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

Chapter 40 The Shock of the Medicine Master: The Natural Harmony Between the Burning Technique and the Strange Fire Spirit Vein Method!

After exchanging pleasantries with the Xiao family, Lu Yu settled Hai Bodong and Qing Lin in, then went to the back mountain alone.

As the sun set, the sound of whistling fists echoed through the mountains and forests. In the distance, a young man, shirtless and drenched in sweat, could be seen slamming his fist, which was imbued with pale yellow fighting spirit, against a thick tree trunk.

"Baji collapse!"

"boom!"

The tree trunk cracked, splinters flew everywhere, and spiderweb-like cracks spread out.

Lu Yu smiled slightly, walked slowly closer, and clapped his hands lightly: "Not bad. In just a few months, Brother Yan has actually broken through to the Dou Zhe level. It seems that Senior Yao has taught him very well."

Xiao Yan turned around upon hearing the voice, first startled, then exclaimed with delight, "Brother Lu? You're back from your training?"

He strode forward, his eyes filled with excitement. When they last parted, he was only at the eighth level of Dou Qi, but now, under the guidance of Elder Yao, he had returned to the Dou Zhe realm.

"It seems you've made quite a bit of progress lately," Lu Yu said with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yan's muscular physique.

"Hehe, thanks to the teacher."

Xiao Yan scratched his head and chuckled.

At this moment, a ripple appeared in the air, and the phantom of the old alchemist slowly emerged. He stood with his hands behind his back, looked Lu Yu over for a moment, and then suddenly exclaimed softly, "A third-grade alchemist? Young Lu, you've made quite a bit of progress."

Lu Yu respectfully clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Thanks to your guidance, senior, I have achieved what I have today."

The old apothecary stroked his beard and smiled, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes: "You're truly a gifted child. Did you find any trace of the strange fire on your trip to the Tagor Desert?"

Lu Yu sighed softly and recounted his experience: "I did indeed discover the lotus platform of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame in some underground magma, but unfortunately, someone else had already obtained the flame."

He paused, then took out a scale that shimmered with seven colors from his storage ring and said, "This is all I found."

"These are... Queen Medusa's scales?!"

The old doctor's expression hardened.

"On the way back, I heard that Dan Wang Guhe led his people to the Snake People to seize the Strange Fire."

Lu Yu said with a solemn expression, "As a result, the Yunlan Sect Master who was traveling with us was poisoned by the Five Serpents Poison Seal and almost lost his life..."

"Later, he was rescued by an unknown alchemist..."

"If I'm not mistaken, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame should still be in the Snake-People's Holy City."

Xiao Yan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he clapped his hands excitedly: "Teacher, isn't this perfect..."

The old alchemist shook his head slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He said thoughtfully, "The snake-people have always had a cold constitution, so why would they need a strange fire? If it were for a trade, with Gu He's status as a sixth-grade alchemist, he should have already obtained it..."

Xiao Yan was taken aback upon hearing this, a look of doubt appearing on his face. He asked, "Teacher, are you saying there's something fishy about this?"

The old apothecary nodded, then turned his gaze to Lu Yu and said, "Young Lu, you just mentioned discovering Queen Medusa's scales?"

Lu Yu nodded steadily: "That's right, right where the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame originally was."

A glint flashed in the old apothecary's eyes, then he fell into deep thought: "Could it be..."

He stroked his beard slowly, and said in a solemn tone, "I have heard a rumor that the snake people have a secret ancient method that can use the power of strange fire to temper their bloodline and break through the shackles of their race."

Xiao Yan's expression hardened: "Teacher, are you saying... Queen Medusa is going to use a different kind of fire to evolve?"

The old doctor nodded slightly: "However, this method is extremely dangerous. I have traveled across the continent for hundreds of years and have never personally witnessed anyone succeed in it."

He looked at Xiao Yan and said earnestly, "This matter is of utmost importance. If that is the case, Queen Medusa is probably in even greater danger now."

“If she hadn’t evolved, I might still be able to help you obtain the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame. But if she has already evolved successfully, in my current state, I’m not sure I can snatch this flame from her and the group of snake-people experts.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face immediately turned grim. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning slightly white: "Then wouldn't my cultivation be..."

Seeing this, the old doctor sighed softly: "Foolish child, although strange fire is good, you must act according to your ability."

His illusory hand gently patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, comforting him, "Besides, the continent is vast, and there's more than just this one strange fire."

Lu Yu stood quietly to one side, his mind filled with countless thoughts. In his memories of his past life, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao were supposed to seize the strange fire during the confrontation between Gu He and the Snake-People.

Now, because of his intervention, Gu He acted prematurely, thus ruining Xiao Yan's opportunity. Thinking of this, a thoughtful look flashed in Lu Yu's eyes. He then took out an ancient jade slip from his storage ring and handed it to Xiao Yan, saying, "Brother Yan, this is a secret technique that I obtained by chance during my travels. Since you are also going to follow Senior Yao to learn the art of alchemy, and you will definitely need to subdue the strange fire in the future, this technique may come in handy."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao's eyes fell on the jade slip at the same time.

