Plucking a Lotus from the Flames! Bronze Fragments Appear!

The crimson-gold Dragon Phoenix Flame flowed and burned quietly around Xiao Zhan, like the cloak worn by an emperor to symbolize supreme majesty. It radiated a gentle yet inviolable light. Like a loyal sentinel, it silently extinguished the last traces of the raging magma's aftershocks, restoring a brief calm to this chaotic space.

Within the underground cavern, waves of scorching air still churned and surged like untamed horses, as if recounting the thrilling battle that had just taken place. However, the destructive collision had already subsided, leaving only devastation in its wake. The massive whirlpool remaining on the magma lake's surface was like a deep-set eye, silently watching everything. The shocking melted scars on the rock walls were like wounds carved by time, silently yet powerfully telling of the terrifying might contained in that earth-shattering punch—a force that seemed capable of tearing heaven and earth apart and shaking the universe.

The Peak Fifth-Order Magma Guardian Beast had completely vanished, reduced to a few unwilling yet helpless dark-red streams of light deep beneath the lake. Like a legend that had passed away, they gradually faded into the scorching magma. The entire cavern was so quiet that the only sound was the magma's slow bubbling, like the heavy sigh of the earth. And then... there was the Green Lotus Core Flame, hovering at the heart of the lake, its azure light blazing as if it were silently roaring in fury! Like the sovereign of this space, it radiated an awe-inspiring aura.

At that moment, the Heavenly Flame seemed utterly enraged, like a primordial beast awakened from slumber! Its twelve jade-green lotus petals swayed wildly, as if wielding blades of fury. The deep-green liquid flame at the lotus's heart throbbed and swelled violently, like a heart about to burst, brimming with endless energy. A terrifying heat and destructive energy fluctuation far beyond anything before erupted with a thunderous roar, like millions of bombs detonating at once and shaking the entire cavern.

The whole magma lake seemed to have had billions of bombs thrown into it, erupting into a boil in an instant. Countless thicker, more violent pillars of magma shot skyward like furious fire dragons breaking straight through the firmament. The pillars were no longer dark red; they had taken on a deeply unsettling green hue, as if corrupted by an evil force, and radiated danger. The air ignited in an instant, crackling and popping as though heaven and earth were roaring in fury. Space warped to its limits, even developing fine black cracks like a shattered mirror that sent chills down the spine.

This was the Green Lotus Core Flame's true power! Its might was enough to burn mountains and boil seas, to make even Dou Huang experts blanch. It seemed the most terrifying force between heaven and earth, something both awe-inspiring and alluring.

"Roar—!!!"

As the Heavenly Flame rampaged like a raging tide, a majestic, ancient dragon's roar suddenly burst from within Xiao Zhan. It seemed to have traveled from the depths of the long river of time! The roar had not come from Xiao Zhan's mouth, but from the seemingly delicate Seven-Colored Little Snake on his wrist.

At some point, the Seven-Colored Little Snake had fully awakened. Its tiny body was taut and straight, like an arrow poised to fly. Its seven-colored scales shimmered as if set with countless brilliant gems, radiating a mysterious, enchanting light. Its pale-purple eyes fixed on the enraged Heavenly Flame. Not only did it show no fear, but it instead revealed a more unadulterated, domineering hunger to devour, born from the depths of its bloodline—as though, in its eyes, the Heavenly Flame were nothing more than a delicious dish waiting to be eaten.

The Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python! Ancestor of all serpents! In the world of snakes, it stood supreme. To it, a Heavenly Flame was also precious nourishment for evolution, a powerful aid that could help it climb to even greater heights. At that moment, the slumbering will of Queen Medusa was fully kindled by the flame of the same origin, like a dormant volcano erupting with irresistible force.

"Good! We'll join forces and take it!" Xiao Zhan keenly sensed the firm, resolute intent the little snake sent him. The fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter, like a blazing fire illuminating the scorching underground cavern. He hesitated no longer. He took one steady, forceful step forward, and ripples spread through space like waves on water after a stone had been tossed in. In an instant, his figure appeared at the edge of the raging sea of azure flames.

