Battle Through the Heavens: Rising from Canaan Academy

After the green lotus left its roots, the surrounding green light seemed to lose its source and dimmed considerably.

Now that he had obtained the Heavenly Flame, Qin Chen did not linger. After taking one last look at the slender roots swaying about, he turned and rushed out of the green glow.

The moment he emerged from the green light, the Fire Spirit Snake that had been waiting for him came forward. Qin Chen stepped directly onto its back and ordered, "Let's go. We need to get back quickly."

Upon hearing this, the Fire Spirit Snake flicked its massive tail and swiftly carried Qin Chen back along the original route.

At the passage entrance, Qing Lin nervously clenched her little hands. Ever since Qin Chen went down, she had been staring blankly at the sea of magma.

At a certain moment, joy suddenly appeared on Qing Lin's previously dazed little face. Just then, a sharp whistling sound tore through the air as the Fire Spirit Snake's enormous body burst through the magma, carrying Qin Chen safely onto the ground.

"Young Master, you're back." Although she had known from the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake that Qin Chen was safe, Qing Lin was still overjoyed to see him return unharmed.

"This time, it was all thanks to Qing Lin. Otherwise, the Heavenly Flame would have had nothing to do with me." Looking at the pretty little girl before him, Qin Chen smiled.

This magma world was incomparably vast. Without the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake to guide him, even with Qin Chen's cultivation at the Dou King realm, he might not have found anything after searching for a whole year.

"As long as Young Master is happy." Hearing Qin Chen's praise, Qing Lin beamed, her large eyes curving into crescent moons.

"You little girl..." Qin Chen helplessly smiled as he patted Qing Lin's fair, tender cheek. Then he handed the Green Lotus Seat in his hand to her and said meaningfully, "Qing Lin, hold onto this for me first. Get to know it well."

"Yes, Young Master." Qing Lin accepted the Green Lotus Seat Qin Chen handed her. She did not know why her young master was entrusting the treasure he had worked so hard to obtain to her, but she only needed to obey.

"Are you ready, Qing Lin? It's time for us to leave."

Now that he had obtained the Green Lotus Core Flame, there was no point in staying here any longer. They had to leave the Tagore Desert immediately, or it would be a huge problem if they drew out Queen Medusa too early.

"Young Master, wait a moment."

As soon as she spoke, Qing Lin waved toward the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake in the distance.

The green light on the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake's forehead immediately surged. In an instant, its enormous body rapidly shrank before turning into a streak of green light and flying into Qing Lin's sleeve.

Patting her sleeve, Qing Lin smiled softly at Qin Chen. "I'm ready, Young Master."

She had only just begun cultivating, yet she could already use the power of space. The Green Snake Three-Flower Eyes truly deserved to be called a special physique guaranteed to reach the Dou Saint realm. Qin Chen would be lying if he said he was not envious.

However, when he saw the Green Lotus Seat in Qing Lin's hands, Qin Chen revealed a faint smile. Perhaps he, too, could find a similarly powerful path in the future.

"Let's go."

Qin Chen picked up Qing Lin's petite body and quickly left this magma world.

On the surface, Hai Bodong frowned deeply and muttered in a low voice, "Those two have been down there for so long. Could something have happened?"

It was no wonder Hai Bodong was so anxious. He had staked his entire fortune on Qin Chen.

Just as Hai Bodong was hesitating over whether to go down and take a look, a disturbance came from below, and Qin Chen's figure instantly appeared on the surface.

Before Hai Bodong could ask anything, Qin Chen tossed several bottles of pills to Rob and said indifferently, "There's nothing for you to do here anymore. Go back."

"Yes!"

Rob clumsily caught the jade bottles. He did not dare stay any longer and immediately called for the Sand Mercenary Group to leave.

The man was quite perceptive. He knew when to stop and did not ask about things he should not know. No wonder he had managed to establish such a dominant force in Stone Desert City.

The moment Rob and the others left, Hai Bodong impatiently asked, "Did you get it?"

"Yes. Everything went smoothly. The Heavenly Flame is mine." Qin Chen chuckled and strode toward the cave entrance.

At that moment, Qing Lin's petite body was leaning against a soft cushion formed from Dou Qi. Qin Chen scooped up the little girl, then waved his sleeve, and yellow sand instantly buried the cave entrance.

Looking at the Green Lotus Seat in Qing Lin's hands, Hai Bodong could not help feeling alarmed. Though he had never seen a Heavenly Flame before, he knew that such a spiritual treasure of heaven and earth possessed the power to destroy the world. He had never expected the one before him to be so gentle.