A hint of curiosity flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes as he reached out and took it.

The old alchemist, however, maintained his composure as a senior, standing with his hands behind his back and a calm expression—as the dignified Medicine Venerable and the number one alchemist in Zhongzhou, what secret techniques hadn't he seen?

When in front of younger generations, one should naturally maintain the demeanor of a senior.

However, when Xiao Yan unfolded the jade slip, Yao Lao's soul power casually swept over it, and the illusory figure suddenly trembled violently. He rushed closer, his aged face filled with disbelief: "This... how is this possible..."

The method for creating a unique fire vein recorded on the jade slip was so ingenious and bold that even he, a man of great knowledge, was moved.

That unique method of shaping spiritual veins can actually forcefully create a peculiar thing called spiritual veins from the human body, thereby accelerating cultivation!
Even more astonishing is that once this spiritual vein is successfully formed, it can not only greatly enhance the absorption speed of the energy of heaven and earth, but also continuously strengthen as the cultivation level increases, eventually even forming a powerful fighting technique called spiritual vein divine power!

After quickly glancing through it, Xiao Yan suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief and said, "Teacher, this secret technique... how come it seems to match the cultivation technique you passed on to me so perfectly?"

He looked at the old doctor suspiciously and asked doubtfully, "When you passed on your skills to me...did you hold back a little something?"

"Rebel!"

The old master was so angry that his illusory figure solidified a bit. He raised his hand and gave Xiao Yan a sharp rap on the head. "How dare you doubt your master? Your master has already fallen to this state, would you still hold anything back?"

He turned to Lu Yu, his eyes gleaming: "Young Lu, where did you get this secret technique? The person who created this technique is probably even more accomplished in the Dao of Strange Fire than I am!"

Lu Yu revealed a hint of confusion on his face at just the right moment: "It's quite a coincidence. When I was buying medicinal herbs in the market of Shimo City, I accidentally discovered an inconspicuous piece of iron that could actually block my soul's detection."

"I bought it out of curiosity. Later, when I used a strange fire to calcine it, I never expected that such a secret technique would be revealed."

Upon hearing this, the old apothecary's illusory figure swayed slightly, a thoughtful glint in his eyes: "Stone Desert City..."

He murmured softly, as if recalling something.

Xiao Yan keenly noticed his teacher's unusual behavior: "Teacher, have you been there?"

The old doctor sighed softly: "Although I have traveled across the continent for many years, I have never set foot in such a remote place as the Jia Ma Empire, let alone a small city like Stone Desert City."

His illusory figure swayed slightly, his eyes gleaming with amazement: "However, the person who could create such a secret technique must be at least a peerless expert at the Dou Sheng level. Young Lu, you have truly bestowed upon my master and me an immense opportunity!"

Lu Yu smiled modestly: "Senior, you flatter me. This secret technique is indeed exquisite, but without the assistance of a special fire, it is ultimately like a skilled cook trying to make a meal without rice."

He gazed into the distance with a deep look in his eyes and said with a sigh, "There are only twenty-three kinds of strange fires on the Strange Fire Ranking of the Dou Qi Continent, and there are only a few dozen people who can truly use this method."

As he spoke, he looked solemnly at the two of them: "I only hope that you, senior and brother Yan, can keep this secret and not spread it outside."

The old doctor's expression turned solemn, and his illusory figure solidified somewhat: "That's natural. If such a secret technique were to be spread, it would surely cause a great uproar."

He turned to Xiao Yan, his tone sterner than ever before: "Yan'er, have you remembered this?"

Xiao Yan nodded emphatically and carefully put the jade slip into his storage ring: "Brother Lu, rest assured, Xiao Yan will remember this kindness."

Lu Yu smiled and softly agreed.

He thought to himself, "This is nothing more than a secret technique you will create in the future. I'm returning it to its rightful owner, Emperor Yan."

The old apothecary gazed at Lu Yu's calm face, his illusory figure trembling slightly. After a long silence, he suddenly sighed, "So be it..."

The illusory figure of the old apothecary suddenly solidified, and a vast soul power enveloped the three of them. His expression was more solemn than ever before: "Young Lu, since you have treated me with sincerity, I will not hold back either."

"Your 'Method for Shaping Different Flame Spirit Veins' is a perfect match for the cultivation method I passed on to Xiao Yanzi."

The old man with piercing eyes said in a deep voice, "Today I will also pass on this technique to you, as a way of returning the favor."

After saying that, he flicked his finger, and a mysterious stream of light went straight into Lu Yu's brow.

"Senior, you..."

Before Lu Yu could finish speaking, a deluge of information flooded his mind. When he opened his eyes after processing it all, a barely perceptible, strange glint flashed in them—

What the old doctor taught him was none other than the Burning Technique!

(End of this chapter)