A dazzling fire lotus, formed of ten radiant colors, slowly rotated in Xiao Yan's palm. As it spun, the surrounding heaven and earth energy abruptly grew volatile, and the temperature that had plummeted due to the presence of the Nine Nether Cold Sparrow now surged upward at an alarming rate. If they had been in an icy abyss moments ago, it now felt as though they stood on the edge of a sea of molten lava.
"What kind of divine technique is that?" Several elders' eyes sharpened as they stared at the brilliant lotus in Xiao Yan's hand. Despite its refined appearance, an overwhelming wave of heat pulsed from it—one that could likely threaten even an Eighth Grade Sovereign. Yet how could someone of Xiao Yan's level possibly unleash such a fearsome attack?
After successfully forming the lotus, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply. Originally, he had wanted to create a twenty-plus-colored Demonic Wrath Flame Lotus, but upon attempting it, he realized the Spiritual Energy consumption in the Great Thousand World was hundreds of times greater than it had been in the Dou Qi Continent. For now, he could only form one with ten colors.
Fortunately, while the energy cost was higher, the fire lotus's power had also risen dramatically in kind. Based on his estimates, this ten-colored Demonic Wrath Flame Lotus was already far more terrifying than the twenty-three-colored version he used against the Evil Demon Emperor. If one day he managed to unleash a twenty-three-colored fire lotus again in the Great Thousand World, it would be a force capable of reducing even an Earth Sovereign to ashes.
Moreover, he hadn't forgotten—his Heavenly Flame Arena still held twenty different Heavenly Flames, all restored using the Time Ancestral Symbol. If he fused them into the fire lotus, the resulting power would be enough to shake the entire world.
"This move is called... Demonic Wrath Flame Lotus," Xiao Yan muttered softly as he tossed the lotus forward. In an instant, the dazzling lotus turned into a streak of firelight and surged toward the Nine Nether Cold Sparrow form of Qin Wan'er. The space along its trajectory burned silently into nothingness, drawing gasps from the Nine Nether Bird Clan members watching nearby.
"His fire-type Spiritual Energy is terrifying…" Among the spectators were many who had evolved into Nine Nether Flame Sparrows, and even they, despite being fire-type beast spirits themselves, felt dwarfed by Xiao Yan's aura.
Even Patriarch Tianhuang was visibly shaken by this move. Though Xiao Yan had displayed fire-based abilities before—such as the Flame Ancestral Symbol—it had not caught much attention. But now, this Demonic Wrath Flame Lotus shocked everyone present.
"Ice Domain Divine Art—Feathered Ice Tempest!" Qin Wan'er wasn't idle. As the fire lotus surged toward her, she swiftly formed a complex hand seal. Her massive ice-form avatar—the Nine Nether Cold Sparrow—flapped its wings, summoning a storm within a thousand-zhang radius. At its core, countless ice blades emerged, their edges gleaming with an ominous chill.
"She's actually using the Ice Domain Divine Art…" murmurs spread through the onlookers. This was a pinnacle divine technique, one only Sovereigns at Fifth Grade or higher could access. Qin Wan'er, a peak Seventh Grade Sovereign, had the deepest mastery of it among her generation. Even an ordinary Eighth Grade Sovereign would avoid confrontation. Yet now, she had been forced to reveal it.
"If she's using that, the fight's surely over."
"Too soon to say. That guy's fire lotus is no ordinary move. Even my Heavenly Flame Divine Art can't compare."
"He's just ascended from the lower plane—how can he have a technique this fearsome?"
As the murmurs echoed, the fire lotus, no larger than a palm, rapidly approached the raging storm. Just as the two ultimate techniques were about to collide, the surrounding space abruptly froze.
Everything halted.
The fire lotus. The blizzard. The blades. Time itself seemed to pause.
Then—without explosion, without noise—an invisible ripple spread outward. Both attacks vanished without a trace, like stones disappearing into still water.
Xiao Yan and Qin Wan'er stiffened in place, then raised their heads. Their gazes swept toward the elevated stone seats at the edge of the mountain square. Only Earth Sovereign-level elders could dispel both their ultimate techniques so effortlessly.
At the center of those seats, Tianhuang raised his hand gently and said with warmth, "That's enough. This was meant to be a friendly match—not a life-and-death battle. You'll all be working together under the same roof soon. If either of you were injured too heavily, it would only hurt our unity. Let this match end in a draw."
Xiao Yan didn't object. His goal had always been to secure a place for him and Qingtan in the Nine Nether Bird Clan. That had been achieved.
Nor did Qin Wan'er refute the outcome. Truth be told, she had no confidence in overcoming that vibrant fire lotus in a head-on clash. Had they truly fought to the bitter end, it was unclear what the result would have been. Perhaps both would suffer injuries—or worse. And she had no desire for such an ending.
In fact, she had developed a certain respect for Xiao Yan. Despite the fact she was two full grades higher than him, and that he hadn't even formed a Sacred Avatar yet, he had still fought her to a draw. His strength was undeniable. If he adapted fully to the Great Thousand World and caught up in rank, the outcome of a rematch would almost certainly be her defeat.
"Very well. Since neither of you object, I hereby declare Xiao Yan and Qingtan to be official members of the Nine Nether Enforcement Division," Tianhuang said with a nod.
None of the other elders raised objections either. Today's battle had revealed Xiao Yan's potential. If nurtured properly, he could become a major asset to the clan's future.
As for Qingtan—though she hadn't participated, the elders hadn't underestimated her. After all, she too had ascended from a lower plane, and her potential wouldn't be inferior. The reason she hadn't stepped in was simple: as a mere First Grade Sovereign, joining a battle at their level would've been suicidal.
The black-robed woman seated nearby also stood. With a flick of her finger, two black tokens flew through the air toward Xiao Yan and Qingtan. "These are the Nine Nether Orders—symbols of your identity. Now that you've joined the Enforcement Division, you'll be under my command. Three days from now, you'll accompany me into the Nine Nether Secret Realm. I'll provide you both with individual training."
(End of Chapter)
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