The middle-aged man’s expression instantly changed. He was a Cruiser, and he also had a bit of status within the Dark Phoenix family, so he naturally knew that the family had suddenly gone into seclusion precisely because of this person. The person who the patriarch wanted to see the least was this youth in front of him.

“Alliance Leader Lu, I’m sorry, but the entire family is currently in seclusion, and we are not receiving any visitors. Please return then, as we’ll only lift this restriction in a hundred years. At that time, we will definitely reach out to Alliance Leader Lu,” the middle-aged man spoke courteously, but his gaze remained wary.

Lu Yin’s eyes swept past the middle-aged man as he scanned Darkflame Continent. “The entire family is in seclusion. Is that the reason behind all of this fire?”

The middle-aged man solemnly answered, “Alliance Leader Lu, please forgive the Dark Phoenix family for not politely receiving visitors. We’ll be sure to make amends after a hundred years’ worth of time.”

“Actually, the main thing that I came here for was to visit the Dark Phoenix family, but I also came to tour your Darkflame Continent. I wonder if that might still be possible? Please rest assured—I won’t disturb the Dark Phoenix family,” Lu Yin courteously replied.

The middle-aged man’s eyes narrowed. “I’m truly sorry, but after the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames have been released, there’s no way to shut them down. The flames will automatically extinguish themselves, but only after a hundred years. At that time, we will be able to freely enter and leave. Hence, even if our patriarch wished to invite Alliance Leader Lu on a tour of our Darkflame Continent, there’s no way to do such a thing.”

“So if I enter by myself, you won’t stop me?” Lu Yin asked.

A trace of disdain flashed through the Cruiser’s eyes. “If Alliance Leader Lu is willing to make such an attempt, then I would not dare to stop you. Alliance Leader Lu, please feel free.” The man then turned to leave.

Lu Yin focused on the black flames that were burning space itself before taking a step forward. This was truly a perfect place for cultivation, though he hoped that the temperature of these flames would not turn out to be too low.

Across from Lu Yin, the middle-aged man returned to a nearby planet. This planet was essentially the Dark Phoenix family’s gatehouse, as according to the family’s rules, anyone who wished to visit the family had to first visit this planet to be announced and verified.

However, after the Dark Phoenix family announced that they had sealed themselves off for a hundred years, there were no longer any outsiders on this planet.

The middle-aged man returned to the planet as a few other members of the family walked out. “Who showed up this time? We clearly sent out an announcement, so are these people just blind?”

“Ignore them. They’re all just trying to establish some kind of relationship with our Dark Phoenix family.”

“Hmph! After being sealed off for a hundred years, our profits will have all disappeared. We can only blame that Lu Yin, as he actually managed to return alive.”

The middle-aged man growled, “Alright, stop talking. The person who showed up this time is actually the one you all hate the most.”

The others were all puzzled.

The middle-aged man continued. “Lu Yin.”

“What? Lu Yin’s here? What for?” They were all astonished.

The middle-aged man answered , “I don’t know, but he wants to try to force his way through the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames.”

The other people were all caught off guard, but then they began to howl in laughter. “The Sixteen Layers of Darkflames were set up by our ancestor, and not even almighty Enlighters can force their way through it. Just what can he do?”

“Even those stupid Phoenix family bunch can’t barge through, not even when they sent an Enlighter with a power level of 400,000. Lu Yin’s way too confident.”

The middle-aged man thought so as well. The Dark Phoenix family was wary of Lu Yin, which was why they had been forced to seal themselves off for a hundred years. This was partly because their ancestor had died, but mostly because Lu Yin’s identity and background made them nervous. They were actually quite afraid of him. However, if they ignored all of that, what did the youth himself actually possess? He simply did not know his own strength if he hoped to force his way through the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames.

“Watch the Darkflames, and we’ll see how many layers he can make it through. Then we’ll report back to the family,” the middle-aged man ordered.

The few others immediately grew more serious as they looked out at Darkflame Continent.

The Sixteen Layers of Darkflames had been set up by the Dark Phoenix family’s Yen Phoenix, and he had been an Envoy realm powerhouse, though he had unfortunately perished during the border defense against the Sixth Mainland. However, he had left behind quite a few things for his Dark Phoenix family, and the Darkflames barrier was one of them.

With this barrier protecting them, the Dark Phoenix family was indeed able to enter isolation. Aside from a select few in the Outerverse, there was almost nobody who could force their way through the Darkflames barrier.

