Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

The moment Queen Medusa sat up, a great light shone forth, and the giant serpent, which had been over ten feet long, transformed back into a half-human, half-serpent form, its body immediately covered by a magnificent purple brocade robe.

As she casually grabbed the parchment that had slipped from her body, Queen Medusa carefully examined her own body—

Apart from some depletion of vital essence, the expected pain was not present at all; only the warm energy emanating from the dantian caused waves of tingling sensation as it flowed through the limbs and bones.

'He saved me?' Queen Medusa frowned. She couldn't understand why the villain who had taken away her chance to evolve would save her in the end, and even give her a high-level healing pill.

"This is……"

As she pondered this, Queen Medusa's gaze fell upon the parchment in her hand.

The map is somewhat rough, but it can be roughly seen that it is a map of the Tagor Desert. In addition to several cities of the two major empires near the Tagor Desert, the location of the holy city of the Serpent People is also marked. In addition, the most obvious thing is the several flame icons marked in the east, north and west of the map.

"...Is this a map of different flames?"

Although she didn't understand what these flame icons represented, Queen Medusa suddenly understood everything when she saw the Stone Desert City near the flame icon in the east.

"He already knew about the map of the Tagor Desert, which is why I met him on the way?" At first, she thought she was just unlucky, but after seeing and understanding the map, Queen Medusa realized that the loss of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was not simply a matter of bad luck.

'But the Azure Lotus Core Flame doesn't move, so why are there several other markings on this map?'

A simple misperception?

Queen Medusa did not believe this. The location of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was marked so clearly, and the other two locations were worlds apart from this one. If it was just a perceptual error, how could there be such a big difference?

'So, you're planning to take advantage of the situation while I'm battling the strange fire?'

With a slight glint in her eyes, Queen Medusa saw through Xiao Yan's intentions. However, after this failure, she was not about to risk being taken advantage of and continue searching for the Strange Flame alone.

'Afterwards, let the elders accompany me to search for the strange fire...'

Queen Medusa put away the map and looked around, but did not find the figure of the black-robed man. However, she was not angry. She calmly spread her battle aura wings and flew towards the holy city of the snake people.

'She must have read my mind, right?'

In the distance, after Queen Medusa spread her battle qi wings and left the spot, Xiao Yan chuckled.

"As the queen of her clan, she can naturally see through your little schemes," the old physician chuckled. "But as long as she still harbors the idea of ​​evolving her soul through the strange fire, she will never give up the search for it!"

'However, she probably never imagined that I would be heading to the Izumo Empire soon,' Xiao Yan chuckled.

If he hadn't seen the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, Xiao Yan would have needed to refine various types and levels of antidote pills before going to the poisonous swamp of the Chuyun Empire. But now that he has the strange flame, he can rely on its power to become immune to more than 90% of the toxins!

"I'm having a lucky day today." After praising himself, the Purple Cloud Wings unfurled behind Xiao Yan, gently flapped, and carried him towards Stone Desert City.

When Xiao Yan arrived at the Mo Tie Mercenary Group, it was already late at night. However, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yi Xian, who had been waiting for Xiao Yan to return, were still awake and rushed out the moment Xiao Yan landed in the courtyard.

"Xiao Yanzi, are you alright?" Xiao Ding asked anxiously as he walked to Xiao Yan's side.

"Of course I'm fine, I have my teachers protecting me." Xiao Yan said with a smile and a shake of his head.

"So... this is why you went to see Queen Medusa?" After confirming that Xiao Yan wasn't lying, Xiao Li's gaze fell on the strange crystal lotus seat in Xiao Yan's hand.

"That's right!" Xiao Yan's face lit up with a bright smile. "The Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Strange Flame Ranking!"

"A strange fire?!"

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exclaimed in unison. If they weren't the only ones in the Mo Tie Mercenary Group's camp at the moment, they might have been accused of disturbing the peace by the other members.

"Is this the Strange Flame?" Little Fairy Doctor was equally surprised, carefully examining the azure flame on the lotus seat in Xiao Yan's hand. "So, you're not going to the Cloud Empire anymore?"

During their time together, Little Fairy Doctor learned that Xiao Yan wanted to go to the poisonous swamp of the Chuyun Empire in order to find a special kind of strange fire that might exist there. Now that Xiao Yan had found the strange fire in the Tagor Desert, Little Fairy Doctor subconsciously felt that Xiao Yan would not go to the Chuyun Empire again.

“No, we still have to go to the Izumo Empire,” Xiao Yan shook his head, “The Poison Swamp… even if there is no strange fire there, there must be rare medicinal herbs there!”

"Poisonous swamp? Strange fire?" Xiao Ding blinked. "Aren't alchemists only allowed to absorb one type of strange fire?"

Although different flames are extremely rare, most people know this simple information.

"Ah, that's how it is. I was planning to accompany Little Fairy Doctor to the Cloud Empire to see if there were any strange flames in the Poison Swamp. Obtaining the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame from Queen Medusa this time was a complete surprise!" Xiao Yan said with a smile, knowing that he shouldn't tell his brother about the special nature of his cultivation technique yet.

