Chapter 685 Planning

As the first bolt of lightning, as thick as a bucket and carrying an aura of destruction, struck down, Xiao Yan's storage ring flashed, and the Heavenly Demon Puppet appeared in response.

The puppet was covered in dark gold armor plates, with runes faintly flowing at its joints, and the rocks trembled slightly when it landed.

Seeing the thunderbolt crashing down, the Heavenly Demon Puppet crossed its arms into a shield and charged straight up at the lightning like an arrow released from a bow.

"boom"

A deafening roar echoed through the valley, and the moment the lightning collided with the puppet's body, a dazzling white light almost engulfed half the mountain.

The violent energy shockwave spread outwards, causing the surrounding mountains and forests to sway violently.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, the figure of the Heavenly Demon Puppet was engulfed by lightning, yet it showed no signs of disintegration.

As the light subsided, it was seen that its body leaned back slightly, its feet carving two shallow marks in the void, clearly having been knocked back several steps by the lightning. However, its dark gold armor plates only showed a few scorch marks, and its core body was completely intact.

On the contrary, the lightning attached to the armor plates did not dissipate, but instead flowed into the puppet's body like water along the patterns, causing its aura to rise subtly.

However, before the Heavenly Demon Puppet could even rest for a moment, a second bolt of lightning had already condensed in the clouds.

This bolt of lightning was nearly half again as thick as the previous one, with purple-gold electric snakes thrashing wildly within it, striking down with an even more terrifying pressure.

This time, the Heavenly Demon Puppet no longer took the hit head-on. It crouched slightly, spread its arms like wings, and fine lightning patterns instantly appeared on its body.

The moment the lightning struck, it suddenly spun around, drawing the power of the lightning to circle halfway around its body, eventually covering its entire body. It used the force of the spin to stabilize itself, and its internal energy became even stronger.

This happened several times, and the tricolored thunderclouds in the sky became increasingly violent, unleashing five bolts of lightning in succession, each one thicker and more terrifying than the last.

But the Heavenly Demon Puppet moved about in the lightning like a butterfly flitting among flowers, sometimes resisting and absorbing it head-on, and sometimes drawing out the force to deflect it, gradually transforming the destructive energy of the lightning into its own nourishment.

Its dark gold armor plates were gradually covered with a layer of purple-gold lightning, and its aura gradually changed from calm and heavy to violent and hot.

As the last bolt of purple-gold lightning, as thick as a bucket, struck down, the Heavenly Demon Puppet roared and raised its head, its entire body glowing with lightning patterns. It actually charged towards the lightning.

The moment the two collided, the entire mountain was engulfed in lightning, and even the space itself rippled slightly.

After the lightning completely dissipated, the Heavenly Demon Puppet knelt on the ground, its armor plates covered with cracks, yet it still did not fall. The energy surging within its body was 30% stronger than before.

The three-colored thunderclouds in the sky seemed to have exhausted their power, or perhaps they were unwilling to let the thunder be so easily neutralized. They churned in the clouds for a moment, and finally let out a muffled roar. The purple, gold, and blue lights gradually dimmed, and the thunderclouds receded like the tide, revealing a clear sky.

At the summit, the Heavenly Demon Puppet slowly stood up, its lightning receding, and stepped back to Xiao Yan's side. The cracks on its body were repairing themselves at a visible speed.

Xiao Yan raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes as he gazed at the Heavenly Demon Puppet. He then turned to look towards the observation deck, and when he saw Xiao Ling's figure, a joyful smile instantly bloomed on his face.

Seeing Xiao Yan looking in his direction, Xiao Ling smiled and nodded slightly in greeting.

He then raised an eyebrow and said loudly, "You should put away the pills you've refined first. If they get away, you'll have suffered this pill tribulation for nothing."

As soon as he finished speaking, as if to verify his words, the bronze medicine cauldron in front of Xiao Yan suddenly trembled with a "hum", and a stream of crimson-gold light burst out from the mouth of the cauldron.

The freshly made pill, carrying a rich medicinal fragrance, soared into the sky, seemingly trying to escape towards the heavens!

Even more strangely, the lingering energy of heaven and earth around the pill was drawn to it, condensing into a phantom white tiger around the pill. The energy fluctuations, like the roar of a tiger, were faintly emanating, clearly indicating that the pill had developed spirituality and wanted to break through the void and escape.

"Not good!" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's heart tightened, and he instantly came to his senses, quickly refocusing his gaze on the pill.

Seeing that it had already transformed into a streak of light and rushed several feet away, he immediately shouted and opened his palm wide: "Come here!"

As the shout fell, a powerful suction force suddenly erupted from Xiao Yan's palm, and pale blue Dou Qi gathered in his palm like a vortex.

