263: Teachers and friends rushed to help

The several attacks, imbued with Soul Corrosion and raging flames, were timed with vicious precision. They were aimed directly at Li Ao, who had just subdued the Purification Lotus Demon Flame, a delicate moment when his mind and power were in transition, with old strength gone and new strength yet to emerge! If struck, even with Li Ao’s cultivation, he would inevitably be severely injured, and the newly subdued Demon Flame might even backfire!

"Despicable!"

"How dare you!"

Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian were both shocked and furious. The two women reacted extremely quickly, striking almost the instant the attacks were launched. A seven-colored energy ribbon and a grey-purple poisonous mist erupted simultaneously, meeting the sneak attacks, attempting to buy time for Li Ao.

However, the attackers had been plotting for a long time, and their assault included the full power of the Two-Star Dou Zun, Black-robed Venerable of Soul Hall, and the Three-Star Dou Zun, Red-haired Elder of Burning Flame Valley. Their combined might was extraordinary. Although Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian's hasty interception neutralized most of the power, a condensed black Soul poison ray and a scorching flame finger wind still penetrated their defense, heading straight for Li Ao's back and Dantian!

Just as Li Ao was about to suffer a heavy blow—

"Hmph! How dare a few cowardly rats, who only take advantage of others, lay a hand on my Disciple, Yao Chen's Disciple?!"

A cold snort, ancient yet filled with boundless rage and immense Soul pressure, exploded like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens in this flame-filled space!

In the direction the sound came from, space was forcibly torn apart like a curtain by an invisible giant force, and a slightly ethereal, yet incredibly solid, Soul figure, burning with bone-white flames (Bone Chilling Flame) all over its body, stepped out!

It was none other than Yao Chen!

At this moment, Yao Chen’s Soul body was incredibly condensed, and the Soul fluctuations emanating from him were as vast as the sea. He had clearly broken through his previous Bottleneck and reached the Peak level of Heaven-grade Great Perfection! And the aura swirling around him carried a hint of the unique pressure belonging to a Half-Saint!

He had, at some unknown point, not only greatly advanced his Soul Power but also, with the help of certain Opportunities, touched the threshold of a Half-Saint! Although he wasn't a true Physical Body Half-Saint, with his Heaven-grade Great Perfection Soul Power, his strength was already comparable to an ordinary One-Star Dou Sheng!

Yao Chen appeared without warning, moving faster than anyone could react. With a flick of his sleeve, a wave of bone-white flames, imbued with both cold and scorching Concepts, swept out, arriving ahead of the sneak attacks, precisely colliding with the black Soul poison ray and the flame finger wind.

"Chhh—!"

"Bang!"

The black Soul poison ray, upon contact with the Bone Chilling Flame, shrieked as if it had met its nemesis, instantly purified and evaporated by the extreme cold and the double power of the flames! As for the Burning Flame Valley Elder's flame finger wind, it was like a subject encountering an emperor; its internal flame energy was forcibly drawn out and reversed by the Bone Chilling Flame!

"Pfft!" The Red-haired Elder of Burning Flame Valley was caught off guard, struck in the chest by his own reversed finger wind mixed with the power of the Bone Chilling Flame. He immediately spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, his body staggering backward, his face filled with horror and disbelief: "Bone Chilling Flame?! You are… Venerable Yao, Yao Chen?! You… you've broken through to Half-Saint?!"

The Black-robed Venerable of Soul Hall was even more terrified. How could he not know Yao Chen's name? This was one of the targets explicitly designated by the Hall of Souls' higher-ups for special attention! Moreover, the strength the opponent displayed at this moment clearly indicated he had stepped into the Saint-Grade!

"Yao Chen?! How are you here?!" The Black-robed Venerable’s voice was sharp, tinged with fear.

Yao Chen hovered in the air, bone-white flames dancing around him. His cold gaze swept over the people from the Hall of Souls and Burning Flame Valley, carrying undisguised killing intent: "If this old man hadn't come, wouldn't you fiends have harmed my Disciple and seized this Heavenly Wonder?"

