Chapter 397: Xiao Yan Borrows a Heavenly Flame

Looking at the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations inheritance crystal before him, Xiao Yan's eyes burned with intense longing.

If not for that broken Sky-Piercer, which he couldn't even use, the Xiao Clan's inheritance—this Heavenly Flame Three Transformations—was the only one he could actually wield.

But Xiao Yan hadn't expected that he'd thought the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations would be given to him as a scroll, yet here was this inheritance crystal!

This was the highest-level inheritance method, just like the Life and Death Gate's inheritance: when Soul Force entered the crystal, an Inheritance Space would form, with an inherited soul influencing the recipient.

It was like being taught hand-in-hand, offering an almost immersive experience—this was the highest-quality inheritance instruction.

Many talented students, after such instruction, emerged already at the entry level, some even directly reaching minor mastery.

Originally, the Emperor Seal Technique Xiao Yan cultivated also had such an inheritance crystal in the Gu Clan, provided to Gu Clan members—but unfortunately, Xun Er couldn't bring Xiao Yan to the Gu Clan's Dou Technique inheritance site, so she gave him only a scroll.

Walking forward slowly, Xiao Yan exhaled gently, placed his hands lightly upon the crimson crystal ball, then slowly closed his eyes as his Soul Force flowed out through his palms and into the crystal.

The instant his Soul Force entered the crystal, Xiao Yan's body jolted violently; a thunderous boom echoed in his mind, and a vast stream of information surged into his head like a tidal wave—so immense that had his Soul Force not already reached the Spirit Realm, he might have become dizzy and disoriented.

Yet as Xiao Yan closed his eyes and his spirit sank into the Chuan Cheng Kong Jian, he failed to notice that at the very moment his Soul Force flooded into the crystal, the crystal erupted in an extraordinarily brilliant crimson glow—so intense that the entire Dou Technique Pavilion subtly radiated a fiery red light.

"Such powerful inheritance light!" Tang Huo'er's mouth hung open in stunned awe—this level of radiance was unheard of!

Beside Xiao Yan, Tang Zhen and Tang Huo'er also stared in shock; after a moment, they exchanged glances and both drew a sharp breath—this inheritance crystal, when transmitting a Secret Technique, also served as a test.

If the cultivator possessed exceptional talent for the technique, the crystal would emit light; Tang Huo'er herself had once triggered such a reaction, but compared to the glow Xiao Yan now produced, it was like fireflies versus the full moon.

"Sigh, no wonder he's Xiao Xuan's descendant—it's clear the old ancestor's decree was true; this truly is the Xiao Clan's Secret Technique." Tang Zhen now fully believed: Xiao Yan was indeed Xiao Xuan's descendant; this inheritance light had never appeared in Fenyan Valley's entire history.

Even the previous Valley Master, the brilliant Huo Yun Lao Zu, paled in comparison to Xiao Yan's glow.

The shock in Tang Zhen's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a look of regret.

"Sigh, if this boy were a disciple of our Fenyan Valley, our valley might once again produce a figure as astonishing as the ancient Fenyan Gu Zu."

Tang Huo'er stuck out her tongue, dissatisfied: "But Dad, comparing Xiao Yan to our valley's own Fenyan Gu Zu—aren't you overestimating him?"

Though Tang Huo'er held no ill will toward Xiao Yan, she still felt he was vastly inferior to the supreme experts of that era.

He was someone who had come within an inch of becoming a Dou Emperor!

"Heh, don't underestimate this guy—I always feel Xiao Yan is no ordinary person; even I can't fully fathom this kid. The abilities he's shown are probably just the tip of the iceberg, a single hair from a cow's tail." Tang Zhen gazed at the closed-eyed Xiao Yan, his admiration deepening as he sighed.

"Such a gifted young man isn't even from our Fenyan Valley—how could anyone not feel regret?"

Tang Zhen let out a long sigh and fell silent, flicking his sleeve to clear the dust from the ground, then sat cross-legged, deciding to wait here for Xiao Yan's awakening and see what other surprises this boy might bring.

