Explosion Is Art

The entire stone house was built from hard black rock, a material Su Heng knew all too well, because Black Rock City's walls were made of the same stuff.

This special black rock could withstand the full-force attack of a Dou King. Unless one had treasures to store, no one would spend such an exorbitant cost building a small house.

"There must be another secret chamber nearby! Black Demon Snake, thanks!"

With such an investment put into construction, the place could not possibly be empty. Su Heng released his soul power and began probing every corner of the stone house.

Just as he had expected, among the thick black rock brick walls was one piece identical in size to the others, yet it bore an extremely powerful soul-force imprint. That soul force even seemed to have fused with the black rock itself.

"An Alchemist's soul lock? So that's it. There may be no magical beasts in here, but there are treasures worth even more!"

"This trip really wasn't in vain!"

Su Heng gently pressed his palm against the black rock bearing the soul-force imprint. Dark purple flames slowly emerged from his palm and began breaking the seal.

About half an hour later, the black rock engraved with the soul lock melted under the dark purple Beast Flame, revealing a handle made of black jade.

"This Mo Family ancestor was truly meticulous. If someone tried to force it open without undoing the soul lock on the black rock, the handle inside would be destroyed as well. Then no one could open this door, and the treasures within would remain buried forever."

"Still, this black rock outer wall can only defend against experts at the Dou King level and below. If a Dou Emperor came and overturned the entire Mo Family, the things inside would still be taken."

"The Jia Ma Empire simply has too few Dou Emperors. Otherwise, how could these treasures possibly remain hidden?"

Su Heng pulled the handle. With a crisp click, the several-foot-thick slab of black rock slowly revealed a concealed door under the workings of its mechanism.

After a cursory inspection, Su Heng confirmed that there were no more defenses on the hidden door. He stopped being polite, kicked the door flying, and swaggered inside.

The interior layout and furnishings of this black rock secret chamber were extremely simple. Clearly, all effort had been spent on defending against outside enemies; the room was purely for storage.

Along the walls of the secret chamber, more than a dozen exquisite wooden boxes rested in recesses carved from the rock. Su Heng guessed they contained pill formulas, cultivation techniques, and similar items left behind by some Alchemist ancestor of the Mo Family.

Other than those wooden boxes, the only thing worth noting was the strange pool in the center of the secret chamber.

An Alchemist's intuition made Su Heng vaguely feel that this strange pool was the true hidden treasure. Yet whenever he approached it, the stench emanating from the pool forced him back.

The pool held a puddle of blood from dead magical beasts. After the erosion of countless years, the blood and soil had long since mixed into rotten sludge.

"Since I'm already here, I should inspect it with soul power. I'd feel like I lost out if I just left."

An inexplicable feeling kept drawing Su Heng toward the blood pool filled with sludge. In the end, he decided to examine it with soul power. After all, he was already here.

Su Heng slowly approached the blood pool and released his soul power within the range he could tolerate, preparing to see what exactly lay inside!

The sludge in the pool, mixed with magical beast blood, was thick and murky like tar about to solidify. It also emitted a nauseating stench.

However, the instant that pool of sludge touched Su Heng's soul power, the pitch-black sludge suddenly began to churn like lava, concealing within it incomparably violent fire-element energy.

Drawn by his soul power, the violent fire-element energy in the pool began colliding with itself before finally erupting completely.

"Qing Lin, get back!"

As the flame energy within the pool erupted, Su Heng immediately shielded Qing Lin behind him. At the same time, he pushed his soul power to its limit, attempting to suppress the bursting flames.

The roiling blood pool clashed fiercely with Su Heng's soul power. Under the violent impact, an eerie cluster of deep blue phosphor flame actually rose up.

Specks of flame spread throughout the blood pool like ghost fire. Yet those tiny points of phosphor flame radiated a terrifyingly high temperature.

The overwhelming heat wave instantly turned the entire black rock secret chamber scorching hot. Su Heng immediately found even breathing incredibly difficult.

The instant this phosphor flame saw humans, it pounced wildly at Su Heng like an evil ghost returned from hell, as if they shared an irreconcilable blood feud and would not rest until one of them died.

