Chapter 280: 280
Bleak desolation, punishing heat.
A mix of desert and Gobi emerged before Chu Yuan's eyes.
At first glance, yellow sand swirled in all directions, as if covered in a layer of golden flames, refracting a golden radiance. It was quite simply a scene of fiery cosmos and molten gold.
This environment, dry and scorching, only Martial Artists who cultivated fire Divine Abilities would ever find it enjoyable; no one else would linger here for long.
"Hmm? The elemental energy here possesses a power that gradually strips away Mana. Although it's slow, it's undeniably present."
Chu Yuan took in his surroundings.
"Indeed, the Ancient Flame Emperor Fen Tian had the most fiery temperament among the Five Emperors. Anyone who incurred his wrath would be attacked directly. He was more terrifying than a Celestial God. Even after the Ancient Era has long passed, his Mana imprint remains here, ensuring that instead of improving, the conditions here continue to deteriorate."
Ouyang Ming reverently explained: "I've been here a few times. I originally intended to capture the divine flame and incorporate it into myself, but my strength was insufficient, and I had to reluctantly retreat."
A Refining Master or an Alchemist who could control an extraordinary divine fire could significantly enhance their skills.
"The Divine Golden Flame has a great use for me, so I cannot grant it to you. However, you are right. For a director of the Dawu Forge, it would be shameful not to possess a single divine flame."
Chu Yuan deliberated, "I will teach you a technique so you can cultivate your own divine flame, known as the Void Flame."
"Void Flame?" Ouyang Ming looked slightly confused.
"Yes, the Void Flame. It's a divine flame that burns in the vacuum. Treat it as a Divine Ability and cultivate it. I will have Kongmi Daoji assist you in this process with the power of space. Furthermore, with your gifted perception, it won't be difficult for you to cultivate the Floating Tumen Divine Fire that I control."
Chu Yuan's fingertip throbbed with a flame of vitreous luster. It twisted and reshaped unceasingly.
"Divine Flame!"
Ouyang Ming immediately knelt: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
A self-cultivated divine flame would start weak but would possess a strong spiritual nature and would grow stronger with the increase of one's own state.
"Stand up. Those who contribute shall be rewarded, as this is your rightful due."
Chu Yuan had his reasons for letting Ouyang Ming cultivate the Void Flame.
In the future, Dawu will produce more terrifying devices, necessitating large quantities of materials.
Having a Refining Master who can refine various high-level materials at his disposal would undeniably make things easier for him.
Merely relying on the Qiankun Commerce Guild would be insufficient.
The fate of his own life should always be tightly grasped in his own hands.
At this point, Kongmi Daoji kept squirming, clearly uncomfortable with the dry environment here.
"Alright, you can rest inside for now."
Upon accomplishing its task, Chu Yuan drew Kongmi Daoji into the Jade Seal.
"Your Majesty, please follow me. In fact, the location of the Divine Golden Flame is no secret. Many have tried to seize it. However, this divine flame has already acquired a spiritual nature, it adapted the cunning of humans. Upon sensing a formidable presence it hides, and if underestimated, it engulfs them."
Ouyang Ming led the way.
"It seems that the divine flame has indeed become sentient."
Chu Yuan said.
With the speed of their movements resembling flying lightning, they glided over the massive desert, which was about the size of several Guihai Prefectures.
"It should be in here."
Before long, Ouyang Ming arrived at a cave. From within, golden flames kept erupting, creating an unbearably hot environment.
"We're going in."
This time, Chu Yuan led the way.
The cave was incredibly deep. After descending ten thousand meters, they reached the bottom, and the surroundings changed into solid rock. It wasn't dark; instead, it was brightly lit.
Deep gold marks were visible on the rocks on both sides, undoubtedly the Gold Flame Divine Gold Chu Yuan was in need of.
The Floating Tumen Fire had been very active ever since Chu Yuan entered the cave.
As one of the most powerful congenital divine flames, it could also sense the presence of the Divine Golden Flame. Now it turned into a small flame, leaping incessantly.
