While the player is in Battle Through the Heavens, the system is in The Great Ruler.

Chapter 104 The Evolution of Earth Core Flame, Peak of the Battle King!

With a flick of his sleeve, Lu Yu sent the snake-patterned storage ring into his sleeve as a streak of light. With a wave of his right hand, the ice crystal shield landed steadily in his palm, and the azure fire lotus swayed gracefully within it, casting a faint azure light on his brows.

Jia Xingtian stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes full of satisfaction, and said, "Congratulations, young friend, on achieving your wish. Now that everything is settled, this old man should return..."

"Wait a minute."

Lu Yu suddenly spoke, his gaze fixed intently on the strange fire in his palm, and said, "I wish to refine the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame here, and I will need the assistance of a few protectors."

Upon hearing this, Medusa said sincerely, "In that case, why not move to the Holy City? Although the Serpent People are simple, it is still better than suffering from the wind and sand in this desert."

Hai Bodong and Jia Xingtian exchanged a glance, and the former lowered his voice and said, "Refining with strange fire is extremely dangerous. We should indeed stay behind to take care of them."

"Then I'll have to trouble Your Majesty."

Jia Xingtian nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the seven tribal leaders beside Medusa, and said meaningfully, "It's good to also keep an eye on... petty villains."

"Humph!"

Among the leaders of the snake-people, a tall man covered in scales sneered: "Old man, stop judging others with your petty mind. Since Her Majesty the Queen has agreed, we should obey."

"We snake people act with integrity and honesty, unlike you humans who are so treacherous and faithless..."

Medusa's purple eyes flickered slightly, giving the leader a cold glance. The latter immediately fell silent, bowing and retreating into the ranks.

"Gentlemen, please follow me."

Medusa's voice was soft, but carried an undeniable authority as she instructed, "Flower Snake, arrange accommodations for our distinguished guests."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Flower Snake bowed and replied.

Subsequently, led by Hua She'er, Lu Yu and his companions stepped into the Holy City.

……

Soon after,

Inside the holy city of the Serpent People, in a magnificent palace constructed entirely of obsidian.

Inside a quiet room within the main hall.

Lu Yu sat cross-legged, and in front of him was a crystal lotus platform.

On the lotus platform, a ball of azure flame danced with great spirituality, sometimes condensing into the shape of a lotus flower, and sometimes transforming into a thin azure fire snake, swirling and moving on the lotus platform, appearing gentle and agile.

As Lu Yu examined the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame before him, a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes. He silently thought to himself, "This flame has already been used by Medusa once, and its energy is not much left. If I absorb it directly, the improvement to my cultivation will be limited..."

"It would be better to let the Earth Core Flame devour it. Both are fires of the earth, and their origins are extremely compatible. If successful, it will not only enhance the power of the Earth Core Flame, but the energy it provides might also be enough for me to break through again..."

"After all, each evolution of the Earth Core Flame has replenished some of my energy..."

"This is much better than simply refining the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. Moreover, although the Floating Pagoda cultivated by the Great Floating Pagoda Technique can contain strange flames, it does not have the function of fusing strange flames..."

"I won't cultivate the Burning Technique. Rather than trying to have everything, I'd rather focus on cultivating a few powerful and unique flames..."

With this thought in mind, a glint flashed in Lu Yu's eyes, and he lightly raised his right hand.

In an instant, a pitch-black pagoda appeared in his palm, with a fiery dragon of blue and red stripes coiling around its body, its scales shimmering with intense flames.

As soon as the dragon appeared, its crimson vertical pupils fixed intently on the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, a greedy look in its eyes. It turned to look at Lu Yu, as if seeking instructions.

"Go."

Lu Yu flicked his finger, and the crystal lotus platform opened, revealing the leaping blue flames within.

"Roar!"

The dragon formed from the Earth Core Flame let out a deafening roar, its body suddenly swelled, and it pounced fiercely towards the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame!

The azure fire serpent on the lotus platform seemed to sense something, instantly straightening its body. The next moment, it suddenly sprang up, its size increasing several times over, transforming into a giant python covered in azure flames, fiercely tearing at the attacking azure-red dragon.

