"Tuosha Guidi... is the number one unique flame listed on the Unique Flame Ranking..." The voices on the Unique Flame Plaza fell completely silent at this moment, everyone's faces glowing with astonishment—clearly stunned by this utterly unimaginable revelation. Zhu Kun himself understood the profound impact on the crowd, and without speaking, simply raised his gaze to gaze at the towering stone statue, his expression complex. No one could have imagined that the last Supreme Emperor of the Continent of Qi, the final great strength in this realm, was neither human nor beast, but a flame born from the heavens and the earth itself. "Gurrrl..." On the silent plaza, someone suddenly choked down a thick gulp of saliva, and others gradually regained their composure, exchanging glances—still filled with disbelief. "Bro Zhu Kun, are you certain about this?" Gu Yuan's steady demeanor had been shaken, and after taking several deep breaths, he asked. "If we calculate by age, you all fall short of even my grandchildren—how much more could anyone possibly know about these ancient matters on this Continent of Qi and Combat?" Zhukun smiled. Upon hearing this, the others sighed with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Zhukun had no need to deceive them, so after initially being struck by astonishment, they gradually came to accept this astonishing truth. "But how does this relate to what you've mentioned—ascending to the rank of Battle Emperor?" Gu Yuan raised his eyes, steering the conversation back to the most crucial matter. Regardless of the origins of the ancient emperor, what they needed to focus on now was how to stand a chance against the Spirit Emperor. "The two most precious items in the Ancient Emperor's sanctuary are: first, the Imperial-grade embryo pill obtained by the Spirit Emperor, and second—" Zhukun paused, his gaze firmly fixed on the towering stone statue before him, speaking each word with deliberate clarity: "the fundamental essence of the Toshha Ancient Emperor, left behind by him!" "The very essence of the Emperor?" The crowd was startled, murmuring in unison. "Indeed, a continuation of the Toshag Emperor's legacy—this is truly the most precious treasure within the ancient emperor's sanctuary. Compared to it, the Emperor-grade seed pills seem rather modest." Zhe Kun smiled and said, "Should we succeed in obtaining this fundamental essence, we too shall see the emergence of a true Emperor-level warrior. At that point, even if the Huntu Emperor ascends to Emperor-level status through the use of such premium pills, what then?" Ancient Yuan's face also shimmered with excitement, yet as soon as his words came out, he felt something was off and quickly added, "Candle Kun, please don't misunderstand. If you hadn't mentioned it, none of us would have known. As for who is most qualified to receive this inheritance, you naturally come first. Our goal has always been to counter the Spirit Clan—we simply don't wish to engage in excessive competition." In his heart, Ancient Yuan knew that if Candle Kun's words were true, the essence of the Emperor must be something extraordinarily precious, a power that would stir the hearts of all beings in the world. He was also concerned that his earlier remarks might make Candle Kun think he harbored a strong desire for the Emperor's essence. "You needn't say that. If I were to secure the Emperor's essence, I wouldn't hesitate at all—I'd absorb and refine it right away." Seeing this, Candle Kun sighed softly and said, "How could the inheritance of the ancient Emperor Tosheda be so easily obtained? Despite my constant efforts over this period, I've yet to achieve anything." "Gǔ Yuán was startled, hesitated a moment, and asked, "I don't know exactly where the essence of the Emperor lies." Zhu Kun walked toward the statue and then gently tapped it, saying, "It's right inside here. However, no one has ever managed to enter—it's impossible to break this statue, even with both of us launching our full force." Hearing this, the group gathered around, touching the ancient emperor's statue. The texture wasn't particularly remarkable, and nothing extraordinary was felt—no matter how they touched it, it always seemed like just an ordinary stone. "Boom!" Meanwhile, Lei Ying ran his hand over it and then suddenly delivered a powerful punch to the statue. Yet a deep thud echoed, and Xiao Yan and the others were taken aback to see Lei Ying's body skidding backward across the plaza, staggering hundreds of feet before he finally managed to steady himself. "There must be something unusual about this..." Seeing this scene, everyone lost no further doubt. Lei Ying's punch was powerful enough to shatter mountains, yet upon striking the statue, it caused not a single mark—instead, it bounced back with such awkwardness. This was no ordinary occurrence. "The statue is protected by the essence of the Emperor..." Gu Yuan's face flashed with surprise. During their time in the ancient Emperor's dwelling, they had never noticed this unique quality of the statue before. "Agreed," Zhukun nodded, with a touch of resignation. "The Emperor's essence is embedded within the statue, but we simply cannot break through