Chapter 828: Eight Desolations, Red Lotus

"Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame?" Wei Yang looked over with a faint trace of surprise. The Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame ranked sixth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

This ranking was already extremely high. It was only one step below the Life Spirit Flame, and in terms of pure attack and destructive power at the same level, it might even surpass the Life Spirit Flame by a bit. After all, the Life Spirit Flame’s specialty was not offense.

Xiao Yan’s fingers trembled slightly. He hadn’t expected that aside from the Red Lotus Karmic Flame, the Yan Clan actually possessed the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame as well.

"As expected of an Ancient Clans. Their collection really is terrifying."

He was filled with envy.

He had wandered the entire continent, and the highest ranked Heavenly Flame he had ever obtained was only the Three Thousand Burning Flame, which was ninth. Yet this Huo Xuan simply lay there and ended up with a Heavenly Flame that ranked so far ahead.

Xiao Yan glanced again toward the woman beside Huo Xuan and couldn’t help but sigh. The geniuses of these Ancient Clans really lived in a different world.

The woman wore a light red dress. Her face was concealed behind a veil, but even so, the outline visible beneath it was breathtakingly beautiful. Her bright eyes rippled slightly. From the moment they arrived, her gaze had repeatedly swept over Wei Yang, Ah Da, and Yao Lao.

At the center of her brows, a vivid deep red flame mark quietly glowed. Still, most of her attention landed on Ah Da.

"Little girl, why are you staring at me?" Ah Da’s eyes turned toward her as well.

In an instant, their gazes clashed. In both sets of pupils, strands of fire-light flowed. Where their eyes met, even the air itself began to distort.

Poof!

Four eyes locked together. Moments later, the space between them suddenly erupted with a burst of flame.

The aftershock rippled outward, tearing the surrounding void apart. The explosion split into two colors—one a scorching red, the other a strange black, at once cold and hot.

Wooo—

Ah Da’s robes puffed up as if blown by wind, a ghost-like wailing echoing inside, making anyone who heard it feel inexplicably irritable. Faintly, a black dragon formed from black wind drifted around Ah Da’s body. It bared its fangs at the red-dressed woman, snarling wildly.

It looked extremely fierce. It seemed the old saying "a child at three determines the adult at eighty" wasn’t wrong at all. Nine Serene Wind Flame, after following this guy Ah Da for so long, had grown more and more like him as time passed.

A Heavenly Flame was like a child when first born—pure, blank. Its eventual temperament depended entirely on its master. While growing, a flame was heavily influenced by its owner.

With their hearts linked, a Heavenly Flame’s only model to imitate was naturally its master. Even though Ah Da acted respectful and obedient before Wei Yang and the others, like a loyal old servant, his true nature was still that of the former You Hun Zun Zhe.

So naturally, the Nine Serene Wind Flame he raised ended up having the same awful temperament baring fangs at anyone it saw.

"Don’t be rude, get back." Ah Da laughed lightly and scolded.

With a thought, the black wind dragon quickly shrank away. Before disappearing, the dragon even glared viciously at the red-dressed woman one last time. Wei Yang and the others said nothing, simply watching the scene unfold with small smiles.

Ah Da looked at the woman and then let out a surprised, cackling laugh. "Gaga, little girl, I didn’t expect you to also possess the Red Lotus Karmic Flame, ranked eighth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."

"Your Nine Serene Wind Flame is very strong, and its intelligence is quite high." The woman in red spoke softly.

Her calm eyes, clear as a deep lake, rippled faintly: "If there’s ever a chance, I’d very much like to spar with you. I want to see whether my Red Lotus Karmic Flame or your Nine Serene Wind Flame is stronger."

As she spoke, she slowly raised her jade-like hand. In her palm, a wisp of deep red flame bloomed.

The flame burned brighter and brighter, strangely enchanting. As it flared upward, it transformed into clusters resembling red lotuses. They looked like lotus blossoms blooming gracefully within the fire—beautiful, seductive, and dangerous.

Red Lotus Karmic Flame, ranked eighth. Ah Da’s Nine Serene Wind Flame was ranked tenth. Both were within the top ten, and their rankings were close. It was hard to say which would win—this was a real matchup of equals.

"Oh? A little duel? Sounds fun." Ah Da licked his lips.

"Huo Zhi, enough."

Huo Xuan sighed helplessly and gently pulled the red-clothed woman behind him, preventing her from acting on impulse. Then he gave Wei Yang and the others an apologetic cupped-fist salute.

"Forgive her. My younger cousin has always been like this. She’s indifferent toward almost everything, except Heavenly Flames. But she means no harm."

"I know. I experienced that myself a few years ago in the Gu Realm." Xiao Yan waved his hand with a laugh.

Then—

"This is my master, Yao Chen. This is my senior brother, Wei Yang. This is Zi Yan, and this is Ah Da." Xiao Yan introduced with a smile.

"So it’s Saint Yao and Mr. Wei. I’ve long heard your names." Huo Xuan quickly cupped his hands. He then pointed at the purple-robed elder beside him and smiled: "This is Elder Huo Yao of my Yan Clan. He also possesses a Heavenly Flame, ranked sixteenth—the Fire Cloud Water Flame."

"Another Heavenly Flame?" Everyone couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Today was basically a Heavenly Flame party.

These three members of the Yan Clan brought three Heavenly Flames. Xiao Yan possessed six. Wei Yang and Ah Da each had one. That already made eleven Heavenly Flames.

Yao Lao also carried an extremely rare Golden Phoenix Flame. In Yao Lao’s hands, this flame was no weaker than a Heavenly Flame—perhaps even stronger. Counting that barely made twelve.

If they also counted the one in Wei Yang’s possession—the sealed Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame with Ban Sheng-level power—then they had gathered thirteen Heavenly Flames here.

Oh, and Xiao Yan actually had another one: the Ten Thousand Beast Flame, ranked twenty-second, obtained from the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Clan. But that flame’s power and intelligence were still too low.

It was only at the peak Dou Huang level for now, so he left it in Falling Star Pavilion to be nurtured slowly with the blood of ten thousand beasts. He didn’t bring it out.

"Hmm?" Wei Yang turned slightly and then smiled: "Another one is coming."

As his voice fell—

"Hehe, Brother Wei, long time no see." A crisp, bell-like voice suddenly drifted through the air.

"Xun’er." Hearing that familiar voice—one etched deep into his bones—Xiao Yan turned, surprise blooming across his face.

Not far away, the space rippled violently. Then, several figures slowly emerged from the distortion. At their forefront, a young woman in elegant light-cyan clothing stepped forward. Her delicate face was adorned with a gentle smile.

Three thousand strands of black hair were loosely tied with a pale green ribbon, cascading like a waterfall past her slender waist. A soft breeze happened to pass by, lifting her hair slightly. With that grace, she looked like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world.

It was Gu Xun’er. Beside Gu Xun’er stood two people. One was also a familiar face—Gu Qingyang.

Within the Gu Clan, he was the genius whose talent and bloodline ranked just below Xun’er’s. The other was an old man dressed in blue robes with a head full of white hair. A warm smile always rested on the old man’s face, giving him a kindly, gentle appearance.

However, everyone present had sharp eyes, and they could sense the sharpness and terrifying strength hidden beneath that smile.

**