As soon as the Fallen Heart Flame entered Xiao Yan's body, it immediately erupted with an extraordinarily intense heat. Under such scorching temperatures, even though Xiao Yan's body was protected by the unusual fire and that ethereal glow, he gradually grew hot and began to feel burning pain. Though the Fallen Heart Flame itself was not large in volume, it had accumulated over countless years to take its current form, and thus its temperature was nothing short of extraordinary. Despite the renewed sensation of burning pain, Xiao Yan, who had already endured the agonizing suffering of the previous ordeal, found it manageable. He steadied his mind and allowed a surge of vibrant cyan flames to burst forth from within, soon forming a vast network of interwoven barriers that encircled and contained the Flame as it肆意 ravaged his body. Although the Falling Heart Flame had been absorbed into Xiao Yan's body at this moment, it clearly still retained its own consciousness, thus proving quite cunning as it darted about, evading Xiao Yan's attacks. While the scorching heat no longer caused Xiao Yan unbearable pain, its persistent presence inevitably began to induce a sense of restlessness. After nearly ten minutes of continuous pursuit, Xiao Yan finally ceased his fruitless efforts. "I won't believe I can't catch you," he murmured, as his mind gradually calmed and a steady glow of luminous light began seeping out from various parts of his body, eventually spreading to every corner of his form. Under the gentle illumination of this glow, the previously erratic Falling Heart Flame slowed down noticeably, allowing Xiao Yan to seize the opportunity and employ the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire to encircle and contain it completely. Inside, enveloped by the dense surge of Qing Fire, the fallen Heart Flame did not yield but instead fiercely struggled, continuously radiating terrifying heat. As this heat intensified, the previously composed expression on Xiao Yan's face gradually revealed a growing sense of pain. Suppressing the searing agony, Xiao Yan focused his mind, and the Qing Fire roared within him, swiftly surging and coalescing into a jade-green flame sphere. Within this sphere, the fallen Heart Flame desperately fought to escape. With a sharp, determined gaze transmitted through the flames, Xiao Yan shifted his focus, causing the flames to swirl and then extend outward like pipelines, finally inserting into the palm-sized, milky-white fallen Heart Flame. With the infusion of the azure flame, the fallen heart flame also sensed something amiss and immediately began to surge violently. However, due to the dense encirclement of the Qinglian Earth-heart flame, no matter how vigorously it thrashed, it could not escape the seemingly impenetrable, all-encompassing barrier. Now, since the fallen heart flame possessed its own consciousness, Xiao Yan needed to erase that consciousness before he could fully absorb and refine it. Otherwise, forcing the absorption would provoke resistance from both flames, and when the conflict erupted, he would be the first to suffer. At present, Xiao Yan's strategy was precisely to control the Qinglian Earth-heart flame to gradually penetrate into the fallen heart flame, thereby completely eliminating its inner consciousness. Xiao Yan's intentions were clear to the Fading Heart Flame, which had thus fought desperately. Yet by now, it had nearly become mere fish on the chopping block—whether to kill it or to carve it up depended entirely on Xiao Yan's will. Indeed, the nature of the world is that fortune turns cyclically. Previously, the Fading Heart Flame could have refined Xiao Yan, but due to various circumstances, that had failed. Now, the advantage has shifted entirely to Xiao Yan, and with his capabilities, it would be impossible for him to let the former go unavenged! The resistance of the Fallen Heart Flame had not yielded significant results. As the steady flow of Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire continued to pour in, the Fallen Heart Flame's resistance grew progressively weaker—though this weakening was gradual, it nonetheless conveyed a clear message to Xiao Yan: the consciousness of the Fallen Heart Flame was beginning to be eroded by the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire. Amid this erosion, Xiao Yan suddenly sensed a subtle wave of sound emanating from within the Fallen Heart Flame. Though he did not yet understand its meaning, the tone of plea within it was unmistakable. "Seeking mercy?" Xiao Yan arched a cold smile, scoffing. "When you first absorbed us, master and disciple, did you not show any mercy? If it weren't for my good fortune, I'd have been consumed by you long ago." As he finished speaking, Xiao Yan's mind stirred, and the flow of Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire