The Green Lotus Core Flame, having been slapped, was on the verge of tears. As a Heavenly Spirit Object, it had already developed the beginnings of intelligence.
Otherwise, it would not have become so obedient under the threat of the Three Thousand Burning Flame. The principle of admitting defeat when you could not win was not something one could understand without a bit of brains.
It trembled as it looked toward the equally azure figure, only to find that the other party seemed not to have noticed at all. It simply gazed with admiration at the one who had just slapped it.
Another enormous pink figure, only slightly smaller than the previous one, also gave it a slap.
"I asked you a question. Are you playing dumb?"
Bullying—this was blatant bullying!
Was there no Heavenly Flame around to keep order? The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame was bullying it!
Besides, it was only the Green Lotus Core Flame, not some freak like those Heavenly Flames ranked in the top three that could cultivate human intelligence and speak human language.
Could they at least be reasonable?!
"Little Demon, this guy doesn't seem very convinced. How about I just swallow it?"
"Old Xu, get a grip. This Heavenly Flame still has its uses. If you really swallow it, what are you planning to use to compensate the master?"
"Tch. I really don't know what the master was thinking, taking a liking to such a weak Heavenly Flame." Nihility Devouring Flame was utterly disdainful. Although he had not absorbed much of the energy of heaven and earth and could not compare to the Nihility Devouring Flame of this world, his source energy was right there. Not just any stray cat or dog could come and challenge him.
If he encountered a Heavenly Flame ranked among the top six of the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the Nihility Devouring Flame inside the Storage Ring might not be so arrogant.
But a bottom-ranked Heavenly Flame like the Green Lotus Core Flame was beneath his notice.
Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame shook its head. "Enough, Old Xu. Stop messing around and get to work."
"No fun. It's not often we run into an outsider. I wanted to ask what the world outside was like."
"What are you in such a hurry for? Once the master cultivates to the Dou Emperor realm at most, he can refine another Heavenly Flame. Then we'll all have a chance to go out."
"What if the master chooses someone else?" Nihility Devouring Flame became anxious. "That damned old man only knows how to come up with rotten ideas. What's so great about Three Thousand? Doesn't it just have some damn special constitution? I can devour all things in heaven and earth, convert the energy, and feed it back to the master. Why wouldn't he choose me?!"
"Enough, enough. Stop rambling." Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had long grown accustomed to Nihility Devouring Flame's complaints. It turned to a figure that had been watching from the side. "Come on, it's your turn to perform."
A jade-green sapling used its roots as short little legs, taking tiny steps until it reached Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's feet.
It stroked the sapling's leaves. "Remember to refine it properly later. Whether you can take root and sprout depends on this. If it works, it means our method is correct, and the master may have hope of advancing to Dou Emperor in the future."
The sapling swayed its body once, and only then did Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame turn to the Green Lotus Core Flame with satisfaction. "Separate one-tenth of your source. We won't make things difficult for you."
Green Lotus Core Flame: "..."
You were taking one-tenth of my source right away, and you said you weren't making things difficult for me?
If you did make things difficult for me, would you just refine me outright?
Nihility Devouring Flame bared his teeth. "Little Demon, why waste words with it? I'll just take it by force. What can it do about it?"
The Green Lotus Core Flame shuddered, obediently separating one-tenth of its source energy and slowly allowing it to merge into the sapling.
As the source energy entered its body, a streak of azure pattern continuously crawled up the sapling's trunk.
The azure pattern slowly spread, eventually climbing all the way to the tip of the tree before it stopped.
About half an hour later, the sapling suddenly swayed again, its height unexpectedly shooting up by about half a meter.
Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame said delightedly, "It worked! Little Bodhi can absorb the source energy of these things. Our idea was right!"
Nihility Devouring Flame also relaxed considerably. "Sigh, looks like the next Heavenly Flame the master refines won't be me either."
"Why?" Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame was puzzled. "Didn't you always want to go outside and have a look?"
"Obviously. Without me, who among you can keep things under control? What if the next one that comes in is the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame? Are you expecting that brat to obediently hand over its source energy?"
"I'm no worse than you, you know."
"But you can't devour other forms of energy. If it refuses to cooperate, I can forcefully devour it and make it hand over its source." Nihility Devouring Flame was immensely proud. Even if he could not leave the Storage Ring, he could still make an irreplaceable contribution.
It seemed the secrets of Xiao Jin's Storage Ring went far beyond what he had seen.
Outside the Storage Ring, Xiao Jin had also finished speaking with the Pill Tower Ancestor.
"Old man, how can your soul recover to the Emperor Realm?"
"Well..." The Pill Tower Ancestor kept him in suspense. "There are actually two methods I can think of."
"The first is to fucking take it. Snatch away all the Soul Origin gathered by the Soul Hall. As long as I refine all of it, I'll definitely recover my Emperor Realm Soul."
That was not wrong. In the original story, Nihility Devouring Flame had also advanced to the Emperor Realm Soul through this method.
"The second is to go to the Heavenly Tomb and refine the souls within it."
This was the method Xiao Yan used in the original story to advance to the Emperor Realm Soul, but Xiao Jin had no intention of letting the Pill Tower Ancestor do that. He did not want to steal third brother's opportunity.
"Little fellow, don't think about these things for now. You have an Emperor Realm Soul yourself, so you know how difficult it is. Restoring this old man is not something that can be done overnight. Your strength is still too weak. Even if there are any heavenly treasures, it will not be your turn to fight for them. For now, you should focus on raising your strength as quickly as possible."
Xiao Jin knew the Pill Tower Ancestor was right. He cast those unrealistic thoughts from his mind and left the Green Lotus Space.
After finding the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake lying in wait nearby, man and beast left the Earth Fire World.
Xiao Jin had not expected that the mere fourth-tier Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake could actually alter its own size.
After leaving the Earth Fire World, the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, originally more than ten meters long, shuddered and immediately transformed into a little snake only thirty centimeters long, coiling itself around Xiao Jin's left shoulder.
Xiao Jin was quite pleased by its tactful behavior. "Following the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils won't be a waste of your potential."
The little snake trembled. It did not know what Xiao Jin was thinking; it only knew that it was probably done for.
Half a day later, Xiao Jin returned to Stone Desert City.
The round trip, including his battle with Medusa, had taken only a little over a day.
Xiao Yi Xian froze for a moment when she saw Xiao Jin.
"You finished your business so quickly?"
"Not exactly. I've only completed two-thirds of it."
He had found the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake and reached an agreement with Medusa, so two-thirds of his objective had been accomplished.
The remaining third was helping Medusa complete her evolution.
Qing Lin's face was full of delight as she quickly ran toward Xiao Jin, stopping when she was still two or three meters away from him.
Her watery eyes were filled with attachment.
Xiao Jin waved at her. "Qing Lin, come here. Look at the Magical Beast I prepared for you."
He shook his shoulder, and the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake fell to the ground, flicking its tongue with hissing sounds.
The moment it met Qing Lin's gaze, its body abruptly stiffened, and it completely lost the ability to move.
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