Chapter 126: Chapter 108: Absorbing Bing Ding Fire, a 6th-Grade Technique Promotion

’They want me to fight an Immortal Dao Emperor, but they could at least make me a True Inheritance disciple of an Ancestral Sect Dharma Lineage. He’s revered by the world in White Jade City, while I’m here working myself to death in the Merit Supervision Institute.’

At the crack of dawn the next day, Jiang Yi was already up, wearing his Black Shadow Magical Robe and standing beside the cavern entrance. He began to suppress the Bing Fire Qi that was leaking out.

No wonder the Inner Peak Disciples avoided the Merit Supervision Institute like the plague the moment they heard its name.

They believed that being assigned there was equivalent to having their path of Cultivation cut off, with no chance of ever making a comeback.

Yesterday, after the Cat Master had revealed the Long-term Nourishing Daoist Embryo Skill, Jiang Yi had begged the Celestial Book to analyze its key points, allowing him to easily reach the entry-level and form a Dao Embryo Prototype.

Even though the Bing Fire Qi was more intense due to the Immortal Dao Emperor’s sun-riding tour, he still devoured and refined it all completely.

But just a few hours later, a pillar of raging flames once again shot up from the cavern, staining the pale light of dawn on the horizon a deep red.

It was clear that suppressing the Fire Cave and Water Cave was indeed an endless, grueling, and soul-crushing chore.

’This Demon Acupoint is rooted deep in the Dharma Lineage. Over the past century, who knows how many disciples have been thrown in here as cannon fodder.’

Jiang Yi released his Dao Embryo Prototype. Its shell, coated in a faint jade color, rumbled loudly. The seething qi and blood erupting from his physical body alone surged like a torrential river, fierce and powerful.

’That time Senior Brother Xiao Tongquan demonstrated his technique, the True Qi Hand Seal he displayed probably couldn’t even crush my current physique.’

Jiang Yi silently activated the Long-term Nourishing Daoist Embryo Skill. The nascent Dao Embryo, still just a prototype, was like a bottomless abyss, drawing the Bing Fire straight toward his Primordial Gate.

The blazing flames, Pure Yang in nature, surged forth like a torrent of freshly forged, solid Iron Pills, searing the Divine Thought he sent out to probe them.

The sensation was like trying to catch a red-hot branding iron with your bare hands—an instant of excruciating pain as flesh split open.

Jiang Yi’s expression remained unchanged, his breathing techniques completely undisturbed.

’This is cultivation, after all. You have to be ready to die.’

’You just get used to it.’

This Fire Acupoint had three two-hour periods each day that were most suitable for him to harvest and refine its energy.

In the early morning (the Hour of the Rabbit), the Five Elements aligned with Yin Yi Wood. The Bing Fire was nourished by the wood qi, making it burn at its fiercest. This was perfect for tempering his Dao Embryo.

At midnight (the Hour of the Rat), the Five Elements aligned with water, with Yang Ren Water in command. The Bing Fire was like the sun after it had set, its scorching intensity greatly reduced. This could nourish his Primordial Essence.

During the afternoon (the Hour of the Monkey), the element was metal, with Yang Geng Metal in position. The Bing Fire was like the setting sun in the west, its heat neither too fierce nor too weak. It could be used for Artifact Refining or for absorbing Spiritual Energy.

Ordinary cultivators only dared to begin their suppression during the afternoon, fearing they would lose even more of their Cultivation. But doing so meant they would be stuck in the Merit Supervision Institute for the entire month, which was no different from being imprisoned and tortured.

Jiang Yi, however, didn’t need to be so timid. He used the morning to “strengthen his Dao Embryo,” the night to “nourish his Primordial Essence,” and the afternoon to “increase his Merit.”

Not a single moment was wasted!

The glow of the fire turned Jiang Yi’s face red and his hair crimson, but his eyes remained serene.

’With this schedule, my daily gains are roughly equivalent to seven Nourishing Essence Pills.’

’Accumulated over a month, that’s a Cultivation increase of over two hundred Nourishing Essence Pills. That should be enough to push my Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer to about eighty or ninety percent completion.’

As he made these meticulous calculations, he couldn’t help but think of that Immortal Dao Emperor, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

’This feels like a poor man pinching every penny, hoping to one day save up enough capital to challenge the ruler of a nation.’

As Jiang Yi endured the refining flames of Bing Fire, he mused that Emperor Ji had probably never consumed such “low-quality goods” as Nourishing Essence Pills in his entire life.

As he recklessly drew upon the Bing Fire, the Ding Fire Technique he originally cultivated also quietly transformed as it merged through the process of Mixed Refining Origin.

After he begged the Celestial Book, the name changed.

[Show me my current cultivation techniques]

[Technique: True Meridian Qi Flowing Technique (Ungraded), Mixed Refining and Forging Yuan Fire Control Technique (Sixth Grade)]

[Daoist Skill: Long-term Nourishing Daoist Embryo Skill (entry-level), Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse (Small Success), Cloud Soaring and Flame Riding Skill (Mid-Stage)]

’A Qi Cultivation Sixth Grade Technique! Even the Qianji Sect doesn’t have one of these!’

Jiang Yi couldn’t help but grin. ’But the name of this technique is getting longer and longer. If it ever gets promoted to a First Grade technique, it’ll probably take half a day just to say the name.’

…

…

「Observing Fate Peak, Elder Mansion」

Xu Yan’s face was pale, as if he were just recovering from a serious illness.