surged faster and faster—his expression remained impassive, unshaken by the Fallen Heart Flame's pleas. … Erosion progressed extremely slowly, yet Xiao Yan did not rush. After all, no matter how one looked at it, the hetero-fire was the most destructive force in the heavens and earth. To consolidate its own consciousness required an astonishingly long span of time. Now, aiming to erase it entirely—though perhaps not requiring that immense duration—would still demand a solution achievable only in the span of a few short years, which seemed nothing short of impossible. Time flowed gently amid this monotonous erosion, and Xiao Yan remained as still as a Buddhist monk in meditation, utterly undisturbed by external distractions, focusing his entire awareness upon the pale, milky flame. … This slow, gradual erosion had persisted for an unknown duration—perhaps a month, or perhaps much longer—time itself had become profoundly blurred here. Within the azure flame, the green fire tirelessly conveyed energy, and what had once been a vigorous, struggling resistance had now softened into a calm, gentle state, indicating that the consciousness within the Fallen Heart Flame was gradually fading away. "Click…" Suddenly, a delicate crackling sound resonated within the stillness of the body, and as it echoed, Xiao Yan’s composed spirit jolted noticeably. The camera shifted to the Fallen Heart Flame, now suspended within the dense azure glow, radiating a warm, serene light. Once a force of relentless attack and destruction, the Fallen Heart Flame, after enduring Xiao Yan’s prolonged erosion, had finally lost its last trace of consciousness. Now, it stood just as it had when first born—completely devoid of any offensive capability. "Finally successful?" As the consciousness of the Fallen Heart Flame gradually faded, Xiao Yan's mind slowly stirred from a state akin to dormancy. Though he couldn't pinpoint the exact duration, he could sense that this process had likely consumed considerable time. "No matter how much time it took, it's better than being trapped here forever," he comforted himself mentally. With a subtle shift of his mind, the jade-like sphere enclosing the Fallen Heart Flame swiftly dispersed, leaving the Flame quietly suspended. Its core temperature had settled down so gently that Xiao Yan no longer felt any burning pain. "Next, it's time to refine it..." Gazing at the fallen heart flame, Xiao Yan smiled, guiding the flame gently into his meridians with his mind, then beginning to circulate it along the pathways outlined in the "Burned Decree" technique. Refining the fallen heart flame, which had lost consciousness, turned out to be easier than Xiao Yan had anticipated—perhaps due to the prolonged exposure of his body to that relentless fire, creating an almost intuitive harmony between them. Regardless, this refinement process was smoother than the first time he had refined the Qinglian Earth Heart Flame. Of course, even though it flowed smoothly, it shared one common trait with the earlier phase when the flame's consciousness had been eroding: it progressed with an extremely slow pace—so slow that it felt overwhelming. Yet, fortunately, no matter how slow it progressed, it always reached its destination. At the very moment the Fallen Heart Flame was successfully refined, Xiao Yan awoke once more from his dormant state. His mind focused on the tranquil flow of the Fallen Heart Flame seeds within his meridians, and a growing sense of joy gradually rose from deep within, spreading across his face until it bloomed into a warm, contented smile. The gaze shifted to the alluring beauty engulfed in the flames. She remained in the state of soul fusion, though the growing solidity of her soul atop her head clearly indicated that the process was nearing its conclusion—perhaps not much longer now, and soon the Queen of Medusa would fully command this body, ascending truly to become a supreme powerhouse of Douzong rank. Xiao Yan casually swept his eyes over the woman's bare, graceful form before quickly drawing them away—her entire presence exuded an unusual allure toward men, and even her stillness stirred a passionate, almost feverish desire within him. After a period of quiet rest, Xiao Yan finally gathered his composure, his expression serious as he focused his mind within himself, beginning the final and most crucial step for him: the fusion of Qinglian Earth-Heart Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame. If the two flames successfully merge, Xiao Yan's strength will see a significant enhancement, and the "Burn Technique" will undergo a leap-forward evolution as well, propelling his combat capabilities to an even greater level. However, should the fusion fail, the consequences will be far more devastating than before—describing it as utterly catastrophic may not be an exaggeration.