"Even though I have obtained the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame now, the pre-arranged itinerary must still continue, whether for my sake or for Little Fairy Doctor."

"Oh, oh!" Xiao Li said with an expression that said he knew everything. "I understand, I understand!"

Although Xiao Ding didn't say anything, his expression was not much different from Xiao Li's.

A fleeting smile appeared on Little Fairy Doctor's face, but the next moment, she thought of her constitution—a constitution that destined her to be alone for life…

"I'm going to absorb the strange fire first; it should take about two or three days," Xiao Yan said, his gaze not lingering on Little Fairy Doctor. "Big brother, second brother, the mercenary group shouldn't take on any more missions during this time. It would be best to use the excuse that Queen Medusa appeared to let everyone go back for a while..."

“I understand. The Mo Tie Mercenary Group won’t be going on missions until the training is finished.” Xiao Ding nodded. He understood that Xiao Yan was referring to the high-level Xuan-rank cultivation technique.

"Then I'll be going now," Xiao Yan finally turned his gaze to Xiao Yixian's face, but at this moment, the sadness on Xiao Yixian's face had already been taken back. "For the time being, Xiao Yixian, just think of it as traveling around Stone Desert City. Once I finish absorbing the Strange Flame, I can go to the Cloud Empire with you."

"Okay, be careful," Little Fairy Doctor chuckled.

Chapter 157 Evolution of the Burning Technique

After spending most of the night, Xiao Yan finally found the azure lotus platform where the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was born as the sky began to lighten.

"Luckily, this thing is still here..." Deep in the magma, Xiao Yan gazed at the azure light amidst a crimson expanse.

Within that azure light, a graceful azure lotus flower stood.

"I thought you would forget about this lotus platform."

As they swam toward the azure lotus platform, the old apothecary's teasing voice rang out.

"Actually, I almost forgot," Xiao Yan chuckled dryly, "If I hadn't suddenly remembered the conditions for the birth of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, I really would have forgotten about the Earth Flame Lotus Platform..."

The azure lotus platform in the distance was formed after the earth's fire had condensed for a thousand years. Sitting on it during cultivation could increase one's cultivation speed several times over. The lotus seeds within the platform were known as the essence of fire spirit, and for fire-attribute cultivators, their effects were no less than those of ordinary sixth-grade pills.

"hiss!"

However, before Xiao Yan could get close to the cyan lotus platform, a snake's hiss suddenly rang out, followed by a volcanic eruption, and a serpentine demonic beast about four or five zhang long charged towards Xiao Yan.

This serpentine monster was entirely fiery red, like a perfectly round fireball, and had two heads branching out from its long neck.

Are they here too?

The familiar appearance, and even the similar class of the two-headed fire spirit serpent, left Xiao Yan speechless. When he encountered the two-headed fire spirit serpent in Douluo Continent, he obtained the legendary "Dragon Phoenix" pair of dragon horns. This time, however, he found the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame...

This fire spirit serpent was clearly seriously injured. If nothing unexpected happened, it should have been a magical beast guarding the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. However, before Xiao Yan arrived, it was severely injured by Queen Medusa, who forcibly took the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. The fact that it dared to appear this time while seriously injured suggests that the Dou Qi that Xiao Yan was unleashing was only at the level of a Great Dou Master.

'You're lucky...' he muttered, then unleashed his soul power, which, with a gentle impact, completely stunned the fire spirit snake.

'If I have the chance, maybe I should find a powerful magical beast to protect my older brother and second brother...' Xiao Yan muttered to himself as he watched the Fire Spirit Serpent rise to the upper layer of magma after it fainted.

After defeating the final guardian monster, Xiao Yan finally arrived at the side of the azure lotus platform.

"One, two, three... Eleven Earth Fire Lotus Seeds in total? Not bad luck." Looking at the tiny fluorescent lights within the green lotus, Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh.

"However, Queen Medusa is really willing to give up everything for evolution..." The next moment, Xiao Yan, who had discovered the strange object on the cyan lotus platform, waved his hand, and a seven-colored light shot out from the lotus platform and finally landed in Xiao Yan's hand.

"Seven-colored snake scales?"

In Xiao Yan's hand was a snake scale about half the size of his palm, with a seven-colored sheen. It was extremely gorgeous at first glance, but after he got his hands on it, a chilling aura kept trying to invade Xiao Yan's body.

"Has Queen Medusa begun to evolve?"

Xiao Yan asked with some curiosity, "The scales of the Medusa Queen's companion soul facility, the Purple Nether Flame Serpent, are pure purple, just like the color in its name. However, the scale that Xiao Yan obtained is already shimmering with iridescent light. It looks as if the Medusa Queen has begun to evolve."

"Perhaps she tried other methods, but they didn't work, so she thought of relying on a different kind of fire to evolve..." Yao Lao said uncertainly. "Although Queen Medusa's limit is Dou Huang, with a pill like the Breakthrough Pill, Queen Medusa may still be able to break through this limit."

"That would be perfect!" Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on the cyan lotus platform, smiling. "If she could evolve through other methods, she might not be so concerned about the strange fire..."

