“Bang bang!”

A high temperature permeated the magma realm as a fire raged and spread apart like a furious dragon. The enormous surface of the magma sea occasionally erupted and formed shocking fire pillars. These fire pillars soon scattered down from the sky like rain.

There was a thousand-foot-large pink fireball around a hundred feet above the surface of the magma sea. Flames fiercely burned while wave after wave of a destructive strength seeped out, causing the surrounding space to slowly distort.

If one’s sight could see into the fireball, it was vaguely possible to see two people tightly entangled together. A golden flame and a purple-brown flame climbed around each figure and blocked that demonic flame, which tried to invade from all possible openings.

The human figures inside the fireball were naturally Xiao Yan and Xun Er. Xiao Yan’s condition was much better after obtaining Xun Er’s help. His body, which had originally turned into a mess, had also borrowed the undying effect of the Three Thousand Burning Flame to gradually heal itself. The vast and mighty energy that the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had released poured endlessly into Xun Er’s body due to the extremely fitting position of the two. The way they fit together relieved his body of the energy that had threatened to blow him apart.

The enormous energy released by the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame was gradually absorbed by the two of them together. This ocean-like energy caused Xiao Yan’s and Xun Er’s auras to suddenly soar. It was impossible to gauge just how long the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had existed, but the energy contained within it was naturally indescribable. If one could safely absorb it, it could nourish anyone.

An enormous fireball floated in the sky as fire waves continued to appear on its surface, causing ripples to spread in a circular fashion.

The two individuals inside the fireball kept their eyes tightly shut, as though they had fallen into a slumber. Golden and purple-brown flames continued to surge out of their bodies to block the high temperature of the demonic flame and protect their bodies. Of course, on top of this external scene, the interior of Xiao Yan’s body was still at a stalemate. He had barely maintained the equilibrium within his body with the help of his perseverance and Xun Er’s aid, but he was able to slowly refine the demonic flame essence now. Although this was occurring at a snail’s pace, it was undoubtedly many times better than his inability to retaliate earlier. At the very least, the current Xiao Yan was able to sense a ray of hope.

The searing hot realm was without even the slightest sign of life. There was only the large sea of magma that continuously spit out many magma pillars. A depressing dullness was the only theme of this world...

Time also became blurry and monotonous amid this bitterness. Both Xiao Yan and Xun Er had sunk into a slumber. Not the slightest activity was emitted, but their abundant life force allowed others to understand that they were doing quite well.

A three-colored fire sphere was gradually formed outside of their bodies with the flow of time.

Golden, purple-brown, and pink!

The three colors represented three types of powerful Heavenly Flames. Of course, among the three colors, the pink color occupied most of the space. Both the golden and purple-brown flames could only maintain tiny areas, but as more time passed, the golden and purple-brown flames began to gradually expand. Faced with the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame and the Heavenly Flame formed from five types of Heavenly Flames, this demonic flame, which could only rely on its own ability to fight and had been weakened by Xiao Yan, slowly showed signs of retreating...

The time taken to overcome the stalemate from the three-colored flames continued for an unknown period of time, but the fire sphere finally trembled on a certain day. The three colors had each managed to perfectly occupy one-third of the sphere. A mysterious equilibrium had formed from this clash.

“Flame Mantra, refine!”

Xiao Yan, who was within the fire sphere, suddenly opened his eyes after this equilibrium was reached. A low voice was emitted from his mouth.

Xiao Yan’s Heavenly Flame and the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had already formed a strange connection after interacting for this long period of time. Hence, the two types of Heavenly Flames began to circulate along the Qi Method path of the Flame Mantra after Xiao Yan had activated it.

“Rumble!”

Layers of energy clouds suddenly appeared in the sky when the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame began to be refined by the Flame Mantra. These dark clouds lingered above the fireball as huge waves were stirred on the surface of the magma sea.

Xiao Yan had detected this change in the magma world, but his expression did not change as a result. After this long period of refinement, he had already become extremely familiar with the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. There would naturally be some unusual phenomenon occurring when a Heavenly Flame of this rank was refined.

“Xun Er, it is time to reap a great reward...”

Xiao Yan studied the beautiful figure a slumbering in his embrace and a warm smile flashed across his face. His arms gently hugged that beautiful figure’s delicate willow-like waist while the seal formed by one of his hands quietly changed.

