. "Blue Lotus Earth Core Fire," ranked nineteenth on the list of unusual fires, originates deep within the earth, undergoing countless tempering, fusion, compression, and carving by the earth's fire... It takes ten years to become a spirit, a hundred years to take shape, and a thousand years to become a lotus. At its peak, its color tinges with a bluish green, and a cluster of green flames emanates from the lotus's heart. This fire is known as the Blue Lotus Fire, also known as the Blue Lotus Earth Core Fire. Its power is unpredictable, and in nearby volcanic areas,
it can even trigger volcanic eruptions! Unleashing the destructive power of nature! Xiao Ling's mind flashed with this information, and a delighted smile spread
across his face. Although he had known in advance that the Blue Lotus Earth Core Fire resided in this subterranean magma world, witnessing it with his own eyes still filled him with immense excitement. "Hiss..." A sharp sound emanated from the giant mouth of a two-headed fire spirit snake beside him. Xiao Ling turned to see the beast's enormous eyes gazing at the azure light with a hint of fear, its massive body trembling slightly.
No longer paying attention to the two-headed fire snake, Xiao Ling took a step forward, heading directly towards the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire.
A moment later, a thin, cyan membrane appeared before him. Without hesitation, Xiao Ling entered it.
His body, enveloped by the cyan light, didn't experience the expected intense heat. Instead, his body temperature strangely dropped significantly.
Xiao Ling's gaze quickly scanned the surroundings, finally resting on the cyan lotus in the center.
The cyan lotus, with its eight petals, resembled the most flawless jade, its natural perfection. Its crystal-clear appearance was captivating, inviting one to grasp it.
Within the lotus, a small lotus platform, approximately two or three feet in diameter, appeared. From the holes within the lotus platform, tiny glimmers of light emanated, likely representing lotus seeds condensed from the purest fire energy.
Beneath the cyan lotus, a remarkably slender rhizome, over ten meters long, was densely covered with tiny tentacles. As these tentacles swayed, Xiao Ling could clearly sense them ravenously absorbing the violent fire energy of the surrounding magma.
The cyan lotus floated in the boundless magma, drifting like duckweed in the ocean. Without the guidance of the Fire Spirit Snake, even with Xiao Ling's skill, even if he had searched for ten days or half a month, he would never have found such a relatively tiny cyan lotus in such a vast area. As he drew closer to the cyan
lotus, Xiao Ling's sense of its majesty grew stronger. Such near-perfection could only be created through the honed strength of time and nature.
Carefully avoiding the swaying rhizome and tentacles, Xiao Ling slowly approached the lotus, his gaze fixed on the lotus pedestal.
At the center of the small lotus pedestal within the lotus was a fist-sized hole. A flame, shaped like a blue lotus, quietly hovered within.
Gazing at the Blue Lotus Earth Core Fire, quietly suspended above the pedestal, Xiao Ling breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness I have this pedestal to control it. Otherwise, it would have taken a lot of effort to capture it."
After confirming that there were no abnormalities, Xiao Ling retrieved the jade ruler he had prepared from his storage ring.
Gripping the ruler tightly, Xiao Ling carefully swam toward the blue lotus. With a gentle stroke, he gently traced the area beneath the pedestal where it connected to the stem. Instantly, the perfect blue lotus, a work of art, fell off.
Seeing the blue lotus fall, Xiao Ling quickly used a move to draw it in, then levitated it in front of him, slowly rotating.
Grasping the stem of the lotus pedestal, Xiao Ling, with a single thought, stored the pedestal and the Blue Lotus Earth Core Fire within it into the system's space.
As the lotus seat and the green lotus core fire were taken away by Xiao Ling, the surrounding green light dissipated instantly and returned to a crimson color.
Glancing back at the remaining rhizome, Xiao Ling pondered, "A thousand years from now, this place might yet nurture a Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire, but by then, it won't be my business anymore. Now, I must leave this place quickly and find a place to consume the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire and improve my cultivation."
Reaching the two-headed fire spirit snake, Xiao Ling greeted it and followed it, hastening back in the direction they'd come from.
"Why hasn't Xiao Ling come out yet? Has something happened?" At the entrance to the tunnel, Zi Yan gazed at the long-silent lava lake. Her newly calmed mood was now tinged with anxiety. Her brow furrowed, and she paced back and forth anxiously.
"Sister Zi Yan, don't worry. I received a message from the fire spirit snake. The young master is on his way back, and nothing's happened." Nearby, Qing Lin opened her eyes slightly, a faint glint in her emerald green pupils. She raised her small face, observing Zi Yan as she paced back and forth, and spoke softly.
"Plop..." Qinglin had barely finished speaking when the sound of breaking water echoed through the crypt once again. Ziyan quickly cast her gaze into the lava, only to see Xiao Ling, enveloped in crimson-gold flames, slowly appear.
"Whoosh..."
Breaking through the viscous surface, Xiao Ling breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up at Ziyan and Qinglin above him, waved a hand at the two of them, and stomped his foot hard into the lava, sending his body soaring upwards. Nearing midair, his back trembled, and his Dou Qi transformed into wings. With a slight flap, he leaped gracefully into the passageway.
As his feet pressed against the solid ground, the crimson-gold flames on Xiao Ling's body gradually receded into his body, and the Dou Qi wings behind him dissipated into energy particles.
Seeing Xiao Ling's safe return, Ziyan and Qinglin gathered around him, inquiring about his condition.
Gazing at Xiao Ling's empty hands, Zi Yan asked curiously, "Xiao Ling, didn't you obtain the Strange Fire this time?"
Smiling, Xiao Ling retrieved the Lotus Seat and the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire from the System Space. "Of course I did. This is the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire, ranked nineteenth on the Strange Fire List."
Qing Lin, standing nearby, gazed at the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire on the lotus seat, eyes filled with wonder. "This Strange Fire is truly beautiful, like a work of art. Congratulations, young master, on obtaining the Strange Fire."
Zi Yan nodded in agreement. "This Strange Fire is much more beautiful than the giant snake from Canaan Academy."
After letting Qing Lin and Zi Yan admire it for a moment, Xiao Ling stored the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire into the System Space.
"Now that we've obtained the Strange Fire, there's no need to stay here any longer. It's too hot here. Let's go back to Mo City first."
With that, Xiao Ling turned and headed towards the passageway.
(End of Chapter)