Subduing the Demonic Fire, Rising to Nine Stars, Hun Tiandi's Invitation

[To avoid having your identity recognized, you did not immediately head to the Branch Hall after returning to the Central Continent.]

[After disguising yourself, you gathered information throughout the Central Continent.]

[However, you obtained no substantial information.]

[You arrived at a Soul Hall Branch Hall and met the Black White Heavenly Venerates.]

[The Black White Heavenly Venerates still remembered you and assumed you were merely a Dou Zong.]

[You handed Qing Hai Venerate's soul body, its consciousness erased, to Nine Heavens Venerable Mo Yu.]

[You also told Mo Yu that you had secretly discovered Qing Hai Venerate colluding with the Ancient Clan, intending to wipe out the Heavenly Burial Ravine Branch Hall, but you had discovered and stopped him in time.]

[No one present believed you possessed such strength. They all thought you were spouting nonsense.]

[You displayed a bit of your strength.]

[Several Venerable Elders present, the Black White Heavenly Venerates, and Star Picking Old Ghost were all dumbfounded!]

[No one had expected that in just three to five years, you would soar from a Dou Zong to a Seven-star Dou Venerate! You were even more terrifying than Nine Heavens Venerable Mo Yu.]

[Because of your outstanding performance and immense potential, you won the appreciation of several Heavenly Venerates of the Soul Hall.]

[You were exceptionally promoted to become one of the Ten Heavenly Venerates of the Soul Hall.]

[You became part of the Soul Clan's upper ranks.]

[You obtained some information regarding the Soul Clan's actions.]

[The Soul Clan had now begun to act.]

[The Ling Clan had vanished.]

[Cracks had emerged among the ancient clans, and they had all begun guarding against one another.]

[Friction between the Ancient Clan and the Soul Clan intensified.]

[The Ancient Clan claimed that the Ling Clan's disappearance was connected to the Soul Clan, while the Soul Clan claimed that the Ancient Clan could not escape blame for the Ling Clan losing contact.]

[The remaining clans were all confused, unsure of whom to believe.]

[You also began to act.]

[You secretly arrived at the Nine Nether Earth Nether Python Clan, took out the skeleton you had found in the magma world of Jia Nan Academy, and, while no one was paying attention, injected one drop of its blood essence into a noble of the Nine Nether Earth Nether Python Clan.]

[Afterward, you threw the skeleton in the direction opposite the Nine Nether Yellow Springs.]

[Before long, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan sensed the blood essence and sent people over.]

[A dispute broke out with the Nine Nether Earth Nether Python Clan.]

[The skeleton you had planted was discovered, and a great battle erupted between the two sides!]

[Seizing this opportunity, you arrived at the Nine Nether Yellow Springs.]

Ye Hao: "What a fine scheme—killing with a borrowed knife and shifting the blame elsewhere!"

There was no helping it. This world had always been one where the strong preyed on the weak, and only the fittest survived.

[Old Yao was once again astonished by your actions.]

[At the time, he had thought you were a fool for not refining such blood essence after obtaining it. He had not expected you to have kept this move in reserve.]

[After setting up a barrier around the Nine Nether Yellow Springs, you entered it.]

[You obtained the Yellow Springs Demon Saint's inheritance, gaining the Heavenly Rank Dou Techniques Yellow Springs Heavenly Wrath, Yellow Springs Finger, and Yellow Springs Palm.]

[You obtained several drops of Demon Saint Blood Essence.]

[You found a secluded place and refined those drops of blood essence.]

[You were very fortunate.]

[You successfully broke through to the peak of the Dou Venerate realm.]

[You also fully mastered all of the Yellow Springs Demon Saint's Heavenly Rank Dou Techniques.]

[With your current strength, Heavenly Rank Dou Techniques could only serve as your final life-saving trump cards and could not be used lightly. Otherwise, they would instantly drain most of your Dou Qi.]

[Your alchemy had also reached High-grade Eighth Rank.]

[You returned to the Nine Nether Earth Nether Python Clan once more and discovered that many had fallen. Taking advantage of the opportunity, you collected several remnant souls.]

[The current Central Continent appeared calm and peaceful on the surface, as usual.]

[But you knew very well that the major transcendent factions had already begun frantically probing one another—or concealing themselves.]

[You found a secluded place and continued your closed-door cultivation.]

[In the blink of an eye, three years passed.]

[You reached the high-level Half-Saint realm.]

[You attended the Space Trading Fair but narrowly missed obtaining the fragmentary map.]

[Later, however, you killed that person and took the fragmentary map, along with all of his possessions, for yourself.]

[You also obtained clues to the Savage Ancient Region and the Bodhi Ancient Tree.]

[A few months later.]

[You arrived at the Savage Ancient Region. Overpowering all rivals, you obtained Bodhi Seeds from the Bodhi Ancient Tree.]

[At the same time, you broke through to become a Two-star Dou Saint!]

[According to the map, Demonic Flame Descends would occur in another five years.]

[After completing the soul collection mission, you entered seclusion once more.]

[In the blink of an eye, five years passed.]

