The Green Lotus Core Flame continuously coursed through Qin Sheng's body, cleansing his flesh and strengthening his Dou Huang physique considerably.
He immersed himself in these changes until an immense yet chilling aura, utterly out of place in the Magma World, rapidly approached.
A snake-woman arrived some distance from Qin Sheng. Her beauty was alluring, with a pair of narrow light-purple eyes that seemed born for Bewitchment. A purple brocade robe covered her voluptuously curved body.
There was no doubt that she was the Snake-People Tribe's Queen Medusa, a Peak Dou Huang.
"Someone got here first..."
Medusa watched the flowing green flames around Qin Sheng, feeling both delight and apprehension.
"Queen Medusa? When did you get here?"
A voice of the soul rang out. Qin Sheng did not open his eyes, but his vast Soul Power surged forth and swept directly toward Queen Medusa.
"Stay still."
The snake-woman queen, whose fearsome reputation and beauty resounded throughout the Jia Ma Nations, was frozen in place by Qin Sheng. Only her eyeballs could move.
You can't move right now, can you?
Then I'll just... Qin Sheng ignored her.
Time passed. At last, the Green Lotus Core Flame entered the Naling, where it quietly lay dormant and concealed all its power.
After carefully sensing the power of the Heavenly Flame, Qin Sheng was pleasantly surprised and thought:
"The Heavenly Flames of the Dou Qi Continent are truly extraordinary. They aren't composed of pure energy alone; they also contain the power of laws."
If Qin Sheng's realm had not been high enough, he would not have discovered this.
"That's right. The neighboring Heavenly Profound Continent has eight Ancestral Symbols, including those of space, life and death, and devouring. Those are clearly products of laws. As divine objects no weaker than Ancestral Symbols, Heavenly Flames naturally wouldn't be inferior either."
"Devouring Heavenly Flames can promote the evolution of the Flame Mantra. It is likely because Heavenly Flames contain the laws of heaven and earth."
Thinking about it, it made sense. The Flame Mantra was a cultivation technique, knowledge rather than a living being. How could pure energy possibly cause "knowledge" to evolve on its own?
It had to be because the Flame Mantra absorbed the mysteries of the laws within the flames during the process of devouring Heavenly Flames, thus achieving sublimation.
Qin Sheng rose to his feet and silently pondered.
"As for the Green Lotus Core Flame, I have merely subdued it for now. I can draw upon its power at any time, but the laws it contains have not been opened to me."
Ordinary Alchemists only subdued Heavenly Flames. If something went wrong, the Heavenly Flames might even retaliate.
But the Flame Mantra was different. This cultivation technique directly refined and devoured Heavenly Flames!
From then on, human and flame would become one, and even the Origin of the Heavenly Flame would completely belong to the master of the Flame Mantra.
As his thoughts turned, Qin Sheng formed a few ideas. Then he raised his head and looked ahead.
There stood an eight-petaled green lotus. Its leaves resembled flawless jade, while its lotus platform bore lotus seeds formed from the purest fire-attributed energy.
"What a treasure."
Qin Sheng smiled, took out a jade blade, cut through the middle of the lotus stalk, and collected it.
This lotus platform could increase cultivation speed. For Dou Masters and Great Dou Masters, multiplying their cultivation speed by three to five times would be effortless.
As for those lotus seeds, even Dou Huangs would covet them. The energy they contained was simply too vast.
Both items were fire-attributed and perfectly suited Qin Sheng.
He glanced at the remaining Green Lotus stalk and saw green energy gathering once more at the cut, hazy and mist-like.
"Perhaps in a thousand years, another Green Lotus Core Flame will be born here. But that will have nothing to do with me."
The stalk itself was also a treasure, but the rules of the Alchemy World dictated that one should not strip heavenly treasures completely bare, always leaving a way forward.
Only then would it conform to the cycle of heaven and earth, the way of endless renewal.
After dealing with these treasures of the Heavenly Flame, Qin Sheng caught sight of Medusa from the corner of his eye.
"Huh? Why haven't you left yet?"
Medusa did not answer, merely glaring furiously at Qin Sheng with her eyes.
