Deep within the hidden recesses of the Snake-People Holy Temple lay a wondrous Jade Fire Cold Pool.
This was no ordinary pool. It was a strange space hidden deep beneath the earth. Its waters were translucent jade-green, like a smooth, lustrous piece of emerald, and gave off a soothing, cool warmth. Wisps of pale white chill drifted over the surface like gauzy veils, hazy and dreamlike. Yet the bottom of the pool was not as cool as its surface; faint traces of scorching earthfire seeped from below. Here, cold and heat mingled in a wondrous way, forming a unique field of energy with marvelous effects on healing wounds and stabilizing Dou Qi.
Xiao Zhan sat quietly submerged in the pool, with only his shoulders and head above the surface. The jade-green water seemed to possess a life of its own. Threads of cool, warm energy flowed like nimble spirits through his skin, slowly seeping into his body and gently nourishing his damaged meridians and organs. At the same time, the earthfire rising from the pool's depths acted like a powerful booster, spurring his Dou Qi to circulate faster as it worked at full force to repair the hidden injuries left by Protector Wu's strike. The once-terrifying wound on his left shoulder had already scabbed over and healed under the combined miraculous effects of the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art and the pool, leaving only a faint mark, like a trace lightly etched by time.
[Injury recovery progress: 85%...Soul-Eroding Dou Qi remaining: 0%...Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art compatibility increased: 2%...]
The system's prompt rang out steadily and clearly, like a melodious bell echoing through Xiao Zhan's mind. He closed his eyes and focused, giving his all to circulate his cultivation art as he eagerly absorbed the Jade Fire Cold Pool's strange energy. He could clearly feel that after this life-or-death battle and the exertion of his power to its limits, his control over the strength of the Dou Zong realm had grown ever more fluid and effortless. The Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art had also made subtle yet tangible progress.
Suddenly, an overwhelmingly domineering aura, carrying the scorching heat unique to Heavenly Flames, swept down upon the edge of the pool like a gale.
Xiao Zhan slowly opened his eyes. Queen Medusa had appeared on the bank at some point, silent as a ghost. She still wore that exquisite gown formed from azure flames. It seemed almost alive, swaying gently in the breeze and giving off a mysterious, captivating glow. She was barefoot, her flawless feet resting on the cold rocks; the stark contrast of heat and cold made for a striking sight. Deep in her violet eyes, azure flames flickered like mysterious stars in the night sky. Her gaze settled on Xiao Zhan's muscular chest above the water, sharp and cold, like a predator appraising its prey.
"You've recovered rather quickly." Queen Medusa's cool voice drifted through the air, like a cold wind on a winter's night. It was impossible to tell whether she was pleased or displeased.
"I have Your Majesty to thank for that. This Jade Fire Cold Pool truly works wonders." Xiao Zhan replied calmly and steadily. He sat up a little straighter in the water, sending delicate ripples spreading across the surface, like strings gently plucked on a still lake.
Queen Medusa did not answer. She slowly extended her slender hand, palm up. A pale golden drop of blood floated above it, throbbing as if alive and radiating a faint yet supremely noble Dragon Phoenix aura—it was the drop of origin blood Xiao Zhan had handed over earlier!
"This Queen needs the power of your bloodline to fully stabilize the Green Lotus Core Flame and break through that crucial barrier." Queen Medusa fixed her gaze on Xiao Zhan like a blade. A resolute glint flashed in her violet eyes, along with a hint of something difficult to discern... longing? "The Bloodline Pact has been fulfilled. This essence blood is now mine to use. Do you object?"
"Since the pact says so, I have no objections," Xiao Zhan replied, his voice firm and steady.
"Good." Queen Medusa said no more. She lightly pointed a jade-white finger, and the pale golden drop of essence blood instantly became a dazzling streak of light, shooting like lightning into the space between her brows!
Bzzzz—!
The instant the essence blood entered her, brilliant azure light blazed around Queen Medusa, making her shine like a radiant blue sun! Wild azure flames erupted uncontrollably from her body, illuminating the entire Jade Fire Cold Pool as bright as day! The water churned and boiled violently. Great clouds of steam quickly evaporated with a hissing sound, as though the pool were groaning in pain.
She suddenly let out a muffled groan. A look of pain appeared on her exquisite face, and her delicate body trembled. The Green Lotus Core Flame's fearsome power seemed to surge even more fiercely under the stimulus of the foreign essence blood, rampaging through her like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins!
