Great Sun Blazing Grass, Golden Flame Body Tempering

When Great Sun Blazing Grass was held in Di Yao's hand, the surrounding temperature noticeably rose.

Unlike Fusang Red Heart Lotus, it did not contain a Core Flame.

It was more direct.

More domineering.

The entire plant seemed condensed from sunlight. The golden patterns on its leaves flickered, as though each flash was drawing a response from the Great Sun Golden Flame within Di Yao.

Hu Liena stood before Di Yao, her expression exceedingly grim.

"You just ate an Immortal Herb."

Her voice was lowered, carrying obvious anger. "If you eat another one now and something happens, who's going to take responsibility?"

Di Yao looked up at her.

"I will."

That single word left Hu Liena feeling stifled.

She gritted her teeth. "You'll take responsibility? How will you take responsibility if you die?"

Di Yao did not answer immediately.

He looked at the anger in Hu Liena's eyes. His tone softened slightly, yet remained calm. "I don't have time to refine it slowly."

Hu Liena wanted to argue.

But she knew he was telling the truth.

Tang Hao had already appeared once.

The Black Market Soul Hunting Group had also tracked their way nearby.

Dugu Bo's stance had yet to stabilize.

Who knew how many people in Heaven Dou were watching them.

Di Yao was currently at his most dangerous point.

The longer they delayed, the more likely something would go wrong.

But knowing that was one thing. Watching him throw himself into the fire like this still left Hu Liena feeling terribly unsettled.

She coldly stepped aside.

"Do as you please."

With that, she turned and walked toward the perimeter.

Di Yao glanced at her but did not call her back.

He knew Hu Liena was angry.

But right now, emotions were unimportant.

What mattered was that his body had to endure the Third Soul Ring.

Dugu Bo watched from the side and said coldly, "Kid, this old man has seen plenty of geniuses, and plenty of lunatics."

"You're both."

Di Yao put the Great Sun Blazing Grass into his mouth.

"Thanks for the compliment."

Dugu Bo's mouth twitched.

The next instant, the medicinal power of the Great Sun Blazing Grass erupted.

It did not first stabilize and then ignite like the Fusang Red Heart Lotus.

The moment it entered his body, it surged straight into every part of Di Yao's flesh and blood.

Boom!

Flames around Di Yao swelled violently.

Dark gold flame patterns spread from his chest to his limbs. Fine cracks split across the surface of his skin, and blinding golden light shone through them.

It was as though his body was no longer flesh and blood, but a piece of divine iron being heated red-hot in a furnace.

Di Yao finally furrowed his brow.

This pain was far more brutal than the pain from the Fusang Red Heart Lotus.

The Fusang Red Heart Lotus burned the Core Flame.

The Great Sun Blazing Grass burned the body.

It intended to temper every bit of Di Yao's blood, bones, tendons, and skin.

The pain was duller, yet deeper.

Like a heavy hammer smashing into his bones again and again.

Dugu Yan stood in the distance, her face turning pale as she watched.

She asked softly, "Does he always cultivate like this?"

Hu Liena did not turn around.

She was dealing with the restless venomous insects around the perimeter, her voice cold and hard. "He's always this reckless with his life."

Dugu Yan glanced at her.

It sounded like a curse.

Yet the concern within it could not be hidden.

The aura of the Great Sun Blazing Grass spread outward, quickly drawing fire-attributed soul beasts and venomous insects from Sunset Forest.

Crimson Poison Scorpions crawled out from gaps between the rocks, the flame patterns on their backs flickering.

Several Fire Crows circled in the distance as well, letting out harsh cries.

Hu Liena's gaze turned cold.

She drew her short blade. Her First Soul Ring lit up, and the power of Charm spread soundlessly.

"Dugu Yan."

Without looking back, she spoke urgently. "Poison Scorpions on the left. Don't let them get close."

Dugu Yan instinctively wanted to snap back.

But she looked at the surging firelight around Di Yao, then at the venomous insects rushing toward them. In the end, she gritted her teeth and raised her hand.

Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison turned into a cloud of green mist and swept fiercely toward the Poison Scorpions on the left.

"I don't need you to tell me!"

Hu Liena's eyes did not shift. Her short blade cut across a Fire Crow's throat as she replied indifferently, "Then don't miss any."

Dugu Yan's expression darkened in irritation.

"Same goes for you!"

The two did not see eye to eye.

Yet their cooperation was unexpectedly effective.

Hu Liena used Charm to disrupt the soul beasts' judgment, making the Fire Crows crash into the Poison Scorpion swarm.

Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorus Poison Mist sealed off the route through which the low-level venomous insects could approach Di Yao.

