Chapter 291: Zi Yan in seclusion, arriving at the magma world again
Xiao Ling noticed the change in Xiao Zi's eyes. He walked forward, patted Xiao Zi's head gently, and said in an apologetic tone: "Xiao Zi, I'm really sorry. Yao Tianhuo has already troubled you once last time. I don't want to embarrass you this time, but for the sake of cultivation, I do need your help. I will prepare some pills to help you recover as soon as possible."
Seeing Xiao Ling's sincere attitude, Xiao Zi's grievances gradually disappeared. He nodded to show his understanding, and then he began to concentrate and slowly stimulate the beast fire in his body. A vortex of energy gradually formed around his body, and the beast fire slowly rotated in it. Finally, he carefully controlled it and slowly floated towards Xiao Ling.
The moment the beast fire separated from Xiao Zi's body, one could clearly feel that Xiao Zi's breath had weakened, and a hint of fatigue appeared in its eyes.
The fire of the beast floated in the air. Although it still emitted a blazing light, its light seemed a little flickering compared to when it was inside Xiao Zi's body.
Seeing that Xiao Zi had successfully separated the beast fire, Xiao Ling showed a gratified smile on his face. He held Zi Yan steadily with one hand, and quickly took out an exquisite porcelain bottle with the other hand. He carefully guided the floating beast fire and let it slowly fall into the porcelain bottle.
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Ling sealed the mouth of the porcelain bottle with a layer of fighting spirit barrier to ensure the stability of the beast fire. Then he waved his hand lightly, and the porcelain bottle was wrapped in a white light and put into his storage ring.
Qinglin felt a little distressed when he saw Xiao Zi looked a little weak. He reached out and gently stroked Xiao Zi's head, then took out some healing pills from his ring and carefully fed them to Xiao Zi.
Xiao Zi felt Qing Lin's concern, and turned his gaze to Qing Lin, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. He thought to himself, he just asked me to deliver beast fire to others, and now he only remembered to care about me, alas.
After swallowing those healing pills, Xiao Zi's condition improved significantly. Although it has not fully recovered to its previous energetic state, it is no longer as weak as before.
Xiao Ling saw this and naturally would not stand idly by. He took out a porcelain bottle filled with pills from his ring, handed it to Qing Lin, and said, "The pills in here are made from seventh-level fire-attributed herbs, which will be of great benefit to Xiao Zi's recovery. You can give it a few pills regularly."
These pills were originally prepared by Xiao Ling for the little Sky-Swallowing Python, but considering that Xiao Zi is also a fire-attributed magical beast, these pills are also suitable for it.
After hearing this, Qinglin smiled with joy. She took the porcelain bottle, took out two pills from it and handed them to Xiao Zi. After Xiao Zi took the pills, the fighting spirit in her body was quickly replenished. The energy of the pill nourished her body, making her feel very comfortable. She squinted her eyes comfortably and spit out her snake tongue to Xiao Ling to express her gratitude.
These pills made from seventh-grade medicinal herbs are not common for Xiao Zi. Although he can taste them occasionally, he can't enjoy them every day. Qing Lin usually gives him pills made from sixth-grade medicinal herbs. Xiao Zi thought to himself, Xiao Ling is really a generous person.
After discussing some important matters with the two partners, Xiao Ling handed a scroll containing the method of practicing the True Flame Art to Xiao Yixian, and told her to pass it on to the Skyfire Venerable. This method might be of great help to the Skyfire Venerable.
After explaining all this, Xiao Ling said goodbye to them and took Zi Yan to a training room in the courtyard.
Xiao Ling gently placed Zi Yan on the cushion in the middle of the training room and let her sit comfortably. Then, Xiao Ling walked to the edge of the training room and began to activate the formation on the periphery.
This formation is cleverly designed. It not only absorbs the surrounding energy of heaven and earth for cultivation, but also isolates it from external interference, while ensuring that any movement in the cultivation room will not leak to the outside.
Following Xiao Ling's gestures and incantations, the formation surrounding the training room gradually lit up with a faint light, forming a translucent energy shield that isolated the training room from the outside world.
Breaking through to Dou Zong is no small matter, and this process is often accompanied by huge energy fluctuations. If Zi Yan breaks through in an ordinary room, the force is likely to turn the room into ruins.
Therefore, Xiao Ling deliberately chose this training room, which is not only protected by the formation, but also can provide Zi Yan with a stable breakthrough environment.
Xiao Ling squatted down, gently rubbed Zi Yan's little head, and encouraged her with a smile: "From now on, it all depends on you. I have already arranged the formation, so you can rest assured to break through."
Zi Yan nodded dazedly, as if she had not fully recovered from her fatigue, but soon she closed her heavy eyes and began to concentrate on preparing for a breakthrough.
As Zi Yan's breathing gradually became steady, the purple light on her body began to grow stronger, and eventually formed a huge purple light cocoon around her body. This light cocoon not only protected her, but also isolated her from external interference, allowing her to break through with peace of mind.