The Seven-Colored Little Snake on his wrist seemed to sense the call of its mission. It slipped free and transformed into a brilliant stream of seven-colored light, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, then instantly merged with the contract mark between Xiao Zhan's brows. That mark seemed to be a mysterious passage connecting their souls and power.

"Buzz—!"

An indescribably vast power, imbued with the ancient majesty of the primordial wilderness, surged through Xiao Zhan in an instant like a rising tide. His eyes changed strangely: one burned with crimson-gold Dragon Phoenix Flame, scorching and imposing, as if it could burn away all evil in the world; the other had turned into a pale-purple snake's eye, mysterious and profound, as if concealing endless secrets. His aura surged wildly, expanding like an inflating balloon. It broke through the boundary of the early Dou Zong stage in an instant, drawing infinitely close to Peak Dou Zong. The powerful aura made the air around him tremble. Wisps of dreamlike, seven-colored light now wound around the crimson-gold phantom dragon scales, like gorgeous robes draped over them.

Under the bond of their contract, the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art and the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's Origin power fused perfectly. It was as if two distinct yet complementary forces had finally found their destined union, erupting with unprecedented might.

"Burn!" Xiao Zhan growled, his voice brimming with resolve and confidence, as if he meant to conquer every Heavenly Flame in the world.

Xiao Zhan—whose will had now deeply merged with that of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python—slowly uttered an ancient, majestic syllable. It seemed to have existed since the dawn of primordial chaos, bearing the weight and mystery of ages. Then he formed a hand seal, his movements smooth and natural, as if echoing some fundamental law of heaven and earth.

In an instant, the flame that surged from within him was no longer the pure Dragon Phoenix Flame of before. It was a crimson-gold fire fused with seven-colored radiance, gushing forth like a breached flood. Crimson-gold with a fantastical rainbow sheen, it seemed to gather the most dazzling colors between heaven and earth into a colossal hand wreathed in seven-colored golden flames, blotting out the sky.

Dragon scales faintly emerged across the giant hand, like the armor of an ancient divine dragon, hard as stone. Phoenix patterns flowed without end, like the dazzling trails left by a phoenix spreading its wings, exuding nobility and grace. It also carried the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's domineering will to devour all things, an invisible blade capable of cutting through every obstacle. It ignored the azure pillars of flame, hot enough to melt pure gold, as if they were no more than fragile weeds. It ignored the twisting, cracking space, whose fissures seemed like no more than trivial blemishes beside it. Bearing the terrifying might to suppress all things, like the giant hand of a heavenly deity, it came crashing down on the violently surging Green Lotus Flame's source!

"Screee—!!!"

The Green Lotus Core Flame seemed to sense the lethal threat and let out a shrill cry that pierced the soul. It sounded like a wail from hell, or a desperate scream. The flame at the lotus's heart spun frantically like a rapidly whirling vortex, condensing into a deep-green spear of flame, refined to the utmost. Like divine punishment that split the heavens and earth, it bore the resolve to incinerate all things and radiated a chilling aura as it stabbed viciously toward the descending seven-colored golden hand!

"Boom—!!!!!"

It was a collision beyond the power of words! Seven-colored golden flames slammed into the deep-green spear of fire. In that instant, time seemed to freeze and space to stand still. No sound emerged, because the energy was so terrifying that sound itself was annihilated the moment it came into being—as if it had never existed. Only a storm of pure energy, like a supernova exploding, swelled outward from the point of impact and swept through the cavern. It carried the power to destroy heaven and earth, devouring everything in its path, as if it meant to remake the entire world.

The whole underground cavern seemed to be shaken violently by an invisible giant hand. The rock walls, once hard enough to withstand any impact, now crumbled and melted across vast swathes beneath the terrifying force, scattering stone and magma in every direction. The churning surface of the magma lake was completely vaporized, revealing the scorching magma roiling beneath like hidden currents, as if concealing endless secrets and danger. Spatial fissures spread, widened, and interwove like a crazed spiderweb, threatening to tear the entire cavern to pieces.

The brief deadlock lasted for only an instant!

