284: The source of raging fire, the hidden traces of a spy

The quiet room was small, yet it was even more scorching.

The four walls were engraved with layer upon layer of flame Dao patterns, completely isolating outside sounds and energy fluctuations.

In the center of the floor, a deep red flame phantom hovered and burned, emitting an ancient, majestic, and yet faintly imperceptible aura of mania; it was the manifestation of a strand of the Red Lotus Karma Fire's Origin.

Yan Jin did not take a seat but stood beside the flame phantom, his crimson battle robe fluttering despite the lack of wind.

His expression was one of rare gravity and candor: "Hall Master Li, this is the manifestation of a strand of my Red Lotus Karma Fire's Origin."

"Outsiders all say that my Yan Clan wields the Karma Fire with boundless power, yet they do not know that this fire is fierce and difficult to tame. Especially in the last hundred years, its signs of restlessness have become increasingly obvious."

He extended a finger and pointed at the deep red flame in mid-air.

The flame jumped violently, its color instantly turning to dark red.

What it emitted was no longer pure heat, but a chaotic aura mixed with violence, destruction, and even a trace of resentment.

The surrounding air emitted unbearable hissing sounds, as if the Soul itself were about to be ignited.

"As you can see," Yan Jin withdrew his finger, his brows furrowed tightly.

"The Karma Fire is originally a flame that burns away sins and punishes evil, purifying Karmic Obstruction. It is fierce and domineering, but its core should be of the magnificent Righteous Path."

"Yet now, such sinister and chaotic auras frequently breed within it."

"With my Five-Star Dou Sheng cultivation, I can forcefully suppress and channel it to maintain general stability, and the ordinary Elders and disciples in the clan do not feel it deeply."

"However, if this continues for long, it will not only affect my own cultivation but also threaten to shake the Foundation of the Yan Clan."

"Yao Dan mentioned in his letter that you might be able to help me, and having seen your profound methods in the Fire Mirror, I am speaking to you directly."

Li Ao walked a few steps closer, his gaze falling upon the restless deep red flame.

He did not rashly use his Soul Power to investigate deeply, but instead circulated the Power of Gui Xu.

Deep within his eyes, gray whirlpools seemed to rotate as he perceived it from the level of "existence" and "rules."

Under the perspective of Gui Xu, that flame was no longer a simple aggregation of energy, but a complex structure woven from countless red Law threads representing concepts such as "burning," "purification," "punishment," and "destruction."

The overall structure was magnificent and stable, but at certain subtle nodes, there were several strands of extremely obscure, darker-colored black "Impurities" with a viscous, cold feeling wrapped around them.

These black Impurities were not physical energy, but more like a kind of foreign "polluting rule concept," clinging like leeches to the Law threads of the Red Lotus Karma Fire, slowly twisting and eroding its original true meaning of "purification" and "punishment," inducing it to deflect toward the directions of "chaos," "destruction," and "resentment."

Not only that, but deep within the core of the flame, there seemed to be hidden a strand of extremely weak "fuse" that was almost completely integrated with the aura of the Karma Fire itself?

It looked like a pre-set, clearly directed trigger mark, extremely ancient, and the technique was so brilliant it was beyond belief.

If not for Li Ao's Power of Gui Xu having an extraordinary sensitivity to "existence" and "non-existence," as well as "nature" and "artifice," it would have been almost impossible to detect.

"So that's how it is..." Li Ao said slowly, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"Clan Chief Yan Jin, the problem may be more complex than you imagine."

"Oh?" Yan Jin's gaze tightened. "Please speak clearly, Hall Master Li."

"The restlessness of the Red Lotus Karma Fire has two roots, one manifest and one hidden." Li Ao organized his words, trying his best to describe it in a way the other party could understand.

"The manifest one is that the Origin of the Karma Fire has been polluted and eroded by some kind of foreign 'rule concept' full of sinister filth and resentment."

"This thing is neither poison nor curse, but more like a kind of 'wound of Dao marks,' just like ink dropped into clear water; although small, it will slowly spread and change the nature of the water."

"The Yan Clan's Cultivation Technique is fierce and domineering, making it weaker in resistance to such sinister, gentle erosion, and thus harder to detect."

"This pollution has existed for a long time, constantly twisting the true meaning of the Karma Fire, and once it accumulates to a certain degree, it will trigger restlessness and backlash."

Yan Jin's expression changed slightly; he had never thought about the problem from this angle.

"Rule concept pollution? Wound of Dao marks? Such methods... unheard of! Is it possible to find the source?"

"This is exactly where the hidden part lies." Li Ao pointed to the deep core of the flame phantom. Although he could not directly display that "fuse," he could describe its nature.

"Deep within the Origin of the Karma Fire, I also sensed an extremely ancient 'abnormal mark' that is almost co-existent with the Karma Fire."

