Burning Flame Valley—
After years of sealing itself off from the world, the secluded valley was unusually lively today. Even the secluded elders had been startled from their retreats, and whispers spread that even the Supreme Elder, the renowned Ancestor Huo Yun—a 2-Star Dou Saint—had been disturbed.
Outside the scarlet hall, countless elders and disciples gathered, faces filled with nervous awe as they stared inside. For within sat someone whose single word could decide their lives and deaths—how could they not be anxious?
Inside the great hall, the main seat stood empty. To its right, a young man in azure robes sat casually, a faint smile resting on his lips. Across from him sat an old man in a crimson robe, his white hair gleaming under the firelight. The elder shifted uneasily in his seat as though sitting on a bed of needles, his face showing thinly veiled agitation.
"There's no need to be so tense, Ancestor Huo Yun," Liu Xi said lightly. "I don't eat people. I've already made my intentions quite clear, haven't I?"
The old man straightened his back immediately, looking every bit the obedient student before his teacher. "Clear as day! Burning Flame Valley has survived this long only thanks to Lady Xiao Yixian's aid. We are fully aware of her kindness. Xiao Zhen, bring it out."
Indeed, during the great calamity that swept across the Central Plains, Xiao Yixian had worked tirelessly behind the scenes—linking the Burning Flame Valley, Sound Valley, and even the Pill Tower—to hold back disaster. Without her intervention, even a 2-Star Dou Saint like Huo Yun would not have dared to claim safety for his sect.
"Yes!"
Tang Zhen responded quickly, raising his head only to meet Liu Xi's faint smile. The instant their eyes met, his heart tightened. Even as a 9-Star Dou Zun, he felt as though he'd been stared at by an ancient beast—his spine cold, breath caught in his chest.
He couldn't help but laugh bitterly. Once, this young man had been his equal, an ally of convenience. Now, Liu Xi stood at the very peak of the continent, a powerhouse who had defeated even Hun Tiandi.
Though the valley was sealed, Burning Flame Valley was never ignorant of outside events. Rumors flew across the Central Plains, but this—this presence—was no rumor.
Tang Zhen had nearly forgotten that Liu Xi once expressed interest in the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame. Now, seeing him appear again, that memory came roaring back.
Suppressing the helpless bitterness in his chest, Tang Zhen extended his hand. A brilliant flame manifested above his palm, within which nine golden lightning dragons writhed and roared.
"Ugh…"
He groaned softly as he cut the connection. A flicker of pain crossed his expression—the severed bond had torn at his soul.
Liu Xi raised his hand, and the flame quivered, drifting obediently into his palm. The Nine Dragon Lightning Flame didn't dare resist—it simply trembled, subdued by his overwhelming presence.
A gleam flashed through Liu Xi's eyes. Deep within his soul, a primal hunger stirred.
'The Nine Dragon Lightning Flame… at last.'
But there was no need to rush. The flame was his; its devouring could wait.
Turning his gaze toward Ancestor Huo Yun, Liu Xi's sharp eyes saw through the old man's hidden ailment at once. Though he was a 2-Star Dou Saint, his body was riddled with Fire Poison—a cruel irony for one whose Dou Qi was of the fire attribute.
'To cultivate fire and be poisoned by fire—what a joke,' Liu Xi thought faintly.
Having taken the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, he didn't mind spending a moment repaying the gesture.
"Valley Master Tang, Lady Huo'er," he said calmly, "Please step outside for a while. I won't delay long. Once I've purged Ancestor Huo Yun's Fire Poison, I'll be leaving."
Both Huo Yun and Tang Zhen froze in surprise. Tang Huo'er blinked, clearly confused.
The Fire Poison in Huo Yun's body had been born during his breakthrough to the Dou Saint realm, when he recklessly absorbed too much violent fire energy from the Burning Flame Mountains. Though he'd succeeded in advancing, the unrefined energy had corrupted his body.
For years, he'd lived in seclusion, suppressing the poison with great effort. Without it, Burning Flame Valley's strength would never have declined to the weakest of the Three Great Valleys.
Now, hearing Liu Xi claim he could cleanse it completely, Huo Yun's aged eyes quivered. "You… you can really purge the Fire Poison?"
"Of course," Liu Xi replied with a faint grin. "If I can't, no one in this world can."
Tang Zhen's face brightened. Though losing a Heavenly Flame pained him, restoring the Supreme Elder's health was worth the price. Bowing respectfully, he said, "Then we'll take our leave, Master Liu. Please, take care of the old ancestor."
He led Tang Huo'er away. Few in Burning Flame Valley even knew of Huo Yun's ailment—they only thought him long in secluded cultivation. As she left, Tang Huo'er couldn't help but glance back repeatedly, her gaze filled with mixed emotion—resentment for losing the Heavenly Flame, but admiration for the man who had subdued even Hun Tiandi himself.
Liu Xi returned her smile but said nothing. The young woman's potential wasn't bad—already a Dou Zun, destined to succeed her father as Valley Master. Yet, the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame that should have been hers now belonged to him.
When the hall finally cleared, Ancestor Huo Yun rose, bowing deeply. "Master Liu, how shall I assist you? Should I prepare any medicinal ingredients?"
Liu Xi chuckled. "No need. But it will hurt a little. Endure it."
He extended his palm. Wisps of pure azure flame flared to life, dancing with eerie grace. With a flick of his wrist, they shot forward—lightning-fast—piercing into Huo Yun's chest.
The old man's pupils constricted. Every instinct screamed danger, yet he didn't move. He knew resistance was useless. If Liu Xi wished to kill him, he would already be ashes.
At first, the searing energy was tolerable. But when Liu Xi's Emperor Realm Soul took full control, the flame dove deep—into marrow, into meridians, scraping away every last trace of Fire Poison with surgical precision.
"Arghhh—!"
A roar of agony tore from Huo Yun's throat, echoing through the hall. The sound carried for miles, chilling every listener to the bone.
Outside, disciples and elders trembled, wondering what horror their ancestor was enduring.
Inside, Liu Xi remained calm, his eyes half-closed, the Azure Flame pulsing in rhythm with his will—burning away corruption, purifying life.
The cleansing of poison had begun.
(End of Chapter)
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