Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

Compared to ancient times, the Dou Qi Continent today lacks far more than just the resources needed to advance to the Dou Di level. Not only have the ancient pill formulas not been fully passed down, but many rare medicinal herbs recorded in ancient books have also completely disappeared from this land.

If there were seeds, they could be stimulated to grow using the Flame of Life, but unfortunately... many medicinal herbs didn't even leave behind a single seed!

"Then there's nothing we can do."

Xiao Yan exhaled a deep breath, his gaze darkening. He was all too aware of the current resource shortage on the Dou Qi Continent. His voice carried a calmness born from recognizing reality, "With the strength of a three-star Dou Sheng, being able to refine a Golden Core embryo is already the limit of what I can do."

"That's right, Samsung...you're already a Samsung Fighting Saint?!"

Yao Lao subconsciously prepared to offer a few words of comfort to Xiao Yan, but he suddenly stopped halfway through his sentence. His eyes widened abruptly, and an incredulous light flashed in his usually calm eyes as he stared intently at the disciple in front of him, as if trying to see through this astonishing news.

"The Nine Netherworld Python clan possesses some of the essence blood of the Yellow Spring Demon Saint..." Xiao Yan's voice lowered slightly, his eyes somewhat unfocused, as if he was carefully choosing his words, "After absorbing the essence blood of the Demon Saint, he successfully broke through to the second-star Dou Sheng, and later... he consumed some pills to barely advance."

His words were vague and ambiguous. After all, breaking through through the essence blood of the demon saint was still aboveboard. But behind the "taking some pills" was the fact that he was able to break through quickly by cultivating with Zi Yan—something that was really hard to talk about!

The old apothecary looked at the disciple in front of him, whose gaze was darting away, speechless for a moment, unsure of what to say.

He remembered clearly that when Xiao Yan and his group went to the Nine Netherworld Python Clan, they consisted of four one-star Dou Sheng and one nine-turn Dou Zun. But when they returned? Two four-star Dou Sheng, two three-star Dou Sheng, and one two-star Dou Sheng…

The speed at which his strength has soared is like riding a rocket.

Yao Lao couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself—if others knew about this situation, they might think that the Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs was some kind of blessed land or an excellent place for cultivation. In that case, the sacred ground of the Nine Netherworld Python Clan would probably be blocked by powerful figures from all walks of life who wanted to enter and "cultivate".

"But... it's a good thing, after all..."

The old apothecary shook his head helplessly, gently stroking his silver-white beard. His gaze became distant again, and he slowly revealed the secret that all the ancient and powerful forces in the Central Plains knew:

"The Pure Lotus Demon Flame... is about to descend upon the world!"

Two moons appear simultaneously, nine stars unite, the tides of heaven and earth surge, and demonic fire descends upon the world.

This is a secret known to all forces with a history of over a thousand years, a secret that is no longer considered a secret. The day when the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth appear is very close, which is why Xiao Yan and his group are rushing back to the Starfall Pavilion at this time.

"When the demonic fire descends upon the world, Ziyan and I will go there."

Xiao Yan's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable determination. He looked up at Yao Lao, his gaze clear and firm, "Faced with the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, you, Teacher, are just as unable to unleash your full strength as Little Fairy Doctor and the others. Moreover... the Pure Lotus Demon Flame's true form may possess the strength of a four-star Dou Sheng, or even a five-star Dou Sheng!"

Although Yao Lao possesses a unique flame and won't be suppressed to only 60-70% of his strength by the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame like Cai Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin, Yao Lao is currently only at the late stage of a one-star Dou Sheng. Even if he isn't suppressed, he really can't be of much help in a battle at that level.

What Xiao Yan didn't say was that he didn't want his teacher to take that risk.

The flickering lamplight cast long, long shadows of the master and disciple onto the mottled walls of the Starfall Pavilion, like two ancient trees leaning on each other, their roots intertwined, silent yet profound.

Just as expected, a few nights later, Xiao Yan discovered that two crescent moons, one above the other, quietly appeared in the distant sky.

At the same moment, in the starry sky, nine dazzling stars also moved slowly under countless shocked gazes, eventually merging into a straight line.

boom!

When the nine bright stars deep in the starry sky slowly aligned themselves into a straight, invisible line, the entire world trembled violently, as if some pulse that had been dormant for eons had begun to beat again. A powerful and intense energy surge, like an invisible giant wave, came from the other side of the starry sky, sweeping across the firmament and seeping into the earth.

