A deafening explosion echoed across the skies as countless waves of powerful Dou Qi erupted. The strongest aura came from the high platform above, where layers of Dou Qi intertwined, forming a massive energy web that shrouded the entire Medicine Mountain.
Yao Dan stood expressionless, his robes fluttering despite the still air as he looked coldly at Hun Huzi suspended in midair. His voice was calm yet sharp as steel.
"The Yao Clan treated you with courtesy, yet you responded with such insolence and humiliation. Since that is the case, even if you are the so-called number one alchemist of the continent, you must pay the price for this insult. The Yao Clan cannot be disgraced!"
His words struck with righteous force, taking the moral high ground. Though Hun Huzi had won the Medicinal Ceremony's championship and earned the title of the continent's top alchemist, his true nature had now been laid bare—revealing only endless deceit and ugliness.
"Haha!"
As his laughter echoed, Dou Qi surged and transformed into a glowing prison that enclosed Hun Huzi within. The cage rapidly contracted, descending toward his head—yet he only laughed louder, his tone dripping with mockery. "The Yao Clan cannot be disgraced? Then today, the Yao Clan shall perish! But as I said before, if your clan submits as a vassal to the Hun Clan, your bloodline may yet survive."
Even as he spoke, Hun Huzi burst through the seal. His Dou Qi flared violently, surging skyward and colliding with the barrier overhead, sending ripples across the heavens. The invisible shockwaves spread in all directions, and wherever they reached, cultivators felt their Dou Qi being suppressed—their flows slowing to a crawl. Faces paled as all turned toward Hun Huzi in disbelief.
"7-Star Dou Saint!" someone gasped between clenched teeth.
Indeed, Hun Huzi had revealed the strength of a 7-Star Dou Saint—his power not inferior to Yao Dan's, perhaps even greater.
Yao Dan's expression tightened. 'As expected, for Hun Huzi to dare attend the Medicinal Ceremony, he must have prepared hidden cards.'
But 7-Star Dou Saint or not…
Yan Jin and Lei Ying no longer sat idle. They rose to stand beside Yao Dan, releasing two vast auras—boundless, heavy as mountains, pressing upon every heart. The oppressive might silenced Hun Huzi's arrogance completely.
Lei Ying cracked his knuckles with a sinister grin. "I knew you were no good bird. Go ahead, show all your tricks! Even if Hun Tiandi himself were here, he couldn't save you. And right now, Hun Tiandi has far bigger problems to deal with!"
Though Hun Huzi was a 7-Star Dou Saint, he could not resist their combined might. His back bent under the pressure, but his face twisted into a strange smile before he straightened slightly and spoke with feigned reverence.
"You think with Gu Yuan keeping our Clan Leader occupied, you can rest easy? Heh… allow me to welcome the arrival of Lord Void!"
As his words spread, invisible waves of energy rippled through the world.
The once-clear skies dimmed instantly. Darkness descended as an eerie black flame engulfed the heavens—its depths as endless as a void, emanating from the fabric of space itself until it blanketed the entire sky.
Gasps erupted among the crowd. That strange, abyssal flame and Hun Huzi's invocation of "Lord Void" immediately made everyone think of the very reason the Hun Clan was hunted—the Void Devouring Flame.
Yan Jin's face darkened as he suppressed the instinctive dread his Heavenly Flame felt. His eyes fixed firmly on the sky as he muttered, "So it really is the Void Devouring Flame…"
"My Dou Qi?!" someone screamed in horror.
At that cry, others realized the same—their Dou Qi was vanishing, silently drained the moment the black fire appeared above. It was as if some unseen demon was devouring their strength, sending chills through every soul.
Liu Xi closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them, azure flames swirling within. Through his heightened Spiritual Perception, he saw what others could not: faint motes of light—tiny, dust-like embers scattered through the air, invisible to the naked eye. These motes landed on bodies, siphoning Dou Qi and feeding it upward toward the heavens.
There, hidden beyond sight, the true body of the Void Devouring Flame absorbed it all, thickening the dark veil over the sky and strengthening the seal around this space.
Liu Xi's lips curved faintly. As expected, even the Void Devouring Flame could not drain energy across space without a medium. With a flicker of his blue flame, he burned away the drifting motes near him, refining their remnants into pure energy—small in quantity, yet extraordinary in quality.
"Master Liu, what should we do?" came Zhu Bei's faint whisper.
Without turning, Liu Xi murmured softly, "Stay calm and watch. Protect yourself first."
He gently patted Zhu Bei's arm, cleansing the embers that clung to him and leaving behind a trace of azure flame to shield him from the Void Devouring Flame's influence.
Zhu Bei nodded subtly, his expression solemn. Since the Void Devouring Flame's arrival, even he had sensed something was amiss—the entire space was sealed. Not even the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's innate spatial mastery could tear it open. For now, at least under the Heavenly Flame's control, escape was impossible.
High above, the black fire coalesced into a humanoid figure standing between heaven and earth. The figure's face was obscured, but its eyes—cold, deep, and soul-piercing—seemed to seize one's spirit at a glance.
One look, and even the strongest will could be swallowed whole. Ranked second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking—its power was unquestionable.
Its domineering presence swept across the world. The black flames covering the sky swirled reverently around it, as if subjects bowing before a sovereign.
"9-Star Dou Saint!" Yao Dan's voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
The crowd erupted in shock. Terror filled their eyes as they looked upon the Void Devouring Flame. Until now, only two names were known to hold that rank—Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi. Now, a third had appeared: the Void Devouring Flame!
Hun Huzi immediately bowed low.
"Welcome, Lord Void!"
A faint hum escaped the Heavenly Flame—acknowledgment enough.
Its gaze drifted slowly over the scene, assessing everything before it spoke with calm authority. "Yao Dan, Lei Ying, Yan Jin… and the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe. Hmph. The Ancient Void Dragons wish to meddle in the affairs of the Hun Clan? This matter has nothing to do with you."
All three Clan Leaders turned toward Zhu Bei, eyes filled with hope that he would stand with them.
But they were disappointed.
Zhu Bei's tone was cold. "We are merely observers. But if you insist on hostility, the Ancient Void Dragons are not easily provoked."
The Void Devouring Flame's voice carried faint amusement.
"I care not for your presence, but you will not oppose the Hun Clan. Stand aside, and once these mortals are dealt with, you may leave unharmed."
"Lord Void, we are innocent too! We can stay out of this!"
"Yes, Lord Void, please let us go!"
The moment it showed leniency, others' courage resurfaced. They scrambled to voice allegiance, eager to save their lives.
"Noisy."
A single cold word, followed by a casual wave of its sleeve—an invisible ripple expanded outward. In an instant, screams filled the air as those who had begged for mercy were engulfed by black flames. Their bodies vanished before a trace of ash could fall.
Yao Dan, Lei Ying, and Yan Jin exchanged grim looks, displeased with Zhu Bei's neutrality, but none dared show it. The enemy before them was beyond comprehension, and even the Ancient Void Dragons could not be alienated now.
Yao Dan drew a deep breath. The heaviness on his face turned to grim resolve. At least now, they finally knew the Hun Clan's greatest weapon—the 9-Star Dou Saint, the Void Devouring Flame.
Terrifying, yes. But better to face the known than the unseen.
"Prepare to fight," Yao Dan said solemnly. "If we can't destroy the Void Devouring Flame, it will destroy us all."
Lei Ying and Yan Jin nodded heavily. Against a 9-Star Dou Saint, there was no other choice but to fight for their lives.
(End of Chapter)
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