Seeing this, Tang Huo'er could only sit down beside him.

The two sat for nearly a full day; during that time, Xiao Yan's body remained motionless as a statue—had his breath not remained steady, Tang Zhen might have feared some accident had occurred during the inheritance.

"This guy's really persistent—still not done? I only lasted an hour back then." Tang Huo'er slowly stood, stretching lazily; she'd been sitting in cultivation here for a full day.

Though for a Dou Zong, cultivating for a day wasn't significant, it was still boring.

"Different—he's not just learning the circulation routes; he's integrating and comprehending them. When he emerges, the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations should already reach entry level." Tang Zhen's eyes flickered as he murmured.

"Sigh, your talent isn't weak either, but when it comes to the monotony of cultivation, you're nowhere near Xiao Yan. If you took it seriously, the position of Fenyan Valley Master would surely be yours—and with sufficient strength, even those old bastards you hate couldn't nag you anymore." Tang Zhen shook his head, utterly exasperated.

"Yes, yes, yes."

At that moment, the crystal's glow began slowly fading; Xiao Yan's eyelashes trembled slightly, then slowly opened.

The instant Xiao Yan opened his eyes, a sharp flash of crimson light darted through them.

"You finally came out," Tang Zhen said, shaking his head helplessly.

Regaining his senses, Xiao Yan awkwardly rubbed his nose—he knew he'd stayed too long. After all, he was an outsider; an outsider in a Dou Technique Pavilion absolutely required supervision.

"Sorry for the trouble, Valley Master Tang." Xiao Yan bowed.

In response to Xiao Yan's thanks, Tang Zhen waved his hand casually and smiled: "The complete cultivation method of the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations should all be in your mind by now?"

Xiao Yan nodded with a smile; his spirit stirred, and instantly an arcane cultivation technique appeared in his mind—the full version of the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations, containing not only the First Change, but also the Second and Third Changes.

"Finally got it," Xiao Yan sighed in relief—it had been a close call, but no disaster.

His heart now throbbed with excitement; with the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations, his battle power would surge dramatically! He was already eager to test the terrifying power of the three changes combined.

"Though the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations can drastically boost your strength in a short time, the energy gained is extremely violent—you must be extra careful when controlling it," Tang Zhen warned.

Xiao Yan nodded; he'd long known this—he'd trained the First Change for years and was already adept at handling such violent energy.

"Since you've obtained the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations, let's leave the Pavilion," Tang Zhen smiled, stepping down from the pavilion first, with Xiao Yan and Tang Huo'er following closely behind.

Stepping out of the Dou Technique Pavilion, the fresh air hitting his face lifted Xiao Yan's spirits.

"You can rest in the Guest Room before leaving—you've been in inheritance for a full day," Tang Zhen smiled.

"Then thank you, Valley Master Tang," Xiao Yan said without hesitation, returning to the Guest Room to practice the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations.

After resting a day and fully mastering the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations, Xiao Yan stepped out of his room, observing the Fenyan Valley disciples patrolling, and nodded silently.

"This Fenyan Valley really is impressive… Sigh, they've treated me so well—it's hard for me to bring up the subject." The Flame Sovereign was now deeply conflicted—he'd always encountered villains on his cultivation path, people who'd rather fight than speak.

Now, Tang Zhen treated him with such courtesy, and he'd smoothly obtained the Heavenly Flame Three Transformations—Xiao Yan suddenly felt awkward about asking Tang Zhen to trade a Heavenly Flame.

In truth, with his current status, Xiao Yan certainly had the capital to offer a fair price for a Heavenly Flame.

Though Heavenly Flames were precious, the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire was only ranked twelfth; Xiao Yan was now an Eight Grade Alchemist with Spirit Realm Soul Force—he was confident that with a Heavenly Flame and Black Demon, he could refine an Eight Grade Pill capable of summoning two- or even three-colored Pill Lightning.

A three-colored Pill Lightning Eight Grade Pill was certainly no less valuable than a lower-ranked Heavenly Flame.

