Refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame

Near this bottomless abyss stood a colossal, lush mountain range. Thick clouds condensed from heaven and earth energy swirled around its summit. Through the boundless mist, one could vaguely make out a magnificent, resplendent hall atop the mountain.

"As expected of one of the Ancient Eight Clans. They even have a dedicated place just for refining Heavenly Flames." The moment Xiao Yan stepped into the hall, he felt a surge of heaven and earth energy wash over him and offered sincere praise.

The Flame Refining Sacred Hall was a place reserved for the most exceptionally gifted geniuses of the Yao Clan to refine the Nine Nether Wind Flame. The air within and around the hall was saturated with extraordinarily dense heaven and earth energy. Refining a Heavenly Flame here gave one a fair chance to break through one's realm, perhaps even attain sainthood on the spot!

"This Turtle Spirit Earth Fire has been with me for quite some time and has helped me greatly. Now that I'm replacing it with the Nine Nether Wind Flame, I really am somewhat reluctant to part with it." In the empty hall, a slightly ethereal female voice abruptly rang out, tinged with sorrow.

"Tsk, Sister needn't be so sad. If Sister is willing, Xiao Yan can help you merge the two Heavenly Flames into one." Xiao Yan raised his brow and smiled. His Flame Mantra truly possessed some rather wondrous properties.

"What do you mean?" Yao Ling looked at Xiao Yan in delighted surprise. An alchemist's body could generally only contain one Heavenly Flame. Even someone as knowledgeable as her had only heard that the Yan Clan's Clan Leader had spent many years merging two Heavenly Flames into one. If several Heavenly Flames could truly be merged, it would undoubtedly provide an immense boost to both combat strength and alchemy!

"That is a secret. Sister, just hand the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire to me for now, then begin refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame." Xiao Yan blinked mysteriously.

"Fine, I'll trust you this once." Yao Ling nodded suspiciously. With a spread of her palm, a mass of brown flame surged forth. She carefully separated the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire and placed it in Xiao Yan's palm. Then she took out the Nine Nether Wind Flame from her Storage Ring and began refining it.

The instant the refinement began, the Nine Nether Wind Flame engulfed Yao Ling's entire body, and fierce winds howled throughout the hall. Yao Ling took a deep breath and cut a bloody line across her fair wrist. Several drops of blood fell onto the Nine Nether Wind Flame, causing it to wilt at once. Seeing this, Yao Ling began concentrating on suppressing and destroying the incompletely formed intelligence of the Nine Nether Wind Flame.

This was also the most crucial step. So long as the intelligence of the Nine Nether Wind Flame was utterly destroyed, it could be swallowed into the body without reservation, then thoroughly refined over time using dou qi. Of course, given the Nine Nether Wind Flame's rank on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the process was indeed far from easy.

This suppression lasted for three days. During that time, countless streams of heaven and earth energy were drawn in from every direction, washing through Yao Ling's Meridians as her aura gradually grew stronger with each cleansing. Seeing this, Xiao Yan secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. This Flame Refining Sacred Hall truly held many mysteries.

Just as he was marveling at it, the Nine Nether Wind Flame unleashed an unprecedentedly violent hurricane, splitting the ground within a hundred zhang completely apart. Then, it finally wilted entirely. Seeing this, Yao Ling opened her small mouth and swallowed the Nine Nether Wind Flame in a single gulp.

"Sister, just begin refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame." Seeing the doubt-filled look Yao Ling cast his way, Xiao Yan chuckled and said.

Fine. At worst, I'll only refine the Nine Nether Wind Flame. Either way, I won't lose out. Yao Ling withdrew her gaze and thought to herself. Steeling her mind, wisps of Nine Nether Wind Flame seeped out through every inch of her skin, then slowly wound around her body, scorching every corner of her flesh. Under the searing heat of the Nine Nether Wind Flame, her face gradually flushed red.

