A faint sense of dizziness came over him, and when Xiao Yan regained his senses, he found himself in a vast space surrounded by a sea of fire.
The flames were magnificent, colorful, and ever-changing in form.
Some transformed into invisible giant pythons, some into blooming lotuses, and some danced like thunder dragons.
This was an ocean of Heavenly Flame.
Xiao Yan casually grabbed a handful of flames; the flames were not hot to him, only warm.
"Heavenly Flame..." Xiao Yan murmured, walking among all sorts of Heavenly Flame.
The Heavenly Flame clustered around him, looking very affectionate.
"It seems your constitution is very popular with Heavenly Flame," an aged voice echoed in the sea of fire.
Although Xiao Yan was born with the fire attribute, it was far from enough to make Heavenly Flame welcome him; he possessed such a constitution because he had cultivated the Flame Mantra, which was acquired later.
Cultivation methods would subtly change the practitioner's original characteristics, which was why Amon's true body did not forcibly cultivate unsuitable methods at the beginning.
The sudden voice made Xiao Yan pause slightly. He followed the sound and saw a flower made of flames blooming in the sea of fire ahead. Inside, there was an aged figure in dark clothes, looking over with a slight smile.
Xiao Yan showed a hint of surprise; he had originally thought he would see Amon.
It seems Amon only changed the appearance of the stone statue, but not the content of the inheritance... he thought to himself.
"Junior Xiao Yan greets Senior Tuoshe Ancient Emperor," Xiao Yan respectfully performed the junior's bow.
After Tuoshe Ancient Emperor chatted with Xiao Yan for a while, he handed over his inheritance to him.
Countless flames converged into a Fire Lotus seed, suspended before Xiao Yan.
"This is my inheritance. Whether you can reach the Dou Emperor level with it depends on your fortune."
Xiao Yan looked at the Fire Lotus seed, his eyes filled with excitement.
"My inheritance requires a heart like a rock; as long as a single thought remains, it cannot be extinguished!"
Tuoshe Ancient Emperor reminded him, controlling the Fire Lotus to land on Xiao Yan's head and merge into his mind.
The moment the Fire Lotus seed merged, Xiao Yan's body began to turn red, like a cooked shrimp.
An seemingly endless surge of energy surged within his body, his meridians swelled, and a tearing pain came over him.
"Bang!"
Xiao Yan's body suddenly exploded, and a wave of weakness came from the depths of his soul, making it almost impossible for him to maintain his consciousness.
Qing Meng also exploded with him.
"Did I fail?" Xiao Yan felt a bit of fear.
"A heart like a rock; as long as a single thought remains, it cannot be extinguished!"
Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's reminder suddenly echoed in his mind.
Xiao Yan forced himself to cheer up.
How could I fail here? If I stop here, am I worthy of my teacher's nurturing, my father's expectations, and my clansmen's sacrifices?
If I fail here, who will revive Xiao Meng?
Xiao Yan's soul light cluster flickered violently, a Fire Lotus seed appeared indistinctly, and accompanied by brilliant light, the blood mist that was his body re-condensed.
Qing Meng also re-condensed, and during the re-condensation process, Qing Meng's Heavenly Flame origin also merged into Xiao Yan's new body.
"Bang!"
Xiao Yan's body shattered again.
The light emitted by the Fire Lotus seed made it re-condense again.
In the continuous cycle of breaking and re-condensing, breaking and re-condensing, Qing Meng and Xiao Yan completely merged into one, indistinguishable from each other.
Tuoshe Ancient Emperor looked at this somewhat unexpected scene, his eyes lit up, and he murmured to himself:
"Oh... mixing the Heavenly Flame origin during the body's re-condensation, making oneself almost a unique Heavenly Flame..."
...
While Xiao Yan was receiving Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's inheritance, the Central Plains had already become a living hell.
The Spirit Devouring Life Extinguishing Array enveloped the continent, allowing entry but no exit. The azure sky was covered by thick blood clouds, and sunlight, passing through the blood-colored clouds, cast a dull glow, making people feel incredibly suppressed.
Corpses lay everywhere, blood flowed like rivers, and a strong smell of blood permeated every corner of the Central Plains. Within this great array, even a Dou Venerate could not avoid the erosion of the blood light, ultimately becoming an helpless part of the corpses.
Only Dou Saint powerhouses could barely protect a small area of peace. But within this array, almost the entire the Central Plains was under Hun Tiandi's perception. When he discovered those Dou Saint powerhouses, he would send Soul Clan powerhouses to eliminate them.
This was a catastrophe no one could escape!
One month, two months, three months...
The once prosperous the Central Plains had almost turned into a dead zone.
Just as Hun Tiandi was absorbing the blood and qi gathered by the Spirit Devouring Life Extinguishing Array, a tremor came from within the Heavenly Tomb space.
Flames swept across the sky, dispelling the mist in the Heavenly Tomb, and colorful lights shifted in the air, appearing beautiful and magnificent.
A series of powerful auras suddenly erupted from the Xiao Clan members, their auras wildly surging.
Especially Xiao Zhan, the increase was particularly obvious.
This was not the bonus brought by the Worm of Spirit, but his own power!
