Underground

Qing Lin looked like a beautiful porcelain doll as she gazed timidly at him. Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Qing Lin, could you do your brother a favor?"

"Y-you tell me," little Qing Lin said timidly.

"Help me find a flame," Xiao Yan said.

"Master, can she really help you find a Heavenly Flame?" Hai Bo Dong asked in confusion.

"Though she can't find the Heavenly Flame directly, she might be able to find that snake." Xiao Yan gave a mysterious smile.

Hai Bo Dong had long since grown used to the strange things Xiao Yan often said.

"Let's go. Xiao Yi Xian, stay behind. You won't be able to endure the desert heat." Xiao Yan spoke to Hai Bo Dong and Xiao Yi Xian, ignoring Xiao Yi Xian's pout.

Whoosh! A figure with icy white Dou Qi Wings and another with purple Dou Qi Wings streaked across the sky above Mo City.

He even has a long-lost Flight Dou Technique. Which mysterious great family's direct descendant is out training? I've never heard of one like this within the Jia Ma Empire. Hai Bo Dong watched Xiao Yan fly beside him, purple Dou Qi Wings spread behind him as he held Qing Lin.

"Let's head to that suspicious spot eastward on the map. You lead the way," Xiao Yan said.

"Alright, this way." The three of them changed direction and flew toward the horizon.

"Phew! Ptoo! Ptoo! The Tager Desert really isn't a place for people." Xiao Yan spat out the sand in his mouth and tightly wrapped Qing Lin in his robe.

"We're almost there," Hai Bo Dong said.

With their heads lowered against the howling sandstorm, the three of them trudged toward the area marked on the map, their footsteps sinking unevenly into the sand.

"Master, it should be around here. The suspicious area is actually quite large, so I can't pinpoint the exact location." Hai Bo Dong stopped, stamped on the ground beneath his feet, and spoke to Xiao Yan.

Hai Bo Dong looked at Xiao Yan expectantly, hoping he would use some miraculous method to locate the Heavenly Flame.

"Qing Lin, it's up to you now." Xiao Yan set Qing Lin down and smiled at her.

"Hm?" Qing Lin furrowed her adorable little face in confusion.

"Qing Lin, you're a mixed-blood child of the Snake-People Tribe and humans. You were born with a Bloodline—the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils—which can easily sense the auras of nearby snake-type magical beasts," Xiao Yan said.

When Qing Lin heard Xiao Yan reveal her origins, she fearfully tugged her sleeves down.

"It's alright, Qing Lin. Don't be afraid. Can you help me find the snake-type magical beast hiding nearby?" Xiao Yan stepped forward and patted her head.

"Alright, Brother Xiao Yan," Qing Lin said shyly.

"Hai Bo Dong, suppress your aura to the Da Dou Shi level and let Qing Lin feel it," Xiao Yan said, turning back to him.

"Yes." Hai Bo Dong withdrew the imposing aura of a peak Dou Emperor and compressed it to the Da Dou Shi level.

"Qing Lin, can you feel it? Remember this energy level. That snake should be between these two realms in strength. Focus and sense it carefully," Xiao Yan encouraged.

"Alright, I-I'll try." Qing Lin responded cautiously, then carefully closed her eyes and began to sense her surroundings.

After a short while, Qing Lin opened her eyes and pointed uncertainly northward. "About fifty meters in that direction, I sensed an aura that feels very familiar to me. Its presence is about the same as that old gentleman's just now. But it seems to be underground, so I'm not entirely sure."

"Let's go take a look." Xiao Yan exchanged an excited glance with Hai Bo Dong.

"Teacher, it's your turn," Xiao Yan said inwardly as he stopped at the spot Qing Lin had indicated.

Yao Lao's vast soul power flowed out from the Storage Ring and began extending underground.

Before long, Yao Lao replied, "It should be here. I just sensed abundant fire-element energy below, even more active than on the surface. There should be magma beneath us. Let's go down and take a look."

"Alright, Teacher."

"This is the place. Hai Bo Dong, it's your turn," Xiao Yan said.

Sigh, for the dignified Ice Emperor to be reduced to digging sand in the desert... Hai Bo Dong grumbled inwardly as he bombarded the ground with Dou Qi.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Under Hai Bo Dong's fierce assault, a long, narrow underground passage gradually appeared beneath the sand.

"I'll go down first." Hai Bo Dong leaped in, sliding down while unleashing powerful Dou Qi to keep blasting open the passage. Xiao Yan followed close behind with Qing Lin in his arms.

After sliding through the long tunnel, the three landed in a massive underground cavern. Crimson magma flowed slowly through it, and wisps of smoke occasionally rose from its surface before eventually fading away.

"Phew, it really is here." Xiao Yan spoke joyfully. Hai Bo Dong and Qing Lin stared at the underground spectacle beside him in shock.

First, I need to lure out the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake and have Qing Lin subdue it. It can guide me. Xiao Yan looked at the lake.

"Attack the lake's surface, Hai Bo Dong," Xiao Yan said.

"Yes." With a wave of his right hand, Hai Bo Dong sent a fierce Dou Qi slash toward the magma lake.

Bang! A depression appeared on the lake's surface, but within seconds, the surrounding magma rushed in and filled it. The lake returned to calm once more.

Hai Bo Dong looked at Xiao Yan, unable to understand the meaning behind that action.

Hissss! At that moment, a snake-shaped magical beast emerged from the magma. Its entire body glowed red, its tongue flickered, and its vicious eyes stared fixedly at the three people on the shore.

"A Fire Spirit Snake? Its aura is still at the peak Da Dou Shi level, and its second head hasn't grown out yet." Xiao Yan muttered as he watched the Fire Spirit Snake swim across the lake below.

"Master, shall I kill this magical beast?" Hai Bo Dong asked.

"No."

"Qing Lin, it's your turn." Xiao Yan looked at Qing Lin.

Seeing Qing Lin look at him in confusion, Xiao Yan smiled encouragingly. "Stare at that Fire Spirit Snake carefully. Imagine it as your companion, and use the Bloodline within you to call to it."

Encouraged by Xiao Yan, Qing Lin fixed her gaze seriously on the Fire Spirit Snake below. A moment passed, and just as the Fire Spirit Snake saw that the three humans on the shore were not making any move and prepared to dive back down—

Three green dots suddenly appeared in Qing Lin's jade-green pupils. The dots began spinning rapidly around her pupils, forming three tiny flower buds on the verge of blooming.

Bang!

A dim beam shot from Qing Lin's eyes and struck the Fire Spirit Snake's head. Just as the fierce beast prepared to retaliate, a green flower faintly appeared atop its head before vanishing.

The Fire Spirit Snake immediately calmed down and looked at Qing Lin with gentle eyes.

Seeing that she had successfully controlled the Fire Spirit Snake, Qing Lin let out a long breath and collapsed weakly into Xiao Yan's arms.

P.S. Making up for yesterday's update. First release.