BTTH: REBORN AS HALF-SAINT

Ding!

[Beginning to answer the host's question.]

[1. The members of the Hall of Souls that the host devoured were artificially formed and not naturally born from the world.]

[2. Before the host transmigrated, the Yin-Yang Twin Flames had already been absorbed by the original owner. This system merely reprocessed and fused the devoured Heavenly Flames, allowing the host to fully control the Yin-Yang Twin Flames instantly, so no additional time is needed.]

Hearing the system's response, Xie Tianxiao was speechless.

"Then why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

He had assumed the system could instantly devour any heavenly treasure, but now it turned out that some required significant time. It seemed the system wasn't as omnipotent as he had thought.

Ding!

[The host never asked, so this system didn't know what questions the host had.]

"…"

Xie Tianxiao nearly fainted from frustration.

Fine.

It was his fault for not asking in time.

"System, if I devour other Heavenly Flames, will it also take this long?" he asked after some thought.

Ding!

[The required time depends on the strength of the Heavenly Flame. If the host devours a flame ranked in the top ten, the process will take even longer.]

"So troublesome!"

Frowning, Xie Tianxiao asked, "But I'll be able to fully control any Heavenly Flame I devour, right?"

Ding!

[Yes.]

Hearing the system's confirmation, Xie Tianxiao finally felt relieved.

If he disregarded the time factor, everything else seemed manageable. As long as he could devour all the world's heavenly treasures, reaching the Dou Di level wouldn't be far off!

"I need to let Qing Lin know so she can return first. Otherwise, that little girl will keep waiting up there."

Although he couldn't leave for now, his soul power was still at his disposal.

Sitting cross-legged, Xie Tianxiao released his soul power, which swiftly surged upward from the depths of the earth.

In just moments, his soul power reached the upper layer, where crimson magma bubbled.

He saw Qing Lin sitting atop the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Serpent, meditating.

"Qing Lin, wake up," he transmitted his voice.

"Huh?"

Qing Lin opened her eyes, slightly startled. Looking around, she asked, "Lord Tianxiao, is that you?"

"It's me, Qing Lin. I have some matters to take care of underground, so I can't return with you."

"Let the Fire Spirit Serpent take you out and go to the Mo Tie Mercenary Group to find Xiao Ding and the others. I'll come to you later."

Hearing this, Qing Lin's face filled with concern.

"Lord Tianxiao, are you in danger?" she asked anxiously.

"Not at all. I just need some time to absorb the Heavenly Flame. Don't worry," Xie Tianxiao reassured her.

"Oh… alright then. Lord Tianxiao, I'll be leaving now. Please be careful!" Qing Lin said reluctantly.

"If you encounter danger, let the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Serpent protect you," Xie Tianxiao reminded her.

"Mm! I understand, Lord Tianxiao!"

Nodding obediently, Qing Lin patted the Fire Spirit Serpent.

"Screech—"

With a sharp cry, the serpent's massive body trembled and shot toward the surface.

Watching Qing Lin leave, Xie Tianxiao withdrew his soul power and refocused on the Heavenly Flame before him.

"System, what's the progress on devouring the flame?"

Ding!

[2%... Continuing devour process…]

"Sigh, nothing to do but wait."

Letting out a soft sigh, Xie Tianxiao closed his eyes and entered meditation.

Time quietly passed, and in the blink of an eye, forty-seven days had gone by.

On this day, a figure with enormous, crimson wings descended upon the eastern desert of Stone Desert City.

"The aura of a Heavenly Flame…"

Red lips parted slightly as the figure murmured. Moments later, her gaze flickered, and a red energy barrier formed around her.

The next second, she shot straight into the depths of the desert.

Before long, she arrived at the underground magma cavern where Xie Tianxiao had been.

Staring at the boiling lava below, a red glow flashed through her eyes before she suddenly dove in, cutting through the magma like a fish swimming downstream.

At the same time, Xie Tianxiao opened his eyes, sharp light flickering in them as he looked toward the approaching figure.

"So, she's here."

Watching as the figure drew closer, Xie Tianxiao's lips curled into a faint smile.

Moments later, the newcomer halted about ten meters above him.

"Long have I heard of your name, Queen Medusa." Xie Tianxiao smiled faintly.

Queen Medusa's beauty was almost supernatural—her slender, light purple eyes shimmered with a natural allure that could capture any man's gaze.

She wore a luxurious purple robe, draped over a curvaceous body, as enticing as a ripe peach. Long, silky black hair cascaded over her fragrant shoulders, reaching down to her slender waist.

Below the robe, a section of her violet-scaled snake tail was exposed, swaying slightly with an untamed, exotic charm that made the air feel strangely heated.

"Who are you? I don't recall ever meeting you," Queen Medusa asked coldly, her eyes filled with wariness and hostility.

"You may not know me, but with your reputation and beauty, how could I not recognize you?" Xie Tianxiao replied unhurriedly, his gaze calm as still water.

Queen Medusa's eyes narrowed. A thin red light flickered in her pupils.

The next moment—

Boom!

She abruptly shot forward, a crimson sword appearing in her hand, slashing toward Xie Tianxiao with a piercing whistle.

"What a waste of effort."

Xie Tianxiao's expression remained unchanged. He lazily lifted his gaze and glanced at her.

Just as her blade was about to touch him, a faint energy fluctuation radiated from his body.

Clang!

The sword was sent flying from her grip, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of her lips.

"How is this possible? My attack… had no effect?!"

Queen Medusa's face paled in shock.

Her strongest strike had failed to even touch his robe, yet she had been injured just from the backlash of his energy alone.

This human… was terrifyingly powerful!

"Queen Medusa, so ruthless. You tried to kill me the moment we met."

