Generally speaking, celestial phenomena on the celestial and terrestrial realms can be broadly categorized into three scenarios. The first is the emergence of high-tier medicinal pills, which in turn triggers the descent of medicinal lightning. The second occurs when a cultivator reaches each specific stage of cultivation—such phenomena typically arise at these milestones—but such occurrences are relatively rare, as only a few individuals across the entire Qi Continent achieve this level. The third scenario involves the emergence of celestial-tier cultivation techniques or combat arts. Here, "emergence" does not necessarily mean that these techniques or arts are rediscovered, but rather that they appear from nothing—such as being created anew. Only when a celestial-tier cultivation technique or combat art is genuinely invented does this particular celestial phenomenon manifest. Currently, the sky does not exude a rich fragrance of medicinal herbs, clearly indicating that the emergence of high-tier pills has not occurred. Furthermore, the second scenario is also ruled out, as although Xiao Yan has significantly enhanced his strength, he still falls short of triggering such celestial phenomena. Thus, only the third scenario remains consistent with the present situation. Yet, one must admit that the elder woman’s insight is truly remarkable—within just a few breaths, she has already pieced together the origins of the celestial anomalies through a series of careful speculations. “A self-created heavenly stage cultivation technique or combat skill…” The white-haired elder stared intently at the tranquil chamber, now steaming faintly in the distance. Even with her unwavering composure, she was now deeply serious and stunned. How many people across the continent could claim such an achievement? By all standards, even Xiao Yan himself—let alone the already half-Saint-level Yàochén—would hardly possess such capabilities. Despite her disbelief, the reality before her compelled her to accept it. After a while, she composed herself, a wry smile playing on her lips. Indeed, it was the new wave pushing the old—compared to these outstanding young talents, how humble they truly felt! "It's no wonder he was accepted as one of Yao Chen's disciples—such rare talent indeed... " The white-haired elder sighed softly, her gaze flickering slightly. Since this incident, she had truly come to regard Xiao Yan with great respect. Though she had always been polite to him in the past, that courtesy had largely stemmed from her regard for Yao Old Man. Xiao Yan's ability to defeat the Fiery Blossom Demon King, a two-star Domain Sovereign, had surprised her—but only slightly. In her eyes, the Fiery Blossom Demon King, though impressive to others, had never posed any real threat. Indeed, if it hadn't been for the fact that the Demon King was from Tianming Sect, she likely wouldn't have allowed Xiao Yan to leave so smoothly. Yet now, her admiration had completely transformed. To have created his own celestial-tier technique or combat art—something even she had previously found beyond her reach—was truly astonishing. Xiao Yan had delivered so many surprises that now, even as the Grand Elder of the Flower Sect, she could no longer overlook him. "This youngster will surely achieve something extraordinary in the future. Yun Yun has grown close to him, and the Flower Sect will also benefit from this relationship..." Thinking this, the white-haired elder smiled gently and murmured to herself, "Sister, your discernment has always been so sharp and precise." The one who appeared was naturally Xiao Yan, who had been in seclusion for a month. Now, gazing at the unusual phenomena in the sky, he was momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, as if understanding something, he furrowed his brows and gently waved his sleeve. At the very instant the Burned Decree activated, the energy within a hundred zhang around Xiao Yan surged violently, like boiling water. Then, astonishing streams of energy—substantial and tangible—began pouring into Xiao Yan's body, overwhelming the onlookers with awe. Despite the abundance of impurities in these celestial energies, Xiao Yan accepted them all without hesitation. As his unique flames rose, any impurities were instantly dissolved and vanished. His internal Qi circulation, now ten times faster than before, surged with unprecedented intensity. This intensity wasn't limited to mere speed—every stage of energy absorption, refinement, and integration had undergone a revolutionary transformation. Under this current state, even if Xiao Yan summoned the Destroying Flame Lotus once again, he would no longer need to immediately consume pills to replenish his Qi. Indeed, he now truly possessed the means to expend his energy freely. "Hmm…" A thick, impure breath