Chapter 856
Peak of 5-Star Dou Sheng
Within the space of demonic fire, magma surged and flames burned the sky.
A suspended platform floated above the sea of fire, completely enveloped by a spatial barrier, its aura stable and unaffected by the external heat waves.
Xiao Yan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the depths of the sea of fire. There, a figure sat quietly, flames surging around him like dragons—it was Xiao Ling, who was in seclusion refining the essence of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame.
In the blink of an eye, more than a month has passed since Xiao Ling went into seclusion to cultivate.
Gazing at the figure motionless amidst the flames, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. Finally, he turned to look at Xiao Xuan beside him, whose aura was profound, and couldn't resist asking:
"Ancestor, how much longer will it take for my cousin Xiao Ling to finish his cultivation?"
He paused, his tone tinged with confusion and worry:
"According to what you said before, the source of this Pure Lotus Demon Flame is extremely powerful, and its power is no less than that of a six-star Dou Sheng. With such a vast and powerful energy, it will probably take a lot of effort for my cousin to completely refine and absorb it."
"My cousin's cultivation level was only three-star Dou Sheng before. Even if he has high talent, it would take him a very long time to completely devour and digest such a terrifying source of demonic fire, right?"
At this point, Xiao Yan frowned slightly, his voice lowering a few notches:
"But before that, are we just going to stay in this demonic fire space forever? If we drag this out for too long, things might change outside, and things could get complicated."
It's easy to hear the anxiety and seriousness in Xiao Yan's words, and a lingering worry is etched on his brow.
After all, the Dou Qi Continent is currently in turmoil, and the Soul Clan's ambitions are already out in the open. During this period of constant turmoil in the Central Plains, the Soul Clan's actions have become increasingly rapid, and many cities have suffered terribly, clearly indicating a chaotic world.
The appearance of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame has become the focus of attention for everyone in Zhongzhou.
Countless powerful individuals have entered the Demon Flame Space this time, yet none have emerged so far. This strange situation inevitably arouses much suspicion from the outside world.
Once the Soul Emperor and the peak experts of those ancient races realize that the clansmen sent to compete for the Pure Lotus Demon Flame have not returned in time, they will definitely come to investigate in person.
When all the top experts gather, the situation will inevitably be far from optimistic, and many thorny changes will follow one after another, which may even directly disturb Xiao Ling's refining of the demonic fire's origin.
Even more seriously, the fact that the two ancestors are still alive may very well be forced to be exposed to the world.
Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen could clearly see Xiao Yan's concerns and anxieties, but neither of them showed any panic on their faces.
Seeing this, Xiao Xuan chuckled softly, looked at Xiao Yan with gentle eyes, and slowly said:
“Xiao Yan, how could I not have considered what you have said? It’s just that your view of this matter is too one-sided, and you know far too little about your cousin.”
Xiao Chen, standing to the side, nodded in agreement, his eyes revealing unwavering confidence in Xiao Ling.
Seeing that both of his ancestors seemed unable to express themselves fully, Xiao Yan's curiosity was immediately piqued, and he couldn't help but ask them questions.
Looking at his puzzled expression, Xiao Xuan smiled faintly and slowly explained:
"Although Xiao Ling's Dou Qi cultivation is only three-star Dou Sheng, his unpredictable and strange way of using soul power is what you call the way of the talisman master. His methods are far beyond those of ordinary people. If he fights with only soul power, his true combat strength is in no way inferior to that of an ordinary nine-star Dou Sheng in the early stage."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was immediately shocked and his face was filled with disbelief.
Even though he had already raised his expectations for his cousin countless times in his mind, he still did not expect that Xiao Ling's strength was so terrifying that he could actually confront a nine-star Dou Sheng head-on!
He himself had also embarked on the path of a talisman master, and was well aware of the power and mystery of mental combat, so he naturally understood the weight of Xiao Xuan's words.
Only now did he truly realize that although his cousin seemed to be only a three-star Dou Sheng, he had already firmly entered the ranks of the strongest in the Dou Qi Continent with his terrifying mental power.
Shocked but still harboring doubts, Xiao Yan quickly asked:
"But even if my cousin's mental strength is unparalleled, what does that have to do with the speed of refining the strange fire? The refining of a strange fire ultimately depends on the cultivator's own cultivation foundation. To completely devour and digest it, and then use it to nourish one's own cultivation, this process should be extremely long..."
"You have also cultivated the path of a talisman master, and your understanding of spiritual power is far deeper than that of ordinary people. You should naturally know that Xiao Ling has special methods in the use of spiritual power that others cannot match."
