Time flowed quietly since Yan Xiaoyu and the others departed from the Chaos Realm. Though none among them had reached the Ban Sheng realm, each was a formidable expert in their own right. Thus, Flame and the others felt little worry over their safety.
As for Yun Yun's group, Flame had already received word from Yan Xiaoyu that they had crossed paths. However, Yun Yun and her Flower Sect members had been ambushed by the Profound Sky Sect. Flame could only suppress his growing irritation—he would settle this account later, for now, he couldn't spare the time to personally intervene.
What puzzled him most was the sudden change in the Profound Sky Sect's behavior. Their desire for conquest seemed to spread unnaturally fast. Yet, due to their long-standing reputation for ambition, no one found it strange.
They weren't attacking blindly either. Their targets were carefully chosen—mostly regions slightly distant from Moonlit Chaos Mansion's sphere of influence, or territories belonging to the Supreme Court Alliance.
To the outside world, it merely appeared as though the Profound Sky Sect was striving to expand their influence, attempting to make up for their decline in strength and to maintain their standing, even if their might had long since fallen behind Moonlit Chaos Mansion.
Moreover, they had begun forming alliances with other powerful factions not tied to the Supreme Court Alliance—such as Ice River Valley, Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion, Yellow Spring Pavilion, and even the once-prominent yet still powerful Wind Lightning Pavilion.
As for the Sound Valley, they remained withdrawn from the world—quiet, hidden, and utterly detached from worldly struggles. To Flame's eyes, they were far more of a hermit sect than even the Flower Sect itself.
'Even so, their expansion rate is far too sudden… far too unnatural. Moreover, reports keep surfacing—small cities and minor factions vanishing one after another near territories the Profound Sky Sect has seized.'
Flame's brows furrowed deeply as his finger tapped rhythmically against the armrest of his chair. The sound echoed softly in the hall, mingling with his heavy thoughts.
He could faintly connect the threads—the disappearances must be tied to the Hall of Souls and, by extension, the Hun Clan. Yet what he could not confirm was whether this so-called alliance formed by the Profound Sky Sect had already established contact—or even forged a pact—with them.
'They call themselves the Profound River Alliance, don't they? The name remains unchanged, but the powers gathered beneath it are rather unexpected…'
He mused silently, a faint chill flickering in his eyes. Knowing the pride and ruthlessness of the Profound Sky Sect, it was difficult to imagine them bowing to anyone, let alone submitting quietly to another's will.
'Should I visit Sound Valley and persuade them to join the Supreme Court Alliance?' Flame pondered deeply, fingers pausing mid-tap.
Yet his thoughts came to an abrupt halt. His expression froze.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he extended his senses outward—only to realize that he could no longer feel the presence of Yan Xiaoyu's token.
That token was no ordinary object. Not only did it contain a protective strike imbued with his power, but it also allowed him to sense her location in real time.
Now, with that connection severed, there was only one conclusion.
Something unexpected had happened to Yan Xiaoyu and the others.
"Bastard!"
Flame's roar shook the hall like a storm breaking through the heavens. His eyes blazed with crimson fury as the entire mansion trembled under his erupting aura. The ground beneath his feet cracked and scorched before his figure vanished in a flash of fire, leaving only a burning afterimage in the air.
The sudden surge of his overwhelming presence could be felt throughout the Chaos Realm and startled the elders and disciples.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, they immediately mobilized—barriers flared to life, communication arrays activated, and every expert entered high alert.
…
A vast grassy plain stretched beneath the open sky, serene yet filled with suffocating tension. Two opposing forces stood facing each other, their killing intent distorting the very air.
On one side stood two groups—the black-robed figures of the Hun Clan, their auras cold and deathly, and the proud members of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe, exuding a majestic but oppressive presence.
Opposite them stood Yan Xiaoyu, Yun Yun, Xiao Yan, and their respective allies. Blood and dust stained their robes, and the air around them was heavy with exhaustion and anger.
At the center of the opposing camp stood a man whose mere presence overshadowed all others.
He had long, flowing ashen-blond hair, his features elegant yet unnervingly calm. Though his appearance carried the refinement of a scholar, the faint curve of his lips and the abyssal depth in his eyes revealed something far more sinister.
