Chapter 145: The Mysterious Golden Leaf

Elder Zixuan looked at Long Feng and said calmly, "Your Hell Python Flame should be a sixth-rank beast flame. Although its energy is somewhat unusual, I have something more powerful to give you."

Long Feng’s eyes lit up. He already possessed a strange flame, but if Elder Zixuan was willing to give him an even stronger one, how could he refuse?

However, Elder Zixuan suddenly asked, "Where did you obtain your Hell Python Flame?"

Long Feng smiled awkwardly. "I obtained it by chance inside an ancient cave."

He had already prepared an answer for questions like this. There was no way he could reveal the existence of the Evil Alchemist System, so he calmly lied.

Elder Zixuan did not question him further. Instead, he took out an ancient jade bottle covered in intricate seals.

"Since you already possess a strange flame, I believe this one will be even more useful to you."

With a wave of his hand, the seals on the bottle loosened, and a dark flame emerged.

Its surface was covered in bright red patterns resembling scales. Unlike ordinary flames, its energy seemed almost tangible, giving it the appearance of a creature covered in black armor.

Long Feng’s eyes immediately lit up.

"This is the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame," Elder Zixuan explained. "My teacher gave it to me many years ago. I have kept it until now, but you may as well put it to better use."

Long Feng could hardly conceal his excitement.

A strange flame capable of materializing its energy! Such a power would be useful in both combat and alchemy.

"Elder, are you really giving this to me?"

"Do you think I would take it back after showing it to you?"

Long Feng chuckled and quickly thanked him. However, he soon remembered something important.

"But I already have the Hell Python Flame. Can I really refine another strange flame?"

"Ordinarily, no."

Elder Zixuan nodded. "Two different flames will resist each other, and forcing them to coexist inside your body could destroy your meridians and spiritual sea. However, there is another method."

Long Feng immediately listened attentively.

"Instead of attempting to control both flames, you can dissolve your existing flame into its fundamental energy and use that energy to strengthen the new one.

Once the old flame has been completely dissolved, you will have only one flame remaining."

These words made Long Feng’s eyes flickered.

"So I must sacrifice the Hell Python Flame to refine the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame?"

"Precisely. However, this process is extremely dangerous. Your old flame will resist being dissolved, while the new one will become increasingly powerful as it absorbs the released energy.

If you lose control, the new flame could burn you from within."

Elder Zixuan took out a jade bottle containing a pale blue pill and handed it to Long Feng.

"This Frostheart Stabilization Pill, will protect your internal organs and help you endure the flame’s destructive energy. However, it cannot guarantee your survival."

Long Feng accepted the pill, his expression becoming serious.

Even an eighth-rank alchemist could not guarantee his safety. Clearly, refining this flame would be far more dangerous than he had anticipated.

Nevertheless, he had no intention of giving up.

With the Chaos Swallowing Cauldron and his powerful soul, he believed he had a chance of succeeding.

"I understand, Elder. I’ll give it a try."

Elder Zixuan nodded and stepped back, giving him enough space to begin.

Then the next moment, Long Feng swallowed the Frostheart Stabilization Pill without any hesitation.

A cold sensation spread through his throat and descended into his abdomen.

Its medicinal energy then flowed outward, covering his internal organs and meridians with a faint, ice-like layer.

It was not thick enough to restrict his movements or circulation, but it was remarkably resilient, as though a thin sheet of ice had formed inside his body.

Then he opened the jade bottle, causing the terrifying red flame emerged. Taking a deep breath, he guided the flame’s origin seed into his mouth and swallowed it.

The moment it entered his body, an overwhelming wave of heat erupted in his abdomen.

"Ugh!"

Long Feng’s face twisted in pain.

The Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame surged through his meridians, attempting to establish itself within his spiritual sea.

The Frostheart Stabilization Pill’s medicinal energy immediately reacted, shielding his internal organs from the worst of the heat.

Even so, the pain was unbearable.

Long Feng gritted his teeth and used his soul power to guide the flame toward his dantian.

Inside his spiritual sea, the Hell Python Flame sensed the arrival of a powerful intruder. Its purple, serpent-like body immediately surged forward, attempting to devour the newcomer.

The two flames collided.

Long Feng’s spiritual sea trembled violently, and his face turned pale.