The deep-green spear, condensed from the Green Lotus Core Flame's Origin, was powerful enough to pierce a Dou Zong expert's defenses, like a blade from hell bearing endless destruction. Yet beneath the combined crushing force of the Dragon Phoenix Origin and the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's devouring power contained in the giant hand of seven-colored golden flame, it was as fragile as an ice pick striking a boulder. The deep-green spear broke apart inch by inch. Its fragments disintegrated and vanished in the vortex of energy, becoming specks of azure light that faded into the scorching, chaotic space.

The giant hand of seven-colored golden flame lost none of its momentum. Like an immovable mountain bearing irresistible force, it seized the violently struggling Green Lotus Flame's source, its azure flames surging wildly, and clutched it firmly in its palm. The flame source seemed unwilling to be captured. It writhed and struggled wildly, azure fire gushing out like a raging tide in an attempt to break free of the giant hand's grip.

"Seal!"

Xiao Zhan—his will now perfectly fused with the mysterious power—shouted again, his voice ringing like a great bell through the trembling cavern. The giant hand of seven-colored golden flame clenched tighter, as if an invisible cage were closing around its captive. Countless streaks of seven-colored light fused with Dragon-Phoenix Runes burst from its palm, wrapping around the raging azure flame source like the toughest chains of law. The flame source struggled and burned frantically, trying to break free. The chains of seven-colored light flickered, tightening with a grating creak, as if they might snap at any moment. Yet the two supreme Origin powers within them formed a cage like heaven and earth itself, imprisoning the flame source firmly. No matter how it struggled, it could not escape.

At the same time, a flame-Origin power of utmost purity, yet wild and unruly, flowed along the chains of seven-colored light into Xiao Zhan's body like a surging river. It carried the Green Lotus Core Flame's heat and ferocity, along with the Dragon Phoenix and Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's mystery and might. It coursed freely through Xiao Zhan, as if it meant to transform his body completely.

[Warning! High-purity Heavenly Flame Origin detected—Green Lotus Core Flame is being forcefully infused! The Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art is operating beyond capacity. The meridians are nearing their limit, like a bowstring stretched to its breaking point!]

[Warning! The conflict between the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's Origin will and the Heavenly Flame Origin is intensifying, like two raging torrents colliding! Host's soul burden is increasing drastically, like a lone boat about to capsize in a storm!]

The system's warnings rang out like sharp steel needles exploding deep in Xiao Zhan's mind, stabbing at every nerve. The violent Heavenly Flame energy was like billions of red-hot needles, scorching and destructive, relentlessly battering his meridians. Under its assault, his meridians were like fragile pipes, squeezed and pounded again and again as they groaned in agony.

An equally violent will from the Green Lotus Core Flame's Origin roared and crashed about in the depths of Xiao Zhan's soul like a frenzied beast. It was like a demon locked in a cage, desperate to break free and burn everything around it to ashes. The Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's devouring will was just as domineering. Like another ferocious beast, it tore at the Green Lotus Core Flame's will inside him, neither yielding an inch.

Pain! It was a pain that seemed to rip his soul apart, sweeping through Xiao Zhan in an instant like countless sharp daggers. His face turned as pale as paper. The phantom crimson-gold scales on his skin flickered violently like candles wavering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment. A trickle of pale-golden blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, as if imbued with endless pain and struggle. His body was like a furnace in the depths of hell, enduring torment beyond anything an ordinary person could bear.

"Be... suppressed!!!"

Xiao Zhan's eyes were bloodshot, as if two blazing flames burned in them. A feral growl rumbled from his throat, full of resolve and defiance. The Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art surged to an unprecedented limit, rumbling like a machine spinning at top speed. His soul power surged like an angry sea, fiercely guarding the last sliver of clarity in his mind and refusing to let the two frenzied wills devour him.

He frantically guided and refined the Heavenly Flame Origin flowing into his body, like a master craftsman trying to tame a raging power. At the same time, he used his own will as a bridge to forcibly reconcile the two forces within him—forces as domineering as each other, yet as incompatible as fire and water—like a wise mediator striving to make them coexist peacefully.

It was an extremely dangerous process. Every step was like walking along the edge of a cliff. One wrong move would destroy his meridians and shatter his soul, plunging him into an endless abyss from which there would be no escape.