"It is not pollution, but more like a pre-set... 'coordinate' or 'resonance point.'"

"In a normal state, it is completely harmless and even helpful to the stability of the Karma Fire."

"But if it is triggered by specific, powerful external Soul Power or some special ritual, it could instantly amplify any unstable factors within the Karma Fire, including those pollutions, and might even... forcibly induce a full-scale rampage of the Karma Fire!"

"What?!" The flame aura around Yan Jin's body surged violently, the temperature in the quiet room soared, and even the space distorted slightly.

Terrifying killing intent and shock erupted in his eyes. "A pre-set mark?! Co-existent with the Karma Fire?! How is this possible? The Red Lotus Karma Fire has been passed down from my Yan Clan's ancestor to this day."

"Throughout the generations, only the Clan Chief and a very small number of core Elders could touch its deepest Origin! Who could set such a sinister trap within it?!"

Li Ao said in a deep voice, "That is precisely the key."

"To be able to do this means that either there is someone within the Yan Clan with a very high status who could touch the deepest Origin, who tampered with it in an extremely distant era, and the technique was so exquisite that it deceived the ancestors of all generations; or... this mark already existed when the Yan Clan first obtained or inherited the Red Lotus Karma Fire, and it was just disguised as a natural part of the Karma Fire, lurking until now."

Whichever possibility it was, it was chilling.

Yan Jin's face was as gloomy as water, and his red hair seemed as if it were about to burn.

As the Clan Chief, he was more inclined toward the first possibility.

There was a mole within the clan, and it was a mole hidden extremely deep and with an extremely high status!

This made his heart feel colder than any external enemy.

At the same time, he also remembered Li Ao's previous reminder about the Hun Clan coveting the Red Lotus Karma Fire.

"Hun Clan... Void Swallowing Flame..." Yan Jin gritted his teeth.

"If we are talking about the erosion and manipulation of flame Origins, as well as the means to toy with Soul marks, the Hun Clan is the most suspicious!"

"That Void Swallowing Flame devours everything and loves the power of Origins the most... Could this mark be a foreshadowing laid by the Hun Clan in the ancient era? Waiting for the time to be ripe to trigger my clan's Karma Fire to backlash, or even devour it?!"

"It is highly possible." Li Ao nodded.

"The Hun Clan's layout is far-reaching, and their methods are bizarre. The 'Soul-Eroding Guide' targeting the Medicine Clan might have a similar effect to this; both are aimed at core objects, burying hidden dangers."

"Now that the Hun Clan is making frequent moves, perhaps they feel the time is near and are starting to activate these long-buried 'dark mines'."

Huo Xuan, standing to the side, had long since clenched his fists, his anger burning.

As a leading figure of the younger generation of the Yan Clan, he regarded the clan's honor as paramount.

Hearing now that the clan's supreme treasure might have been plotted against by external enemies, and that there might even be a traitor within, he felt as if something was stuck in his throat.

"Clan Chief! Hall Master Li! If this is really the case, we must clear this mark and pollution as soon as possible! Root out the traitor!"

Yan Jin forced himself to calm down and looked at Li Ao.

"Since Hall Master Li can detect it, I wonder... is there a way to solve it? Can that pollution and the mark be removed?"

This was the question he cared about most.

Li Ao pondered for a moment and said, "As for that foreign 'rule pollution,' my Purification Lotus Demon Flame contains the true meaning of purification, and the Power of Gui Xu can also attempt to 'erase' its concept of existence from the level of rules."

"Combining the two and proceeding slowly, there should be a seven or eight in ten chance of gradually clearing it, but it will take time and will consume a lot of energy from both you and me. As for the 'mark' deep in the core..."

He shook his head slightly.

"This thing has already become almost co-existent with the Karma Fire's Origin. Forcibly removing it carries huge risks; one careless move and it will detonate prematurely, or damage the Foundation of the Karma Fire."

"A safe approach is, first, to find the specific method or medium that triggers this mark and cut off the connection from the outside; second, to fundamentally reinforce the Origin of the Karma Fire, improving its resistance and stability so that even if it is triggered, it can resist a rampage to the greatest extent."

"This requires the cooperation of the Yan Clan to study that ancient book in depth; perhaps we can find a method used by the ancient ancestors to reinforce or soothe the Karma Fire."

After listening, Yan Jin felt both heavy and hopeful.

At least the root of the problem had been found, and there was a direction for a solution.

Clearing the pollution and reinforcing the Origin was something the Yan Clan needed to do anyway.

And Li Ao's ability to provide the assistance of the Purification Lotus Demon Flame and the Power of Gui Xu was crucial.

"Good!" Yan Jin decided decisively.

