"Hiss!!"
The phantom of the Twelfth-Grade Karmic Fire Red Lotus floated in midair, slowly rotating.
Blood-red light flowed across its petals, and its supreme will to incinerate all things spread like a surging tide.
It firmly suppressed the origin flames of Wind Fury Dragon Flame and Green Lotus Core Flame within its heart, frantically refining and devouring them!
"Vrrrm, vrrrm, vrrrm!!!"
The phantom red lotus let out a delighted hum. Its body, which had still been somewhat ethereal, grew solid and distinct at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Its petals grew thicker, their color ever deeper and more vivid, as if they had been carefully carved from the finest blood-red divine jade!
The Red Lotus Karma Fire burning upon them also blazed more fiercely. Its temperature was restrained, yet it seemed even more terrifying, as though it could incinerate space itself with ease!
The two devoured Heavenly Flames were now enduring unprecedented fear and despair!
Wind Fury Dragon Flame had the greatest intelligence, and its resistance was the most violent.
Its origin conveyed intense unwillingness and madness!
It had been a spirit born of heaven and earth, with limitless potential and intelligence nearly on par with a demon's.
It had even devised an astonishing scheme to provoke Green Lotus Core Flame and create chaos, hoping to flee or strike back!
How could it accept being devoured and refined just like this?
It struggled desperately, its bright yellow Wind Fury Origin erupting with a force capable of tearing everything apart as it tried to break free of the red lotus's restraints!
Yet all its resistance seemed laughable and powerless before that seemingly tiny platform of blood-red lotus petals!
The Karma Fire Red Lotus was a primordial innate treasure of the Great Desolate, representing one of the ultimate laws of the path of flame:
Incineration and purification!
It was the king of all flames, the nemesis of all fires!
Wind Fury Dragon Flame's struggle was like a feeble firefly trying to shake the blazing sun in the heavens!
Like a loach in a stream trying to resist the vast, unfathomable ocean!
It was an absolute crushing of its very essence, at the level of life's origin!
The fear that arose from its pitifully limited intelligence was instantly drowned beneath boundless awe and despair!
At last, it "understood" what kind of existence it was facing!
It was a supreme might it was not even worthy of looking up to!
As for Green Lotus Core Flame, it had been weak to begin with, its intelligence only recently born.
Now, it didn't even have the strength to struggle. It could only let out a faint wail.
Its origin was rapidly drawn out and fused.
Resist? It was utterly pointless!
Before the Karma Fire Red Lotus, all Heavenly Flames were subjects and sustenance!
The devouring process was far faster and more thorough than anyone could have imagined!
In a mere dozen breaths, the core origins of the two peerless Heavenly Flames ranked in the top twenty of the Heavenly Flame Ranking had been completely devoured and digested by the Karma Fire Red Lotus!
They became excellent nourishment for its recovery!
As the last trace of Heavenly Flame Origin was absorbed, the phantom Karma Fire Red Lotus shuddered and burst into an unprecedentedly brilliant blood-red radiance!
A force of flame more vast, more pure, and more terrifying than before surged back in response.
It poured into Lin Chen's body in an instant!
But this force wasn't used to improve his Dou Qi cultivation. Instead, it surged toward the sea of consciousness between his brows as if it were alive!
"Hmm?"
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow slightly and unconsciously rubbed his fingertips together, feeling the warmth and restlessness of this force.
He didn't resist, instead opening himself completely to accept it:
His trust in the Karma Fire Red Lotus had long been carved into his bones.
That incomparably pure power of the Karma Fire Origin gathered between his brows, compressed, and condensed...
In the end, it transformed into an extremely tiny yet lifelike mark of a twelve-petaled red lotus, radiating a faint red glow!
A few wisps of blood-red flame, barely visible, curled around the edge of the mark, trembling gently with his breath.
The instant the mark took shape, Lin Chen's whole body stiffened. Then his brow relaxed, and a glimmer of understanding passed through his eyes:
His soul seemed to be entwined with the Karma Fire Red Lotus between his brows. Each time his soul stirred, the red lotus mark flickered in sync.
