As soon as Huo Lian was released, the last trace of color on Xiao Yan's face swiftly faded. He coughed violently, a thin streak of blood oozing from his lips. With his current strength, integrating this so-called "Destructive Fire Lotus" proved to be quite beyond his capacity. Though he had managed to force the fusion successfully, it had come at a significant cost to his health. Had it not been for his deep familiarity with several types of flames, the Destructive Fire Lotus would have claimed his life right then. From his vow of discipline, he swiftly extracted several pills and swallowed them whole, feeling the medicinal energy rapidly dissolving within his body. Only then did he exhale in relief, his gaze now fixed intently on the vibrant lotus of flame slicing through the space. The colorful flame lotus glided silently beyond the long spatial fissure behind him, making no other movement—yet this quiet scene sent a shiver down the spine of the earth demon elder. He was certain today, he might truly meet his end at the hands of this young warrior, whose power barely reached the level of a four-star Battle Emperor. At the critical moment, even the earth demon elder could not afford the slightest delay. He took a deep breath, and instantly his face turned strangely flushed. The flush lasted only a moment, then a series of hissings echoed through the air. From countless pores on the elder's body, vast streams of black, cold qi surged forth, interlaced with faint streaks of crimson. These subtle red hues only deepened the chilling nature of the black qi. Just as this cold cloud emerged, the temperature in the space where the Earth Demon elder resided suddenly dropped to an icy level. Suddenly, fine ice crystals began to fall from the sky—sensitive observers noticed that these crystals were actually condensed moisture from the air. It was astonishing that the black, cold cloud of the Earth Demon elder had cooled down to such an extraordinary degree. Ripples of cold spread out like lightning, and within a moment, nearly half of the inner courtyard was covered in a thin layer of frost. Many students shivered from the cold, and upon closer inspection, some were even startled to find that even their internal Qi began to freeze under this strange cold atmosphere. This Earth Demon elder’s chilling power could even solidify the Qi within human bodies—indeed, no wonder he is a Seven-Star Qi Master; such a feat was truly remarkable! As for these students whose strength might not be particularly outstanding—even the elders and senior masters from the Magic Flame Valley and the Inner Academy now have pale faces, with ice crystals shimmering in their hair, each of them gritting their teeth and channeling their qi to resist that terrifying coldness. While the black, chilling clouds were asserting their dominance, the splendid lotus of flame that had pierced the sky arrived with an unexpected grace. As the lotus approached, the black clouds surged violently, and thick plumes of white mist rose, only to be instantly vaporized by the intense heat radiating from within the lotus. With the lotus drawing nearer, the intense heat effectively counteracted the cold, allowing many students from the Inner Academy to feel a little more comfortable. One by one, they quickly raised their heads and widened their eyes, gazing in awe at the vibrant lotus, which resembled a meteor streaking across the sky and swiftly approaching the turbulent, massive black clouds. "Shh—" Under the watchful gaze of countless eyes, the flaming lotus streaked across the sky, then, like a meteor, emitting a subtle hiss, silently plunged into the vast expanse of black, cold clouds that enveloped the heavens... The flaming lotus, brimming with destructive power, had entered the black clouds—yet when the audience, anticipating a cataclysmic explosion, held their breath, an eerie stillness settled over the clouds. Not a single ripple stirred on their outer surface. This unexpected scene left everyone stunned, exchanging bewildered glances. As they all expected the blazing lotus to be completely frozen by the cold clouds, Su Qian’s face suddenly tightened, and a sharp, urgent cry rang out across the sky of the inner courtyard. "Senior Monks of the Inner Courtyard—retreat immediately! All students, get down on the ground—now!" As soon as the sound of his voice faded, Su Qian immediately retreated toward the rear. The Inner Court Elder, observing this, was momentarily taken aback before also hastening to step back. The Inner Court students, accustomed to Su Qian's authority, instinctively collapsed to the ground in a rush upon hearing his voice, creating a scene