Time seemed to be gently clutched by an invisible hand, and then came to a halt. In the deep, silent underground cavern, all that remained was the faint trickling of magma as it flowed slowly, and the barely perceptible trembling of Xiao Zhan's body from unbearable pain. He stood motionless like a divine statue tempered by blazing flames and a thousand hammer blows, enduring an agony no human should have to bear. Every inch of skin and every nerve quivered in pain.

No one knew how long it had been. Perhaps only a brief moment had passed, or perhaps an entire century.

"Buzz—!"

A clear, weighty hum echoed from deep within Xiao Zhan. The energy storm that had been raging inside him, colliding with the force of thunder, finally began to subside like the receding tide. The brilliant crimson-gold light and dazzling seven-colored radiance that had enveloped him gradually drew inward and merged, at last transforming into a deep, restrained dark-gold sheen. Like a sword tempered through hardship, it had sheathed its edge yet seemed all the more steady and mysterious.

At the contract mark between his brows, the phantom of the Seven-Colored Little Snake flashed like a brilliant streak of lightning, then vanished. The next instant, it coiled around Xiao Zhan's wrist again. Its aura seemed a little stronger than before, but a deep weariness lingered in it, like a warrior exhausted by battle. It sank into slumber once more.

Xiao Zhan slowly opened his palm. A docile deep-green flame burned quietly in the center of it. It still radiated a terrifying heat that sent chills down the spine, like a miniature sun ready to explode at any moment. But its former violent, destructive aura had vanished without a trace, replaced by docile submission and a lively spirit. At the heart of the flame, the faint image of a tiny green lotus could be seen, like a brilliant pearl set inside it.

He had successfully subdued the Green Lotus Core Flame!

[ Ding! Special mission completed: Subdue the Green Lotus Core Flame! ]

[Rewards issued: Heaven Rank Low Grade flame-control secret art, Flame Emperor Art (Fragment One)! Fire-attribute Origin affinity greatly increased!]

[Host has successfully refined a portion of a Heavenly Flame Origin. The Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art has advanced to "Proficient" (30%)! Dou Qi cultivation has risen to Peak Two-Star Dou Zong!]

The series of notifications rang in Xiao Zhan's mind like a beautiful melody, announcing his triumphant victory in this thrilling adventure.

A vast stream of information surged into Xiao Zhan's mind, carrying the profound, mysterious principles of the Flame Emperor Art fragment. He felt as if countless stars were twinkling in his mind, while wave after wave of intricate flame-control methods and Dou Qi circulation techniques surged through it. Feeling the Dou Qi coursing through his body—several times purer and more vigorous than before, like roaring dragons racing through his meridians—and the azure flame in his palm, docile at his command like a pet, a powerful and steadfast confidence sprang up in his heart like a new shoot emerging from the soil in spring.

With the faintest movement of his mind, the azure flame in his palm came alive, transforming into a nimble, elegant little green snake that curled lightly around his fingertips as if playing with him. In the blink of an eye, it became a delicate green lotus, floating before him and radiating a soft, pure light. Such exquisite control of fire far surpassed anything he had ever imagined, like a master painter able to sketch any scene that came to mind. This was the initial mastery granted by the Flame Emperor Art, making him feel as though he had gained command over the very soul of fire.

"It's time to leave." Xiao Zhan slowly surveyed the devastated underground cavern, on the verge of collapse. The crumbling rock walls and scorching magma seemed to recount the thrilling battle that had just taken place. He did not linger. With a thought, the Green Lotus Core Flame became a brilliant streak of light and vanished into his dantian, where the powerful forces of the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art and the Flame Emperor Art nurtured it. His figure darted forward and transformed into a streak of dark-gold light, like a shooting star piercing the night. He surged upward through the continually collapsing rock layers, toward the quicksand whirlpool passage he had used to enter, and disappeared into the boundless darkness.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on the stone bed, his mind completely immersed in the mysterious soul space within the black ring. The mysterious Bronze Fragments floated quietly inside. Dark-gold runes flowed across its surface as if alive, radiating a vast, pure energy that continuously nourished Yao Lao's dim soul-light, like a splendid galaxy.

