"I don't know. This fellow is clearly human, so why can he gather Yin energy to cultivate like a Yin Beast? Moreover, his speed in gathering it is many times faster than the Yin Beasts!"

"This ability shouldn't be something a human can possess! Even we of the Yin Charm race can't gather Yin power so quickly, and our bodies can't withstand this much Yin power all at once! What is this person all about?"

The three leaders of the Yin Charm race were utterly stunned, their eyes wide, discussing the matter in a daze.

At the gathering place of the Yin Beasts, a middle-aged man of the Black Wing race, possessing dark wings and an ethereal appearance, stood shoulder to shoulder with a beautiful woman of the White Wing race, who had snowy white wings. They watched Shi Yan, whose body was wreathed in towering flames, and the swirling vortex of Yin energy appearing above his head.

"Di Shan, what he's releasing from his body should be Heavenly Fire!" The beautiful woman with the snowy white wings spoke, her voice soft and incredibly pleasant.

"Indeed, it's Heavenly Fire!" The Black Wing Clan Chief, Di Shan, had an unusual gleam in his demonic eyes. "First the restriction loosened, and now someone possessing Heavenly Fire appears. It seems we truly might escape this forsaken land this time. Yu Rou, we must stop that brute Duo Long. I recognize him; the human boy with the Heavenly Fire must be the one Duo Long mentioned who killed Han Long."

"Yes, we must stop him. This human boy absolutely cannot meet any harm!" Yu Rou, the White Wing Clan Chief, nodded slowly.

The Black Wing Clan Chief Di Shan and the White Wing Clan Chief Yu Rou exchanged a few rapid words, then suddenly disengaged from that spot.

The numerous experts of the Black Wing and White Wing races present were facing the encirclement of the Yin Beasts, and handling it was not difficult.

There were more experts from the Black Wing and White Wing races than from the Gray Wing race. These individuals dared to approach from behind the Yin Beast Mountain, meaning they were the elites of their clans, possessed extremely rich combat experience against Yin Beasts, and their strength was exceptionally potent.

Facing the assault of the Yin Beasts, even after Di Shan and Yu Rou had departed, they remained composed and unhurried.

Ka Ba of the Yin Charm race, his expression sinister, pondered for a moment before suddenly stating, "We need to go over and see. This human boy is too unique; perhaps he is the key to us leaving this cursed place!"

"Precisely. This fellow truly cannot die. If he dies... we might never get out." After Shi Yan unleashed the Heavenly Fire and subsequently employed the Profound Yin Art to gather the Yin energy of heaven and earth, even Zha Meng's attitude underwent a subtle shift, and he surprisingly began to voice concern for Shi Yan's safety.

"Aren't you afraid of the harm the Heavenly Fire poses to our entire race?" Yi Tian Mo asked with a half-smile.

"This kid only has the cultivation of the Status Realm; for now, he can be controlled. Once we escape this wretched place, we can deal with him casually," Ka Ba said calmly.

"Isn't that slightly shortsighted?" Yi Tian Mo chuckled. "I know everyone is curious about his method of gathering Yin energy. After all, our Yin Charm race's cultivation is closely linked to Yin energy. If we could obtain his method for gathering Yin energy, it would be an epoch-making breakthrough for the Yin Charm race, wouldn't it?"

"Hmph, this is a matter of the future for our entire race," Ka Ba stated gravely.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry over. If he is killed by Duo Long, we will gain nothing." Zha Meng became somewhat impatient, letting out a sharp cry, and quickly flew away, no longer fearing even the threat of the Ghost Infants.

"Yi Feng, Cui Bi, you two stay here—you absolutely must not leave the ancient city." Yi Tian Mo lowered his head and gave the order before following.

Wreathed in flames, yet with the Yin energy of heaven and earth swirling above his head, the vortex expanded dozens of times over in just a few tens of seconds.

By this time, the vortex had grown like a tornado; Yin energy surged skyward, winding and twisting like a colossal gray dragon as it rapidly absorbed the surrounding Yin energy of heaven and earth.

As vast quantities of Yin energy gathered, the Heavenly Fire on Shi Yan’s body was affected by the Yin power, and gradually, the flames within him began to vanish.

When the Yin energy overwhelmingly enveloped the area, Shi Yan’s body was tightly wrapped in masses of gray Yin clouds, feeling extraordinarily heavy.

Initially intending to charge toward the Yin Beast Mountain, he found himself unable to move due to the sheer weight on his body.

Shi Yan floated suspended in mid-air, rising rapidly with the rotation of the Yin energy vortex above his head, soon reaching an altitude of a hundred meters in the sky.

Once the Yin energy vortex formed, he could no longer control it. At this moment, the Gray Wing Clan Chief Duo Long was still in pursuit. He wanted to hold on, but discovered that the changes within the Yin vortex in his body were beyond his command.

Damn the Three Gods Sect!

Shi Yan couldn't help but curse. Both the Profound Yin Art and the Star Martial Soul of the Three Gods Sect shared a trait he couldn't control.

At critical moments, the abnormalities in the Profound Yin Art and the Star Martial Soul could plunge him into a situation of eternal damnation.

Take this instance, for example.

Duo Long had been relentlessly pursuing him, and at this crucial juncture, he was immobilized due to the anomaly in the Profound Yin Art, his body locked in the void. Once Duo Long arrived, it would be effortless for him to strike and kill him.

This abnormality in the Profound Yin Art was going to send him straight to his death!

