“Pure Lotus Demon Flame!” In the sky, Xiao Yan finally suppressed his excitement after a while. He exchanged a glance with Xuner and then cautiously descended, stopping only when he was a few yards away from the lotus flame alternating between milky white and pink. The current Pure Lotus Demon Flame was undoubtedly different from its previous state; the former was violent and aggressive, while the latter was tranquil and peaceful, showing no signs of attacking as Xiao Yan and Xuner drew closer.
“The Pure Lotus Demon Flame seems different from before,” Xuner said with some surprise upon seeing the calm, drifting flame lotus.
“The Sage of Pure Lotus has erased its memories and even its intelligence. The present Pure Lotus Demon Flame is like a newborn infant,” Xiao Yan’s face radiated with zeal. After witnessing the ferocity of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, he wouldn’t have dared to refine it even if he had obtained it. After all, a mighty figure like the Sage of Pure Lotus ultimately perished due to the backlash of the demon flame. How could he, a mere two-star Dou Sheng, be any different?
However, such concerns were now dispelled. The Sage of Pure Lotus and the Pure Lotus Demon Flame had both vanished in the annals of the world, leaving behind the pure source of the demon flame, pristine as a newborn, devoid of any vestige of violence.
“Isn’t this detrimental to the spirituality of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame?” Xuner furrowed her brows slightly. “The reason why the heaven and earth flames are so unique is because they possess a spirituality that ordinary flames do not. If this spirituality is lost, the allure and brilliance of the abnormal flames would vanish.”
“With the methods of the Sage of Pure Lotus, how could he commit such a foolish act? The spirituality of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame remains intact, though some things that did not belong to it have been taken away by the Sage of Pure Lotus,” Xiao Yan shook his head. “Now, it is as pure as when it first emerged into the world, unaffected by any outside forces or contaminants.”
“It seems that the Sage of Pure Lotus has done us a considerable favor,” Xuner smiled, pressing her lips with a laugh. Originally, this expedition was destined to fail, but the unexpected appearance of the Sage of Pure Lotus, who forcibly stripped away the negative energies from the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, brought them renewed hope.
“What should we do now? The spatial passage here has already dissipated. I tried to open it, but I fear our current abilities cannot tear through the space here…” Xuner hesitated for a moment before asking. Though both were two-star Dou Shengs, the space here was created by the Sage of Pure Lotus, still containing remnants of seals, making it far from easy to tear through.
Xiao Yan stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on the flame lotus floating above the magma. “Since we can’t leave for now, let’s refine the Pure Lotus Demon Flame right here.”
“Do you have a plan?” Xuner asked with a slight frown. Even though the Pure Lotus Demon Flame was no longer attacking recklessly, it was still ranked third on the Heavenly Flames list, a formidable entity. Refining it would not be an easy task.
“Less than fifty percent,” Xiao Yan smiled faintly, not hiding anything. After witnessing the ferocity of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, he held the utmost respect and caution for it. Few, if any, in the world could claim to confidently refine the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, so how could he promise success?
Hearing this less-than-high confidence, worry flashed across Xuner’s eyes.
“We have no other choice. If we take the demon flame source out, countless others will covet it. Even if we go to the Gu Clan for refuge, it would bring great trouble for the Heavenly Alliance. This demon flame space was created by the Sage of Pure Lotus, even your father may not be able to easily enter. Otherwise, they would have taken the demon flame long ago. Thus, this place is perfect, and here, I can concentrate on refining the Pure Lotus Demon Flame without distraction!”
Xiao Yan smiled, “If we stay here for a long time, others might assume we’ve met misfortune. That would save us from many complications. As for Master and the others, Zi Yan and I have a Dragon Seal connection, so we don’t need to worry too much.”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s reasoning, Xuner pondered for a moment and nodded. Xiao Yan’s logic made sense. With so many watching the demon flame space, if someone discovered they took the demon flame source, even the deterrence of the Gu Clan might not stop the greedy and frenzied actions. Moreover, the Soul Clan was always watching, waiting for an opportunity to strike, leaving them no quiet time to refine the demon flame.
