Chapter 697 The Yan Clan

"Xiao Ling's cousin, Xiao Yan, is quite famous in Zhongzhou. Although he seems to have only recently broken through to Dou Zun, he has a strange fire hidden in his body, and his Dou Qi foundation is far beyond that of ordinary Dou Zun. In my opinion, unless you have a cultivation level of three-star Dou Zun or above, you probably won't get the slightest advantage against him. He is definitely not a simple person."

Opposite the man in the crimson outfit, a man with dark eyebrows and a rugged appearance spoke calmly, but his gaze never left Xiao Yan downstairs.

"That's not all. I was secretly observing him just now, and his soul fluctuations were exceptionally sharp, so he must also be an expert in alchemy."

The last man spoke slowly. He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a handsome and gentle face, a faint smile on his lips, and even his voice carried a touch of warmth.

"However, even though Xiao Yan has such talent, he is still a step behind his cousin Xiao Ling. In terms of overall strength, he is indeed not good enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man in white turned his gaze to the woman beside him.

The woman wore a light red dress, with half of her face covered by a thin veil. Even so, the jawline and lip line faintly outlined through the veil were still breathtakingly beautiful.

What's most striking about her are her bright eyes, clear as autumn water, yet without the slightest ripple. She seemed completely oblivious to the three people's discussion about Xiao Yan, as if nothing in the world could arouse her interest in anything.

Seeing her remain indifferent, the man in white shook his head helplessly, his tone slightly teasing: "Huo Zhi, you're too aloof. Do you really think the three of us are invisible and won't even respond to a word?"

"I am somewhat interested in the strange fire they subdued." Upon hearing this, the woman in red finally slowly raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping lightly over the window where Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan were. Her clear, cold voice was like shattered jade falling on ice, soft yet clear and audible, breaking the previous silence.

But with that one glance, the woman in red suddenly stopped, a barely perceptible look of bewilderment appearing in her eyes.

The next second, a deep red flame flashed in the depths of her eyes, and the scorching heat that dissipated in that instant made the three people beside her subconsciously tense up, and even their breathing became lighter.

The man in white was the first to notice something was wrong. He frowned slightly and asked with concern, "Huo Zhi, what's wrong? Did you find something?"

The woman in red slowly came to her senses, a subtle change appearing in her usually cool voice:

“Just now, the Red Lotus Karmic Flame within my body stirred. It told me that within Xiao Ling’s body, there was an aura of the same origin as it. It seems that Xiao Ling must have also subdued a Red Lotus Karmic Flame.”

"What? Red Lotus Karmic Fire?" The moment Huo Zhi uttered those words, the three people at the table paled in shock, their breath catching in their throats.
The man in the shirt leaned forward instinctively, his voice filled with disbelief as he murmured:

"It's the Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame again... He previously subdued the Three Thousand Burning Flames from the Pill Tower, and he also displayed another kind of strange flame during the Pill Gathering. So, Xiao Ling now has at least three kinds of strange flames in his possession?"

His fingertips unconsciously traced the rim of the glass, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper:
"Moreover, I had previously heard that the strange fire he used at the Pill Gathering had an extremely unusual aura, and no one could recognize its origin. It was definitely not comparable to ordinary strange fires. I really don't know how many kinds of strange fires he has subdued. Such talent and opportunities are simply monstrous!"

After hearing the white-robed man's analysis, the other two immediately narrowed their eyes and gasped in unison. The same thought was churning in their minds: This kid is terrifying!
As members of the Flame Clan, they possess an innate and keen sensitivity to flames, especially the Strange Flame, which is of paramount importance to the clan's core heritage.

It should be noted that the Yan Clan has only possessed four types of exotic flames over the years.

But now, witnessing Xiao Ling control such a considerable number of strange flames by himself, the three of them couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion, and even their breathing became heavier than before.

"Not only is the number of strange fires astonishing, but the cultivation technique he practices probably also contains the miraculous effect of fusing strange fires."

The woman in the red dress gently brushed a stray hair behind her ear, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly beneath the thin veil, and a hint of seriousness crept into her clear, cool voice.
"The flames he displayed earlier had a mixed yet unified aura, which should be the result of the fusion of multiple different flames... Even the Fire Emperor's Profound Scripture, the clan's treasured technique, does not possess such an ability to melt and unify different flames."

