Chapter 304: Refining Ling Er
The Heavenly Dragon Saint's blood essence was quite remarkable. The energy contained within it not only helped the bloodlines of the two women undergo a transformation, but it also greatly boosted their strength. Cai Lin immediately advanced to the Eight-Star Dou Zun, while Cai Die reached the Six-Star Dou Zun.
It must be said that the bloodlines of magical beasts indeed enhance strength much faster than humans. As long as there is sufficient energy and the bloodline limit is unlocked, there are almost no bottlenecks.
However, because of the strength of the bloodlines, the energy required to reach the Dou Saint level is much greater than for humans.
"Ying Ying~"
Ling Er leaped into Yao Yan's arms, rubbing against him, her tail swishing back and forth as she made cute sounds, expressing her affection. The little one loved the scent on Yao Yan, and for heavenly flame, the original power condensed by the seven types of heavenly flames was irresistible. Even the Flame of Life couldn't resist it.
Yao Yan rubbed her chin, watching as she comfortably let her big ears droop, and smiled. If he could, he would gladly continue to care for this little "useless" creature. Unfortunately, reality didn't allow for that. If she were just a second-tier Greenwood Fox, that would be fine, but she was the Flame of Life!
The temptation of the Flame of Life was something even Hun Void couldn't resist, yet she still lacked combat power.
What was the difference between this and a stunning beauty lying in his bed?
"Such a little useless thing~" Yao Yan sighed inwardly and then turned his gaze to Cai Lin and Cai Die. Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin sat below, while Hua She Er and Yue Mei stood behind the two women. He completely ignored the flirtatious eyes of Yue Mei. Now that Yue Mei was only at the Dou Huang level, she could no longer withstand his output.
As a one-star Dou Saint in the late stage, Yao Yan's second brother was already invincible!
"I plan to go to the Black-Corner Region. For now, there's no need to expand here in the Northwestern Continent; let's maintain this current scale... The Gama Empire can be annexed. I've already spoken to Yun Lan Sect." Yao Yan gently patted Ling Er's head, slowly speaking.
"Gama Empire?" A hint of amusement flashed in Cai Lin's cold eyes as she looked at Yao Yan seriously. She didn't inquire about Yao Yan's relationship with Yun Yun. When there were many people around, she gave her man some face.
She nodded slightly, her voice sultry and enticing, "I understand, I'll take care of it."
Everyone was heading to the Central Continent, so the small business of the Northwestern Continent wasn't worth worrying about. However, with the Serpent Clan still in this area, everything needed to be properly arranged. She glanced at Qing Lin and the others before her gaze landed on Hua She Er, and a plan began to form in her mind.
As for Hua She Er's lack of strength... the Heavenly Phoenix Puppet that Yao Yan had previously given to Cai Die could be left behind to deal with those people.
Moreover, with Yao Yan, the Dou Saint, around, no one would dare to stir up trouble.
"I'll accompany you?" Cai Die softly asked.
"No need. I'm going to meet with Old Hai and arrange matters in the Black-Corner Region. I'll be back in a few days at the earliest or half a month at the latest. During this time, you can construct a spatial wormhole to the Beast Domain in Central Continent. This is the coordinate." Yao Yan handed a black scroll to Cai Lin.
"Are you really going to catch the Nine Nether Earth Serpent?" Cai Lin took the scroll, suddenly recalling something, and couldn't help but ask.
"That's our destination." Yao Yan nodded in agreement, looking at Cai Lin and continuing, "There's also an opportunity for you there... Based on the information I've gathered, there was once a large number of Seven-Colored Sky-Devouring Snakes that fell on the Nine Nether Earth Serpent's territory."
Cai Lin was momentarily stunned, then her gaze softened as she nodded and said nothing more.
Qing Lin blinked her seductive eyes, a sense of anticipation in her heart. After all, Young Master had promised to catch two Nine Nether Earth Serpents of the Dou Saint level for her... just the thought of it felt exhilarating. With her Tri-Faced Emerald Eyes, she could directly harness their power and gain Dou Saint-level strength.
The young girl also had a desire to grow stronger!
"Xiao Yi Xian, accompany me." Yao Yan turned his gaze to Xiao Yi Xian and said, "The Toxic Body of yours should be fully awakened now."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian's heartbeat quickened. Under the gaze of the two queens, she calmly nodded.