Looking at Xiao Yan, who had a puzzled expression, Xiao Xuan spoke calmly yet with an undeniable certainty:
"According to my observation, Xiao Ling not only has the ability to obtain a near-perfect affinity and control over flames through his mental power, but more importantly, his mental power itself contains a terrifying devouring ability. Any energy body can be devoured and refined by him and turned into his own use."
"Under the impetus of his unparalleled spiritual power, this devouring force is even more powerful and efficient. Its refining efficiency is no less than that of my current energy absorption efficiency. That is why his speed in devouring and refining the essence of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame is much faster than you can imagine."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Chen immediately nodded in agreement and looked at Xiao Yan, adding in a deep voice:
"With your current cultivation level, you are not yet able to sense the subtle aura emanating from your cousin. In fact, the energy intensity within his body at this moment has already significantly increased compared to when he was a three-star Dou Sheng at the beginning of his seclusion. In my estimation, it won't be long before he can completely refine the essence of this demonic fire and emerge from seclusion."
After listening to Xiao Xuan's explanation, Xiao Yan's doubts were immediately cleared up.
He instantly grasped the key: his cousin's terrifying devouring power must be closely related to his natal talisman.
When Xiao Ling first revealed his natal spirit talisman, it displayed such domineering and unparalleled devouring power, but he had never thought about it deeply before.
"So that's how it is... It seems I really don't know my cousin well enough. I was overthinking things." Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with relief.
Thinking this, he couldn't help but recall the natal talisman he had cultivated.
His natal spirit talisman primarily focuses on amplifying fire attributes, which is extremely compatible with his own cultivation techniques and has considerable power, but he has never developed it in the direction of devouring.
At this thought, a idea quietly arose in Xiao Yan's mind.
Once this matter is settled, I must find an opportunity to ask Elder A Diao for some spiritual secret techniques related to devouring.
"You're not overthinking it. It's already quite good that you've thought of these things."
Xiao Xuan smiled faintly from the side, "Now all we need to do is wait patiently for Xiao Ling to come out of seclusion. Don't worry, it won't be long..."
……
Three more days passed in the blink of an eye amidst the churning flames.
The entire space of demonic fire suddenly trembled violently, the lava lake roared wildly like boiling waves, and billions of fire lotus phantoms bloomed from the void. The fire attribute energy in the world almost liquefied and frantically converged towards the figure in the center.
After a long period of seclusion, Xiao Ling finally finished his refining process at this moment!
boom--!!
An indescribable terrifying aura erupted from his body, and the pure and flawless Pure Lotus Demon Flame soared into the sky, transforming into a ten-thousand-foot-long fire lotus that hovered in the sky. As the lotus petals opened and closed, even space itself was burned and distorted.
Flames swirled around him, like a god descending to earth. His robes fluttered in the wind, and his hair moved without wind. An aura several times stronger than before swept wildly in all directions like a tsunami.
The aura of a three-star Dou Sheng in the early stages surged wildly like a flood breaking through a dam—
Four-Star Dou Sheng!
Mid-stage Four-Star Dou Sheng!
Peak four-star Dou Sheng! His aura didn't falter at all, and he once again broke through the shackles!
Five-Star Dou Sheng!
The power of flames and battle qi completely merged, the source of the demonic fire was completely absorbed by the spirit talisman, and the boundless energy washed over his limbs and bones. His cultivation advanced rapidly, and his momentum rose steadily until he finally stopped at the peak of the five-star Dou Sheng!
A terrifying shockwave swept across the entire space of demonic fire, forcibly pressing down even the churning magma by hundreds of feet.
On the distant suspended platform, Xiao Yan felt an overwhelming pressure rushing towards him. His long hair was instantly blown up by the violent air current, and he staggered, almost being blown away. His face was filled with horror and disbelief.
"What a terrifying aura..."
Seeing this, Xiao Xuan casually waved his sleeve, and a gentle yet powerful spatial force instantly blocked Xiao Yan's path, completely dissipating the aftershocks.
Xiao Chen also reached out and gently supported him, stabilizing his body. The two looked at the figure in the center of the sea of fire, which resembled a god of flames, and both showed relieved smiles on their faces.
"Success..."
"This kid certainly didn't disappoint."
Xiao Yan stared blankly at the figure enveloped in the ten-thousand-foot-tall Pure Lotus Demon Flame, his heart pounding wildly.
He could clearly sense that his cousin Xiao Ling's cultivation had broken through from the initial stage of the three-star Dou Sheng to the late stage of the five-star Dou Sheng!
The sea of fire surged and the demonic flames hissed, as if bowing down to their new master.