"As expected of the disciples raised by those six monsters of the Moonlit Chaos Mansion," the man said lightly, his voice carrying a chilling composure that made hearts tremble. "Even among my descendants, few can compare to your potential. What terrifying talents the younger generation of your Mansion possesses…"
Lan Haoran forced a faint, mocking smile as he stood firm, unyielding beneath the suffocating pressure that emanated from the man across the field. Though his robes were soaked in blood and his once-dominant aura had grown faint and flickering, his stance did not waver. Even in his battered state, he refused to take a single step back.
"And we would have never expected," he said hoarsely, his voice carrying both pain and pride, "that the Clan Head of the Hun Clan himself… would arrive and shamelessly strike at the younger generation."
Then, his eyes shifted to the youth lying just behind Qing Xiu and Zhu Ling. The young man's body was drenched in blood; his breathing was shallow, his aura flickering weakly—sometimes stable, sometimes fading to near nothingness.
Lan Haoran could tell at a glance that his condition was far worse than theirs.
If not for the countless high-grade life-saving and recovery pills they had forced down his throat—and the combined effort of Zhu Ling and Qing Xiu to circulate the medicinal essence throughout his body—he would have perished long ago.
Even so, if they failed to bring him to their Martial Uncle soon… all of their desperate efforts would amount to nothing.
"Xiao Yan…"
Nalan Yanran sat quietly beside the young man, her trembling fingers brushing against his blood-stained sleeve. Her soft voice carried deep sorrow and heartache, her eyes glistening with grief as she whispered his name.
Lan Haoran's expression grew increasingly grim, though his composure remained steady. Something about Hun Tiandi's calm stillness unsettled him. For a man of such ruthless ambition to simply stand there in silence—it was far too strange. Regardless of his immense power, if word of this reached their Martial Uncle, even Hun Tiandi would pay a heavy price.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Lan Haoran caught a faint shift in Hun Tiandi's gaze. The man was no longer watching them—his attention had turned toward the distant horizon.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The heavens trembled as a deafening explosion of fiery might tore through the sky. Space itself cracked like shattered glass as crimson-gold flames surged across the horizon, illuminating the desolate plains in a sea of infernal brilliance.
A terrifying pressure swept over the land, so immense that even the black-robed experts of the Hun Clan staggered backward, their Dou Qi trembling violently beneath the weight of that suffocating aura.
Hun Tiandi's eyes flickered faintly before regaining their calm. His composed, scholar-like face turned toward the burning sky, and a subtle gleam flashed within his narrowed eyes.
From within the churning sea of fire, a figure emerged—clad in crimson robes with golden inlays, his long hair flowing like molten metal, his face carved with cold fury. Those eyes, blazing with divine flames, seemed capable of piercing the heavens themselves.
Flame had arrived.
"Hun Tiandi," his low, resonant voice echoed across the plains, laced with an icy, murderous intent that made even the air quiver. "I didn't expect that you would personally make a move."
"Ha ha… I must apologize for that," Hun Tiandi said softly, his tone almost cordial. "But Xiao Yan possesses something I require—something I cannot obtain through gentle means. Thus, I had no choice but to… act rather forcefully."
His calm, smiling words were like oil poured upon fire. Lan Haoran's killing intent surged, his aura trembling violently as he struggled to suppress it. His hands clenched tightly, knuckles whitening as he forced himself to remain composed.
"Martial Uncle," he said in a grave tone after calming himself, "he took the Key from Xiao Yan…"
Flame's eyes trembled as he turned, his gaze landing on Xiao Yan's bloodied figure lying in Nalan Yanran's arms. The sight struck him like a thunderbolt—his cousin's aura was so faint that it was barely perceptible.
Without hesitation, Flame flicked his finger. A ray of light shot from his spatial ring toward Zhu Ling.
"Let him consume this and guide the medicinal essence through his meridians. His condition will stabilize soon," Flame said softly, yet his tone carried authority that allowed no doubt.
Zhu Ling caught the jade bottle and swiftly opened it. A wave of life force instantly spread outward, so pure and potent that she momentarily froze in shock. Regaining her focus, she poured the liquid into Xiao Yan's mouth. Together with Qing Xiu, she quickly circulated the medicinal essence within his body, letting the restorative energy flow through his meridians and mend his injuries.
