Three years passed. Xu Xuan finished refining the Spirit Pills and repaired, one by one, the hidden problems left by his earlier cultivation.
Emerging from seclusion in the great hall, he considered briefly before heading straight to the neighboring Desolate Awakening Peak and entering its artifact workshop.
"Over there, watch the heat."
"Put in more magical power. Yes, yes-how have you collapsed already? Next person, take over."
"Cheng Yan, do you see? Fan harder. I'll teach you another fire-control trick."
Xu Xuan walked silently to the doorway without anyone noticing. Several Qi Refining disciples were busy inside, and quite a few had already exhausted their magical power and collapsed to one side.
Wen Guang reclined crookedly on an iron lounge chair, his eyes narrowed. Beside him stood Cheng Yan, holding a palm-leaf fan inscribed with several wind-raising and fire-control formations, continuously fanning him.
As the wind swept past, the fire spirit's body swelled with it, as though being massaged. Wen Guang seemed utterly comfortable and merely urged:
"Fan faster. I made an agreement with Elder Xi Wei, so you mustn't slack off."
Cheng Yan now looked like a young man. Nearly eighteen, he had reached the first layer of Qi Refining. He was handsome and lively, with bright eyes, and wore a dark-black Daoist robe. He complained:
"Wen Guang, you've had me fanning you for days. I even brought you plenty of spirit flames to snack on, but you've hardly taught me anything."
"What do you know? The arts aren't lightly imparted. I'm testing your character. Keep fanning. And you lot, put in more magical power. Don't let the flames weaken."
Sprawled on his lounge chair, Wen Guang issued orders with narrowed eyes while Xu Xuan concealed his presence and slowly walked inside.
Wang Cheng Yan was quick-witted. Turning to