Battle Through the Heavens: The Rock King Emperor's Leisurely Wanderings in the Mortal World

Chapter 11 The Flame of Life

With a smile, Gu He said to Yun Yun in a relaxed tone, "Yun'er, as you know, when alchemists refine medicine, the success rate depends not only on their battle qi and soul power, but also, and most importantly, on the flame. And the strange fire is the king of flames. I have now obtained information about the strange fire, so I hope you can lend me a hand."

Yun Yun calmly replied, "Elder Gu, I still prefer you calling me Sect Master Yun." She paused, then continued, "May I ask which strange fire Elder Gu obtained information about? Is there anything you need me to do?"

Yun Yun already had a premonition that if the strange fire Gu He mentioned was the same one that Zhong Li of the Xiao family in Wutan City had mentioned before, then she would refuse without hesitation. After all, when she agreed to help Gu He, she had a condition: she couldn't do anything that would harm the Yunlan Sect. Therefore, even if she refused Gu He's request, it wouldn't be considered a breach of their original agreement.

Gu He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze revealing profound wisdom and calm contemplation. He slowly began to speak, "Based on my years of research and deduction regarding strange fires, that strange fire emitting a peculiar white light is very likely the Nine Dragons Thunderfire, ranked twelfth on the renowned Strange Fire Ranking." As he spoke, Gu He's voice grew increasingly firm, as if this was an undeniable fact.

After all, judging from Liu Ling's detailed description, the flame he truly felt at the time was merely unbearably hot. However, strangely, there was no chill within that scorching flame. Gu He pondered to himself, carefully distinguishing the flames based on their names and unique color characteristics. The Bone Spirit Cold Flame, which carried a hint of coldness, could be decisively ruled out. Among the many strange flames, excluding the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, only the silvery-white Nine Dragons Thunderfire matched the described flame characteristics in every aspect.

Upon hearing Gu He's deduction, Yun Yun, who was standing nearby, finally felt a sense of relief. She couldn't help but recall what Nalan Yanran had said about the strange fire possessed by Zhongli of the Xiao family being earth-yellow. In that case, the mysterious white strange fire must not be the same one.

Yun Yun breathed a sigh of relief and murmured to herself, "It seems that the favor that has been weighing on my mind for so long can finally be repaid. Once this favor is repaid, there will be no more personal entanglements between Gu He and me. From now on, we will only face official matters concerning the sect together."

After a moment, Yun Yun raised her head slightly, her eyes filled with determination, and looked at Gu He, saying, "Alright, since Elder Gu has a request, I will grant it. What do you require of me?"

In the quiet room, Gu He spoke slowly, his voice steady and firm: "Sect Master Yun, there is no need for you to take any action at this time. I came here simply to get a definite answer from you. Now that you have agreed, my chances of success have increased. In the next few months, you only need to wait patiently for my news."

"Absorbing a strange fire is no easy task; its difficulty is beyond imagination. I must make extremely thorough preparations and cannot afford the slightest carelessness. Besides needing Sect Master Yun's support and cooperation, I also plan to gather some old friends I haven't seen in a long time. They are all reliable people who can lend me a hand in this matter. In addition, refining some pills that must be taken when absorbing the strange fire is also a crucial step. Every step, every detail, is related to the final success or failure, and there can be no slackening..."

Gu He's words flowed like a gentle stream, earnest and sincere, as if he were conveying a solemn mission, or perhaps entrusting his most important last wish—a truly moving statement. However, Yun Yun, standing to the side, remained focused, her head bowed as she worked on official documents, her expression calm and absorbed. Only when Gu He stepped into the room did she briefly look up at him before returning to her work.

Xiao Yan sat calmly in the bathtub. His body was flushed a deep red, as if caressed by flames, with wisps of steam rising from him. Inside the bathtub, the originally emerald-green medicinal liquid, as time passed and Xiao Yan slowly absorbed its power, gradually lost its intense color, becoming clear and transparent.

When the entire barrel of medicinal liquid finally turned clear and transparent, as if all impurities had been washed away and there was no trace of medicinal power left, Xiao Yan slowly woke up from his cultivation state.

"Hoo..." Xiao Yan exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes gleaming with undisguised excitement, and announced loudly, "Master, Second Master, I have successfully broken through to the fourth level of Dou Qi!"

Upon hearing this, Yao Chen and Zhong Li's faces immediately lit up with gratified smiles. Yao Chen couldn't help but gently stroke his beard, his eyes full of approval, and said with a smile, "Not bad! If you can maintain this tenacious and pure heart, you will definitely be able to successfully break through to the fifth level of Dou Qi in the next two and a half months!"

As night fell and all was quiet, Xiao Yan turned to Yao Chen with anticipation, his eyes sparkling with longing for the unknown world. "Master, I've finished today's task. Before you go to sleep, please tell me about the strange flames on the Strange Flame Ranking." His voice carried a hint of coquetry and pleading.

The two masters smiled knowingly, and Yao Chen was filled with joy at Xiao Yan's endless curiosity about the cultivation world.

It's clear that Xiao Yan is fascinated by the cultivation world, and Zhong Li also shows great interest in the mysterious Ranking of Strange Flames.

"Teacher, please satisfy my curiosity and tell me about the top five strange flames on the Strange Flame Ranking. What are they, that they have such a prestigious reputation?" Xiao Yan blinked, looking expectant.

During the day, while Xiao Yan was cultivating in the medicinal bath, Yao Chen expanded his knowledge of the various strange flames on the Strange Flame Ranking, starting from the Xuanhuang Flame ranked twenty-third and ending with the Eight Desolate Destruction Flame ranked sixth.

Yao Chen gently stroked his beard, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and began to speak in detail: "Ranked fifth on this list of extraordinary flames is an extremely special existence—the Flame of Life. This flame is no ordinary thing; it contains a rich life force, as if it were nature's most generous gift. Legend has it that if you simply place the seeds of medicinal herbs into its embrace, those seeds will sprout and grow instantly, as if they have been given the speed of life. With this Flame of Life, the hardship of searching for medicinal herbs is like a passing cloud. As long as you have enough seeds, the medicinal herbs you want will be available in an endless stream. It is incredibly miraculous and truly astonishing."

At this point, Yao Chen paused slightly, a profound glint in his eyes: "Moreover, this Flame of Life also has a reputation as the 'Flame of Longevity.' Those who obtain it enjoy lifespans so long that even those long-lived magical beasts cannot match it. However, nothing is perfect, and no fire is without flaws. While the Flame of Life is excellent, it also has its shortcomings. Its performance in battle is not as dazzling as other strange flames, and its boost to combat power is relatively limited."

Xiao Yan listened with great interest, his eyes sparkling with boundless longing for the unknown world. He knew that every flame on the Strange Flame Ranking carried countless stories and legends, waiting for him to explore and conquer.

(End of this chapter)

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