Fire Control: How Could This Move Break the Impasse?

After Chen Xu hid the short blade away, he checked the Cauldron Scripture and discovered that he had not only gained over twenty new likes from the Rat Demon—

The little rat was rather enthusiastic. It chattered away, and before long, it had filled up its daily likes limit.

The big Rat Demon was much steadier. It usually only echoed the little rat's praise, so it provided far fewer likes.

Together, the two rats gave [Likes +27].

In addition, the child next door ground his teeth in his sleep and occasionally murmured, "Delicious! The meat porridge is good."

[Likes +1]

+1+1+1...

That brought in quite a few more likes.

Checking the time again, Chen Xu realized that midnight had already passed. Though the sky before dawn was still pitch-black, it could already be considered the next day.

No wonder little Shi Tou's likes had refreshed again.

Second Brother Lai and his wife went out to work during the day. Even in the middle of the night, they spoke in their sleep: "Delicious... Ah, little Shi Tou, be good, don't make noise!"

[Likes +1+1...]

Some other likes had come in sporadically before midnight. Chen Xu could imagine that perhaps someone had casually remarked while chatting before bed, "That pancake and porridge I had during the day tasted really good. So fragrant."

And that earned him a [Likes +1].

Or perhaps someone had bought the porridge Old Madam Lai delivered at noon, saved some for their family to eat when they returned, and then everyone praised it together that evening: "Not bad. Today's porridge is especially delicious. Well worth the purchase!"

Or perhaps—perhaps...

In short, likes were not a one-and-done deal. They fermented and generated follow-up "traffic"!

Once Chen Xu understood this, his spirits immediately soared.

It was no exaggeration to say that the scattered like notifications recorded in the scripture excited him even more than beheading an enemy just now.

The scripture's current records were as follows:

[Accumulated Likes: 439]

[Free Attribute Points: 7]

[Firework Value: 532]

He had been completely broke before. Now, while he could not be called suddenly rich, he could at least fight a well-supplied battle.

Chen Xu immediately rose and went to the door. He left it slightly ajar and stood against the wall behind it.

If someone shoved the door open and barged in again, he could instantly launch a counterattack from the blind spot behind the door.

Of course, he hoped there would be no more disturbances tonight.

Standing by the door with his back to the wall, Chen Xu sank his consciousness into Embers Kitchen.

Night was deep in reality, but Embers Kitchen remained at a constant temperature and brightly lit.

Chen Xu first opened the Firework Archive to inspect the several newly unlocked spiritual food recipes.

At first glance, he found them quite interesting.

[Five Reds Blood Nourishing Soup: Take five liang of blood agar; one liang each of red beans, red rice, red ginseng, and red dates; one liter of Jade Dew Spring Water. Simmer over low heat, reciting the Purity Scripture to dissolve the gelatinous substance...]

Note: Vitality and blood +3 upon first consumption. With long-term consumption, vitality and blood +1 each time. Ineffective after thirty times.

Firework Value required to purchase details: 80

[Mud Pellet: Take two jin of Millet Paste Mud Embryo; one liang each of leeches, centipedes, and ticks. Roast over low heat until charred and crisp, grind into ash, then mix with honey...]

Note: Mud Pellets have form but no substance. Ghosts and monsters can gain a small amount of Nine Nether Qi by consuming them. Cultivators who consume them are prone to blood reflux. For ordinary people, the lightest consequence is exploding to death; the worst is the complete destruction of body and soul.

Firework Value required to purchase details: 70

[Soul Nourishing Crisp: Take one Soul-Cutting Silkworm, coat it in batter and fry until golden. Slowly bake over low heat for a quarter of an hour, then sprinkle with spices and chopped scallions...]

Note: Consuming it increases Divine Soul by 20 at once.

Firework Value required to purchase details: 80

Chen Xu examined them carefully, and his gaze eventually settled on the Soul Nourishing Crisp.

Divine Soul increased by 20!