“Even my Yan Clan Chief relied on his own unparalleled strength to forcibly suppress and melt the two strange fires, the Nine Nether Golden Ancestral Fire and the Volcanic Stone Flame, in order to barely achieve the miraculous effect of fusing the strange fires. How could Xiao Ling be able to perfectly fuse multiple strange fires with the power of his cultivation technique?”

As she finished speaking, her gaze toward Xiao Ling deepened, and she added softly, "This person is indeed far more complex than he appears."

"It's fortunate that the Medicine Clan isn't here. Otherwise, if they had noticed Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan's situation, given how much the Medicine Clan values ​​the Strange Flame, they would have certainly made their move. After all, these alchemists crave the Strange Flame far more than our Flame Clan."

The man in red stretched and said casually, his tone tinged with relief.

The burly man beside him shook his head and retorted:
"I don't see it that way. Even if the Medicine Clan members who came really have designs on their strange fires, with the Medicine Clan's limited methods, trying to get benefits from Xiao Ling would be as difficult as climbing to the sky."

He paused, then changed the subject, a calculating look appearing in his eyes.

"In my opinion, we should try to get to know Xiao Ling and his companion later. If we can chat with them, we might be able to learn a lot about controlling the strange fire from them, which could provide some unexpected assistance to our cultivation."

……

Meanwhile, Xiao Ling, who was talking quietly with Xiao Yan, naturally noticed the various gazes cast upon him from all around.

Those gazes, whether curious or inquisitive, all deliberately concealed their sharpness, so he didn't bother to pay them any more attention and focused only on the conversation in front of him.

Just as Xiao Ling raised his hand to pick up the teacup and take another sip, the strange fire within his body suddenly surged violently without warning, and that familiar burning sensation became clear again.

A slight chill ran through him, and his gaze abruptly shifted following the strange pull, finally settling on a quiet corner of the pavilion. There, a woman in red, her face veiled, was quietly gazing in his direction. Between her brows, a vividly patterned flame mark, seemingly alive, was subtly glowing.

"The aura of a strange fire..."

Gazing at the flame mark, Xiao Ling paused slightly, a few guesses flashing through his mind.

After a moment's thought, a look of understanding flashed in his eyes: "This woman should be a member of the Yan Clan. If I remember correctly, her name should be Huo Zhi."

Even Xiao Yan, who was sitting opposite Xiao Ling, keenly noticed the subtle gaze.

At the same time, the volcanic flames within his body began to stir slightly, emitting a faint burning sensation.

This unusual sight startled him, and he immediately followed Xiao Ling's gaze, quickly locking onto the red-clad, masked woman in the corner.

Three pairs of eyes suddenly met in mid-air: Xiao Ling's composure, Xiao Yan's vigilance, and Huo Zhi's aloofness, each with a subtle flicker of fire deep within their eyes. As their gazes met, the space where they focused seemed to ignite, the air itself distorting slightly under the intense heat, even the surrounding clamor seemingly shut out.

"puff!"

In an instant, a burst of crimson flames suddenly exploded in the void between the three! The scorching heat spread in all directions, and a wooden table and chair next to them was unable to dodge in time. They were instantly engulfed by the aftershocks of the flames and turned into charred ashes that fell to the ground in a flurry.

The moment the flames exploded, Xiao Yan's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and a solemn expression quickly flashed across his face.

He could clearly sense that the aura emanating from the strange fire within the woman in the red dress was far stronger than his own volcanic rock flame, indicating that she was no ordinary person.

"Are you alright?" Noticing Xiao Yan's slight tremor, Xiao Ling immediately withdrew his gaze from the woman in red and turned to look at Xiao Yan opposite him, his tone filled with concern.

Faced with Xiao Ling's question, Xiao Yan slowly shook his head, his fingertips secretly pressing on his lower abdomen, where the volcanic flames were lurking, and the earlier disturbance had not yet completely subsided.

"Don't worry, cousin, I'm fine." He paused, his brows still slightly furrowed, his tone full of doubt.

"But the aura of that woman in red and the three people beside her is too special, faintly revealing a scorching sensation related to the strange fire. Among them... there should also be someone who has subdued the strange fire, right? With such an aura, they must not be ordinary strange fire holders, and their origins must be anything but simple."

