Racing Through the Cave's Treasures, Securing the Demonic Flame Remnant Map, Leaving the Magical Beast Mountain Range

After wiping out the entire Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Xiao Ce felt little burden on his conscience. He took Xiao Yi Xian straight away and headed toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

As they walked, he asked Xiao Yi Xian, "Have you ever come across any caves in the Magical Beast Mountain Range that might hold treasure?"

Xiao Yi Xian thought back for a moment, then shook her head. "No."

"No?" Xiao Ce frowned slightly, but did not suspect that Xiao Yi Xian was lying to him.

He guessed that the butterfly effect he had caused was most likely why Xiao Yi Xian had never encountered the cave from the original story.

Fortunately, he remembered that the cave in the original story was near the herb-gathering grounds the Myriad Medicine Pavilion frequented, so it would not be difficult to find.

Xiao Ce had Xiao Yi Xian lead the way to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion's herb-gathering grounds.

Xiao Yi Xian was puzzled, but did not ask unnecessary questions.

Although she very much agreed with Xiao Ce's principle of cutting the grass out by its roots, witnessing him wipe out the entire Wolf Head Mercenary Group still left her somewhat afraid.

Xiao Ce noticed Xiao Yi Xian's fear, but made no changes. With something like this, he could only rely on time to let her slowly come to trust him.

On the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Ce and Xiao Yi Xian walked leisurely for a while before reaching the Myriad Medicine Pavilion's herb-gathering grounds.

Once there, Xiao Ce headed toward the nearest cliff.

When he arrived, he looked at the rock face and, sure enough, spotted a slightly protruding ledge. A cave lay hidden on it, concealed by trees and vines.

Xiao Ce mobilized the Dou Qi within him and unleashed Blazing Flame Sky-Splitting Palm, sending a flaming palm strike through the air that shattered and burned all the dead wood and vines.

Once the cave entrance was fully exposed, he slipped one arm around Xiao Yi Xian's slender, supple waist and leaped straight onto the ledge, kicking up dust.

Xiao Ce released his arm from Xiao Yi Xian's waist and walked straight into the cave.

Xiao Yi Xian's earlobes reddened, and she followed him.

On their way deeper into the cave, they encountered a massive stone door. Xiao Yi Xian stepped forward and was just about to study its mechanism when Xiao Ce punched it.

Cracks spread across the stone door inch by inch, leaving an opening large enough for one person to pass through.

Xiao Ce led Xiao Yi Xian inside, and they soon reached the deepest part of the cave, an artificially constructed stone chamber.

This stone chamber was much like his own, with items stored in its four corners, though they were mostly gold coins. Only one corner held some medicinal herbs, making it look considerably shabbier than his cave.

The only thing worth noting was a table in the center of the chamber. Three stone boxes sat on it, joined to the table.

Xiao Ce stepped forward and gripped the locks on the stone boxes, applying force through his palm to destroy them completely.

All three stone boxes opened, revealing a Flying Dou Technique, a Soundwave Dou Technique, and the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. The contents had not changed.

Xiao Ce then crushed the skeleton beside the table underfoot, exposing the Demonic Flame Remnant Map, which he immediately put into his Storage Ring.

Xiao Ce's entire sequence of movements flowed like clouds and running water, leaving Xiao Yi Xian staring in a daze.

"Take the Poison Scripture and the Soundwave Dou Technique. I'll use the Flying Dou Technique myself." Xiao Ce swiftly divided the spoils, tossing both the Poison Scripture and the Soundwave Dou Technique to Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yi Xian caught them in a daze. After a cursory look, she immediately understood that the two things in her hands were treasures that would tempt even a Dou Ling expert.

"Senior, I can't accept these..." Xiao Yi Xian refused with a pang.

Xiao Ce replied offhandedly, "Throw them away if you don't want them. That junk isn't worth taking up space in my Storage Ring."

Xiao Yi Xian's eyes widened.

