"What did you say? The Three-Thousand-Yan-Flame Blaze has erupted—Xiao Yan is still within it?" In a room of Dan Tower, the young physician gazed at the white-haired elder before her, her jade hands striking the table beside her so forcefully that it shattered into powder. Rising abruptly, the gentle, graceful lines of her face were now etched with a cold, sharp intensity she hadn't displayed in a long time. Beside her, Tianhuo Sovereign also registered a subtle shift in expression. Seeing the young physician's dramatic reaction, Qilong chuckled softly, bowing slightly. "We didn't intend to leave Xiao Yan behind. At that moment, he was engaged in a soul-level battle against the essence flame of the Three-Thousand-Yan-Flame. If we had removed him, it would have inflicted severe damage upon him. Moreover, his puppet was standing guard beside him, completely preventing anyone from approaching Xiao Yan." "With Dan Tower's formidable influence, wouldn't even the strongest puppet be unable to hold him back?" "Little Doctor, in a rage, said, though she didn't fully understand the current situation within the Star Domain, the sudden tension in the Dan Tower alone made it clear that things must be extremely dire—especially since Xiao Yan was alone within it, and thus, his fate was surely grim. Facing Little Doctor's relentless questioning, Qiu Ling sighed and said, "The Chairpersons have stated that after a few days, if conditions in the Star Domain improve, they will go back in again and forcibly bring Xiao Yan out." "What if no one returns at all?" Little Doctor frowned, her brows knitted. After a few days? Even Xuan Kongzi and the others dared not enter now—how could Xiao Yan possibly survive? As this thought struck her, her anger surged. Just as she was about to erupt, Zi Yan quietly pulled at her sleeve and whispered, "Don't worry, Xiao Yan hasn't died yet—I can feel it." "Heard that, the young physician paused, her beautiful eyes casting a moment of doubt toward Zi Yan. Only after a few moments did the slight tension on her face ease. Though Zi Yan was playful, she knew the matter at hand was serious, and her relationship with Xiao Yan was particularly close—should anything unforeseen happen to Xiao Yan, she would surely not remain as calm as she did now." With a graceful sweep of her jade sleeve, the young physician said firmly, "Three days from now, I'll go to the Grand Master. If they don't activate the Stellar Domain then, we'll enter it ourselves!" "The Dragon Seal within him is one that I planted. Should anything unforeseen happen to him, the Seal on my hand will likewise vanish." Zi Yan spread her hands, and there, on her palm, she revealed a golden seal—now gently radiating a soft golden glow. "The Seal is not only intact but glowing brighter than ever, which means his condition is quite stable, with no immediate life-threatening concerns," she said seriously. With this, the heavy weight that had been pressing on the young healer's chest gradually eased. After a brief pause, she turned her gaze toward the sky of the Dan Tower beyond the window—where now, numerous strong Dan Tower cultivators were stationed on guard. "Even so, we cannot leave Xiao Yan alone there. If he hasn't emerged by the third day, we must insist that the three leading figures of the Dan Tower reopen the Stellar Realm!" "... While outside the realm was growing chaotic due to the complete eruption of the Three Thousand Yan Fire, within the star realm, an unusual stillness prevailed. The deep purple and black flames swirled gently throughout every corner, continuously rising and burning. The entire star realm appeared as if a colossal furnace, its air scorching hot—so intense that even ordinary strong cultivators would likely burst into flames, turning into fire orbs upon simply inhaling. This eruption truly transformed the star realm into a zone of death. Amidst this endless sea of purple and black flames, faint green glimmers emerged. Upon closer inspection, one discovered a green flame dome, within which a figure sat in meditation, eyes closed. Beside him, a celestial demon automaton, entirely golden-yellow in hue, stood upright, expressionless and motionless." The one seated cross-legged was Xiao Yan. Now, he appeared as if a monk had entered meditative stillness—his body motionless, even his aura, drifting out from within him, thin and faint, as though he were on the brink of death. "Baseless creatures, dare you step forth and fight me to the death?" For days, the fiery shield had remained unbroken, and the terrifying heat surrounding him seemed utterly incapable of affecting Xiao Yan. Even the three thousand flames of焱inflamed, growing increasingly restless—without knowing why, as time passed, it sensed a subtle weakening in its own strength. Most astonishing of all, it noticed that Xiao Yan's power within the shield was growing steadily, albeit slowly, as if the very essence of its strength were gradually transferring into him. Though this transformation was gradual, it was undeniably real. As this subtle exchange continued, eventually, the flames would no longer be able to dominate Xiao Yan so completely. And then, it would come to understand—Xiao Yan's counteroffensive would begin. This change left the Three Thousand Yan Flame profoundly uneasy and restless. Despite its relentless howling and attacks, Xiao Yan remained firmly tucked within the flame shield, taking not a single retaliatory action. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" The agitation drove the Three Thousand Yan Flame into an increasingly furious state, desperately channeling its flames to erode the shield—yet each effort only served to intensify its own agitation. Xiao Yan, too, gradually began to sense the reason behind the Flame's escalating fury. The Flame's power was steadily seeping into his body over time. This unusual phenomenon, as he realized, was likely tied to the Dragon Seal. As Zhu Yan had suggested, her Dragon Seal, in essence, was more advanced than the one inscribed by the Three Thousand Yan Flame. This, perhaps, was the very root cause of the dynamic interplay—where one grew while the other diminished. And once he fully grasped this layer, Xiao Yan finally felt at ease. With his current strength, it was nearly impossible to directly subdue the Three Thousand Yan Fire. Fortunately, under his full defensive stance, even this fire, which was now nearly weakened to a fragile state, could not penetrate him. At present, all he needed to do was remain calm and patiently wait for the Three Thousand Yan Fire's power to flow into his body. Then, by waiting on the sidelines and conserving his strength, he would surely be able to defeat it decisively. This, was Xiao Yan's only chance for success. Any hint of recklessness would mean losing this opportunity, and thus turning the entire situation into a tragic one. And just thinking about being controlled by the three thousand blazing flames after a defeat, Xiao Yan couldn't help but shiver—then, perhaps, it would be better to die right then and there. Therefore, no matter what, he absolutely must not lose. Though, given the current pace of the exchange between both sides, it would inevitably take a considerable amount of time before Xiao Yan gained the strength to mount a counteroffensive. Yet for now, that was all he could do—by staying calm, victory was certain. Over the years of training, restlessness and such emotions naturally wouldn't surface at this crucial moment. Everything was gradually shifting in Xiao Yan's favor, and only awaited the day when it would finally erupt. ... Within the soul realm, there is no concrete concept of time, so Xiao Yan has no sense of how time passes. The only thing he knows is that the Three Thousand Yan Fire, once vibrant, is growing progressively weaker each day, while he himself is growing stronger day by day. As time unfolds, under this peculiar transformation, even the Three Thousand Yan Fire—previously bristling with impatience—begins to show signs of growing concern. It too understands that the longer the battle drags on, the more detrimental it becomes. Yet facing Xiao Yan's resilient, shell-like defense, even the Fire finds itself increasingly powerless. Its attacks are gradually weakening, while Xiao Yan's defenses grow ever more formidable. This duel tests patience and resolve. … Time flowed swiftly, like sand slipping between fingers, and in the void, Xiao Yan found it hard to gauge its passage. The only thing he could do was concentrate and remain still, absorbing the spirited essence of the soul within the space filled with deep purple and black flames. This monotonous state of stillness and waiting gradually came to an end one day.