He slowly climbed the long stone steps, reaching the summit.

Yesterday, during the Hour of the Rooster, Xu Yan had been refining a hard-won Yuan Containing Pill, hoping to increase his Merit.

Unexpectedly, the Profound Dome had suddenly blazed with light. The sun, which had already set, rose again, only to vanish an instant later without leaving even a trace of its glow.

Although the strange phenomenon lasted only a moment, it had cost him a full fifty percent of his Merit for nothing!

At that time, Xu Yan had been at a critical juncture in his Cultivation. He suddenly felt smoke pouring from his mouth and nose, his seven orifices sealed shut, and his whole body felt as if it were being hammered. He immediately vomited a large mouthful of blood, and the medicinal power of the Yuan Containing Pill he had accumulated in his Inner Mansion dispersed completely, leaving not a drop behind.

If his foundation hadn’t been so solid, that single event would have probably dropped him all the way back to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.

’I wasted a Yuan Containing Pill for nothing! I traded a Fire Essence Jade for that!’

Xu Yan’s expression was so dark it could drip water. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was cursed with terrible luck. Otherwise, why would he suffer one disaster after another?

He had failed to obtain the Moon Essence Dew his master had divined for him, and now he had completely vomited up the Yuan Containing Pill he had finally managed to consume!

’Could the Celestial Lord be plotting against me?’

’Does he not want to see me break through to the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer?’

Xu Yan’s state of mind was unstable, his thoughts straying wildly as he walked into the rear courtyard.

For the first time in memory, his master, Sui Liushu, wasn’t by the fish pond, scattering medicinal bait and admiring the scenery.

’All cultivators of Ding Fire suffered this calamity. Master probably didn’t escape it either.’

Xu Yan was led into a room, where he indeed found Sui Liushu confined to his sickbed.

Compared to his previous rosy-cheeked and vigorous appearance, this Elder Sui now had deeply sunken eyes, a faint bluish-black tint to his face, and dark spots were appearing on his cheeks.

He looked for all the world like a decrepit old man on his deathbed.

“Master…”

Xu Yan fell to his knees, shuffling forward.

“I have already investigated. None of the Inner Peak Disciples who cultivate Ding Fire were spared. Only the lineage on Observing Sun Peak, who cultivate Kui Water, were lucky enough to escape this calamity, but they didn’t gain much from it either.

Because the [Sun Radiance Appearance Form] across the three thousand miles of Beimang Ridge has completely changed!”

Sui Liushu struggled to lift his eyelids. He placed his palm on the back of Xu Yan’s hand and asked in a hoarse voice:

“What is the Spiritual Aura now?”

Xu Yan lowered his head and replied:

“It is the [Upper Flame Gold Forging Appearance]! It is Da Li for the Metal Element and the Fire Element.

I’m afraid the Sect Leader won’t be able to attempt his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment for the next hundred years.”

Hearing this, the grievously injured Sui Liushu burst out laughing as if he had heard wonderful news.

“Good! Excellent! It seems the Celestial Lord is helping me!

The Sect Leader used the excuse of Seeking Spiritual Treasure Medicine to leave the sect for several years. He secretly broke through to the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer before finally returning to our Dharma Lineage.

He thought he could crush me in one fell swoop and take back his half of the Talisman Decree!”

Sui Liushu laughed so hard he began to cough violently, his chest feeling as if it would split open, but he didn’t stop, as if he were utterly ecstatic.

“What a pity, what a pity. Perhaps one of the great figures in the Daoist Lineage did something that caused the celestial phenomena to change, disturbing the Spiritual Aura of Beimang Ridge, which had been unchanged for years.

This is what you call the will of heaven!”

The reason for Sui Liushu’s great joy was simple.

The [Sun Radiance Appearance Form] benefits Ding Fire but does not harm Kui Water.

But the [Upper Flame Gold Forging Appearance] was different.

This Spiritual Aura was far more domineering. It neutralized Bing and Ding Fire, benefited Geng and Xin Metals, suppressed Jia and Yi Woods, and damaged Ren and Kui Waters.

Unless Liu Huan leaves the sect again, travels far to the south, and completely escapes the influence of Beimang Ridge’s Spiritual Aura.

Otherwise, not only would his cultivation efforts be twice as hard for half the result, but breaking through to Foundation Establishment would be absolutely impossible.

“Now that the Sect Leader has returned, he can’t leave again.

He’ll have to stay obediently on Observing Sun Peak, waiting for me to die of old age. But in fifty years at most, Yuzhu will be able to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and seek a True Inheritance position in the Innate Sect.”

Sui Liushu narrowed his eyes, staring sinisterly at Xu Yan like an old jackal. He leaned his head in close and asked in a low voice:

“My good disciple, you must find a Daoist Can for your master. I need to live a few more years, to hold on until Yuzhu becomes a True Master and a True Inheritance disciple.

Once this Qianji Sect takes the surname ’Sui,’ and I have ascended to the heavens, Yuzhu will certainly not remain in Beimang Ridge.

At that time, you will be the one in charge! Sect Leader Xu!”

Xu Yan had always been aware of his master’s schemes. If his master hadn’t failed at the last moment when breaking through to the Tenth Layer back then, allowing the Sect Leader’s Cultivation to take the lead instead…

…the Qianji Sect would have likely seen a “change of dynasty” long ago.

He said with a grimace:

“Master, there are many disciples on the Inner Peak who cultivate Ding Fire, but the conditions for selecting a Daoist Can are extremely strict…”

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