The golden flames, as if liquid, flowed slowly among Xuner’s jade-like fingers. As they moved, the space around her also began to distort, leaving behind sinuous, inky black trails of space. Xiao Yan’s gaze was fixed on the golden flames, his shock unmistakable. He had seen different kinds of Heavenly Flames before, but the golden flames held by Xuner brought a sense of unease he had never felt before. Even at the moment those golden flames emerged, his Lapis Lazuli Heart Lotus Flame inside him trembled minutely for the first time in all these years!
Xiao Yan understood the meaning of the trembling from his Lapis Lazuli Heart Lotus Flame—it signified a deep sense of dread! The fact that the Lapis Lazuli Heart Lotus Flame, which was born from the fusion of the Earth Core Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame and could potentially rank among the top ten Heavenly Flames, reacted with such terror to the golden flame, suggested that this could be no ordinary Heavenly Flame. “On the list of the Top Ten Heavenly Flames, there are only two with a golden hue—one is the Nine-Realm Golden Ancestor Flame, ranked seventh, and the other is the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heaven Flame, ranking fourth. Is Xuner’s golden flame one of these?” mused Xiao Yan, though he couldn’t be entirely certain. While the list was authoritative, there were countless mysteries in the world, and many believed the true Heavenly Flames far exceeded what was recorded. Therefore, it was impossible to definitively say Xuner’s golden flame was one of these two.
The golden flame flowed like a sprite between Xuner’s fingers, as her eyes scanned the strong men of the Soul Palace and Ice River Valley, her charming face showing a faint smile. “Attack!” The moment the golden flame appeared, a sense of unease arose in Gally Bi and the others, but retreating was not an option. They roared in unison, channeling their battle qi, and launched a series of formidable attacks at Xiao Yan and Xuner. The scale of the attack was truly awe-inspiring.
The massive surge of battle qi tore through the air, reaching them in an instant. Xuner lifted her hand, gently blowing on the golden flame. With a *poof*, the golden flame surged under her breath, forming a golden flame shield around Xiao Yan and herself. Countless streams of battle qi struck the golden flame shield, causing ripples on its surface, but never breaking it. This demonstrated the terrifying defense of the golden flame.
Seeing that their combined attack was so easily repelled by Xuner, Gally Bi and the others’ faces turned pale. Before they could launch another attack, Xuner slowly looked up, and a golden flame flickered in her autumn-water-like eyes. “Go!” Xuner’s voice, soft as a feather, commanded. The golden flame shield around her instantly burst into beams, silently piercing through space, and appearing before Gally Bi and the others in a flash. In their shock, they hastily raised their battle qi for defense, but the golden beams quietly struck their protective shields. A small ‘pfft’ sound followed, and an intense burning sensation erupted in their chests. Lowering their heads, they saw a blood hole the width of half a finger on each of their chests, without a trace of blood. It seemed their flesh and blood had been completely incinerated.
Gally Bi and the others gaped, then turned their gaze to the defensive wall of battle qi in front of them, noticing a hole where the beam had pierced through. Their hard-earned battle qi defense was no match for the golden beams, crumbling like thin paper!
“What… what kind of flame is this?!” The strong men of the Soul Palace and Ice River Valley, their vitality rapidly fading, swayed and fell to the ground. The precise golden beams did not pierce everyone’s hearts, and those who narrowly escaped, like Gally Bi, retreated in terror, realizing now that this seemingly young girl was even more fearsome than the man beside her!
In just one move, the strong men of the Soul Palace and Ice River Valley were either dead or seriously injured. Witnessing this, many felt a chill in their hearts. Who was this girl and how could she be so terrifying?
Having easily defeated Galler and the others, Xuner’s delicate lips parted, swallowing the golden flames. Turning to Xiao Yan’s stunned face, she chuckled softly. “Ah… it seems you have always been a step ahead,” said Xiao Yan, laughing bitterly. He thought his achievements were impressive, but seeing her capabilities, he realized true strength lies deeper still.
“Brother Xiao Yan, you can’t say that. Xuner relies on her ancestors and her bloodline, while you have made it to this point through your own efforts. If we were to truly compare, even ten of me might not be able to match you,” Xuner replied with a gentle smile.
Xiao Yan felt a little better hearing her words. There was nothing he could do but sigh—life simply played out differently. “We must break this icy barrier…” Seeing Xiao Yan’s shock fade, Xuner turned her head to the chilling frost. She snapped her fingers, and a ray of golden light shot out, disappearing into the distance. Soon, the energy of the entire area rippled violently, and moments later, surging columns of battle qi broke through the ice barrier, shattering it into fragments. The icy fog dissipated, and the temperature gradually returned to normal.
As the icy fog dispersed, the sound of rushing wind echoed, and numerous black figures appeared before Xuner, bowing deeply. Xuner nodded to them, and with a wave of her hand, they dispersed to keep watch over the city. Xiao Yan watched this, his heart filled with awe. This was the power of the ancient race—indeed, terrifying.
Xiao Yan’s shock was interrupted by a sudden loud explosion in the distant sky. His gaze followed, and he saw that Nalan Jie and Tian Shuangzi were beginning to falter under the elder in black robes. Despite being outnumbered, the black-robed elder was clearly dominating the fight, revealing his terrifying strength. “It seems Xuner’s warning was well-founded. Judging from the way they treated her, she must hold a high status in the ancient race. To keep her by my side, I need to have the strength to make the ancient race take me seriously, or it would be nothing but a pipe dream…” Xiao Yan clenched his fist, knowing his current strength, even at the peak Battle Sect level, was far from enough.
Xiao Yan let out a breath, determined to obtain the three thousand flaming fire from the Alchemist Pagoda to quickly boost his strength. Gazing at the battlefield between the old man and the Ice River, he saw the two battling fiercely, tearing apart the void with their overwhelming energy. In the sky, their figures collided again, and with a booming sound, the old man burst into joyful laughter, his withered hand shooting out brilliant green crystals, and his hands flashing with intricate seals.
“Hehe, try my Annihilation Heaven Seal!”
Xiao Yan’s eyebrows twitched at the old man’s roar. Annihilation Heaven Seal? The fourth seal of the Emperor’s Seal? The Ice River was also taken aback. “Nihilation Heaven Seal? Isn’t that the Emperor’s Seal?” He thought swiftly, and moments later, a look of horror crossed his face as he turned his gaze to the green figure in the distance. “She… she is from the ancient race?!”
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