Deep within the magma world.
A vast mass of golden flame drifted slowly through the crimson ocean below, moving without direction, like a sun submerged beneath the earth.
Against the endless sea of red molten lava, the golden fire stood out brilliantly—radiant, sacred, almost untouchable.
At the very center of that golden blaze, two naked figures floated in silent embrace.
They were still.
Peaceful.
As if time itself had paused around them.
—
Within the consciousness space of the Flame Mantra.
A slender young figure drifted slowly through darkness.
This was a boundless void—pure, suffocating blackness without sight, sound, touch, or sense of direction. There was no up or down, no warmth or cold, no awareness of existence.
The youth floated in a daze.
He could not see.
Could not hear.
Could not feel.
Only endless emptiness.
Suddenly—
Within that pitch-black void, a wisp of pink flame flickered to life.
It burned gently at first, then brighter—driving away the darkness like dawn tearing through night.
The flame expanded, blossoming into a magnificent pink lotus of fire.
The lotus enveloped the drifting youth completely.
Moments later—
Two more flames appeared within the space.
One deep blue.
One milky white.
The pink fire lotus began to spin at incredible speed. A powerful suction force emerged from its core—like a black hole drawing everything inward.
The blue and white flames trembled as they were pulled toward the lotus.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
They were absorbed.
The moment the two flames fully merged into the lotus, the entire construct expanded violently, erupting in a brilliant golden radiance.
The pink hue faded.
Golden light took over completely.
The lotus gradually shrank once more, compressing inward until it transformed into countless points of golden starlight.
Then—
It vanished.
The youth vanished with it.
The Flame Mantra consciousness space returned to silence.
—
Back in the magma world.
Within the golden flames—
Xiao Se's eyelids trembled.
Slowly—
He opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw—
Was Medusa.
Her flawless body lay against his chest, skin smooth as polished jade, curves exquisite and powerful. Her breathing was faint, steady. Her long hair cascaded over his shoulder.
He looked down.
He, too—
Was completely naked.
"I—what the hell is going on?!"
Feeling the softness pressed against him and catching the faint fragrance in the air, Xiao Se couldn't help but blurt out loud.
Don't tell me…
Did I… while unconscious…?
That couldn't be right.
There was no way something like that could happen without him feeling it.
Just then—
Medusa stirred.
She slowly opened her eyes. Having just completed her fusion with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, her aura was weak and unstable.
The moment she realized she was lying naked in Xiao Se's arms—
Her face flushed crimson.
With the little Dou Qi she had left, she summoned a red gown to cover herself instantly, then retreated several meters back.
Without hesitation—
She struck.
A seven-colored Dou Qi torrent shot toward Xiao Se like a streak of light.
Her reaction did not surprise him.
Any woman who woke up naked in the arms of a naked man—especially without remembering how—would react violently.
Xiao Se did not even move.
With a casual wave of his hand, the colorful Dou Qi dissipated into nothing.
"How is this possible…?"
Medusa's eyes widened.
Annoyance flashed through them—annoyance at her own weakness after merging with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python.
But alongside that—
Shock.
The ease with which Xiao Se dispersed her attack—
That was no ordinary power.
That was at least high-tier Dou Huang.
Xiao Se himself was equally stunned.
He closed his eyes briefly and examined his body.
The Dou Qi within him felt vast and endless—like a deep ocean.
He could sense fire and ice energy in the surrounding magma world responding naturally to his presence, as though he could summon them at will.
Even the once-elusive spatial attribute now carried a faint clarity.
Only the time attribute remained distant and intangible.
"System. Open my status panel."
[Ding. Opening status panel.]
