Seeking Heavenly Flames

Hearing the discussion next door, Lin Qing reached out and stroked Qing Lin's little head.

"Brother?"

Qing Lin looked up at Lin Qing in confusion.

"Hearing that the Mo Clan was wiped out reminded me of a few things."

Lin Qing spoke gently.

He thought of Xiao Yan, the sort who repaid kindness and vengeance without restraint. Whether it was for the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, for Qing Lin, or to avenge his two brothers, Xiao Yan had taken the initiative to attack the Mo Clan and even clashed with the Misty Cloud Sect and Heavenly Snake Mansion.

But Jia Xing Tian had moved quickly enough. The Mo Clan had been destroyed only nine days after he left Black Rock City.

Lin Qing felt no psychological burden whatsoever about having the Imperial Family destroy the Mo Clan. If they wanted someone to blame, they could blame themselves for doing things that enraged both heaven and earth.

He might not take the initiative to provoke other forces on the Dou Qi Continent, but he would absolutely make a move against Soul Hall, every force in the Black-Corner Region, and groups like the Mo Clan and Cloud Rain Sect. For no other reason than that the original story had clearly stated they were villains!

Qing Lin did not pursue the matter further after hearing that. She was not particularly concerned about the Mo Clan either. The only people she cared about were those around her who treated her well.

"Brother, are you and Uncle Lion going out to dig holes again today?"

Lin Qing really wanted to say that he was not digging holes, but finding the Green Lotus Core Flame did require digging pits and tunnels, so Qing Lin was not wrong.

"Mm! You and Xiao Yi Xian should cultivate properly at the inn. If anything comes up or you want to go out and play, call Xiao Qi or Qing Chan."

After more than a week of searching, Lin Qing had already pinpointed the final location. He estimated that he would find where the Green Lotus Core Flame was today.

"Mm-hmm!" Qing Lin nodded obediently.

He had actually considered bringing Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian along, or placing them in the Pocket World and carrying them with him. But Xiao Yi Xian was currently an ice-attributed Da Dou Shi, and following him into the desert to endure the wind and scorching sun would be too much for her. Qing Lin was only at Stage One Dou Might, so it would be even harder on her. As for the latter option, the two girls were still young and should spend more time in the outside world, around other people.

So, he left them at the inn. With Lin Qi and Li Qingchan watching over them, there was no need to worry about any accidents.

Fortunately, because of his identity as an Alchemist, no one came looking for trouble, nor did any blind fools come forward to harass them.

After leaving the inn, Lin Qing beat his wings and reached the camp outside the city in less than a minute. Luo Bu, captain of the Sand Mercenary Group, had already brought a group of subordinates and been waiting there early.

To prevent leaks, Lin Qing had told them to bring sufficient food and water and stay here the entire time, while Lion and Ling Qingzhu had been keeping watch for him.

The price Lin Qing had offered the Sand Mercenary Group had been:

Each Dou Zhe received one hundred gold coins per day, each Dou Master one thousand, and each Da Dou Shi two thousand. They did not need to risk their lives, and there would be bonuses upon finding the location. Luo Bu, meanwhile, would receive a Third-Grade Medicinal Pill, the Revival Pill.

The terms were so favorable that several other small Mercenary Corps had even come over to join them.

Hiring over a thousand people cost one hundred thousand gold coins a day. If he had not been an Alchemist, he truly could not have afforded it. Yet after the efforts of so many people over the past three days, only one final location remained.

It was not as though no one had considered robbing him, or even leaving the camp to act alone, but Lion had smashed them all to pieces with a single slap. After that, everyone else became respectful and diligent.

Naturally, such a huge operation had drawn some snake people and Magical Beasts as well, but Lion had flattened them with one slap too.

For this operation, to guard against Medusa, he had even called Ling Qingzhu over.

