"It's time to refine these two Exotic Flames."
Gazing at the Sea Heart Flame floating before him, as well as the Fallen Heart Flame that was firmly under the control of Kotoamatsukami, Xiao Se calmly took out the Green Lotus Platform and the Earth Spirit Pill.
To refine Exotic Flames ranked within the top fifteen, the Earth Spirit Pill was indispensable. Fortunately, he had prepared it in advance.
As the fourteenth- and fifteenth-ranked flames on the Exotic Flame Ranking, the Fallen Heart Flame and the Sea Heart Flame were on a completely different level from the Green Lotus Core Flame and the Ice-Fire Dragon Flame. The time required for their refinement was something those earlier flames simply could not compare to.
Xiao Se sat cross-legged atop the Green Lotus Platform.
Time slowly lost all meaning.
He had no idea how long had passed—perhaps ten days, perhaps half a month, perhaps several months, or even half a year.
At some unknown moment, what pulled Xiao Se out of his deep cultivation state was a soft, cool sensation brushing against his waist, accompanied by a faint, lingering fragrance.
That coolness and scent made his heart tremble.
His eyes snapped open.
Wrapped around his arm was a familiar figure—one that hadn't appeared for a long time.
A small, seven-colored snake.
"Queen…?"
Seeing the seven-colored little serpent, a trace of hesitation unconsciously flashed through Xiao Se's eyes.
In the original story, Queen Medusa had completely fused with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python under the tempering of the Fallen Heart Flame. At the same time, Xiao Yan had suffered a backlash from the Fallen Heart Flame, causing demonic fire to erupt within him—and in that state, he had done that to Medusa, who had just completed the fusion and was at her weakest…
"No… you're the little one?"
Shaking off those fleeting thoughts, Xiao Se quickly noticed that the python's enchanting pale-purple eyes were constantly changing color—sometimes icy and domineering, sometimes filled with vivid spirituality.
Clearly, the two souls within the Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python were in the final, most critical stage of fusion, fiercely contending for control of the body.
At first, Xiao Se thought the cold, tyrannical presence would overpower the gentler, spiritual one.
But just as that thought formed, the cold presence suddenly weakened.
Or rather—
It wasn't defeated.
It withdrew.
"Master."
The pale-purple eyes of the Heaven-Devouring Python gradually stabilized, now brimming with spiritual clarity, as a light, pleasant voice sounded.
"Little one… did you defeat Queen Medusa?"
Hearing the Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python speak, Xiao Se was momentarily stunned. He reached out and gently touched her forehead, his expression a mix of surprise and joy.
"No," the little snake shook her head gently. "I'm here to say goodbye. Thank you, Master, for taking care of me all this time."
Her voice was tinged with sorrow.
In her spiritual pale-purple eyes, reluctance and faint tears shimmered.
"You…"
Xiao Se fell silent.
This day had finally come.
For the little one who had accompanied him for two or three years, Xiao Se had, in some sense, already regarded her as family.
And now—
They had to part.
"For all this time, I've always just called you 'little one,'" Xiao Se said softly. He reached out and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. "How about I give you a name now?"
"Mhm." The Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python nodded lightly. "Please grant me a name, Master."
"You're a Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python," Xiao Se said with a gentle smile. "So… how about Xiao Cai?"
"Xiao Cai… Xiao Cai…"
The little snake murmured the name in a human voice.
Moments later, her small body slithered along Xiao Se's arm, finally resting on his shoulder. She affectionately rubbed her cheek against his face.
"Thank you, Master. Xiao Cai finally has a name."
"Xiao Cai… I won't forget you."
Xiao Se paused, his voice unusually hoarse.
A silent tear slipped down from the corner of his eye.
This was the fourth time he had cried in his life.
The first time was when he was three, the year the Xiao Clan suffered a catastrophe and his parents never returned.
The second time was at eleven, when the old steward who had taken care of him passed away.
The third time was when he drank a mouthful of chewed wine and suddenly lost an important memory.
And this—
This fourth time—
Was because of parting with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python.
"Master… you're crying," Xiao Cai's voice trembled.
"Nonsense," Xiao Se said quickly, wiping his eyes. "I'm a grown man. How could I cry?"
The little snake gently pressed her forehead against his cheek.
"Master, the fact that you can cry for Xiao Cai… makes me very happy. Goodbye… Xiao Cai will always be watching you."
Her voice gradually faded.
In the next instant, a brilliant seven-colored radiance burst forth from her body. With a flick of her slender tail, her petite figure shot out, slipping beyond the protective range of Xiao Se's pink flames and into the Fallen Heart Flame itself.
Just as the Fallen Heart Flame was about to touch her body—
The Heaven-Devouring Python suddenly erupted with an even more dazzling seven-colored light.
At the center of that radiance, her body writhed rapidly, transforming—
Until a flawless, jade-like feminine form appeared before Xiao Se's eyes.
Staring at the mature, enchanting beauty now suspended before him, Xiao Se didn't even have the presence of mind to wipe away the tears at the corners of his eyes.
His heart sank.
And he swallowed hard.
"Brother… what are you looking at?"
At that moment, Long Kui's crisp, amused voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Cough—!"
Xiao Se jolted back to his senses. He hurriedly wiped away the remaining tears at his eyes—and the blood at the corner of his nose—then cleared his throat awkwardly.
"N-nothing. We've reached a critical stage now. I need to continue refining these two Exotic Flames."
Taking one last deep look at Medusa's perfect body, he noticed that she still hadn't regained consciousness. Under the tempering of the Fallen Heart Flame, her soul was steadily fusing with the Heaven-Devouring Python's body, slowly approaching true perfection.
This was Medusa's weakest—and most crucial—moment.
If Xiao Se were to rush forward right now, he could easily take her.
But he wouldn't.
He might be lustful. He might not be a saint. He might even deeply crave Medusa's body—
—but he would never do something as despicable as forcing himself on her.
Suppressing those thoughts, Xiao Se resumed refining the Exotic Flames.
Time flew by like an arrow; days and months slipped past like flowing water.
Without anyone noticing, half a year had already passed since Han Feng's invasion of Canaan Academy.
Half a year—
More than enough time to transform the Inner Academy.
In those six months, some old students left, while new ones arrived.
And among the newest batch, the most outstanding newcomers were Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yu.
Xiao Xun'er, at seven-star Dou Shi cultivation, had taken first place in the Inner Academy Selection Tournament.
Xiao Yu, though only at two-star Dou Shi, had still managed to secure fifth place with Xiao Xun'er's assistance.
As newly risen geniuses of the Inner Academy—and both stunning beauties—wherever they went, they drew countless gazes.
And the place they visited most often was the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower at a corner of the Inner Academy.
Although the tower had been completely sealed due to that great battle, the scene of Xiao Se decisively defeating the Medicine Emperor Han Feng remained etched into everyone's memory.
During these six months, the Little Doctor Fairy, Zhu Zhuqing, and Zi Yan had almost completely vanished from the Inner Academy's sight.
Meanwhile—
In the Black Corner Region, a mysterious new force quietly rose to prominence.
Its name—
Sea King Palace.
(End of Chapter)
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