*Whoosh.* A colossal black light pillar shot down from the center of the great array, its speed astonishingly fast. In a mere flicker, it pierced through the heavens and earth, even tearing open a magma pit hundreds of feet wide in the sea of lava below.
“Ahh!” The Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame’s body was struck by the black light pillar, and he immediately sensed an incredibly strange decomposing force within it. Under such power, the flames on his body dimmed strand by strand. A scream mixed with rage resounded throughout the sky.
*Bam! Bam! Bam!* Faced with the strange force within the black light pillar, even the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame felt a sense of danger. He immediately expanded his body, transforming into a blazing flame figure over a thousand feet tall. Instantly, the temperature in the region skyrocketed. The magma beneath them boiled violently, sending plumes of lava erupting continuously with rumbling sounds like the apocalypse was upon them.
Under such frantic resistance, ripples formed around the black light pillar, and it even began to slightly distort.
“Everyone, pour your strength into the great array, or once it breaks free, we’re all dead!” Seeing this, the Soul Palace Lord’s expression changed, and he roared.
His shout fell, and the Soul Palace Lord was the first to change his hand seals, channeling all his vast fighting energy furiously into the great array. Seeing him act, the others hesitated for a moment before gritting their teeth and also pouring their fighting energy into the great array.
With such a vast amount of fighting energy, the great array expanded, and the black light pillar became increasingly pure. The strange force within it also grew more terrifying.
“Wanting to seal me, what are you?” Sensing the increasingly terrible power, a furious roar sounded from the massive flame. Suddenly, the flame inside the pillar exploded without warning, and destructive shockwaves crashed into the black light pillar.
*Pfft.* The crazed counterattack of the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame caused the faces of the seven people, including the Soul Palace Lord, to turn pale as they spat out blood. Their expressions now showed some signs of fatigue. The battle against the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame was too intense, and even they could not sustain it for long.
“Everyone, give it your all!” The Soul Palace Lord wiped the blood from his mouth, and his originally ordinary face turned savage. Biting his tongue, he spat out a mouthful of essence blood, which shot directly into the light pillar.
*Pfft.* Seeing the Soul Palace Lord sacrifice his essence blood, the others’ expressions flickered but, finally, they gritted their teeth and expelled a mouthful of essence blood, also containing tremendous energy, into the light pillar.
*Hiss, Hiss, Hiss.* As the seven people began to fight for their lives, the light within the pillar surged, and then they saw the gigantic body of the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame start to rapidly shrink. Despite the latter’s continuous angry roars, it could not stop its body from diminishing.
“Seal the Heaven-Strangling Array!” Seeing this, the Soul Palace Lord was overjoyed. His hand seals changed rapidly, and he gave a fierce command.
The order fell, and the black light pillar that penetrated the heavens and earth quickly retracted, transforming into a black cylinder about ten feet tall. Inside, a pearly white flame slowly rose, exuding an extremely terrifying temperature.
“We did it…” Everyone’s hearts were filled with joy. After a desperate battle involving seven four-star Dou Shengs, they had finally sealed the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame.
Xiao Yan’s gaze remained fixed on the black light pillar. After a moment, he swiftly regained his composure, glancing at the Soul Palace Lord. At this moment, he and Zi Yan were covered in wounds, their auras feeble. Clearly, the previous battle against the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame had left them greatly drained.
As the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame was sealed, a brief silence descended from the sky.
“Haha, such a pleasant cooperation. Now the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame is sealed, saving the lives of countless people. Thank you!” The Soul Palace Lord took a moment to catch his breath, then laughed loudly and bowed to Zi Yan and the others. Seeing his behavior, the others relaxed slightly, but just as they did, a sly smile flashed across the Soul Palace Lord’s face. He reached out and snatched the black light pillar, which sped toward him: “Haha, thank you all today. My Soul Clan will remember this.”
“Scoundrel!”
“As expected, no good.”
This scene startled everyone, and they quickly recovered, cursing loudly in the sky.
“Hmph, do you think you can take the demon flame so easily?!” Just as the black light pillar was a dozen feet away from the Soul Palace Lord, a cold voice rang out. The space twisted, and the direction of the black light pillar was altered, flying past him to the left.
“You!” Seeing the nearly captured demon flame origin fly away, the Soul Palace Lord fumed, his eyes glaring coldly at Zi Yan, who had deftly used her space manipulation to warp the path of the light pillar, despite her less-than-optimal condition.
Though the Soul Palace Lord was enraged, he did not immediately attack Zi Yan. Instead, he urgently turned to the Soul Breeze and the Deputy Soul Palace Lord, shouting: “Why aren’t you seizing the demon flame?!”
“Do it!” The sudden change did not surprise Xiao Yan, who had expected it. He knew that after the brief alliance, internal strife would inevitably erupt. The hastily formed coalition was the most fragile. The temporary camaraderie under the temptation of the Heavenly Lotus Demon Flame had no resistance!
So, as soon as the Soul Palace Lord shouted, Xiao Yan roared, his blue and red bone wings appearing behind him. With a flutter, he appeared in front of the black light pillar, grabbing it.
“You seek death!” But as his hand extended, a cold voice rang above him—it was the Deputy Soul Palace Lord, who had also been watching the situation closely.
Sensing the fierce wind, Xiao Yan instantly altered his move, slapping the light pillar and redirecting it towards Xun’er and the others. At the same time, he pointed fiercely at the sky!
“Yellow Springs Finger!”
A huge energy finger formed, clashing with the Deputy Soul Palace Lord. The ensuing burst of energy forced both figures to stagger back.
“That’s the demon flame origin, grab it!” Everyone reacted, and eager, fiery gazes fixed on the black light pillar dancing in the sky. Whoever secured the demon flame origin would see their strength surge instantly!
*Whoosh.* Intense gazes locked onto the black light pillar. In a mere instant, the sound of breaking wind filled the sky. Almost all surviving powerhouses were frenziedly dashing towards the black light pillar.
“Haha, I got the demon flame origin!” Amidst the mad scramble, a high-level half-saint, an old man in yellow robes, seized one end of the black light pillar, beaming. But before he could finish his laugh, almost ten vicious punches pounded into his body, reducing half of him to a bloody mist. A piercing wail echoed.
Seeing the chaotic scene, Xiao Yan frowned. He waved his sleeve, and two jade vials flew into the hands of Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai.
“Quick, recover your injuries!” Xiao Yan shouted. Most of these four-star Dou Shengs and above were exhausted, so whoever acted first had a higher chance of securing the demon flame origin.
Taking the pills, Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai didn’t waste time. They immediately swallowed the pills and started to recover their fighting energy, while remaining vigilant of their surroundings.
Xiao Yan turned to the chaotic area, his eyes flashing. With a flutter, he appeared beside the light pillar, grabbing one end. Tugging hard, he found the pillar immovable. His eyes turned cold as he saw, at the other end, a young man in black robes staring at him ominously.
“Soul Breeze.”
Seeing this person, Xiao Yan’s face turned frigid.
“Until now, no one has taken anything from my hands.” Soul Breeze sneered, staring at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan smirked, lashing out with a palm. “From now on, it begins.”
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