Above, under the watchful gaze of so many, Xiao Yan directly reached out and grasped the black light column firmly, holding it tightly in his hands. As his palm touched the column, he clearly sensed a subtle pulsing heartbeat emanating from within—the sensation as though a living being existed within the column itself. "This pure-lotus demonic fire has truly evolved to such a level that it's no different from ordinary humans," Xiao Yan thought, a sense of wonder passing through him. Just as he intended to swiftly withdraw, the surrounding space suddenly surged violently, and a figure burst through the air, extending a hand that instantly sealed off all of Xiao Yan's escape routes. "This pure-lotus demonic fire isn't something you can simply take!" Hearing the sharp, resonant cry that suddenly rang out at his ears, Xiao Yan was taken aback: "The Master of the Spirit Palace? He's recovered remarkably quickly!" With a sense of urgency, Xiao Yan quickly raised his head to see the Master of the Spirit Palace swoop down like a great eagle, his dark qi gradually coalescing in his massive hands, then forcefully grasping at Xiao Yan's head—clearly intent on delivering a killing blow. The Master's speed was lightning-fast, amplified further by the frozen space around him, leaving Xiao Yan utterly unable to evade. "No妖fire, but I do have a lotus of fire—here you go!" At the critical moment, Xiao Yan remained calm. Over the years of cultivation, he had witnessed countless situations—naturally, he could not have imagined that merely the Spirit Palace's Master had lost his composure. His gaze remained firmly locked on the Master, while he swiftly retreated a few paces. Beneath his sleeves, a surge of powerful, destructive energy suddenly rippled outward, causing his fabric to quietly disintegrate into powder. In his palm, a five-colored lotus of fire bloomed—truly a destructive lotus formed by the perfect fusion of five distinct rare fires. Facing such a formidable opponent, Xiao Yan showed no slightest hesitation. From the very beginning, he unleashed his most potent attack. Fortunately, his current strength had greatly improved; otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to achieve such a seamless fusion of the five rare fires within such a short span of time. The flame lotus took shape, and Xiao Yan stared at the figure rapidly expanding within his pupils, his expression cold. At that very moment, his heart unexpectedly remained calm. The swift figure of the Hall Master of the Soul Palace, which had been moving like lightning, gradually became clearer under his gaze. "Here you go!" The Hall Master's speed was astonishing—he flashed past and materialized directly before Xiao Yan. At that instant, Xiao Yan's tightly tensed body, like a bowstring drawn taut, surged and released all at once. With the Destroying Flame Lotus in his hand, he launched it straight toward the Hall Master's face. "Explosion!" As the lotus was hurled, a fierce determination flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. Instead of retreating, he ignited the lotus right then and there. Given the Hall Master's speed, even a single instant might have allowed him to escape the peak impact zone of the flame. "A madman!" Xiao Yan's relentless efforts even drew a sharp scolding from the Hall Master of the Spirit Palace. His form finally experienced a slight pause at this moment, before suddenly shooting back. Yet, as he was about to return, the fire lotus erupted in a tremendous explosion—“Boom!” A thunderous roar, so intense it momentarily deafened everyone, resonated across the distant heavens. After this overwhelming sound had spread, an extraordinary silence settled over the world—the sky erupted in a colossal flame storm stretching for several thousand zhangs. The storm surged from the molten sea below all the way to the celestial expanse above, its swirling motion causing the very fabric of space to crack under the strain. A wave of awe-struck gazes followed the spectacle, each observer appearing insignificant, like ants, beneath this titanic flame storm. "This one...," said Houn Feng, his expression grave, gazing at the storm. Such a devastating assault even at his peak strength might prove difficult to withstand. "Will the Hall Master be safe?" asked the Deputy Hall Master, swiftly descending, his voice steady and serious. "The combined power of the heterogenous flames was certainly formidable, but Xiao Yan's own strength was still too weak; to kill the Hall's Master would certainly not be an easy task," Houn Feng said calmly. "Prepare yourselves—should the opportunity arise, act immediately to seize the Pure Lotus Demon Flame!" The Deputy Master of the Houn Hall