He knew very well that Medusa had also been searching for traces of Heavenly Flames in order to evolve. If not for him, this Heavenly Flame would have fallen into her hands first. Then, after using it to evolve, both her evolved form and the Heavenly Flame would later be stolen by Xiao Yan.

"Move out!"

The large group advanced into the desert.

The vast desert stretched endlessly, with yellow sand raging everywhere.

In the southeastern part of Stone Desert City lay a flat stretch of desert. The terrain here was utterly ordinary, with no distinguishing features whatsoever. Countless patches of flat sand like this existed in the great desert. Had he not been nearly certain, Lin Qing would not have believed that the legendary Heavenly Flame lay beneath such a place.

"This is it! Dig!"

Lin Qing turned and spoke to Luo Bu behind him.

"Yes, sir!"

Luo Bu swiftly issued the orders, and his men immediately got to work.

About two hours later, just as Lin Qing and Lion were standing around bored in the rear—

A figure ran over and said excitedly, "Sir, Captain, we found it! We found it!"

The speaker was an ordinary mercenary, and the others immediately grew excited as well. They could not help it. Lin Qing had said that after finding the cave, Luo Bu, the mercenary captain, would be rewarded with a Third-Grade Medicinal Pill; the first person to find it would receive a low-grade Storage Ring; and everyone else would receive one thousand gold coins each.

"Lead the way!" Lin Qing said.

"Right away!" The mercenary grinned and hurriedly turned to lead them.

Following the mercenary at a jog for nearly a minute, they saw a large crowd gathered in a slightly sunken patch of sand, whispering among themselves.

"Master Lin and Lord Lion are here! Make way!"

With one shout from Luo Bu, the mercenaries opened up a path. Lin Qing and Lion walked in, and with a sweep of his gaze, he discovered in delight that the mercenaries had dug out an opening around half a meter wide in the depression. He glanced inside. It was pitch-black, and faint heat was rising from within.

"This should be the place! Lion!"

Lin Qing pointed at the opening and spoke to Lion.

Lion waved toward the opening, and a Dou Qi whirlwind swept up the yellow sand at its entrance, revealing a pitch-black tunnel before everyone.

After confirming it with his soul perception, Lin Qing was certain that this was the place he had been searching for.

"All right, your task is complete! These are your rewards. Leave as soon as possible. A Dou Emperor-level battle may break out here later!"

Lin Qing turned around, took out Storage Rings, Medicinal Pills, and gold cards from his Storage Space, and tossed them to Luo Bu.

After speaking, Lin Qing raised his voice toward the sky.

"Qingzhu, stay alert!"

As his words fell, Ling Qingzhu appeared in the air. She gave Lin Qing a slight nod, then vanished into the air amid another ripple.

Lin Qing led Lion and flew boldly into the passage.

"Boss, are we really leaving just like that? Whatever is inside made an Alchemist take it so seriously. It could very well be some incredible treasure! If you got it, Boss, you might even become a Dou Wang someday!"

Watching Lin Qing disappear into the entrance, one of Luo Bu's lackeys whispered to him.

"If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"

Luo Bu slapped his subordinate on the head and barked.

"Even if there is treasure, it is not something we can covet. That woman appeared silently in midair just now. She could very well be a legendary Dou Zong expert! Not to mention that Master Lin himself is a High-Level Dou Spirit, and that purple-haired burly man beside him may be a Dou Emperor! Tell the brothers to head back! The profits from this trip have been quite substantial already!"

Luo Bu was not stupid. If he had been, he could not have led the Sand Mercenary Group to its current position, nor could he have cultivated to the Da Dou Shi level.

He knew very clearly that some things were not his to touch. The moment he reached for them would be the day he died.

Besides, he had gained quite a lot this time. The money earned over the past few days alone was equivalent to two or three years of the Mercenary Corps' usual profits. Although he would have to share some with his subordinates, he had taken the opportunity to absorb the other Mercenary Corps that had come with him. The Sand Mercenary Group was now considered the number one Mercenary Corps in Stone Desert City.