Chapter 345: The Demon Fire Emerges

"Twin moons in the sky, nine stars as one, the tides of heaven and earth, the Demon Fire descends."

Two crescent moons, one above and one below, quietly emerged. At the same instant, nine brilliant stars slowly shifted, finally forming a straight line...

A peculiar energy fluctuation rippled through the heavens and earth, and endless energy mist dispersed; faintly, it seemed as if the sound of tides was rising in one's ears.

Xiao Han gazed at the magnificent scene on the distant horizon, a flash of astonishment passing through his eyes. Even though he had long known from ancient texts of the phenomena that would occur when the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame re-emerged, he still could not keep his heart calm.

"The Demon Fire has emerged; it is time for me to go out and take a look."

Xiao Han twisted his body, which felt as if it had rusted, a trace of excitement surging from his heart. As he spoke, Dou Qi erupted from his palms, and a pillar of energy light roughly several meters in diameter suddenly exploded above the Langya Pavilion.

Before long, the others, who had been prepared, appeared before Xiao Han.

"What, are you setting off now to contend for the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame?" Yi Huang's elegant face wore a rare, deep sense of anticipation; clearly, she was also extremely curious about the legendary Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame that could purify all things.

Xiao Han nodded, turning his head to say to the two silent ancestors, "I presume the ancestors are no strangers to that Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame."

"I have already informed you of the goal for this time; when the time comes, I will have to trouble the ancestors to look after that brat Xiao Yan."

Both of them nodded solemnly. As early as a thousand years ago, when the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had emerged, they had witnessed the terrifying strength of the opponent. Had the Xiao Clan not been in the midst of a crisis of bloodline exhaustion at that time, they would have certainly seen that demeanor for themselves; now, however, they had the opportunity.

"And you?" Yi Huang's beautiful eyes stared at Xiao Han without blinking, and she asked suspiciously, "Don't tell me you don't want to go and see."

The contention for the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame was destined to be crowded with experts, and every ancient sect and Ancient Race would send experts to go. Such a grand spectacle was rare indeed, and it held a very strong attraction for Xiao Han.

Xiao Han looked up toward the northwest, his gaze seemingly piercing through space to see the powerful figures in that Endless Void.

"My battlefield is not in the Demon Fire Space!"

Immediately, he revealed a gentle smile, "Rest assured, I will support you all from there."

The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame was, after all, one of the top three Exotic Fires. Even though, due to the rules, stronger individuals could not enter the fray to contend for it, there were quite a few people watching the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame to ensure no trouble was stirred up.

"Let's set off now!" Xiao Han said, "For this trip, it is enough for just us few from the Langya Pavilion to go."

"Mm." The others silently agreed. Soldiers should be elite, not numerous; the methods of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame were terrifying, and no matter how many ordinary people there were, they would only provide the opponent with more Fire Slaves.

"I shall take a step ahead to meet those fellows." No sooner had Xiao Han's voice fallen than he left behind an afterimage that slowly dissipated in place.

Subsequently...

"Two ancestors, let us go as well," Yi Huang smiled.

The two looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"Whoosh!"

Across the vast heavens and earth, numerous figures were flashing past at this moment, bringing with them bursts of wind-breaking sounds. However, Xiao Han did not care at all about these so-called experts who did not even have the cultivation of a Dou Saint; the only ones who could truly draw his attention were certain figures in the firmament.

A journey of a thousand miles seemed far, but to Xiao Han, it was a distance he could traverse in just a few thoughts.

"Hum!"

Accompanied by a soft sound, Xiao Han's figure slowly emerged within a hidden space above the Demon Fire Space.

As soon as he entered, Xiao Han felt many probing gazes cast toward him; to this, he had long since become accustomed.

Looking around, he noticed a few familiar figures, and Xiao Han could not help but reveal a "warm" smile, "Elder Guda, we meet again!"

Guda's expression stiffened; if he had a choice, he would absolutely not want to see this fellow loitering in front of him.

