Chapter 574: Caring for the World Rather Than Oneself, the Will Does Not Extinguish, the Red Heart Remains Forever

Chen Yan looked toward the sky; today was cloudless for ten thousand miles, and the sunset glow was brilliant.

The sky was about to turn dark.

This was the most dangerous battle Chen Yan had ever experienced.

It was absolutely more dangerous than the battle against the Ancient God Beast of Dreams.

While being controlled by Chi Xuanxun's array, Chen Yan had been one step away from death.

Lu Cunyang and the others had set a great many traps for Chen Yan, and because Ji Chuxi had left from the very beginning, Chen Yan had no idea what their battle plan was.

Fortunately, Chen Yan could perceive emotions.

An enemy who does not underestimate you is far more terrifying than an enemy who does.

These people were all far older and of a higher cultivation realm than Chen Yan, yet from the start, they had not treated Chen Yan as a low-realm martial artist.

They had truly fought Chen Yan with a heart prepared for death.

But this did not mean Chen Yan identified with them.

Chen Yan observed the martial path network.

Ji Chuxi was indeed searching for the Five Clans Creation Realms in the vicinity, but unlike before, Lu Cunyang and Yu Ren were already near the Backfire Castle, so Ji Chuxi had found them quickly.

But this time, Ji Chuxi had been out for a long time and had not encountered anyone else.

Chen Yan observed the others on the martial path network.

He also roughly understood the faction divisions within the Purple Firmament World-Fixing Mirror.

Most martial artists, upon entering, would be directly teleported into a trial ground like the Backfire Castle, just as Chen Yan had been.

Even if they were not inside, they would not be very far away.

Just as Chen Yan was at the Backfire Castle, Chen Yu was at a place called the Rotten Sound Ancient House, and Jiang Yuan was at the Ice Remains Tomb.

Lu Jianxia and her brother were at the Blood Vine Manor.

Within the entire Purple Firmament World-Fixing Mirror, there were three Tier 2 Domains, and each Tier 2 Domain governed three Tier 3 Domains.

The Backfire Castle where Chen Yan was located was a Tier 3 Domain.

The Backfire Castle was controlled by a Tier 2 Domain named the Dark-Devouring Mother Nest.

Like the Backfire Castle, there were two other Tier 3 Domains also controlled by the Dark-Devouring Mother Nest.

One was called the Magnetic Storm Thunder Prison, and the other was called the Thousand-Face Corridor.

Sensing that Ji Chuxi would not bring him any more trouble in the short term, Chen Yan chose to heal his wounds on the spot.

The sun set in the west.

Chen Yan hung his head, his Qi and blood overflowing to shake off the Ancient God Beast flesh and blood from his battle armor, and a plate of chicken legs and a plate of grilled fish appeared in his hands.

Sizzle...

Myriad Prison Nether Thunder found some firewood and burned it with electric currents; Chen Yan simply heated the food and began to eat it over the flames.

As the chicken leg entered his mouth, the meat juices burst forth between his teeth, the salty, spicy, and meaty flavors blending together.

For San Jin to use her status as a martial artist to cook was practically bullying ordinary people.

Her control over temperature and flavor was extremely precise.

That Chen Yan had said it didn't taste good before was only because he had been in a bad mood at the time.

Chen Yan looked toward the battle area in front of him while he ate.

The Ancient God Beast flesh and blood on the ground was actually flowing, as if something was slowly being born.

Chen Yan watched quietly; he could sense the birth of emotions, but these things being born held no hostility.

Soon, Myriad Prison Nether Thunder arrived again, wrapped in orange Backfire Crystals.

This was something Chen Yan had discovered during his battle earlier: the Backfire Castle had a dedicated storehouse for guarding Backfire Crystals.

Chen Yan counted them; these Backfire Crystals added up to sixty-one pieces.

Adding the four pieces Chen Yan had obtained earlier, Chen Yan now had sixty-five pieces.

A decent harvest.

A trace of a smile appeared at the corners of Chen Yan's mouth.

He was just thinking about continuing to forge the Ember Memory Spear; if the Ember Memory Spear were to be promoted to God-tier, the boost to Chen Yan's combat power would be terrifying.

After a while, Myriad Prison Nether Thunder found the corpses of Chen Yitong and Yu Ren.

