Chapter 82: Evolution
Devouring a heavenly flame with the Flame Mantra required pill assistance. Without it, the body's fragile meridians and flesh simply couldn't handle the process—after all, this wasn't a technique designed for humans.
If Yao Yan hadn't known the events of the original story, he would've never dared to cultivate this method.
Compared to this, cultivating one of the Soul Clan's Earth- or even Heaven-rank techniques would clearly be a safer and more cost-effective choice.
Because the process of devouring flames meant fusing fire with the human body. It was a hundred times more dangerous than an alchemist refining a heavenly flame. To put it bluntly, out of ten people who trained in this technique, nine would be killed, and the last one crippled.
On top of that, the technique treated heavenly flames as its main food source—how was an ordinary person supposed to keep up?
Even the ancient clans wouldn't entertain such an idea. They already had no shortage of Heaven-rank techniques, so why risk their talented bloodline members on a method with a near 100% mortality rate? What, did they have too many geniuses to spare?
As for ordinary disciples… why would an imperial clan even bother training them?
"Who would've thought this technique would be tied to the inheritance of the Ancient Emperor Tuoshe."
Yao Yan chuckled inwardly, then focused and began circulating the Flame Mantra, attempting to use it to devour the Illusory Gold Flame inside his body. As for pill support… his body had already adapted to the flame's refining effect. Coupled with the bloodlines of two imperial clans, he wasn't worried about the risks.
Even if he failed, it wouldn't harm his body.
Under the control of his mind, the golden Illusory Flame appeared in his dantian. Unlike before, this was the core source of the flame—it looked like a drop of molten golden magma, exuding the wild aura of a magical beast.
Yao Yan wrapped the flame in layers of Dou Qi and began guiding it according to the Flame Mantra's circulation method.
Perhaps because the flame had been nurtured by his Dou Qi since its birth, the Illusory Flame showed no resistance. It allowed the Dou Qi to carry it through his meridians for one full cycle. But as the devouring began—when the flame's core was being consumed—it instinctively resisted.
Though, its resistance seemed more like… a feigned struggle.
Under Yao Yan's control, the circulation grew faster and faster. Nourished by the flame's core, his Dou Qi clearly strengthened, flowing ever more smoothly. But as the devouring intensified, a wave of irritation and agitation crept into his heart.
He knew this was the backlash of devouring a flame.
After all, the human body was not flame. There had to be a price. But compared to the strength he would gain, that price was negligible. He took an Ice Soul Pill from his ring and swallowed it.
A cool and refreshing sensation surged through his body, clearing his mind. The swelling inner fire dissipated like snow melting under scorching sun.
Seizing the opportunity, Yao Yan sped up the devouring process. He channeled his Dou Qi to wrap tightly around the flame, circulating rapidly through his meridians.
At this point, the flame's resistance grew increasingly weaker—completely at his mercy, allowing him to shape it however he pleased.
This was, after all, a beast flame nurtured for years—not some wild heavenly flame. Naturally, it was very obedient.
With each completed cycle, his Dou Qi shifted from pale yellow to golden, flowing through his body like molten metal. A tingling sensation coursed through his limbs and bones—clear evidence that the Illusory Flame's body-tempering trait had been integrated into his Dou Qi.
When the last wisp of the Illusory Flame's essence fused into his Dou Qi, his energy grew noticeably stronger. The pale yellow Dou Crystal in his dantian turned golden.
"Did it work?"
Yao Yan was slightly surprised—the process seemed a bit too easy. Just then, he felt the surrounding world energy surge, rapidly converging toward him.
This was the benefit of a technique advancing—a signature feature of the Flame Mantra. It allowed practitioners to break through without bottlenecks. As long as one could control the power within, they could use heavenly flames to infinitely advance. Of course, that required a sufficient number of heavenly flames.
But for someone like Yao Yan, who knew the plot, that was no problem.
Truly outrageous when you thought about it.
Ordinary cultivators couldn't even switch techniques freely. One misstep could collapse their foundation and regress their cultivation. Yet the Flame Mantra had no such concern—it evolved infinitely...
He closed his eyes and entered a meditative state. The vast spiritual energy of the world surged into his body. Unlike before—when impurities needed to be refined—this time, everything was smooth and effortless.
Though the Illusory Flame wasn't a heavenly flame, as a beast flame born from a rank seven magical beast, it was undeniably powerful. Within mere seconds of absorbing world energy, that energy was refined by his Dou Qi into pure energy and drawn into his Dou Crystal.
With Yao Yan fully immersed in cultivation, the surrounding spiritual energy flowed even more furiously. His body became like a black hole, endlessly devouring everything. He accepted all that entered, unconcerned about impurities.
At that moment, Yao Yan fully grasped the terrifying power of the Flame Mantra. The ability to merge fire into one's being—utterly absurd.
His aura visibly surged with each passing breath.
His Two-Star Da Dou Shi cultivation quickly rose to Three-Star… then Four-Star… and finally stabilized at Six-Star!
Hoo—
Yao Yan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. As he opened his eyes, golden flame flickered within them. When he raised his hand and released Dou Qi, the golden energy that gathered in his palm was several times stronger than before. His control over the Illusory Flame had also reached a ridiculous level.
He finally understood why Xiao Yan's alchemy skills had improved so rapidly in the original story.
Talent was one factor—but mastery over flame was another.
Alchemists who refined foreign flames merely borrowed their power. They didn't truly become part of them. That's why many flaunted their use of Dou Flames—to show off their ability to tame and control fire.
After cultivating the Flame Mantra, that process was eliminated entirely. Controlling flame became as natural as moving a finger. Aside from performing fancy tricks, everything else was instinctual.
"High-tier Yellow-rank… Six-Star Da Dou Shi."
Yao Yan evaluated the changes in the Flame Mantra, unsurprised.
In the original story, Xiao Yan's cultivation advanced one rank after devouring the Purple Flame. The Illusory Flame was clearly far stronger—it was the companion flame of a seventh-rank magical beast, the Fire Scorpion Dragon Beast. Xiao Yan's Purple Flame, by contrast, came from refining a piece of Purple Crystal Source—it was merely a by-product.
There was a fundamental difference between the two.
"High-tier Yellow-rank is probably the limit. The Flame Mantra is fueled by heavenly flames. At most, beast flames can only evolve it to this level. To upgrade it further… I'll need a real heavenly flame."
Yao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as five bold words surfaced in his mind—
Green Lotus Core Flame.
(END CHAPTER)
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