Chapter 140: Standing Shoulder to Shoulder with an Ancient God for the First Time

"Is that strange?" Bai Mu tilted his head and asked with curiosity.

"Of course it's strange."

The flamingo explained with a hint of pride, "The Karmic Fire Red Lotus within our Ancient Blazing Flame Cave is an innate sacred artifact. Not just anyone's heart's blood can nourish it."

"Since your heart's blood was absorbed by it right away, it simply means it doesn't repel you!"

"Oh..."

Bai Mu straightened his expression, pondering thoughtfully, "Does that mean my blood can cause the fire lotus to bloom in full splendor?"

"Not necessarily."

The flamingo replied without a trace of tact, "Your blood has indeed merged into the fire lotus, but this only proves it doesn't reject you. As for wanting the fire lotus to bloom, we will have to wait a few days to find out!"

"How many days?" Bai Mu asked urgently, a pale face flashing through his mind—Ling Yan's pale face—making him feel instantly burning with anxiety.

Counting from the day he left the Cold Abyss Valley, four full days had already passed. If he couldn't retrieve the fire lotus as soon as possible, the karmic fire within Fan Sheng's body might no longer be able to suppress the nether evil aura.

Hearing that it would take a few more days for the fire lotus to bloom, Bai Mu could no longer remain calm.

As a divine bird that had lived for nearly ten thousand years, how could the flamingo miss the change in Bai Mu's expression? It immediately comforted him, "You needn't worry too much. If your celestial affinity is right, you may witness the blossoming of the fire lotus as early as tomorrow."

"Besides, your heart's blood has already seeped into the fire lotus, and there hasn't been any abnormal reaction from it. Therefore, the chance of success is quite high!"

Hearing this reassurance, Bai Mu instantly felt much more at ease, though he still felt a lingering trace of worry. He asked once again, "Senior, does that mean when the sun rises tomorrow morning, we will have our answer?"

"Indeed."

The flamingo replied calmly, its two glowing wings fluttering slightly. Its massive body darted swiftly toward the stone wall behind it, and astonishingly, the huge bird effortlessly passed right through the solid rock and vanished from sight.

"Whoosh..."

Witnessing this, a wave of profound astonishment washed over Bai Mu, feeling it utterly incredible.

He never imagined that an obscure flamingo would possess the ability to walk through solid walls, surpassing even his old friend Bi Fang.

***

However, matters had finally come to a temporary close. Everything that could be done had been done, and now he could only do his utmost and leave the rest to fate.

After the flamingo disappeared, guided by the little fire-colored spirit beast, Bai Mu returned to the stone chamber where he had rested earlier, sitting cross-legged on the stone platform to meditate.

Before entering the cave, his breastbone had been shattered by Chiyan's vicious palm strike. Although he did not know what method the flamingo had used to heal his bones in such a short time, there was still some turbulent energy within his body, and his entire frame ached as if it were being torn apart.

Therefore, taking advantage of the time before the fire lotus bloomed, he sat quietly on the stone platform, circulating the *Supreme Purity Art* taught to him by Fan Sheng. He attempted to repair his damaged body and meridians, hoping to have the strength to escape once he left the cave.

The next morning, Bai Mu slowly awoke from his meditation. After circulating the energy of the *Supreme Purity Art* through several major and minor heavenly cycles within his body, nearly all his injuries and pains had vanished, and the previously blocked vital energy flowed completely unobstructed.

Following yesterday's intense battle, the Azure Dragon sword qi within his spiritual Dantian had integrated even further. Consequently, far from diminishing due to his injuries, his overall cultivation realm had advanced a step higher than it was before entering the cave.

If he were to encounter Chiyan again upon leaving seclusion now, while he still might not be a match for him, he would certainly not suffer such a disastrous defeat as he did yesterday.

Pulling his complex emotions together, Bai Mu sprang up from the stone platform and strolled toward the central stone chamber of the Ancient Blazing Flame Cave.

Before he even stepped fully into the central chamber, the sound of churning magma and the chirping of birds could already be faintly heard at his ears.

Clearly, that adorable fire spirit had entered the cave ahead of him, and judging from its vocalizations, it seemed tinged with a hint of joy.

Could it be that the fire lotus had already blossomed?

Overjoyed at the thought, he poured his full cultivation into his steps, darting into the cave like a falling leaf. Before he had even fully entered the chamber, he shouted loudly, "Senior, has the fire lotus bloomed?"

"See for yourself." The flamingo's calm, unruffled voice echoed from within the chamber.

By this time, Bai Mu had already glided in like a streak of lightning. When his gaze locked onto the fire lotus—the very one upon which he had dripped his blood yesterday—his breath nearly stopped altogether.

The fire lotus, which had been merely a tight bud yesterday, had now unfurled every single petal to the fullest. Those glowing, radiant petals were breathtakingly, suffocatingly beautiful.

At the same time, the noble and elegant aura emanating from the lotus made Bai Mu scarcely dare to meet its gaze directly.

What brought the greatest joy was that although Bai Mu's heart's blood had only nurtured a single lotus into bloom, its robust petals and thick stamen surpassed even those nurtured by the Ancestral Gods and the Heavenly Emperors of old.

Good heavens!

Bai Mu stood frozen in place, gasping in astonishment, "Is all of this real?"

***

"I actually used my own heart's blood to nourish a ten-thousand-year-old Karmic Fire Red Lotus into bloom!"

"That's right, it is real!"

The flamingo opened and closed its large beak in response, glancing over at the fire lotus in the magma pool with admiration. "In nearly ten thousand years, you are the second person after the Ancestral Gods and the Heavenly Emperors to make the fire lotus bloom. This indirectly proves that your future achievements will be no less than those of the Heavenly Emperor!"

"Hehe."

Bai Mu offered the flamingo an awkward smile, then scratched his head in a modest manner and replied, "This junior wouldn't dare compare himself to the Heavenly Emperor and the Ancestral Gods. I only hope to secure a safe and stable existence amidst the countless powerful figures of the primeval realms, and that will be enough!"

"Is that all your ambition amounts to?"

The flamingo shot Bai Mu a look of disappointment, its sharp voice urging, "Bai Mu, now that the fire lotus has bloomed, it proves you are indeed a person of celestial affinity. According to our prior agreement, present a petal of the fire lotus to the little spirit beast to consume, so as to help it shed its demonic form sooner!"

"Of course, of course!"

Bai Mu rushed eagerly to the edge of the magma pool, extending his hand with the intention of plucking the fire lotus. But just as his fingers were about to touch the flower, memories of yesterday's harrowing brush with being scorched by karmic fire flashed through his mind. His hand instantly froze mid-air, dare not proceed further, and his face filled with hesitation.

"Do not fear; go ahead and pluck it. Now that this fire lotus has been nourished and brought to bloom by your heart's blood, it is yours to command. It will not harm you!"

The flamingo kindly reminded him from the side, while the little spirit beast flew excitedly in circles above Bai Mu's head, looking as bright and joyful as could be.

If you do not enter the tiger's den, how can you catch its cubs?

Since the flamingo said there was no danger, then surely there was no danger.

With that thought, Bai Mu hardened his heart and thrust his palm directly onto the petals of the fire lotus.

The instant his fingers touched the petals, a trace of warmth flowed from the lotus body directly into Bai Mu's skin.