Finding the Green Lotus Core Flame

Although Xiao Jin had made up his mind to become stronger and had even chosen a Ninth-Grade Golden Pill capable of improving Qing Lin's aptitude, her current cultivation was so low that it was painful to look at.

"Young Master Xiao Jin, am I really that useless...?" The girl looked like a child who had done something wrong. She lowered her head and did not dare speak.

She was already fourteen years old, yet had only reached the second stage of Dou Qi.

Even with Xiao Jin's experience, the corners of his mouth twitched twice.

She was even more useless than Xiao Yan had been when the Three-Year Agreement began.

But he did not say anything. He merely gently rubbed Qing Lin's head.

The girl had always lived in an environment where she was discriminated against. Before coming to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, she had not even had enough food and clothing. Where would she have gotten the resources to cultivate?

Being able to reach the second stage of Dou Qi was already the result of extraordinary talent.

When cultivators were at the Dou Qi stage, their meridians were extremely fragile and could not withstand the impact of medicinal pills.

That was precisely why everyone had been so shocked when Yao Chen brought out the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid in the original story.

Xiao Jin's Storage Ring contained countless treasures, but he truly had nothing suitable for someone at the Dou Qi stage to consume.

"Qing Lin, first build a solid foundation with your Little Doctor Fairy Sister. The things I've prepared for you can be used once you become a Dou Zhe."

The girl nodded seriously. "Young Master Xiao Jin, Qing Lin will definitely work hard!"

Advancement during the Dou Qi stage was extremely difficult. After becoming Dou Zhe, many cultivators could advance by two or three stars in a year. But at the Dou Qi stage, they might not even be able to advance by a single level in two or three years.

Someone like Xiao Yan, who began Qi Refining at four and reached the ninth stage of Dou Qi at ten, was an absolute rarity.

As for someone like Xiao Jin, who had advanced from Qi Refining to Dou Zhe in just two years, such a person was practically unheard of.

But in the presence of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, Xiao Jin could only say that his own achievements were nothing special.

In truth, she had already figured out how to help Qing Lin complete her cultivation during the Dou Qi stage.

"Little Doctor Fairy, help keep an eye on the Desert Iron Mercenary Group for the next few days. I plan to make a trip into the depths of the Tagor Desert."

"What are you going there for?"

"There are two reasons. First, I want to see whether I can find Queen Medusa. I have a deal I want to discuss with her. Second, I want to find a snake-type Magical Beast for Qing Lin and help her rapidly improve her cultivation."

Hearing that something involved her as well, Qing Lin was deeply moved.

Young Master Xiao Jin is running around and working so hard for my sake. I have to work twice as hard on my cultivation!

"Queen Medusa?" Little Doctor Fairy's expression changed slightly. She had lived in Green Mountain Town for a long time, where there were countless mercenaries and information was relatively easy to obtain.

She had naturally heard of Medusa's fearsome reputation.

"She is a powerhouse at the Peak Dou Emperor realm, far beyond what Hai Bodong can compare with. Can you really go alone?"

Although Hai Bodong's reputation was also considerable, he had no particularly fearsome notoriety. He was merely foul-tempered but still the sort of person who could be reasoned with.

Medusa was different. Her reputation had been built entirely on one life after another.

"Relax. Don't you know what I'm capable of? Even if she were a Dou Zong, I could still beat her until she knelt and called me Daddy!" Xiao Jin raised his eyebrows smugly, not taking Medusa seriously at all.

"Don't worry about the mercenary group. I'll take good care of it for you."

"Right. Unless something special happens, absolutely do not take Qing Lin outside. Above all, protect the information about her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. I'm worried that someone might covet them."

If he remembered correctly, the Mo Clan in Salt City was especially fond of such special physiques.

The Mo Clan's Great Elder, Mo Cheng, was even fond of transplanting such physiques into himself, always coming up with all sorts of flashy nonsense.

When Mo Cheng appeared in the original story, his strength had been roughly that of a Five-Star Dou Ling.

The current timeline was nearly two years earlier than in the original story, so that fellow's strength was probably around the level of a Two-Star or Three-Star Dou Ling, about the same as Little Doctor Fairy.

However, with the Woe Poison Body, Little Doctor Fairy would certainly have no trouble defeating Mo Cheng. The difficult part was that Mo Cheng was an Outer Sect Deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect. If people from the Misty Cloud Sect appeared while Xiao Jin was away, it would be very bad news for Little Doctor Fairy.

Little Doctor Fairy rarely saw Xiao Jin act so solemnly. After briefly spacing out, she immediately agreed. "Don't worry. Before you return, I'll try not to leave."

"Thank you for your hard work." Xiao Jin thanked Little Doctor Fairy, then said to Qing Lin, "Be good and cultivate with your Little Doctor Fairy Sister. I'll bring you a present when I return."

After bidding farewell to the two girls, Xiao Jin set off alone toward the depths of the Tagor Desert.

He planned to first visit a volcano deep in the desert, where the Green Lotus Core Flame was located.

Going there would accomplish two things at once. First, he could subdue the Green Lotus Core Flame and bring it back for Xiao Yan to refine, saving him considerable effort.

Second, there was a Fourth-Rank Magical Beast, the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, there. If Qing Lin could form a contract with it, her speed of breaking through to Dou Zhe would definitely increase dozens of times.

In the original story, after Qing Lin awakened her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, she had broken through eight major realms in less than ten years, soaring from the Dou Qi stage all the way to Dou Zun.

That averaged out to one major realm per year. Such speed was enough to make everyone green with envy.

By that calculation, it would take her at most half a year to advance to Dou Zhe.

After all, Xiao Yan had still spent a year consolidating his cultivation before breaking through to Dou Huang. It would be absurd to say that breaking through one star at the Dou Zong realm was easier than advancing by one star during the Dou Qi stage, right?

Relying on the flight speed of his Dou Qi Wings, Xiao Jin found the volcano containing the Green Lotus Core Flame in just half a day.

The Green Lotus Core Flame ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Compared to the ninth-ranked Three Thousand Burning Flame, it was more than one level inferior.

With the protection of the Three Thousand Burning Flame, the Green Lotus Core Flame's temperature could not harm Xiao Jin in the slightest.

"The fire-attributed energy here is so dense. No wonder a natural treasure like a Heavenly Flame could be born here." Relying on the perception of his Emperor Realm Soul, Xiao Jin quickly discovered something unusual.

In theory, besides possessing dense fire-attributed energy, the area around a volcano in the desert should also have equally dense earth-attributed energy.

Yet in his perception, the earth-attributed energy in one place had almost completely vanished, leaving behind only scorching fire-attributed energy.

If nothing unexpected had happened, that should be where the Green Lotus Core Flame was located.

Before long, he found a pitch-black tunnel.

The tunnel was dark and unfathomably deep. Xiao Jin did not hesitate for even a moment before walking straight inside.

A flame floated beside him, radiating brilliant light that illuminated the tunnel.

As he gradually went deeper, the cool sensation slowly disappeared, replaced by a faint heat.

The tunnel wound and twisted. Xiao Jin walked for nearly twenty minutes before seeing dazzling red light beyond a bend.

He quickened his pace and soon reached the end of the passage.

Everything within sight was crimson. This was a world of fiery red.