The Wondrous Sea, Blazing Heaven-Covering Mountain.
Gazing into the distance, one could see banks of white mist spanning sea and sky. Below, crimson lava clashed with deep-blue seawater, roaring like thunder as it hardened into vast expanses of black rock.
At the summit of Blazing Heaven-Covering Mountain, endlessly rolling flames of true crimson glimmered within the great hall. Their light spilled through the doors, staining half the horizon with a rosy glow.
The Great Void split open, and silver thunder flashed.
Wrapped in thunder that had yet to dissipate, Xu Xuan took one step down and landed firmly before the mountain gate.
Looking ahead, he saw Tianxin, the transformed fire civet, sprawled on an azure stone, sleeping with limbs flung wide in lazy comfort. The sea breeze kept the creature's tail fluttering.
Startled awake by the thunder, the creature realized who had arrived and jolted, sliding off the stone to hastily bow in greeting:
"Tianxin pays his respects, True Person. My master is already in the Heaven-Covering Treasure Hall at the summit. Your disciple is still studying alchemical scriptures in a quiet chamber. Shall I summon her to pay her respects?"
"Bring Yi Wan here and have her wait in the outer hall first."
Xu Xuan lowered his gaze slightly and nodded calmly. Before his words had faded, the boy flickered into a streak of fire and vanished in an instant, moving with astonishing speed.
He rode the wind upward and, in the blink of an eye, landed at the summit before the majestic Heaven-Covering Treasure Hall.
An added air of solemn weight filled the hall. True-crimson flames twisted and intertwined like branches, spiraling around one another. Their blazing radiance spread outward, as though billowing waves of heat were gathering within.
"There is a wielder of great divine abilities on