The Exotic Flame Appears, Heroes Gather! (2-in-1 Chapter)

"It's the Mystic Yellow Flame!"

The words, trembling slightly with excitement from Hai Bodong, were like a giant boulder cast into a calm lake.

They stirred layer upon layer of ripples within Lin Chen's heart.

The icy aura surrounding the old man grew chaotic at this news:

"Mystic Yellow Flame?"

Lin Chen was slightly taken aback.

His brows knit together instinctively, his fingertips unconsciously brushing against his sleeve.

This was completely beyond his expectations!

According to his vague memories and known information, there should only be the Green Lotus Core Flame in the Tagor Great Desert!

How could a Mystic Yellow Flame, ranked twenty-third, suddenly pop up?

And why appear so high-profile, wrapped in a storm as if afraid the world wouldn't know?

This turn of events instantly splashed a blot of ink across his once-clear, picture-perfect plan.

He turned his head to look at Hai Bodong, whose fingers were trembling with excitement.

A playful arc suddenly curled at the corner of his mouth, his voice laced with a hint of mockery.

"Old man Hai, you'd rather engage in a life-or-death struggle against at least five or six Dou Emperors and a dozen Dou Kings."

"To fight for this Mystic Yellow Flame of unknown depth, rather than go with me to 'have a chat' with Queen Medusa?"

"It seems the taste of being hunted by her back then left you with quite a significant shadow."

The excitement on Hai Bodong's face froze instantly, as if a basin of ice shards had been dumped over his head.

Only then did he realize that he had been so caught up in the excitement of a new Heavenly Flame appearing.

He had subconsciously ignored the risks involved, which were far greater than facing Queen Medusa!

Facing Queen Medusa meant a duel against a known, albeit terrifying, enemy whose patterns could be traced.

He could even calculate which region she was likely to appear in and what Dou Techniques she might use.

But participating in the scramble for this Mystic Yellow Flame meant facing an unknown number of Dou Emperors and Dou Kings from all directions, all of whom would become incredibly crazed for the sake of the Heavenly Flame!

The level of chaos and danger would increase exponentially!

"This..."

Hai Bodong sheepishly rubbed his nose, the coolness of his fingertip brushing against his nose tip, his tone somewhat hollow:

"It's just that... I felt this was a rare opportunity..."

"Besides, there are advantages to having many people; perhaps one could fish in troubled waters..."

"And anyway, you know what Queen Medusa's temper is like..."

Lin Chen chuckled softly, no longer teasing him.

He walked to the window with his hands behind his back, his wide robes swaying gently in the draft.

His gaze drifted toward the boundless sea of sand outside.

The golden glow of the setting sun spilled over the dunes, dyeing the rolling waves of sand the color of molten gold.

Yet his eyes were as deep as the night:

The appearance of an extra Heavenly Flame was unexpected.

But for him, it was not a bad thing; rather, it was a tremendous opportunity!

The restoration of the Karma Fire Red Lotus required the nourishment of a vast amount of Heavenly Flame essence!

He wanted the Green Lotus Core Flame, and he wanted this Mystic Yellow Flame that had delivered itself to his doorstep!

As for the danger?

A flash of confidence crossed Lin Chen's eyes:

Dou Emperors? Are they very strong?

He was now at the peak of a one-star Dou King, bearing a Primordial cultivation technique like the Blood Scripture.

When his Dou Qi circulated through his meridians, it carried wisps of blood-colored electric light, its quality far exceeding that of his peers.

His true combat power was enough to crush an ordinary Dou Emperor!

Not to mention he possessed two great killing weapons:

The Yuantu and Abi swords!

Though they were only manifested from fragments of their original source, their status was incredibly high.

The innate killing aura lingering around the blades could tear through space even with a casual swing.

If driven with full force, even a Dou Emperor could be slain!

And his greatest trump card was the supreme divine ability he had just begun to master:

Boundless Blood Sea!

Although it can currently only manifest a corner of its true form, its terrifying domain suppression, devouring recovery, and the killing intent derived from the level of laws are absolute.

Its power is definitely far beyond the Heaven-tier Dou Techniques of this world!

This is his ultimate reliance for challenging those of higher ranks, and even for group battles!

Add to that the Karma Fire Red Lotus, which possesses an innate restraint and dominion over all flames...

"Is a Dou Emperor truly this terrifying?"

