Azure Ice Flame Child Fire!

Ye City, a courtyard.

"Elder, we still haven't uncovered any information about that genius from the Ye Family. We only know that Ye Zhong's daughter-in-law gave birth to a girl named Ye Xinlan two months ago."

"They say her talent is quite good, but judging by the timing, she isn't that genius."

Several men in black reported the information they had gathered to the tall Zhao Hei standing before them.

"Where is the exact information?" Zhao Hei asked darkly.

"The Ye Family's internal affairs have been made impenetrable over the past five or six years. It's difficult for us to gather any intelligence."

"And Ye Zhong has concealed that genius's information layer by layer. He even put forward quite a few disciples to mislead us. If we want information, we can only force our way into the Ye Family."

"So you found nothing useful?"

Zhao Hei frowned, his expression displeased.

"Then did you find out why Ye Zhong was gathering so many ice-attributed resources on such a large scale some time ago?"

"It... it seemed to be for pill refinement," one black-clothed disciple stammered, apparently realizing that they had failed to do their job well.

"It seemed?"

Zhao Hei sneered. He was truly angered into laughter.

"Elder, there was really nothing we could do. Before coming to Ye City, we never knew that Ye Zhong would rather harm the family's interests than allow any information about that genius to leak."

"After so many years of buildup, it truly is difficult for us to gather intelligence."

"Elder Qin Mo, who handled the Ye Family's affairs before, also knew about these matters."

This was said by a Black Fire Sect disciple who had long been gathering information in Ye City.

Zhao Hei was helpless.

Qin Mo had broken through to the Dou Zong realm before him. When Qin Mo had planned to seize the Ye Family's Sun Fire Ancient Altar, Zhao Hei had still been attempting his own breakthrough to Dou Zong.

Therefore, he truly did not know much about the Ye Family.

Zhao Hei clasped his hands behind his back. Thinking of the consequences if that genius were allowed to grow, he made up his mind to visit the Ye Family in the next few days.

If Ye Zhong really was refining pills, then this period would be the best opportunity to gather information.

If not, Ye Zhong was merely a Dou Zong, not much stronger than him.

Even if he could not win, could he not run?

Ye Family.

The last trace of sunlight had long since faded, leaving behind only clear moonlight.

The heat wave that had covered the square had also long dissipated, replaced by a chill and a thin layer of ice.

Ye Yan sat cross-legged in the middle of the square, while Ye Zhong rested one hand on his shoulder, ensuring Ye Yan's safety at critical moments.

Within the Entry Space, the deep azure Azure Ice Flame, spiritual yet devoid of intelligence, burned even more fiercely after seeing the seventh-tier ice-attributed Magic Core and the Beast Fire of a peak seventh-tier Mystic Ice Cold Bird that Ye Yan had placed inside.

The flames flickered with an icy crystal-like texture and gave off bone-piercing cold mist.

The chill and thin ice across the square had been caused by this cold mist.

At that moment, drawn by some inexplicable attraction, the Azure Ice Flame slowly approached the Magic Core and Beast Fire.

After moving some distance, it stopped again.

Though it lacked intelligence, it still possessed the instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm.

This was also why, after recognizing Ye Yan as its master, the Azure Ice Flame still needed to proceed step by step before separating a Child Fire.

Whether or not the Azure Ice Flame could understand, Ye Yan thought to himself, Once you separate a Child Fire, I'll find you even more good stuff like this...

Ye Yan closed his eyes and focused entirely on the situation within the Entry Space.

Through that extremely faint connection in his mind with the Azure Ice Flame, Ye Yan sent it his command.

Just as the Azure Ice Flame remained motionless for half a day—

The illusory cauldron in Ye Yan's dantian seemed to suddenly sense the Azure Ice Flame's aura and gave a slight tremble.

"What's going on?"

Ye Yan frowned and diverted part of his attention inward.

At that moment, a flame emitting a green aura suddenly appeared within the cauldron in his dantian.

Before Ye Yan could study it, the flame inexplicably vanished from his body and entered the Entry Space.

