Within the vast hall, white flames filled the eyes, and throughout the nearly three-thousand-foot-long grand plaza, countless flame figures stood upright in dense formation, silent yet radiating an overwhelmingly terrifying presence. This presence seemed to merge into a colossal flame dragon, coiling majestically above their heads, its aura charged with relentless killing intent. At one end of the hall, Xiao Yan and his companions observed the scene, their brows furrowing in growing concern. This was no stranger sight—since entering the great gate, they had already passed through three halls nearly identical to this one. Yet, the deeper they ventured, the stronger the flame servants grew in power. For instance, the flame servants currently before them, according to Xiao Yan's and his companions' senses, each appeared to possess the strength of a Battle Sovereign rank. A Dao Master was nothing special in the eyes of Xiao Yan and the others, but when their number reached ten thousand, even the mightiest Dao Saint had to pay close attention—especially since these Fire Slaves worked in perfect harmony, their combined power formidable and terrifying. "Old Master, if we keep pushing like this, when will it ever end?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, speaking with growing impatience. Though their strength was solid, if they had to keep making this relentless push through the grand hall indefinitely, their internal Dao Qi would inevitably dwindle. The ambient energy of this space was infused with traces of妖fire, and no one dared absorb it freely. Before they could even begin to balance their energy intake, even a Dao Saint would eventually be forced to give up. "This is simply unavoidable," Ancient Naihai shook his head. "The Ancient Fire of Jinglian has nurtured this realm for over a thousand years. It naturally stands as a stronghold—like a dragon's den or a tiger's lair—otherwise, it wouldn't have remained untouched by human capture for so many centuries." Regarding this answer, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed even deeper, yet he could do nothing—this妖fire realm was exceptionally strange. As long as they passed through any area, it would vanish mysteriously once they left, as though an invisible giant hand had silently erased it, forcing them to keep moving forward. "When your ancestors first came here, did they also encounter these obstacles?" Xiao Yan asked. "Yes." "Was the Jingle Lian妖fire stronger a thousand years ago, or is it stronger now?" Xiao Yan's gaze flickered, asking. "Um... although the Jingle Lian妖fire wasn't ultimately captured a thousand years ago, it did suffer significant injuries. However, over this thousand-year span, its wounds should have fully healed. As for the Nightmare Sky Mists, they seem to indicate that the current Jingle Lian妖fire is stronger," Ancient Naihai hesitated, saying. "That's it..." Xiao Yan lifted his head, gazing upward at the vast dome of the hall, his eyes flickering slightly. "It seems the Pure Lotus Demon Fire intends to treat us like dolls, playing with us." Upon hearing this, everyone furrowed their brows—being manipulated by a strange flame was something no one could easily accept. "Keep going!" After a brief pause, Xiao Yan raised his hand gently, and his voice settled back into calm. At this, everyone was momentarily stunned, then nodded in unison, moving swiftly and simultaneously. With a force that seemed to shatter everything like dry reeds, they instantly obliterated the army of fire servants within the hall. Then, as light and shadow, they swiftly converged and materialized at the far end of the hall, once again shattering the great gate and advancing with dignified resolve. For the time to come, the journey remained monotonous, with each challenge following a remarkably uniform pattern—identical fire servants in every colossal hall, the only difference being that their strength grew progressively stronger as the journey progressed. Even in the final confrontation, Fire Cloud Elder sustained some injuries when clashing directly with the vast army of fire servants. Though the others remained relatively unscathed, their expressions grew steadily more serious. The entire journey had proven as taxing as battling multiple Dou-Sheng masters simultaneously—the cumulative strain was considerable. Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the vast hall, but then he exclaimed in surprise, for he noticed that there were no figures of the Fire Slaves densely gathered within! "The trials must be over?" Xun'er also observed this, and expressed her astonishment. "Not yet," Guo Naihai shook his head slowly. His eyes were firmly fixed on the center of the hall, where a slender, somewhat wiry figure stood upright, remarkably free of any flames surrounding him. His eyes were closed, and a powerful aura—like a mountain pressing down—emanated from within him! "A Four-Star Battle Saint!" Both Guo Naihai and Zi Yan felt their bodies subtly tremble, their faces gradually growing serious. Though they themselves were Four-Star Battle Saints, the slender figure in the hall surpassed them slightly in strength. "Is this even a Fire Slave?" Xiao Yan could hardly believe it. How formidable was the pure lotus fire, indeed? How could they have turned a four-star Battle Saint into a mere flame servant? "He's only a barely adequate flame servant, yet he possesses his own spiritual intelligence. Compared to those completely controlled by the Qinglian Demon Flame, he enjoys a significant degree of autonomy," said Guo Naihai, his expression serious. "This must be the final trial. Once we pass it, we'll reach the very place where the Qinglian Demon Flame resides!" "That won't be easy," Xiao Yan frowned, noting that defeating a four-star Battle Saint would certainly be no trivial task, even with their current lineup. "We've come this far—we've no choice but to press on," said Zi Yan, spreading her hands as she looked at Xiao Yan, then gazing at Guo Naihai with a slightly languid tone. "Let's both join forces and act swiftly. I'm truly tired of being stuck here..." "Agreed," Guo Naihai didn't hesitate. He knew that relying on just himself to face this slender man would be far from feasible. "Pay attention to the surroundings..." Xiao Yan gently waved his hand, and the group moved silently into the hall, eventually dispersing to encircle the thin figure. At the same time, Zi Yan and Gu Na Hai stepped directly in front of him. As everyone's feet settled upon the hall floor, the figure's closed eyes slowly opened, revealing dark, impassive pupils—more lively than those of the fire servants they had previously encountered, though noticeably colder. His gaze remained fixed on Zi Yan and Gu Na Hai, neither of whom spoke, yet the atmosphere between them grew increasingly tense. Closer now, Xiao Yan could see the details of the thin figure: he wore only the most ordinary garments, his face expressionless, as rigid as stone, his eyes cold, like ancient, unmelting jade ice. "Bang!" In the quiet hall, the ground suddenly shook violently. The thin figure in front gently grasped the empty space before him, and a massive crimson great axe—several zhang in length, appearing remarkably grand and unusual—materialized out of nowhere. Against the backdrop of this imposing axe, his thin frame seemed somewhat comical. Yet everyone present could clearly sense the formidable power concealed within that slender body. "Such strength... this person is truly powerful," Xiao Yan said, his expression serious. He found it hard to believe that a being of such caliber could be controlled by Jinglian's ethereal flame. As he gazed at the crimson great axe, Guo Naihai's brow furrowed slightly, as though pondering something. With no further words exchanged, the two parties faced each other directly, their eyes locked. A sudden gust of wind surged, and the three figures collided with a raw, unrefined force. The resulting wave of shock rippled through the air, forcing Xiao Yan and the others to step back urgently. Clang! Clang! On the vast hall, three figures flashed past with astonishing speed, their movements dazzling to behold. As each figure passed, sparks from the person surged forth, continuously splashing across the otherwise impenetrable hall, causing it to crack and fracture in countless places, fissures spreading rapidly. Xiao Yan and his companions had retreated far back, unable to intervene effectively in the clash between the three Four-Star Stellar Saints. Even the residual waves of energy from their combat sent a profound sense of awe. Within the grand hall, facing the combined assault of Zi Yan and Gu Na Hai, the slender figure wielding the massive blood axe showed no sign of yielding. His great axe spun like a whirlwind, filling the hall with a pervasive scent of blood. Though his strength was undeniable, Zi Yan and Gu Na Hai were far from easy opponents. As the battle wore on, the slender figure gradually found himself at a disadvantage. Yet, his occasional counterattacks still caused Zi Yan and Gu Na Hai to falter slightly—imagine, if they had to face him alone, they likely would not have stood a chance. "Driven back forcefully, a fierce, blazing intensity surged within the calm gaze of the blood-axe figure. A deep roar erupted from his throat, and suddenly, a powerful radiance burst forth from the center of his brow. Within that light, a symbol slowly materialized into view, catching the attention of all present. At the very moment the symbol appeared, his aura surged dramatically.