[You refined all the Bodhi Seeds and absorbed countless heavenly treasures, advancing to a Six-star Dou Saint.]

Ye Hao: "??"

Why was the simulation progressing so quickly this time?

It was either three years at a time or five years at a time.

The earlier parts had dragged on for so long!

Now, the progress was racing ahead!

And besides...

The later breakthroughs were practically like taking a plane!

It was ridiculously fast!

Was this the effect of Explosive Good Luck?!

[At last, you awaited the moment—two moons appearing together, nine stars aligned, the tides of heaven and earth surging, Demonic Flame Descends.]

[Following the map's directions, you waited early at the Demonic Flame Plains.]

[Many major factions had sent people here.]

[After entering the Demonic Flame Space, they became trapped in illusions.]

[Only you knew the truth and successfully made your way to the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame.]

[The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame looked at you in surprise. "Not bad, kid. You actually didn't fall into the illusion. You've got some skill! In that case, I'll send you into reincarnation!"]

[Everyone else was trapped, so there was no need for you to keep pretending.]

[You smiled. "Others may not recognize you, but I do. You are... the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame!"]

[The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's pupils constricted, and a savage expression surfaced on its face. "So what if you know? You, and every one of them, will become my fire slaves and be enslaved by me forever!"]

[You smiled faintly. "Is that so?"]

[For some reason, the sight of your smile made the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's heart tremble, as though it had seen the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint from back then.]

[But the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint was already dead! No one on the Dou Qi Continent could control it anymore!]

[The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame laughed wildly and smugly.]

[Your strength was not far from that of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, but you did not wish to waste your energy fighting it.]

[You wanted to conserve your strength to refine it.]

[You activated the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map and awakened the remnant soul of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint hidden within.]

[The moment it saw the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint, uncontrollable fear appeared amid the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's rage-filled expression.]

[It tried to erase you completely.]

[But the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint stopped it.]

[The Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint then erased the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's memories, returning it to its initial state.]

[At that moment, the others also awoke from the illusion.]

[They all wanted to fight over it.]

[However, the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame now flew to you of its own accord.]

[You swallowed it in one motion.]

[The others could only retreat.]

[The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's energy was simply too vast. Though you were a Six-star Dou Saint, it still took you two and a half years to refine it completely.]

[Your strength soared to the Nine Star Dou Saint realm!]

[Your Soul Power also advanced directly from the Spiritual Realm to Heavenly Realm Grand Perfection!]

[Fen Jue was purified to Heavenly Rank Intermediate.]

[Taking advantage of this opportunity, you devoured Yao Chen's Bone Spirit Cold Flame.]

Ye Hao: "Holy shit..."

That was one hell of a haul!

He had soared directly from a Six-star Dou Saint to a Nine Star Dou Saint!

That saved him so much time!

Now, he could wait peacefully for Hun Tiandi to obtain the Ancient Jade.

[You had just emerged from the Demonic Flame Space when Hun Miesheng invited you to the Soul Clan.]

[No!]

[More accurately, it was Hun Tiandi who had invited you.]

[You arrived at the Soul Clan.]

[For the first time, you met the ambitious and remarkably capable Hun Tiandi.]

[Hmm, he had quite a scholarly air about him.]

[Nihility Devouring Flame, on the other hand, was far more rough and rugged.]

[Upon seeing you, Hun Tiandi revealed a surprised expression. "I never expected you to be so young. You truly are a blessing to our Soul Clan."]

[Nihility Devouring Flame said, "At barely twenty or thirty years old, you've already reached the Nine Star Dou Saint Late-stage. I wonder whether you brat are simply lucky, or exceptionally gifted."]

[Hun Tiandi smiled, then his expression turned solemn. "No matter what, you are a talent of our Soul Clan. I hope that in the coming plan, you will assist me with all your strength."]

[You smiled and nodded. "Naturally."]

[Hun Tiandi was delighted. Knowing that you had risen step by step from being a Soul Hall protector, he considered you one of his own. Thus, he did not hide anything from you and told you of his plan.]

[Just as you already knew.]

[You went to the Pill Tower and took Three Thousand Burning Flame. You obtained Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Flame in Fentian Valley and refined them all.]

[Fen Jue advanced to Heavenly Rank Advanced.]

[You reached the Nine Star Dou Saint Late-stage.]

[One month later.]

[The Soul Clan began to act. With lightning speed, they obtained all the remaining Ancient Jade pieces.]

[With Nihility Devouring Flame's help, they found the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion.]

[The Soul Clan army arrived at the Black Corner Region and summoned Tushe Ancient Emperor's cave mansion.]

[Zhu Kun was nowhere to be seen before the cave mansion.]

[The Ancient Clan Allied Forces arrived.]

[Battle erupted between the two sides.]

[Taking advantage of the chaos, Hun Tiandi entered the cave mansion, with Gu Yuan and the other experts following close behind.]

[You entered as well.]

PS: The two chapters came to around 5,500 words. I'll see whether I can make the next two chapters 6,000 words, or perhaps have three chapters total a little over 6,000 words...