Lin Chen whispered to himself, a sneer of disdain curling his lips, his voice so soft that only he could hear it.

"Nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs!"

As his thoughts raced, he had already made his decision.

"Go? Why wouldn't I go?"

Lin Chen turned around, his tone indifferent yet carrying a domineering aura that made one's heart yield:

"When meat is delivered to one's mouth, how could there be any reason not to eat it?"

Upon hearing this, Hai Bodong let out a sigh of relief, as if he had exhaled all the stagnant air from his chest.

Immediately, his spirits lifted!

Although the road ahead was perilous, for some reason, looking at Lin Chen's calm eyes, which were filled with infinite self-confidence.

The trepidation in his heart strangely settled down significantly.

This brat is capable of creating miracles!

Without delay, the two took action immediately.

Lin Chen returned to the room and briefly informed Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin of the situation.

Xiao Yi Xian was sitting by the table grinding medicinal herbs, her fair fingers gripping the pestle.

Hearing his words, her movements paused, and the pestle made a soft "ding" against the stone mortar.

Qing Lin was sitting on the edge of the bed, engrossed in a book on the language of beasts.

Upon hearing the words "Heavenly Flame," she immediately looked up, her emerald eyes filled with worry.

"I am going to the depths of the desert with Old Hai to contend for a Heavenly Flame."

"This journey is dangerous; you two must stay in this inn and never go outside."

Lin Chen instructed.

He placed a jade bottle on the table, which contained several Qi-Nourishing Pills.

He also took out a simple scroll of poison techniques, transcribed from the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.

He handed it to Xiao Yi Xian:

"Seize the time to cultivate and control your poison body."

"The methods in this scripture can help you temporarily delay the backlash of your poison."

He then ruffled Qing Lin's hair, his fingertips touching the girl's soft locks.

"Take good care of yourself and your sister Xiao Yi Xian."

"I have also left that Fire Spirit Snake in the sand nearby; it can sense your presence."

"If there is an emergency, it will immediately appear to protect you."

Although Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin were worried, they knew that following him would only make them a burden, so they both nodded obediently.

Xiao Yi Xian put down the pestle, stood up, walked over to Lin Chen, and took a small sachet from her sleeve.

"Inside is my specially made Clear Heart Powder, which can calm the mind and stabilize the soul."

"If you encounter a maze or hallucinogenic poison, it might come in handy."

"Brother Lin Chen, you must be careful!" Her voice was very soft, yet carried deep concern, the corners of her eyes slightly reddened.

"Master... please come back soon..." Qing Lin said in a small voice, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes, her emerald eyes full of reluctance, like a kitten about to be abandoned.

With everything arranged, Lin Chen and Hai Bodong exchanged a glance and simultaneously unfurled their Dou Qi wings!

Behind Lin Chen, his dark red, blood-crystal-like Dou Qi wings were covered in fine, blood-colored patterns.

At the edges, faint spatial ripples trembled.

Hai Bodong's ice-blue Dou Qi wings looked as if they were carved from cold jade, emitting a biting chill.

Even the surrounding air condensed into tiny ice crystals.

The two turned into streaks of light, rushing out of Mo City and speeding toward the deepest part of the Tagor Great Desert!

During the flight, the gale howled, and the sand kicked up struck their Dou Qi shields, making soft "pitter-patter" sounds.

"Old Hai, how did you come to know the news about this Mystic Yellow Flame?"

Lin Chen asked, his voice remaining clear and steady despite the high-speed flight.

It was as if the howling winds surrounding them could not shake his voice in the slightest.

"What is the specific situation?"

Hai Bodong explained rapidly while maintaining his flight.

"The news came from Shi Mo City, on the easternmost edge of the desert, about seven days ago."

"It is said that an unprecedentedly massive sandstorm swept through that region at the time."

"The storm spanned a thousand miles, even stripping a layer of stone off the walls of Shi Mo City!"

"At the heart of the sandstorm, earth-yellow flames were faintly rising, coalescing and refusing to dissipate."

"They eventually formed a massive fire tornado connecting heaven and earth, moving directly toward the depths of the desert!"

"That flame radiated terrifying heaven and earth energy and an ancient aura that made one's heart palpitate; it was certainly no ordinary beast fire or exotic flame."

"Those with broad knowledge speculate that it is highly likely to be the Mystic Yellow Flame, ranked twenty-third on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!"

