Forced Fusion, Buddha's Rage Fire Lotus!

"Stop!"

"This Strange Fire is going through its annihilation phase of water and fire clashing!"

"It hasn't truly formed yet!"

Old Yao's voice rang out in alarm in his mind, snapping Xiao Yan back to his senses.

Pale white flames surged from the Bone Flame Ring, coalescing in the air into the phantom figure of an old man.

The phantom formed hand seals midair, sending several strands of soul energy probing into the flames.

Finally, it shook its head:

"Kid, we came at the wrong time."

"This Strange Fire still needs at least two hundred years to fully take shape."

"If you try to absorb it by force, you'll explode and die!"

The words sank in, and Xiao Yan's expression turned grave.

But he could feel the restlessness of the Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame within him.

It was like an unruly dragon, craving to devour.

He pressed his right palm against the surface of the Crystal Pillar, a searing heat reaching his fingertips.

The Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame spiraled up his arm in a twisting pattern, resonating with the flame inside the pillar.

The Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame born from him—every time he absorbed a new flame—

It would take in that flame's traits and a sliver of its origin, fueling its own evolution and growth.

Since its craving hadn't changed, there had to be a chance!

And on top of that, he still had the talent of the Master of Fire!

"Water and fire oppose each other?"

"Is there a way to forcibly fuse them together through human effort and form it early?"

Xiao Yan muttered to himself, a wild spark flickering in his eyes.

"Forcibly fuse them?"

"Nonsense!"

Old Yao's voice turned harsh, his sleeve robes whipping as his gaze burned with anger:

"Fire Cloud Water Flame needs a thousand years to harmonize its attributes!"

"Forcing a fusion now is nothing but walking to your death!"

"Even a Dou Zong couldn't pull it off, let alone a Dou Ling like you!"

Xiao Yan didn't argue, only replying softly:

"Teacher, my cultivation technique and physique both resonate with this flame."

"I want to try!"

At Xiao Yan's words, Old Yao suddenly hesitated—

He knew this disciple of his couldn't be judged by common sense!

With his special physique and the wonder of the Flame Mantra, maybe it really was possible?

But the risk was just too...

Before his thoughts could settle, Xiao Yan's right hand suddenly pushed with force!

The Crystal Pillar burst into a web of cracks, and Xiao Yan frantically activated the Kirin Sky Burning Art

Both Strange Fires surged into the youth's palm on their own!

Xiao Yan's meridians bulged instantly, his left half freezing into ice crystals, his right half blazing with Crimson Flame.

"Kid, hold on!"

Old Yao shot out thirteen soul seals in a rush, trying to stabilize the spiraling chaos.

"Roar!"

But then, the Kirin Mark on the youth's chest let out a long howl toward the sky.

The water and fire energy poured into his Dantian like a hundred rivers converging into the sea.

"Watch closely, Teacher!"

Xiao Yan's meridians swelled across his entire body, yet he burst into loud laughter.

His hands formed profound hand seals:

"Kirin Sky Burning Art Yang Rotation!"

A sudden change erupted!

Inside his Dantian, the red and blue flames intertwined between the phantom claws of a Kirin silhouette.

But merging them into a Strange Fire still requires immense energy to sustain!

Otherwise, even if successful, the Strange Fire's power would inevitably be diminished.

Outside:

Thirty-three Crystal Pillars shattered in response, surging energy swirling into the crown of his head like a vortex.

Old Yao's pupils contracted:

The youth's hair tips visibly faded to frost-white, then in an instant burned to crimson!

Violent energy rippled from within him, yet it didn't harm his body.

Extremely unstable ice-fire forces flickered across his skin in rapid succession.

Xiao Yan paid no heed to the outside world, fully driving his technique!

Four hours later, Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open:

His left pupil swirled with deep blue water flame, his right pupil danced with crimson flowing fire!

His hair tips showed a strange blue-red gradient.

The flame rising from his palm had already turned into a red-blue interwoven fireball.

Each rotation twisted the air itself!

"It actually..."

Damn it! How is this possible!?

