When Xiao Yan saw the manifested form of the Flame of Living Beings, even as its creator, he was utterly astonished.
The difference between it and the Green Lotus Core Flame—how could it be so vast?
Still, this wasn't entirely surprising.
The Heavenly Flame's ability to take form was itself modeled after the refinement of high-grade pills.
Just like high-tier pills that could take on unique shapes, alchemists—even when ensuring the medicinal properties followed the formula precisely—could never guarantee that two pills would look identical.
Below the ninth tier, even Yao Lao, as an eighth-rank alchemist, knew that supreme eighth-grade pills often manifested as various "Pill Beasts," each differing in form due to subtle variations in the refining process.
Those differences might arise from factors such as the quality of materials or the alchemist's condition during refinement—but never affected the true medicinal efficacy.
Casting a faint glance toward Xiao Yan, the Flame of Living Beings, whose intelligence had already awakened, showed no recognition of its creator.
Like every powerful sentient pill, from the moment it achieved full formation, the Flame of Living Beings began seeking to escape.
A soft, emerald-green radiance flowed gently from beneath its feet, like the living essence of the earth welling upward.
But at that very moment, far away, another flame tore through the desert skies—an immense tornado of roaring fire stretching hundreds of meters high. Its arrival sent waves of scorching wind sweeping across the Tagore Desert.
Dragon Flame's eyes widened, and he exclaimed the name of the fire: "The Windfury Flame!"
He nodded solemnly. "That's the Heavenly Flame ranked fourteenth on the Flame Ranking—it seems fate wants us to meet it after all."
From behind him, a surge of green light flowed like a spring, swiftly forming into a mysterious array inscribed with runes that seemed to communicate directly with the heavens.
The temperature, which had dropped earlier due to the widespread growth of the Ice-Fire Fruit Trees, now began to climb sharply again, as though an invisible tide of heat was surging through the air.
As long as a body still retained a trace of existence, resurrection and rebirth were possible.
The vast and rapid transformation of the Tagore Desert's terrain inevitably stirred the forces of heaven and earth.
Such drastic shifts could lead to all manner of phenomena—magical beasts mutating or regressing, rare pills forming spontaneously, or the birth of supreme techniques and battle skills—all heralded by natural omens.
Two women—Yue Mei and Hua She'er—stood bathed in sweat, faces pale from exhaustion, their dou qi nearly depleted. Upon seeing Dragon Flame, it was as if they had glimpsed a savior.
Sensing the immense gap in strength, the spirit-born Xiao Yan—the Flame of Living Beings itself—showed no hesitation. It turned at once and fled at full speed.
Its green vines, though delicate in appearance, carried immense latent strength; despite their graceful motion, each tendril contained enough fiery energy to shatter boulders and split mountains.
Perhaps it was precisely this overwhelming transformation of the desert, coupled with the gathered world energy, that caused the Windfury Flame to manifest in this very place.
Just as the emerald vines were about to strike Dragon Flame—no more than a foot away—they suddenly froze in midair, the dragon-serpent speed halting abruptly.
"I told you," Dragon Flame murmured calmly, "it will have to come back."
No matter which direction the spirit-born Xiao Yan fled, the Windfury Flame pursued the same path relentlessly.
The spirit-flame paid no heed to any warning, vaulting backward in haste, retreating with growing panic.
Standing quietly beneath a canopy of vines, the Flame of Living Beings cursed its misfortune. To think I'd encounter the Windfury Flame here of all places… I've only just taken form, and my strength is still far too weak!
Through his faint spiritual perception, Dragon Flame had already sensed the immense upheaval spreading through the sands.
With a subtle motion, he tapped his toe upon a vine—his lithe figure dancing gracefully. In an instant, the vines intertwined around him, and with a flash of green light, he vanished into the sky, leaving only a faint emerald trail.
Within Dragon Flame's body lay the boundless Endless Fire Domain, which housed the Super Fallen Heart Flame.