The further they ventured, the more intense the golden light became. The temperature also increased, making it feel as though they were in the heart of a star.
Ouyang Ming was also drenched in sweat. Although he was a Void God, the temperature was too intense, as if he were inside a star, forcing him to exert his mana to resist it.
"His Majesty's power is immeasurable!"
Seeing Chu Yuan's easy-going demeanor, Ouyang Ming increasingly felt that the depth of this emperor was unfathomable.
The cave may be incredibly deep, but it ultimately had an end. Chu Yuan seemed to have suddenly arrived at the center of the earth. The space in front of him abruptly became vast, revealing an expansive area ahead.
This place spanned a hundred miles.
It was a tumultuous, roaring, golden-red lake!
This golden-red lake was not made of water, but of boiling lava!
The magma seemed to be erupting from the earth's core!
Such terrifying temperature was a thousand times stronger than that of ordinary lava!
Glug Glug!
The lava was not calm, continuously bubbling and splattering.
"Your Majesty, the Golden Flame Divine Fire is in this lava. I once fought it briefly but had to quickly retreat. After all, here, it's the territory of the Golden Flame Divine Fire. Even a Tenth-Level Void God might not be able to subdue it."
Ouyang Ming's face was extremely serious.
This lava was left behind from the great battle between the former Emperor Fen Tian and his powerful enemy. It was tainted with mana more fearsome than that of the Celestial Gods, which even a Void God found hard to bear.
If the Golden Flame Divine Fire was easy to subdue, it would have been taken long ago.
"Your information is accurate. I have already sensed the aura of the Golden Flame Divine Fire."
Boom!
Just as Chu Yuan was speaking, the lava suddenly began to heave violently. Columns of lava erupted, racing towards Chu Yuan.
"Golden Flame Divine Fire!"
Chu Yuan, under the downpour of magma rain, had a flicker of Fudo Fire in his eyes, "If the Fudo Fire swallows the Golden Flame Divine Fire, it will surely evolve. Ordinary Void Gods would be directly incinerated by it. Plus, this place is rich in minerals, it will be turned into a material base, and I also want this lava!"
As he was thinking, he reached out a hand towards the lava.
As easily as flipping his hand!
Lava fell on Chu Yuan's body, he didn't even need to use the Greater Swallowing Technique, just relying on the Fudo Fire was enough to ward it off.
He had already seen that the Golden Flame Divine Fire had sensed the presence of someone and was moving around in the lava sea.
The lava lake was actually vast. Although it seemed only to span a hundred miles in front, the whole desert beneath was filled with lava, flowing to this spot.
If it sensed danger, the Golden Flame Divine Fire could escape.
A massive golden dragon was swimming in the lava lake. Suddenly, it surged out. Its entire body was composed of magma, especially its dragon eyes, which revealed an anthropomorphic disdain.
The flames flickering in the pair of dragon eyes was precisely the body of the Golden Flame Divine Fire!
The golden dragon charged directly towards Chu Yuan, fearing no other existence in this lava lake.
Hum!
Chu Yuan punched out, landing directly on the body of the golden dragon. In that moment, the golden dragon disintegrated, scattering countless droplets.
But the Golden Flame Divine Fire wasn't afraid at all. It was essentially an intangible existence. What could scattering its dragon body do? In this lava lake, it had limitless energy.
In the blink of an eye, the dragon body reformed, and eighty ghostly golden dragons appeared, forming a golden dragon array with it.
Ninety-nine by eighty-one!
Fire Dragon Array!
"This Golden Flame Divine Fire has devoured countless people and learned to set up arrays from their memories. However, Your Majesty's strength is truly terrifying. If it were me, I would have fled already, otherwise, I would be dragged into the lava by the Golden Flame Divine Fire."
Ouyang Ming could not assist in this fight, he could only watch from a corner.
But when he saw that eighty-one golden dragons were surrounding Chu Yuan, another terrifying sense of killing intent swept over, making his face drastically change, and he suddenly shouted out loud.
"Your Majesty, watch out!"