"It's opened!"

The crowd, upon seeing this, was immediately overjoyed, with several people even cheering.

"It seems the prediction was correct, the key to breaking the prohibition indeed lies with him." Wu Yu, with eyes gleaming, looked at Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming also displayed a joyful expression, secretly clenching his fist within his sleeve.

His happiness was not only because the prohibition of Xihe Palace was broken, but also because he had mastered the use of the Four Mountains Linked Seal.

From now on, he could use a similar method to break the seventh-level array around the golden hall within the Stealing Heaven Tripod, completely unveiling its secrets.

At this moment, a red light shot out, colliding with the palace gate.

With a loud "bang," the gate was knocked open, and the red light shot inside.

"It's the Flame Wolf King, quickly, follow him!" Master Tantai was taken aback, transforming into a green light and giving chase.

The others also rushed in, flooding toward the hall.

Yuan Ming calmly put away the Breaking Array Seal and was the last to enter Xihe Palace.

As soon as he stepped into the hall, a golden light surged towards him, with scorching heat waves that obstructed his view, making it impossible to see clearly.

An extremely intense heat hit him, nearly driving him mad, his skin feeling as if it was about to burn.

He hurriedly summoned the Emperor Yan's Ruyi Scepter, releasing a red light shield to protect himself from harm.

Just then, a dozen figures swiftly flew out from within Xihe Palace, accompanied by groans of pain; these were more than ten Level 5 Demon Clan members, along with Gan Wenqing of the Daluo Sect and two elderly men in yellow robes.

These people were scorched by the intense heat, all looking disheveled and grimy.

The temperature inside the hall was too frightening, not a place for those at the Returning Void Level to casually enter.

Even the Dharma Phase beings inside the hall were extremely cautious, with Master Tantai wielding the Emperor Yan's Mysterious Fire Tripod, emitting a crimson glow that enveloped himself and Yang Fan.

Sima Changqin summoned the silver Flying Car from before to protect himself and three Black Demon members.

The members of the Ten Thousand Demon Country also each cast spells to protect themselves.

The Flame Wolf King, in particular, bore burn marks on his skin and scorched scalp, looking quite bedraggled and embarrassed.

This situation clearly showed that the Flame Wolf King had been the first to rush in, not anticipating the high temperature inside the hall, and suffered a setback.

Yuan Ming shifted his gaze to the inside of the hall.

The entire hall was quite spacious, not even featuring a single Stone Pillar. In the middle of the hall, hovering mid-air, was a cluster of golden flames, three feet in diameter.

"Great Sun Glaze Flame!" Master Tantai softly exclaimed, even with a slight tremor in his voice.

Everyone was equally drawn to the cluster of flames, their faces showing excitement.

Yuan Ming too looked over; the cluster of golden flames was clear as crystal, with an extremely dazzling golden sheen, resembling a miniature golden sun, embodying a masterful creation yet immensely perilous.

The golden flames emitted an all-consuming heat, causing the nearby space to warp.

"So this is the Heavenly Fire condensed by the Power of the Sun..." Yuan Ming couldn't help but be fascinated by the Great Sun Glaze Flame, sighing inwardly.

The hall was filled with terrifying heat, and the Power of the Sun here was incredibly rich.

Yuan Ming was ecstatic, looking at the golden glow filling the hall as if gazing upon a top-grade delicacy, almost drooling.

He executed the Demon Image Prison Suppression Skill, while all the roots of the Undying Tree plunged into the void, zealously absorbing and refining the Sun's power within the hall.

The rest of the crowd, eyeing the Great Sun Glaze Flame, also revealed greedy expressions but refrained from taking action.

The Great Sun Glaze Flame was a Heavenly Fire, invaluable yet extremely dangerous.

"Since no one dares to try, let me be the first." Wu Li, his eyes burning with eagerness, scanned the crowd.

No one replied.

"Be careful," Sima Changqin advised with a brief contemplation, nodding slightly.

"Rest assured, Lord Qinmo."

Wu Li formed a spell with his hands, conjuring a peculiar red armor enveloping his entire body, exposing only his eyes.

Yuan Ming's eyes sharpened, recognizing the armor made from sixth-grade spiritual material Fire Cloud Mysterious Iron, with golden array patterns interwoven across the red armor, forming a flame-resistant formation.

Wu Li leaped into the air, flashing to the vicinity of the Great Sun Glaze Flame, yet not too close.

A golden shadow flickered in his palm, manifesting a large net with a golden handle out of thin air.

The handle was adorned with golden patterns, and golden runes surfaced on the net, indicating it was a high-grade Spiritual Treasure.

"This is a Spiritual Treasure crafted from Fusang Wood, seemingly a replica of the Ancient Spiritual Treasure Divine Fire Net, clearly showing that Qin Demon prepared thoroughly." Wu Yu remarked with a smile.

Sima Changqin did not respond, his gaze fixated on the mid-air scene.

Wu Li formed a spell and pointed into the void, directing the golden net towards the hovering Great Sun Glaze Flame. The runes on the net lit up entirely, and a red misty light surged forth, enveloping the Great Sun Glaze Flame ahead of time.

