Flame Emperor!

The secrets of the Tou She Ancient God's Cave Mansion are numerous.

This place contains the Tou She Ancient God's Inheritance, as well as an Emperor Grade Nascent Pill and twenty-two Heavenly Flames.

However, this space is isolated from the world, and ordinary Heavenly Flames here will only be eroded by time and lose their power.

Back then, the Emperor Grade Nascent Pill and the Nihility Devouring Flame and Purifying Lotus Demon Flame made a pact to join forces to break through this space and send the Nihility Devouring Flame and Purifying Lotus Demon Flame out. The two Heavenly Flames promised to find a token, open the space, and release the embryonic core.

As a result, the two Heavenly Flames completely forgot about this matter. The Nihility Devouring Flame only remembered how to subdue the Emperor Grade Nascent Pill, and the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame only remembered how to activate the Tou She Ancient God's Inheritance.

To say that this wasn't something that Tou She Ancient God had prepared long ago would be an insult.

As for Zhu Kun, it was also arranged by the Tou She Ancient God. The specifics are unknown, but it is a fact that Zhu Kun was forcibly bound in this space and could only wait for the appearance of the Tou She Ancient God Jade.

Although Xiao Yan forcibly tore open space, he did not appear as relaxed as he seemed. A force exceeding Xiao Yan's limits was pressing down on him, causing some blockage in Dou Qi Xiao Yan within his body.

Zhu Kun wasted no time and dashed out of the crack in a flash.

After seeing Zhu Kun off, Xiao Yan stopped resisting this space. His aura dissipated, and his limbs felt weak.

"Zi Yan, you should go back first. I might not be able to protect you anymore," Xiao Yan said, ruffling Zi Yan's hair.

Zi Yan pouted, but she knew that she was only Seven Star Dou Sheng and her strength was lacking, so she could only leave this space reluctantly.

Xiao Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief after Zi Yan left.

After letting Zhu Kun go, Xiao Yan had a Netherworld feeling that he would replace Zhu Kun and become the guardian of this space.

However, the Guardians do not seem to be just simple laborers.

Although this space has not yet been opened, Xiao Yan still sensed an area containing mysterious power. This feeling suddenly appeared after he became a guardian.

"That should be the Exotic Flame Plaza, right?"

Xiao Yan stroked his chin. Zhu Kun also knew about the Emperor Grade Nascent Pill and the secrets of the plaza and the statue. However, he could neither defeat the Emperor Grade Nascent Pill nor open the statue...

Xiao Yan shook his head, not wanting to dwell on those things anymore, and began to travel along the path he sensed.

In the deathly silent space, a piece of land, like a pavilion in the sky, floated, shrouded in thick fog.

This fog is quite mysterious. Even though Xiao Yan has Emperor Realm Soul, his Soul Power can only extend a few thousand feet away from his body before it can hardly reach any further.

Xiao Yan twisted his neck, and his body began to swell, instantly expanding into a giant ten thousand feet tall.

The once mysterious plain has now partially revealed its secrets. Xiao Yan's pupils ignited with Emperor Flame as he saw the plaza deep within the mist in the distance.

After walking for several minutes, Xiao Yan stepped onto the plaza, and twenty-two stone pillars, each thousands of feet tall, came into view.

Taking large strides closer to the first stone pillar, Xiao Yan lowered his head slightly and looked at the top of the pillar—a ball of deep yellow flame was rising.

This flame was the Profound Yellow Flame, ranked twenty-third on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, but it was extremely weak. Its power had gradually dissipated over countless years, and now it was no longer powerful, having become a completely empty shell.

But Xiao Yan sat cross-legged in front of the stone pillar, keeping his head at a similar height to the Profound Yellow Flame, and his Soul Power surged from between his eyebrows.

Without any hindrance, the immense Soul Power easily surged into the empty shell, refining it into Xiao Yan's original Heavenly Flames.

However, after a few breaths, Xiao Yan merged the Profound Yellow Flame into the Emperor Flame, and the Emperor Flame's origin gained another Heavenly Flames.

Xiao Yan slowly stood up, then reached out and pressed his hand on the top of the stone pillar. When he raised his hand, a brand new Profound Yellow Flame appeared there.

Unlike the empty shell before, this Profound Yellow Flame contains powerful fire attribute energy. Even Dou Zun- level expert cannot withstand its terrifying power and will be refined into nothingness in an instant.

Even the nineteenth-ranked Green Lotus Core Flame could be suppressed by Queen Medusa, a former Peak Dou Emperor. The Profound Yellow Flame, ranked last, would usually be suppressed by Dou Emperor.

This Profound Yellow Flame, created by Xiao Yan, has clearly broken through some kind of limit and evolved to a terrifying level, comparable to Dou Sheng.

