Forging the Red Lotus Karma Fire, This Kid Really Isn't Afraid?

From within the Myriad Dao Soul-Nurturing Jade came the voice of Medicine Elder, shrill with sheer terror, completely stripped of his usual composed and calm demeanor.

"You... how on earth did you do this??"

Medicine Elder was thoroughly shocked; his figure drifted out from the Myriad Dao Soul-Nurturing Jade in an instant, his eyes locked onto the bewitching red fire lotus in Xiao Yan's palm as if he had seen a ghost.

The fire lotus was crimson throughout, its petals layered and overlapping—twelve in total—each one crystalline and translucent, as if carved from the purest rubies.

At the center of the petals, a golden flame flickered faintly like a lotus heart, radiating an aura that was both scorching hot and eerily enchanting.

As the flames danced, illusory lotus phantoms shimmered into existence, breathtakingly beautiful yet capable of striking awe into the hearts of all who beheld them.

This was the Red Lotus Karma Fire!

Ranked eighth on the Exotic Flame Ranking!

Born in the depths of the Nine Serenities, it could incinerate all the sins of the world!

Medicine Elder felt his very soul trembling.

As an eighth-tier alchemist, he was a master of fire, having possessed the Bone Chilling Flame for years, and his sensitivity to exotic flames far surpassed that of ordinary men.

The aura radiating from this Red Lotus Karma Fire was far more tyrannical than the Bone Chilling Flame he wielded!

Ranked eighth on the Exotic Flame Ranking—it truly lived up to its reputation!

"Kid, where did you get this?"

Medicine Elder stared at Xiao Yan in disbelief, his heart churning with turbulent waves.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire was no common trinket!

An exotic flame of this caliber was a supreme treasure, rare and unattainable even across the entire Dou Qi Continent!

Countless alchemists spent their entire lives seeking it in vain!

Yet this kid, who had never even left Wutan City, had managed to produce one without a sound?

What on earth was going on?

"A stroke of luck, obtained by chance."

Xiao Yan gave a perfunctory reply, his gaze fixed on the Red Lotus Karma Fire in his palm, a flicker of burning intensity in his eyes.

With this Red Lotus Karma Fire, combined with the Burning Mantra, his strength would surely skyrocket!

"Obtained by chance?"

Medicine Elder's mouth twitched.

You're telling me an exotic flame of this level was obtained by chance?

I, Yao Chen, have lived for more than half a lifetime, so why haven't I ever stumbled upon one by chance?

However, he had no time to press the matter, for he witnessed something even more terrifying—

Xiao Yan had sat down cross-legged, his hands forming seals, and the Dou Qi within his body began to circulate according to the path of the Burning Mantra!

"Kid, you aren't actually thinking of refining the Red Lotus Karma Fire right now, are you?"

Seeing this, Medicine Elder's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly spoke up to stop him.

"This thing is not that simple!"

"The Red Lotus Karma Fire is extremely unique; it has incredibly high requirements for the temperament of the one refining it!"

"Only those with an upright heart and minimal karmic sin can earn its recognition and successfully refine it!"

"If someone with a crooked heart and heavy karmic debt were to rashly attempt refinement, the Red Lotus Karma Fire would not submit; instead, it would backfire, burning its master until their soul dissipated into nothingness!"

Medicine Elder spoke at a rapid pace, pouring out everything he knew.

Though he was wary of Xiao Yan's methods and had been forced to hand over the Burning Mantra, he had chosen to cooperate, and he did not want Xiao Yan to meet his end.

After all—

This kid had promised to help him reshape his physical body and exact his revenge!

In Medicine Elder's view, perhaps only this mysterious youth before him could fulfill his desire for vengeance.

However—

Before Medicine Elder could even finish his sentence.

Xiao Yan had already made his move.

He cradled the Red Lotus Karma Fire in his left hand and gave a light wave with his right—

Hum!

The Ten Thousand Soul Banner materialized out of thin air, and strands of black mist billowed out, instantly shrouding the entire room in a tight seal.