The two different flames clashed, and the temperature in the entire quiet room suddenly soared, even the obsidian walls were scorched and turned faintly red.

"A last-ditch resistance." Lu Yu snorted coldly, his hands swiftly forming hand seals. The Floating Pagoda in his palm swelled in the wind, its base spewing forth a thick, inky black light that suppressed the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame!
"Boom!"

The pagoda crashed down with tremendous force, and a dark curtain of light enveloped the surrounding area like a net from the heavens. The giant blue python was immediately trapped as if in quagmire, its movements becoming sluggish and slow.

Seizing the opportunity, the Azure-Crimson Flood Dragon suddenly thrust its head out and bit the giant python's vital spot, spewing out scorching dragon breath.

"hiss……"

The giant azure python let out a mournful hiss, its body gradually disintegrating. The azure-red dragon greedily devoured the dissipating azure flames; with each bite, its scales became more crystalline, the red parts gradually fading, and its entire body transformed into a deep azure jade color.

Under the continuous suppression of the Floating Pagoda, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame's resistance grew weaker and weaker. In the end, the dragon formed from the Earth Core Flame completely devoured the last wisp of azure flame.

"Roar!"

The dragon raised its head and let out a deafening roar. Suddenly, its body burst forth with dazzling blue light. Its originally blue and red scales all turned into crystal clear blue glass. Two majestic dragon horns grew from its head, and sharp five claws extended from its belly, with blue-jade flames dancing at the tips of the claws.

Unlike the pale blue of the previous Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, the Earth Core Flame now presents a clear and transparent azure jade color, as if it were carved from the most perfect jade in the world.

Earth Core Flame, evolving once again!

"receive!"

Lu Yu changed his hand seals, and the azure glazed fire dragon roared before transforming into a stream of light and disappearing into the pagoda. In that instant, an extremely pure fire attribute energy surged back like a flood bursting its banks, rushing wildly into Lu Yu's limbs and bones.

"boom!"

Lu Yu's aura rose steadily, and the sound of rushing rivers came from his body. It was the sound of battle qi flowing rapidly through his meridians.

Finally, with a clear and melodious hum, his aura stabilized at the eight-star Dou Wang realm!
"not enough……"

Lu Yu's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he flipped his hand and took out a white jade pill bottle, which was the Battle Spirit Pill he had obtained from Gu He.

Without hesitation, he swallowed it, and in an instant, a violent medicinal power swept through his body like a flood.

"Crack!"

The bottleneck of the Nine-Star Dou King was broken in an instant!

But this is not the end...

Feeling the turbulent battle qi within his body, a resolute glint flashed in Lu Yu's eyes. The Floating Pagoda entered his body, forcefully suppressing the boiling battle qi. Surprisingly, under his deliberate suppression, his cultivation level actually began to decline instead of rise!
Nine-Star Dou King...

Eight-star Dou Wang peak...

Late stage of Eight-Star Dou Wang...

……

Ultimately, he regressed to the early stage of an eight-star Dou Wang!

Immediately afterwards, two fiery red lotus seeds appeared in his palm, which were the remaining Earth Fire Lotus Seeds!
Lu Yu swallowed it in one gulp, and the scorching energy instantly swept over his entire body, causing him to frantically refine every strand of his battle qi.

……

Half a month later.

In the quiet room, a tall and slender figure sat still like a bell, with a faint golden light flowing around his body. Upon internal observation, one could vaguely see that the fighting spirit within his body was like a raging sea, having already reached a certain critical point.

"It's now!"

Lu Yu suddenly opened his eyes, completely releasing his suppression. In an instant, an astonishing surge of battle aura erupted from his body, and his cultivation began to rise at a terrifying speed!
Eight-Star Battle King!

Nine-Star Battle King!

In just a few breaths, his aura had accumulated to the level of a nine-star Dou Wang, and then he surged towards a higher realm with unstoppable momentum!

Finally, when everything returned to calm, Lu Yu's cultivation level steadily stopped at—

Peak of the Fighting King!

(End of this chapter)