Battle Through the Heavens: Obtaining the Extraction System at the Start

Xiao Ling nodded slightly and called out Void Dragon, who had not been on duty for several days.

After saying a few words to his sleeve, the black Void Dragon crawled out from it and appeared before Xiao Ling and the other two.

Seeing Qing Lin's surprised expression, Xiao Ling smiled and explained, "Qing Lin, this should be your first time meeting him. His name is Void Dragon. He's a Magical Beast I raised, and one of my best companions."

After hearing Xiao Ling's explanation, Qing Lin greeted Void Dragon. "Hello, Void Dragon. I'm Qing Lin, Young Master's younger sister."

Now a Sixth-Order Magical Beast, Void Dragon possessed intelligence no different from a human's. Naturally, he understood Qing Lin's words. He nodded, stepped forward, and rubbed against Qing Lin's face to show his affection.

After introducing Void Dragon to Qing Lin, Xiao Ling sat on his back and said to Qing Lin and Zi Yan, "Qing Lin, Zi Yan, get on as well. With A Kong's help, we can save a great deal of time and effort searching for Heavenly Flames."

Hearing Xiao Ling's words, the two girls nodded. Zi Yan took Qing Lin's little hand, leaped lightly, and landed on Void Dragon's back with Qing Lin.

Once all three were seated on his back, Void Dragon twisted his body and flew into the air.

Standing atop Void Dragon's head, Xiao Ling took out the Heavenly Flame Map he had obtained from Hai Bodong's Ring. Looking over the information drawn on it, he saw three flame symbols marked on the map. Those three locations were where Heavenly Flames were most likely to appear.

Recalling the original plot, Xiao Ling pondered for a moment before quickly remembering the location of the Green Lotus Core Flame. It was in the eastern region of Stone Desert City.

Patting Void Dragon's head, Xiao Ling pointed toward the east of Stone Desert City and said, "A Kong, fly in that direction."

Hearing Xiao Ling's command, Void Dragon nodded slightly. With a forceful twist of his long, slender body, his speed increased severalfold. He tore through the clouds before him and flew toward the eastern side of Stone Desert City.

An endless desert stretched beneath raging yellow sands.

Xiao Ling, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin stopped in the middle of a flat expanse of desert.

"Xiao Ling, are you sure it's here?" Zi Yan stared in astonishment at the level desert before them. The terrain was utterly ordinary, with no distinctive features whatsoever. Flat stretches of sand like this were countless in the vast desert. Zi Yan found it difficult to imagine that this utterly unremarkable place held traces of a "Heavenly Flame."

Xiao Ling put the map containing the Heavenly Flame information back into his Ring. He smiled noncommittally and answered Zi Yan mysteriously, "Who said a Heavenly Flame has to appear above the desert? Otherwise, it would have been discovered long ago. Would it still be our turn to search for it?"

Hearing this, Zi Yan scratched her little head and asked in confusion, "If it isn't in the desert, could it be beneath the desert?"

Xiao Ling rubbed Zi Yan's little head and laughed. "Congratulations, you guessed correctly. Unfortunately, there's no reward."

Pulling his hand back from Zi Yan's head, Xiao Ling crouched down and touched the yellow sand beneath him. He closed his eyes as Soul Perception spread out from between his brows, beginning to probe the situation underground.

With Xiao Ling's Soul Perception already at the Spirit Realm, the underground terrain appeared in his mind like a map. He quickly discovered the way into the Underground Magma World.

Xiao Ling withdrew his hand and stood up. "I've found the passage underground. Follow me."

After walking some distance northward, the three arrived at a sandy patch with a slight depression in the terrain.

Xiao Ling circulated his Dou Qi and blasted apart the sand dune covering the entrance with a palm strike.

Once the sand dune concealing the passage had been cleared away, a hole roughly half a meter wide had been blasted open in the depression. Xiao Ling glanced inside. It was pitch-black, and faint heat drifted up from within.

Zi Yan poked her head forward and looked around inside the hole. "Is this it?"

"Yes." Xiao Ling chuckled. "This entrance was originally blocked by yellow sand. If my Soul Power weren't strong, and if the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame inside me hadn't sensed traces of a Heavenly Flame's aura lingering here, we might truly have had trouble finding it."

Zi Yan immediately said impatiently, "Then let's hurry down."

After speaking, Zi Yan took out a Moonlight Stone from her Ring and tossed it into the entrance.

