Stone Desert City

On the day Liu Xi left, he looked at Liu Ming and Li Yue, who had come to see him off with reluctance written all over their faces, as well as Liu Cheng in Li Yue's arms. Smiling reassuringly, he said, "This time, I'm only taking a trip around the empire before heading to the Imperial Capital to visit my teacher. I won't be gone for long."

As the head of the family, Liu Ming quickly composed himself. Though his tone was somewhat forced, he said to Liu Xi, "You're grown now and have your own ideas, but this will always be your home. Come back often to see your mother and brother!"

Liu Xi first glanced at Li Yue, whose eyes brimmed with tears, before saying gently to Liu Ming, "Mm, I'll come back often to see Mother, my brother, and Father." He deliberately dragged out the final word.

Liu Xi then saw Liu Ming glare at him resentfully. He immediately burst out laughing, then hurriedly said, "Ahem, then I'll be off."

Liu Xi was dressed in a moon-white robe. A pair of enormous crimson wings emerged from his back, and with a flap of those wings, he shot into the sky like a crimson streamer.

The people standing nearby, who had come to watch the spectacle, immediately broke into cries of astonishment. This was a Dou Wang-level powerhouse. Someone capable of commanding the wind and rain even in the Jia Ma Empire had appeared alive before their eyes. A few years ago, he had been Lin City's Number One Genius; now, he had become Lin City's strongest expert.

Watching Liu Xi's departing figure, Li Yue said to Liu Ming in a reluctant tone, "That child... who knows how long he'll be away this time!"

"With Xi'er's talent, he'll never remain confined to Lin City. The entire Jia Ma Empire will be the stage upon which he roams in the future. It'll depend on Cheng'er's talent from now on. The family's future rests on their shoulders." Liu Ming looked gratified as he spoke, then pinched Liu Cheng's nose.

At this moment, Liu Xi was wrapped in crimson Dou Qi, his whole body resembling a crimson streamer as he flew toward the Tagor Desert region in the eastern part of the empire.

As he considered the details of this journey, his eyes flickered. Based on the original novel, Queen Medusa took the Heavenly Flame around half a year before Xiao Yan arrived. That means there are still at least two years before she comes. There's no rush for now.

The Green Lotus Core Flame's exact location should be somewhere near the eastern side of Stone Desert City. I'll have to search inch by inch when the time comes. Right, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong seemed to have gathered some clues about Heavenly Flames in the original novel. I should visit him first. There may be some unexpected gains.

As for the three best auxiliary items Xiao Yan had used to refine the Green Lotus Core Flame in the original novel, Liu Xi had begun preparing them while he was still in the Inner Court.

"A Fifth-grade Pill, the Blood Lotus Pill. This is an essential item for approaching a Heavenly Flame. Without its protection, even Queen Medusa at the peak of the Dou Emperor realm would be burned into severe injury, much less a mere Dou Wang like me. Naturally, I can't casually come into contact with a Heavenly Flame."

"Ice Spirit Cold Spring. The Blood Lotus Pill protects the outside of the body, while the Ice Spirit Cold Spring protects the inside. It can keep me from being burned into nothingness by the destructive temperature of the Heavenly Flame while refining it."

"Spirit Gathering. This item can open up a special small space within the human body. That small space is where a Heavenly Flame is stored. After all, with the destructive power of a Heavenly Flame, unless it has been completely refined, anything other than this kind of void space would be instantly incinerated."

Liu Xi had deliberately found the formula for the Blood Lotus Pill in the academy's Alchemy Department. Only after reaching the peak of the fifth-grade alchemist rank had he successfully refined it.

Although the Ice Spirit Cold Spring and Storage Stone were also extremely precious materials, the Jia Nan Academy Inner Court had some reserves due to its vast resources. After paying a considerable price, Liu Xi had successfully obtained them as well.

The reason Liu Xi dared to come searching for the Green Lotus Core Flame with such confidence was naturally because he had made thorough preparations. If he had not been fully prepared, even if he obtained the Heavenly Flame, he could only stare at it helplessly. If he dared to forcibly refine it, he would likely be burned to ashes in an instant.

Looking at the boundless desert stretching before him, Liu Xi confirmed that he had finally reached the Tagor Desert region. Even at his current speed as a Dou Wang, it had taken him a full ten days of flight to arrive.

The desert sun was especially scorching, and the blazing sunlight pouring down made the temperature extraordinarily high. Yet the Dou Qi in Liu Xi's body was particularly active, and the Heaven and Earth Energy he could draw upon far surpassed before. He could not help muttering, "I didn't expect Fire Attribute and Earth Attribute energy to make up more than eighty percent here. If I fought someone in this place, my combat strength would increase by thirty percent out of nowhere."

Liu Xi flew through the sky, gazing at the nearly identical desert scenery in every direction with a bitter smile. "Don't tell me I'm lost?"

Surging Spiritual Power spread out from between Liu Xi's brows, extending in all directions to see whether there were any humans or cities nearby where he could ask for directions.

Before long, Liu Xi opened his eyes in delight. Within the range of his soul perception, several miles ahead to his right, a group of mercenaries was fighting some strange-looking creatures.

