676: The Mystery of the Flame Totem

This flame lacked the sky-burning might of Savage Demon Green Dragon's Azure Lotus Sky Burning Flame, nor did it possess the thunderous destruction of Liu Ruyan's Purple Extreme Heavenly Fire.

It was restrained and gentle, like the rising morning sun, yet it contained a supreme truth of ultimate Yang and rigidity, a power to command all fires—

It was the Great Sun Divine Fire ignited by the Fusion of three Essence Fires!

"Pfft!"

"Hmm?!"

"What is going on?!"

The moment the Great Sun Divine Fire appeared—

Within the entire Melting Furnace Valley, every Pill Fire that was burning, flickering, or condensing into shape, regardless of its grade or owner!

All shuddered violently at once! It was as if they had encountered the emperor of all flames!

The noble Purple Extreme Heavenly Fire at Liu Ruyan's fingertip suddenly dipped, and the destructive lightning on its edges dimmed slightly!

The ice flame that Elder Chen had painstakingly condensed nearly dissipated on the spot!

The Pill Fires of several Loose Cultivators were extinguished directly!

Even Savage Demon Green Dragon's violent and arrogant Azure Lotus Sky Burning Flame seemed to be pressed down hard by an invisible giant hand,

Its height dropped sharply, the lotus image swayed, and it let out a wail of unwillingness!

All fires pay homage!

At this moment, whether Human Race or Yao Race, all alchemists turned their heads in shock,

Their gazes focused on the figure sitting cross-legged and the seemingly ordinary crimson-gold flame at his fingertip!

"What... what kind of fire is this?!"

"My Pill Fire is actually trembling in fear?!"

"Essence Fire? Impossible! Not even Sacred Fire is this terrifying!"

The smugness on Savage Demon Green Dragon's face instantly froze, turning into boundless horror and disbelief!

His Azure Lotus Sky Burning Flame, which he was so proud of, was actually trembling?! What... what kind of monster is this kid?!

What level is his flame exactly?!

Yao Delong ignored the commotion around him.

He circulated the most profound fire-control technique from the Void Derivation Pill Transformation Art, his Divine Thought sinking into the subtle changes of the cold flame totem before him.

Simplifying the complex, pointing straight to the Origin!

In his eyes, that terrifying requirement of condensing 9,999 ice needles,

Its core was nothing more than the ultimate application of two flame Laws: "Extreme Cold Condensation" and "Micro-Form Molding"!

With the Void Derivation Pill Transformation Art as the framework and his own vast Divine Thought and the Origin Great Sun Divine Fire as the Foundation, simulating it... felt surprisingly natural!

He saw that strand of crimson-gold divine fire at his fingertip, following his will, instantly divide into thousands of fire threads thinner than hair!

The temperature of every fire thread dropped precisely below freezing, instantly condensing into crystal-clear ice needles emitting a bone-chilling cold!

The movements were fluid, without any hesitation!

In just a few breaths, 9,999 ice needles were suspended in the Void Realm before him,

The needle tips spitting out grim cold air, perfectly aligning with the Concept on the totem!

"Hiss... so fast?!"

"It's done just like that?!"

"He... he didn't even watch for that long!"

Everyone was shocked again! If Savage Demon Green Dragon's speed was fast, then Yao Delong's speed was... a Prodigy!

Yao Delong did not stop, his gaze sweeping to the next totem—the Explosive Flame Totem!

"Explosive Flame Drizzle? Energy contained within, exploding upon touch... interesting!" He flicked his fingertip, and the thousands of ice needles dissipated silently.

The Great Sun Divine Fire changed again, turning into a hazy crimson-gold fire mist, where countless infinitesimal fire dots condensed,

Falling like spring rain. Just as the fire dots were about to touch the ground—

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Countless soft yet terrifyingly energetic explosions rang out suddenly!

The hard rock on the ground was instantly blasted with dense, tiny holes! The rain covering the sky exploded upon contact! A perfect replication!

Then came the third, the fourth...

His movements became faster and more fluid! Every change seemed practiced thousands of times in his hands, executed with ease!

The Great Sun Divine Fire was like an extension of his arm at his fingertip, transforming into thousands of forms, interpreting the ultimate Profound Truth of fire!

Those nine subtle changes seemed to have lost all difficulty before him!

The gasps and exclamations around him rose one after another! Savage Demon Green Dragon's complexion had turned from horror to livid, even carrying a hint of despair!

He had tried his best and had only just completed the fifth change, while Yao Delong... was already walking towards the seventh totem as if strolling in a courtyard!

When Yao Delong arrived at the ninth totem—the one with the most obscure aura, as heavy as the Earth Mother Rock—he did not rush to replicate it.

Because while analyzing the Law changes of the first eight totems, relying on the Perfection of his Void Derivation Pill Transformation Art,

He keenly detected a trace of an extremely obscure yet spiritually vibrant fluctuation, hidden deep within the core of this ninth totem!

That fluctuation... was like a sleeping spirit!

"This is..." Yao Delong's heart stirred, a thought flashing through his mind, "A trace of... Fire Spirit?!"

When the Pill Venerable's phantom announced the rules, it only mentioned imitation and replication. But at this moment, a bold guess arose in his heart:

Perhaps, the root of this ninth totem did not lie in imitating its fire transformation form, but in... communication!

Imitation is inferior.

Understanding the Earth fire truth it carried—'heavy bearing, nourishing all things'—and using a gentle, life-filled fire Origin to awaken and nourish that sleeping Fire Spirit... that was the true test of this totem!

If he could succeed, what he would gain would likely be more than just clearing the level!

This... is this the key to Fusion of exotic fires?!

A sharp light exploded in Yao Delong's eyes! He did not immediately evolve the fire form as before, but slowly closed his eyes,

The strand of Great Sun Divine Fire at his fingertip retracted all its dominance and sharpness, becoming incomparably soft, warm, and full of the vitality to nourish all things,

Like the warm sun of early spring, and like the nourishing Qi in the womb, it gently reached toward the core of the ninth totem...

The strand of Great Sun Divine Fire at Yao Delong's fingertip, warm and gentle like the spring sun, silently touched the core of the ninth totem, which was as heavy as the Earth Mother Rock.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no dazzling light.

Only a deep, distant, pulsating resonance came from the depths of the totem, flowing along Yao Delong's flame, gently brushing against his mind.

"It really is here!"

Yao Delong's spirit lifted, he completely focused his mind, channeling his own understanding of the Great Sun Divine Fire's 'nourishing all things, cultivating vitality,'

Along with a trace of herbal Origin vitality he had sensed in the fragments of the Herbal Path Comprehension, injecting it unreservedly and continuously into that warm flow of fire.

It was not imitation; it was awakening! It was communication! It was nourishing!

He was like a tireless gardener, using the gentlest, purest fire of life to carefully water the faint, nearly silent spirituality deep within the totem.

Inside the valley.

Everyone saw Yao Delong sitting cross-legged before the ninth totem, eyes closed and focused, the flame at his fingertip flickering gently,

But he was slow to start outlining the 'Earth Vein Fire Marrow' form displayed on the totem, and they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in secret.

"Phew... that scared me, I thought he could really rush to the end in one breath!"

"It seems the 'Earth Vein Fire Marrow' Concept of this last totem is extremely difficult; even he is stuck."

"Hmph, posing and playing tricks! He's been meditating for over an hour, I think he's run out of tricks!"

"Exactly! Lord Azure Dragon is almost done!"