The Heavenly Tomb. A vast plaza floated high in the sky, with a colossal stone statue standing at its center, reaching a height of ten thousand li. A subtle aura of pressure enveloped the entire tomb, instilling a deep, soul-level fear among the numerous spirit bodies within. Xiao Yan stood upon the plaza, gazing intently at the immense ancient emperor statue before him. He took a deep breath and bowed respectfully before slowly ascending into the air, finally coming to rest at a stone cavity in the statue's chest. On the surface of the cavity, a gentle, rippling glow shimmered—though faint, these radiance seemed fragile. Yet Xiao Yan could not afford the slightest hesitation, for it was precisely these delicate glows that had previously subdued even the likes of Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun. At that moment, Xiao Yi materialized from Xiao Yan's shoulder, her pure lotus flame bursting forth and fully enveloping her form. "The outcome—everything hinges on this move..." Xiao Yan murmured, then his face settled into a resolute expression as he took a single step and stepped directly into the stone cave. A dazzling blaze filled Xiao Yan's vision. Undoubtedly, this was a sea of fire, its hues vibrant and colorful, breathtaking in their splendor. "An ocean of strange fires, then…" Xiao Yan bent down, gently grasping a streak of purple flame. A sense of familiarity surged within him, prompting him to murmur, "Three thousand Yan-Yan fires..." As Xiao Yan walked through this sea of diverse strange fires, the flames gathered around him, clustering warmly and seemingly welcoming. "Your body seems particularly well-suited to these strange fires," a seasoned, slightly smiling voice suddenly echoed through the fire sea as Xiao Yan moved steadily. The sudden sound startled Xiao Yan, who quickly raised his head to gaze at a vast expanse of flames ahead. There, the flames coalesced into a magnificent flame blossom, slowly unfurling and blooming. A weathered figure dressed in deep robes appeared clearly within Xiao Yan's line of sight. The elder's face was unremarkable—save for his vibrant, colorful hair—so that, if one ignored the latter, he was nearly indistinguishable from ordinary elderly men. At this moment, he sat calmly within the blossom, his weathered face bearing a faint, enigmatic smile, fixed upon Xiao Yan. "Young disciple Xiao Yan, honors you, Ancient Emperor." Xiao Yan suppressed his inner tremor and respectfully bowed to the elderly man seated within the flame blossom. "It seems my abode has been opened..." The Ancient Emperor smiled gently, then waved his hand, and a flame blossom rose from the sea of flames before him. "Sit." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan did not act with any pretense; he swiftly moved and settled upon the flame blossom. Now, observing this figure who had existed only in legend up close, Xiao Yan felt a surge of emotion. At that moment, he noticed that delicate flames were rising from the Ancient Emperor's magnificent flowing hair. Suddenly enlightened, he recalled Zhu Kun's words: the Ancient Emperor himself was originally a unique flame; only after consuming the other twenty-one unique flames listed on the Unique Flame Rank had he evolved, and after a period of ten thousand years of cultivation, he had finally reached the level of Battle Emperor. Now, Xiang Yan glanced at the number and hue of the long hair strands and found there were exactly twenty-one. "Has there been any emergence of a new Supreme Qi Master on the current Qi Continent?" the Dosheda Emperor asked, gazing steadily at Xiang Yan with a smile. "Indeed, you are the last Supreme Qi Master to have appeared on this continent up until now. Since your time, no Supreme Qi Master has emerged." Xiang Yan hesitated before responding. "Indeed, that's exactly as I expected..." The Dosheda Emperor didn't seem particularly surprised by this answer; instead, he gently nodded. "Do you know the reason for this? I once heard from my ancestor that the current Qi Continent seems to have lost a unique kind of energy compared to the ancient times." Xiang Yan couldn't help expressing his curiosity. "Ah, your ancestor certainly has some talent—having discovered this level of insight is no small feat." "Heard this, Doshaguidi was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, 'Indeed, the current Dragon Qi Continent has lost something over time—this is precisely what enables one to ascend to the rank of Dragon Emperor. Otherwise, no matter how extraordinary one's talent, one would merely stop short at the celestial chasm.' 'What has been lost?' Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, asking softly. 'Source.' Doshaguidi softly uttered a word that sounded profound and enigmatic. 