Ch 133: The Spirit Flame
Su Wen carefully scanned his surroundings.
After confirming that no monsters were nearby, the tension in his body eased. Even so, he remained cautious as he slowly walked along the edge of the magma pool, observing the terrain.
Although the heat was terrifying, it was still within what he could endure thanks to his powerful physique and the thin layer of Spiritual Qi protecting his body.
The underground world was like a blazing furnace. Rivers of bright red magma flowed through cracks in the ground before emptying into the enormous lava lake.
Thick bubbles continuously rose to the surface and burst with dull explosions, sending molten rock several metres into the air. Each eruption sent another wave of scorching heat through the cavern.
Before long, something caught his attention.
Embedded within a nearby rock wall was a vein of dull grey ore, its surface streaked with crimson lines. He stepped closer and examined it.
"Spirit Iron Ore." A hint of surprise flashed through his eyes. Although it wasn't considered a precious material, Spirit Iron Ore was widely used in refining spiritual weapons because of its excellent resistance to high temperatures.
As he explored further, he discovered several more mineral veins throughout the cavern. Some veins contained Spirit Copper, while others held Spirit Steel Ore.
The deeper he ventured, the higher the quality of the materials became. Soon, several crimson crystals growing between the cracks of the rocks caught his eye. The crystals were translucent like polished rubies, with faint flames flickering inside them.
"Mid Grade Fire Crystals." Su Wen carefully harvested them and placed them into his storage ring. These crystals contained pure Fire Spiritual Qi and were valuable cultivation resources for fire or yang-oriented cultivators. They were also commonly used in alchemy and weapon forging.
Not long after, he found another cluster. This time, however, the crystals emitted an even denser spiritual fluctuation. Their fiery glow was far brighter, and tiny tongues of flame flickered within the crystals.
"High Grade Fire Crystals." Su Wen's eyes lit up and a smile finally appeared on his face. The value of even a single High Grade Fire Crystal far exceeded that of dozens of Mid Grade Fire Crystals.
Without hesitation, he collected every crystal he could find. By the time he finished, his storage ring contained a considerable amount of spirit metals and Fire Crystals.
Yet Su Wen couldn't shake the feeling that the cavern concealed something far more valuable.
Su Wen continued deeper into the cavern. Before long, the passage opened into another chamber. At its centre was a magma lake roughly the size of a large pond. Molten lava churned endlessly, releasing waves of scorching heat that distorted the surrounding air.
In the middle of the lake rose a small ridge of pitch-black rock, surrounded by the sea of magma. Resting atop the ridge was a small yellow-white stone. Its surface appeared plain and unremarkable, yet it gave off an indescribable aura.
Above the stone floated a small flame.
It was no larger than a fist, burning with a brilliant golden-yellow radiance. Unlike ordinary fire, it floated quietly in mid-air without consuming any fuel, gently swaying from side to side as though it possessed a will of its own.
A pure and incomparably dense Fire Spiritual Qi continuously radiated from it.
"A Spirit Flame..." Su Wen's eyes immediately locked onto the flame and even from this distance, he could tell it was no ordinary fire.
A Spirit Flame was a heavenly treasure, born only after countless years of absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi under extremely harsh conditions. Whether it was for alchemy, weapon forging, or cultivation, its value was immeasurable.
Su Wen immediately summoned his flying sword and stepped onto it. The moment he approached the centre of the magma lake, the seemingly calm lava below erupted violently, as though an intruder had entered its domain.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Pillars of molten lava burst skyward one after another, each carrying blazing fireballs that shot towards him from every direction.
Su Wen remained calm.
Standing atop his flying sword, he manipulated it through the air, weaving effortlessly between the incoming attacks. One fireball narrowly brushed past him before crashing back into the magma with an explosive splash.
Another pillar erupted directly beneath him. With a thought, the flying sword instantly changed direction, carrying him clear of the attack by mere inches.
The closer he flew toward the Spirit Flame, the more terrifying the heat became. Within only a few breaths, the temperature rose several times.
Sweat quickly formed on Su Wen's forehead and soaked through his robes. Even the thin layer of Spiritual Qi protecting his body began trembling beneath the overwhelming heat, as though it could collapse at any moment.
Despite this, he didn't slow down.
A few moments later, Su Wen landed lightly atop the pitch-black ridge. The instant his feet touched the stone, the little Spirit Flame drifted backward, keeping a cautious distance from him.
"So... you really do have intelligence." Su Wen smiled faintly and slowly reached out his hand. "Come here."
The little flame gently swayed and then, without warning, it darted away. Su Wen's hand closed around nothing but empty air.
"..."
He tried again.
This time, the little flame zipped to the opposite side of the ridge before happily bobbing up and down, almost as though it were mocking him.