"Insolent! Get back!"

Seeing that the deep blue flame seemed to possess its own consciousness and wanted to devour him—

Su Heng roared, and surging soul power completely enveloped the deep blue flames. The moment it was restrained by Su Heng, the flame abruptly shifted from madness and savagery to fear and terror.

For no apparent reason, the flame gave up resisting on its own, curling into a ball like a frightened child.

In the end, Su Heng forcibly compressed the deep blue phosphor flame into a thumb-sized spark.

"Looks intimidating, but you're only Sixth Rank. And you dare howl and screech in front of me?"

Su Heng used his soul power to strip the ghost fire from the blood pool, then stuffed it into a crystal bottle he carried with him. Without the phosphor flame, the pool of blood instantly dried up and turned to dust.

"I never expected the Mo Family to possess such a technique. It must have been the work of that Alchemist ancestor. Too bad the one inheriting your life's work is here to destroy the Mo Family!"

During the process of subduing the flames, Su Heng had clearly sensed that the composition of this fire was extremely complex and its properties exceptionally unusual.

This deep blue phosphor flame had been refined from the mixed blood of more than a hundred low-level fire-attribute magical beasts. After hundreds of years of gu-like fusion, it had finally formed.

It could be called an artificial Beast Flame, its quality comparable to the Beast Flame of a Sixth-Order Magical Beast.

"The blood of a hundred beasts, a ghostly phosphor flame."

"I'll call you Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame. You may not be worth much, but following me won't be a loss for you."

A great thunderclap but only a few drops of rain—that was probably the best way to describe this Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame.

The Mo Family ancestor had put in tremendous effort to refine an artificial Sixth-tier Beast Flame, yet its performance truly left Su Heng disappointed.

Moreover, this artificial Beast Flame reacted to humans in an extremely strange way. It seemed to possess self-awareness, harboring a hatred toward humans that would not end until death, while also being utterly terrified of them.

It could not stay fierce for even three seconds before Su Heng pinned it down so thoroughly that it did not dare move.

Su Heng guessed that the Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame had been refined by fusing the blood of over a hundred magical beasts. Some of those hunted magical beasts had died at the hands of the Mo Family ancestor, leaving behind hatred and rage, while others had left behind the despair and terror they felt before death.

After settling over the years, those two emotions had gradually become imprinted upon the flame, which was why its reaction to humans was so unusual.

To put it bluntly, the Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame could not be used in battle. Who knew what state it would be in when facing an opponent?

If it lost its nerve at the start, that would be the same as letting someone beat it up for free.

Although it could not be used in battle, the Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame possessed both violent and gentle traits. When refining pills, it could be said to balance hardness and softness, harmonizing yin and yang. Though it was the bare minimum, it was still somewhat superior to an ordinary Sixth-tier Beast Flame.

It was hard to say whether the Mo Family ancestor had deliberately nurtured the flame this way.

If his descendants proved insufficiently strong, they could take advantage of the Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame losing its nerve to subdue it, allowing even weak descendants to benefit.

Even an Alchemist at the Dou Master level, if they possessed the Beast Flame of a Sixth-Order Magical Beast, could spend a lifetime working their way up to at least Fifth Grade or Sixth-grade Alchemist. In a place as small as the Jia Ma Empire, that would be enough to ensure a family's prosperity for one or two centuries.

This Alchemist patriarch of the Mo Family could be said to have left a rich inheritance for his descendants. Now that inheritance belonged to Su Heng. The Mo Family's fate truly had run its course.

After subduing the Beast Flame, Su Heng began examining the pill formulas stored in the secret chamber. The wooden boxes containing them had survived a hundred years without decaying, making them treasures in their own right.

Su Heng checked them one by one from left to right. He opened nine wooden boxes in succession, all containing formulas for Fourth-grade Pills. Only two of those formulas were ones Su Heng did not possess. It seemed Fourth-grade Pill formulas had been widely available even a hundred years ago.

It was only when he opened the tenth wooden box that Su Heng truly discovered a treasure!

"Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill!!!"

An extremely ancient scroll lay quietly inside the exquisite wooden box. The repeated formulas had made Su Heng rather casual when opening it, but when he saw the five gilded characters at the beginning, his cheers echoed throughout the black rock secret chamber.

"Good, good, good! Your Mo Family finally has something worthwhile!"

The Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill was the formula Su Heng needed most right now. His father, Su Yan, was currently an Eight-Star Great Dou Master. If he could refine a Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill, his father might break through to the Dou Ling realm in one go.

And beyond his father, Qing Lin, Xiao Li, and Xiao Ding could all use the Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill to attempt a breakthrough into the Dou Ling realm.

Especially Qing Lin. If she reached the Dou Ling realm, then the Xuanjia Snake Emperor of the Magic Beast Mountains would have no choice but to become the Su Clan's guard pet.

With a Dou Emperor-level magical beast serving as the family's guardian, even if the Misty Cloud Sect came seeking revenge, they would have to weigh whether they could bear the cost!

Unfortunately, Queen Medusa had already evolved into the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python at this point in time. Otherwise, Su Heng truly wanted Qing Lin to find an opportunity to capture her and make her his bedwarming maid.

The only two snake-type magical beasts Qing Lin could not control were the Ancient Heavenly Snake and the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python. What a shame!

While sighing inwardly, Su Heng continued examining the Mo Family's stock of pill formulas. The next few wooden boxes still held formulas he already possessed.

Though they were no longer useful to Su Heng, the trading value contained in more than a dozen Fourth-grade Pill formulas was immense. They were excellent bargaining chips.

Su Heng skillfully stored the pill formulas in his Storage Ring. At this point, only the final wooden box in the Mo Family's black rock secret chamber remained unopened.

"Hm? A Mid Earth Tier Dou Technique!!!"

"Flame Manipulation Formula?!"

When the final wooden box opened, the first few words alone shocked Su Heng so badly that his jaw nearly dropped. A Dou Ling family, with a Fourth-grade Alchemist ancestor, actually possessed a Mid Earth Tier Dou Technique?

Happiness had come too suddenly, leaving Su Heng momentarily at a loss. His excited heart and trembling hands could no longer hold that "surprise."

The scroll in Su Heng's hands fell to the ground because he was too excited. The fallen scroll naturally spread open along the floor.

Only then did Su Heng discover that the contents of the scroll were incomplete, and severely so.

Other than the beginning, which was still fairly clear, seventy to eighty percent of the latter half was missing. Only scattered fragments remained, from which he could roughly discern some techniques for refining Beast Flames and crudely recorded methods of controlling fire.

"Damn it! I got excited for nothing. It looks like a Mid Earth Tier Dou Technique, but less than thirty percent remains. And that thirty percent is randomly scattered across the entire scroll, making it completely unusable!"

After Su Heng read the scroll in its entirety with his soul power, the last remnants of soul force on it completely vanished, and the whole scroll became blank.

"It records some methods for refining Beast Flames. That Mo Family ancestor must have used this portion to refine the Hundred Beasts Phosphor Flame."

"Besides, why does the name Flame Manipulation Formula sound so familiar? I just can't remember where I've heard it!"

Su Heng felt that this technique seemed somewhat familiar, yet he truly could not recall where he had seen or heard of it.

"Forget it. When I get the chance, I'll copy it out again and let Medicine Elder take a look. He's an Eighth-grade Alchemist. Few people on the entire Dou Qi Continent can surpass him when it comes to playing with fire. He should be able to restore it!"

Although this Dou Technique scroll was incomplete, it was not beyond saving. At the very least, Su Heng believed Venerable Yao, Medicine Elder, should be able to restore most of it.

Given his relationship with the Xiao Family, Su Heng believed he could definitely persuade Medicine Elder to help. After it was restored, he could give Xiao Yan a copy as well. Everyone would get what they needed—perfect.

On the Dou Qi Continent, incomplete cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques had always represented tremendous opportunities. They were items that had been read too many times and lost large portions of their content. Many experts relied on their own abilities to restore these incomplete cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques.