Xiao Zhan's pupils contracted slightly! Through the subtle link of their Bloodline Pact, he could clearly sense an earth-shaking clash of energies unfolding inside her, like two frenzied beasts locked in a savage struggle! The Heavenly Flame's power raged like an enraged outlaw, rejecting and burning the essence blood, while the Dragon Phoenix Origin within the blood fought back like a steadfast warrior, even showing signs of suppressing and refining the violent flames!
"Ah..." Queen Medusa let out a restrained, pained groan. The gown of azure flames covering her body flickered in and out, as if it might collapse at any moment. She abruptly sat cross-legged, her hands swiftly forming profound, intricate seals, as cryptic as a heavenly script, while she did everything in her power to suppress and guide the rampaging energy within her!
In an instant, the space around the Jade Fire Cold Pool shook violently, as if an invisible giant beast were rampaging through it! Terrifying pressure spread outward like a physical force, compressing the air until it groaned. Xiao Zhan felt an irresistible force, heavy as a mountain, slam down on him. If he had not been in the pool, using the unique power of mingled water and fire to deflect some of the pressure, he would have been driven straight to the bottom in an instant, doomed beyond redemption!
He stared at the figure swaying amid the azure flames on the bank, flickering like a candle in the wind. Shock surged through him like the mighty Yangtze, endless and unstoppable. Was this how dangerous it was to fuse with a Heavenly Flame? Even a powerhouse like Queen Medusa was struggling so desperately against the peril?
Suddenly!
Xiao Zhan felt an unseen yet powerful force tug sharply at his bloodline! The link between them grew clearer than ever, like an invisible thread binding him tightly to Queen Medusa. The Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art aura within him, previously faint, began circulating faster of its own accord, as if driven by some mysterious force! A scorching current surged from his dantian and rushed through his meridians like a churning river, heading for the space between his brows!
Hiss!
An exceedingly fine thread of pale golden light, nearly too faint to see, drifted from the pact mark between his brows. Like a nimble, delicate strand of gold, it crossed the barrier of space in an instant and connected precisely to the faint, dreamlike golden phoenix pattern between Queen Medusa's brows!
The moment the golden thread connected!
The violent, clashing energy rampaging through Queen Medusa suddenly seemed to find a perfect outlet! A portion of the Heavenly Flame Origin, exceptionally pure yet searingly hot, surged into Xiao Zhan through the thread. Though it looked delicate, it held boundless mysteries, and the energy rushed through him like a flood bursting its banks!
"Ugh!" Xiao Zhan felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. He groaned, his face instantly flushing crimson as if scorched by fire! An unimaginable burning, tearing sensation flooded his entire body like a surging tide! Even a tiny wisp of the Green Lotus Core Flame's origin power was more than his current condition could easily endure!
At the same time, however, the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art within him seemed to have received the strongest possible stimulus, like a slumbering dragon abruptly awakened! Red-gold light burst from his body, forming a layer of fine, shimmering dragon-scale phantoms over his sturdy frame! His domineering Dragon Phoenix aura surged into motion, instinctively beginning to devour and refine the torrent of Heavenly Flame Origin pouring into him!
A strange, subtle cycle quietly formed between them! The violent power of the Heavenly Flame flowed into Xiao Zhan through the invisible link of the pact. The Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art struggled, yet stubbornly refined and absorbed it. Meanwhile, the refined energy—a purer, more easily controlled force, containing a trace of mysterious, noble Dragon Phoenix aura—flowed back through the golden thread into Queen Medusa.
Queen Medusa's tightly knitted brows relaxed noticeably, as if a great weight had quietly lifted from her heart. The azure flames that had been raging wildly around her softened and condensed at a visible pace, once again forming a stable, magnificent gown of fire. The pain on her face gradually faded, replaced by a strange sense of relief and a steady rise in power, like flowers quietly blooming beneath the spring sun.
Xiao Zhan, meanwhile, was caught in the utmost agony of a world of ice and fire. The bone-chilling cold of the Jade Fire Cold Pool gnawed at him like a bitter winter gale, while the scorching blaze of the Heavenly Flame within him threatened to burn him to ashes. Gritting his teeth, he endured both torments and circulated the Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art with all his strength. He could clearly feel his body, meridians, and even soul being torn apart again and again beneath the merciless torrent and repeated refinement of that violent energy, then stubbornly pieced back together like trees battered by a raging storm. Every cycle of tearing and rebuilding made him tougher, like iron hammered again and again until it grew stronger. At the same time, his resistance to and control over the power of the Heavenly Flame rose like spring shoots breaking through the soil.
[Dragon Phoenix Tyrant Body Art proficiency greatly increased! Green Lotus Core Flame resistance +10%! Heavenly Flame perception enhanced!] [Detected trace Heavenly Flame Origin refined and absorbed; Dou Qi cultivation slightly increased...]
