Chapter 227: The Mystic Flame Realm – Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame
"The Dou Qi Continent isn't big enough for you to explore? The upper realm is incredibly dangerous. I can't even guarantee my own safety."
In the ninth level of Tiance Pavilion, Xiao Tianming grinned widely and waved dismissively.
"Danger doesn't scare me. As long as I can stay out of Father's sight and avoid his constant nagging about marriage, I'm fine."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance couldn't help but chuckle. This kid was truly desperate to escape Second Uncle's endless marriage pressure even willing to venture to the Great Thousand World! It was like modern parents pestering their kids to settle down.
"You brat, if Second Uncle knew, he'd break your legs!" Xiao Tiance laughed and teased.
"Come on, Brother Ce, please take me with you to the upper realm!" Xiao Tianming clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture.
Xiao Tiance Sets Conditions
Seeing his earnest expression, Xiao Tiance smirked and said:
"It's not impossible, but if you want me to take you, you'll have to agree to two conditions."
"Brother Ce, as long as you agree, I'll accept ten, no, twenty conditions!" Xiao Tianming exclaimed, thumping his chest confidently.
**"Don't celebrate just yet. The first condition: no matter what, you must leave a bloodline for Second Uncle, whether through a son or daughter.
Second: Second Uncle has to agree to let you leave the Dou Qi Continent. Fulfill these two, and I'll take you with me."**
"Huh? Brother Ce, not you too! Father already told me to leave behind a descendant and promised to stop nagging me after that. But where am I supposed to find someone to bear my bloodline?" Xiao Tianming's face scrunched up in despair, looking as if he might cry.
He had thought Brother Ce would understand his plight since he himself had remained unmarried for millennia. Yet, it turned out he was just as "hopelessly traditional" as Father.
Xiao Tiance's Resolve
Xiao Tiance raised his hands with a helpless smile.
"That's not my problem. If you can't manage those two things, I'm leaving without you. No room for negotiation."
It wasn't like Xiao Tiance wanted to burden Xiao Tianming, but he had dealt with Second Uncle's relentless discussions about both their marital statuses for centuries. If Xiao Tianming couldn't handle this, he wouldn't be helping him escape the consequences.
Xiao Tianming's Complaints
Xiao Tianming's face turned aggrieved.
**"Brother Ce, you're too much! Look at me I'm good looking, a Dou Saint, and I come from the Xiao Clan. There's no one on the Dou Qi Continent who can compare to our clan!
The Xiao Clan rules this continent unchallenged. I could treat the entire continent as my playground if I wanted to.
But still, you're asking too much!"**
Xiao Tiance smirked.
**"You're not wrong. But let's not forget you've been using me as your example. I'm older, stronger, and the undisputed top figure of the Dou Qi Continent.
Yet I don't have a wife or children, do I? If you think we're in the same boat, why not bring it up with the clan elders? Let them pester me about marriage too. Maybe they'll even force me into it."**
"Brother Ce, don't underestimate them. The elders have long been eyeing your bloodline potential. If you weren't the clan leader, they might've already tied someone to your bed!" Xiao Tianming snickered mischievously, teasing.
A Sparring Threat
Xiao Tiance's eyes narrowed dangerously as his tone chilled.
"Tianming, you've gotten bold. Care to back that up? It's been centuries since we sparred. Come on, show me your strength!"
"I was wrong!"
Before Xiao Tiance even finished speaking, Xiao Tianming immediately bowed and apologized, his tone humble. The earlier bravado disappeared in an instant.
"Haha! Coward. Get out of here. If you want to come to the upper realm, you know what to do. Otherwise, don't even think about it. I'm not taking the blame when Second Uncle comes after me." Xiao Tiance waved dismissively, laughing.
"Fine! I can't win with you guys. I'm leaving now!" Xiao Tianming grumbled but left with a grin, recognizing that Xiao Tiance had other matters to attend to.
