Luo Yue's True Colors

Just as dawn broke, Yan Kui opened his eyes from meditation.

At this moment, his eyes looked eerie and terrifying—his left eye was a deep blue, like ice frozen for a thousand years; his right eye was a burning dark red, like hellfire that could never be extinguished. The two colors flickered alternately within his sockets, illuminating the darkness of the cave.

He slowly raised his arm and examined the patterns on his skin—no longer mere dark-red muscle, it was covered in interwoven patterns of ice and fire, forming some complex and eerie design. Every inch of skin glimmered faintly, cold blue alternating with dark red, as though ice and fire were waging an endless war across the surface of his body.

He felt the changes in this body—not merely an increase in strength, but some fundamental transformation. This was not a simple boost in attributes, but a qualitative change in his body itself. He could feel that even breathing set the energies of ice and fire circulating within him.

This was the true form of the Crimson Extreme Golden Body Second Stage.

Yet at this moment, there was no joy in Yan Kui's heart. His gaze was as cold as ice, gleaming with a rational, lethal killing intent.

Yesterday's battle, Luo Yue's observation from afar—all of it pointed to one fact: that Elder's true intentions had been utterly exposed.

No more "research," no more "observation," but "control."

What Luo Yue wanted was to turn him into something. Yan Kui did not know exactly what, but he could read it in the Elder's eyes when he fled—excitement, greed, and a twisted yearning.

This danger had to be eliminated at once. And the only way was to act faster than Luo Yue before he made his move.

Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the cave.

They were not the footsteps of spirit beasts—spirit beasts would never move with such neat, regular rhythm. This was the light, floating manner of movement unique to cultivators. Their feet made no sound when they touched the ground; only the air trembled faintly.

Luo Yue had come.

Luo Yue's figure appeared at the cave entrance. Rather than walk inside, he hovered in the air, standing upon some invisible mana. He still wore the Elder's standard attire—a loose blue-green robe, its chest embroidered with dark-gold patterns representing Artifact Refining Peak.

But an unusual light glimmered in his eyes.

It was not the look of an ordinary Elder, but a mad, greedy, twisted desire.

"Yan Kui." When Luo Yue spoke, his voice carried a suppressed excitement. "You're awake. Good. We need to have a proper talk."

Yan Kui rose from the ground. He stood a full 2.8 meters tall, his demonic body filling the cave's entire space.

Luo Yue's gaze swept across Yan Kui's body, his eyes flashing with disbelief—and desire.

"Yesterday... yesterday, I watched your battle from afar." Luo Yue spoke slowly. "Your body underwent an astonishing metamorphosis. This... is the strangest, most perfect transformation I have ever seen in my life."

Luo Yue descended from the air, hovering three meters away from Yan Kui.

"Your aura has undergone a qualitative change," Luo Yue continued. "Before, there was only pure scorching heat around you, the fire attribute of the Crimson Extreme Golden Body. But now... now your aura holds both scorching heat and freezing cold. These two energies, which should be opposites, have fused perfectly within your body."

Luo Yue's gaze fell upon Yan Kui's skin.

"The patterns of your skin have changed. Some sort of... pattern has appeared over the surface of your body, though I do not know how to describe it. Ice and fire intertwine, blue and red alternate. It is not merely a change in color, but some fundamental transformation."

Luo Yue's eyes moved upward, settling on Yan Kui's face.

"Your eyes... what shocks me most are your eyes." Luo Yue's voice was filled with mad longing. "The left is blue, the right is red. This... this is not an ordinary change in eye color. It is a mutation originating from the deepest parts of your body. It represents the complete fusion of the ice and fire energies within you."

Luo Yue slowly let out a breath.

A mad smile appeared on Luo Yue's face.

"You killed two Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators. In less than three minutes, you crushed and instantly killed them with absolute dominance. That level of combat power... that strength... has already far surpassed ordinary Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators."

Yan Kui listened in silence. His dual-colored ice-blue and dark-red eyes flickered in the darkness.

"Do you know?" Luo Yue suddenly paused. "Your value has already vastly exceeded my initial estimate. I thought you would be a qualified test subject. But now I realize... you are not merely a test subject. You are some kind of... perfect material."

Luo Yue's voice lowered further.

"A constitution like yours is unheard of throughout the entire cultivation world. Though you have no spiritual root, your body's potential far surpasses that of any disciple who possesses one. The sect needs a talent like you... no, more accurately, I need you."

There was no change in Yan Kui's gaze, only cruel, ice-like silence.

"I want to discuss a... cooperation with you." The corner of Luo Yue's mouth curled upward. "A cooperation that will benefit you and the sect alike."

"What cooperation?" Yan Kui asked.

At that moment, a mad light flashed through Luo Yue's eyes.

