Fang Yang sat cross-legged in meditation. The aura around him surged and churned like a tidal wave, climbing layer by layer.
His robes fluttered and snapped in the windless air.
Vast Dou Qi roared and flowed through his meridians like rumbling thunder, causing the entire Heavenly Flame Space to tremble slightly.
The source power of the twenty-two Heavenly Flames flowed endlessly within his body.
The devouring power of the Nihility Devouring Flame, the purifying power of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, the incinerating power of the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame...
These entirely different Heavenly Flame characteristics were now perfectly fused under the refinement of the Flame Mantra, transforming into the purest torrent of Dou Qi that continuously flooded his limbs and bones.
Boom!
Three-star Dou Sheng, Five-star Dou Sheng, Seven-star Dou Sheng...
The barriers of these realms continuously loosened and shattered under the impact of this boundless power.
A complex flame rune slowly emerged at the center of Fang Yang's forehead. Every single line within it seemed to contain the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, with wisps of the Dao rhyme of fire circulating endlessly within, emitting a heart-palpitating suppression.
His aura became increasingly profound and vast, as if he were merging with the entire universe.
Early Nine-star Dou Sheng, Mid Nine-star Dou Sheng, Peak Nine-star Dou Sheng!
When his aura finally stabilized at the absolute pinnacle of the Dou Sheng realm, Fang Yang slowly opened his eyes.
It was as if the birth and death of universes and the flow of star rivers were reflecting in his pupils, before finally settling into a profound calmness like an ancient well without ripples.
He gently exhaled a breath of air. Wherever his aura passed, space distorted, creating layers of ripples that lingered for a long time.
At this moment, Fang Yang was merely a single step away from the legendary Dou Di.
"Not bad."
The ethereal and distant voice of the Artifact Spirit rang out in the Heavenly Flame Space, carrying a hint of imperceptible praise. "The source power of all twenty-two Heavenly Flames has completely fused, and the Flame Mantra has reached the pinnacle of perfection."
"Your accumulation is sufficient to attack that supreme Dou Di."
Fang Yang nodded slightly, feeling the ocean-like, majestic power within his body, his gaze as calm as water.
He had waited too long for this moment. After enduring countless hardships and perils, he had finally stood at the peak of this realm.
"The opportunity to become a Dou Di lies in Origin Qi," the Artifact Spirit continued, its voice carrying a degree of solemnity. "Without Origin Qi, no matter how high your talent or how deep your accumulation, you can never take that final step."
Fang Yang's gaze swept across the twenty-three heaven-reaching pillars on the Heavenly Flame Square.
Twenty-two of them had already dimmed, leaving only the central pillar still radiating brilliant light.
The colors of the twenty-two Heavenly Flames circulated endlessly upon it, mesmerizingly beautiful, like a rainbow spanning the heavens and the earth.
He suddenly recalled what the Artifact Spirit had said before, and his mind stirred: "Artifact Spirit, the Origin Qi you mentioned back then..."
"I know what you want to ask."
The Artifact Spirit's voice leisurely echoed, "Within these twenty-three heaven-reaching pillars, Origin Qi is indeed sealed."
"I understand."
Fang Yang took a deep breath, a trace of resolve flashing in his eyes.
"Emperor Flame, emerge!"
As the words fell, the central pillar violently shook.
A dazzling pillar of light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire Heavenly Flame Space as bright as day.
Within that pillar of light, a flame circulating with all twenty-two colors slowly emerged.
Unlike other Heavenly Flames, it wasn't frantic; instead, it exuded a majesty that ruled over the world. It was the emperor of flames, the sovereign of all fires.
The moment it appeared, the temperature of the entire space soared abruptly, and even the air began to distort and warp.
"So this is the Emperor Flame..."
Fang Yang muttered to himself, feeling the twenty-two Heavenly Flames within his body actually produce a sense of submission at this exact moment.