"No wonder it's so terrifying!" Hua She'er finally understood. A Heavenly Flame is among the most violent existences in the entire Dou Qi Continent. Each one takes thousands of years to be born, and their might is beyond comprehension.
The Flame of Living Beings, having barely attained freedom, would rather die than be captured again!
In a blink, its graceful figure had already fled hundreds of meters away.
Even a Dou Sect expert's battle skill would be weakened when striking such a flame—let alone Xiao Yan's own fledgling spiritual projection.
This time, however, its movements were far less violent than before.
In terms of raw dou qi strength, it could barely be considered a one-star Dou Practitioner.
As the formation beneath it completed, several thick, jade-green vines shot forth like bolts of emerald lightning, streaking toward Dragon Flame from every direction.
The very heavens and earth of the Dou Qi Continent seemed to tremble faintly in response.
The spirit-born Xiao Yan hadn't been gone for long when suddenly the sky erupted into crimson radiance, burning like fire across the horizon.
A rich scent of grass and life filled the air, making it feel as though one stood amidst a thriving forest.
Yet despite its vibrant life aura, the being before them was, at its core, a Heavenly Flame—its power could not be measured by common sense.
This particular Flame of Living Beings leaned toward intelligence and sentience, but its battle power was still quite weak.
About the time it would take to eat a meal later, Dragon Flame's eyes flickered—catching sight of a faint green light in the distance. The spirit-born flame was returning, its movement slower, almost hesitant.
Lightly stepping upon the vines beneath her, the Flame of Living Beings appeared weightless, each motion perfectly harmonized with nature itself.
Facing Dragon Flame, who barred her path, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, radiating waves of heat and life force.
"Mr. Dragon Flame…" Yue Mei began, but before she could finish, a roaring gale surged from the horizon. She turned abruptly—eyes widening. "It's coming!"
Indeed, the Heavenly Flames possessed the instinct to devour one another. Having sensed the unique nature of the Flame of Living Beings, the Windfury Flame would never let such a powerful rival escape unchallenged.
Each Heavenly Flame resonated faintly with others of its kind—and though Yue Mei had never personally witnessed it, she had heard that even the vast Tagore Desert had, on rare occasions, given birth to the Windfury Flame.
Dragon Flame made no move to pursue, folding his hands behind his back as he floated calmly in the air. "It will return."
"Leaving won't be that easy."
Xiao Yan's figure flashed, appearing before the fleeing Flame of Living Beings to block its way.
This particular Heavenly Flame not only refined flesh, meridians, dou qi, and spirit—it also formed a protective aura around its wielder, impervious to normal attacks.
The only possible explanation was that the Windfury Dragon Flame's appearance here was no random occurrence at all.
Accompanying the spirit-flame Xiao Yan were Yue Mei and Hua She'er of the Snake-People Tribe.
Soon after, the vines, as if summoned by some mysterious power, dissolved into countless motes of green light, drifting like heavy snowflakes before fading completely from sight.
Standing not far from Dragon Flame, the Flame of Living Beings clenched its fingers slightly—unable to resist or flee—and gazed solemnly toward the approaching heat.
"It's truly a Heavenly Flame!" Yue Mei gasped. Though she didn't understand much about such entities, even she knew their name carried unparalleled weight.
"Mr. Dragon Flame, do you know what that thing is?" Yue Mei asked in relief, hoping that if he knew its origin, they might find a way to deal with it.
The latter nodded. "There are only two kinds that appear here—the heavenly tribulation lightning that descends rarely, and this… unpredictable one."
The life force radiating from the Flame of Living Beings was so dense that even those imbued with the Eight Thousand Burning Flame Body could not compare.
That sight made the spirit-flame Xiao Yan's calm expression finally shift.
At the same moment, a vigorous vine burst forth once again, spreading rapidly across the ground.
(End of Chapter)
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