Interrogation

The next day.

Huo Zhi ran into Huo Xuan's room, shook him on the bed, and softly called out to the soundly sleeping Huo Xuan.

"Huo Xuan, Brother, it's time to get up..."

At Huo Zhi's call, Huo Xuan groggily opened his eyes and sat up. With a gentle smile, he asked, "What is it, girl?"

"The Clan Chief and the elders have summoned us. Let's hurry!"

The Clan Chief had summoned them—had the matter of the Xiao Clan been discovered? With that thought, Huo Xuan immediately rose and took Huo Zhi's hand, heading for the Council Hall.

When Huo Xuan entered the Council Hall, he found Yan Jin and the elders already waiting there. He bowed to Yan Jin and the elders. "Clan Chief, Elders, may I ask why you summoned us?"

"I summoned you here because of this." With a wave of Yan Jin's right hand, a terrifying heat swept forth. Two Strange Fires immediately appeared before Huo Xuan and Huo Zhi.

Before Huo Xuan floated a pale black Strange Fire. This was the highest-ranked Strange Fire possessed by the Flame Clan—the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame! It was said to be the hottest flame between heaven and earth, capable of vaporizing and melting all things, even evaporating Dou Qi.

Before Huo Zhi, meanwhile, floated a deep-red, bewitching Strange Fire. As its flames leapt and surged, they formed the shapes of crimson lotuses. This was the Red Lotus Karma Flame!

"You two are the geniuses of our Flame Clan. These Strange Fires should have been passed down to you long ago. Refine them here and now."

"Thank you, Clan Chief!" After speaking, Huo Xuan and Huo Zhi immediately began refining them.

As inherited Strange Fires of the Flame Clan, the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame and the Red Lotus Karma Flame contained indelible Soul Imprints implanted through secret arts by their successive wielders. Members of the Flame Clan could absorb and refine them with ease, but if outsiders tried to absorb them, even Dou Sheng experts would suffer terribly.

Huo Xuan grabbed the Origin Flame Seed of the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame with his bare hand, opened his mouth, and swallowed it. The instant it entered his body, he began circulating the Flame Mantra to refine it.

Yan Jin and the elders stood guard over Huo Xuan and Huo Zhi. In less than an hour, Huo Xuan had already finished refining the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame.

After refining the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame, the Flame Mantra evolved from Mysterious High-Rank to Earth-Rank Middle-Grade. His strength also surged from a Five Star Dou Huang to an Eight Star Dou Huang, just one step away from the level of a Nine-Star Dou Huang.

"Only three stars?"

Refining the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame had only raised his strength by a little over three stars. Huo Xuan was somewhat disappointed by the result. However, while refining it just now, he had discovered that it contained even less energy than the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame and the Bone Chilling Flame.

It seemed that after the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame's previous owner had separated it from himself, he had failed to nurture it properly. As a result, like the one in the Ancient God Cave Abode, much of its contained energy had dissipated with the passage of time. Realizing this, Huo Xuan felt relieved.

Huo Zhi was still refining her flame. After Huo Xuan finished refining his Strange Fire, he waited by her side. A while later, Huo Zhi also completed the refinement of the Red Lotus Karma Flame. Slowly opening her eyes, one could see what seemed to be a tiny crimson lotus spinning within them. It added several degrees of charm to her already captivating face.

Seeing that both had finished refining their Strange Fires, Yan Jin spoke. "All right, the Strange Fires have been refined. Huo Xuan, stay behind. Huo Zhi, you may leave first."

"Clan Chief, Elders, Huo Zhi will take her leave." After bowing to Yan Jin and the elders, Huo Zhi sensibly departed. She understood propriety well. Since the Clan Chief did not wish for her to remain, she should not insist.

Watching Huo Zhi's departing figure, Huo Xuan spoke once she had gone far enough. "Clan Chief, why did you ask me to stay?"

