On the stone bed inside the cave, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged, his eyes tightly shut. Waves of terrifying heat continuously spread from his body.
Faintly, wisps of black-and-white flames flickered out from his Dou Qi armor, intertwining and wrapping around his entire body.
Xiao Yan's expression remained calm, devoid of any ripples. At this moment, his mind was fully immersed in the circulation of the Burning Flame Star Technique.
The compressed Heavenly Flame within his Dou Qi cyclone had once again increased in power.
If the fusion of the two flames before was comparable to a One-Star Dou Huang, then now, it had at least reached the level of a Two-Star Dou Huang.
Of course, it was still far from the power of the wild Green Lotus Core Flame.
However, Xiao Yan's technique did not evolve solely due to the Heavenly Flames; his extraordinary comprehension ability also played a crucial role.
Moreover, apart from the fusion of Xuan Huang Flame and Yin-Yang Dual Flames, he also possessed a nascent form of the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Flame within his Na Ling.
As the flames were continuously compressed, the temperature within the cave grew increasingly intense.
In the end, some of the stone tables and chairs inside the cave began to melt, turning into liquid that slowly dripped onto the floor of the meditation chamber.
Occasionally, bubbles would surface and silently burst, producing faint popping sounds.
Even the stone bed had melted by nearly half under the extreme heat. Yet, at the very center, where Xiao Yan sat, he remained completely oblivious to his surroundings.
Yao Lao, protected by the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, shielded his puppet-like body. Otherwise, at this temperature, his physical form would have turned into a pool of molten metal.
With the current terrifying heat of the cave, even an ordinary Dou Wang expert would not dare to stay for long.
The violent energy saturating the air, if inhaled, could cause their Dou Qi to go berserk.
"What's going on? Could he be condensing the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Flame!?" Yao Lao looked at Xiao Yan in shock, speculating aloud.
Although it was said that Heavenly Flames could subdue all other flames, surpassing even them in power, there were still differences between various Beast Flames.
If it was a high-quality Beast Flame, it wouldn't necessarily require gathering over ten thousand different Beast Flames.
However, considering the low-tier Beast Flames Xiao Yan had been using recently, attempting to condense the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Flame seemed far too inconceivable.
Yet, Xiao Yan was completely unaware of Yao Lao's astonishment.
At this moment, his breathing was steady, his mind entirely immersed in enlightenment.
The scorching air—hot enough to reduce an ordinary person to ashes with a single breath—flowed into his nostrils like twin energy dragons, continuously being absorbed into his body.
For the past half-year, in order to create a suitable technique for Little Fairy Doctor's Woeful Poison Body, Xiao Yan had not only focused on his daily cultivation but also extensively studied numerous training manuals.
Foremost among them were scrolls on Poison Pill Techniques and records specifically detailing the Woeful Poison Body.
Additionally, he studied advanced cultivation techniques, medicinal formulas below the seventh rank, and various records on natural treasures, strange occurrences, and miscellaneous knowledge.
The reason he only studied medicinal formulas below the seventh rank was that reading them required soul power.
The higher the rank of the formula, the greater the soul power required. Reading formulas beyond his current capacity would not only be unhelpful but could also disrupt his normal cultivation state.
For an ordinary person, half a year of study might only serve as broadening their horizons.
But for Xiao Yan, who possessed an unparalleled comprehension ability, this accumulation of knowledge was an immense boon.
Many of his previously vague cultivation insights had been clarified after absorbing the experiences of past experts from the Dou Qi Continent.
Now, at this perfect moment, all of that accumulated knowledge transformed into fuel for his enlightenment.
As Xiao Yan sat in a meditative trance, time lost its meaning in the midst of his cultivation.
Approximately two days later...
[With the increased power of the Heavenly Flame in your body, combined with your experience in cultivating the Burning Flame Star Technique and your profound insights into cultivation, you have attained enlightenment. Your Burning Flame Star Technique has advanced to the Advanced Profound Rank.]
[Advanced Profound Rank Burning Flame Star Technique: A dual result of the growth of the Heavenly Flame within the body and enhanced comprehension. It cannot be directly applied to another person.]
As the technique evolved, the Dou Qi within Xiao Yan's body began to circulate along an even more intricate pathway.
The scorching heat and violent energy that filled the cave were now surging toward Xiao Yan like tidal waves, rapidly absorbed by him. With the advanced profound rank technique's cultivation speed, it didn't take long for him to completely absorb all of it.
Immediately after, Xiao Yan began drawing in the energy of heaven and earth.
Yao Lao focused his gaze, and when he saw Xiao Yan absorbing the surrounding energy at an even more terrifying speed than before, his shock reached an indescribable level.
"Is the Burning Flame Technique really this easy to evolve???"
It had only been about half a year since Xiao Yan started cultivating his technique.
At this rate of evolution, his strength would rise so quickly that in just a few years, he could reach a level comparable to Yao Lao's peak power.
Even after his strength increased and his technique evolved, Xiao Yan did not wake up immediately. Instead, he continued cultivating, absorbing the energy of heaven and earth to further nourish the Flame Mark at the center of his brow.
Meanwhile, as Xiao Yan immersed himself in cultivation, the Jia Ma Empire was brewing with hidden turmoil!
In an unimaginably dark grand hall, multiple clusters of black mist gathered.
Among them, the densest black mist hovered at the very center of the hall.
With a low hum, the air trembled suddenly as two crimson lights burst forth from within the thick black mist, locking onto another cluster of black fog below.
"Have you completed the investigation?" a chilling voice demanded.
A sinister laugh emerged from the smaller black mist.
"Kekeke… Lord Protector, I have thoroughly investigated everything. In Wutan City, where healing medicine is being sold in large quantities, there is indeed an alchemist of at least the fourth tier."
"This fourth-tier alchemist does have dealings with the Mitre Auction House, but it is merely a transactional relationship. Such a rogue alchemist—if they were to suddenly disappear—would not raise much suspicion."
Protector Wu let out a cold laugh. "If that's the case, then proceed."
"This time, gathering soul remnants is secondary. The primary task is to investigate the Xiao Clan of Wutan City. That clan had a Dou Wang expert a few years ago—it's possible they are the very family our Hall of Souls has been searching for."
His voice grew darker. "Remember, only investigate. Do not alert them."
The Soul Envoy responded without hesitation. "Rest assured, Lord Protector."
The Hall of Souls had always targeted alchemists without strong backgrounds—like the one in Wutan City—as well as the lingering soul remnants of fallen experts, which was why they had avoided drawing too much attention thus far.
"Dismissed, then. I am already looking forward to the grand show in a few years."
With eerie laughter, the black mist trembled and began to fade, turning ethereal before vanishing completely from the grand hall.
Regardless of whether the Xiao Clan in Wutan City was truly the target of their search, Protector Wu had already decided to cultivate Yun Shan first in the coming years.
When the time was right, harvesting the souls of an entire sect led by a Dou Zong expert—especially if he obtained that item—would make this expedition to the Jia Ma Empire more than worthwhile.
(End of Chapter)
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