Chen Yan's expression changed slightly.

Chen Yitong's corpse was already only half left, and Yu Ren's corpse had also been reduced to fragments.

The origin spaces of both, like those of Lu Cunyang and Chi Xuanxun, were already completely empty.

It was very clear that before the battle began, these people had already hidden all the treasures in their origin spaces elsewhere.

They were worried that if they died, the treasures in their origin spaces would help Chen Yan grow stronger.

Moreover, even the Ice Spirit on Chen Yitong's body was gone.

Before Chen Yitong died, she had expelled her own Ice Spirit from her body, and now it was unknown where it was.

Chen Yan calmly finished eating the food on the plates in his hands.

The chicken legs had been prepared for him by San Jin, while the grilled fish had been prepared for him by his younger sister, Chen Yu.

In the past, Chen Yan would never have paid attention to such things, but now he felt a bit of attachment to these flavors of the human world.

As Chen Yan put the plates away into his origin space.

In front of him, new things were also born from within the corpses of those Ancient God Beasts.

They were sixty figures standing neatly, their appearances exactly the same as the Castle Master and the steward.

However, compared to before, these figures were more like puppets.

"Master."

The Fortress Master bowed deeply toward Chen Yan, and immediately, the fifty-nine figures behind the Fortress Master also bowed toward Chen Yan.

Chen Yan frowned:

"What are you things?"

The Fortress Master revealed an expression of utmost respect and smiled:

"Master, you alone conquered the Backfire Fortress, triggering the second rule of the Backfire Fortress.

We are the Backfire Soldier Husks under your command, possessing eighty percent of the combat power we had in life, and we obey all of your orders, Master."

Chen Yan's expression tightened slightly:

"Can you be brought out of the Purple Universe World-Fixing Mirror?"

"No," the Fortress Master smiled:

"We can die in battle for you, Master."

Chen Yan's brow relaxed; he now possessed the combat power of an entire fortress.

Although it was only eighty percent, it was enough for Chen Yan to do many things.

It was much simpler for Chen Yan to deal with Ancient God Beasts than with humans of the same rank.

Willpower is the natural enemy of malice.

But it was not the same for others.

"Go move the Backfire Furnace over here." Chen Yan was too lazy to move; he wanted to temper the Ember-Memory Spear and the Heavenly God Armor.

"The Backfire Furnace cannot leave its original position," the Fortress Master smiled:

"It is a Divine Artifact completely bound to the Backfire Fortress."

Chen Yan frowned slightly, stood up, and flew into the Fortress Master's fortress.

Chen Yan threw the Heavenly God Armor and the Ember-Memory Spear directly into the Backfire Furnace, then placed all sixty-five Backfire Crystals he had obtained inside it.

Whoosh!

Orange flames burned, enveloping the Divine Armor and the Ember-Memory Spear, and streaks of strange golden secret scripts floated and circled above the two.

Hum!

A humming sound emerged from the Heavenly God Armor, and it began to tremble slightly.

Chen Yan had a close connection with the Heavenly God Armor and knew that the Heavenly God Armor was undergoing changes.

Faint golden patterns began to appear on the Heavenly God Armor, and the armor's own defensive power was slowly strengthening.

"Master, you can separate a portion of your own flesh and blood and give it to this spear; in that way, it will be able to obey your summons."

The Fortress Master arrived and spoke respectfully to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow; in fact, he had never performed blood-binding on the Ember-Memory Spear, and the Ember-Memory Spear did not actually require it.

Because in its essence, it was a True Meaning Stone in the shape of a spear.

But if it could be summoned, it would definitely make the Ember-Memory Spear more advantageous to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan sliced his palm with a finger, blood flowed down and dripped onto the Ember-Memory Spear.

Sss!

Chen Yan's blood began to flow into the Ember-Memory Spear, and under the forging of the Backfire, a strange change occurred.

A faint, inexplicable connection gradually formed between Chen Yan and the Ember-Memory Spear.

Streaks of blood-red light began to emerge from the Ember-Memory Spear, as if another strange change had been born.

Because a connection had formed between Chen Yan and the Ember-Memory Spear, Chen Yan also discovered the birth of this change.

The Backfire Furnace was modifying the Ember-Memory Spear.

