Trial of the Fire Domain

Central Plains, Fire Domain.

Scarlet wastelands stretched for ten thousand miles, with magma flowing unchecked and heat that scorched souls and burned bones filling heaven and earth. This was the birthplace of Heavenly Flames—and the burial ground of countless geniuses. Whenever the "Fire Tide" cycle came around, the fallen heart flame would awaken, stirring strange phenomena across heaven and earth and drawing prodigies from every direction to vie for fortune.

Today, at the edge of the Fire Domain, a black-robed figure strode through the flames, his steps firm, wind and fire intertwining in his eyes—Xiao Yan had arrived.

He had barely ventured a hundred miles into the Fire Domain when he sensed killing intent on every side.

"Hmph, a remnant of the Xiao Clan actually dares come to seize a Heavenly Flame?" A cold shout rang out from above. Three figures stood in midair, surrounding him in a triangle.

Their leader wore a gold-patterned robe, a scarlet flame mark between his brows, his aura erupting like a volcano—Gu Clan prodigy Gu Zhen, a Nine-Star Dou Zong, half a step from Dou Zun.

On the left, a woman held an ice fan, cold mist swirling around her, yet unable to conceal the murderous intent in her eyes—Hall of Souls enforcement envoy Han Li, an Eight-Star Dou Zong.

On the right, a burly man stood upon the magma, his enormous axe burning with black flames—Mo Kuang, the Black-Corner Region's "Heaven-Burning Axe," a Seven-Star Dou Zong, a madman who fed his strength through battle.

"Three prodigies joining forces just to kill me, a discarded son of the Xiao Clan who only recently became a Dou Zong?" Xiao Yan sneered, holding the Xuan Heavy Ruler across his chest. "You... think far too highly of me."

"Enough talk!" Gu Zhen shouted coldly. "You obtained the nine nether wind flame and cultivated the Flame Mantra. You have already violated the Gu Clan's taboo! Today, your blood will be an offering to our clan's majesty!"

Before his words had faded, all three attacked at once!

Gu Zhen formed seals with both hands. A crimson-gold fire dragon roared forth, its cry shaking the heavens as it lunged straight at Xiao Yan's face;

Han Li swept her ice fan, and bitter cold froze the air into an Ice Prison Cage, cutting off his retreat;

Mo Kuang brought his enormous axe down, black flames forming an axe shadow a thousand zhang long that cleaved toward Xiao Yan's waist!

Three killing blows closed in at once!

"Just what I wanted!" Rather than retreat, Xiao Yan advanced, stamping fiercely against the ground. The nine nether wind flame erupted from his body, forming wings of wind and fire to shield him as he growled, "Emperor Flame Seed, ignite!"

Boom!

Wind and fire intertwined into a spiraling pillar of flame, deflecting all three killing blows. The shock wave swept a hundred zhang outward, sending magma surging like ocean waves!

"What?! He actually withstood a combined attack from all three of us?!" Han Li's pupils contracted sharply.

"Don't underestimate him!" Gu Zhen roared. "He has already condensed an Emperor Flame Seed. His combat strength is beyond measure! Attack together and finish this quickly!"

The three surrounded him again, unleashing killing blows in rapid succession. Fighting one against three, Xiao Yan struggled slightly at first, but as the battle continued, the nine nether wind flame and purifying lotus demon flame resonated constantly. The emperor flame seed within him gradually heated up, and his fighting spirit burned ever brighter!

"Nine Nether Wind Flame: Heaven-Burning Step!"

Xiao Yan moved like lightning, striding through fire as he swept the Xuan Heavy Ruler across. The power of wind and fire converged on a single point, striking straight at Gu Zhen's chest!

Clang!

Gu Zhen blocked with his fire dragon, but the impact drove him back ten steps and split the webbing between his thumb and forefinger!

"Impossible! His combat strength is still rising?!" Mo Kuang roared and swung his enormous axe again. Xiao Yan blocked it with his ruler, then struck with his other palm. A wind-and-fire palm imprint slammed into Mo Kuang's chest, blasting him dozens of zhang away!