The system's prompts rang in Xiao Zhan's mind like heavenly music. This agony was actually a rare boon, a precious gift from fate!
Steam drifted through the Jade Fire Cold Pool like gauzy veils. One person sat cross-legged on the bank, azure flames flowing around her like lively spirits as her aura climbed steadily like a rising mountain. The other bobbed in the pool, faint golden scales shimmering across his skin with mysterious, noble light as he gritted his teeth and endured the merciless torrent of energy, like a small boat tossed by raging wind and waves yet never sunk. A barely perceptible thread of pale golden energy connected their brows, together sketching a strange scene of powerful beauty. Yue Mei had quietly retreated to the distant entrance at some point. Shock and disbelief filled her emerald, slit-pupiled eyes. She had never seen Her Majesty share such a... peculiar exchange of energy with anyone, especially not a man from another race. The scene was like a dream, beyond anything she could comprehend.
Deep within the Magical Beast Mountain Range, inside another hidden cave.
Beside the bonfire, Xiao Yan's face remained as pale as paper, but his eyes shone like stars in the night sky. He carefully unfolded the old, tattered map he had found in the mysterious cave, a map that seemed to bear the weight of countless years and untold secrets. Yao Lao's illusory figure hovered beside him, his expression more solemn than ever, like a mountain on the verge of a storm.
"Teacher, what does this map... actually show?" Xiao Yan stared at the blurry, color-shifting lotus in the center of the map and the incomplete words "Purifying Lotus..." along its edge. Doubt and curiosity filled his heart. He felt like a traveler groping through the darkness, desperate to find a guiding light.
Yao Lao did not answer at once. His illusory fingers gently brushed the map's material, neither metal nor wood, ancient and mysterious to the touch. His soul power probed it like a precision instrument, delicately and keenly sensing every faint line and the ancient aura that seemed to linger from primordial times. After a long while, he finally exhaled—the fluctuation of his soul rippling like a breeze across a lake. His voice carried undisguised excitement and the slightest tremor as he slowly said:
"The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame... It ranks third on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, a terrifying existence! Legend says it possesses the miraculous power to purify all things. Its might is far beyond anything the Green Lotus Core Flame can match! It can truly destroy heaven and earth; everything in its path can be reduced to nothingness!"
"What?! The third Heavenly Flame?!" Xiao Yan drew in a sharp breath, his eyes widening like saucers! He had only just witnessed the Green Lotus Core Flame's rampaging power with his own eyes, even if it had been sealed. The thought of a Heavenly Flame ranked third—just how terrifying was that?!
"Exactly!" Yao Lao's eyes shone like two bright beacons as he fixed them on the map. "This fragmentary map may well contain clues to the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. It might even be part of a map to the place where it was sealed! A clue to such a divine treasure... Its value is beyond estimation! It would be enough to drive the peak powerhouses of the entire Dou Qi Continent mad and set off a bloody, violent struggle!"
With that, he looked at Xiao Yan, his expression stern as a towering mountain, his authority leaving no room for argument. "Boy, remember! You must not breathe a word about this map to anyone—not a single word! Not even to those closest to you! Otherwise, you'll bring down a calamity upon yourself and be plunged into a fate worse than death! You should understand the principle that possessing a treasure invites disaster!"
Xiao Yan's heart tightened. A cold glint seemed to flash before his eyes, and he nodded firmly before carefully putting away the fragmentary map and tucking it close to his body. His heart pounded wildly. It was like holding a scorching potato that could set him ablaze at the slightest mistake—and yet also like gripping the key to the summit, ready to open a mysterious door to an unknown world.
"Then... Xiao Yi Xian..." Xiao Yan slowly turned his gaze toward the corner of the cave. Xiao Yi Xian was still curled up there like a delicate flower swaying in a storm. However, her breathing was much steadier than before. She seemed to be silently circulating the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, doing her best to control the poison racing wildly through her body. Feeling Xiao Yan's gaze, she slowly raised her head. A faint smile carrying a trace of life appeared on her pale face. It was weak, yet like a ray of warm spring sunlight, offering comfort and hope.
"Her..." Yao Lao's gaze fell on Xiao Yi Xian. A complicated expression appeared on his illusory face, mingling pity with concern. "The Woe Poison Body has been fully activated. The road ahead of her is destined to be rugged and difficult. This map... has nothing to do with her for now. The most urgent thing is to leave the core area of the Magical Beast Mountain Range as soon as possible. The Wolf Head Mercenary Group's revenge is only the beginning. The commotion caused by your Buddha Fury Fire Lotus was simply too great; it must have alerted quite a few forces already."
