Chapter 29: The Glazed Lotus Core Flame, An Unexpected Crisis!

Beneath the searing magma, two figures darted forward in quick succession.

Compared to his previous aimless searching, Hun Cang’s route this time was much clearer; at the very least, there was no longer any need for backtracking. As they descended from the surface, the surrounding temperature grew increasingly intense, and the color of the magma shifted from a deep red to a translucent, cyan-tinged liquid.

The immense pressure exerted by the surrounding magma caused the black mist cloaking Hun Cang to dissipate rapidly. Fortunately, as a Dou Huang, he possessed enough strength to withstand such consumption. After an unknown amount of time, Hun Cang felt more than half of his Dou Qi depleted, and his mood began to grow irritable.

"If I recall correctly, the Fire Spirit Snake has quite a temper. Since I beat it so badly earlier, it wouldn't be leading me on a detour on purpose, would it?" Hun Cang speculated, eyeing the giant serpent ahead.

No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than the Fire Spirit Snake came to a sudden halt. Circling past the snake, Hun Cang’s gaze was immediately drawn to a region shrouded in a cyan glow.

"Found it at last!" A wave of excitement surged within him. Hun Cang lunged into the area, his eyes fixed upon a cyan lotus flower swaying gently within the molten rock.

The Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth among the Heavenly Flames. Born in the depths of the earth, it was forged, fused, compressed, and sculpted by the fires of the earth over countless eons. It takes ten years to develop a spirit, a century to take shape, and a millennium to bloom into a lotus. Once fully mature, it is cyan in color, with a cluster of cyan flames burning within its heart. It is known as the Green Lotus Flame, and because it originates from the earth's core, it is crowned the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"According to records, the power of the Green Lotus Core Flame is unfathomable. Near volcanic regions, it can trigger eruptions, unleashing the destructive power of nature itself. I wonder if that’s true..." As the information surfaced in his mind, a look of fanaticism crossed Hun Cang’s face.

Now that he possessed the cultivation technique, all he needed was to collect the Heavenly Flames. Once he finally opened the cave dwelling of the Tuoshe Ancient God, he could obtain the Source Qi within and break through to become a God. This Green Lotus Core Flame was the first step on his path to divinity!

He moved rapidly toward the core. The temperature rose sharply, and his consumption of Dou Qi accelerated once more. Ignoring the strain, Hun Cang carefully navigated around the roots and reached the depths.

A lotus flower, seemingly carved from cyan jade, rotated slowly. The cyan light it emitted was, at that moment, the most beautiful color Hun Cang had ever seen. He then directed his gaze toward the heart of the lotus—the core of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

In the next instant, Hun Cang froze. The center of the jade lotus was empty!

"What the hell? Where is my flame?" Hun Cang lost his composure, a string of profanities escaping his lips as he grew agitated.

He had arrived ahead of schedule; how could someone have taken the flame already? It shouldn't be possible!

Approaching the pedestal, his gaze fell upon several blood-stained, seven-colored scales. With a flick of his hand, four or five scales flew into his palm.

"Queen Medusa?!" Hun Cang could hardly believe it. How could it be such a coincidence? Unless Queen Medusa had discovered the Green Lotus Core Flame long ago and had kept it under secret surveillance, waiting until she was sufficiently prepared to claim it! How else could she have beaten him to it?

Just then, a faint ripple of Dou Qi emanated from ahead. It seemed that his outburst had startled someone, causing them to accidentally betray their position. Hun Cang’s eyes flashed like lightning, as if he could pierce through the layers of magma. Finally, he caught a glimpse of a seven-colored figure flickering in the distance, retreating rapidly.

"Still within range? I still have a chance!" Hun Cang’s face brightened. While he had no fear of storming the Snake-People’s temple to confront Queen Medusa, he would much rather save the trouble if he could acquire it now.

Before leaving, Hun Cang did not forget to draw a jade blade he had prepared in advance to cut the lotus pedestal free, storing it in his storage ring. The lotus pedestal and its seeds were beneficial to anyone practicing fire-attribute techniques, and they would be of immense help to Hun Cang himself. Once he switched to the *Zhen Fen* technique, his strength would need to be rebuilt, and this pedestal would allow him to advance more quickly. He might even trade it to Xiao Yan later to squeeze better treasures out of the system. To Hun Cang, this item was as good as something picked up off the road—it would be a waste not to take it.

He pursued the aura ahead, catching faint whiffs of blood along the way.

"Normally, Medusa comes to claim it half a year later. By then, she would be fully prepared, though she would still be injured. This time, she is in a rush, so her condition is likely even worse," Hun Cang mused.

In the Jia Ma Empire, Queen Medusa’s notoriety and beauty were impossible to ignore. Any other five-star Dou Huang would likely fear pursuing her, as evidenced by the fate of Hai Bodong. Years ago, Hai Bodong had been a five-star Dou Huang, but after a battle with Queen Medusa, his strength was sealed, reducing him to a mere Dou Ling living in seclusion in Mo City.

Before long, Hun Cang spotted a massive purple serpent. Wrapped in Dou Qi, it moved swiftly through the magma, blood occasionally spilling from its body and vaporizing in the intense heat.

"Queen Medusa, leave the Green Lotus Core Flame behind!" Hun Cang shouted. He thrust his hands forward, and countless wisps of smoke transformed into two chains. They rattled through the void, ignoring the distance between them, and lashed toward the serpent's body.

"Dream on if you think you can stop me!" A cold, emotionless voice echoed back. Hun Cang saw the serpent’s body thrash violently, the intense vibrations shattering the approaching chains link by link.

Seizing the opportunity, Hun Cang surged forward, closing the distance between them. The purple serpent sensed the approaching aura, a flash of irritation crossing its triangular eyes. Ahead of it, a palm-sized cyan flame flickered constantly, its terrifying heat causing the surrounding Dou Qi to hiss like melting ice.

"This Heavenly Flame, which I have guarded for ten years, belongs to no one else!" Queen Medusa’s eyes were filled with determination. She suddenly veered upward.

Deep underground, she had to expend a portion of her energy and Dou Qi to resist the surrounding heat. The power of the Green Lotus Core Flame, influenced by the fire elements in the magma, was exceptionally formidable. For Queen Medusa, who was currently suppressing it, this was an immense burden.

"Human, if you leave now, I may spare your life. Dare to pursue me further, and you shall surely die!" Hearing Queen Medusa’s threat, Hun Cang showed no fear, continuing to unleash his abilities to obstruct and interfere.

He drew closer and closer to her, enough to clearly see the patterns on her serpent scales.

"Seal!"

With a low shout that reverberated through the magma, a massive amount of black mist condensed into chains. They interlocked, the friction between them creating a metallic rattling sound. In an instant, a net of black chains blocked Queen Medusa’s path, continuously contracting as if to trap her within.