The first transformation of the Five Elements Divine Art contained five foundational immortal arts.
They were the Li Huo Heart-Protecting Seal, Azure Origin Breath Art, Thick Earth Origin-Stabilizing Scripture, Geng Metal Meridian Tempering Art, and Weak Water Essence Condensation Formula.
If these five immortal arts were carelessly leaked, they would certainly stir upheaval throughout the cultivation world.
Each art corresponded to one of the five viscera. Once cultivated to perfection, one could naturally comprehend True Intent.
This differed from crude arts such as the Thunder Summoning Art, which required one to forcibly observe and comprehend the True Intent of Thunder while drawing down Sky Thunder in order to reach perfection.
These five could be cultivated step by step. So long as one possessed outstanding talent, one could rely on these techniques to comprehend True Intent before Foundation Establishment.
Comprehending True Intent before Foundation Establishment might have been an unimaginable matter in the cultivation world where Dong Lin now resided.
Yet in the immortal realm of his previous life, where beings possessed power that reached the heavens and pierced the earth, it was merely commonplace.
The first art, the Li Huo Heart-Protecting Seal, required Spirit Flame as an aid to cultivation.
Spirit Flame differed from ordinary fire and possessed all manner of unique properties.
The most common and easiest Spirit Flame to obtain was beastfire.
Some exotic beasts with special bloodlines were accompanied by flames from the moment they were born.
It was a powerful innate ability.
After such exotic beasts were slain, these flames could be extracted from their beast cores.
They were generally purchased by alchemists and artifact refiners for pill refining and artifact forging.
Ordinary flames simply could not meet their demands for temperature and burning duration.
Apart from cultivators who specialized in fire arts, it was difficult for others to continuously release high-temperature Spirit Flame with special properties for pill refining or artifact forging.
Yet alchemists and artifact refiners could hardly hire a fire-attributed cultivator to stand by their side, waiting at all times to release flames.
As for the masters themselves, most lacked the talent to excel at both fire arts and alchemy or artifact refinement.
Thus, Spirit Flames that only required a continuous input of spiritual energy to burn endlessly and meet such needs had been developed by the cultivation world.
Aside from beastfire possessed by exotic beasts, Innate Spirit Flames also existed in this world.
Ordinary cultivators generally could not control such treasures. They were exceptional auxiliary cultivation materials for cultivators specializing in fire arts.
Some monstrously gifted fire cultivators would even refine Innate Spirit Flames or high-rank beastfire into Lifebound Spirit Relics, greatly enhancing their combat strength.
However, Lifebound Spirit Relics were like lifebound treasures. Once one possessed a Lifebound Spirit Relic, one could no longer forge a lifebound treasure of one's own.
There were sacrifices and gains involved; the choice rested entirely with the cultivator.
Dong Lin made a round through the marketplace, but most of what he found was ordinary beastfire without unusual properties, which would be of little help to him.
There was also some Second Rank beastfire, though the prices were relatively higher.
After looking around without finding anything he liked, Dong Lin decided to visit the Cavern Repository.
Dong Lin did not trouble Senior Sister Yun Shu, whom he had met before. He came alone to the exchange counter to ask.
"There are currently two top-grade Innate Spirit Flames available for exchange in the repository.
"One is the Second Rank Innate Jade Marrow Spirit Flame, which can assist cultivation during the Body Tempering Stage. It costs 1,900 contribution points.
"The other is the Third Rank Innate Profound Void Spirit Flame, which possesses a certain degree of spatial ability.
"It is one of the finest treasures currently available for exchange in the repository. But this junior brother may find it beyond his means—it requires 9,300 contribution points."
"That was equivalent to 930 High-Grade Spirit Stones? Good heavens, perhaps even more than that."
Dong Lin had merely asked out of curiosity about Innate Spirit Flames, only to be thoroughly stunned by the price.
Sect Contribution Points could neither be purchased nor exchanged.
They could only be used to exchange for sect resources and land.