Xiao Tiance Prepares
Watching Xiao Tianming leave, Xiao Tiance chuckled to himself.
"That brat has always been the most carefree among us. If Xiao Chen were still around, he'd probably keep him in check."
He stood up, a sigh escaping his lips.
"It's about time I bring Xiao Chen back from the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's realm."
The Journey to the Flame Realm
With a flash, Xiao Tiance vanished. He reappeared in the chaotic spatial turbulence of the void. Before him lay a scene of violent spatial storms and destructive energy flows, extending endlessly in all directions.
Even as a Nine Star Dou Saint, Xiao Tiance could feel the immense danger here. For a lower Dou Saint, a moment of carelessness could mean annihilation not just of their body but also of their soul.
"Impressive, Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint. To think you'd hide your domain here. Without the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's map, even Xiao Yan nearly lost his life here in the original story."
Muttering to himself, Xiao Tiance raised his palm and unleashed a powerful Heaven Tier Dou Technique toward the void.
"Boom!"
The strike tore through the chaotic space, creating a massive rift. As the turbulence calmed momentarily, a hidden seal gradually revealed itself.
Seeing this, Xiao Tiance smirked.
**"I'm only here for Xiao Chen. But if the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame proves stubborn, I might as well bring it back to the Xiao Clan.
As for whether Xiao Yan can still obtain it later that will depend on his fortune."**
Breaking the Seal
Carefully examining the seal, Xiao Tiance quickly located a weak point. He didn't intend to destroy the entire seal only to weaken it enough for entry.
With precision, he gathered his Dou Qi and struck the weak point with a single finger.
"Crack!"
The seal trembled, and a small opening appeared. Xiao Tiance's figure blurred as he stepped into the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's domain.
Inside, the space radiated an intense energy aura. It was a realm where flames reigned supreme.
The Search
"Twin moons align, nine stars converge, tides rise, and the flame descends. Let's see if you're as elusive as the tales say, Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame."
Xiao Tiance's voice echoed as he ventured deeper, his goal clear: to retrieve Xiao Chen and potentially claim the flame.
The Mystical Flame Realm had appeared multiple times over the years, including once during Xiao Tiance's tenure as the Xiao Clan's patriarch. However, that time, Xiao Tiance missed the opportunity because he was in seclusion. By the time he arrived, the flame realm had closed and disappeared.
Years later, after persistent efforts by the Tianji Tower's scouts, its exact location was finally pinpointed.
Sensing the Mystical Flame
Feeling the dense fire element in the air, Xiao Tiance's eyes flashed with surprise.
"It seems that since the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's demise, the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame has been diligently cultivating."
He recalled that when the flame rebelled and devoured its master, it inherited the saint's terrifying ability: Nightmare Miasma, capable of trapping over a million people in a city within an illusion lasting centuries. When the miasma dissipated, the survivors realized that their long experiences were nothing but ephemeral dreams.
The Xiao Clan's records described this ability in vivid detail. The Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint had been a peerless figure, even in an era when Dou Di (Battle Emperor) existed. Known as the strongest below the Dou Di level, he could potentially defeat even newly ascended Dou Di experts.
"Invincible beneath the Dou Di, and a one for one trade against the Dou Di."
Shaking off these thoughts, Xiao Tiance surveyed the mystical flame realm as he ventured deeper.
A Mysterious Figure Appears
As Xiao Tiance moved forward, a handsome man dressed in white appeared in the central square ahead. His aura indicated he was at the late five star Dou Saint level. Paired with the flame's unique abilities, he could likely defeat a six star Dou Saint.
The man's cold gaze locked onto Xiao Tiance.
"Who are you?" the white robed figure demanded icily.
Xiao Tiance wasn't surprised. Upon entering the mystical flame realm, he had sensed a wisp of soul energy scanning him.
As a spiritual powerhouse of the Imperial Soul Realm, he naturally detected this.
"I am Xiao Tiance," he replied calmly.
"Why are you here? It's not time for the flame realm to open. How did you get in?" the white robed man pressed.
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly.
"On the Dou Qi Continent, I go wherever I wish. No seal, no matter how powerful, can stop me."
His tone was casual, as if discussing something trivial, but the unwavering confidence in his words made the white robed man's brows furrow deeply.
"Such arrogance. Even I wouldn't dare claim such things. Yet, since you're here, why haven't you knelt before me?"
The white robed man's voice grew colder.
An Arrogant Exchange
"Oh? And who might you be?" Xiao Tiance asked, his tone indifferent.
"Hmph. You set foot in my flame realm and dare ask who I am? Listen carefully I am the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint! And you, Xiao Tiance, do you not recognize my name?"
The man sneered, yet he didn't make a move. He couldn't gauge Xiao Tiance's strength, and that alone made him cautious.
A Bold Threat
Xiao Tiance waved his hand dismissively and chuckled.
**"Of course, I've heard of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint. But you Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame dare to act high and mighty before me? Do you believe I won't beat you senseless?
The last one to posture like this in front of me was Void Swallowing Flame. Now he's reduced to a mindless wisp of fire. Do you really want me to deal with you the same way?"**
Hearing this, the white robed man froze.
In the past, he had encountered many strong individuals who entered this realm. Most had been intimidated by his aura, allowing him to manipulate or defeat them. But today, he had encountered someone who wouldn't be cowed.
"You... insolent..."
The man's voice trembled with fury. But just as he was about to rebuke Xiao Tiance, the latter smiled and interrupted.
"Choose your next words carefully. My patience is limited, and I won't hesitate to slap you across the face."
A Tense Negotiation
The white robed man clenched his fists but hesitated.
"Why are you here? And is what you said true? Has Void Swallowing Flame really had his soul extinguished by you?"
His voice was laced with anger and apprehension. He couldn't discern whether Xiao Tiance was bluffing or genuinely as formidable as he appeared.
Given how effortlessly Xiao Tiance had entered the flame realm, the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame dared not underestimate him. As an ancient being with centuries of wisdom, he knew better than to provoke someone beyond his comprehension.
Xiao Tiance's Reply
**"Ah, at least you're smarter than Void Swallowing Flame.
No, I didn't destroy his soul. That fool trusted the wrong person. When I trapped them, they turned on each other, and the other one dealt the final blow.
Why, do you and Void Swallowing Flame have a close relationship?"** Xiao Tiance teased.
"No, none at all," the white robed man replied quickly.
Taking a deep breath, he added, "You clearly see through me, which means you're a peerless expert. I have no intention of antagonizing someone like you. If there's anything I can assist with, I'll gladly help."
His tone was cautious, even deferential.
Xiao Tiance's Demand
Xiao Tiance raised an eyebrow in mild surprise but quickly nodded.
"Fine. Bring me Xiao Chen, the one you turned into a Fire Slave. That's my only reason for coming here."
The white robed man's expression shifted. This visitor wasn't just powerful he was incredibly well informed.
"Xiao Chen? A Fire Slave?"
The man's heart sank. Whoever this was, they had come prepared.
"You wouldn't be trying to tell me you've forgotten, would you?" Xiao Tiance asked, his voice growing colder.
"No, no, not at all! Please wait a moment. I'll summon him now."
The white robed man quickly relented. He had initially considered testing Xiao Tiance with Xiao Chen, but that plan had evaporated. Against a half emperor, he stood no chance.
Moments later, a wisp of crimson smoke emerged from the man's body and disappeared into the depths of the flame realm.
Xiao Chen Returns
Within ten minutes, a figure emerged from the distance. It was Xiao Chen, his eyes glowing red, carrying an enormous battle axe. He moved like a puppet, devoid of will or consciousness.
Seeing him, Xiao Tiance's voice softened as he called out:
"Brother Chen!"
(To be continued)
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