"Teacher, what is this?"
"Is it a pill?"
Liu Ling was slightly taken aback as he examined the jade bottle Gu He handed him, his expression puzzled.
Gu He replied indifferently, "This is called the Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence."
"Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence?"
Taking the bottle, Liu Ling inspected it closely, his brows furrowing as a vague memory surfaced.
He had once read about this in the Misty Cloud Sect's Scripture Pavilion. As the foremost sect of the Jia Ma Empire, Misty Cloud naturally housed countless rare texts.
Now, the details of that record resurfaced in his mind.
"Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence..."
Muttering the name, Liu Ling's eyes suddenly widened in shock as he stared at the jade bottle.
"T-This is actually the Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence?!"
All the information flooded back:
"The Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence is a natural treasure born within the body of the Amethyst Winged Lion King, a supremely gifted magical beast. Only when a Lion King gives birth is there a minuscule chance for this essence to form alongside the cub."
"Having gestated within the Lion King's body, it contains an immense concentration of pure dou qi. If consumed by the cub once it reaches the fourth tier, it can immediately advance to the fifth tier!"
"Moreover, the Beast Flame it produces will far surpass that of ordinary Amethyst Winged Lions who never absorbed the essence."
"Teacher… how did you even obtain something like this?" Liu Ling asked excitedly.
He recalled that the ancient text also mentioned that this essence wasn't just beneficial to the cub—even a human Dou Grandmaster could drastically enhance their strength by consuming it.
Most importantly, there was a high chance of inheriting the beast's unique Beast Flame, a fire far more potent than the Eagle Beast Flame he currently wielded.
Gu He raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. 'This kid actually knows about the Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence?'
That saved him the trouble of explaining.
"Be warned," Gu He said coolly. "The dou qi within is extremely violent. At your current cultivation level, you must divide this bottle into three doses. Otherwise, your body may not withstand it."
Liu Ling nodded solemnly. "Understood, Teacher."
A fiery glint flashed in his eyes. With this essence, he could soon break through to the Grandmaster realm—and gain an even more formidable beast flame!
[Ding! Host has granted Liu Ling, one bottle of Amethyst Lion's Birth Essence. Congratulations! Triggering a 7,000-fold return—obtained: Phoenix Blood Stone.]
[The Phoenix Blood Stone has been deposited into the system space. Host may check it at any time.]
'Phoenix Blood Stone?'
Gu He was momentarily stunned. 'What is this? Some kind of rare treasure?'
Glancing at Liu Ling, who was still marveling at the essence, Gu He's consciousness slipped into the system space.
There, floating in the void, was a cluster of bloody light.
[Ding! Extract the Phoenix Blood Stone?]
"Extract," Gu He commanded.
The bloody light trembled before shooting toward him, materializing into a crimson gemstone.
"So this is the Phoenix Blood Stone?"
Gu He examined it closely. The gem pulsed with a bloody glow, its surface rippling as if alive. Upon closer inspection, he could even see the faint silhouette of a flame phoenix dancing within.
Curious, he reached out to touch it—
"Ah!"
The moment his fingers made contact, he recoiled violently, his face twisting in shock.
'So hot!'
His palm bore a scorched mark.
This was no ordinary stone.
Despite his flame-tempered body, which could endure extreme heat, the Phoenix Blood Stone had burned him instantly. Had he hesitated, his entire hand might have been seared off!
Just then, a surge of information flooded his mind:
"The Phoenix Blood Stone is formed from the blood of an Ancient Divine Phoenix, condensed over millennia by absorbing the essence of heaven and earth."
"It contains an immense concentration of pure fire-attribute dou qi. If successfully refined, one may obtain a Heavenly Flame—the Undying Flame."
Gu He's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"The blood of an Ancient Divine Phoenix…"
"Contains unparalleled fire dou qi…"
"Refining it yields a Heavenly Flame—the Undying Flame!"
This treasure was beyond extraordinary!
But how to refine it?
Gu He's gaze hardened with resolve. "The only way is to use my Natal Divine Flame."
The Natal Divine Flame could devour other flames to grow stronger.
By feeding it the Phoenix Blood Stone, not only would his cultivation advance, but he would also gain the Undying Flame—elevating his power to new heights!
With that decision made, Gu He withdrew from the system space.
Outside, Liu Ling was still admiring the jade bottle. Unable to resist, he uncorked it slightly—
Whoosh!
A surge of violent dou qi erupted.
Panicked, Liu Ling quickly sealed it again, his frugal nature making him dread any wasted energy.
Seeing this, Gu He chuckled. "Enough. Put the essence away. Now, I shall grant you your third reward."
…
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