The Ember-Memory Spear seemed to no longer be just a True Meaning Stone capable of erupting with the Spear Soul of Xia Weimin, but was becoming something that truly belonged to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan's expression changed slightly, and he immediately took out the Heavenly God Armor that was still being forged.

The Heavenly God Armor was a Divine Artifact; if it were to undergo concrete changes, it would require far more Backfire than the Ember-Memory Spear, which was only of Sun-Rank Grade A.

Chen Yan now needed to see improvements in a short period of time.

As the flames tempered it, the resonance between the changes within the Ember-Memory Spear and Chen Yan grew increasingly intense; he could clearly perceive the spear's transformation.

Until a certain moment.

Crack!

The Ember-Memory Spear suddenly vibrated with a sound, and a spray of sparks shot out.

Chen Yan's expression changed slightly; he could sense that a brand-new function had been added to the Ember-Memory Spear by the Backfire Furnace.

【Ember of Awakening】: Can store three of its master Chen Yan's strongest attacks and be used at will during combat.

【Ember of Awakening】 can only be reloaded once a week.

Chen Yan's expression stirred; the Ember-Memory Spear could now be loaded with martial arts, and it could hold three.

Chen Yan's strongest martial art at present was undoubtedly the Profound-Level 【Blood Domain Reversing World】.

But 【Blood Domain Reversing World】 only possessed powerful offensive force and did not align with Chen Yan's own martial Dao.

Chen Yan's combat power was primarily manifested in his powerful willpower.

Chen Yan pondered slightly and chose to load the Ember-Memory Spear with 【Control Decay - Sacred Condensation Origin】.

The combat power of 【Control Decay - Sacred Condensation Origin】 had just been verified.

That massive eruption of willpower could cause a battle to turn in an instant.

Moreover, 【Control Decay - Sacred Condensation Origin】 was a martial art with an extremely high consumption rate.

After using it once just now, Chen Yan did not dare to use it again.

Once used, it would lead to the depletion of his own willpower and strength.

If he could use 【Control Decay - Sacred Condensation Origin】 three more times during a battle, it would definitely greatly increase Chen Yan's combat capability.

Hoo...

Inside the Counter-Fire Furnace, the orange counter-fire slowly dissipated.

The forging of the sixty-five Counter-Fire Crystals only lasted about an hour.

The exhaustion of all the Counter-Fire Crystals in the entire Counter-Fire Castle caused the Ember-Memory Spear to undergo a qualitative change.

Chen Yan sighed in his heart.

"Why didn't you prepare more Counter-Fire Crystals?" He glanced at the Castle Master.

The Castle Master hurriedly said:

"Counter-Fire Crystals are the crystallization of the Dark-Devour Mother Nest; we only obtain one Counter-Fire Crystal every few years."

He chuckled and rubbed his head in embarrassment:

"It's mainly because that guy from the Magnetic-Storm Thunder Prison always comes to find me to play cards, and I accidentally lost a lot."

Chen Yan narrowed his eyes; Counter-Fire Castle was a third-tier domain controlled by the Dark-Devour Mother Nest, a second-tier domain.

And the Magnetic-Storm Thunder Prison, like Counter-Fire Castle, was also a third-tier domain controlled by the Dark-Devour Mother Nest.

"According to you, what are my chances of winning if I go to the Dark-Devour Mother Nest to snatch Counter-Fire Crystals?" Chen Yan asked.

"Zero percent." The Castle Master chuckled:

"Although Master is powerful, the Dark-Devour Mother Tree that manages the Dark-Devour Mother Nest is an eighth-rank Ancient God Beast."

Chen Yan frowned slightly; a second-tier domain was actually managed by an eighth-rank Ancient God Beast.

Then he could not go and slaughter the Dark-Devour Mother Nest like he slaughtered Counter-Fire Castle.

In fact, Chen Yan's way of thinking was absolutely unconventional.

After all, apart from him, no one had ever thought of going to slaughter a domain to snatch treasures.

Even those at the top of the Creation Realm Ranking could mostly defeat a third-tier domain.

But being eroded by the malice of a peak seventh-rank Ancient God Beast was fatal.

But Chen Yan was different; the Heavenly God Armor allowed him to ignore the malice of all Ancient God Beasts within the Purple Ring World-Fixing Mirror, unless a ninth-rank Ancient God Beast made a move against Chen Yan.