Su Wen's eyebrow twitched. He chased after it several more times, but each attempt ended the same way. The Spirit Flame was astonishingly nimble, always slipping away at the last possible moment. It circled around him playfully, seemingly enjoying the game.
"..."
"You're quite mischievous, aren't you?" Su Wen narrowed his eyes and suddenly lunged forward once more.
Startled, the Spirit Flame shot away from the ridge and out over the magma lake. The instant it left the protection of the black ridge, the magma below erupted violently.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Towering pillars of molten lava burst into the air as countless blazing fireballs shot towards the tiny Spirit Flame from every direction, as though the magma itself wanted to devour it.
The little flame trembled and hurriedly flew back to hover above the yellow-white stone. The moment it crossed back onto the black rock, the fireballs lost their target and fell harmlessly back into the magma below.
"So... you can't leave this ridge." Su Wen quietly watched the entire scene and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He had vaguely sensed a trace of panic from the little flame.
It wasn't conveyed through words, but rather as a simple emotion reaching his mind. After thinking for a moment, Su Wen decided not to forcefully capture it.
Instead, he reached into his storage ring and took out a High Grade Spirit Stone. Rich Spirit Qi immediately spread across the ridge.
The little Spirit Flame glanced at it.
Then, rather disdainfully, it turned away.
"..."
Su Wen wasn't discouraged. He calmly took out two more High Grade Spirit Stones.
The little flame glanced at them again before dismissively swaying from side to side.
Su Wen's expression remained calm as he hardened his heart and took out five High Grade Spirit Stones.
The little flame only glanced for a moment before letting out a huff and turned away again.
Su Wen's eyes twitched. Finally, he gritted his teeth and took out ten High Grade Spirit Stones at once. Dense Spiritual Qi instantly filled the ridge.
This time, the Spirit Flame stopped pretending not to care. It stared at the spirit stones before slowly looking back at Su Wen, gently swaying from side to side as though struggling with itself.
Seeing that it still refused to move, Su Wen's face darkened.
"Forget it." He reached out to collect the spirit stones.
Whoosh!
The Spirit Flame instantly panicked, flying over and circling Su Wen several times, fluttering anxiously like a child afraid its favourite snack was about to disappear.
"That's more like it." Su Wen couldn't help but smile. He walked toward the centre of the ridge, but his gaze soon fell upon the yellow-white stone beneath the Spirit Flame.
He bent down and picked it up.
The stone was about the size of a fist, smooth and pleasantly warm to the touch. The moment he lifted it, he felt a strange sense of familiarity, as though the stone was quietly resonating with his body.
"Hmm...?" Su Wen frowned slightly. Unable to understand the feeling, he set the stone aside before arranging the ten High Grade Spirit Stones into a circle.
The Spirit Flame immediately floated into the centre, happily swaying as it greedily absorbed the rich Spiritual Qi.
Su Wen simply stood there and watched.
"If you come with me," he said with a faint smile, "I'll give you plenty more spirit stones. You won't have to stay trapped on this tiny ridge forever. Beyond this cavern lies a vast world filled with countless treasures and opportunities."
The little flame gently swayed, silently weighing his words.
Seeing its hesitation, Su Wen's smile softened. "You've been here for a very long time... haven't you? Always alone?"
The little flame trembled almost imperceptibly. Su Wen slowly crouched until he was almost at eye level with it. "Come with me. I'll show you the outside world... towering mountains, endless oceans, bustling cities, and places far more beautiful than this lonely cavern."
His voice became even gentler. "Most importantly... you won't have to be alone anymore."
The little flame quietly hovered before him, seemingly gazing into his eyes as though trying to understand him. It could sense the warmth within his aura. There was no greed or malice... only sincerity.
Emotions flickered within its tiny body as it glanced toward the endless magma lake that had been its home for so long its home for countless years before slowly turning back to Su Wen.
It hovered there in silence for several long moments, as though wrestling with its decision. Then, a faint emotion quietly reached Su Wen's mind.
It was simple... yet unmistakable.
Agreement.
The little Spirit Flame slowly drifted towards him. This time... it didn't stop.
As it approached, a tiny wisp of golden fire quietly separated from its body. The main flame immediately dimmed after losing the small portion of itself, flickering weakly as it hovered above the spirit stones.
The tiny wisp floated gently before Su Wen.
Just as he thought the wisp wanted him to take it... the little flame suddenly paused. It seemed to sense the unusually dense Yang Qi within his body.
It circled around him once, then again. Almost as though it had discovered something irresistible.
Before Su Wen could even react...
Whoosh!
The tiny flame suddenly shot straight into his open mouth.
"Wai..." His expression changed. The tiny wisp rapidly travelled through his meridians before diving directly into his dantian.
