Chapter 54: Ancestral Symbol Refining the Heavenly Flame
In a cave nestled within the mountains along the border between the Falling Goose Empire and the Jia Ma Empire, at the outskirts of the Tagore Desert, Lu Bu waved his sleeve. Six yellow formation flags shot out, embedding themselves into the cave's walls above, below, left, right, and center. The lines of a formation began to glow in earthy yellow hues, spreading and connecting until the entire cave was covered in dense formation patterns.
This was a defensive and concealing formation, designed to hide his presence and protect him during the critical process ahead.
After setting up the formation, Lu Bu stroked his chin, taking out two items: a jade box emitting white smoke and a thumb sized, liquid like blue stone.
Ice Spirit Cold Spring and Na Ling!
These were spoils he had taken from Gu Te in Black Rock City. Originally, he had planned to… make a nice profit. But unexpectedly, Xiao Yan still hadn't shown up.
He didn't know what had delayed Xiao Yan, but at this point, selling the Ice Spirit Cold Spring was no longer an option.
"Damn it, I've lost a whole hundred million!" Lu Bu clutched his chest in mock agony, lamenting as he imagined his precious money sprouting wings and flying away.
"Forget it. No use thinking about that." Shaking off the thought, Lu Bu's expression turned serious as he prepared to refine and absorb the Heavenly Flame. He intended to use this opportunity to temper his body, pushing his physical strength to the threshold required for cultivating the Nirvana Golden Body.
He was just one step away from reaching that goal.
With a flick of his finger, Lu Bu sent Na Ling into his body, pressing his palm against his abdomen. The liquid stone dissolved into his dantian.
"Next, it's your turn..." Lu Bu muttered, staring at the Green Lotus Core Flame burning atop the lotus platform. With a surge of spiritual power, he drove the flame out of the green lotus platform.
Whoosh!
The moment the Green Lotus Core Flame left the platform, it flared violently. Its fiery energy surged, and the patterns of the formation began to flicker and strain under its intense heat, teetering on the brink of collapse.
"Hmph! Do you think you can act out in front of me, Lu Bu?" With a cold snort, Lu Bu's figure flashed as he seated himself on the green lotus platform.
Above him, a mysterious black rune emerged from his Baihui acupuncture point, glowing faintly. The rune alternated between its original form and a vortex like black hole.
"Suppress!"
Lu Bu's voice boomed, and the Devouring Ancestral Symbol released a burst of black light. Thin strands of devouring power, as fine as a cow's hair, shot forth, entwining around the Green Lotus Core Flame. Black threads and green fire tangled together as the flame began to shrink rapidly.
Lu Bu opened his mouth wide and swallowed the flame whole in one gulp.
Boom!
A deafening explosion seemed to erupt within his mind. Lu Bu felt as though his internal organs and bones were being scorched by the raging flames. Refining a Heavenly Flame was no simple feat.
"You dare rampage in my body? Do you take me for Xiao Yan?" Lu Bu, his face flushed with exertion, let out a snort. Spiritual energy surged from him, fully activating the Devouring Ancestral Symbol.
The black light of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol expanded outward, releasing even stronger devouring power.
The previously unrestrained Green Lotus Core Flame was instantly suppressed, its energy gradually stripped away, devoured, and converted into dots of green light that were absorbed into Lu Bu's limbs and bones.
Under the pressure of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, the Green Lotus Core Flame could no longer resist and was forced to submit, its energy continuously siphoned away.
Time passed fifteen minutes… an hour… ten hours… a day…
...
Outside Stone Desert City, in a valley between sand dunes
Wind, frost, magma, shattered corpses, and broken weapons were scattered across the ground.
Hai Bodong stood with a frosty expression, icy mist swirling around him. His palms were frozen solid, glowing with a chilling light.
Beside him, the Double Headed Flame Spirit Serpent stood shoulder to shoulder with him, its two massive heads flicking out forked tongues. Four fierce, violent vertical pupils glared at the figures ahead.
Behind them, Qing Lin stood with an equally cold expression. Like Hai Bodong, her face was filled with murderous intent.
Opposite them stood a group of warriors clad in black robes. At their head was an old man, his body bloodied and battered, a gaping wound on his right chest. His white hair was scorched and curled, leaving him in a wretched state.
"Damn it... A peak Dou Spirit is indeed difficult to deal with!" Mo Cheng gritted his teeth. The Three Flower Pupils were right before him this divine treasure bestowed by heaven belonged to him. He couldn't let it slip away!
"So, you're from the Mo Family of Salt City?" Hai Bodong's icy voice broke through the tension. "You've got guts, attacking me."
"You know of us?" Mo Cheng's face revealed a trace of surprise, but it quickly hardened. Since they had already offended Hai Bodong, they couldn't let him go.
"Mo Ran, I'll hold him off. The rest of you, kill that beast immediately!" Mo Cheng barked orders to his subordinates, his gaze sharp as it swept over the group of black robed figures.
"Hold you off?" Hai Bodong sneered. "Where's your confidence coming from?"
Mo Ran, understanding the intent behind Mo Cheng's words, gave a decisive nod. "Understood, Elder!"
Behind him, a Dou Grandmaster discreetly slipped away.
Meanwhile, Mo Cheng charged at Hai Bodong, his crimson Dou Qi surging like a volcanic eruption. With a single step, he transformed into an arrow, shooting forward.
"Mountain Breaking Arm!"
With a roar, Mo Cheng's left arm swelled, flames coiling around it. The massive arm, thicker than a man's waist, slammed down like a mountain.
The crimson Dou Qi roared, descending with an oppressive force like an avalanche. Its violent aura surged, threatening to overwhelm.
Hai Bodong's expression turned grim. This arm clearly came from a Dou King level magical beast, and the sheer pressure it exuded made it difficult to deal with.
"Peak Dou Spirit? Jie... You'll die here!" Mo Cheng snarled.
"Madman!" Hai Bodong's face darkened. The deranged look in Mo Cheng's eyes revealed that his mind had already been influenced by the magical beast's limb.
Whoosh!
Icy mist whirled around Hai Bodong as sharp white blades of ice materialized at his sides, spinning rapidly. With a shout, he unleashed his technique.
"Profound Ice Technique "
"Hahaha! You're not alone, Dou Spirit!"
Mo Cheng laughed maniacally, reminding Hai Bodong that his true objective wasn't to kill him but to take the Three Flower Pupils!
"Peak Dou Spirit or not, you won't stop me from claiming those eyes!" Mo Cheng's twisted grin widened, his arm bearing down with increased ferocity.
Hai Bodong's heart sank as he glanced back at Qing Lin and the Double Headed Flame Spirit Serpent.
"Gwaaargh!"
The serpent hissed and writhed, spitting venom and magma. But with no lava to enhance its strength, it was quickly overwhelmed by the encircling Dou Grandmasters.
At the same time, a figure cloaked in earthy yellow Dou Qi lunged from the dunes toward Qing Lin.
"Master Hai, don't worry about me! Kill them all!" Qing Lin cried, running as fast as her legs could carry her to avoid capture.
"Damn it..." Hai Bodong clenched his teeth, torn between his obligations.
Before he could act, Mo Cheng's attack slammed into his half formed defenses.
Boom!
Both combatants were sent flying. Though Mo Cheng was injured, Hai Bodong seized the moment to strike down the Dou Grandmaster chasing Qing Lin. Scooping her up, he retreated into the dunes.
"Stop them!" Mo Cheng bellowed. But before anyone could react, Hai Bodong and Qing Lin had already vanished into the distance.
(End of Chapter)
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