In a place that Nie Tian couldn’t see, the Flame Dragon Armor flew out of the depths of the earth’s core and soared into the night sky.

At that moment, it floated in the air, emanating fierce, fiery light like a wildly burning sun.

WHOOSH!

All of a sudden, the Flame Dragon Armor whistled across the sky and arrived above a lake of boiling lava.

There were hundreds of stones of various sizes within it, with the smaller ones being the size of millstones and the bigger ones being as huge as tall buildings.

BOOM! BOOM!

As soon as the Flame Dragon Armor shifted there and stopped in the air over the lava pool, those stones of various sizes all exploded into pieces.

After two of the enormous rocks shattered, dazzling Earthflame Crystal Strings appeared from within the rubble like slender, flaming ribbons.

In the next moment, those Earthflame Crystal Strings, filled with profound essence of fire, were manipulated by the Flame Dragon Armor and turned into beams of fiery light that suddenly shot towards the armor itself.

The light beams were like water drops that had merged into the sea. Once they touched the Flame Dragon Armor, they instantly vanished into it, not even leaving a trace.

On the other hand, fragmented ancient magical symbols appeared on the surface of the Flame Dragon Armor, along with delicate flame patterns.

After it absorbed all the Earthflame Crystal Strings within the lava lake, the Flame Dragon Armor flew away and proceeded towards its next target.

The Flame Dragon Armor, which had left Nie Tian and spent some time in the magma of the earth’s core, seemed to have developed a fully independent consciousness. It unceasingly sought out Earthflame Crystal Strings within the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range and absorbed them one after another.

Meanwhile, Gan Kang and Lai Yi were standing inside of a vast cave that was close to the peak of a certain cave-filled mountain

Even Gan Kang had not foreseen the heaven-shaking changes that had occurred in the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range. He had originally planned to leave with Lai Yi and go to the Realm of Dark Underworld, but was now trapped by the lava that had filled every corner of the mountain range.

Lai Yi, who came from the Realm of Dark Underworld, was both excited and worried. “Earth Flame Beast! There was actually an Earth Flame Beast deep within the earth’s core under the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range!”

He shouted at Gan Kang, “Why didn’t you tell me about this? Aren’t you the fifth highest ranked equipment forging expert of the Treasure school? Don’t tell me that...even you didn’t know that it was hiding under there!”

Gan Kang shook his head. With an complicated expression, he said, “I really didn’t know.”

“What should we do?” Lai Yi’s eyebrows knitted together. “My two friends have already been killed by experts from the Blood sect. With the Earth Flame Beast having broken free, the Scarlet Flame Mountain Range is in a state of total chaos. We need to leave this place as soon as possible. If we stay here for too long, it will be very dangerous for us both.”

“I don’t know how we can get out of here,” Gan Kang said helplessly.

While the two of them were speaking, the Flame Dragon Armor, which was burning like a sun, suddenly flew over.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Numerous stones in the river below the Flame Dragon Armor suddenly exploded into fragments.

The sparkling Earthflame Crystal Strings within the shattered stones appeared and released an intoxicating, fiery light.

They could faintly see many snaking, criss-crossed flame channels within them, wherein seemed to lie the secret truth of flame power.

Knowing about how precious the Earthflame Crystal Strings were, Lai Yi suddenly let out a screech of excitement, “Earthflame Crystal Strings! There are Earthflame Crystal Strings over there!”

However, only seconds later, he found that the Earthflame Crystal Strings that flew out of the shattered stones had all been absorbed by the Flame Dragon Armor, and after taking in the Earthflame Crystal Strings, the fiery light that it emanated became even more bright and dazzling.

“The Flame Dragon Armor…” Lai Yi gnashed his teeth.

“A Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool!” Gan Kang’s expression suddenly flickered.

He stared fixedly at the Flame Dragon Armor and shouted, “Lai Yi, that armor that you put up for sale in the Treasure Pavilion is a Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool! Why did it not show any signs of its uniqueness previously, and why didn’t you tell me that it was such a rare spiritual tool?!”

Gan Kang’s biggest dream was to craft a Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool and therefore be promoted to a Spirit Channeling grade equipment forger.

Clearly, the fact that Lai Yi possessed a Spirit Channeling  grade spirit equipment but didn’t let Gan Kang study the mysteries within it had made him extremely angry.

Lai Yi snorted and said, “Do you really think that I would take it out and sell it in the Spiritual Treasure sect if it was truly an intact Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool? The Flame Dragon Armor was incomplete, and greatly damaged. Without the nourishment of those precious Earthflame Crystal Strings, it couldn’t possibly display its true strength, even though it integrated with the Blood Core.

“And the Blood Core was with Nie Tian!

“If I had obtained the Blood Core from him when we were at the cave entrance and sealed the Flame Dragon Armor away, I would have brought it back to my master in the Realm of Dark Underworld. If I succeeded, I would gladly accept any kind of losses within the Realm of Flame Heaven, no matter how great they were.

“Unfortunately...”

With these words, Lai Yi’s expression turned grim and disheartened. “After the Blood Core and the Flame Dragon Armor fused, and the Flame Dragon Armor has slowly healed its damage by absorbing the Earthflame Crystal Strings.

“Every Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool has its own soul, and now the soul of the Flame Dragon Armor is already fully awakened. Even I wouldn’t be able to do anything now.”

Gan Kang was taken aback by his words. He asked, “Who forged the Flame Dragon Armor?”

“I don’t know.” Lai Yi shook his head and said, “I only know that its last owner died somewhere in a wasted realm within the Domain of the Falling Stars. My master participated in that war. Afterwards, he looted the severely damaged Flame Dragon Armor, but couldn’t find the Blood Core.

“We traveled everywhere to ask about the whereabouts of the Blood Core, and went to farthest corners of the domain to search for it. Only recently did we learn that after changing hands many times, it finally drifted to the Realm of Flame Heaven.

“Actually, by coming to the Realm of Flame Heaven, we had hoped find the Blood Core, merge it with the Flame Dragon Armor, and bring the completed Flame Dragon Armor back to our master.

“Who could have thought not only did we failed to obtain the Blood Core, but we even lost the Flame Dragon Armor. The only thing that I can do now is to return to the Realm of Dark Underworld as soon as possible, inform my master of the strange things that are happening here, and see how he wants to take care of it.”

Gan Kang’s expression flickered. “Don’t tell me that he’ll personally come to the Realm of Flame Heaven for the Flame Dragon Armor?!”

With a vigorous nod, Lai Yi said, “Yes, he will! In order to get the Flame Dragon Armor, he will spare no cost!”

...

Meanwhile, back near Nie Tian and his group...

Via the line of stepping stones that An Shiyi and the others had made, Nie Tian arrived in front of the creek that had Flame Crystals in them, and started collecting Flame Crystals with the others.

He took out the crescent blade that he had obtained during his fight with Yu Tong, and used it to fish up a Flame Crystal that was as red as heated iron. As soon as he pulled it out of the river of lava, he quickly stored it in his bracelet of holding.

Using this method, he managed to pick up a total of eight Flame Crystals from the boiling river. His heart was filled with joy.

Jiang Lingzhu, An Ying, and the others shouted and wrangled.

“Here’s another one!”

“Hahaha! So many high-ranked Flame Crystals! As long as we can get out of here alive, then we will all make a good fortune out of them!”

"Hurry! Get more of them!”

With elated expressions on their face, they concentrated all their energy on gathering Flame Crystals.

At that moment, Nie Tian’s eyebrows raised as he suddenly sensed the aura of the Flame Dragon Armor.

He stopped with his hands, and carefully scanned the area with his psychic power. He discovered that the Flame Dragon Armor was rapidly closing in on him, and its speed was getting quicker and quicker.

He immediately looked into the direction that he had detected the aura of the Flame Dragon Armor!

In the next moment, the violently burning Flame Dragon Armor showed up in his vision, charging over towards them from the distant night sky like a flaming meteor.

“What’s that?” An Ying stood aghast.

One after another, everyone who had been collecting Flame Crystals sensed the anomaly. They all stood up straight and looked towards the source of the approaching ball of flame.

After awhile, the meteor-like Flame Dragon Armor came closer and stopped over an area that was rich in Earthflame Crystal Strings.

“The F-Flame Dragon Armor!” Eyes wide, Jiang Lingzhu stammered, “Uh... isn’t that the armor that you bought in the Treasure Convention?” She looked towards Nie Tian, flabbergasted.

Because the Flame Dragon Armor had been too heavy for Nie Tian, he had once asked her to store it. She recognized it at first glance.

“It really is that armor!” Ye Gumo was also stunned.

BAM! BAM!

In the next moment, the enormous stones that had Earthflame Crystal Strings inside them, suddenly exploded into pieces, and numerous strings seemed to be drawn toward the Flame Dragon Armor, rapidly merging into it.

“It’s floating in the air and moving on its own account! This…” Pan Tao was at a momentary loss of words before he suddenly exclaimed, “It can’t be a Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool, can it?”

At that moment, everyone forgot about the Flame Crystals, and stared blankly at the Flame Dragon Armor that was collecting the Earthflame Crystal Strings, their minds in total chaos.

“A Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tool!?”

Throughout the entire Realm of Flame Heaven, the number of the spiritual tools that had reached the Spirit Channeling grade could be counted with one hand.

At present, no one in the Realm of Flame Heaven was skilled enough to forge a tool of that level, not even the most powerful equipment forger of the Treasure school, Fang Hui.

All the Spirit Channeling grade spiritual tools that currently existed within the Realm of Flame Heaven had been in their respective sects for many years, and were considered as mystical treasures that symbolized their sects.

The Flame Dragon Armor that Nie Tian had bought in the Treasure Convention for nine thousand spirit stones was actually a spiritual tool of that level!?

They simply couldn’t believe it.

**

Feng Luo and Yu Tong, who were on the bank of another lava creek not far away, also stared at the Flame Dragon Armor that was emanating violent flames with shock written all over their faces. “That’s a precious treasure of the Spirit Channeling grade!”

They even forgot to put the Flame Crystals that were in their hands into their bracelets of holding.

“Wu Ji treats this disciple of his a bit too good, doesn’t he?” Feng Luo muttered. “He actually gave such a precious treasure to the Lesser Heaven stage Nie Tian? What the hell was he thinking?

“Little Tong, it wasn’t your fault that you lost. There’s absolutely no need for you to dwell on it.”

What he didn’t know was that the Flame Dragon Armor was actually purchased by Nie Tian at the Treasure Convention, and not bestowed by Wu Ji.

...

WHOOSH!

Having finished absorbing all the Earthflame Crystal Strings in that area, the Flame Dragon Armor once again whistled away and disappeared into the distance.

However, when it flew further and further away, a wisp of a vague soul will came from the Flame Dragon Armor and directly reached Nie Tian’s mind.

“So you need the Earthflame Crystal Strings.” Nie Tian instantly understood its intentions.