Earth Core Fire Crystal, Refining the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire

As dusk devoured the horizon, the Earth Vein Volcano cast off the silence of daylight and revealed its scorching true face.

The heat of the volcano baked the night sky until it seemed to burn. The canopy that should have been ink-black was dyed in gradients of orange-red and dark purple by the glow of countless craters.

Occasionally, crimson lava slowly flowed through cracks in the volcanic rock, trailing winding scars of fire across the ground like golden veins split open within the earth.

As Zhang Xuanchen continued deeper, there was no longer any sign of other cultivators.

At that moment, he hid within a patch of grass, his Breath Concealment Technique pushed to its utmost limit.

A hundred meters away, a massive demonic beast over ten meters long searched for something. Its claws trod upon blazing flames, its mane flowed like molten lava, and scarlet fire wreathed its entire body.

A late Second-grade Blazing Howl, a demonic beast with extremely formidable combat power.

If it discovered him, a fierce battle would be unavoidable.

Zhang Xuanchen remained hidden in the dark, holding his breath and not daring to move in the slightest.

Roar!

A beastly roar brimming with intimidation rang through the heavens, declaring that it was the master of this region.

Sparks flew in every direction as it roared.

The crimson earth was scorched black as charcoal.

Then it turned and left.

Only after confirming that the Blazing Howl had departed did Zhang Xuanchen finally let out a breath.

Clashing with it would not have been a wise choice.

The place where the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire was being nurtured lay within this demonic beast's territory, which was good news for Zhang Xuanchen.

It meant that, barring any accidents, no other cultivators would come to disturb him.

He arrived beside a small hill three to four hundred meters tall.

Zhang Xuanchen confirmed that the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire was at this location.

It was more than a hundred meters underground, directly beneath the center of this hill.

In other words, he only needed to keep digging forward as though tunneling.

Zhang Xuanchen first set up a Soundproof Array Plate nearby, then casually took out a First-grade Top-tier Magic Tool mining hoe.

Finding a concealed spot, he swung the hoe down, instantly gouging open a large swath of crimson rock.

He was now secretly regretting not having cultivated Earth Attribute spells such as Earth Escape.

Circulating the spiritual energy in his body, he dug while sealing up the small opening behind him to conceal his tracks.

As time passed, Zhang Xuanchen finally dug his way to the location of the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire.

With the final swing of his hoe, his body suddenly felt weightless, and he plummeted down in an instant.

"Holy crap!"

In the blink of an eye, he directly summoned the Clear Wind Sword and landed steadily atop its blade.

The underground held a hidden world of its own.

A vast amount of molten lava gathered below, forming a roiling lake of blazing magma.

As the magma churned, thick smoke billowed and bubbles crackled. Its temperature was enough to melt even refined iron.

At the center of the scorching magma, a crystalline pillar floated in the air.

The crystals were dazzlingly clear, each one emanating terrifying Fire Attribute spiritual energy and searing heat.

Above the crystal pillar was a tiny Fire Dragon.

Firelight flickered around it. It was precisely the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire, on the verge of being born.

Zhang Xuanchen's pupils abruptly contracted, then his face broke into wild delight.

"Earth Core Fire Crystal! Third-grade Top-tier Earth Core Fire Crystal! And there's so much of it! This has to be around three cubic meters.

How many Third-grade Top-tier magic tools could this forge?

Even if the entire Zhang Family were sold, it probably couldn't buy this much.

And with just five fist-sized Fire Crystals, Xuanxiao Mountain could be turned into a holy ground for Fire Attribute cultivation!

It would be of enormous help to alchemy and artifact forging!

Hahaha! I've struck it rich! I've really struck it rich this time!"

Zhang Xuanchen forcibly suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked toward the Little Fire Dragon atop the crystal pillar.

This was the truly precious treasure.

Compared to it, the Earth Core Fire Crystal was nothing but shit!