Chen Yan's own power of will could even devour and extinguish that malice.

With his slender fingers pinching his chin, Chen Yan asked:

"What are my chances of winning if I go to attack the Magnetic-Storm Thunder Prison?"

The Castle Master bowed respectfully:

"Over seventy percent; Master, you possess us, and your own strength is truly powerful.

That guy who controls the Magnetic-Storm Thunder Prison is the Thunder-Domain Magnetic Soul, ranked eleventh on the Spirit Object Ranking.

Devouring it will certainly allow Master's strength to greatly increase."

As the Castle Master's voice fell, Chen Yan raised his eyebrows slightly.

Crack!

The Ten-Thousand Prison Ghost Thunder suddenly let out a whistle, as if it had been provoked, spitting lightning snakes at Chen Yan.

"It seems there is still some grudge between you Divine Seeds?"

Chen Yan asked in surprise.

Chi!

The Ten-Thousand Prison Ghost Thunder nodded—no, it bobbed its sphere, because it presented itself in the form of a sphere.

"That's good." Chen Yan nodded; he had a plan in his heart.

Chen Yan sat cross-legged and began to condense a 【Decay-Control: Sacred Condensation Primordial】.

The pitch-black light point slowly submerged into the Ember-Memory Spear.

Chen Yan began to sit cross-legged and cultivate.

Now, he did not care at all that Ji Chuxi would bring the other five clans' Creation Realm experts to arrive.

If those Creation Realm experts arrived, what they would face was a complete-form Chen Yan.

As well as the sixty Counter-Fire Soldier Husks, including the Castle Master, who still possessed eighty percent of their combat power.

Of course, Ji Chuxi would not be coming for the time being.

On the martial path, the other party had not found anyone yet, and even thought Chen Yan was already dead, wearing a smile and occasionally taking out a bottle of wine to take a sip.

After all, in the other party's view, Chen Yan was already a dying man, and it was impossible for Lu Cunyuan and other Creation Realm experts to lose while surrounding and killing him.

Chen Yan also did not expect his situation to unfold like this, but he could provide a detailed explanation of the specific unfolding.

In an instant, most of the pressure dissipated.

Now, Chen Yan only feared those five-clan martial artists in the top ten of the Creation Realm Ranking, and the eighth-rank Ancient God Beasts.

As for the rest, Chen Yan truly had no worries.

Time passed slowly.

An hour and a half later, Chen Yan once again condensed a 【Decay-Control: Sacred Condensation Primordial】 and loaded it into the Ember-Memory Spear.

After all, even though 【Decay-Control: Sacred Condensation Primordial】 was a martial technique created by Chen Yan himself, it was still a huge consumption for Chen Yan.

Time passed slowly.

It lasted until nightfall.

Chen Yan, having completely filled the Ember-Memory Spear with 【Decay-Control: Sacred Condensation Primordial】, suddenly opened his eyes slowly and looked toward the sky.

Above the firmament, purple light emerged, like the Qi of Primordial Chaos, turning into large characters that wrote across the sky.

【Five-Clan Struggle First Day Divinity Spirit Ranking】

【Divine Treasure Auction Ranking】

Two lines of large characters appeared side by side!

At the same time.

Inside the entire Purple Universe World-Fixing Mirror, the Creation Realm Ranking's first place Chen Mi, second place Lu Wuyi, third place Lu Jianxia, fourth place Xia Long, fifth place Chen Xing... all raised their heads to gaze at the firmament.

Chen Yu walked out of the pitch-black wooden house and stood on the tree canopy, looking at the high heavens.

Above the sea of blood.

Chen Changyuan held his long sword, his expression calm, but something was flickering in the depths of his eyes.

The ranking list appeared.

This was a matter everyone was concerned about.

On the first day, who had gained more and who had gained less was clear at a glance.

But more importantly.

It was a matter that the entire Five Clans and even the Great Xia Creation Realm were extremely concerned about.

That was, whether or not Chen Yan would enter the Five Clans Conflict.

And it was at this moment.

Beneath the line of text 【Divine Nature Treasure Auction Ranking List】, a misty purple light emerged.

Like a scroll slowly unfurling, lines of large characters appeared before the eyes of the world.