Xiao Yan stepped forward, and the next Heavenly Flames was the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, which was already present in the Emperor Flame. In its natural state Myriad Beast Spirit Flame was a rising red flame that faintly revealed the shapes of myriad beasts.

Xiao Yan reached out and clapped his hands, and the vast Dou Qi within his body surged from his palms, continuously pouring into the red flames. In just an instant, the empty shell was filled, reaching a level comparable to that of a Dou Sheng Expert.

With a calm expression, Xiao Yan walked forward step by step. If he encountered an empty shell of Heavenly Flames that had not been refined, he would refine and devour it, and then condense a new one. If it had already been refined, Xiao Yan would sublimate it.

After passing the twenty stone pillars, the plaza came to an end, where there were two exceptionally magnificent stone pillars, but no flames rose from their tops—these two stone pillars were the ones that originally contained the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame and the Nihility Devouring Flame.

Having gathered all twenty-two different Heavenly Flames along the way, the Emperor Flame has evolved into a true Di Yan, rightfully earning its place as the number one Heavenly Flames on the list.

Behind the two stone pillars was a much thicker fog.

After resting for a while, Xiao Yan's dark Nihility Devouring Flame ignited around him, and a suction force surged out, directly swallowing up all the pervasive mist.

As the fog dissipated, a statue the same height as Xiao Yan, resembling an old man, appeared in his eyes.

Around the stone statue, hundreds of orbs of light were constantly flying around. These orbs were actually ancient scrolls, and they contained extremely strong energy fluctuations, which were in no way inferior to Heavenly Grade Cultivation Method and Dou Technique!

But Xiao Yan didn't look at the Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills; his gaze was fixed on the shoulder of the stone statue, where there was an old man with the exact same face as the statue.

However, the old man's expression was quite interesting; he seemed to want to maintain his dignity, yet it was filled with astonishment and fear.

"You've trespassed into my inheritance cave; you're being rather... a bit..."

Before the old man could finish speaking, Xiao Yan waved his hand, and a ball of Di Yan appeared, floating quietly in front of him.

That terrifying aura, identical to that of Tou She Ancient God, shattered the old man's heart in an instant!

"I am an Alchemist, and I have refined several Half-Step Emperor Pill before. If Origin Qi, I might be able to refine a real Emperor Pill."

"I can recycle you and elevate you to the status of a true Emperor Pill, but before that, you need to offer your loyalty."

"I know you may find it hard to accept being controlled by me, but please also know that I have many Peak Dou Saint around me."

After speaking calmly, Xiao Yan gazed at the old man intently, waiting for him to make a choice.

The old man stared blankly at the floating Di Yan. Upon closer inspection, he realized that this Di Yan was not entirely the same as that of the Tou She Ancient God. The ancient Tou She Ancient God's Di Yan was a Heavenly Flames with twenty-two colors, while this Di Yan presented a hazy color. No matter how hard the old man tried, he could not see its true appearance.

After much deliberation, the old man finally succumbed to Xiao Yan's coercion and enticement, swallowing the ball of Di Yan in one gulp. From then on, his life was in Xiao Yan's control.

Ignoring the dejected Emperor Grade Nascent Pill, Xiao Yan summoned the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, immersing his Soul Power within it, and began searching for a way to unlock the inheritance.

A dense Purifying Lotus Demon Flame suddenly surged from Xiao Yan's body, gathered together in mid-air, and finally transformed into a beam of flame that struck the heart of the stone statue.

"Buzz!"

Strange ripples spread across the surface of the stone statue, and the whole thing began to shake violently.

"Click-click-click..."

The stone statue vibrated faster and faster until finally, a twisting sound came from the statue's chest, and a stone cave appeared.

A faint light shone from the stone cave, and Xiao Yan, having regained his original size, stepped into the cave.

As Xiao Yan came into contact with the faint light above the stone cave, an invisible probe swept across his body.

"Huh?"

A slightly surprised voice rang out. Xiao Yan shook his head, waking up from the dizziness, and looked around.

Dazzling flames filled Xiao Yan's vision; this place was a sea of Heavenly Flames.

"What level of skill have you reached?"

Before Xiao Yan could observe any further, a voice full of questions rang out impatiently.

"Generally speaking, his Soul Realm and physical strength have reached the standard, but his Dou Qi cultivation is still a bit lacking. He can be considered Quasi Dou Di," Xiao Yan explained.

An elderly man dressed in dark robes stood quietly in front of Xiao Yan, quite surprised by what Xiao Yan said.

The old man couldn't understand why Xiao Yan had Dou Di Physical Body before breaking through to Dou Emperor, nor could he understand why Xiao Yan could withstand his test yet still had to come to receive the inheritance.

