"Pff."

Xiao Yi spat out a mouthful of blood.

The fiery force that confined him was so overwhelming that he could not move and felt uncomfortable all over.

The terrifying pressure, even just a bit, was enough to make the Qi-Blood within him churn.

When all of it pressed down, for a moment, Xiao Yi even smelled the scent of death.

Now, the confining force suddenly dissipated.

Under such astonishing power, the sudden press and release made it unbearable for Xiao Yi, causing him to instantly spit out a mouthful of blood.

"So strong." Xiao Yi stared at the old man.

His face showed lingering fear.

At the same time, he was filled with immense solemnity and shock.

What level of strength did the elder possess during his lifetime?

With his Fire Control ability, even when using all his trump cards, he was easily confined by the elder in an instant.

He didn’t even have the chance to react or the qualification to resist.

In fact, he had never faced a Legendary Expert in combat.

At most, he had only sensed the aura.

And the brief encounter just now made him truly see the terrifying nature of a Legendary Expert.

The feeling of being defeated in an instant, with no strength left to resist, was truly terrifying to the extreme.

Facing the elder before him, Xiao Yi also didn’t know if he could match him using his life-and-death trump cards.

But clearly, the elder had already given up on dealing with him.

So naturally, Xiao Yi also put away the idea of using his trump cards.

After all, those trump cards are either unused or come with a huge cost.

"Senior..." Xiao Yi called out.

But the elder did not respond.

In a state of Spiritual Sense, he seemed to be deep in thought.

His expression was extremely complex.

Sometimes twisted, sometimes filled with struggle.

Xiao Yi did not interrupt, just watched solemnly.

After a while, the elder slowly opened his mouth, his tone bleak to the extreme, even tinged with a hint of gritted teeth.

"I have been waiting here for countless years."

"Finally waited for you, waited for a body I could seize, and it’s such an outstanding one..."

The elder’s eyes suddenly widened to the point of tearing.

"Originally, even if you were the successor of the Main Hall, I would have taken the desperate step to seize your body."

"But you... you are the successor of the Flame Hall."

The elder’s tone, cold as ice, carried irrepressible anger, along with desolation and a tinge of helplessness.

Thousands of years of desolation, the Spiritual Sense existing only in bleakness.

In his heart, only a glimmer of hope, bitterly waiting, bitterly hoping.

But what came was what he least wished to harm.

Behind this was the very thing he once held faith in, more precious than life itself.

Thousands of years’ hope, in this moment, collided with the unwillingness in his heart, resulting in this struggle.

Even for a moment, the hope collapsed entirely.

Naturally, the elder’s expression was close to madness and torment at this moment.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi frowned abruptly, his spirit tightening.

If the elder were not in a state of Spiritual Sense now but a real Martial Artist, this expression change would be the precursor to the outbreak of a Heart Demon.

"Senior," Xiao Yi exclaimed urgently.

"Sigh." The elder suddenly sighed, his tone heavy with a hint of relief and release.

The twisted and struggling expression on his face dispersed in an instant.

"Remarkable." Xiao Yi’s eyes lit up, "In an instant, the Heart Demon was dispelled."

The Heart Demon was broken in an instant.

It is not hard to imagine that the elder’s Dao Heart in his life must have been incredibly firm.

His Cultivation and Martial Arts must have been as if blessed by the heavens.

The elder’s expression returned to normal, no longer ferocious, replaced with a knowing smile.

"Perhaps, with such an outstanding Heavenly Talent emerging from the Flame Hall, I should be delighted."

The elder looked at Xiao Yi, a strong sense of satisfaction and admiration on his face.

"The truly remarkable one is you."

"Your body, I’ve seen through it thoroughly."

"Twin Martial Souls, wielding six kinds of the world’s strong flames, the extreme Cold Ice, and mastering the Sword Dao, remarkable, truly remarkable."

The elder said "remarkable" twice in a row.

"No wonder the Five Halls recognized you as a successor and issued the Main Hall Token."

"Who is the senior?" Xiao Yi showed a puzzled expression, cupping his hands in inquiry.

He wasn’t a fool and could naturally guess from the elder’s words.

With the elder’s strength, he surely could have seized him just now but chose to give up upon sensing his Flame Hall Main Hall Token.

Clearly, the elder should be a predecessor of the Flame Hall from countless ages ago.

Or, the elder has an exceedingly deep connection with the Flame Hall.

"Me? Ha." The elder smiled faintly without answering, instead asking, "By the way, who is the current Master of the Main Hall of the Flame Hall?"

The elder’s question no doubt confirmed Xiao Yi’s guess.

Otherwise, the elder wouldn’t have inquired about the Flame Hall first and not the other Main Halls.

"It is..." Xiao Yi was about to answer.

The elder waved his hand and chuckled bitterly, "Forget it, countless years have passed, I’m afraid even if you tell me the name, I won’t know it."

Looking at Xiao Yi, the elder’s face showed more satisfaction, and his smile deepened.

"To carry the identity of a successor to the Five Halls is very good, very good." The elder nodded repeatedly.

"In the history of the Eight Palaces, it’s not unheard of for someone to carry multiple successor identities."

"But to carry two Halls signifies a Heavenly Talent of unparalleled esteem in their time."

"To carry three is rare, but each of them is a monstrous talent seen only once in millions of years."

"To my knowledge, in the history of the Eight Palaces, there has only been one fearsome monster carrying four Hall successors’ identities."

"But you, directly carry five Halls."

This last sentence alone expressed the elder’s indescribable satisfaction with Xiao Yi.

"If I were to harm you today, I would likely become the greatest sinner of the Flame Hall and even the Eight Palaces."

"I believe that, under your leadership, the Five Halls will usher in greater glory."

The elder extended his hand to pat Xiao Yi’s shoulder as he spoke.

However, being in a state of Spiritual Sense, his hand passed right through Xiao Yi’s body.

The elder was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

At the same time, Xiao Yi also gave a bitter smile, "Even if I am willing to take over, I can only take over three or two Halls at most."

"Hmm?" The elder ignored his state, frowning as he looked at Xiao Yi, "What do you mean?"

Xiao Yi instinctively replied, "The Ancient Eight Halls, three alliances, I can only choose one, naturally only able to take over three or two Halls."

"What three alliances?" The elder’s brows furrowed more tightly.

"The senior doesn’t know?" Xiao Yi was stunned for a moment, then briefly explained. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The elder’s face suddenly turned cold, "Nonsense, the Eight Palaces have always been as one, how could there be such division? You dare deceive me, you brat?"

Boom...

Within the main setup, a torrent of flames rose to the sky.

...

First Chapter update.