147: Flame Ancestor Ceremony, Flame God Tower Trial

Three days passed in a flash.

During these three days, Xiao Chen did not waste his time. Holding the yan guest token, he entered the top floor of the Yan Clan's library. It housed the Yan Clan's accumulated classics and secret records from tens of thousands of years, including many accounts of ancient secrets. Xiao Chen read ravenously, combining his own bloodline memories and the inheritance from Heavenly Secret Ancient City, gaining a clearer understanding of the Eight Ancient Clans, the mystery of Origin Qi, and the Outer Realm Heavenly Demons.

He learned that in ancient times, the Dou Qi Continent was rich in Origin Qi, and Dou Emperors emerged in great numbers. However, an invasion by Outer Realm Heavenly Demons swept across the continent, leading to the depletion of Origin Qi and the severance of the Emperor's path. The ancestors of the Soul Clan seemed to have played an unsavory role in that great war, possibly even colluding with the Heavenly Demons. This might be the true purpose of the Soul Hall's "Emperor Hunting Plan"—not merely to create a false emperor, but to open or stabilize a passage to the Outer Realm Demonic Realm!

At the same time, he also gained a deeper understanding of the Yan Clan. Within the Yan Clan, there was indeed a struggle between the conservative faction and the radical faction. The conservative faction, led by First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan, advocated for guarding the Yan Realm and not getting involved in external disputes; while the radical faction, led by Second Elder Yan Hao, believed that the Soul Hall posed a huge threat and that the Yan Clan should proactively attack, uniting various forces to resist the powerful enemy. His Majesty Emperor Yan's attitude, however, remained unfathomable, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

“The Yan Ancestor Ceremony will be a crucial turning point.” Xiao Chen closed the last ancient scroll, his eyes gleaming. He had to demonstrate sufficient influence at this ceremony to affect the decisions of His Majesty Emperor Yan and the Elder Council.

On the morning of the fourth day, Yan Emperor City's central plaza was bustling with people. All Yan Clan disciples, regardless of status, gathered here to participate in the centennial Yan Ancestor Ceremony. In the center of the plaza stood an ancient, colossal tower, ten thousand feet tall, entirely crimson, and emanating an ancient aura—the Yan God Tower! This tower was left by the Yan Clan's progenitor and was a sacred place for testing bloodlines, tempering will, and enhancing strength!

His Majesty Emperor Yan sat high upon his Nine-Fire Dragon Chariot, his might overwhelming. On either side, First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan (Peak Seven-Star Dou Zun), Second Elder Yan Hao (late Six-Star Dou Zun), and a host of other core elders stood solemnly. The atmosphere was grave and solemn.

The ceremonial rituals were intricate and grand. After sacrificing to Yan Zu, the ceremony finally entered its most important segment—challenging the Yan God Tower!

“The Yan God Tower has nine levels, and each ascending level doubles the difficulty!” Elder Yan Hao, who presided over the ceremony, spoke with a voice like a grand bell, “The tower contains the Yan Ancestor's will and the primordial fire left by the progenitor, which can refine bloodlines, temper the soul, and test potential! Any disciple of my Yan Clan may enter the tower to try! Those who perform exceptionally will receive the progenitor's blessing, and perhaps… even have a chance to obtain the Yan Ancestor's inheritance!”

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire crowd erupted! The Yan Ancestor's inheritance, that was a supreme opportunity leading directly to the Dou Emperor rank!

“Furthermore,” Elder Yan Hao’s gaze swept across the entire plaza, finally landing on Xiao Chen, “His Majesty has specially permitted our esteemed guest from the Pill Tower, Xiao Chen, to also enter the tower and try!”

Countless gazes instantly focused on Xiao Chen, filled with curiosity, anticipation, and even defiance and challenge. How could an outsider participate in the Yan Clan's most sacred ceremony? This was truly unprecedented!

“Xiao Chen, are you willing to enter the tower?” His Majesty Emperor Yan’s voice came from the dragon chariot, carrying a hint of a test.

Xiao Chen stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “This junior is willing to go!”

“Good! Enter the tower!” His Majesty Emperor Yan waved his sleeve.

Boom—!

The massive flame gate at the bottom of the Yan God Tower slowly opened! A scorching heatwave rushed out, and behind the gate was a distorted world of flames!

“Charge!” The impatient young talents of the Yan Clan surged into the tower like a tide! Yan Lie, Flame Heart, and Yan Ling were among them, casting encouraging glances at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, moved his body, and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the flame gate!

The scene inside the tower was completely different from the outside. The first level was an endless sea of fire! The flames were not ordinary fire, but primordial heart fire imbued with the Yan Ancestor's will! The flames burned not only the physical body but also the soul and will! As soon as countless Yan Clan disciples entered, they let out painful roars, and many were instantly swallowed by the flames, eliminated from the challenge!

