In the vast and grand hall, milky white flames filled the eyes. In this expansive square, densely packed figures of flame stood straight, without making a sound, but exuding an overwhelmingly terrifying aura that permeated the space. This aura, as if fused together, formed a giant flaming dragon, coiling above their heads, emanating an intense killing intent. At one end of the hall, Xiao Yan and his companions gazed at the scene, their brows furrowing involuntarily. This was not the first time they had seen such a sight. Since entering that colossal door, they had passed through three nearly identical halls, but the further they went, the stronger the fire slaves became. The fire slaves before them, according to Xiao Yan’s group’s perception, each possessed the strength of a Dou Zun. A single Dou Zun might not be worth mentioning in their eyes, but when the number reached ten thousand, even a Dou Sheng would need to be on high alert, especially since these fire slaves coordinated perfectly, and their combined might was horrifying.
“Senior Gu, how long will this continue?” Xiao Yan’s brow furrowed slightly, unable to help asking. Even if their group’s strength was not weak, constantly passing through endless halls would eventually deplete their Dou Qi. The energy in this space was tainted with demonic fire, making it perilous to absorb. Before their consumption exceeded their intake, even a Dou Sheng would find it hard to persist.
“There is no other way. The demonic fire space has been meticulously crafted by the Lotus Heart Flame for thousands of years, turning it into a dragon’s lair. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have remained uncaught for so long,” replied Gu Nanhai, shaking his head.
Xiao Yan’s frown deepened, but he was helpless. The demonic fire space was too bizarre; once they passed an area, it disappeared mysteriously behind them, as if some invisible hand had erased it, leaving them with no choice but to keep moving forward.
“In the past, did your clan’s ancestors also pass through these obstacles?” asked Xiao Yan.
“Yes,” replied Gu Nanhai.
“Was the Lotus Heart Flame from a thousand years ago stronger, or is the current one stronger?” Xiao Yan’s eyes flashed.
“Although the Lotus Heart Flame wasn’t captured a thousand years ago, it was also severely injured. However, a thousand years should have been enough for it to fully recover. From the Nightmare Sky Mist, it seems that the current one is stronger,” Gu Nanhai hesitated before answering.
“I see…” Xiao Yan looked up at the great hall’s ceiling, his gaze flickering, “It seems the Lotus Heart Flame is treating us like puppets for its amusement.”
Hearing this, everyone’s brows furrowed. Being toyed with by a demonic fire was something none of them could accept.
“Let’s keep going!” After a brief pause, Xiao Yan’s voice returned to its usual calmness. His hand lightly waved.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then nodded again, their bodies moving simultaneously, and in a powerful and unstoppable manner, they destroyed the fire slave army within the hall. Then, they transformed into streaks of light, appearing at the end of the hall, shattering another giant door, and striding forward.
In the following time, the monotonous and tedious challenges continued. The only difference was that the fire slaves’ strength increased as they progressed. In their last encounter, even Fire Cloud Ancestor sustained some injuries during the clash. The others, although still in good condition, were becoming increasingly serious. The continuous challenge was akin to fighting multiple Dou Shengs, leading to substantial exhaustion.
With a cold expression, Xiao Yan blasted the enormous door with a single palm, sending stone fragments flying. Another vast hall appeared, and upon seeing it, everyone felt a sense of weariness. How much longer would this endless challenge last?
“Huh?” Xiao Yan’s gaze swept across the hall, and he was surprised to find that there were no densely packed fire slaves.
“Is the challenge over?” Xun’er also noticed and asked in surprise.
“No…” Gu Nanhai shook his head slowly, his eyes fixed on the center of the hall. There, a rather gaunt figure stood, surprisingly without any flames around him. His eyes were tightly closed, and a powerful, oppressive aura emanated from within him!
“Four-star Dou Sheng!” Gu Nanhai and Zi Yan’s bodies trembled slightly, their faces gradually becoming grave. Although they were also four-star Dou Shengs, the gaunt figure in the hall seemed even stronger than they were.
“Is this also a fire slave?” Xiao Yan couldn’t help but ask, marveling at how terrifying the Lotus Heart Flame must be to turn a four-star Dou Sheng into a fire slave.
“Somewhat. But he possesses his own intelligence, unlike those completely controlled by the Lotus Heart Flame. He has considerable autonomy,” Gu Nanhai said gravely, “It appears this is the final challenge. If we can overcome it, we’ll reach the location of the Lotus Heart Flame!”
“This won’t be easy,” Xiao Yan frowned, even with their combined strength, defeating a four-star Dou Sheng wouldn’t be simple.
“We’ve come this far, and there’s no turning back,” Zi Yan stretched her hands toward Xiao Yan, then glanced at Gu Nanhai, lazily, “Let’s both act together. We need to finish this quickly; I’m really tired of this place…”
“Agreed,” Gu Nanhai did not refuse, understanding that it would be too difficult to face this gaunt man alone.
“Be vigilant of the surroundings.” With a wave of Xiao Yan’s hand, everyone quietly entered the hall, spreading out, surrounding the gaunt figure. Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai faced him directly.
As everyone’s footsteps landed, the gaunt figure’s eyes slowly opened, revealing lifeless pupils, yet more lively compared to the previous fire slaves, though still ice-cold.
His cold eyes focused on Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai, neither side spoke, but the tension in the air grew thicker.
Up close, Xiao Yan finally saw the gaunt figure clearly. Dressed in the most ordinary clothes, his face was stiff and expressionless, his eyes cold as ice.
“Thud.” Suddenly, the ground quaked, and the gaunt figure clenched his hand in the air, summoning a gigantic, bizarre, and blood-red axe. Under the contrast of the axe, his gaunt figure looked somewhat comical, but everyone could feel the terrifying power hidden within.
“He’s very strong…” Xiao Yan’s face was grave, finding it hard to believe such a strong warrior could be controlled by the Lotus Heart Flame.
Looking at the blood axe, Gu Nanhai’s brow furrowed slightly, as if pondering something.
After the blood axe appeared, there were no unnecessary words. Six eyes met, and a fierce wind arose as three figures clashed violently. The resulting shockwave forced Xiao Yan and the others to retreat urgently.
“Clang! Clang!” In the vast hall, the three figures moved at a dizzying speed, sparks flying wherever they touched. The exceptionally hard floor began to crack, spreading across the hall.
Xiao Yan and the others had already retreated far. It was not easy to intervene in a battle between three four-star Dou Shengs. Just the shockwaves alone made their hearts race.
In the hall, facing the combined efforts of Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai, the gaunt figure with the blood axe did not yield, wielding his axe like a whirlwind. Though his strength was formidable, Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai were not pushovers. As the battle wore on, he gradually fell into a disadvantage, but occasional counterattacks still made Zi Yan and Gu Nanhai look a bit flustered. It was clear that if they fought individually, neither would be a match for this mysterious figure.
“Clash!” The three figures suddenly came into contact, causing a terrible sound wave to spread like a tidal wave. The blood axe figure was forcibly driven back, creating deep pits in the floor.
With a snarl, his crazed eyes gleamed, a low roar echoing as a bright rune appeared on his forehead. The rune, slowly visible to everyone, marked a sudden surge in his aura.
Xiao Yan’s eyes instantly fixated on the strange rune, and he was struck dumbfounded.
“This… This is… the Xiao Clan Symbol?” The rune on the blood axe figure’s forehead was the unique symbol of the Xiao Clan!
How could he have the Xiao Clan Symbol?
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage