One Year

Jia Nan Academy.

Over the years, the Xiao Clan had been pursued by the Misty Cloud Sect like stray dogs. Fortunately, Xiao Yan had enrolled in Jia Nan Academy long before the trouble began. Now, it was time for him to officially begin his studies.

He had already far surpassed Jia Nan Academy's admission requirements. He was now a Three-Star Dou Shi.

After swaggering his way through countless confrontations and humiliating his opponents, Xiao Yan had failed to obtain the Green Lotus Core Flame. However, with Yao Chen's help, he had acquired the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, ranked twenty-second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

Though it was not as strong as the Green Lotus Core Flame, it was still a Heavenly Flame.

Xiao Yan had scattered the remaining clansmen throughout the Jia Ma Empire, waiting for the day they could overthrow the Misty Cloud Sect.

"Just wait, Misty Cloud Sect. One day, I, Xiao Yan, will storm your mountain gates." Xiao Yan's expression was pained as he clenched his fists.

Simply because he, Xiao Yan, had destroyed the Mo Clan, Yun Ling of the Misty Cloud Sect had launched an endless pursuit against him, reducing him to this state.

If the Mo Clan had not come looking for trouble with Xiao Yan, he would never have taken action and wiped them out.

Unfortunately, the Mo Clan had been an affiliated force of the Misty Cloud Sect, and the Misty Cloud Sect happened to care deeply about its reputation. How could they possibly let him off after he had killed them?

Thus, he cultivated diligently at Jia Nan Academy while searching for the legendary Fallen Heart Flame.

Until one day, a black-robed man came before him.

"Young Master Xiao Yan, this is a letter from Miss Xun Er."

After delivering it, he left immediately, not giving Xiao Yan any time to react.

"What's going on? That girl left without saying a word, and now she's sending me a letter... Did something urgent happen at her home, leaving her no time?" Filled with doubt, Xiao Yan opened the envelope. There were only a few lines inside.

"Brother Xiao Yan, I'm sorry. Xun Er was taken away by my family before I had time to say goodbye to you. Xun Er is doing well at home now, so Brother Xiao Yan need not worry.

However, Brother Xiao Yan, do not come to my home to look for me until you have reached the Dou Venerate realm...

Xun Er."

Judging by the handwriting and the contents, it was undoubtedly from Xun Er. Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly, revealing a bitter smile.

"That girl..."

But a Dou Venerate... When would he ever reach that realm?

"Work hard and grow stronger. Once I destroy the Misty Cloud Sect and avenge the Xiao Clan, I'll work hard to gather Heavenly Flames and advance to Dou Venerate. Then, I'll go find you..." Xiao Yan clenched his fist, encouraging himself before returning to his cultivation.

Yet the black-robed man saw the entire scene, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"I've finally completed Young Master's task. I'd really like to see what kind of expression Gu Xun'er will make when she finds out."

Soul Realm.

Hun Tiandi looked at the enormous black Giant Dragon, tens of thousands of feet long, circling in the sky. Its earth-shaking aura spread outward like mountains collapsing and seas overturning, radiating a heart-palpitating presence.

"Tiandi, you've guarded him for an entire year."

A mass of black flames gradually formed into a human figure. Black flames coiled around his entire body, while strange black runes covered him from head to toe. His eyes resembled black holes, suffused with terrifying devouring power.

This was... Nihility Devouring Flame, ranked second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

Gu Yuan had severely wounded him some time ago. Now, his injuries had healed, and he had successfully broken through to the Nine-Star Dou Sheng realm.

"Xu Wu, he is my most outstanding son." Hun Tiandi glanced at Nihility Devouring Flame. "He absolutely has what it takes to advance to Dou Di. Before long, my Hun Clan will rise completely."

"Even if he has the potential to advance to Dou Di, how can he do so without a certain thing?" Nihility Devouring Flame smiled faintly as he looked at Hun Tiandi. "A sixteen-year-old Dou Venerate... He truly is formidable."

"Tianchen is very much like me..." Hun Tiandi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze distant. "I watched him grow up... Because we are one of the Ancient Races, blessed with Dou Di bloodline, we did not need to cultivate or struggle too hard as children. Our strength was basically raised through Bloodline Baptism."

"While others were playing, Tianchen would sit down and meditate, cultivating diligently. He was clearly born with the strength of a Dou Zong, yet he still worked hard at cultivation, and he was incredibly talented."

"Talent only accounts for half of it. The other half requires hard work."

"Tianchen used the time others spent playing, eating, and sleeping to cultivate every day. In a short time, he reached the peak of the Nine-Star Dou Zong realm and even created his own Dou Technique."

"Do you see that dragon in the sky? That is the Dou Technique Tianchen created himself."

Nihility Devouring Flame looked at the massive Black Dragon above, and his tone changed somewhat.

"Tiandi, your son has created an extraordinarily remarkable Dou Technique."

"Even with just one glance, I can sense an immense threat from that dragon."

"Not just you. So can I." Hun Tiandi sighed. "He really is like me."

"Since childhood, he has cultivated diligently, indifferent to everything, utterly cold and ruthless."

"He cultivated in silence, then... astonished everyone. Just like I did when I was young. Otherwise, I would never have become clan leader."

"The Sacred Body Demonic Heart physique... Tiandi, have you truly never considered taking your own son's physique and becoming a Dou Di yourself?" Nihility Devouring Flame suddenly asked.

Hun Tiandi froze for a moment, then fell silent.

"I know what kind of person you are. In order to become a Dou Di, you would surely pay any price." Nihility Devouring Flame stared directly at him. "And your son possesses the Sacred Body Demonic Heart physique. Such a physique might not appear even once in tens of thousands of years. Are you certain you have made no plans?"

Hun Tiandi was silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

"He is my son, my most outstanding son, and the son most like me."

"I understand." Nihility Devouring Flame did not linger and left the place.

Hun Tiandi continued watching the Black Dragon circling above, lost in thought.

"Hun Miesheng, as a member of the Hun Clan and the Hall Master of the Hall of Souls, why have you hidden three Heavenly Flames instead of handing them over?"

Hun Miesheng looked coldly at the middle-aged man before him and said in a deep voice,

"These Heavenly Flames were entrusted to me by Young Master. Young Master found them himself. I still do not know what Young Master needs them for. If you want to take these Heavenly Flames, then go report it to Young Master yourself."

Hun Miesheng raised a hand and pointed toward the highest point of the Soul Realm, at the Black Dragon circling in the sky.

The middle-aged man looked over, and his expression became incomparably grim.

His name was Hun Yao, the son of Hun Xuzi, the Hun Clan's foremost alchemist. He was already quite old and was close to advancing to become a Ninth-Rank Alchemist.

His lifelong dream was simple: to possess a Heavenly Flame of his own.

His status within the Hun Clan was fairly good, placing him among the upper ranks. Combined with his identity as an alchemist and his father Hun Xuzi's position in the Hun Clan, his standing was extremely high. Hun Miesheng was not someone he could compare to.

"Hun Miesheng, the Young Clan Leader has been in seclusion for a full year. Who knows whether he will ever come out? Besides, you understand how important Heavenly Flames are to alchemists. I'll say it one more time: give me the Fallen Heart Flame!"

Hun Miesheng frowned. If this fellow were not an Eighth-Rank Alchemist, he would have slapped him to death long ago.

"Go ask Young Master for it yourself. What use is there in telling me all this? I understand now—you're afraid of Young Master, aren't you?"