Xiao Chen’s Heavenly Realm Soul circulated, and the Indestructible Soul Armor shimmered with golden light, easily resisting the erosion of the heart fire. He did not stop, rushing directly towards the flame staircase leading to the second level. This first level’s trial was like child’s play to him.

The second level was a flame illusion! Countless inner demon illusions arose, testing one's Dao heart. Xiao Chen’s Dao heart was firm, and his Heaven Opening Axe Intent shattered the illusions, allowing him to pass through unimpeded.

The third level was a flame gravity field! The gravity was a hundred times that of the outside world, and the flames materialized into shackles, restricting movement. Xiao Chen’s Star Immortal Body circulated, and his physical strength erupted, forcibly breaking through the shackles!

The fourth level, the fifth level, the sixth level... Xiao Chen advanced like a hot knife through butter, moving much faster than all the Yan Clan disciples! Wherever he went, flames gave way, illusions shattered, and gravity failed! The pressure of the Yan Ancestor's will seemed to have greatly reduced effect on him! This was due to the power of his Heavenly Realm Soul and the natural affinity for flames from the trace of dragon phoenix essence blood within him!

Outside the tower, a gigantic flame light screen floated in the sky above the plaza, displaying the progress and rankings of everyone inside the tower in real-time. When they saw Xiao Chen’s name soaring at an astonishing speed, reaching the seventh level in a short time, the entire plaza erupted in an uproar!

“He’s on the seventh level! He’s even faster than Young Master Yan Xiao!”

“This is terrifying! What kind of monster is this Xiao Chen?”

“An outsider, yet he can so easily withstand the Yan Ancestor's will?”

The Yan Clan disciples discussed animatedly, their gazes towards the light screen filled with shock. Even the elders on the viewing platform showed expressions of surprise. First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan’s face was gloomy; his grandson, Yan Xiao, was still struggling on the sixth level. Second Elder Yan Hao’s eyes, however, gleamed, clearly admiring Xiao Chen’s performance.

His Majesty Emperor Yan sat on the dragon chariot, his face hidden in a fiery halo, showing no discernible emotion, but his deep eyes remained fixed on Xiao Chen's name on the light screen.

The seventh level was no longer a simple test, but a battlefield condensed from flame laws! Countless flame battle soldiers, formed by flame laws, held swords, spears, and halberds, forming battle formations, and charged menacingly towards Xiao Chen! Each battle soldier possessed the combat power of a Three-Star Dou Zun! Thousands upon thousands, covering the sky and earth!

“A bit interesting.” Xiao Chen’s eyes narrowed, and his dark gold Starry Battle Axe instantly materialized!

“Nine Axes of Heaven Opening—Sixth Form, Heaven Opening! Sweeping Through Armies!”

With one swing of his axe, chaotic axe intent erupted! Wherever the axe light passed, the flame battle soldiers fell like straw, their lawful structures forcibly severed! Xiao Chen was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, invincible! But he discovered that after these battle soldiers were destroyed, they would quickly absorb the tower’s flame energy and regenerate, endlessly!

“I can’t get entangled, I must find the core!” Xiao Chen’s Heavenly Realm Soul swept out, instantly locking onto an exceptionally powerful Flame General (Peak Four-Star Dou Zun) deep within the battlefield! He was the core of the battle formation!

“Void Breaking Step!” Xiao Chen’s figure transformed into an afterimage, ignoring the surrounding battle soldiers, and went straight for the Flame General!

“Die!” The Flame General roared, and a giant flame sword slashed down!

“Star Immortal Fist!” Xiao Chen did not dodge, unleashing a punch! Fist and sword met, and the giant flame sword shattered inch by inch! The general’s core was blasted apart by a single punch, and the entire seventh-level battle formation instantly collapsed!

Passed!

Xiao Chen did not stop, rushing towards the eighth level!

Outside the tower, Xiao Chen’s name on the light screen stood alone at the top, leaving the second place far behind! The entire plaza was silent! Everyone was stunned by this terrifying speed and strength!

On the eighth level, space shifted. There were no enemies here, only a constantly changing primordial flame that emitted supreme law fluctuations! Within the flames, there seemed to be the profound meaning of the universe's creation and destruction, and the reincarnation of all things!

“This is… a projection of the Yan Ancestor's primordial fire?!” Xiao Chen's heart trembled. This level tested comprehension! One needed to comprehend the laws contained within this mass of flame and resonate with it!