"This flame is said to contain a trace of the earth's mystic yellow energy; it is heavy, majestic, and possesses extremely high spirituality."

"It can even influence the flow of earth veins within a hundred-mile radius!"

"Once the news spread, it immediately attracted countless experts."

"According to reliable intelligence I have obtained, the Pill King Gu He of the Misty Cloud Sect in the Jia Ma Empire has already set out."

"He even persuaded their Sect Leader, Yun Yun, to come along, and it is said they brought at least three Dou King elders from the Misty Cloud Sect!"

"That old fox Gu He has staked everything for this Heavenly Flame; he is clearly determined to obtain it!"

"Beyond that, no fewer than five Dou Emperor experts have been drawn here!"

"Most of them possess a cold and sinister aura, carrying the distinct bloody scent of the Black-Corner Region; they likely hail from that lawless territory!"

"There are also one or two whose auras are upright and calm, appearing to be renowned experts from neighboring empires."

"Counting them up, there are probably over a dozen Dou King experts present, both in the open and in the shadows!"

"I also sensed that among them are two Dou Emperors carrying strong medicinal scents and soul fluctuations."

"They are likely high-level alchemists; perhaps they are here to use the Heavenly Flame for pill refinement!"

Hai Bodong's tone was grave, his ice-blue Dou Qi wings flickering due to his agitated state of mind.

"That Mystic Yellow Flame seems to possess extremely high intelligence, and having existed for a very long time, its strength likely approaches the level of a Dou Ancestor!"

"It travels while shrouded in a storm, moves at incredible speeds, and can even trigger sandstorms to conceal its tracks, making it extremely difficult to capture."

"Over these past seven days, although it has attracted so many experts, it seems no one has truly been able to touch it, let alone subdue it."

"If we rush over now, we should still be in time!"

Lin Chen listened quietly, understanding clear in his heart.

It seems this Mystic Yellow Flame is even more extraordinary than imagined, to be able to incite so many experts.

Even the fellows from the Black-Corner Region have moved at the news; it seems a fierce battle is destined to unfold.

The two flew at full power, their speed immense.

The sea of sand beneath their feet swept backward like a yellow tide.

Even the desert lizards that appeared occasionally only had time to catch a glimpse of two blurred shadows flashing past.

They flew for an unknown amount of time, and the temperature in the air grew increasingly high.

They could even faintly sense a chaotic and powerful energy fluctuation emanating from the distance.

It was as if countless ferocious beasts were roaring and colliding far away.

Hai Bodong's expression tightened, and he slowed his pace.

"We are almost there! Ahead is the outer perimeter of the Snake-People Holy City!"

"That energy fluctuation is very chaotic; it seems many people have already gathered, and they may have even clashed already!"

Sure enough, after flying for a few more moments, a dense crowd of figures appeared on the horizon ahead!

In the sky in the distance, no fewer than ten figures were actually suspended!

They were spread out, faintly forming a massive circle.

They had surrounded a vast area of the desert below.

The strength of these individuals varied, but even the weakest was at the Dou King level.

The light of the Dou Qi surrounding their bodies flickered in mid-air like stars of various colors.

The pressure radiated by five or six of these figures was particularly terrifying, like dormant ancient beasts; they were clearly all Dou Emperor experts!

And the scene in the desert below, which they had surrounded, was even more bizarre!

A patch of sand, several thousand meters in diameter, appeared as if it had been set ablaze.

It was burning with a strange, earth-yellow flame!

This flame was not scorching; it lacked the leaping and manic nature of ordinary fire.

Instead, it gave one a sense of heaviness and density, as if it were bearing the weight of the earth itself!

The flames burned silently, scorching the sand beneath until it began to crystallize.

It transformed into a material resembling glass, radiating astonishing heat and energy fluctuations.

Even the air was distorted by the intensity.

On the edge of that burning desert, five other figures hovered, faintly confronting the human experts in the sky.

These five all possessed human torsos with snake tails, their cyan scales gleaming with a cold, hard luster under the firelight—they were the experts of the Snake-People!

Leading them was an elderly snake-person in black robes, his face covered in wrinkles like the bark of an old tree.

He held a Serpent Cane inlaid with a serpentine gemstone, his aura clearly reaching the peak of a Dou King.

The four snake-people behind him were also at the Dou King level, including one female snake-person whose tail was marked with fine golden patterns.