That feeling of complete fusion, of being inseparable, was stronger than ever!
With a thought, the red lotus mark between his brows quietly vanished, leaving only a faint warmth;
With another thought, it appeared once more, its red glow tinting his eyes with a trace of crimson.
At the same time, a realization welled up in his heart.
After the Karma Fire Red Lotus recovered much of its origin, this mark had emerged as a new ability:
Red Lotus Possession!
Once he activated the battle mark between his brows, he would be able to merge more deeply with the Karma Fire Red Lotus's power for a short time.
He would enter a powerful advanced combat state!
In this state, his attack, defense, speed, recovery, and even control over flames would all receive a terrifying boost!
The might of the Red Lotus Karma Fire in particular would unleash even more dreadful incinerating power!
It was practically as if the Flame War God had descended into the world!
Though his cultivation hadn't directly improved, with this trump card, his true combat strength...
Had once again soared to an immeasurable level!
Moreover, after devouring the two flames and condensing the battle mark, he felt that his soul had reached a new peak of compatibility with the Karma Fire Red Lotus.
The power of his soul, which had already been growing rapidly as the Blood Scripture devoured souls!
Now stirred like water coming to a boil.
It seemed ready to break through an invisible barrier at any moment!
Mortal Realm soul peak!
On the verge of breaking into the Spirit Realm!
A Spirit Realm soul at the Dou Wang stage?
If word of this got out, it would be enough to make the experts of the Dou Qi Continent who had spent decades immersed in the path of the soul faint on the spot!
This was entirely thanks to the overbearing nature of the Blood Scripture:
It plundered the essence of all things and converted it with perfect efficiency, naturally including the power of the soul!
Its efficiency far surpassed that of any known soul cultivation method in the world!
He needed to find a place at once to go into seclusion and break through to the Spirit Realm!
Lin Chen slowly descended from the sky. As his blood wings folded away, they shook loose a few lingering sparks.
They fell onto the battered plaza of the Snake-People Holy City, burning several tiny holes into the ground.
His gaze calmly swept over the surrounding Snake-People, who were hunching their shoulders, their eyes filled with fear and awe.
At last, his eyes fell on the four Snake-People elders, who were struggling to their feet, their bodies still marked by the battle.
Then his gaze shifted to Queen Medusa, whose face was pale as two handmaids supported her.
"I have no intention of making an enemy of the Snake-People Tribe."
Lin Chen spoke in an even voice, yet it carried a force no one could question.
"If I hadn't stepped in today, your tribe might already have been wiped out by those human experts."
"In a way, I could say I saved your people."
The four elders and Queen Medusa wore expressions as complicated as a spilled palette of paint:
There was resentment and wariness, but above all, relief.
They knew very well that Lin Chen was telling the truth.
If this seemingly young but ridiculously terrifying youth hadn't appeared out of nowhere...
And slaughtered several human Dou Emperors with the force of thunder, the Snake-People Tribe would have been doomed today.
Though the Heavenly Flames were gone, their entire tribe had survived...
That was already a blessing amid misfortune.
The eldest elder, at the head of the group, drew a deep breath, suppressing the shock and fear in her heart as she struggled to bow.
The respect in her voice was no longer feigned:
In a world where strength reigned supreme, the power Lin Chen had displayed was enough to earn the awe of her and the entire Snake-People Tribe.
"May I ask what you require of us? My tribe will do everything in its power to fulfill your wishes."
"I need to rest here for a while and borrow a quiet chamber for seclusion. Is that a problem?"
Lin Chen asked directly, without unnecessary pleasantries.
"Of course not! You saved our tribe from peril. You are a benefactor of the Snake-People Tribe!"
"The quietest temple in the inner sanctum of the Holy City is yours whenever you wish!"
The eldest elder promptly agreed, bowing even lower.
