Chapter 485 External Response

Outside the star field, the space rippled slightly, and a space channel slowly opened. Then, more than a dozen figures led by Xiang Jinsong jumped out from the space channel.

On this side, the commotion caused by their appearance undoubtedly became the focus, instantly attracting many eyes. The three giants of Danta, sensing this unusual fluctuation, also rushed here without hesitation.

Xuan Kongzi's eyes swept over the crowd, and a trace of inquiry flashed in his eyes. Noticing that Xiao Ling was not among the returning crowd, his brows involuntarily frowned slightly, and an inexplicable guess suddenly surged in his heart.

However, he did not reveal his guess immediately, but quickly cast his eyes on Xiang Jinsong who was standing in the front, and asked with a serious tone,

"Elder Xiang, what kind of incident happened? You just stepped into the star field not long ago, how could you return so hastily? Moreover, I noticed that Xiao Ling did not appear with you, where is he now?"

Xiang Jinsong first bowed slightly to Xuan Kongzi and the other two and saluted. Then, a faint smile gradually appeared on his old face, and his tone revealed a relief that was hard to conceal.

"Haha, President Xuankong, please don't worry too much. The reason why we returned from the star field so quickly is because Xiao Ling successfully gained the recognition of the Three Thousand Flames when he came into contact with it. At this moment, Xiao Ling is refining the Three Thousand Flames deep in the star field. He is not in any danger. President Xuankong can rest assured."

As soon as Xiang Jinsong finished speaking, Xuan Kongzi and the other two felt a slight shock in their hearts at the same time.

Even Xuan Kongzi, who had some guesses in his mind before, couldn't help but show some surprise when he heard such a result.

There was a hint of surprise in the eyes of the three people. Obviously, Xiao Ling's ability to gain the recognition of Three Thousand Flames so quickly was beyond his expectations.

After a brief moment of shock, the three of them exchanged glances at the same time, with a hint of inquiry in each other's eyes.

Finally, it was Xuan Kongzi who broke the silence. With a hint of surprise in his voice, he asked:
"Elder Xiang, is what you just said true? Didn't Xiao Ling successfully subdue a strange fire? How could he gain the favor of the Three Thousand Flames again in such a short time and be able to subdue and refine it?"

As soon as Xuan Kongzi finished speaking, before Elder Xiang had time to respond, Cao Ying could not wait to step forward. After taking a few steps, her voice was clearly heard by everyone present:

"Master, according to Xiao Ling, he has mastered a unique secret method that allows him to subdue multiple types of strange fire at the same time. It is precisely because of this secret method that he can achieve multiple goals at once and subdue and refine different strange fires."

Cao Ying's explanation not only provided a reasonable explanation for Xiao Ling's ability, but also resolved the doubts in the hearts of the three giants of Danta.

"Xiao Ling's luck is indeed extraordinary as he has a special secret method to subdue multiple kinds of strange fire at the same time. This kind of skill is the first time even for this old man." Tian Lei Zi raised his eyebrows slightly, and said slowly with a bit of surprise in his tone.

“Even if such a special secret method is placed in front of you, you may not be able to control it. Strange fire is rare, and ordinary people will find it difficult to see its true appearance in their entire lives, let alone have the opportunity and strength to subdue multiple kinds of strange fire at the same time.” Xuan Yi laughed softly at the side and teased with a hint of joking tone.

"This special secret method is indeed tailor-made for Xiao Ling. People like us lack the same opportunity as him. Even if we are lucky enough to practice this method, I am afraid it will be difficult to achieve any results."

Now that things have developed in the best direction, Xuan Kongzi's mood has obviously been affected. He said with a smile in his tone. "It seems that some things really can't be forced."

Although Xuan Kongzi had anticipated before that perhaps this time he could completely resolve the potential threat of the Three Thousand Flames, he knew deep down in his heart that it was only a tiny possibility.

However, to his surprise, this seemingly unattainable goal has now been perfectly solved. The ability demonstrated by Xiao Ling undoubtedly exceeded the initial expectations of all of them. He is truly a special person who can create miracles and amaze people.

At this moment, everyone was in a generally happy mood, except for the old man Qinghua, who seemed out of tune with the cheerful atmosphere around him.

After all, years of careful planning came to nothing in one day. No matter who it is, they will inevitably feel a little lost and it will be impossible to recover so quickly.

Being in such a bad mood, Old Man Qinghua did not plan to stay here for long. Since there was nothing else to do here, he did not want to participate in this joy that did not belong to him.

