The battlefield, which had been a chaotic mess, suddenly fell silent.
Xiang Liu slowly lowered its heads. The cold bloodlust in its snake pupils faded away, and it became as docile as a pet.
"Master!"
Only then did Xiao Lei let out a deep breath. Everything had been settled.
The next moment, the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, which had been quiet, suddenly went berserk. The mark formed by Xiang Liu shattered, and then the poisonous miasma sealing the Heavenly Flame burst apart.
Alarmed, Xiao Lei hurriedly used Dou Qi to suppress the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame.
Only after he had finished did Xiao Lei turn to Xiang Liu and ask, "Why did your mark suddenly shatter?"
"Master, just now I felt a force invade my soul. Then I lost control over the Heavenly Flame. I don't know anything else."
"Could it have been struck by the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?"
Xiao Lei was at a loss. He could have copied the Heavenly Flame directly from Xiang Liu.
"Is there any way for you to absorb it again?"
"Master, I was able to leave a mark on the Heavenly Flame by suppressing it with my innate poison. But just now, the Heavenly Flame's outburst destroyed all my innate poison. I can't try to control it again for a while."
Xiao Lei was at a loss. It seemed he could only find someone else to absorb the Heavenly Flame!
As the crimson Heavenly Flame flickered, the faint sound of beasts roaring seemed to ring in their ears. It was truly wondrous.
By now, Yun Yun had finally reached them. Seeing Xiang Liu standing respectfully nearby, she knew Xiao Lei had brought it under control and finally felt at ease.
"Could this be the legendary Heavenly Flame, born from the essence of heaven and earth and said to have the power to burn the sky and boil the earth?"
Yun Yun had often heard Gu He mention Heavenly Flames. They were one of his great ambitions in life.
Yun Yun remembered because Gu He had talked about it so much, convinced that obtaining a Heavenly Flame would make his alchemy skills soar.
"That's right. More precisely, it's the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, ranked twenty-second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking! Otherwise, I probably would've turned and run today!"
With the Heavenly Flame in hand, Xiao Lei immediately examined how Xiang Liu had managed to control it.
A natural Myriad Beast Spirit Flame was blood-red, but the one in Xiao Lei's hand was flecked with numerous shades of green.
"To use its own corrosive poison to invade the Heavenly Flame—a brilliant idea! Too bad it was a step too late. I caught it!"
Still, if Xiao Lei hadn't struck Xiang Liu first, it probably wouldn't have abandoned its other heads. It would never have had the chance to truly control the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, and would have remained trapped in that cave until the end of time.
"I remember you're an alchemist. This Heavenly Flame is a wondrous treasure of heaven and earth that countless alchemists covet. What do you plan to do with it? If you intend to absorb it here, I can protect you while you do."
By now, Yun Yun had put Gu He's situation out of her mind.
Xiao Lei absorb a Heavenly Flame?
He wasn't going to take that risk. Even though he was already a Dou Emperor, and even though this was only the Heavenly Flame ranked twenty-second, Xiao Lei still wouldn't risk it.
With the system, he didn't have to gamble with his life like everyone else. He just had to find a suitable person to absorb it for him!
If he didn't have the system, Xiao Lei wouldn't have chosen the Flame Mantra so casually, either.
"No, I don't plan to absorb this Heavenly Flame. I intend to trade it to someone who can afford it."
Xiao Lei's words caught Yun Yun completely off guard. "Why? Isn't this a treasure everyone covets?"
"I won't go into the reasons. But, Miss Yun Zhi, since you travel the continent, do you know anyone suitable who needs this Heavenly Flame? You could have them come trade with me."
Xiao Lei's intentions couldn't have been clearer. He was pointing straight at Gu He.
As for Xiao Yan, his strength was far too weak right now. There was no way he could devour this Heavenly Flame, and waiting until he was strong enough—
Xiao Lei was far too eager to upgrade the Flame Mantra right now!
"I do know some people who might be suitable. After I leave, I'll help you get in touch with them!"
Yun Yun didn't understand Xiao Lei's motives, but she was still happy to help him. She hesitated for a long while without mentioning Gu He directly, clearly unwilling to reveal her identity.
After all, she had previously claimed to be a Dou Emperor expert named Yun Zhi, traveling the continent.
That clumsy act made the corners of Xiao Lei's mouth lift slightly.
He was really looking forward to running into her at the Misty Cloud Sect!
And as for Gu He, Yun Yun wouldn't even reveal another layer of her disguise for him.
Her nose was red!