"Damn it!"

He immediately followed Elder Zixuan’s instructions, using his soul power to separate the Hell Python Flame’s energy from its original form.

The process was agonizing.

The Hell Python Flame resisted fiercely, but Long Feng’s soul power was far stronger than that of an ordinary cultivator at his level. After considerable effort, he finally began dissolving its original form.

The black serpent gradually disintegrated, releasing streams of pure flame energy.

Long Feng immediately directed that energy toward the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame.

The new flame absorbed it greedily.

Its dark body expanded, and the red scales covering its surface became increasingly distinct. Its aura grew stronger with every passing moment.

A trace of delight appeared in Long Feng’s eyes.

It was working!

He had successfully begun transforming his old flame into nourishment for the new one.

However, he had celebrated too early.

As the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame absorbed more of the Hell Python Flame’s energy, its power increased at an alarming rate.

Its previously unstable aura suddenly became violent, and its materialized scales began expanding across its surface.

Its power increased beyond what Long Feng had anticipated. The red scales hardened, and the flame began behaving like a ferocious beast struggling to break free from its restraints.

Long Feng’s expression changed.

He immediately poured more soul power into suppressing it, but the flame’s resistance only grew stronger.

The energy he had painstakingly extracted from the Hell Python Flame was now strengthening the very force threatening to destroy him.

The Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame surged toward his spiritual sea, releasing waves of scorching energy.

Long Feng desperately attempted to regain control. Unfortunately, his soul power was no longer sufficient.

Crack!

The protective layer formed by the Frostheart Stabilization Pill began to fracture.

Long Feng’s heart sank.

A small portion of the flame’s energy escaped the protection and struck his internal organs. Intense pain spread through his body, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Even a fraction of a Saint-rank beast’s flame was too much for his current body to withstand.

If this continued, he would die.

’Should I use the Demon Emperor’s Will?’

Long Feng immediately dismissed the thought.

He might have survived this fire, but if the Elder uncovers his secret, he is a dead man.

Unfortunately, he was running out of options.

The protective layer was rapidly disappearing, and the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame was becoming increasingly uncontrollable.

Outside, Elder Zixuan finally stood up. He had expected Long Feng to encounter difficulties, but the situation had deteriorated far beyond his expectations.

The young man’s soul power was impressive, yet even that was insufficient to suppress the rampaging flame.

Elder Zixuan was about to intervene when something unexpected happened.

Inside Long Feng’s dantian, the mysterious leaf stored within the Chaos Swallowing Cauldron suddenly trembled.

Before Long Feng could react, it flew out of the cauldron and drifted toward the raging flame.

Long Feng was startled.

’What is this thing doing?’

He had obtained the leaf from Ye Wuxie’s storage ring but had never discovered its true origin. He had intended to investigate it later, but now it had appeared at the worst possible moment.

He immediately tried to pull it back.

However, the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame had already noticed its presence. The flame surged toward the leaf and swallowed it.

’No!’

Long Feng’s heart sank. He had not even figured out what the leaf was, and now it might be destroyed.

Yet the expected scene never occurred.

The leaf remained completely unharmed. Even more astonishingly, the moment the flame touched it, its violent energy began to settle.

The scorching aura weakened, and the silver scales covering its surface relaxed. The flame that had nearly destroyed Long Feng’s body moments earlier suddenly became docile.

Long Feng stared at the scene in disbelief.

’What the hell?’

He had been struggling with all his strength to suppress this flame, yet the mysterious leaf had accomplished it almost instantly.

He suddenly remembered something.

Previously, he had attempted to burn the leaf using the Hell Python Flame, but it had remained completely unharmed.

Now, it had not only survived the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame but had also calmed its violent energy.

’Just what kind of treasure is this?’

Long Feng had no time to investigate further. Seizing the opportunity, he immediately directed his soul power toward the flame.

This time, the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame offered no resistance.

He carefully guided its energy through his spiritual sea, allowing it to absorb the remaining energy of the Hell Python Flame and stabilize its origin.

The flame followed his commands obediently.

Gradually, its violent aura disappeared, and the silver scales settled into a stable pattern across its dark surface.

Long Feng continued controlling it until he was certain that the refinement had been completed, only then did he finally release a long breath.