Within Yun Xi's dantian, Zi Yan leapt with increasing intensity, even a touch urgently. Just as she was about to forcibly suppress Zi Yan, a Huaxian Gate cultivator looked toward Yun Xi, speaking kindly:
"Feng Xiaoyou, how did you come to a Nascent Soul cultivator's training area?"
Yun Xi cupped her hands in respect, ready to explain, when suddenly a ball of purple flame shot from Yi Ran Zhēnjūn's palm, bursting into Yun Xi's dantian. The change happened so quickly that Yu Su did not even have time to stop it.
In a single breath, the purple flame engulfed Yun Xi. Yu Su's green silk instantly moved to intercept, and Yun Chen Fózǐ frowned, swinging the Buddhist beads on his wrist. Yun Xi had been his invitee, and now that a Nascent Soul cultivator had set a trap, he could not stand idly by.
Han Lian did not intervene, remaining beside Yun Xi as the purple flames consumed her, prepared to respond if anything went wrong. Beyond that, she would not interfere.
Yun Xi was in dire straits. She fell to the ground, and Zi Yan voluntarily left her dantian, flowing along her meridians, slowly absorbing the purple flame into herself.
"Zi Yan, what is happening?"
"Master, you must help me. This purple flame is the other half of my original body that I separated."
Yun Xi immediately understood.
"This is the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame carrying a fragment of Lei Hongxuan's soul?"
"Yes."
"And that fragment of his soul—is it still intact? Can you devour it safely now?"
Zi Yan quickened her speed along the meridians and replied:
"If I am correct, that soul fragment has already merged with this male cultivator."
The Mystic Thunder Violet Flame knew its former master too well. It would survive at any opportunity.
Yun Xi felt as if she were being roasted alive. She supplied her dantian's spiritual energy to the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame while transmitting her question:
"So is Yi Ran Zhēnjūn Lei Hongxuan, or is he himself?"
"He is both Yi Ran and Lei Hongxuan."
After the reply, Zi Yan accelerated the absorption. Finally having a promising master, it had no intention of returning to Lei Hongxuan or continuing as a formation core.
Yun Xi sensed Zi Yan's determination. The rate of spiritual energy consumption rivaled that of the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella. Without orders, Xiao Xian had already begun channeling spiritual energy to her, muttering:
"Master, you see, my foresight was right. Good thing I prepared a superior spiritual vein early, or you'd now be drained by Zi Yan or have your strange flame stolen."
"Enough, stop the chatter and help me now. Yi Ran Zhēnjūn is distracted by Yu Su. If he removes the strange flame, it will be too late."
"Understood!"
Xianling Grass shook its leaves, sending more blue light into Yun Xi's meridians.
Meanwhile, Dian Dian, instantaneously sent into space, twirled anxiously, silently praying that their master could turn the tide.
Yun Chen Fózǐ's twenty-seven Star-Moon Bodhi beads encircled Yi Ran Zhēnjūn. Under his divine sense, the beads radiated a soft glow, assisting Yu Su Zhēnjūn in launching attacks.
Yu Su Zhēnjūn already disliked Yi Ran. To see him strike a Haoran Sect disciple in front of her was blatant insolence. Anger flaring, she propelled a torrent of water spiritual power through her green silk toward the folding fan in Yiran's hands.
Caught between Yu Su Zhēnjūn and Yun Chen Fózǐ, Yi Ran frowned and shouted:
"Yun Chen Fózǐ, will you oppose Huaxian Gate over a Golden Core not from your sect?"
"Amidabha! One Daoyou does not represent all of Huaxian Gate. Besides, Feng Xiaoyou was invited by me. You attacked him without reason. Did you even consider Yunmen Temple?"
Yun Chen Fózǐ was temperate, but not to be underestimated. Yun Xi had initially not wished to join them. He had invited her to avoid being alone with Han Lian. If Feng Xiyun had not accompanied them, they might never have encountered Yi Ran, and she would not have been in mortal danger. By reason and duty, he had to intervene.
Yi Ran snorted coldly, accelerating his attacks. Every swing of his folding fan emitted golden blades that clashed with the green silk, sending shockwaves outward.
Han Lian Zhēnjūn conjured an ice wall, shielding the three from the residual force of the Nascent Soul-level duel. Her divine sense scanned the Golden Core male cultivator still engulfed in the purple flame, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes.
Feng Xiyun's persistence was remarkable. To endure a Nascent Soul's strange flame attack while defenseless, when even a destroyed dantian would be considered light damage, suggested that strange flame also existed within her. Han Lian smiled knowingly; Yun Chen Fózǐ's judgment had not been mistaken.
As the duel reached its peak, the flames surrounding Yun Xi suddenly extinguished. In the next breath, a purple flame flew from her body like a weary bird returning to its nest, heading straight for Yi Ran Zhēnjūn.
Yi Ran's expression brightened, but scanning with his divine sense, he realized the male cultivator had survived. His face changed instantly, but it was too late. The purple flame had already entered his dantian.
The moment it entered, Zi Yan devoured the remaining soul imprint on herself. She had endured this villain for too long. Were it not for Lei Hongxuan's reckless actions, she would not be so weak now.
Zi Yan's first act inside the dantian was to destroy the enemy's spiritual root.
Yi Ran Zhēnjūn groaned, his body plummeting. In mid-fall, he was struck by Yu Su's green silk, flying a great distance.
Yu Su, taking advantage of the moment, launched a second attack straight at his sea of consciousness. At the critical instant, a humanoid shadow appeared, shouting:
"How dare you harm my junior!"
Then, the pressure of a Divine Transformation cultivator swept toward the four.
Yun Xi had not expected Yi Ran to be a third-generation cultivator. This explained why the other half of the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame was on him. When she heard that a Central Domain Divine Transformation cultivator had once seized the flame, it was clear the master had entrusted it to a valued disciple and left a soul imprint for his survival.
Yun Xi transmitted to Zi Yan:
"Hurry!"
Bearing the pressure of a Divine Transformation cultivator, she opened the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella to shield the four, easing their burden.
"No!"
A piercing scream drew the attention of the Divine Transformation fragment. When he turned, Yun Xi and her companions saw Yi Ran Zhēnjūn consumed by his own strange flame. Three breaths later, he was reduced to ashes, not even his Yuányīng escaping.
"Ran'er!"
The Divine Transformation fragment only had time to call the disciple's name before the purple flame transformed into a streak of light and vanished. Turning to face the four, it raged impotently:
"You will pay!"
In the next breath, Yu Su, Yun Chen Fózǐ, and Han Lian acted in unison, striking with their most powerful attacks. White, blue, and gold energies simultaneously hit the fragment.