"Oh, you can't speak right now." Qin Sheng smiled and said:
"Queen Medusa, I will release your restraints. I hope you can remain rational. I believe you have recognized the gap in strength between us."
"You wouldn't want the Snake-People Tribe to lose its queen, would you?"
With that, Qin Sheng slowly withdrew his Soul Power and added:
"You want the Heavenly Flame, right? Everything can be discussed."
Three breaths later, Medusa could move again. Her chest rose and fell violently as rage filled her.
A human had actually immobilized her. If this human had wanted to do anything to her just now, she would have been completely unable to resist.
However, Medusa was clearly no fool. The immense difference in strength left her unwilling to act rashly.
"Qin Sheng of the Misty Cloud Sect?"
"You've heard of me?"
"The youngest Dou Huang in the Jia Ma Empire, and the youngest Tier 6 Alchemist. Of course I know you."
She simply had not expected Qin Sheng to be this strong!
"You flatter me." Qin Sheng smiled.
"That was a Heavenly Flame?"
"Yes, the Green Lotus Core Flame, nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking." Qin Sheng admitted it openly.
A fiery gleam flashed through Queen Medusa's eyes. A lower-ranked Heavenly Flame was more suitable for her.
Qin Sheng smiled. "What, does the dignified queen of the Snake-People Tribe intend to steal my Heavenly Flame?"
"The Snake-People Tribe is yin-aligned, with bloodlines inclined toward cold. You are naturally incompatible with Heavenly Flames and cannot possibly subdue one."
"Yet you want a Heavenly Flame. It seems you have been searching for one for quite some time? The moment something happened on my side, you rushed here immediately. Let me think..."
"I heard that the Snake-People Tribe has a method of evolving through the use of Heavenly Flames. Could it be that this is what you are planning?"
Queen Medusa narrowed her eyes. She had not expected the Jia Ma Empire's youngest Dou Huang to be so clever.
In this brief span of time, he had seen through everything about her. It made her extremely uncomfortable, and her tail curled up unconsciously.
"What I intend to do with the Heavenly Flame is none of your concern." After a moment of silence, Queen Medusa said, "I want to borrow your Heavenly Flame."
"I'm glad you can communicate properly."
Qin Sheng thought to himself that the Queen Medusa rumored to be so notoriously fierce did not seem fierce at all.
"As for borrowing the Heavenly Flame..." Qin Sheng considered it, then agreed.
"Fine, but I have one condition."
Queen Medusa's expression did not change. "Speak."
"Mobilize the entire Snake-People Tribe and search the Tagor Desert for other Heavenly Flames."
Qin Sheng said, "Focus on the eighteenth-ranked Wind Fury Dragon Flame."
"This flame is born in the eye of flaming tornadoes in ancient deserts. It has no fixed location and may randomly appear anywhere in the desert during the hottest few days of each year."
The Tagor Desert certainly qualified as ancient. It had existed long before the humans of the Jia Ma Nations began moving through it.
Queen Medusa asked in confusion, "You already have the Green Lotus Core Flame. Why are you still searching for the Wind Fury Dragon Flame?"
The common belief on the Dou Qi Continent was that one person could possess only one Heavenly Flame.
"You don't need to worry about that. As long as you agree, our transaction can continue."
Qin Sheng said, "Perhaps you could also try finding the Wind Fury Dragon Flame to evolve, instead of borrowing my Heavenly Flame."
Queen Medusa pondered for a while before finally making her choice.
"I accept your condition."
Giving up the Green Lotus Core Flame and searching for the Wind Fury Dragon Flame to evolve involved too much uncertainty.
Who knew whether the Tagore Desert even had such a Heavenly Flame?
Qin Sheng was only trying his luck anyway. In any case, he would not have to run around searching for it himself.
"Then good. Pleasant cooperation."
Qin Sheng approached Medusa, causing her body to tense.
Was this human about to turn hostile?
In the end, Qin Sheng merely brushed past her and left behind one sentence.
"I'll come find you later. I trust you also need some time to prepare."
"Don't be so nervous. I'm a good person."
Medusa went stiff—her fists went stiff.
After Qin Sheng disappeared, she flicked her snake tail and blasted the magma with Dou Qi, venting the flames in her heart without restraint.
Useless Queen.
Before you continue