A golden flame swirled across the sky, as if the entire heavens were blazing to life at that very moment. The Golden Emperor's Burning Flame, ranked fourth on the Unusual Flame List—just behind the Pure Lotus Spirit Flame—may not possess the same mystique as the latter, yet it once held a formidable reputation in ancient times. As a flame passed down through the ancient lineage of the clan, it was rare for anyone to truly master it. Thus, when the Bone-Deep Saint recognized this very flame, he could not help but feel a sense of stirring within him. "Indeed, it is the Golden Emperor's Burning Flame," murmured Xue Yan, gazing at the sky from afar. He had long suspected as much, though in front of him, Xun'er had rarely fully unleashed this flame. Hence, he had not yet been certain. "Indeed, the ancient clan has been secretly preserving such a rare hetero-fire..." Xiang Yan sighed with admiration. The Jin Di Burnt Heaven Flame's high ranking on the Hetero-Fire Ranking clearly demonstrated its strength. In terms of ferocity, even Xiang Yan's newly formed hetero-fire, which fused four different hetero-flames, might not dare claim to surpass it. After all, the hetero-flames ranked higher on the list were even more terrifying—those in the top three, for instance, were said to possess forces capable of destroying heaven and earth. In ancient times, there were numerous instances where the eruption of such hetero-flames had caused great disasters. As his thoughts flowed, Xiang Yan quickly stabilized his focus, and the four hetero-flames swiftly merged into one, sending out waves of powerful, violent destructive energy that gradually spread outward. "It's said that Jin Di's Burn-Heaven Flame can consume Qi and has gained a fearsome reputation. Today, I'd like to see whether it truly lives up to such legends..." Bone You stepped upon the void, his emerald eyes fixed on Xun'er in the distance, his voice hoarse. As he finished the last syllable, the skeletal cane he held suddenly surged with thick waves of black mist. In a matter of moments, this mist spread across half the sky. Within the mist flowed an intensely cold energy, so potent that even though the heavens were now scorching hot, the mist did not dissipate—it instead coalesced under Bone You's control into a colossal black skeletal frame, nearly a thousand zhang in height, standing majestically in the sky like a skeletal deity. The black mist swirled continuously over its surface, radiating a profound chill that swept outward from its core, making the souls of most present spectators feel as though they were submerged in a cold pool, exquisitely cold. "The Dark Skeleton King...竟然 just summoned this upon his first move. It seems the Bone Shadow Elder is also quite wary of that so-called Golden Emperor's Heaven-Burning Flame... Watching this towering black skeleton standing high in the heavens, the Spirit Jade seems to ponder. This type of black skeleton is a relatively rare lower-tier celestial technique. Mastering it allows one to shape a skeleton king using one's own ki and the energies of heaven and earth. This skeleton king is as solid as a diamond, immune to water and fire, and throughout its entire body, a profound cold energy flows—so intense that if exposed to this cold wind, ordinary strong warriors may suffer only minor physical discomfort, but their souls will be instantly eroded. Thus, this creature proves quite ruthless." With his current Bone Sage-level prowess, when he fully employs this combat technique, the summoned black skeletons are astonishingly powerful. Even other strong opponents at the same Sage half-level must remain cautious when facing such massive figures, underscoring just how formidable this Black Skeleton King is. "Go!" With his staff pointed toward Xu'er, Bone You gently taps the air. Instantly, two glowing green lights surge from the hollow eyes of the colossal skeleton. Taking a massive stride across the sky, the skeleton swiftly materializes just a few steps ahead of Xu'er. Its vast, cold-veiled skeletal palm effortlessly tears through the space, then crashes down with tremendous force directly upon her. Faced with this overwhelming assault, Xu'er does not hesitate. She swiftly retreats, while simultaneously a massive golden flame ring—stretching over dozens of zhang—erupts from within her body, colliding powerfully with the black skeletal palm. "Shhh!" As they collided, a sharp, piercing sound erupted. The extreme cold met the intense heat, releasing阵阵 slightly fishy-white mist that gradually spread out. "Shatter!" Bone-Yu, with his dry, withered hands, extended them and clenched them firmly. A crisp crack resonated, and the golden flame ring was instantly crushed. Xun quickly retreated, her jade hands forming a series of strange seals. As her clear, cold voice resonated, the golden flames swirling in the sky suddenly surged and writhed, then erupted into十几 golden pillars of fire that shot down from the heavens. The fire curtain expanded, eventually interconnecting into a towering, cylindrical array of fire that spanned the sky and earth, sealing the