"Han Li! Form the formation!" Gu Zhen roared.

Han Li swiftly formed seals. Ice and fire intertwined, creating the Extreme Cold Burning Prison Formation in an attempt to seal Xiao Yan.

"Too late!"

Xiao Yan suddenly threw back his head and let out a long cry. The nine nether wind flame surged into the sky, resonating with the fiery clouds overhead and stirring something deep within the Fire Domain—

The fallen heart flame had awakened!

"Now!"

Xiao Yan's eyes shone crimson-gold as he poured the power of wind and fire into the Xuan Heavy Ruler and growled, "Nine Flames Return to Origin Art—first form, Wind and Fire Set the Plains Ablaze!"

Boom—!

Wind and fire intertwined into a thousand flaming blades that swept across the battlefield. The Extreme Cold Burning Prison Formation shattered instantly. Han Li spat blood as she was hurled backward, while wind and fire coiled around Gu Zhen, burning away his robes as he fled in a wretched panic.

"Trying to leave?" Xiao Yan swept him with an icy gaze, beat his wind-and-fire wings, and gave chase.

"No—! Spare me!" Gu Zhen screamed in terror.

"You said you would offer my blood to the Gu Clan's majesty?" Xiao Yan sneered. "Then today, I will offer your life to mark the beginning of my Emperor Road!"

He raised the Xuan Heavy Ruler high. The power of wind and fire condensed into a blade of light a thousand zhang long and crashed down!

"No—! I'm a Gu Clan prodigy! You can't kill me!"

"I can, and I already have."

The blade of light fell. Gu Zhen's body burned to ash in an instant, leaving only a Gu Clan Jade Talisman and a Dou Zong Golden Core to tumble down.

Xiao Yan reached out and drew the golden core into his palm. "Next will be you—the Gu Clan!" he said coldly.

He turned toward the scarlet vortex deep within the Fire Domain. The fallen heart flame's aura was growing ever stronger.

"The nine nether wind flame has awakened its second stage—Windfire Origin. Next... it's your turn to be claimed, fallen heart flame."

Wutan City, the Xiao Clan Ancestral Shrine.

Standing at the altar, Xiao Ze sensed the nine nether wind flame's violent fluctuations, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Good! Yan has slain a prodigy and seized his fortune. The Emperor Flame Seed has begun to reveal its might."

He raised his hand, condensing the nine nether wind flame into a fiery talisman and sending out a message. "The Fire Domain trial has begun. The first trial of nine flames return to origin is passed. The next trial—Heartflame Soul Refinement—awaits your return."

Deep within the Fire Domain, before the scarlet vortex.

Xiao Yan stood above the magma, watching the constantly pulsing mass of crimson-gold flame—the fallen heart flame. It seemed to possess awareness and was staring coldly back at him.

"You are not the first to try to seize me," a deep voice emerged from the flames. "But... you carry the aura of the Nine Nether."

Xiao Yan cupped his hands. "Senior, I did not come to seize your flame, but to reopen the path to Dou Di. For nine flames return to origin, only by gathering all nine flames can I burn away the Emperor-Banishing Lock and free countless Dou Zhe from their shackles."

The flame fell silent for a moment, then suddenly trembled. "...If you truly can break the lock, I am willing to return to my place."

"Thank you." Xiao Yan bowed. "But if you refuse, I will still—subdue you by force!"

He abruptly drove the nine nether wind flame into action. The Emperor Flame Seed blazed, and the power of wind and fire intertwined into a Windfire Cage that descended upon the fallen heart flame!

"Nine Nether Wind Flame: Flame-Sealing Seal!"

Boom!

Heaven and earth shook, the Fire Domain churned, and a true battle between Heavenly Flames erupted.

Next chapter preview: "Heartflame Returns"

Xiao Yan battled the fallen heart flame fiercely. The nine nether wind flame awakened its third stage, fusing with a Heartflame Fragment to form the "Windfire Emperor Body." Xiao Ze laid out a formation to guide his return, and the second trial of the Nine Flames began. Enraged, the Gu Clan dispatched the Ancient Emperor Guards to hunt him down, and the storm rose once more.