Chapter 308

"Xiao Yan, watch closely—Old Man will demonstrate only once."

Taking a deep breath, the Lord of Heavenly Flame gestured with his hand, and the Heartfall Flame appeared before him.

The Lord of Heavenly Flame had no physical body, only a Soul Body, and thus no Dou Qi—he could not generate it himself—so Xiao Yan had already activated his Dou Qi, frantically catalyzing the Heartfall Flame.

"Five-Ring Fire Method!"

As the Heartfall Flame surged wildly, the Lord of Heavenly Flame let out a thunderous roar in his soul, changed his hand seals, and the Heartfall Flame split into five, writhing wildly as it took shape.

"Wolf Spirit, Converge!"

In but a moment, a sharp cry rang from "Xiao Yan's" mouth—the wolf-shaped Spirit Flame, formed from the Heartfall Flame, swiftly materialized in the Sky.

"Leopard Spirit, Converge!"

"Lion Spirit, Converge!"

"Tiger Spirit, Converge!"

With four Spirit Flames gathered in one breath, Xiao Yan felt his Dou Qi draining rapidly—he roared again: "Serpent Spirit, Converge!"

"Form the Five-Ring Fire Array!"

As the Lord of Heavenly Flame's Soul Body surged wildly, his terrifying Fire Control Power manipulated the five Spirit Flames, which interwove into a terrifying pattern—the infernal heat instantly spread across the Sky, even thinning the distant black clouds, while nearby trees withered visibly, then burst into ash with a loud bang.

Xiao Yan was the closest observer of the Lord of Heavenly Flame's Five-Ring Fire Method—the five colossal Spirit Flames formed a strange Array high in the Sky, and Xiao Yan stood at the Array's core.

"This is the true Five-Ring Fire Method!" Xiao Yan could indeed gather five Spirit Flames, but forming the Array was still hazy to him—let alone cultivating the Five-Ring Fire Method to the Lord of Heavenly Flame's level.

Feeling his Dou Qi drain rapidly, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, then turned his gaze to the five Spirit Flames arrayed in the distant Sky.

Xiao Yan knew that this time, the Lord of Heavenly Flame was revealing every last bit of his legacy to him.

After all, the Lord of Heavenly Flame feared Xiao Yan might become like Han Feng—teaching a disciple who then starves his master.

But when Xiao Yan still remembered crafting Elixirs to help him revive, the Lord of Heavenly Flame understood: though this man was ruthless in battle, leaving no chance for his enemies, he was deeply loyal to those who had aided him.

"Five-Ring Fire Disc!" The Lord of Heavenly Flame did not hesitate—he changed his hand seals, and a sharp cry rang from Xiao Yan's mouth.

As the cry fell, the five colossal Spirit Flames around him roared to the heavens, then spun at terrifying speed—within this violent rotation, the very space around Xiao Yan began to melt; jagged, massive black fissures, like ferocious mouths, appeared continuously across the sky.

"Boom! Boom!"

As the Spirit Flames spun faster and faster, they eventually merged into a two-hundred-zhang-wide fire disc, transparent and hovering above Xiao Yan's head, spinning rapidly and emitting sonic booms—the terrifying energy radiating from it made even Xiao Yixian and Zi Yan's expressions change.

With the Lord of Heavenly Flame's current power, the Five-Ring Fire Method could not rival a Heavenly Rank Dou Technique—but its Quasi Heavenly Rank power was undeniable!

"Sssss!" The colossal black spider, seeing Xiao Yan unleash such a terrifying Dou Technique, dared not underestimate—he concentrated his eight compound eyes into intense red light, which rapidly coalesced into a massive Energy Vortex; the terrifying Spiritual Pressure of a Half-Step Dou Zong shattered nearby peaks.

"What's happening over there!"

"So strong! This must be Dou Zong level! Is it the Poison Sect Sect Master or the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate Master?"

"No, the Poison Sect Sect Master, the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate Master, and some other experts went deeper."

"Who is this? Who dares target the Ghost-Faced Black Spider? That's a Half-Step Dou Zong beast!!"

Xiao Yan's actions naturally drew the attention of many sect experts—they all turned to look.

"Go!"

In the Sky, under the gaze of countless eyes, Xiao Yan raised his right hand, holding aloft the colossal fire disc—he roared, then sharply swung his arm; the immense fire disc shot forward with a thunderous roar.

Though the Heartfall Flame had no form or shape, its infernal heat melted Space itself—it pierced the Sky like a meteor, and under countless stunned gazes, it shot straight toward the giant spider beast below!

