Demon Flame emerged, a new chapter for Heavenly Flames

On the third day after the world-origin grass was sent to the Pill Tower, Xiao Yan went alone to the Altar Ruins deep in the Black Wind Mountain Range. The aura of a Three-Star Dou Zun circulated within him, and every breath stirred the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him. Interwoven gold-and-black flames danced on his fingertips, more concentrated than before his breakthrough.

On the stone platform at the center of the altar, the residual energy of the Twelve Hall Masters' life-bound magic cores was still slowly seeping out. Xiao Yan sat cross-legged and sank his spiritual power into it, trying to decipher more information about the Outer Demon Realm. Ever since learning of the World-Devouring Demon in Soul-Confusing Valley, he had felt as though a boulder weighed on his chest-with the strength of a Three-Star Dou Zun, he probably still amounted to little before a true Outer Demon.

"If only I could find another Heavenly Flame..." Xiao Yan murmured. The Four-Symbol Heaven-Burning Flame combined with the mutated form of the Yellow Mystic Flame was formidable, but it still seemed inadequate against the approaching catastrophe. He recalled the Heavenly Flame Ranking recorded in ancient texts. No one had ever seen the true form of the nineteenth-ranked "Demon Flame." All that was known was that it was born where demonic qi was most concentrated, and could both burn all things and devour demonic qi.

"Demon Flame..." The gold-and-black flames at Xiao Yan's fingertips suddenly flickered violently. The magic core energy on the stone platform had actually resonated with them. An idea stirred in his mind, and he took out the world-origin grass leaf he had brought back from Fallen Venerable Cliff. The leaf had absorbed a trace of otherworldly aura within the spatial rift and was now emitting a faint blue glow.

The instant the blue light touched the gold-and-black flames, the magic core energy on the stone platform erupted, forming a blurred map in midair. A red dot flickered at its center, marking the Ten Thousand Demons Cave on the border between the Central Plains and the Western Region. It had once housed the oldest altar of the Otherworldly Demon Hall and had been designated a forbidden zone by the Alliance after the war.

"Could the Demon Flame be in the Ten Thousand Demons Cave?" Xiao Yan put away the leaf, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes. He rose and flew toward the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, spreading his Azure Luan Wings and becoming a streak of light that cut across the sky.

The forbidden zone surrounding the Ten Thousand Demons Cave was steeped in deathly stillness. Not a blade of grass grew on the black soil, and a faint stench of corpses hung in the air. Here and there lay beast bones corroded by demonic qi, their twisted shapes betraying the agony they had suffered in life. Xiao Yan circulated his gold-and-black flames to protect himself and carefully passed through the Forbidden Spell Formation. This defense, erected by the Alliance after the war, prevented demonic qi from spreading while also barring reckless intruders.

The closer he came to the bottom of the cave, the denser the demonic qi grew. When Xiao Yan reached a vast cavern, he finally sensed the aura of a Heavenly Flame. It was an utterly contradictory power, carrying both a heat that could burn everything and a chill that could freeze the soul, faintly echoing the gold-and-black flames within him.

Atop a stalagmite in the center of the cavern, a mass of pitch-black fire burned silently. The space around it warped and twisted. Falling magma froze the moment it drew near, then was burned completely to ash. The flame gave off no heat, yet it made even Xiao Yan's soul ache-it was precisely the Demon Flame he had been searching for!

"So it really is here." Xiao Yan drew a deep breath and slowly approached the stalagmite. The Demon Flame seemed to sense his presence and suddenly surged several yards high, its pitch-black tongues lunging at him like venomous snakes. Not daring to hesitate, he unleashed his gold-and-black flames, forming a sturdy barrier.

"Ssszz!" The two flames collided with a piercing hiss. As though alive, the pitch-black Demon Flame spread along the gold-and-black flames, trying to invade Xiao Yan's body. He could feel a savage will battering his soul-the consciousness formed from the countless streams of demonic qi the Demon Flame had devoured since its birth.

"You want to devour me?" A flash of fighting spirit crossed Xiao Yan's eyes, and his spiritual power erupted in full. Rather than suppress it by force, he guided the otherworldly demon origin within his gold-and-black flames to communicate with it. This was a technique he had grasped in Soul-Confusing Valley: when dealing with beings born of demonic qi, understanding was more effective than confrontation.