Facing this fiend who killed Dou Emperors as easily as dogs and devoured Heavenly Flames as if drinking water, how could they dare say no?
Queen Medusa lifted her pale face as well, looking deeply at Lin Chen with her purple snake eyes.
Her long lashes trembled, and she gave a slight nod, which served as her assent.
This human youth was powerful, mysterious, and decisive in killing, yet he didn't seem entirely unreasonable.
That let her relax a little.
Hai Bodong flew down beside them as well.
When he landed next to Lin Chen, his eyes were filled with shock and excitement. He'd truly latched onto a powerful backer this time:
"Lin Chen, you kill people without even searching their bodies?"
"I already retrieved the spoils for you, old man."
As he spoke, he opened his hand to reveal several pristine Storage Rings.
Lin Chen turned his head to look at him, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint smile:
"Old Man Hai, you slacked off during the fight."
"How come you're so practiced when it comes to this part?"
"Ahem, isn't this an essential skill?!"
Hai Bodong chuckled and cupped his hands toward the Snake-People elders in greeting.
He and Lin Chen had traveled together for a long time, and the awkwardness he'd felt at first had long since vanished.
They'd become friends, too!
And so, Lin Chen and Hai Bodong were honored guests of the Snake-People Tribe and invited to rest in one of the quietest and grandest temples in the Holy City.
Ancient Snake-People totems were carved into the temple's pillars. Smooth white jade covered the floor, and the air carried the faint scent of sandalwood.
Lin Chen chose the sturdiest and quietest chamber. He had just opened the door when he heard Hai Bodong call from behind:
"Kid, I'll stand guard outside. Just call if you need anything!"
"Got it, Elder Hai."
Lin Chen answered and closed the chamber door.
Breaking through to the Spirit Realm turned out to be even smoother than he'd imagined.
His soul power had already reached the peak of the Mortal Realm, and the foundation he'd built was enough to crush others at the same level.
As his thoughts sank into his sea of consciousness, the soul-tempering method recorded in the Blood Scripture began to circulate on its own.
At the center of his sea of consciousness, a tiny Blood Spring revolved slowly, releasing wisps of pure soul power that nourished his entire sea of consciousness like a stream.
"Hum!!"
A faint sound suddenly rang through his sea of consciousness, as if a thin sheet of window paper had been effortlessly pierced!
His spiritual power surged explosively in an instant, becoming more than ten times stronger in the blink of an eye;
The very essence of his soul also underwent a transformation, changing from its original pale white to a crystalline, faint gold!
His perception became clearer and sharper than ever:
He could see the tiny cracks in the chamber walls and hear the footsteps of the Snake-People patrolling outside the temple.
Even the rustle of sand shifting across dunes several miles away was clearly reflected in his mind!
His speed of thought, capacity for deduction, and control over his own power all felt like blades honed to a finer edge, rising to an entirely new level!
Spirit Realm soul! Achieved!
After the breakthrough, Lin Chen didn't immediately emerge from seclusion. Instead, he kept his eyes closed.
He carefully savored the many mysteries brought by his Spirit Realm soul:
He could clearly "see" every circulation of Dou Qi in his body and even sense the energy particles drifting through the world around him.
More importantly, as his soul power underwent its transformation, his comprehension of the supreme divine art, Boundless Blood Sea, suddenly deepened several times over!
Before, he could only barely manifest a small patch of blood sea, borrowing its domain to suppress his enemies and wielding a little of its devouring power, like a child swinging a great saber;
But now, he felt he could finally grasp the hilt of that "saber."
He could truly begin to draw upon a fraction of this divine art's true might!
A Spirit Realm soul was indeed the basic threshold for wielding this terrifying divine art!
Boundless Blood Sea was far more than a simple energy domain at its core.
It also involved the supreme mysteries of the laws of slaughter, soul corrosion, and manifesting into countless forms!
Two days later, Lin Chen pushed open the chamber door.
He wore simple black clothes, and his aura was completely restrained, making him look no different from an ordinary youth.