Licking his lips, Hai Bodong asked, "What do we do now?"

Qin Chen's gaze sharpened as he said solemnly, "I plan to find a place to refine the Heavenly Flame. After that, I can begin helping you break the seal."

"There's a forest south of Stone Desert City. We can go there," Hai Bodong suggested.

"Alright." Qin Chen nodded.

"In that case, this old man will wait at the Sand Mercenary Group for your good news."

Qin Chen nodded, but then abruptly changed the subject and asked, "Old Hai, do you know of any dormant volcanoes nearby?"

Hai Bodong was momentarily stunned. A trace of confusion flashed through his eyes as he asked, "What do you need a dormant volcano for?"

He had lived for so many years, yet he had never seen an alchemist interested in volcanoes, much less dormant ones.

Qin Chen chuckled mysteriously. "There may be some treasures deep within a volcano that can rapidly increase my strength in a short time. That way, not only will it be safer to enter the desert, but the chances of successfully refining the Seal-Breaking Pill will also increase considerably."

Refining the Heavenly Flame

Hai Bodong's confusion deepened at those words, but seeing that Qin Chen was unwilling to say more, he tactfully did not press the matter. Stroking his beard, he recalled, "Dormant volcanoes... There really is a volcanic range called the Flame Bone Mountain Range near the Tagore Desert."

"It is said to have been the site of ancient volcanic eruptions. Extremely violent fire-attributed energy remains inside the mountains. Ordinary people would be burned just by approaching, and even Dou King experts would not dare venture too deeply. However, the place is extremely remote and generally not marked on ordinary maps."

As he finished speaking, Hai Bodong could not help revealing a smug smile.

Probably not many people in the entire Jia Ma Empire knew the exact location of the Flame Bone Mountain Range. In order to break his seal, he had sought many methods and visited many places over the past decades before accidentally discovering that location.

Qin Chen was secretly delighted upon hearing this. Since the Flame Bone Mountain Range retained violent fire-attributed energy, it might truly contain that thing. He quickly asked, "Old Hai, do you know its exact location?"

"Of course. This old man has traveled across the Jia Ma Empire for decades. What place have I not visited?"

As he spoke, Hai Bodong took out a yellowed map from his storage ring and handed it to Qin Chen.

Qin Chen took the map and looked at it. The outline of the Tagore Desert was drawn on it, and at the edge of the desert, beside an inconspicuous triangular mark, were the four small words "Flame Bone Mountain Range." Several dangerous areas near the mountain range were also marked beside it.

Looking at this detailed map, Qin Chen curled his lips into a smile and praised, "Old Hai truly deserves to be called a map master. To draw a map with such precision is truly admirable."

"In that case, we'll meet again after some time."

Qin Chen put away the map in his storage ring, then picked up Qing Lin, who was standing prettily beside him, and sped off toward the due south.

Watching Qin Chen's departing back, a complicated expression flashed across Hai Bodong's aged face. He then sighed and headed toward Stone Desert City.

An hour later, a crimson streak of light cut across the sky, and a bewitching figure wearing a veil appeared here.

She wore a luxurious purple brocade robe. Beneath it was a full, exquisite body, her exposed skin as fair as jade yet carrying a seductive flush. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Though her alluring face was enchanting, it carried an almost imperceptible majesty and an air of noble elegance. Beneath her robe extended a section of purple snake tail, swaying slightly with wild temptation.

She was none other than Queen Medusa, whose vicious reputation and beauty were equally renowned throughout the Tagore Desert.

Her eyes, brimming with endless allure, swept over the surroundings before finally settling on a patch of yellow sand. She murmured, "That special aura came from here. It seems the thing I'm looking for is below."

Before her words had faded, Medusa lifted her delicate hand. Vast Dou Qi surged from her palm and transformed into a purple light whip that lashed fiercely at the sand below.

With a thunderous BOOM, sand scattered everywhere, and a bottomless pit appeared in the ground.

Elsewhere, after a day of flying at full speed, Qin Chen and Qing Lin finally arrived at the forest Hai Bodong had mentioned. The forest was even more expansive than Qin Chen had imagined, and its location was extremely secluded.

After arriving in the forest, Qin Chen did not immediately begin refining the Heavenly Flame. Instead, he first helped Qing Lin subdue several more followers.

Only after the number of followers she had subdued reached the limit of what Qing Lin could control did Qin Chen take her to a hidden cave. The cave was located halfway up a sheer cliff, with no footholds anywhere nearby. The only way to enter was by flying.