it to access it." "There must be a special method," Gu Yuan remarked, frowning. "Perhaps so." Zhu Kun shook his head, pondered for a moment, and said, "Moreover, the essence of the Emperor is not something that everyone can absorb—should one be careless, it may even backfire. However, since the Tuo She Emperor himself is an unusual fire, those who are particularly close to unusual fire should face less resistance." Hearing this, everyone was momentarily stunned, then their gaze unconsciously turned toward Xiao Yan—here, anyone who is most familiar and close to unusual fire would undoubtedly be Xiao Yan. "Xiao Yan is indeed a good fit. His Pure Lotus Demon Fire has already reached the level of Fire Spirit. In terms of success rate, he might be the most promising." Gu Yuan nodded in agreement. Upon seeing the conversation suddenly shift to himself, Xiao Yan paused, then chuckled with a slight sigh, "I think we should first extract the Emperor's essence from here, and then discuss this matter—perhaps that would be better." "Heard this, everyone chuckled, then immediately furrowed their brows, pondering various possible solutions. Yet after half an hour of deep thought, no one had any clear idea. To obtain the Emperor's essence, one must first shatter the statue—yet the statue is protected by its own primordial aura. Even the ancient figures Yuan Zhu Kun were completely at a loss. Thus, this became an unbreakable deadlock. Xiao Yan also looked thoughtful, but he too had no clear path forward. Just as he was about to give up, a faint pink flame suddenly surged at his shoulder, and Xiao Yi materialized before him. This time, however, Xiao Yi's appearance was noticeably different. His face expressed fluctuating emotions, intently focused on the statue, his demeanor utterly unlike his usual self. Observing Xiao Yi's expression, Xiao Yan was slightly startled. With the revelation of the Emperor Tuo She's identity, he now realized that Tuo She must have once consumed the Pure Lotus Demon Fire—thus, between the two, there existed a significant history of rivalry and tension." "I can open the statue..." Xiao Yi's soft whisper instantly drew everyone's attention. Zhu Kun and Gu Yuan appeared beside Xiao Yan almost immediately, their eyes fixed tightly on Xiao Yi. "Xiao Yi, are you alright?" Xiao Yan asked, slightly concerned, as Xiao Yi seemed to be recalling memories from a very long time ago. "Yes," Xiao Yi nodded, a familiar smile returning to her round, soft face. Seeing this, Xiao Yan finally relaxed and said, "Then try it. If you can't, don't force yourself." Xiao Yi nodded again, her small body suddenly rising slowly, and finally hovering above the heart area of the statue, under all of their watchful eyes. As Xiao Yi ascended, a strong, pure lotus demon flame surged rapidly from within her, spreading out and forming a beam of fire that shot directly at the statue's heart. "Hum hum!" As the beam struck the towering stone statue, waves of unusual vibrations surged across its surface, spreading out like ripples. Seeing the immovable statue—unyielding despite all their efforts—now exhibiting such remarkable changes, the onlookers were filled with astonishment. "Hhmmmm!" The statue's tremors grew more frequent, until eventually, a series of crisp cracking sounds echoed as the stone at its chest slowly split open, forming a hollow. Within this opening, a gentle radiance began to spread, like a soft veil, enveloping the bodies of the crowd on the plaza. "Thump... thump... thump!" As this delicate glow descended, Lei Ying, Yan Jin, and the others suddenly paled, their legs giving way beneath them, as though the subtle radiance carried an immense weight and pressure. Following Lei Ying and others, the bodies of Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun also gradually bent downward, their entire skeletons emitting creaking sounds at this moment, their faces turning crimson. "Thud! Thud!" This resilience did not last long. Eventually, both of them exhausted themselves, and with a loud thud, their legs landed upon the ground. For a moment, the square was left with Xiao Yan, his body glowing with several distinct types of strange flames, standing in bewilderment, gazing at the now significantly shorter figures—clearly unable to comprehend why he had not felt that crushing pressure. "Damn Tuo She Emperor!" Zhu Kun's face was flushed, his teeth clenched, yet his body felt as though it were being crushed beneath a mountain, immobile. Gu Yuan smiled faintly, struggling in vain, then relaxed. To be pressed down by a Dao Di-level powerhouse like this was far from humiliating. A thin glow swept across the plaza, then gradually faded from the bodies of Gu Yuan and the others, finally forming a beam that fully enveloped Xiao Yan standing at the center. As the light receded from their bodies, Gu Yuan and the others rose to their feet, instantly taken aback. "Indeed, the fortunate one—your name has always been the most fitting," said Zhu Kun, his expression complex. Back then, he himself had been trapped for thousands of years precisely because he had sought the essence of the Emperor; now, it seemed, this very essence had chosen Xiao Yan.