Central Continent in Turmoil, a Massive Increase

"Wait, what is the Ancient Eight Clans' alliance agreement?"

"How come I've never heard of it?"

"That's a stupid question. Didn't you see that it restricts experts above the Five-star Dou Saint level? You're only a Dou Emperor. Of course you've never heard of it!"

"Fair enough..."

"My strength might count as formidable in a small place, but if I were placed in a wealthy region like the Central Continent, I wouldn't even count as shit."

"Burning Flame Valley, ranked fourth among the sects, already has a Late Three-star Dou Saint and Old Ancestor Huoyun, who is invincible below the Five-star Dou Saint level. What kind of terrifying existences must the top three forces have?"

"I'm really looking forward to it..."

While the living beings on the various continents discussed the matter animatedly,

the Central Continent was utterly silent. Countless experts stared up at the contents of the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking, stunned.

Once they came back to their senses,

the experts of the various forces turned around one after another.

They looked toward Burning Flame Valley, situated within the Blazing Volcano Range. The sounds of sharp intakes of breath rang out without end.

No one had expected Burning Flame Valley to have hidden itself so deeply.

Whether it was Old Ancestor Huoyun, whose Late Three-star Dou Saint cultivation granted him Late Four-star Dou Saint battle power,

or the two Sect Protecting Puppets in Burning Flame Valley's Forbidden Land, each possessing Two-star Dou Saint battle power, both had left them utterly shaken. This foundation was truly frightening even to think about.

It could be said that

at this moment, the Person in Charge of the vast majority of Central Continent forces were recalling the past.

They wondered whether they had offended Burning Flame Valley before...

At the same time,

within Burning Flame Valley, which stood at the Eye of the Storm,

Tang Zhen, Tang Huo'er, and the eight Dou Zong elders of Burning Flame Valley were all staring at Old Ancestor Huoyun in shock.

Although they had previously guessed that Old Ancestor Huoyun had hidden a great deal,

they had never imagined he had hidden this much.

"Old Ancestor..."

After recovering, Tang Zhen's expression became frenzied. His voice trembled with excitement as he stammered, "Since you possess such powerful cultivation, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Tang Zhen, calm down."

"Look at yourself. Do you look like the Person in Charge of one of the Central Continent's strongest forces?"

Old Ancestor Huoyun glared at Tang Zhen irritably. "I already told you that I had promised someone not to reveal it. If I had told you sooner, wouldn't everyone have found out?"

"Do you want Burning Flame Valley to become a thorn in the Hall of Souls' side?"

"But..." Tang Zhen had wanted to say more, but the instant he thought of the Soul Clan behind the Hall of Souls, he immediately shut his mouth.

Even the current Burning Flame Valley

was merely a slightly larger ant in the eyes of that colossal existence, the Soul Clan.

Old Ancestor's decision to remain hidden and lie low might truly have been the best choice.

Just then,

Tang Huo'er walked over to Old Ancestor Huoyun.

With a face full of confusion, she asked, "Old Ancestor, since your cultivation and battle power are so strong, and there are even two Dou Saint-level Puppets in the Forbidden Land, why did you just watch Burning Flame Valley gradually decline without doing anything?"

"You should know that, at present, aside from Father being at the Peak Five-Star Dou Venerate level, all the other elders in Burning Flame Valley are still only at the Dou Zong Realm!"

At this,

Tang Zhen and the eight elders also looked at Old Ancestor Huoyun in bewilderment.

They likewise wanted to know the reason.

Meeting everyone's gazes,

Old Ancestor Huoyun naturally couldn't say that someone had informed him not to interfere with Burning Flame Valley's development and to wait for the right opportunity before raising the sect's overall strength.

He could only lightly flick Tang Huo'er on the forehead.

Then he casually made something up. "The reason I didn't provide you with assistance was that I didn't want you to develop a habit of relying on it."

"I originally wanted you to grow through adversity, following the example of the founder, Old Ancestor Fen Yan, who rose from humble beginnings and transformed pressure into motivation, thereby returning Burning Flame Valley to its peak. I just didn't expect you to be so useless..."

