hesitated briefly when they saw Hun Mo flee. In the end, they could only grit their teeth and follow with great reluctance.
Even if Hun Tiandi had given orders, he had also said to act within their means. Suicidal behavior was something they absolutely would not engage in.
Hun Mo's flight set off a wave of panic among the remaining experts. Even some elders from other ancient clans turned pale, hesitated briefly, and then gritted their teeth and followed. The temptation of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame was immense, but one needed to be alive to enjoy it.
Xiao Yan cast a helpless glance at the fleeing Hun Clan members. As expected, the Hun Clan truly could not be relied upon. He would have to depend on himself.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge?" Xun Er's expression shifted the instant she saw the look on his face, and her voice rang out urgently.
"All of you, leave first." Xiao Yan stepped forward slowly and returned the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame and the Ghostly Poison Flame to Xun Er and Little Fairy Doctor.
"Xiao Yan!"
Before he could explain further, Xiao Yan merged all eleven of his Heavenly Flames, excluding the newly acquired and not-yet-refined Fire Cloud Water Flame, back into one. An eleven-colored fire lotus rotated slowly beneath his feet. He rose into the space between the two formations of the Refining Sky Ancient Formation and faced the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame at eye level.
"Hahahaha! So what if you can merge Heavenly Flames? Low-grade flames are still low-grade! You want to leave now? Too late! I will refine everyone here into my Fire Slaves!"
The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame shifted his hand seals, and the great formation shrouding the sky began to rotate with a thunderous rumble, grinding forward like a colossal millstone.
As the two formations slowly revolved, the energy in this space instantly turned violently chaotic. Some experts who had reached the Half-Saint level turned pale on the spot. Others coughed up mouthfuls of fresh blood. The great formation had not even launched a direct attack yet, and people were already unable to withstand it. The Purifying Lotus Demon Saint's reputation was clearly well earned.
"Refining Sky Ancient Formation, refine the sky into slaves!"
The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame hung suspended in the air. Milky-white flames surged madly from his body and poured into the great formation without reservation. Without a doubt, this was the last of his energy reserves.
Yet just as the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame grew giddy with triumph, Xiao Yan merely watched his performance with calm, unhurried eyes. Not the least bit flustered, he released his own Spiritual Strength and steadied his mind.
A deep hum reverberated as an extremely powerful surge of Spiritual Strength erupted from his body.
Everyone then saw Xiao Yan extend a hand and point toward the heavens.
The Refining Sky Ancient Formation, which had been slowly rotating, actually stopped.
"You…! You! What did you do?!"
The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame stared at Xiao Yan in horror. For some reason, he could sense from Xiao Yan's body an aura he desperately wanted to forget yet could never erase from his memory.
"This is…"
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, clearly at a loss as to what had just happened.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge?!"
Amid the crowd's confusion, Xun Er suddenly cried out. All eyes swung toward Xiao Yan. He seemed to have fallen into a comatose state, yet his body was emitting a faint halo of light. That radiance gathered slowly on the surface of his skin and finally condensed into a somewhat illusory human figure.
"Purifying Lotus Demon Flame?!"
The instant that figure appeared, the crowd recoiled in horror. Its appearance was exactly the same as the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame hovering in the sky above.
"No, that's not the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame! It's the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint!" Xiao Chen's heart trembled. He knew that the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame's appearance had been modeled after the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint!
Xun Er and Cai Lin exchanged a startled look and immediately understood. It was that ancient map!
"Were the lines on that map fragment actually a formation?!"
Little Fairy Doctor stared at the unconscious Xiao Yan, worry shining in her beautiful eyes. "Then what do we do now?"
Cai Lin remained silent for a moment before speaking. "We leave first. Xiao Yan is not someone who acts rashly. He likely knew about this long ago. That's why he told us to leave first, so we wouldn't be caught up in the struggle over the ancient formation and become a burden to him."
Everyone nodded at Cai Lin's words. Right now, even Xiao Chen would only be dead weight. They could not participate in a contest at this level.
While different thoughts flashed through everyone's minds, 'Xiao Yan,' now possessed by the Purifying Lotus Demon Saint, slowly lifted his head. A pair of white pupils gazed up at the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame in the sky.
"Purifying Lotus Demon Saint? How is this possible?! How can you still be alive?!"
The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame stared at Xiao Yan with a face full of shock. When his gaze landed on the illusory figure that had formed over Xiao Yan's body, towering waves of terror surged through his heart. His horrified, disbelieving roar echoed again and again across the sky.
"Thousands of years of sealing, and it still has not smoothed away the violence in your heart. Sigh… If you were allowed to continue growing, the entire Dou Qi Continent would eventually be destroyed." 'Xiao Yan' gazed at the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. A faint voice, sounding both near and far, flowed slowly from his mouth and echoed through this world. Beneath it lay a pressure that made the surrounding world tremble.
"Bastard! Purifying Lotus Demon Saint, you ungrateful wretch! Without me, could you have achieved what you did?! I helped you so much, and in the end you sealed me away for thousands of years!" The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame glared at 'Xiao Yan' with a face twisted in savagery, laughing madly as he spoke. He looked as though he meant to pour every drop of the towering hatred in his heart into those words.