Chapter 565

Just as Xiao Yan and Cai Lin were kissing, about to entangle in affection, Cai Lin suddenly pushed him away, gestured with her hand, and wrapped the bedsheet around herself, covering the exposed flesh Xiao Yan had bared.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Yan frowned in confusion—he'd already taken off his robes, and now she was pushing him away?!

The arrow's already on the string!

Cai Lin smiled slightly and said, "While you were refining the elixir, Gu Xun Er and I discussed some matters."

"Discussed?" Xiao Yan was instantly startled—those two had been plotting behind his back!

In that moment, Xiao Yan's Sage intuition told him this could not possibly be good.

Cai Lin smiled gently, her gaze unexpectedly pitying as she looked at Xiao Yan: "Gu Xun Er has accepted our relationship, but as punishment for your fickleness, when you meet again, you are forbidden from engaging in any improper acts."

!!!!!!!!!!?????????

Xiao Yan was utterly stunned, frozen in place.

If I'd never known light, I could still bear the darkness!!

In an instant, the Inferno Heart Flame that had risen within him subsided; the Xuan Huang Flame and the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame both signaled they could do nothing.

He'd been bullied—Xun Er was making him abstain!

Though Xiao Yan wanted to resist, to protest, to demand freedom, in the end he could only grit his teeth and nod—after all, Xun Er was already a Nine-Turn Dou Zun, had achieved Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, and upon returning home would surely deepen her cultivation further; with the Gu Clan's resources, breaking into a Dou Sage was certain.

What Xiao Yan never expected was that he'd thought Xun Er would soon break through to Dou Sage and come find him—but this wait lasted three years!

Unable to indulge in carnal pleasures, Xiao Yan naturally channeled his grief and fury into cultivation.

Upon returning to the Yan Alliance, Xiao Yan learned that the Flame Elder, after his Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, had not only advanced to Nine-Star Dou Zun, but had also upgraded the Five-Ring Fire Method into a Heavenly Rank Battle Art!

Originally, the Five-Ring Fire Method was merely an ancient fire-controlling secret technique, not a Battle Art; after his Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, the Flame Elder suddenly achieved insight, combining the sealing array diagrams Xiao Yan had acquired at auction with his conjectures about the Flame Emperor Seal, and created a Heavenly Rank Low Grade Battle Art—Five Beasts Scorched Heaven Seal.

With the Flame Elder's Five Beasts Scorched Heaven Seal aiding him, and combined with a Battle Art Xiao Yan had comprehended during his ninety-nine prior lifetimes of Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation, half a month later, Xiao Yan completed his self-created Battle Art: Flame Emperor Seal!

A Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade ultra-powerful Battle Art! Founder: Xiao Yan!

"Damn it, a Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade Battle Art—I never thought I'd witness its birth." The Flame Elder stared at the scroll Xiao Yan had created, unable to help cursing loudly.

In the Flame Elder's hand now lay a red scroll—the very scroll imprinted with the power and insight of Heaven and Earth at the moment the Battle Art was born; in a sense, this was the sole original, the one and only version recognized by Heaven and Earth!

Xiao Yan would need years, perhaps even more, to recreate another Flame Emperor Seal scroll—this alone showed how precious it was.

"Old Yao, you're not just a witness." Xiao Yan smiled faintly—the Flame Elder was, in a sense, also one of the founders.

At last, Xiao Yan understood why so many Battle Arts required prerequisite techniques—just as Three Thousand Thunder Illusion Body required prior cultivation of Three Thousand Lei Dong; he guessed the creator of Three Thousand Thunder Illusion Body must have first cultivated Three Thousand Lei Dong before gaining the insight to create it.

Similarly, to cultivate Flame Emperor Seal, the best method is precisely what Xiao Yan did: first cultivate the Five-Ring Fire Method, then the Flame Elder's Five Beasts Scorched Heaven Seal, and finally Flame Emperor Seal—layer by layer, step by step.

To attempt Flame Emperor Seal directly, unless you're a Dou Emperor, it's impossible.

Thus, Flame Emperor Seal, in a sense, has three volumes: the upper volume is Earth Rank Advanced Grade Five-Ring Fire Method, the middle volume is Heavenly Rank Low Grade Five Beasts Scorched Heaven Seal, and the final volume is Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade Flame Emperor Seal!

Of course, in reality, Flame Emperor Seal is essentially an exclusive Battle Art that cannot be cultivated by others—no one besides Xiao Yan could possibly possess five Beast Fires!

Just like the Five-Ring Fire Method, to cultivate it requires finding five special Beast Fires—or unusual flames, even Spiritual Flames; possessing four Spiritual Flames grants Quasi Heavenly Rank power, five grants Heavenly Rank power.

