The Twenty-Third Heavenly Flame, Earth Core Flame!

After clearing away the bodies,

Lu Yu exchanged a few pleasantries with the Xiao Clan members before returning to his room with Xiao Yi Xian.

"How are your Jade Butterfly Art and Purple Smoke Barrier coming along?"

Lu Yu lightly tapped his fingertip, and the flame on the candle stand flared to life.

Xiao Yi Xian gently waved her hand, a wisp of purple smoke swirling around her palm. "I can now form three poisonous butterflies with the Jade Butterfly Art, and I've also attained a minor level of mastery in the Purple Smoke Barrier." She lightly turned her wrist. Within the purple smoke, jade butterflies faintly fluttered about, creating a stunning sight.

A trace of approval flashed through Lu Yu's eyes. Over the past six months, aside from studying alchemy, he had also carried out six simulations. In two of them, his luck had been poor, and he had encountered accidents that left him with nothing.

In two others, he had obtained the Jade Butterfly Art and Purple Smoke Barrier, two High-grade Spirit Tier Spirit Arts focused respectively on offense and defense, and had given them to Xiao Yi Xian.

The most pleasantly surprising results had come from the final two simulations. He had actually obtained two extraordinary objects called Earth Core Jade Marrow, which contained rich earthly flame essence but were also mixed with violent fire poison energy.

If an ordinary person rashly absorbed them, the violent fire poison within would inevitably scorch their meridians. Heavenly Flames, however, could devour the fire poison together with the earthly flame essence and transform them into nourishment.

After Lu Yu fed them to the Earth Core Flame, Old Man Yao had examined it and offered his assessment: although the strengthened Earth Core Flame was still inferior to the Bone Spirit Cold Flame in his possession, its might already rivaled the subsidiary flames derived from certain Heavenly Flames.

It might even be able to contend with the lowest-ranked Heavenly Flame on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

The next day, Wutan City erupted.

Six Da Dou Shi experts from the Gale Family and Ouba Family had vanished overnight, without leaving behind even the slightest trace of a struggle. Rumors spread everywhere, and people whispered about it throughout the teahouses and taverns.

"Have you heard? Gale Bi seems to have been killed. That good-for-nothing Gale Ao didn't even seek out a woman last night—he fled the city overnight!"

"The Ouba Family's case is even stranger. The guards on night watch said they saw a flash of red fire in the middle of the night, and the remaining Dou Master elders turned directly into ashes..."

Inside the Xiao Clan's council hall, the three elders wore solemn expressions. The Grand Elder lightly tapped his teacup, the celadon cup making a series of fine clinks against the sandalwood table.

"Have you found out what happened?" the Second Elder asked in a lowered voice. "Was it really that boy...?"

"Who else could it have been?" The Third Elder glanced toward the training ground outside the window.

Amid the morning mist, Lu Yu was guiding Xiao Yi Xian in her cultivation of Dou Qi. The purple mist leaping from the Young Girl's palm transformed into one purple poisonous butterfly after another, fluttering through the courtyard.

The scene was breathtakingly beautiful, yet it contained a deadly killing intent.

"That girl's control over Poison Dou Qi has become increasingly refined." The Grand Elder narrowed his eyes. The teacup in his hand tilted unconsciously, and several drops of tea splashed onto his sleeve, but he did not notice at all.

The Second Elder swallowed, lowering his voice even further. "The disturbance last night... was at least a clash between high-level Da Dou Shi experts. But this boy is clearly..."

"Clearly no more than a Three-star Great Dou Shi..."

The Third Elder picked up the thread, frowning as he spoke.

The council hall suddenly fell into absolute silence. The three elders exchanged glances, each seeing deep apprehension in the others' eyes.

"That's enough. Regardless of how you look at it!"

Xiao Zhan, seated in the chief seat, suddenly rose and slammed his hand onto the table. His eyes flashed sharply. "Little Friend Lu is a Xiao Clan Guest Elder, and he has been on good terms with our Xiao Clan for two generations. This is a heaven-sent opportunity. Now that the Gale and Ouba families have lost all their elite forces, it is precisely the time for our Xiao Clan to rise!"

He swept his sleeve and issued his orders in a deep voice. "Grand Elder, take people to take over the Gale Family's markets. Be sure to control all the medicine shops before noon. Second Elder, I'll leave the Ouba Family's mines to you."

