Han Feng and Medicine Elder sat across from each other, sipping fragrant tea as they studied an ancient beast-hide map spread across the stone table.
The markings for mountains, rivers, and streams on the map had long since become blurred, but a vast azure sea had been drawn in exceptional detail.
Han Feng pointed to an area at the center of the sea, marked with a flame symbol.
Medicine Elder leaned closer and examined it carefully for a moment, a trace of understanding flashing through his eyes.
"This symbol bears a seventy-percent resemblance to the marks recorded in ancient texts for the appearance of a Heavenly Flame," he said, stroking his beard. "If I am not mistaken, this map points to the fifteenth-ranked flame on the Heavenly Flame Ranking—the Sea Heart Flame."
"This looks like a nautical chart, likely of the boundless sea south of the continent. The Sea Heart Flame is born in the deepest reaches of the ocean and can form an independent domain of fire beneath the seabed. Its flames are dark blue. Not only does it not fear water, it can even merge with seawater. It is extremely strange."
"Uncle Feng had someone urgently deliver this map," Han Feng said, taking a sip from his teacup. "He said a Falling Star Pavilion disciple found it by chance in some ruins. He has recently been busy teaching several new disciples and truly could not spare the time, so he had someone send the map to me."
At the mention of Feng Xian's newly accepted disciple, Medicine Elder could not help but smile. "That little one from the Heavenly Luan Clan truly is excellent material. His Dou Qi attribute is highly compatible with that old fellow Feng Xian's. No wonder he has been acting as though he found