"I will trouble Hall Master Li with the matter of cleansing the contamination. For any cooperation required, the entire Yan Clan will not say a word of refusal! I will personally oversee the reinforcement of the Origin and the study of ancient texts. As for that mark and the possible traitor..."

Cold light flickered in his eyes. "I have my own plans!"

The gaze he directed at Li Ao now carried undisguised gratitude and approval.

Li Ao had not only brought hope for the Alliance but might have even saved the Foundation of the Yan Clan!

This favor was too great.

"Clan Chief Yan Jin is too polite. As the Alliance is one, we should naturally do our best," Li Ao said, then changed the subject.

"However, cleansing the contamination, especially in the Early Stage, may trigger a more obvious agitation reaction from the Karma Fire. We need to make preparations in advance and keep it strictly confidential to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble."

"I understand," Yan Jin nodded and looked at Huo Xuan.

"Xuan'er, the words spoken in this quiet room today must only pass your lips and enter the ears of us three. They must never be mentioned to a fourth person, including any Elder in the clan!"

Huo Xuan looked solemn and promised solemnly, "Rest assured, Clan Chief, Huo Xuan understands the gravity of the situation!"

Just then, a rapid and light knocking sound suddenly came from outside the quiet room; it was the emergency contact signal set by Yan Jin.

Yan Jin frowned and waved his hand to remove part of the soundproof barrier.

"What is it?"

A low and anxious voice from the Flame Dragon Guard commander came from outside the door: "Clan Chief, something has happened! Elder Yan Sha was suddenly attacked by unidentified individuals near 'Fire Cloud Stream' while returning to his Yan Sha Peak! The opponent's methods were strange; Elder Yan Sha was caught off guard and has been injured! By the time the patrolling Flame Guards arrived, the attackers had escaped into a spatial rift and vanished, leaving behind cold Soul Power fluctuations! Before falling unconscious, Elder Yan Sha intermittently mentioned... words like 'Fire Poison... Mark... be careful...'"

In the quiet room, the expressions of the three changed simultaneously!

Elder Yan Sha had just been enlightened by Li Ao, was grateful and convinced by him, and was a firm supporter of the Alliance, as well as one of the core combat forces of the Yan Clan.

That he was attacked at this very moment, and even mentioned "Fire Poison" and "Mark," was definitely not a coincidence!

The fury in Yan Jin's eyes was almost about to erupt, and his killing intent soared to the sky: "How daring! To actually attack an Elder of my clan within my Yan Realm! The scoundrels of the Hun Clan are truly going too far!"

He instantly connected this to the analysis in the quiet room; this was likely a traitor coordinating with an external enemy to remove "obstacles," or... perhaps it was a probe, a warning!

Li Ao's eyes turned slightly cold.

The actions of the Hun Clan, or rather the traitor, were even faster and more rampant than he had anticipated.

This was undoubtedly a bomb dropped just as the Alliance had reached an agreement, intended to create panic and suspicion, and perhaps even point the finger at... him, an "outsider" who had just pointed out the problem?

Huo Xuan was even more furious: "Clan Chief! Let me investigate! I will definitely drag out those attackers and the traitor!"

"Investigate! Of course we must investigate! But do not be impulsive!"

Yan Jin forced himself to calm down, looked at Li Ao, and said in a deep voice, "Hall Master Li, this matter is suspicious; it is likely aimed at the Alliance, or perhaps at the person who exposed the problem. With Elder Yan Sha attacked, there may be turmoil within the clan. The matter of cleansing the contamination will likely need to be postponed; we must stabilize the situation first."

Li Ao nodded: "That should be the case. The top priority is to treat Elder Yan Sha, seal off the news, and investigate secretly. The attackers were able to precisely ambush Elder Yan Sha and escape quickly; they must be extremely familiar with the terrain of our Yan Realm and the patrol patterns. The traitor's status is likely not low."

Yan Jin's face was as dark as water, and he said to those outside the door: "Pass the order: The matter of Elder Yan Sha's attack is classified as top secret; those who know must not leak it! Seal off Yan Sha Peak under the pretext of seclusion! Invite Elder Yao Yan to go and treat him immediately! Send more Flame Dragon Guards to secretly guard all vital areas of the clan, especially the Ancestral Land Fire Altar and the residences of all Elders! Also, please ask Miss Gu Xun'er and everyone from the Ruins Hall to temporarily move to the 'Yan Heart Separate Courtyard' and strengthen protection!"

A series of orders were issued, showing Yan Jin's calmness and decisiveness amidst his rage.

He looked at Li Ao and said solemnly, "Hall Master Li, I am afraid I must trouble you all to rest in the courtyard for a while. I need to handle this matter personally and reorganize the clan. Once the situation stabilizes slightly, we will proceed with the cleansing of the contamination. For the discussion of the Alliance details, please have Miss Xun'er and Elder Gu Hai conduct it with our clan Elders at the courtyard for now."