The light of the soul had grown ever so slightly brighter than before. Though it remained as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment, its visible rate of recovery made Xiao Yan tremble with excitement. His hands clenched unconsciously, and his eyes shone with anticipation. These fragments truly were the hope of restoring his teacher, like a lamp in the darkness illuminating the road ahead.

"Teacher... please wake up soon..." Xiao Yan prayed silently in his heart, each thought filled with his deep concern for Yao Lao. He focused completely, carefully guiding more pure energy toward Yao Lao's dim soul-light like a gentle stream, as if caring for the most precious treasure in the world.

Just then, the seemingly ordinary black ring on his finger suddenly stirred again. The sensation was incredibly faint, yet as clear as the brightest star in the night sky! This time, the stirring did not point toward the vast world outside. Instead... it was like an invisible hand pointing to a specific direction deep within the oasis.

"Hmm?" Xiao Yan's eyes flew open, and a flicker of surprise and suspicion flashed through them. His gaze seemed ready to pierce the void before him and uncover the source of the sensation. This stirring... felt strikingly similar to when that mysterious Bronze Fragment had first merged with the ring! Could there be more Bronze Fragments hidden in the oasis?

The thought spread through his mind like a wildfire, consuming every other thought. A treasure capable of restoring his teacher's soul was already an incredible, heaven-defying opportunity. If there were more... Xiao Yan's heartbeat suddenly quickened, as if a little deer were leaping around in his chest.

He could no longer settle down to cultivate. He sprang to his feet and dashed from the stone chamber like the wind! The stirring from the ring grew clearer and stronger, like an invisible thread pulling him toward the ancient ruins in the oasis's northwest corner, an area the Snake-People Tribe had designated as forbidden. His steps were hurried yet firm, each one bringing him closer to the unknown opportunity.

At last, when he reached the ruins, the sight before him stirred him deeply. It was a wasteland mercilessly scoured by wind and sand, a pearl lost to the river of time, stripped of its former splendor. Enormous broken pillars were half-buried in the sand, like the fallen bodies of giants, bearing a sorrowful air of age and tragedy. The ruined stone walls were covered in serpent totems, blurred by the ravages of time, yet still stubbornly telling of past glory. The air was filled with an ancient, weathered aura, like the whisper of history recounting the tales of this land.

Xiao Yan appeared at the edge of the ruins like a ghost. The moment his feet touched the ground, the black ring in his hand suddenly grew scorching hot, like a piece of red-hot iron, and began to tremble violently. The stirring surged to its peak like a raging tide! Following the powerful pull, its source was unmistakably at the heart of the ruins—a broken altar with only half its base remaining!

The altar had been built from an extraordinarily strange black stone. Its surface was covered with intersecting cracks left by the passage of time, as if carved by Time's merciless blade. In an inconspicuous corner at the center of its base, half-buried beneath yellow sand and dust, a sliver of something faintly glimmered... a dark-gold metallic sheen. Though weak, its light was like a ray of dawn in the darkness, instantly catching Xiao Yan's eye.

Xiao Yan's heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest. He paid no heed to the grit digging into his hands and had no time to look for tools. He dug frantically with his bare hands. Every handful of sand he tossed aside carried his eager anticipation; every scrape of his fingers against the earth seemed to knock on the door of fate. Before long, he unearthed and lifted from the sand a fragment the size of his palm, almost exactly like the Bronze Fragment inside his ring!

The fragment felt cold and heavy in his hand, like a block of thousand-year-old ice. Thick verdigris and layers of sand coated its surface, as if it were an old man weathered by countless years, dusted with the grime of time. Yet that ancient aura, clearly of the same origin, formed an invisible bond between the fragment and the black ring. The ring's violent resonance, like a stirring battle hymn, also proved his judgment beyond doubt—this was the second Bronze Fragment!

The instant Xiao Yan seized the fragment in delight, it seemed he had triggered some mysterious mechanism!

"Buzz—!!!"

A sudden change erupted as a terrifying, mysterious power burst out like a raging tide!

