Fighting: I am Han Feng, I respect my teacher

These words, like a heavy stone thrown into the center of a lake, shattered the previously uncertain atmosphere.

Many elders exchanged glances, and a few nodded almost imperceptibly.

Despite lingering doubts, Yan Xiang's statement undoubtedly provided Han Feng with a solid foothold.

At this moment, Yan Jin finally spoke, his eyes gleaming, his voice booming like a bell, echoing throughout the hall:

"Since most of the elders have no objections, let's proceed as agreed."

"Establish the Soul-Burning Strategy Platform, with Fire Spirit in charge and Lord Vermilion Bird as the strategist. Three months later, the heroes will be judged by their battle results!"

"This case—approved!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the curtain of fire in front of the hall suddenly burst into flames, like fire from the sky, illuminating the entire Flame Heart Hall.

Han Feng stepped forward, bowed deeply, and solemnly said, "Zhuque, I have lived up to your expectations!"

Huo Ling stood beside her, a slight smile playing on her lips, her eyes reflecting a bright joy in the firelight.

……

After the clan gathering dispersed, Han Feng and Huo Ling walked out side by side.

As the sun began to set, a blood-red glow painted the horizon, as if foreshadowing the quiet ignition of future wars.

Huo Ling glanced back at Han Feng and chuckled softly, "Next, Burning Nether City?"

Han Feng smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with intense light: "That's right, that should be the newly built main hall of the Soul Palace, where they store the essence of their souls."

Since the three Heavenly Gang Palaces were destroyed by the Soul Extermination Division, the Soul Palace has been secretly building a new main palace.

This main hall cannot be located in the Soul Realm because it would attract the attention of the ancient clans and be too conspicuous, so we have to find another place.

After searching for some time, Han Feng has confirmed that Burning Nether City is the new Heavenly Palace of the Soul Palace!

Fire Spirit responded softly, "This time, I'll accompany you to wreak havoc on the Soul Palace!"

The woman's voice was filled with intense emotion; she had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Facing the Soul Clan, she had no way to take revenge on her own, and taking rash action would only bring great disaster upon her family.

Now, she can finally act without any scruples.

The benefits of cooperating with the Soul Slayer Division are right here.

There's no need to worry about cooperating with the ancient clans; the clans believe they can control the situation, which is why they can give the Fire Spirit room to maneuver.

Although this attack was against the Soul Palace, the thought that it might be the Soul Palace's new Heavenly Palace, guarding the most important source of soul energy, filled Huo Ling with excitement.

Because destroying that place would be like delivering a heavy blow to the Soul Clan.

After all, the essence of the soul is an extremely precious resource for any family, and only the Soul Palace dares to collect it so recklessly.

"Before we set off, we need to prepare some things, after all, it is the new main hall of the Soul Palace, and there should be experts in charge."

Han Feng said.

"With our combined strength, we shouldn't have anything to fear unless some of the old monsters from the Soul Clan make a move, right?"

"Fire Spirit said."

Han Feng was silent for a moment, then said, "I'm afraid you're right, but it doesn't matter. As long as we're prepared, even if the Void Devouring Flame comes, we'll have a way to escape."

Fire Spirit's eyes lit up.

"Then you get ready first, I'll go arrange the tasks for the rest of the Yan Clan members."

"Wait, this operation is dangerous. There's no need to arrange for anyone to go to Burning Nether City. Too many people will make it harder for us to hide."

Han Feng gave instructions.

“I know, I will arrange them to carry out missions in other places according to the map you gave me.”

Fire Spirit nodded.

Two days were given for the two to prepare. This time, Han Feng decided to take advantage of the Yan Clan's power to seize the Soul Palace's new main hall in one fell swoop.

This battle must be intense enough to touch the Soul Clan's sore spots.

Otherwise, it would not be representative.

In the Flame Heart Hall, Elder Yan Shu was right. Within three months, if we want to achieve further cooperation, we do need to have some noteworthy results.

A lukewarm approach will only erode the passion for collaboration.

Two days later, at the border of the Flame Realm.

Huo Ling and Han Feng met here, and some Yan Clan disciples stood in formation, ready for battle.

"Are you ready?"

Huo Ling looked at Han Feng.

Han Feng nodded, his gaze fixed on the distance.

"set off!"

----------

The night was as dark as an abyss, and the Burning Nether City slept in a layer of reddish-gray mist.

Han Feng and Huo Ling stood in the shadows of a rocky hill, their brows furrowed as they gazed at the street layout of the city that was faintly visible in the distance.

"The city is laid out extremely tightly, but there is not a single place that looks like a real Soul Palace."

Huo Ling's tone carried a hint of caution.

Han Feng nodded, his voice low: "This is a disguise. If the Soul Palace truly intends to use this as its new main hall, it will not reveal its true location... The real location should be hidden deep within the earth's veins."

He took out a fragment of a soul crystal, as black as ink, and after infusing it with soul power, blurry undulating lines appeared on its surface, faintly pointing to a deep rift valley in the northern inner region of the city.

“This thing was seized from Soul Clan prisoners and resonates with the very essence of the soul,” he said. “The target—is there.”

Fire Spirit smiled gently: "Then let's set off."

The two transformed into streaks of light and silently infiltrated the city.

With their perfected Heavenly Realm soul control, they moved like two invisible flames, sweeping through the streets without disturbing a single blade of grass or tree.

After passing through a market town, a plain-looking stone palace came into view, and from the ravine behind it, an extremely faint fluctuation of soul power emanated.

Han Feng and Huo Ling exchanged a glance, both seeing confirmation in each other's eyes.

This place is where the Soul Palace is hidden.

The two acted separately in tacit agreement. Han Feng probed the sealed spirit patterns from beneath the earth's veins, while Huo Ling guarded the area above and secretly disrupted the nearby detection array patterns.

