Chapter 173: I'm Not That Easygoing
The hardest step?
Cai Lin, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but ask, "What's this hardest step? His refining of the heavenly flames seems to be going smoothly."
At this moment, Yao Yan's increasing aura showed no signs of difficulty. The Fallen Heart Flame that had been swallowed into his stomach was completely suppressed and motionless, allowing him to refine it freely. She really couldn't see where the difficulty lay.
"…Usually, a person can only contain one heavenly flame, but by using his technique, he is simultaneously containing two. It could cause some side effects," Heavenly Fire Sovereign said after a brief pause, suddenly realizing something. A strange light flashed in his eyes, and he murmured something while casting a glance at Medicine Elder. The two old men exchanged knowing glances, then cleared their throats. It seemed that they were both thinking along the same lines.
As a pharmacist who also had the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, Medicine Elder understood the special nature of heavenly flames. If the human body wanted to perfectly merge with them, it would definitely be affected. Especially with the Fallen Heart Flame, which had a great influence on the mind and soul. Its corrupting fire was far more potent than the Qinglian Earth Heart Fire, especially for Yao Yan, a young man with so much vitality. The slightest stimulation would surely cause his Yang energy to rise dramatically.
If not properly guided, it could lead to him going astray.
As for how to guide him...
Medicine Elder's expression showed a slight awkwardness. He didn't say it outright, but he cast a glance at Cai Lin. With his many years of experience, he could easily tell that Queen Medusa (Cai Lin) had feelings for Yao Yan. Otherwise, she wouldn't care so much about the boy. Perhaps it was due to her sister, Cai Die, that she had been restraining her emotions, deliberately keeping her distance from Yao Yan.
However, this barrier would eventually need to be broken.
He, an old man with his own experience, didn't want to see Cai Lin regret later. This moment was an opportunity, and if it were seized, it would benefit Yao Yan.
"You two, what are you talking about?"
Cai Lin's doubts deepened as she looked at the two old men, raising her eyebrows and asking.
Heavenly Fire Sovereign coughed and gave Medicine Elder a look, silently asking him to explain.
Medicine Elder, as an old man, clearly wasn't the serious type. Looking at the clueless Queen Medusa, he put his thick-skinned nature to use. His face hardened as he said, "During his retreat, he can't afford to be disturbed. In the process of refining, his Yang fire energy will continually rise. It can be quite a burden. I have the Bone Spirit Cold Fire in my body, and it's not suitable for me to help him. He's also the former master of the Fallen Heart Flame, so some unexpected changes could happen. So, for the next while, I'll have to trouble you."
He spoke seriously, his logic sound. Even Heavenly Fire Sovereign couldn't help but glance at him, as though seeing him in a new light.
"I understand."
Cai Lin nodded, not thinking it was a difficult task. She also wanted to take this time to familiarize herself with the heavenly flame's aura in preparation for her future evolution. By observing Yao Yan, she could gain quite a bit of experience.
Medicine Elder and Heavenly Fire Sovereign exchanged a glance, and both looked away, as if feeling a bit guilty. They then turned and walked toward the secret room's exit. Before leaving, they sealed the door, clearly knowing what would happen next. At their level, many things could be easily inferred.
"Is this a little unethical?" Heavenly Fire Sovereign hesitated before asking Medicine Elder.
"Well, Queen Medusa has deep feelings for the boy without realizing it. If we don't help her, she'll never break this barrier. I'm an elder of the boy's, and I don't want to see him miss a good opportunity. If we can help, we should," Medicine Elder said confidently.
Unlike Heavenly Fire Sovereign's sense of moral boundaries, Medicine Elder's boundaries were much more flexible. He spoke with such conviction that Heavenly Fire Sovereign was left stunned. However, one thing was certain: Queen Medusa truly cared for Yao Yan. Perhaps she had already fallen deeply for him. He had only just met them, so he didn't say too much.
Thinking of this, Heavenly Fire Sovereign suddenly said, "The boy's soul realm has already reached the Soul Realm. He should be able to withstand the backlash of the corrupting fire and stay calm."
"We would have been a hindrance inside. That's why I pulled you out." Medicine Elder chuckled lightly, then paused and spoke more softly. "Blocking it isn't as good as guiding it. This fiery energy can't be suppressed forever. Rather than letting him harm other women, it's better to let him find someone who shares his feelings."
Heavenly Fire Sovereign didn't argue. He nodded and followed Medicine Elder out of the secret room. As for how they would deal with the troublemaker Han Feng, he wasn't particularly curious. After all, he didn't know Medicine Elder well yet. It was better to keep some distance.
Medicine Elder, on the other hand, was full of curiosity toward Heavenly Fire Sovereign. Perhaps the heart's knot had been untied, and his attitude seemed to have returned to what it once was.
…
Cai Lin, the Queen Medusa, was obviously unaware of the two old men's murmuring. She was currently focused on Yao Yan, sensing the changes in his body. She tried to feel the power of the heavenly flame, and perhaps because she was so close to Yao Yan, the Fallen Heart Flame within her body began to produce the origin heartfire. A scorching energy immediately spread throughout her body, making her beautiful face turn slightly flushed.
