Battle Through the Heavens: Starting with Cao Ying as an apprentice

Faced with an absolute disparity in strength, any resistance is futile, and escape is a pipe dream.

The only way to survive is to demonstrate absolute obedience and value. This is the most basic survival wisdom it has learned as a magical beast in the cruel natural world—if you can't beat them, join them! No, if you can't beat them, kneel down!

Seeing its eagerness to show loyalty, Su Baichen was too lazy to tease it anymore. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, no need to put on such an act. I did call you here because I need you to do something."

The two-headed fire serpent immediately stopped "complaining," raising its two heads and adopting the most standard listening posture.

"Beneath this lava, there should be a rare and extraordinary flame being nurtured, right?" Su Baichen asked directly.

Without hesitation, the two-headed fire serpent nodded its two heads simultaneously in perfect unison.

"Well, since you've lived here for many years, you must know its exact location?"

The two-headed fire serpent nodded vigorously once more, its eyes conveying the message, "I know it well, I know it very well."

"Very good." Su Baichen nodded in satisfaction. Although this snake was a bit timid, it was indeed pragmatic and saved a lot of trouble.

He continued, "Take us down to find that strange fire. Don't worry, as long as you lead the way well, I won't treat you unfairly after we succeed; I'll give you some reward."

"remuneration?!"

These two words, like heavenly music, instantly struck the simple heart of the two-headed fire spirit serpent.

It had only hoped to save its life, but it never expected such a pleasant surprise! Something that such a powerful being called a "reward" must be extraordinary! It might be pure energy that could help it break through, or it might be some kind of rare and precious treasure!

In an instant, its four snake eyes burst forth with a light comparable to the golden glow of molten lava, sweeping away its previous fawning and grievances, replaced by an extremely excited enthusiasm.

Its massive body immediately lowered, carefully lying down on the shore of the lava lake, exposing its relatively flat back. Its two heads turned towards Su Baichen and Queen Medusa, emitting a solicitous hiss, and gently patting the ground with the tip of its tail.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: "Esteemed gentlemen, please take your seats! I, the humble snake, guarantee a smooth journey and impeccable service, leading you straight to your destination!"

This display of arrogance followed by obsequiousness, taking the "way of the heart" and "service consciousness" to the extreme, made Su Baichen chuckle and shake his head.

He looked at Queen Medusa: "Then let's hitch a ride on this 'wind-riding snake,' or rather, 'wind-riding serpent,' shall we?"

Queen Medusa had never seen such a "sensible" magical beast before. She smiled slightly and nodded. The two of them flashed and landed lightly on the broad back of the two-headed fire spirit serpent.

Sensing that the two had found their footing, the two-headed fire spirit serpent let out a cheerful low hiss, its massive body carefully sliding into the lava, stirring up a wave, before steadily swimming towards the depths of the lava lake, to the place where the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame was born.

It swims extremely smoothly, even using energy to form an invisible shield on its back, isolating it from direct contact with the high-temperature magma, emphasizing thoughtfulness and safety first.

Chapter 31 Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame

As the two-headed fire serpent ventured deeper into the magma, the surrounding temperature grew increasingly scorching, and the dark red magma flowed slowly like viscous blood.

Su Baichen and Queen Medusa were inside a thin but tough protective shield, and they could clearly sense that the fire-type energy of the outside world was undergoing tremendous changes.

What began as a warm and pure flow of energy has now become like a boiling ocean, so thick that it is almost liquid, and it is full of violent and rampant energy. Every surge of energy causes the protective shield to ripple.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing undisguised joy in each other's eyes.

This change in the surrounding energy is the most significant sign of approaching a wondrous object from heaven and earth—a strange fire.

A hint of anticipation and solemnity flashed in Queen Medusa's bewitching purple eyes, while Su Baichen, as an alchemist who was extremely sensitive to flames, could better sense the chilling spirituality hidden deep within the violent energy.

He took a deep breath of the scorching air. Despite the protective shield, the unique call of the strange fire was already coming from the depths of his soul.

After a stick of incense had burned, the lava in front of us suddenly thinned out, and our vision opened up as if we had passed through an invisible curtain.

Immediately afterwards, a spectacular sight shocked the two people with the snake.

It was an enormous blue lotus flower, quietly floating in a clearing deep within the magma.

The lotus is not a plant, but is formed by the condensation of pure energy and some kind of spiritual substance from heaven and earth. Its whole body is a warm and mysterious blue color, with petals layered on top of each other, unfolding and blooming, emitting a soft but not negligible blue light.

It is rooted in nothingness, yet it seems to be integrated with the entire underground magma world. The enormous lotus body occupies almost half of the cavity, giving people a sense of timelessness and the grandeur of suppressing the earth's veins.

The moment it appeared, Su Baichen's pupils contracted slightly, and his superhuman soul perception surged like ice cubes thrown into boiling oil.