Once Xiao Yan saw Yao Ling begin refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame, he spread his arms without hesitation and directly embraced her against his chest. His hands, which held the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire, pressed against her back as well.

?

Xiao Yan's actions caused Yao Ling's mind to go completely blank. Her lips parted, but she could not utter a single word. Her face reddened even further, like a fully ripened tomato.

"I'm using my Flame Mantra to help Sister refine the Nine Nether Wind Flame. When using this cultivation method, some unpleasant contact is indeed unavoidable." Xiao Yan explained with a trace of apology.

Yao Ling sensed that the Heavenly Flame she was refining had indeed changed. The energy within it was no longer purely the violent energy of wind; instead, it had become a mixed energy formed from the fusion of gentler, more balanced energies. Only then did she accept Xiao Yan's explanation. She shot him a fierce glare and said quietly, "Only heaven and earth, you and I need know of this. Do not let outsiders find out, or else..."

"Certainly. Certainly." Xiao Yan replied with an ingratiating smile.

After another four or five days, the Nine Nether Wind Flame winding around Yao Ling's body gradually vanished completely. Her aura had become several times stronger than before she absorbed the Nine Nether Wind Flame. Her eyes were now filled with an indescribably miraculous Heavenly Flame. She casually shoved Xiao Yan away with one palm, then swept her arm, sending a streak of azure-white Wind Flame tearing through the air. The temperature of this fused Heavenly Flame was terrifying; the moment it appeared, the nearby stone tiles began melting into liquid.

"What is Sister's strength now?" Xiao Yan asked in astonishment. Taking advantage of swallowing the Heavenly Flame, Yao Ling's strength had increased severalfold. He could no longer see through her cultivation.

"Probably that of a low-level Half-Saint, just entering the Saint Stage. My soul strength has also roughly reached the Mid Heavenly Realm." Thinking of the past few days spent with Xiao Yan, Yao Ling's heart grew unsettled. After glaring at him for a long while, she finally said, "There won't be a next time. This time, you helped me greatly. Since you helped merge this Heavenly Flame, you may name it."

"Hmm..." Xiao Yan stared at the azure-white Wind Flame, mainly formed from the Nine Nether Wind Flame and Turtle Spirit Earth Fire, with the addition of four other Heavenly Flames. After racking his brains for a while, he said, "How about calling it the Azure Spirit Wind Flame?"

"Fine." Yao Ling neither approved nor disapproved of the name. She took out a Medicine Gourd covered in soul imprints from her Storage Ring, tipped it over, and poured out another Nine Nether Wind Flame. "This Nine Nether Wind Flame is the one you requested from Elder Yao Dao. Refine it."

Xiao Yan had just received the Nine Nether Wind Flame and was about to refine it when Yao Ling snatched it back. He had just opened his mouth to apologize when he heard her say indignantly, "I'll erase the intelligence of this Nine Nether Wind Flame for you. This time, we'll be even, so don't take advantage and then act smug!"

"Alright, alright. I truly am sorry, Sister." Xiao Yan said with an apologetic smile.

Another five days passed, and Xiao Yan too had refined the Nine Nether Wind Flame. Since Yao Ling had helped erase its intelligence, refining it truly took no effort at all.

"Phew..." Xiao Yan let out a long breath, then opened his eyes wide as an aura several times stronger than before refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame surged forth without restraint. "Refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame this time has truly brought tremendous gains."

With a slight probe, Yao Ling understood that Xiao Yan had now reached the middle phase of Eight-star Dou Zun. Even judging solely by his dou qi realm, few among the younger generation of the Yao Clan could surpass him. She gave a faint acknowledgment before reluctantly adding, "The Clan Leader said that once we finish refining the Nine Nether Wind Flame, we are to go see him. He has a mission to assign to us personally."

Strange. What mission could it be? Xiao Yan wondered inwardly. Though the middle phase of Eight-star Dou Zun placed him among the very best of the younger generation, it did not seem as though he was worthy of Yao Dan entrusting any mission to him.