Chapter 214: The Flame Clan's Annihilation
"Grandmaster Level Spirit Array Annihilation of All Things, activate!"
A faint hum filled the air as Xiao Tiance's spirit array came to life. A massive array pattern enveloped the entrance to the Flame Realm, glowing with an otherworldly light.
Satisfied with his handiwork, Xiao Tiance waved his hand. The glow and intricate patterns of the array were concealed, leaving it invisible to all but those who stepped into its bounds. The decision to hide the array's presence was strategic to avoid alerting the Flame Clan and give them no time to react.
In the original timeline, the Flame Clan had narrowly avoided annihilation at the hands of the Soul Clan. But now, their alliance with Gu Yuan and reckless ambition had sealed their fate they would be obliterated by the Xiao Clan instead.
The Infiltration Begins
Within the Flame Realm, the arrival of Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling both nine star Dou Saint experts caused an immediate uproar among the Flame Clan's stronghold.
Flame Clan elders and experts appeared one after another, their expressions tense.
"Who are you? Why have you entered the Flame Realm uninvited?" a Flame Clan elder demanded, his voice filled with suspicion and authority.
However, Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling remained unfazed. To experts of their caliber, these Flame Clan fighters posed no threat. The strongest among them was merely an early stage eight star Dou Saint, supported by three seven star Dou Saints. Everyone else might as well have been cannon fodder.
In total, the Flame Clan had over thirty Dou Saints, a significant force by ordinary standards. But against Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling, they were nothing more than lambs awaiting slaughter.
"Hahaha! Why are we here? To annihilate your Flame Clan, of course!" Mu Ling laughed mockingly, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Such arrogance! This is the Flame Clan! You dare act so presumptuously here?!" the elder bellowed, his face darkening.
"Everyone, attack! Capture them!"
With his order, the Flame Clan experts unleashed their might. Blazing flames filled the sky as countless Dou Techniques were unleashed simultaneously. Among them were even several Heaven tier Dou Techniques, their destructive power enough to obliterate mountains and scorch the earth.
A Display of Power
Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling exchanged a glance before each casually launched a Heaven tier Dou Technique in response.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The Flame Clan's combined assault was obliterated in an instant, their techniques shattered like fragile glass against a storm. The power difference was insurmountable.
A nearby one star Dou Saint didn't even have time to react before Xiao Xuan's attack obliterated him, leaving behind only ashes.
"Damn it! Two nine star Dou Saints?! How did we provoke such powerful enemies?" one of the senior Flame Clan experts exclaimed, his face pale with fear.
"Who... who are you? Experts of your caliber can't possibly be unknown, yet I've never heard of you!" the elder demanded, his voice trembling.
"How pitiful," Xiao Xuan said coldly. "The Flame Clan doesn't even know who its enemies are. Have you fallen so far?"
The elder's heart sank as he pieced it together. "Enemies... Are you from the Xiao Clan?"
His words sent shockwaves through the gathered Flame Clan members. They immediately recognized the truth. Recently, they had only antagonized one major force the Xiao Clan. Their clan leader, Yan Jin, was still plotting alongside the Ancient Clan, waiting for the right moment to strike at the Xiao Clan from the shadows.
"Exactly," Xiao Xuan confirmed, his tone icy. "Had you stayed in line, we might have spared you out of respect for the eight imperial clans. But you just had to jump around like clowns, didn't you? Very well your fate is sealed."
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Xiao Xuan unleashed another attack, even more powerful than the last. This one radiated a destructive force capable of erasing everything in its path.
The Flame Clan's Desperate Struggle
"Damn it, it really is the Xiao Clan!"
The elder had no time to think. He quickly rallied the other Flame Clan experts, shouting, "All Dou Saints, focus on holding them off! Everyone else, evacuate the clan members and send word to the clan leader immediately!"
"Yes, Elder!"
Following his command, the weaker members of the Flame Clan scattered, fleeing the battlefield.
Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling made no effort to stop them. A sly smirk played on their lips.
A One Sided Battle
"Thirty one Dou Saints left. You want to take your pick, or shall I?" Mu Ling teased, his tone relaxed.
Xiao Xuan smiled faintly. "I'll take a few. The rest are all yours."
With that, Xiao Xuan vanished in a blur of speed, reappearing amidst four senior Dou Saints. The battle began in earnest.
Meanwhile, Mu Ling stretched lazily, his joints cracking audibly. He beckoned to the remaining Flame Clan members with a mocking grin.
"Impressive courage, daring to meddle in the conflict between the Xiao Clan and the Soul Clan. I'll grant you a more dignified death for that," Mu Ling said, his voice laced with amusement.
"Hmph! The Xiao Clan's ambitions are obvious to all. After they destroy the Soul Clan, who will they target next? Another imperial clan, no doubt!" a six star Dou Saint retorted bitterly.
"Hmm. Spirited to the end. Fine, I'll make it quick for you," Mu Ling replied, his grin widening.
In a flash, Mu Ling closed the distance, striking with devastating precision.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The battlefield was a cacophony of destruction as Mu Ling cut down his enemies one by one.
The Spirit Array Takes Effect
Back at the entrance to the Flame Realm, Xiao Tiance sat cross legged in the void, calmly watching as one fleeing Flame Clan member after another stumbled into his spirit array.
The array showed no mercy. Anyone who entered was instantly engulfed by its overwhelming power, their bodies reduced to ash before they could even scream.
"Such a waste," Xiao Tiance muttered, his tone indifferent. "But you brought this upon yourselves. Blame your own arrogance."
As he watched the massacre unfold, the corner of Xiao Tiance's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Let's see how long your so called imperial clan can last."
After two full hours, no more members of the Flame Clan stepped into the spirit array. Xiao Tiance gazed at the massive pile of spatial rings accumulated within the array, his expression calm and devoid of emotion.
Each spatial ring represented a life lost. From the sheer number in the pile, at least 100,000 people had perished within the array.
"Sigh…"
With a heavy sigh, Xiao Tiance deactivated the array. He then stored the rings into his own spatial ring, readying himself to enter the Flame Realm to observe Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling's battle.
At that moment, two figures shot toward him at high speed it was none other than Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling.
"Brother Xuan, Mu Ling," Xiao Tiance greeted with a smile.
"Mission accomplished, Tiance," Xiao Xuan replied, nodding with a grin. He activated his spatial ring, and five frozen Dou Saint corpses floated into the air.
After examining them briefly, Xiao Tiance frowned and asked, "Why are there only five Dou Saint corpses?"
Hearing this, Xiao Xuan gave a helpless chuckle and glanced at Mu Ling. "You'll have to ask this guy about that."
Mu Ling, looking somewhat embarrassed, scratched his head and replied, "Uh... I might've gone a bit overboard. And, well, they were being pretty rude, so I didn't hold back."
Understanding immediately, Xiao Tiance smirked. Mu Ling must have been provoked by the Flame Clan's words, leading him to unleash his full wrath without restraint.
"It's fine. Just be more mindful next time," Xiao Tiance said, waving his hand dismissively. "Dou Saint corpses are valuable for crafting top tier Heavenly Demon Puppets. We'll need as many as we can get to bolster the clan's strength before ascending to the Great Thousand World."
Spoils of War
"By the way, Tiance, here's everything we found in the Flame Clan's treasury," Xiao Xuan said, storing the five Dou Saint corpses and tossing another spatial ring to Xiao Tiance.
Accepting the ring, Xiao Tiance didn't bother checking its contents. He knew the Flame Clan, as one of the imperial clans, would have accumulated countless treasures.
After pocketing the ring, Xiao Tiance gestured toward three floating clusters of flames nearby.
"Brother Xuan, Mu Ling, take a look. These flames were left behind by members of the Flame Clan who perished in the array," he began explaining.