A thin strand of black energy slowly separated from the gold-and-black flames and merged into the Demon Flame. The once-raging fire gradually calmed, its pitch-black tongues turning into gentle streams that wound around Xiao Yan's arm, as though testing his goodwill. Both flames drew in the cavern's demonic qi, forming a constantly spinning vortex. The energy within it was so great that even Xiao Yan's Dou Zun aura began to fluctuate.

"Now!" Xiao Yan seized the opportunity and circulated the Flame Mantra. The golden Yellow Mystic Flame and the pitch-black Demon Flame intertwined in his palm, forming an ever-shrinking sphere of energy. The process was excruciating. Two utterly different powers collided violently within him, making his meridians feel as though they were being torn apart.

"Argh!" Xiao Yan let out a muffled groan, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Yet he did not give up. Instead, he pushed his spiritual power to its limit and forcibly guided the two flames to fuse. The instant the gold-and-black flames fully intertwined with the Demon Flame, dazzling light erupted from his body, and the aura of a Five-Star Dou Zun shot into the sky-he had actually broken through again while fusing the Heavenly Flames!

"It worked!" Xiao Yan gazed at the black-and-gold flame burning quietly in his palm, wild joy flashing in his eyes. It retained the Demon Flame's ability to devour demonic qi while incorporating the Yellow Mystic Flame's purification power, making it several times stronger than before. He tried injecting the new flame into the ground. The black soil returned to brown at a speed visible to the naked eye, and even tender green shoots began to sprout.

Just then, a disturbance came from deep within the cavern. Xiao Yan looked over warily and saw an enormous Demon Flood Dragon emerge from the darkness, its scarlet eyes brimming with fury. Clearly, the Demon Flame had been the treasure it guarded. Its aura had reached the level of a Six-Star Dou Zun, a full star above Xiao Yan, and the demon marks on its scales shimmered with eerie green light.

"Roar!" The Demon Flood Dragon lunged with a bellow, its massive tail sweeping toward him with the force to topple mountains and shatter stone. Xiao Yan dared not meet it head-on. His newly fused black-and-gold flame condensed into a spear, which struck precisely at the Demon Flood Dragon's reverse scale. The scales there were comparatively weak, and the spot held its source power.

"Schk!" The flame spear pierced the reverse scale. The Demon Flood Dragon screamed in agony, its enormous body thrashing wildly through the cavern. Xiao Yan seized the opening to spread his Azure Luan Wings and circle behind it. His Heavy Sword swept across, black-and-gold flames spreading along its edge and burning away every demon mark on the dragon's body.

Without the protection of its demon marks, the Demon Flood Dragon's aura plummeted. The scarlet color gradually faded from its eyes, revealing a trace of bewilderment. Xiao Yan could tell that it was not evil by nature; the demonic qi of the Ten Thousand Demons Cave had merely corrupted its mind. Rather than kill it, he injected black-and-gold flames into its body and began purifying its essence.

An hour later, the Demon Flood Dragon's pitch-black scales had turned azure, and the bewilderment in its eyes had given way to docility. It gave Xiao Yan a low whimper, then turned and disappeared into the depths of the cavern. Soon, it dragged out a skeleton clad in battered armor, its hand clutching a rust-covered longsword. The words "Demon Suppression" were engraved on the hilt.

"Is this... an Ancient Demon Suppression Warrior?" Xiao Yan recognized the insignia on the armor. It was the emblem of an army from the Ancient Era dedicated to fighting Otherworldly Demons. He picked up the longsword and found that, although its blade was rusted, it still radiated a faint sacred aura that mutually restrained the Demon Flame's aura.

"So the Demon Flame wasn't evil by nature. A Demon Suppression Warrior sealed it here to purify the demonic qi in the Ten Thousand Demons Cave." Understanding dawned on Xiao Yan. No wonder the flame could devour demonic qi while also carrying a sacred aura. He put the Demon Suppression Sword into his Storage Ring. It might become an important weapon against the World-Devouring Demon.

When he left the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, the setting sun was staining the horizon red. Xiao Yan could feel his newly fused black-and-gold flame resonating with the Four-Symbol Heaven-Burning Flame within him. The power of five flames flowed slowly through his meridians, faintly showing signs of a breakthrough to Peak Dou Zun. Give me another year, and perhaps I can reach Peak Dou Zun. Quiet delight stirred within him, and his confidence in facing the catastrophe three years away grew.

On his way back to Sacred Pill City, Xiao Yan made a detour to inspect the Western Region. The valley where the dream soul flowers grew had become an oasis. The awakened herders were rebuilding their homes there, while children chased one another across the grass, happy smiles brightening their faces. The Yao Clan disciples sent by Yao Qing Lin were teaching them to identify medicinal herbs, and Wang Yue had stationed Wang Family guards there to prevent another invasion of demonic qi.

