Chapter 15: Zi Yan's Breakthrough!
"Bang—"
At a certain moment, as if an intangible sound rang out from within his body, Jiang Yun, with the aid of the Saint Demon Flame, broke through to 3-star Dou Zhe.
Normally, after devouring a Heavenly Flame, Xiao Yan would experience a massive surge in cultivation. This rule never applied to others, because a crucial element was missing between them.
The Flame Mantra!
Xiao Yan used the Flame Mantra to devour the Heavenly Flame's origin, triggering an evolution of his cultivation art. This resulted in a massive feedback of energy, propelling his cultivation forward.
Jiang Yun's breakthrough this time bore a similarity to Xiao Yan's process. Due to the Saint Demon Flame, he inherently possessed a special Dou Qi—it was as if he himself was a young, infant Saint Demon Flame, growing stronger by devouring an older, more powerful wisp of the Saint Demon Flame.
Thus, Jiang Yun advanced from 1-star Dou Zhe all the way to 3-star Dou Zhe!
This could be considered an unexpected delight!
Looking at the Saint Demon Flame at the very center of his dantian's vortex, Jiang Yun couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. This was the very first step on his path to the summit.
He believed that as his cultivation grew and he refined more and more of the Saint Demon Flame, this number one flame of the Great Thousand World would also spread its divine brilliance across this Dou Qi Continent.
As for who the number one flame of the Dou Qi Continent was—that was still an open question!
Jiang Yun extended his right hand with some glee. With a thought, the vortex in his dantian trembled. A surge of black and white flame shot forth from within, racing along the meridians in his body all the way to his palm.
Whoosh! Instantly, a black and white flame appeared in Jiang Yun's hand. The black flame was sinister and profound; the white flame, holy and radiant.
Two diametrically opposed flames were, at this very moment, perfectly fused into one. This was the Saint Demon Flame. If the Great Thousand World also had a Heavenly Flame Ranking, the Saint Demon Flame would undoubtedly contend for the chief throne.
Even though the flame currently in Jiang Yun's hand was not even one ten-thousandth of that wielded by the Saint Demon Emperor, tracing back to their origins, they were one and the same. Jiang Yun believed that one day, he would carry his own Saint Demon Flame, stepping step by step to the summit, until he stood before the Saint Demon Emperor.
"It seems you're in good condition," Qing Ming's voice came at that moment. The tower spirit was looking at him with a smile at the corner of His mouth, eyes filled with gratified approval.
"All thanks to Senior Qing Ming's help!" Jiang Yun withdrew the flame and solemnly expressed his gratitude to Qing Ming. Had Qing Ming not suppressed and sealed the Saint Demon Flame, he would never have had the chance to seize such a heaven-sent opportunity.
"There's no need to belittle yourself. The opportunity was right there. If you yourself were incapable, it would have been pointless no matter what. Now that you've succeeded, it only proves that this was what you were meant to obtain." Qing Ming gazed at Jiang Yun with unwavering gentleness, speaking calmly.
"Alright, it's time for you to return. Otherwise, when that little dragon wakes up and doesn't see you, she'll be worried."
Jiang Yun's heart stirred. It seemed Zi Yan was also about to emerge from seclusion. When that happened, she would be a rank 5 demonic beast. With the fearsome might of the Taixu Ancient Dragon, facing off against a 3 or 4-star Dou Wang would be no problem at all.
After thanking Qing Ming, Jiang Yun exited the Qing Ming Tower. Outside, it was already night. The sky was dotted with countless stars, and a bright, clear moon hung overhead.
"It looks like I spent quite a while refining the Saint Demon Flame."
But in the future, he wouldn't need to enter the tower for refinement. When he cultivated from now on, the Qing Ming Tower would gradually transmit the Saint Demon Flame's power through the tower's base to him, strengthening the flame within his own body.
Suddenly, Jiang Yun felt the entire house tremble. He immediately reacted.
"It seems Zi Yan has succeeded!"
Jiang Yun walked slowly to Zi Yan's room. The originally bright purple cocoon of light had now become somewhat deeper in hue. On the cocoon's surface, faint, mysterious runes had even gradually appeared. These runes gave off a subtle glow, looking quite magical.
As the light on the cocoon reached its absolute peak, a faint cracking sound finally rang out.
Soon after, fine cracks began to appear across the cocoon. As time passed, they grew larger and larger, until finally, they violently split open. Countless dazzling beams of purple light shot toward the heavens along the fissures. Fortunately, the spatial blockade Su Qian had placed earlier blocked them; otherwise, with such a disturbance, no one in the entire Outer Academy would have slept that night.
The cracks multiplied. Toward the end, a large piece of the cocoon shell suddenly fell off. With this first piece's fall, the cocoon seemed to trigger a chain reaction, rapidly bursting apart.
Then, a heaven-shaking dragon's roar erupted from within the purple light.
"Ang—"
Jiang Yun immediately plugged his ears with his freshly acquired Saint Demon Flame. Just moments ago, even that spatial blockade had shuddered violently! This dragon's roar had nearly pierced through the spatial blockade laid down by a Dou Zong—a testament to its fearsome power.