"When do we leave?" Cai Lin inquired.
"In a few days. I plan to refine Ling Er." Yao Yan pinched Ling Er's neck and lifted her up, looking into her innocent green eyes as he spoke some rather cruel words.
Cai Lin had already known about this and didn't show any expression. Cai Die's face changed slightly, her eyes widening in surprise at Yao Yan's words.
Ling Er, upon hearing this, panicked and began kicking her little hooves, her eyes wide with disbelief. She never imagined such cold words would come from Yao Yan's mouth.
"I knew you were the Flame of Life from the start." Yao Yan tapped the little useless thing's head and smiled, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. I just want you to become my heavenly flame spirit. Don't you want to grow? Become like those big guys!"
"Ying Ying~" Ling Er shook her head in refusal, glaring at Yao Yan in a fierce manner, her eyes igniting with green flames.
The friendship boat had truly capsized.
"Young Master..." Cai Die looked at Yao Yan and Ling Er with some reluctance.
"I need her power for now." Yao Yan pondered for a moment and explained calmly. "With the energy level of the Flame of Life, it could possibly enhance the Burning Decision. As for whether it will help my strength further, it depends on how much energy Ling Er has accumulated."
Cai Die hesitated but ultimately said nothing more.
"Alright, don't be angry. This will be good for you too. Once you integrate the essence of my seven heavenly flames, you should have the chance to take human form... If there's a chance in the future, you may even improve further." Yao Yan gently comforted the little fox, watching her.
He wouldn't bind Ling Er forever. If she really found her own path in the future, releasing her would not be out of the question.
After all, to him, Ling Er was more like family than just a disposable heavenly flame.
Ling Er's eyes shifted, and she quieted down significantly. It seemed the essence of the seven heavenly flames had caught her attention. The little glutton was, after all, a little glutton. How could she not be interested in the essence of the heavenly flames? Her innate desire for the heavenly flames pushed her to consume it. But, being a little useless thing, she couldn't defeat those bigger guys.
In a way, she was the nurturer among the heavenly flames, and compared to the combat-type heavenly flames ranked higher, her combat ability was nearly "zero."
"Such a little glutton." Yao Yan chuckled and scolded her lightly, then spoke to everyone before walking toward the secret chamber. He intended to refine this little thing. As long as she didn't resist, the process should be exceptionally smooth.
"Ying Ying~" Ling Er whimpered again in a coquettish manner, seemingly accepting it.
...
Back in the secret chamber, Yao Yan directly sealed off the surrounding space with his Hun power to prevent Tian Zi Huo from spying. After reaching the Dou Saint level, his Hun had completed its final transformation. He had successfully entered the last step, advancing to the Heavenly Realm of Perfection. Apart from the Emperor Realm, no one could hide from his perception, not even Tian Zi Huo with part of the Void-Eater Flame's essence!
He didn't want Tian Zi Huo to know that he had already obtained a heavenly flame spirit. Yao Yan had never trusted Tian Zi Huo, and in the future, he would erase its intelligence and completely devour it!
He had always been cautious about the Void-Eater Flame, but with the Burning Decision, he didn't mind Tian Zi Huo's schemes.
With Tian Zi Huo's strength, it wasn't enough to control his body.
However, he still needed to make the necessary preparations.
"Let's begin, little one. How long do you plan to keep hiding?" Yao Yan pinched Ling Er's little face. Over the years of raising her, her face had grown quite a bit more chubby compared to when he first met her, and her eyes were even more human-like.
"Ying Ying~" Ling Er made a whining sound, and her fox-like form began to change. A vibrant green mist began to spread, and within it, a liquid-like green flame burned fiercely. At the same time, countless plant-like phantoms manifested in the green mist, seemingly ready to take physical form.
"Vajra Fruit, Body Refining Grass, Three-Life Flower..." Yao Yan looked at the phantoms in surprise. They were the herbs Ling Er had consumed over the years. Ling Er had not absorbed the essence of those herbs for herself. Instead, it seemed she was coexisting with them in a unique way.
Yao Yan didn't understand what this meant, but once he refined Ling Er, he should be able to comprehend it. He didn't hesitate further and opened his mouth to consume the green flame Ling Er had transformed into.
Ling Er didn't resist, much like a curious baby entering Yao Yan's body. Following the path of the Burning Decision, the essence of vitality surged into Yao Yan's body, stimulating the spirit bloodline, and even the Chaos Fetus within him became slightly more active.