However, things having reached this point, Guda had no choice but to reveal a kind smile and offer a greeting, "Ice Saint, long time no see."

Xiao Han's gaze turned to the other three. One figure, entirely shrouded in a black robe, was undoubtedly a member of the Soul Clan who had committed every wicked deed.

Xiao Han ignored him with an expressionless face, lest he be unable to resist killing the other party.

There was also an enchanting beauty with flame patterns on her forehead. Sensing Xiao Han's gaze, she revealed a charming smile at him. Xiao Han was slightly dazed for a moment, but quickly broke free.

"So that's it, is that Fire Spirit Fairy?" Xiao Han understood in his heart; the only person from the Yan Clan who could make his spirit waver was that Fire Spirit Fairy who practiced charm techniques.

Sensing that Xiao Han had easily shaken off her charm technique, Fire Spirit Fairy felt slightly surprised, but Xiao Han did not pay it much mind.

"This person is..." Xiao Han looked at the last person. That was an ordinary old man wearing a linen robe, his face covered in wrinkles, his eyes narrowed into slits, making it impossible to tell if he was awake or asleep.

Although the old man exuded an unremarkable aura from head to toe, the threat he posed in Xiao Han's heart far surpassed the others; he was not at his level, but roughly on par with Jiang Yu.

"Ice Saint, is it?" Just then, the old man slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light shining within them as he carefully sized up Xiao Han, "An outstanding junior; it seems this old man has a successor after all."

"Hm?" A few question marks appeared over Xiao Han's head. A successor? Did he have any relation to this old man?

"This is Tianyun Elder," Guda's explanatory voice suddenly entered Xiao Han's ears.

"Tianyun Elder is a famous rogue cultivator expert from the Central Plains from several thousand years ago. In terms of seniority, even the Clan Leader must treat him with the courtesy of a junior."

"At the same time..." Guda paused, then continued, "He is also the maintainer of the agreement between the Central Plains and our Ancient Races."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Han was stunned. He had thought that the so-called agreement was the result of the Ancient Races checking each other, never having expected that the Central Plains truly possessed an expert capable of speaking on equal terms with the Ancient Races.

Perhaps it was precisely because of Tianyun Elder's maintenance that the Ancient Races did not act too unscrupulously in the Central Plains.

Xiao Han could not help but feel a sense of reverence for this old man. The other party's strength was such that he could have been completely carefree, yet he had guarded the Central Plains for thousands of years as if it were one day; one could not help but express admiration.

However, his mood was also somewhat subtle; if this person knew his true identity, perhaps he would not think this way.

At the same time, Xiao Han also felt a slight pity. According to his observations, Tianyun Elder was now nearing his limit, with at most a few decades of life left; in a few more years, he feared he would not even have the ability to take action.

As his thoughts raced, Xiao Han took the initiative to step forward and bow, "This junior greets Senior Tianyun."

Tianyun Elder nodded indifferently, "Once this matter of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame comes to an end, this old man has words for you."

"Then I shall trouble Senior for your guidance."

Just then, changes occurred once again within the Demon Fire Space below, and the void produced bursts of tremors.

"Boom—"

Suddenly, after the space contracted once more, a milky-white halo erupted from within. The terrifying high temperature instantly turned the already dilapidated mountain range into a thousand-mile scorched earth, and a milky-white desert presented itself before everyone's eyes.

"This beast is stirring up trouble again."

Seeing this, Guda could not help but frown deeply. The strength of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had clearly recovered once again. At its peak, even Guda, a Seven-Star Dou Saint late-stage expert, found it quite thorny.

The rolling heat waves caused even the space to distort, and even the place where Xiao Han and the others were hiding was affected to no small degree.

"What a nuisance." Xiao Han frowned; this kind of environment was the place that an ice-attribute cultivator like him detested the most.

However, this bit of temperature did not have much of an effect on Xiao Han, it was merely a little uncomfortable.

"Oh?" Suddenly, Xiao Han's expression tightened slightly, and he said with quite some interest:

"They are here."