Gu Fei and Hun Miesheng locked eyes, with an invisible pressure spreading between them. Although both were five-star Dou Saints, they tactfully only displayed the power of a late four-star.
After a brief moment, their gazes shifted, ending the invisible confrontation.
"The Gu Clan has indeed shown up!" One of the men beside Hun Miesheng frowned.
"The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame is not ordinary. Even our Hun Clan covets it deeply, so naturally, they feel the same," Hun Miesheng replied in a raspy voice.
"The Gu Clan has sent two people this time, both at the four-star Dou Saint level. It seems we are at a disadvantage," commented Hun Feng, the young leader of the Hun Clan, eyeing Gu Fei and his companion warily. He was only at the late two-star Dou Saint level, far weaker compared to Gu Fei. Moreover, Gu Nanhai was an experienced four-star Dou Saint. If a fight broke out, he feared the Hun Clan would be at a disadvantage.
"Young leader, you needn't worry. Hall master has reached the peak of the four-star Dou Saint years ago. Dealing with Gu Nanhai and that youngster Gu Fei will be no problem!" said the third member of the Hun Clan.
"Indeed..." Hun Feng nodded, somewhat reassured. "There's also the ancient clans' pact: those at five-star Dou Saint and above cannot interfere at will. Hun Miesheng is right at the threshold, and at that level, few can rival him."
"Although those great powers haven't appeared yet, they're surely watching us," Hun Miesheng smiled faintly, glancing into the empty space as though sensing hidden observers.
"When should we act?" Hun Feng asked.
"We wait. Let the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame weaken its seal first, and when it's about to break free, we strike," Hun Miesheng replied confidently, intertwining his rough fingers.
...
"Young leader, the Demonic Flame is incredibly rare. Few in the world could tame it. As long as it doesn't fall into the hands of the Hun Clan, that would be a victory," Gu Nanhai said to Gu Fei, now speaking with a tone of respect rather than the earlier seniority.
This shift in attitude was due to Gu Fei's rise in strength. Not only was he the young leader of the Gu Clan, but now he was also a five-star Dou Saint.
The Heavenly Flame had surfaced before, but no one had successfully subdued it. The space's seal, set by the ancient Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint, was incredibly mysterious. Even when the flame momentarily broke the seal, it would repair itself by absorbing the surrounding energy, continuing to restrain the flame.
Though Gu Nanhai's reasoning was sound, Gu Fei had no intention of simply preventing the Hun Clan from acquiring it. He was determined to claim the flame for himself.
"Isn't it a pity that no one has subdued the flame after all these years?" Gu Fei's words made his determination clear.
Seeing this, Gu Nanhai understood. "If you wish to tame the flame, I will do everything in my power to assist you!"
As they spoke, a scorching wind, distinct from the heat of the flame, swept across the area. A red light appeared on a distant mountain peak, revealing a group led by an elderly man with striking red hair.
"Ancestor Huo Yun… With his strength, he's out of his league trying to claim the Purifying Demonic Lotus," Gu Fei muttered, shaking his head.
Although the Burning Flame Valley ranked below the top two sects, his presence put it above them in strength. Still, compared to the forces gathered here, they were no more than cannon fodder.
The Yan Clan soon made their appearance.
"Brother Gu Fei, you've arrived early! Huo Zhi has missed you dearly!" A voice broke through the air as Huo Xuan and his group appeared near Gu Fei.
Gu Fei could only smile helplessly. Huo Xuan was always full of banter. "Huo Xuan!" A veiled Huo Zhi yelled from behind him, clearly embarrassed by his words.
"Uh…" Huo Xuan laughed awkwardly without explaining.
Leading the Yan Clan was a purple-robed elder named Huo Yao, a four-star Dou Saint. Though the ancient clans adhered to their millennia-old pact, they greeted each other politely before potential hostilities.
"Young master Gu Fei is truly remarkable. In just a few short years, you've reached the four-star Dou Saint level," Huo Yao said courteously. Gu Fei returned the gesture with a respectful nod.
Huo Xuan couldn't help but exclaim, "So envious…"
"You're already an advanced stage half-saint yourself!" Gu Fei responded with a smile. Huo Xuan had also progressed well, and even refined a heavenly flame- likely the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame, ranked sixth on the Heavenly Flames list.
Even Gu Fei was a bit envious of this. He had yet to acquire a flame ranked so high. (TL/n: You could've taken the ranked fourth Heavenly flame in the Gu clan long ago..)
After some light banter, Gu Nanhai sighed, hands behind his back, and refocused on the distant sky. The terrifying heat waves continued to spread from the cracked space, with more and more white light emanating from the cracks. The once barren desert below was now starting to turn molten, the sand melting into magma.
As the desert slowly transformed, more powerful figures arrived, drawn by the strange phenomenon. Within half an hour, the sky was filled with countless figures. However, most kept a safe distance from the shattered space, while only the strongest dared approach within a thousand feet, like Gu Fei and Hun Miesheng.
In the midst of this anticipation, other ancient clans- Lei Clan, Shi Clan, and Ling Clan- arrived. The final ancient clan to arrive was the Yao Clan, represented by Yao Tian, Yao Wangui, and Yao Tian's sister, Yao Ling.
"Hmph, Yao Tian is fortunate. The Yao Clan fed him a near ninth-tier pill, raising him to the mid-stage one-star Dou Saint," Huo Xuan said enviously when the Yao Clan arrived.