Purple Imperial Dragon Flame

They arrived at Danxiao Peak.

Jiang Qiong took Chen Xuan on a brief tour of the peak.

"Junior Brother, this is Cinnabar Firmament Square, the largest square on Danxiao Peak. Any major event on the peak is held here."

"That's the main hall up there. We don't usually go there."

"These buildings are all alchemy chambers. An earth fire runs beneath them, so you can draw on its power while refining pills. You won't need it, though, Junior Brother. The Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire is far more effective."

"Over there are Danxiao Peak's Lecture Hall and Affairs Hall. Every month, senior disciples in the Dao Foundation Realm, and even elders in the Purple Mansion Realm, come to explain difficult points of alchemy. Since you're interested in refining pills too, you should visit often."

Jiang Qiong showed Chen Xuan around Danxiao Peak.

She did not go into much detail. He could familiarize himself with the place later.

Afterward, Jiang Qiong took Chen Xuan to the Affairs Office.

There, he exchanged his Disciple Token for one identifying him as a Danxiao disciple. He also received a new set of outer disciple robes, a formation disc, and, finally, a top-grade pill furnace artifact.

With Jiang Qiong there, Chen Xuan got the finest one.

Everything was settled.

Jiang Qiong then took Chen Xuan to his residence.

Both outer and inner disciples of Danxiao Peak lived in the disciples' quarter halfway up the mountain. It was an excellent location. Each disciple had a private courtyard protected by a formation.

The formation disc from the Affairs Office was used to control the residence's formation.

"Junior Brother, I'll be going now," Jiang Qiong said after seeing him to the gate.

"Thank you for everything today, Senior Sister." Chen Xuan cupped his fists in thanks once more.

Jiang Qiong smiled and waved a hand. "Focus on your cultivation. At your pace, now that you're on Danxiao Peak, I expect you'll reach the Spirit Sea Realm soon. If anything about cultivation or alchemy puzzles you, come find me. I've already told you where I live."

"All right." Chen Xuan smiled and nodded.

Jiang Qiong departed on a white cloud.

Her residence was not far from Chen Xuan's.

That, too, had been Elder Xie's deliberate arrangement.

The old man was somewhat inclined to take Chen Xuan as his disciple, but felt he needed to observe him longer. He planned to raise the matter after Chen Xuan reached the Spirit Sea Realm.

Chen Xuan activated the formation disc, shut off the formation, and entered the courtyard.

The disciples' courtyards were spacious, with elegant landscapes fashioned from rocks and water.

Chen Xuan walked around the courtyard. It really was quite nice.

The main building had a sitting room, a bedroom, and a study. To the east were an alchemy chamber and a kitchen.

Cultivators rarely cooked. If he had no use for the kitchen, he could turn it into another room.

Chen Xuan could not be bothered. He would leave it as it was.

He then activated the formation and began practicing the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire technique imprinted in his mind.

Three days later.

Chen Xuan sat cross-legged on his bed.

Fire-attributed spiritual energy gathered from heaven and earth into his dantian.

A wisp of green flame ignited there, then turned into a tiny fire snake.

With a flash of insight, Chen Xuan knew its name: Green Snake Flame.

The Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire was no ordinary Dao Technique. Everyone who mastered it condensed a Mystic Fire of their own, which took shape at birth.

The stronger its form, the stronger the Mystic Fire it represented.

Chen Xuan's Mystic Fire had taken the form of a snake. It could only be called average.

He felt a little let down, but not too disappointed.

It might only be a snake, but the technique's greatest strength was its ability to devour and refine special flames, thereby strengthening his own Mystic Fire.

So long as he found enough special flames, even the Green Snake Flame could one day grow into the mightiest Mystic Fire.

The process would simply be harder than it was for Mystic Fires with stronger forms.

Besides, he had his cheat.

I wonder what will happen when I awaken the Green Snake Flame.

Chen Xuan summoned the panel.

[Host: Chen Xuan]

[Realm: Qi Gathering, fourth level]

[Spirit Awakening Points: 2]

[Cultivation technique: Flowing Cloud Technique (awakened)]

[Dao Techniques:]

[Flowing Cloud Myriad Forms · Proficient (awakened)]

[Flowing Cloud Moon-Stepping · Proficient (awakened)]

[Green Snake Flame · Beginner (not awakened)]

After the Mystic Fire had condensed, its name on the system panel had changed from Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire to Green Snake Flame.

Chen Xuan did not dwell on it. With a thought, he awakened the Green Snake Flame.

[Your Dao Technique "Green Snake Flame" is deeply dissatisfied with its power.]

[How could golden scales belong in a pond? Once wind and clouds gather, they become a dragon!]

[Your Dao Technique "Green Snake Flame" has begun seizing fire-attributed spiritual energy from heaven and earth.]

The next instant.

The Green Snake Flame flew out of Chen Xuan's dantian and began frantically absorbing spiritual energy.

Ordinarily, once a Mystic Fire condensed through the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire had taken shape, its form could never change. It could only grow stronger by devouring special flames.

But... from what Chen Xuan could see, his Green Snake Flame seemed different.

After all, his Mystic Fire was unlike anyone else's.

Other people's Mystic Fires had the form but not the spirit.

His Mystic Fire was truly alive.

Wrapped in dense spiritual energy, the Green Snake Flame really did begin to transform.

Its green flames turned purple.

"Awooo—!"

The Green Snake Flame became a tiny purple dragon and even let out a dragon's cry.

The sound startled Chen Xuan.

[Your Dao Technique "Green Snake Flame" has evolved into "Purple Imperial Dragon Flame."]

[One day, the great roc rises with the wind and soars ninety thousand li into the sky!]

The Purple Imperial Dragon Flame circled Chen Xuan a few times, then returned to his body.

"Holy shit, it really can change form!"

Delight spread across Chen Xuan's face.

The gap in power between the Green Snake Flame and the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame was immense.

They were worlds apart.

Now that the Green Snake Flame had evolved into the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame, improving it in the future would be much easier.

"Wait, Purple Imperial Dragon Flame, if you can evolve on your own, can you increase your power on your own too?" Chen Xuan asked in his mind.

[No.]

"Fair enough. Evolving into the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame is already more than I could ask for."

Chen Xuan could only nod.

The Green Snake Flame could evolve because the Spirit-Devouring Profound Fire was capable of condensing into a more powerful Mystic Fire to begin with. Chen Xuan had only produced the Green Snake Flame because his talent fell short.

Awakening the Green Snake Flame had made up for that shortcoming, allowing it to evolve into the Purple Imperial Dragon Flame.

But to strengthen a Mystic Fire, every Mystic Fire had to devour special flames. That was the only way to strengthen its essence.

The Purple Imperial Dragon Flame needed to devour special flames too.

With intelligence of its own, however, devouring them would be easier and far less troublesome.

Of course, if Chen Xuan's cultivation grew strong enough.

The Purple Imperial Dragon Flame could travel far beyond his body and seek out special flames to devour, growing stronger on its own.

But at his current cultivation level, he could forget about that.

The Qi Gathering Realm was far too weak.

[Your Dao Technique "Purple Imperial Dragon Flame" burns with the desire to grow stronger!]

[Your Dao Technique is urging your cultivation technique to hurry up and cultivate.]