The first flame: "This is the Eighth Destruction Flame, ranked sixth on the Heavenly Flames List. It's the highest ranked flame owned by the Flame Clan, capable of forming massive flame wings over a hundred meters wide. Its destructive power is unparalleled."
The second flame: "Next, we have the Crimson Lotus Flame, ranked eighth. This deep red flame is adorned with patterns resembling lotus blossoms, capable of immense destruction rivaling the Eighth Destruction Flame."
The third flame: "Finally, we have the Flaming Cloud Water Flame, ranked sixteenth. It's less powerful than the other two but still formidable."
Xiao Tiance sighed as he continued, "The Flame Clan originally possessed five Heavenly Flames. Unfortunately, Yan Jin isn't here. Otherwise, we could have also claimed the Netherworld Golden Flame, ranked seventh, and its fusion with the Volcanic Rock Flame. Combined, they supposedly rival the Ancient Clan's Golden Emperor Heaven Burning Flame."
Xiao Xuan laughed heartily. "Even without Yan Jin, we've wiped out the entire Flame Clan. Only he and a handful of his followers remain, and they're hardly a threat anymore."
Mu Ling was about to comment when something behind the three flames caught his attention. He rushed over and picked up a glowing, fist sized object radiating five colored light.
"What's this?" he exclaimed in surprise.
Xiao Tiance and Xiao Xuan hurried over. Seeing the object, Xiao Tiance's eyes lit up with recognition. "Brother Xuan, this must be familiar to you."
Xiao Xuan nodded. "Of course. This is the distilled Dou Emperor bloodline essence of the Flame Clan. Judging by its quality, it's at divine grade. It's an exceptional treasure even a commoner who absorbs it could gain remarkable cultivation talent. Tiance, you should hold onto it. Once we return to the Outer Heaven, reward someone deserving with it."
Xiao Tiance glanced at the glowing sphere but didn't pocket it immediately. Instead, he turned to Mu Ling.
"Mu Ling, do you want this? If you do, it's yours," Xiao Tiance offered.
Mu Ling shook his head. "I don't need it, but I would like the Crimson Lotus Flame."
Without hesitation, Xiao Tiance nodded. With a wave of his hand, the Crimson Lotus Flame floated toward Mu Ling.
"Take it. It's yours," Xiao Tiance said with a smile.
Overjoyed by the gesture, Mu Ling bowed deeply. "Thank you, Clan Leader!"
Hearing this formal address, Xiao Tiance's eyes glinted with satisfaction. Mu Ling's loyalty was now assured.
"No need to thank me. You've earned it," Xiao Tiance replied. He then turned to Xiao Xuan.
"Brother Xuan, since the Crimson Lotus Flame is Mu Ling's, you should take the Eighth Destruction Flame. Its power will significantly enhance your combat abilities."
Xiao Tiance waved again, and the Eighth Destruction Flame floated toward Xiao Xuan.
Feeling the flame's domineering aura, Xiao Xuan smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll take it."
With the two stronger flames distributed, Xiao Tiance stored the Flaming Cloud Water Flame, intending to gift it to Xiao Yan later. After pocketing the Flame Clan's divine grade bloodline essence, the trio exchanged glances before Xiao Tiance opened a spatial vortex.
"Let's go," he said.
A Time to Recover
Moments later, the three arrived in a secluded mountain valley. Inside was a hidden cave, which Xiao Tiance pointed to.
"Brother Xuan, Mu Ling, you can refine your flames here. I'll stand guard outside," Xiao Tiance suggested.
Xiao Xuan and Mu Ling exchanged glances, then nodded with smiles. "Alright," they agreed in unison.
As the two entered the cave to begin refining their flames, Xiao Tiance remained outside, seated cross legged in meditation. Around him were over 100,000 spatial rings spoils from the Flame Clan annihilation.
"Well, I've got nothing else to do. Might as well see what treasures these rings contain," Xiao Tiance muttered with a faint smirk.
(End of Chapter)
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