Space locked!

Aura isolated!

This was another ability of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, utilizing the power of the vengeful spirits within to block all leakage of energy and prevent any external detection.

While Xiao Yan was confident in his own strength, it was never a bad idea to avoid unnecessary trouble should the commotion of his breakthrough become too great.

Especially since—

Beside Xiao Xun'er, there was also a Dou Huang bodyguard lurking in the shadows.

After finishing all this.

Xiao Yan did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately circulating the Burning Mantra!

"This brat..."

Seeing this, Medicine Elder was momentarily speechless.

He hadn't even finished speaking yet; why had this brat already started?

Was he really in such a rush?

However, things had reached this point, and he could not stop him; he could only watch helplessly.

"Sigh..."

Medicine Elder let out a soft sigh in his heart.

Although the Red Lotus Karma Fire was relatively mild, that was only for those of a kind and virtuous nature.

If someone with too much blood on their hands and a twisted heart were to touch it, it would be no different from setting themselves on fire!

The "Black Banner" magic treasure in this brat's hands looked like a vicious, bloodthirsty object at a glance; who knew how many vengeful souls and grievances it had stained.

To rashly refine the Red Lotus Karma Fire like this—wasn't that like a lamb walking into a tiger's den?

"Fine, fine..."

"You brat really aren't afraid of anything!"

Medicine Elder shook his head, yet he still released a wisp of soul fluctuation, shrouding the entire room.

This was to prevent the Red Lotus Karma Fire from spiraling out of control and causing too much of a commotion for the Xiao Family.

At the same time, he prepared himself—

If the situation turned dire, he would do his best to intervene and save him if the opportunity arose.

After all, although this brat was mysterious, he had been quite respectful toward him and had even given him such a supreme treasure as the Soul-Nurturing Jade.

However—

The scene that followed left Medicine Elder completely stunned.

He saw that.

The moment the Red Lotus Karma Fire in Xiao Yan's palm touched the Dou Qi of the Burning Mantra, it suddenly erupted with a dazzling crimson light!

The intensity of that radiance illuminated the entire room as if it were a sea of blood!

Medicine Elder's heart tightened, thinking the Exotic Flame was about to go berserk.

But what happened next made his eyes widen in disbelief!

The Red Lotus Karma Fire, like a docile kitten or puppy, was obediently wrapped, guided, and refined by Xiao Yan's Dou Qi!

The entire process was smooth and fluid, without the slightest obstruction!

No berserk outburst!

No resistance!

Not even a single shred of defiance!

It was as if the Red Lotus Karma Fire had encountered a long-lost master, joyfully merging into Xiao Yan's body, following the meridian paths of the Burning Mantra, being refined, subdued, and integrated bit by bit!

"This... how is this possible?!"

Medicine Elder stared with wide eyes, watching this scene in disbelief.

He had lived for over a hundred years and had seen countless alchemists refine Exotic Flames, but he had never seen it done so easily, so smoothly!

What's more—

This was the Red Lotus Karma Fire!

The Red Lotus Karma Fire, ranked eighth on the Exotic Flame Ranking!

It wasn't just some random, ordinary flame!

How could it be refined so easily?

What shocked Medicine Elder even more was that during the process of Xiao Yan refining the Red Lotus Karma Fire, it hadn't unleashed a single bit of destructive power!

One had to know that refining an Exotic Flame was an extremely perilous task.

Exotic Flames were violent; the slightest carelessness could lead to a backlash against the master—at best, shattered meridians; at worst, immediate death!

But Xiao Yan?

The entire process was as calm as practicing an ordinary cultivation technique; there wasn't even the earth-shattering commotion that would normally occur when refining an Exotic Flame!

"No!"

"This brat... is he actually this pure and upright? Completely devoid of any blood debt?"

A stormy sea surged in Medicine Elder's heart.

He stared at Xiao Yan in disbelief, trying to discern something from him.