Chapter 80: The Desolate Heavenly Emperor
Han Feng had followed Yao Lao for nearly a century, yet the old man had stubbornly refused to teach him the heaven defying Flame Mantra. Then, out of nowhere, a brat named Xiao Yan appeared and effortlessly snatched away what Han Feng had coveted for so long.
Even worse, that brat had been appointed the Young Master of Starfallen Pavilion a position Han Feng had dreamed of for years.
"All of this… it should've been mine! Mine!" Han Feng's inner fury roared, his jealousy boiling over.
His resentment toward Yao Lao began to fester.
"Damn old man! This is all your fault! Why wouldn't you give me what I deserved?!"
"And that Xiao Yan…" His hatred for Xiao Yan burned even hotter. Yet, when he thought of Xiao Yan's formidable background, he could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger.
But fate seemed to smile on him.
Not long after Yao Lao and Xiao Yan left, Han Feng stumbled upon a piece of information that made his heart race.
In the northwestern continent, deep beneath Jia Nan Academy, lay the remains of an ancient Dou Saint. It was rumored that this fallen Saint had a mysterious technique similar to the Flame Mantra and an accompanying Heavenly Flame.
The flame was the Fallen Heart Flame, ranked 14th on the Heavenly Flame list a step above Han Feng's current Sea Heart Flame.
This flame possessed a unique ability to cultivate internal flames, aiding in cultivation and enabling it to ignite the hearts of enemies during battle, making it a terrifying weapon.
"If I can obtain this flame and fuse it with my Sea Heart Flame, its power would surpass Yao Lao's Bone Chilling Flame! With a few decades of secluded training, I might even reach the rank of an eighth tier alchemist!"
"Xiao Yan, you've taken so much from me. This time, I'll make sure you walk away empty handed!"
After dismissing the disciple who brought him the news, Han Feng smirked coldly.
The next day, he packed his things and quietly left Starfallen Pavilion.
Two months later, in Holy Pill City
On the top floor of the grand Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, the city's most prestigious restaurant, lively chatter filled the air.
A single meal here was enough to make even a fifth tier alchemist wince in pain. The head chef was rumored to be a sixth tier alchemist who, upon reaching a bottleneck in his cultivation, had turned to crafting culinary masterpieces.
The dishes he prepared infused with beast flames and made from rare, high grade magical beast ingredients were as exorbitantly priced as they were mouthwateringly delicious.
At one of the tables, Xiao Yan sat surrounded by an array of exquisite dishes: Ice Frosted Flaming Bear Paw, Sweet and Sour Heavenly Dragon Fish, and Nine Turn Demon Pig Intestines. Each dish used rare materials worth nearly as much as a fourth tier pill.
"Brother Yan, a toast to you!" a young man raised his cup toward Xiao Yan with admiration.
"Cheers!" Xiao Yan smiled, raising his own cup.
Seated beside him, Cao Ying and Dan Chen were like two flowers in bloom: one a vibrant rose, the other a pure jasmine. Their contrasting beauty drew envious gazes from many of the male disciples present.
"Brother Xiao Yan, I'd like to propose a toast too!" A young female student, who was quite attractive, stood up and offered her cup with a bashful smile.
"Li Yue, let me drink with you instead." Cao Ying intercepted with a charming yet sharp smile, raising her cup.
Li Yue hesitated, her expression souring as she begrudgingly clinked glasses with Cao Ying.
"Humph, even this flirtatious vixen dares to compete with me," Cao Ying muttered under her breath, clearly unimpressed.
Xiao Yan watched the interaction silently, his eyes calm. Li Yue wasn't particularly remarkable in either beauty or character her coquettish behavior with several male disciples ensured she'd never catch his interest.
"Brother Xiao, you're heading to the northwestern continent tomorrow, correct?" Sitting further down the table, Ye Zhong spoke with a smile.
"Yes," Xiao Yan nodded. It was no secret.
The Pill Tower's lectures had little left to offer him. With the Yin Yang Sacred Manual in his hands and nowhere to put it to use, he was eager to embark on his journey to find more Heavenly Flames.
"I've heard that Jia Nan Academy in the northwest is a gathering place for many young talents. When my younger sister is a bit older, I might consider sending her there to study," Ye Zhong remarked.
"You mean your sister, Xin Lan?" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up. "Big brother Ye, oh no, I mean Brother Ye Zhong how about I escort your sister to the academy? It's on my way, after all."
Before Ye Zhong could reply, a delicate finger pinched the soft flesh of Xiao Yan's waist.
Cao Ying's expression was icy, and even Dan Chen puffed her cheeks in anger, raising her small fist to lightly punch him twice.
"Just joking! I already have two wives," Xiao Yan laughed nervously, attempting to soothe the two girls.
"Haha, you'd better be joking," Ye Zhong replied awkwardly. "Besides, my sister is only nine years old this year."
"I'm such an idiot," Xiao Yan cursed himself inwardly.
"Brother Yan!"
A cheerful voice broke the tension. Xiao Yan turned to see a plump young man placing a piece of Nine Turn Demon Pig Intestine on his plate.
"Brother Yan, you've got to try this it's amazing!" Shi Hao beamed at him.
"Thanks, but I don't like intestines," Xiao Yan replied, calmly returning the food to Shi Hao's plate.
"Shi Hao, you should keep this for yourself. Make sure to lay a solid foundation for your future. The world will need someone like you to protect it. I truly believe you have the makings of a Dou Emperor," Xiao Yan said, ruffling Shi Hao's hair affectionately.
The room fell silent as others looked on with envy. Xiao Yan's sharp demeanor was often intimidating, but his occasional kindness endeared him to many.
"Really?" Shi Hao's small eyes lit up with excitement.
"What should my future title be? Shi Emperor? Hao Emperor? Or Shi Hao the Great?"
"None of those," Xiao Yan replied with a grin. "Your title should be… The Desolate Heavenly Emperor!"
"The Desolate Heavenly Emperor!" The name echoed with an ancient and unparalleled aura, silencing the room before filling it with awe.
Under the influence of wine and revelry, the group felt the weight and majesty of the name.
Hearing this, Shi Hao's face turned red with excitement, his breathing quickened.
"Brother Yan, that's an incredible name! Thank you! I'll drink to that!" he declared, raising his cup of beast milk with fervor.
Xiao Yan clinked glasses with him, though his mind drifted back to the ominous black mist he had encountered at the Yin Yang Sacred Saint's ruins.
Far away, within the Xiao Clan's ancestral grounds, Clan Leader Xiao Shaobei stood respectfully behind the clan's ancestor, Xiao Xuan. In his hands, he held the soul remnant of the Yin Yang Sacred Saint.
For the first time in ages, Xiao Xuan's expression was heavy with concern.
"You're sure about this?" After a long silence, he turned to face the Yin Yang Sacred Saint.
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