Fortunately, Qing Lin woke up not long after Xiao Hua gave her a medicinal pill to heal her injuries and restore her energy.
Once her mind regained clarity, Xiao Hua and Lady Azure explained the plan that Lady Azure had come up with, which Xiao Hua had followed through.
"That's the plan Sister Azure made… and the one I followed,"
Xiao Hua spoke to Qing Lin with an expression of deep awkwardness and guilt. Lady Azure stood silently beside him, her lips pressed tightly together.
The two of them were truly remorseful, feeling guilty for putting Qing Lin through something so dangerous—something that could've easily cost her life.
"I'm sorry for making you go through that…"
Xiao Hua lowered his head, his voice soft and filled with regret as he apologized to Qing Lin for the terrible experience she had endured.
Naturally, Lady Azure followed suit, lowering her head to apologize for her part in the plan. Even though Qing Lin had agreed to awaken her pupils, that didn't mean she should have been forced into something that could have cost her life.
"T-That's…!" Qing Lin became flustered seeing both Xiao Hua and Lady Azure bowing their heads. In her entire life, no one had ever done such a thing for her.
"Please, don't worry about it, Young Master Xiao Hua, Lady Azure. I was mentally prepared for it when I saw the Young Master frowning… but I just wasn't expecting the snake to be that huge. That's what scared me the most."
She gave a small smile and continued, "Besides that, I believe in you both. I know neither of you would put me in real danger. If anything had truly gone wrong, I believe you would have saved me immediately. So please, don't blame yourselves, and lift your heads."
Xiao Hua and Lady Azure slowly raised their heads, letting out a soft sigh. Her understanding and kindness only deepened their guilt, but they said nothing more. Instead, they silently shifted their focus away.
"By the way, the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent…" Xiao Hua spoke up, his gaze slowly shifting toward the enormous snake that was still there, calmly staring at Qing Lin like a curious cat.
"Ah, that's right. I seem to have formed a strange bond with it. I can sense its thoughts…" Qing Lin nodded as she took two steps forward, moving closer to the creature. Her dark green eyes met the gaze of the massive serpent in front of her.
She then turned to look at Lady Azure. "Is this the second ability of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils that Lady Azure mentioned?"
"Yes, it is," Lady Azure replied with a nod. "This unique trait is what makes your eyes so special. While it's not as terrifying as the Woeful Poison Body, it certainly doesn't fall short in terms of uniqueness."
"Speaking of the Woeful Poison Body…"
At the mention of it, Qing Lin turned her head toward the deeper region of the sea of magma. Her voice softened, filled with concern and anxiety.
"How is Sister Little Fairy Doctor? Is she going to be alright?"
"Do not worry about her. Her condition is stable, but it will take a long time for her to wake up," Lady Azure said, reassuring Qing Lin. "However, that's precisely why we must remain vigilant. Anything could happen during this period."
"How long will it take for her to fully merge the Woeful Poison Body with the Ghostly Poison Body?" Xiao Hua asked, his brows slightly raised, curious about the time required.
"At the very least, it will take six months for her to complete the merging process and awaken," Lady Azure replied calmly.
Both Xiao Hua and Qing Lin were stunned by the duration.
"Six months…?" Xiao Hua muttered, the corner of his lips twitching in disbelief. "Is there any particular reason it takes that long, Sister Azure?"
Lady Azure let out a soft sigh, fully understanding the reason behind Xiao Hua's question. She then began to explain why it would take so long for the Little Fairy Doctor to awaken.
"After merging the Woeful Poison Body with the Ghostly Poison Flame, a small seed will form within her. That seed must absorb vast amounts of fire and poison energy to bloom. Once it does, both her physique and flame will undergo a tremendous transformation—evolving into something far more powerful."
"The resulting physique is called the Netherflame Calamity Body, and the flame it produces is known as the Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame."
"The Netherflame Calamity Body grants her absolute immunity to all poisons and an extremely high resistance to flames. It devours any poison it encounters, refining its essence into energy she can use."
"As for the Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame, it absorbs natural energy and refines it into poisonfire—a unique flame that sustains her in an undying, self-replenishing state. Unlike ordinary flames, this one can corrupt and erode the very energy of heaven and earth. Prolonged battles against her become extremely dangerous."