"Whatever the Clan Chief arranges is fine."

Li Ao understood Yan Jin's concerns.

With Elder Yan Sha attacked, there must be undercurrents surging within the clan; any unusual movement at this moment could trigger greater chaos.

As guests, especially as the "outsiders" who had just pointed out the Red Lotus Karma Fire problem, they indeed needed to avoid suspicion while ensuring their safety.

The three walked out of the quiet room.

Yan Jin left in a hurry, carrying towering rage and cold killing intent.

Huo Xuan followed closely behind, his face full of indignation.

Li Ao was respectfully led by a Flame Dragon Guard to the so-called "Yan Heart Separate Courtyard."

He walked on the roads of the Yan Realm, which were still scorching hot but seemed to hide a bit of murderous and strange atmosphere, pondering in his heart.

Attacking Elder Yan Sha was a risky move, but it might also be a move that the Hun Clan (or the traitor) had to make.

Was it to stop Elder Yan Sha from supporting the Alliance? Was it to warn Yan Jin? Or... was it to muddy the waters and cover up their true purpose?

"Mark," "Fire Poison"... What was Elder Yan Sha implying with his words before falling unconscious?

Had he noticed any clues related to the Red Lotus Karma Fire contamination or the traitor before being attacked?

And then there was Huo Zhi... Her questions on the hall earlier, thinking about them now, seemed to have a bit more profound meaning.

"The tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease."

Li Ao murmured to himself, the Power of Gui Xu circulating slowly within his body, and the silent ruin blade embryo also transmitted a slight tremor, as if longing to be unsheathed to cut through these layers of fog and murderous intent.

The Yan Heart Separate Courtyard was located in a relatively independent flame garden behind the Yan Shen Hall, with a quiet environment and strict protection.

When Li Ao arrived, Gu Xun'er, Medusa, Xiao Yi Xian, and Elder Gu Hai had already been invited there a step ahead.

Obviously, although the news of Elder Yan Sha's attack had been sealed, Yan Jin's emergency arrangements had already made them realize something was wrong.

"Brother Li Ao, what happened?"

Gu Xun'er came up to meet him, her beautiful eyes filled with concern and vigilance.

Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian also looked over.

Li Ao concisely informed them of the analysis regarding the Red Lotus Karma Fire in the quiet room and the news of Elder Yan Sha's attack that he had learned after coming out.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became solemn.

"The Hun Clan is truly pervasive!" Elder Gu Hai said in a deep voice.

"Attacking their Law Enforcement Elder in the core of the Yan Realm is a naked provocation, and it is also sowing discord!"

"Elder Yan Sha had just expressed his conviction to Brother Li, and then he was attacked..." Xiao Yi Xian said softly, her beautiful eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"This is too coincidental. Could someone be trying to use this to frame Brother Li, or at least create suspicion?"

Medusa snorted coldly, a dangerous light flashing in her crimson snake-like eyes: "Clowns. If they dare to reach out their claws, I will just chop them off."

Gu Xun'er pondered for a moment and said, "Clan Chief Yan Jin placing us here is both for protection and observation. We should not act rashly at the moment, but we need to be vigilant. Brother Li Ao, is the hidden danger of the Red Lotus Karma Fire really that serious? Could it be related to this attack?"

"The connection is great," Li Ao affirmed.

"Perhaps on the way back, because I pointed out his hidden ailment, Elder Yan Sha had new realizations or discoveries about his own fire cultivation, and inadvertently touched upon some sensitive clues, which is why he was silenced or warned. The Hun Clan or the traitor does not want the problem of the Red Lotus Karma Fire to be deeply investigated, and even less do they want the Yan Clan to ally with the outside world to solve it."

He looked at the eternally crimson sky outside the courtyard and said slowly, "The calm has been broken. Next, within this Yan Realm, I am afraid a good show of 'setting oneself on fire' and 'watching the fire from the other side' is about to be staged. And we can only be those 'watching the fire' for now, waiting for the opponent... to jump out into the open themselves."

Inside the Yan Heart Separate Courtyard, there was temporary peace.

But outside the courtyard, the entire Yan Realm was already surging with undercurrents due to Elder Yan Sha's attack, with countless eyes flickering in the light and the dark, guessing, doubting, fearing, plotting... like restless magma underground, searching for a fissure to erupt.

And outside the Yan Realm, in the twisted spatial shadows, a cold order was issued again:

"The target has been transferred to 'Yan Heart Separate Courtyard'... Elder Yan Sha is seriously injured; the goal has been achieved. Initiate the second step of the 'Furnace' plan... Let that 'Fire Starter' go find the 'Firewood' itself..."