The deep blue flame appeared remarkably strange, spreading out slowly like clear seawater, its gentle ripples resembling waves. As soon as this deep blue flame emerged, the ruyi lotus heart flame within Xiao Yan's body surged with intense vibrations—a phenomenon he was well familiar with, as such vibrations always occurred whenever two distinct flames met. Moreover, this deep blue flame was not unfamiliar to him; he had seen it before, on Han Feng's body. It was known as the Haixin Flame, the fifteenth-ranked rare flame on the list of extraordinary flames. Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the deep blue flame burning upon the black-robed man's body, and after a moment, spoke in a low tone, "Han Feng's Haixin Flame?" When Han Feng had been rescued by the Hunsen Sect and reappeared, he had lost his Haixin Flame, claiming it had been taken by the Hunsen Sect. Now, this person who had suddenly appeared was clearly a member of the Hunsen Sect. Therefore, it was evident that this extraordinary flame must be Han Feng's lost Haixin Flame. "Hmm, good eyes..." The cloaked figure did not dispute this, merely offered a faint smile. Beneath the cloak, his eyes, glowing with a deep, ethereal light, burned with intense warmth, fixed steadily on Xiao Yan. "I know your body harbors more than one unique flame. I've come here to seek you—not to capture you and return you to the Soul Pavilion. That is the concern of others. My true purpose, however, is the cultivation technique you've been mastering!" "The technique that allows different unique flames to merge!" "This is Saint Dan City—the reach of the Soul Temple's influence truly extends far indeed..." Xiao Yan sneered, his internal qi surging like a flood, roaring through his body as he remained in a state of intense alert. The black-robed man had appeared so silently here, his prowess must be exceptionally formidable. Xiao Yan sensed a palpable sense of danger emanating from him, one that demanded careful attention. "That cultivation technique was originally mine, though later it was secretly seized by Master Yaochen through his subtle maneuvers. Now, I merely come to reclaim what rightfully belongs to me..." The black-robed man spoke softly, slightly lifting his head, and under the moonlight above, Xiao Yan could see the faint paleness of his jawline. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes instantly narrowed. He knew that the Burned Decree had been obtained by Yao Lao during an ancient, crumbling sanctuary, and that countless powerful beings had been drawn to that sanctuary in the past. Though he had never personally witnessed the event, he could well imagine the fierce battle that must have erupted over the sanctuary's treasures. "I know there are still two Dou Zun-level cultivators here, but my soul mirror has already sealed this courtyard— they won't be able to detect us for a while." The black-robed figure gently moved his sleeve, and a hand, dry and with the texture of parchment, slowly emerged from within. With a firm grasp, a deep blue flame swiftly coalesced, forming like a water sphere. "Hand over your technique to me, and I will spare your life tonight..." Xiao Yan sneered. With a flash of silver light beneath his feet, he materialized on the courtyard's wall, where emerald flames spiraled out and struck the intangible barrier on the wall with great force. "Boom!" A low voice rose, yet Xiao Yan's punch failed to breach the intangible barrier, merely causing ripples to spread across its surface. "Stubborn! Do you think you're Yao Chen?" The black-robed figure's tone grew colder as he observed Xiao Yan's action. With a casual sweep of his sleeve, deep blue flames surged instantly, coalescing into a blue flame lance. He launched it with a swift motion, tearing through the void and manifesting as a sharp blue streak, carrying a fierce force that surged directly toward Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan's face remained ice-cold; his body trembled slightly, and thunderous resonance echoed throughout. In an instant, he vanished from his original position, effortlessly deflecting the blue lance. "Sealing Net of the Bound Sea." As Xiao Yan disappeared, the black-robed figure swiftly extended his hand and grasped at a point of emptiness behind him. A series of deep blue flame threads burst forth from his fingers, swiftly interlacing to form a dense net of fire, which then enveloped the space behind him. "Shhh!" The fiery network surged forward, and the massive heavy ruler, adhered by the emerald flames, suddenly burst through the air, then descended with a powerful strike, cleaving straight into the deep blue fire net. The fire lotus vanished, and as Xiang Yan waved his hand, the Earth Spirit Puppet materialized, charging straight at the black-robed figure with unwavering courage. As it advanced, its form retreated once more, appearing at the point of the intangible barrier, where its fists struck the same spot with relentless force, like a downpour, causing continuous ripples within the soul-bound mirror. The emerald flame automatically launched itself outward, rebounding against the black-robed figure whenever it came within half a zhang of his vicinity, thus the current surge of Buddha's Fury Lotus failed to inflict even a single wound upon him—demonstrating the sheer strength of his prowess. While withstanding the Lotus's assault, the black-robed figure flicked his fingers rapidly, sending out十几 deep-blue flame streaks that surged forth from his fingertips, tightly ensnaring the earth spirit automaton, which struggled desperately but could not break free from the entwined flames. "With your current strength, you still cannot penetrate the spiritual barrier I have established," said the black-robed figure calmly, his gaze impassive as he watched Xiao Yan relentlessly hammer at the barrier. "Crack!" Xiao Yan slammed a powerful fist into the barrier, watching the rapidly spreading ripples, his expression growing increasingly grim. He hadn't expected the enigmatic cloaked figure to be this strong—based on his assessment, the figure's power should have reached at least Three-Star, if not Four-Star, Domain Master level! Though his demeanor was somewhat strained, Xiao Yan remained composed. Though the cloaked figure was strong, he was not as pliable as a piece of persimmon that could be easily squeezed. Gazing at the black-robed figure approaching steadily, Xiao Yan's expression grew ever colder. With a flick of his fingers, a streak of emerald flame shot out and struck the Earth Spirit Puppet standing at a distance, shattering the fiery lines across its body. The Earth Spirit Puppet, freed from peril, swiftly moved and materialized before Xiao Yan, standing like a towering fortress in front of him. As Xiao Yan released the Earth Spirit Puppet, he opened his mouth, spitting out a stream of emerald flame that split into the Qinglian Earth Heart Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame. Simultaneously, a dark, jade-like circlet on his fingertip flashed, revealing a cold, bone-white spirit flame. Xiao Yan's gaze was cold. He took a deep breath, and a gray-white flame slowly rose from his throat, flowing out in a steady stream. "Rebirth Flame..." Staring at the gray-white flame before him, cold fury surged in Xiao Yan's eyes. With a swift motion of his hand, he seamlessly blended the four flames together, despite the black-robed man's expressions of astonishment. "Are you trying to die?" Seeing Xiao Yan's frantic actions, the black-robed man's face slightly tightened. He then moved swiftly, becoming a shadow that surged toward Xiao Yan like lightning, his palm erupting with a rapid surge of deep blue flame. The black-robed man's speed was astonishing—he seemed to merge with the space itself. With a single motion, he appeared before Xiao Yan, curving his palm and sending a sharp gust of energy straight toward Xiao Yan's forehead, aiming to crush it. Noticing the sharp assault from the cloaked figure, Xiao Yan had just intended to execute the "Thousand Thunder Flashes" to evade—when suddenly, a delicate sound of shattering echoed throughout the courtyard. His gaze swept briefly, and he observed that the invisible barrier enveloping the courtyard had now burst into countless fine fragments of soul energy.