Xiao Ling stood up straight, looking at the light cocoon emitting mysterious purple light with gentle eyes. A gratified smile appeared on his face, and he said softly: "It seems that this girl has started her breakthrough journey. The next time we meet, she should be a Dou Zong strongman."
After saying this, Xiao Ling shook his head slightly, as if he was pleased with Zi Yan's growth. He turned around and left the training room with firm steps.
Afterwards, his figure swayed gently in the courtyard, as if merging with the void, and he quickly rushed towards the direction of the Tianfen Qi Training Tower.
……
In the inner courtyard, at the bottom of Tianfen Qi Refining Tower.
Xiao Ling stood at the entrance to the magma world. He waved his hand gently, and countless invisible flames suddenly flew out of the Tianfen Refining Qi Tower. These flames gathered above his palm and finally condensed into a ball of jumping invisible flames.
When the invisible flame appeared, Xiao Ling suddenly felt the strange fire in his body stirring, as if it wanted to break free and rush out. He immediately took measures to calm it down and suppressed the impulse.
He looked down at the invisible flame in his hand, with a gentle smile on his face: "Fallen Heart Flame, I didn't expect that you have grown so much in just two years."
This invisible flame was the juvenile form of the Fallen Heart Flame that he had obtained in the magma world. Compared to when they first met, it had become more powerful and active.
Xiao Ling could feel the power contained within the Fallen Heart Flame. It was like a vibrant young beast, constantly eager to grow and break through.
As soon as Fallen Heart Flame saw Xiao Ling, it jumped happily on Xiao Ling's palm like a lively child, showing its intimacy and dependence on him.
Xiao Ling gently stroked the invisible flame, and then began to slowly inject the fighting spirit in his body into it. This energy was a precious nourishment for the Fallen Heart Flame, which could enhance its strength.
Feeling Xiao Ling's fighting spirit, the Fallen Heart Flame seemed to enjoy it very much. It gently rotated on Xiao Ling's palm, as if expressing its own pleasure.
However, as Xiao Ling injected more and more Dou Qi, the Fallen Heart Flame began to feel a little uncomfortable. Although its strength had increased, the excessive energy made it feel stressed, and finally, under Xiao Ling's gaze, it turned into a stream of light and dissipated into the air.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling could only shake his head helplessly and smiled. He knew that the Fallen Heart Flame would need time to adapt to and absorb the new energy. This friendly and slightly mischievous character made Xiao Ling full of love for this flame.
Hearing Xiao Ling's words, Elder Liu, who was standing beside Xiao Ling and was mainly responsible for taking care of the Fallen Heart Flame, couldn't help but interrupt and said, "That's true. We old guys give it a lot of fire attribute fighting spirit every day, so the little guy's growth rate is naturally much faster. However, it's so obedient, thanks to your previous help."
Xiao Ling waved his hand and said modestly: "I didn't do anything special. It was all the result of the elders' careful care." He knew that the elders' hard work day after day was the result of the Fallen Heart Flame being taken care of so well. They repeated almost the same things every day, and this kind of boredom was difficult for even Xiao Ling to endure for a long time.
Elder Liu smiled and continued, "The current Skyburn Refining Qi Tower is much more effective than before. Back then, the mature form of the Fallen Heart Flame never obeyed our commands and often attacked the seal. It was really a bad seed. But this little guy now, because he was cultivated artificially, will not resist our commands too much."
"Haha, it seems that the elders have a good relationship with this little guy. This is a good thing." Xiao Ling said with a smile.
"Well, after all, we have taken care of this Fallen Heart Flame for decades and have a deep affection for it. Now that we see it is so well-behaved, we old guys feel warm in our hearts." Elder Liu adjusted his mood and asked Xiao Ling with a smile: "You came here this time, not just to see this little guy, Fallen Heart Flame?"
Xiao Ling shook his head and replied easily: "It's just a side note. In fact, I just felt the signs that I'm about to break through, so I plan to go to the underground magma world under the Tianfen Qi Training Tower to retreat for a while."
Hearing Xiao Ling's words, Elder Liu laughed and said, "Haha, I see. The environment down there is harsh, but for you who possess the strange fire, it is a good place to practice."
During the conversation, Elder Liu had quickly made a few hand seals to unlock the restriction leading to the underground magma world.
Then, he turned to Xiao Ling and said, "Although you are very strong, there are many dangers down there, so you should be careful."
Xiao Ling nodded seriously, thanked Elder Liu, then leaped into the dark cave and rapidly descended towards the underground magma world.
Elder Liu stood by the cave entrance, watching Xiao Ling's figure gradually go away until he completely disappeared from his sight. Then, he made a handprint again to seal the ban again, and the surroundings returned to peace, as if nothing had happened.
……
As Xiao Ling continued to go deeper into the cave, the air around him became hotter and hotter, as if even his breath carried the breath of fire. The whistling sound of the wind in his ears seemed to be a preview of the upcoming hot world.