“When do you plan to start?” Xuner asked softly, her eyes glimmering.
“Now is not urgent. We have time. Refining the Pure Lotus Demon Flame is not a simple task, and I need to prepare.” Xiao Yan chuckled, gazing at the floating demon flame lotus. He had thought reaching the Dou Sheng stage would make refining the Pure Lotus Demon Flame straightforward, but now he realized more preparation was needed.
Outside the demon flame space, the distorted sky had cleared, and the terrifying heat that once pervaded the world had gradually dissipated. Below, the magma desert had stopped boiling and was slowly solidifying into white rocks…
Around the skies, figures hovered, their eyes filled with reluctance as they gazed at the space. With the spatial passage closed, they had lost their connection to the space. No matter what they tried, the space did not reappear.
“Why haven’t Xiao Yan and the others come out yet?” Fire Cloud Ancestor’s face was grave, watching the space, which had been silent since they left.
“Miss…”
Ancient Nanhai stared blankly at the space, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. Xuner’s status in the Gu Clan was significant, but he had lost her, and returning to the Gu Clan with such news would lead to severe scolding.
“Don’t blame yourself, Elder. Xuner insisted on accompanying Xiao Yan, and even if you reacted, it wouldn’t have helped,” Ancient Qingyang sighed. He never expected Xuner to risk so much to remain in the space with Xiao Yan.
“Xiao Yan is lucky and strong. Xuner will be fine,” another person said.
“But what if something happens?” Ancient Nanhai gritted his teeth. Even a powerhouse like him couldn’t survive in the demon flame space for long.
“Let’s wait a bit longer,” the Elder Pharmacist beside them sighed. There was nothing they could do; the demon flame space was closed, and they couldn’t enter again.
The others could only nod in agreement.
“Heh, the Gu Clan seems to have suffered a big loss. Xuner’s talent is astonishing. Given enough time, her achievements would be terrifying. Although we didn’t obtain the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, we’ve resolved two major threats,” the Vice-Hall Lord of the Soul Palace sneered.
“Xiao Yan bears the residual image of the Sage of Pure Lotus. An accident is not unlikely,” the Hall Lord of the Soul Palace frowned.
“Xiao Yan is cunning and doesn’t seem to be one to die young,” Soul Wind added.
“Staying here for a few days, I’ll see what tricks those two youngsters play,” the elder devil’s eyes flickered, and he spoke in a low voice.
As he spoke, the others also nodded, remaining silent.
After the demon flame space closed, most people chose to stay, reluctant to return empty-handed and hoping for some change. Seven days passed, but the space remained silent, not even a whisper of unusual temperature seeped out. This result left many disheartened, and some left, their hearts filled with regret.
“Seven days…” Ancient Qingyang sighed, looking at the suddenly aged Ancient Nanhai. “What now, Elder?”
“I don’t know…” Ancient Nanhai’s voice was hoarse.
The Elder Pharmacist looked weary, about to speak when the space rippled, revealing Zi Yan. She shook her head, “I can’t find the demon flame space. It’s sealed, and I can’t detect its location.”
Their faces fell.
“Xiao Yan should be fine. If he wasn’t, the Dragon Seal would disappear.” Zi Yan showed the light golden Dragon Seal on her palm. She turned to Ancient Nanhai, “Elder, don’t worry. Xiao Yan won’t let Xuner be in danger. If she were in peril, the Dragon Seal wouldn’t be this calm.”
Slightly reassured, Ancient Nanhai looked up at the Elder Pharmacist and sighed, “Whatever happened, I must report this to the Gu Clan.”
“I’ll send people to monitor here. If there’s any movement, we’ll notify the Gu Clan,” the Elder Pharmacist promised.
“Thank you,” Ancient Nanhai bowed, casting a final glance at the distant space before flying off to the north, followed by Ancient Qingyang.
Watching the two depart, the Elder Pharmacist and others shared a look of silent resignation. As the crowd dispersed, within the demon flame space, Xiao Yan, after seven days of preparation, slowly opened his eyes. Now, he was finally ready to refine the Pure Lotus Demon Flame. He had waited over a decade for this moment!
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