Xiao Chen sat cross-legged, his Heavenly Realm Soul sinking into the flames. He felt the flames' ferocity and destructiveness, but also their vitality and creativity in nurturing all things! This subtly resonated with the concept of "burning all things to refine new life" in the Heaven Burning Furnace Art he cultivated!

“The heaven burning furnace refines not just energy, but also laws! The Yan Ancestor's fire, destruction and creation coexist... I understand!” Xiao Chen had an epiphany. The phantom image of the heaven burning furnace within him automatically appeared, resonating with that primordial fire! Streams of flame law runes poured into his sea of consciousness, quickly understood and absorbed by him!

His Heaven Burning Furnace Art underwent a qualitative transformation at this moment! Within the furnace, it was no longer merely about devouring and refining, but began to evolve flame laws! His aura subtly touched the threshold of a Five-Star Dou Zun!

“Buzz—!”

The primordial flame fluctuated, transforming into a streak of golden light that merged into Xiao Chen's glabella, leaving a faint flame mark on his forehead! This was the Yan Ancestor's recognition!

Eighth level, passed!

Outside the tower, next to Xiao Chen's name on the light screen, a brilliant flame crown symbol appeared! This meant that he had received the Yan Ancestor's initial recognition!

“Yan Ancestor's Mark! He actually obtained the Yan Ancestor's Mark!”

“Ten thousand years! Besides His Majesty Emperor Yan, he is the second outsider to receive the Yan Ancestor's Mark!”

“This child... could it be that he is truly destined by heaven?”

Gasps and discussions shook the heavens and earth! All the Yan Clan members looked at the light screen with awe and fanaticism! Even First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan was completely moved!

His Majesty Emperor Yan’s lips seemed to curve into a barely perceptible smile.

Ninth level! The final level of the Yan God Tower! Xiao Chen stepped in!

Here, it was no longer a test, but an ancient altar. In the center of the altar, a drop of crystal-clear golden blood, seemingly containing a world of flames, floated—the yan ancestor's essence blood!

A blurry, heaven-and-earth-spanning flame phantom stood before the altar; it was a trace of Yan Zu's lingering thought!

“Outsider, you have passed the first eight trials and obtained my mark.” Yan Zu's lingering thought spoke in an ancient and majestic voice, “This ninth level is a choice. Take this drop of essence blood, and you can gain supreme power, but you must bear the corresponding karma and responsibility. Give up, and you can leave safely. The choice is yours.”

Xiao Chen looked at the yan ancestor's essence blood, which radiated terrifying energy, his heart pounding. He knew that the power contained in this drop of essence blood was enough to make him instantly break through to Five-Star Dou Zun, or even higher! But the karma and responsibility Yan Zu spoke of must be extraordinary.

He took a deep breath, his gaze firm: “This junior chooses… to bear it!”

To fight against the Soul Hall and the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, to protect the continent, he needed power! No matter how great the karma, he would shoulder it!

“Good!” Yan Zu's lingering thought nodded, and that drop of essence blood transformed into a golden light, merging into Xiao Chen's chest!

“Boom—!”

The vast, ocean-like power of Yan Zu instantly erupted! Xiao Chen's Qi Sea, meridians, and soul were all undergoing earth-shattering changes! His cultivation soared like a rocket! Mid Four-Star Dou Zun, late, Peak... Five-Star Dou Zun! Success!

Not only that, his heaven burning furnace completely transformed, becoming a flame law furnace! His Star Immortal Body also absorbed some of Yan Zu's power, becoming even tougher! His strength surged several times over!

When he opened his eyes again, he was already standing at the top of the Yan God Tower! Overlooking the entire Yan Emperor City!

Outside the tower, Xiao Chen's name on the light screen shone with golden light, high atop the Top of the list! Nine levels cleared! Obtained the yan ancestor's essence blood! Broke through to Five-Star Dou Zun!

The entire plaza fell into a deathly silence! Immediately, deafening cheers erupted!

Xiao Chen, with his undeniable performance, conquered the Yan God Tower and conquered all the Yan Clan members!

His Majesty Emperor Yan slowly rose, his voice echoing throughout the plaza: “Xiao Chen, having passed the nine levels of the Yan God Tower and gained the Yan Ancestor's recognition, is hereby granted the position of Guest Elder of the Yan Clan, enjoying royal family treatment!”

As soon as these words were uttered, it meant that Xiao Chen's status in the Yan Clan was already different! He had the qualification to influence the Yan Clan's decisions!

Xiao Chen stepped out of the Yan God Tower, greeted by countless gazes of awe and adoration. He knew that the first step to persuade the Yan Clan to join the Anti-Alliance had been successfully taken!

However, he felt little joy in his heart; instead, it grew heavier. Because he sensed that in the shadows, the chilling gaze belonging to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion had never left. A greater storm was about to arrive.