Coated in batter and fried until golden!

He could not help swallowing. Though the source of the ingredients was bizarre, this thing actually looked a little tasty.

*I want to eat it—*

But he could not. First, he lacked the supplementary ingredients. Second, an instant increase of 20 Divine Soul points seemed impressive, but it was a bit more than the current Chen Xu could handle.

Most importantly, his Divine Soul had already reached 22 points. To successfully achieve Three Essences Foundation Establishment, he could not raise his Divine Soul too much on its own, or affecting his Foundation Establishment would make the gain not worth the loss.

After looking over the recipes, Chen Xu memorized the various supplementary ingredients.

He then closed the recipe page and instead purchased and learned the Fire Control skill he had been longing for.

[You consumed 150 Firework Value and learned Fire Control.]

In the darkness, it seemed as though a spark bloomed within Chen Xu's sea of consciousness. In an endless pure-white world, a black stick figure walked before a candle flame.

It sat cross-legged and meditated.

Guide qi with intent; watch the candle and steady the heart.

Blood and qi surged through his hundred meridians. Chen Xu's heart began to beat with a rhythmic thump-thump-thump-thump!

So it turned out that among the human body's five viscera, the heart belonged to the fire element.

The first step of Fire Control was to use tangible, material fire to visualize the intangible, immaterial heart-fire.

There was no candle flame in Embers Kitchen, so Chen Xu chose several split pieces of thin firewood, arranged them in the stove, then used tinder and flint to start a fire.

Scarlet flames instantly flared up inside the stove. Chen Xu adjusted the placement of the wood slightly so that the fire would neither burn too fiercely nor die out quickly.

He also placed plenty of thin firewood beside him for easy refueling later. Only then did he sit cross-legged before the stove.

Then he calmed his mind, fixed his eyes on the stove fire, and tried to kindle the first wisp of flame within his heart.

The fire-starting formula slowly circulated through his mind as Chen Xu gathered his focus with the greatest willpower of his life.

Then a quarter of an hour passed, and his eyes began to ache.

Another quarter of an hour passed, and his eyelids began fighting each other.

A third quarter of an hour passed, and his head began bobbing.

Not even a speck of Fire Control experience had increased in the Cauldron Scripture.

Fire Control was far harder to learn than chopping firewood.

Half an hour later, Chen Xu jolted awake in fright.

He had another nightmare. He dreamed that Lin Qi had turned into a skull-headed snake with nothing but bones, chasing after him and demanding to trade heads with him!

He also dreamed that the sheep head of that mutton-selling peddler was floating in a bizarre space filled with ghostly blue flames, silently shedding two lines of bloody tears at him.

At some unknown moment, the hem of his robe had brushed against sparks in the stove, and with a whoosh, it burst into roaring flames.

"**Fuck!**"

Chen Xu sprang up from the ground and instinctively slapped at the fire with his hand.

Unexpectedly, the moment he did, a notification popped up.

[Fire Control Level 1: 1/100] ```

It turned out that the instant Chen Xu's hand touched the flames and his flesh burned with searing pain, the previously stagnant Fire Control experience had actually risen by one point.

A mysterious insight flooded into his mind. Countless explanations of what flame was, what burning was, why fire ignited, and why things burned flowed through his heart.

Chen Xu could not stop himself from cursing again as he rapidly extinguished the flames on his body.

During the process of putting out the fire, his Fire Control experience increased by another two points.

Chen Xu did not know whether to laugh or cry. What was this called?

Deep contemplation never bore fruit, yet turning his hand into barbecue broke the impasse instead?

Gritting his teeth, he tore off the charred, blackened, ruined hem of his robe. Bending his legs, he sat cross-legged before the stove once more.

This time, Chen Xu deliberately thrust his hand into the flickering firelight of the stove.

Fire, burn me!

Why fear a damn thing? Let fierce flames burn me as though it were nothing; even if my body were crushed to dust, I would not be afraid.