The black ring on his left hand shone like a kindled star of mystery, while the Bronze Fragment he had just dug from the sand in his right hand radiated a blazing dark-gold light. The two beams seemed to possess minds of their own. They instantly converged in the air, winding and weaving together into fantastical, shifting visions.

Then a fragment of an indescribably ancient will, like an ancient god who had slumbered since the dawn of heaven and earth, quietly awoke. Accompanied by countless indistinct, dreamlike images and a vast torrent of energy and information that nearly choked him, it surged into Xiao Yan's mind like a breached flood, sweeping in with overwhelming force.

"Gah—!" Xiao Yan felt as though he had been struck by a heavy hammer. His vision went black, and his head throbbed as if ten thousand steel needles were piercing it at once. Countless shattered scenes flashed wildly through his consciousness like a fantastical nightmare: a broken bronze giant gate covered in mysterious runes, as if recounting secrets unknown to all; a corner of a vast palace stretching across the endless galaxy, radiating solemn majesty and inspiring awe; fragments of a battlefield blazing with chaotic flames, where war raged and cries of battle shook the heavens, as if he could hear the sorrowful roars of ancient warriors; and, most of all, a sorrowful sigh from countless ages past, plaintive as a lament and laden with endless weariness and grief...

The information was too vast and chaotic. Like a raging tide, it instantly overwhelmed the limits of Xiao Yan's soul. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, like a lone boat caught in a storm.

"Thud!" Clutching his head, Xiao Yan fell painfully to his knees. Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead, soaking his clothes. The light from the fragment and the ring in his hands gradually faded, but the torrent of information continued to batter him. His consciousness was in chaos, and his soul seemed on the verge of being torn into countless pieces by the powerful force.

"Yan'er!" Just then, a deep, authoritative shout exploded like thunder beside Xiao Yan's ear. The next instant, a gentle yet boundless soul power flooded into him like the warm sun of spring. It forcibly smoothed the raging torrent of information in his mind, like a loving elder gently soothing his wounded soul.

Xiao Zhan's figure appeared beside Xiao Yan like a ghostly phantom, silent yet swift as lightning. His face was as dark as ink, as if weighed down by an invisible mountain. He had just returned to the oasis when he keenly sensed the abnormal energy fluctuations here, along with the aura of Xiao Yan's struggle. His heart leapt with worry, and he had rushed over using his movement technique.

"F-Father..." Xiao Yan's face was as pale as paper, and he was drenched in sweat as if he had just been pulled from the water. He weakly raised his head, looking at Xiao Zhan with lingering fear and bewilderment. His lips trembled as he said, "This fragment... and the ring..."

Xiao Zhan's gaze locked onto the newly unearthed Bronze Fragment in Xiao Yan's hand and the mysterious black ring on his left hand, as sharp as an arrow. The instant his eyes touched the ring, an extremely faint yet unmistakable stirring rose from the depths of his soul. It came from the Dragon Phoenix Origin, as though it had encountered something far away that stood on the same level as itself, yet remained unfathomably mysterious.

His expression did not change, but he secretly gathered his power and gently reached out. The new fragment flew into his palm as if drawn by invisible strings. At the same time, his powerful soul sense swept across Xiao Yan's black ring like the most precise probe, unstoppable.

"Buzz!"

A faint ripple passed over the black ring's surface. It seemed to instinctively resist Xiao Zhan's probing for a moment, but that resistance vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The ring then fell silent again, as if nothing had happened.

"The Bronze Immortal Palace..." Xiao Zhan stared intently at the ancient patterns on the edges of the two fragments in his palm, which seemed to fit together. The patterns were like mysterious codes left behind by time, concealing boundless secrets. He sensed the fragments' shards of law, far beyond his comprehension, and their vast aura, like stars in the depths of the universe—mysterious and powerful. After a long while, he slowly spoke those four words. They were the only clear idea he had managed to grasp after forcibly sorting through the broken streams of information in Xiao Yan's mind.

Those simple four words seemed to carry the weight of ten thousand bolts of thunder, pressing heavily on the air! Even Xiao Zhan, a newly advanced Dou Zong, felt a solemnity unlike anything before, as if an invisible mountain had risen in his heart.