But his eyes were deeper than before, as though they concealed an endless starry sky.
The moment Hai Bodong, who had been standing guard nearby, saw him, he inexplicably shivered.
He couldn't shake the feeling that the youth before him concealed a terrifying blood sea, deep beyond measure, within his body.
"Elder Hai, come with me."
Lin Chen spoke.
Hai Bodong froze, then set down the teacup in his hand.
"Where to? You just came out of seclusion. Shouldn't you spend some more time stabilizing your cultivation?"
He'd assumed Lin Chen was going to look for the escaped Gu He, or settle the follow-up arrangements with the Snake-People Tribe.
"To the depths of the desert. I want to try out my new move."
Lin Chen sounded casual, as if he were saying, "I'm going outside for a stroll." It was nothing at all.
Hai Bodong: "???"
Try out a new move?
In the depths of the desert?
And you want me to come along?!!
Hai Bodong's expression froze in an instant. He nearly lost his grip on his teacup.
Then, before his very eyes, his face stiffened and turned deathly pale.
At last, he was completely dumbstruck, his eyes bulging like copper bells!
He pointed at his own nose, his voice already tinged with tears.
"L-Lin Chen, you little rascal! You... you're not joking, are you?"
"You want to test your move? And have me spar with you?!!"
What kind of joke was this?!
What sort of being was the man standing before him?
He could kill a Dou Emperor with a single sword strike and swallow a Heavenly Flame as easily as a glass of water.
He was a ruthless character even Queen Medusa had to give ground to!
Spar with him?
Could that even be called sparring?
It was just getting beaten one-sidedly! It was asking for an early grave!
Hai Bodong felt his calves trembling. He nearly bowed to Lin Chen on the spot.
"No, you can't! These old bones of mine can't take that kind of beating!"
"If you're itching for a fight, there's half a mountain over there... Can't you go blast that instead?"
Seeing Hai Bodong so terrified his hair looked ready to stand on end, Lin Chen couldn't help the faint curl of his lips. A flicker of amusement crossed his eyes.
But his tone remained firm.
"Relax. I'll control my strength. I'll only use my new move, and I won't deal a killing blow."
"All you have to do is defend and attack with everything you've got, so I can see the limits of this move."
Hai Bodong met Lin Chen's calm yet unyielding gaze and sighed inwardly.
He'd come to understand the boy a little by now. Once he'd made up his mind, there was no getting out of it.
Hai Bodong's face went utterly despondent. Like a prisoner being marched to the execution grounds, he wore a mournful expression and answered weakly.
"...Fine, fine... I'll... I'll do my best..."
And so, beneath the confused gazes of the Snake-People Tribe's gathered leaders,
Lin Chen took Hai Bodong—whose face looked like he was "marching nobly to his death"—and shot out of the Holy City once more.
They sped toward the most desolate, most remote depths of the Tagor Great Desert.
Behind them, a group of Snake-People could only stare at one another, completely at a loss.
They flew to a stretch of utterly uninhabited wasteland. Below them, vast sand dunes rolled on without end, yellow sand filled the sky, and the place was so barren they couldn't see a single sand scorpion.
Lin Chen stopped in midair, turned, and looked at Hai Bodong, who was following behind him with a face even more bitter than if he'd just eaten gall.
"Are you ready?"
Lin Chen rolled his wrist. His knuckles cracked softly, and an eager, blood-red glint flashed in his eyes.
Hai Bodong jolted, then instantly pushed his Dou Qi to the limit.
"Boom! Hiss!"
Ice-blue Dou Emperor Dou Qi erupted wildly!
It transformed into armor that covered him from head to toe in an instant. He even pulled his helmet down tight.
A massive ice spear, taller than a man, formed in his hand, its tip gleaming with bone-chilling cold.
His voice trembled.
"B-Boy! You... you'd better go easy on me!!"
Lin Chen's lips curled into a faint smile as he slowly raised his hand.
"Boundless Blood Sea..."
"Open!"
Before you continue