Pill-Popping Breakthrough, Sea Heart Flame Evolution!

Not long afterward,

Three figures stood before a Cultivation Chamber.

"Zi Yan, I'm going into seclusion for a while. These are the pills I refined for you this time. Take them. Eat some when you're thirsty, and eat some when you're hungry. Whatever you do, don't let yourself suffer."

Lin Chen handed over a dozen or so Pill Bottles to the purple-haired girl before him. A trace of reluctance showed on his face as he earnestly urged her.

"Got it."

Zi Yan snatched the Pill Bottles from him, her large, dark eyes brimming with delight. She patted Lin Chen's shoulder and reassured him, "Go on, don't worry. I'll eat properly and won't run off anywhere."

Watching the Pill Bottles disappear from his arms, Lin Chen felt a stab of pain at the expense. But to nurture the future Dragon Emperor, he forced himself to keep smiling and nodded repeatedly. "Good, good."

Then he turned to Hai Bodong beside him and asked, "Old Hai, you remember what I just told you, right?"

"Yes, my lord. Go to Stone Desert City and find a mixed-blood Snake-People girl named Qing Lin. Treat her courteously and invite her back."

"I must treat Miss Qing Lin just as I would treat you, my lord."

A solemn look appeared on Hai Bodong's aged face. His expression was grave, and his voice was filled with resolve.

"Mm. With that attitude, I can rest easy."

Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction, then rubbed Zi Yan's little head before turning toward the Cultivation Chamber behind him.

Not long afterward,

Inside the Cultivation Chamber,

This pill has such overpowering medicinal properties that only a Mid-Rank Dou Wang or above can take it. Luckily, I have a heavenly flame protecting my body. Otherwise, I really wouldn't dare swallow it now...

Looking at the Crimson Flame Barrier-Breaking Pill in his hand, Lin Chen recalled its medicinal properties and broke into a grin.

Then he swallowed it in one gulp. In an instant, scorching medicinal power surged into his body, making him feel as though he had been thrust into a furnace!

Hiss! Hiss!

White vapor rose from Lin Chen's body. His skin instantly turned scarlet, countless bulging blood vessels faintly visible beneath it. Terrifying ripples of energy suddenly erupted around him, shattering the nearby tables, chairs, and stools.

His face flushed crimson. Enduring the agony wracking his body, Lin Chen kept his hands steady as he formed seals and circulated the Ninefold Phoenix Flame Art.

He sank his awareness into his body and saw a deep-blue fire dragon roaming through him, frantically devouring the vast medicinal power pouring inside. It transformed that power into gentle torrents of energy, easing his pain.

An unknown amount of time passed,

The agony gradually subsided, and his skin regained its fair color. A thunderous rumble sounded, and the chamber abruptly fell still.

Then Lin Chen slowly opened his tightly shut eyes. A sharp gleam shot from them, almost tangible, while a fierce aura spread outward like a lion awakening!

Three-Star Dou Wang!

"Whew..."

Exhaling a breath of stale air, Lin Chen flashed a brilliant smile and murmured, "Finally made it through. Time to pop the second pill."

With that, he picked up another jade bottle beside him, tipped the Second-Turn Flame Spirit Pill into his palm, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Unlike the overpowering Crimson Flame Barrier-Breaking Pill, the Flame Spirit Pill was the crowning achievement of that Seventh-Rank Alchemist's life. Its medicinal properties were exceptionally gentle and easily absorbed. According to the recipe, it could even nourish and strengthen the body.

The moment it entered his mouth, it turned into a warm current that spread throughout him. Gentle energy seeped into his bones and flesh, and another powerful aura erupted around his body!

Four-Star Dou Wang!

Still wanting more, Lin Chen smacked his lips and licked them, muttering, "Taking the Crimson Flame Barrier-Breaking Pill first, then the Flame Spirit Pill, really was the right choice. This Flame Spirit Pill is actually so gentle. It even seems to nourish vitality. That Seventh-Rank Alchemist was no ordinary man..."

"He developed a cultivation art that nourished vitality, and even a pill that did the same. Looks like he really cherished his life..."

"But for now, let's take a look at these Nine Nether Yellow Springs..."

With a flick of his sleeve, a jade box appeared. It opened instantly, unleashing a burst of extreme cold that coated the entire chamber in frost.

Inside the jade box lay a pool of deep-yellow liquid, with what looked like blood-red hues mingled in its depths. Cold mist poured out continuously and shot upward, finally forming deep-yellow icicles that kept condensing all around it.

"So this is a marvel of heaven and earth that can contend with heavenly flames..."

Lin Chen could not help exclaiming in admiration. As far as he knew, the yellow springs blood crystals nurtured by the Nine Nether Yellow Springs were the main ingredient for refining the ninth-grade Nine Nether Yellow Springs Pill.

Xiao Yan had even used them to withstand the scorching of the purifying lotus demon flame. That alone showed how powerful they were!

"But how am I supposed to use this?"

"Toss the sea heart flame into it?"

Lin Chen rubbed his chin, a trace of uncertainty flashing through his eyes as he struggled to decide.

He had originally intended to use the Nine Nether Yellow Springs as material to evolve the sea heart flame. Yet seeing firsthand how cold and sinister this natural treasure was left him hesitant.

What if I mess around and ruin the heavenly flame?

"Whether it works or not, I'll have to try it. Hesitating and holding back isn't my style."

Then Lin Chen opened his hand, and a deep-blue flame appeared. It swelled in the air, transforming in the blink of an eye into a huge sea serpent several dozen feet long.

The flaming sea serpent was crystalline blue all over, like seawater. Its eyes were filled with longing as it flicked its tongue with a hiss, repeatedly blowing toward the yellow springs water.

"Go on. Show me what you can do."

Lin Chen chuckled. The instant the sea heart flame appeared, he had sensed its stirring. That feeling was by no means fear, but an excitement it could barely contain.

The yellow springs water was a wondrous water nurtured by the earth's veins. To the sea heart flame, it was probably a potent tonic.

"Hiss!"

At Lin Chen's command, the sea heart flame suddenly lunged forward. Like a true giant python of the deep sea, it opened its cavernous, blood-red maw and sucked fiercely at the yellow springs water!

"Slurp!"

The yellow springs water in the jade box instantly turned into a torrent and rushed into the sea serpent's body. Deep-yellow hues began seeping across the surface of the formerly deep-blue sea heart flame. Hissing sounds erupted all over it, as though it had reached a stalemate.

At the sight, Lin Chen grew worried and prepared to intervene.

But in the next moment, the sea serpent formed from the sea heart flame let out a joyful hiss. Its body kept shrinking, like seawater being steadily compressed in the ocean depths.

At last, a profound shade of dark, mysterious blue spread from the depths of the flame, replacing its original deep blue!

The instant this strange transformation occurred, the sea heart flame, which had been radiating terrifying heat, suddenly unleashed a burst of extreme cold. Yet at the heart of that bitter cold, a terrifying heat capable of burning all things to ashes rose once more!

These currents of extreme cold and extreme heat intertwined without the slightest rejection. The flame's core was scorching hot, while its outer flames were bone-chillingly cold. Like a peerless beauty with a cold exterior and a warm heart, it was breathtakingly alluring, its splendor unmatched!

The sea heart flame had evolved!