Abandoning the Flame Devouring Art

At dusk, Yun Shu bid Xun Er farewell and returned to the Mittel Auction House. There was still a ripe peach waiting for him to enjoy. After being with Yun Shu for so long, Ya Fei had been nourished into becoming increasingly alluring.

After returning to the Mittel Auction House, Yun Shu headed straight for Ya Fei's room.

"Wife, I'm back!" Yun Shu quietly opened the door and saw Ya Fei just about to change clothes. Like a starving tiger pouncing on its prey, he lunged straight at her.

Over the next few days, Yun Shu spent his days with Xun Er and his nights with Ya Fei. Having the Fallen Heart Flame as a cultivation cheat was truly wonderful—he did not even need to cultivate, yet the Dou Qi within his body kept rising rapidly.

Yun Shu estimated that in about another month, he should be able to break through.

At last, Xun Er's birthday arrived...

This world did not seem to have a custom of celebrating birthdays, so even on one's birthday, everything was no different from usual.

"Come on, I'll take you shopping today!" When he arrived at Xun Er's place, she was already dressed and waiting for him. Yun Shu ruffled her little head and said with a smile.

"Hmph! At least you know what's good for you!" Xun Er no longer objected much to Yun Shu patting her head. She even seemed to faintly look forward to it and enjoy it.

"What? Do you like this?" Not long after arriving at the Xiao Family marketplace, Xun Er stopped. Seeing her looking at some small accessories being sold at a nearby stall, Yun Shu smiled slightly.

"Try it on!" Yun Shu immediately picked up a small accessory and put it on Xun Er.

After putting on the accessory, Xun Er looked at Yun Shu with her hands behind her back, seemingly waiting for his opinion.

"Hmm... it doesn't look good!" Yun Shu shook his head and said seriously.

The expectant look on Xun Er's face immediately fell, and she looked somewhat resentful. The accessory Yun Shu had put on her was precisely the one she had taken a liking to.

"Pfft! I was teasing you! Xun Er is so cute, of course anything looks good on you!" Yun Shu could not help laughing before he said.

"Boring..." Xun Er narrowed her eyes at Yun Shu.

"Master Yun Shu, you should take Miss Xun Er somewhere else to be lovey-dovey! I... I can't take this anymore!"

The accessory vendor looked to be only in his twenties. Surprisingly, he recognized Yun Shu and Xun Er, so he was probably connected to the Xiao Family.

"Who's being lovey-dovey with this stinking guy?!" Those words made Xun Er blush scarlet. She no longer wanted the accessory, left Xiao Quan behind, and ran deeper into the marketplace.

"Xun Er!" Yun Shu hurriedly stuffed the accessory into his robes, then tossed down a Gold Coin and chased after her.

Just like that, Yun Shu accompanied Xun Er around Wu Tan City for more than half a day. Even the legs of a Seven-Star Dou Practitioner like Yun Shu were about to give out, yet Xun Er seemed completely unaffected.

After returning to the Xiao Family.

"Xun Er, look. What is this?" Yun Shu took out the small accessory Xun Er had liked earlier at the marketplace.

"Hmph!!" When she saw the accessory she had liked earlier, delight immediately appeared on Xun Er's little face. But she still let out an annoyed snort, pretending to be angry, before snatching it away and putting it on herself.

After putting it on, she deliberately trotted over to Yun Shu. With her fingers interlocked behind her back, she looked at him expectantly, seemingly waiting for the rest of what he had not finished saying earlier.

"Hmm... as expected, it still doesn't suit you very well!" Yun Shu rubbed his chin and said with a mischievous grin.

"I'm ignoring you!! Idiot!!" Xun Er's little face darkened upon hearing that, and she immediately turned around and walked back.

"I'm joking!" Yun Shu followed after her, saying with a smile.

"Oh, right, the birthday gift I mentioned last time! Happy birthday, Xun Er!" After following Xun Er into her room, Yun Shu took out the birthday cake that had been kept for several months from his Storage Space.

"This is!!" The instant the birthday cake appeared, Xun Er and Ling Ying, who was hidden in the shadows, both changed expression drastically.

"Where did this come from?!" Xun Er looked at Yun Shu excitedly.

"I made it myself..." Yun Shu scratched his head, utterly confused by Xun Er's expression.

"So it really is..." Xun Er looked at Yun Shu, but before she could finish speaking, she quickly covered her mouth.

Because Ling Ying, hidden in the shadows, had already transmitted his voice to Xun Er. This matter could not be spoken of.

"Really is what?" Yun Shu asked blankly.

It was the first time he had seen this girl make such a rich array of expressions.

"Nothing!" Xun Er immediately changed her expression and smiled at Yun Shu.

"Then eat!" Yun Shu cut a small piece of cake for Xun Er and handed it to her.

"Thank you!" Xun Er pursed her lips in a smile and accepted the cake.

Sure enough, it's this flavor!! After taking a bite of the cake, Xun Er became even more certain that Yun Shu was that person.

However, Xun Er did not tell Yun Shu, because she had promised that person to keep it secret.

After helping Xun Er celebrate her birthday, Yun Shu returned. Xun Er did not ask him to stay the night...

Of course, that was impossible. It was fine to merely think about such things.

A few more days passed, and Xiao Yan finally broke through, becoming a Dou Zhe.

Yun Shu was also summoned by Yao Lao.

"Little Yan broke through to become a Dou Zhe, so why did you call me here?" Yun Shu asked in surprise. Could it be that Yao Lao was going to teach him the Flame Devouring Art?

But honestly, Yun Shu was not particularly looking forward to this cultivation method that could evolve by absorbing Strange Fire, because it was too painful.

Yun Shu already had the system as a cheat. Why would he need to endure that kind of suffering?

"That brat Xiao Yan also broke through and became a Dou Zhe today. As your master, I have come to give you two martial brothers a choice!" Yao Lao's soul floated out of the ring as he looked calmly at his two disciples.

"A choice?" Xiao Yan did not understand, but Yun Shu rubbed his chin. It seemed to be just as he had thought.

"I possess a special cultivation method..." Yao Lao then introduced the Flame Devouring Art to Xiao Yan and Yun Shu, a special cultivation method capable of evolving by absorbing Strange Fire.

"It can evolve?? Really?" Xiao Yan asked excitedly.

If it could evolve, did that mean this cultivation method could ultimately become a Heaven Rank Cultivation Method?!

That was a Heaven Rank Cultivation Method! There probably had not been a cultivation method of that level anywhere on the Dou Qi Continent for a very long time.

"There are requirements for evolving as well," Yao Lao said quietly.

Afterward, he told the two of them that they would need to devour Strange Fire.

"I'll pass. I can't endure hardship, so I give up!" Yun Shu happened to find a convenient excuse. Upon hearing that absorbing Strange Fire could easily kill him, he directly gave up cultivating the Flame Devouring Art in front of Xiao Yan and Yao Lao.

"Little Shu, are you certain? You only have one chance at this opportunity!" Yao Lao said to Yun Shu with a solemn expression.

Yun Shu's willingness to give it up also made Yao Lao breathe a sigh of relief. He was afraid that the two martial brothers would fall out over the Flame Devouring Art.

Because of the Flame Devouring Art's unique nature, only one person was destined to cultivate it.

"I'm certain!"