Sometimes, they could even use those incomplete techniques or Dou Techniques as foundations to create stronger ones.

Of course, there were also plenty of failures in such cases!

Still, Su Heng believed he belonged among those who could succeed. After all, Medicine Elder was a Ninth-Turn Peak Dou Venerable and an Eighth-grade Alchemist. Restoring an Earth Tier fire-control Dou Technique was perfectly within his field of expertise, without the slightest pressure!

Su Heng stored the blank Dou Technique scroll in his Storage Ring, then inspected the entire black rock secret chamber again and again. Only after confirming that there were no more hidden doors or overlooked treasures did he reluctantly withdraw.

Above ground, the Mo Family's birthday banquet was in full swing. The wine had reached its midpoint, and many people had drunk themselves into a daze. Even if they died at a time like this, they probably would not suffer much.

Su Heng made his way through the secret chamber, preparing to return the way he had come and head for the exit. Yet as he passed beneath the Mo Family's main hall, a familiar name drifted into his ears along with the sounds of celebration above.

"Niece Nalan, Sect Leader Yun remembered this old man's birthday and even sent you to Salt City to celebrate it for me. This old man is deeply grateful. Let me offer you a toast!"

"Elder Mo, you are too polite. This junior cannot drink. Yanran will convey your kindness to my teacher."

Nalan Yanran!

Su Heng had been mentally prepared, but when he truly heard her voice and realized she was within the range of his firepower, he still hesitated for several seconds. But only several seconds.

"Hmph! Nalan Yanran, if you're lucky enough, I won't blow you to death. If I blow you into a serious injury, that can count as assisting my worthy brother Xiao Yan. If your fate has run out and I blow you to death outright, then today was simply the day you deserved to die."

Su Heng looked back at the explosives piled beneath the Mo Family and spoke through gritted teeth. He had no friendship with the Nalan Clan, and the Xiao Family did not seem to care much anymore whether Nalan Yanran lived or died.

"Qing Lin, proceed according to plan. Go get ready."

Upon reaching the exit, Su Heng turned to look at the results of more than ten sleepless days and nights of work. He smiled in satisfaction. The show was about to begin.

"Mm, Su Heng-gege, you be careful too!"

Qing Lin took the three magical beasts and swiftly slipped out of the tunnel. After a few leaps, she vanished from Su Heng's sight.

As for Su Heng, he leisurely placed a wisp of flame at the tunnel entrance. Then, while admiring the scenery and humming a tune, he strolled into the calculated safe zone.

He gave the Mo Family fortress one final glance, then gently raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

At the tunnel exit, the tiny flame received its master's command and instantly flared up, igniting the fuse that had long been laid out.

Several fuses turned into fiery snakes and burrowed into the stone chambers beneath the Mo Family!

Boom!

The violently burning flames shot upward. The air inside several stone chambers was instantly consumed, and the entire Mo Family compound sank three feet into the ground!

"Explosion is art!"

With an earth-shaking boom, crimson flames erupted like a volcano from the cracks in the ground. Wherever the raging flames passed, anyone below the Dou Master level was reduced to flying ash.

After the flames erupted came even fiercer explosions. A gigantic mushroom cloud rose above the Mo Family, and the terrifying shockwave nearly tossed away everything in sight. The magnificent Mo Family fortress was instantly shattered by the explosion, its fragments flying in every direction.

The somewhat sturdy roofs were blasted high into the air by the violent explosions, drifting and tumbling dozens of meters overhead like kites with their strings cut.

Countless chunks of shattered rock burned fiercely in the flames before falling to the ground like meteors.

Faced with this apocalyptic scene, the people of Salt City scattered in panic, searching for cover.

After the massive explosion, searing flames rapidly spread, burning through the entire Mo Family. The towering inferno consumed all life.

"Mo Cheng, do you like this opening?"

Watching the Mo Family gradually turn to ash, Su Heng felt utterly refreshed and laughed heartily.

A moment later, he turned away with a carefree flourish and disappeared into the streets of Salt City.