Promoted to Dou Huang! Burning Mantra Advances!

But--

No matter how Yao Chen probed, he could not sense a single shred of sin or karmic causality on Xiao Yan.

This youth had never been stained by any murderous sin, and his character was incomparably upright!

"Impossible..."

Medicine Elder was utterly bewildered.

He had seen the terror of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner with his own eyes!

The eerie aura emanating from that Black Banner, those hideous, wailing soul-faces—every detail signaled that this was an item of extreme yin and evil!

How could the owner of such a treasure be devoid of murderous sin?

How could his character be so pure and kind?

Yet, the facts before his eyes left him no room for doubt.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire only recognizes those with an upright character and minimal murderous sin.

This is a rule of heaven and earth, unchangeable!

That Xiao Yan could refine the Red Lotus Karma Fire so smoothly could only mean one thing--

He truly possessed no murderous sin at all!

"What... what kind of monster is this?"

Medicine Elder felt his entire worldview collapsing.

A person who possessed a treasure of extreme yin and evil, yet had no murderous sin?

This defied all logic!

BOOM--

Just as Medicine Elder was lost in shocked contemplation.

A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Xiao Yan's body!

The intensity of that pressure was so great that the very air in the room seemed to solidify!

Medicine Elder snapped his head up, a look of horror flashing in his eyes.

He saw it.

Xiao Yan's seated figure had transformed into a massive vortex, frantically drawing in the energy of heaven and earth!

After being converted by the Burning Mantra, that energy surged wildly into his body, driving his cultivation to skyrocket!

One-star Dou Wang...

Two-star Dou Wang...

Three-star Dou Wang...

Six-star Dou Wang...

Seven-star Dou Wang...

Eight-star Dou Wang...

Nine-star Dou Wang peak!

In the span of a few dozen breaths, Xiao Yan's cultivation had surged from a one-star Dou Wang to the peak of a nine-star Dou Wang!

"This... how is this possible?!"

Medicine Elder's eyes widened, staring at the scene in disbelief.

In all his years, he had never witnessed such a terrifying speed of breakthrough!

What kind of concept was this?

A realm that others spent years or even decades of grueling cultivation to reach, this kid had achieved in a few dozen breaths?

Was the Burning Mantra really this absurd?

No!

Even the Burning Mantra shouldn't be this heaven-defying!

Medicine Elder stared fixedly at Xiao Yan, suddenly realizing the truth.

It was the Red Lotus Karma Fire!

The terrifying energy contained within the Red Lotus Karma Fire was perfectly converted and absorbed by the Burning Mantra, creating this monstrous rate of advancement!

Was this the power of an Exotic Flame ranked eighth on the Exotic Flame Ranking?

Yet, even so, this speed was simply too exaggerated!

However--

The even more exaggerated part was yet to come.

Xiao Yan's aura surged to the peak of a nine-star Dou Wang, then suddenly stalled!

Medicine Elder's heart tightened, fearing the breakthrough was about to cease.

But immediately after—

BOOM!!!

An even more terrifying divine aura erupted violently from within Xiao Yan's body!

The intensity of that aura was so great that it caused the tables and chairs in the room to tremble!

The defensive measures Medicine Elder had released were directly shattered and swept away.

Had it not been for the power of resentment released by the Ten Thousand Soul Banner suppressing the area, the entire room would have long since been reduced to ruins!

Medicine Elder had no time to concern himself with anything else; his eyes widened, his face filled with utter disbelief.

He watched as the invisible aura on Xiao Yan's body shattered the shackles of the Dou Wang and broke through the limits of the Dou Wang realm!

Beyond the Dou Wang—

Dou Huang!

One-star Dou Huang!

Two-star Dou Huang!

Three-star Dou Huang!

It was not until he reached the three-star Dou Huang level that the violent aura slowly began to subside.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Medicine Elder stared blankly at Xiao Yan, who sat cross-legged, his entire being as if petrified.

What the hell?

Just like that, he's a three-star Dou Huang?

From a one-star Dou Wang to a three-star Dou Huang, spanning an entire major realm plus two minor realms?

And it took less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn?