"Third Elder, keep a close eye on the direct descendants of both families."

His gaze hardened, and his voice suddenly turned cold. "Remember, handle it cleanly and decisively."

"Brother Yu, are you really going to the Tagor Desert?"

In a quiet courtyard, Lu Yu sat beside a stone table, carefully wiping a bronze Medicine Cauldron and not missing a single detail.

Xun'er's voice came from behind him, carrying a trace of concern that was difficult to detect.

Lu Yu put away the Medicine Cauldron and turned around with a smile. "Yes. I heard there are rumors of a Heavenly Flame appearing there. You know I'm an alchemist, and you know how attractive something like a Heavenly Flame is to me. So I'm planning to go take a look."

Xun'er nodded, then asked with concern, "Then Brother Yu, you must be extra careful. If things become impossible, withdraw as soon as possible."

A gentle smile filled Lu Yu's eyes as he said softly, "Don't worry. I'll be back within six months at most. I don't want to miss Jia Nan Academy's recruitment."

Xun'er nodded slightly, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath the sunlight. A trace of reluctance flashed through her eyes, and her voice was as gentle as water. "Brother Yu, you must come back soon. Xun'er will wait for you at the Xiao Clan."

Seeing the longing in the Young Girl's eyes, Lu Yu's heart warmed, and he nearly blurted out that he would not go after all. He steadied himself, reached out, and gently pulled Xun'er into his arms. He whispered into her ear, "I'll definitely come back as soon as possible."

Not far away, Ling Ying hid in the shadows of a corner. Watching the two embracing beneath the sunlight, he shook his head helplessly. "This boy... The Young Miss spends every day getting so close to him. If the clan leader finds out..."

He rubbed his nose and let out a bitter sigh, but he had no good solution either.

Not long afterward,

Inside a secluded cave in the Xiao Clan's Back Mountain,

Old Man Yao's illusory figure floated in midair. The Bone Spirit Cold Flame leaped in his palm, enveloping a mass of crimson liquid. As the flame churned, the blood-colored liquid continuously condensed, radiating waves of scorching heat.

"Condense!"

With Old Man Yao's low shout, the Bone Spirit Cold Flame abruptly surged. At the center of the flames, a blood-red pill the size of a Dragon Eye spun rapidly, lotus-shaped patterns gradually surfacing on its exterior. Suddenly, a violent energy fluctuation burst from the pill, sending waves of air surging through the cave.

Boom!

The vast energy fluctuation spread outward, and the trees outside the cave began moving without any wind. Rich medicinal fragrance mixed with blood-colored mist, actually forming a tiny red cloud in the sky that lingered for a long time.

Energy ripples—this was clearly an omen that could only appear when refining a pill of fourth grade or higher!

"It's done." Old Man Yao wore a smile. With a wave of his sleeve, he withdrew the flames and tossed the blood-red pill, still carrying residual heat, to Lu Yu.

Seeing this, Lu Yu hurriedly took a jade bottle of exceptionally high quality from his Storage Ring and quickly placed the pill inside.

"Senior's alchemy skills are truly astonishing." Lu Yu carefully put away the jade bottle and praised him sincerely. "You actually refined a fifth-grade Blood Lotus Pill so perfectly."

Old Man Yao stood with his hands behind his back, his white brows raised slightly. "Blood Lotus Essence and Ice Spirit Flame Grass are rare materials that one can only chance upon. You're quite willing to spend. Is this really for that nonexistent Heavenly Flame in the Tagor Desert?"

Lu Yu chuckled, a trace of cunning flashing through his eyes. "It never hurts to be prepared."

That was what he said aloud, but in truth, he had other plans. His real targets were Qing Lin in the Tagor Desert and the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Remnant Map in the hands of Emperor of Ice Hai Bodong.

"As for the Green Lotus Core Flame..." Lu Yu secretly shook his head. With the simulator, he did not care all that much about a Heavenly Flame ranked so low.

Instead, a Heavenly Flame like the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, which had given birth to a Spirit of the Exotic Flame, as well as Qing Lin's rare Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, were both extraordinary existences even in the Great Thousand World.

As for this Blood Lotus Pill, it had actually been prepared for the Lesser Falling Heart Flame in Jia Nan Academy. Once he cultivated the Pagoda Tower, accommodating multiple Heavenly Flames would not be difficult in the future, so it was wise to prepare a pill in advance.