Gazing at the four Heavenly Sovereigns whose aura surged dramatically in that instant, Xiao Yan's eyes also flickered with a sense of seriousness. Indeed, this man had earned a formidable reputation in the Central Region—clearly possessing exceptional abilities. His current aura now clearly surpasses that of ordinary peak-tier Douzun-level warriors. Of course, this does not mean the four Heavenly Sovereigns have yet reached the halfway-to-Saint level. After all, such a leap is inherently impossible. Though only a single step separates Douzun peak from half-Saint status, that step is as vast as a celestial chasm—so profound in its gap that it's difficult to comprehend. This is evident even in the case of strong figures like Yao Lao, who for years remained stagnant at the Douzun peak before finally breaking through, thanks to the power of rejuvenating their bodies through cultivation. Even with extraordinary talent, attaining the half-Saint level is no simple feat. This seemingly narrow step has left countless gifted individuals with profound regrets, and even at the moment of their passing, they often carry deep sorrow and unfulfilled aspirations. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the fact that, though only a short step away, there exists a unique cultivation method that can only be sensed by those strong cultivators nearing this level. In the Central Region, some of the foremost cultivators refer to this distinctive cultivation method as the "Nine Transitions to Divinity." So called "Nine Transitions" is actually a specialized unit used to measure the gap between the peak of a Battle Sovereign and a half-Saint. Indeed, the difference between these two levels is so profound that finer, seemingly subtle gradations are required to capture it. Hence, some of these strong cultivators refer to the hidden cultivation process at the peak of Dou Zun as the "Nine Transitions." Only after completing the Nine Transitions can one attain Sage status. Though the Nine Transitions sound simple, truly practicing them is indeed a matter of life and death. Consider the immense amount of Dou Qi that can be contained within a Dou Zun peak cultivator—filling it completely nine times over. Such a demand truly warrants the term "frightening." The former four Dou Zun cultivators, though at the peak of Dou Zun, were likely only at the first transition level of Dou Zun, even slightly weaker than Xiao Yan, especially after the activation of his clan's seal. However, after absorbing so much energy from the blood, he has now surged directly to the third transition level. Of course, this still falls short of the halfway to Sage status, and as long as he has not reached that level, Xiao Yan will still have a clear advantage. … As his breath surged, the four Heavenly Sovereigns' eyes grew increasingly crimson. Though the Blood-Transforming Technique could absorb energy from human blood, its side effects were quite severe—during the first month after its activation, his body would be in a state of near-death, one that even a Battle King-level warrior could easily defeat. Thus, unless absolutely necessary, the four Heavenly Sovereigns generally avoided employing this secret technique. But in this situation, if he didn't use it now, not only would his mission fail completely, but he might also be defeated in combat against Xiao Yan—something he could not endure. As the four Sovereigns' roar faded, terrifying waves of blood-colored mist surged forth from their bodies, eventually gathering in the sky to form thick, dense blood clouds, their putrid aroma filling the heavens. Observing the blood clouds above, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly. He could sense the immense energy concentrated within them, so he didn't hesitate. With a swift motion of his palm, four unusual flames materialized before him, and immediately, an intense heat spread out, completely burning away the surrounding foul odors. After summoning the four unusual flames, Xiao Yan took another deep breath and changed his hand seal, then expelled a gray flame from his mouth. Though not as powerful as the four unusual flames, this flame exuded an exceptionally strong presence—it was his own cultivated "Hua Sheng Fire," a simulated unusual fire. "Five-Phase Separation Fire Technique!" A low roar issued from Xiao Yan's mouth, and the five clusters of flames before him suddenly surged in size. Amidst a series