Flame Mantra

At the age of three, Xiao Yi Xian had been taken by her mother to live in a small village that made its living by gathering herbs. Yet both her mother and the village had died because Xiao Yi Xian awakened the Poison Body of Calamity.

Unwilling to let others die because of her again, Xiao Yi Xian desperately studied medicine, hoping to fill the void in her heart.

Yet whenever anyone discovered that Xiao Yi Xian possessed the Poison Body of Calamity, they ignored all the good she had done and blindly avoided the "Great Poison Master."

Now, not only was this senior unafraid of her constitution, he had even brought her to such a tranquil and peaceful Bamboo Forest, stirring a trace of gratitude within her heart.

Lin Che smiled. "I heard you really want to become an alchemist?"

Xiao Yi Xian raised her head. Her wise eyes blinked as she looked at him in confusion.

She truly wanted to become an alchemist, but because of the Poison Body of Calamity, at most she could only become a Poison Master everyone despised.

"Sir, you also know that this junior possesses the Poison Body of Calamity... My Dou Qi is poisonous too. If I tried to refine pills, I fear I could only produce poison pills."

"Poison pills are not incapable of saving people. Every kind of pill has its own use. For example, pills that prevent poison from entering the body are precisely what Poison Masters excel at refining. Moreover, you possess the Poison Body of Calamity, so you can use your constitution to refine high-tier pills. Not only can you take them yourself, you can also help others."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head and looked at her flawless white hands. Clenching her pearly teeth, she asked, "Sir, can you help me become an alchemist?"

"Of course. As it happens, I have a high-tier alchemist here. From now on, you will cultivate under him."

"Yao Chen, come out."

A flash of white light appeared. A trail of silvery-white smoke suddenly rose from the smooth ring, and Yao Chen, in his soul form, appeared before Xiao Yi Xian.

Yao Chen stroked his pale little beard, his gaze resting on Xiao Yi Xian. He said softly, "This old man heard your previous conversation. This lass possesses the Poison Body of Calamity, so refining pills will not be easy for her. However, this old man can teach you a thing or two. As for accepting you as a disciple, let us forget it."

As the once-renowned Venerable Yao, Yao Chen's alchemy had long reached the peak of the eighth tier. However, ordinary alchemists like them deeply detested Poison Masters.

They believed Poison Masters were nothing more than a rabble.

Poison Masters did not save the world. They were ruthless and cruel, placing their own interests above all else. Furthermore, no one was willing to befriend a Poison Master.

Poison Masters held a low status in the Jia Ma Empire, yet they did not care. They roamed the Dou Qi Continent alone, researching their poisons. Under normal circumstances, no one was willing to fight a Poison Master. Once they went mad, even peak experts would find them troublesome.

That was why Yao Chen was unwilling to accept her as his disciple.

Xiao Yi Xian looked toward Lin Che.

Lin Che could only say, "Forget it. Since that is the case, I will personally train you."

Though he was not an alchemist, his knowledge of herbs was unmatched. He had learned it in order to brew more delicious fine wines; otherwise, he would not have searched everywhere for herbs.

Xiao Yi Xian knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times, bowing nine times. "Thank you, Sir!"

Yao Chen took out a low-grade Yellow Tier cultivation technique from his Storage Ring. "Though you and I cannot become master and disciple, I have a cultivation technique here that can increase in rank. Today, I will give it to you."

Lin Che's gaze fell upon the cultivation technique in Yao Chen's hand. Two large characters were clearly written on it.

"Flame Mantra."

The strange thing about this cultivation technique was that it could evolve. It could evolve without limit by devouring Heavenly Flames, eventually even surpassing the Heaven Tier.

It was an unnamed cultivation technique Yao Chen had obtained from an ancient cave dwelling. Later, Old Yao named this mysterious cultivation technique "Fen Jue." The original Fen Jue was merely a low-grade Yellow Tier cultivation technique, but it could advance by devouring Heavenly Flames.

Because the cost of advancing and mastering it was too great, Old Yao had not cultivated it himself, nor had he passed it on to his disciple Han Feng.

Although it was powerful, Yao Chen did not wish to see his only disciple embark upon a path of unknown fortune and disaster.

That was why he had not allowed Han Feng to cultivate it. As a result, Han Feng, whom he had raised since childhood, became so twisted that he joined forces with Elder Mu Gu of the Soul Hall to plot against Old Yao and seize Fen Jue. In the end, Han Feng's betrayal and treachery caused Old Yao to fall and become a soul body. Fortunately, Yao Chen's powerful soul, coupled with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, preserved his soul.

Now that he had taken out this cultivation technique once more, Yao Chen presumably no longer wished to keep looking at it.

Because of Fen Jue, he had experienced betrayal and come to understand the cunning of the human heart.

Therefore, he was not saddened by refusing to accept a disciple. This was likely a lingering effect caused by Han Feng's betrayal.

"A low-grade Yellow Tier cultivation technique..." Xiao Yi Xian was about to speak when Lin Che's voice sounded. "Xiao Yi Xian, why have you not thanked Senior Yao Chen?"

Xiao Yi Xian obediently cupped her hands in salute. "Thank you, Senior."

Though she did not know what use this cultivation technique had, since Sir had said so, Flame Mantra surely possessed something extraordinary.

Yao Chen stroked his little beard and smiled broadly. "Hehehe, no need. Your sir awakened me, so this old man should have offered a fine gift. This cultivation technique is called Flame Mantra, and this old man obtained it by chance. Do not be fooled by its low-grade Yellow Tier rank; it can evolve. As for what realm it can ultimately evolve to, that will depend on your fortune."

"An evolving cultivation technique?"

Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head and looked at the Flame Mantra in her hands. This was the first time she had heard of an evolving cultivation technique.

"That is right. Each time it devours a Heavenly Flame, Flame Mantra can evolve in rank. Whether you can obtain Heavenly Flames in the future will depend on your fortune."

Yao Chen himself did not know which madman had created Flame Mantra. But since he had taken it out, he would leave it to her to handle as she pleased.

As for whether it would truly advance beyond the Heaven Tier in the future, that would depend on Xiao Yi Xian's luck.

Xiao Yi Xian said gratefully, "Thank you, Senior Old Yao."

"No need." Yao Chen waved his hand. Even he himself did not know whether Flame Mantra truly had the ability to evolve, because throughout the entire Dou Qi Continent, those who possessed Heavenly Flames were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Yet no one had dared to try cultivating Flame Mantra.

Xiao Yi Xian eagerly opened Flame Mantra, sat cross-legged on the ground, and prepared to cultivate it.

Yao Chen walked over to the bamboo pavilion and looked at the unconcerned Lin Che. "Are you sure this little girl can be trusted? You know this old man's circumstances. If word gets out, I fear we will all die."

Lin Che took a sip of wine and said softly, "You can rest assured about that. Xiao Yi Xian is not a bad person, and besides, she knows nothing of those matters."

Seeing his explanation, Yao Chen found it difficult to say anything more.

As the saying went, one should not harbor the intent to harm others, but one must remain on guard against them. No one could guarantee that another would not harm one's family for the sake of profit.