As if to confirm Yao Lao's words, several long, intimidating roars echoed faintly from the distant sky beyond the cave. They rolled through the air like muffled thunder. Right after came the sharp, hurried sounds of powerful humans flying past. Clearly, the area was no longer safe; danger lurked everywhere.
Xiao Yan's expression turned stern, like a volcano on the verge of erupting. He immediately rose and said decisively, "Let's go!"
In front of the Xiao Family gates in Wutan City.
The atmosphere was as taut as a bowstring drawn to its limit. The slightest touch would set off a violent clash.
Several Misty Cloud Sect disciples in moon-white robes, with cloud-and-sword emblems embroidered on their chests, stood arrogantly blocking the Xiao Family gates, like a pack of haughty young nobles. Their leader had a stiff, stony face and sharp eyes like an eagle's, glinting with a fierce light. His aura was as steady as a mountain, and he was clearly a Dou Ling powerhouse! This man was Ge Ye, a Misty Cloud Sect steward sent on orders from Sect Master Yun Yun—though in truth, the First Elder, Yun Leng, had secretly engineered the matter—to "investigate" the Xiao Family's background!
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li stood at the gates with a group of Xiao Family guards, their faces dark with anger. The two sides were poised for conflict, like a storm about to break.
"Steward Ge Ye, my Xiao Family respects you as an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect and has treated you with courtesy. But you've brought people to block our gates. What exactly is the meaning of this?" Xiao Ding suppressed his anger and asked in a low voice, his words edged with reproach and displeasure.
Ge Ye's face was as cold as frost, without the slightest change in expression. His voice carried the aloof indifference of someone looking down on all living things. "I am here on the sect leader's orders to investigate the unusual activity in Wutan City. Reliable information has recently indicated that unidentified powerhouses have been appearing near the Xiao Family with increasing frequency. This matter seems to be closely connected to the seventh-grade pill auctioned earlier. As a party connected to the pill's source, the Xiao Family is obliged to fully cooperate with our investigation. Young Master Xiao Ding, please step aside. We need to go in and conduct a thorough search!"
"A search?!" Xiao Li had always had a fiery temper, and at this his eyes blazed with fury. He shouted, "The Xiao Family is one of Wutan City's renowned three great clans. You think you can search us whenever you please? Unidentified powerhouses? I say the Misty Cloud Sect is just looking for trouble! Are you trying to avenge Nalan Yanran and deliberately make things difficult for my Xiao Family?"
"Outrageous!" Ge Ye's eyes instantly turned cold as a blade in the dead of night. The aura of a Dou Ling powerhouse erupted like a towering mountain, crashing down on Xiao Li with an overwhelming force! "You dare openly slander the Misty Cloud Sect's young sect leader! It seems the Xiao Family really is hiding something and harboring ill intentions! Seize them!"
At his command, the Misty Cloud Sect disciples behind him sprang into action like tigers released from their cages. They drew their swords and advanced, blades flashing with an icy gleam!
"Who dares!" Xiao Ding and Xiao Li roared together, their voices booming like bells as their Dou Qi erupted, surging out like a raging tide. They were just about to risk their lives and fight the Misty Cloud Sect to the death!
"Stop!"
At that critical moment, a cool, authoritative woman's voice rang out! It was not loud, yet it rose clearly above the clamor and confusion, like the pure chime of a bell.
Everyone turned toward the voice. At the far end of the street, an elegant carriage drawn by four magnificent white horses was slowly approaching, like a moving palace radiating an air of nobility. It stopped steadily in front of the Xiao Family gates. The curtain lifted, and Ya Fei stepped gracefully out, her figure captivating and poised.
Today, she wore an elegant moon-white palace gown. She had traded some of her usual alluring charm for a cool, noble air, like a snow lotus blooming atop a mountain peak. In her hand, she held the Seven Purple Gold Token, which glimmered with a faintly imposing light in the sun, as if it contained boundless power. Master Gu Ni followed close behind, his expression composed.
Ya Fei's limpid gaze swept slowly over the two sides, locked in a tense standoff, then settled firmly on Ge Ye. Her red lips parted, her voice like icicles on a winter's night, edged with chill. "What impressive authority you're throwing around, Steward Ge Ye! You've brought people to block the gates and search one of Wutan City's three great clans. Is this a rule set by the Misty Cloud Sect from top to bottom, or is it your own idea?"
