The Anomaly Fire Ranking compiles the twenty-three most renowned anomaly fires across the continent. Each fire on the list commands the admiration of countless individuals, and even the slightest news related to them sends ripples of excitement throughout the realm—a fact repeatedly verified by numerous instances. While each anomaly fire possesses unique strengths, they also vary in effectiveness, with some being more potent than others. Xiao Yan's first anomaly fire, the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire, ranks only nineteenth on the list. Aside from its exceptionally intense heat, which can reportedly trigger volcanic eruptions, this fire has yet to manifest such effects in Xiao Yan's hands. Whether this ability is genuine or still unproven remains uncertain. The second of the异fires is naturally the Falling Heart Fire, ranked fourteenth. Though this intangible fire, in terms of destructive power, is comparable to the Qinglian Earth Heart Fire, its true strength lies in its strangeness. Moreover, it possesses a particularly desirable effect—enhancing the refinement of one's internal qi and accelerating cultivation progress. The Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh, already possesses such formidable destructive power that it's hard to imagine the magnitude of the Qinglian Demon Flame ranked third. As the old pharmacist once mentioned, this Qinglian Demon Flame had never been seen by him and, over the years, no one had ever been reported to possess such a rare flame. Such a flame, in fact, seemed to be virtually nonexistent. It remains a mystery how the person who records the rare flame rankings came to know of this mysterious flame and included it in the standings. Xiao Yan had occasionally heard the Ye Elder mention that the top five hetero-flames on the Hetero-Flame Ranking were actually things known only by name, never seen in person. At least during his time, he had never heard any news related to these top five flames. Initially, proud of his own strength and status, he had intended to secure one of the top five hetero-flames to match his standing. Yet, after investing countless time and effort, he failed to even obtain any of the top ten—let alone the top five. In the end, he settled for the eleventh-ranked Bone-Spirit Cold Flame. Even then, when gathering this flame, he nearly suffered a reversal, which clearly demonstrated that the hetero-flames on the ranking were indeed not easy to work with. When, in the cave, he first obtained that fragmentary ancient map and identified the black lotus, how astonished the old pharmacist must have been! Who could have imagined that something he had searched for tirelessly without any clue would appear in such a secluded cave? Recalling the various details about the strange flames, Xiao Yan gently exhaled, then stepped down from the bed and moved to the table, carefully aligning the several yellowed, ancient, and fragmented maps. As the maps were brought together, the routes depicted on them gradually connected. Yet, despite his experience, Xiao Yan had no idea whatsoever about the locations illustrated—places he simply did not recognize. Gently running his palm over the map, Xiao Yan's gaze settled on the missing section. According to his estimation, there should have been four copies of this map. Now, he already possessed three. If he could secure the final fragment, he might finally pinpoint the true location of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame. Yet... though this seemed logical, the vastness of the Qi Continent made finding that last, fragmented map no easier than fishing for a needle in a sea. Moreover, such a thing was unlikely to be publicly sought after—on a continent teeming with powerful individuals, it was hardly known outside places like the Jima Empire, where ordinary people were unaware of its existence. Should someone discover that he held a clue to the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, he would surely face endless complications. At this thought, Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle softly. He had almost entirely stumbled upon these three fragmented maps by sheer chance. Now, to obtain one more—how difficult could that be? "Oh well, I know very little about the Qi Continent, and I'm completely unaware of any developments there. To find this final fragment of the map, I'm essentially at a loss... " Xiang Yin furrowed his brows, murmuring thoughtfully, "It seems that if I want to gather even a little information, I'll have to find someone trustworthy and well-informed about the continent. However, although Cai Lin and Xiao Yi Xian are reliable, they don't know the continent any better than I do. Ah..." With his fingers gently tapping the table, Xiang Yin沉思d for a while. Suddenly, his fingers stopped abruptly, a gleam of delight appearing in his eyes. He stood up and smiled lightly, "How could I have completely forgotten Su Qian, the senior elder of the Gan Nan Academy? As the senior elder of the inner academy, and given the academy's unique status on the continent, he should be well-versed in many secrets. If I wish to learn anything about the unusual