"Wuuuum!" The Ghost-Faced Black Spider let out a furious screech—a thick red laser blasted toward Xiao Yan; this attack, rivaling a Dou Zong, tore across the Sky, leaving a long, blazing trail.

"What a terrifying fire disc attack!"

"What level of Dou Technique is this?!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The two attacks collided violently.

Even some powerful experts nearby turned pale—the mere leakage of this energy was so terrifying; they could not imagine if they were the target—before the attack even reached them, their bodies would have been reduced to ash.

The terrifying collision, like two meteors crashing, erupted with a deafening roar—the entire Shan Mai trembled; on the ground, cracks several zhang wide spread like spiderwebs at blinding speed.

"Xiao Yan" stood with his hands behind his back, gently pointing downward—Boom! The Five-Ring Fire Method instantly transformed into a torrent of flame, instantly obliterating the Ghost-Faced Black Spider's attack like rotten straw, and the terrifying Heartfall Flame drowned the Half-Step Dou Zong beast.

One move! Just one move—it was a one-hit kill!

With a flick of his finger, the Ghost-Faced Flower, untouched, was carried by a small snake of Heartfall Flame to Xiao Yan's side; the Lord of Heavenly Flame's Soul Body separated from Xiao Yan's body, hands behind his back, facing away, speaking with profound mystery: "Xiao Yan, your talent is excellent—but you are still far from mastering the true Five-Ring Fire Method."

"Cultivate well—do not waste my expectations."

If the Lord of Heavenly Flame weren't a Soul Body, Xiao Yan would've kicked him right in the ass!

Although Xiao Yan and the others continued to find rewards afterward, none surpassed Seven Rank Low Grade Medicinal Materials—they couldn't compare to the Ghost-Faced Flower.

Gradually, the sky darkened; Xiao Yan and the others set up camp to rest.

"Hehe, Xiao Yan, hurry up!" Zi Yan watched as Xiao Yan crafted sugar pills for himself, drooling as she urged him on.

With a few clinks, Xiao Yan turned all of Zi Yan's "hard work fee" for the day into sugar pills and tossed them to her.

After all, they weren't made of iron—Dou Qi could be depleted; rest was necessary.

"Have you noticed something strange about this place?" After finishing the meal prepared by Xiao Yixian, Xiao Yan got to the point.

"Strange? It's not strange—there's so much delicious food here!" Zi Yan tossed a sugar pill into her mouth—how could something so tasty and full of energy be strange?

Both the Lion Kings stared blankly at each other, sensing nothing odd.

"Are you saying you haven't seen the Poison Sect or Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate people?" Xiao Yixian pondered for a moment, then said.

"Not just them—the Poison Sect Sect Master, the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate Master, and the first wave of Chu Yun Empire experts who entered here—we've walked deeper and still haven't found a single trace of them," Xiao Yan said, his expression grim.

It wasn't that they moved faster—in fact, Xiao Yan's group had slowed down, lingering to collect Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and battling beasts along the way.

But what puzzled Xiao Yan was this: along the entire route, so many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures—yet even though the Poison Sect Sect Master, Du Gu Tian Gao, was already a Dou Zong, and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate had so many experts, they had ignored every single precious Medicinal Material.

Anyone unaware might think Xiao Yan's group was the vanguard.

"Did they fly straight ahead without stopping once?" the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King asked.

"Probably. But what could possibly draw them so fiercely that they abandoned all these resources along the way, rushing forward as if their lives depended on it?" Xiao Yan said gravely.

"Could it be they discovered an extremely precious Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure deep inside, and all rushed to claim it?" Zi Yan ventured boldly.

Even you didn't sense any special Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures—could they sense farther than you?" Xiao Yan shook his head. Zi Yan of the Void Ancient Dragon Clan and the Heavenly Flame Master hadn't sensed anything either. How could the Poison Sect and Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate's Dou Zong and Dou Huang detect it from so far?

"Could it be a Strange Fire?" Xiao Yixian asked softly.

Xiao Yan summoned Mao Wu out; Mao Wu immediately shook its head, indicating it sensed no trace of any Strange Fire.

"If the Spiritual Flame Fusion hasn't sensed any of its kind, they shouldn't be able to detect the Strange Fire's location either," Xiao Yan dismissed Xiao Yixian's guess.

For a moment, all of Space fell silent; no one could fathom why this was happening.

"Let's rest first, restore all our Dou Qi. This time, we won't fight over resources—we'll fly straight to the deepest part of this Space Lock," Xiao Yan said, a solemn glint flashing in his eyes.