"This little one's race is far from simple. Even among the dragon clans of the Great Thousand World, she would rank quite highly!"
Qing Ming's mildly surprised voice reached Jiang Yun's ears. Clearly, even He was astonished by the Taixu Ancient Dragon's bloodline.
Jiang Yun did not feel particularly surprised at this. After all, knowing that the Dou Qi Continent had once witnessed a war of a hundred Dou Di, the Taixu Ancient Dragon—as the darlings of space itself—must have had ancestors who were once a terrifyingly powerful branch among the dragon clans.
"Ang—"
Just then, another dragon's roar resounded from within the purple light. In the next instant, the silhouette of a purple dragon rose into the air. Jiang Yun knew that this was the true form of the Taixu Ancient Dragon.
The dragon silhouette slowly dissipated upon reaching the spatial seal. The purple pillar of light gradually faded. A moment later, a human figure appeared before Jiang Yun's eyes.
A flawless, jade-like body lay before him, faint purple light swirling around it, lending her an enchanting allure. Long, smooth, and soft purple hair cascaded down, falling all the way to her perky, shapely bottom.
The domineering, voluptuous curves—front and back—were complemented by a face caught between youthful innocence and mature charm, caught midway between the two, adding an extra three parts of enticement.
Was she about to enter her mature phase? But wasn't this figure a bit... too advanced?
Within the pillar of light, Zi Yan stretched languidly. Instantly, those already alluring curves were perfectly highlighted. She lazily opened her eyes, and upon spotting Jiang Yun in the distance, a streak of delight immediately flashed through her gaze.
"Little Yunzi—"
A voice, crisp and clear yet carrying a thread of enchantment, rang out—like a lofty sovereign, compelling one to submit.
Before he could even think, Jiang Yun felt himself enveloped in a warm, soft embrace. A suffocating sensation instantly followed.
"Little Yunzi, how did you know I'd come out today? Where are my medicinal pellets? You have them ready, right?"
Faced with Zi Yan's rapid-fire questions, Jiang Yun had no strength whatsoever to answer. At this moment, he only had a single thought.
'I really want to grow up!'
This damned sense of humiliation—he would never endure it again!
As if hearing Jiang Yun's silent roar, Zi Yan's body trembled. In the next instant, a green light surged violently from within her. Under this green light's influence, her body rapidly shrank.
In just a few breaths, the stunning beauty with an exquisite figure had transformed once again into a tiny little bean sprout, just the same height as Jiang Yun.
Staring blankly at her own palm, Zi Yan let out a sorrowful cry, "Damn Transformation Grass!"
She had just been basking in the joy of growing up, only to be smacked back to her original form in the blink of an eye. Zi Yan was so furious that her two delicate, slender brows stood on end!
"Later, I'll find you a Transformation Pill and help you completely rid yourself of this trouble," Jiang Yun averted his gaze to the side and promised softly.
Although this version of Zi Yan lacked the allure of a moment ago, her skin, as pure and smooth as fine mutton-fat jade, still made Jiang Yun glance sideways.
"Then you'd better remember that!"
Zi Yan stared at Jiang Yun with burning intensity and warned him, only relaxing once she saw him nod repeatedly.
At this point, Zi Yan also realized she was feeling a bit drafty. She lowered her head to glance at her toes and couldn't help but curl her lip, her eyes full of disdain. With a flash of purple light, she instantly returned to her adorable, cute appearance.
"Right! Where's my candy?"
Once everything had settled, Zi Yan's thoughts immediately turned to food. She blinked her large purple eyes and swept her gaze up and down Jiang Yun, as if trying to figure out where he had hidden the candy.
"Er—" Jiang Yun now felt rather awkward. Seeing Zi Yan's slender brows begin to furrow slightly at his lack of response, he hastily said, "I didn't know what flavors you liked, so I wanted to wait until you came out and whip them up on the spot for you. That way, you could taste your favorite flavors right away."
"Hmm..." Zi Yan pondered, blinking as she looked at Jiang Yun. Her intuition told her Jiang Yun was lying. But seeing the sincere look in his eyes, it really did seem to be the case. Zi Yan couldn't help but feel a bit uncertain, though she quickly tossed the thought aside.
"Then let's hurry to the ingredient storehouse! Last time, I already spotted several kinds of medicinal ingredients I want to eat. This time, let's just take them all!" Zi Yan suddenly grew excited. A pair of purple wings sprouted from her back with a flash of purple light, and she grabbed Jiang Yun, ready to charge outside.
"Wait—" Seeing this, Jiang Yun hurriedly shouted.
Zi Yan turned her head back to look at Jiang Yun, puzzled. Big eyes, small question marks.
"Last time we went, the First Elder already found out. If you go so brazenly stealing again this time, it might not be very proper."
"But I'm hungry! And that old man promised he'd let me eat my fill!" Zi Yan stated with an air of total righteousness.
