Within the seemingly endless spatial channel, streams of light flashed by, and vaguely, one could discern the outlines resembling ships. Nalan Yanran was all that was needed to control the spatial ship, so Xiao Yan did not need to be distracted; he devoted all his attention to the practice of the Flame Manipulation Technique. The journey through the spatial channel would last a whole month, and if he could master this technique during this time, it would be greatly beneficial.
Of course, the Flame Manipulation Technique, being a top-tier skill of the Demon Flame Valley, was extraordinary in its own right. It was extremely difficult to master it in a short period, but this certainly could not deter Xiao Yan from his practice.
On the first day, Xiao Yan’s mind completely sank into the cultivation method recorded on the scroll. The original “Flame Manipulation Technique” required three people to practice together, sacrificing their vitality to condense the “Life Fire.” However, after years of refinement by the Earth Demon Old Ghost, the current version was vastly different from the previous one.
After thoroughly studying the improved Flame Manipulation Technique, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but marvel at the Earth Demon Old Ghost’s prowess. This refinement had completely eliminated the only drawback of the technique, though it made the already complex cultivation method even more intricate.
The improved Flame Manipulation Technique, according to the scroll, required three types of beast flames, which were to be integrated into the body. These flames were then subjected to countless rounds of tempering and compression using battle qi, reaching an extreme state before being perfectly fused together. If successful, this would result in the formation of a “Life Fire” seed. However, just this single thread of fire seed was not enough to support the creation of the Destructive Fire Lotus. Xiao Yan would need to continually seek out various beast flames and refine them according to the method recorded in the Flame Manipulation Technique, integrating them into the fire seed to expand and strengthen it.
This process might seem simple, but it was challenging enough to daunt most people. Beast flames were not rare, as they could be found in large auctions, but fusing them into the body was not easy. Flames naturally repelled each other, and if the three beast flames were to come into contact, even a slight mishap could result in injury. Moreover, even if the three beast flames were safely fused, the refining process was laborious, requiring a significant amount of soul power. The refinement of the Flame Manipulation Technique was unique, requiring a meticulous infiltration of battle qi into the flames, while constantly monitoring the slightest changes within the flames. Without a strong soul, this level of control was impossible.
Finally, the merging of the three refined beast flames was also dangerous. Any mistake during the process could lead to failure, and if the flames exploded within the body, the consequences would be severe.
For these reasons, the difficulty of mastering the Flame Manipulation Technique far exceeded that of the previous version. After understanding the complexity, even Xiao Yan was surprised. The Earth Demon Old Ghost, being a seven-star Battle Sect, had managed to refine the technique, ensuring that the “Life Fire” no longer harmed the body’s vitality, thus shedding the self-harming reputation.
Withdrawing his soul force from the scroll, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and pondered. With a flick of his hand, three jade bottles appeared, each containing three blazing flames in blue, brown, and red. These were the three beast flames he had acquired at the auction, intended for the Flame Manipulation Technique.
“The first step is to fuse the three beast flames into the body,” he said, gazing at the flames. He flicked his finger, shattering the bottles and releasing the flames.
Glancing at the flames, Xiao Yan gave a cold smile. Others might be concerned about fusing the flames, but he, with three types of Heavenly Fire within his body, was an expert at handling them. Opening his mouth, he sucked in the three beast flames and swallowed them.
The moment the three beast flames entered Xiao Yan’s body, the Jade-Lotus Heartfire surged forward, enveloping them. The Heavenly Fire, being the supreme of all flames, made the beast flames seem insignificant, and the flames dimmed.
Smiling, Xiao Yan felt no challenge in this process. His body, having been tempered by numerous precious materials, Celestial Mountain Blood Pond, and Ancient Phoenix Blood Essence, would sustain little damage even if the beast flames erupted.
As the three beast flames weakened, Xiao Yan channeled his powerful battle qi, infused with some green flame, and enveloped the flames.
“The second step: refining.”
He murmured, and the battle qi transformed into high-speed rotating clusters, compressing the flames. As the pressure increased, the flames flickered between bright and dim.
Xiao Yan’s soul force permeated the flames, sensing the changes in the flame molecules. Using his soul strength, he determined whether to increase or decrease the compression. With his current soul power, this was a straightforward task.
Under his precise monitoring, the fusion and refining proceeded smoothly. Of course, refining was a long process requiring continuous effort to reach perfection.
Xiao Yan knew this well and, upon entering his cultivation state, devoted himself entirely to the refining process, confident that his ample soul power would not fail him.
During this time, Lin Yan noticed Xiao Yan’s cultivation and refrained from disturbing him. In the monotonous spatial channel, days passed, but Xiao Yan remained in his cultivating state, showing no signs of waking up. Lin Yan hesitated to disturb him, fearing any disruption might cause a mishap.
In this rapid passage of time, twenty days went by. During this period, Lin Yan controlled the spatial ship, but he was a Battle Emperor, and the ship’s consumption of battle qi was manageable. Xiao Yan, like a meditating monk, sat in the cabin, radiating vitality, reassuring Lin Yan that he was still in peak condition.
“He’s been cultivating for such a long time. What exactly is he doing?” Lin Yan, sitting at the bow, input battle qi into the ship, glanced at Xiao Yan, and shook his head in resignation.
Just then, Xiao Yan, who had been motionless for twenty days, trembled slightly, and his eyes slowly opened. Seeing this, Lin Yan’s face lit up with joy, and he breathed a sigh of relief, not daring to interrupt.
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyes filled with satisfaction. He opened his hand, and three tiny flames, barely the size of his thumb, appeared, circling around his fingers, emitting a heat. After twenty days of relentless refining, these beast flames were several times stronger than before.
“Finally, the refining is complete.” He relaxed, realizing that without his exceptional soul power, he could never have endured the long and grueling process. For others, it would take nearly half a year to reach this level.
“Next, the final step: fusion. If I can successfully fuse the fire seeds, the Flame Manipulation Technique will be mastered. Finding more beast flames to feed the ‘Life Fire’ will eventually provide enough for the Destructive Fire Lotus.”
He muttered, a serious expression on his face. This final step was the most difficult and dangerous part of the technique.
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