Gradually, the seal opened a corner, revealing a dark underground space.

Han Feng's gaze turned solemn: "The origin of the soul lies below."

Just as he was about to step inside, his brow twitched slightly, as if a strange feeling was coming from him.

At the same time, a dark figure silently appeared at the edge of the earth, its aura cold and ancient, carrying a silent pressure that did not belong to the human world, as if the ghostly fire of the abyss had awakened.

The man was clad in a black robe, his face hidden behind the thick fog and flames, revealing only a pair of scarlet, ghostly eyes. He slowly raised his head, looking at Han Feng who was descending, his eyes first filled with doubt, then narrowing.

"How dare you trespass on the sacred grounds of the Soul Clan?"

The voice was deep and resonant, like the clanging of metal, carrying an ancient killing intent.

Han Feng's gaze turned slightly cold. Without stopping, he turned around and suddenly closed in on his opponent by several feet.

"who are you?"

The man in black robes did not answer, but gray flames surged between his fingers, and the fire of his soul formed a faint ring of fire that swirled around him, like the gates of purgatory slowly opening.

Huo Ling leaped down from above, landing beside Han Feng, her gaze sharpening.

She whispered, "That flame...something's not right."

Han Feng's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he slowly said, "Gray Flame Rises Soul, Devours Soul Without a Trace... You are, Soul Flame!"

The man in black robes paused, remained silent for a moment, and then finally smiled.

"I didn't expect you to recognize me."

"But unfortunately—you shouldn't have come!"

The next moment, the underground flames exploded with a roar, and Hun Yan's figure, like a phantom, tore through the void in an instant and rushed straight towards Han Feng!

Huo Ling snorted coldly, and the fire rings from his sleeves flew out, weaving a blazing sky curtain that collided head-on with Hun Yan!

boom--!

The soul trembled like thunder as the power of two Dou Sheng experts erupted from the core of the earth!

But what was even more surprising was that a huge soul pattern array had suddenly appeared in the originally silent underground space, extending from the feet of Soul Flame, as if it had been lying in wait for a long time.

Han Feng narrowed his eyes: "It seems the other side was prepared."

Fire Spirit's eyes flashed: "It doesn't matter, defeating him is enough!"

A ball of incredibly hot crimson lotus flame ignited from the Fire Spirit's body, spreading out with the powerful energy of a Seven-Star Battle Saint.

The two stepped forward simultaneously, unleashing a Vermilion Bird Flame Wing and a Crimson Lotus Heavenly Flame, which burst forth from the formation!

The battle has truly begun!

Chapter 454 Soul Flame

A rumble echoed from the ground as Hun Yan plunged into the sea of ​​fire, showing no intention of dodging. He opened his palm, and gray flames surged forth, condensing into a stark white soul shield before him, directly confronting the Vermilion Bird Flame Wings and the Crimson Lotus Heavenly Fire!

"boom!"

Where the flames collided, space twisted and collapsed, and the surrounding hundred-foot-tall rock walls melted instantly, turning into flowing lava. Hun Yan retreated several feet, a corner of his black robe catching fire, but it extinguished in an instant, his face remaining calm and expressionless.

"So it's the Fire Spirit Fairy, what an honor to have you here. Does the Flame Clan also want to get involved in our conflict with the Ancient Clan?"

Hun Yan's voice was deep, and his soul power floated around him, forming a gray-white soul array, like a void cage, which slowly expanded and sealed off the entire underground space.

Fire Spirit sneered, "Soul Flame, do you really think our Flame Clan is afraid of you?"

"Is not it?"

Beneath his black robe, Hun Yan tilted his head slightly, his tone playful.

"Ah~ I almost forgot, your mother died at the hands of the Soul Clan..."

"What? After all this time, have you suddenly remembered that you want to avenge her?"

Huo Ling's face instantly turned gloomy.

"Shut up!!!"

The Crimson Lotus Flame flew out in response, its crimson flames locking the sky, and the laws of fire surged wildly, completely sealing off the space around the Soul Flame.

Han Feng calmly observed his surroundings, a serious expression on his face.

Before coming here, he was mentally prepared that the Soul Clan had sent Soul Flame, one of the Four Demon Saints, to guard this place, which was not beyond his expectations.

But... what exactly is Soul Flame's backup plan...?

The Fire Spirit was filled with rage. With a flick of her sleeve, crimson flames swept across the area, the intense heat seemingly capable of melting through the entire earth! A crimson lotus bloomed in her palm, the laws of fire burning cracks even in the power of space.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Hun Yan's eyes. Gray fire soul shields condensed around his body one after another, desperately resisting the fire spirit's frenzied attacks. At this moment, a playful sneer still appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"The angrier you are, the more flaws you reveal... How naive."

"Unfortunately, I'm not just waiting for you to get angry."

hum-

As he moved his five fingers slightly, the originally silent gray-white soul array suddenly shone brightly, and countless tiny soul patterns quietly emerged on the surrounding rock walls, weaving into a dense array network that converged towards the center like a spider web!

Han Feng's eyes flickered slightly, and he finally saw through the clue.

"This underground is not just a storage point for the origin of the soul... the entire earth vein itself is the foundation of a soul refining array!"

With a single glance, he noticed the core of the soul runes—the altar where the soul's essence floated!

"Soul Flame... is setting up a deadly trap involving the refining of souls through earth veins and the fusion of spiritual arrays."

"If the formation is completed, not only will he be able to advance in rank, but it will also trigger the Earth Fire Pulse, drawing all the soul power of the entire Burning Nether City into its source, thus fulfilling his destiny!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Ling's eyes turned icy: "He's been waiting for this day all along?"