The azure flames swept across the sky, and wherever one looked, the space seemed to be distorting. A scorching heat spread through the air, enveloping the entire inner courtyard. Staring at the azure flames that were spreading like a wildfire, people on the ground couldn’t help but wipe cold sweat from their foreheads. The terrifying might was truly horrifying. At the center of the azure flames, there was a blood sea no more than ten feet wide. However, under the terrifying heat of the surrounding flames, it rapidly shriveled up, and wisps of faint blood mist rose from it, eventually dissipating into nothingness. As the blood mist continuously ascended, the area of the blood sea also gradually diminished. At this rate, it would likely evaporate into a cloud of mist soon.
“Strange Flame?” When the azure flames engulfed the sky, cries of great astonishment erupted from the heavens. Immediately, some gazes turned involuntarily towards Han Feng, who was standing not far away, facing against Huang Qian. At that moment, when the azure flames appeared, Han Feng’s eyes locked onto Xiao Yan, filled with an unhidden shock. He never expected that someone so young could obtain a Strange Flame. Back then, to acquire the “Heart Sea Flame,” ranked 15th on the Strange Flame List, he nearly lost his life. It took him immense luck to finally get it, and the subsequent process of devouring and refining it made him suffer immensely. Due to the incompleteness of the “Flame Decree” he practiced, the suppression of the Strange Flame was not thorough, and the flames within his body would occasionally become unruly, causing him great distress. Therefore, seeing Xiao Yan, at such a young age, able to control a Strange Flame without restraint, even Han Feng, with all his cunning, couldn’t help but feel a hint of jealousy.
“By the color of these flames and the occasional appearance of a phantom lotus, it must be the 19th-ranked ‘Azure Lotus Heart Earth Flame’ on the Strange Flame List!” His eyes flashed rapidly, and the greed in Han Feng’s gaze as he looked at Xiao Yan grew.
“I didn’t expect to see two Strange Flames in one day. Haha, this trip is truly worthwhile. If I can obtain these two Strange Flames and use the fragment of the ‘Flame Decree’ to devour them, my strength will surely skyrocket. By then, even if that old bastard from the Jia Nan Academy really returns, I’m sure he won’t be able to do anything to me.” As thoughts raced through his mind, a cold sneer and fervor gradually appeared on Han Feng’s lips.
“However, though the boy is young, his control over the flames seems very strong. Such a vast fire sea, even I can only barely create, yet he does it with ease. It seems taking the Strange Flame from him won’t be easy.”
Looking at Xiao Yan, whose expression hadn’t changed much after creating the fire sea, Han Feng couldn’t help but frown slightly and muttered to himself.
On the Dou Qi Continent, Strange Flames were extremely rare. But after being refined, they could still be acquired through two methods. The first was to forcibly seize them. This brutal method required the victim to have no resistance, and once the Strange Flame was successfully taken, the victim would gradually die as the flame left their body. Therefore, this method was usually used by those who were ruthless and would stop at nothing to obtain the Strange Flame.
The second method was to inherit the Strange Flame. This method also required a great price. For example, the “Three Profound Changes of Heavenly Fire” practiced by Xiao Yan originated from the Flame Valley, a sect famous for its fire techniques. This valley had passed down a Strange Flame through generations, with only the sect leader having the right to inherit it. Each generation passed it down, making it the strongest protection for the sect. However, every time the former sect leader passed it down to the new one, their own strength would drastically decrease, and even their lives might be in danger. Such occurrences were common in the Flame Valley’s inheritance.
These two methods of acquiring Strange Flames were well-known to most experts of a certain level, and Han Feng, with his strength, was naturally qualified to know them. Back then, when he attacked the Pharmacist Elder, he had intended to forcibly take the Strange Flame, but due to the Pharmacist Elder’s vigilance, he was unable to succeed.
Xiao Yan, of course, did not know that just by displaying his Strange Flame, he had already caught the attention of others. Over the years, many people knew he possessed a Strange Flame, including the Alchemist Association and Dan King Gu He in the Jia Ma Empire. But few dared to think of forcibly taking it. First, because anyone capable of controlling a Strange Flame was usually a formidable opponent, and second, because forcibly taking a Strange Flame carried significant risks. Generally, aside from a few extreme individuals, only a minority would consider forcibly taking someone else’s Strange Flame.