nodded, his gaze alert toward the sky. Xiao Yan smiled slightly, said nothing, and raised his head, gazing toward where the storm of flames had dissipated. There, a figure stepped forth, traversing the void, emerging slowly. "Indeed, he hasn't died after all..." Xiao Yan shook his head, a touch of disappointment evident. "No wonder he's the one who has repeatedly thwarted my Huan Palace—his capabilities truly deserve admiration." The figure gradually emerged from the mist, revealing a pale face. It was the Huan Palace's Master himself, who had truly survived the destruction of the Flame Lotus. Yet, a trace of blood on his lips indicated he had endured a fierce blow from the Lotus, clearly not unscathed. "Hiss—hiss!" Upon seeing the Huan Palace Master still alive, Xun'er and the others' expressions tightened. They swiftly activated their movements, encircling Xiao Yan tightly, their eyes alert and watchful. "During our earlier alliance, did you two believe you had fully grasped my true strength?" "If that's truly the case, then perhaps it's time to surprise you all..." The Hall Master of the Soul Palace glanced indifferently at Xun'er and the others, then fixed his gaze on Zǐ Yán and Gǔ Nán Hǎi, whereupon he broke into a strange smile. Lifting his hand, he gently formed a hand seal. As the seal took shape, the Hall Master's aura surged dramatically, instantly overwhelming the surrounding astonished expressions. Within just a few seconds, he had shattered the barrier of a four-star late stage, and subtly reached the level of a five-star Battle Saint at the initial stage. "A five-star Battle Saint?" Feeling the sudden surge in the Hall Master's power, Xiao Yan and the others' faces immediately grew serious. Had the Hall Master been concealing his true strength all along? "You've reached Five-Star Soul Saint status yet dare to intervene—clearly, you've disregarded the ancient pact among the ancient races... " Ancient Naihai said in a low, measured tone. If the Hall of Souls' master had only been at Four-Star Late Stage, then even together, he and Zi Yan would have been confident in overcoming him. But should the opponent now be a Five-Star Soul Saint, then their combined strength would no longer be sufficient. "Yet, facing such an assault from Ziyan, the Grand Master of the Huan Pavilion slowly shook his head, lightly tapping the void with his fingertip. The golden dragon, just ten zhang away, burst into fragments. "Hmph!" As the golden dragon shattered, Ziyan also exhaled a low groan, retreating swiftly. Seeing that Ziyan was wounded in a single strike, the onlookers couldn't help but pause—this gap between a Five-Star Dou Sheng and a Four-Star Dou Sheng late stage was far greater than expected. Previously, the Grand Master of the Huan Pavilion would never have managed to defeat Ziyan so easily. "We've exhausted ourselves greatly," said Guo Naihai in a low voice. "It seems this one recovers remarkably quickly. Even if we join forces now, we may still not be able to hold our own against him." Although the Too-Empty Ancient Dragon was formidable, it was difficult to challenge him across ranks. To secure their safe departure, the Pavilion had decided to offer the essence of the Fiery Spirit, a gesture of goodwill from their earlier alliance. The Hall Master of the Soul Palace held both hands behind his back, while behind him, the Soul Wind and the Deputy Hall Master of the Soul Palace swiftly approached, their solemn eyes fixed upon Xiao Yan and the others. Xiao Yan's gaze flickered, his arms gripping the black light pillar trembling with veins bulging—this Hall Master was too strong; even Xiao Yan's devastating Flame Lotus could not truly harm him. Yet, to make him abandon his original Spirit Flame essence? Impossible! "I've long heard you're as cunning as a fox," the Hall Master said, with a cold smile. "Today, however, I won't allow you to escape!" As Xiao Yan's eyes flickered, the Hall Master suddenly stepped forward, his foot slamming into the void, and in a ghostly motion, he passed through the group, materializing directly before Xiao Yan, then reaching out with a palm to grasp Xiao Yan's forehead. "Younger one, meet your end!" This move was executed to the very peak of his ability—ordinary observers could only see a ripple in the space around, while the Hall Master's palm hovered mere inches from Xiao Yan's forehead. "My younger disciples? Are you truly going to say they're dead and have them vanish?" However, just as the Spirit Palace's master was about to seize Xiao Yan, a thin, withered hand suddenly appeared atop Xiao Yan's head. With a simple finger tap, it effortlessly pushed the master's hand away. At the same time, a hoarse voice slowly echoed.