Refining Three Thousand Burning Flame

Looking at the Three Thousand Burning Flame in the Fourth Elder's hand, Ao Qing could not help but lose himself in thought. Sure enough, having an elder at home was like possessing a treasure—and he had more than one.

This time, just as when he had devoured a Heavenly Flame before, Ao Qing directly transformed into his true dragon form and swallowed the Three Thousand Burning Flame into his dragon belly in a single gulp. Then, he patiently began refining it.

Seeing this, the elders were in no hurry. They stood guard around Ao Qing and protected him.

Once the Heavenly Flame entered Ao Qing's body, it began crashing about continuously. Seemingly realizing that it was about to be devoured, it became increasingly violent.

However, Ao Qing's strength was far beyond that of ordinary people. With the full force of a Two-Star Dou Saint unleashed, he instantly suppressed the Three Thousand Burning Flame.

Ao Qing then drew the Heavenly Flame's source into his Dragon Pearl. The vast Dou Saint qi within his body began refining the source power of the Three Thousand Burning Flame.

The elders were somewhat surprised by this sight. This was unlike ordinary methods of refining Heavenly Flames. Normally, one would absorb the Heavenly Flame's source into the Dantian and use one's own formidable strength to suppress it. Once successful, one could wield the Heavenly Flame without diminishing its power.

Ao Qing, on the other hand, was directly refining the Heavenly Flame as though it were a medicinal pill. While this would increase his own strength, the Heavenly Flame's power itself would be greatly reduced.

What they did not know was that Ao Qing possessed an innate talent for controlling fire. He could breathe flames comparable to Heavenly Flames himself, and as his strength increased, this dragon flame would only grow stronger.

No wonder something had gone wrong when Ao Qing refined the Green Lotus Core Flame. When he returned last time, he had not explained in detail that this was how he refined Heavenly Flames! The elders had not asked about it either. After all, was this not how they understood Heavenly Flames were refined?

Sure enough, the unexpected happened. When Ao Qing's Dou Qi attempted to refine the source of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, a peculiar energy emanated from within it—far more abundant than what the Green Lotus Core Flame contained!

The moment Ao Qing's Dou Qi came into contact with that peculiar energy, it was like gasoline meeting fire, turning violent in an instant.

Sensing the changes within himself, Ao Qing did his best to control the raging Dou Qi in his body. It was running rampant through his meridians, relentlessly battering his body.

Fortunately, Ao Qing was a true dragon, and his physical body was exceptionally powerful. Otherwise, he would likely have already exploded and died.

Yet that was not even the most terrifying part. Ao Qing silently took out the Dragon Pearl containing the True Dragon Inheritance and waited for the incoming Dou Qi!

After that peculiar energy left the Heavenly Flame's source and entered Ao Qing's Dragon Pearl, his body became like a magnet, drawing the surrounding Dou Qi into him.

However, Ao Qing had clearly underestimated just how terrifying this would be.

The last time this happened at the Misty Cloud Sect, the sect had been located in an area where Dou Qi was relatively sparse. The amount of Dou Qi flowing into him had therefore been limited, allowing Ao Qing to end the influx by breaking through to the Two-Star Dou Saint realm.

But now, Ao Qing was within the True Dragon Secret Realm, where the Dou Qi was nearly liquefied. The immense Dou Qi formed a vortex as it surged toward Ao Qing!

The elders could only watch anxiously. Had they known this would happen, they would never have let Ao Qing refine the Three Thousand Burning Flame. Then this situation would not have arisen.

Ao Qing's response was simple. He first directed the incoming Dou Qi into his own Dragon Pearl. Once it reached saturation, he poured all the incoming Dou Qi into the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl.

Seeing this, the elders finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Big Brother, this was far too dangerous! Had we known, we never would have allowed the Young Master to attempt something like this."

"Fourth Brother, it is too late for regrets now. Besides, doesn't he have the inheritance Dragon Pearl left behind by the True Dragon?"

"That may be true, Eighth Brother, but we have no idea how much Dou Qi that inheritance Dragon Pearl can absorb! What if something goes wrong..."

"Enough, Fourth. Nothing will go wrong. I believe in the True Dragon, and I believe in Ao Qing!"

Hearing their eldest brother say this, the elders said no more. They all remained alert and continued guarding Ao Qing!

Although Ao Qing had the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl to absorb the immense Dou Qi flooding into his body, it was not as simple as he had imagined.

The rapid influx of Dou Qi placed enormous strain on Ao Qing's body. Within him, it felt as though countless ants were crawling over him, tearing apart every inch of his flesh. Blood streamed from him like rain, yet Ao Qing did not utter a single cry.

In his previous life, Ao Qing had died little by little under the torment of illness. Now, he could endure this!

The True Dragon Secret Realm contained an incomparably vast amount of Dou Qi. As more and more Dou Qi spiraled into Ao Qing's body and then entered the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl, the Dragon Pearl began to flicker, even seeming somewhat excited.

Sensing the changes in the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl, Ao Qing temporarily relaxed his mind and focused all his efforts on suppressing the unruly Dou Qi within him!

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days went by.

Over these three days, the elders suffered the most. They wanted to help Ao Qing somehow, yet found that there was nothing they could do. All they could do was remain by his side.