"However, those who possess one of the top eight Heavenly Flames can resist its corruptive and corrosive energy. Anything ranked below them can only offer minimal resistance."
Qing Lin didn't fully grasp just how terrifying that sounded, but Xiao Hua did. He understood clearly—if this Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame could contend with the top eight Heavenly Flames and suppress all those ranked below, then it was already no different from another Heavenly Flame.
"In Sister Azure's opinion, where would the Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame rank among the Heavenly Flames?" Xiao Hua asked, his curiosity piqued. This newly evolved flame intrigued him greatly, and he was eager to understand its true strength.
Lady Azure lightly tapped her delicate chin with a slender, snow-white finger as she pondered the question.
"If I had to place it within the Heavenly Flame Ranking, I'd say the Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame could very well reach the top five."
"That's incredibly high..." Xiao Hua muttered, genuinely impressed. To think that this was the evolved form of the Ghostly Poison Flame, made possible only through the fusion with the Woeful Poison Body—it was no ordinary flame.
"Still, if it'll take six months for her to awaken, I should use that time to practice refining ninth-tier medicinal pills," he thought, turning his attention to his own goals during this quiet period.
He hadn't forgotten his objective—to refine thirteen Tier Nine Treasure Pills, each one necessary to absorb a Black Demon Lightning and prepare for the ninth trial of the Heavenly Judgement Lightning.
'I hope six months is enough for me to at least make progress… Even one successful refinement, even if low-quality, would be a good start,' he murmured inwardly, his heart filled with both anticipation and pressure.
With a soft sigh, he shook his head and looked at Lady Azure.
"Sister, I'll be focusing on refining Tier Nine medicinal pills. Please keep an eye on Little Fairy Doctor and Qing Lin during this time, in case anything happens."
He also handed the Mysterious Heaven Ring to Lady Azure. Upon learning that the Little Fairy Doctor needed to absorb poison energy as part of her evolution, he didn't hesitate to let Lady Azure use the poisonous ingredients he had obtained from the System to aid her.
"Alright, I don't mind," Lady Azure nodded as she accepted the Mysterious Heaven Ring. She didn't mind watching over the two of them during this period. In fact, she could also use the time to teach Qing Lin a few things.
She then turned her gaze toward the sea of magma and asked, "What about the Heavenly Flame? Aren't you planning to take it?"
Xiao Hua paused for a moment, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. After a while, he nodded.
"Alright. I'll take it."
With that, Xiao Hua vanished from sight, diving back into the sea of magma. Unlike before, he moved at full speed, swiftly passing through the region where the fiery red magma began to show hints of green.
He stopped a short distance away, eyes fixed on a green glow that shimmered beneath the surface. Within that glow, a green-colored lotus floated calmly in the magma, exuding a soft and gentle aura.
His figure blurred as he shot toward the region enveloped in green light.
As he drew closer to the green-colored flame, Xiao Hua could clearly feel the surrounding temperature spike to an overwhelming level. Yet, he remained completely unaffected by the heat and continued forward without hesitation.
Soon, he crossed into the area bathed in the green glow. To his surprise, the moment he entered, the temperature dropped sharply—so abruptly it was almost amusing.
He ignored the sudden shift in temperature and focused his gaze on the center of the region, where the green-colored lotus floated.
The lotus had eight leaves, each one resembling flawless green jade formed by nature itself. At a glance, they appeared crystal clear, emitting a soft luster that stirred a strong desire to hold them and never let go.
At the center of the lotus was a small platform, about two to three feet wide. Faint, fluorescent light spilled out from several tiny holes across its surface. The source of this light was none other than lotus seeds—condensed from the purest fire-type energy, agglomerated into a perfect form.
Beneath the green-colored lotus was a long, slender stem and root structure, both lined with countless tiny tentacles. These minuscule tendrils swayed gently in the magma, but Xiao Hua could clearly sense their greed—they were wildly absorbing the surrounding fire-type energy without restraint.
He quickly realized that these tentacles were the reason the temperature in this region had dropped so drastically, drawing in and devouring the ambient fire energy without pause.
