On the day of his departure, Liu Xi looked at Liu Ming, Li Yue, and little Liu Cheng in her arms, all with reluctant expressions. He smiled reassuringly and said,
"Don't worry. This time I'm only traveling within the empire, then heading to the Imperial Capital to visit Teacher. I won't be away for long."
As the head of the household, Liu Ming quickly collected himself, though his tone still carried some forced restraint.
"You've grown up, and you have your own path to walk. But remember—this will always be your home. Come back often to see your mother and your younger brother."
Liu Xi first looked at Li Yue, whose eyes shimmered with tears. Then he smiled gently and replied,
"Mm. I'll be sure to return often to visit Mother, my brother… and of course, Father."
He deliberately dragged the last word, which immediately earned him a sharp glare from Liu Ming. Liu Xi couldn't help but laugh, hastily adding,
"Ahem. Then I'll be off!"
That morning, dressed in a moon-white robe, Liu Xi unfurled a pair of blazing crimson wings from his back. With a single beat, his figure shot into the sky like a streak of red lightning.
Not far away, many onlookers who had come to watch gasped aloud in awe. A Dou Wang—a true powerhouse—was soaring right above their heads. In the Jia Ma Empire, such figures could call the wind and summon the rain. Once, he had merely been Lin City's number one genius. Now, he was Lin City's number one powerhouse.
Watching his son's departing silhouette, Li Yue spoke softly, voice tinged with worry.
"This child… who knows how long he'll be gone again."
Liu Ming, however, only felt pride.
"With Xi'er's talent, he will never be confined to Lin City. One day, the entire Jia Ma Empire will be his stage. As for the future of the Liu family, that will rest on the shoulders of both Xi'er and Cheng'er."
He pinched the nose of the baby in Li Yue's arms, who gurgled with innocent laughter.
---
Wrapped in crimson Dou Qi, Liu Xi streaked through the sky like a burning comet, heading east toward the Tager Desert.
His thoughts flickered.
'According to the original timeline, Queen Medusa took the Heavenly Flame about half a year before Xiao Yan arrived. That means I still have at least two years before she comes. Time isn't a problem.'
'The Green Lotus Core Flame should be hidden somewhere east of Stone Desert City. I'll have to search inch by inch when I arrive. Also, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong seemed to have collected clues about Heavenly Flames—if I can find him first, I might gain something unexpected.'
Liu Xi had already prepared well for this endeavor.
'First, the Blood Lotus Pill—a 5th Tier pill. Without it, even a peak Dou Huang like Queen Medusa would be gravely injured by the Heavenly Flame. With my current cultivation as a mere Dou Wang, I'd be instantly reduced to ashes without it.'
'Second, the Ice Spirit Cold Spring—a protection for the inside, guarding my body when refining the flame. Without it, the Heavenly Flame's destructive heat would burn me to nothing.'
'Third, Acceptance Soul—it creates a tiny space within the body to temporarily contain the Heavenly Flame. Without such a vessel, no living body could withstand its power before fully refining it.'
He had obtained the Blood Lotus Pill recipe back at the Inner Academy and refined it only after reaching the peak of 5th Tier Alchemist. As for the Ice Spirit Cold Spring and the Acceptance Soul, though extremely rare, the Inner Academy had small reserves. Liu Xi had paid dearly, but he acquired both.
With these three items in hand, he finally dared to chase after the Heavenly Flame.
After ten days of continuous flight, even with the speed of a Dou Wang, he finally reached the endless golden expanse of the Tager Desert.
The sun was merciless, baking the sands until they shimmered like molten metal. Yet Liu Xi's fire-attribute Dou Qi surged more vigorously here.
'The fire and earth energy here… over 80%. If I fight in this desert, my strength will increase by at least thirty percent!'
But as he looked around, his smile stiffened.
'Everything looks the same… am I lost already?'
He spread his Spiritual Power outward, searching for signs of human presence. Soon, his eyes lit up.
'There. A few li ahead—a group of mercenaries surrounded by… snake-men?'
His wings flared, and in ten minutes he saw them clearly.
Below, about a dozen mercenaries stood back to back, surrounded by eight strange beings—upper bodies human, but from the waist down coiled in thick serpent tails. Their sibilant hissing filled the air.
'So these are the infamous Snake-People of the Tager Desert…' Liu Xi mused, intrigued.
Among the mercenaries were nine men and three women. The men were bronze-skinned, muscular, their torsos bare and glistening with sweat. The women were just as striking—skin tanned a healthy wheat color, clad in tight leather garments that covered little beyond modesty, revealing toned midriffs and long, supple legs.
From above, Liu Xi even noticed the hungry gazes of the snake-men fixed upon them.
"Kill the men. Leave the women alive!" hissed the leader, his triangular pupils flashing with malice.
Before his order could fully echo, a sharp whistle split the air.
Whoosh!
A crimson figure descended from the sky, wings outstretched. An oppressive Dou Wang aura crashed down like a mountain.
Both mercenaries and snake-men froze in terror.
"Who can tell me the way to Stone Desert City?" Liu Xi asked flatly, his body still wreathed in fire.
The mercenaries' leader—a female warrior—stared up at him in disbelief. When she noticed his fiery wings, her fear turned to elation.
"Senior! I know the way! We can guide you there!"
Relieved, Liu Xi gave a single nod. "Good. Lead the way."
But the snake-man leader snarled, unwilling to yield.
"Human, you dare interfere with the Snake-People? Do you know our Queen—"
His words cut off in a scream. Liu Xi's fingers flicked, sending streams of fire that pierced through their bodies. In an instant, the eight snake-men were reduced to nothing but drifting blood mist.
"Courting death," Liu Xi muttered coldly.
The mercenaries stared in stunned silence, trembling as if before a god of slaughter.
Finally, the female warrior gathered her courage.
"I—I am Mali, squad captain of the Sand Mercenary Group in Stone Desert City. We will take you there."
Liu Xi waved for her to lead the way. Mali hastily obeyed, though along the journey she began to sway her hips ever so enticingly.
Liu Xi merely chuckled to himself.
'Delicate face, fiery figure, daring attire, and that wild desert aura… not bad. Seven out of ten.'
Soon, towering stone walls came into view. Unlike the ornate cities of the inner empire, this one radiated a rugged, unyielding strength—Stone Desert City.
Liu Xi entered without another word. Under Mali's faintly wistful gaze, his crimson wings flickered, and he disappeared into the bustling streets.
(End of Chapter)
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