The Moonlight Stone's faint glow rolled several times through the pitch-black tunnel before gradually vanishing completely.

Seeing the Moonlight Stone disappear so quickly, Qing Lin frowned slightly and said softly, "It seems this passage isn't straight."

"Yes. According to my Soul Perception, there are more than ten passages below. Once we reach the fork, I'll use my Soul Power to find the correct route downward," Xiao Ling answered Qing Lin.

Xiao Ling beckoned to Qing Lin. "The temperature inside is still too high. Your cultivation is too low right now, so stay by my side."

Qing Lin nodded obediently and walked over to Xiao Ling's side.

Xiao Ling's gaze briefly swept across her captivating jade-green eyes. He smiled faintly, then extended his arm and pulled Qing Lin into his embrace as her little face filled with astonishment.

Held in Xiao Ling's arms, Qing Lin's face gradually flushed crimson. She lowered her head, countless thoughts running through her heart.

With a quiet laugh, Xiao Ling gestured to Zi Yan. Tightening his hold around the soft body in his arms, he was the first to jump into the dark entrance.

Seeing this, Zi Yan followed Xiao Ling without hesitation. With a light leap, she dropped in after him.

Within the pitch-black passage, Xiao Ling held Qing Lin tightly. Their bodies slid continuously downward along the tunnel's slope. Qing Lin held a Moonlight Stone in her little hand, its faint, gentle light allowing Xiao Ling to see whether the path ahead held any obstacles.

Not far behind Xiao Ling and Qing Lin, Zi Yan crouched slightly to maintain her balance. Her feet pressed tightly against the tunnel walls, producing hissing friction that echoed slowly through the passage.

As he slid down, Xiao Ling swept his gaze over the tunnel walls on either side. After a while, he discovered in surprise that the passage was incredibly smooth. There were almost no protruding stones on the walls. It looked as though it had been forcibly blasted open by some enormous pillar of energy.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling muttered inwardly, This should be a passage burrowed out by the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake living in the Underground Magma World. I wonder why it didn't stay obediently in the magma and instead dug several tunnels here. Still, it does make it easier for me to find traces of the Heavenly Flame.

After sliding downward for nearly two or three minutes, Xiao Ling could finally see the bottom of the passage. He bent his legs slightly. A moment later, with a dull thud, he landed in a crouched position. With a bend and extension of his body, he completely dispersed the force of the descent.

After landing, Xiao Ling released Qing Lin from his arms and led her forward a few steps. Sweeping his gaze over the path ahead, he indeed found more than ten pitch-black passages.

Zi Yan, who had followed behind them, also came to their side. Looking at the dozen passages, she turned to Xiao Ling and asked curiously, "Which of these entrances leads underground?"

Hearing this, Xiao Ling released Soul Perception from between his brows and examined the passages. Before long, his attention settled on one passage to the right.

Through his perception, an extremely Scorching Aura emanated from within. If nothing unexpected happened, the Green Lotus Core Flame was in that direction.

Pointing to that passage, Xiao Ling said with a smile, "It should be that one. Follow it downward, and we'll reach our destination before long."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Ling took Qing Lin's little hand and walked to the passage.

With a wave of his hand, he released a layer of Dou Qi barrier, dispersing the wave of searing air rushing toward them.

Xiao Ling turned back and asked Zi Yan, "The Fire Attribute energy here is extremely active. Will you be all right?"

Zi Yan nodded. "It's a little hot, but it's not a big problem."

With that, she took out a Moonlight Stone for illumination, passed Xiao Ling, and entered the dark passage first.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling held Qing Lin's little hand and quickened his pace to follow.

Guided by the light of the Moonlight Stones, Xiao Ling and the two girls walked slowly through the dark passage. Since none of them knew what dangers might be lurking ahead, all three fell silent as if by mutual agreement. Along the way, apart from the faint rustling of their footsteps, there was almost complete silence.

Within the dark and unfathomably deep passage, time seemed to have lost all meaning. They continued onward stiffly, while the tunnel appeared endless. There was never any light at its end. This feeling... was as though they were constantly walking toward the center of the earth...

As they ventured deeper, Xiao Ling suddenly sensed the Fire Attribute energy around him intensify sharply. The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame within his body also began to stir restlessly beyond his control.

Zi Yan sensed the change in Fire Attribute energy as well. Her steps gradually halted, and she tilted her head slightly to look at Xiao Ling and Qing Lin. "Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling, are we almost there?"

