Battle Through the Heavens 03: Ascension of the Flame God
Episode 4: Lotus of Annihilation
The world trembled as the explosion's shockwave slowly faded into silence. The scorched battlefield was littered with craters, shattered earth, and the smoldering ashes of defeated beasts and collapsed mountains. In the heart of it all, Xiao Yan stood like a war god reborn, his black flame robes fluttering in the wind, and the aura of a sovereign radiating from his very soul.
But there was no time to rest.
From the torn sky, new enemies descended—creatures twisted by void energy, corrupted by ancient curses. They howled and screeched, their bodies wreathed in unnatural shadows. The very laws of the realm distorted around them. These were not mere magical beasts… they were Voidspawn—creatures born in the darkness beyond space and time.
Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes.
"They've begun to sense the power of the Ascended Flame…"
Beside him, Qing Lin clenched her fists. "We must leave this plane soon. Your presence is awakening sealed things, Flame God."
But Xiao Yan didn't move.
Instead, he slowly lifted his palm, and a lotus of pure black and crimson began to bloom. A terrifying pressure enveloped the world.
"Angry Buddha Lotus Flame…" he whispered.
But this time, it was different.
Flames twisted and twirled, forming complex runes midair. From within Xiao Yan's Qi Sea, not just the Bone-Chilling Flame or the Green Lotus Heart Flame responded, but also the newly devoured **Void Origin Fire**. As they merged, the lotus changed—it grew sharper, its petals exuding void cracks, its core pulsing like a black hole.
"This is… the upgraded version!" Qing Lin gasped. "That's… the **Annihilation Lotus Flame**?!"
Xiao Yan's voice was calm but resolute.
"It's no longer just an angry lotus. It's a lotus that ends realms."
With a sharp flick, he tossed the lotus forward.
BOOOOM!!
Time itself cracked. The blast didn't just incinerate the void creatures—it erased them. No trace remained, not even their screams. The shockwave spread across miles, vaporizing mountains and boiling rivers. Even ancient spatial rifts closed under its pressure.
Xiao Yan dropped to one knee.
The upgraded technique drained an enormous amount of Dou Qi and spiritual essence. But his eyes gleamed with newfound understanding.
"I need more Heavenly Flames… I'm close to the **Flame God Ascension Realm**," he whispered.
Suddenly, a familiar presence landed behind him. A tall figure in blood-red robes—**Xiao Zhan**, reborn as the Blood Flame Martial Ancestor.
"You've taken your first step toward godhood," he said, helping his son up. "But greater flames await. Beyond this continent… the Flame Realm still burns."
Xiao Yan turned.
Then his gaze shifted toward the horizon, where a new sun was rising. Not of fire, but of challenge.
"Then I'll walk toward it. Until I ascend... and burn the heavens themselves."