Chapter 57: The Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus and the Furious Pillar

At Haotian’s luxurious mansion, Wang Yu stood before the panoramic glass, a manual in hand. She read aloud as she operated the device.

“First step: extend your hand into the glass.”

Wang Yu tilted her head, then reached one hand into the illusory pane.

***

Meanwhile, at the central volcano of the Myriad Flames Zone, Fourth Pillar spoke while donning his gear.

“To retrieve the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus, our first step is to wear this armor forged from ten-thousand-year-old profound ice. It can effectively block the high temperatures of this volcano.”

He continued, “Even cultivators at the Imperial Realm cannot endure the heat here for too long.”

The others observed Fourth Pillar, fully armed in his ice armor, shivering uncontrollably and his face tinged purple from the cold. They asked curiously, “Elder, aren’t you cold?”

Fourth Pillar replied stiffly, “It’s nothing, just a little chilly. I’ll warm up once I reach the volcano’s core.”

***

Back at Haotian’s mansion, Wang Yu continued to read the instructions.

“Second step: aim your hand at the Fire Lotus, then grasp it.”

Following the manual, Wang Yu aimed her hand at the Fire Lotus and grasped. She truly felt as if she had seized something substantial, yet her hand did not appear on the outside.

***

In the Myriad Flames Zone, Fourth Pillar shivered as he moved towards the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus. His ice armor slowly began to melt.

As he drew closer, he paused, producing an ice glove and an ice cage. He did not forget to explain to those above.

“These are an ice glove and an ice cage made from profound ice, blessed by the Alliance Master. The ice glove can grasp the insubstantial Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus, and placing it in the ice cage will block the high temperatures and preserve it.”

‘It’s just too cold!’ Fourth Pillar maintained his brave smile.

***

At Haotian’s mansion, Xiaoke and Alice watched the old man with strange expressions. He was covered in ice equipment, shivering violently, yet still maintained a smile.

Xiaoke thought, ‘What is this old man trying to do?’

Alice remarked, “It seems he wants to retrieve the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus.”

Xiaoke blinked. “Doesn’t he know that’s just a virtual projection created by Haotian?”

“Master Haotian is so mischievous; he would never tell anyone,” Alice said, covering her head.

“Besides, the real Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus is in that exact location, but it’s in a sub-space. Master Haotian used a special technique to channel all its heat into this virtual projection. It’s virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.”

Alice and Xiaoke looked at the old man with pity.

Unaware, Wang Yu remained focused on the instructions.

“Then, take it out.”

“Preparation complete. All right, retrieve the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus.”

***

And then, Fourth Pillar’s hand passed straight through.

Silence. Utter silence.

“??? Where’s my flower?” Fourth Pillar’s face was filled with confusion.

‘Did the Alliance Master’s glove expire?’ If not for his immense respect for the Alliance Master, he would have suspected he was being played. Just as he prepared to try again, the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus vanished!

It had actually vanished!

‘Are you messing with me?!’

Wang Yu gazed at the warm Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus in her hand. “It’s quite cozy.”

“Indeed, Master Haotian used spatial techniques to isolate the heat,” Alice explained meticulously.

Wang Yu nodded in satisfaction, then looked up to see a bewildered old man.

“???” Wang Yu tilted her head cutely, making Alice instinctively pounce into her arms and nuzzle her.

Wang Yu didn’t stop her. ‘How adorable is a chibi Alice? Only a fool would push her away.’ She asked curiously, “This old man?”

“He’s a tourist!” Xiaoke interjected quickly. “Can’t you see all his ice equipment? So luxurious, he must be here for sightseeing.”

‘Oh, a tourist, huh? I don’t believe a word of it! His position clearly indicates he’s here for the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus!’

Wang Yu looked at the old man, who appeared furious but had no outlet for his anger. Feeling sorry for him, she said, “He looks so pitiful. Should we give him some compensation?”

Alice and Xiaoke exchanged glances. Then Alice handed a small Fire Spirit Orb to Wang Yu.

“How about you throw this to him?”

“Alright.” Wang Yu tossed the Fire Spirit Orb.

Fourth Pillar, seething with nowhere to vent his frustration, felt something hurtling towards him. He caught it with one hand, opening his palm to find a Fire Spirit Orb. He stared in a daze.

‘What is the meaning of this? You take my Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus and toss me a Fire Spirit Orb? Do I, the dignified Fourth Pillar of the Serpent of Devouring, lack this trinket? Are you treating me like a beggar?!’

Ghost Fox was certain someone was playing tricks. ‘Dare to intercept him? You have a death wish!’

“Come out, you scoundrel! Stop hiding! This old man isn’t finished with you!” Fourth Pillar, enraged, unleashed torrents of origin energy techniques in all directions. Despite the sturdy rock walls, the central volcano was soon filled with flying rocks.

“Should we try to reason with Fourth Pillar?” Thousand Faces cautiously asked Second Pillar.

Second Pillar glanced at him. “Go ahead, which one of you is going? I’m not.”

Thousand Faces, Shadow, and Array Ghost exchanged glances. Seeing Fourth Pillar’s increasingly frenzied state, they all shook their heads.

In the mansion, Wang Yu also flinched, shrinking back. She said awkwardly, “Um, he doesn’t seem very satisfied, haha. Well, without that lotus, there’s nothing much to see here. Can we close the glass?”

Alice stifled a laugh and nodded. The scene before them then turned black.

“I’ll go find Yue Feng, haha, haha.” Wang Yu thus abandoned the pitiful Fourth Pillar.

***

“Hmph, we found you.” A voice echoed from above the volcano. It was several elders from the Sacred Lands.

They rushed into the control room and discovered a new teleportation gate!

