Emperor Flame on the Homeward Journey

At the end of the Emperor Road, the Golden Light Avenue collapsed, leaving only a cluster of deep-blue flame suspended in the void, like a river of stars hanging upside down, like the source of all flames—the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Origin.

Xiao Yan stood before the flame, crimson-gold fire surging around him. Nine Flames Fragment circled his body, and the Emperor Fire Seal throbbed violently over his heart, as though answering a will that had slumbered for ten thousand years. He slowly reached out, his voice low yet rumbling like thunder:

"In this life, I seek neither to seize the flame nor to become an emperor."

"I seek to—restore your freedom and reforge my will."

As his words fell, he clenched his fist. Ninth level of the Nine Flames Return to Origin Art—Nine Flames Burn Soul!

Nine great residual flame seals erupted with a thunderous roar, colliding with the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Origin. Heaven and earth lost their color, and the laws wailed. A deep-blue wave of fire swept across hundreds of millions of miles. The entire Emperor Road began to collapse, and space shattered like glass, exposing the chaotic void.

The ninth tribulation—nine emperors burning the body—descended!

The void split open, and nine Ancient Emperor Corpses stepped out, all at the peak of Dou Di. They wore imperial armor and carried Emperor Weapons, their eyes hollow yet their killing intent soaring to the heavens. The corpse at their head was none other than the true body of the Pure Lotus Demon Emperor, who had fallen all those years ago!

"You dare dream of merging with Emperor Flame in a mortal body? You dare dream of ruling all flames as a Dou Zun?" the Pure Lotus Demon Emperor's phantom said, his voice like the Heavenly Dao. "You are unworthy."

Xiao Yan said nothing. His eyes blazed crimson-gold, his Windfire Emperor Body had reached perfection, and he unleashed every ounce of his peak Dou Zong power. He took a step forward, and nine fiery silhouettes appeared behind him—the manifestation of Nine Flames Return to Origin!

"Unworthy?" He sneered. "Then with this unworthy body, I shall burn all nine emperors to nothing!"

"BOOM—!!!"

Ninefold Windfire Transformation: Nine Flames Burn Heaven!

The first transformation burned imperial armor! Crimson-gold waves of fire swept out, and the armor of the nine Emperor Corpses began to melt.

The second transformation burned Emperor Weapons! The phantom of a Medicine Cauldron appeared once more, suppressing all flames and burning every Emperor Weapon to nothing.

The third transformation burned imperial souls! The nine nether wind flame mingled with the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Origin, becoming deep-blue and crimson-gold fire that surged straight toward the emperor corpses' Primordial Spirits.

"This is... Emperor Flame fusion?! Impossible!" the Ancestor of the Gu Clan roared in terror outside. Even the remaining power of the Emperor Blood Altar had been ignited from afar.

"Nine Flames Return to Origin was born to fuse Emperor Flames." Xiao Yan's voice thundered. "I do not seize the flame. I—"

"I am the flame itself!"

"BOOM—!!!"

The ninth transformation erupted. Nine flames became one, and the emperor flame was reforged. With the windfire emperor body perfected—he broke through to Dou Zun!

"Nine Flames Return to Origin Art—complete mastery!"

"BOOM—!!!"

All nine emperor corpses exploded at once. The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Origin merged completely into Xiao Yan's body. The deep-blue flame turned crimson-gold, then became transparent fire, without color or form, yet it made heaven and earth pale and the laws submit.

"You... have finally... returned." The Pure Lotus Demon Emperor's phantom whispered one last time, then vanished into the air.

Central Plains, Emperor Ruins Plains.

"The Emperor Gate is about to open!" Gu Ling howled. The Nine Flames Emperor Stele trembled violently, and the lingering glow of the Crimson-Gold Flame Seed flickered.

"Quick! Activate the Nine Emperors Burning Body Formation! Suppress him with the nine imperial chains! We must not let him return!" the Ancestor of the Gu Clan roared, joining forces with the High Priest of the Hall of Souls to activate the formation.

Nine imperial chains descended from the heavens, sealing space. The laws froze, and the entire world was sealed as tightly as an iron barrel.

Just then—

"BOOM—!!!"

The Emperor Gate exploded, and a figure stepped out upon the fire. His crimson-gold robes snapped in the wind, his eyes were like seas of flame, and though no fire burned around him, everything burst into flame in his presence.

Xiao Yan had returned!

He stood in the void, his gaze sweeping over the allied Gu and Soul armies before finally settling on the spot before the Nine Flames Emperor Stele where Yao Chen had vanished. For a long time, he said nothing.

"Teacher... your disciple has returned."

He slowly raised his hand. The Emperor Fire Seal appeared, the Nine Flames Fragment circled him, and the crimson-gold flame seed rekindled. The Nine Flames Emperor Stele resonated with a thunderous roar, and blood-red light shot skyward from its inscriptions.

"Nine Flames Emperor Court—heed my command!"

"From this day forth—"

"I, Xiao Yan, shall honor Emperor Flame above all, command all flames, and reforge order!"

"Anyone who stands in my way—"

"Burn!"

"Boom—!!!"

The pressure of the emperor flame swept across the Central Plains. The Nine Emperors Burning Body Formation collapsed in an instant, and all nine imperial chains melted. The Ancestor of the Gu Clan and the High Priest of the Hall of Souls were hurled away by the wave of fire, their imperial armor charred black as they coughed up blood.

"Impossible! You broke through to Dou Zun inside the Emperor Road? And even fused with the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame Origin?!"

Xiao Yan's gaze burned like a torch. With one step, he was already before the Ancestor of the Gu Clan, bringing his palm down:

"This palm strike is for my teacher, Yao Chen."

"Boom—!"

Half the Ancestor of the Gu Clan's body turned to ash.

With another step, he charged at the High Priest of the Hall of Souls:

"This palm strike is for Thunder Venerable, Venerable Feng, and Medusa."

"Boom—!"

The High Priest of the Hall of Souls' imperial soul shattered, and his Primordial Spirit was on the verge of dispersing.

"This palm strike—is for the people of the Central Plains and the heroic souls of the Nine Flames Emperor Court who died!"

"Boom—!!!"

The final palm strike fell, and nine flames burned heaven. All nine Dou Sheng of the allied Gu and Soul armies were reduced to ash and scattered smoke. The Emperor Blood Altar collapsed completely, becoming a heap of ruins.

Heaven and earth fell silent. Only wind and fire howled.

Xiao Yan stood atop the emperor stele, gazing into the distance as he said softly:

"In this life, I am no longer the worthless fool anyone can scorn."

"I am—"

"The Lord of the Emperor Flame, the one who brings the Nine Flames Return to Origin, Xiao Yan."

"The Emperor Road has opened, and I—have returned!"

Next chapter preview: "Emperor Flame Descends Upon Heaven"

Xiao Yan reforged the Nine Flames Emperor Stele through Emperor Flame Reforging and opened the "Emperor Fire Trial," where the mighty figures of the Central Plains vied to cross. The remnants of the Gu Clan and Soul Clan united with the Ancient Eight Clans, seeking to launch the final Emperor Battle under the banner of "Nine Clans United Execution." Meanwhile, atop Heaven-Burning Peak, Xiao Yan had already established the "Emperor Fire Seal"—once this seal appeared, all flames would submit, the Emperor Battle would begin, and mountains and rivers would be reforged!