where countless figures appeared as if lifeless across the vast courtyard. As Su Qian retreated, Xiao Yi, the young healer, also frowned, sensing the terrifying, destructive force suddenly surging from the black cloud. She swiftly moved, appearing beside Zǐ Yán, curved her jade hands slightly to lift him mid-air, and then retreated with lightning speed. Of course, at the same time, Su Qian and several powerful figures from Mo Yan Valley were also fleeing. Indeed, the sky above had grown remarkably strange, and everyone now rushed desperately, as if in a state of emergency, striving to escape the battlefield they had once known. The low voice had just resonated when the black, cold clouds suddenly surged and rippled, displaying vibrant hues that shimmered in and out. Then—boom!—a magnificent, swirling wave of flame, stretching a hundred zhang in width, erupted violently from within the clouds. As this wave expanded, the black, freezing clouds—so dense that they could turn air into ice—were instantly dispersed, offering no resistance at all. The vast, colorful wave of flame swept across the sky, and those magi from Magi Valley who had fled too slowly vanished completely, leaving not even a trace of ash. Witnessing the sheer power of the wave, the survivors who had escaped in time grew pale, clutching their chests in relief, grateful for their swift reactions. The spreading wave of fire shattered several buildings within the inner courtyard, and within nearly a kilometer beyond, the forest was instantly reduced to a flat expanse stretching endlessly, with no obstacles visible on the ground. "Another wave is coming—stay alert, move away!" Witnessing the sheer destructive power of just one wave of flame, Su Qian couldn't help but tremble again, and immediately shouted. Hearing Su Qian's command, nearly all the strong fighters pressed back with all their might. The clear fate of the Magin Valley's warriors previously consumed by the flames had made them realize: if caught in the path, not even ash would remain. As Su Qian retreated, his gaze suddenly fell upon the inner courtyard beneath the battlefield, where numerous students still remained. His face paled noticeably, and he urgently called out, "All students—quickly find shelter!" As Su Qian finished speaking, chaos erupted throughout the inner courtyard. Hundreds of students scattered in every direction, seeking shelter. Now they had clearly realized that the terrifying flaming lotus in the sky had broken free from Xiao Yan's control. Should it unleash even more powerful energy, the entire inner courtyard might be reduced to ashes in an instant. Su Qian's reminder came rather late. As the inner courtyard plunged into chaos, a brilliant, colorful light beam that had previously grown faint suddenly burst skyward—visible clearly over a hundred li away. At the very moment the beam rose, a massive fire sphere, roughly twenty zhang in diameter, slowly ascended from within the dark, cold clouds. The destructive power contained within the sphere caused the surrounding space to warp severely, with dark fissures in space beginning to appear subtly. This towering fire sphere, suddenly rising like another sun, radiated an overwhelming heat and destructive force, causing everyone present—including its creator, Xiao Yan—to pale. Should it erupt fully, the entire inner courtyard and the surrounding hundred li would vanish instantly. Xiao Yan could not explain precisely why the fire lotus had become so formidable. When the lotus first entered the dark clouds, he had lost control. The dramatic transformation that followed likely stemmed from the intense collision and friction between extreme heat and extreme cold. Regardless of the cause, the fire sphere now lay beyond Xiao Yan's control. If it erupted unchecked, the entire cohort of students in the inner courtyard would likely be reduced to ashes. Thinking of that outcome, even Xiao Yan couldn't help but shiver violently—this time, it seemed they had truly gone too far. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with determination. He directly retrieved a pill from his storage ring and forcefully swallowed it. As a powerful medicinal energy surged through his body, he braced against the growing pressure in his meridians, spitting out a stream of blood, then clenched his hands tightly around the fresh flow. Regardless, the Fire Lotus was his creation. Though it had initially lost control, Xiao Yan still had a way to regain command of it—though at a considerable cost. Perhaps, even after a year or so of recovery, he might never fully regain his peak condition. But at this very moment, such considerations were secondary.