But the old man was very easygoing. His purpose in being was to pass on the legacy, and completing the task sooner was a good thing.

Moreover, the affinity between Xiao Yan and the Heavenly Flames is unimaginable. This ocean of Heavenly Flames surrounds him at the center, and the endless flames reveal a desire to merge with him.

"Very well, since you have been able to come here, you are naturally the most suitable person to receive the inheritance. The inheritance will be handed over to you."

The old man shook his head, having made up his mind. However, he still wanted to chat with Xiao Yan, so he said, "You seem to have also cultivated a technique that allows you to Exotic Flame Fusion?"

"That's true."

"Hehe, back when I was gathering my spiritual intelligence, I happened to encounter this cultivation technique in a moment of confusion, which led to some changes in me. Speaking of which, this cultivation technique has helped me a lot. I'm quite curious about its creator, but I've never met him," Tou She Ancient God said with a smile.

Xiao Yan's mind raced, and he thought of a certain possibility. He then said, "Perhaps this Flame Mantra was actually born from heaven and earth?"

The old man paused slightly, his brows furrowing as if he had thought of something.

Xiao Yan continued, "The Origin is the key to breaking through to the Dou Emperor, but it is only created at the beginning of the plane. After that, it will only decrease as it is consumed, and its quantity will not increase."

"The appearance of each Dou Emperor consumes a significant amount of Origin Qi. In ancient times, Dou Emperor emerged one after another, creating a prosperous era, but also causing Origin Qi to gradually disappear into the world."

"But if the entire Dou Qi Continent becomes more powerful, could it give birth to a new source?"

"Perhaps it was the World Will in the Netherworld that longed for improvement, which led to the birth of intelligence in our predecessors, and their encounter with the Flame Mantra, which caused a change."

The old man blinked, gave a wry smile, and said, "After me, has any more Dou Emperor appeared?"

"No, Peak Dou Saint can destroy the heavens and the earth," Xiao Yan replied.

The old man remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, "I knew my luck had been so good that I could even find Origin Qi that hadn't appeared for countless years."

"Senior's act of releasing the Nihility Devouring Flame and the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame back into the world and leaving behind their legacy is already a good deed," Xiao Yan chimed in.

The old man simply shook his head. His Origin Qi might have already exhausted the last bit of power in the world, but he had failed to do what he was supposed to do.

"You must have done something beneficial to heaven and earth to have cultivated to this level, right?"

"Um."

The old man waited for a while, and seeing that Xiao Yan had no intention of explaining, he did not press further, but simply flicked his finger.

This boundless and magnificent sea of fire suddenly began to writhe as the old man moved. Amidst the surging flames, a magnificent lotus seed the size of a fist slowly condensed, with numerous flames rising on its surface.

"My legacy lies here. I hope you will break through to the Dou Emperor and repay the world on my behalf!"

"Good!"

The old man waved his hand, and the dazzling flaming lotus seed slowly drifted down, finally hovering above Xiao Yan's crown, emitting a strange luster, before disappearing into Xiao Yan's body.

"Boom!"

The instant the Flame Lotus Seed entered his body, Xiao Yan felt his mind go blank, and his body immediately turned red.

A vast, seemingly inexhaustible energy spread through Xiao Yan's body at an alarming speed, and in the blink of an eye, Xiao Yan's meridians were pushed to their limit.

Intense tearing pain emanated from his meridians, and large beads of sweat poured out of Xiao Yan's body, radiating terrifying heat.

But Xiao Yan ultimately managed to hold on.

Di Yan surged from his heart, and his body and soul, as if parched land receiving sweet rain, continuously devoured the massive energy that was rampaging wildly in his meridians, refining it into Xiao Yan's power.

Amidst the dazzling sea of fire, streams of Heavenly Flames surged toward Xiao Yan, becoming, along with the lotus seed, the driving force propelling him to break through to the Xiao Yan Dou Emperor.

Wisps of flame of different colors traveled through Xiao Yan's body, eventually forming a furnace about ten feet in size outside his body. Upon closer inspection, the inside of the furnace resembled a completely new Small World.

Xiao Yan, who sits cross-legged in the center of this cauldron, is naturally the supreme World Will. If any different power appears in the cauldron, it will be refined by it unless the cauldron is broken.

In other words, it's only a matter of time before Xiao Yan breaks through to the Dou Emperor.

The old man watched this scene quietly, and then a complex smile slowly appeared on his face.

"It seems my mission is coming to an end."

"I really don't know how this guy cultivates. If I were in the same era as him, I'm afraid I would be devoured and refined by him, becoming his original Heavenly Flames?"