Five Beasts Scorched Heaven Seal is similar—possessing five Spiritual Flames brings its power to the peak of Heavenly Rank Low Grade, nearing Heavenly Rank Mid Grade.

As for Flame Emperor Seal, the cultivation requirement is possessing five Spiritual Flames—so this Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade Battle Art is destined to be lost; and that's fitting—if Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade Battle Arts could be cultivated so easily, they wouldn't be Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade.

"Now the Yan Alliance finally has its own Heavenly Rank Battle Art lineage." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, exhaling deeply—he wasn't referring to Flame Emperor Seal, which ordinary people couldn't cultivate and which would be useless if given to disciples; he meant the Flame Elder's Five Beasts Scorched Heaven Seal.

The Flame Elder immediately felt a touch of pride and said contentedly: "Only with a Heavenly Rank Battle Art lineage can we truly become a top-tier force on the Dou Qi Continent, on par with the Two Sects."

The Two Sects were top-tier forces because they possessed Heavenly Rank lineages and Dou Sages; before this, the Yan Alliance had always been inferior to the Tian Ming Sect, surviving only thanks to the Hua Sect's mediation and Xiao Yan's reputation—otherwise, the Tian Ming Sect and the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan would have already destroyed the Yan Alliance.

As for the Soul Sect and the Dan Tower, the Yan Alliance still fell short.

"The Two Sects… the Tian Ming Sect really needs to be eliminated at some point—it'll only become a disaster sooner or later." Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed; now that the Yan Alliance had grown immensely, he no longer needed to hold back.

On the Dou Qi Continent, countless factions rose and fell throughout history; the Yan Alliance's rise meant some faction must now say goodbye—that was the Law of Heaven, the rule of the strong.

The Dou Qi Continent is only so large; whether competing for resources or settling personal grudges, only one of the Yan Alliance or the Tian Ming Sect could remain—after all, the Tian Ming Sect controlled too many Secret Realms and Kuang Ji resources, and for the Xiao Clan to reclaim its peak, these resources were essential.

Seeing the sharpness in Xiao Yan's eyes, the Flame Elder nodded gravely: "The Tian Ming Sect must be dealt with—their vice Sect Master's death has made the grudge irreconcilable."

"But the Tian Ming Sect and the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan have been allied for a long time, with Dou Sages between them establishing Space Channels to connect; to strike at the Tian Ming Sect, the two Dou Sages of the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan will surely emerge, and the Tian Ming Sect's Sect Master, Tian Ming Old Demon, is a High-Level Quasi-Sage—just a step away from becoming a true Dou Sage."

The Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan is stronger than the Tian Ming Sect; according to Qing Lin's memories of the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan's Snake Slaves, their Clan Leader Yao Xiao Tian is a One-Star Mid-Level Dou Sage, and their Grand Elder has reached One-Star Late-Level Dou Sage; rumors say the previous Clan Leader, Yao Ming, also reached Dou Sage, but later vanished, which is why his younger brother Yao Xiao Tian became Clan Leader.

If Yao Ming is counted, the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan has three Dou Sages; Xiao Yan might handle one-on-three, but it's their territory—he couldn't be sure they wouldn't have some special tricks.

Moreover, combined, the Tian Ming Sect and the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan have countless Dou Zun powerhouses.

Xiao Yan smiled, revealing a cryptic grin: "Old Yao, don't worry—just a few low-level Dou Sages, and the Yan Alliance isn't just me alone who's a Dou Sage."

"Huh?"

The Flame Elder was utterly baffled—when did the Yan Alliance gain a second Dou Sage?!

"Medusa Queen? Or Xiao Yixian?" the Flame Elder asked curiously.

"Neither. You'll find out soon."

Several days later, Xiao Yan gathered some medicinal materials from the Small Valley and departed the Yan Alliance, accompanied by Qing Lin.

Xiao Yan was now a Nine Grade Alchemist, possessing sufficient means to revive the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake; however, to revive it, besides refining the Taiyi Treasure Pill, he needed vast quantities of blood essence to condense the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake's bloodline.

Xiao Yan didn't just want to revive the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake—he wanted a Nine-Rank Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake!

If the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake didn't reach Nine Rank, it couldn't protect Qing Lin, and to confront the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan, only their Ancestor could be summoned.

Qing Lin nervously twisted her fingers, timidly glancing up at Xiao Yan's profile—she'd assumed her Young Master would bring her and Cai Lin together, but only she had been chosen!

She'd never before been alone with Xiao Yan!

Qing Lin suddenly recalled certain things; as fantasies filled her mind, her cheeks flushed crimson, even her ears turning red.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Xiao Yan smiled warmly at Qing Lin—he'd never truly been alone with her before; there were always others present.