“Of course, these people are from the Yan Clan, one of the eight ancient clans, and they are all experts in fire-attribute cultivation.” Xiao Ling nodded slightly and explained to Xiao Yan in a calm tone, “I suppose they had been secretly observing us and had sensed the aura of the strange fire within us. That confrontation just now was just a slight test, so there’s no need to take it too seriously.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes immediately lit up with understanding, and he nodded slightly: "So you are a member of the Yan Clan. No wonder you are so sensitive to the strange fire."

Xiao Ling had already explained the origins of the eight ancient clans to him in detail, and he had a general understanding of the cultivation methods that each clan was good at.

"The name 'Yan Clan' itself reveals that their cultivation methods are inextricably linked to flames, which explains their keen sensitivity to strange fires."

"Cousin, how should we deal with these Yan Clan members? Are they friends or foes?"

Suddenly, Xiao Yan couldn't help but ask further, a hint of concern in his eyes.

After all, if these Yan Clan members, relying on their powerful backgrounds, coveted the strange fire they had now subdued, it would be a huge problem.

Xiao Ling gently shook his head, his tone still calm: "No need to worry about it, just let things take their course. Right now, what you need to pay special attention to is not these Yan Clan people, but the Soul Clan that I mentioned to you before."

In fact, Xiao Ling was not entirely without interest in the strange fire in the hands of the Yan Clan.

However, he knew very well that now was not the time to make any moves. With his current strength, the Yan Clan, an ancient and powerful clan, was far beyond what he could afford to provoke.

If he were to get himself into a lot of trouble just because of the temptation of this strange fire, that would be the outcome he wanted.

"The Soul Clan?" Upon hearing these two words, Xiao Yan's expression suddenly turned serious, and his fingers gripping the teacup tightened involuntarily.

What Xiao Ling had mentioned to him most often before was this mysterious and dangerous race. The infamous Soul Palace in Zhongzhou was a subordinate force of the Soul Clan.

If even its subordinate forces can reach such a scale, the strength of the Soul Clan itself is self-evident; they are certainly not benevolent.

More importantly, he also learned from Xiao Ling that the Soul Clan and the Xiao Clan's destruction back then had an inextricable connection.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan suppressed the turmoil in his heart and nodded solemnly: "I understand, cousin. I will be more careful in the future and will never let my guard down."

Because of the commotion caused by the previous confrontation between the strange fires, the surrounding area was finally alerted, and now more eyes were turning to look in this direction. Xiao Ling did not have the habit of being looked at at will.

"Let's go. There are too many people here, and it's a bit uncomfortable to be stared at by so many people. Let's go out for a walk."

Immediately, Xiao Ling stretched, stood up from his seat, waved at Xiao Yan, and spoke in a more relaxed tone.

"There have been quite a few trades taking place around here in the past few days, so you might be able to get some useful items. With your luck, you might even snag some bargains that others haven't noticed."

Having said that, he said no more, took the lead and walked towards the outside of the pavilion, the hem of his robe swaying gently with his movements.

Upon hearing the words "finding a bargain," Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and his interest was piqued.

Over the years, he had traveled through the Central Plains, relying on his keen senses and a bit of luck, and had not only managed to snag a bargain once or twice. Upon hearing these words, he had already begun to make plans in his mind.

Maybe we can find some good stuff this time. Besides, we have our cousin Xiao Ling by our side, who seems to have a destiny. Following him will surely bring us some good luck, and we might even have some unexpected surprises.

Thinking this, Xiao Yan glanced one last time in the direction of the woman in red. Seeing that she was still sitting calmly, he looked away, got up, and quickly followed Xiao Ling away.

"Huo Zhi, how was it?" Watching Xiao Ling and the other person's departing figures, the white-robed man turned around and asked with a smile on his face.

The woman in red robes withdrew her gaze, a subtle ripple appearing in her clear, cold voice: "The strange fire within him is very strong... In terms of the grade and aura of the strange fire alone, I am inferior to him."

Her fingertips lightly traced her cuff, a hint of fighting spirit flashing in her eyes. "If I have the chance in the future, I'd like to have a match with him and see just how strong this person who can fuse multiple different flames really is..."

"You, all you ever think about are things related to fire." The white-robed man shook his head helplessly, his tone tinged with amusement and exasperation. Then, his expression turned serious.

"However, these two cousins ​​should be members of the Xiao clan. It's truly unbelievable that a race whose bloodline was almost extinct and nearly abandoned could produce two such figures..." (End of Chapter)