Within the stellar expanse filled with deep purple and black flames, the intense heat continuously rising with the flames grows increasingly scorching, to the point where even the space itself appears notably distorted. Were it not for a sealing layer outside this space preventing the outward spread, the flames would surely erupt like compressed volcanic forces deep beneath the earth, bringing about a catastrophic devastation to the Sacred Dan City. At the very center of this domain of blazing purple and black flames, there exists a region of stillness—free from any movement of flame, where all flames that reach it automatically divert and flow around it. Within this stillness, a slender figure sits in meditation, upon whose body a deep, profound purple-brown flame subtly rises. This flame swirls around the figure, and each time it surges, it causes a pronounced ripple across the endless sea of purple and black flames beyond. Yet the young man remained unaware of the shifting flames surrounding him. Since that moment when he had closed his eyes, nearly eight months had passed—during which time his body had remained utterly still, his breath so faint it was nearly imperceptible. Had it not been for a subtle pulse of life still circulating within him, anyone would have deemed him a lifeless corpse. With his now serene state of stillness, it seemed as though the entire stellar expanse had merged with his breath—each deep inhalation stirring waves of flame across the realm, while when his breathing settled, the waves gently subsided, and the realm returned to quiet. Under this rhythm of breath, time flowed like sand between fingers, slipping away unnoticed, until one day… At that moment, the body of Xiao Yan, which had been as still and composed as an old monk in meditation, suddenly began to surge forth streams of deep purple-brown flames. These flames writhed and coiled, eventually gradually taking the form of a massive purple-brown dragon stretching several dozen zhang in length. If observed closely, one would realize that this very dragon was the original form of the Three Thousand Yan Fire Flames from before. However, now, this deep purple-brown flame appeared more profound and mysterious than the pure Three Thousand Yan Fire Flames. "Roar!" The deep purple-brown flames spread across the void, enveloping Xiao Yan completely with a towering flame body. Raising its immense head, the dragon opened its great maw, and a thunderous roar erupted suddenly, resonating throughout the otherwise silent star realm. Boom! "With that roar echoing forth, the previously tranquil indigo-black flames instantly surged into frenzied activity, as though drawn by an unseen force, coalescing into towering columns of indigo-black fire that flowed ceaselessly toward the dragon's massive, coiled maw hovering in the void. As more and more of these indigo-black flames were consumed by the dragon, the indigo-brown hue on its body deepened, and its scales became vividly lifelike, as if truly tangible. 'Roar!' The indigo-black flames within the star realm were vast and immense; despite the dragon's relentless efforts to absorb them, the expanse of the flame sea remained largely unchanged. These flames had been formed over thousands of years through the steady accumulation of stellar energies drawn by the Three Thousand焱Flames. To fully absorb them, as the current Xiao Yan could manage, would surely prove beyond reach." The dragon devoured enough deep indigo flames before it felt satisfied, its massive form gradually shrinking until it transformed into a slender streak of purple-brown flame, which surged into Xiao Yan's cranial cavity. At the very instant the dragon entered Xiao Yan's body, the pair of eyes that had remained closed for half a year finally trembled slightly, then slowly opened. "Shh!" As the eyes opened, deep indigo flames ignited within them, blazing into two brilliant beams that shot forth like laser rays, tearing through the raging sea of fire and creating two vast rifts, each stretching ten zhang in width. The beams swept across, causing the fire to surge and ripple before it gradually retracted and settled. "Hmm..." A remarkably scorching breath slowly exhaled from Xiao Yan's throat, and as this breath escaped, the ancient copper hue that had been lingering on his body began to gently recede. "Finally successful..." Xiao Yan slowly lowered his head, clenched his hands, and a cluster of purple-brown flames burst forth—this was his new hetero-fire, forged from the fusion of three distinct hetero-fires: the Three Thousand Yan Fire, the Qinglian Earth Heart Fire, and the Fallen Heart Fire. Xiao Yan had no clear idea of the magnitude of the top-tier hetero-fires, but based on his intuition, this newly formed hetero-fire should have a strong chance of ranking among the top six. "Since it is a fusion of three hetero-fires, then from now on, it shall be called—the Three Thousand Lotus Heart Fire." Gazing at the cluster of flames in his hands, Xiao Yan smiled gently and spoke softly. With a simple grasp, he drew the purple-brown flames into his body. Then, suddenly extending both arms and tilting his head upward, a clear, resonant cry rose—like the call of a crane—echoing powerfully throughout the silent star realm. The roar was悠long, and at the same moment, the bones throughout Xiao Yan's body suddenly resonated with a powerful burst. His aura surged upward at an astonishing pace. As Xiao Yan's aura surged dramatically, the purple-black sea of flames within the star realm also became turbulent, surging and roaring like waves in an ocean. Several colossal flame whirlwinds, each stretching hundreds of zhang in width, formed around Xiao Yan, while fire dragons spiraled and roared outside the storm. Four-star, five-star, six-star, seven-star... Xiao Yan's aura had soared to an absolutely breathtaking level. If anyone were present, they would likely be stunned silent by the sheer speed of this transformation—goals that normally required years, or even decades, to achieve, now reached in mere minutes! Such a scene—no matter how composed a person might be—would likely collapse under the strain. This pace wasn't just that of flying on an airplane; even a rocket couldn't match its intensity. The surging energy skyrocketed, surpassing the Seven-Star level, then surged again and again, only finally stabilizing after a grueling breakthrough to the Nine-Star stage, when it gradually settled into a steady rhythm. The roar of the wind, once thunderous, gradually softened, and the surrounding tempests of flames began to subside. "Ah..." With his arms gently lowering, feeling the powerful Qi flowing through his meridians—a sensation entirely new to him—Xiao Yan couldn't help but emit a soft, breathy sigh. The feeling of advancement was simply exquisite. The Burned Resolution technique truly was a first-rate, miraculous cultivation method. Gently clutched his hands, feeling the surging power that made Xiao Yan yearn to shatter the very space around him. At this moment, he felt confident—he believed that should he meet Mu Gu elder once more, he would no longer be merely focused on mere survival as he had been the previous time. If Xiao Yan had absorbed that fallen heart flame when he reached the rank of four-star Domain Master, his strength would have only advanced by a few stars at most. Fortunately, the Three Thousand Yan Flames not only ranked higher than the fallen heart flame but also possessed a concentrated energy far surpassing that of the latter. Satisfied with his current state, Xiao Yan smiled and then suddenly noticed the celestial demon automaton beside him, pausing in surprise. Now, the latter's entire body had completely transformed into a deep golden hue, giving off an indomitable, remarkable impression. "Is this due to the refining effect of the temperature here?" Xiao Yan murmured, gaining a clearer understanding—within this star realm, the temperature was astonishingly high. Had it not been for his successful absorption of the Three Thousand Yan Flames, his fate would likely have been far worse. "The celestial demon automaton's combat strength must have improved significantly as well. I wonder if it could now defeat Master Mu Gu alone?" Xiao Yan glanced at the Heavenly Fiend Puppet with interest, then waved his hand to seal it within his storage relic. His gaze then shifted to the vast expanse of deep purple and black flame sea that spread across the starry domain—this flame had been formed over thousands of years as the Three Thousand Yan Fire absorbed the accumulated stellar energies. Left as it was, it would indeed be a great waste. "Then, let me put these resources to good use," Xiao Yan smiled, extending his palm toward the flame sea and suddenly clenching his fist with force!