34: Burning Heaven Ancient Cave? That's my private sauna!

Gu's Mining (formerly Black Fiend Sect).

Before leaving, Gu Yang did something that made everyone's heart skip a beat.

He ordered the miners to throw all the remaining hundreds of Low Grade and Medium Grade Magical Artifacts from the Sect's treasury into the earth fire furnace to be smelted.

"My Lord, although these artifacts are low in rank, they are still worth money..."

The new General Manager (the former Foreman) was trembling with heartache.

"Too brittle. Holding them is like holding toothpicks."

Gu Yang dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. "Melt them for me. Melt them all into molten iron, and then... cast them into a solid iron sphere!"

Three days later.

A massive metal sphere two meters in diameter, covered in spikes and weighing a hundred thousand catties—the "ten thousand soldiers sphere"—was fresh out of the oven.

Gu Yang used the dragon tendon he brought from the Mortal Realm (which had been strengthened by the System) as a chain to tether this terrifying iron ball.

"This feel is finally starting to get a bit interesting."

Gu Yang swung it twice, and the air let out a shrill wail.

He hoisted the ten thousand soldiers sphere onto his shoulder, dumped Gu's Mining onto the Foreman, and strode off on his journey to find "Heavenly Flames"... Three thousand miles away, the Burning Heaven Mountains.

This was a famous forbidden land on the edge of the Chaotic Star Sea. Not a blade of grass grew for a hundred miles around, and it was shrouded in high temperatures and fire poison year-round.

At the deepest part of the mountain range lay a massive lava cavern—the Burning Heaven Ancient Cave.

At this moment, many Cultivators were gathered near the cave entrance.

Most wore Fire-Avoidance Robes and held Fire-Avoidance Beads, cautiously exploring the periphery in an attempt to find some fire-attribute spiritual materials.

"Look! What's that?"

A Cultivator suddenly pointed into the distance and cried out.

Amidst the swirling sand and wind, a burly man with a bare torso, wearing only a pair of dark red shorts (made of Dragon Hide, fireproof), was dragging a massive spiked iron ball. He strode forward against a heatwave hot enough to roast a Mortal.

With every step he took, the rocks beneath his feet cracked.

Even more terrifying was that his body bore no glow from any fire-avoidance Magic Treasure; he was relying entirely on his Physical Body to endure it!

"Enduring fire poison with a Physical Body? Which Sect's Body Cultivator madman is this?"

"Look at his skin, golden light is flowing... Could this be the legendary Golden Body?"

Gu Yang ignored the surrounding gazes that treated him like a monkey in a zoo and walked straight into the Burning Heaven Ancient Cave.

As soon as he entered the cave, an even more violent heatwave hit him in the face.

The temperature here reached over a thousand degrees; ordinary steel would melt instantly.

"Hu—"

Gu Yang took a deep breath, feeling only a warm sensation in his lungs.

"The temperature is just right. This is a good place for a sauna."

[High concentration of fire poison detected... Primordial Golden Body converting...]

[Obtained trace amount of energy points...]

He continued deeper.

A sea of fire appeared ahead, with countless Spirit Beasts formed from condensed flames (fire snakes, fire wolves) swimming within it.

These Fire Spirit Beasts had no physical forms, but they were also extremely difficult to kill, and their attacks carried fire poison.

"Another buffet?"

Gu Yang's eyes lit up.

He jumped directly into the sea of fire, parting the magma as if swimming in his own backyard pool.

A Fire Spirit Python at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment hissed and coiled around him.

Gu Yang reached back, pinched its vital spot, and then stuffed it directly into his mouth like he was eating a spicy snack.

"Slurp!"

The Fire Spirit Python turned into a stream of pure fire-attribute spiritual energy and was swallowed into Gu Yang's belly.

"A bit spicy, but quite refreshing."

Gu Yang ate his way through, swimming all the way.

Soon, he reached the deepest part of the ancient cave.

This was a massive hollow in the earth's core, surrounded by flowing lava waterfalls.

In the center of the hollow, a fist-sized, eerie flame in the shape of a green lotus floated.

It burned quietly, the surrounding space warping from the heat, emitting a terrifying aura capable of destroying heaven and earth.

A Heavenly Flame—the Earth Core Lotus Fire!