"The... Bronze Immortal Palace?" Xiao Yan repeated absentmindedly, as if lost in a fog with no way forward.

"The cause and effect, and the secrets tied to this object, far exceed anything we can imagine!" Xiao Zhan's tone was more serious than ever, each word seemingly ground out between his teeth. He gave the mysterious black ring on Xiao Yan's hand a long look, his gaze edged with wariness and concern. "You must never speak to anyone else about these fragments or this ring! Even after Yao Lao awakens, you must be extremely cautious and never speak of them lightly! Until you possess enough strength, the more you know, the more dangerous it becomes. It's like reaching out in the darkness to touch an unknown beast. One careless move, and you'll never recover!"

Seeing the unprecedented gravity in his father's eyes, Xiao Yan felt as if he had been struck hard in the heart. He nodded firmly, his eyes resolute. "Yes, Father! I understand! I'll be careful with what I say!"

Xiao Zhan slowly put away the new fragment and was about to say something more when his brows suddenly drew together! His powerful soul sense swept toward the southeast of the oasis like an invisible radar.

There, a powerful aura brimming with hostility, keen and ruthless as a falcon, was racing toward them at astonishing speed. Like a sharp blade, it had pierced through the seemingly solid defensive perimeter around the oasis and was heading straight for the central area—the quiet retreat where Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian were staying!

"A Dou Huang?!" A cold glint flashed in Xiao Zhan's eyes, like the edge of an icy blade, carrying a trace of killing intent. The aura had the sharpness of the wind attribute and the pressure of one long accustomed to high status. It was nothing like the Snake-People Tribe's subtle cunning, nor did it resemble Soul Hall's sinister, evil chill that sent a shudder down one's spine. Was it someone from the Misty Cloud Sect? Had they found this place so quickly? And their target was so clear, as if they had already tracked them down. What sort of scheme lay behind this?

"Watch the fragments! Stay here!" Xiao Zhan left those words, ringing with force, and flickered away. His figure instantly merged into an almost imperceptible ripple in space and vanished like a ghost, leaving behind Xiao Yan, still shaken, his heart pounding in turmoil. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He stared fixedly at the direction his father had disappeared in, his heart weighed down with worry as if by a heavy stone.

At that moment, a streak of azure light, like a brilliant sword tearing through the night sky, burst through the faint, gauze-like defensive curtain around the oasis with fierce momentum and appeared above the mouth of the valley. As the light scattered like fireworks, it revealed a graceful, noble figure, like a celestial maiden who had descended from the moon palace.

The woman wore a moon-white palace gown patterned with clouds, its hem fluttering gently in the breeze like clouds drifting down from the heavens. Her figure was graceful and willowy, her bearing cool as a moon-palace immortal, untouched by worldly concerns. Her beauty was peerless: her dark brows were like distant mountains tinted with green, framing her delicate features; her nose was straight and finely shaped, like carved jade; her lips were red and full, like cherries. Yet at that moment, her deep, pool-like eyes burned with icy fury, as if they could freeze everything around her. There was also a barely perceptible trace of urgency flickering in their depths. The immense pressure of a Dou Huang expert radiated from her, like an invisible mountain, forcing the poisonous miasma at the valley's mouth to retreat several yards and declaring that she would not be defied.

The Misty Cloud Sect Master—Yun Yun!

Her gaze was like lightning, keen enough to pierce every obstacle. It instantly locked onto the slender figure deep within the valley, sitting cross-legged on a black rock and surrounded by gray-white poisonous mist. Her powerful soul sense acted like the most precise detector, allowing her to identify her target at once: the legendary Woe Poison Body! She also sensed the traces of Dou Qi annihilation left by Elder Yun Sheng, silent evidence of what had happened here.

"So you were here after all!" Yun Yun's voice was cold as ice, carrying a bone-chilling chill, like a wind blowing from the depths of the underworld. "Hand over Xiao Yan and surrender! Otherwise, don't blame me for leveling this place!"

Icy killing intent surged from her like a solid tide, sweeping through the entire Poison Barrier Valley in an instant. The air seemed to freeze, filling the valley with a murderous atmosphere.