Fire Lotus Across the Sky, Sun-Shrouding!

The enormous Red Lotus slowly rotated, radiating scorching heat that sent the temperature soaring across a thousand meters of surrounding space.

Mittel Tengshan turned back in shock. When he sensed the terrifying energy contained within the fire lotus, his scalp went numb.

Farther away.

Zuo Xiu Hua stared fixedly at the fire lotus, every hair on his body standing on end.

"What kind of Dou Technique is this?"

Could such terrifying energy really be created by a Dou Ling? "Zuo Xiu Hua, didn't you want to avenge your grandson?"

Xiao Yan's expression was indifferent. With a turn of his right hand, the fire lotus's petals bloomed one by one.

Zuo Xiu Hua's eyes widened. "You're Xiao Yan?"

Hadn't they said Nalan Yanran's fiancé had fallen to the third stage of Dou Qi?

How was he a Dou Ling?! "You think such a trick can scare me?!"

Knowing he could not escape, Zuo Xiu Hua's old face twisted as he frantically poured all his Dou Qi into the Emerald Light Sphere.

"Whoosh!"

Mittel Tengshan flashed away, moving a thousand meters away.

The ripples emanating merely from the two of them made it difficult for him to breathe.

It seems I'll have to seek out that person when I get the chance. Mittel Tengshan wore a bitter expression.

Without the Ice Emperor to hold the fort, it would be difficult for the Mite'er Family to establish a firm foothold in the Jia Ma Empire.

"Die!"

With a savage wave of his hand, Zuo Xiu Hua sent the Emerald Light Sphere roaring straight toward Xiao Yan.

"Bloom!"

As the enormous fire lotus fully blossomed, dark-yellow flames rapidly gathered at its core.

Then, there was a flash of light.

"Boom!"

The Mysterious Yellow Flame burst forth, transforming into a surging fire dragon that collided with the incoming Emerald Light Sphere.

Yet—

The massive explosion everyone had expected did not occur.

The dark-yellow fire dragon hissed as it burned the Emerald Light Sphere. After losing some of its flames and shrinking in size, it annihilated the Emerald Light Sphere.

Then, with unstoppable force, it crashed heavily into Zuo Xiu Hua.

"Forest Light Radiance!"

In terror, Zuo Xiu Hua activated his Dou Qi and formed a protective light shield, trying to block the fire dragon's assault.

Yet—

"Bang!"

The dark-yellow fire dragon that struck Zuo Xiu Hua exploded segment by segment from head to tail at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Zuo Xiu Hua was sent steadily backward through the air like a sandbag.

"What Dou Technique did Xiao Yan use to force a Dou Wang into such a state?" Ruo Lin's throat felt dry.

"Pfft!"

As the fire dragon's tail exploded, Zuo Xiu Hua's figure finally emerged from the flames.

"Hiss!"

At the sight of Zuo Xiu Hua's condition, the Dou Ling Elders of the Mite'er Family sharply sucked in cold air.

Mittel Tengshan's pupils trembled violently as well.

The once imposing Zuo Xiu Hua was now dressed in tattered clothes, his hair disheveled.

Streams of crimson blood continued to flow from his dangling arms.

"Dou Ling... Dou Ling... How could this possibly be a Dou Ling..." Zuo Xiu Hua was filled with panic.

Although Xiao Yan's strike had not killed him, it had utterly shattered his courage.

"As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn!"

Zuo Xiu Hua swallowed pills frantically, intending to flee with all his strength.

"It seems that not going all out really is rather disrespectful to a Dou Wang like you."

Xiao Yan sighed softly. Two Heavenly Flames shot skyward from his outstretched hands.

"Boom!"

The converging flames turned into a fire lotus several times larger than before. Its enormous shadow completely engulfed Zuo Xiu Hua below! "What?!" Mittel Tengshan stood frozen in shock.

"Cough..."

Looking up at the Sun-Shrouding fire lotus, Zuo Xiu Hua's throat went dry.

At this moment, he finally realized it.

The Zuo Family—

Had kicked an iron plate! "After today, only the Nine Great Experts will remain in the Jia Ma Empire."

Xiao Yan indifferently extended his index finger, pointing it toward Zuo Xiu Hua, then lightly tapped downward.

