Chapter 52: The Sub-Flame of Void Swallowing Flame!

Xiao Yan, in his Soul Body, floated slowly onto the sphere, entirely dark, like a black star.

As Xiao Yan drew closer to the dark Mars, he felt its terror extended far beyond what he had imagined—its surface continuously spewed black flames, engulfing everything as if anyone who approached without permission would be swallowed and erased by the Black Flame!

Endless black flames surged forth from within this dark Mars, with countless black flames leaping across its surface; when Xiao Yan gazed at the massive fissure at its center—the crack resembling the entrance to hell—a vision suddenly flashed in his mind.

In ancient times, when all things were first born, a colossal black hole in Space endlessly swallowed all that was void—whether living or dead, even light could not escape.

After countless eons, the black hole finally grew full, transforming into a dead black star that remained here; as time passed, after an unknown span of years, a sudden explosion occurred, and from the star's core, a completely black Heavenly Flame was born—the Dark Emperor emerged in the boundless Space.

"Void Swallowing Flame—the Heavenly Flame Ranking Second," Xiao Yan swallowed hard; anyone who saw this sight would feel their whole body tremble.

Xiao Yan pulled out the Soul Token, and a soul-glow enveloped his Soul Body; without the Soul Token's protection, not even landing was possible—merely approaching this planet would instantly burn him to nothing with the still-burning Void Swallowing Flame lingering here.

This was not only the birthplace of Void Swallowing Flame, but now also the Soul Sovereign's highest-tier treasure vault; Xiao Yan had just learned from the Soul Token's Soul Information that some objects were wrapped within the dark flames on this planet.

As a Heavenly Rank cultivator, Xiao Yan was entitled to select one reward here.

"Eight Grade Pill: Flame Demon Pure Xuan Pill—when ingested by one whose Battle Qi is of Fire Attribute, it has a chance to trigger Battle Qi mutation, thereby enhancing combat power."

"Heaven Tier Low Grade Dou Technique: Ten Thousand Souls Bone Armor—consume the Spiritual Souls of creatures to forge a Soul Armor fused with the soul's bones; minor completion at a hundred souls, major completion at a thousand, perfect completion at ten thousand. Perfect Ten Thousand Souls Bone Armor can withstand attacks from a Sage Emperor."

"Heaven Tier Low Grade Soul Cultivation Technique: Emperor Soul Decree (Upper)—created by the Soul Emperor, one soul extinguishes ten thousand souls, ten thousand souls command the heavens. When perfected, the Soul Body shatters but does not die; tearing apart one's own Soul Body allows it to exist independently, bestowing upon all things in the world the Will of the Emperor. This is the Emperor Soul Decree. (Cultivation Requirement: Soul Realm reached Spirit Realm)"

Gulp—Xiao Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead; this was a Soul Cultivation Technique created by a Dou Emperor!! And even just the Upper portion was rated Heaven Tier! If fully completed, wouldn't it be at least Heaven-Rank Advanced Grade—or even surpass Heaven Tier?!

Xiao Yan's own Battle Qi Cultivation Method was said to possess Infinite Evolution, but whether it could evolve beyond a Dou Emperor's creation, Xiao Yan truly wasn't certain. After all, the Heavenly Flames of the Dou Qi Continent were limited.

A Dou Emperor was the strongest being on the Dou Qi Continent.

Infinite Evolution versus the strongest in the world—which was stronger? This was a paradox!

Xiao Yan had never imagined that the Eight Grade Pill, which would be fought over across the entire Dou Qi Continent, would be so unattractive here.

Xiao Yan forced himself to set the technique aside; he knew that no matter how reluctant he was, he could not trade it for this Soul Cultivation Technique—he hadn't even met its cultivation prerequisite, and most importantly, his purpose here was for the Heavenly Flames.

"Heavenly Flame, where are you?" Xiao Yan continued searching the planet; there were many flames here, but none were Heavenly Flames—these were merely the still-burning remnants of Void Swallowing Flame, all lacking Origin Flame Seeds.

The Origin Flame Seed was like the soul of a Heavenly Flame; to refine a Heavenly Flame, one must fuse its Origin Flame Seed into the body and imprint it with one's own Soul Force to truly control it.

Hun Xu Zi had said before leaving that the needed Heavenly Flame was right here; Xiao Yan did not believe Hun Xu Zi would lie.

"Hm? What's that? Why isn't it covered by Void Swallowing Flame's flames?" Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes; there lay a Scroll, and for some reason, his Soul Force stirred with a strange, unusual emotion.

Xiao Yan, who had originally not intended to examine any technique, couldn't resist picking up the Scroll on the ground, composed of three colors.

"Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Changes? Heaven-Rank Advanced Grade Secret Technique?!" Xiao Yan instantly drew in a sharp breath; he had just seen a Secret Technique—a Heaven Tier Low Grade Soul Secret Technique—that rapidly enhanced Soul Force by consuming Battle Qi and stamina, or enhanced Battle Qi by consuming the Soul Body, extremely practical.

But a Heaven-Rank Advanced Grade Secret Technique still startled Xiao Yan.

"Secret Technique created by a peak warrior of a Dou Emperor Family—can trigger the eruption of one's internal Heavenly Flame, thereby causing a temporary explosive boost in power. This technique has three transformations, each requiring a different Heavenly Flame; when all three are activated, heaven and earth change color."

"This Secret Technique is only cultivable by those with Fire Attribute Battle Qi; the energy generated is too violent, damaging meridians and injuring the body, so after use, the body enters a weakened state."

Generally, a person can possess only one Heavenly Flame, as Heavenly Flames mutually repel and conflict; thus Xiao Yan's Burning Decree was so precious.

For an ordinary person to simultaneously possess three Heavenly Flames, their control over flames must reach an unimaginable peak.

"The one who created this technique must have been a madman—if they didn't have the Burning Decree," Xiao Yan thought, even though he hadn't yet reached the level to cultivate Heaven Tier techniques.

Causing Heavenly Flames to explode inside the human body—what kind of insane method was that?

The creator of this Secret Technique started from scratch; if not a madman, who else would conceive of making their own internal Heavenly Flames explode?

Like a pistol, the bullet's velocity relies entirely on the explosive force of gunpowder; this Secret Technique operates on the same principle—using the explosive power of Heavenly Flames to enhance power.

Even a pistol, used too often, cannot withstand barrel bursts—how much less so the human body!

"Only cultivators with Fire Attribute Battle Qi can practice it—this probably isn't a Soul Sovereign family's own Secret Technique."

This Secret Technique appeared to be Heaven-Rank Advanced Grade and extremely powerful, but its conditions were too harsh; its practicality didn't even match the Eight Grade Pill, and the fact that it lacked even a Void Swallowing Flame protective barrier showed how unwelcome it was here.

Xiao Yan shook his head and tossed the Secret Technique aside onto a nearby rock.

Boom—boom!! Suddenly, a roaring sound echoed across the planet; the endless black flames on its surface underwent a sudden transformation, with the lingering Void Swallowing Flames surging forward in waves toward a single point in Space.

Countless black flames rushed in like moths to a flame; as they poured in, the space at that point twisted uncontrollably!

It was as if a miniature black hole had been born, absorbing the surrounding black flames.

"Could it be—!!"

Seeing this, Xiao Yan's expression lit up with joy; he rushed to the area of twisted Space. After waiting anxiously for what felt like an eternity, finally—with a whoosh—the absorbed black flames coalesced into a tiny black flame, no larger than a fist, appearing before Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's Soul Force clearly sensed the presence of a Heavenly Flame's Origin Flame Seed within that black flame.

"The Sub-Flame of Void Swallowing Flame!"