Laughter echoed.
A trace of black fire slowly poured out from Yuan Ye's fingertips.
Under this trace of black fire, the void constantly shattered and reorganized, quietly evolving and dying.
This flame was the remnant fire of the Fire Lotus Ancestor that Yuan Ye had just devoured.
But in terms of power, it was far stronger than the fire once wielded by the Fire Lotus Ancestor.
"Flame is not about quantity, but quality."
Yuan Ye flicked his fingers, and the black flame instantly drifted towards the Fire Lotus Ancestor.
Along the way, the void silently collapsed without a sound.
"This...!!!"
The Fire Lotus Ancestor's expression changed drastically. He could feel the terrifying power of heaven and earth condensed within this tiny flame. In terror, he tried to escape.
The flame was too terrifying, too overwhelming.
Under this flame, it seemed even the universe itself would melt and collapse.
It completely exceeded his imagination.
However.
It was as if his legs were rooted in the starry sky, unable to move an inch.
He could only watch helplessly as the black flame drew closer, enlarging in his pupils until it consumed his entire vision.
"No!!!"
In an instant, the Fire Lotus Ancestor screamed in horror.
"Presumptuous!"
Zhan Zun's face turned cold. Just as he was about to intervene, he saw Shen Lian's calm gaze fall on him.
Under that single glance, Zhan Zun felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, his body frozen stiff.
A great terror beyond words surged in his heart.
Puff.
The trace of black flame lightly landed on the Fire Lotus Ancestor.
The next moment.
The Ethereal Peak Realm's Fire Lotus Ancestor melted silently from the chest outwards.
Just like a drop of water falling into a blazing furnace, the Fire Lotus Ancestor only had time to release a final scream before his body and soul were completely incinerated.
A wisp of flame annihilated his spirit entirely.
In the starry sky.
A breeze drifted by from some unknown direction.
Countless cultivators from the Heavenly Realm stared at the scene in shock, their mouths agape, unable to utter a single sound.
The dignified Fire Lotus Ancestor, famed as an Immortal Emperor and standing at the pinnacle of the Ethereal Realm, had fallen just like that.
Their throats bobbed, their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
"Fuck... Too... too strong!"
"These seniors are unbelievably powerful! Each one stronger than the last!"
"First, the hunchbacked old woman was blasted apart with a single punch! Now the Fire Lotus Ancestor at Ethereal Peak was annihilated, body and soul!"
"Too fierce! Our human race actually has such powerhouses!"
The people of Fengtianjie were in a frenzy.
In just the time it took for a single stick of incense to burn, two of Zhan Zun's strongest allies had been utterly defeated.
This level of strength was beyond anything they had imagined.
"This... this... how can they be this powerful!"
Even Wang Nixian was dumbfounded.
Though he had inherited the teachings of Fengtianjie Zun and the Vermillion Bird Fire Emperor, even he could not fathom how Xuanba and Yuan Ye could so easily kill powerhouses of the Ethereal Realm.
On Zhan Zun's side, whether it was Zhan Zun himself or the six remaining experts, their expressions changed drastically. A deep fear flickered in their eyes.
No matter how arrogant they were, they could see the truth now.
These mysterious human race experts who had suddenly appeared were far beyond them in strength.
"Your Majesty, is it my turn?"
Beside Shen Lian, a blue-haired, charming woman with a hint of frost around her eyes smiled coquettishly.
"Don't waste time."
Shen Lian shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Zhan Zun and the others.
These people were nothing but small fry. He had no intention of wasting time here.
"Capture."
He reached out his hand and grabbed toward Zhan Zun and his group.
"Not good!"
Zhan Zun's expression changed. In an instant, he activated the technique of shrinking the ground into inches, attempting to flee.
However.
Under Shen Lian's grasp, Zhan Zun was like a piece of iron pulled by a colossal magnet, flying directly into Shen Lian's hand.
Bang bang bang!
Bang bang bang!
In an instant, the six remaining experts around Zhan Zun exploded into clouds of blood mist.
Zhan Zun was dragged before Shen Lian, landing heavily.
"You... who are you?"
Zhan Zun's face turned pale like golden paper. His entire body trembled uncontrollably as he stared at Shen Lian.
At this moment, he had lost all the dignity and demeanor befitting the leader of the Five Deities.
Shen Lian did not even spare him a glance, simply placing his large hand upon Zhan Zun's head.
In fact, killing Zhan Zun here would complete Shen Lian's mission in this world. However, Shen Lian was curious to study the secrets of cultivation here.
Since the system had rated this a Seven-Star World, there had to be something extraordinary within it.
To put it into perspective.
Even the Grand Universe where Shen Lian originated was merely a beginner-level Nine-Star World.
Puff.
In an instant, countless streams of information flowed from Zhan Zun's head into Shen Lian's palm, allowing him to rapidly read through it.
As the information was extracted, Zhan Zun's face contorted in agony.
Shen Lian's eyes gradually lit up as he read.
"Oh? Beyond this world, there is a Tiangang Continent? Among the Four Realms of Heaven, the pinnacle of the Sky Realm is titled Jinzun, while the Great Perfection is titled Tianzun, and surpassing the Great Perfection leads to Yuetianzun."
"There is even a Fourth Step, called the Heaven Treading Realm."
After a moment, Shen Lian withdrew his hand, deep contemplation flickering in his gaze.
This world was not weak.
According to the memories Shen Lian had extracted, powerhouses who had reached the Fourth Step of Heaven Treading Realm were already close to the level of ancient Holy Masters and Immortal Taoists from his own universe.
It stood to reason that powerhouses of the Fifth and Sixth Steps could directly contend with the Holy Masters and Dao Venerables in his world.
Reaching the Seventh and Eighth Steps, they might even be comparable to Quasi-Emperors.
"The cultivation system of this world is worth studying. Perhaps by integrating it into the Universe World, it could open up another path to ascend to Emperorhood."
Shen Lian mused silently, stroking his chin.