With a flap of his wings, Liu Xi flew toward the battle. After roughly ten minutes of flight, he could already see the people fighting below. Multicolored Dou Qi energies collided with one another, kicking up sand and dust that filled the sky.

In the desert below, around a dozen mercenaries stood back-to-back with weapons in hand. Around them, eight strange-looking creatures had surrounded them. These creatures had human upper bodies, but where their legs should have been was a huge snake tail. Their tails whipped through the air with sharp hissing sounds. They were the Snake People Race unique to the Tagor Desert.

"So these are the snake people of the Tagor Desert?" Liu Xi's gaze swept over the eight vicious-looking male snake people, and he exclaimed in amazement. This was the first time he had seen such creatures.

Liu Xi then swept his gaze over the mercenaries. There were twelve of them in total, nine men and three women. His gaze lingered on their physiques and clothing, so different from those in the interior of the empire.

Most of the male mercenaries were bare-chested, their skin darkened by the sun. Their muscles bulged with strength, giving the impression that they were quite bold and straightforward.

As for the three women, their skin was also slightly dark, though it possessed a healthy wheat-colored glow. The women of the desert were not as reserved and shy as those in the empire's interior. Their tight leather outfits covered only the important parts of their bodies, leaving large portions of their abdomens and thighs exposed.

Even from the sky, Liu Xi could see several lewd gazes among the snake people repeatedly sweeping over the women's slender waists and taut thighs.

"Kill them. Leave the women!"

A leading snake person with triangular eyes swept his gaze over the women and shouted in a cold, hoarse voice.

At their leader's command, bloodthirsty expressions immediately appeared on the faces of the surrounding snake people. Their mouths opened slightly as scarlet forked tongues flicked out.

Just as the snake people began their attack, a sharp whistling sound suddenly rang out in the sky. A crimson figure streaked across the heavens before coming to a stop above everyone's heads.

The terrifying aura of a Dou Wang descended upon everyone like Mount Tai pressing down. The mercenaries and snake people alike stiffened, staring fearfully at the suddenly appearing crimson figure.

"Can anyone tell me how to get to Stone Desert City?" Liu Xi waved his hand, dispersing the crimson Dou Qi wrapped around his body as he spoke indifferently.

A female mercenary who appeared to be their leader looked at Liu Xi's revealed figure, hovering in midair solely on the strength of the enormous crimson wings behind him. Her fear turned to joy, and she cried excitedly, "Senior, I know! We can take you there."

Liu Xi relaxed. As long as someone knew the way, that was enough. It seemed he needed to get a map of the Tagor Desert as soon as possible. He nodded and said slowly, "In that case, lead the way."

Seeing that their prey was about to be taken away by a suddenly appearing human expert, the triangular-eyed snake person leader was terrified but unwilling to accept it. "Human, you dare offend our Snake People Race? Do you know our queen—"

Liu Xi gave them an indifferent glance. With a wave of his hand, streams of fire shot forth. Before the snake person leader could finish speaking, the eight snake people were blasted into clouds of blood mist. Looking at the clouds of blood mist, Liu Xi muttered, "You don't know your place."

The human mercenaries watched the Snake People Race experts, who had nearly wiped them all out moments ago, explode into clouds of blood mist before the indifferent young man. A chill shot up their spines and straight to their brains, making their entire bodies tremble uncontrollably like mice seeing a cat.

Only after the blood mist left behind by the exploded snake people had been completely reduced to ashes in the flames did Liu Xi turn to look at the other mercenaries.

When they saw Liu Xi's gaze turn toward them, everyone looked terrified. Their eyes darted away, and none dared meet his gaze. For a moment, they all remained silent.

Finally, seeing that no one else dared speak, the female mercenary leader gritted her teeth and stepped forward. Trembling slightly, she said, "Senior, my name is Ma Li. I'm a squad captain of the Sand Mercenary Group in Stone Desert City. I—"

Liu Xi could not be bothered to listen to her finish. He interrupted directly, "As long as you're mercenaries from Stone Desert City, that's enough. Take me there."

Ma Li did not dare show the slightest anger at being interrupted. She carefully replied, "Yes."

She hurriedly called for the others to pack up and prepare to leave. Then, seeing Liu Xi retract his wings and descend to the ground, she eagerly came before him to lead the way.

Perhaps after seeing that Liu Xi had no intention of killing them, Ma Li regained some of her courage. No one knew what she was plotting along the way.

As she walked, her body swayed in graceful curves, moving deliberately in front of Liu Xi. Since she was willing to sway around for him to see, Liu Xi openly looked his fill and even gave her a fair assessment in his heart.

Delicate face, fiery figure, bold and revealing clothes. Her slender, supple waist and straight, taut thighs are completely exposed. On top of that, desert women possess an indescribable wildness. Seven out of ten.

Thick city walls slowly appeared in Liu Xi's sight. Compared to cities within the empire, cities in the desert possessed an added air of simplicity and solidity. Stone Desert City, with its iron-blooded toughness, was fully displayed before Liu Xi's eyes.

After entering the city, Liu Xi did not say a word. Under Ma Li's somewhat resentful gaze, he simply drifted away.