"Let's talk about the details after we get back. I need to recuperate from my injuries in seclusion for a few days."
Though Xiao Lei looked calm, he was already at the end of his rope. Using the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils at such intensity to control the souls of nine sixth-tier magical beasts had even been too much for him.
With that, Xiao Lei landed directly on Xiang Liu's head and plopped down.
He finally had a mount of his own. Unfortunately, Xiang Liu had severed its heads to escape, and its cultivation had plummeted. It was now only around the level of a Three-Star Dou Emperor; before, it had been comparable to an Eight-Star Dou Emperor.
But if they waited a while for Xiang Liu to grow all nine heads back, it would once again be a terrifying magical beast comparable to an Eight-Star Dou Emperor.
After leaving Poison Nether Swamp, Xiao Lei and Yun Yun headed straight back to the cave. They picked up Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin, then left the Magical Beast Mountain Range without a second thought and returned to Green Mountain Town.
During that time, Xiao Lei spoke with Yun Yun again about finding someone suitable to trade with. Yun Yun said she would do her best.
Afterward, Xiao Lei hurried into seclusion to tend to his condition.
Yun Yun found the right moment to tell Qing Lin, who was standing guard outside the room where Xiao Lei was cultivating in seclusion, that she was leaving.
As the master of a sect, Yun Yun couldn't stay away from the Misty Cloud Sect forever. Besides, she still had to take care of what Xiao Lei had asked her to do.
"Big Sister, you're leaving? Young Master is still in seclusion, recovering from his injuries. Why not wait until he comes out?"
Qing Lin's thoughts were still so simple, and Yun Yun had deliberately chosen this moment.
She was still far too slow to understand her own feelings. She didn't even know how to say goodbye to Xiao Lei!
Yun Yun was even afraid that if she faced Xiao Lei, she wouldn't be able to bring herself to say she was leaving. She might even follow him on his travels across the continent, just like Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian.
After all, that didn't sound so bad.
"But I still have the heavy burden of the sect on my shoulders!"
Yun Yun couldn't help sighing. She didn't even know how she had become the master of the Misty Cloud Sect. She only remembered that, back then, her teacher Yun Shan had entered closed-door cultivation, and somehow she had been pushed into the position of sect master.
Over the years, Yun Yun couldn't say whether she liked the position or not.
After a long silence, Yun Yun took a set of inner armor she had prepared earlier from her Storage Ring.
"Please give this inner armor to your young master, and tell him I'm grateful for his help in saving my life that day."
She had no way to repay his life-saving kindness, and couldn't think of anything else she could give him. All she could do was offer the most valuable thing she owned.
"I only hope that reckless fighter will get hurt less often!"
Yun Yun murmured softly, her thoughts unreadable.
Yun Yun left.
A few days later, at the Misty Cloud Sect, Gu He was unexpectedly invited by Yun Yun.
Gu He thought his deep devotion had finally moved Yun Yun, and hurried over to see her.
"Master Gu He, this is the Purple Spirit Crystal. Please take care of Yan Ran's matter."
Yun Yun's brows drew together slightly, as if she were pondering something, but Gu He hurriedly waved it off, saying it was no trouble.
"Master Gu He, as an honorary elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, you've spent many years refining pills for the sect. You've worked hard and made great contributions!"
Hearing this, Gu He's brows suddenly knitted together.
"Yun'er, what is this?"
"Please call me Yun Yun, Master Gu He. I invited you here for another important matter."
"When I was in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, I happened to meet a Dou Emperor expert who had obtained a Heavenly Flame but had no intention of subduing it. You can go and seek a trade with him."
"By bringing you this news, I hope to repay, however slightly, the kindness you've shown the Misty Cloud Sect over the years."
Hearing this, Gu He could barely keep from leaping with excitement.
A Heavenly Flame! What a beloved name! After pursuing one for so many years, all Gu He had gotten was a rumor that Medusa had obtained one, and even that wasn't certain. Now Yun Yun had brought him such definite news.
But Gu He wasn't so overwhelmed by the news that he lost his head. He sensed that something was a little off about Yun Yun today.
After a brief pause to weigh things up, Gu He cupped his hands and took his leave, ready to quickly contact some experts and go negotiate the trade.
Yun Yun watched Gu He hurry away, her expression blank.
Gu He couldn't wait to see the Heavenly Flame he had longed for!
And Xiao Lei couldn't wait to obtain the Heavenly Flame and a sixth-grade alchemy technique!
After all, that alchemy technique would be extremely useful later.
Before you continue