So, he bowed slightly with his fists clasped in the direction of Xuan Kongzi and the other two, said "goodbye" lightly, and then his figure turned into a stream of light and flew downwards.

His back, with a bit of loneliness and melancholy, gradually disappeared from everyone's sight.

"It seems that this time, old man Qinghua has worked in vain again. Back then, he was defeated by Yao Chen in the Meteorite Icefield. Now that the Three Thousand Flames have been obtained by Xiao Ling, he still returned empty-handed."

Xuan Kongzi watched the old man Qinghua walking away, smiled gently, and couldn't help but express such emotion.

"Strange Fires are spirits that choose their masters. I think this old man Qinghua probably lacks that fate." Xuan Yi frowned slightly, and his tone revealed a bit of frankness, even with a hint of indifference, "No matter how hard he tries to find it, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to get the favor of the strange fire."

After a short pause, Xuan Yi's eyes fell on the lonely back of the old man Qing Hua, and continued: "Moreover, judging from his current expression, he seems to have become disheartened. I think he probably won't have any extravagant hopes of taming the strange fire in the future."

After Xuan Yi finished speaking, Tian Lei Zi and Xuan Kong Zi looked at each other, and there was a wordless understanding in each other's eyes, so they did not continue this topic.

As alchemists, they knew the desire and persistence for the strange fire very well. They also deeply understood the ardent pursuit of the strange fire, but they also lacked the opportunity to form a bond with the strange fire.

Such thoughts lingered in their minds. When they recalled that Xiao Ling was able to subdue many kinds of strange fire at the same time, even Tian Leizi and Xuan Kongzi, who had cultivated their minds to be indifferent and calm, couldn't help but feel a little envious.

As old man Qinghua took the lead in embarking on his journey home, the others also greeted and said goodbye to Xuankongzi and the other two, and then left the place one after another.

In the end, only Cao Ying and Dan Chen were left here. They had no intention of leaving in a hurry, but chose to stay where they were.

"What's the matter, you two little girls? What are your plans for staying here?" Xuanyi raised her eyebrows slightly. As an experienced person, she could naturally see through the concerns in Cao Ying and Danchen's hearts at a glance.

She raised a faint smile and said in a teasing tone, "Are you secretly worried about the safety of Xiao Ling? I know exactly what you are thinking."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ying and Dan Chen's cheeks flushed slightly, and they exchanged guiltily glances with each other.

But Cao Ying still couldn't hide her worries. She looked at Xuan Kongzi and said earnestly, "Master, I... I'm still a little worried about Xiao Ling's safety."

"Don't worry, girl," Xuan Kongzi's eyes fell gently on Cao Ying's face and he smiled softly, "I will enter the star field later and investigate the situation myself. You don't have to worry about this matter anymore."

There was a hint of teasing in his eyes, and he looked at Cao Ying and Dan Chen. "Ying'er, I've never seen you plead for other men in this way in all these years. Alas, it seems that you two girls have really grown up, and your minds have flown away."

Xuan Kongzi chuckled twice and did not continue the topic. He nodded to Xuan Yi and Tian Leizi, then waved his hand gently, and a crack seemed to be torn in the air, and a space channel leading to the star field slowly opened in front of him.

Then, his figure swayed slightly, and he stepped into the passage without hesitation. In a flash, he disappeared from everyone's sight, leaving only the space passage slowly closing with slight fluctuations.

At the same time, Cao Ying and Dan Chen, who stayed in place, could not stand Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi's half-smile and meaningful looks, so they did not stay here for too long. The two of them simultaneously activated their fighting spirit, and their figures turned into two streams of light, quickly flying downwards and disappearing into the buildings of Shengdan City in an instant.

"He is able to subdue many different kinds of strange fire at the same time, and now he has even taken the Three Thousand Flames, which ranks ninth on the Strange Fire List, into his possession. This Xiao Ling is truly hard to figure out.

"Tian Lei Zi looked far into the direction of the star field, gently stroking his gray beard, his tone full of emotion:

"The elders of Xiaodan Tower really have a unique vision this time. They took the initiative to invite Xiao Ling. It seems that they have long seen Xiao Ling's extraordinary potential. Such a move is undoubtedly a wise one..."

"Xiao Ling has successfully subdued the Three Thousand Flames this time, which will surely make those old guys pay more attention to him. When Xiao Ling finishes his retreat, it will be inevitable for him to come into contact with those elders."

Xuan Yi nodded slightly and analyzed in a calm tone: "It's just that those old guys don't have good tempers and are not easy to get along with. I just hope that nothing unpleasant will happen during Xiao Ling's contact with them..."