Han Feng happened to be one of those extreme individuals, willing to do anything for power, even committing such heinous acts as betraying his master without remorse.
At that moment, Xiao Yan had no time to notice the ill intentions of the other. His full attention was on his opponent, Fan Lao.
In the vast azure fire sea, the ten-foot-wide blood sea resembled a reef amidst surging waves, at risk of shattering and vanishing at any moment. Within the blood sea, Fan Lao felt the intense, fiery heat around him, his expression turning extremely ugly. Though he knew that the other’s Strange Flame had some counter-effects on the blood sea, he never expected it to be suppressed to such a degree. Surrounded by the fire sea, the chilling energy in the blood sea, which he relied on, had completely lost its effectiveness. Under the intense heat, the area of the blood sea was gradually shrinking, and at this rate, it wouldn’t last long.
“This damn brat!” Growling fiercely, Fan Lao raised his head, his gaze piercing through the fire sea, stopping on the black-robed youth hovering in the distance. His mouth twitched; he never imagined that, with his prominent status and reputation in the Black Corner Region, he would be so flustered by a mere boy. This was a significant blow to him.
“If I lose to such a brat, I’ll be laughed at by the guys in the Black Corner Region.”
Gritting his teeth, Fan Lao swiftly formed hand seals. Instantly, the blood sea, which was shrinking under the azure fire, started to churn violently. Then, it rapidly contracted, and threads of blood energy quickly entered his body.
“Blood Transformation!”
As the blood energy entered his body, the blood sea thinned, and Fan Lao’s eyes gradually turned crimson. His withered hands became increasingly pale, and sharp, blood-red nails extended from his fingertips, like razor-sharp blades reflecting a cold light under the sun. His back trembled slightly, and a surge of blood energy enveloped the blood-colored wings behind him. Instantly, the Dou Qi wings wriggled, and their shape changed slightly, becoming more slender and sinister, resembling a combination of bird and bat wings.
When the last thread of blood energy entered Fan Lao’s body, the vast blood sea completely dissipated, and his figure reappeared in Xiao Yan’s sight.
“To force me to use ‘Blood Transformation,’ you should be proud of yourself.”
A faint, blood-colored film spread from his body, isolating the scorching heat. With a slight flap of his blood-colored wings, Fan Lao’s figure transformed into a streak of blood lightning, instantly flashing out of the azure fire’s encirclement and appearing less than ten meters from Xiao Yan. A cold, menacing laugh echoed in the sky.
Xiao Yan gazed at Fan Lao, who now had a slightly different appearance, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. Fan Lao’s current aura and speed were much stronger than before. It seemed that after being tormented by the Strange Flame, the old man had finally unleashed his true power.
“That’s still not enough. Since you are still haunted by your son’s death at my hands, I don’t mind sending you to meet him.”
Smiling, Xiao Yan waved his sleeves, and the azure flames that were sweeping the sky rapidly moved, converging once again into two long snakes of emerald-colored flames, returning and entering his body through his fingertips. Controlling such a vast amount of Strange Flame consumed a significant amount of soul power. If not for the support of the Pharmacist Elder, Xiao Yan would not have been able to perform that move even with all his strength. Thus, such a vast flame needed to be recalled, or letting it dissipate into the void would be too extravagant, especially during a battle.
Taking a deep breath, Fan Lao tried to suppress the surging killing intent in his heart. His gaze, sharp as a blade, locked onto the smiling Xiao Yan. After a moment, he let out an unpleasant, hoarse laugh. Suddenly, his blood-red eyes widened, and a thunderous roar, filled with unparalleled fury and killing intent, erupted.
“Brat, if I, Fan Lao, don’t rip you apart, tear out your bones, and peel off your skin today, I might as well slit my own throat!”
Facing Fan Lao’s murderous intent and the countless shocked gazes from below, Xiao Yan smiled, his light, airy words igniting the already primed bomb that was Fan Lao.
“Then… you’d better die, old dog.”
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