When Ge Ye saw the mysterious light shining from the Seven Purple Gold Token in Ya Fei's hand, his pupils contracted slightly, as if pricked by a blade. The arrogance on his face faded somewhat. His tone, however, remained as hard as iron, immovable as a mountain. "Miss Ya Fei, this is an important internal matter of the Misty Cloud Sect. Investigating the source of that seventh-grade pill is also in the interests of the empire's security. Is the Mittel Auction House planning to interfere in this matter as well?"
"The pill was auctioned by the Mittel Auction House at the solemn request of the Xiao Family Patriarch. Every procedure was legal, and the terms of the contract were clearly laid out." Ya Fei took a few graceful steps to stand in front of Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, shielding them like a sturdy barrier. Facing Ge Ye directly, her gaze was firm and unyielding. "As for the pill's source, that is a business secret between our auction house and the Xiao Family Patriarch, and honoring that agreement is a duty we strictly uphold. If the Misty Cloud Sect wants to investigate it, then have Sect Master Yun Yun come in person with her sect leader's order, or ask Pill King Gu He to represent the sect in formal negotiations with the elders' council of the Mittel Family. One statement from you, Steward Ge Ye..."
Ya Fei lifted the Seven Purple Gold Token in her hand slightly. It glinted brilliantly in the sunlight, as if proclaiming its authority. Her voice suddenly turned sharp as thunder. "Isn't enough!"
"You!" Ge Ye's face turned livid in an instant, like an eggplant struck by frost. Ya Fei had rebuked him in front of everyone, and worse, she had invoked Sect Master Yun Yun and Pill King Gu He, two towering figures. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. The Mittel Family had far too much influence for a mere steward like him to withstand, especially when the other party held the Seven Purple Gold Token, a symbol of immense authority!
"Miss Ya Fei, are you trying to shield the Xiao Family?" Ge Ye ground out, fury flashing in his eyes.
"Shield them?" Ya Fei smiled sweetly, her beauty alluring yet edged like a thorny rose. "I'm protecting the reputation and rules of the Mittel Auction House! And I'm reminding you, Steward Ge Ye: Wutan City is not Misty Cloud Mountain! If you're going to act here, you need evidence, and you need to follow the rules! Otherwise..."
Her limpid eyes turned toward the Misty Cloud Sect disciples. Her voice was like a cold wind on a winter's night, carrying a bone-deep chill. "If your recklessness sparks an unnecessary misunderstanding and conflict, damaging the goodwill the Misty Cloud Sect and the Mittel Family have maintained over the years, can you, Steward Ge Ye, bear that heavy responsibility?"
Ge Ye's face changed like a palette, now green, now white, hideous to behold. His fists clenched with a crack, as if he were venting all his fury through the sound. Ya Fei's words had been gentle yet firm, every one sharp and well-reasoned. Worse, she had invoked several powers he could not possibly overcome. He glared at Ya Fei and the mysterious token in her hand, then looked at the Xiao brothers, faces twisted with anger like a volcano about to erupt. In the end, he could only force a reply through clenched teeth:
"Fine! Miss Ya Fei! I'll report this matter to the sect leader and the elders' council exactly as it happened! We're leaving!"
He flung his sleeve, the fabric cutting through the air in a sharp arc, as if giving vent to the resentment in his heart. Then he led the Misty Cloud Sect disciples away in disgrace, their faces full of reluctance, like defeated roosters.
Only after the Misty Cloud Sect's people had vanished around the street corner did Xiao Ding and Xiao Li finally breathe a sigh of relief, as if a thousand-jin burden had been lifted from their shoulders. They bowed deeply to Ya Fei, their gratitude sincere. "Thank you for stepping in, Miss Ya Fei! If you hadn't arrived in time, the Xiao Family would have been in a terrible predicament today."
Ya Fei calmly put away the token, her movements graceful and unhurried. Her usual lazy, alluring charm returned at once, like a beautiful flower blooming in spring. She waved a hand, smiling faintly. "There's no need to thank me. The Xiao Family has been a steady business partner of the auction house for many years. Protecting our partners' interests is only right." She looked toward the Xiao Family gates, a trace of concern flickering deep in her eyes, like a lone cloud passing through the night sky. "Still... the trees may wish for stillness, but the wind will not cease. As long as the Xiao Family Patriarch doesn't return, these ill-intentioned demons and monsters won't stop causing trouble. I'm afraid they'll keep stirring up storms by one means or another."
She slowly raised her head and gazed south, in the direction of both the Magical Beast Mountain Range and the Tagor Desert. Her red lips parted slightly, and she whispered soundlessly, the words rising from the depths of her heart:
"Xiao Zhan... when will you finally return?"
Before you continue