Accumulation from the Past

The remaining energy of the Earth Fire Lotus Seed was gradually absorbed by the Purple Crystal Heart, flowing with his blood throughout Xiao Yan's body and transforming it.

The Earth-tier Mid-grade Dou Technique, Molten Earth Splitting Body, also underwent a wondrous reaction with the Earth-tier Low-grade flying Dou Technique, Purple Crystal Wings, making Xiao Yan's physique even more terrifying.

The Dou Qi Vortex, which had originally turned bone-white after he consumed the Bone Spirit Fate Fruit, was also affected by Xiao Yan's transformation, gaining a trace of green.

Xiao Yan's transformation lasted a full day and night.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes, and a green gleam flashed through them. He only felt that his entire body was filled with strength.

To test how powerful he had become, Xiao Yan turned and punched the Stone Wall behind him.

Rumble!

Cracks spread outward from Xiao Yan's fist. The Stone Wall, dozens of meters tall, crumbled apart beneath that single punch. Upon closer inspection, the shattered rocks within several meters of Xiao Yan seemed to show faint signs of melting.

Hiss!

Xiao Yan sucked in a cold breath, feeling that the force of his punch was terrifying beyond measure.

Still, it was understandable. Although this punch had not been augmented with any other Dou Technique, Xiao Yan was currently in the combined state of the Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique Purple Crystal Wings and the Earth-tier Mid-grade Dou Technique Molten Earth Splitting Body. Such destructive power was only natural.

Xiao Yan withdrew the Purple Crystal Wings and Molten Earth Splitting Body, and the purple crystals and green lava covering his body also receded into him—

After Molten Earth Splitting Body was cultivated, even without actively activating it, lava would lurk within the meridians, passively protecting the body and strengthening the physique.

Xiao Yan let out a breath of stale air, his face brimming with delight.

Although his Dou Qi had only risen to the peak of a one-star Dou Ling and had not broken through to two stars, Xiao Yan could now pin a Fourth Rank Magical Beast to the ground and beat it with his body alone.

For example, he had previously needed the Purple Crystal Defense of the Purple Crystal Wings to withstand the magma pillar of the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake. Now, he could take it head-on with his flesh without any problem.

"With your current state, it wouldn't be impossible for you to trade blows with a Dou Wang," Old Yao said with a smile as he drifted over.

"Teacher, I feel that refining the Green Lotus Core Flame is practically guaranteed now."

"I praise you once, and you immediately become arrogant! Refining Heavenly Flames is a matter of nine deaths and one life. Since you decided to challenge a Heavenly Flame with the strength of a Dou Ling, you had better prepare yourself for death!"

Old Yao slapped Xiao Yan to the ground, extinguishing the arrogance in his heart.

"Hehe, Teacher, after refining the Green Lotus Core Flame, I should be able to raise the Flame Mantra to the Di Tier, right?" Xiao Yan dusted himself off and climbed back to his feet, completely unaffected.

"The energy of a Heavenly Flame is incomparably vast. Even one ranked nineteenth is enough to break through the barrier between the Xuan Tier and the Di Tier."

Xiao Yan happily found another suitable spot in the Gobi Desert—a cool cave.

This cave was shielded by the Stone Wall year-round and never saw sunlight. Its temperature was more than ten degrees lower than outside, providing Xiao Yan with considerable psychological comfort.

After cleaning out the cave, Xiao Yan took out the Green Lotus and the Earth Spirit Pill once more, while Old Yao also produced the Na Ling.

Feeling the terrifying energy of the Heavenly Flame at close range, then thinking of the Dou Shi from the original story who had boldly attempted it with a Fifth Grade Pill, the Blood Lotus Pill, and a small bottle of Ice Spirit Cold Spring, Xiao Yan was filled with emotion.

Placing all hope on luck was an act of desperation. If possible, Xiao Yan would rather pile the scales of victory full of weights and rely on strength rather than luck to solve problems whenever he could.

After adjusting his mindset and making himself as calm as possible, Xiao Yan released the Green Lotus Core Flame from the Green Lotus.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan swallowed the Earth Spirit Pill in one gulp, activated the Purple Crystal Wings and Molten Earth Splitting Body, then thrust his heavily protected hand into that terrifying mass of green flame.

Perhaps because Xiao Yan had cultivated the Molten Earth Splitting Body through the Earth Fire Lotus Seed, the green lava was filled with an aura that shared the same origin as the Green Lotus Core Flame. The green flame did not become violent because of Xiao Yan's actions.

Even so, Xiao Yan still felt terrifying heat beneath the two layers of protection. If the Molten Earth Splitting Body had not allowed him to endure temperatures of several thousand degrees, he would likely have already been in unbearable agony.

Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the head-sized mass of green flame and suddenly reached toward the flame seed at its center.

The instant the flame seed entered his hand, Xiao Yan felt the terrifying heat multiply several times over. Without time to hesitate, he shoved it into his mouth and sat cross-legged atop the Green Lotus.

The flame seed of the Green Lotus Core Flame had originally been a thumb-sized strip of magma, yet after entering his body, it scattered apart into dozens of green points of light that wandered through Xiao Yan's body as if driven by curiosity.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan had already taken the Earth Spirit Pill. A light membrane covered all his meridians, blocking most of the heat emitted by those points of light, while the remaining heat was stopped by the keratin layer formed from the Earth Core Lotus Seed.

Xiao Yan let out a breath of relief. The protection was thorough, and the pain was not too intense.

Withdrawing the green lava covering his body and adding another layer of protection to himself, Xiao Yan selected one point of light, wrapped it in Dou Qi, and began guiding it along the Cultivation Technique Route of the Flame Mantra.

To Xiao Yan's surprise, because he had just consumed the Earth Fire Lotus Seed, the Dou Qi filled with various Beast Flames easily established a connection with the green point of light.

The green point of light began slowly devouring Xiao Yan's special Flame Mantra Dou Qi, yet as a result, its connection with Xiao Yan grew increasingly close.

Several different Beast Flames had fused into Xiao Yan's Dou Qi. Only the unique nature of the Flame Mantra had kept them from going berserk. Now that the green point of light was devouring them, the various Beast Flames naturally began to fight.

Even the Heavenly Flame could not suppress their conflict and could only devour them all.

However, Xiao Yan had consumed too many Beast Flames and had also eaten a Bone Spirit Fate Fruit. As a result, the green point of light could not easily devour them and needed to absorb more of Xiao Yan's Dou Qi.

Thus, this green point of light continuously devoured Xiao Yan's Dou Qi and eventually took the initiative to travel along the Cultivation Technique Route of the Flame Mantra.

As the saying went, all things were difficult at the beginning. With this unconventional little companion that was continuously growing stronger, the other points of light were also drawn in, constantly merging into it and circulating together along the Flame Mantra's route.

When all the green points of light merged together, they ultimately formed a tiny stream of green magma.

The instant this complete Green Lotus Core Flame seed appeared, it brought Xiao Yan immense pressure.

The terrifying heat pierced straight through the green lava, the medicinal light membrane, and the keratin layer, inflicting irreversible damage upon Xiao Yan's meridians.

Not only that, but the medicinal power of the Earth Spirit Pill, which had remained strong all this time, began to suffer depletion at this moment—

Whenever the green magma passed through, the light membrane would be completely damaged. Although it could repair itself after the green magma left, it became slightly dimmer each time.

However, at that very moment, a faint disturbance came from Xiao Yan's heart once more.