The red light instantly evaporated upon contact with the Great Sun Glaze Flame.

The Great Sun Glaze Flame seemed to be provoked, its blaze surged upwards and touched the golden net bag.

This high-quality net bag turned to ashes in an instant upon contact with the flames.

Wu Li's face stiffened, gripping the net bag's handle dumbfoundedly, seemingly unable to believe that the spirit treasure he painstakingly prepared was utterly helpless.

"Watch out!" Sima Changqin's urgent voice suddenly rang out, as his figure shot over.

Wu Li snapped back to his senses, noticing a faint golden flame swiftly spreading along the net bag's handle.

He was horrified and immediately discarded the handle, retreating backward, but it was too late.

The instant the golden flames reached the back of his hand, they surged upward, releasing a booming sound of explosive combustion.

Wu Li was engulfed by the golden flames almost instantly.

The red armor covering his body could only emit a fleeting glow before turning into rubble, and Wu Li, hidden inside, didn't even have time to let out a cry of pain before he was completely reduced to ashes.

Even his Divine Soul couldn't escape, being utterly extinguished.

A shadow flickered near Wu Li, Sima Changqin appeared, ultimately a step too late.

This sudden turn of events shocked everyone once again; from the moment Wu Li attempted to seize the Great Sun Glaze Flame to being burned into ashes, it all happened in an instant.

"A Dharma Phase Cultivator couldn't withstand even a single breath in this Great Sun Glaze Flame; this is the power of Heavenly Fire!" Yuan Ming's pupils slightly contracted, feeling a chill in his heart.

Sima Changqin's gaze was slightly cold, his face solemn, lost in thought.

The Demon Cultivators of the Ten Thousand Demon Country like Wu Yu, despite their fear, revealed even more greedy expressions.

To them, the stronger the Great Sun Glaze Flame was, the more worthwhile their plans seemed.

Although everyone wanted the Great Sun Glaze Flame, Wu Li's ashes remained there, reminding them not to act rashly.

The hall was plunged into silence for a moment, with no one speaking.

Just then, a sudden yet ethereal voice rose, "Finally, you have come, the destined ones of mine!"

Hearing this voice, everyone was startled, searched around but found no trace of anyone.

Sima Changqin, Wu Yu, and Yuan Ming almost simultaneously looked up towards the Great Sun Glaze Flame hanging in mid-air.

Noticing their movements, others also directed their gaze there.

"Was it you just now?" Sima Changqin asked loudly.

"Naturally, it is this deity. Your courage and perseverance to break through layers of difficulties and enter Xihe Palace is commendable. Next, this deity will present a challenge, passing it will grant you my protection, and you may take Xihe Palace with you," the voice said again.

This time everyone noticed that the sound came from within the Great Sun Glaze Flame, their faces showing delight.

Their greatest fear was being in the dark; with this assessment, there's now a regular method, making things easier to handle.

"What kind of test?" Flame Wolf King asked impatiently.

"Very simple, stay inside Xihe Palace, enduring the scorching of the Great Sun Glaze Flame, and whoever persists to the end will own Xihe Palace and the Great Sun Glaze Flame. Those unwilling to participate should leave immediately," said the Great Sun Glaze Flame.

Upon hearing the words, everyone glanced at each other but none moved.

Clearly, no one was willing to give up at this moment.

"Senior, if I may be so bold, there are two matters I'd like to know, if possible?" asked a voice suddenly, which was from Yuan Ming.

"Speak briefly," the Great Sun Glaze Flame said.

"I wish to ask if senior is the spiritual intelligence derived from the Great Sun Glaze Flame? Do all Heavenly Fires possess spiritual intelligence?" Yuan Ming asked two questions entirely unrelated to the assessment.

"Hehe, you are quite interesting. As I am about to leave this place and am in a good mood, I will answer you. I am indeed the Fire Spirit of the Great Sun Glaze Flame. As for your second question, I cannot tell you the answer as I have never encountered other Heavenly Fires," said the Great Sun Glaze Flame.

Yuan Ming nodded and retreated.

"Very well. The assessment is about to begin, those who cannot endure may exit Xihe Palace, ensuring safety while losing the right to compete," the Great Sun Glaze Flame's voice sounded once more.

As soon as the words fell, the Great Sun Glaze Flame suspended in mid-air suddenly intensified, a fiery vortex forming in the center, spinning slowly while releasing waves of hot energy.

The temperature inside the hall immediately rose sharply, as rolling heat waves, like tangible objects, slammed into everyone.

Yang Fan, Electric Roc King, and Black Bear King instinctively stepped back towards the hall door.

However, they quickly realized that this slight movement made no difference to the intense heat inside the hall.

Yuan Ming, due to having Emperor Yan's Ruyi Scepter, better tolerated the heat, resisting the onslaught of heatwaves.

His Divine Power extended to investigate the vortex within the flame, but as soon as his Divine Soul Power left his body, it was instantly burned away by the terrifying heat.

His face slightly changed; his Divine Soul Power was utterly unable to spread.

And as the vortex within the Great Sun Glaze Flame spun faster, as if releasing more and more hot energy, the temperature in the hall abruptly doubled.