Chapter 1: The Three-Out-Of-Five Golden Fingers and First Meeting with Aunt Ling
Dou Qi Continent.
The Flame Realm.
An important guest arrived in the Flame Realm today.
The Supreme Elder of the Yan Clan and Fire Fairy, a late-stage Seven-Star Dou Saint, came out in person wearing a fiery-red robe to welcome them.
As the absolute ceiling of female combat power on the path of Dou Qi, Fire Fairy was a uniquely peerless existence in both looks and combat prowess.
Stepping across the void, Shen Luo's gaze swept without a trace over the heavy, full mounds on Fire Fairy's chest as he began to look the Flame Realm up and down.
"Hehe, what virtue or ability does this old man possess, that I would dare trouble the Fairy to welcome us in person?" Old Man Shennong cupped his fists slightly.
"Brother Shennong has come to my Flame Realm, so of course Fire Fairy had to come and greet you..."
Fire Fairy smoothed her flowing hair, brimming with immortal grace and natural charm. Her gaze rippled as she looked at Old Man Shennong opposite her and Shen Luo standing beside him.
"This young man is a first-time acquaintance, I wonder if...?"
"Haha, the Fairy makes a joke. This is an orphan I took in near the Shennong Mountain Range more than a dozen years ago. His name is Shen Luo, and he can be considered to have inherited this old man's mantle!"
Old Man Shennong paused slightly, then kicked Shen Luo in the backside. "Why aren't you greeting the senior?"
"I have seen Senior Fire Fairy!" Shen Luo immediately bent over and cupped his fists.
Fire Fairy cast her gaze outward.
This youth looked to be about eighteen, but his vital blood was vast as the sea, his tendons and bones robust, and his physique far surpassed that of his peers. His entire body also radiated a supreme, fierce, and unyielding aura that was matchless and overbearing.
"So it is Brother Shennong's beloved disciple!" Fire Fairy smiled, her gaze turning gentle as she looked at Shen Luo. "Your master and I share a deep friendship, so you might as well just call me Aunt Ling!"
"Yes, Aunt Ling!"
Shen Luo's gaze was clear and his expression remained completely unchanged as he behaved with utmost respect toward Fire Fairy, not even daring to look her directly in the eyes.
However, a stormy sea was already churning within his heart.
Just now, his chicken-rib fire control ability-which had been useless for over a dozen years-had actually been successfully activated, shooting a ray of white light straight toward Fire Fairy's lower abdomen.
Yet Fire Fairy's figure merely paused slightly, her delicate hand gently caressing her lower abdomen while her pupils remained completely normal.
Shen Luo was a time-traveler.
It was only at the age of five that he realized he had arrived on the Dou Qi Continent and awakened a system.
Three choices out of five golden fingers:
1. Heavenly Tyrant Body 2. Innate Dao Embryo 3. Spatial Ancestral Symbol 4. Devouring Ancestral Talisman 5. Fire Control
Two physiques, two ancestral symbols, and one that could be considered... an ability?
Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, ultimately choosing 1, 4, and 5.
Having one physique made you invincible, while two were a waste. Clearly, the Heavenly Tyrant Body was an invincible physique capable of contending with Great Emperors; its stats were outrageously high, so he definitely had to choose it.
While the Innate Dao Embryo was also very good, it seemed to have little use on the Dou Qi Continent because the setting of the continent was Dou Qi developed to its ultimate extreme, which truly didn't place much emphasis on comprehending the Dao.
Both the Spatial Ancestral Symbol and Devouring Ancestral Talisman were good things. If he had to pick one, it was better to choose the Devouring Ancestral Talisman.
The Devouring Ancestral Talisman was the chief of the eight symbols, and its mechanics were exceptional. It could completely complement the traits of the Heavenly Tyrant Body.
One provided high stats, while the other provided great mechanics.
As for the fifth one, Shen Luo was a bit uncertain.
What on earth was fire control?
Alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent could all control fire, with varying levels of skill. It was hardly a rare ability.
Of course, if you could control the Emperor Flame or the Nihility Devouring Flame, then that was a different story-it would be absolutely invincible. But if you were like people in the ninja world performing some Fire Release, you would end up at a bit of a loss.
Was it a conceptual divine power or just an ordinary kind of ability? He decided to take a gamble.
Anyway, with the divine body and the Devouring Ancestral Talisman as a baseline, he wasn't afraid.