Lu Yin stepped into the Darkflames. The barrier was made up of sixteen layers, and the temperature grew higher the further one progressed.

Even the outermost layer was hot enough to cause Hunters to be cautious, and they would barely be able to enter. Lu Yin quickly passed through the first five layers, but once he reached the sixth layer, he became a bit hesitant. It was strong enough to cause even Enlighters to be nervous.

Lu Yin’s physical strength was very impressive, and it could match that of a physically focused Enlighter whose power level was at around 200,000. In fact, Lu Yin’s body could even contend against that of a regular Enlighter whose power level was around 300,000. Even with such a tough body, Lu Yin was only able to endure up to the heat of the eighth layer.

On the planet that was just outside of Darkflame Continent, the middle-aged man and the others were all stunned. They had all made their own guesses at how many layers Lu Yin would be able to pass through, but none of them had ever imagined that he would be able to reach the eighth layer. Not even an Enlighter might be able to reach that far!

The middle-aged man was in the same cultivation realm as Lu Yin, and he actually surpassed Lu Yin slightly, as this Dark Phoenix family’s Cruiser had completed seven cultivation cycles. Even though he was from the Dark Phoenix family, he could only cross the first layer at best. The difference between the two was too great.

His only source of consolation was that Lu Yin had most likely used all of his powerful items to make it that far. Thus, the Dark Phoenix family’s Cruiser could still accept that Lu Yin had reached the eighth layer given all the powerful items Lu Yin was so famous for having.

Within the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames, at the eighth layer, it was so hot that Lu Yin’s very star energy was burning off of his body. He sat down cross-legged in the sky, panting heavily. He had relied on his personal strength to force his way up to now, but it would not be very realistic for him to proceed any further. The Dark Phoenix family had relied on these Darkflames flames to seal off their clan. This meant that, no matter if they were facing powers from the Outerverse or the Innerverse, they had a certain degree of confidence in their safety.

Perhaps the innermost layer of the Darkflames could cause peak Enlighters to be cautious, and even Envoys might take notice of such a barrier.

It was no wonder why the Dark Phoenix family was known as one of the three Outerverse powers that could not be provoked.

Lu Yin let out a mouthful of steam and looked up before focusing on the inside of the flame barrier. Others might not be able to pass through such flames if they attempted to barge through, but unfortunately for the Dark Phoenix family, Lu Yin was the one making the attempt.

After thinking about his circumstances, Lu Yin pulled out an item: the Skyblaze Stone.

The Skyblaze Stone was able to absorb flames, and it was actually the origin of the fiery dragon from the Skyblaze Dojo. Although Lu Yin was unsure of just how powerful that fiery dragon had been, it had most likely possessed the strength of an Envoy at the least. Otherwise, it would not have been able to help Tian Yanzi fight against the Sixth Mainland powerhouses.

Thus, this stone should be able to absorb the flames in this place!

As soon as the Skyblaze Stone was taken out, the surrounding Darkflames suddenly distorted. The flames then shot towards the Skyblaze Stone like a storm before being directly absorbed.

Lu Yin’s eyes lit up, as this was indeed the right way forward.

At the same time, within Darkflame Continent, the Dark Phoenix family’s Tanno Phoenix was gazing into outer space. The border of the continent was blocked off by the flames of the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames, but the continent itself possessed no warmth.

“In isolation for a hundred years. Hopefully, after this, the Outerverse will reconnect with the Innerverse, and that kid will have been suppressed by the various powers from the Innerverse,” Tanno Phoenix commented.

Behind Tanno Phoenix stood Goldric Phoenix. This youth had once been completely unknown, but he had become the Dark Phoenix family’s number one genius after awakening his innate gift. He had also taken Alan to the Dark Phoenix Lavazone, and he was estimated to have the strength to challenge the top ten of the Top 100 Rankings.

Goldric Phoenix’s calm face belied his complex emotions. They were the powerful Dark Phoenix family that had slaughtered their way out of the Innerverse, and they were known as one of the three unprovokable powers of the Outerverse. However, just because they were cautious of a single youth, the family had sealed themselves off for a hundred years. What a joke.

Still, this was the truth of the matter, and Goldric Phoenix could not change it. That youth was simply too freakish whether one considered his personal strength, tricks, background, or even his opportunities. Goldric Phoenix could sympathize with the patriarch’s decision.

