The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

Xiao Fan strode forward, sensing the aura emanating from the Crimson Flame Python. Its cultivation was at the peak of the seventh rank of the Tribulation Realm, even stronger than that of the Fire Lizard.

The python's body was covered with fine red scales, from which a blazing white light emanated, radiating a scorching aura.

The seven or eight people who attacked it had varying levels of cultivation, with the highest being only at the early stage of the sixth rank. No wonder they couldn't defeat it.

The cultivator walked up to a fellow cultivator and asked him about the situation. After a moment, he whispered, "They are a medium-sized hunter team from Tianhuo Plain. They've been tracking this Crimson Flame Python for several days, intending to ambush it while it's feeding, but they were severely injured by its attack. If this continues, people here will die within a day."

Xiao Fan carefully observed the Crimson Flame Python's movements.

When it is defending, it always raises its head, but its tail remains fixed. After each flick of its tail, there is a brief pause.

For ordinary cultivators, half a breath is a fleeting moment, but for a seventh-grade cultivator like him, with his spiritual core fully activated and the power of thunder and fire enhancing him, it is enough.

"I'll draw their fire from the front, you chop off its tail." After a brief discussion with Cheng Xiushi, Xiao Fan stepped forward, drew his Lava Heavy Sword, and slashed at the Crimson Flame Python's neck.

A dull metallic clang rang out, and in pain, the Crimson Flame Python swung its head toward Xiao Fan, spewing out a thick pillar of fire from its mouth.

Using the power of thunder and fire, Xiao Fan dodged the pillar of fire with a flash. With a wave of his left hand, the Thunderfire Token shot out a silver lightning bolt, which struck the giant python's head scales. The lightning exploded, leaving a charred mark on the scales.

Enraged, the Crimson Flame Python twisted its body violently, and its thick tail roared out.

Just as the snake's tail swept across, Cheng Xiushi rushed over from the side, his short knife covered with a layer of earthy yellow spiritual energy, and accurately pierced the gap between the scales of the giant python's third joint.

With a twist of the short sword, the force on the tail was reduced by half, and the angle also shifted slightly.

Taking advantage of this brief pause, Xiao Fan flipped his left hand, producing a newly forged golden short axe. He infused it with spiritual power, and the axe blade emitted a dazzling dark golden light, striking the charred crack in the neck of the Crimson Flame Python caused by lightning.

The Crimson Flame Python let out a shrill scream, its body stiffened, and it collapsed to the ground with a thud.

A stream of dark red blood gushed from the wound on the neck. The giant python's body twitched once, then remained motionless.

The valley was silent. All the injured rogue cultivators stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with terror.

The leading cultivator, whose arm was bandaged, was stunned for a moment before he reacted and quickly cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan politely said something, squatted down, and cut open the Crimson Flame Python.

The spirit core inside this giant python was smaller than that of the fire lizard, but it was much purer, and its entire body was crimson with a faint golden luster.

He took out all the spirit cores and stored them in his spatial artifact.

Seeing this, none of the rogue cultivators stopped him. The leader even offered him a dagger to help him remove the scales.

Xiao Fan gratefully accepted the dagger, and then put away the Crimson Flame Python's fangs and bones.

"Senior, would you be interested in joining our hunter team? High-level fire beasts have been appearing frequently in this area lately, and we're short-handed."

Xiao Fan shook his head and rejected the suggestion.

The monk Cheng chimed in, "We still need to head west; there are more arrangements to make."

The hunter captain didn't say much, thanked him again, and then had his companions carry the two wounded men away.

Cheng Xiushi walked to Xiao Fan's side, glanced at the Crimson Flame Python's tail, and said with some emotion, "Our teamwork is getting better and better. Next time we encounter a high-level monster, you attack from the front, and I'll attack from the side. We can take down the opponent in less than fifteen minutes."

Putting away his axe and materials, Xiao Fan stood up, dusted himself off, and headed west.

After traveling westward for two days, the terrain ahead had changed from open valleys to undulating hills. The golden veins on the earth became denser and thicker, and in some places they even formed a huge golden network.

Xiao Fan felt the temperature beneath his feet rising higher and higher. Under such high temperatures, the core of the Extreme Fire Abyss Technique operated far more efficiently than ordinary people, like an engine that would accelerate when exposed to high temperatures.

That afternoon, Master Cheng stopped in a low-lying area, dug away a layer of soil, and revealed a dark red cover.

The stone cap is engraved with ancient runes, the same as those on the edge of the altar in these ruins.

He looked up at Xiao Fan and said, "There's a Flame Marrow Cave here. I discovered it when I passed by before, but no one dared to go in. Although the Flame Marrow is abundant, the temperature is extremely high. Your Extreme Fire Abyss Technique is very effective against this kind of environment. Shall we go take a look?"

Xiao Fan bent down and touched the runes on the lid with the Creation Fire. Instantly, a scorching aura spread out.

The runes glowed slightly, and the stone lid was lifted a crack, from which a scorching aura emanated.

Xiao Fan took a deep breath, activated his spiritual core to protect his entire body, and leaped down.

The cave entrance was very deep; it was several meters deep before I finally landed on the ground.

He looked up and around. It was a naturally formed cave with walls covered in a thick layer of dark red crystal.

The spiritual energy here was so dense it was suffocating; every breath felt like pouring scalding oil into his lungs. Yet, in this environment, his spiritual core circulated joyfully, with a continuous stream of spiritual power flowing into his dantian to replenish his energy.

There was a narrow crevice at the bottom of the cave. He walked sideways for thirty or forty steps, and suddenly the view opened up before him.

The liquid in the pool was dark red and viscous like honey, with tiny bubbles constantly rising from it.

Xiao Fan squatted down and dipped his axe into the liquid in the pool. It quickly condensed into a dark red shell, from which spiritual energy seeped out.

With such pure Flame Marrow as an auxiliary material, not only can the fire attribute of the spirit weapon be enhanced, but the forging process can also be made smoother.

He took out several empty bottles, carefully sealed the three bottles of Flame Marrow, and put them into his spatial artifact. He also put away the thin hard shell on the great axe.

Master Cheng was sitting by the stone cover eating dry rations when he saw him coming over, and quickly handed him a piece of bread.

"What happened?"

"I have collected enough of the entire Flame Marrow Pool." Xiao Fan took a bite of the biscuit. Its rough taste was completely different from the rich spiritual energy in the Flame Marrow Cave, giving people a sense of security.