Hanging in the air, powerless to stop the Yin vortex, regardless of whether he wished to live or die, the Yin energy of heaven and earth poured relentlessly into him. The strands of Yin power, which he could clearly perceive, converged at the center of the Yin vortex housed within the acupoints in his chest, slowly infusing into the points. Very quickly, three small Yin Pearls rapidly formed at the centers of the three Yin vortices.

As soon as the three Yin Pearls formed, they immediately settled into their respective acupoints. Streams of Yin power, soft yet slightly icy, rapidly surged within the acupoints, causing the rotation speed of the Yin vortex and the overhead vortex to accelerate even faster.

Shi Yan felt a wry smile tugging at his lips.

The Yin energy of heaven and earth here was actually far more concentrated than the Yin energy in the Land of Absolute Yin!

In just this short time, three Yin Pearls formed within his acupoints. If Duo Long hadn't been relentlessly chasing him from behind, he would have thought this luck to be exceptionally good—so fortunate that the Profound Yin Art could absorb Yin energy so ravenously.

However, Duo Long’s threat prevented him from feeling any joy. No matter how much Yin power he managed to accumulate during this time, the moment Duo Long arrived, he would face only a dead end.

According to what Yi Cui Bi had said, Duo Long was at the peak of the Celestial Stage, one foot already stepping into the Divine Manifestation Realm, his power reaching the limits of the profound.

A figure of that caliber could slay him with trivial ease. Regardless of whether he could gather more Yin power, it would not have much effect against an opponent several tiers above him.

Subtly sensing the gathering Yin energy of heaven and earth, Shi Yan could only wait helplessly for Duo Long's arrival.

"Poison!"

Duo Long, who was about to crash headlong into the gray Yin cloud, was violently blasted away by two black and white rings of ripples.

Duo Long’s body shook continuously. Under the impact of those two black and white ripples, he retreated continuously for a hundred meters before finally stabilizing his stance.

"Di Shan! Yu Rou!" Duo Long roared in fury, shouting toward one direction, "Why are you blocking me?"

Ka Ba, Zha Meng, and Yi Tian Mo had, at some unknown point, quietly appeared several hundred meters behind Duo Long, all frowning as they looked at him.

"And you three!"

Duo Long also sensed hostility from the trio of Ka Ba. His eyes flashed crimson, and he suddenly turned back, glaring fiercely at the three of them, sneering, "You three also intend to stop me?"

"If you intend to kill that kid, the three of us will join forces to stop you," Zha Meng nodded.

"You dare oppose me!" Duo Long threw his head back and laughed hideously, his expression ferocious. "Do you know the consequences of offending my Gray Wing race?" "Enough, Duo Long!"

Di Shan's voice suddenly cut through the air. A streak of black lightning flashed, and Di Shan, with his wings stirring, instantly stood firm before Duo Long.

Yu Rou floated lightly, like a feather, appearing just behind Di Shan, looking at Duo Long with slight displeasure. "Duo Long, calm your anger. Let's talk things over properly. Yes, the trio of Ka Ba also means well; they are all working for the future of our two races. Don't be so unappreciative."

Di Shan and Yu Rou stood on either side, blocking Duo Long's path forward.

Duo Long's expression was volatile. When dealing with the trio of Ka Ba, he could roar and utter threats.

However, facing Di Shan and Yu Rou, he lacked that audacity.

The overall strength of the Black Wing and White Wing races was greater than that of the Gray Wing race. Furthermore, the individual power of Di Shan and Yu Rou surpassed his own, Duo Long.

Di Shan was ruthless, and Yu Rou was cunning. Duo Long was well aware of how formidable these two were. Confronting either one alone would yield him no advantage, let alone the fact that these two had clearly unified their front.

Moreover, the trio of Ka Ba, Zha Meng, and Yi Tian Mo had also evidently allied. This situation compelled him to be cautious.

"Why are you protecting that boy?" Duo Long grit his teeth but gradually calmed down.

"He can lead us away from here. His Heavenly Fire might be able to incinerate the restriction on the Yin Beast Mountain. You all know that the method for our departure might lie within the depths of the Yin Beast Mountain," Di Shan smiled and said to Duo Long, "That boy can die, but not now. Once we find a way to leave, that boy is yours to dispose of as you wish. However, until then, you are forbidden from touching him!"

"Is that everyone's opinion?" Duo Long scanned his surroundings.

Yu Rou, Ka Ba, Zha Meng, and Yi Tian Mo all nodded together, agreeing with Di Shan’s assertion.

"Fine, I won't touch him for now. I hope your judgment is correct," Duo Long said with a grim face. After thinking it over, under the combined pressure of the five, he could only agree and nodded. "I'll leave this to you all; I'm returning to the Gray Wing race first. Remember to notify me of any new developments. And in the future, this boy belongs to me—I want him alive!"

"Mm... I can promise you that," Di Shan replied indifferently.

Duo Long stopped speaking and left with a sour expression, disappearing shortly thereafter.

"I think we can go see that human boy now. What an adorable little fellow; he has brought us the light of departure," Yu Rou said softly, moving with supreme grace. "Yes, I am aware of the deterrence Heavenly Fire holds for your Yin Charm race, but I hope your Yin Charm race also behaves yourselves and doesn't cause trouble. Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite."

The faces of Ka Ba, Zha Meng, and Yi Tian Mo flickered between dark and bright, but under Yu Rou's gaze, they all nodded, indicating they would heed her words.

"Since we have reached a tacit understanding, we can proceed," Di Shan said casually, leading the way toward the area shrouded in Shi Yan's Yin energy. The others followed closely behind, their hearts filled with curiosity, all eager to see what Shi Yan had transformed the central area into.

PS: Third update, making up for yesterday's~