Chapter 281: Five Wheel Fiery Law

Although Xiao Yan's Venerable status is largely hollow, his Foundation Establishment-level Soul Force, combined with Six Infernal Flames and a Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade Soul Technique already mastered, along with the ultimate treasure known as the Soul Token, gives him enough confidence—not to sweep all Soul Bodies aside, but at least to face a half-crippled Dou Zun Soul Body without fear.

The Heavenly Flame Venerable stared long and silent at Xiao Yan in his Soul Robe; this man in black robes, who had tamed the Falling Heart Flame, was far too calm.

Just now, the Heavenly Flame Venerable had deliberately allowed the Falling Heart Flame to draw near—this was a show of force, proving that though weakened, he still possessed some power, and revealing that he had once been a Dou Zun.

At the same time, he lowered his stance, telling Xiao Yan he was on the brink of death, incapable of harming him, and lacking the strength to do so.

All of this was aimed at negotiating terms with Xiao Yan—he still did not wish to die, nor to remain trapped forever in this lava world.

But Xiao Yan was far too composed; whether summoning the Falling Heart Flame or mentioning he was a Dou Zun, Xiao Yan acted with unshakable calm, as if plotting from afar, leaving the Heavenly Flame Venerable utterly unable to gauge the black-robed man's true depth.

Of course, the key to this was the Soul Robe—protected by the Tian Ji Protector's Soul Robe, the Heavenly Flame Venerable could not perceive Xiao Yan's true strength.

Though the Heavenly Flame Venerable was a Dou Zun's Soul Body, his Soul Force had not reached the Spirit Realm—he had merely attained the Dou Zun Cultivation Realm, not the Eighth Rank Alchemist.

Seeing the Heavenly Flame Venerable fall silent, Xiao Yan raised his hand and said, "Since this is your domain, Heavenly Flame Venerable, I apologize for the intrusion—I'll leave now."

Hearing Xiao Yan say he was leaving—even abandoning the juvenile Falling Heart Flame—the Heavenly Flame Venerable couldn't help but frown slightly.

The Heavenly Flame Venerable quickly waved his hand, glanced at Xiao Yan, then pointed to the infantile, invisible flame and said calmly, "You don't want this Falling Heart Flame?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan beneath his Hood revealed a sly smile, then chuckled, "This Falling Heart Flame was discovered by you, Heavenly Flame Venerable—I came here only because the Falling Heart Flame led me."

Playing mind games with me?

Xiao Yan had no intention of leaving so easily—he was, in fact, conducting business with the Heavenly Flame Venerable.

Xiao Yan was negotiating, and so was the Heavenly Flame Venerable—both sides were probing each other's limits and hidden cards.

The Heavenly Flame Venerable needed Xiao Yan—he wanted Xiao Yan to take him away—but the cost of that favor was what the Heavenly Flame Venerable had to negotiate.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan was calculating: how many Soul Points could a Dou Zun's Soul Body bring him?

But Xiao Yan didn't absolutely need to take the Heavenly Flame Venerable's Soul Body back to the Soul Palace for Soul Points—for Xiao Yan, the Soul Palace was merely a place to exchange value; if the offer exceeded what the Soul Palace could provide, Xiao Yan would not fight the Heavenly Flame Venerable.

After all, there was risk—even if the opponent was only a Soul Body, and its Soul Force was fragmented, it was still a Dou Zun—such a being could never be underestimated.

"This Heavenly Flame Venerable's Soul Force doesn't feel very strong—it's similar to YaoAo's Soul Body, probably also Foundation Establishment peak. But YaoAo is from the Yao Clan, so his value is naturally much higher."

"This Dou Zun's Soul Body is worth maybe a hundred thousand Soul Points."

The Heavenly Flame Venerable would never have guessed that Xiao Yan was already thinking about how to sell him off!

Seeing Xiao Yan unmoved, the Heavenly Flame Venerable sighed inwardly, waved his hand, and the juvenile Falling Heart Flame floated to his palm.

"Long ago, when I first discovered this place, I found the first trace of the Falling Heart Flame. After spending years, I barely managed to subdue it—and the Falling Heart Flame I subdued was precisely the one now within you."

Xiao Yan said nothing, listening patiently as the Heavenly Flame Venerable told his story.

"Back then, confident in my abilities, I believed I could go anywhere under heaven. After subduing the Falling Heart Flame, I did not leave immediately, but out of curiosity ventured deeper into this lava world." The Heavenly Flame Venerable's tone was slow, tinged with regret—as if mourning his past recklessness.

"Once deep within the lava world, I discovered another seed of the Falling Heart Flame. Thrilled by this discovery, I greedily sought to claim it as well. But when the two Infernal Flames merged within me, they failed to harmonize—instead, they repelled each other like sworn enemies. That battle of Infernal Flames left me gravely wounded—and at that moment, I was attacked." The Heavenly Flame Venerable sighed lightly, recounting the cause of his death.