The unique, pure, and extremely violent fire energy of heaven and earth, belonging to the strange fire, rushed towards him like a tidal wave, causing even this knowledgeable alchemist to waver.

"This is it!" Su Baichen murmured, and then his powerful soul force, like invisible tentacles, carefully spread towards the giant blue lotus.

When his soul force touched the petals of the blue lotus, he felt a slight resistance. This giant lotus seemed to have a magical effect of naturally isolating and probing.

He was slightly surprised, and only after strengthening the penetration of his soul power could he barely "see" the general outline of the interior.

After probing the interior of the green lotus with his soul power, his perception of the strange fire suddenly increased several times, and the dormant flame seemed to be within reach.

Su Baichen and Queen Medusa exchanged glances again; no words were needed, and an unspoken understanding had been established.

"Let's go in."

Su Baichen took the lead, his figure flickering as he escaped the range of the two-headed fire spirit snake's protective shield like a swimming fish.

His fighting spirit spontaneously formed a protective layer, pushing away the scorching magma and transforming it into a stream of light that shot straight towards the giant blue lotus.

Queen Medusa followed without hesitation, her graceful body enveloped in purple battle aura, like a queen descending upon the inner world of the earth.

Passing through that soft blue light barrier felt like entering another tranquil space.

The intense heat and noise of the outside world were instantly shut out, and a strange sense of coolness enveloped the body.

The interior of the giant blue lotus was even more expansive than it appeared from the outside. Thick, lustrous blue roots, like jade pillars, crisscrossed and supported this strange world. At the center of all the roots, an even more exquisite blue lotus platform was held aloft.

The lotus platform was crystal clear, as if carved from the finest jade, radiating vibrant life. At the center of the platform, instead of a lotus seedpod, a flame floated silently.

The flame was beautifully shaped, like a budding blue lotus flower, pulsating slightly. Each sway caused subtle ripples to appear in the surrounding space.

The flames appeared calm and gentle, but the destructive power they contained was enough to incinerate mountains and boil seas, causing even Queen Medusa, who was already at the peak of the Douhuang realm and had seen countless storms, to feel a tremor from the depths of her soul.

She had no doubt that even with her strength, she would be injured if she were touched by even a trace of that flame.

"This must be the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. Such powerful energy! Even I, with my nine-star Dou Huang cultivation, feel extremely apprehensive." Queen Medusa's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible solemnity as her gaze remained fixed on the beautiful yet dangerous flame.

“Yes, that’s it.” Su Baichen’s eyes were burning, his tone filled with certainty and a hint of excitement: “The Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the list of strange flames, is born deep in the earth and has undergone countless tempering, fusion, compression, and sculpting 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. When it is fully formed, its color is bluish, and a cluster of blue flames grows in the heart of the lotus. It is called the Azure Lotus Flame, also known as the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame.”

As he spoke, he floated up, deftly avoiding the tangled lotus roots around him, and slowly flew towards the central blue lotus platform.

A closer look reveals the wonder of nature's creation.

The Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame atop the lotus platform had fully matured, its energy both restrained and powerful. To Su Baichen's even greater surprise, the holes in the lotus platform contained over a dozen perfectly round lotus seeds, each the size of a longan and radiating pure fire-attribute energy—Earth Fire Lotus Seeds, peerless treasures for cultivation.

"Hmm, this strange fire has been fully formed and is in perfect condition." Su Baichen nodded in satisfaction, then waved his sleeve, and a gentle battle aura swept out, like a nimble hand, carefully lifting up the entire cyan lotus platform, along with the cyan lotus core fire and the earth fire lotus seeds on it, ready to collect it.

"Young Master, you're... even taking the Lotus Throne of the Strange Flame?" Queen Medusa, seeing Su Baichen's "take-all" attitude, couldn't help but purse her red lips, her tone tinged with a hint of teasing.

This usually ruthless queen was now showing a bit of girlish coquettishness, clearly finding Su Baichen's "leave no trace" behavior somewhat amusing.

Upon hearing this, Su Baichen turned to look at her, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Hmph, what are you thinking? I'm not being greedy."

He pointed to the lotus platform enveloped in battle aura, "This cyan lotus platform is not merely a vessel for the strange fire. It can nurture the strange fire and isolate its violent energy. This alone makes it a rare treasure of heaven and earth."

"Think about it, how violent is the strange fire? This lotus platform can safely contain and isolate its aura. How extraordinary must its material and spirituality be? Whether used for cultivation, weapon forging, or as a defensive magic weapon, it is a priceless treasure."

He paused, then looked up and surveyed the enormous blue lotus in the surroundings, a wise glint in his eyes: "Besides, didn't we leave behind this mother plant? It is the very source that nurtured the core fire of the blue lotus."

"As long as this giant lotus still exists, given time, it may be able to absorb the essence of the earth's fire and give birth to a new Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire. This is the way of the cycle of heaven and earth. We have already taken away the mature exotic fire and lotus platform, which is a great opportunity. We should leave a way out."

