A few days later, Lin Yue was cultivating beside the Innate Spirit Spring, circulating the Chaos Cultivation Technique to absorb the energy in the spring water.
As he drew a stream of pure energy into his dantian and merged it with his vortex, a scene suddenly flashed through his mind: Su Qingyan using the Flame Law. Her flames had been scorching and domineering, as if they could incinerate everything in the world, yet she controlled them with effortless precision, unleashing tremendous explosive power.
A thought stirred in his mind. When he returned to the cavern, he saw Pangu gazing outside with his eyes open, so he walked over and asked, "Senior, why is Su Qingyan's Flame Law so powerful? I feel like her energy isn't necessarily much stronger than mine, yet her flames are far more potent than my Chaos Little Light Orb."
Pangu drew his gaze back from the cavern entrance and looked at Lin Yue. Then he spoke slowly. "That girl has the Innate Fire Spirit Physique."
"The Innate Fire Spirit Physique?" Lin Yue had never heard the term before. Curiosity piqued, he pressed, "What is that?"
"When chaos first formed, countless physiques came into being, and the Innate Fire Spirit Physique was one of them," Pangu explained. "Those with this physique have a natural affinity for the Flame Law. They can make twice the progress with half the effort when cultivating flame-based techniques, and their fire-based Supernatural Abilities are far more powerful than those of ordinary people. You could say she was born for the Flame Law."
Lin Yue suddenly understood. "No wonder her flames are so powerful. It's because of her physique. Is this kind of physique rare?"
"Extremely rare." Pangu nodded. "Innate Spirit Bodies are exceedingly scarce throughout all of chaos, and each one has tremendous potential. For that girl in red to have this physique shows she has excellent natural aptitude. If she's properly nurtured, she may well become a powerful figure in the future."
Lin Yue felt a slight stir of unease. If even Senior Pangu praised her natural aptitude, then Su Qingyan's potential was indeed not to be underestimated. Thinking of the contest three months away, he couldn't help feeling a little more pressed for time.
"Then... does the Innate Fire Spirit Physique have any weaknesses?" Lin Yue hesitated, but asked anyway. He wasn't trying to resort to any tricks; he simply wanted to understand his opponent better and know what he might be up against.
Pangu glanced at him, seeming to see through his thoughts, but didn't call him out. He said calmly, "All things counter and complement one another. No matter how powerful a physique is, it has its weaknesses. Though the Fire Spirit Physique is strong, it is vulnerable to extreme cold and the restraints of the Law of Space."
"Extreme cold? The restraints of the Law of Space?" Lin Yue committed the two weaknesses to memory. He currently had neither a cold-based Supernatural Ability nor any understanding of the Law of Space, so he couldn't make use of either weakness for now. Still, it was always good to know more.
Pangu said nothing further. He turned his gaze toward the direction Su Qingyan had left, a faint, hard-to-detect glint passing through his deep eyes. His fingertip twitched, and a wisp of Flame Law Fragment silently took shape, hovering there with a faint red glow.
This Law Fragment was purer and more profound than the flames Su Qingyan controlled, as if it contained the very source of flame. But after only a moment, he dispelled it, as though he had done so on a whim.
Lin Yue didn't notice the subtle change. He was still mulling over Pangu's words, thinking about how to counter Su Qingyan's flames in the contest three months later.
Since her flames are strong, I'll avoid meeting them head-on and rely on agile footwork and precise attacks instead, Lin Yue thought to himself. Senior Pangu said a good fighter knows how to spot weaknesses and seize opportunities. I may still have a chance.
He looked at Pangu and saw that the senior had closed his eyes again, so he didn't disturb him. Turning, he left the cavern and continued his cultivation.
In the days that followed, Lin Yue focused not only on improving his cultivation, but also on practicing his footwork and control over energy. Using the terrain around the cavern, he simulated fights against Su Qingyan, constantly adjusting the angles and timing of his attacks in hopes of finding an opening during the contest.
Now and then, he thought of the moment when Pangu had condensed the Flame Law Fragment. Though he had only caught a fleeting glimpse, it had deepened his longing for the power of the Laws. He knew that the Chaos Energy he controlled now was only the most basic kind of power. If he wanted to become truly strong, he would eventually have to reach the level of the Laws.
I still have a long way to go. Lin Yue gazed at the distant Chaos Airflow and sighed softly. But there wasn't a trace of discouragement in his eyes—only determination.
With Senior Pangu's guidance, a clear goal, and an opponent he needed to surpass, this path of cultivation was arduous, yet full of meaning.
Three months was neither a long time nor a short one. Lin Yue knew he had to make every moment count if he wanted to show a completely new version of himself on the appointed day.
What he didn't know was that while he trained hard, Pangu's gaze would occasionally drift toward the direction Su Qingyan had left, as if he were quietly observing something. Perhaps the girl in red was more than just Lin Yue's opponent; she might also play an important role in the future course of chaos.
Chaos continued to turn slowly. Countless living beings struggled, grew, and fell within it—and the story of Lin Yue and Su Qingyan had only just begun.
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