But the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire wasn't just a Heavenly Flame—it was also the symbol of the Burning Flame Valley, the inheritance item passed down through generations of Valley Masters; its significance outweighed its value.

The Flame Sovereign, encountering kindness for the first time, was at a loss.

Xiao Yan considered whether to just grit his teeth and ask—no harm if refused. Hadn't Hun Xu Zi said that if he won the Pill Gathering at the Dan Tower, he might gain entry inside and attempt to refine the Three Thousand Yan Flame?

That was a rank-nine Heavenly Flame!!

As Xiao Yan stepped out of the courtyard, preparing to grab a disciple and ask where Tang Zhen was, he noticed unrest spreading through the Fenyan Valley.

"Brother, what's going on? Why does everyone look so worried and rushed?" Xiao Yan grabbed a Fenyan Valley disciple with a gloomy, anxious expression.

"Sigh, last night, Miss Huo'er's fire poison erupted," the disciple said, deeply troubled.

Xiao Yan suddenly recalled—he'd indeed heard that Tang Huo'er had tried too hastily to refine the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire and been counterattacked by it.

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose—he was a lone star of fate; wherever he went, misfortune followed.

"That's not entirely true—I can solve the problem." After giving himself a firm pep talk, Xiao Yan followed the disciple's directions to Tang Huo'er's Gui Fang.

At that moment, outside the door stood an Alchemist dressed in the attire of the Burning Flame Valley, diagnosing Tang Huo'er.

"How is Master An? How is Huo'er?" Tang Zhen no longer had yesterday's calm composure—his face was now filled only with a father's anxious worry.

The Alchemist named Master An shook his head and said, "Miss Huo'er's condition hasn't worsened—it's just suddenly flared up. Rest should help her recover soon. But the problem remains: only the Fire Bodhi Pill can completely cure it. And in a year, it will erupt fully—then even gods cannot save her."

Xiao Yan's heart tightened. The Fire Bodhi Pill was specifically used to dispel fire poison and internal injuries caused by flames—a Seven-Pin High-Level Pill. Though classified as Seven-Pin High-Level, its medicinal material refinement demanded extreme Fire Control Power, making it among the most difficult to refine even among Seven-Pin High-Level Elixirs.

Hearing this, Tang Zhen sighed and said, "Although we paid a heavy price to obtain the Fire Bodhi Pill's Pill Formula from the Dan Tower, Alchemists capable of refining Seven-Pin High-Level Elixirs are exceedingly rare."

"If there's truly no other way, we could seek a Seven-Grade Alchemist and perform a joint Spirit Refining. The hardest part of the Fire Bodhi Pill is Fire Control Power—my own Fire Control Power might barely suffice."

"Joint Spirit Refining requires multiple Alchemists to be perfectly in sync, and you must also face Lord Tang's Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire—it risks injury from the Heavenly Flame, greatly increasing the difficulty and reducing success rates to near zero," Xiao Yan said, slowly entering the room.

Seeing Xiao Yan enter, Tang Zhen sighed and said, "I know—if there's truly no other option, we must resort to this last measure."

"Cough. Cough." Xiao Yan cleared his throat twice, glanced at Tang Zhen, and said, "Actually… I happen to know an Alchemist capable of refining Seven-Pin High-Level Pills."

!!?

Upon hearing this, Tang Zhen and Master An, the Six-Grade High-Level Alchemist beside him, were both stunned—Xiao Yan knew someone of such caliber!

Tang Zhen immediately grabbed Xiao Yan's shoulder, exclaiming in delight, "Xiao Yan, can you recommend that Alchemist? If he can refine the Fire Bodhi Pill, I will reward you handsomely!"

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and smiled. "No need for a recommendation." Then, with the same finger he used to rub his nose, he pointed at his own nose.

?????

For a moment, Tang Zhen and Master An were speechless, unsure what Xiao Yan's gesture meant. What? Was his nose itchy?

Suddenly, Tang Zhen realized—like a thunderbolt striking his head—his face changed drastically as he exclaimed, "You mean… the Alchemist capable of refining Seven-Pin High-Level Pills… is YOU?!"