Xie Tianxiao's lips curled into a teasing smirk.

"But unfortunately, with your peak Dou Huang strength, you don't even qualify to touch me."

Hearing Xie Tianxiao's dismissive words, Queen Medusa's expression darkened.

But after considering the overwhelming power he had displayed—likely at the Dou Zong level—she silently suppressed her anger.

A Dou Zong-level powerhouse was not someone she could contend with at her current strength.

"You possess such power… I assume you're not from the Jia Ma Empire."

"As for my earlier attack, that was merely an instinctive reaction. I hope you won't misunderstand."

After a brief silence, Queen Medusa finally spoke.

"Misunderstand? If I were weaker, wouldn't I already be dead by your hands?" Xie Tianxiao said indifferently.

"Then what do you want?" Queen Medusa frowned.

As the queen of the Snake-People Tribe, she had always despised humans—so much so that she often struck first and asked questions later.

Had Xie Tianxiao been weak, even if he were a Dou Huang, she would have killed him without hesitation.

"It's simple. Since you attacked me, don't expect to brush it off with a mere 'misunderstanding'!"

With that, Xie Tianxiao casually waved his right hand downward.

Boom!

A massive pressure suddenly bore down on Queen Medusa, making it difficult for her to breathe. Her body trembled involuntarily.

"Damn it… Is this… suppression? I can't move!"

Realizing her predicament, Queen Medusa's face changed.

Xie Tianxiao's sheer strength filled her heart with shock.

But she was powerless to resist.

"Kneel."

Xie Tianxiao's cold voice rang out. At the same time, an even more terrifying aura burst forth from him.

"What—?!"

Queen Medusa's delicate body trembled violently, her face turning pale in an instant.

Thud!

In just a moment, her upper body and snake tail collapsed to the ground, forced into a kneeling position.

Even though Xie Tianxiao had only used a fraction of his aura, it was still beyond what a peak Dou Huang could withstand.

"Damn you, human! The day I break through to Dou Zong, I will tear you to pieces!"

Queen Medusa's eyes burned with fury, filled with boundless hatred.

As a proud queen of the Snake-People Tribe, she had been humiliated by a human!

This disgrace made her seethe with rage, wishing she could slice Xie Tianxiao into a thousand pieces right then and there.

Looking down at Queen Medusa kneeling before him, Xie Tianxiao spoke coldly:

"This is the price for attacking me."

Then, with another wave of his hand, he withdrew the suppressive force.

Queen Medusa instantly regained her freedom.

"You—!"

She stood up, her heart boiling with rage. She wanted to strike, but remembering his strength, she ultimately held back.

She still had her tribe to protect. If she were to die here, it would be a disaster for her people.

Thus, knowing she wasn't Xie Tianxiao's match, she chose patience.

Given enough time, once she broke through to Dou Zong, she would repay today's humiliation a hundredfold!

"This was merely a small punishment. I hope such a beautiful woman won't make the same mistake again."

Xie Tianxiao glanced at Queen Medusa and said indifferently.

"Human, one day I will kill you myself!"

Queen Medusa gritted her teeth in hatred.

"I'll be waiting."

Xie Tianxiao smirked. "But you won't have the chance."

"Hmph! We'll see!"

A trace of venom flickered in Queen Medusa's eyes as she coldly snorted and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Just as she was about to turn away, Xie Tianxiao's voice stopped her.

"What now, human?" Queen Medusa turned back, her tone icy.

If he intended to torment her further, she was ready to fight to the death.

"Heh… Serpent Queen, you came here for the Heavenly Flame, didn't you?" Xie Tianxiao said with a playful smile.

"So what if I did? Do you intend to give it to me?"

Queen Medusa scoffed.

She had already noticed that the Azure Lotus Platform in the distance was empty—the Heavenly Flame was gone.

And with only Xie Tianxiao present, it was clear that he had already absorbed it.

"Of course not."

Xie Tianxiao shook his head.

"But the reason you want the Heavenly Flame… is simply to evolve your true form into the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python and achieve the Dou Zong level, right?"

"What?! How do you know my true form? And the secrets of my tribe?"

Queen Medusa was shocked.

As the queen of the Snake-People Tribe, her true form was a Sixth-Tier Magical Beast called the Purple Nether Flame Serpent.

This species carried a trace of ancient beast bloodline. If she successfully activated it, she could evolve into a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python—an Ancient Magical Beast!

This transformation would push her beyond Dou Huang, allowing her to step into the Dou Zong realm and even higher.

However, her method of using a Heavenly Flame to evolve was an absolute secret, known only to a few elders of her tribe.

So how did this mysterious man know?

"A secret? There's very little on the Dou Qi Continent that I don't know."

Xie Tianxiao chuckled.

"But that's not the point. The point is—I can help you."

"Help me?"

Queen Medusa narrowed her eyes. "And why would I need your help?"

Something was off.

She hadn't forgotten how he had just humiliated her.

Now, why would he suddenly offer to help?

"Because you have no choice."

"Your goal is to lead the Snake-People out of the desert, to ensure their prosperity."

"That's why, despite knowing that using a Heavenly Flame to evolve carries a high risk of death, you still came here."

Pausing for a moment, Xie Tianxiao continued:

"Unless… you're willing to let your people remain trapped in that harsh desert forever?"

Hearing this, Queen Medusa's gaze sharpened.

"You've investigated me thoroughly…" she murmured.

This man not only knew so much about her tribe's secrets, but his power was unfathomable.

Just who was he?

"My title… Forget it. My name is Xie Tianxiao. The rest… you wouldn't understand, so there's no point in explaining."

Xie Tianxiao shook his head.

It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her.

But with Queen Medusa's current level of knowledge, she simply wouldn't comprehend what 'Saint' truly meant.