The endless sands of the Tager Desert stretched beyond the horizon, the blazing sun and raging sandstorms ruling over the land as they always had.
A crimson streak tore through the sky and came to a halt above a stretch of dunes east of Stone Desert City. The red light faded, revealing Liu Xi's figure suspended in midair, the massive crimson wings of Dou Qi behind his back slowly fanning the hot air.
Beneath him, the terrain looked no different from any other part of the desert—flat, lifeless, and scorched.
Liu Xi unfolded the map Hai Bodong had given him. The drawings were precise—every city, oasis, and even the regions frequented by the Snake-People were clearly marked.
The first location marked with a flame symbol lay here, east of Stone Desert City. It was, after all, the very same area where Xiao Yan had once discovered an underground tunnel. Liu Xi glanced at the bland-looking sands below, then lowered his gaze to the girl nestled in his arms.
"Qing Lin," he said softly, "help me check if the spot marked with a flame on the map is right here."
The girl was clinging to his chest like a sloth to a tree. Hearing his voice, she turned her head, looking between the map and the desert beneath them. Her small hands clutched his robe tighter as she buried herself slightly deeper into his arms—this was her first time flying hundreds of meters above the ground, after all.
A faint blush tinged her delicate face as she murmured, her voice soft and sticky, "Mm… but there's nothing here, Young Master. Are you sure there's really a treasure below?"
Liu Xi raised a brow and smiled faintly. "If this is the place, then it's fine."
He folded the map, wrapped one arm firmly around Qing Lin's slender waist, and dove down from the sky.
Amid the girl's startled cries, they descended swiftly, the crimson wings folding back as his boots touched the sand with a soft thud.
Qing Lin's face had gone from flushed to pale, her eyes dazed as she still clung tightly to him. Liu Xi couldn't help but chuckle softly, patting her back. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
She blinked, her small voice trembling. "Y-Young Master, Qing Lin isn't afraid."
Once she had steadied herself, Liu Xi brushed a hand over her head gently, then closed his eyes. His long robe and hair began to ripple though there was no wind. A powerful surge of Spiritual Power burst from his brow, spreading outward in waves.
From this godlike vantage, the world unfolded in his perception—above, fiery-red energy roiled in the air; below, dense yellow-brown energy filled the earth, vast and majestic.
He directed his Spiritual Power downward, compressing it into fine threads to pierce deeper into the ground. Within his mind's eye stretched a vast ochre-colored world.
The deeper his power sank, the greater the pressure it faced, devoured and dissolved by the weight of the earth.
That wasn't what Liu Xi wanted. The Green Lotus Core Flame was said to dwell in the molten heart of the world, born from countless cycles of fusion, compression, and tempering by the fire of the earth. Ten years to gain spirit, a hundred to gain form, a thousand to bloom—its lotus heart nurturing a wisp of azure flame known as the Green Lotus Flame, or the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Thus, what he sought was the fiery magma chamber buried deep underground.
His expression grew solemn. His Spiritual Power had already sunk several hundred meters down, yet there was no sign of even the faintest trace of fire energy.
When he had scoured the entire area with no results, Liu Xi sighed softly and withdrew his Spiritual Power. Taking Qing Lin by the hand, he moved to another site and began the process again.
To find the Green Lotus Core Flame, he would truly have to search inch by inch.
Time passed. When Liu Xi finally recalled his Spiritual Power, his mind reeled with dizziness. His body wavered unsteadily, almost collapsing.
Seeing this, Qing Lin hurried forward, catching his arm with both of her small hands, panic filling her eyes. "Young Master, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he said, rubbing his temples tiredly. "Just a bit drained."
'With the soul strength of a 5th Tier Alchemist, even refining 5th Tier pills doesn't wear me out like this. Who'd have thought searching for the flame would be this exhausting—and not a single clue found yet.'
He glanced down at Qing Lin, her tiny face equally weary. 'Even I'm worn out, and she's endured the desert winds beside me all day without complaint. Truly a tough little thing.'
"Thank you for today, Qing Lin," he said gently. "Let's head back."
She nodded sweetly. "Yes, Young Master, I'll help you walk."
Liu Xi chuckled. "Walk? With me here?" He spread his arms toward her. "Come here. I'm just a little tired from using too much spiritual power—it'll be faster to fly."
Her cheeks turned red as she bit her lip, then softly leapt into his embrace, burying her face against his neck. The warmth of his scent made her heart flutter. 'Young Master's arms are so warm… if only I could stay like this forever.'
Holding her close, Liu Xi spread his crimson wings once more and soared into the sky as a streak of red light toward Stone Desert City.
Within ten minutes, they were back.
As they landed and walked through the streets, the bustling noise of the city quieted. The crowd parted instinctively. They saw the cursed Snake-People half-blood girl cradled protectively in the arms of a cold, white-robed youth. Their disgust turned instantly to fear beneath Liu Xi's chilling gaze, and they made way without a word.
Liu Xi ignored them, returning to the mansion he had purchased days before. After instructing Qing Lin to rest, he went to his room and finally allowed himself to sleep—rest was the only true way to recover depleted Spiritual Power.
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Ten days later.
Liu Xi stood atop a dune, eyes closed in concentration. Suddenly, they snapped open, bright with excitement. "After more than ten days… finally! A magma layer rich with fire energy deep below!"
'But where's the entrance to the underground? I remember there being a network of tunnels in the original story.'
'Wait—when Xiao Yan found it, Queen Medusa had already taken the Green Lotus Core Flame, leaving only the lotus platform behind. Don't tell me those tunnels were all blasted open by her power!'
Qing Lin beamed with joy. "Congratulations, Young Master!"
He smiled, ruffling her soft green hair. "Didn't I teach you how to cultivate Dou Qi a few days ago? How's your progress? I'll need your help soon."
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "I did it, Young Master! I've started cultivating Dou Qi—I can help this time!"
"Good," Liu Xi said, clapping his hands with satisfaction. "Then it's time to head for the real treasure!"
He extended his hand, crimson flame bursting forth. "Pill Flame Technique — Blazing Flame Lion. A fusion of my Pill Flame control, the Nine Nether Ghost Flame Technique's heat absorption, and the beastfire strength of the Blazing Flame Lion. Its power rivals a Di Class Dou Technique. If Queen Medusa could do it—so can I!"
The crimson blaze condensed into a roaring fire lion. The temperature of the surrounding desert plummeted as all heat was drawn toward the beast, making it burn brighter and hotter.
The lion let out a thunderous roar and dove into the sand below. The ground melted instantly, sand liquefying into magma before cooling into black rock. Behind it, a molten tunnel stretched deeper and deeper into the earth.
Liu Xi's Spiritual Power surrounded the descending flame, guiding it toward the fiery depths below.
Far beneath the surface, in a vast magma chamber, a crimson streak burst through the molten crust and plunged into the lava pool. Waves of blazing magma erupted, splashing skyward—each one hot enough to incinerate a human into ash.
Liu Xi's eyes gleamed. The tunnel was complete.
He gathered Qing Lin into his arms once more, his Dou Qi forming a protective shield around her delicate frame. His wings spread wide as they dove through the molten tunnel. Behind them, his Illusionary Heart Technique weaved an illusion over the site, concealing the passage completely from prying eyes.
Beneath the earth, an immense cavern spread out before them—rivers of magma flowing and surging violently. The entire world glowed crimson, filled with pure, overwhelming fire energy so dense it nearly took physical form.
(End of Chapter)
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