The emerald green flames burned fiercely, radiating a steady heat that made Xiao Yan’s body feel like an oven. Luckily, the Rambutan Heart Flame had been completely refined by Xiao Yan, so the intense heat emitted posed no threat to him. Otherwise, no one would dare to let an alien flame burn recklessly within their body. In the midst of those emerald green flames, a black energy filament wriggled violently like a small snake. With each struggle, the dark color on its body would dissipate bit by bit under the scorching heat of the Rambutan Heart Flame. Although this process was extremely slow, with no support for the filament, the blackness would eventually be incinerated into nothingness. As soon as this black venom, which contained highly toxic substances, dissipated, the pure and condensed Dou Qi within it would be easily absorbed by Xiao Yan, greatly benefiting him and slightly improving his strength.
Xiao Yan’s mind was closely focused on the black venomous thread, but he sneered inwardly. If it were the actual Venomous Spots, even with his current power, he wouldn’t dare to provoke them. But this tiny filament, without any form of reinforcements, dared to act so rashly? It seemed to underestimate the threat of the Rambutan Heart Flame, which was formed by the fusion of two kinds of alien flames.
As the color of the black venomous thread gradually lightened, Xiao Yan gained a little understanding of the Venomous Spots. They were indeed highly insidious, as Little Healer Immortal had stated. With his current Battle Emperor strength, it would be extremely difficult to break through. However, from the current effects of the Rambutan Heart Flame, he realized that he was not completely powerless against the Venomous Spots.
The Rambutan Heart Flame, born from the fusion of two alien flames, was capable of refining the poisonous nature of the Venomous Spots. Although this refining process was agonizingly slow, especially when the target was just a tiny thread, it was, at least, possible. Therefore, Xiao Yan guessed that if he could fuse another type of alien flame with the Rambutan Heart Flame, then refining the entire Venomous Spot would not be a herculean task.
Of course, fusing another alien flame was as difficult as finding a Battle Sect powerhouse to help detoxify. The Dou Qi continent was vast, but alien flames were exceedingly rare. Discovering one was already a stroke of immense luck, and even after finding one, fusing it would be extremely challenging. Moreover, alien flames were not exclusive to alchemists. Practitioners of fire-based Dou Qi and some strong individuals who used other methods could also refine and use them. Thus, many powerful figures on the continent harbored desires for alien flames. If news of an alien flame spread, numerous powerful figures would rush to claim it, and it would be incredibly difficult to secure such a treasure.
Thinking back, Xiao Yan spent nearly a year in the Canran Academy to obtain the Fallen Heart Flame, taking advantage of a battle between the academy and the Dark Corners Domain. This was only after enduring a life-and-death struggle. Therefore, finding and fusing a third alien flame was no easier than finding a Battle Sect.
Xiao Yan did have a third alien flame within him—the Bone Spirit Cold Flame left by the Elder Pharmacist. But this alien flame contained the soul imprint of the Elder Pharmacist. Unless the Elder Pharmacist’s soul was destroyed, removing the imprint and fusing the flame was impossible. Xiao Yan couldn’t afford to lose the connection to the Elder Pharmacist’s soul through the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
Although the Elder Pharmacist once said that if the fire seal on his forehead disappeared, Xiao Yan should refine and fuse the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, the seal, although devoid of heat, still existed. Even if it disappeared, it would be hard for Xiao Yan to consume the flame without hesitation, as doing so would bring about the most undesirable situation.
As Xiao Yan contemplated, the color of the venomous thread within the emerald green flames had significantly faded. The pure and thick Dou Qi within it was visible now, resembling a viscous liquid. “It’s truly a vile and insidious thing, condensed from the lifetime Dou Qi of a Battle Sect, resisting for so long in the alien flame,” Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. Then, he intensified the emerald green flame, making it brighter and much hotter.
