Chapter 264: Lotus Heart, Lotus Platform, Lotus Root!
Boom!!!
Above the Tagore Desert, a dazzling meteor streaked across the sky, drawing the gazes of countless serpentfolk and magical beasts below. Yet, by the time they heard the sound, that radiant meteor had already vanished beyond the horizon.
"The advancement of the Feather-Sheath Wings seems, in the end, to still rely on traditional energy flight." Within that fleeting meteor, Jiang Lin's entire body radiated crimson-gold flames. Looking down at the rapidly passing desert oasis, he silently mused as he sensed his state. As for Xiao Yan's maidservant, Jiang Lin wasn't in much of a rush. Estimating his current speed, he figured he should be able to reach the Mo Clan. By then, wouldn't the Mo Clan be overjoyed? After all, their secret art had managed to gain the favor of the Gama Empire's young prodigy artificer, You Lin?
Last time he returned to the Gama Blacksmiths' Guild, Jiang Lin had heard Fatty Yuan grumbling, saying that ever since Mo Lan brought back the Dou Artifact–transformed Azure-Scaled Dragon Arm, the Mo Clan had been frequently sending gifts to the guild, hoping to get an introduction to Jiang Lin. From this alone, it was clear how highly the Mo Clan esteemed that Azure-Scaled Dragon Arm—it was like a group of rats, who should've lived their lives in the sewers, suddenly being placed in the halls of nobility.
"Hmph, Xiao Huo Huo and his ridiculous naming sense. 'Azure-Scaled Dragon Arm'? Anyone hearing that would think it was an actual arm hacked off from Qing Lin." Jiang Lin muttered to himself as he flew, silently ridiculing. "Still, now it's fine. No one wants Qing Lin's 'Dragon Arm,' but her 'Serpent Eyes'—those, someone definitely wants."
Jiang Lin's background was different from Xiao Yan's, so when faced with the same problem, his method of handling it was also different. Xiao Yan, who knew nothing about the Mo Clan, would probably have to investigate slowly in Yan City, infiltrating bit by bit. Jiang Lin, however, didn't need to. He could simply walk through the main gate—no, the Mo Clan would have him carried in by sedan chair! According to Fatty Yuan's descriptions, Jiang Lin unexpectedly discovered that he even seemed to have a small fan club within the Mo Clan???
"As for Qing Lin's matter, that shouldn't be an issue. Hm… The Mo Clan's secret arts regarding organ usage clearly state that the original body's blood is required for slow nourishment. So even if that maid had her eye taken, at most she'd just lose the eyes—she'd still be kept alive."
"As long as she's alive, that's enough. Eyes? If they can dig them out, then they can just as well dig them back in. Recycling at its finest." Although Jiang Lin doubted whether the Mo Clan could actually replace eyes, as long as they possessed the technique, he could quickly master it himself. If the Mo Clan truly had the ability to transplant Qing Lin's Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils, then that would be… a thrilling outcome! Because it would mean their eye-replacement technique was viable, and with Jiang Lin's mastery of four types of Dou Qi, he would have the potential to restore Qing Lin's eyes!
Jiang Lin: Kekekeke! I admit your biotechnology surpasses mine! But now… it belongs to me!
Thus, Qing Lin's matter only required him to proceed step by step—directly head to Gama Holy City, find Mo Lan, and from Mo Lan's and the Mo Clan elders' behavior, determine whether Qing Lin had already been blinded.
Buzz!!!
Six crimson-gold wings trailed a radiant tail across the sky. The unique engine-like hum of the Dou Artifact wings was pleasing to the ear. Before long, Jiang Lin caught sight of the distant Gama Holy City, resembling a holy city from Western legends.
"With Dou Qi wrapping the body, flight resistance within heaven and earth can be greatly reduced. Most people don't bother with this technique, though—it wastes too much Dou Qi. And those who can use Feather-Sheaths are usually Dou Practitioners, Dou Masters, or Great Dou Masters—they don't pursue extreme speed. But Dou Kings… no wonder Teacher Hu Lei and Yun Yun both fly so fast. Above the Dou King level, one instinctively covers oneself in Dou Qi during flight, entering a weightless state in heaven and earth. In such an environment, Dou Qi itself produces anti-gravity propulsion. Add the explosive thrust of the Feather-Sheath engine, and of course the speed is astonishing."
As Jiang Lin watched the rapidly enlarging silhouette of Gama Holy City, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. With the two crystal cores and the Fire Spirit Lotus empowering him—alongside his terrifying Dou Qi recovery speed—he was now facing a peculiar pain: he simply couldn't use up his own vast reserves of Dou Qi. By the time he depleted his crimson-gold Dou Qi and switched to a crystal core, within minutes the crimson-gold Dou Qi had fully recovered again. Then he'd switch back, and the process repeated endlessly. And he still hadn't even tapped into the Fire Spirit Lotus!
In fact, as long as Jiang Lin didn't forcibly use power beyond his current rank, but only the Dou Qi of a Three-Star Great Dou Master, then with his crimson-gold Dou Qi and the Fire Spirit Lotus, Jiang Lin had essentially achieved perpetual motion. Under normal use, his Dou Qi would never run dry.
The Fire Spirit Lotus, lodged within Jiang Lin's abdomen, might have had a lower baseline compared to crystal cores, but its upper limit completely crushed them. Jiang Lin had realized that its energy strength was tied directly to his cultivation realm. When he first refined it at Two-Star Great Dou Master, its strength was also merely Two-Star Great Dou Master level. He had thought he'd been scammed. Yet soon after he broke through to Three-Star Great Dou Master, the Fire Spirit Lotus automatically evolved to match his new level—its energy intensity and total energy both soaring!
"To think that a fire-type spiritual item capable of growing through the Burning Flame Technique, the Soul Refinement Technique, and my crimson-gold Dou Qi would be my greatest harvest from the Green Lotus Core Flame! Spending a fire-element crystal core to obtain a growing fire spiritual item—what a massive profit!" Of course, Jiang Lin's ability to rekindle the Green Lotus's life was thanks to his simultaneous practice of both the Burning Flame and Soul Refinement techniques, coupled with the stimulation of the Green Lotus Core Flame's thousand-year essence, granting it rebirth.
After all, the Soul Refinement's soul flame, the Burning Flame's nameless blaze, and Jiang Lin's crimson-gold Dou Qi flame—together represented his spirit, essence, and will: three intangible, invisible fires!
Although the Fire Spirit Lotus had lost its roots and could no longer absorb nutrients on its own, as Jiang Lin's internal "Fire Root," born from the condensation of his will and embodying his triune flame, it had found a new role.
Once again, it had become a lotus platform of fire.
Only now, the flame at its core was no longer the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Instead, Jiang Lin himself was the new root through which the Fire Spirit Lotus rebirthed and anchored itself in the world!
(END CHAPTER)
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