Medicine Elder felt his entire worldview collapsing.

He had lived for the better part of a lifetime and considered himself well-traveled and knowledgeable, yet he had never seen such an absurd breakthrough!

Burning Mantra... was it really this heaven-defying?

Merging with just a single Red Lotus Karma Fire, and he jumped straight to a three-star Dou Huang?

Is breaking through really this easy?

Then, if... in the future, he were to refine all the Heavenly Flames in the world, what kind of level could he reach?

Medicine Elder suddenly felt as if the better part of his life had been lived in vain.

Back in his day, when he cultivated, which realm didn't require years or even decades of painstaking effort to polish?

This kid, on the other hand, reached a cultivation level that countless people dream of in just a few dozen breaths...

Comparing people like this is enough to make one die of frustration!

Hoo—

Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes.

Two streaks of crimson light shot out from his eyes, scorching the air until it hissed.

Feeling the surging, terrifying power within his body, he couldn't help but curl his lips into a brilliant smile.

"Awesome!"

It felt too good!

He hadn't expected that after merging with the Red Lotus Karma Fire, he would be able to break through directly to a three-star Dou Huang!

Furthermore—

The Red Lotus Karma Fire seemed to like him very much; he hadn't encountered any difficulties at all during the refining process.

The entire procedure was incredibly smooth, even allowing him to control his own strength with ease, without any instability in his foundation despite the explosive growth in his cultivation.

"As expected, the Burning Mantra is a good thing!"

Xiao Yan sighed inwardly.

As for why he could absorb the Red Lotus Karma Fire so easily?

Heh heh heh...

In his past life, he was a model youth who had received nine years of compulsory education, law-abiding and helpful, who hadn't even killed a chicken.

In this dog-eat-dog fantasy world, there probably weren't many who could be more "upright" than him.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire acknowledging him—wasn't that just a matter of course?

Xiao Yan thought to himself, feeling immensely pleased.

And what surprised him even more was—

After fusing with the Red Lotus Karma Fire, the Burning Mantra cultivation technique had also undergone a transformation!

Originally only a Low-level Yellow-tier technique, the Burning Mantra had, upon absorbing the Red Lotus Karma Fire, instantly evolved into...

A High-level Earth-tier technique!

"High-level Earth-tier!"

A look of pleasant surprise flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes.

One had to know that in the entire Gama Empire, Earth-tier techniques were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns!

The Cloud Mist Sect's signature technique was merely Low-level Earth-tier!

Yet his current Burning Mantra had already reached the High-level Earth-tier!

It was two full grades higher than the Cloud Mist Sect's signature technique!

If this were to get out, the entire Gama Empire would be turned upside down!

"Good!"

Xiao Yan clenched his fist tightly, his mood soaring.

This haul was massive!

He had jumped straight from Dou Wang to Dou Huang, his technique had skyrocketed to High-level Earth-tier, and he had even gained control over the Red Lotus Karma Fire!

His combat power had surged more than tenfold!

Even if he were to encounter a peak Dou Huang powerhouse now, he would have the strength to put up a fight!

And if he added the Ten Thousand Soul Banner to the mix...

Heh heh.

Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle out loud.

However—

What Xiao Yan did not yet know was this.

At the same time!

Within the Xiao Family, in a hidden corner.

A black shadow slowly emerged.

It was an old man dressed in grey robes; his face was aged and his figure hunched, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, like those of a hawk.

He stood in the shadows, gazing toward the direction of Xiao Yan's courtyard with a deeply furrowed brow.

"Hmm?"

"Why do I feel... as if there was a faint ripple of a Dou Huang just now?"

The old man muttered to himself, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes.

He sensed carefully for a moment, but could no longer feel anything.

That ripple had vanished in a flash, as if it had never existed.

"An illusion?"

The old man frowned, intending to head over and investigate thoroughly.

However, just at that moment—

A message suddenly transmitted into his mind.

The old man's expression tightened, and he hurriedly lowered his head in respect.

It was a message from the Young Lady.

"Elder Ling, I have something to discuss. Come quickly."

A cold and familiar voice echoed in his mind.