"More importantly," Su Baichen lowered his voice, tinged with a hint of amazement, "when I probed it with my soul power just now, I discovered that this giant azure lotus seems to possess an extremely mysterious ability to isolate itself from detection. If my soul power weren't still sufficient, I probably wouldn't even be able to see what's inside. It's best to let such a wondrous object remain here quietly guarding its mysteries. Forcibly taking it away might damage its spirituality, which would be counterproductive."

Chapter 32 The Two-Headed Fire Serpent Wanting to Improve (Data Requested)

Upon hearing this, Queen Medusa's usually cool and beautiful face showed a rare hint of surprise.

Her gaze involuntarily fell once again on the floating cyan lotus platform and the entire slowly rotating, spiritually vibrant cyan giant lotus.

Previously, her entire mind was drawn to the cluster of leaping blue flames at the heart of the lotus, believing it to be the only fortune in this place.

As for the lotus platform and giant lotus that supported the strange fire, she only regarded them as a peculiar environment created by heaven and earth. Although she found them mysterious, she did not investigate them in depth, and never thought that they were rare treasures in themselves.

If she truly came alone to collect the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, given her decisive and efficient nature, she would definitely go straight for the source of the strange flame and leave immediately after obtaining it, without lingering here for long.

Even if they eventually find out that the giant blue lotus is also a treasure, they won't pay attention to the blue lotus pedestal since they can't take it away.

In this way, this precious lotus pedestal will likely be unintentionally left behind in this magma-filled earth, its brilliance obscured.

Thinking of this, Queen Medusa glanced at Su Baichen, who stood calmly beside her.

When she initially proposed to come alone to collect the strange fire, Su Baichen was adamant and insisted on accompanying her personally.

Although she did not object at the time, she vaguely felt that he was making a mountain out of a molehill. With her strength, even if there were risks involved in taking in an unclaimed strange fire, it was not something she could not handle.

Only then did she realize that Su Baichen's insistence on coming along was probably not just to ensure the process of collecting the strange fire went smoothly, but also because he was worried that she would "encounter the treasure but not recognize it" and miss out on these rare treasures of heaven and earth.

Her meticulousness and broad vision far surpass those of others.

A complex emotion, difficult to describe, quietly swept through Queen Medusa's heart. It was not displeasure, but rather a subtle feeling of being carefully considered and silently protected.

Su Baichen paid no attention to the changes in Queen Medusa's expression, but instead focused his attention back on the quietly floating blue lotus pedestal.

He had previously seen records about the art of weapon crafting in the Heavenly Book and had studied it roughly, but it was ultimately not as good as the effort and skill he had put into alchemy.

Ultimately, it was because time was too short and energy was limited, making it difficult to cover everything.

However, with his current skill level in crafting artifacts, he is more than capable of performing a preliminary and simple crafting of this lotus pedestal.

The remaining intricate work, such as deeper rune inscription and energy circuit construction, can be left for later when they return to the Serpent People and study and refine it slowly.

Su Baichen already had a plan in mind. Right now, he only needed to complete the basic refining process to make it easy to carry and control.

"Alright, this matter is settled, let's go." Su Baichen waved his sleeve, putting away the lotus pedestal that had undergone preliminary refinement and whose blue light had been contained, and said to Queen Medusa beside him.

Immediately, the two transformed into two streaks of light and flew away from the giant blue lotus.

Outside the giant lotus, the lava lake continued to churn, while the two-headed fire spirit serpent paced restlessly, its four eyes occasionally glancing towards the entrance of the giant lotus.

The reason it didn't leave is quite simple—it was waiting for its "reward".

The two-headed fire spirit serpent was well aware that its bloodline was mediocre and its potential was limited.

In this dog-eat-dog world of magical beasts, without great opportunities or blessings, even if it cultivates with all its might, reaching the level of a sixth-tier magical beast in this lifetime is probably the limit.

It is a magical beast with a strong desire to improve itself, and it will never let go of any opportunity to improve its strength, even if the opportunity is accompanied by unknown risks, it is willing to take the risk.

It was too eager to improve. The competition in World of Warcraft was no less brutal than the intrigue and backstabbing among human cultivators.

Moreover, before they can fully transform into human form, magical beasts, apart from having relatively long lifespans and stronger physiques, often do not have an advantage in battles against human cultivators of the same realm, who have a wide variety of methods and strange techniques.

Therefore, the "reward" that Su Baichen mentioned casually earlier was, in the eyes of the two-headed fire spirit snake, very likely a crucial turning point in its snake life.

In order to break through the shackles of bloodline, the two-headed fire spirit serpent really went all out this time, embarking on a very risky adventure to guide two unfathomable powerhouses.

Just as its heart was filled with anticipation and trepidation, two figures finally flew out from the giant blue lotus, namely Su Baichen and Queen Medusa.