'Source?' Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback. 'In ancient times, certain powerful beings referred to this energy as "Source Qi"—a rare energy born from the harmony between heaven and earth. Only after absorbing this Source Qi could one successfully break through the barrier of the Dragon Emperor's rank.' Doshaguidi nodded slightly, explaining, 'Every realm space, upon its inception, naturally generates Source Qi. However, once this Source Qi is consumed, it vanishes from the heavens and earth—thus, it cannot be regenerated.' "A Supreme Emperor-tier cultivator is a being of unparalleled stature, transcending the very heavens and earth of this realm. Each time a Supreme Emperor emerges, a significant depletion of the Primordial Qi occurs. This continuous outflow of energy will eventually reach its limit. Thus, the current Dragon Qi Continent has not seen the birth of a new Supreme Emperor—because, at this very moment, the Primordial Qi has been entirely exhausted. "Within the early stages of the Emperor's cultivation, there exists a trace of primordial energy. If that person truly completes the final step and ascends to the level of a Battle Emperor, it would indeed not be impossible." The ancient Emperor Tuo-Sha smiled, then turned to Xiao Yan and said, "I know why you've come here." Xiao Yan's expression was serious. He bowed respectfully and said, "I humbly request your assistance. This matter will surely become one of the great trials for the Battle Qi Continent." "As for whether it's a true trial or not, I don't particularly care. You might already know my identity..." The ancient Emperor Tuo-Sha smiled gently. "Nevertheless, since you've come here, you are undoubtedly the most suitable person to receive the inheritance. Should you succeed in completing it, you too will be able to ascend to the level of a Battle Emperor." "Thank you so much for your great grace," Xiao Yan said with genuine delight. "Heh." The ancient Emperor Tuo-Sha chuckled, then waved his hand. Suddenly, a cluster of pink flames surged from his body and materialized into a small fire-infant in Xiao Yan's hands—none other than Xiao Yi. "The pure lotus demon flame—long time no see..." Tuo She Ancient Emperor gazed at the young Yi in his hands, smiled softly. Young Yi's face was cold and full of resentment, fixed intently upon Tuo She, yet remained silent. A moment of bewilderment flickered across her features—clearly, she could not clearly recall the distant events. All she knew was a complex blend of resentment and fear toward the man before her. "So, I see, you still harbor strong feelings against me." Unmoved by Yi's gaze, Tuo She turned his attention back to Xiao Yan, saying, "I sense a familiar presence within you. If my intuition is correct, you've mastered a remarkable cultivation technique capable of absorbing and consuming other types of demon flames, haven't you?" Xiao Yan was startled, realizing that the man's eyes concealed secrets beyond measure, and nodded silently. "That technique is indeed excellent. It was precisely because of it that I achieved my later accomplishments." "Together, they smiled. 'So you are the founder of the Burned Decision?' said Xiao Yan, suddenly moved. He had never imagined that such an intricate technique could have been created by the Elder. After all, only someone of such stature could have devised such a remarkable method. 'Ah, you've mistaken me,' said the Elder, smiling. 'The Burned Decision you speak of was not something I created. When I was gathering my spiritual awareness, I stumbled upon this technique by chance, which in turn caused several unique transformations in me. In fact, this technique has been of great assistance to me. As for its original founder, however, I've always been curious, though I have never had the opportunity to meet them.' 'Fate,' he added, 'is hard to grasp. If we must be precise, perhaps we are both only loosely considered fellow disciples.'" Xiao Yan opened his mouth, his heart stirred profoundly. He never expected the Burned Scripture to have such a deep connection with the ancient emperor Tu She. Yet, he still wondered—what kind of extraordinarily brilliant and talented individual could have conceived such a celestial and unparalleled technique? "Never have I spoken much with others in recent years. Today, however, I find myself saying quite a bit." With a gentle tap of his finger, the boundless and splendid sea of flames suddenly stirred, then surged upward, coalescing into a luminous lotus seed the size of a clenched fist. Flames rose from the surface of the seed. "My entire lineage rests here. As for whether you will reach the level of a Battle Emperor, that depends entirely on your destiny.