A thick, rich mist of blood surged forth from the white circlet, swiftly coalescing in the air above the cavern to form a blood-colored figure. As soon as this figure appeared, a powerful surge of rage radiated outward—yet fortunately, the two figures within the cavern were no ordinary individuals, and this negative energy failed to overwhelm their minds. Upon its emergence, the spectral being immediately surveyed Xiao Yan and Tian Huo Sovereign. Perhaps due to its previous capture, it did not rush straight toward them this time, but instead turned and transformed into a blood-scarred silhouette, shooting fiercely toward the cavern's entrance. "Hmm. You wish to flee?" Tian Huo Sovereign coldly remarked, clenching his palm. The fallen heart flame at his command rapidly spread, forming a blazing net that darted forward and finally sealed the entire entrance just in time, intercepting the blood-scarred figure before it reached the outer edge. Upon witnessing the intangible fire net, a flicker of fear passed through the crimson eyes of the ferocious spirit, though it lacked intelligence—its instinct told it that this formless fire net would inflict severe harm. The streaking blood shadow halted its forward momentum with a sharp crack, then remained suspended mere half-zhang away from the net. Yet even as its body stabilized, the spirit had not yet time to rejoice—before it could react, Tianhu Master merely swept his sleeve, and the fire net instantly peeled away. Then, like a starving wolf, he launched himself in a sudden plunge, fully enclosing the spirit, which had failed to retreat in time. Crack! Crack! As the fire net first touched the spirit’s body, wisps of white mist seeped through, the hissing sound never ceasing, accompanied by the spirit’s vigorous struggles. Though the spirit lacked intelligence, the falling heart flame directly affected its soul—this sensation of searing pain radiating from within was unavoidable. Amidst the struggle, thick, blood-colored mist continuously surged from within the spirit of the monster, colliding with the invisible fire net surrounding it, and both fiercely eroding each other. "Hmph!" Observing the spirit's resistance, the Lord of Heavenly Fire's eyes flashed a cold glint. Suddenly changing his hand seal, the fire net began to gradually contract, and as it shrank, the form of the spirit within also diminished. "Xiao Yan, strengthen the intensity of the Fallen Heart Flame!" As the fire net continued to shrink, the Lord of Heavenly Fire suddenly commanded. Hearing this, Xiao Yan, who had already been ready and on standby, immediately nodded. With a flick of his fingers, a surge of qi jetted out and landed upon the fire net. The qi was swiftly absorbed by the net, and as it was absorbed, the intangible flames swirling atop the net grew increasingly dense. Meanwhile, the fierce spirit within the net continued to emit sharp, angry cries under the intense heat, struggling fiercely—but no matter how violently it fought, it could not break free from the net's grasp. Seeing this scene, Tian Huo Master also breathed a subtle sigh of relief, adjusting his hand seals so that the fiery network gradually dispersed and then coalesced into a flame cauldron about one zhang in size, within which settled the thick, blood-colored mist. Observing Tian Huo Master's skillful manipulation of fire into a cauldron, Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed with admiration. Indeed, no wonder he was once a Supreme Battle Sovereign—his mastery of fire control was beyond Xiao Yan's own abilities, and the reputation of Tian Huo Master truly deserved his standing. Within the flaming cauldron, the temperature was extraordinarily intense. Under this scorching refinement, the thick blood vapor gradually began to fade. Xiao Yan knew that once the blood hue was completely transmuted into nothingness, the fierce spirit soul would successfully be refined into a pure, cohesive spiritual force. However, this process was remarkably slow—without several days of steady progress, it would be difficult to achieve complete refinement. Hearing this, Tian Huo Master also smiled and nodded, then slowly closed his eyes, settling into a meditative posture floating in the air. A thread of his spiritual energy extended out, guiding and refining the flames within the fire cauldron. As Tian Huo Master closed his eyes, Xiao Yan once again channeled a surge of combat energy into the cauldron, then grasped his palm—there, before him, appeared a plain scroll of gray-brown bamboo. "Tian Yao Kui." This quiet atmosphere lasted for approximately one hour. Only then, under the prompting voice of Tian Huo, did Xiao Yan regain his composure, offering a somewhat awkward smile and promptly summoning a surge of qi to be poured into the fire cauldron. After studying the matter for nearly an hour, Xiao Yan now had a better understanding of the "Tian Yao Puppet." As described above, to create such a puppet, three primary materials are required: the body, the magical core, and the soul. In addition, certain special metallic materials are also necessary to ensure the puppet's body is more robust. The bamboo scrolls gently tapped against his arms, and Xiao Yan gradually fell into thoughtful contemplation. He essentially had all these resources—his body, for instance, was bolstered by the physical form of Yunshan, even that of the Earth Demon elder ghost; the magical core, a seven-tiered fire-type one, should be more than sufficient; as for his soul, the iron protector from the Huan Palace he captured during his time in the Chuyun Empire served as the ideal substitute. Additionally, he possessed certain special metallic materials within his jade storage pouch, though he was primarily a pharmacist—by habit, he occasionally gathered a few such materials. "Ha ha, Xiao Yan, you want to save that old man? Forget it—with your current strength, if you ever meet the true masters of the Soul Palace, you'll be nothing but a speck of dust. Hehe. If you really want to know something, let me out, and then beg me properly. Maybe I'll be so kind as to share a bit of information with you!" A booming laugh echoed within the jade vial. After completing these tasks, Xiao Yan glanced at the fire cauldron. The thick blood mist within had once again lightened considerably, indicating that the refinement process was progressing well. Shifting his gaze from the cauldron, Xiao Yan held the bamboo scroll in his hands, hesitated a moment, and then stored it in his storage relic. For now, he needed to attend to the fire cauldron, so it wasn't the optimal time to begin refining the "Heavenly Demon Puppet." He would wait a few days, refine the fierce spirit soul completely, and then proceed with the refinement. With his mind firmly resolved, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated. He exhaled gently, settled into a meditative posture, and began absorbing energy to replenish the depletion within his body... That chaotic gas, upon approaching Tianhuo Master, was immediately swallowed whole by him, then his form trembled and transformed into a glow, entering the white storage amulet. "Ha ha, Xiao Yan, gratitude need not be spoken. I'll repay you this favor once I've fully absorbed this soul energy. Also, this absorption process might take a while—be sure to stay vigilant."