Xiao Ling nodded at Zi Yan and said with a smile, "It seems we're about to reach our destination."

As they continued, the Fire Attribute aura around them grew increasingly dense. However, Xiao Ling and Zi Yan were protected by their own Dou Qi, while Qing Lin was protected by Xiao Ling, so the three were not greatly affected.

The deeper they went, the more active the Fire Attribute energy inside Xiao Ling became. He could feel that the circulation path of the Flame Mantra within him had automatically begun driving his Dou Qi into rapid circulation without any urging from him. Since beginning cultivation, this had only happened when he absorbed the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. It proved that the Green Lotus Core Flame was no longer far from Xiao Ling.

After turning another corner, red light appeared at the end of the passage ahead, brightening the previously dark tunnel.

For the final stretch, the three sped up even more. They swiftly crossed the short distance and reached the end of the passage...

Standing at the end of the tunnel, Xiao Ling looked at the fiery red world before him and murmured inwardly, Green Lotus Core Flame, I'm here!

Qing Lin and Zi Yan behind him followed Xiao Ling's gaze forward. Both drew in sharp breaths, deeply shaken by what they saw.

Within the enormous cavern, crimson magma flowed slowly. Occasionally, huge bubbles rose from the magma, only to burst moments later with a soft sound. With a bang, scorching magma shot outward like dazzling crimson fireworks.

Standing at the end of the narrow passage, Xiao Ling and the two girls gazed at the boundless magma world before them. Even amid their shock, they could not help swallowing.

"I never expected... such a terrifying place to be hidden beneath the ground outside Stone Desert City." Zi Yan's body was wrapped in a layer of deep purple light as she spoke in amazement.

"Yes, Sister Zi Yan. What a spectacular Underground Magma World..." Qing Lin echoed from behind Xiao Ling.

Xiao Ling smiled. "This is where Heavenly Flames are born. Naturally, a place near the earth's core would be terrifying."

"What do you plan to do now? Are you going to dive straight into the magma? Can you find the Heavenly Flame that way?" Zi Yan asked, looking at the rolling magma world before her.

Xiao Ling chuckled, his tone relaxed. "It might be difficult if I search by myself. But if a local resident living here helps us, it'll be much easier."

Rubbing Qing Lin's little head, Xiao Ling smiled. "Qing Lin, that fellow should be living beneath the magma. Try sensing its location."

Qing Lin nodded, closed her eyes, and began sensing the situation within the magma. Before long, she opened her jade-green eyes.

"There seems to be something inside that magma. I can sense a faint, hidden aura from it... It's very strong..." Qing Lin stared fixedly at a spot in the constantly churning magma. Faint glimmers appeared in her jade-green eyes, as though they had pierced through the magma and seen the mysterious thing hidden below.

"A living creature? Is that the local resident you mentioned?" Zi Yan's face changed in shock. There was actually a living creature in magma hot enough to melt steel? Zi Yan found it hard to believe.

Xiao Ling nodded. "It should still be at the deepest part of the magma right now. Once it comes closer, you'll be able to sense its aura. Since it's a snake-type Magical Beast, Qing Lin can easily detect it using the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils."

After speaking, Xiao Ling launched several attacks at the magma's surface to draw the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake's attention.

Xiao Ling stared at the constantly churning pool of magma, then turned and gave the two girls a brief instruction. He jumped down toward the magma beneath the cliff wall. The golden Dou Qi Wings behind him fluttered slightly, and his body gradually hovered more than ten meters above the magma.

Seeing Xiao Ling fly into the air, Zi Yan took Qing Lin's hand and retreated into the passage. Their gazes remained fixed on Xiao Ling's figure above the magma.

Xiao Ling slowly flew over the magma. Golden Dou Qi completely enveloped his body, while Soul Perception spread out from within him. Before long, he sensed the aura of a Fourth-Order Magical Beast rapidly approaching from his direction.

Amid magma spraying throughout the air, a massive mysterious creature suddenly burst out of the molten rock. Like lightning, it lunged toward Xiao Ling, who hovered in the air, and snapped its jaws at him.

The mysterious creature that had suddenly emerged from the magma was a snake-like Magical Beast. Its body was extremely long, at least four or five zhang at a glance. Its entire body was fiery red, resembling a smooth piece of fire jade from afar. Palm-sized red scales densely covered its body.

This Magical Beast actually had two heads. At the fork in its long neck, the two savage heads glared with huge diamond-shaped pupils, filled with violent, bloodthirsty killing intent.