Hearing this,

Tang Zhen and the others all lowered their heads in shame.

Just then, the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking suddenly scattered countless rays of golden light over Burning Flame Valley.

It began bestowing rewards and blessings.

For a moment,

Burning Flame Valley's Sect Protecting Grand Formation was strengthened, and the energy of heaven and earth within the sect surged.

All the disciples advanced by one level of cultivation under the blessing.

Old Ancestor Huoyun advanced to the Late Four-star Dou Saint level, Tang Zhen advanced to the Peak Six-star Dou Venerate level, and the Second Elder broke through to the Dou Venerate Realm... The two Two-star Dou Saint Puppets in the sect's Forbidden Land also advanced to Three-star Dou Saint battle power.

After the wave of breakthroughs from the Heavenly Dao Blessing ended,

whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Accompanied by several sounds of something tearing through the air,

the Sect Protecting Grand Formation token, four Heaven-tier Intermediate Cultivation Method and Dou Technique scrolls, and ten bottles of Ninth-Grade Pills descended from the sky, hovering in the space before Old Ancestor Huoyun.

Seeing this,

Old Ancestor Huoyun swept over them with his mental strength.

After understanding everything, he directly tossed the two Heaven-tier Intermediate Cultivation Method scrolls and two Heaven-tier Intermediate Dou Technique scrolls to Tang Zhen, saying, "Since Burning Flame Valley's trump cards have been completely exposed, there's no need to act timidly from now on."

"These two Heaven-tier Intermediate Cultivation Methods are to be made available to all disciples."

"As for these two Heaven-tier Intermediate Dou Techniques, because they're too difficult to cultivate, only disciples and elders above the Dou Zong level may study them."

"As for these ten Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills, whose effects are all used to increase one's strength..."

At this,

Old Ancestor Huoyun paused.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly waved his hand.

He took all ten Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills out of the Jade Bottle, placed sealing techniques on them one by one, and then merged them into the bodies of Tang Zhen, Tang Huo'er, and the eight Burning Flame Valley elders beside them.

!!!

Sensing the pills floating within their dantians,

the eight Burning Flame Valley elders felt as if they were dreaming. They had done nothing, yet had received a Ninth-Grade Pill for free.

While they stood there in a daze,

Old Ancestor Huoyun's imposing voice suddenly rang in their ears.

"I've placed seals on all the Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills within your bodies."

"The seals outside the pills will release an amount of medicinal power you can absorb each day according to your individual strength, until you have completely absorbed the Ninth-Grade Pills."

"From today onward, all of you will stay obediently inside Burning Flame Valley and increase your strength."

"Those who should switch to the Heaven Tier Cultivation Method will switch techniques."

"Those who should absorb medicinal power will absorb medicinal power."

"In short, any elder with a Ninth-Grade Treasure Pill in their body is forbidden from leaving and disgracing themselves until they break through to the Dou Venerate Realm."

"I don't want you, despite possessing Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills, to be captured by the Hall of Souls or certain Loose Cultivator experts, only to work hard in the end and make a Wedding Dress for someone else!"

"Yes!"

As the entire Burning Flame Valley celebrated,

the Central Continent.

Within a pavilion at the mountaintop,

Gu Yuan and the patriarchs of the Six Great Ancient Clans had all risen to their feet.

They stared blankly at the scene displayed on the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking.

After a moment of silence, Yan Clan patriarch Yan Jin couldn't help asking, "A Three-star Dou Saint possesses Four-star Dou Saint battle power. Is the might of Burning Flame Valley's Heavenly Flames Three Profound Transformations really that strong?"

"How is this Tang Huoyun like Yao Chen of Starfall Pavilion?"

"He can directly cross an entire star in battle power..."

Faced with Yan Jin's complaint,

Yao Clan Leader Yao Dan instinctively picked up the conversation. "Do you think it's possible that Tang Huoyun's battle power is so strong not because of the Heavenly Flames Three Profound Transformations, but because he cultivated a Secret Technique like Yao Chen?"