He turned his gaze to Li Ao, a trace of imperceptible relief and astonishment flashing in his eyes. Although he had sensed Li Ao's journey to the Northwest Continent and tracked him here, he never expected Li Ao to actually subdue the third-ranked Purification Lotus Demon Flame by himself! Such an achievement had already surpassed his expectations from back then.

"Teacher." Li Ao had now calmed the surging Qi within his body, thoroughly integrated the Purification Lotus Demon Flame into his Dantian Qi Sea, and was slowly nurturing it with Guixu Sacred Power. He bowed slightly to Yao Chen, feeling a mix of surprise and warmth. He hadn't expected Old Yao to suddenly appear at this critical moment, and to possess Half-Saint level combat power.

"It's good that you're unharmed." Yao Chen nodded, then his cold gaze once again locked onto the people from the Hall of Souls and Burning Flame Valley. "Now, it's time to settle the score from earlier."

Feeling Yao Chen's undisguised killing intent and the unfathomable Half-Saint pressure, the faces of the Black-robed Venerable of Soul Hall and the Red-haired Elder of Burning Flame Valley instantly turned pale. In their current poor state, how could they be a match for a Half-Saint Soul body in its Peak condition and possessing the Bone Chilling Flame?

"Escape!"

The two almost instantly reached a consensus without any hesitation, retreating sharply, intending to tear space and flee. The remaining survivors scattered like birds and beasts.

"Want to leave now? Too late!"

Yao Chen snorted coldly, forming hand seals. Vast Soul Power instantly enveloped the entire palace exit area like an invisible net!

"Bone Chilling Flame — Ice Flame Sealing Heaven Formation!"

Bone-white flames roared out, instantly coalescing into a massive flame Formation at the exit. Extreme cold and extreme heat, two contradictory forces, intertwined, completely freezing and sealing that space! A Soul Hall Elder and a Burning Flame Valley Dou Huang who attempted to forcibly charge the Formation were instantly frozen, and then their Souls were incinerated into nothingness by the bone-white flames!

The Black-robed Venerable of Soul Hall and the Red-haired Elder of Burning Flame Valley were forced to stop, their eyes filled with despair as they looked at the deadly flame Formation.

Yao Chen looked at Li Ao and said faintly, "How do you wish to deal with these people?"

Li Ao's gaze coldly swept over the terrified, twisted faces. He never showed mercy to those who wished him dead.

"Kill them."

Two simple words sealed their fate.

Yao Chen nodded, saying no more. He controlled the Bone Chilling Flame Great Formation, and the bone-white flames, like living tentacles, swept towards the trapped people from the Hall of Souls and Burning Flame Valley.

Screams, pleas for mercy, and curses instantly erupted, but then quickly ceased.

In just a moment, within the palace, besides Li Ao, Yao Chen, Medusa, and Xiao Yi Xian, there were no other living beings.

Yao Chen waved his hand, withdrawing the Formation, and looked at Li Ao, his tone carrying a hint of emotion: "I didn't expect you to actually do it. The Purification Lotus Demon Flame… this item is no small matter. You must refine it well, and not waste this Opportunity."

Li Ao nodded solemnly: "Disciple understands. Thank you for your help this time, Teacher."

Yao Chen waved his hand, a smile appearing on his ethereal face: "Between you and me, why be so formal? This place is not suitable for long stays; the Fentian Valley Ruins is about to collapse. Let's leave first."

With the Purification Lotus Demon Flame subdued, this flame space lost its core support and began to vibrate violently, with spatial cracks spreading everywhere.

The four no longer delayed. Led by Yao Chen, Li Ao and the other two followed closely, quickly rushing out of the soon-to-collapse Fentian Valley Ruins.

In the depths of the Tagor Desert, with an earth-shattering roar, the Fentian Valley Ruins, which had existed for countless years, completely sank beneath the endless yellow sand, leaving only a massive deep pit that was quickly buried by quicksand.

And Li Ao's journey to the Northwest Continent concluded with the successful subduing of the Purification Lotus Demon Flame and his reunion with Old Yao, whose strength had greatly increased, marking a Perfect ending. The next goal was to return to Central Plains, thoroughly digest the gains from this trip, and prepare for the more turbulent undercurrents that were about to arrive.