Immediately afterwards, countless strange mists began to surge from the void, as if carrying fragments of stars, drifting and spreading across the land.

Amidst the surging mist, the faint sound of waves echoed, sometimes low like an ancient murmur, sometimes surging like a celestial river pouring down, coming simultaneously from the four corners of heaven and earth, resonating in one's heart.

"It's finally here... the Pure Lotus Demon Flame!"

Xiao Yan looked up at the faint mist that filled the entire world and murmured to himself, "This time... perhaps I can understand what kind of secret is hidden in the Burning Technique!"

Chapter 477 Soul Destruction

With the appearance of the nine stars aligned, large numbers of people flew out from various major sects and forces in the Central Plains, passing through the sky in waves with a whooshing sound of wind breaking through the air.

Overnight, the entire Central Plains was in turmoil, and everyone had only one goal—the northwest of the Central Plains!

call out!

Suddenly, a loud whooshing sound arose in the sky, and a large group of figures flew in from afar.

This place is still a thousand miles away from where the Pure Lotus Demon Flame descended, but the high temperature here is enough to force back all the powerhouses below the six-star Dou Zun level. Even the six-star Dou Zun were extremely hot and had to retreat after advancing less than a hundred miles.

"As expected of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame..." Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the surrounding crowd. "The residual heat from a thousand miles away is enough to repel those whose strength is not even a six-star Dou Zun. It's unimaginable how terrifying the temperature would be when you get close to the center!"

"The higher the temperature, the better. We've encountered nearly twenty groups along the way. If everyone can get close to the center, then the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame would be a bit unworthy of its name," Zi Yan said casually, glancing around with her beautiful eyes.

“That’s true.” Xiao Yan nodded.

A few minutes later, Xiao Yan and Zi Yan arrived at the mountain range where the demonic fire had descended. Of course, it was the 'former' mountain range, since the once lush and verdant mountains had completely disappeared. All that could be seen was a milky white desert, and an incredibly terrifying heat rose from the desert, distorting the space around them.

"Hiss... What terrifying Pure Lotus Demon Flame!" Zi Yan gasped.

When they were still about a hundred miles away, Xiao Yan had already enveloped the two of them with his strange fire, so Zi Yan didn't really feel the high temperature of the Purifying Lotus Demon Fire. However, when she saw the milky white desert below, she could barely understand the power of the Purifying Lotus Demon Fire.

"Although the space that sealed the demonic fire has shattered, it hasn't come out yet. What caused this desert... is probably just its residual heat!" Xiao Yan said softly.

Above the sky, milky white light was gradually pouring down from the shattered space. Although it was only residual heat, the high temperature gave off a feeling that it could evaporate even the soul.

shhhhhh!

Shortly after Xiao Yan and his companion arrived, the sound of wind breaking from all directions grew increasingly intense. Figures stopped far away from the ruptured space, their gazes fixed on the desert below in shock. Clearly, they all knew that before tonight, this place had been a lush forest.

A moment later, the space rippled, and then a thick black mist seeped out, spreading out in a terrifying aura that was both awe-inspiring and chilling.

"The Soul Palace people are here." Zi Yan whispered a reminder, glancing at the black-robed figure that appeared not far away after the black mist dissipated.

“A Soul Clan nobody, late-stage Two-Star Dou Sheng; Vice Hall Master of the Soul Hall, late-stage Three-Star Dou Sheng,” Xiao Yan’s calm voice echoed through the heavens and earth. “Vice Hall Master of the Soul Hall… early-stage Five-Star Dou Sheng?”

After sensing the strength of the Soul Palace Master, Xiao Yan looked over with slight surprise.

This sentence instantly calmed down the black-robed man among the Soul Palace members who had been enraged by Xiao Yan's words "trash."

If he weren't the "Young Clan Chief" of the Soul Clan, he would never have been able to learn about his true strength from the Soul Palace Master, Soul Extinction. After all, the prohibition of Five-Star Dou Sheng on the continent was a constraint among ancient races, and even the Soul Clan couldn't openly violate it.

So here's the question: how did Xiao Yan, who was only a one-star Dou Sheng in the early stages a few years ago and whose soul power was not much greater than Hun Miesheng's, see through Hun Miesheng's true strength at a glance?

When everyone present was astonished by Xiao Yan's words, and some of the weaker ones even quietly left, Hun Miesheng also looked at Xiao Yan with a face full of surprise.

