The figure wrapped in crimson fire sank deeper and deeper into the boundless magma!
As the stirring in his heart grew stronger.
Xiao Yan seemed to understand where that feeling was coming from.
He descended ever deeper.
The surrounding magma gradually shifted from red to cyan.
The temperature rose higher and higher. The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake's scales peeled away in the magma, exposing its crimson flesh.
It was about to reach its limit and could only stop helplessly.
Yet Xiao Yan had already sensed the location of that pure fire-attribute energy.
No longer needing the Fire Spirit Snake, Xiao Yan suddenly unleashed his Dou Qi, and his descent instantly accelerated!
Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame ignited at his fingertips, guiding him rapidly forward.
Until the outline of a circular stone platform dozens of meters in diameter emerged in his sight.
Old Yao's phantom suddenly solidified:
"The aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame!"
The stone platform floated within a magma vortex, forcing back the magma within a hundred zhang into a ring-shaped curtain of fire.
At the center of the platform, a massive green lotus roughly three zhang in diameter bloomed silently.
Its twelve petals gleamed with a jade-like luster.
At the heart of the lotus, a jade-colored lotus pedestal two or three feet wide flickered with green light.
Yet the center of the pedestal, where the Heavenly Flame should have rested, was now completely empty!
Only a Seven-Colored Snake Scale remained, glowing with an eerie purple radiance.
Xiao Yan stepped inside and walked straight toward the lotus pedestal.
Old Yao's expression turned solemn:
"Judging from the energy fluctuations of this green lotus, it has been nurtured for at least a thousand years."
"By all reason, it should have produced a Heavenly Flame."
"But, boy, don't lose heart."
"The road of cultivation is difficult to begin with. Whether one succeeds or fails is still..."
Old Yao came back to his senses.
Fearing that his disciple, after searching so hard all this way only to find nothing in the end,
would be filled with resentment, he prepared to offer some comfort.
Yet when he turned around, he froze, and the words of consolation in his mouth went right back down his throat.
Xiao Yan was casually leaning against the enormous green lotus.
He played with a Seven-Colored Snake Scale in his hand.
There was not the slightest hint of regret on his face. Instead, a faint smile hung on his lips:
"Teacher, don't jump to conclusions so quickly."
"Who says we came back empty-handed?"
"Isn't there still a clue here?"
"The aura of a high-tier snake Magical Beast."
The moment Old Yao's phantom touched the snake scale, he had already deduced the answer:
"In this Tagor Desert, there is likely only one owner of this kind of snake scale."
"Moreover, this scale bears traces of transformation."
"According to what Hai Bodong said, Medusa reached the Peak Dou Huang long ago."
"Could she be trying to forcibly devour the Heavenly Flame and advance her bloodline?"
Having reached this conclusion, Old Yao regained his calm composure.
Xiao Yan raised his brows slightly:
"Teacher, aren't you worried she might successfully evolve after devouring the Heavenly Flame?"
The moment Xiao Yan said this, Old Yao unexpectedly sneered:
"Devour a Heavenly Flame? It's not that simple."
"The Snake People Clan has no high-tier alchemists and cannot take high-tier medicinal pills that aid in subduing Heavenly Flames."
"So she can only force herself to devour it."
"And forcibly devouring a Heavenly Flame, even for a high-tier Dou Zong, means death and destruction with the slightest mistake."
"She is merely a Peak Dou Huang. Even if her Magical Beast body is powerful and her bloodline noble—"
"Her chance of failure in forcibly devouring a Heavenly Flame is still ninety-nine percent."
"Whether she can even keep her life is uncertain, and she still wants to advance her bloodline?"
"Once she fails and dies, we can simply barge into the Snake People Clan."
"Collecting the Heavenly Flame will be as easy as turning over one's hand."
Xiao Yan nodded.
"Teacher, let's set the Heavenly Flame aside for now."
"The purity and density of the fire-element energy here are far too high."
"I can feel my physique stirring. Once I trigger it, I may awaken another new ability."
Old Yao's eyes lit up, and he immediately cast aside the matter of the Heavenly Flame.