Seeing Xiao Yan's breathing slowly steady, Flame finally exhaled in relief. But as his gaze turned back, his eyes grew razor-sharp—fixed upon the shimmering Key that floated lightly in Hun Tiandi's palm.
"Your schemes run deep, Hun Tiandi…" Flame said in a voice filled with restrained fury. Even with all his foresight, this move from Hun Tiandi was beyond his expectations.
Xiao Hua had believed that nothing truly disastrous would befall Xiao Yan—after all, he was the protagonist of Battle Through the Heavens. Yet, what he never expected was for Hun Tiandi to act so decisively, evading even his sharp spiritual perception.
"Against you monsters, I have no choice but to abandon etiquette and let your cousin endure a little… suffering," Hun Tiandi said lightly, shaking his head with feigned remorse.
He had once believed that only Gu Yuan stood as his true obstacle. But now, facing the young man before him, he could no longer deny it—the power Xiao Hua wielded was terrifying beyond reason.
Even so, he had no choice but to act now, while Moonlit Chaos Mansion had yet to reach its full strength. If he waited any longer, there would be no chance left. By then, they might well rule the entire Central Plains, forcing even the Eight Ancient Clans to surrender the remaining fragments of the Tou She Ancient God's Jade.
Unlike him, Xiao Hua's youth was his greatest advantage—time itself favored him. If Hun Tiandi were to wait for misfortune to claim this youth's life, he might have already withered into dust before that day arrived.
"What makes you think," Flame's voice rumbled low and cold, his eyes burning with killing intent, "that I will allow you to leave unscathed?"
Each step he took forward resounded like thunder. A vast, searing wave of fiery might burst forth behind him, as though an unseen inferno had erupted from the void. An endless tide of flame surged across the horizon, rolling like an ocean of molten fire. Waves of heat roared outward, distorting the air and shaking the heavens.
The blazing pressure spread in all directions. Even the younger generation of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe and the Hun Clan standing behind Hun Tiandi found themselves suffocating under its weight. Some, unable to withstand the heat, burst into flames—reduced to ashes in mere breaths.
Regardless of their talent or lineage, not a single one among them had reached even the Ban Sheng realm, much less the realm of a Dou Sheng. For them to crumble beneath such might was only natural.
Hun Tiandi merely smiled in amusement. He raised his hand gently, forming a dark spiritual barrier that shielded the younger ones from the burning tides.
"Tell me, Xiao Hua," he said, his voice calm and composed as his gaze locked onto the approaching inferno, "aren't you curious why I remain here instead of leaving when I sense your presence?"
Hun Tiandi's words made Flame halt mid-step, his eyes narrowing slightly as his thoughts deepened. He had been cautious from the very beginning, certain that Hun Tiandi was setting an ambush for him. Yet, even with his sharp spiritual sense spread across the entire Ancient Wasteland Region, he detected no one else—only the younger generation standing behind the Hun Clan's leader.
'Wait... no ambush? Then why is Hun Tiandi here—to save the younger generation? Impossible. That's not his way. Unless—'
A chill swept through Flame's body, sharper than any blade. His eyes widened in disbelief as the horrifying realization struck him like a thunderbolt.
In that instant, everything fell into place. The memory of that sudden attack last year—Hun Tiandi's inexplicable assault just after he had resolved Yun Yun's troubles—flashed through his mind. It hadn't been a random strike. It wasn't to taunt, nor to kill him. Hun Tiandi had been testing him. Testing whether the one who appeared back then was Xiao Hua's true body... or merely one of his Avatars.
Hun Tiandi had gambled on a cruel piece of logic—believing that Xiao Hua, for all his calm restraint, would never send one of his Avatars, Flame or Thunder, to protect a woman he held feelings for.
That attack was his proof.
Flame's expression twisted, his silver teeth grinding audibly as rage surged through his veins. His killing intent erupted like a blazing inferno, shaking the void beneath his feet.
"You knew…!" His words grated through clenched teeth, his voice trembling with suppressed fury.
