"So this is the Tianluo Continent? As expected of one of the ten super continents, its sheer size alone surpasses that of the Nine Nether Continent by a wide margin." Xiao Yan stood atop a towering mountain, overlooking the vast landscape below with a tone of amazement. According to the information he had gathered, the region he currently occupied was merely the northern domain of the Tianluo Continent, and yet its area was already comparable to the entire Nine Nether Continent.
However, compared to the Nine Nether Continent, the number of true experts here was noticeably fewer. Ordinary Earth Sovereigns were still present in decent numbers, but the truly elite cultivators were lacking. At the very least, the Nine Nether Sparrow Clan had a confirmed Heavenly Sovereign overseeing it, while on Tianluo Continent, there was no such presence. If the two continents were to clash directly, it was likely the Nine Nether Continent would have the upper hand.
That said, Xiao Yan couldn't help but find it curious. Tianluo was one of the ten super continents. Its vast territory and abundant resources should have attracted more powerhouses and made it significantly stronger than the Nine Nether Continent. So why did it appear so underwhelming in terms of overall strength? Had no Heavenly Sovereign taken an interest in this land?
"Perhaps it's not that no Heavenly Sovereigns have taken an interest," the Spirit of the Ancestral Stone explained, "but rather that too many have. All of them want a piece of this land, but none can claim it outright. As a result, they've chosen to support various factions from the shadows. That's probably what created this strange stalemate."
Typically, once one reached the Heavenly Sovereign realm, it was possible to govern an entire continent regardless of its size. But the super continents were exceptions. The resources they contained far exceeded those of ordinary continents, and this one even held the legacy of a Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign—an irresistible lure for any true powerhouse.
Numerous Heavenly Sovereigns had their eyes set on this fertile land, but due to mutual wariness, none dared to seize it outright. Instead, they each secretly nurtured a faction to vie for control. The one whose forces ultimately triumphed would become the sovereign power of Tianluo. That unspoken agreement was the reason for the current bizarre situation.
Xiao Yan nodded thoughtfully. When he first stepped into the borders of Tianluo Continent, he had indeed sensed several formidable spiritual scans sweep over him. Most likely, they belonged to the hidden experts watching the continent from the shadows. Seeing that he was merely an Earth Sovereign, they hadn't paid him much mind.
But Xiao Yan had no intention of getting entangled in that muddy water. His only goal here was to collect rare flames to enhance the power of his Emperor Flame. If he could locate some powerful flames within Tianluo, he might even manage to refine them and, with the unique properties of Flame Mantra, take a step into the upper Earth Sovereign level.
Over the course of a month, Xiao Yan scoured nearly every region on the continent rumored to contain traces of fire or thunder energy. This included some of the continent's dominant factions—like the Nether Flame Lands of the Nether Palace, the Ten Thousand Flame Mountain Range of the Mystic Sky Hall, and the Thunder Demon Abyss in the Hundred Battle Domain.
He did succeed in collecting several types of flames, but none satisfied him. None of them, unlike the lightning tribulation's thunder, could offer a qualitative transformation to his Emperor Flame. The only silver lining was his discovery in the Thunder Demon Abyss—a rare thunder called Nether Heart Demon Thunder, along with a partial scripture of the Supreme Heart Demon Scripture. With this, Xiao Yan could now enter a true Heart Demon state even without relying on a Heart Demon Pill.
During this period, Xiao Yan also used the power of the Ancestral Stone to fully restore the Golden Crow Burning Nether Technique he had acquired from the Nine Nether Clan. The Ancestral Stone, now strengthened by the Divine Smithing Stone, had ascended to the level of a true Saint Artifact. Although the restoration was somewhat forced, it was ultimately successful. Unfortunately, the effort had exhausted too much of the stone's energy, delaying the repair of the Supreme Heart Demon Scripture.
The complete Golden Crow Burning Nether Technique was a formidable divine art, though it still fell short when compared to Demon-Sacrificing Fist and the Dragon Roar Demon Subjugation Art. Nonetheless, Xiao Yan never neglected cultivating any of his techniques during his search for rare flames. With his astonishing talent and the Ancestral Stone's support, he had cultivated all of them to at least a minor completion stage—even if he hadn't yet reached their peak.
With his current arsenal, Xiao Yan didn't even need to rely on his trump cards to stand toe-to-toe with a Perfect Earth Sovereign. In a place like Tianluo, which lacked Heavenly Sovereigns, he was practically invincible. If he could push through to the upper Earth Sovereign grade, then even facing a true Heavenly Sovereign wouldn't faze him.
After departing the Thunder Demon Abyss, Xiao Yan headed toward the final notable fire-type gathering site in the northern domain—a well-known volcano located in unclaimed territory. This volcano was famed across the northern region. Its interior brimmed with searing lava whose temperature dwarfed that of any magma he'd encountered on the Dou Qi Continent. Ordinary Sovereigns likely wouldn't last long inside.
"There aren't many volcanoes that can make a Sovereign feel such discomfort..." Xiao Yan's eyes sparkled with intrigue. If this were regular magma, even a Heavenly Transformation expert could move freely within it. But this one was different. The heat here defied common sense. Moreover, as Xiao Yan approached the crater, he could feel the fire-element spiritual energy in his body beginning to stir restlessly.
He also noticed something else—space itself around the lava was being burned, producing barely visible fractures. Though these cracks quickly mended themselves, they did not escape Xiao Yan's sharp perception. This confirmed his earlier suspicion: something unusual lay hidden beneath the magma. Ordinary lava couldn't possibly possess the power to burn space.
"Time to take a look." With a swift motion, Xiao Yan leapt toward the magma, intending to plunge in. But before he could dive, a bizarre hissing sound pierced the air. From beneath the lava, a massive serpent-like beast—easily over a hundred meters long—burst forth, lunging at him with gaping jaws. Its sudden attack stirred massive molten waves, giving it a terrifying and ferocious appearance.
Xiao Yan responded with a soft snort. With a casual grip of his palm from a distance, the massive serpent's body was crushed into fragments. Just as he prepared to dive again, a bright crimson glow emerged from the serpent's shattered remains. Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise and beckoned with his hand, drawing the glowing object into his palm.
The glow resembled a clump of magma, yet it emitted no destructive aura. On the contrary, it was exceptionally pure. With a flick of his finger, Xiao Yan absorbed it into his body—and immediately felt a faint increase in his spiritual energy.
(End of Chapter)
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