"Hoof! Hoof!" In the space filled with intense heat, the flames surged forth like a furious dragon, roaring with power. The vast expanse of molten lava occasionally erupted with towering columns of fire, ultimately cascading down from the sky like a downpour of molten fire rain. High in the air, some dozens of zhangs above the lava surface, a colossal pink fire sphere, stretching over a hundred zhang in diameter, burned fiercely. Waves of destructive energy radiated out from within, gradually distorting the surrounding space. Gazing into the heart of the sphere, two figures were clearly seen entwined, their golden and purple-brown flames intertwining and weaving together, steadfastly resisting the relentless incursions of the demonic fire. The figure within the ball of flame was naturally Xiao Yan and Xun'er. With Xun'er's assistance, Xiao Yan's condition had improved significantly. His once severely damaged body, gradually recovered thanks to the immortality effect of the Three Thousand Yan-Yan Flames. The vast energy released by the Jinglian Phoenix Flame flowed continuously into Xun'er's body, steadily and efficiently, as the two were in the most harmonious alignment—this not only unblocked the flow within Xiao Yan's body but also prevented him from suffering a catastrophic rupture. Under the mutual absorption of the two, the vast energy emitted by the Pure Lotus Demon Fire was gradually being drawn in, as if a sponge absorbing water. As a result, the vitality of Xiao Yan and Xun'er subtly surged. The Pure Lotus Demon Fire had existed for an incalculable duration, and the energy it contained was beyond description—should anyone manage to absorb it without disruption, it would be an absolutely invaluable tonic. A massive fire sphere hovered in midair, with waves of flame continuously rising on its surface and then spreading out in concentric rings. Within the ball of flame, two figures lay with their eyes tightly shut, as if asleep. Golden and brownish-purple flames continuously surged from their bodies, resisting the intense heat of the demonic fire and simultaneously shielding their forms. Of course, beyond these outer phenomena, within Xiang Yan’s body, a state of equilibrium remained tense. With the strength of his will and the aid of Xun'er, he had managed to maintain internal balance, slowly transmuting the essence of the demonic fire. Though this progress was slow, it was vastly improved compared to the initial state when he had no means of resistance at all. At least now, Xiang Yan could see the first glimmer of hope. In the scorching space, there was not a single trace of vitality—only the occasional eruption of molten fire columns from the vast sea of magma, creating a monotonous and dull atmosphere. Under this unchanging stillness, time itself blurred and lost its rhythm, and Xiao Yan and his companion seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, utterly motionless. Yet, the steadily growing vitality radiating from their bodies clearly indicated that their condition was improving. Outside their bodies, as time passed, a fire ring gradually formed, shimmering in three distinct hues: golden, deep purple-brown, and soft pink! Three colors, symbolizing three powerful hetero-flames. Naturally, among the three, pink dominates the majority of the area, while golden and purple-brown flames only manage to maintain smaller regions. Yet over time, the golden and purple-brown flames are gradually expanding their territories. Facing the Jin Emperor's Sky-Burning Flame and the newly formed hetero-flame resulting from the fusion of five hetero-flames, this flame—originally relying solely on instinct and further weakened by Xiao Yan's various tactics—is now slowly retreating. This state of balanced three-color flames has persisted for an unknown duration. Finally, on a particular day, the fire circle trembles slightly, and the three colors perfectly occupy one-third of the total area each, establishing an unusual equilibrium. Xiao Yan's unique flame and Jinglian immortal flame, after prolonged fusion, had developed a peculiar bond. Thus, when the Burn Decree began to circulate within his body, both flames followed the pathways of the decree's operation. "Roar! Roar!" Suddenly, as the Jinglian immortal flame was finally being refined by the Burn Decree, layers of energy clouds surged into the sky, swirling above the flame sphere. The molten sea surface also rippled violently. Xiao Yan was aware of these external changes, yet remained composed—such an extended refinement process was familiar to him. For flames of this caliber, celestial phenomena naturally arose during the refining process. "Xun, now it's time for the harvest..." Xiang Yan gazed at the delicate figure in his arms, now resting in a deep sleep, a gentle smile playing upon his face. He gently cradled her slender waist, like willow branches, and subtly changed his hand seal. The refinement continued. Once energy waves, like tides, were refined, they would circulate once within Xiao Yan's body, then be transmitted to Xun'er's, absorbed by her, and subsequently return some of that energy back to Xiao Yan. Remarkably, the energy returning to Xiao Yan grew increasingly refined, and subtly carried a new essence—an aroma reminiscent of the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame. As the essence of the demonic flame gradually lost its ability to resist, the massive ball of fire eventually calmed down, its fierce energy slowly diminishing. Inside the sphere, Xiao Yan and Xun'er were tightly entwined in a peculiar posture, layer upon layer of delicate, faintly glowing pink crystalline layers gradually forming around them, eventually solidifying into a crystalline egg that completely enclosed both of them. At the moment the egg took shape, the essences of Xiao Yan and Xun'er completely vanished, and this space became utterly lifeless. Not long after the incident of the demonic flames descending, the Spirit Palace finally launched a retaliatory campaign against the Tianfu Alliance's destruction of the Human Palace. One-third of the Alliance's cities were attacked. Yet, in response to the Spirit Palace's relentless assaults, the Tianfu Alliance showed no signs of yielding, instead mobilizing its forces to mount a vigorous counteroffensive. Over the course of just one year, the two major powers clashed fiercely, their rivalry as intense as ever. Though both suffered significant losses, no decisive confrontation materialized. The Tianfu Alliance had evolved considerably since its inception—now boasting formidable leaders such as Zi Yan and Xiao Chen, whose strength rivaled that of the Spirit Palace's Grand Masters. Even the Spirit Palace's Grand Masters dared not directly assault the Alliance's headquarters. Moreover, although the old master of the Dan Tower did not remain at the Xingyin Pavilion, he had established a reliable communication channel with the elders like Yao Lao, providing crucial behind-the-scenes support. With such powerful allies now actively aiding them, the Spirit Palace alone could no longer threaten the Alliance's very survival. Yet within the Huaxin lineage, it seemed that little actual assistance was provided to the Hunsen Palace. Although some powerful figures were secretly dispatched, they were unable to secure a decisive advantage for the Hunsen Palace. This situation, the Yao Elder and others could only attribute to the binding agreements restricting the Huaxin lineage. Indeed, while engaged in fierce combat with the Hunsen Palace, the Yao Elder and his companions never ceased monitoring the very location where the Fiery Spirit of the Demons first manifested. Yet each successive probe only deepened their growing disappointment—the space remained utterly still, showing no signs of change over the course of a full year. Had it not been for the Dragon Seal still held by Zi Yan, they might have already concluded that Xiao Yan and Xun'er had met with disaster within. In the face of such circumstances, they could only gradually shift their focus and concentrate their efforts on the ongoing conflict with the Hunsen Palace. Yet, as everyone's attention was drawn to the great battle between the Spirit Temple and the Heavenly Court Alliance, a news that sent ripples across the continent quietly emerged—without any clear source—speaking of the Stone Clan, another of the ancient Eight Clans, vanishing entirely, following the fate of the Lin Clan. For a moment, an undercurrent of strangeness seemed to envelop Zhongzhou.