Hun Tiandi's smile deepened, eerie and serpentine. His laughter was low, cold, hollow and full of malice.
"Unfortunately," he said, tone mockingly slow, "there are many things I know. You'll have to specify which one. The fact that the Flower Sect's chief and you have feelings for each other?"
His tone turned venomous, his words deliberately sharp.
"Or the part where I knew you'd never send Flame or Thunder to assist her... unless something happened to your true self?"
At that moment, two hurried voices cut through the tense air.
"Master!" Yan Xiaoyu's urgent voice cracked the air. "We just received a transmission from Lady Xun Er—the Hun Clan has launched an assault on the Moonlit Chaos Mansion! The Profound River Alliance is delaying all reinforcements from the Supreme Court Alliance!"
"Martial Uncle!" Shui Lanxin's voice followed, anxious and breathless. "The token teacher entrusted to the Ling Clan—it's gone! We've also lost contact with the disciples within their territory!"
Flame's pupils contracted violently. His rage boiled, but his mind was cold as ice. He knew the truth.
This confrontation was nothing more than a diversion.
Hun Tiandi's plan had unfolded perfectly. He had appeared here deliberately, not to kill—but to trap.
By revealing himself and releasing his aura, he had ensured Flame would rush to intercept him, keeping him anchored here. If Flame engaged him now, his injured disciple, Yan Xiaoyu, and the disciples of his sworn brothers and sisters, already exhausted from Hun Tiandi's earlier assault—would be swept up in the battle's aftermath.
Hun Tiandi's smirk widened. He didn't need to say another word. His mere presence was enough to bind Flame's every move.
Even as they stood here, the Hun Clan's forces were dividing. Nihility was leading a contingent to the Ling Clan—engulfing the entire Ling Realm within his abyssal domain. The slaughter had already begun. Bloodlines of ancient emperors were being devoured, descendants seized as vessels for their dark cultivation.
Their ultimate goal, however, remained unchanged—
the fragment of Tou She Ancient God's Jade held within the Ling Clan's hands.
Meanwhile, the other divisions of the Hun Clan had already launched their assault upon the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, preventing any reinforcements from reaching the Ling Clan.
'Thunder… can you move from your position and rescue the Ling Clan?'
Through their spiritual connection, Flame's voice echoed urgently within the void between their souls.
'I cannot,' Thunder's deep voice rumbled in response, laced with frustration. 'The Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe has suddenly appeared—along with their subsidiary clans—within the territory of the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe. Worse yet… Huang Tian has broken free from Brother Ming Cheng's seal and stands before me.'
Flame's expression darkened instantly. If Thunder left his post, Huang Tian would strike at Cai Lin without hesitation. Yet if Thunder chose to face Huang Tian directly, the latter would undoubtedly use every method to divert his attention and allow others to harm her.
"So… the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe has allied with you as well," Flame said coldly, his tone sharp enough to cut stone.
Hun Tiandi chuckled darkly, the sound dripping with venom. "Heh… it wasn't difficult to discover that one of your women is in seclusion and cannot leave that place. After all, Ming Cheng's assault upon the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe with the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python experts wasn't exactly subtle."
His lips curled into a sinister smile. "A few discreet inquiries among the serpent clans living nearby, and the truth revealed itself easily enough."
Flame's expression darkened, his heart restless as he pondered how to escape this place. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, yet before he could decide, Lan Haoran's calm voice discreetly transmitted into his ears.
Fortunately, Hun Tiandi's full attention remained fixed upon Flame, watching every faint movement with predatory focus. Thus, he failed to notice Lan Haoran's subtle transmission.
After receiving the message, Flame's expression did not change in the slightest, but the killing intent in his eyes deepened, becoming sharp enough to pierce the heavens. The next instant, he fiercely stomped his foot, and the space beneath him shattered under the weight of his power. In a blazing flash, his figure transformed into a streak of divine flame and shot straight toward Hun Tiandi.
In a blink, Flame appeared before his foe. His fist clenched tightly, and the Heavenly Genesis Flame surged forth, curling around his arm until his entire fist radiated with blinding brilliance. Without hesitation, he struck.
The blazing fist instantly expanded, swelling to several hundred feet in size, its incandescent radiance illuminating the entire world as it crashed down with ruthless might.