"Big Brother, the speed at which it is absorbing Dou Qi is getting slower and slower. It seems this surge of Dou Qi is about to end."

"I hope so. But why would completely refining a Heavenly Flame's source cause this to happen? I truly cannot make sense of it.

Could the mysterious energy the Young Master spoke of be hidden within every Heavenly Flame?"

"It is not hard to guess. Other than the Heaven and Earth Source, what else could cause Dou Qi to turn so violent? In other words, that peculiar energy must be the Heaven and Earth Source!"

"What Fourth Brother says is not without reason. Once the Young Master finishes cultivating, we can ask him about it."

Ao Qing had now reached the final stage. He completely transformed that special energy within him into a part of his body. The Dou Qi that had originally been violent gradually became gentle, and the Dou Qi outside stopped pouring in as well.

Just when Ao Qing thought everything had gone according to his expectations, a change occurred in the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl in his hand. A wave of soul energy flickered within it before vanishing.

Ao Qing keenly sensed that fluctuation, but no matter how he investigated, it was as though the soul energy had sunk into the sea, impossible to find again.

Without thinking further, Ao Qing completed the refinement.

"How was it, Young Master? Did refining the Three Thousand Burning Flame yield any gains this time?"

The Grand Elder could not help asking.

"Although this refinement was somewhat perilous, fortunately, the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl protected me, and I managed to refine it safely.

Furthermore, after refining the source of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, I discovered that the speed at which I recover from injuries has improved considerably. It was a blessing in disguise. My cultivation speed will likely improve as well.

Moreover, the Dou Qi that entered my body has pushed my cultivation to the peak of the Two-Star Dou Saint realm. After tempering myself for a while, I can begin preparing to break through to the Three-Star Dou Saint realm."

Ao Qing's words filled the elders with envy and joy. Back in their day, at the Dou Saint level, even advancing a single star took decades or even centuries. Yet Ao Qing, in only seven or eight years since his birth, was already nearing the Three-Star Dou Saint realm. Comparing oneself to others truly was infuriating. The elders could not help sighing. As expected of the True Dragon Bloodline—this talent was simply monstrous!

"Since the Young Master has successfully refined the Three Thousand Burning Flame, we shall take our leave. Young Master, you may remain in the secret realm and recover from your injuries before leaving."

"I shall follow the Grand Elder's advice. I also need some time to repair my body and the disordered meridians within me. Over these past few days, thank you, Elders, for protecting me!"

"Young Master need not stand on ceremony. This is what we ought to do. Since you have not fully recovered, we shall not disturb you further. Young Master, we take our leave."

"Take care, Elders..."

The elders departed. However, after walking some distance, the Grand Elder mysteriously turned back. With a sharp gaze and solemn expression, he stared at Ao Qing's True Dragon Dragon Pearl. Yet he soon returned to normal and left with the other elders.

After seeing the elders off, Ao Qing began repairing his injured body and meridians.

This Heavenly Flame really has some tricks. If not for the True Dragon's Dragon Pearl this time, I, Ao Qing, might truly have died here.

But the greater the risk, the greater the reward. It is not merely my cultivation speed that has increased—I can also sense that I have become more compatible with this world. Even comprehending cultivation has become much easier.

Still, the next time I refine a Heavenly Flame, I need to find a place with almost no Dou Qi. Who knows how much Dou Qi this True Dragon Dragon Pearl can hold?

As he pondered, Ao Qing began tending to his injuries.

He was completely unaware that the True Dragon Dragon Pearl was flickering intensely. Within it, a remnant soul was absorbing Dou Qi to temporarily form a body, allowing its originally depleted soul to barely cling to existence.

Ao Qing did not notice the abnormality in the Dragon Pearl and continued recovering.

Several more days passed.

Just as Ao Qing was about to complete his recovery, a soul emerged from the True Dragon Dragon Pearl, startling him in the middle of his recovery.

"Little fellow, do not be nervous. Rest assured, I bear you no ill intentions, nor will I harm you."

"This Emperor?"

Ao Qing was somewhat puzzled, but he steadied himself.

"May I ask who you are, Senior, and why you have suddenly appeared before Ao Qing?"

"Hahaha, little fellow, you are quite cautious. Speaking of which, you and I share a deep connection!

You should be the true dragon born from that dragon egg. I will not beat around the bush—I am the true dragon who fell in the Dou Qi Continent!"

"A true dragon? The True Dragon Lord in the legends fell tens of thousands of years ago. If you are going to lie, at least come up with a believable excuse." Ao Qing rolled his eyes. He had no intention of believing that this guy before him was a true dragon. He did not look like one at all, and he even had a rather shameless air about him.

"Hey! You brat, do you think This Emperor would lie to you? I did indeed fall tens of thousands of years ago, and before I died, I entrusted you to the Ancient Void Dragon. And now you refuse to acknowledge it?"

Ao Qing was speechless. He folded his arms and simply looked at the Soul Body before him with an expression that clearly said, Go on, but I do not believe you.

The main reason was that Ao Qing could not sense any hostility from this Soul Body, so he was not overly guarded. After all, murderous intent was impossible to hide.

Seeing Ao Qing's expression, the Soul Body was both angry and amused.