A Xuan Tier Dou Technique was not even worth a little space in his Storage Ring?

Xiao Yi Xian felt her worldview take a blow, and her understanding of Xiao Ce also began to change.

Originally, she had thought Xiao Ce might be a Dou Ling or a Dou Wang expert. Now, however, she thought he was very likely a Dou Huang expert at the pinnacle of the empire. Otherwise, how could he think so little of even a Xuan Tier Dou Technique?

As for the even higher Dou Zong realm? She had never even learned about it.

After gathering the resources in the stone chamber, Xiao Ce left with Xiao Yi Xian and returned to the top of the cliff.

With her feet on solid ground, Xiao Yi Xian clutched the Poison Scripture and the Dou Technique without letting go and asked Xiao Ce, "Senior, where are we going next?"

"The Tagor Desert."

Deep within the Tagor Desert, in the Snake-People Tribe's territory.

Queen Medusa's bedchamber in the Snake-People Holy City.

Medusa's serpentine tail coiled on a cushioned couch as she leaned against its backrest, her figure alluring.

Below the couch, a female Snake-Person bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the search for the Heavenly Flame is still underway. We've narrowed it down to several areas, and should be able to pinpoint its location in a few months."

Queen Medusa nodded and said coldly, "Assign more people to the search. Find the Heavenly Flame as soon as possible."

The female Snake-Person could only nod repeatedly. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Mm. You may leave." Queen Medusa waved a hand.

The female Snake-Person did not move.

Queen Medusa swept her cold gaze over her. "Is there something else?"

The female Snake-Person nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty.

"While searching for the Heavenly Flame, we discovered a hidden underground chamber.

"There's no Heavenly Flame in that chamber, but something seems to have been sealed away there. Every Snake-Person who went there felt a yearning when faced with that seal, and that yearning seems to grow stronger the purer their bloodline is..."

Medusa narrowed her eyes slightly, a trace of interest appearing in her serpentine pupils. "Take me there."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the female Snake-Person answered with a nod.

In a part of the Tagor Desert near the Snake-People Tribe's encampment, a passage more than ten meters in radius and a hundred meters deep connected the surface to a hidden underground chamber.

Inside the hidden underground chamber.

Medusa swayed her serpentine tail as she surveyed the area.

The underground chamber was small, three meters high and roughly a hundred square meters in area. Solid, tightly packed rock walls surrounded it, and the temperature inside was cooler than in the desert.

Medusa stretched her alluring upper body. Her figure, which could only be described as wantonly seductive, drew infatuated looks even from the female Snake-People accompanying her.

Medusa's gaze was icy as she thought, If not for those humans, how would our Snake-People Tribe have ended up trapped in a scorching place like this desert, utterly unfit for us to live in!

Once I find the Heavenly Flame and break through to Dou Zong, I'll conquer an empire and secure a habitable home for our Snake-People Tribe!

With these thoughts in mind, Medusa slithered toward the deepest part of the chamber.

Soon, a sphere appeared before her.

The sphere was about the size of a human head and blood-red throughout. It seemed to be made entirely of blood, with only a powerful seal covering its surface.

Medusa licked her full, red lips, a flicker of yearning passing through her eyes.

She could sense that if she absorbed the blood within the seal, she would definitely gain tremendous benefits!

It might even bring about an earth-shaking evolution in her bloodline!

Without hesitation, Queen Medusa gathered Dou Qi in her palm. A small, deep-purple Dou Qi snake shot out, striking straight at the seal over the blood.

Boom!

The small Dou Qi snake struck the seal, then its body broke apart inch by inch against it. The Dou Qi exploded with a thunderous roar, shaking the entire underground chamber.

The seal, by contrast, had not budged.

Is my level of power insufficient? It seems that to break this seal, I'll either have to reach Dou Zong or enlist the help of something external with tremendous power! Medusa had her answer. I must get my hands on the Heavenly Flame!