"Artifact Refining Peak has a secret project," Luo Yue said slowly. "A... 'War Puppet Refinement' plan. Have you ever heard of war puppets?"

"No."

"War puppets." Luo Yue's voice became excited. "They are among the most powerful weapons in the cultivation world. They are a special kind of puppet—unlike ordinary puppets, which are completely controlled, war puppets retain their host's consciousness. The host can think, feel, act... but the host's body is completely controlled by the artifact refiner."

Yan Kui's gaze turned cold.

"You mean... you want to refine me into a puppet?"

Luo Yue shook his head.

"Not a puppet, but a war puppet—a more powerful, more perfect weapon. You will retain your consciousness, but your body will be completely under my control. You will become... an ultimate work of art. A treasure that will safeguard Qingyun Sect."

Luo Yue slowly moved closer.

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"Furthermore, this plan has already received the Sect Master's approval. This is the sect's strategy, not my personal decision. You have no choice. This will be your greatest contribution to the sect."

Yan Kui did not reply immediately. He remained silent for a long time.

"You have no other choice." Luo Yue's voice grew even colder. "Either cooperate, or... I will use force. And I have more than enough ways to make an uncooperative test subject obediently submit."

A twisted smile appeared on Luo Yue's face.

"You don't understand. Your value lies not in your will, but in your body. With a physique like yours, you will become the Qingyun Sect's most powerful weapon. And because of that, I will receive the Sect Master's greatest reward. So... you have no room to refuse."

An eerie silence fell over the cave.

After remaining silent for a while, Yan Kui slowly lowered his head.

His shoulders trembled faintly, as though he were suppressing some emotion.

"I... I understand, Elder Luo." Yan Kui's voice was low and somewhat hoarse. "Since even the Sect Master has agreed, I naturally dare not defy him."

A satisfied smile appeared on Luo Yue's face.

"Very good. You are clever. You know how to weigh the situation. This way... we can happily..."

But at that moment, Yan Kui raised his head.

A certain light flickered in his eyes—something that looked like desire, a desire for power.

"Elder Luo," Yan Kui said slowly, "I have one request."

Luo Yue frowned slightly.

"What request?"

"Since we are going to carry out War Puppet Refinement... I hope to make my physical body stronger beforehand." Yan Kui's voice carried a sincere yearning. "That would also improve the success rate of the refinement, wouldn't it? After all... the stronger the foundation, the stronger the final war puppet."

Luo Yue considered it. Yan Kui's words made sense.

"What do you want to do?" Luo Yue asked.

"I want to go to the Scripture Pavilion," Yan Kui said. "To look at those true Cultivation Methods. Especially Body Refining Techniques. I believe... those methods can further improve my physique. And I only need three days. Three days later, I will appear before you on time and accept whatever preparations you deem necessary."

Luo Yue's gaze flickered.

"Just to learn one method?"

"Yes." Yan Kui lowered his voice. "Three days is enough for me to get started. That way... my physique will be better suited for War Puppet Refinement."

Luo Yue pondered for a while.

In the end, he nodded.

"Very well. You have a point. A stronger physical body truly is more helpful for refinement. Besides... in three days, even if you learn a method, you won't be able to stir up any great waves."

Luo Yue took a jade token from his sleeve. The token bore the character "Luo" and emitted a gentle glow.

"This is my elder's token. With it, you may enter the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion," Luo Yue said. "You may freely choose... one method from the first floor. Remember, only one. And three days from now, report to Artifact Refining Peak on time. If you are late or disappear..."

At that moment, Luo Yue's gaze turned dangerous.

"I will hunt you to the ends of the earth."

Yan Kui accepted the token.

"I understand, Elder Luo. Three days from now, I will definitely arrive on time."

Luo Yue nodded in satisfaction. Then his figure flashed, and he had already vanished from the cave entrance.

Yan Kui stood alone in the cave, clutching the jade token marked with the character "Luo."

A cold smile curled across his lips.

There was not a trace of human warmth in that smile—only a pure, lethal indifference.

The token was in hand. That had been far easier than forcibly breaking into the Scripture Pavilion.

Luo Yue, Luo Yue... did you really think I would obediently submit? Did you think I would still appear at Artifact Refining Peak three days from now?

Only one?

Yan Kui lowered his head to look at the token in his hand, icy blue and dark red alternating in his eyes.

What I want is far more than one.

The Scripture Pavilion... it should contain every method I need. Three days... would be enough. Enough for me to obtain more secret manuals, enough to rapidly raise my strength, enough for me to completely turn the tables before the War Puppet Refinement ceremony...

War Puppet Refinement? A very interesting plan.

But Luo Yue... have you ever considered... who exactly would become whose puppet?

Yan Kui's two-colored eyes flickered in the darkness, icy blue and dark red interwoven, illuminating the entire cave.

Three days... would be enough.