"Alright, focus on yourself first," the old apothecary chuckled. "You remember all the steps of the devouring process perfectly, right?"

"Of course!" Xiao Yan's expression also turned serious. He flipped his hand, and a round pill the size of a longan, faintly glowing, rolled into his palm.

The Blood Lotus Pill, ranked fifth grade, can generate a blood membrane in the meridians and bones of the human body after consumption, which can protect the meridians of alchemists who absorb strange fire.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yan put the Blood Lotus Pill into his mouth and felt the blood membrane forming between his meridians and bones as the medicine dissolved. He then lifted the lotus seat with his hands and stared intently at the cluster of spiritual flames in the heart of the lotus.

Finally, when Xiao Yan's body was completely enveloped in the red keratinous layer generated by the Blood Lotus Pill, Xiao Yan reached out without hesitation. His arm, covered by the blood-red keratinous layer, crushed the lotus platform and then plunged straight into the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame.

Sweat streamed down his face. Even though he was prepared and protected by his blood-red stratum corneum, he still felt a piercing pain the moment his palm touched the fire at the center of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire, as if all the protection had no effect!

However, this also means that Xiao Yan has grasped the seed of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, the seed of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame that is like flowing azure magma!

After Xiao Yan extracted the almost tangible fire seed from the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, the still-unexpanded azure flame began to shrink. A moment later, it transformed into a tiny wisp of azure flame, which then burrowed into the azure magma in Xiao Yan's palm.

Licking his slightly chapped lips, Xiao Yan took out the Ice Spirit Cold Spring from his Flame Awakening Ring, and without hesitation, put the blue magma into his mouth.

Protected by the blood membrane generated by the Blood Lotus Pill, the cyan magma did not cause too much damage to Xiao Yan's body. Of course, the main reason was probably that Xiao Yan's spiritual soul power played a major role.

Even so, Xiao Yan did not dare to be careless in the slightest, and poured the Ice Spirit Cold Spring directly into his mouth.

The icy cold current rushed through the throat and into the body, then flowed in all directions along the meridians. Wherever this cold current passed, a layer of milky white ice would quickly cover the meridians and bones.

As the ice covered all his body, Xiao Yan's mind began to make initial attempts to contact the wisp of Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame that traversed his meridians.

Soon, after the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was activated by the Burning Technique, it was branded by Xiao Yan and completely controlled by him.

Having experience refining powerful fire seeds, Xiao Yan easily transported the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame to the vicinity of the Dou Crystal. In the end, the Twin Dragon Extreme Ice Flame, which had originally occupied the Spirit Absorption Space, was driven out, and Xiao Yan's "new love," the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, moved in openly.

On the blue lotus throne, a naked boy sat cross-legged, his slightly closed eyes trembling slightly before slowly opening them.

Within his pitch-black eyes, faint blue flames swirled, then suddenly surged forth, completely obscuring his eyes. In an instant, Xiao Yan's pupils turned blue, giving him a faintly eerie appearance.

The azure flames in his pupils didn't last long and quickly subsided. After the flames disappeared, Xiao Yan slightly twisted his neck, and the bones collided with a smooth sound. Hearing this crisp sound, Xiao Yan's face was full of comfort and intoxication.

On the cyan lotus throne, Xiao Yan carefully sensed the changes in his body—

Soul power... hasn't improved much, and reaching the mid-stage of the Spirit Realm is still a long way off. As for battle qi...

Looking inward at the rounded Dou Crystal body in his dantian and the protruding original edges, Xiao Yan blinked in disbelief, but finally confirmed that this was the mark of a Dou Spirit, the Sea Urchin Dou Crystal.

"A one-star Dou Ling..." Xiao Yan smacked his lips, feeling an indescribable joy. "I've leveled up four times in one go. I'm so lucky."

“Indeed, normally, devouring a strange fire shouldn’t increase your strength at all…” Yao Lao’s voice also rang out, “However, it seems that because of the Azure Lotus Seat, your body has been absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth while you were devouring the strange fire.”

“A pure surprise,” Xiao Yan chuckled, “Next is the final step…”

"...Yes, it's the final step." The old apothecary's voice also became heavy.

Although it's confirmed that the Burning Technique can evolve, this is the first time it has devoured a different kind of fire, and neither Xiao Yan nor Yao Lao can predict what will happen next...

"Don't worry, teacher," Xiao Yan suddenly laughed after a long silence, "Even if the evolution fails, I will find other ways to revive you!"

“Resurrection…” Yao Lao paused for a moment, then chuckled, “Alright, then I’ll wait for that day. However, compared to my resurrection, I think you should think more about how you will catch up with the geniuses that are bound to exist in your sister’s family if you fail to evolve.”

"In those families, while not everyone can cultivate Heaven-Rank techniques, every generation's chosen ones are qualified to do so!"

"If I fail, then I'll just have to keep improving my alchemist level," Xiao Yan said, squinting and smiling. "I think even the most powerful family can't ignore the number one alchemist on the entire continent, right?"