At this moment, the golden flames in Xiao Ling's body began to become active, and they penetrated from the surface of his skin, forming a thin layer of golden light shield. Although this layer of light shield looked inconspicuous, it effectively isolated the high temperature of the outside world and protected Xiao Ling from the scorching breath of the magma world.
After a seemingly endless descent, Xiao Ling's vision suddenly became wider. He found himself in a huge underground space, a boundless magma world. Huge bubbles formed in the boiling magma, then burst, releasing streams of hot air.
As the bubbles burst, white smoke rose from them. These smoke contained fire poison. For ordinary people, inhaling these smoke could cause serious consequences. But for Xiao Ling, who possessed the strange fire, these fire poisons were not a big deal.
Xiao Ling moved his body lightly, and the space under his feet was like the surface of water, with ripples. He just stood quietly in the void, like a messenger controlling fire, coexisting harmoniously with this magma world.
Xiao Ling carefully felt the energy of the heaven and earth around him. This place was filled with extremely rich fire energy, which was undoubtedly a paradise for fire attribute practitioners. However, this rich fire energy was also mixed with a strong sense of violence. If it was absorbed without control, it would likely have a subtle influence on the practitioner's mentality.
For ordinary practitioners, they need to use specific herbs to neutralize these violent energies to avoid damage to their character. But Xiao Ling is different. He already has five kinds of strange fire in his body. These violent flame energies are just a piece of cake for him. He can easily refine these energies, remove the violent components, and then absorb them for his own use.
Xiao Ling's sight turned and fell on the vast magma world below. A bold plan suddenly emerged in his mind.
In this land of blazing magma, there lives a group of fire lizardmen who can condense a kind of fire beads in their bodies. These fire beads contain wild and fierce fire energy.
For ordinary fire attribute practitioners, directly taking these fire beads may bring considerable risks, but Xiao Ling is different. He has many kinds of strange fire in his body, which allows him to refine these fire attribute energies first and then absorb them safely.
If he could get a few Dou Zong-level fire beads, it would undoubtedly be a shot in the arm for his cultivation.
Recalling the last time he led the Skyfire Venerable to break out from the depths of the underground magma, Xiao Ling couldn't help but feel a little regretful. At that time, they were attacked by the Fire Lizardmen. After a fierce battle, although they successfully killed several Dou Zong-level Fire Lizardmen, due to the urgent situation, they did not have time to collect those precious fire beads, and just let them sleep in the magma, which was a great loss.
However, Xiao Ling is no longer the same person as before, and his strength has improved by leaps and bounds. As long as he does not go deep into the deepest part of the magma world and does not provoke those terrifying fire lizardmen, he is confident that he can easily deal with it and protect himself.
Thinking of this, Xiao Ling no longer hesitated. He lightly unfolded a flame barrier composed of the Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Flame, as if he was wearing a flame battle suit. His figure was particularly eye-catching against the backdrop of the magma, and then he plunged into the hot magma world without hesitation.
……
When Xiao Ling dived into the magma, he immediately felt a blazing temperature and huge pressure coming from all directions, as if to squeeze him to the limit. But with the surge of the powerful fighting spirit in his body, the pressure from the outside world instantly weakened and could not cause him any discomfort.
In this red magma world, everything within sight is red, except for the golden fire shield around Xiao Ling, which shines alone in the sea of fire like an isolated island, adding a different brilliance to this single color.
Deep in the magma, there was a dead silence all around, and a long flight could easily make people feel bored. But Xiao Ling was filled with anticipation, which kept his spirit in a highly concentrated and excited state, full of energy.
Under this directionless magma, Xiao Ling gave up his knowledge of up, down, left and right, and forgot the passage of time. He had only one goal, which was to keep diving towards higher temperatures to find the possible hidden fire lizardmen and the fire beads in their bodies.
Gradually, as Xiao Ling continued to go deeper, the color of the surrounding magma changed from the initial crimson to a deep black red, and the temperature also rose to an unimaginable high level.
However, for Xiao Ling, who possessed the strange fire and powerful skills, these extreme environments were not enough to pose a threat. The strange fire in his body seemed to be the master of this sea of fire, not only protecting him from the high temperature, but even minimizing his energy consumption.
In this hot magma, Xiao Ling's soul perception was like an invisible net, slowly spreading out and exploring every corner around him. His mind was highly concentrated, and any slight fluctuation could not escape his perception.
After about twenty minutes of continuous diving, Xiao Ling's perception suddenly caught a trace of unusual fluctuations. In the depths of the originally dead magma, his soul perception suddenly detected the breath of many life forms.
Some of these auras were weak, while others were strong, forming a peculiar gradient distribution. The weak auras were comparable to those of Dou Wang and Dou Huang level practitioners, while the strong auras could even be compared to Dou Zong strongmen.
The breath of these life forms rises and falls in the magma, like flames hidden in the undercurrent, ready to erupt at any time.
An excited smile appeared on Xiao Ling's lips. He whispered to himself, "It seems that the lizardmen guarding the ancient emperor's cave have finally appeared. The highest is only Dou Zong level. For me, these are indeed some good targets. Next, I will start with you guys."
(End of this chapter)