Xiao Ling slowly opened his eyes, two beams of golden and blue flames flashing briefly in his pupils, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
The source of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame has been completely controlled and refined!
Xiao Ling slowly clenched his fists, feeling the surging battle qi within his body that seemed to break through the sky, and a satisfied smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
"As expected of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, it did not disappoint me."
After completely absorbing and refining the essence of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, his cultivation level soared from the early stage of the three-star Dou Sheng, breaking through the barriers and reaching the peak of the five-star Dou Sheng!
If Xiao Ling hadn't deliberately suppressed the surging energy at the end, instead focusing on consolidating his foundation and avoiding a weak base, he might have even had a chance to directly open the door to the early stage of the Six-Star Dou Sheng realm based solely on the terrifying energy of the Demonic Flame's origin.
At that moment, a warm and gentle halo suddenly emanated from Xiao Ling's body.
A milky-white, spiritually imbued source of strange fire slowly leaped out from his dantian and hovered in front of him.
That strange fire was no longer a simple flame; after absorbing the essence of the Pure Lotus Demon Fire, it had completely transformed into a spiritual form.
It transformed into a small boy, about the size of a palm, with a pure white body and innocent-looking features.
He was surrounded by faint milky-white flames, his skin was like jade, his hair was like light, and he looked at Xiao Ling with a pair of clear and innocent eyes, curious and affectionate, like a newborn child looking at his dearest relative.
Xiao Ling looked at the newly born fire spirit in front of him, and his heart stirred slightly.
The idea that strange fire possesses a spirit is not just empty talk.
Throughout the countless ages of the Dou Qi Continent, only the top three extraordinary flames on the Strange Flame Ranking can give birth to complete intelligence indistinguishable from humans, and even take human form.
Even though the fused strange fire he had previously created by combining several strange fires was already no less powerful than the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, which ranked fourth on the Strange Fire Ranking, and even surpassed it, it still could not achieve the same level of spirituality in human form.
Only now, having devoured and refined the essence of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, and obtained the core spiritual essence of this supreme strange flame, has his fusion of strange flames finally crossed that insurmountable chasm—
Its intelligence was fully awakened, and it took human form and was born into the world.
The innocent and naive little fire spirit before us, just like a child, is the best proof of this.
Xiao Ling looked at the tiny fire spirit on his shoulder, a gentle look appearing in his eyes.
He raised his hand, his fingertips touching the warm, milky-white flames surrounding him. The touch was like jade, without any burning sensation.
"Little one, it's a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to your guidance in the future."
As soon as he finished speaking, the little fire spirit seemed to understand. It gently rubbed against his fingertips, then climbed onto his shoulder on all fours, found a comfortable spot to sit, and affectionately rested its little head against his neck.
Feeling the warmth on his shoulder, Xiao Ling pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Since your spirituality only underwent a transformation after fusing with the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, how about I call you 'Lotus Treasure' from now on?"
Upon hearing the name Xiao Ling had given him, the little fire spirit tilted his head, his clear eyes filled with joy. He stretched out his little hand and patted Xiao Ling's cheek hard, then nodded emphatically, a bright smile spreading across his face. The milky white flames around him danced merrily, clearly extremely satisfied with the name.
Seeing the little guy so satisfied, Xiao Ling chuckled and gently teased Lianbao on his shoulder with his finger.
He then turned his gaze to the direction where Xiao Xuan and the other two were, smiled and nodded slightly. With a swift movement, he leaped up from the sea of fire and landed on the suspended platform in an instant.
"Congratulations, cousin! You've successfully subdued the Pure Lotus Demon Flame's origin, and your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, taking another step forward!"
Upon seeing him appear, Xiao Yan immediately stepped forward, cupping his hands in a gesture of delight:
Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen both smiled and nodded slightly, their eyes full of approval and satisfaction.
"I accept your blessing. You should work hard in the future and join the ranks of Dou Sheng as soon as possible."
Xiao Ling looked at Xiao Yan and smiled gently:
After saying this, he turned to Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen, cupped his hands slightly, and spoke sincerely:
"This retreat was also thanks to the care and protection of our two ancestors. Thank you for your hard work."
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and waved his hand:
"It was just a small favor, nothing to mention, it's what we should do."
Xiao Xuan then changed the subject, pointing to another suspended platform in the distance. There, all the powerful figures who had ventured deep into the core area of the Demon Flame Space had their fighting spirit sealed and were in a deep coma, lying motionless on the ground.
His gaze darkened slightly as he looked at Xiao Ling and asked in a deep voice:
"From now on, it's up to you to decide what to do with these people..." (End of Chapter)