Nine Li Heavenly Flame

Arriving outside the city gate on the other side, Huo Yuhao once again took out the materials for refining array bases. Yao Chen said no more and focused on observing Huo Yuhao's every movement.

After preparing the metals and magic cores he needed, Huo Yuhao took a transparent jade vial from his storage ring and poured out several drops of essence blood that shimmered with an icy blue radiance.

At the sight of that jade vial, understanding flashed through Yao Chen's eyes. "This is... Ice Phoenix essence blood? That Gu Demon risked being hunted down by the Ice Phoenix Clan and ultimately died in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, only for it all to benefit you, brat."

Huo Yuhao did not respond. His entire focus was on controlling those drops of Ice Phoenix essence blood. Guided by him, the essence blood condensed into a magic array in midair. At the same time, Huo Yuhao formed several hand seals in succession while rapidly chanting an indistinct incantation.

Ice-attributed energy from heaven and earth swiftly flowed into the magic array. At the same time, the Dou Qi within Huo Yuhao's body became incomparably frigid and surged continuously into the magic array drawn from the essence blood, until the accumulated ice elemental energy reached a critical point.

"Go!" Huo Yuhao shouted softly. While maintaining the magic array, he began guiding fire elemental energy into it.

In an instant, the chill transformed into scorching heat. At the moment of transition, Huo Yuhao shouted again, "Blood as the guide, Nine Li Heavenly Flame!"

Boom!

A wave of heat erupted, and a bright crimson flame appeared in Huo Yuhao's hand. Perhaps because he had used Ice Phoenix essence blood, a trace of icy blue mixed within the surging flames, making them look exceptionally strange.

"This is magic too?" Yao Chen had already been shocked enough by everything that had happened tonight. By now, he had adopted an attitude of taking nothing for granted as he calmly sought confirmation from Huo Yuhao.

"Yes." Huo Yuhao nodded. "The teacher who taught me magic also taught me this. It's a flame especially suited for artifact refinement."

After successfully summoning the Nine Li Heavenly Flame, Huo Yuhao immediately threw the rare metal into it. The metal, which had shown no change whatsoever in ordinary flames, instantly reddened and softened.

This time, Huo Yuhao did not take out the forging hammer, carving knife, and other refinement tools that Xiao Yan had criticized so heavily. Instead, he directly controlled the Nine Li Heavenly Flame. Blades of fire swept across the metal's surface, while the churning flames hammered directly upon it. Though originally intangible, the flames now seemed as solid as metal and stone. Before long, a hexagonal array base etched with profound array patterns was successfully refined.

Huo Yuhao embedded the magic core he had prepared in advance into the center of the array base, then lowered the flame's temperature.

Once the array base was complete, Huo Yuhao removed it from the flames and leaned in with Yao Chen to inspect it closely.

"These array patterns... I seem to have seen them in a fragmentary array manual. Are they for warning purposes?"

"That's right. I plan to refine six array bases. That way, they can cover all of Stone Desert City. Once the snake people's information is recorded, the array will be complete."

"Record the snake people's information?" A trace of confusion appeared in Yao Chen's eyes.

"The warning array in that fragmentary array manual of yours doesn't work like this. A normal warning array sounds an alarm when it senses someone whose aura has not been recorded entering. But there are too many people in Stone Desert City to record one by one, so I reversed the array's operating principle. It will now sound an alarm when it senses recorded information."

Huo Yuhao explained, "That way, if snake people attack or infiltrate the city, the people in Stone Desert City will discover them in advance."

"Where did you get the snake people's aura?"

"Huh? Teacher, didn't you see just now? The city lord gave me some snake people essence blood and snake scales."

"Ah, haha." Yao Chen laughed somewhat awkwardly.

After refining the first one, the rest were much simpler. In no more time than it took to eat a meal, Huo Yuhao had refined all the array bases he needed, along with several extras for backup.

"Next, we just need to place the array bases in suitable locations and activate them. Once they naturally absorb the energy of heaven and earth, they can operate."