"Huo Xuan, there are two matters I need to confirm with you. First, Yan Yang and Yan Ya told me that you obtained a strange technique said to be capable of devouring all the Strange Fires in the world."

"Do you mean the Flame Mantra? I obtained this technique by chance." As he spoke, Huo Xuan took out the Fennel Technique and flicked it with his finger. The Flame Mantra shot toward Yan Jin.

After reading the Fennel Technique, Yan Jin could not help sighing. "This technique truly is miraculous!"

"Clan Chief, I have personally tested it. There is no problem with this Flame Mantra. With it, I have already successfully fused three types of Strange Fire. I suggest making the Flame Mantra the Flame Clan's clan-protecting technique, to be cultivated by the most talented genius of every future generation of the Flame Clan," Huo Xuan said.

Upon hearing this, Yan Jin fell into deep thought. He himself possessed two types of Strange Fire, and with them, his strength greatly surpassed that of an ordinary Eight Star Dou Sheng. He could even fight an early Nine Star Dou Sheng. He knew full well how terrifying the Flame Clan would become if every generation produced someone wielding multiple Strange Fires. After considering it carefully, Yan Jin agreed to Huo Xuan's proposal.

"For the next matter, Huo Xuan, you must answer truthfully," Yan Jin suddenly said sternly.

"Please speak freely, Clan Chief. Huo Xuan will not conceal anything."

"Was the destruction of the Xiao Clan related to you?"

"It was indeed related to me." As he spoke, Huo Xuan took out the Tou She Ancient God Jade he had obtained from the Xiao Family from his Storage Ring. With a flick of his finger, the Ancient Jade in his hand flew toward Yan Jin.

"This is the portion of the Tou She Ancient God Jade kept by the Xiao Clan. Clan Chief, please examine it."

"Huo Xuan, do you know how much trouble you have brought upon the Flame Clan by doing this?!" Yan Jin roared at Huo Xuan as he stared at the Ancient Jade before him.

"Xuan Er! How could you do such a thing?!" At this moment, Huo Xuan's father, Elder Huo Zhen, also began to reprimand him.

"Clan Chief, Father, may I say a few words? What losses has the destruction of the Xiao Clan caused our Flame Clan?"

"This..." Yan Jin and the elders all fell silent at those words. There had never been any harmonious coexistence among the eight clans. They had fought many wars for the sake of their own clans' interests. The destruction of the Xiao Clan had brought no losses whatsoever to the Flame Clan; on the contrary, it had brought them considerable gains.

Seeing this, Huo Xuan continued, "Gu Yuan even sent his own daughter to the Xiao Family for the Tou She Ancient God Jade. Are the Gu Clan allowed to set their sights on the Ancient Jade, while our Flame Clan is not?"

"But do you understand? Our Flame Clan is not as powerful as the Gu Clan. When the Gu Clan sets their sights on the Ancient Jade, there is nothing we can do about it. But the Flame Clan is different!" Yan Jin continued.

"That is why I did not directly act when the Xiao Clan was destroyed. Besides, at the time of its destruction, the strongest person in the Xiao Clan was merely a Great Dou Shi. Under such circumstances, the Xiao Clan would have been wiped out sooner or later. I merely arranged for its destruction to come a little earlier. Only our Flame Clan knows of this matter now, and the Gu Clan has no evidence against us."

"If the Clan Chief believes Huo Xuan was wrong, then I will accept whatever punishment the Clan Chief sees fit!"

Yan Jin remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. "Remember to weigh the pros and cons before acting next time. You may leave."

"Huo Xuan takes his leave." Huo Xuan left the Council Hall with some excitement. He had not expected Yan Jin to impose no punishment at all. But upon further thought, the Xiao Clan had neither kinship nor friendship with the Flame Clan. It was only natural that Yan Jin would not punish him. After all, only a fool would punish a genius of his own clan for the sake of a fallen Xiao Clan.