More than nine thousand contribution points—perhaps even sect elders would find it difficult to save up so many.
As a personal disciple, Dong Lin received one hundred contribution points from the sect every year, allowing personal disciples to select resources from the treasury.
With only 1,100 contribution points on him, Dong Lin was indeed far from able to purchase an Innate Spirit Flame.
"Please let me take a look at the Second Rank beastfire. Sorry to trouble you, Senior Brother."
Dong Lin said this to the deacon of the Cavern Repository who handled exchanges for Spirit Flames.
"Let me have a look."
The deacon before him searched through the control panel for a moment, then used Spiritual Power Projection to display several kinds of Spirit Flame for Dong Lin.
"This is Second Rank Crimson Flame Beastfire, extracted from the beast core of a Second Rank mid-grade Crimson Flame Blast Wolf. As its name suggests, it possesses extremely explosive flames and can unleash tremendous temperatures in a short time. According to tests conducted by our Cavern Repository, its core temperature can exceed five thousand degrees.
"It costs 290 contribution points."
"Over five thousand degrees? That was indeed acceptable. Ordinary flames usually reached around one thousand degrees.
"Five thousand degrees was no small difference."
Dong Lin gazed at the projected flame before him, somewhat tempted, but he decided to keep looking.
"This cluster is Second Rank Shadow Beastfire, extracted from the beast core of a Second Rank low-grade Shadow Leopard. It possesses a certain ability to obscure vision and divine sense. It costs 200 contribution points."
"The prices of these two differed so much? Let me see some more."
The shrewd Dong Lin intended to compare several options before making his choice.
After all, all five viscera needed cultivation. If he spent too many of his contribution points now, it would be difficult to earn more later.
The deacon seemed to have noticed Dong Lin's straitened circumstances.
"This cluster is Second Rank Thunder Fang Beastfire, extracted from the beast core of a Second Rank low-grade Thunder Fang Beast. It contains a trace of lightning attribute, though not much. Usually, only cultivators specializing in Lightning Arts can trigger the lightning power contained within it, thereby mixing thunder and fire to increase its might.
"This one is rather unpopular, and its quality is only average among Second Rank flames. It can be exchanged for 130 contribution points."
Dong Lin's eyes lit up after hearing that. Wasn't this exactly what he needed?
"It suited me perfectly. The price was fair, and its effects were no worse than those two flashy things from before."
Dong Lin no longer hesitated.
"I'll take this one!"
Before a Spirit Flame was refined, its flame seed was stored in a specially made jade bottle.
The jade bottle ensured that the flame seed would not be extinguished, preserving it indefinitely with extremely low spiritual energy consumption.
"A sect with such profound foundations really was wonderful. Without ever leaving the mountain, I could exchange for the resources I needed."
Dong Lin sighed as he looked at the jade bottle holding the Thunder Fang Beastfire in his hand.
The difficulty of refining a Second Rank Spirit Flame exceeded Dong Lin's expectations.
Still, Dong Lin was only giving it a try. Even if he could not refine it, it would not affect his cultivation of the technique.
Over the course of one night, Dong Lin barely managed to gain an initial grasp of the Li Huo Heart-Protecting Seal.
Its core was to cultivate the True Intent of Fire, continuously tempering and strengthening the heart with fire-attributed spiritual energy. Much like nurturing the dantian, in the end the heart would carry the intent of Li Huo, and cultivators of this art would naturally comprehend the True Intent of Fire.
Even if there were only one such heaven-defying technique, it would surely be revered as supreme foundational heritage by the great Immortal Sects and famous schools. Yet Dong Lin possessed five of them.
The heart was of paramount importance in the human body. Once it had been sufficiently strengthened, one's Body Tempering abilities would likewise receive a considerable increase.
This technique killed two birds with one stone. It could not only help Dong Lin comprehend the fire of the Five Elements, but also improve the efficiency of his body refinement.
"Once all the methods for tempering the five viscera are cultivated to perfection, breaking through the Body Tempering Realm should be as easy as turning over my hand!"
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