"Ying Ying~" Feeling her essence being devoured by Yao Yan, Ling Er became scared and began calling out in panic.
"Don't be afraid. It'll be over soon." Yao Yan gently reassured her. He didn't dissipate Ling Er's consciousness but allowed her to merge with the essence of his seven heavenly flames. The process of merging was exceptionally smooth. Though Ling Er was frightened, she didn't attack Yao Yan. With her pitiful combat ability, she couldn't inflict any harm on him.
As time passed, Ling Er gradually stopped being afraid. She didn't feel any pain. Instead, it felt like she was integrating into a big family, and she began to willingly merge with the essence of the seven heavenly flames. Eventually, she fell into a deep sleep.
Under Yao Yan's control, the essence of the seven heavenly flames began to facilitate the transformation of Ling Er's spirit body. As the seven flames fused, Ling Er's small fox form curled up and transformed into an eight-colored orb.
At the same time, Yao Yan's aura began to expand. The Burning Decision, as expected, evolved again. However, this time the improvement wasn't significant. His aura reached the peak of one-star Dou Saint before stopping. Clearly, Ling Er's energy couldn't propel him directly to two-star Dou Saint.
Ling Er's abilities were now fully under his control, and her little head was in sync with him. However, there was no valuable information within her head. Most of it was about eating, playing, and sleeping, with a small portion dedicated to her memories of Yao Yan and the others.
"Truly, it's a challenge for you to remember me." Yao Yan chuckled. However, he couldn't help but marvel at Ling Er's abilities. No wonder alchemists described her as the dream heavenly flame and even ranked her in the top five. Her abilities could only be described as monstrous.
First, her well-known ability to mature spirit herbs wasn't just about surface-level simplicity. Her true power lay in her control over vitality. She could not only mature spirit herbs, but she could also extract the life force from plants, replenishing her own energy.
Moreover, the spirit herbs she absorbed would turn into "seeds" stored within her body, ready to sprout at any time. The number of spirit herbs Ling Er had recorded was terrifying, enough to make any alchemist go crazy.
Next, she had the ability to conceal her aura and shapeshift.
Ling Er could conceal her identity as the Flame of Life while pretending to be a second-tier Greenwood Fox, even fooling Hun Void. This showed just how advanced her ability to suppress her aura and transform was. She could even deceive the most experienced, and without special methods, no one could detect the change.
Finally, her ability to increase lifespan was also a form of control over vitality. In theory, Yao Yan could live forever with this ability, as he had fused with the Flame of Life and not simply refined it.
However, this was clearly the least useful ability because Yao Yan didn't need to worry about his lifespan. Once he broke into the Dou Emperor level, he would be the Supreme Heavenly Emperor, and his lifespan would increase significantly!
Moreover, at the Mastery level and beyond, there was the near-immortal realm.
This time, devouring the heavenly flame was the easiest for Yao Yan. He wasn't in a hurry to leave seclusion. Sitting cross-legged in the air, he quietly observed Ling Er's transformation. Having devoured seven heavenly flames, the essence of the flames inside him was immense, enough to push the Flame of Life into the top three.
Of course, compared to the Gu heavenly flames like the Pure Lotus Demon Flame and the Void-Eater Flame, Ling Er was still quite immature. But her potential for growth was already enough to rival them, and she had the potential to reach the Dou Emperor level.
This was why the Gu Emperor Duoshe regarded the Pure Lotus Demon Flame and the Void-Eater Flame so highly. They were, in essence, like Ling Er's current path.
...
A few days later.
Yao Yan came out of seclusion. As soon as he emerged, Cai Die, who had heard the news, hurried over. Her bright peach blossom eyes scanned Yao Yan's entire body, searching for signs of Ling Er. Soon, her gaze stopped, and she noticed the little girl behind Yao Yan.
More precisely, it was a little fox demon, her form petite, about half a meter tall, with emerald green hair, a delicate and cute face, an eight-colored lotus mark on her forehead, a pair of large furry ears hanging from either side of her head, and a fox tail trailing behind her. Her chubby little hands grasped the hem of Yao Yan's clothes, and her lively eyes curiously scanned the surroundings. When she saw Cai Die, she let out a soft "Ying Ying."
(END CHAPTER)
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