【First: Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Seed

Second: One of the Reverse Nine Swords Sword Hearts

Third: Semi-God Grade Qi and Blood Treasure Medicine, Divine Phoenix Marrow

Fourth: Semi-God Grade Body-Tempering Treasure Medicine, Void-Escaping Essence

Fifth: Semi-God Grade Mental Power Treasure Medicine, Spirit-Thought Heavenly Soul Dew

Sixth: Evil Void Black Tide

Seventh: Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Diagram

Eighth: Three Hundred Reverse-Fire Crystals

Ninth: Mourning Grievous Soul Disk

Tenth: Twentieth on the Spirit Object Ranking, Purple Sea Spirit Wind

Note: Five days later, all martial artists shall use Divine Nature Spirits to participate!】

At this moment, voices rang out throughout the entire Five Clans Conflict.

"Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Seed, I didn't see that wrong, did I?"

"And the Reverse Nine Swords Sword Heart, this is a part of a divine artifact, divine artifacts are being sold too?"

"Mourning Grievous Soul Disk, this item should only exist in the heavens; if I don't get my hands on it, it will be hard for me to soar in the future."

…………

At this moment, Chen Yan was also watching, his brows furrowed.

He had actually seen the Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Seed; this was the item ranked first on the auction list.

But the problem was, Chen Yan already had one.

The Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Seed was a heavenly object; Chen Yan had thought only he possessed one in the human world, never expecting the Five Clans Conflict to bring one out for auction directly.

And Chen Yan's attention only lingered on the Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Seed for a moment before moving away.

Because he had also seen something else.

Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Diagram.

What was this?

It seemed to be something specifically paired with the Dao-Enlightenment Myriad-Aspect Seed.

Inside the manor overgrown with blood vines, the golden-haired Lu Wuyi and Lu Jianxia stood together.

"Little sister, the Divine Phoenix Marrow is extremely well-suited for you; I will gather enough Divine Nature Spirits to help you obtain it first."

Lu Wuyi looked at Lu Jianxia and smiled.

"Mm." Lu Jianxia nodded.

Lu Wuyi said gently:

"You are about to obtain the Immortal Will, your own aptitude is set to surpass your brother; I will help you enter the Eighth Rank ahead of time first."

Lu Jianxia fixed her gaze and remained silent.

Lu Wuyi's expression changed slightly:

"Little sister, is there something you are hiding from me?"

Lu Jianxia shook her head slightly, but the complexity in her eyes only grew thicker.

"Regarding that matter of the ice intent, I know; you were able to charge into the Malice Rule to save him, you must have been moved." Lu Wuyi sighed and shook his head.

"I quite like that kid too, he is indeed a match for you, but unfortunately..."

"Brother." Lu Jianxia suddenly spoke.

"What is it?"

"I... must Great Xia be destroyed?" Lu Jianxia asked:

"That Lord of Will chose Chen Prefecture, which shows that Chen Prefecture is where the problem lies, and that person also said he would come."

Lu Wuyi's expression changed slightly:

"The Lord of Will... is too unknown; he is an existence from a foreign realm, how can you trust him?"

"Only we of the Five Clans can save the Five Clans; if that Chen Yan enters the Purple Universe World-Fixing Mirror, little sister, do not have any hesitation." Lu Wuyi said, looking at Lu Jianxia.

Lu Jianxia's pair of silver eyes flickered, and she was silent at this moment.

Yet it was also at this time.

Beneath the 【First Day of the Five Clans' Conflict Divine Spirit Leaderboard】, purple light suddenly surged, and lines of text appeared.

Lu Wuyi looked over, and the next moment, his eyes widened.

Lu Jianxia, however, trembled, and tears suddenly fell from her eyes.

They saw the first line.

【First Place: Chen Yan

Divine Spirit: 8085

Battle Record: Infiltrated the Backfire Castle while severely wounded.

Maneuvered against Lu Cunyang, Chen Yitong, Chi Xuanxun, Yu Ren, and Yu Shi Huan.

Repaired his physical body using the rules; facing the siege of five Creation Realm experts, he suppressed the heroes while in the Sixth Rank and slaughtered them all.

At the moment of crisis, he slaughtered sixty Ancient Rule God-Beasts of the Backfire Castle and emerged bathed in blood.

With a heart for the world rather than himself, his will remains unextinguished, and his crimson heart shall endure forever!】