He knew just how terrifying Xiao Yan's physique was. His cultivation was still too shallow to unleash its full potential.
This time, it might be another stage of awakening:
"Go ahead without worry. Your teacher will guard you!"
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, walked into the center of the green lotus, closed his eyes, and sat down cross-legged.
His palm pressed lightly against the lotus roots as golden patterns spread from his arm across his entire body:
In an instant:
"Boom!"
The energy of heaven and earth suddenly erupted into chaos!
The Kirin Heaven Devouring Art began circulating frantically within him!
The fire-attribute energy accumulated by the green lotus over a thousand years transformed into a Crimson Gold Torrent and surged through his meridians.
The power slumbering deep within him was awakened!
His Dou Qi condensed in an instant:
Five-star Dou Ling Six-star Dou Ling Seven-star Dou Ling!
The thunderous roar of his soaring cultivation echoed out, shaking cracks across the surface of the stone platform.
Surging fire-element energy gathered madly, forming a spectacular hundred-meter energy vortex!
"Roar!!!"
A Qilin's roar rang out from the depths of the magma, and a hundred-meter phantom appeared behind Xiao Yan!
Crimson Armor solidified from his chest outward, its scales clashing with a ringing sound like metal striking jade.
A Crimson Fire Emblem was embedded in the helmet over his brow, while Flowing Fire Plumes extended from his shoulder armor!
Liquid Flame flowed through every pattern on the armor.
Layer upon layer of leg armor emerged, each gleaming like the Crimson Fire Scales of a Qilin!
A violent, ancient aura descended abruptly!
"What is this...?"
"What!?"
Old Yao's voice trembled. Despite having roamed the continent for centuries,
he had not merely never seen such a sight—he had never even heard of it!
As the armor covering his entire body fully formed, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes.
His crimson pupils flickered with red light!
With a casual flick of his finger, the fingertips of his Armament State grazed the stone platform.
The point of contact instantly vaporized, melting a trench ten zhang long.
With a thought, Four Fire Wings unfolded from his back and expanded to seven zhang!
A gentle flap stirred hidden currents through the magma.
At this moment, he seemed to have become the origin of all flames, each movement drawing a resonance from the surrounding energy.
In Armament State, he could even temporarily raise his cultivation!
Unleashing power far beyond his normal limits!
"Four-star Dou King."
Feeling the surging power within him, Xiao Yan suddenly threw a punch toward the ceiling above!
"Rumble!"
His fist wind transformed into a crimson Qilin and shot skyward, blasting a skywell dozens of zhang wide through a thousand-meter layer of molten rock!
"So this is Armament?"
After carefully examining himself, he realized that the armor he wore after activating his Armament
was unlike its original form, which had been filled with a futuristic technological feel.
Instead, it seemed like a fusion of ancient and modern styles—overbearing and awe-inspiring!
Yet it did not feel out of place at all.
With a beat of his four wings, he shot into the magma in an instant.
Within a few breaths, he broke through the surface of the Lava Lake and emerged!
His surging aura swept in all directions!
On the stone cliff, Hai Bodong's Ice Wings instantly spread open.
Frost Armor condensed around his body.
He stared at the armored youth, Liquid Flame flowing around him.
The four wings behind Xiao Yan danced wildly as fire-element energy joyfully circled around him.
It was as though he were the sovereign of this world of magma!
The instinct unique to a Dou Emperor screamed warnings at him...
At this moment, Xiao Yan made him recall the feeling of facing Queen Medusa back then.
Nearby:
Qing Lin curled up in Xiao Yi Xian's arms and secretly looked toward Xiao Yan.
Her eyes were filled with admiration.
Xiao Yi Xian also turned her gaze toward him, gentleness in her eyes.
Yet waves churned in her heart:
He had grown stronger again, just as he always did.
I wonder when I'll finally be able to help him.
Only Hai Bodong's eyes were filled with shock as he looked at Xiao Yan.
There was even a trace of utter bewilderment:
You've got to be kidding me?
It hasn't even been two hours!
When he went down, I could have handled him with ease. Now that he's come back up, I can feel a deadly threat from him!?
What kind of monster is this human!?
Before you continue