"Aww, that's such a waste! Can't we grab a bit more?" Zi Yan was the first to object. She rarely encountered such a rich Pill Field treasure land—how could she leave without taking her fill?

"No. This place is too strange—I have a bad feeling. If something unexpected happens, Zi Yan, revert to your true form. We'll pierce through Space and escape this Space Lock directly. Don't expend too much stamina or Dou Qi." Xiao Yan spoke with ironclad finality, refusing Zi Yan's suggestion.

"Fine," Zi Yan grumbled, but seeing Xiao Yan's firm resolve, she naturally obeyed him.

After resting roughly four hours, Xiao Yan and the others sat again on the back of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, spreading their wings and soaring straight into the depths of this Space.

"This Space Lock is so vast—could it not have been created by the Poisonous Sage Emperor? Was this place originally an Ancient Ruins?"

To Xiao Yan's surprise, along the way, he and the others seemed to have left the medicinal treasure land and entered another Earth Domain—no precious Medicinal Materials were seen anymore.

"Xiao Yan, look over there."

After flying for a while, the land ahead grew steep, forming a highland. Xiao Yan's Soul Force Perception sensed this was the core of the area—the deepest point.

But what puzzled Xiao Yan and the others was that this place was utterly barren—completely unlike the vibrant scene they'd entered. Not a trace of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures remained; only a few massive structures stood there, all collapsed, as if destroyed.

This place contradicted their expectations—they'd imagined the deepest region should be sacred, teeming with life, with immortal springs gushing forth, like a celestial paradise.

Yet this highland was desolate, as if abandoned long ago.

The instant Xiao Yan and the others stepped onto this land, a beam of light suddenly rose from the ruins, and from within it emerged a man of transcendent bearing.

"I am the Poisonous Sage Emperor. Welcome to my legacy site. Whoever passes my Trial shall receive my inheritance," the man smiled faintly.

"You're the Poisonous Sage Emperor?! You're still alive?!" Xiao Yan was stunned—a Dou Zong who had lived for untold ages?!

Though Dou Zong could live long, they couldn't possibly live this long!

"Heh, I don't have much time left, so I decided to leave behind my legacy and find a suitable heir. Whoever passes my Trial shall gain all I've ever learned," the Poisonous Sage Emperor chuckled lightly, answering Xiao Yan's question.

Xiao Yan frowned, glancing at Xiao Yixian; she gave a slight nod, then slowly closed her eyes. Instantly, her black robe stirred without wind, releasing a startling aura.

A colorful light erupted from Xiao Yixian's body; the runes of the Calamity Poison Body slowly appeared. Xiao Yixian activated her Calamity Poison Body!

Xiao Yan knew: the Poisonous Sage Emperor possessed an Acquired Misfortune Poison Body. Though acquired, an Innate Calamity Poison Body could sense it.

Seeing the patterns and colored light on Xiao Yixian's body, the Poisonous Sage Emperor's eyes widened in shock. "Calamity Poison Body!!"

Xiao Yixian's gaze hardened. She looked at the man and said coldly, "It's not a Calamity Poison Body. You're not the Poisonous Sage Emperor. Who are you?"

Exposed by Xiao Yixian, the man claiming to be the Poisonous Sage Emperor's face darkened instantly—but before he could act, Xiao Yan struck first.

Xiao Yan, who had secretly prepared, heard Xiao Yixian's words and flicked his hand; from the sleeve of his Soul Robe, a delicate Three-Color Fire Lotus flew out.

Using the Soul Robe's shielding effect, Xiao Yan had secretly fused a Three-Color Fire Lotus.

Under the Poisonous Sage Emperor's terrified gaze, the Fire Lotus shot forward.

Xiao Yan played no fair game—he opened with his ultimate move!

BOOM!!! The terrifying Three-Color Strange Fire exploded, shattering the entire highland beneath Xiao Yan's Buddha Fury Lotus. When the highland was pulverized, the ground melted away, revealing what lay beneath.

Beneath the highland was a sunken basin—a hollow like a gaping mouth, wreathed in mist, as if a Giant Beast had opened its jaws.

What made Xiao Yan's face grow grim was that beneath this highland lay countless corpses—like a place filled entirely with dead bodies.

Xiao Yan suddenly remembered—he knew why he'd felt strange. At the very beginning, beneath the pool of the Water Lotus Lingzhi, there had been many bleached bones.

But that made no sense—this Space Lock had only been discovered two days ago! The Toxic Miasma had vanished only seven days ago. How could there be so many corpses and skeletons?!

(End of Chapter)