……

In the star field, in the vast and boundless void space, a streak of light suddenly flashed, like a falling meteor, and flew straight to the core of the star field.

After a moment, the stream of light that shuttled through the star field began to slow down slowly, and finally stopped quietly in the void. As the light gradually faded, Xuan Kongzi's figure appeared clearly. "Has the body of the Three Thousand Flames begun to disintegrate? It seems that Xiao Ling has already started to refine the origin of the Three Thousand Flames. The progress is quite fast. I don't know what the situation is now..."

Staring at the endless, blazing purple sea of ​​fire in front of him, Xuan Kongzi couldn't help but let out a sound of admiration. He whispered to himself,
"However, these scattered flames are a bit tricky. If they are not properly restrained and lose the control of the three thousand strange fire images, they are likely to cause considerable trouble. I am afraid that even the vast star field will find it difficult to withstand such turmoil."

The Three Thousand Flames that had accumulated over countless years, and the star flames contained in them, had completely broken free at this moment. The only source of fire that could control these flames had been absorbed by Xiao Ling.

Without conscious control, these flames become extremely dangerous. They are like wild horses that have broken free and can cause disasters at any time.

Fortunately, when the Three Thousand Flames of Fire were dissipating on their own, there was still a trace of rationality, and he exercised subtle control over the flames, causing them to subside slightly.

If not for this, these vast seas of star fire would have already raged across the star field, causing unimaginable destruction.

Just as Xuan Kongzi's figure lightly approached the purple-black sea of ​​fire, intending to investigate Xiao Ling's current condition, the originally chaotic and disordered flames underwent a strange change at this moment.

Part of the purple-black flames seemed to sense something and actually surrounded Xiao Ling. Not only did they not cause any harm to Xiao Ling, but instead, they formed a solid flame barrier like loyal guardians, protecting Xiao Ling firmly.

At the same time, another part of the flames seemed to be driven by some force and condensed into a wave of fire, carrying a scorching breath and amazing power, and rushed straight towards Xuan Kongzi.

Faced with this sudden change, Xuan Kongzi had to respond quickly. His figure quickly retreated and he gave up his original intention to move forward.

"Hmm? This flame can actually protect its master automatically? In this case, I really don't need to worry about it anymore." Xuan Kongzi's eyes flashed with surprise, and then he smiled with relief, "It seems that I can't continue to get close to that purple sea of ​​fire, otherwise I will be embarrassed by this blazing flame."

After observing this scene, Xuan Kongzi was convinced that Xiao Ling had indeed begun to refine the essence of the Three Thousand Flames. Moreover, from the current situation, Xiao Ling's refining process seemed to be unusually smooth, so he could also feel at ease.

After confirming that Xiao Ling was safe and sound, Xuan Kongzi did not stay here for long. He turned around and flew away along the same path he came from.

"I am looking forward to it. When you completely subdue the Three Thousand Flames, it will be a spectacular sight. By then, even I, an old man, may not be able to gain any advantage from you..."

……

At the same time, in a corner of Shengdan City, in a courtyard where Xiao Ling and his group were resting.

Above the pavilion, Zi Yan suddenly sensed something. She raised her head, her gaze penetrating the boundaries of the courtyard and looking towards the sky above Shengdan City.

Those eyes, as bright as purple gems, seemed to be able to easily penetrate the invisible space barrier, staring straight at the slender figure sitting quietly in the purple sea of ​​fire.

"Has Xiao Ling already started to refine the Three Thousand Flames? This progress is a bit too fast. Even if it is a battle between souls, it should take a lot of time. Could it be that something unexpected happened?"

Zi Yan's brows furrowed slightly, and her tone revealed a hint of surprise and confusion.

"Zi Yan, what happened? Did Xiao Ling encounter an accident? Is he in danger now?" Medusa, who was sitting next to Zi Yan, was startled when she heard Zi Yan's words. She frowned slightly and asked slowly in a cold voice with a hint of worry.

"Don't worry." Zi Yan withdrew her gaze from the distance and turned to look at Medusa. A faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. She explained in a relaxed tone, "I just sensed through the dragon seal left in Xiao Ling's body that he has begun to refine the Three Thousand Flames. Although it seems a little beyond our expectations, his condition is quite stable and he is not in any danger."

Medusa's brows relaxed slightly, but her eyes still showed a trace of concern: "So, what exactly do you mean by unexpected things? His refining speed is so fast, won't there be any side effects?"

"I don't quite understand this, but Xiao Ling always does something unexpected. He was able to master the Three Thousand Flames so quickly. Perhaps he gained some insights or took special measures during the refining process."