"Ah! N-no!" Qing Lin lowered her head in embarrassment, daring not meet Xiao Yan's eyes.

Xiao Yan gently grasped Qing Lin's Jade Hand; as his fingers closed around hers, her heart pounded wildly, as if it might burst free.

"Come, Young Master will take you to seek revenge!" Xiao Yan's eyes glinted with ferocity as he gazed at the boundless sea before him—he hadn't forgotten the Chi Snake Demon Sovereign's escape, and he had no intention of letting him go.

Many Yan Alliance disciples died in that battle; in duty and righteousness, Xiao Yan owed them justice.

With a sweep of his hand, the Sea Heart Flame appeared. With a roar, the sea-blue Sea Heart Flame transformed into a blue flood dragon that wrapped around Xiao Yan and Qing Lin, then the flood dragon dove into the sea, plunging into the seabed with a thunderous boom.

The Chi Snake Race are Sea Pythons; they live in the depths of the Sea.

The Sea Heart Flame was originally a water-and-fire dual-attribute Heavenly Flame born within the heart of the sea. Within the great sea, the Sea Heart Flame can not only burn but also ignite the seawater and control it; only in the sea can the Sea Heart Flame unleash its most powerful might.

Soon, Xiao Yan and Qing Lin arrived at a deep-sea trench at the bottom of the ocean, a trench sealed off by powerful spatial force.

The Chi Snake Demon Sovereign also knew they had offended people they could not afford to offend, so it sealed off the entrance to the Chi Snake Race's territory, banned everything, and cut off all contact with the outside world.

Xiao Yan gave a faint smile. Such methods were effective against ordinary people, but against someone who possessed the Heavenly Emperor Fire, they were rather useless.

With a wave of his hand, a black hole appeared before Xiao Yan. Taking Qing Lin with him, he stepped into the black hole in a single stride and passed straight through the trench's barrier, entering the trench itself.

"Wow, it's so beautiful here." After passing through the barrier, Qing Lin couldn't help but cry out in amazement at the sight before her.

Before their eyes lay a riotously colorful coral forest, stretching perhaps a thousand li wide, growing along both sides of the trench. Such a vast and magnificent coral forest was truly a dazzling sight to behold; such a scene was rarely seen in ordinary times.

Looking around, this stretch of coral forest was a dazzling array of colors, with every kind of coral present. To the creatures of the Sea, these coral forests were like the mountain forests where magical beasts dwelled: one could see seaweeds swaying, fish swimming freely, and crabs and shrimp making their burrows.

Walking into such a coral forest made one's eyes dazzle. The countless beautiful sights were truly more than the eye could take in, making one linger and forget to return.

Within the Sea Heart Flame, the two were essentially merged with the sea, as if invisible; walking through the coral forest, no one could detect them at all.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, look quickly, there's a big sea turtle over there!" Qing Lin's beautiful eyes shone with excitement — it was her first time seeing the great sea!

Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile wryly and rub his nose. They had come this time to settle a score with someone, not to tour the scenery; a great battle would come later.

But seeing Qing Lin looking so excited, how could Xiao Yan bear to interrupt this little girl who had always treated herself as a maidservant?

"Oh? Where?" Xiao Yan deliberately pretended not to know, looking this way and that.

"There! Over there, there's one over there too!" Qing Lin's emerald-green beautiful eyes were full of excitement; she instinctively hugged Xiao Yan's arm and pointed at a spot as she spoke.

Xiao Yan's arm felt Qing Lin's soft, gentle squeeze, and his heart involuntarily tightened. This feeling of being held close was truly wonderful.

Xiao Yan thought to himself that letting that Chi Snake Demon Sovereign live a little longer first wouldn't matter.

"Let's go, we'll look around." Xiao Yan said.

"Mm!"

Qing Lin was only a little younger than Xiao Yan; she was now over twenty years old, and her mature charm was fully on display. The gradually maturing aura about her was also heart-stirring; within that mature grace there was also a girl's innocent freshness.

Such an aura blended together on Qing Lin was truly perfect beyond compare, giving one the feeling of another kind of absolute beauty.

Qing Lin slowly cupped a seahorse in both hands, her big eyes curiously fixed on this creature she had never seen before. Her clothes clung to her figure, accentuating her curves for all to see — beautiful and deeply moving.

The two wandered through the seabed while heading in the direction of the Asura Soul-Chasing Mark Xiao Yan had left behind. After a day's time, an incomparably enormous Dragon Crystal Palace appeared before them.

It was a colossal palace, its entire body like crystal, emitting wave after wave of crystalline light, looking just like the legendary Dragon Crystal Palace.

There's still one chapter I haven't finished; I'll post two first.

(End of this chapter)