Just as the crimson-gold light was about to break free from the white tiger's illusory form, it was suddenly pulled back by this suction force. The illusory white tiger's figure froze instantly, and then flew uncontrollably toward Xiao Yan's palm.

The pill struggled futilely in the air, its medicinal fragrance surging around it, while the white tiger phantom bared its fangs and claws but could not break free from the suction force.

In just a few breaths, it was forcibly pulled into Xiao Yan's palm.

Xiao Yan clenched his fist, holding the pill firmly in his palm. He felt the warmth and agility emanating from his palm before letting out a sigh of relief.

He took out a lustrous white jade elixir bottle from his storage ring, uncorked it, and carefully placed the elixir inside. A faint medicinal mist instantly swirled around the bottle's opening.

After the bottle was sealed, Xiao Yan finally felt completely relieved. He turned around and grinned at Xiao Ling, his face full of relief at surviving a disaster and the joy of completing his pill.

At this moment, Xiao Ling's figure also gracefully landed, standing steadily beside Xiao Yan.

He raised his hand and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, his eyes filled with a gentle smile: "Xiao Yan, it's been a long time, you've really changed a lot."

With his gaze sweeping over the bronze medicine cauldron beside him and the white jade pill bottle in Xiao Yan's palm, Xiao Ling praised loudly, "Now you can actually refine eighth-grade pills. Not only have you subdued the strange fire, but your alchemy skills have also improved to this extent. You have truly made great progress."

He paused for a moment, then changed the subject, saying in a relaxed tone, "It seems I'll have to find some grade eight medicinal herbs for you to practice with, lest such a good talent be buried."

To Xiao Ling, these medicinal herbs were nothing. He was wealthy, and the rare and precious herbs he had stockpiled in his storeroom were enough to make countless alchemists envious. Naturally, he wouldn't hesitate to give Xiao Yan a few eighth-grade medicinal herbs for his trials.

Moreover, Xiao Yan had previously informed him of important information about the Strange Flame, and this information was far more valuable than these medicinal herbs. The current reward was nothing compared to the value brought by the Strange Flame.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was taken aback at first, then scratched his head, a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face: "Cousin, you're joking. Compared to you, my progress is really nothing." As he delved deeper into the art of alchemy, he became increasingly aware of how terrifying Xiao Ling's talent was. At just over twenty years old, he had already mastered several top-tier exotic flames, and his alchemy skills had long since reached their peak.

However, upon further reflection, he realized that his cousin was the chosen one born of destiny on this Dou Qi Continent, and it was only natural that he possessed extraordinary talent. As a result, his unease lessened considerably.

Immediately afterward, Xiao Yan bowed to Xiao Ling and said sincerely, "As for the medicinal herbs, I am very grateful for your generous gift, cousin. I have only recently broken through to the eighth-grade alchemist realm and do indeed need a large number of medicinal herbs to study alchemy. I will remember this favor."

Seeing this, Xiao Ling smiled and waved his hand: "There's no need to be so polite between us. Besides, you previously conveyed the news about the Strange Fire to me, and most of my return to the Starfall Pavilion this time was for this matter. Let's find a quiet place later, and you can tell me the details of what happened back then."

Seeing Xiao Ling say this, Xiao Yan naturally had no objection and nodded in agreement, "Okay."

As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and beckoned to his side. The bronze medicine cauldron engraved with flame patterns and the Heavenly Demon Puppet whose aura had not yet dissipated transformed into two streams of light and disappeared into the storage ring on his finger, leaving only a faint medicinal fragrance and lingering energy on the green stone on the mountain peak.

Seeing that Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan had finished packing and seemed to be preparing to leave, Yao Chen and Feng Xian nodded slightly in their direction.

After exchanging a smile, faint ripples appeared around the two elders. Their figures swayed gently in the ripples and disappeared in the next moment, quietly leaving the mountaintop.

After watching the two leave, Xiao Ling did not linger any longer.

With a gentle wave of his sleeve, a faint silver spatial fluctuation immediately enveloped his body, and intricate spatial patterns appeared beneath his feet.

As energy surged, a ripple in the void gently enveloped his and Xiao Yan's figures. In the blink of an eye, the two figures disappeared from the mountaintop as the ripple dissipated, leaving only the lingering fragrance of herbs in the air.

……

The courtyard atop Lingyue Peak is tranquil and serene, with a blue stone pavilion standing amidst lush greenery.

Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan sat facing each other, with two cups of tea steaming on the tea table in front of them. The tea was clear, and the steam carried a faint medicinal fragrance that was refreshing to the senses.

Xiao Ling picked up the teacup and took a small sip. The warm tea slid down his throat, carrying the refreshing scent of herbs.

He put down his teacup, his gaze falling on Xiao Yan with a hint of inquiry in his eyes, and slowly said, "Xiao Yan, you sent me a message earlier saying that you had found the volcanic stone flame in the Flame Sky Ancient Domain and had already subdued it. Now that I see you refining medicine with such ease, it seems that this is indeed true."