escaped Xiao Yan's throat as he felt an unprecedented fullness within his body. The radiant joy on his face was hard to contain. Though Xiao Yan possessed the ability to fight opponents at a higher level, all such feats required immense amounts of qi and had to be executed with great care, for fear of entering a state of weakness after each performance, thus allowing his opponent to exploit his vulnerabilities. Fortunately, such concerns would likely become rare from now on—unless there were exceptional circumstances. "It should be a low-tier heavenly-stage technique... No, actually, it's only reached the advanced level of the earth-stage. I recall that true heavenly-stage techniques immediately absorb all energy within a hundred-meter radius. What I demonstrated earlier still falls slightly short of that." Xiao Yan frowned, surprised at how demanding the evolution to a heavenly-stage technique was—his Bone-Spirit Cold Flame had only elevated Fengjie to a near-heavenly level. Nevertheless, regardless of whether it was a near-heavenly or true heavenly-stage technique, reaching this level marked a significant leap forward. "My strength is now at the four-star Domain Sovereign level..." Xu Yan sensed within himself. After consuming Bone Spirit Cold Flame, he had only gained an additional two stars of strength—though this result, though anticipated, still left him somewhat disheartened. If other Domain Sovereigns heard of this, they would likely spew out a mouthful of blood right then and there. After a decade or more of dedicated cultivation, Xu Yan had achieved this level in just one month. If he were still disheartened, they would probably have to find a stone and simply collide with it to end their lives. "Well, four stars be four stars..." After a moment of disappointment, Xiao Yan quickly steadied himself. He had anticipated this outcome all along. To date, he had already absorbed four distinct types of hetero-flames. Though the hetero-flame energies were vast, there came a point where consuming too much of anything inevitably diminished the intensity of the effects—no longer as potent as in his earlier experiences. Based on his assessment, if he now absorbed hetero-flames ranked below the fifteenth on the Hetero-Flame List, the results would likely be quite meager, possibly even insufficient to elevate his strength by just one star. "It seems that in the future, to devour the rare hetero-flames, he'll have to specifically seek out those ranked among the top ones... Hmm." As he thought about it, Xiao Yan found himself at a loss. The hetero-flames were already rare, and those ranked among the elite were like phoenix feathers and dragon scales—extremely scarce. Even if he managed to find one, capturing and refining it would be an immense challenge. According to this reasoning, Xiao Yan's journey of devouring hetero-flames would undoubtedly grow increasingly difficult. With a sigh, he shook his head in resignation. Though a two-star upgrade didn't impress him much, even a mosquito is flesh. With his current strength, if he activated the Three Great Transformations of Heavenly Fire, he wouldn't have to rely solely on the Destroying Lotus Fire Bloom to face the Spirit-Flower Demon King again. Even in direct confrontation, the advantage the Spirit-Flower Demon King would hold might be quite limited. "Without mentioning that demonic flower and the rogue sovereign, even now, should I encounter the so-called Nine Heavens Sovereign of the Soul Palace, I could still fight him to a standstill and emerge unscathed..." As he thought this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but let out a deep breath. Since first witnessing the might of the Nine Heavens Sovereign and others, he had felt a growing sense of pressure—this one was only the Nine Heavens Sovereign; above him, there must be the Seven Heavens Sovereigns, the Six Heavens Sovereigns, and even the Great Heavens Sovereign. Fortunately, his own strength had surged significantly. While he might not yet be able to match them all outright, at least he now felt more at ease, no longer anxious or on edge. And in future encounters, even if he fell short, he would no longer be easily defeated or humiliated. "How long are you going to stand here, just staring blankly?" A gentle, slightly exasperated voice broke through as Xiao Yan was still pondering. He looked up, and before him stood a face of breathtaking beauty, her expression tinged with mild annoyance, utterly captivating. Xiao Yan smiled at Yun Yun, but suddenly reached out and grasped her delicate hand firmly. Seeing that Xiao Yan was doing this again in front of everyone, Yun Yun's beautifully porcelain cheeks flushed, her willowy brows slightly raised in mild annoyance. "Little rascal," she said, "are you truly addicted to being a bully now?"