"Brother Xiao Yan!" Surprise and delight flashed in Yao Qing Lin's eyes when she saw him return. "Senior Xuan Kongzi said that with the world-origin grass and your newly fused flame, the success rate for refining the Boundary Realm Pill could rise to seventy percent!" She pointed to the enormous pill furnace in the Pill Tower's square. "We're modifying the furnace now, preparing to begin the refinement ahead of schedule."

Xiao Yan walked up to the pill furnace and reached out to touch its scorching wall. Black-and-gold flames flowed from his fingertips into it, and the runes on its surface instantly lit up, shining more brilliantly than before. "Let's begin the refinement in three days." He looked at Xuan Kongzi. "I need to familiarize myself with the Boundary Realm Pill's formula and make sure nothing can go wrong."

Xuan Kongzi nodded. "Very well. Stay at the Pill Tower for these three days. You may consult any of our texts." He handed Xiao Yan a Jade Slip. "These are the materials I compiled on the Outer Demon Realm. They may help you understand the World-Devouring Demon."

For the next three days, Xiao Yan immersed himself in the Pill Tower's texts. Not only did he familiarize himself with the steps for refining the Boundary Realm Pill, but he also uncovered a startling secret in an ancient book: the World-Devouring Demon was not a naturally born creature. It was a weapon created by powerful human cultivators in the Ancient Era, who had fused multiple types of demonic qi to fight Otherworldly Demons. Only after escaping their control had it become the overlord of the world beyond.

"So that's how it is..." Xiao Yan closed the book, a glimmer of understanding crossing his eyes. "No wonder the Demon Flame resonates with the World-Devouring Demon's aura. At their core, both are mutated forms of demonic qi." He clenched his fist, black-and-gold flames dancing in his palm. "If I can master the Demon Flame's ability to devour demonic qi, perhaps I can find a way to counter the World-Devouring Demon."

Three days later, the refinement of the Boundary Realm Pill officially began. Xiao Yan stood before the enormous pill furnace, with Yao Qing Lin and Wang Yue on either side and Xuan Kongzi standing nearby to guard them. As the world-origin grass and the other medicinal ingredients were placed into the furnace, Xiao Yan drew a deep breath and unleashed all five flames at once. The Four-Symbol Heaven-Burning Flame regulated the temperature in the outer layer, while the black-and-gold Demon Flame refined the ingredients within. The two powers complemented each other, perfectly meeting the requirements for refining the Boundary Realm Pill.

Enveloped in flame, the medicinal liquid within the furnace slowly condensed. A strand of black energy wound through the golden liquid-the perfect fusion of spatial laws and demonic qi. Xiao Yan focused entirely on controlling the flames' temperature, every adjustment precise to the finest degree. His spiritual power was so intensely concentrated that he could even hear the breathing of the medicinal ingredients' essences.

After seven days and seven nights, a clear ringing sound came from the pill furnace. A sharp gleam flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes, and his hands formed a seal. "Rise!" Three smooth, rounded pills flew out of the furnace, golden throughout, their surfaces entwined with black-and-gold patterns. They radiated fluctuations that tore at space-the Boundary Realm Pills were complete!

"It worked!" Yao Qing Lin cried excitedly, tears glistening in her eyes. Xuan Kongzi stroked his beard, a gratified smile spreading across his face. "With these three Boundary Realm Pills, we'll have a way to respond even if the World-Devouring Demon arrives early."

Xiao Yan placed the pills in a jade bottle, but he did not relax in the slightest. He could sense that, although the Boundary Realm Pills held tremendous energy, far more preparation was needed to completely halt the World-Devouring Demon's Vanguard Force. He looked toward the western sky. The clouds there were darker than before, as though countless eyes were watching from the shadows.

"Next, it's time to strengthen the Alliance." Xiao Yan tightened his grip on the jade bottle, a black-and-gold flame flashing through his eyes. "We can't rely solely on the Boundary Realm Pills. We must give every person in the Central Plains the power to fight demonic qi."

At that moment, the bells of Sacred Pill City rang out, their sound spreading throughout the Central Plains. They not only announced the successful refinement of the Boundary Realm Pills, but also heralded the approach of a new storm. And Xiao Yan, the young Dou Zun who commanded five Heavenly Flames, stood at the center of that storm, ready to meet his next battle.