Eight-Star Dou Emperor

Beneath the azure lotus was an extremely slender stem, more than ten meters long.

The stem was densely covered in tiny tendrils, greedily and frantically absorbing the violent Fire Attribute energy from the surrounding magma.

The azure lotus floated in the magma, drifting wherever the currents carried it. If not for the Green Lotus Core Flame in his hand, Xiao Kun might not have been able to find it.

Slowly moving above the azure lotus, he swept his gaze over it. Sure enough, Medusa had already taken the Green Lotus Core Flame.

On the small lotus platform within the flower, aside from a fallen Seven-Colored Scale, there was only a fist-sized hole at the center, utterly empty.

With a beckoning gesture, the Seven-Colored Scale shot out from the lotus platform and landed in Xiao Kun's hand.

Looking at the Seven-Colored Scale that Medusa must have dropped, Xiao Kun thought that he would soon be able to meet Medusa herself.

He shook his head, casting aside that pointless thought.

Xiao Kun took more than a dozen high-quality rouge jade bottles from his Storage Ring, intending to follow Yao Lao's method from the original work and make a jade ruler from the bottles to cut the lotus free.

Golden flames surged from his palm, melting the jade bottles into a pale azure liquid. After shaping it, he solidified it into a slender jade ruler.

Finally, he removed the impurities from the jade ruler, making it as crystal-clear as the azure lotus's leaves.

Before long, after the jade ruler had cooled—

Xiao Kun gripped the jade ruler and carefully swam toward the azure lotus. With a gentle slice at the point where the lotus base joined the stem, the perfect azure lotus came free.

Seeing this, Xiao Kun quickly drew the azure lotus into his hand, sighing inwardly. After all that trouble, he had finally obtained this treasure.

After all, the lotus platform within the azure lotus had formed from the power of the earth condensed over a thousand years. If one removed it and cultivated while seated upon it, one's cultivation speed could increase severalfold.

As for the lotus seeds within the platform, they were Earth Fire Lotus Seeds, known as the essence of fire spirits. One formed every hundred years, and they were immensely beneficial to Fire Attribute cultivators.

"One, two... eleven." Xiao Kun counted the lotus seeds within the azure lotus and found that there were eleven in total.

He then took eleven small jade bottles from his Storage Ring and carefully picked the eleven Earth Fire Lotus Seeds out of the lotus platform with the jade ruler, placing them into the bottles.

Finally, he stored everything in his Storage Ring.

Now that the purpose of this trip had been achieved, Xiao Kun glanced around. Finding nothing else that required attention, he sensed the location of the Amethyst Winged Lion King formed by the Heavenly Flames above the magma.

After confirming the direction, Xiao Kun once again hurried back the way he had come.

"Why isn't he back yet?" Qing Lin stared at the tranquil magma lake. After waiting for so long, anxiety rose in her heart once more. Her pearly teeth bit down on her red lips as she waited anxiously.

A moment later, amid Qing Lin's anxious wait, a loud splash rang through the cavern.

Qing Lin hurriedly turned her gaze toward the source of the sound and saw Xiao Kun's figure, wrapped in golden flames, appear before her eyes.

"Huff..." Xiao Kun broke through the surface of the viscous magma and let out a long breath.

It was far too stifling beneath the magma, and visibility was poor. After staying down there for so long, Xiao Kun had truly felt suffocated.

Seeing the worry in Qing Lin's eyes, Xiao Kun beckoned to her. Then, golden Peng Wings spread from his back. With a slight flap, his body flashed to Qing Lin's side.

"Young Master, did you get what you wanted?" Seeing that Xiao Kun was safe and sound, Qing Lin turned her concern to what he had gained from the trip.

Hearing this, Xiao Kun took out the azure lotus, as exquisite as a work of art, from his Storage Ring and said happily, "Of course. When your young master makes a move, it's guaranteed to be mine!"

"Mhm, Young Master is the best!" Hearing that Xiao Kun had successfully obtained it, Qing Lin replied happily as well.

"Now that we've got it, let's return to Shimo City!" With a casual gesture, Xiao Kun dismissed the Amethyst Winged Lion King. He waved his hand, turned around, and headed into the passage.

Seeing this, Qing Lin touched the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake at her sleeve and softly said, "You need to behave from now on. Don't make Young Master angry, okay?"

Without waiting for the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake to answer, Qing Lin jogged after the figure ahead.

As the two gradually departed, this magma cavern deep underground slowly returned to its former tranquility.

Three months later, in a deserted area of the Tagor Desert, Xiao Kun sat cross-legged inside a heavily weathered rock.

Slowly finishing his cultivation, he examined the condition within his body and found that, after several months of cultivation, his previously surging strength had been completely stabilized.

Two days earlier, Xiao Kun had already sensed an opportunity for another breakthrough. He had found this secluded place to make his breakthrough, and after more than a day of preparation, everything was ready.

With a movement of his hand, a jade bottle resembling emerald appeared in his palm. As he tilted its mouth, an azure pill the size of a longan rolled out.

Immediately, an unusual fragrance spread through the air, refreshing the mind.

This pill was the Emperor Augmenting Pill that Xiao Kun had already taken once during the early stage of the Dou Emperor realm. This time, he intended to take another one and break through to the Eight-Star Dou Emperor level.

The pill slowly rolled in his hand. After a moment, Xiao Kun finally exhaled softly, opened his mouth, and swiftly swallowed it.

The Emperor Augmenting Pill's medicinal power was gentle. Once swallowed, it slowly released streams of pure energy, allowing Xiao Kun to absorb them gradually.

Seeing the medicinal power begin to take effect, Xiao Kun quickly formed a cultivation seal, activated the Spirit Burning Technique, and began refining the pill's energy.

Seven days later, as the Emperor Augmenting Pill's medicinal power gradually ran dry, the energy vortex above Xiao Kun's head—formed by his rapid absorption of energy—trembled slightly a few times before slowly dispersing.

Xiao Kun's cultivation steadily reached the Eight-Star Dou Emperor level.

Clenching his fist and feeling the strength that was several times greater than before, Xiao Kun could not help but marvel at the power of the Emperor Augmenting Pill. As expected of a pill unique to the system, the breakthrough had gone so smoothly.

More than a month later, Xiao Kun was cultivating in his room at the Mo Iron Mercenary Group as usual.

He suddenly noticed some commotion outside. Listening closely, he discovered that Xiao Yan had arrived at the mercenary group today as well.

Xiao Kun opened his door and found Qing Lin walking toward him with the look of someone who had something to say. Xiao Kun guessed that it was probably related to Xiao Yan.

Sure enough, although Qing Lin froze in fright for a moment when Xiao Kun suddenly opened the door, she quickly came to her senses and hurriedly said:

"Young Master, Young Master Xiao Yan will be coming to the mercenary group today as well. The other two young masters are currently in the council hall and have specifically sent me to notify you to join them there to welcome Young Master Xiao Yan."

Qing Lin then explained the whole sequence of events to Xiao Kun.

It turned out that, just as in the original story, Xiao Yan had rescued a Mo Iron Mercenary Group unit that had been surrounded and attacked by snake people.

Now, the advance party had already returned with the good news. Xiao Ding and Xiao Li naturally wanted Xiao Kun to gather with them in the council hall and prepare to welcome Xiao Yan.

After hearing this, Xiao Kun naturally had no objections. He nodded and headed for the council hall.