Zi Yan shook her head lightly, her expression looking quite casual, "We just need to wait and see. After Xiao Ling absorbs the Three Thousand Flames, he will naturally come back safe and sound..."

Medusa's eyes flickered when she heard this, and she did not ask any more questions. She just picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip. For some reason, she felt a little bit of imperceptible anxiety in her heart.

I originally thought that by accompanying Xiao Ling to Shengdan City this time, I would have more opportunities to get close to him, so that our relationship could be further developed and achieve a breakthrough in some sense.

Unexpectedly, since arriving in Shengdan City, Xiao Ling was first busy with many matters of the Alchemy Association, and then devoted himself to the feat of subduing the Three Thousand Flames. The time between the two of them was not much left. The time they spent together here was not even as frequent as when they were in Xingyun Pavilion. This was really a bit regrettable...

"If I had known this earlier, I should have been more proactive in the Falling Star Pavilion. This embarrassing situation is really frustrating."

Medusa frowned slightly, tapped her forehead lightly, then smiled helplessly, crossed her arms unconsciously across her chest, and shook her head gently. Her charming yet noble and beautiful face revealed a hint of regret and helplessness.

At this moment, Qinglin walked out of the room with a tray of exquisite snacks in her hand. She placed the tray on the tea table with light movements, and the snacks on the tray exuded an enticing aroma.

"Hehe, this is a snack made by Qinglin himself. I haven't tasted such delicious food for a while."

When Zi Yan saw the snacks, a glimmer of surprise flashed in her eyes. She couldn't wait to reach out and pick up a piece of golden egg tart and quickly put it into her mouth, looking as if she was enjoying the long-lost sweetness.

"Qinglin's cooking is indeed delicious. Even though I have lived among the snake people for so long, I have never had the honor of tasting such delicacy." Medusa also nodded slightly, picked up a piece of cake gracefully, scooped up a spoonful with a spoon, slowly brought it to her lips, and savored it carefully.

"These are just a few unique skills that the young master taught me. It's great that you like them so much."

Qinglin looked at the two people's love for snacks, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and his eyes were filled with satisfaction.

My young master also likes these snacks very much, but unfortunately he is dealing with other things at the moment and has no chance to taste them.

"Qinglin, I've noticed your training habits in recent days. It seems that you're preparing to reach the Dou Zun realm? Is everything ready?" Zi Yan swallowed the egg tart in her mouth, then reached out and picked up another one. At the same time, she turned her gaze to Qinglin and asked casually.

"That's true. I'm now a nine-star Dou Zong, not far from the threshold of Dou Zun." Qing Lin nodded slightly, confirming Zi Yan's guess.

"As for the specific time of breakthrough, I have not yet made up my mind. Young Master mentioned before that he plans to go to the Beast Territory after the Alchemy Conference. I don't want my closed-door training to affect Young Master's schedule."

"You can continue to accumulate some skills for now, and then consider a breakthrough when the time is right. This may not be a bad choice." Medusa gently wiped off the traces of cream from the corners of her lips and made a gentle suggestion.

"Also, we have received news from Little Medical Fairy that she has returned to Xingyun Pavilion. According to my opinion, after Xiao Ling refines the Three Thousand Flames, he will definitely lead us back to Xingyun Pavilion. By then, you can prepare for your breakthrough in Xingyun Pavilion with peace of mind."

"I understand." Qing Lin nodded slightly and responded.
"If I spend too much time to break through the Dou Zun realm, I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany the young master on his travels, which is a pity."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about this. Xiao Ling is busy absorbing the Three Thousand Flames right now and has no time to care about anything else. Since you have nothing to do during this period of time, I and Sister Medusa can go to the Beast Domain with you to capture a few eighth-level snake monsters for you to subdue."

As Zi Yan spoke, she stood up, a smug look on her face.

"You did have few opportunities to subdue high-level snake beasts in the past, but you can make up for it this time. Once you have the power of these high-level beasts, it won't take too long to break through the Dou Zun realm."

Zi Yan's suggestion moved Qing Lin's heart, but she was still a little worried, and said hesitantly: "But Xiao Diao is now in a critical period of retreat. If we leave at this time, will there be any accidents?"

"Don't worry, with Xiong Zhan here, nothing will go wrong." Zi Yan smiled softly and did not give Qing Lin more chance to speak. She waved her hand lightly, and the power of space came out.

As the space rippled gently, the figures of the three people disappeared instantly, leaving only the snacks on the table that had not yet been tasted, quietly placed there... (End of this chapter)