262: Demonic fire submits

That pure white fire beam had already surpassed the scope of ordinary energy attacks. It was the ultimate condensation of the Purification Lotus Demon Flame's ten thousand years of cultivation and the 'Purification' Law, a manifestation of its anger and pride! Where the fire beam passed, it did not burn, but rather 'erased,' reducing space, energy, and even the rules themselves back to their most primitive state, leaving behind a shocking, eternal void trace.

This strike was so fast it transcended time, and so fierce it pierced through all techniques!

Facing this unavoidable and unstoppable Origin strike, Li Ao's gaze was as calm as a deep pool. On his joined fingers, that point of ultimate gray radiance had condensed to its peak, no longer flickering or flowing, but presenting an absolute 'stillness,' a 'nothingness' after the end of all things.

He did not choose to clash head-on to neutralize it, nor did he try to devour it. Because the power of the Law contained in this strike was too immense and pure; forcibly devouring it would only backfire.

What he chose was—Assimilation. Using his own "Guixu" to encompass and interpret the Purification Lotus Demon Flame's "Purification"!

"Nirvana—Return to Truth."

He softly uttered these four words, as if they were Great Dao maxims.

His joined fingers slowly pointed out. The movement seemed slow, yet it seemed to contain the true meaning of time, arriving later but striking first, accurately pointing at the tip of the pure white fire beam, which was powerful enough to annihilate a Dou Sheng!

"Buzz—!"

There was no explosion, no impact.

Time and space seemed to freeze at this moment.

The pure white fire beam, capable of purifying all things, suddenly became docile and peaceful the instant it touched the gray radiance on Li Ao's fingertip, as if the furiously operating 'Purification' Law within it had encountered its final destination and interpreter!

The gray light spread backward along the pure white fire beam like the finest ink. Where it passed, the pure white color did not vanish but was tinged with a Chaos gray Concept, and its essence underwent a dramatic change! It was no longer the aggressive and repulsive "Purification," but transformed into the Guixu Flame—something deeper, more rooted in Origin, and containing the Concept of "End" and "Beginning"!

The Purification Lotus Demon Flame's vast consciousness let out an extremely terrified shriek: "No! This is impossible! You... you are assimilating my Origin?! What kind of monster are you?!"

It felt the connection between itself and the fire beam being forcibly severed and transformed! The true Concept of the Dao contained within the gray light was far superior in level to its 'Purification' Law; it was a power pointing directly to the ultimate destination of the Universe!

Li Ao did not reply. His mind was completely immersed in this collision and Fusion of the Great Dao. The Guixu Great Dao encompasses everything; Nirvana is not pure destruction, for the extreme limit of death is life. From a certain perspective, isn't the Purification Lotus Demon Flame's "Purification" also a form of Nirvana, one that "strips away the superficial and returns to the Origin"? It is just that the path it takes is more extreme and singular.

At this moment, using himself as a medium and the Guixu Great Dao as a crucible, he was absorbing and integrating the Purification Lotus Demon Flame's Law into his own system!

The gray light flowed backward, increasing in speed, eventually completely covering the pure white fire beam. Following the invisible energy connection, it instantly spread to the center of the Lotus Pond, enveloping the entire leaping, milky white Demon Flame body!

"Roar—!"

The Purification Lotus Demon Flame let out a desperate and unwilling roar, struggling madly. Milky white flames surged skyward, attempting to disperse the gray light that clung like a maggot to bone. The entire flame space violently trembled, as if it could collapse at any moment.

But everything was futile.

The power of the Guixu Great Dao, like the toughest silk thread, wrapped around it layer by layer, continuously stripping away and converting its core spirituality and power. The seductive, demonic energy vanished instantly before the absolute True Concept of Nirvana, like snow melting in the morning sun. The ultimate purification power, however, was encompassed and absorbed by the Guixu Great Dao, becoming a part of the nourishment for its "Return to Nothingness" True Concept.

The white flame lotus flowers in the Lotus Pond withered and dissipated one after another, and the massive Lotus Pedestal also began to dim.

Who knows how long passed—perhaps an instant, perhaps an eternity.

The gray light enveloping the Demon Flame slowly retracted, finally disappearing completely.

In its place, the milky white Purification Lotus Demon Flame was still leaping, but its color became warmer and more restrained, losing some of its demonic strangeness and violence, and gaining a sense of depth and antiquity. At the core of the flame, a tiny gray rune shimmered faintly—that was the Guixu Imprint left by Li Ao.

It no longer struggled or roared, but transmitted a faint yet clear thought, carrying a hint of exhaustion, and... complete submission.

"Master..."

Li Ao slowly withdrew his fingers, his face slightly pale. Continuously mobilizing the Dao Origin had caused him immense exhaustion. But he could feel that an unbreakable connection had been established between himself and the Purification Lotus Demon Flame before him. Not only was it subdued, but its Origin Law had also been preliminarily assimilated by the Guixu Great Dao, becoming a part of his strength.

With a thought, the head-sized Purification Lotus Demon Flame obediently flew toward him, slowly settling into his palm, warm and docile.

"It succeeded..." Only now did Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian let out long breaths, their faces showing joy. Although the clash at the Dao level just now was brief, it was far more perilous than any fierce battle, making their hearts leap into their throats.

Li Ao felt the intimacy and power emanating from the Demon Flame in his palm, and a satisfied smile finally curved his lips. Subduing the Purification Lotus Demon Flame not only gave him a powerful trump card but also gave him a qualitative leap in his understanding of the Guixu Great Dao, especially the transition between "Nirvana" and "Creation." He even sensed that the cultivation barrier that had long been stagnant was showing faint signs of loosening.

His gaze swept across the flame space, which was starting to become unstable, knowing that this was not a place to linger.

"We should leave."

However, just as he was preparing to leave with the Demon Flame, another unexpected change occurred!

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

Several fiercely sharp attacks, containing cold Soul power and violent Flame Dou Qi, shot out from the palace entrance without warning, aimed directly at Li Ao, who had just subdued the Demon Flame and whose aura had not yet fully stabilized!

Simultaneously, a sinister laugh filled with greed and killing intent rang out:

"Haha! Thank you, Your Excellency, for obtaining the Strange Flame for my Hall of Souls (Burning Flame Valley)! Now, hand it over!"

It was none other than the Black-robed Venerable of Soul Hall and the Red-haired Elder of Burning Flame Valley leading their respective factions. They had temporarily joined forces, blocking the palace exit, their eyes filled with naked greed and killing intent! They had been waiting for this opportunity, waiting for Li Ao and the Demon Flame to both suffer heavy losses, or for Li Ao's weakest moment!

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!