flames, seeking him would surely be the best course of action." "Moreover, even if we don't hear any news about the异fires, it's said that the head of the Inner Academy is a Supreme Sovereign powerhouse comparable to our teacher. If we can meet him this time, given my relationship with the Inner Academy, perhaps I can persuade him to lend a hand with this toxic spot... " Xiang Yan's eyes sparkled, then he exhaled in relief. It had been over a year since he last left the Inner Academy. The remnants of the heart flame from the fallen Furnace Tower, which he had witnessed that day, were likely now completely extinguished. If he didn't step in to help them, the Senior Elder would surely be growing anxious. "So, after settling things here, I'll have to make a trip to Black Corner Domain, then..." Xiang Yan murmured with a gentle smile. Black Corner Domain is near the heart of the Continent, where the chances of receiving news about the异fires are far greater than in the Gamma Empire. Thus, Xiang Yan may need to revisit that region once again. With this plan firmly settled in his mind, Xiao Yan felt a great deal lighter, carefully placing the map on the table into his storage relic, and with a sweep of his sleeve, the lights within the room faded away, leaving only quiet darkness filling the space. … "Are you planning to go back to the Black Thorns Region?" Mei Du Sha was momentarily surprised upon hearing Xiao Yan's intention, remarking in amazement. "Yes," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. "The headmaster of the Inner Courtyard is also a Supreme Domain-level cultivator. If I can meet him, perhaps I'll be able to secure his assistance." "Hmph. That old man is always elusive—though I've been in the Inner Courtyard for years, I've only seen him once. You might not even catch a glimpse of him." Zi Yan shook her head with a slight sigh. "But we have to try, don't we? Even if I don't meet him, I can still inquire about the异fires from the Grand Elder. If I can obtain one more such fire, this toxic spot on my body—without needing anyone else's help—I'll be able to heal it myself." Xiao Yan didn't mind, smiled calmly. "Well, going to Black Angular Domain is certainly better than staying in the Gamma Empire. Shall I come with you?" Medusa pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Though your presence would be of great help, once you leave, both the In Flame Alliance and the Serpent Clan will lose their security. Therefore, I'll have to rely on you to protect the In Flame Alliance and the Xiao family members this time." Xiao Yan hesitated, his expression serious. The people from the Soul Palace seemed far from giving up on the Xiao family. If they all departed, and should any of them come to the Gamma Empire again, without a Douzong-level warrior to protect them, the Xiao family members would surely be in peril. Upon hearing this, Medusa furrowed her brows slightly, feeling uneasy about sending Xiao Yan alone to the perilous Black Angular Domain. Yet Xiao Yan's words were indeed true—currently, the In Flame Alliance at least needed one Douzong-level warrior stationed there. "Why don't I come with you?" The Poison Sect of the Cloud Empire has no rivals left. Even with my absence for a while, there should be no major issue." Seeing the concern on Medusa's face, the quiet young physician who had remained silent until now suddenly spoke. Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, then hesitated slightly. With the presence of such a Divinity Sect master, there were certainly many advantages, yet she also had a large Poison Sect to manage. "My厄难poisonous body might erupt at any moment. If you stay away for too long, even if I find the materials, who will help me control it?" Seeing Xiao Yan's hesitation, the young physician smiled gently. "Well... thank you." With the young physician now so far along in her offer, Xiao Yan naturally could no longer hesitate. He nodded and bowed politely to her, knowing well that she was also thinking of protecting him. Seeing Xiao Yishen actively stepping forward to follow Xiao Yan, Medusa silently exhaled in relief, and her gaze toward the former softened slightly. She knew well that Xiao Yishen’s strength was comparable to her own, and with her at his side, Xiao Yan should be safe from any major troubles. "I'll take this young girl with me too. At the Cangnan Academy, I'd better have the senior elders see her—after all, I won't treat her harshly." Xiao Yan patted the top of Zǐ Yán’s head, only to have her gently step aside, unwilling to be touched. Medusa smiled and nodded. Though Zǐ Yán was only a Duke-level combatant, her astonishing strength made even ordinary Duke-level warriors find it hard to match her—she was certainly a valuable asset. "Then, when will you be setting off?" Medusa gazed steadily at Xiao Yan, speaking slowly. "We'll leave tomorrow. As for now..." Xiao Yan smiled, then flicked his finger, and a jade bottle sealed with an intangible flame appeared in his hand. Gazing at the bottle, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. He spoke slowly, "Let's first extract some information about the Spirit Palace from this one."