of resonant beast roars, they swiftly transformed into five colossal fire spirits, each stretching a hundred zhang in height, spiraling above Xiao Yan's head. "Stabilize!" As the fire spirits took shape, Xiao Yan coldly commanded again, and the five massive spirits instantly aligned into an unusual formation, then began to spin rapidly. In the ensuing whooshing wind, they coalesced into a vast, five-hued fire disc hundreds of zhang across, rotating fiercely at the top. A terrifying heat gale radiated outward, causing the distant blood clouds to ripple violently. "Hmph!" "Blood-Searing Heavenly Demon Fist!" At a distance, the four Heavenly Sovereigns also emitted a cold snort, opening their mouths to unleash a column of blood that shot straight into the blood clouds above. Instantly, the clouds grew darker, swirling violently before suddenly splitting open. From within, a massive blood-colored palm print—nearly a thousand zhang in span—burst forth, striking Xiang Yan with tremendous force, directly in the face of countless stunned onlookers. The sheer power of that blood palm was astonishing; even at the lofty height of a thousand zhang, a colossal palm-shaped imprint had already appeared on the ground far below. "Xiang Yan, watch as I crush you into nothing with this single palm!" "Bold words!" Hearing the Heavenly Sovereigns' sudden, thunderous roar, Xiang Yan's eyes hardened. He adjusted his hand seal and issued a deep, resonant command: "Five-Phase Separating Fire Disc!" "Wooosh!" As soon as Xiao Yan finished his voice, the massive five-colored fire disc in the heavens suddenly burst forth, slicing through the void in a few flashes and colliding fiercely with the enormous blood-covered palm. "Boom!" The two forces collided with tremendous force, the cold blood hue and the scorching flames exploding outward in the sky. A powerful surge of energy rolled out across the heavens,震撼ing all present, even shattering the clouds into nothingness. "Seeing Xiao Yan suddenly appear behind him, even with the composure of a Fourth Heaven Sovereign, the Sovereign's eyes narrowed instantly—he had completely failed to notice when Xiao Yan had arrived!" "Great Heavenly Transformation Palm!" While the Fourth Heaven Sovereign was stunned, Xiao Yan's face broke into a strange smile. With no hesitation, he powerfully struck out with his right hand, forming a blazing black circular aura. "Blood Demon Robe!" Faced with Xiao Yan's attack that came as swiftly and fiercely as lightning, the Fourth Heaven Sovereign felt a surge of alarm. Yet, thanks to his own exceptional prowess, blood began to seep through his pores, rapidly forming a thick, resilient layer of blood-bound armor across his body. "Boom!" Xiao Yan's palm wind crashed down upon the Sovereign like thunder, delivering a force so overwhelming that it shattered the Sovereign's blood armor into fragments. "Plunged!" "Though the Blood-Monk Robe blocked the way, the residual gust of wind still forced the Four Deities to spew out a mouthful of blood, and at the same time, propelled them swiftly backward. "Want to escape?" As the Four Deities had just begun to retreat, Xiao Yan's face immediately hardened with cold resolve. Having seized the fleeting moment when the Deities' internal qi had weakened from the prior use of the Blood-Devouring Heaven-Monk Palm, he had managed to strike a decisive blow—how could he let him leave unharmed? The ancient, emerald-and-crimson wings behind him flickered slightly, and Xiao Yan's form shimmered like a flash of light, appearing directly before the retreating Four Deities. With a single hand grasp, four streams of flame surged forth, instantly forming a magnificent, intricate flame lotus in his palm. "It's over!" Xiao Yan observed the growing fear on the Four Deities' faces, and a grim expression spread across his own. Seeing the fierce expression on Xiao Yan's face, the four Heavenly Sovereigns felt their hearts grow cold. Each of Xiao Yan's three combat techniques had the power of a Heavenly Rank technique, and when perfectly coordinated, even they found themselves utterly defenseless. "It's no wonder the Soul Temple has so many strong warriors falling at this young man's hands..." While the four Sovereigns regretted having accepted what seemed simple but was in fact extremely perilous, Xiao Yan launched his fire lotus without hesitation, striking it with full force against the latter's body. "Boom!"