After Shen Luo made his choice, his body began to tremble violently. Boundless auspicious light filled the heavens over the Shennong Mountain Range, and one astonishing anomaly after another appeared in succession. This caused his rogue cultivator master to turn pale with fright, his Heaven Realm Great Perfection soul sweeping everywhere, yet he failed to discover any abnormalities.
A moment later, Shen Luo opened his eyes.
His pupils shone brightly, his vital blood surged outward, and every movement was brimming with strength.
Naturally, there was no need to mention the Heavenly Tyrant Body; a single word—"tyrant"—said it all.
The Devouring Ancestral Talisman was equally extraordinary. Over the years, it was entirely thanks to it and the pills he refined himself that his divine body was sustained.
As for the fire control...
It was hard to put into words.
He had tested it on his master, Old Man Shennong, long ago; his master possessed the Life Spirit Flame, ranked fifth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
Unfortunately, it was of zero use.
He suspected it was because his master was too powerful-after all, he was a Six-Star Dou Sheng-so the ability didn't work.
Therefore, he had lit a candle and activated the ability toward that tiny flame.
The result was still completely useless.
He tried controlling the fire-attribute energy between heaven and earth again, but there was still not the slightest reaction.
What a massive rip-off.
He should have chosen a Spatial Ancestor Symbol, or perhaps obtained a Innate Dao Fetus instead!
For so many years, Shen Luo had been trying, and even though he had already advanced to the Dou Zong and could refine Eighth-Tier Pills, this supernatural ability remained entirely useless.
"You call this fire control... What kind of fire are you controlling?"
"If you can control fire, I'll eat a giant pile of shit!"
"What a scam of a thing!"
Shen Luo had been cursing since he was five years old, having no idea how many years he had cursed.
Unfortunately, after issuing the golden finger, the system never uttered a sound again.
He had completely given up.
Fortunately, he possessed the Heavenly Tyrant Body and the Devouring Ancestral Talisman, giving him a bit of confidence.
Yet just moments ago, the fire control ability had actually activated, and he seemed to have gained some wondrous connection with the Fire Fairy, whose aura and breathtaking beauty were soul-stirring.
After Old Man Shennong brought Shen Luo into the Flame Realm, he began to busy himself and could not be seen at all.
Shen Luo wandered around the Flame Realm all by himself. When the people of the Yan Clan heard that this stranger was the direct disciple of Old Man Shennong, they immediately changed their attitudes and treated him to fine wine and good food.
The Yan Clan had invited Old Man Shennong to the Flame Realm to refine a Ninth-Tier Profound Pill for them, in order to help Yan Jin break through to the Nine-Star Dou Sheng realm.
Few people on the Dou Qi Continent knew about the relationship between Old Man Shennong and the Flame Realm.
He was an honorary elder of the Yan Clan and maintained a close relationship with them.
Old Man Shennong was a rogue cultivator, yet he had acquired the Life Spirit Flame, ranked fifth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, and his cultivation had even reached the mid-stage of the Six-Star Dou Sheng. The reason lay in the support and protection of the Yan Clan behind him.
Otherwise, what did he rely on?
Did he rely on a hard head?
Did he rely on being a good person who disliked fighting?
The Gu Clan was such a formidable major clan that they treated the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, ranked fourth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, as their heritage flame and treasured it dearly. There was no reason they wouldn't make a move against the Life Spirit Flame, which was second only to the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame; the reason for this was precisely the protection of the Yan Clan.
Of course, Old Man Shennong returned the favor. Every once in a while, he would refine pills for the Yan Clan to strengthen their power, which also allowed the Fire Fairy to successfully break through to the late stage of the Seven-Star Dou Saint, putting her in the same tier as the Three Immortals of the Gu Clan and the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan.
Therefore, in terms of peak combat strength, the Yan Clan held a slight edge over the Lei Clan thanks to the Fire Fairy.
If the Soul Clan and the Gu Clan were first and second, then the Yan Clan ranked third.
After all, Ninth-Tier Profound Pill Alchemists were already the ceiling of the alchemy world on the Dou Qi Continent, and their number could be counted on one hand.
The Yao Clan had two, but they would never refine pills for other Emperor Clans.
The Soul Clan had one, while the Pill Tower did not.
The Pill Tower's ancestor had been one during his lifetime, but he was dead; now, he survived by relying on the true form of a Ninth-Tier Profound Pill. Strictly speaking, he was no longer an alchemist.
That day, Shen Luo was staying on his bed, pondering the matter of fire control in his heart.
Suddenly, the world spun, and Shen Luo's vision went black. When he opened his eyes once more, he was already situated atop an ethereal mountain peak.
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