He paused slightly, then changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious: "However, you also mentioned in your message that when you subdued the volcanic rock flame, you seemed to have detected the trace of another strange fire. Is this true?"

Xiao Ling tapped the table lightly with his fingertips and added, "Although I have never gone to explore the Flame Sky Ancient Domain, I have heard of it. Due to its special geographical environment, it is hot and scorching all year round, making it very easy to breed strange fire. It has always been a place that fire attribute cultivators and alchemists flock to."

"Back then, even the old master Yao explored deep into the area, but ultimately returned empty-handed, which shows how difficult it is to find traces of the strange fire. This time, you not only subdued the volcanic stone flame, but did you really discover clues to other strange fires?"

Seeing the inquisitive tone in Xiao Ling's voice, Xiao Yan understood. Due to its special environment, the Flame Sky Ancient Domain has been rumored to be nurtured by strange flames for many years, attracting countless alchemists, but most of them ultimately returned disappointed.

This trip not only allowed me to subdue the volcanic stone flame, but also to detect the trace of another strange fire. This matter does indeed sound unbelievable.

Thinking about it this way, he secretly felt that he was quite lucky, but he didn't dwell on it too much and immediately responded seriously:

"Cousin, this is absolutely true, there's no faking it." He unconsciously traced the rim of the teacup with his fingertips as he recalled.

"When I subdued the Volcanic Stone Flame, I did vaguely sense the aura of another strange fire. However, that aura was too domineering and terrifying, far beyond what I could handle at the time. So after taking the Volcanic Stone Flame, I didn't dare to touch it again."

"Later, after I completely refined the volcanic rock flame, I was able to vaguely sense its intent," Xiao Yan added.

"According to the information transmitted by the volcanic stone flame, it seems to have had some contact with that strange fire. However, the other party's strength is far superior to its own, so it has been avoiding its sharp edge and plans to wait until it has cultivated to a stronger level before devouring that other strange fire."

"More importantly, that strange fire seems to have been restricted in its form for some reason, unable to move freely. This is why the two strange fires were able to coexist in the same area. Otherwise, given the nature of strange fires devouring each other, the weaker volcanic rock flame would probably have been devoured by the stronger strange fire long ago."

After listening to Xiao Yan's explanation, Xiao Ling tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. After pondering for a moment, he also felt that there was some truth to what he said.

He had indeed previously found it too incredible that two different flames would be born in the same area, given the nature of these flames devouring each other.

However, if one of them is trapped by a special force and cannot move, while the other knows how to avoid its attacks, it is not impossible for them to coexist.

Moreover, since the strange fire possesses a spirit, and the volcanic stone flame has already conveyed this intention to Xiao Yan, given the pure nature of the strange fire, it would never deceive him on such a matter.

Thinking about it this way, this matter is most likely true and cannot be faked.

As he pondered this, the light in Xiao Ling's eyes grew brighter and brighter, clearly showing that he had developed a strong interest in the restricted strange fire.

The Flame Dome Ancient Domain can simultaneously nurture two different flames, and one of them can even make the volcanic rock flame avoid its sharpness. Its grade must be quite high. Perhaps it is the one that ranks higher on the list of different flames.

“What you say makes some sense.” Xiao Ling nodded in agreement, a resolute glint in his eyes. “This strange fire is indeed beneficial to my cultivation. After I’ve tidied up, I will personally go to the Flame Sky Ancient Domain to find out more.”

He then looked at Xiao Yan, his tone gentle yet carrying a hint of admonition: "Now that you're back at Xingyun Pavilion, you should stay here for a while. You've only recently broken through to the eighth-grade alchemist, so take this time to hone your alchemy skills. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask Elder Yao. He's a genuine ninth-grade alchemist, so don't miss this opportunity."

After a brief pause, Xiao Ling added, "Once I've finished dealing with what I'm doing, I'll take you to a trial. That trial ground is extremely beneficial for improving your cultivation, enough to allow you to make significant progress in a short period of time. So, don't go out during this time; just stay in the pavilion and prepare."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, his excitement barely concealed. The personal guidance of a ninth-grade alchemist was an incredible opportunity, the best way to solidify his alchemy skills, especially for someone like him who had just broken through to the eighth grade.

After his initial excitement subsided, he quickly asked, "Cousin, when you go to the Flame Sky Ancient Domain, don't you need me to go with you? I've been there once before, so I'm quite familiar with the environment and terrain. I can be of some help."

Xiao Ling chuckled and waved his hand, "No need. Just tell me the approximate location of the strange fire. With my current strength, I'm capable of handling any unforeseen events on my own. Your focus right now is on honing your alchemy skills and preparing for the trial at the Starfall Pavilion." (End of Chapter)