Hun Tiandi's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden attack, but his shock swiftly vanished, replaced by cold resolve. His palm lifted, and from its center, a black hole blossomed—devouring light, devouring air, devouring all. Within a breath, it swelled to a hundred thousand feet, its darkness enveloping the heavens and earth.
Even Lan Haoran and the others felt a chill crawl down their spines. None doubted that should they be caught within that void, not even their souls would remain.
Boom!
Flame's blazing fist and Hun Tiandi's black hole collided with earth-shattering force. The explosion that followed tore through the skies, shaking the world itself. Space collapsed and the ground split apart as endless waves of destruction rippled outward.
Yet it did not end there. Flame's figure flickered like lightning as he unleashed a storm of blows, each strike fiercer than the last—merciless, relentless, unstoppable.
Hun Tiandi was forced to respond without pause. He understood well that though Flame was but a clone of Xiao Hua, his physical strength was anything but inferior. The might of Xiao Hua's body—and that of his two incarnations—had long surpassed even the Ancient Void Dragons. Their physical power alone was enough to crush mountains and rend the heavens.
Each clash between Flame and Hun Tiandi tore through the heavens and earth. Mountains crumbled, rivers split apart, and the sky itself was cleaved open as the void twisted and shattered under the sheer force of their blows. The battlefield had become a world-ending storm—one that refused to cease even for a moment.
The endless shockwaves roared across the land like a tsunami of destruction. Ancient beasts hidden deep within the mountains—creatures renowned for their savagery and pride—now lay trembling in fear. None dared to let out a single roar. They curled into the shadows, praying that the wrath of these two beings would not reach them.
The collision between fist and black hole raged on, each exchange igniting chaos across heaven and earth. Then—
Flame suddenly stomped down with immense force. The void beneath his feet rippled violently before erupting into a sea of divine fire. A blazing inferno spiraled upward like a heavenly pillar, its brilliance devouring the world. With unstoppable momentum, it struck squarely against Hun Tiandi's chest.
"Bastard! Take this!"
Caught off guard, Hun Tiandi's expression twisted in fury and pain. Yet before his body could be hurled back, he gritted his teeth and unleashed a surge of black Dou Qi from his palm. It condensed in an instant into a colossal hand that expanded at frightening speed, crashing against Flame's figure.
Boom!
The impact sent both of them flying like broken kites, tearing through mountains and ridges. Each crash flattened peaks and shattered the ground, sending waves of dust and debris sweeping through the horizon. The sky dimmed under the shock, and for a time, even the heavens seemed to hold their breath.
When the storm finally subsided, two figures emerged slowly from the dense clouds of dust. The watching experts did not dare to utter a word as they observed the aftermath of the collision.
Hun Tiandi's face was pale, blood trickling down his palm, while a scorched mark marred his chest. His robes were in disarray, and the aura around him fluctuated chaotically. A searing pain gnawed at his body—the residual flame that lingered within his meridians. Worse still, beneath that flame, a faint trace of icy energy lay hidden, suppressing his Dou Qi flow and forcing him into a dangerous state.
Flame, on the other hand, bore several wounds along his body, but none severe enough to hinder him. His arm was bloodied but unbroken; his breath, slightly chaotic, soon steadied. The Immortal Body he cultivated through the Four Mysterious Physiques radiated an unyielding vitality—his flesh and blood regenerating rapidly, his Dou Qi surging like an unending tide. Even the Ancient Void Dragons would have been astonished by such resilience.
From the state of their injuries alone, it was evident to all: Hun Tiandi had suffered the heavier loss.
"It seems you care little for your disciple," Hun Tiandi sneered, his voice low and venomous. "Or even for the disciples of your sworn brothers and sisters." Despite his mocking tone, a flicker of unease passed through his heart. That last strike… it had nearly pierced his defenses.
Flame's lips curved into a faint, icy smile. His dual-colored eyes glimmered with killing intent as his aura surged once more, colder and sharper than a blade drawn beneath the moonlight.
"How about you?" he said, his voice carrying the chill of winter and the weight of death. "Are you sure you wish to remain here… when the tides have already begun to shift on the Ling Clan's battlefield?"
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