“If the Outerverse manages to rejoin the Innerverse within the next five years, then I hope that you will challenge the top three on the Top 100 Rankings, Goldric,” Tanno Phoenix said with some expectation in his voice as he looked back. When the Innerverse and Outerverse reconnected, there would no longer be any reason for them to be wary of Lu Yin. At that time, the family would be able to release the seal isolating the entire family before the allotted one hundred years since Lu Yin would not have the attention to create trouble for them at that time.

Goldric Phoenix had a determined look. “I want to challenge the Ten Arbiters.”

Tanno Phoenix’s eyes narrowed. “If you can become a Hunter by then, you can give it a try.”

Goldric Phoenix nodded. Becoming a Hunter was nothing difficult for him. To many people, breaking through to the Hunter realm was a key checkpoint in their path of cultivation. However, for a genius like Goldric, who had the resources of the entire Dark Phoenix family, such a thing was very simple. The difficult aspect was actually accumulating enough of a foundation while in the Cruiser realm, as the deeper that foundation was, the more powerful he would become once he broke through to the Hunter realm.

The three youths who currently held the top places in the Top 100 Rankings were all able to break through to the Hunter realm, but none of them had not done so. This was because they would not be able to reach the same level as the Ten Arbiters even if they did break through.

The Ten Arbiters were a standard, but that standard had nothing to do with cultivation realms. They represented a supreme boundary of ability, and the current strength of the top three on the Top 100 Rankings did not qualify to become a part of the Ten Arbiters even if they did become Hunters.

Five years, was it?

“Patriarch, if the Innerverse reconnects with the Outerverse, will we exit this seclusion early?” Goldric Phoenix asked, as he was also considering this.

Tanno Phoenix was just about to respond, but his expression suddenly changed as he moved to leave.

At the same moment, quite a few of the Dark Phoenix family’s experts similarly noticed a fluctuation in the Darkflames, and they all rushed to the continent’s barrier.

The Sixteen Layers of Darkflames was shrinking, which was what Tanno Phoenix and the others saw as soon as they arrived at the continent’s border.

“Patriarch, what’s happening?” Zax Phoenix asked. He had been the Dark Phoenix Lavazone’s Commander, but he had also been summoned back when the Dark Phoenix family announced their hundred years of isolation.

Tanno Phoenix also could not understand what was happening, and he stared into the distance in bewilderment.

Nobody could explain what was happening, so Tanno Phoenix ordered the entire clan to search through their ancient texts, and at the same time, he transferred his authority to Goldric Phoenix. This allowed the youth to read through Yen Phoenix’s journal as they all searched for a reason behind this anomaly in the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames.

While the Dark Phoenix family was investigating the reason behind the strange behavior of the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames, Lu Yin was very excited inside of it. This was because the Skyblaze Stone was constantly being replenished, and he would soon be able to use the Skyblaze Stone for another accelerated cultivation session. The Dark Phoenix family’s decision to go into seclusion had just been too timely, as if they had not done so, Lu Yin would have never discovered such a boundless source of black flames.

As time passed, the range of the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames grew smaller, and Lu Yin gradually saw the true terror of the Darkflames’s inner layers. In those areas, the rune lines could almost rival an Envoy’s. Sure enough, this defensive barrier was sturdy enough to cause even Envoys to be cautious.

Outside Darkflame Continent, on the gateway planet, the middle-aged Cruiser and the others had been stunned for a long time, and they simply stared on in stupefaction as the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames changed. They did not know what they should do at this time.

In front of Lu Yin, the Skyblaze Stone grew hotter and hotter, and it even started to give off indistinct snarls.

Lu Yin frowned—could this thing actually allow that fiery dragon to rebirth? If it truly revived, he would not be able to control it. He hoped that that was not the case, as he wanted to use this Skyblaze Stone to cultivate.

As the snarls grew louder and louder, Lu Yin became more and more anxious. Eventually, he decided to stow it away and not let it absorb any more flame in case the fiery dragon truly reemerged.

As for the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames, there was not much of it left—just the innermost layer that possessed the highest temperatures. Leaving this last bit could be considered as him leaving a bit of face for the Dark Phoenix family.

Of the sixteen layers of the Darkflames, fifteen had been absorbed by the Skyblaze Stone.

With only one layer of Darkflames separating them, Tanno Phoenix and the others were all able to see Lu Yin, and Lu Yin could similarly see them. He waved at them before turning to leave.

Tanno Phoenix and the others were stunned. Lu Yin? Why was he here?

The situation instantly became clear. Lu Yin was here, so the changes in the Sixteen Layers of Darkflames absolutely had something to do with him.