After making a few preparations, Huo Yuhao and Yao Chen began placing array bases around Stone Desert City.

The moment the warning array was completed, a sharp, piercing sound rang throughout all of Stone Desert City. Beep—!!!

The instant the sound began, Huo Yuhao swiftly removed the final array base, forcibly severing the energy connection between the bases.

"What happened? Yuhao, did you reverse it? Or did you still draw it according to the original warning array?"

After inspecting it carefully once more, Huo Yuhao said with certainty, "The array is correct. There should already be snake people infiltrated within Stone Desert City."

"We'll look for them later. For now, let's set up the defensive array as planned. This one needs to be installed on the city walls."

Fortunately, nothing went wrong this time. After Huo Yuhao embedded the final array base into the city wall, a flash of spiritual light passed through the darkness of the night, and the walls surrounding Stone Desert City emitted a hazy pale-yellow glow.

"Success!"

"Yuhao, let me say something. You may have reinforced the city walls enough to withstand a Dou Wang's attacks, but Dou Wangs can fly. What use is this?"

Huo Yuhao nodded. "You're right, Teacher. That's why I used eight array bases and one core hub. When the array is activated, the sky and ground will be sealed as well, blocking attacks and preventing enemies from entering."

"So if you can beat them, there's no need to activate the array, and if you can't beat them, you'll just trap yourselves inside and wait to die?"

"Uh, that is true, but would a Dou Wang expert really attack a city for no reason?"

Yao Chen was speechless. "Then if no expert above the Dou Wang level attacks, what's the point of setting up this array?"

At those words, Huo Yuhao stood where he was and fell silent for a while.

"Throw this array's core hub to the city lord and let him figure out how to use it. Consider it repayment for the mental suggestion I left him to 'help the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps develop.'"

After returning to Stone Desert City, Huo Yuhao began swiftly moving through its streets and alleys. Throughout the process, he maintained Spirit Probe, searching for snake people hidden within the city.

At last, Huo Yuhao stopped outside the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps' headquarters. Within his Spirit Probe, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yan were sitting in a room. A little girl with green hair lay on the bed inside.

"Snake person? No, snake people don't look like this. She should be of mixed blood."

"Big Brother, Second Brother, I still think we shouldn't reject her just because of her origins! It's not her fault!" Xiao Yan pointed at the still-unconscious little girl on the bed, his voice agitated.

"Xiao Yan, calm down first." Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged glances and smiled bitterly. "Even if Big Brother is willing to accept her, you know that the people of Stone Desert City, even the entire Jia Ma Empire, dislike snake people. Not to mention that many of our mercenary corps brothers have deep grudges against them."

"Didn't you hear what she said when she woke up just now? She's a victim too. Her mother was—"

"But she does have snake people blood. Everyone will inevitably take their anger out on her." Xiao Ding's voice was somewhat helpless.

"Just because she has snake people blood..." Xiao Yan was filled with righteous indignation. He clenched his fist and slammed it into the wall. Fragments of stone scattered, cutting open his knuckles and drawing specks of crimson blood.

"Don't get worked up, don't get worked up! We'll adopt her!"

"That's right. Tomorrow, Big Brother will speak with the mercenary corps. Hurry, let Big Brother see your hand!"

None of them noticed that while Xiao Yan was speaking, a teardrop slid from the tightly shut corner of the little girl's eye, leaving behind a damp trail.

Bang! The door was violently shoved open, and Hai Bodong rushed inside with a yawn. His long hair was a complete mess, and he radiated the fury of someone woken from sleep.

"What are you making so much noise for? This girl is under this old man's protection. I'd like to see who dares disagree tomorrow!"

At that moment, the air in the room distorted slightly, and Huo Yuhao's figure silently emerged.

"Yuhao, you're back. What were you doing earlier?" Xiao Yan asked.

Huo Yuhao did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked toward Hai Bodong. "Senior Hai Bodong, when this girl entered the headquarters, you should have received the reminder from the spiritual imprint I left behind. So why... did you only come over now?"

"Ah, haha, old people don't sleep well!"