This was suppression from the very source, the natural awe of lesser flames toward the emperor of fire.
"Number One on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, Emperor Flame."
Heaven and earth gave birth to all things, each with its own unique spirit, and fire is no exception.
Once, a Heavenly Flame was born into the world. It took a thousand years to take shape, ten thousand years to gather spiritual energy, and ten thousand more years of hidden cultivation, which within the unseen workings of fate caused it to mutate slightly. As is well known, once a normal Heavenly Flame takes shape, it rarely leaves its birthplace of its own accord.
But this fire was different. After gaining spiritual intelligence, it traveled along the underground magma, wandering beneath the earth for a thousand years, feeding on the act of devouring fire. And the fires it devoured were all ranked on the Heavenly Flame Ranking; the twenty-two flames above it had all been consumed by it.
After succeeding in this, it named itself the Emperor Flame and cultivated for another thousand years before finally breaking out into the world.
"Artifact Spirit, what do I need to do?" Fang Yang asked, his voice calm.
Yet, scorching flames burned in his eyes.
The Artifact Spirit spoke plainly: "The Emperor Flame is the core that suppresses the twenty-two Heavenly Flames."
"If you want to obtain the Origin Qi, you must first devour the Emperor Flame."
"What?"
Hearing this, Fang Yang was somewhat surprised. "Is this the reason why the other Heavenly Flames lacked sufficient energy?"
"Correct."
The Artifact Spirit nodded. "The twenty-two Heavenly Flames are naturally born objects of heaven and earth. A sealing array can only seal them, but it cannot stop them from absorbing energy to continuously improve."
"If left unchecked, they would have shattered this seal long ago."
"Using the Source Pattern Array as an auxiliary and the Emperor Flame as the core, this twenty-two-layer grand sealing array was set up."
"The Emperor Flame not only suppresses the twenty-two Heavenly Flames but also constantly absorbs their power to maintain the stability of the seal."
"I see..."
Fang Yang suddenly understood his previous doubts. "No wonder, aside from the first time being difficult to devour a Heavenly Flame, the subsequent absorptions were relatively easy."
"Because their power had already been mostly devoured by the Emperor Flame."
"Now, are you ready?"
The Artifact Spirit's voice was solemn. "Devour the head of all Heavenly Flames, the Emperor Flame!"
"Okay."
Fang Yang nodded slightly.
His aura converged inward, deep as an abyss, yet he emitted a terrifying presence.
"I have been looking forward to this day for far too long."
Fang Yang's gaze was firm, without the slightest hesitation.
"Wait a moment..."
The Artifact Spirit suddenly said.
The next moment, a massive stream of information flooded into Fang Yang's mind, turning into a profound and obscure cultivation method.
"Pill Transformation Divine Art!"
Fang Yang felt the technique appearing in his mind and couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Aren't I supposed to devour the Emperor Flame? Why give me this?"
"The Emperor Flame is only one part of it."
A trace of mystery lingered in the Artifact Spirit's voice. "Heavenly Flame Pill, emerge!"
The next moment, the tops of all twenty-three heaven-reaching pillars lit up simultaneously, each revealing a halo of flame.
Within the halos, crystalline pills slowly rotated, emitting heart-palpitating energy fluctuations. The central pill was suffused with the colors of all twenty-two Heavenly Flames, as if the very essence of all the flames between heaven and earth had been condensed within it.
"This is..."
Fang Yang was dumbfounded.
He could feel the terrifying energy contained within that magnificent pill. "Emperor Pill?"
"Correct."
The Artifact Spirit stated, "This is a Heavenly Flame Pill refined by the Emperor Flame after devouring the energy of the twenty-two Heavenly Flames, relying on the power of the array."
"First, consume the Heavenly Flame Pill, then devour the Emperor Flame."
"Use the power of the pill to protect your heart meridians, and use the Pill Transformation Divine Art to dissolve the medicinal power. Only then can you withstand the impact of the Emperor Flame."
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