"The Flame Lizard People?" Xiao Yan frowned, probing.

"So you've encountered them too," said the Heavenly Flame Venerable, slightly surprised by Xiao Yan's words.

"Not badly—I avoided them," Xiao Yan smiled, not revealing how he had evaded them.

Hearing Xiao Yan had avoided them, the Heavenly Flame Venerable's eyes flickered with surprise.

His face expressionless, he said, "Those Flame Lizard People seem to be the original inhabitants here—vast in number, and among them are superiors capable of rivaling Dou Zuns. That time, I encountered a Lizard Clan superior of Dou Zun rank."

"Dou Zun!!" Xiao Yan's heart jolted—a Dou Zun beast? That meant an Eight Rank beast! Stronger than Mei Du Sha's complete form!

"This Dean is truly unreliable—building a school here!" Xiao Yan mentally scolded the elusive Dean.

"Had I been at my peak, I would never have feared it. But alas, the clash of the two Infernal Flames had already left me gravely wounded. The outcome, you can guess—after that great battle, I suffered fatal injuries. Fortunately, these Lizard Clan elders did not understand Space Power, so they could never locate my hiding place." The Heavenly Flame Venerable's eyes gleamed with startling intensity—as if the battle of long ago still burned vividly in his memory.

"But in the end, my injuries were too severe to escape. My physical body gradually collapsed. In my final moments, I released the mature Falling Heart Flame I had subdued, and my Soul attached itself to the Infernal Flame seed, hoping to preserve myself. But over these many years, my Soul has grown increasingly unstable—if no one enters here within two years, my Soul will vanish completely."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan sneered inwardly: "Of course—it's clear now. The Heavenly Flame Venerable originally released the Falling Heart Flame precisely to lure the next person who tamed it into this lava world, find this place, and take him away."

As long as the one who tamed the Falling Heart Flame knew a Treasure Vault lay beneath the lava, they would spare no effort to descend into the lava world—giving him a chance to escape.

The Falling Heart Flame was the bait!

After listening, Xiao Yan remained calm as ever, cradling the juvenile Falling Heart Flame like a serpent in his left hand, gently stroking it as if playing with a pet, showing no interest in the Heavenly Flame Venerable's past.

Seeing Xiao Yan's unyielding demeanor, the Heavenly Flame Venerable understood—this black-robed man was a seasoned fox; he wouldn't release the hawk until he saw the rabbit.

"Alas, I don't know who you are, but since you've managed to penetrate to this depth beneath the lava, you clearly have the means to leave. I ask you for a favor. Rest assured, besides this juvenile Falling Heart Flame, I will give you ample reward." The Heavenly Flame Venerable sighed helplessly—now he had to offer the rabbit.

Xiao Yan's lips curled upward; hearing the word "reward," he finally paused his motion, slowly turning his gaze to the Heavenly Flame Venerable, and said calmly, "Speak."

"I want you to take me away from here, and help me find an Elixir to repair my Soul. With my current condition, I won't last two years—I'll scatter into nothingness." The Heavenly Flame Venerable spoke with a bitter tone.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. No wonder Dou Zun was the dividing line—this ancient monster had been dead for countless years, his Soul Body drained of much power, yet still capable of reincarnation.

And Xiao Yan truly had the ability to restore the Heavenly Flame Venerable's Soul Force—he even possessed a Secret Technique capable of using Three Infernal Flames to forge a body, allowing a Soul Body to perfectly merge with it and reincarnate through a borrowed shell.

"Hehe, rest assured—if you help me restore my Soul, I swear by my Soul that I will never harm you." Seeing Xiao Yan hesitate, the Heavenly Flame Venerable smiled gently, then waved his hand—on the nearby bones, a snow-white Mysterious Ring floated up into his palm. With a flick of his finger, a pale white Scroll appeared before him, its surface painted with birds and beasts wreathed in flame.

"This is my famed Dou Technique from my prime: the Five Wheel Fiery Law." The Heavenly Flame Venerable tossed the Scroll toward Xiao Yan. "If you help me, this belongs to you. I will also impart all my life's knowledge to you. If you doubt my sincerity, take the Scroll first—only after confirming it's genuine, then assist me in restoring my Soul."

Xiao Yan hesitated, then cautiously unrolled it—immediately, a wave of Soul Information flooded into him.

Xiao Yan silently recited: "Five Wheel Fiery Law, Earth Rank Advanced Grade. Divided into five stages, each corresponding to a beast form: Wolf, Leopard, Lion, Tiger, Dragon. Each stage possesses its own Spirit Flame. When perfected, the five beasts gather to form the Five Wheel Fiery Array, possessing the might to boil oceans and burn the heavens."

His gaze slowly swept over this brief description, then settled on the final line of small print.

