Earth Core Flame Stirs, a Chance for Further Evolution

The two slowly entered the passage. Before long, they reached the bottom of the cave, where a fiery red world unfolded before them.

Within the enormous cavern, scorching magma flowed slowly, bubbles bursting from time to time like countless crimson fireworks blooming in the air.

"Under the magma."

Lu Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. The Earth Core Flame in his hand suddenly grew restless, but it was not afraid. Rather, it was like it had encountered some treasure that excited it. It seemed that something beneath the magma had stirred it deeply.

Hai Bodong raised a brow and said, "Then I'll protect you while we go down and take a look. The conditions where Heavenly Flames are born are harsh; it's indeed possible for something like this to exist."

"Thank you, Old Hai," Lu Yu replied.

With that, Hai Bodong stamped his foot, and a thick layer of ice-blue Dou Qi surged forth, instantly forming an ice-blue barrier that enveloped both him and Lu Yu.

"Go!" Hai Bodong waved his hand, then leaped toward the crimson sea of magma.

At that moment, a muffled boom suddenly erupted from the previously calm Magma Sea below. Countless streams of scorching magma shot violently into the air.

Amid the falling lava, a massive mysterious creature abruptly burst out of the magma, lunging like lightning at Hai Bodong, who had just been about to move.

"There's even a guardian magical beast? Young Lu, looks like we really found the right place this time!"

Rather than panicking, Hai Bodong looked delighted. With a wave of his hand, a huge hand of Ice Crystal lunged toward the mysterious creature!

Crack!

In that instant, the mysterious creature let out an enraged hiss. Its enormous tail whipped out viciously, sending countless Ice Crystal fragments scattering down.

However, the giant Ice Crystal hand accurately seized the creature's enormous tail, then swung it with brutal force, hurling the creature away like a cannonball!

Bang!

A tremendous dull crash rang out as the massive mysterious creature was slammed to the ground. After shooting forward for some distance, it crashed heavily into the hard rock.

Amid a thunderous explosion, a gigantic crater was left in the rock.

Lu Yu casually glanced at the mysterious creature Hai Bodong had knocked unconscious. It resembled a snake and possessed an extremely long body. Its entire form was fiery red, looking from afar like a rounded piece of fire jade. Moreover, this magical beast had two heads.

It was the Twin-Headed Fire Spirit Snake.

Only, it had already been knocked unconscious.

"Kid, let's go. There's no one left to get in our way now."

Hai Bodong waved his hand. The two immediately rose into the air, then transformed into a streak of light and shot into the magma.

Splash!

The two plunged into the Magma Sea like an ice-blue streak of light, then began swimming swiftly.

Undercurrents churned through the scorching world of magma, and violent magma currents occasionally swept past them. Yet aside from the Twin-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, there seemed to be no trace of any other creature.

Suddenly, Lu Yu's gaze shifted slightly. He felt the Earth Core Flame in his hand trembling faintly, growing more and more excited. This caused him to narrow his eyes.

Is it because of the Green Lotus Core Flame? Or something else...? Lu Yu wondered to himself.

Meanwhile, guided by the Earth Core Flame, Hai Bodong swam faster and faster. Before long, the surrounding crimson magma had somehow taken on a faint bluish-green hue.

In an instant, a dazzling azure radiance bloomed before them.

Ahead of them, the azure light shone brilliantly. Vaguely, it seemed as though a blue-green lotus stood there serenely.

"Hiss!"

At that moment, the Earth Core Flame in Lu Yu's palm stirred uneasily. There seemed to be joy in its agitation, yet also a trace of fear...

"Kid, this is..." Hai Bodong asked, his expression uncertain and filled with confusion.

"It's the Green Lotus Core Flame."

Lu Yu said in a low voice, "Nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. It is born deep within the earth, formed from Earth Fire that has been continuously compressed, carved, and tempered. A lotus forms after a thousand years, and a flame is nurtured within its heart..."

"It is called the Green Lotus Flame, also known as the Green Lotus Core Flame!"

He stared at the restless Earth Core Flame in his hand and thought to himself, That's right. The Green Lotus Core Flame and the Earth Core Flame both belong to Earth Fire. Anything useful to the Green Lotus Core Flame will surely be highly beneficial to the Earth Core Flame as well. For the Earth Core Flame to react so intensely, could it be...

"Kid, what should we do now?"

Hai Bodong's expression turned grave as his eyes remained fixed on the Green Lotus. Dozens of slender roots extended from beneath it, swaying flexibly through the magma like living creatures.

Every root was covered in fine tendrils, devouring the surrounding fire-attributed energy at an astonishing speed.

"The roots around this Green Lotus seem a little strange..." Hai Bodong muttered.

"Let's go take a look." As Lu Yu spoke, he gently soothed the Earth Core Flame in his hand.

Then, Hai Bodong brought him carefully around the constantly swaying root tendrils and above the Green Lotus.

"Kid, there's no flame here!" Hai Bodong pointed to the center of the small Green Lotus Platform within the flower. There was a fist-sized hole there, but it was completely empty!

"We may have arrived too late. The Green Lotus Core Flame has probably been taken away."

Lu Yu had expected this already, but he still pretended that he had only just realized it.

Suddenly, he let out a surprised sound and beckoned lightly with his hand. At once, a seven-colored light whistled out from the lotus platform and settled steadily in his palm.

"What is that?" Hai Bodong hurried over. When he saw the object, his pupils abruptly contracted, and he said in astonishment, "This is Medusa's snake scale!"

The snake scale was about half the size of a palm and gleamed in seven colors. At a glance, its multicolored luster was brilliant and eye-catching.

"Medusa?" Lu Yu asked, feigning confusion.

"There's no mistake. I fought her before. I know this aura all too well!"

Hai Bodong's expression instantly darkened, and a trace of resentment seeped into his voice.

Lu Yu nodded, a hint of disappointment appearing on his face. "They say she is a Peak Dou Huang expert. It seems there's no hope of obtaining the Green Lotus Core Flame. Forget it. Being able to take this Green Lotus Platform means this trip hasn't been for nothing."

"Green Lotus Platform? What use does this thing have?"

Hai Bodong examined the lotus platform glowing with a soft azure light, his eyes full of doubt.

Lu Yu smiled and explained, "It was condensed by Earth Fire over a thousand years. It is considered a companion object of the Green Lotus Core Flame. If a fire-attributed cultivator trains atop it, their cultivation speed can increase by at least threefold."

"It's such a treasure?" Hai Bodong said in surprise. "Medusa took the Heavenly Flame but left behind something like this..."

Before he could finish, the Earth Core Flame in Lu Yu's palm suddenly churned violently!

The crimson flame twisted and warped like a living creature, transforming into a fire serpent that pounced fiercely at the lotus platform.

"Not good!"

Lu Yu's expression changed. Before he could react, the Earth Core Flame had already come into contact with the lotus platform.

In an instant, dazzling azure and crimson light erupted together, shaking the entire Magma Lake!