The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils Show Their Power, the Green Lotus Core Flame

Several breaths later, a tiny jade-green flower appeared on each of the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake's heads. Qing Lin had successfully subdued it.

"Wonderful! Young mas—" Qing Lin started to turn toward Xiao Yan to celebrate, but her legs gave way and she toppled sideways.

"Qing Lin!" Xiao Yan reacted at once and caught her.

After a quick examination, he relaxed.

This was likely Qing Lin's first time using the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, and it had drained all her strength. Fortunately, her life was not in danger.

Xiao Yan immediately used the Talisman's power to restore her. Its effects were immediate; moments later, Qing Lin slowly opened her eyes.

The little girl smiled at Xiao Yan as soon as she woke. "Young Master, I did it!"

"You did. You were amazing, Qing Lin..." Knowing how much she loved praise, Xiao Yan gave it freely.

At his praise, Qing Lin felt a warm fullness in her heart, a satisfaction she could hardly describe.

After praising her, Xiao Yan turned toward the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake.

Now that Qing Lin had subdued it, the Fire Spirit Snake was extraordinarily docile. Both heads hung low, with none of their earlier ferocity.

Xiao Yan used the Talisman to heal its injuries, then said to Qing Lin, "Have it take me to the Heavenly Flame."

Qing Lin nodded and began communicating with the Fire Spirit Snake in a way only she understood.

The Fire Spirit Snake listened quietly, then lowered one of its enormous heads before Xiao Yan.

"Young Master, the big fellow says to stand on its head. It'll take you there," Qing Lin relayed.

Marveling inwardly at the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, Xiao Yan leaped onto its head without hesitation.

"Elder Hai, protect Qing Lin for me. I'll be back soon," Xiao Yan instructed Hai Bodong before leaving.

"Yes! Be careful, Young Master!" Hai Bodong answered gravely.

Xiao Yan acknowledged him, then followed the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake straight into the scorching magma.

The world beneath the magma was far vaster than it appeared from above, and its heat was terrifying.

An ordinary person would have burned to ash in moments.

Fortunately, the Talisman protected Xiao Yan completely from the magma.

Seeing that he was unharmed, the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake sped up and swam straight toward the birthplace of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

After swimming for who knew how long, Xiao Yan finally spotted a huge green lotus.

At the sight of it, excitement surged through him. "Finally found you!" he murmured.

The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake stopped near the lotus, unwilling to move another inch closer, as though it feared the flower deeply.

Xiao Yan had no choice but to leap off and swim toward the lotus himself.

The moment he drew near, a searing wave of heat rushed over him.

Yao Lao's voice sounded at just the right moment. "Ten years to gain spirit, a hundred to take shape, a thousand to form a lotus. At maturity, the lotus turns green, and a cluster of green fire appears at its heart. That is the Green Lotus Flame!"

"You lucky brat, this is the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!"

"It'll be my first source Heavenly Flame!" Xiao Yan gazed at the flickering green flames in the lotus heart, his eyes burning with desire.

Following Yao Lao's instructions, he carefully collected the Heavenly Flame.

Naturally, Xiao Yan also took every last Earth Fire Lotus Seed and the Green Lotus Platform.

With everything gathered, Xiao Yan rode the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake back the way they had come.

Halfway back, Yao Lao's voice suddenly rang out from the ring. "Someone else is here! A Peak Dou Emperor from the Snake-People Tribe!"

Xiao Yan's heart tightened. He immediately guessed who it was.

A Peak Dou Emperor of the Snake-People Tribe appearing here—he could think of no one but Queen Medusa.

"We need to hurry. Elder Hai is no match for Medusa." Xiao Yan's expression turned grave.

He immediately activated Dou Qi Transformation Wings, added the power of the Chicken Talisman, and shot toward the surface of the magma.

Above the magma.

Ever since Xiao Yan had entered the magma, Qing Lin had waited anxiously beside the Stone Platform.

Worry filled the little girl's face. She was afraid Xiao Yan might suffer even the slightest injury.

Hai Bodong was much calmer.

Ever since Xiao Yan had healed his injuries and lifted his seal through that miraculous means, Hai Bodong had felt an inexplicable trust in his young master.

He was not overly worried. He simply focused on guarding Qing Lin.

But the peace did not last.

Not long after Xiao Yan entered the magma, an overwhelmingly powerful presence appeared nearby.

Hai Bodong sensed it, and his expression changed at once...

Xiao Yan rushed onward with all his strength and soon burst through the magma's surface.

The battle there was already nearing its end.

Hai Bodong was only a Five-Star Dou Emperor. Against Medusa, a Peak Dou Emperor, he had been all but helpless.

By the time Xiao Yan arrived, Medusa had driven Hai Bodong into the rock wall. Blood trickled from his mouth, and he had almost completely lost the ability to fight.

Qing Lin was unharmed, but she hid behind a large boulder, watching anxiously.

Seeing Xiao Yan appear, Hai Bodong hurriedly warned him. "Young Master... beware of Queen Medusa!"

The moment Medusa saw Xiao Yan, her gaze locked onto the object in his hand.

"A Heavenly Flame!" Feeling its scorching aura, Medusa could not help crying out in surprise.

Then a captivating smile curved her beautiful lips.

"Little boy, I really should thank you for retrieving it for me. You've saved me the trip."

Xiao Yan showed no trace of nerves before Medusa. With the Dog Talisman and Yao Lao on his side, he had nothing to fear.

"I've long heard that Queen Medusa of the Snake-People Tribe is incomparably beautiful. Now that I've seen you, I can say the rumors are true." Xiao Yan looked her up and down with a smile.

His brazenness angered Medusa, but it also stirred her suspicion. "How interesting. You're just a lowly Da Dou Shi. Who gave you the nerve to look at me like that?"

Before she had even finished speaking, the terrifying pressure of a Peak Dou Emperor crashed down on Xiao Yan like a mountain.

Yet, to her growing surprise, it failed to move so much as a hair on his head.

Xiao Yan shook his head and sent Yao Lao a message in his mind. Teacher, lend me some power. Let me show off for once!

"You brat. You really have mastered the art of showing off," Yao Lao grumbled, but he poured his power into Xiao Yan as requested.

In an instant, a vast surge of soul power flooded Xiao Yan's body.

His Dou Qi cultivation began climbing at a dizzying pace.

Dou Ling... Dou Wang... Dou Emperor...

It did not stop until he had firmly entered the Dou Zong realm.

"A Dou Zong is more than enough to deal with Medusa," Yao Lao said calmly.

Feeling the immense power flowing endlessly through him, Xiao Yan's lips curved into a faint smile.

Medusa watched Xiao Yan rise from a Da Dou Shi to a Dou Zong before her eyes, her heart reeling.

Her smile vanished, replaced by a deeply guarded expression.

Xiao Yan withdrew his Purple Cloud Wings and stood in midair, looking down at Medusa with a teasing smile.

"You're just a lowly Peak Dou Emperor. Who gave you the nerve to act so arrogantly before a Dou Zong?"