massive dark skeleton within. "Boom!" The dark skeleton's bone palms, veiled in cold, misty darkness, struck the fire curtain with tremendous force, sending out a thunderous roar. The fire curtain itself was violently shaken, rippling with waves of energy... "Refine!" Xun's cheeks were serious as he changed his hand seal. From within the great array, countless golden pillars of flame burst forth, first striking the surrounding fire screens, then rebounding off them before converging densely upon the massive skeletal body. After reflecting off the fire screens, the flames became noticeably blinding, their intense heat instantly igniting the air within the array. For a moment, brilliant golden flames surged and burned fiercely, relentlessly searing the enormous black skeleton. "What a terrifying flame..." Gazing at the golden flames that nearly filled every corner of the formation, most of the present attendees slightly stiffened. Even with the protective array in place, they could clearly feel the intense heat within the flame formation—so overwhelming that even a top-tier Nine-Transmutation Dao Master would struggle to endure more than a minute. After all, the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame was renowned for being capable of consuming even the dao energy itself. "Roar!" As the golden flames surged and fiercely scorched the massive black skeletal body, the black mist coating it rapidly dissipated. Some of the bones themselves began to fade and lose their solidity. No matter how strong Bone Yū's capabilities were, he could not entirely ignore the terrifying power of the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame. Indeed, it was no surprise. "Upon seeing the black skeleton struggling fiercely within the flame array, Bone-Yu's brows furrowed. If Xu'er hadn't possessed the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame, no matter what technique she employed, she couldn't have driven the dark skeleton to this point. Unfortunately..." "The flame is strong, yet with your current strength, it cannot be fully unleashed to its peak. It's said that the first wielder of the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame once completely incinerated a space created by a Supreme Saint-level warrior—reducing it to nothing." Bone-Yu's green eyes flickered rapidly, then withered hands formed an eerie hand seal. At the same time, an odd roar issued from his mouth. "Roar!" As the bone-cracking roar faded, the black skeleton immersed in the golden flame suddenly shuddered. Black mist surged forth in waves from within its body, filling the heavens with piercing, mournful cries. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the mist was composed of countless souls gathering together. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" Countless souls erupted outward, exploding instantly upon contact with the golden flames. The sheer force of so many souls detonating simultaneously scattered the golden flame itself. As the flame dispersed, the black skeleton's body abruptly contracted, shrinking within a breath from a thousand zhang in size down to just ten zhang. Though its form had diminished, the skeleton now appeared darker, a profound and chilling energy radiating slowly from within. "Hahahaha! Watch this old one tear your fire array apart!" The skeleton slowly lifted its head, and as its upper and lower jaws moved, it emitted a strange, eerie laugh—clearly the voice of Bone-Yu. It seemed that this old man had managed to merge his soul with the skeleton itself. Hearing this, Xin'er's cheeks flushed slightly, and her beautiful eyes turned toward where Bone-Yu had previously stood. There, she saw an elderly figure standing motionless, eyes now hollow and lifeless—clearly reduced to mere flesh and bones. As soon as the black skeleton finished speaking, its form flashed and it appeared at the edge of the fire array. With a dense, dark glow, its bone palms gently brushed across the fiery veil, and a crack slowly emerged—so effortlessly, as though encountering no resistance at all. "Boom!" With the appearance of the crack, the entire fire array was suddenly affected, exploding in a loud burst under the collective gaze of all present. "Little maiden, if you could ascend to the rank of half-Saint, then today's outcome would truly be a matter of debate. Alas, it's too bad..." The black skeleton's green, dimly glowing eyes fixed upon Xun'er, its eerie, raspy voice drifting out slowly. Upon hearing this, Xun'er's lips curled slightly, speaking softly, "I'm not here to settle with you in a contest of victory or defeat. My mission has already been accomplished..." As she spoke, Xun'er swiftly retreated, flashing past to stand behind Xiao Yan. At that moment, the latter held in his palm a delicate, artfully crafted lotus of flame, slowly rotating—its radiance steadily spreading a destructive energy that caused the surrounding space to warp violently. Gazing at the flame lotus in Xiao Yan's hands, the black skeleton's raspy voice continued softly, "This, then, is the result of the fusion of the unique flame?"