After the change of Xiao Yan’s hand seal, a wisp of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame in his body, which had been guarding itself, was finally refined. Immediately, a liquid-like vast energy reached every part of Xiao Yan’s body. The medians within his body were completely filled within a moment. His flesh, muscles, bones, cells, etc., seemed to be like hungry ghosts that had not eaten for decades as they crazily devoured that endless energy.

After sensing his body rapidly filling, Xiao Yan lowered his head and softly kissed Xun Er’s slightly raised, red lips. That incomparably vast energy crazily surged into her body like floodwater as well.

“Splash!”

The refinement continued. Waves of floodwater-like energy circulated around Xiao Yan’s body after being refined before being delivered to Xun Er’s body. After being absorbed by her body, some of the remaining energy would be transferred back into Xiao Yan’s body. Moreover, the energy that was transferred back had become even purer. There was also another faint feeling to it. This feeling belonged to the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame...

As this refinement continued, both Xiao Yan and Xun Er began to gradually form a perfect cycle. The endlessly mighty energy washed through every part of Xiao Yan and Xun Er time and time again. Both of their auras climbed as time passed...

“Crack crack crack!”

As the demonic flame essence gradually lost its ability to retaliate, that enormous fireball began to calm down and the wild violence in it weakened. Both Xiao Yan and Xun Er were tightly entangled in a strange fashion within the interior of the firefall. Layer after layer of a flickering faint golden pink crystal slowly appeared around them. Finally, it transformed into a crystal-egg-like object that wrapped around the both of them.

Xiao Yan and Xun Er’s aura completely vanished when this crystal egg formed. This magma realm had finally become void of life.

Central Plains—

One year had passed since the demonic flame had descended on the world. Although a year had already passed, the grand stories from back then were still being talked about by many people.

A year was neither long nor short, but many things had still occurred across the Central Plains within a year.

Soon after the demonic flame descended on the world, the Hall of Souls finally began to take revenge on the Sky Mansion Alliance for destroying the Man Hall. One-third of the cities belonging to the alliance had been attacked. The Sky Mansion Alliance did not show the slightest sign of giving in as it dealt with the Hall of Souls’ large offensive. The alliance had gathered their troops and began to retaliate. Within a short year, these two super factions had begun to fight like fire and water. Although both parties suffered great losses, a final confrontation did not occur. After all, the current Sky Mansion Alliance was no longer the same as back then. With powerful experts like Zi Yan and Xiao Chen, who were not weaker than the chief of the Hall of Souls, present, even the chief of the Hall of Souls did not have the courage to charge into the alliance’s headquarters. Moreover, that ancestor from the Pill Tower might not remain in the Falling Star Pavilion, but he had also given Yao Lao and the others a way to contact him. With such an ultimate expert aiding the alliance, the Hall of Souls was no longer able to threaten the alliance with extermination...

It was due to these many reasons that the Sky Mansion Alliance had not fallen to a disadvantage during this large scale war against the Hall of Souls. The alliance had even vaguely shown signs of gaining the upper hand. Thus, the reputation of the Sky Merchant Alliance reached a peak within the Central Plains. After all, not a single faction in the past could gain such a good result against the Hall of Souls. Many people sighed emotionally because of the alliance. The position of as the overlord of the Central Plains was gradually changing from the Hall of Souls to the new ‘Sky Mansion Alliance’!

The Hun clan did not appear to be providing the Hall of Souls with much aid. Although it had quietly dispatched some experts, these experts could not give the Hall of Souls an overwhelming advantage. Yao Lao and the rest could only attribute this lack of aid to the Hun clan being restricted by the agreement.

Of course, Yao Lao and the others did not forget to constantly pay attention to the spot where the demonic flame had descended even as they fought this intense war with the Hall of Souls, but each probe only left them feeling disappointed. That area did not reveal the slightest unusual activity during this one year. If the dragon seal on Zi Yan’s hand wasn’t still present, even they would have thought that something untoward had happened to Xiao Yan and Xun Er...

They had no solution to this situation. All they could do was gradually focus their attention on their battles with the Hun clan.

While everyone’s eyes across the Central Plains were attracted to the battles between the Hall of Souls and the Sky Mansion Alliance, news that shook the entire continent quietly spread from an unknown source...

The Shi clan, one of the eight ancient clans, had completely vanished in a mysterious manner just like the Ling clan!

Everyone could vaguely sense a mystery envelope the Central Plains.