[Host: Xiao Se
Gender: Male
Age: 16
Cultivation: Seven-Star Dou Huang
Soul Level: Seventh-Rank Mid-Tier Alchemist
Domain: Ice-Fire Domain
Sword Intent: 40%
Dou Qi Attributes: Fire (with a trace of Wood), Ice, Time, Space
Martial Spirit: Fire
Cultivation Techniques:
"Flame Mantra" (High Earth Rank)
"Origin Soul Art" (Grade Unknown)
Heavenly Flames:
Green Lotus Core Flame
Ice-Fire Dragon Flame
Sea Heart Flame
Fallen Heart Flame
Dou Techniques:
"Mirror Flower Shatter" (High Earth Rank)
"Crimson Flame Sword" (Mid Earth Rank)
"Ethereal Mist Step" (High Xuan Rank)
"Lion's Roar" (High Xuan Rank)
"Breath Concealment Art" (Unknown Grade)
"Eightfold Mountain Barrier" (High Xuan Rank)
Exchange Chances: 16
Draw Chances: 8
System Inventory:
System Patch
Heavenly Palm Bottle
Battle Through the Heavens Travel Ticket (3 Days)
Douluo Travel Ticket (Permanent)
Fox Spirit Matchmaker Travel Ticket (Permanent)
Sword Path Supreme Travel Ticket (7 Days)
]
Xiao Se inhaled sharply.
His cultivation had skyrocketed from peak Dou Wang—
To seven-star Dou Huang.
His soul realm had advanced another step.
And the Flame Mantra—
Had evolved from low-tier Earth Rank to high-tier Earth Rank.
"All this… in just eight months?"
He muttered in disbelief.
There was no way to measure time in the magma world.
But he had his own method.
Exchange chances and draw chances.
Since breaking through Dou Wang, the system patch allowed exchange chances to accumulate—two per month. Draw chances increased by one per month.
Exchange chances: 16
Draw chances: 8
Eight months had passed.
Eight months of complete isolation.
Eight months of refining two Heavenly Flames.
While Xiao Se processed everything—
Medusa's cold yet slightly weakened voice sounded again.
"Human. What exactly did you do to this queen?"
"Uh…"
Xiao Se snapped back to reality.
"I honestly don't know," he said, scratching his head slightly. "I've been refining Heavenly Flames for eight months. I didn't have time to do anything else."
He paused, then added lightly,
"And besides… if I had done something, wouldn't you know? You're the one who would feel it."
Medusa closed her eyes and carefully examined her body.
Aside from the exhaustion caused by merging with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python—
Everything was normal.
No discomfort.
No abnormalities.
She exhaled quietly.
Relief settled in her chest.
And yet—
Strangely—
A faint trace of disappointment lingered.
Whether it was the lingering influence of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python… or something else entirely—
Even she did not understand it.
After a moment of silence, Medusa raised her gaze.
Her eyes flicked—very briefly—downward.
(Huge.)
A faint blush crept up her cheeks before she forced her eyes back to his face.
"Consider yourself lucky," she said coolly. "Put your clothes on. Then we'll figure out how to leave this wretched place."
"Alright."
Xiao Se noticed the fleeting expression in her eyes but pretended not to.
He calmly retrieved a black robe trimmed in gold from his storage ring and began dressing.
It was one of the outfits Bibi Dong had prepared for him. Ever since their reunion, she had custom-made clothes for nearly every stage of his growth.
As he fastened the robe, he asked casually,
"Long Kui, what happened while I was unconscious?"
A streak of blue light emerged from the demonic sword mark on his right hand and took shape beside him.
Long Kui's graceful figure appeared, luminous and serene.
"Nothing too dramatic," she replied sweetly. "Brother successfully refined the Fallen Heart Flame and the Sea Heart Flame."
"And Sister Medusa completed her fusion with Little Cai."
The golden flames surrounding them were now Xiao Se's origin flames.
Under his control, they posed no threat to Long Kui—unlike the wild Fallen Heart Flame before.
Eight months.
Two Heavenly Flames.
One soul ascension.
One evolution of the Flame Mantra.
And now—
The magma world felt smaller.
Because Xiao Se—
Had grown far beyond it.
(End of Chapter)
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