Face Turning Green

Xiao Yan took a deep breath. He knew that both Queen Medusa and Pill King Gu He were searching for the Heavenly Flame.

On the surface, the Snake People Tribe had only Queen Medusa as a Dou Emperor, but in secret, there were Dou Emperors everywhere, along with countless combination Dou Techniques. Gu He was even connected to the Misty Cloud Sect, with the Soul Hall lurking behind it.

Every day of delay increased the chance of being discovered and made things more likely to spiral out of control.

"Now! Teacher, I'm ready."

"Since you've made up your mind, all I can do is support you."

Old Yao floated out and flicked his finger. A faint gray glow suddenly rose from his fingertips—a thumb-sized gray stone, within whose core a faint blue light slowly wriggled.

"The power of a Heavenly Flame is not something the human body can withstand. Unless you completely refine its energy and merge it into your Dou Qi Vortex, everything you have will be burned to ashes by the Heavenly Flame."

"However, completely refining a Heavenly Flame is still too early for you. This requires Na Ling to open up a mysterious space within your body to contain the Heavenly Flame," Old Yao said calmly.

"So this is the legendary Na Ling, which only high-grade Storage Stones have a chance of producing?" Xiao Yan asked.

"That's right. Take out everything we need," Old Yao said.

Xiao Yan swallowed and took out the Green Lotus and the Earth Spirit Pill from his Storage Ring.

However, at that moment, a flash of inspiration struck Xiao Yan.

"Teacher, if I eat an Earth Core Lotus Seed first, would it increase my chances of successfully refining the Green Lotus Core Flame?"

Hearing this, Old Yao looked toward the Green Lotus. There were eleven Earth Core Lotus Seeds growing on the Lotus Platform at its center. These Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, known as the Essence of Fire Spirit, were enough to drive even a Dou Emperor mad.

"The Earth Core Lotus Seed and the Green Lotus Core Flame share the same origin. If you can refine an Earth Core Lotus Seed, it may improve the compatibility between your Dou Qi and the Green Lotus Core Flame..."

"In theory, it really could raise your chances of success, and it would not take much time. With your current cultivation, refining an Earth Core Lotus Seed would take at most one or two days. Put everything away first. Let me think it over..."

In the end, Old Yao decided to have Xiao Yan consume an Earth Fire Lotus Seed and cultivate the Molten Earth Splitting Body to the minor mastery stage.

The Molten Earth Splitting Body was an Earth-tier Mid-grade Dou Technique. Once cultivated to great mastery, it granted limitless strength; mountains would crumble and the earth would split with every gesture. It could also form a lava layer thousands of degrees hot over the body's surface, making it extremely effective for both defense and combat.

In a volcanic environment, the Molten Earth Splitting Body could draw upon magma to replenish the energy of the surface lava, further increasing its temperature until it was comparable to an Earth-tier High-grade Dou Technique.

Xiao Yan had trained for a long time, but so far, it had merely strengthened his physique and allowed him to form illusory flames over his body. A solid lava layer still seemed far beyond his reach.

With conventional cultivation, Xiao Yan would likely need to reach the Dou Ling Peak or even the Dou Wang realm before achieving minor mastery, and the Dou Emperor realm for great mastery. However, in Old Yao's calculations, the Earth Fire Lotus Seed could accelerate that process.

If Xiao Yan cultivated with the energy contained within the Earth Fire Lotus Seed, he could likely push the Molten Earth Splitting Body straight to minor mastery. His body and Dou Qi would also become far more compatible with the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Thus, Xiao Yan took out the Green Lotus, removed all eleven Earth Fire Lotus Seeds, placed them into Jade Bottles, and stored them away, leaving behind only one Earth Fire Lotus Seed.

Xiao Yan gently pinched the Earth Fire Lotus Seed. This thing required a hundred years to produce a single seed, yet the energy contained within it was exceptionally stable. It was not scorching to the touch, only warm and smooth.

After playing with it for a moment, Xiao Yan flicked his finger and shot the Earth Fire Lotus Seed into his mouth, swallowing it in one gulp.

The Earth Fire Lotus Seed transformed into a searing energy the moment it entered his mouth. It surged down his throat and charged into Xiao Yan's abdomen with savage force, then recklessly rushed into his Meridians.

If Xiao Yan had not possessed such a solid foundation, that impact alone would have damaged his Meridians.

Though he was not injured, the sensation of that searing energy running wild through his body was far from pleasant. Xiao Yan hurriedly calmed his mind and guided the energy along the circulation route of the Molten Earth Splitting Body.

Faint green flames immediately ignited over Xiao Yan's body, while the searing energy within him began to resonate with the flames on his surface.

Drop after drop of tiny jade-like liquid secreted from the searing energy before swiftly merging into Xiao Yan's Meridians.

As these jade liquids filled with immense energy fused into him, a layer of pale green liquid also dissolved from the surfaces of Xiao Yan's Meridians, eventually solidifying into a green keratinous layer.

The searing energy rampaged through Xiao Yan's body again and again along the circulation route of the Molten Earth Splitting Body, yet Xiao Yan continuously refined it.

As the Earth Fire Lotus Seed's energy was steadily refined, Xiao Yan's body gradually began to emit a green glow, while the faint green flames covering him grew increasingly dense.

After dozens of full cycles, not only the Meridians involved in the Molten Earth Splitting Body but all of Xiao Yan's Meridians had been covered by the green keratinous layer, their overall strength increasing by an unknown amount.

Meanwhile, the green flames over Xiao Yan's body became increasingly solid as they were continuously compressed, eventually forming droplets of green lava that flowed over his skin.

Once this lava could completely cover Xiao Yan's entire body, it would mean that his Molten Earth Splitting Body had officially entered the minor mastery stage.

However, at that very moment, an unexpected change occurred.

Xiao Yan's heart, which was covered in purple crystals from consuming the Purple Crystal Lion Heart Pill, suddenly trembled and directly sucked in more than half of the searing energy Xiao Yan had already refined.

The searing energy was trapped within his heart with nowhere to escape. The terrifying heat it contained began to seep out bit by bit, causing Xiao Yan to feel intense pain in his heart.

Xiao Yan's heartbeat instantly accelerated, pounding like drums and making Old Yao, who was guarding him nearby, feel his heart leap into his throat.

"This is bad. Could the Purple Crystal Lion Heart Pill be conflicting with the Earth Fire Lotus Seed? Still, it's better for this to happen now than for something to go wrong while refining the Green Lotus Core Flame. The sooner we find it, the sooner we solve it—and I can still help with the Earth Fire Lotus Seed."

Old Yao immediately focused and summoned the bone-white Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ready to intervene and save Xiao Yan at any moment.

At this moment, Xiao Yan knew he could not wait any longer. He had to find a way to control his heart and guide out the searing energy formed from the Earth Fire Lotus Seed.

Thus, Xiao Yan activated his Purple Crystal Wings, causing them to resonate with his Purple Crystal Heart and open a gap to release the energy within it.

The surging heat flowed through his entire body with his blood, allowing the Earth Fire Lotus Seed's energy to cleanse the body Xiao Yan had forged through devouring several Beast Flames and bring it closer to the power of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

The color of Xiao Yan's Purple Crystal Heart gradually faded before turning green. The purple crystal layer over his body also began merging with the green lava, becoming even stronger.

"Looks like the problem has been resolved." Old Yao let out a sigh of relief and withdrew the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.