"Young Clan Leader... he succeeded! He really succeeded!" The Grand Elder was ecstatic.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li also showed relieved smiles one by one.
Xiao Zhan smiled and said, "I knew he wouldn't let down my expectations... Give the order, from now on, the Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan is Xiao Yan!"
"Yes!"
The transfer of the Clan Leader position met no obstacles; Xiao Yan's succession as the next Clan Leader was what everyone desired.
"Who would have thought back then that this Little Scoundrel could reach this point," Xiao Yu was a little lost in thought.
"Sister, you should call him Clan Leader!" Xiao Ning whispered.
"I know, alright..." Xiao Yu pouted, glanced at Xiao Ning, and then suddenly punched him on the head.
"Ow... Why did you hit me?"
"It's nothing, I'm just too happy," Xiao Yu's face showed a genuine smile.
Xiao Xiao, Xiao Huo, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Yi, although they had undergone an evolution and completely transformed into Dragon Phoenix, did not have the Xiao Clan blood in their bodies, so their cultivation did not surge immediately.
However, they could all feel that an invisible rule had descended upon them, as if to integrate a special power. If they accepted, their cultivation would also surge, and the Xiao Clan's bloodline would reappear in their bodies.
Xiao Huo, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Yi chose to accept, and almost simultaneously, their auras rose to Eight-star Dou Saint.
A hint of complexity flashed in Xiao Xiao's eyes, but she ultimately refused:
"Get lost!"
The invisible power of the rules dissipated, and Xiao Xiao gasped for breath; rejecting this power was a considerable drain on her.
A figure in black, with long black hair and a handsome face, walked out of the flames in the sky.
He looked at the Xiao Clan members and nodded slightly: "You've worked hard. From now on, leave it to me."
"Hahaha... My son Xiao Yan, truly has the demeanor of a Dou Emperor!" Xiao Zhan laughed heartily, and almost everyone could hear the undisguised joy and pride in his laughter.
Xiao Yan left the Heavenly Tomb and was about to head to the Central Plains to settle things with Hun Tiandi when a young man wearing a pointed soft hat and a monocle over his right eye appeared before him.
"Congratulations," Amon said with a smile.
"Amon... Teacher..." Xiao Yan respectfully performed a disciple's bow, "Thank you for your guidance."
Although Amon's behavior was somewhat changeable, and many times, he might not be on the same side as himself, he indeed helped him a lot, and Xiao Yan genuinely acknowledged their teacher-student relationship because of it.
"Hun Tiandi hasn't succeeded yet, you know. As I told you before, your final test is to defeat Spirit Emperor, Hun Tiandi... so you can't kill him yet," Amon said with a light chuckle.
In the original work, after Candle Dragon moved the Heavenly Flame Square out, he didn't tell anyone and secretly studied it for over a month, which is why Xiao Yan became an Emperor half a month later than Hun Tiandi.
If Hun Tiandi hadn't acted immediately and instead waited for Void Swallowing Flame's little tricks, it would have been a different outcome.
This time, without Candle Dragon's hidden time, and with Xiao Yan being stronger than in the original work, needing more time to receive the inheritance, he advanced significantly, becoming an Emperor before Hun Tiandi.
"But this catastrophe in the Central Plains..."
"Catastrophe is catastrophe, so what... what does it have to do with me?" Amon shrugged, looking indifferent.
Xiao Yan's face showed hesitation.
On some concepts, he and Amon were destined to disagree. If only a few people died, Xiao Yan wouldn't have many thoughts, but for Hun Tiandi to sacrifice the entire the Central Plains with blood, it inevitably made him a little angry.
Amon pinched his crystal monocle and smiled: "It seems you care a lot, and really want to go, but you're having trouble choosing because of my obstruction.
"How about this, come and fight me. If you can win even a single move or two, then it's fine for you to go and kill the yet-to-be-Emperor Hun Tiandi."
Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, pondered, then nodded: "Then, Teacher, forgive my offense."
He tentatively threw out a stream of flames, which turned into a flaming spear, shooting directly at Amon.
Starlight surged, and a door appeared in the path of the flaming spear. Amon said with a smile:
"Don't worry about hurting me. Attack with all your might. These small tricks are useless."
Xiao Yan's face was solemn, his Dou Qi surged, and overwhelming flames poured out from him, finally converging in his palm, forming an exquisite Fire Lotus.
"Go."
The Fire Lotus rotated, cutting through the air.
Amon pushed his monocle, and pure light bloomed from the lens. Infinite light surged, illuminating the void.
"Dong..."
Accompanied by a bell toll that seemed to span history, echoing from the river of time, countless starlight-condensed doors floated before Amon, blocking the path of the Fire Lotus.
The doors surrounded the Fire Lotus from all directions, seemingly intending to seal it.
Xiao Yan sensed that the connection between himself and the Fire Lotus was rapidly weakening. He made a decisive decision and detonated it prematurely.
"Explode!"
An indescribable light and heat burst forth, instantly tearing apart the seal formed by the doors. A firestorm, with irresistible might, swept in all directions.
The expanding fire cloud engulfed both Amon and Xiao Yan.