"If three of the five beasts are formed from Infernal Flames, the technique's power becomes invincible among Earth Rank Dou Techniques. If four are formed from Infernal Flames, it rivals Heavenly Rank Dou Techniques. If all five Spirit Flames are formed from Infernal Flames, its power equals that of a Heaven Tier Low Grade Dou Technique."

"Huh?!! Equal to Heaven Tier Low Grade?!!"

Eyes locked on the text, Xiao Yan drew a sharp breath inward. Though his Mysterious Ring contained several Heaven Tier Low Grade Dou Techniques, none were suitable for him—either requiring specific Cultivation Methods to practice, or incompatible with his Qi attribute.

The highest-grade Dou Technique Xiao Yan had ever encountered, besides the unranked Heaven-Piercing Method given by Ancestor Xiao Xuan, was perhaps the Earth Rank Advanced Grade Emperor Seal Technique bestowed by Xun Er.

After his mind trembled, he gradually regained composure. Xiao Yan pursed his lips and asked, "Heavenly Flame Venerable, to unleash this technique's full power requires five Infernal Flames? How could any human possess so many?"

Xiao Yan immediately spotted the flaw—except for himself, who had cultivated the Burnt Scripture, who else could possibly possess five Infernal Flames? Had the creator of this technique also possessed five?

As if anticipating this question, the Heavenly Flame Venerable smiled faintly. "You misunderstand. The Five Wheel Fiery Law refers to the Spirit Flames needing to be forged from Infernal Flames—not that they must be five different Infernal Flames."

"Long ago, after I subdued the Falling Heart Flame, the first four Spirit Flames were all forged from it. The difficulty of this technique lies not only in forging perfect Spirit Flames, but also in learning to split one Infernal Flame into two, two into four. I once attempted to split the Falling Heart Flame into a fifth Spirit Flame—and failed. That's why I rashly absorbed a second Falling Heart Flame, leading to my current state."

Xiao Yan suddenly understood—he'd thought so: no ordinary person could possess five Infernal Flames; even two were nearly impossible.

Xiao Yan asked in a low voice, "Then what if a person has five kinds of Heavenly Flames?"

As if he had heard something very funny, the Heavenly Flame Venerable shook his head with a smile and said, "Generally speaking, one would use the fire seeds of five kinds of Beast Fires to substitute for Heavenly Flames. If a person could obtain five kinds of Heavenly Flames at the same time, then for the Five-Wheel Departing Fire Art he would only need to learn how to condense Spirit Flames, and cultivate the Five-Wheel Departing Fire Art to the Entry Level, and he could unleash its perfect power."

Xiao Yan finally understood: the Entry Level of the Five-Wheel Departing Fire Art was learning to condense five kinds of fire seeds into different Spirit Flames. Small Success meant reducing the fire seeds, and cultivating to Perfection meant a single fire seed could serve as five.

In other words, as long as one had one kind of Heavenly Flame and cultivated the art to Perfection, then the power of this technique would be equivalent to a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique. Without a Heavenly Flame, it would be Earth Rank Advanced Grade.

It's somewhat similar to the Emperor Seal Art—the Emperor Seal Art also multiplies five seals together to reach Heavenly Rank power.

"Then this truly is a profound art, able to make one fire seed serve as five." Xiao Yan murmured inwardly.

"Don't you dare be as greedy as me, wanting to subdue multiple kinds of Heavenly Flames. Between Heavenly Flames, even of the same kind, there will be conflict and explosion. And how could a person possibly possess five kinds of Heavenly Flames? Even a Sage Emperor couldn't possess five kinds of Heavenly Flames at the same time." The Heavenly Flame Venerable waved his hand, advising Xiao Yan not to aim too high and to cultivate steadily with his feet on the ground.

Xiao Yan merely looked at the Heavenly Flame Venerable with a faint smile, saying nothing.

I'll just smile and not say a word.

After rolling the Scroll back up, Xiao Yan fell into thought and did not immediately give the Heavenly Flame Venerable an answer. He could sense that there was a Flame Sealing on this Scroll; without the Heavenly Flame Venerable's unsealing, even having the Scroll would make it impossible to cultivate.

Without a doubt, the value of this Five-Wheel Departing Fire Art had already exceeded one hundred and fifty thousand Soul Points, and the Heavenly Flame Venerable had already cultivated the Five-Wheel Departing Fire Art to Great Success. With him teaching by the side, Xiao Yan's cultivation would achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Moreover, Xiao Yan possessed five complete kinds of Heavenly Flames, so this Five-Wheel Departing Fire Art was simply a perfect fit for him. He only needed to reach the Entry Level to unleash Heavenly Rank power; there was no need to cultivate it to Perfection.

But the Heavenly Flame Venerable had a second condition: he needed help refining an Elixir to repair his Spiritual Soul.

This is a Dou Zun's Spiritual Soul! Repairing a Dou Zun's Spiritual Soul would require at minimum a Seven-Grade Pill, even an Eight-Grade one. This would be a loss.

(End of this chapter)