Old Yao's spirit form trembled violently; centuries of composure shattered in that moment:

"Using your body as a furnace, fire as the catalyst!"

"It's a miracle you're not dead!"

Xiao Yan stood, the phenomena fading.

He flicked a finger; where the flame passed, the boiling lake instantly froze into ice, then in a flash evaporated into steam:

Though his rank hadn't risen due to the energy demands of condensing the flame, his combat power had taken a massive leap forward.

"Now, I should call you Fire Cloud Water Flame!"

"Teacher, this matter is settled. Time to return."

Xiao Yan's Four Wings suddenly spread behind him; with a single flap, his form turned into flowing fire.

Soaring upward!

He passed through the seven-hundred-meter-long fissure, returning to the space where the Crystal Pillars grew.

But the moment his figure appeared, six Fourth Stage peak Snake King auras locked onto him!

Six giant serpents slithered toward him at speed, led by the Purple Crystal Snake King.

The demonic pattern on its forehead blazed bright, and the Crystal Pillars in the entire space suddenly refracted thousands of light beams!

"Perfect timing!"

"I was just looking for you!"

Xiao Yan flapped his wings and charged into the air above the crystal grotto.

The six giant snakes coiled among the crystal clusters, staring at him, their scales flaring as they began to gather power!

Xiao Yan curved his lips into a smile, spreading his hands:

The Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame and Water Cloud Fire Flame appeared in turn.

His hands slowly drew closer!

Old Yao suddenly sensed something wrong:

"You're going to merge two Strange Fires directly?"

"Have you lost your mind? Stop right now!"

But Xiao Yan's palms slammed together!

Where ice and fire met, a blinding light burst forth, and Dou Qi surged wildly into his palms.

What was astonishing was that the Strange Fires, which should have repelled each other, now blended like water and milk—

without the slightest resistance!

A breathtakingly beautiful Ice-Fire Dual-Colored Lotus slowly bloomed.

At the heart of the lotus, a trace of purple light gleamed.

A dangerous, terrifying aura rippled outward!

The six Snake Kings' crystal scales stood on end as they pushed their power gathering to the limit!

Old Yao gazed at the breathtakingly beautiful fire lotus, almost entranced:

"What is this lotus called?"

Xiao Yan's lips curled with unrestrained arrogance:

"This is called the Buddha's Rage Fire Lotus!"

Xiao Yan released his hands and thrust them forward with force!

The moment the fire lotus left his grasp, time itself seemed to freeze.

As the lotus petals spun gently, they flew toward the six Snake Kings.

At that moment, six massive energy beams also erupted from their mouths!

They intertwined and merged, crashing violently into the lotus!

"Hiss hiss hiss!"

At the point of energy collision, no explosion occurred.

Instead, a sizzling sound like butter frying on a hot pan rang out.

Anything within three zhang of the fire lotus was decomposed and melted by the terrifying, extreme heat!

The fire lotus reached them:

"BOOM!!!"

A piercing blast shook the entire space!

Without a word, Old Yao grabbed Xiao Yan and shot toward the rift above at lightning speed!

The moment the fire lotus bloomed, the six Snake Kings saw death.

Their consciousness and bodies annihilated in an instant!

In the final moment before obliteration, their cores reflected a phantom of a Qilin treading on yin and yang, holding the sun and moon in its maw!

The auras of the six peak fourth-tier magical beasts vanished in an instant.

The explosion swept through the entire space, forming a blooming phantom of a lotus!

Rock layers and earth crumbled, and the space began to collapse!

Xiao Yan's figure shot out of the rift, returning to the depths of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's cave.

He had barely caught his breath.

Old Yao's voice drifted over, tinged with weariness:

"Boy, can you spare this old man's heart for once?"

"Next time you do something like this, give me a heads-up, alright?"

Hearing Old Yao's voice, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose awkwardly:

"Uh, this disciple will remember."

The old man's phantom stared at his disciple, then let out a long sigh:

"From today onward, I fear no one below the Dou Emperor can withstand your full-force strike."