Yue Guan watched from atop a tree and lightly raised a brow.

"They're not completely brainless, after all."

Dugu Bo snorted. "My granddaughter was never lacking."

Yue Guan cast him a smiling glance. "I wasn't only talking about your granddaughter."

Dugu Bo did not respond.

His gaze returned to Di Yao.

At this moment, Di Yao had reached the most dangerous stage.

The medicinal power of the Great Sun Blazing Grass was battering wildly through his bones.

Fine cracks had appeared across his fingertips, the backs of his hands, and his neck.

Dark Gold Flame seeped from those cracks.

This was not an outward release.

It was a sign that his body was close to failing.

Dugu Bo frowned. "If he keeps burning like this, he'll split apart."

The smile on Yue Guan's face faded somewhat as well.

His fingers moved lightly, and the Soul Power of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum condensed in his palm.

If Di Yao could not hold on, he would intervene.

But at that very moment, Di Yao opened his eyes.

There was no panic in them.

Only calmness compressed to its utmost limit.

The Cold Spring within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well suddenly churned violently.

White cold energy was forcibly drawn toward him, entering his body through the cracks across his body.

Sizzle!

Fire and ice collided within his flesh and blood.

Di Yao's entire body trembled.

He clenched his teeth, blood seeping from the corner of his lips.

But he did not stop.

He forced the cold energy into his bone marrow, locking the medicinal power of the Great Sun Blazing Grass into his body inch by inch.

Not dispersing it.

Sealing it.

Forging with it.

Hu Liena had just finished dealing with a wave of Fire Crows. When she turned and saw this scene, her face turned slightly pale.

Her grip around the short blade tightened.

Dugu Yan stood beside her and asked softly, "Is he really not afraid of dying?"

Hu Liena looked at Di Yao, her voice dropping a few degrees. "He is."

Dugu Yan froze.

Hu Liena said coldly, "But he's more afraid of wasting an opportunity."

Dugu Yan fell silent.

She suddenly felt that Di Yao was an extremely detestable person.

But he was also truly terrifying.

Half an hour later.

The cracks around Di Yao's body gradually healed.

The dark gold firelight no longer leaked out, instead sinking deep into his flesh and blood.

His aura did not surge dramatically.

But when he stood up, it was as though his entire body had been reforged.

His six-year-old body was still young and immature.

But that aura had grown heavier.

Deeper.

Like a chunk of dark iron scorched by Sun Fire, then crushed beneath extreme cold.

Di Yao slowly exhaled.

When that breath landed on the ground, it burned a patch of poisonous grass into ash.

Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed slightly.

"His physical strength has improved considerably."

Yue Guan chuckled. "It looks like we can choose a fiercer target for the Third Soul Ring."

Hu Liena walked over with several small wounds on her body.

She glanced at Di Yao, her tone still unpleasant. "Satisfied now?"

Di Yao noticed the bloody mark on her shoulder, and his gaze paused for a moment.

"You're hurt?"

Hu Liena froze briefly, not expecting him to ask.

She quickly turned her head away and said coldly, "Just a few Fire Crows. I won't die."

Di Yao nodded.

"That's good."

Hu Liena frowned.

She felt that there was something strange about those words.

They sounded like concern, but not quite.

Di Yao had already turned toward Dugu Bo.

"Soul beast intelligence."

The corner of Dugu Bo's mouth twitched slightly.

The first thing this kid wanted after tempering his body was not rest, but intelligence.

He said coldly, "What's the rush?"

Di Yao replied, "The enemy won't wait."

The moment those words fell.

A faint tremor suddenly came from deep within the distant mountain forest.

It was very faint.

So faint that neither Hu Liena nor Dugu Yan noticed it.

But Di Yao's eyes shifted slightly.

Dugu Bo's expression darkened as well.

Yue Guan raised his eyes and looked into the distance.

Deep in the mountains, a heavy Hammer Intent flashed by, so oppressive that the air seemed to grow stifling.

Very quickly.

Like an illusion.

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes. "Someone has set their sights on this place."

Di Yao was not surprised.

He merely lowered his head and looked at his palm.

The Dark Gold Flame burned quietly.

The Fusang Red Heart Lotus stabilized the Core Flame.

The Great Sun Blazing Grass had tempered his body.

Only the final Golden Crow Vine remained.

Then came the Third Soul Ring.

He raised his head toward the distant forest, his voice very soft.

"Let him watch."

Hu Liena frowned. "You know who it is?"

Di Yao replied calmly, "That isn't important yet."

Firelight flickered in his eyes.

"What matters is that he doesn't dare come now."