Searching for Heavenly Flames, Qing Lin Was Truly Capable

Inside the hall were only the three Xiao brothers and Qing Lin.

"Little Yan, could your realm possibly be Dou Wang?"

Xiao Li asked curiously.

"Second Brother, my actual realm is Eight-Star Dou Master. The reason I have Dou Qi wings is because I cultivated a flying Dou Technique."

Xiao Yan explained with a smile.

"A flying Dou Technique? There was actually such a Dou Technique?"

It was Xiao Ding's first time hearing of a flying Dou Technique, and he could not help but feel greatly amazed.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, I have something important I'd like to ask your help with."

At this moment, Xiao Yan thought of the Heavenly Flame he had searched for without success. In the vast desert, one person's strength was ultimately limited, so he wanted the Desert Iron Mercenary Group to help search for it.

"Little Yan, we're brothers. Whatever it is, just say it. Your Big Brother and Second Brother will do everything we can to help."

Xiao Li patted his chest and said with a hearty laugh.

At this moment, Qing Lin served the three of them cups of clear tea. Xiao Yan took his tea and placed it on the table, then pulled Qing Lin by the hand and pressed her petite body down onto a chair beside him.

The Xiao brothers exchanged a glance. Their younger brother was not trying to take Qing Lin as a sworn little sister at all—he had taken a liking to the girl.

"Ahem, Little Yan, let's get to business."

Xiao Ding coughed lightly and said with a smile.

Qing Lin's delicate, fair little face immediately flushed red.

A smile remained on Xiao Yan's face, completely unaffected by the strange looks from his two brothers.

Then, Xiao Yan told them about obtaining a map containing information on a Heavenly Flame and following it here. However, the desert was simply too vast, and searching alone would take far too much time, so he wanted the Desert Iron Mercenary Group to help him look for it.

Xiao Yan took out a sheepskin scroll from his Storage Ring and slowly spread it open on the table, pointing at a flame symbol.

"The place marked by this flame symbol seems to be east of Shimo City."

Xiao Li was extremely familiar with the area around Shimo City. With one glance at the map, he confirmed the location.

"I've been there several times. There's nothing special about that place."

Xiao Ding frowned slightly. Just last month, he had led a team there to hunt magical beasts near the flame symbol.

"No matter what, it wasn't easy for me to get here. I'll search carefully for a few days. If I truly can't find it, I can only look elsewhere."

Heavenly Flames were treasures born from the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, so they certainly would not be easy to find. Xiao Yan was mentally prepared for that.

"Young Master, I once sensed a strange disturbance in the eastern area of Shimo City."

At this moment, Qing Lin spoke timidly.

The three men immediately turned their gazes toward Qing Lin, making her even more frightened. For a moment, she could not speak.

Xiao Yan held her soft little hand and encouraged her with a smile.

"Good Qing Lin, don't be afraid. Just tell us. Even if it turns out to be useless, I won't blame you."

"Mm."

Qing Lin nodded lightly and said softly, "Half a year ago, I sensed an incredibly powerful aura appear east of Shimo City. That aura was similar to some bloodline within my body. It was very powerful, stronger even than the leader of the Sand Mercenary Group."

The leader of the Sand Mercenary Group was a Da Dou Shi. That aura was stronger than a Da Dou Shi—could it have been a Dou Wang?

And it was similar to Qing Lin's bloodline, which meant the other party was from the Snake People.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged a glance and spoke at the same time. "Could it have been Queen Medusa?"

Queen Medusa was extremely famous throughout the Tagor Desert, possessing such a fearsome reputation that she could make children stop crying.

Xiao Yan's heart stirred. Queen Medusa—wasn't she his future wife?

She did seem to have searched for the Green Lotus Core Flame as well.

With all these clues coming together, Xiao Yan was certain that the Green Lotus Core Flame was east of Shimo City.

As for whether the Green Lotus Core Flame was still there, Xiao Yan could not be certain. Still, he had to go and see for himself.

If the Green Lotus Core Flame was gone, it meant his future wife had taken it, and he could go find her directly.

"Good Qing Lin, this clue is far too important to me. You truly are my little lucky star."

Xiao Yan stroked Qing Lin's hair and said happily.

The next day, led by Qing Lin, Xiao Yan and the Desert Iron Mercenary Group arrived at a stretch of flat desert.

There was nothing special about this place. It did not look like somewhere that would contain a Heavenly Flame.

"Young Master, this really is where I sensed the disturbance half a year ago."

Seeing everyone's doubtful expressions, Qing Lin was nearly frightened to tears. She gathered her courage and spoke.

Xiao Yan rubbed her head and comforted her. "I believe Qing Lin isn't lying."

"If it isn't on the ground or in the sky, then it must be underground."

Xiao Ding crouched down, grabbed a handful of yellow sand, and let it naturally slip through his fingers.

"Even if there was once a passage here, it would gradually be buried beneath the endless blowing sand."

No one knew how many ancient civilizations had been buried beneath the boundless desert.

"As long as we know it's here, we can find the hidden passage eventually if we spend some time and send more people to search."

Xiao Li said from the side.

"Finding the passage is a small matter. But this place is not far from Shimo City. If we search so openly and on such a large scale, it will certainly draw the attention of other forces, especially the Sand Mercenary Group. They're somewhat stronger than our Desert Iron Mercenary Group, and I'm afraid they might interfere."

Xiao Ding said with a frown.

"Don't worry, Big Brother. If they dare come, I'm not someone to be trifled with either."

Xiao Yan said with a smile.

Only then did Xiao Ding remember that his younger brother's strength was unfathomable. His worries had been unnecessary.

He immediately arranged for men to conduct a carpet search in every direction.

"Young Master, I want to help too." Qing Lin tugged on Xiao Yan's sleeve and spoke quietly.

Xiao Yan stroked her head and smiled. "Aren't you afraid of them?"

Qing Lin shook her head. "I want to help Young Master find the passage."

Xiao Ding beckoned. "Xue Lan, take Qing Lin with you."

Xue Lan walked over with a smile, took Qing Lin's hand, and said warmly, "Come on, little sister."

Xiao Yan gave Qing Lin an encouraging look.

As time passed, the Sand Mercenary Group Xiao Ding had worried about never appeared.

It turned out that Xiao Yan's powerful display from the day before had already been noticed by those with sharp eyes. How would they dare come looking for trouble?

With no one interfering, Xiao Yan was naturally happy to be left in peace.

Even after the sun set, they had not found any trace of the passage. Everyone set up tents in the desert to rest.

As soon as dawn broke, more than a dozen search teams resumed the search.

Near noon, good news finally arrived.

It was Qing Lin's team that had discovered traces of the passage.

By the time Xiao Yan rushed over, the entrance had already been dug out. The tunnel slanted downward, its interior pitch-black, making it impossible to see what lay inside.

"The entrance here was originally covered by yellow sand. Qing Lin sensed some unusual aura here. Otherwise, we would have found it difficult to discover it as well."

Xue Lan said from the side with a smile.

Upon hearing that, Xiao Yan looked toward Qing Lin and saw that she was covered in yellow sand, her face pale and her lips cracked. When she saw him looking at her, she gave him a happy smile.

Xiao Yan walked over to Qing Lin, took out a cup of cool water from his Portable Space, and handed it to her.

"My Qing Lin is truly capable. You must be thirsty. Have some water."

"I'm happy as long as I can help Young Master."

Qing Lin smiled sweetly, accepted the cup, and took small sips.

Xiao Ding tossed a Moonlight Stone into the passage. The Moonlight Stone rolled downward before finally vanishing into the darkness.

From the last lingering glimmer of light, they could see that there were several branching paths below the passage.

Perhaps more forks would appear as they advanced.

Xiao Yan stood at the entrance and looked inside. He could sense an extremely dense fire-attributed energy beneath the passage.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, the situation below is unknown. Don't go down and take risks. I'll go down alone."

"How can that do? How dangerous would it be for you to go down there alone?"

"Hehe, if even my strength cannot handle the danger below, then what about yours? Don't worry. I'm completely confident."

Xiao Yan laughed. He had the Portable Space, so even if he encountered a Dou Zong, he could hide inside it before the other party realized what was happening.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group members worked hard to help me find the passage. Go back and reward them. When I return, I'll make up these rewards."

"Little Yan, your Big Brother and Second Brother are helping you. How could we take your things?"

Xiao Li punched Xiao Yan lightly and said with slight annoyance.

Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. His own brothers really were the best.

Once he returned from the passage, he planned to give his two brothers some medicinal pills to increase their strength.

Xiao Yan nodded and was about to jump into the passage when Qing Lin tugged on his sleeve and said,

"Young Master, take me with you. I can sense which passage still has the lingering aura of that person from half a year ago."

"Alright."

Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. If they truly encountered danger, he could send Qing Lin into the Portable Space.

He picked Qing Lin up and leaped into the passage.