At that thought, Murong Huai felt a power hotter than magma surge from within his chest. Approval flashed in the Fire Dragon King's eyes. With a sweep of his dragon claw, a condensed ball of heartfire fell before Murong Huai and merged into his mind. "Draw the fire into your body and circulate it according to the meridian diagram of World-Burning Heavenly Execution. Remember: let the fire travel through the extraordinary meridians, against the flow of the channels!"
Murong Huai did not hesitate. He reached out and grabbed the ball of earthfire. The instant it touched his skin, it burrowed into his pores like a living thing and tore wildly through his meridians. The agony of forcing it against the meridians made his entire body convulse. Cold sweat mixed with blood streamed down his forehead, evaporating the moment it struck the ground.
He clenched his teeth until they nearly shattered. Again and again, the meridian diagram taught by the Fire Dragon King flashed through his mind as he forcibly guided the stream of fire in cycles through his Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
One cycle, two cycles... When the fire stream completed its ninth cycle, a muffled boom suddenly erupted from within him. His meridians seemed to widen severalfold, and the flames that had been so violent became docile, condensing into a crimson fire seed within his dantian.
"Very good. Now try drawing upon the fire of heaven and earth." The Fire Dragon King's voice carried a trace of exhaustion, and the glow of his remnant soul dimmed slightly.
Murong Huai rose to his feet and made a grasping motion toward the river of magma. The fire seed in his dantian leaped violently. Fire elements from the surroundings gathered madly as though summoned, forming a spiraling pillar of flame in his palm.