Oh no, I accidentally cultivated three spiritual roots and became an empress!

Zhong Lingxin popped another Spirit-Replenishing Pill into her mouth, then drank several mouthfuls of spiritual spring water before heading upstream towards the lava lake.

Along the way, she saw several Foundation Establishment cultivators flying close to the ground on their swords, heading upstream of the lava lake.

Everyone tried to keep their distance.

Zhong Lingxin was not yet able to fly on a sword, and could only walk on the ground with her two feet.

She changed into the ice-wind boots her master had found for her, but she still felt her soles burning.

Upstream of the lava lake, there are only a few black rocks occasionally; most of the area is filled with flowing dark red lava.

Zhong Lingxin carefully hopped among the black rocks, trying hard to see if there were any flames in the dark red lava.

Occasionally, a few fire snakes would try to climb up the black rocks and bite Zhong Lingxin, but she would kill them all with her sword.

She also used the fire net her master had prepared for her to catch a few fire phoenix flowers, intending to purify her fire spirit root when she returned.

After traveling for a day, the grade of the strange fire in the magma increased.

Occasionally, two flames would leap up and attack Zhong Lingxin, but they were all caught by the fire net in Zhong Lingxin's hand.

After traveling for two more days, Zhong Lingxin's Fire Jade Box was almost empty. She had captured nearly a hundred Fire Phoenix Flowers and small strange flames, but she still hadn't found a strange flame that satisfied her.

Xiao Huanhuan dared not make a sound anymore, for fear of attracting the attention of the sable.

Zhong Lingxin could only judge the size and level of the strange fire on her own.

Currently, the best of the strange flames she has captured is only ranked in the top 100 in the "Record of Strange Flames".

This made her extremely dissatisfied.

Many Foundation Establishment cultivators dared not go any further, and Zhong Lingxin had not encountered a single person for half a day.

She also felt dizzy, and after taking several Fire Poison Pills, she gritted her teeth and persevered.

Not far from her, she saw a flame swimming merrily in the lava, occasionally turning its head to glance at her.

Upon seeing the flame, Zhong Lingxin suddenly felt a surge of joy.

When she looked more closely, the flame was gone.

Zhong Lingxin shook her head; she didn't think she was seeing things.

The flame must have been hidden.

Zhong Lingxin calmed herself down and took out the Spirit-Replenishing Pill, the Divine-Replenishing Pill, and the Fire-Poisoning Pill in succession.

The small flame that was swimming in the flames poked its head out again.

It approached the young cultivator because it smelled a sweet and fragrant aroma.

It knew that this little cultivator was no good; he had come to capture their strange fire.

Therefore, it only smelled the scent from afar and never approached him.

Zhong Lingxin saw that flame again.

In an instant, the flame spotted her and then sank back into the lava.

Zhong Lingxin remained calm, adjusted her mindset, and prepared to capture the small flame.

She took the Spirit-Nourishing Pill and the Divine-Nourishing Pill once again.

The little flame reappeared.

Zhong Lingxin was already very familiar with the surrounding terrain, and she spread out her net to catch them.

Unfortunately, they were a step too slow, and the little flame disappeared again.

Zhong Lingxin sighed and prepared to try again.

Just as she sighed, she suddenly noticed that the terrain next to the small flame had changed, with an additional piece of lava that was different from the surrounding lava.

Without hesitation, Zhong Lingxin spread out the fire net and fished into that unusual piece of lava.

Inside the fire net, a magma-like flame flickered and thrashed about.

Zhong Lingxin smiled and put the magma-like flame into the Fire Jade Box. This was it.

Then, she tore up a teleportation talisman and teleported to the foot of the mountain.

When Zhong Lingxin reached the foot of the mountain, she gasped for breath in the cool air.

In the distance, several cultivators searching for spiritual herbs and minerals at the foot of the mountain glanced at her, but upon seeing that she was a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, they all turned their heads away.

This person is clearly a cultivator like them, who went up the mountain to search for fire.

They were all at the Qi Refining stage, and they knew that cultivators at the Qi Refining stage could only find things among the dark gray rocks.

The people at the foot of the mountain haven't dispersed yet. It's not worth it to rob a Qi Refining cultivator who doesn't have anything of value and get reported to the Law Enforcement Association. Let's just let him go.

Zhong Lingxin understood this principle; she had calculated the location precisely and deliberately teleported here.

Brushing the dust off her clothes, Zhong Lingxin stood up and sat cross-legged in meditation.

After a long while, she stood up, greeted a few cultivators not far away, picked up her jade hoe, and joined the army searching for spiritual herbs.

More monks came down from the mountaintop, cursing and swearing, and gradually dispersed.

Following everyone else's example, Zhong Lingxin kept her distance from others and began digging in the distance.

After digging like this for half a month, Zhong Lingxin was left all alone.

She walked around the area and headed towards a cave.

She had no choice but to go; the last little flame she captured was extremely unruly and had already burned two of her jade boxes.

If she doesn't find a way to get a contract, she's afraid something bad will happen sooner or later.

Zhong Lingxin set up a ninth-grade defensive array and took out the flame.

At this point, the flames were no longer disguised as lava.

As soon as Zhong Lingxin took it out, it rushed towards her face with a "whoosh," as if it wanted to burn her to death.

Zhong Lingxin was prepared; she used a trapping formation to render the flames immobile.

Then, she took out a piece of ice and waved it at the flames.

The flames flinched, no longer daring to move.

Zhong Lingxin sneered, "I'm going to form a contract with you, so you'd better not make any moves, or else..."

As she spoke, Zhong Lingxin shook the Xuanbing in her hand.

The flames recoiled again, then began to struggle violently, showing no sign of yielding.

With a thought, Zhong Lingxin tightened the binding array around the flames.

The flames did not yield and burned resolutely.

The trapped formation was scorching hot from the flames.

Zhong Lingxin swung the Xuanbing in her hand, which landed on the trapping formation.

A loud hissing sound was heard, and thick white smoke billowed out.

The temperature of the flames was reduced significantly.

After one piece of Xuanbing burned out, Zhong Lingxin took out another piece... and then took out five pieces in a row.

The flame grew smaller and smaller, and the tiny flame began to flicker.

Zhong Lingxin stopped what she was doing and looked at the flickering, struggling little flame.

After a long time, the little flame stopped struggling and silently confronted Zhong Lingxin.

Zhong Lingxin smiled and said, "I don't know what kind of fire you are, but you are very smart, and I like you very much. I know you are very free here. But have you ever thought that if you are trapped in this secret realm, you will never be able to get out in your entire life, you will never see the vast world outside, and you can only slowly dissipate into the world."

The small flame struggled a few more times.

Another piece of mysterious ice appeared in Zhong Lingxin's hand.

The little flame was too frightened to move.

Zhong Lingxin looked at the little flame and continued to coax it, "Actually, there's no harm in making a contract with me. I can find more flames for you, and I can also find all kinds of resources to help you grow into a higher-level flame. I can also take you to see the vast world outside, and I can even help you ascend to heaven."