At this moment, next to this Heavenly Flame stood an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a crimson Daoist robe.

A top-grade Fire-Avoidance Bead floated above his head, and his hands were forming complex mudras as he cautiously attempted to subdue the Heavenly Flame.

This was a Golden Core Stage Old Ancestor!

Although he was only at the Early Stage of the Golden Core Stage, he was already a top-tier powerhouse on the edge of the Chaotic Star Sea.

"Damn it! Why is this Heavenly Flame so violent!"

Ancestor Blazing Fire was drenched in sweat. His magic power was nearly exhausted, but the Earth Core Lotus Fire remained defiant, its several counterattacks nearly destroying his Magic Treasure.

"Just a little longer! Once I subdue it, my 'Blazing Fire Divine Art' will reach Major Achievement..."

"Hey, old man."

Just then, an out-of-place voice sounded behind him.

Ancestor Blazing Fire was startled and whipped his head around.

He saw a burly man glowing with golden light, dragging a large iron ball, standing behind him and looking at him with a face full of disdain.

"Your technique isn't up to snuff; you're being far too slow."

"Move aside, I'm in a hurry."

"You... who are you?!"

Ancestor Blazing Fire was shocked.

As a dignified Golden Core Old Ancestor, he hadn't even noticed someone approaching?

And this person wasn't using a Magic Treasure, standing directly next to the Heavenly Flame with his Physical Body?

Gu Yang ignored him and walked straight past him toward the Earth Core Lotus Fire.

"Ignorant junior! That is a Heavenly Flame! To touch it is to die! Even I wouldn't dare..."

Ancestor Blazing Fire was about to mock this suicidal Body Cultivator.

In the next second, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

He saw Gu Yang reach out with his massive, golden-glowing hand and actually grab the Earth Core Lotus Fire that was capable of incinerating all things!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The terrifyingly high temperature erupted instantly.

Gu Yang's palm turned charred black in an instant, even emitting the scent of roasted meat.

But he didn't even flinch.

Rebirth from a Drop of Blood!

His blood surged, the charred skin fell away instantly, and new flesh grew back at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Destruction and Rebirth alternated frantically on his palm.

"A bit hot on the hands."

Gu Yang shook his hand and then performed an action that Ancestor Blazing Fire would never forget for the rest of his life.

He opened his large mouth and, like eating a bun, took that Earth Core Lotus Fire and... swallowed it in one gulp!

"Gulp."

He swallowed it.

???

Ancestor Blazing Fire was petrified.

He... he swallowed it?

That was a Heavenly Flame!

A top-tier treasure for Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and killing people!

You fucking ate it?!

BOOM————!!!

The moment he swallowed the Heavenly Flame, Gu Yang's body instantly turned into a human torch.

Green flames erupted from his seven orifices and pores.

[Warning! Swallowing high-energy Heavenly Flame! Internal temperature out of control!]

[Primordial Indestructible Golden Body operating at full power! Forcibly suppressing! Fusion!]

Gu Yang sat cross-legged, his muscles constantly being destroyed and recast within the flames.

His skin began to shift from dark gold toward a crystal-clear glazed gold.

The Impurities in his body were completely incinerated, and every bone seemed to have been tempered by the Heavenly Flame, becoming indestructible.

Fifteen minutes later.

The flames gradually died out.

Gu Yang opened his eyes.

Deep within his pupils, an extra swaying green lotus appeared.

Hu—

He exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, which actually transformed into a line of fire, burning a hole straight through the rock in front of him.

[Congratulations to the Host! Swallowed the Earth Core Lotus Fire!]

[The 'Primordial Indestructible Golden Body' has undergone a beneficial mutation! Obtained Trait: Blazing Fire Golden Body (Fire attribute resistance increased by 500%, attacks now carry a Heavenly Flame burning effect)!]

[Current Realm: Foundation Establishment Stage Great Perfection (Can Breakthrough to Golden Core Body Cultivator at any time)!]

Gu Yang stood up and clenched his fists, feeling as if he were currently an active volcano that could erupt at any moment.

He turned to look at the still-dazed Ancestor Blazing Fire, grinned, and revealed a set of white teeth (with sparks still flickering in the gaps):

"Taste isn't bad, a bit spicy."

"Old man, what were you trying to say just now?"