‘When did this happen? It had been maintained before, but nothing was ever found.’

Fortunately, the control center had records, revealing it was left by Haotian Daoist Venerable, leading directly to the central volcano of the Myriad Flames Zone.

There, Haotian Daoist Venerable had suppressed a powerful enemy with the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus.

The Sacred Land elders all looked at the elder from the Heavenly Palace Institute, who also appeared bewildered. ‘He hadn’t heard anything about this.’

However, since it was a seal by Haotian Daoist Venerable, the Serpent of Devouring’s objective must have been that. So, they hurried over, leaving Situ Yan to restart the Furnace City Grand Barrier.

“Alas, we were a step too late.” Upon entering, they saw Fourth Pillar standing in the center of the volcano, the lotus pedestal already empty. “It seems you’ve already obtained the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus. Hand it over, Ghost Fox!”

‘I didn’t! I don’t! Don’t make baseless accusations!’ Fourth Pillar felt like dying. “I’m telling you, I was intercepted! That person threw a Fire Spirit Orb at me and took the Myriad Flames Earth Core Lotus! Believe me!”

The Sacred Land elders scrutinized Fourth Pillar’s equipment, then looked at Ice Witch and the Executors. They all shook their heads. “If we believed you, we’d be fools.”

“Wait.” Fourth Pillar suddenly remembered something. “How did you break through Holy Maiden and Sword Emperor Ye Qing’s defenses?”

“Trying to stall for time?” The elders had been led by the nose by Fourth Pillar for too long and were already annoyed. Whether he took it or not was no longer important to them; beating them was the priority. “Die!”

Fourth Pillar was indeed stalling for time. He and Second Pillar were activating the teleportation device given by the Alliance Master. Since the plan had failed, staying here was futile.

However, Fourth Pillar hadn’t anticipated his aggro being so high.

Several elders immediately focused their attacks on him, and due to the overly volatile origin energy in the central volcano of the Myriad Flames Zone, his activation time was too slow. He was instantly subdued.

After all, he wasn’t a powerhouse like Holy Maiden or Sword Emperor Ye Qing; he was merely an Imperial Realm cultivator who relied on his wits.

Being surrounded and instantly defeated by several Imperial Realm Sacred Land elders, while the escaping Second Pillar declared that abandoning teammates was a glorious tradition of the Serpent of Devouring. They had slipped away.

Before leaving, Second Pillar even sent Fourth Pillar a message: [Take care.]

‘I…’ Fourth Pillar felt he should have consulted the almanac before leaving home today.

Second Pillar also sent a retreat message to the Executors and Apostles in the city.

At this moment, the Serpent of Devouring squads, lacking the leadership of Dou Kuang, were systematically wiped out.

The six Pillars of Reason that had been interfering with Furnace City’s Grand Barrier were found by the Sacred Land teams, having already reverted to ordinary marble.

***

Outside the control center, Holy Maiden and Sword Emperor Ye Qing were locked in fierce combat with Fang Yue. Both sides exercised restraint, avoiding large-scale, highly destructive moves, opting instead for a clash of martial arts.

Holy Maiden and Sword Emperor Ye Qing were renowned powerhouses before Fang Yue made her name. Although it was unknown how they maintained their youthful bodies, Fang Yue wasn’t particularly afraid of them.

Since the first Valley Master, every generation of the Hundred Flowers Valley had achieved peak mastery in martial arts and violent demonic cannons.

As a Stone Spirit Body, Fang Yue couldn’t inherit the demonic cannon legacy, but in martial arts, she gathered the strengths of a thousand years of Hundred Flowers Valley tradition, innovating and excelling, earning her the reputation of being second only to the first Valley Master.

Holy Maiden and Sword Emperor Ye Qing’s martial arts were honed through countless battles, putting them at a significant disadvantage compared to Fang Yue in this regard.

What made them even more wary was the fan in Fang Yue’s hand. The aura of laws emanating from it was undeniably superior to the pseudo-Dao artifacts blessed by their Alliance Master. This was a genuine Dao Weapon.

Although Fang Yue held the advantage, she was unable to expand her gains. ‘No choice. I’ll have to use that.’

The fan shimmered with light as it swept towards Holy Maiden and Sword Emperor Ye Qing. They intended to retreat, but suddenly felt a dizzying sensation.

They only barely recovered their senses to find their anticipated defenses had crumbled. They were directly sent flying by Fang Yue’s Flower Fan.

Sword Emperor Ye Qing felt several bones shatter, while Holy Maiden, bolstered by her Holy Spear, reacted faster, forcibly parrying with the spear. However, she still suffered internal injuries, and the tip of her Holy Spear shattered.

The Flower Fan, ‘Eternal 18’, was a personalized Dao artifact given to Fang Yue by Haotian, along with a special life fire. It was a set.

By consuming origin energy collected by the life fire, it could unleash the special control technique ‘Dizzying Spin’ from ‘Eternal 18’, which forcibly stunned enemies within its range for two seconds.

“Tsk.” Fang Yue pouted cutely. Not achieving the desired effect meant she couldn’t keep both of them.

Holy Maiden and Sword Emperor Ye Qing also received Second Pillar’s message at this time. They exchanged a glance and activated their teleportation devices.

Fang Yue did not stop them. As a former Valley Master of the Hundred Flowers Valley, she knew how to restrain her desires and prioritize the greater good.

It would be difficult to take down these two by herself, and a fight to the death would destroy most of Furnace City.

Situ Yan also restarted the Grand Barrier, and Furnace City once again received comprehensive protection. Although the city was in ruins, order began to be restored with the help of the Situ family and the Sacred Lands.

The disaster in Furnace City had finally ended.