After the Earth Demon Old Ghost gave his command, Fang Yan and the other Demon Flame Valley elders clenched their teeth. They knew that if they allowed Xiao Yan to act freely, it would spell disaster for them. Thus, without hesitation, the four of them began forming hand seals. In the next instant, four faint gray flames soared into the air from the tops of their heads, gradually merging into a brownish-gray flame high in the sky.
Seeing this fusion flame, Xiao Yan's eyebrows lifted slightly. He was no stranger to it—after all, he too possessed a similar flame in his body. This was none other than the Transformation Flame used in the Demonic Wrath Flame Lotus. However, theirs was clearly of inferior grade.
After all, the version of the flame technique Xiao Yan practiced had been enhanced by none other than the Earth Demon Old Ghost himself. What the old ghost didn't know, though, was that someone had long since mastered the improved version of his precious creation.
"Is this all you've got?" Xiao Yan asked with a faint smile. Against Dou Huang-level opponents, this so-called Transformation Flame might suffice. But against a Dou Zong? It was nowhere near enough. Fang Yan and his comrades were clearly aware of this too, which was why, after conjuring the flame, they continued to alter their hand seals. Moments later, a massive firebird began to form within the grayish-brown flame—an enormous construct named the Starfire Phoenix.
"That's it?" Xiao Yan said blandly, gazing at the ten-zhang-long flaming bird.
To others, this manifestation might seem like an awe-inspiring divine technique. But to Xiao Yan, it was mere child's play. In his past life, he was a master of flame manipulation. There were perhaps only a handful on the entire Dou Qi continent who could rival him in controlling fire. This so-called divine bird of flame simply didn't impress him.
Fang Yan's face turned grim at Xiao Yan's evaluation, but he didn't argue. He knew that even with this level of Transformation Flame, they still stood no chance against a true Dou Zong. A savage gleam flashed in his eyes, and he roared, "Second! Third! Fourth! Sacrifice the fire!"
All four Demon Flame Valley elders, including Fang Yan, bit the tips of their tongues and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Under Fang Yan's direction, the blood formed into a brown cluster before merging into the Starfire Phoenix. This wasn't ordinary blood—it was their own essence blood, and the cost of using it was substantial.
But the effect was immediate. The Starfire Phoenix quickly turned blood-red, and the surrounding temperature rose sharply. Its aura skyrocketed severalfold. At this point, the phoenix now had enough strength to truly threaten a Dou Zong.
"Oh? You're finally done?" Xiao Yan yawned lazily, clearly unimpressed. 'Tch, the casting speed is so slow. If I hadn't wanted to stall for time, I could've used Annihilation Flame Eyes to pop all their heads a hundred times over by now.' But honestly, this group didn't even deserve something as extravagant as that.
He raised one hand and calmly said, "Go ahead. Let's see what's so amazing about this fake Heavenly Flame you've been preparing all this time."
"You won't be disappointed!" Fang Yan sneered and thrust his hand toward Xiao Yan. The blood-red phoenix, which had gained a trace of sentience from the essence blood, flared its wings. With a shrill cry, it launched itself toward Xiao Yan in a blazing assault of scorching wind and violent heat.
"Black Dragon Devours the Spirit."
Xiao Yan's extended palm suddenly turned jet black. As he gently pushed it forward, a dragon's roar echoed across the heavens. From above, a massive dragon made entirely of black energy took form. It curled into a ring, and at the very center was a thin, black veil of light—like a miniature black hole. It radiated a chilling, otherworldly aura.
As soon as the black hole stabilized, a terrifying suction force erupted from within. The oncoming Starfire Phoenix was sucked into the black hole before it could even make contact. Even the blood-brown flames that surrounded it were swept in and vanished without a trace.
At the same time, Fang Yan and his three fellow elders turned pale. They could clearly feel the connection between themselves and their Transformation Flame being severed in the most brutal fashion. Before they could even speak, blood sprayed from their mouths in unison—this time not from a voluntary sacrifice, but from the violent backlash.
The disappearance of the phoenix meant the dispersal of the vast amount of Dou Qi they had poured into it. Their cultivation bases plummeted in a flash. Worse still, the loss of so much essence blood would leave behind permanent damage. It was highly likely that the four of them would forever remain at the Dou Huang level, unable to progress ever again.
Of course, knowing Xiao Yan, even without the damage, they wouldn't have lived long enough to worry about bottlenecks. Today was the day of their execution.
As the blackness receded from Xiao Yan's palm, the black ring in the sky vanished as well—along with it, the Starfire Phoenix and the Transformation Flame.
Xiao Yan looked down at the stunned Fang Yan and his comrades, the corners of his mouth lifting in a calm, condescending smirk.
"Your so-called Starfire Phoenix… is just that."
The color drained from the faces of Fang Yan and the others. They had never imagined that their ultimate joint technique—capable of threatening even Dou Zong experts—would not only fail to harm Xiao Yan, but would be swallowed up without resistance in a single breath.
What they didn't know was that Xiao Yan's Black Dragon Devours the Spirit had, in his past life, consumed countless powerful enemies. The technique was born from an ancient and eerie bloodline known as the Spirit-Swallowing Race. It didn't merely devour flames—it could consume Dou Qi, soul power, lifeforce, even bloodline abilities—and convert them into power for its wielder.
If unleashed at his peak, Xiao Yan could've emptied all life within ten thousand li with a mere thought. That was the true terror of this technique.
Using it here, against a few middle-tier Dou Huangs, was akin to slaying chickens with a celestial dragon-slaying blade…
(End of Chapter)
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