Qin Chen first had Qing Lin station her followers around the perimeter as sentries. Then he set up an array that could conceal the fluctuations of Dou Qi. Unless a Dou Emperor-level expert or above deliberately investigated, it would be difficult to notice anything unusual here.

After all the preparations were complete, Qin Chen took the Green Lotus Core Flame from Qing Lin and handed her several bottles of pills, instructing, "Qing Lin, if you sense the array's aura weakening, throw one pill into the array core."

"Yes, Young Master!" Qing Lin nodded obediently.

"You've worked hard." Qin Chen rubbed Qing Lin's little head before turning and walking into the cave.

Watching Qin Chen disappear from sight, Qing Lin put the jade bottles in her storage ring and fixed her gaze tightly on the core of the array.

Inside the cave, after placing the unsealed green lotus on the ground, Qin Chen did not immediately begin refining the Heavenly Flame. Instead, he took out a small lotus seed wrapped in dense green light from his storage ring.

The Earthfire Lotus Seed was born alongside the Green Lotus Core Flame. Absorbing it could increase one's compatibility with the Heavenly Flame, lessen the Heavenly Flame's resistance, and make the refining process smoother.

Refining a Heavenly Flame was an extremely dangerous process. One could never be too cautious.

And besides...

Thinking of the bold idea he had been planning for so long, Qin Chen took a deep breath, then flicked his finger. The Earthfire Lotus Seed flew precisely into his mouth.

The moment the Earthfire Lotus Seed entered his mouth, it swiftly transformed into a blazing stream of energy that surged down his throat and into his meridians with savage force.

Feeling waves of swelling pain from his meridians, Qin Chen formed hand seals and gritted his teeth as he refined that pure energy.

Half an hour later, Qin Chen slowly opened his tightly shut eyes. The blazing energy within his body had been completely exhausted, which meant that he had fully absorbed the pure energy contained within the Earthfire Lotus Seed.

At this moment, Qin Chen had not only increased his compatibility with the Green Lotus Core Flame, but had also sensed an opportunity to break through to the five-star Dou King realm.

"As expected of the essence of a fire spirit that forms only once every hundred years. The effect is truly impressive."

Qin Chen could not help sighing in admiration. Then his gaze sharpened as he looked at the small flame swaying within the Green Lotus Seat. "Next, it's time to refine the Heavenly Flame."

Qin Chen lightly tapped his storage ring and took out two jade boxes and several small jade bottles.

When he opened the larger jade box, a snow-white jade bottle lay quietly inside. A faint white frost mist lingered around it. It was the Ice Spirit Cold Spring he had taken from Gu Te.

Inside the other jade box was a thumb-sized gray stone—the Spirit-Absorbing Stone.

Holding up the Green Lotus Seat with both hands, Qin Chen slowly sent his soul power into it, separating the lotus seat from the Green Lotus Core Flame before carefully pulling the seat away.

Once it lost the restraint of the Green Lotus Seat, the tiny green flame suddenly surged in size. In the blink of an eye, it became a massive green flame floating in the cave.

As the green flame gradually expanded, the air inside the cave became increasingly scorching.

Seeing this, Qin Chen lightly tapped the ground with the tip of his foot and drifted onto the Green Lotus Seat. Then he swallowed the Blood Lotus Pill from the jade bottle in one gulp.

After the Blood Lotus Pill entered his mouth, a wave of frigid energy quickly surged forth and eventually transformed into layers of blood-colored membranes that completely covered Qin Chen's body.

Qin Chen extended a hand wrapped in the blood-colored membrane and slowly drew the Green Lotus Core Flame before him toward himself.

Because Qin Chen had just refined the Earthfire Lotus Seed and still carried much of its aura, coupled with his gentle movements, the Green Lotus Core Flame showed no signs of agitation. Instead, it calmly drifted toward Qin Chen.

Successfully Refining It

Once the green flame floated before him, Qin Chen calmly reached his hand into it. After searching for a moment, he pulled out a strip of green magma-like substance that wriggled faintly.

"Gulp..."

Qin Chen swallowed, then took a deep breath and placed the green magma into his mouth.

The moment the green magma entered his mouth, Qin Chen quickly shut his eyes and immersed his mind within his body.

In Qin Chen's perception, the green magma that entered his body had already split into tiny strands of green flame. These green flames, containing terrifying energy, darted wildly through his meridians as if they wanted to burn everything in their path into nothingness.

Fortunately, Qin Chen's body had long been tempered by countless heavenly treasures, so it would not be instantly destroyed by the green flames.