The Purple Flame Void Gate had opened, and the Void inside was configured into a unique, enclosed space.
Within the space, the massive ancient city was like a projection of the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City.
This was Zhou Yan’s first construction of the environment within the Purple Flame Void.
In the world within the Purple Flame Void, Zhou Yan reigned as the sovereign of this heaven and earth; reshaping reality was merely a matter of thought. However, before now, he had never taken such action, and thus the environment within the Void had formed naturally.
This time, allowing Feng Lingzhu, Li Qimeng, and some outsiders to enter the Purple Flame Void, Zhou Yan naturally took care to arrange it.
Currently, the gates of the ancient city stood open, but a layer of Origin energy formed an ancient Array as a barrier.
Outside the Array, a group of people waited to enter.
"This place is quite desolate but peaceful. You all stay here for a few days. Once I’ve dealt with the matters outside, we’ll look for my parents together," Zhou Yan told Feng Lingzhu, Li Qimeng, and the others.
"Yes, Young Master, you go ahead with your business, we’ll wait for you. Be careful," Li Qimeng said.
"Young Master, take good care of yourself," Feng Lingzhu also replied.
Aside from concern and admonitions, they didn’t know what else they could offer to help Zhou Yan.
Even though Zhou Yan bore no ill will towards them, both had come to understand that the gap between them was widening.
Yet, not only were they not disheartened, but they also felt happy, because even with a vast gap, they remained Zhou Yan’s family and friends, and their relationship would never grow distant.
"Rest assured," Zhou Yan smiled at Li Qimeng and Feng Lingzhu and then made arrangements for Xia Ming and the others before leaving the Purple Flame Void.
Standing before the Stele again, the smile gradually faded from Zhou Yan’s face.
"Master, Hou Chen has carefully sensed and analyzed, and the aura of that woman who loves to expose her pectoral muscles still lingers faintly; she probably hasn’t given up yet," Hou Chen said gravely.
He harbored some fear of this woman in his heart because her beaming appearance gave him a dangerous feeling.
"Yes, that woman actually broke free from the Killing Spirit Divine Dao. Her strength is indeed formidable. It was only because she was caught off guard by my attack! In fact, if I had not attacked suddenly and ruthlessly, I would have not found it so easy to fight her," Zhou Yan said seriously.
This was the truth; his previous display of easily dispatching Yun Shu was just for show to Li Cangsheng and the others, to deter them as well.
"Ah—Master, you also think that woman is formidable?" Hou Chen exclaimed in surprise.
"Indeed, she must be among the top talents of Nine Origin Heavenly City. Even if we hadn’t met her this time, with her personality, we would eventually clash, as such women are very self-centered," Hou Ling’er said.
Her voice had an icy quality yet was crisp like a thrush emerging from the valley.
It was not that she was cold-hearted, but her current situation had evolved into her nature.
In fact, Hou Ling’er had a presence of Double Souls.
After Zhou Lingyi devoured Hou Ling’er’s Soul, the strengths of both had converged, their weaknesses vanished, amounting to a perfect evolution.
"Not everyone in Nine Origin Heavenly City can be as formidable, so there’s no need to worry. I’ve encountered many opponents, one more won’t make a difference. If we meet again, I will reveal a bit of my trump card if necessary, and make sure to kill her! Just think, if my goal is the stars and seas, naturally I won’t pay too much attention to the forests along the way. Let’s go," Zhou Yan said with steely eyes, looking into the distance where the ancient Array’s aura constantly circulated, giving rise to various threats.
Earth Killing Mechanism, Heavenly Killing Mechanism, and even Tao Killing Mechanism.
This peril was hidden in what appeared to be beautiful traps.
Within the Ancient Array, there were Heavenly and Earthly Abnormal Treasures, Holy Artifacts, Divine Artifacts, and more, all highly alluring. But if one believed these were real and coveted them, one would fall into an illusion of endless desire. Once one fought over them, one would be caught in an endless Killing Mechanism, unable to extricate oneself.
Hou Chen nodded and followed Hou Ling’er and Zhou Yan into the Ancient Array.
Zhou Yan didn’t rely on the loophole in the Stele to enter its interior, as that would have required waiting, and in such a long time, anything could happen.
Sensing the thoughts of Yun Shu, Man Cheng, and others, Zhou Yan roughly deduced that their purpose for entering the Baiyue Ancient Forbidden this time was for the Holy Medicine, the Baiyue Immortal Spirit Grass. Therefore, he was even more concerned.
Zhou Yan walked forward, where the Killing Array had yet to erupt. Man Cheng and Ying Han still knelt on the ground, the restrictions on their bodies still in place, like lambs awaiting slaughter.
Previously, they had been full of vigor; now, everything had undergone a radical change, turning from the hunters into the hunted.
Zhou Yan walked over, grabbed the back of their necks and lifted them, dragging them along like two little chicks as he moved forward.
Their necks felt like they were clamped by iron hoops, utterly powerless to resist, only able to stare ahead with eyes filled with fear, awaiting death.
"Zhou... Zhou Xuanzhe, please spare me, I’m Ying Han, from the number one Ancient family, the Ying Family, in the Central Three Islands Netherworld Island of the Sword Burial Ancestor Star—Ah—"
Ying Han was only halfway through speaking when he suddenly felt his entire neck being squeezed tightly, unable to finish his words.
A wisp of purple flames appeared in Zhou Yan’s hand. The flames, passing through his palm, conveyed immense destructive power directly into Ying Han’s delicate white neck. In an instant, a third of her neck was burned away.
So much so, that her head was nearly severed from her neck.