Their expressions were grave and furious, their serpentine pupils flickering with vigilant light.

Clearly, they were extremely dissatisfied with such a large-scale intrusion of human experts into the territory of the Holy City.

"Humans! This place is the forbidden ground of our Snake-People Holy City!"

"Retreat at once! Otherwise, if Her Majesty the Queen is disturbed, you shall all be left without a burial ground!"

The elderly snake-person Dou King shouted sternly.

His voice carried the characteristic hiss of a serpent, and as he struck his Serpent Cane heavily against the ground, the sand grains jumped.

Yet, his confidence seemed somewhat lacking; after all, the opposing lineup was far too powerful.

The mere presence of those Dou Emperor auras was enough to make him struggle to breathe.

Most of the human experts in the sky merely glanced at them coldly, ignoring them entirely.

The vast majority of their attention was focused on the earthy-yellow flames below.

Their eyes were filled with greed and wariness, like a pack of hungry wolves staring at a piece of meat.

Only a few showed a hint of impatience at the Snake-People's warning.

Among them, a burly, bald Dou King even clenched his fists, causing his knuckles to crack with a "pop."

Just then, the arrival of Lin Chen and Hai Bodong immediately drew everyone's attention!

Two powerful auras surged forward without any attempt at concealment.

In particular, Hai Bodong's cold, six-star Dou Emperor aura was unrestrained.

It was like throwing a block of ice into the sweltering desert, exceptionally striking.

It even tore a gap through the burning heat waves in mid-air.

Swish, swish, swish!

Almost everyone's gaze instantly locked onto them, filled with scrutiny, vigilance, and even malice.

A few gazes lingered on Lin Chen for a moment, but seeing only a Dou King's aura, they turned away in disdain.

They shifted their focus back to staring intently at Hai Bodong.

Hai Bodong let out a cold snort, intent on backing Lin Chen up.

He considered himself a subordinate for the time being!

He suddenly pushed his aura even higher, his ice-blue Dou Qi rising into the sky like a pillar of smoke.

Carrying a bone-chilling cold, it faintly reached the threshold of a six-star Dou Emperor.

"Hmph, since when did the Tagor Great Desert become a place where only your Snake-People have a say?"

Hai Bodong's cold voice echoed out.

Carrying the pressure of a Dou Emperor, it swept across like a freezing wind in the dead of winter.

The snake-person Dou Kings instantly turned pale, their tails trembling slightly as the pressure intensified.

"The Heavenly Flame has appeared; it is a product of heaven and earth, and naturally, it belongs to those with the fortune to claim it!"

"Do you Snake-People intend to monopolize it?"

As for the human experts, sensing Hai Bodong's formidable Dou Emperor aura, the contempt in their eyes receded, replaced by a measure of gravity.

Although only two had arrived, a six-star Dou Emperor was enough to shift the balance of power on the scene.

The temporary agreement that had been nearing completion seemed to be in need of a reshuffle.

Leveraging this momentum, Hai Bodong led Lin Chen and flew openly into the outer perimeter of the encirclement.

They found an empty spot to hover and stop, effectively establishing a foothold.

Lin Chen remained calm throughout, ignoring the inquisitive and slightly hostile gazes cast his way.

From the moment he stepped into this area, his entire focus had been drawn to the earthy-yellow flames burning silently in the desert below!

Deep within his Dantian, the phantom of the Karma Fire Red Lotus grew restless as never before.

Its petals swayed gently, emitting a faint red glow.

It transmitted a sense of longing that was incredibly clear and intense!

It was several times stronger than when he had sensed the Green Lotus Core Flame before!

It felt as if the Mystic Yellow Flame were a long-lost relative, and it would not rest until it was held firmly in its embrace!

That was it! The Mystic Yellow Flame!

Furthermore, he could clearly perceive that the origin of this Heavenly Flame... was hidden deep beneath this burning desert:

What burned on the surface was merely a fire domain formed by the lingering power it radiated!

Its intelligence was indeed exceptionally high!

To think it knew how to conceal itself and set up this blaze, leading these so-called experts to circle around a mere facade!

Lin Chen's gaze became deep and sharp, as if he could pierce through layers of sand and soil to see the true form of the Heavenly Flame slumbering underground.

A curve of absolute certainty slowly tugged at the corner of his mouth, with only one thought in his mind:

What a magnificent Mystic Yellow Flame... it is destined to be used by me!