Jiang Yun couldn't help but sweat. Inwardly, he couldn't stop himself from mourning the First Elder's fate. Calamity comes from the mouth—the ancients truly did not deceive.
"Are you coming or not?" Watching Jiang Yun dilly-dally, Zi Yan was faintly losing patience. She set her brows in a firm line. Had she still been in her adult form, this would have been the perfect image of an overbearing empress. But now... only cuteness remained!
"I'm coming!"
Faced with Zi Yan's demand, Jiang Yun answered decisively. Although he knew this was wrong, back in that cave, Zi Yan had stood against the unknown Su Qian for his sake. Jiang Yun could also indulge Zi Yan's willfulness.
At worst, he would pay it all back later!
When the time came, giving the First Elder a cultivation loan wasn't out of the question—it was a method in itself.
Seeing Jiang Yun agree, Zi Yan smiled. She smiled very happily. At this moment, she once again felt the warmth in her heart, making her feel that she was no longer alone.
Still in that same corner, Jiang Yun and Zi Yan slowly emerged. Now that Zi Yan had advanced to Dou Wang, her mastery of spatial power was naturally far stronger than at the Dou Ling stage.
What's more, they now had Jiang Yun, who had taken a 'crash course'—he could also help Zi Yan fill in the gaps.
At this moment, a small head poked out from the corner, cautiously scanning the surroundings. After confirming it was safe, she waved behind her.
The very next second, a purple figure flashed past, stopping atop a counter. Looking at the Greencloud Fruit inside, Zi Yan wiped away a string of drool. Her little hand darted out at lightning speed, reaching straight toward the protective light shield as if the seal placed upon it was completely nonexistent.
Swiftly taking the contents inside—container and all—Zi Yan excitedly turned her head and exchanged a glance with Jiang Yun.
Like partners who'd cooperated for many years, their chemistry was flawless. They rapidly snatched up several more ingredients for refining tier 3 and 4 pills, then did not linger a moment longer and slowly slipped away.
The instant the two of them left, the aged figure who had been guarding the loft and reading from a scroll helplessly sighed. He walked slowly over to the counter where the two had just helped themselves.
He retrieved identical ingredients from his storage ring and replenished the stock. The old man shook his head in helpless amusement. "The First Elder truly dotes on them, letting them fool around like this. That little girl's strength has reached Dou Wang already, hasn't it? She's at the same level as this old man."
Recalling the faint, ferocious pressure he'd just sensed from Zi Yan, the old man felt a jolt of trepidation. At the same time, he understood why Su Qian indulged them so. It was just...
"She's at the same level as this old man. I hope you two get to the Inner Academy soon. This Outer Academy can't withstand too many more of your escapades."
When Jiang Yun and Zi Yan had entered, the old man hadn't noticed. But as the ingredients vanished one after another, he grew alert.
Although Zi Yan hadn't tripped the barriers, as the elder stationed to guard this place, how could he not have his own means?
Jiang Yun, for fear of alerting the powerful expert stationed here, had not used his soul power to keep watch and had even suppressed his soul fluctuations to the absolute minimum. This, however, meant they remained completely unaware they'd been discovered.
The very moment he'd realized the ingredient storehouse was being robbed, the old man had been ready to strike. Fortunately, he'd recognized in time that these two were the new students the First Elder had given instructions about, and he'd stopped himself just in time.
Otherwise, he didn't know what would have happened to Jiang Yun and Zi Yan, but he himself would definitely not have escaped a fist to the face.
Right now, all he could do was hope they'd hurry off to the Inner Academy. He really wanted to see the look on old man Hao's face over there.
It would definitely be amusing!
"Quick, quick, quick, Little Yunzi, turn all these into pellets right now!"
The moment they returned to their dorm, Zi Yan couldn't wait a second longer. She shoved all the ingredients into Jiang Yun's arms and urged him impatiently.
Jiang Yun chuckled ruefully. Only when it came to food did Zi Yan show this side of herself.
He nodded at Zi Yan and stirred the Saint Demon Flame within his dantian. With a whoosh, a white flame appeared in Jiang Yun's palm.
This was the white flame within the Saint Demon Flame. Just now, a sudden idea had struck Jiang Yun—the Saint Demon Flame was composed of two entirely opposite flames fused together. Could they be used separately?
He hadn't expected it to actually work—or rather, perhaps this was how it was meant to be used in the first place.
The moment the flame appeared, Zi Yan beside him shuddered. Her eyes darted around somewhat frantically, and she silently retreated several steps.
Towards a Heavenly Flame, non-fire-attribute cultivators and demonic beasts of the Dou Qi Continent were inherently repulsed, let alone Jiang Yun's Saint Demon Flame.
"It's okay, don't be afraid!" Seeing the somewhat nervous Zi Yan, Jiang Yun reassured her.
"Hmph—"
"I wasn't scared!"
Faced with Jiang Yun's reassurance, Zi Yan did not appreciate it one bit. She tilted her head up with an expression of great arrogance.
(End of Chapter)