Seeing a Dou Zun so astonished, Xiao Yan suddenly felt a little embarrassed, nodding slightly with a faint blush.

"How old are you?" Tang Zhen, in a bizarre moment of thought, blurted out the question of age first.

"Twenty-five," Xiao Yan answered honestly.

"Twenty-five?!" Master An and Tang Zhen stared at each other in shock—each saw the words "This can't be real" in the other's eyes.

"At twenty-five, refining Seven-Pin High-Level Pills? That's comparable to the two prodigies of the Dan Domain!" Master An found it unbelievable—this was legend!

Those two were the top favorites to win this year's Pill Gathering—right now, the Champion was essentially a choice between them.

And now this dark horse appears!

"Are you really a Seven-Pin High-Level Alchemist?" Master An still asked, half-skeptical.

To Master An's frustration, Xiao Yan shook his head.

Just as Master An was about to properly scold this insolent brat, a soul force that shook everyone to their core erupted from Xiao Yan's body.

"I'm barely Eight-Grade."

Thud!

Master An's legs went weak—he collapsed straight to his knees. Right there. On the floor.

"Spirit Realm Soul Power!!" Tang Zhen, no longer the composed Valley Master of the Burning Flame Valley, stared in shock, even stepping back half a step!

It was no wonder he was terrified—even as the Lord of one of the Three Valleys and a Five-Star Dou Zun, he treated Eight-Grade Alchemists with utmost respect, even trembling before them.

This was an Eight-Grade Alchemist—their influence extended even to Dou Zuns!

And at twenty-five? An Eight-Grade? What kind of demon or monster was this?!

At that moment, Tang Zhen suddenly recalled a passage from the Burning Flame Valley's Ancient Texts: Xiao Clan's Xiao Xuan—once called the strongest on the Dou Qi Continent.

This man is Xiao Xuan's descendant!

Seeing Tang Zhen so stunned, Xiao Yan cleared his throat—politely, as a prelude to his request—and said, "Lord Tang, I have a favor to ask."

At that moment, Tang Zhen snapped back to reality—right, this man wasn't offering his help for free!

And to have an Eight-Grade Alchemist intervene—the cost would cripple even the Burning Flame Valley!

After all, he and Xiao Yan had no prior connection—indeed, the Burning Flame Valley owed a debt to Xiao Xuan, who had gifted them this precious Secret Technique.

"Of course, of course! Say what you need! If you save my daughter's life, I, Tang Zhen, will walk through fire and climb mountains of blades for you!" Tang Zhen spoke these words without hesitation—clearly, Tang Huo'er meant everything to him.

"Lord Tang, you overstate it. I don't need you to fight for me—I only wish to borrow fire."

"Borrow fire? You want the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire?!"

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Tang Zhen and Master An both froze, then frowned slightly.

The Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire was one of the Burning Flame Valley's most treasured artifacts—and unlike the Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Transformations, this was a genuine, unambiguous valley treasure, not one designated by the Ancestor.

Moreover, the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire was the ancestral heirloom passed down through generations of Valley Masters—only with the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire could one truly be called Valley Master of the Burning Flame Valley.

How could it possibly be given away?

"Xiao Yan, I'm afraid I cannot give you the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire. This Heavenly Flame holds immense significance to the Burning Flame Valley," Tang Zhen finally shook his head.

If all else failed, he'd go to the Dan Tower and beg for help—even though those people demanded equally exorbitant prices.

Xiao Yan spoke slowly: "I know this is asking too much. But I, Xiao Yan, do not seek the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire itself. I only wish to borrow it for ten years. After ten years, I will return the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire to the Burning Flame Valley."

"Borrow for ten years?"

"Only ten years. And whether or not I succeed in refining it, I, Xiao Yan, will still refine the Pill for Lord Tang," Xiao Yan said solemnly.

"Lord Tang, this Heavenly Flame is vital to me—I need great power to reach a certain place."

"You're already an Eight-Grade Alchemist. The Dou Qi Continent is vast—why such caution? What place demands this?" Tang Zhen asked.

"The Gu Clan."

(End of Chapter)