Instantly... a terrifying heat erupted from within his body.
"Y-You... Fuck!!" Although it was only a tiny wisp, the terrifying power within it made Su Wen feel as though a sun had exploded inside his body.
"Aagh!!" Su Wen dropped to his knees, clutching his chest and stomach as a pained cry escaped his lips. Blazing heat spread through every corner of his body. His meridians felt as though they were being scorched.
His blood seemed to boil as his bones, muscles, organs, and even skin were slowly tempered inside an invisible furnace.
The pain wasn't explosive. Instead, it was slow and relentless as though he were being roasted alive from the inside out.
Gritting his teeth, Su Wen immediately circulated his Body Cultivation technique, trying to guide the overwhelming fire energy through his body and use it to temper his physique.
However, the pain was simply too intense and even maintaining his concentration became difficult. His entire body trembled violently as sweat poured from every pore.
Eventually, he collapsed onto the scorching black rock and endured, forcing himself to remain conscious while his cultivation technique continued circulating almost entirely on instinct.
Wisps of white steam continuously rose from his body and as time passed, Su Wen finally began adapting to the searing pain.
The tiny Spirit Flame within his dantian burned even brighter and the scorching heat reached an entirely new level.
His skin gradually took on a faint golden hue beneath the blazing heat, while every muscle, every bone, every drop of blood, and even his internal organs underwent another round of tempering.
Although the pain became even more intense, his body was steadily becoming stronger.
Su Wen slowly forced himself into a cross-legged position and blazing flames erupted around his body, enveloping him within a pillar of golden fire.
His robes had long since been reduced to ashes, but he paid no attention to his nakedness. His teeth remained clenched and his breathing remained steady.
He silently endured because he could clearly feel his body transforming. Every pore on his skin seemed to open, and his Blood Qi became increasingly vigorous.
Even his physique continued strengthening at a rate he had never experienced before.
After an unknown amount of time, the blazing flames gradually subsided and Su Wen slowly opened his eyes. He felt incredibly thirsty, as though every drop of water in his body had evaporated.
Yet at the same time, his entire body felt lighter than ever before. Every muscle contained explosive strength and his every breath seemed to carry scorching heat.
"That was the hottest sauna I've ever experienced..."
Curious, Su Wen immediately examined his body with his Soul Sense.
The very first thing he noticed wasn't the Spirit Flame.
It was his proud little brother.
"..."
His expression immediately became rather strange.
It had grown considerably and stood proudly saluting the heavens, as though it wanted to pierce through them.
"...What the? Isn't this... a little... too big?" Su Wen was amazed. "Is this because the Spirit Flame strengthened the Yang Qi within my body?"
He muttered inwardly. 'With a great weapon comes great responsibility.'
After a moment of silence, he decisively ignored it. "I'll think about that later..."
He shifted his attention towards his dantian.
The golden flame happily swam through his ocean of Spiritual Qi like a fish in water, greedily absorbing the rich Spiritual Qi surrounding it.
At the same time, the original Spirit Flame hovering above the yellow-white stone had visibly weakened. Its once brilliant radiance had dimmed considerably and the lively intelligence it had displayed earlier gradually faded away.
It had become nothing more than a weak, flickering flame.
"Fine. Since you've helped me, I can't just let you disappear."
With that, Su Wen immediately took out another five High Grade Spirit Stones and gently placed them beside it. The weakened Spirit Flame instinctively drifted towards the spirit stones and slowly absorbed the Spiritual Qi they released.
Su Wen suddenly sensed a faint emotion from the tiny Spirit Flame inside his dantian. It carried a trace of happiness, excitement... and gratitude.
He couldn't help but complain, "Couldn't you have warned me before cooking me like a piece of meat? That was really painful."
The little Spirit Flame immediately sent back another emotion, one filled with obvious dissatisfaction.
The emotion carried only one meaning.
"Weak."
Su Wen's eyebrow twitched, and he almost felt like teaching the little fellow a lesson. But when he saw it happily swimming around inside his dantian like an innocent child, his heart softened.
In the end, he simply shook his head with a helpless smile. "Fine. I'll let it go this time."
After all, no pain, no gain. Today's harvest had already exceeded all of his expectations. As long as he continued nurturing the Spirit Flame, it would only grow stronger.
Whether for alchemy, weapon forging, or tempering his physique, its value would be immeasurable.
Before leaving, Su Wen spent some time setting up a simple Spirit Gathering Formation around the black ridge. The surrounding Fire Spiritual Qi slowly gathered toward the weakened flame.
After putting on a fresh set of robes, Su Wen took one last look at the tiny flickering flame before turning around. "Hopefully... you'll regain your intelligence one day."
With that, he stepped onto his flying sword and made his way back toward Du Yue.