Finding the Azure Lotus Core Flame

The island was not large, but lush vegetation grew everywhere. There were many signs of human activity on the island, with vast bamboo groves and exotic flowers and plants cultivated throughout. The scenery was breathtaking.

As Xiao Yan approached the island, even without Yao Lao's help, he could clearly sense the aura of a Heavenly Flame. It was so intense that the Dou Qi within his body began to boil.

"Be careful. Although Medusa Queen is out fighting, that doesn't mean you can let your guard down. Who knows whether there are any deadly traps set up here? It never hurts to be cautious," Yao Lao warned in a deep voice.

"Mm!"

Xiao Yan nodded, indicating that he would absolutely not be careless.

He then slipped into the bamboo grove and slowly followed the paths cut through it. After turning down several forest trails, the view before him suddenly opened up.

Xiao Yan immediately hid himself in the grass, fully extending his senses as his eyes swept over the surroundings, guarding against any danger that might appear.

Fortunately, this place did not seem to contain the traps he had imagined. Perhaps Medusa Queen was confident in her own strength, or perhaps she believed the aerial restriction outside and the poisonous lake were already enough to stop anyone with ill intentions.

In any case, there were unexpectedly no traps or restrictions at all in the center of this island. It was completely undefended.

It was a small circular area, clearly cleared out around the edges. The ground was covered in pebbles that extended all the way to a depression at the center.

Within the depression was a small pool. The water inside was crystal clear, with wisps of faint mist floating over its surface. Even from far away, one could feel an astonishing chill rushing toward them.

"Ice Spirit Cold Spring," Xiao Yan cried softly.

Back then, he had gone to great lengths to trade Gu Te for a small bottle of Ice Spirit Cold Spring. He had thought himself incredibly fortunate to obtain even one bottle of such a precious item. He had never expected to find an entire pool of it here.

"If all this were sold, who knows how many Gold Coins it would fetch?" Xiao Yan's eyes seemed to turn into Gold Coins as he spoke with a greedy grin.

Still, it was only a thought. He could distinguish what was important from what was not. Obtaining the Azure Lotus Core Flame was the priority now; he could take the Ice Spirit Cold Spring after that.

Xiao Yan then stopped paying attention to the Ice Spirit Cold Spring and turned his gaze toward a crystal-carved lotus in the center of the pool. A cluster of azure flame burned at the heart of the lotus, burning in midair without any visible fuel, yet showing no sign of going out.

Azure Lotus Core Flame!

Xiao Yan's pupils shrank to pinpoints as he stared fervently at the azure flame in the center of the Crystal Lotus Seat.

I finally found you.

Unable to endure the longing in his heart any longer, Xiao Yan stepped out from his hiding place and walked toward the pool one step at a time. His eyes could not bear to leave the Azure Lotus Core Flame for even an instant.

Only upon approaching did Xiao Yan realize that this Crystal Lotus Seat was no ordinary object. Whenever the Azure Lotus Core Flame neared the petals, a faint white light would always stop it, enveloping the Azure Lotus Core Flame like an eggshell.

And whenever the white light flashed, the Ice Spirit Cold Spring in the pool decreased accordingly.

Clearly, the Crystal Lotus Seat and the Ice Spirit Cold Spring were one whole. The crystal lotus drew upon the power of the Ice Spirit Cold Spring to suppress the Azure Lotus Core Flame, using extreme cold to restrain the power of the flames.

"What do we do? There seems to be a restriction on this lotus. I was wondering why Medusa Queen was so carefree, leaving such a precious Heavenly Flame here without worrying about thieves coveting it. So she had already tampered with the lotus," Xiao Yan said anxiously.

A long time had already passed, and Medusa Queen could return at any moment. If she saw him trying to take the Heavenly Flame, he would probably be torn to pieces by the enraged Medusa Queen.

The thought that he might very well die at Medusa's hands immediately unsettled Xiao Yan.

He was still a virgin and had yet to experience the pleasures of the bedchamber. If he died just like that, would that not be utterly humiliating?

"Don't worry. Although the formation on it is quite good, it is merely a piece of cake to me. Give me some time, and I'll definitely figure out how to break it," Yao Lao said, feeling the pressure mount. He had to race against time to uncover the secret of breaking the formation.

Yao Lao was not only an alchemy grandmaster; he had also studied formations. Breaking a mere restriction laid down by a Dou Emperor was hardly difficult for him.

After observing it for a minute or two, Yao Lao had thoroughly grasped the formation. He then instructed Xiao Yan to form one hand seal after another. The restriction on the Lotus Platform gradually weakened, and flaws appeared in the formerly flawless formation, making it look like a honeycomb.

At last, with a soft pop, the restriction on the Lotus Platform was finally broken. Freed from the suppression of the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, the Azure Lotus Core Flame swelled explosively in the wind, growing from the size of a fist to nearly as large as a water vat.

Not only that, the scorching heat radiating from the Azure Lotus Core Flame baked the surroundings. The Ice Spirit Cold Spring began to recede at a visible rate, while the surrounding flowers, grass, and bamboo could not withstand the searing temperature and began to combust on their own. Before long, the fairyland had been burned into ruins.

"Teacher, what do we do next?" Xiao Yan was at a loss as he watched the Azure Lotus Core Flame rage.

"Heavenly Flames are not so easily subdued. They instinctively burn everything that approaches them to ashes, including physical objects and all forms of energy," Yao Lao said, his soul body emerging from the ring with a frown.

Originally, the best way to collect the Azure Lotus Core Flame was to use the Born Lotus Seat. Since the two shared the same origin, the Azure Lotus Core Flame would not burn the lotus seat.

But Xiao Yan did not have such an item. Xiao Xian had previously said that the Azure Lotus Core Flame had been taken by Medusa Queen, so Xiao Yan naturally could not return to the Magma Lake. Thus, he had perfectly missed the lotus seat.

This left him in an awkward position. After going through so much trouble to find the Azure Lotus Core Flame, he had not expected to fail at the final moment. The treasure was right before his eyes, yet he had no means to collect it. Was there anything more painful in the world?

"This is difficult. The Azure Lotus Core Flame's temperature is too high. Even a Storage Ring cannot contain it. Only the lotus seat that accompanies the Azure Lotus Core Flame can do so, but we happen to have no such thing." Yao Lao also found the matter troublesome, for he could think of no good way to take it away.

"Why not just refine the Heavenly Flame here? Since we can't take it with us anyway, we might as well refine it into your body now. It was bound to happen sooner or later." Seeing that they could not take it away, Yao Lao gritted his teeth and decided to have Xiao Yan refine the Heavenly Flame on the spot.