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"To fuse soul with flame is to let it devour and nourish, not merely burn."
The stone-walled chamber was silent, save for the occasional flicker of Su Yang's Karma Fire. Its soft crimson hue reflected off his eyes as he sat motionless before a newly cleaned pill cauldron. Beside him, Max dozed quietly. At the edge of the room, the tiny purple snake, Zi Shu, peeked from her coiled resting spot on a fire-warmed stone, her golden eyes watching him curiously.
Su Yang stared at the open jade slip lying in front of him. Unlike the typical jade slips etched with mechanical instructions, this one was something he had remembered—not read. A vivid fragment passed down to him through the remnant will of the ancient alchemist in the legacy site: a technique buried deep in the marrow of his memory, like the seed of fire waiting to ignite.
The Fire-Soul Nourishment Pill had once been a top-tier Profound-level pill. But this variant—Soul-Fused Fire Nourishment—went a step further. It required not just flame control, but the will of the soul to temper and merge with the medicinal essence. One mistake, and the soul could be wounded—or worse, set ablaze.
> "I need to bind it not only with fire, but with my spirit thread," Su Yang whispered.
His finger glowed slightly as a faint thread of soul energy extended from his fingertip. It was thinner than hair, but shimmered like moonlight.
The first step… was control.
He began heating the cauldron. Not with raw flames, but with slow harmonic pulses of his Heavenly True Fire Art. The heat flowed steadily, forming a uniform sphere inside the furnace. Then, with a slow breath, he placed the Scarlet Root, the first of seven core herbs, into the cauldron.
The plant burned steadily, releasing its liquid essence like melting copper. Next came the Dark Marrow Petal—an herb that clashed with fire but resonated with soul. As it touched the flames, the fire flickered violently.
Su Yang's brows furrowed.
> "The temperature shift is too fast. I need to guide the soul flame around it, not through it…"
He extended the Soul Flame Thread Technique, wrapping the spiritual essence around the Dark Marrow Petal like silk cushioning fragile glass.
For a brief moment, it worked.
But then—
Crack!
A surge of instability ruptured the flame. Essence splattered inside the cauldron, burning part of the herbal residue. A pungent smoke rose, and Su Yang was forced to pull his hand back, eyes narrowed.
> "I see… Too early. My soul thread isn't harmonized with the flame yet. It lacks rhythm."
He extinguished the furnace, wiped the cauldron clean, and stood still for a moment.
From the corner, Zi Shu slithered closer. She tilted her head, then suddenly flicked her tongue—and a tiny spark of violet-gold flame shimmered at the tip of her tail before fading.
Su Yang blinked.
> "Was that… your flame?"
Zi Shu purred softly and coiled around his wrist, nestling close to his pulse. A warm stream of qi flowed into him—a bond forming. It wasn't violent or overpowering. It was… gentle.
Something clicked in Su Yang's mind.
> "She's not just a spirit beast. She's bound to me by fire… and soul. Her essence matches the pill's principle!"
He sat back down quickly, eyes blazing with newfound realization.
He calmed his breath. Slowly, he lit the Karma Fire again. The next batch of herbs went in, this time infused with a sliver of Zi Shu's qi—barely a trace, just enough to harmonize.
When the fire began to resist, Su Yang let go of brute control. Instead, he allowed his Soul Flame Thread to listen—not to force the herbs, but to feel their rhythm. It was like weaving music into heat. His soul energy circled the ingredients like a dance, feeding and taking in turn.
> "Temper the soul… refine the flame… draw resonance…"
Minutes passed.
The room filled with a fragrance unlike before—warm, sharp, and faintly nostalgic. As the herbs melted into one another, a gentle hum filled the cauldron. It was as if the furnace itself was breathing.
Sweat dripped from Su Yang's forehead. His entire consciousness was split—part flame, part soul, part control.
> "Now!"
He pushed his palm forward. The final pulse of fire sparked from within, carrying both his soul will and Zi Shu's qi.
The furnace flashed—
Then glowed softly.
He opened the lid.
Inside were two semi-formed pills. They weren't perfectly round—more like raw pearls—but they shimmered faintly with both red and silver hues. They pulsed faintly, as if alive.
Su Yang reached out. As his fingers neared the pills, a ripple ran through his soul. Not pain. Not danger. But… warmth. Deep warmth.
> "It worked… This is only the first step, but it worked."
He slumped back, exhausted.
> "If I can perfect this… I might be able to refine pills that nourish not just the body, but the soul flame too."
Zi Shu curled up beside him, eyes closed, her little body still radiating warmth. Max let out a low woof, curling protectively behind them both.
Su Yang closed his eyes as well, allowing his body to rest while the remnants of soul resonance faded gently.
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