"Early stage of Five-Star Dou Sheng? Young Clan Leader Xiao Yan thinks too highly of me. If I had that kind of strength, I wouldn't have been assigned to the position of Hall Master of the Soul Hall, would I?"

His words were extremely sincere. If the Soul Hall hadn't already been infamous, and if his reputation as the Soul Hall Master hadn't been forged in a distant era by the massacre of dozens of sects and the corpses of five two-star Dou Sheng experts in a single night, perhaps some people would have actually believed what he said.

Xiao Yan merely scoffed at Hun Miesheng's answer and offered no further response.

Hun Miesheng didn't think his words would convince Xiao Yan. After all, his strength as a late-stage four-star Dou Sheng was only revealed after he had placed a seal on himself. Only someone whose strength or soul power far surpassed his own could see through his true strength. Since Xiao Yan could see through it, no matter what he said, Xiao Yan would never believe him.

'Unfortunately, what I'll be facing next might not just be a late-stage four-star Dou Sheng...' Hun Miesheng sighed inwardly.

The conversation between Xiao Yan and Hun Miesheng also attracted the attention of the three Yan clan members who were far away from the three Hun clan members. After a brief discussion, the elder of the Yan clan who was in the late stage of the four-star Dou Sheng sent a message to the Yan clan to request an elder in the early stage of the five-star Dou Sheng to secretly protect them.

After all, the truth behind the annihilation of the Spirit Clan and the Stone Clan in previous years has remained unclear for a long time. The Flame, Thunder, and Medicine Clans have no trust in the Soul Clan and the Ancient Clan. At this point, let alone Xiao Yan saying that Hun Miesheng is a five-star Dou Sheng in the early stage, even if Xiao Yan said that Hun Miesheng has the strength of an eight-star Dou Sheng, they would still think twice about whether it was true.

As the Yan Clan elders were sending messages within the clan, a clear, melodious voice, like a wind chime, suddenly reached Xiao Yan's ears.

"Brother Xiao Yan, who is this...?"

"Xun'er!"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Xiao Yan's face lit up with surprise, but quickly, after understanding the speaker's words, a hint of embarrassment crept into his expression. "Zi Yan, back when you absorbed the Three Thousand Burning Flames..."

Ignoring Gu Qingyang, who appeared with Xun'er, and Gu Nanhai, whom he had met once before, Xiao Yan pulled Xun'er to his side and quietly began to talk about his connection with Zi Yan.

Although Xun'er knew that Xiao Yan and the royal family of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan must have an extraordinary relationship when Xiao Yan underwent blood transfusion in the Heavenly Tomb, she only asked this question today when they met. After receiving Xiao Yan's solemn but somewhat absurd answer, Xun'er showed a helpless expression.

"Brother Xiao Yan, there shouldn't be anyone else, right?" After exchanging greetings with Zi Yan, Xun'er looked at Xiao Yan with a slightly helpless expression.

"This...I might not be so sure?" Xiao Yan chuckled dryly.

Seeing Xiao Yan's guilty look, Xun'er was completely helpless.

Chapter 478 The Demon Flame Space Opens

"Hey, you three aren't just pretending we don't exist, are you?"

Amidst the whispers of Xiao Yan, Xun'er, and Zi Yan, Gu Qingyang, standing to the side, finally spoke with a helpless expression.

Hearing his words, Xun'er's cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, gently wriggled out of Xiao Yan's arms, and looked at Xiao Yan earnestly with her beautiful eyes, asking, "Brother Xiao Yan, what you said earlier... was it true?"

“There is an agreement among our ancient races that experts above the level of Five-Star Dou Sheng are not allowed to appear on the continent at will. Is the Lord of the Soul Hall really at the early stage of Five-Star Dou Sheng?” After explaining why she did not dare to believe Xiao Yan immediately, Xun’er asked this question again.

Gu Qingyang and Gu Nanhai also looked at Xiao Yan intently—

The Dou Sheng level can be described as a huge chasm, and Gu Nanhai did not believe that his strength as a late-stage four-star Dou Sheng could hold off a five-star Dou Sheng for much longer. Therefore, even though they knew that Xiao Yan had the strength to capture a Soul Clan Dou Sheng alive during his Dou Zun period, and even frighten that Soul Clan Dou Sheng so much that he dared not let the Hall Master of the Soul Palace show himself, they still wanted to know whether what Xiao Yan said earlier was true or false.