The lotus itself floated quietly in the endless sea of magma, like a piece of duckweed adrift on a boundless ocean—free, aimless, and elusive.
Without prior knowledge of the Green Lotus Core Flame's existence, or something to guide them here, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to discover it in the depths of this fiery abyss. The dense fire energy masked its aura perfectly.
Judging from the shape and size of the lotus, it had clearly existed for many thousands of years. By now, the Green Lotus Core Flame at its heart should have already condensed and matured.
Xiao Hua approached it slowly, carefully avoiding the swaying tentacles. Even if his Dou Qi reserves were near bottomless, it wouldn't be a pleasant experience to have his energy drained relentlessly by those grasping feelers.
As he drew nearer, the lotus's beauty became even more apparent—its exquisite form radiated a natural perfection that could only be achieved through countless years of refinement by the forces of nature.
Hovering above the lotus, Xiao Hua's gaze locked onto the center of the small lotus platform nestled within its leaves. There, a cluster of green-colored flames floated gently, radiating an elegant aura.
The flame pulsed with a sense of spirituality. As it twisted and writhed, it occasionally formed into the shape of a lotus blossom, or morphed into a slender, snake-like flame that circled slowly within the lotus platform. Its gentle, almost playful manner gave it an unexpectedly endearing quality.
Xiao Hua's expression remained calm and unreadable as he observed the ever-shifting flame. His eyes, however, never blinked—completely captivated by the beautiful display before him.
After a moment of silent admiration, Xiao Hua finally turned his attention to the base of the lotus, where it was connected to its stem and roots. He retrieved over ten high-grade rouge jade bottles from his Storage Ring.
The green lotus was nature's pride. Any ordinary metal touching it would instantly melt. To sever it without tarnishing its form, one had to use tools crafted entirely from pure jade.
A thick, autumn-orange flame surged from his palm, melting the small jade bottles into a pale green liquid. The liquid writhed for a moment before solidifying into the shape of a jade longsword.
He carefully removed the impurities from the newly formed blade, refining it until it appeared crystal clear—its beauty rivaling that of the lotus leaves themselves. Then, with precise control, he gently cut the section just beneath the lotus seat where it was attached to the receptacle.
In an instant, the green lotus—like a piece of living art—fell gracefully.
As it dropped, Xiao Hua swiftly waved his hand, summoning the lotus to him. It floated slowly and gently before him, untouched by the surrounding heat.
He then stored the jade longsword back into his Storage Ring and turned his attention to the small fluorescent lights within the lotus.
"So, there are eleven Core-Fire Lotus Seeds… just like in the novel. Seems this part hasn't changed," Xiao Hua murmured to himself with a faint smile. He took out eleven jade bottles and carefully placed each of the Core-Fire Lotus Seeds into them one by one.
After storing all the jade bottles in his Storage Ring, Xiao Hua turned his gaze to the green-colored glow. Within it floated the Green Lotus Seat—an exquisite creation of nature, as flawless as a piece of divine art. It rotated slowly, releasing a faint but serene energy.
Raising his hand, five flames of different colors rose from his palm. With a flick of his wrist, the flames shot forward, surrounding the Green Lotus Core Flame. Under the suppression of these five Heavenly Flames, the Green Lotus Core Flame instantly became docile, showing no sign of resistance.
With steady movements, Xiao Hua brought the subdued Green Lotus Core Flame closer to the lotus seat that hovered quietly before him. As the flame was positioned above the lotus, a gentle green glow began to radiate from the seat. In response, the Green Lotus Seat silently extended a faint light, enveloping the Green Lotus Core Flame.
As the green glow gradually receded, the Heavenly Flame drifted gently into the heart of the lotus, merging without resistance. A moment later, a strange green-colored flame rose within the now-occupied core of the lotus—calm, yet filled with boundless potential.
Afterward, he guided the five flames once more, carefully wrapping them around the Green Lotus Seat. The flames wove into a veil of energy, enclosing both the Green Lotus Seat and the Green Lotus Core Flame within it, sealing them in a protective barrier.
