After the laughter faded, Liu Xi stretched out his arms, straightening his back and letting out a long, lazy breath.
A series of popping sounds crackled across his body, like beans frying in a pan — the sound of joints awakening after years of stillness. This was, after all, a body that hadn't moved for nearly two years. Yet, thanks to the vitality nourished by Heaven and Earth Energy, his Dou Zong physique remained strong and full of life.
While flexing his limbs, Liu Xi turned to face the other "Liu Xi." The other him looked back as well, their gazes perfectly aligned. Through their linked consciousness, Liu Xi instantly understood the origin of the being standing opposite him.
His eyes lifted slightly, resting on the faint cyan lotus mark glowing on the other's forehead — the product born from the fusion of three Heavenly Flames and his Spiritual Power.
The Dou Qi Continent was indeed a wondrous place. Within this world, any elemental essence that gained sentience would eventually manifest in the form of fire. Whether it was ice, water, wood, or lightning — Liu Xi no longer believed that such uniformity could exist without an unseen, governing force.
That force, he realized, stemmed from the very origin of the plane itself. To say this world's source possessed true consciousness would be absurd; if it did, a "stowaway" like him would have been smitten by Heavenly Lightning long ago. But it undeniably operated under some profound, immutable law.
Under that law's influence, all elements that condensed into spirit took on the form of flame — for within that flame resided a trace of the plane's origin power.
By merging his Spiritual Power with the Heavenly Flames, Liu Xi had intended to devour their essence and forge a Spirit Realm soul. But through a twist of fate, he had instead seized a fragment of the plane's origin itself — birthing this Yuan Spirit.
And that cyan lotus mark upon its brow wasn't merely a flame seed; it was a Plane Imprint, a bridge between him and the world's core. With it, Liu Xi might one day trace the paths of other Heavenly Flames — perhaps even uncover the plane's very womb!
"No wonder Xiao Yan could never die no matter how recklessly he acted. The so-called 'Son of the Plane' and his great fortune… it all makes sense now."
"But the position of Heaven's favored child isn't fixed. The one who gathers the most Heavenly Flames becomes the one most beloved by this world."
He chuckled lightly. "Take Yao Chen for example — betrayed by his own disciple, body destroyed, only his soul surviving with the Bone Chilling Flame. Yet even then, he miraculously escaped the Hall of Souls' pursuit, fled across the Central Plains, and just so happened to meet Xiao Yan in Wu Tan City — a coincidence beyond belief!"
"Enough musing. It's time to reap the rewards."
Liu Xi focused his mind, and the Yuan Spirit that shared his consciousness walked calmly toward him. As it moved, its body shimmered with cyan radiance. The light enveloped it entirely before it stepped back into Liu Xi's forehead, returning to his Spiritual World like a divine being descending from the heavens.
A cyan lotus mark emerged faintly upon Liu Xi's brow, pulsing softly. Then, in the blink of an eye, an overwhelming aura erupted from his body.
The power drawn from three Heavenly Flames — accumulated over millennia — now poured out in full, flooding his meridians and refining his entire being.
His skin flushed crimson as his body swelled with fiery energy. Thankfully, his Dou Zong physique could still endure it. He immediately circulated his Qi Method, refining the surging power with all his might.
The torrent of energy coursed through him, transforming rapidly into pure Dou Qi. It rushed through his veins like molten gold, tempering every inch of his body and bones.
His cultivation surged wildly —
Peak 2-Star Dou Zong...
Bang!
The barrier to 3-Star Dou Zong shattered effortlessly. Yet the surge didn't stop there — his aura continued to climb like an unrestrained tide.
4-Star... 5-Star... 6-Star... until it finally stabilized at 7-Star Dou Zong.
Though the Green Lotus Core Flame, Sea Heart Flame, and Fallen Heart Flame were ranked lower among the Heavenly Flames, the energy they contained was still vast enough to elevate Liu Xi straight into the realm of a high-level Dou Zong.
Moments later, the turbulent power within his body gradually subsided. The blazing light dimmed, and Liu Xi exhaled a long breath, his chest slowly calming.
He opened his eyes, a faint smile curving his lips as he murmured, "In the end, you still need to cheat fate to get stronger fast. Without shortcuts, breaking from low to high Dou Zong would take at least three to five years."
"With this Qi Method's effect, as long as I can refine Spiritual Bodies, my strength will soar continuously. Still, among all Spiritual Bodies, Heavenly Flames remain the most suitable targets…"
The technique he had derived — combining Soul Dominion, Soul Devouring, and the Flame Mantra — was far from perfect.
Even Liu Xi had nearly perished while refining the flames, his soul almost consumed in return. Only through sheer willpower and his abnormally resilient Spiritual Power had he survived — though it had taken nearly two years to recover.
Thus, this new Qi Method was something no one else could cultivate safely yet. Only Liu Xi, through accident and unyielding soul strength, had managed to succeed.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, smiling to himself. "An imperfect technique that allows mastery and refinement of Spiritual Bodies… I'll call it Soul Control Technique."
"Hmm, since I've got some time, it's about time I refined that thing."
With a flick of his wrist, a jade box appeared in his palm. Opening it revealed a crimson-cyan crystal — irregular in shape yet pulsing with terrifying energy. It was the Monster Core of the Heaven Demon Phoenix, on the verge of reaching the 8th Rank!
Setting the core aside, Liu Xi summoned the corpse of Tian Shuangzi, once slain by Yao Tianhuo. Under his Dou Qi's control, it hovered in midair before him.
"Damn brat! You dare seal this elder's soul?! Release me now, or my Valley Master will never forgive you!"
The furious roar came from within the corpse.
Liu Xi ignored it. That very soul had been sealed within by his Fallen Heart Flame — for this exact moment.
His Spiritual Power stirred. The cyan lotus mark between his brows shimmered as a strand of deep cyan flame drifted forth, dancing like a living spirit before his eyes.
Instantly, the temperature in the chamber spiked. The air distorted where the flame passed — the Green Lotus Core Flame now possessed both the traits of the Sea Heart Flame and Fallen Heart Flame. Its might had reached the top ten of the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
With a flick of his finger, the flame shot toward Tian Shuangzi's corpse.
The fire wrapped around the body, engulfing it completely in a storm of searing light. The refinement began — burning flesh, tempering soul.
Screams of agony echoed from within the corpse as it gradually shrank, its surface turning an ashen gray.
Liu Xi divided his focus, precisely controlling the flame's dual temperatures: one to refine the body, one to temper the soul.
The howls and curses that followed were ignored. His entire mind was fixed on the rhythm of the fire.
Three hours later, the screaming ceased. Tian Shuangzi's soul had been utterly erased, his remains reduced to a perfectly tempered vessel.
Liu Xi flicked his wrist, releasing a gust of wind that opened a fist-sized cavity in the corpse's chest. Then, with a calm motion, he lifted the Monster Core and placed it within.
(End of Chapter)
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