After all, if the Soul Clan really broke the agreement and sent the Soul Hall Master, a five-star Dou Sheng, then they believed that, given the Soul Clan's past covetous attitude towards the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, the Soul Hall Master who appeared this time was very likely just an obstacle on the surface, and there might be other powerful individuals with the strength of five-star Dou Sheng or above hidden in the dark!

“After seeing Cang Qiong in the Heavenly Tomb… or rather, after she took me away back then, I could feel that my soul power had been secretly increasing,” Xiao Yan nodded, understanding Xun’er’s concerns. “Although I’m still at the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm, I can feel that I can now defeat a three-star Dou Sheng with just my soul power…”

After a brief moment of surprise, Xun'er nodded gently. Although Xiao Xuan had sealed some of her and Xiao Yan's memories, she still remembered Cang Qiong's identity and knew that after they parted ways at Burning Flame Valley, Xiao Yan was taken by Cang Qiong to absorb more than a dozen different flames. Therefore, Xun'er was not surprised by the changes in Xiao Yan's spiritual power.

"Therefore, I can clearly sense that the Soul Hall Master's strength must be at the early stage of a five-star Dou Sheng!" At this point, Xiao Yan paused slightly, "Moreover... I suspect that there are other powerful figures behind the Soul Hall Master!"

Xiao Yan was unaware of the Soul Clan's long-standing covetous attitude towards the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, but his intuition kept reminding him that outside this Demon Flame Space, the Soul Palace Master was not the strongest person!

"Elder Nanhai, send a message to the clan." Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xun'er looked directly at Gu Nanhai.

"Yes."

Although he didn't understand why Xun'er believed in Xiao Yan so firmly, Gu Nanhai had no reason to refuse since she had already spoken, and he sent a message to the Gu Clan almost immediately.

A moment later, Gu Nanhai received a reply.

"Elder Gu Si has already set off and will arrive soon."

Hearing this, Xun'er breathed a sigh of relief and quietly told Xiao Yan and Zi Yan that this Ancient Sacrifice Elder already possessed the strength of a late-stage Five-Star Dou Sheng a hundred years ago, and now he was only one step away from becoming a Six-Star Dou Sheng. Even if one of the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan came, the Ancient Sacrifice Elder would be able to hold out until the arrival of the Three Immortals of the Ancient Clan—an Ancient Clan powerhouse of equal or even greater level than the Four Demon Saints, or even the Black Annihilation King.

After listening to Xun'er's story, Zi Yan felt even more how much the Ancient Dragon Clan valued her, the new Dragon Emperor... or rather, Xiao Yan, the future Dragon Emperor husband. After all, Xiao Yan now possessed no less than ten soul jade pieces prepared by a Seven-Star Dou Sheng or higher, which would appear beside him within ten breaths if crushed, as long as he was on the Dou Qi Continent.

There are no ones below the Seven-Star Dou Sheng level, because a Seven-Star Dou Sheng can still rank in the top ten in terms of strength among the current Ancient Dragon Clan, while a Six-Star Dou Sheng in the later stages can't even squeeze into the top twenty.

But Zi Yan also understood that humans and magical beasts couldn't be compared in terms of lifespan, not to mention that the ancient dragon race was the longest-lived among all magical beasts.

……

Not long after the arrival of the ancient races, the medicine races also arrived as scheduled. At this point, apart from the thunder races who had no interest in the strange fire, all the remaining ancient races had arrived. Furthermore, after the three members of the fire races and medicine races joined together, the three members of the medicine races seemed to have also sought support from the medicine races.

'The Flame Clan, the Medicine Clan, the Ancient Clan, and the Ancient Void Dragon…'

The thought that because of Xiao Yan's exposure, he and the hidden Soul Demon would have to deal with at least four late-stage five-star Dou Sheng experts gave Hun Miesheng a headache. To make matters worse, the Soul Emperor had given orders to maintain an unwavering attitude towards obtaining the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame...

A few hours later, the shattered space in the sky had expanded to nearly a hundred feet. Then, a milky white halo formed in the shattered space. Almost at the same time, the temperature of this world rose several hundred times. By this time, all those who did not possess the strength of a half-saint had retreated.

Time to go!

At this moment, all the powerful figures guarding this place straightened up slightly, waiting for the first one who couldn't wait to rush towards the milky white light circle. After all, this demonic fire space had not been opened for a thousand years, and no one knew whether the rules were still the same as they were a thousand years ago.