Once secured, Xiao Hua stored the Green Lotus Seat inside the special space created by the Lightning Beast, ensuring it could not escape or be disturbed.
Sensing that the Green Lotus Seat had settled quietly within the sealed space, Xiao Hua turned and departed without hesitation.
He did not spare a glance at the root and stem, which continued to greedily devour the surrounding fire-type energy from the depths of the magma.
For spiritual treasures that require hundreds or even thousands of years to take form, it was best to leave behind the foundation. Given another thousand years, a new green lotus would eventually emerge. However, if one were to take even the roots and stem, then the Green Lotus Core Flame would vanish forever from this magma crypt—its rebirth becoming an impossible miracle.
In the world of alchemy, damaging the roots and stems when harvesting spiritual objects or ingredients was considered a grave offense. Such actions often provoked outrage, for the conditions required to form these treasures were incredibly harsh and time-consuming.
That was precisely why Xiao Hua hadn't spared a glance at the roots and stem. He deeply respected this unspoken rule—so much so that he had once furiously scolded Zi Yan for carelessly harvesting medicinal ingredients, and had taken the time to personally teach her how to do it properly without harming the roots or stems.
With his speed, it didn't take long for him to leave the sea of magma. After emerging, he landed lightly at the edge of the tunnel.
Lady Azure noticed his return and greeted him with a soft smile. "That was quite fast. I thought you might be troubled about how to store the Heavenly Flame without the Mysterious Heaven Ring."
She let out a light, amused giggle and added, "But it seems you've realized that the special space created by the Lightning Beasts within your body can also be used to store heavenly treasures like the Heavenly Flames."
"I'm not that much of a moron…" Xiao Hua rolled his eyes, feeling slightly offended by her remark. "Anyway, I'll head to a different spot to familiarize myself with refining tier-nine medicinal pills."
"Alright. Good luck," Lady Azure said with a playful smile, waving her hand. "You're going to need it."
Xiao Hua shook his head at his teasing sister before turning and heading deeper into the magma crypt, moving in a direction far from where the Little Fairy Doctor was resting.
He made sure to pick a location well away from her, ensuring that his practice wouldn't disturb her with the merging of her physique and Heavenly Flame.
As he settled into his chosen spot, a flicker of envy crossed his heart—he couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Xiao Yan, who in the future would undergo a hundred reincarnations while meditating beneath the Bodhisattva Tree. That opportunity granted Xiao Yan immense benefits, especially the massive improvement in his pill refinement skills.
Essentially, those reincarnations allowed Xiao Yan's alchemy to reach a level comparable to old monsters who had cultivated for centuries. Who wouldn't be jealous of such a shortcut?
Although Xiao Hua had obtained the Bodhisattva Tree's gift through the 'Divine-Grade Gift Pack,' he had passed that benefit to Wei Jie, Mei Ling, and Xin Yu instead. After all, unlike them, he possessed another cheat—his System. The only problem was that it cost a staggering 4,000,000 ACP to unlock from the Shop.
He currently had just over one million ACP—far from enough to purchase it. It seemed he had no choice but to wait until he saved up the full amount. While he hoped to obtain it through the Gacha, the chances appeared slim, making it an unreliable method.
Regardless, he could only put in serious effort to improve his medicinal refinement skills through repeated practice—failing again and again as he tried to refine the ninth-tier medicinal formula he had developed, with Lady Azure offering guidance.
Of course, it wasn't as if he accepted her advice blindly. On the contrary, Xiao Hua often pondered the reasoning behind her suggestions.
For example, when she substituted one medicinal ingredient for another, he didn't just nod and move on—he would actively analyze the properties of both ingredients, consider the resulting changes after merging, and reflect on how they interacted with the rest of the formula.
He never followed her instructions without question. In fact, there were times when he discovered alternative ingredients that could be used if the listed ones were unavailable.
This thoughtful approach was exactly why Lady Azure genuinely enjoyed teaching Xiao Hua alchemy. He never stopped thinking, always open to new possibilities and variations.
Time was ever-changing. If one couldn't be flexible and adapt, it would be nearly impossible to advance along the path they had chosen.
-------|
Read 20 Advanced Chapters in Patreon:
http://patreon.com/GodYato