"I... I..." Zuo Xiu Hua's voice was hoarse. The plea for mercy reached his lips, yet he could not force it out.

As a renowned figure in the Jia Ma Empire, he had never regarded anyone else highly aside from those few Dou Huangs.

But now—

His fear of death actually forced him to consider begging a junior for mercy! "Whoosh!"

Mittel Tengshan flashed in front of Xiao Yan and hurriedly stopped him. "Xiao Yan, killing a Dou Wang would greatly damage the Jia Ma Empire's strength. Please show mercy!"

After saying this, Mittel Tengshan roared at Zuo Xiu Hua, "Zuo Xiu Hua, do you truly want to die? Once you die, the Zuo Family will be finished!"

"Since Senior wishes to play the hero, Xiao will give Senior this opportunity."

Xiao Yan lowered his finger indifferently, and the enormous fire lotus's petals stretched open one by one.

With every petal that unfurled, the energy brewing within the fire lotus grew stronger.

"Yan'er!"

Xiao Zhan suddenly shouted. As a member of the Jia Ma Empire, he naturally understood the weight of a Dou Wang.

Seeing that Xiao Yan remained indifferent, Zuo Xiu Hua's expression darkened, and the Dou Qi he had been gathering within his body dispersed.

"From this day onward, Zuo will serve as a Guest Elder of the Xiao Family. For as long as Zuo lives, everyone in the Xiao Family will be kept safe!"

Luo Bu's mouth twitched. "A lofty Dou Wang actually bowed his head to a mere brat?"

"Whoosh!"

Xiao Yan casually flicked out a cluster of flames, which entered Zuo Xiu Hua's forehead.

Within the flames was a Secret Technique Yao Lao had taught him. As long as Zuo Xiu Hua ever harbored murderous intent toward anyone from the Xiao Family, he would be consumed by ten thousand flames.

"The Xiao Family has a Dou Wang?!"

Xiao Zhan and several Elders stared blankly at one another, each seeing the confusion in the others' eyes.

The surprise Zhou Cang and Zhou Yuan had brought them was already great enough.

And now there was another Dou Wang!

"A wise choice."

Xiao Yan casually raised his hand, and the enormous fire lotus hovering in the air slowly dissipated.

"So long as Senior fulfills his duties wholeheartedly, the rewards you receive in the future will exceed your imagination."

"However."

"I do not wish to see anyone like Zuo Ya, who bullies others through borrowed power and commits arson, murder, and plunder, in the Zuo Family again."

Zuo Xiu Hua accepted the healing pill Xiao Yan tossed to him and nodded bitterly.

He did not take Xiao Yan's talk of future rewards seriously. He only hoped to preserve his clansmen.

"Senior Xiao Xuan's Flame Fusion Method seems to be only a false fusion. It merely fits two Heavenly Flames together like two molds, perfectly joined."

Xiao Yan descended, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Could it be improved further, truly fusing the two Heavenly Flames together? For example, could the Mysterious Yellow Flame and the Myriad Beast Spirit Fire be kneaded into a fire lotus where they blend into one another?"

Seeing Xiao Yan land before him, Luo Bu's legs went weak, and he backed away in fear.

"Were you gloating earlier?" Xiao Yan cast Luo Bu an indifferent sideways glance.

"I..."

Luo Bu opened his mouth, but the immense terror caused a warm stream to spill from his lower body.

He—

Had wet himself!

Xiao Yan: ...

He had only meant to frighten Luo Bu. He had not intended to make things difficult for Xiao Yu.

But who would have thought Luo Bu would be so easily frightened?

"Xiao Yan, you must join Jia Nan Academy!" Instructor Ruo Lin anxiously grabbed Xiao Yan's arm. The soft fullness pressing against his chest made Xiao Yan freeze in place.

After a long while.

His face reddened before he pushed Ruo Lin away. "Instructor Ruo Lin, I'm not interested in Jia Nan Academy. There's nothing in the academy that can attract me."

Ruo Lin was furious, her face showing the frustration of someone who hated to see iron fail to become steel.

"How can training in the Jia Ma Empire compare to Jia Nan Academy? Jia Nan Academy has a Heavenly Flame Training Qi Tower that even Dou Zuns covet!"

Seeing Ruo Lin's anxious expression, Xiao Yan helplessly pointed at the towering Black Tower.

"You mean that thing?"