Boom! Boom! In the scorching space, flames raged like roaring dragons, surging past. The massive magma sea also periodically erupted into colossal fire pillars that then rained down like molten rain. Hovering tens of feet above the magma surface was a vast, hundred-foot-wide pink fireball. The flames burned fiercely, exuding waves of destructive power that made the surrounding space warp and distort. Gazing into the heart of the fireball, one could faintly see two figures entwined tightly. Golden flames intertwined with purple-brown ones, fending off the unrelenting assault of the demonic fire. Within the blazing sphere were Xiao Yan and Xuner. With Xuner’s help, Xiao Yan’s dire situation had improved significantly. His previously tattered body gradually began to mend, thanks to the regenerative effects of the Three Thousand Lotus Heartfire. The vast energy released by the demon Lotus Flame also flowed continually into Xuner’s body under the perfect postures they adopted, thereby helping to channel it through him and saving him from the peril of an exploding corpse.
As both worked together to absorb the tremendous energy released by the demon Lotus Flame, it was finally absorbed gradually, swelling their auras covertly. It was impossible to gauge how long the demon Lotus Flame had existed; the energy it contained was unfathomable. If absorbed safely, it would be an incredible tonic for anyone.
The huge fireball hovered in mid-air, waves of flaming heat rolling constantly over its surface, spreading out like rings. Inside the fireball, the two figures, eyes closed, seemed to have fallen into slumber. Golden and purplish-brown flames surged ceaselessly from them, holding back the intense heat of the demonic flame while protecting their bodies as well. Besides these peripheral defenses, Xiao Yan still wrestled internally to maintain a fragile equilibrium, aided by his willpower and Xuner’s assistance. Meanwhile, he slowly refined the primal force of the demonic flame. Even though this refinement process was excruciatingly slow, it was undoubtedly far better than being utterly powerless as before. At least, now there was a glimmer of hope for Xiao Yan. The blazing space was devoid of any life save the occasional spewing of lava fire columns. Monotony reigned as the days merged indistinctly. Despite their outward inertia, the burgeoning vitality emanating from the two was a sign that things were looking up. Over time, a tricolored ring of fire—golden, purplish-brown, and pink—formed around their bodies. These three colors represented three formidable types of different fires, with the pink color occupying the largest area, leaving only smaller sectors to the golden and the purplish-brown. Yet, as the passage of time marched on, the territories of the golden and purplish-brown fires slowly expanded. Against such relentless foes as the Heavenly Golden Flame and the fused hybrid new fire, the demon Lotus Flame, relying only on instinctive resistance and already weakened by Xiao Yan’s various strategies, eventually began retreating. How long this stalemate of tri-flame lasted, no one knew, until one day when the fire ring quivered, each color taking an equal share, forming an odd balance. “Burning Resolution, Refine!” Amidst this newly achieved equilibrium, Xiao Yan within the fire ring abruptly opened his eyes, uttering these words in a low, resonant voice. Xiao Yan’s flames and the demon Lotus Flame, after long coalescence, had developed a unique rapport. Hence, when Burning Resolution activated within him, both flames followed the route, refining along with it. Roaring thunders rolled overhead as layer upon layer of energized storm clouds formed, hanging menacingly over the fiery sphere while the lava sea churned violently. Aware of the external changes, Xiao Yan remained undisturbed, for such phenomena often marked the refinement of high-rank demonic flames. “Xuner, it’s time for the harvest…” Gazing at Xuner, lost in a deep sleep, Xiao Yan’s face lit up with a gentle smile. Cradling her slender waist, he swiftly changed his hand seal. With the adjustment, a strand of the steadfast demon Lotus Flame finally succumbed and was refined, turning liquid-like, vast energies flooding out in a deluge within Xiao Yan, quickly filling every vein, flesh, muscle, bone, and cell, all hungrily gulping in these endless resources. Feeling himself replenished, Xiao Yan leaned down, brushing a kiss on Xuner’s slightly upturned red lips, as a torrent of boundless power rushed into her. As the refinement continued, surging waves of power cycled through Xiao Yan, then into Xuner, whereupon she further purified and passed it back, enhanced with hints of the Heavenly Golden Flame. With the ongoing cycle, a perfect energetic loop emerged between them, washing over every fiber of their beings, while their auras kept soaring. Gradually, as the demon Lotus Flame lost more and more power, so too, did the mighty fireball begin quieting, turning from wild violence to a gentle simmer. Within, Xiao Yan and Xuner, in a close embrace, became encased in a translucent shell of shimmering, golden-edged pink crystal. Once fully crystallized, all signs of their life energies ceased. And thus, the entire world stood dead still… Central Lands…
A year had slipped by since the great manifestation of demonic fire, yet people still reminisced vividly about the event. A single year wasn’t too short or too long, but many things had happened. Not long after the emergence of the demonic fire, the Soul Palace retaliated against the destruction of the People’s Temple by the Heavenly Alliance, attacking one-third of its cities, to which the Heavenly Alliance countered forcefully. During this tumultuous time, while substantial casualties occurred on both sides, final clashes were avoided, primarily due to powerful experts like Ziyan and Xiao Chen backing the alliance, deterring the Soul Palace’s lord from outright assault. Furthermore, the Grand Elder of Alchemist Tower, though not present, provided channels for communication, adding a silent, significant support. Thus, despite the confrontations, the Heavenly Alliance not only held its own but seemingly gained some advantage over the once-dominant Soul Palace. Such a shift sparked wonder among the Central Lands’ populace, speculating whether the Soul Palace’s reign might soon pass to the emerging alliance. The Soul Clan, oddly, did not provide much extra support to the Soul Palace, allowing its dominance to erode due to ancient pact restrictions. Nevertheless, battles waged on, even as elders like the pharmacist monitored the site of the original demonic fire appearance, finding no signs of change, and despairing over the fate of Xiao Yan and Xuner. But as everyone’s attention focused on the conflict, a stunning revelation came quietly — the mysterious vanishing, following the Spirit Clan, of the Stone Tribe, another member of the Ancient Eight Clans. An eerie sensation blanketed the Central Lands.
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