Chapter 36: Green Lotus Core Flame
"Double-headed Fire Spirit Serpent!"
The moment Xiao Tian saw the creature, he recognized it immediately. As soon as the two-headed fire spirit serpent appeared, its necks began to swell rapidly.
"Boom!"
In the next instant, its two ferocious heads opened their gigantic mouths, spewing out two massive pillars of lava and flame.
"Hmph!"
Xiao Tian snorted coldly, raised his right hand, and grabbed the air. The space distorted instantly, causing the incoming lava pillars to shatter explosively. At the same time, the two-headed fire spirit serpent was immobilized.
"Hiss! Hiss!"
Realizing it couldn't move, the serpent's eyes filled with terror. With its newfound intelligence, it understood it had run into a formidable opponent.
Xiao Tian focused his gaze on it, conveying his thoughts through his soul power: "Take me to find the Green Lotus Core Flame, or die!"
He used soul power to communicate, fearing the creature might not understand human speech. Receiving Xiao Tian's message, the serpent quickly nodded, clearly afraid of death.
"Swish!"
Xiao Tian flashed and landed on the serpent's back. Immediately, a white flame appeared, enveloping him. The sight of the white flame caused the serpent to tremble, sensing it contained power comparable to the terrifying flame deep underground.
"Lead the way!"
Xiao Tian sent another message. Without hesitation, the two-headed fire spirit serpent dove into the underground magma. Ordinary beings would be incinerated instantly by the extreme heat, but with the Bone Chilling Flame protecting him, Xiao Tian was unafraid.
The underground magma world was turbulent, with hidden streams and occasional violent surges of lava that could heavily injure even a Dou Shi if struck. However, the serpent was familiar with the terrain and skillfully avoided the dangerous currents.
As they traveled deeper, even with the Bone Chilling Flame's protection, Xiao Tian felt the external temperature multiplying. After some time, a blue light appeared ahead.
Xiao Tian focused and saw a delicate blue lotus standing gracefully within the light.
"Is this... the Green Lotus Core Flame? I didn't expect there to actually be a Heavenly Flame!"
Yao Lao's astonished voice echoed in Xiao Tian's mind. Xiao Tian's eyes glowed with intense desire as he looked at the blue lotus. If he could devour this Green Lotus Core Flame, his cultivation method would surely reach the high level of the Profound Rank.
"Swish!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Tian shot off the serpent like an arrow, swiftly moving towards the area enveloped in blue light. Inside the blue light, the temperature was significantly lower than outside, oddly cooling instead of heating.
Xiao Tian didn't pay much attention to this, his focus solely on the center. There, an exquisite blue lotus with eight translucent leaves stood, resembling the finest blue jade, almost mesmerizing. At its center was a small lotus platform about two to three feet in size, with glowing dots formed from the purest fire energy—the lotus seeds.
Below the lotus was a slender root extending over ten meters, covered in tiny tendrils greedily absorbing the surrounding fire energy. The lotus floated in the underground magma like a buoy in the sea. Without the serpent's guidance, finding it would have been nearly impossible.
Xiao Tian approached, marveling at the lotus's natural beauty, a testament to the wonders of nature nurtured over eons. He carefully avoided the surrounding tendrils and came to the top of the blue lotus.
In the center of the lotus platform was a fist-sized hole containing a slowly dancing blue flame. The flame alternated between forming a lotus shape and a tiny blue flame snake, its vivid movements endearing.
This flame's intelligence and vibrant form could only belong to a Heavenly Flame. Sensing it, Yao Lao said, "The Green Lotus Core Flame has developed intelligence, comparable in strength to an ordinary Dou Huang."
"Hiss!"
The Green Lotus Core Flame sensed Xiao Tian's presence, forming into a tiny blue snake that glared at the Bone Chilling Flame enveloping him, agitated.
Yao Lao chuckled, "Look at that, the Green Lotus Core Flame wants to devour my Bone Chilling Flame!"
"Boom!"
As Yao Lao spoke, the blue snake left the lotus platform, expanding into a blazing inferno charging at Xiao Tian. "Seal!" Yao Lao controlled Xiao Tian, manipulating space to form a cage around the flame.
The spatial cage cut off the Green Lotus Core Flame from the underground magma, weakening its aura. Nevertheless, it resisted fiercely, crashing against the cage walls. Despite the intense heat, the flame's strikes only caused ripples in the barrier.
The difference in power was clear. Yao Lao easily trapped the Green Lotus Core Flame, which was powerless to break free. However, as the flame struggled, Xiao Tian noticed his Dou Crystal's energy depleting rapidly.
"We need to reach the surface quickly," Xiao Tian said, moving towards the lotus. He drew a jade knife from his storage ring and carefully severed the connection between the lotus and its root. Grabbing the detached lotus, Xiao Tian collected the eleven Fire Lotus Seeds from it and tossed the lotus base to the flame.
Yao Lao controlled the spatial cage to open a gap, allowing the Green Lotus Core Flame to rush out and collide with the lotus base. A faint blue light spread from the base, enveloping the flame and drawing it back into the lotus.
Holding the lotus base, Xiao Tian left the area. The abundance of fire energy in the underground magma would amplify the Heavenly Flame, so he needed to return to the surface to refine it safely.
(End of Chapter)