The instant that green-aura flame appeared in the space, the Azure Ice Flame erupted with a burst of cold mist.

When the mist dispersed, the Azure Ice Flame had vanished without a trace.

When it reappeared, it swallowed the green-aura flame in a single gulp.

Mm~, a great tonic!

Within a few breaths, the Azure Ice Flame had completely absorbed the flame it had swallowed.

Ye Yan was also surprised to discover that his connection with the Azure Ice Flame had deepened somewhat.

"This..."

Joy rose in Ye Yan's heart. This cultivation method actually had such an effect.

Not only did it benefit the Azure Ice Flame, but it also imperceptibly deepened his connection to its origin.

Moreover, he felt that the Azure Ice Flame seemed less resistant to separating a Child Fire now.

After the Azure Ice Flame finished absorbing it, it swallowed the Mystic Ice Cold Bird's Beast Fire and Magic Core in one bite.

The deep azure flames burned even more fiercely.

Ye Yan did not relax. After discovering that the cauldron in his dantian possessed such an effect, he racked his brains in an attempt to produce another green-aura flame.

Yet after studying it for a long time, he still had not the slightest clue.

He only felt that the green aura was somewhat similar to Wood Qi.

While the Azure Ice Flame refined the Beast Fire and Magic Core, Ye Yan opened his eyes.

He planned to use this time to extract more Wood Qi from resources containing medicinal power, such as Evergreen Flower.

"How is it?"

Seeing Ye Yan open his eyes, Ye Zhong looked at him expectantly.

"There's a way."

Joy filled Ye Yan's eyes.

When he had previously gathered the Beast Fire and Magic Core, he had estimated only a ten percent chance of success. But now, the chance of separating a Child Fire was at least fifty percent.

Ye Yan said nothing more. He first circulated his cultivation method to recover his Dou Qi.

After his Dou Qi had recovered, he used the same method as before to extract Wood Qi from dozens of medicinal herbs.

As Ye Yan extracted it, Ye Zhong learned that the chance of separating the Child Fire had risen to fifty percent.

He nearly went mad with excitement and took out pills from the family medicine treasury that could assist in refining Heavenly Flames.

He had long prepared these for that one Child Fire.

The joy on his face was impossible to hide, and he greeted every disciple he met with unusual warmth.

The first ray of sunlight on the second day shone upon Gravel Square.

The sunlight struck the ice on the stone walls, causing it to reflect a dazzling brilliance.

Before Ye Yan, a deep azure flame the size of a mung bean emerged.

"It's finally done!"

Ye Yan looked exhausted. The beads of sweat on his forehead and beside his ears had already frozen into icy droplets.

Ye Zhong stood before Ye Yan, staring fervently at the mung bean-sized Azure Ice Flame Child Fire.

"My Ye Family has finally produced a Heavenly Flame."

"Alright, Old Master. This Child Fire has too little origin energy and still needs to be nourished with some resources. Once its origin stabilizes, that will be the best time to absorb it."

Ye Yan felt as if his body had gone numb. After speaking, he no longer looked at Ye Zhong and began cultivating.

At a time like this, cultivation was best.

It could not only stabilize his cultivation, but also strengthen the toughness of his internal meridians.

Ye Zhong had already fed low-tier Beast Fire and other ice-attributed resources into the mung bean-sized flame.

As the Beast Fire diminished, the smile on Ye Zhong's face became even more pronounced.

He was almost laughing aloud.

Good, the more it absorbed, the better!

That way, after refining this Child Fire, he might even be able to use that energy to raise his three-star Dou Zong cultivation.

Then, with the strength of a four-star Dou Zong and a Heavenly Flame, he would not need to fear high-level Dou Zongs too much.

PS:

Some readers said that it seemed only Xiao Yan could break through realms by absorbing Heavenly Flames.

This salted fish searched for half an hour and finally found the relevant passage in the original work!

In the original work, Huo Xuan absorbed the Eight Desolations Destruction Flame and directly advanced from Battle Sovereign to a high-level Half-Saint.