This extremely slow refining process took an unknown amount of time. Xiao Yan only knew that almost two-thirds of his internal Dou Qi had been depleted. This showed how troublesome the Venomous Spot was—just a tiny thread had caused him so much trouble.
As Xiao Yan shook his head in wonder, a burst of pure and vigorous Dou Qi suddenly emerged from the fiercely burning emerald green flames. His spirit jolted. The pitch-black thread had now lost all its blackness, replaced by an almost ethereal color. The thick, pure Dou Qi flowed slowly within. Though originally filled with extreme toxicity, the long burning by the Rambutan Heart Flame had purged all impurities, leaving only the purest Dou Qi energy, which could be absorbed by anyone without adverse effects.
The emerald green flames gradually dissipated, though a small amount lingered nearby, ready for Xiao Yan’s command. His spirit carefully reached out, lightly touching the pure Dou Qi. Detecting no abnormalities, Xiao Yan’s spirit began to slowly merge with it. There was hardly any resistance; as soon as he entered, he gained control over the pure Dou Qi. Supressing his joy, he guided the pure Dou Qi along the route of the Flaming Decree, increasing its speed. Finally, it became like a hurricane of energy, producing a strange whistling sound.
This energy hurricane brought no discomfort to Xiao Yan. Instead, as it passed, drops of the thick, pure Dou Qi splashed down, causing a wave of comfort to spread from deep within his bones, making him moan in pleasure.
The hurricane quickly subsided, scattering the thick, pure Dou Qi before it gradually dispersed, infiltrating every part of Xiao Yan’s body.
In the stone pool, Xiao Yan kept his eyes closed. The water in the pool had receded from his shoulders to his waist, and the dark, toxic water bubbled like boiling tea, releasing a thick, toxic fog with each burst of a bubble.
Beside the stone pool, Little Healer Immortal stood gracefully, her beautiful eyes looking at the dark water with a tinge of helplessness. She hadn’t expected Xiao Yan’s internal alien flame to be so terrifying, evaporating the valuable toxic water just by the residual heat of the refining process.
As Little Healer Immortal watched with a mix of frustration and amusement, Xiao Yan, with his eyes still closed, trembled slightly. Moments later, he opened his eyes, revealing a somewhat shaky gaze.
As his eyes opened, a stronger aura abruptly swept out of his body, causing the pool water to rise in a wave half a foot high. The aura slowly retracted, entering his body entirely as the brilliance in his eyes also dimmed.
Little Healer Immortal, sensing the slightly stronger aura, smiled faintly. Stepping off the pool with a tip of her toe, Xiao Yan leaped agilely, landing gently beside the stone pool, smiling at her.
Seeing Xiao Yan leap out, Little Healer Immortal hastily averted her gaze, saying anxiously, “Aren’t you going to put on some clothes?”
At this, Xiao Yan realized with embarrassment that he was completely naked. Laughing awkwardly, he quickly retrieved his clothes from his storage ring and hurriedly put them on.
Once Xiao Yan was fully dressed, Little Healer Immortal returned her gaze, brushing aside the white hair that fell over her forehead. A hint of red remained on her cheeks, but she soon composed herself. Observing Xiao Yan, she asked curiously, “How much strength did you gain from refining that fleeing venomous thread?”
Xiao Yan estimated a bit and then smiled, “Not much, just the peak of a two-star Battle Emperor.”
“Enough…growing too fast is not always good. Besides, the Venomous Spot is still inside you. When you have the ability to fully refine it, your strength will surely skyrocket,” Little Healer Immortal said with a smile. In private, she seemed to smile more.
Xiao Yan nodded, well aware of how difficult it was to ascend even one star in the Battle Emperor realm. Many struggled for a year and still failed. So, refining the single venomous thread and gaining a star was already beyond his expectations.
“Will I reach the peak of Battle Emperor when I refine it completely?” Gently touching the Venomous Spot on his chest, Xiao Yan smirked inwardly. Suddenly, he felt that this object was not as detestable or repulsive as he had initially thought.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage