was not suitable for using them.
The Dou Qi of Heavenly Grade cultivation techniques was indeed powerful and mighty, but with his current physical condition, he couldn't withstand it. To practice Heavenly Grade cultivation techniques, one needed at least the cultivation level of a High-Rank Dou Zong.
As for Heavenly Grade combat skills, they were even more terrifying. Even a newly minted Dou Zun wouldn't dare to casually use them. The Dou Qi consumed by one complete Heavenly Grade combat skill was enough to drain a Three-Star Dou Zun dry.
"Hmm?"Xiao Yan carefully took a closer look and discovered that this level contained not only cultivation techniques, combat skills, and pills but also some interesting items.
"Dragon-Phoenix Love and Hatred Chronicles"
"Secrets That the Stone Clan Chief Had to Tell"
Looking at these things, Xiao Yan's mind was filled with a black line.
All of these were gossip secrets of top-tier experts, and the lowest cultivation among them was at least the rank of Seven-Star Dou Sheng.
"Is this something a mere little Dou Huang should be reading?"Xiao Yan muttered bitterly and picked up a book titled "The Romantic Chronicles of the Pure Lotus Demon Saint" to ponder over it carefully.
"Hmm?" The writing was quite interesting.
However, the pressure here was too great. Just reading the beginning while bearing the pressure caused sweat beads to drip down Xiao Yan's forehead.
"Forget it, forget it. When I return from my travels, I'll come back to pick out some combat skills and study carefully."
After putting down the books, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and looked toward the stairs leading to the eighth level.
If the seventh level already had the romantic secrets of a character like the Pure Lotus Demon Saint, then the eighth level should surely have some secrets of Dou Di-level experts.
Xiao Yan felt it was necessary to visit the eighth level and check out the clan's outstanding Heavenly Grade combat skills.
But to his disappointment, he hadn't even reached the end of the stairs when the terrifying pressure forced his face to turn pale and sweat to pour like a stream.
"Forget it, forget it. Secrets of a little Dou Di—no need to look." In the end, Xiao Yan left the Scripture Treasury in a sorry state, carrying about ten Earth Grade cultivation techniques and combat skills.
"Old Wen, Old Wu, where shall we go next?"
"Young Master, next we can go take a look at Strange Fire Valley,"Xiao Wen said with a smile.
"Strange Fire Valley!" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up.
Since he had decided to follow the path of devouring Strange Fires in the future, the more Strange Fires the better.
He hadn't expected that the Xiao Clan even had a place specially for collecting Strange Fires.
Crossing endless, continuous mountain ranges, Xiao Yan, under the guidance of the two Saints, finally arrived at a mysterious valley.
As soon as he approached, Xiao Yan felt the temperature rise significantly, and the air was filled with violent and overwhelmingly abundant fire elemental energy.
Here was a massive valley tens of thousands of feet long, where deep inside, molten lava flowed wildly, emitting thick red smoke.
"There are many strong experts training here,"Xiao Yan looked around. On the cliffs on both sides of the valley, dozens of figures sat cross-legged, absorbing the abundant energy of the surroundings.
Those daring to train here had at least the rank of Dou Zun, because even Xiao Yan didn't dare to absorb the violent fire elemental energy lightly.
Absorbing too much could cause fire poisoning, damaging the meridians, or worse, leading to going mad from fire and self-immolation.
The arrival of Xiao Yan and the others didn't disturb these cultivators. The three entered the high-temperature valley and flew above the lava.
"This Strange Fire Valley is said to have been formed by the clan ancestor using the power of Dou Di to connect the earth's fire veins. The abundant fire elemental energy here is suitable for fire-attribute cultivators to train and also benefits the growth and nurturing of Strange Fires."
As Xiao Wen spoke, the three saw beneath them, in the scorching lava, a jade-green lotus flower growing. The lotus was as large as a millstone, with a deep blue flame burning on it.
"Young Master, please look. This is the Qing Lian Di Xin Huo, ranked nineteenth on the Strange Fire List,"Xiao Wu pointed towards the lotus.
"Of course, I know this is the Qing Lian Di Xin Huo. According to the story, this should be my first Strange Fire,"Xiao Yan internally commented but showed admiration on his face.
"Not bad, it's truly a rare treasure forged by heaven and earth."
"Hehe, the formation conditions for this Qing Lian Di Xin Huo are relatively simple. The Dou Qi continent is vast, so lower-ranked Strange Fires won't appear singly.
In our clan alone, we nurture three Qing Lian Di Xin Huo. According to clan rules, after becoming an eighth-rank High-Level Alchemist, one qualifies to enter Strange Fire Valley and refine a Strange Fire ranked after fifteenth."
Xiao Wen said with a smile.
"Damn rich,"Xiao Yan muttered in his mind about his ancestors, then followed along flying forward.
"This is Xuan Huang Yan! Its formation conditions are similar to Qing Lian Di Xin Huo but even easier. It's the most common Strange Fire among our clan's alchemists. Besides, the Medicine Clan and Flame Clan also have special collections of Xuan Huang Yan."
Xiao Wen pointed at a small flickering yellow flame. Having worked as a librarian, his knowledge was quite extensive as he kept introducing things to Xiao Yan.
"This is Wan Shou Ling Huo, formed by the fusion of the flames of one ninth-rank magical beast, eight eighth-rank magical beasts, and countless mid-level magical beasts. It's known as the King of Beast Flames, deserving the title of Strange Fire."
"This is Huo Shan Shi Yan, born deep in volcanic magma, even more powerful and rarer."
"This is Huo Yun Shui Yan, a unique variety nurtured by the Flame Clan. This one was a gift sent when the current clan leader took office."
"This is Yun Luo Xin Yan, which can ignite a person's heart flame, causing silent self-immolation, but it also has the effect of refining Dou Qi cultivation."
"This is Gui Ling Di Huo,"Xiao Wen pointed at a large brown turtle swimming in the magma, "Starting from the fifteenth-ranked Hai Xin Yan, these Strange Fires have increasingly strong intelligence and even spiritual awareness.
From Yun Luo Xin Yan onwards, Strange Fires gain the ability to move on their own.
Therefore, the higher-ranked Strange Fires are rarer. We only keep two of this Gui Ling Di Huo."
"Two is already quite a lot,"Xiao Yan twitched at the corner of his mouth.
After flying a few hundred feet forward, Xiao Yan suddenly saw a basketball-sized human skull running around wildly.
Strangely, wherever it passed, the temperature dropped significantly.
"This is Gu Ling Leng Huo, ranked eleventh on the Strange Fire List, born in extremely cold regions. Perhaps only two or three such fires are born on the Dou Qi continent every hundred years. Even with our clan's power, we only collected one."
Xiao Wen introduced with a smile, "It is said that recently in Zhongzhou, there was an alchemist who obtained Gu Ling Leng Huo and is quite extraordinary, with a faint possibility of breaking into the ninth rank. It's also said he is a discarded member of the Medicine Clan."
"Is that so? Tsk tsk, the Medicine Clan must regret it now. There are only two or three ninth-rank alchemists even in the Medicine Clan,"Xiao Yan smiled thoughtfully.
"Yes, ninth-rank alchemists are the top alchemists in this world, their status not lower than our clan's Grand Elders."Xiao Wen shook his head laughingly.
"Aba aba!" As the two chatted, the human skull-shaped Gu Ling Leng Huo suddenly emitted a faint strange cry.
"Hehe, Young Master, this Gu Ling Leng Huo has been in Strange Fire Valley for a thousand years and has developed some humanity,"Xiao Wen laughed.
"So it's like a college student in the Strange Fire world,"Xiao Yan thought to himself.
"This is Jiu You Feng Yan, this is Ba Huang Po Mie Yan, and this is Jin Di Fen Tian Yan,"Xiao Wen pointed at the flames on the wall, introducing one by one.
"Unfortunately, even if these Strange Fires aren't unique in the world, they are extremely rare. Our clan doesn't have the ability to collect them all, but fortunately, the owners of these Strange Fires respect the clan ancestor's reputation and sent a piece of their fire as exhibits when the ancestor opened Strange Fire Valley."
After viewing these Strange Fires one by one, Xiao Yan and the others finally reached the center of Strange Fire Valley.
Here was a palace formed by flames, looking quite peculiar. What attracted attention most was a man in black sitting cross-legged inside the palace.
(End of chapter)