In the boundless crimson space, as far as the eye could see, everything was fiery red, all was fiery red lava!
Occasionally, huge bubbles would rise from the lava, and after a moment, with a slight sound, they would burst open, splashing out droplets of scorching lava like a dazzling miniature firework.
What brought Huo Xuan back to consciousness was an intense pain. He opened his eyes slightly, endured the pain, and struggled to get up. What he saw was a crimson red, like fresh blood!
Magma?
Upon seeing this, Huo Xuan froze for a moment. Looking around, he realized that he was in a boundless crimson space filled with countless flowing lava!
Surrounded by vast lava, atop a lotus flower that blazes like fire, Huo Xuan shuddered. Gazing at the boundless crimson world before him, he was momentarily stunned, then overwhelmed with excitement.
"Looks like I guessed right!"
"After all these years, finally a descendant of the Flame Clan has arrived!"
A voice filled with ancient vicissitudes suddenly rang in Huo Xuan's ears. As soon as the voice finished speaking, a semi-transparent soul appeared in front of Huo Xuan without warning.
The man was dressed in a crimson robe and had long, fiery red hair that resembled a burning flame. His appearance was not particularly special, but he exuded a terrifying aura of power, as if he were the ruler of heaven and earth!
Rise above heaven and earth!
At this moment, Huo Xuan recovered from his shock. As soon as the soul appeared, the Dou Di Bloodline in his body felt a slight tremor. Although it was somewhat different from the one depicted in the portrait, Huo Xuan still recognized his identity!
The Yan Clan Forefather! The First Dou Emperor! Yan Li!
Immediately, Huo Xuan knelt down and bowed, saying, "This unworthy descendant, Huo Xuan, pays respects to the Ancestor!"
Yan Li looked at Huo Xuan in front of him, nodded slightly, and then gently waved his right hand, a gentle Dou Qi lifting Huo Xuan up.
"Hehe, over the past ten thousand years, some have noticed a clue, but no one has ever dared to make a move. Little guy, you really have extraordinary courage!"
Although Yan Li is currently only a soul, he is still Dou Emperor. While he cannot see everything that happens on the entire Dou Qi Continent, he can clearly sense everything that happens in his former residence, including Huo Xuan using Strange Fire to burn the portrait and open the passage to this space.
"Please forgive me, Ancestor!"
Huo Xuan outwardly bowed his head and admitted his mistake, but inwardly he was dissatisfied with the way the ancestor was portrayed.
"To preserve the legacy, one must preserve it within a portrait. Unless someone has the guts of a bear or a leopard, they probably wouldn't dare touch the portrait, let alone burn it..."
"Hehe, little guy, if you have any complaints, you don't need to keep them to yourself. You can talk to your ancestor about them. Your ancestor is not someone who can't distinguish right from wrong."
Upon hearing this, Huo Xuan immediately felt that this ancestor had seen right through him, and could only admit his mistake once again...
"Alright, I didn't think this through. Tell me about the Flame Clan now, little one."
"So you are the new patriarch of the Flame Clan? Last time, the person who came wasn't particularly powerful, but he was still a high-level Dou Sheng. It's only been a thousand years. Has the Flame Clan fallen so low that the patriarch hasn't even reached the Dou Sheng?"
Yan Li asked.
"Ancestor, you misunderstand. I am not the clan leader. The current clan leader of the Flame Clan is the same person you met last time. His cultivation has reached the Nine Star Dou Sheng. The Flame Clan has not declined yet."
Huo Xuan quickly explained.
"That's good! That's good!"
The Flame Clan was founded by Yan Li. Although ten thousand years have passed, he still has a certain affection for this race that he created and naturally does not want the Flame Clan to decline.
Next, Huo Xuan told Yan Li about the current situation of the Flame Clan, as well as all the major events that had happened on the continent since Yan Li's disappearance.
"Unexpectedly, of the many Ancient Race, only seven remain today..."
In the era in which Yan Li lived, there were quite a few Ancient Race, and their Ancient Eight Clans were the ones who rose to prominence later. Originally, they were just a small family, but they gradually rose to become new Emperor Clan.
Unexpectedly, not only have those Ancient Race declined, but even the Xiao Clan, one of the Eight Clans that rose to prominence alongside them at the same time, has also declined.
"Currently, of the seven remaining clans, the Gu Clan is ostensibly the strongest, the Hun Clan the most mysterious, and only the Lei Clan can rival my Flame Clan. Following them are the Medicine, Stone, and Spirit Clans," Huo Xuan continued. "However, the Spirit Stone Two Clans are likely in dire straits..."
Upon hearing this, Yan Li reminisced about the past for a while before slowly speaking, "The Hun Clan? Is the Hun Clan still the most mysterious? If anything happens to the Spirit Stone Two Clans, the Hun Clan will be the prime suspect. You must pay special attention to the Hun Clan..."
"We will heed our ancestors' teachings; we understand!"
"Alright, let's get back to the main topic!" After giving his instructions, Yan Li continued, "You've come here surely for my heirloom, haven't you?"
"Please, Ancestor, entrust the inherited artifact to Huo Xuan. From now on, Huo Xuan will surely lead the Flame Clan to even greater heights, making the Flame Clan the number one race on the Dou Qi Continent!"
Huo Xuan respectfully Yan Li.
"The inheritance will naturally be passed on to you, but now is not the time, because you are not yet capable of receiving the inheritance."
Yan Li said very seriously.
Hearing this, Huo Xuan felt slightly disappointed. After all that, he realized he wasn't qualified enough and didn't deserve to receive the inheritance. He had wasted three days of effort.
"However, in the past ten thousand years, you are the only one who has been able to come here. Perhaps, in some mysterious way, this inheritance is truly destined for you..." After pondering for a moment, Yan Li said, "Little one, perhaps there are some things you could try?"
"What is it? Please speak freely, Ancestor!"
"I'll give you five years. If you can raise your cultivation to the high-level Dou Sheng within five years, then you can return here today, five years from now, and I'll leave the inheritance for you, little guy."
"Little one, would you dare to try?"
Yan Li pressed for an answer.
Within five years, I will raise my cultivation level to the advanced Dou Sheng!
For ordinary people, it would be as difficult as climbing to the sky, but for Huo Xuan, it's still something he can try. There's also the Bodhi Ancient Tree and the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame outside. To be honest, with them, becoming a high-level Dou Sheng isn't impossible.
"Why wouldn't I dare! Five years from now, I will definitely become a high-level Dou Sheng!"
"Alright! Little one, I'll preserve the inheritance for you. I hope you won't disappoint me when you return here!"
"Rest assured, Ancestor! If I hadn't reached the high-level Dou Sheng, I would have no face to meet you!"
Huo Xuan said in a deep voice.
"I hope the patriarch can intervene and send me back."
"Hehe, little one, don't be in such a hurry. I'll definitely take you back, but before that, I haven't spoken to anyone for many years. How about you stay and keep this old man company a little longer?" Yan Li laughed. "Little one, if you can stay and keep this old man company a little longer, as a token of my gratitude, I can help you improve your strength!"
"Thank you, Ancestor!"
Upon hearing this, Huo Xuan was taken aback at first, but quickly understood what the ancestor meant and immediately bowed in gratitude.
Yan Li his hand lightly, and the boundless ocean of magma suddenly began to boil. Clusters of crimson flames emerged from the magma sea, eventually transforming into streams of light that swept into Huo Xuan's body!
Huo Xuan quickly sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state, while Yan Li continuously drew large amounts of energy from the sea of magma and transferred it all into Huo Xuan's body...