Without hesitation, Zhang Xuanchen circulated the Sky Burning Wind Control Art, took out a Third-grade Mid-tier Still Yuan Breath Concealment Formation Array Plate, and began to work.

To be even safer, Zhang Xuanchen set out every Second-grade defensive Array Plate and Concealment Array Plate he carried.

The power of a Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire at the moment of its birth could not possibly exceed the Golden Core realm. These preparations were enough to conceal the aura released when the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire was born.

After finishing all this, Zhang Xuanchen came to the Little Fire Dragon's side.

He bit his finger open and dripped his blood onto it.

He wanted to see whether he could establish a connection with the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire.

The instant the blood dripped out, it evaporated.

That irritated him somewhat.

Then, as if recalling something, he took out the Second-grade Top-tier Profound Ice Pearl.

He activated a thread of ice-attribute spiritual energy to freeze his blood.

Then he shot it directly into the Little Fire Dragon's body.

After waiting for a while, he discovered that he felt nothing at all.

"Does it need essence blood?"

Without hesitating, he forced out a drop of essence blood and shot it into the Little Fire Dragon's body.

Still nothing.

Damn it!

Sure enough, all those storybooks were lies!

At midnight.

A powerful aura erupted with a thunderous bang.

The entire Underground Cave was instantly swept by flames.

Scalding magma exploded outward.

At the same time, the four Second-grade defensive Formations, three Concealment Formations, and the Still Yuan Breath Concealment Formation Zhang Xuanchen had set up operated frantically, flashing with waves of radiant light.

Seeing the flames rushing toward him, Zhang Xuanchen, who had adjusted his breathing and condition to their peak, instantly opened his eyes.

He activated the Second-grade Top-tier Profound Ice Pearl hanging around his neck.

An ice wall enveloped him, resisting the onslaught of flames.

The ice layer sizzled as it melted.

Rumble!

The entire Earth Vein Volcano range suddenly shook, then immediately returned to calm.

"Holy crap! What happened?"

"Could some Great Power be fighting?"

"It could also be the birth of a rare treasure!"

A young man waved his hand and said disdainfully, "When a rare treasure is born, rays of rosy light soar into the sky to accompany it. It only shook once. Eighty percent chance it was either a great demon fighting in the depths of the mountains or Great Powers battling."

"This brother speaks the truth."

"Fellow brothers, I'll be leaving first, lest I get caught in the crossfire."

After hearing the young man's words, quite a few cultivators abandoned the thought of venturing deeper to investigate.

Of course, there were also some Rogue Cultivators unafraid of death who wanted to go deeper and pick up whatever might be left behind.

As the saying went, wealth and honor were sought amid danger.

As Rogue Cultivators, only by fighting for opportunities could they have a chance to obtain fortuitous encounters.

Underground Karst Cave.

Watching the Formations continuously shatter, Zhang Xuanchen's heart rose to his throat. He feared that the aura of the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire would break through the restraints of the Formations.

More than ten seconds passed.

The fiery aura finally began to subside slowly.

"Success!"

Joy surged through Zhang Xuanchen's heart. His figure flashed as he arrived beside the Earth Core Fire Crystal Pillar. Watching the Little Fire Dragon at the top continuously twist its body, the corners of his lips curled upward.

Without hesitation, he directly circulated his cultivation art and drew the Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire before him.

With his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, a drop of his life essence blood mixed with spiritual energy surged up from his throat.

It transformed into pale-red blood threads that coiled around the Little Fire Dragon.

Perhaps because of the drop of essence blood Zhang Xuanchen had given earlier, the Little Fire Dragon allowed itself to be bound by the blood threads without the slightest resistance.

This scene suited his wishes perfectly.

The next moment, a powerful surge of spiritual energy enveloped the Little Fire Dragon and drew it toward his Dantian.

Boom!

The Earth Vein Profound Sun Fire seemed to sense danger.

Scorching flames suddenly erupted.

Zhang Xuanchen was instantly surrounded by fire.

The Profound Ice Pearl he wore trembled violently as the cold energy within it continuously evaporated.