Yapster Yunshan

Although Chen Guan attracted a lot of attention along the way, there were no unexpected incidents. He covered half of his face with a black cloth.

"As long as no one recognizes me, I won't feel embarrassed."

By evening, the Magic Beast Mountain Range was already within sight.

Chen Guan was extremely familiar with this place, like returning home.

Arriving at the small lake, Chen Guan sensed that the guardian puppet snake was still at the bottom of the lake, undiscovered by anyone.

This result was expected; unless someone had a death wish, who would casually fish in a lake teeming with magical beasts? Even for washing up, there were other, safer and more secluded options nearby.

He would never have searched here so carefully if it hadn't been for the Red Ice Serpent King back then.

Sprinkling some beast-attracting powder on the shore, Chen Guan elegantly dove into the water and once again entered the stone chamber at the lake's bottom.

Placing the lotus platform in the outer chamber, he did not rush to devour it. Instead, he went into the inner chamber to light incense for his teacher, then began adjusting his state of mind.

After a short while, Chen Guan opened his eyes and glanced at the Green Lotus Core Flame on the lotus platform, as if talking to himself.

"I'm going to devour the Heavenly Flame."

After waiting a few breaths with no response, Chen Guan felt even more assured.

With a swipe of his storage ring, three items appeared in front of him: a Blood Lotus Pill, Ice Spirit Cold Spring, and Spiritual Essence!

These were essential for weaker cultivators to devour a Heavenly Flame, whereas stronger ones wouldn't need such preparations.

After a thorough check, Chen Guan took out ten jade bottles and placed the eleven Earth Fire Lotus Seeds from the lotus platform into them, leaving one aside. These seeds were extremely valuable, capable of speeding up cultivation and enhancing one's connection with the Green Lotus Core Flame.

He swallowed one seed directly.

To Chen Guan, consuming a seed beforehand might increase the chances of successfully devouring the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Even if it didn't, it would at least provide extra energy for the upcoming endurance battle.

Feeling his Dou qi swelling within him to the point of causing slight discomfort, Chen Guan didn't hesitate any longer. His soul power surged out, separating the lotus platform from the Green Lotus Core Flame. He then sat on the lotus platform, like a Bodhisattva.

Without the restraint of the lotus platform, the Green Lotus Core Flame behaved like a child separated from its mother, thrashing about uncontrollably, unresponsive to any attempts at calming it down.

No longer maintaining its lotus form, the flame flared up several times larger in an instant, and the growth showed no sign of stopping. Within a few breaths, the outer chamber was filled. If not for the stone chamber being forged from special materials by his teacher, it would have long been reduced to ruins.

The beast flame within Chen Guan's body surged out to resist the Heavenly Flame's invasion.

Though a sixth-tier beast flame was formidable, it was insignificant in the face of a Heavenly Flame, only capable of trembling and being gradually consumed.

And this was merely the Green Lotus Core Flame's instinctual outburst, yet it carried such tremendous power.

By his estimation, only a Dou Ancestor expert would have a reasonable chance of subduing the Green Lotus Core Flame through sheer strength.

With a slight sigh, Chen Guan consumed the Blood Lotus Pill.

The pill dissolved as soon as it entered his mouth, and a cold, chilling energy flowed rapidly through his meridians. By looking inward, one could see layers of blood membranes forming, gradually permeating his bones, flesh, and ultimately his skin, quickly solidifying into a thick, airtight blood-red keratin layer covering his entire body.

It looked ugly and intimidating, but provided a great sense of security.

At the very least, with the blood-red keratin covering his hand, the pressure of reaching for the flame seed was greatly reduced.

The more he thought, the more hesitant he became. Gritting his teeth, Chen Guan thrust his hand into the flame while releasing powerful spiritual perception to better track the flame seed.

The blood-red keratin quickly melted into droplets of blood under the Heavenly Flame's scorching, only to be burned into nothingness in an instant. The keratin layer was rapidly consumed.

Fortunately, Chen Guan was faster, withdrawing his hand just before the keratin on his arm was completely depleted.

In his hand was a wisp of blue magma-like liquid, wriggling slightly.

This was the seed of the Green Lotus Core Flame!

After a brief hesitation, Chen Guan closed his eyes and quickly swallowed it, formally commencing a clash with the Heavenly Flame.

In Qingshan Town, inside an inn.

The two Wang brothers looked helplessly at the girl by the window who was feeling down. They knew the reason for her mood but could do nothing about it.

The first few days were manageable, but now it had been over ten days since they had parted ways with the young man. Even the brothers couldn't help but start worrying.

But no matter how many thoughts swirled in their minds, it was useless. They didn't even know where the young man had gone, let alone how to search for him. They could only wait patiently here.

"Uncle Wang, when will the young master return?"

"Soon, soon."

They had lost count of how many times they had said this over the past few days.

Fortunately, the girl only wanted this comforting answer and didn't make unreasonable demands.

Each time they said it, she believed it, even though she knew the truth in her heart.

Elsewhere in Qingshan Town, not far from the inn, a young woman stood in Thousand Medicine Pavilion, gazing at the distant stars.

Compared to Qinglin, her emotions were even more complicated, with countless unspeakable worries lingering between her brows.

"In dreams, it feels as if someone has returned, but upon waking, it's hard to sleep again."

In the Imperial Capital.

In the secret chamber behind Yunlan Sect's mountain.

Following a dull thud, a long sigh filled with complex emotions—helplessness, disappointment—echoed.

Unsurprisingly, it was Yunshan.

Reluctant to board that scheming ship, Yunshan gave his all in an effort to break through the Dou Ancestor barrier.

Unfortunately, breaking through to Dou Ancestor wasn't something that could be achieved with determination alone, and he had failed miserably.

He knew very well that this failure had drained his willpower. Given his current state, age, and energy, it was impossible for him to reach the Dou Ancestor level on his own in this lifetime.

Yunshan didn't want to accept this reality. He didn't want to grow old and fade away like this; he still had many unfulfilled ambitions.

His heart filled with unwillingness, Yunshan involuntarily thought of that Soul Hall member he met over two months ago, feeling even more shaken.

Though he didn't want to admit it, he had already made his choice.

But to his surprise, the three-month deadline seemed to have arrived, yet the other party was still nowhere in sight.

When he was undecided, they pressured him aggressively and mercilessly exposed his weaknesses. But now that he had finally resolved to compromise, they stood him up.

This Soul Hall was truly hard to like.

(End of chapter)

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