Fortunately, her strength was considerable, and with her fire-type Dou Qi and the assistance of the Purple Phantom Flame Serpent, she could use this energy to her advantage.
The terrifying origin heartfire that others would find dangerous caused no harm to her. Instead, it tempered both her Dou Qi and body.
"This power... Is it the origin heartfire of the Fallen Heart Flame?"
Cai Lin blinked her beautiful eyes, revealing a hint of surprise. She then looked at Yao Yan, hesitated for a moment, and moved her slender waist a little closer to him. She coiled her enchanting purple snake tail beside Yao Yan and entered a state of cultivation.
Yao Yan didn't pay much attention to what was happening around him. His mind was completely immersed in his body, feeling the fusion of the two flames. The process of merging the origin fire of the heavenly flames was incredibly unique, as if it contained some mysterious rules. If he could fully understand it, perhaps he could comprehend the true meaning of the Devouring Decision.
However, with Yao Yan's current cultivation, it was impossible for him to fully grasp these concepts. At most, he could improve his understanding and control over heavenly flames.
Time passed slowly, and it seemed as though time itself had lost its meaning.
In the quiet secret room, two figures remained seated, their surroundings enveloped in faint white flames. They flickered and vanished continuously, strengthening their auras. Yao Yan's body was surrounded by white flames, which were gradually replaced by a vibrant green-blue flame.
Cai Lin, sitting opposite him, suddenly opened her eyes. A trace of surprise appeared on her beautiful, cold face as she stared at the green-blue flame on Yao Yan's body.
The aura emanating from the flame was incredibly terrifying. Just by looking at it, she could feel an intense sense of danger.
Its danger level had far surpassed the original Fallen Heart Flame.
"Has it succeeded?"
Cai Lin thought to herself.
At this moment, Yao Yan also slowly opened his eyes. The position of the energy vortex in his body had fully replaced the two merged heavenly flames with the green-blue flame. Thanks to the power of the Fallen Heart Flame, the faint traces of the seventh-tier beast fire were completely gone.
His jet-black eyes were covered by the green-blue flame, and an overwhelming amount of Dou Qi surged within him, flowing through his limbs. The warm sensation caused his aura to rise sharply in an instant, breaking through the nine-star Dou Wang level into the Dou Huang stage. He didn't stop there. His Dou Huang rank quickly rose to the one-star, then two-star, and finally, it slowed down at the three-star, eventually reaching the four-star Dou Huang level.
The speed of his rise in strength left Cai Lin stunned, and she unconsciously bit her red lips, her eyes filled with astonishment.
She knew the Dou Huang bottleneck couldn't stop Yao Yan, but the speed at which his strength increased was almost exaggerated.
"Four-star Dou Huang, not bad~"
Yao Yan smiled, then reined in his aura. He stored the green-blue flames in his 'Soul Storage' ring and then planned to tease the Queen Medusa. However, just as he was about to store the fused heavenly flames in the ring, the flames suddenly shook. He felt as though his heart had been gripped tightly, and a terrifying corrupting fire energy surged from his lower abdomen, instantly flowing through his body. His body turned a deep red, as though it might explode at any moment.
Damn, I almost forgot... Yao Yan's smile froze on his face. He had gotten too carried away and forgotten the biggest issue with devouring the heavenly flames.
When he refined the Qinglian Earth Heart Flame, he had experienced this reaction before. But back then, it wasn't as terrifying as after fusing two heavenly flames. At least back then, he could remain calm. Now, he felt like he was about to lose control, especially with Cai Lin so close.
Queen Medusa was incredibly beautiful and enchanting, and perhaps only those who saw her in person could truly feel her allure. Her delicate skin, her graceful and proud figure, and her cold and seductive face all teased the nerves of any man.
"…"
Yao Yan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to suppress it. He wasn't the type of person to force himself on someone, especially not when it involved Cai Lin, who was Cai Die's older sister. If he was going to do anything, it had to be in the open.
Cai Lin, too, had snapped out of it. Seeing Yao Yan's aura become chaotic, she instinctively moved closer, her eyes filled with concern and confusion, "What's wrong? You seemed fine just now. Why have you suddenly changed like this?!"
Her soft, seductive voice, even if unintentional, seemed to strike Yao Yan's fragile nerves like a teasing hand.
A faint fragrance filled the air, only adding to the intensity of the situation.
At this moment, Yao Yan realized why he was alone with Cai Lin in the secret room. Where had the two old men gone? He didn't believe they didn't know about the aftereffects of fusing the heavenly flames. Yet they left Cai Lin alone with him, a man and a woman in a closed room, as if they were afraid he hadn't been given enough of a stimulus.
Those two old geezers… Yao Yan wasn't sure whether to praise them or scold them. But one thing was certain: the stimulation Cai Lin gave him was certainly immense. The corrupting fire within him surged several times over, and when his eyes opened, bloodshot veins filled his pupils.
"You… Are you okay? I'll go find them. Hang in there!" Cai Lin, realizing Yao Yan's condition was bad, quickly moved to find Medicine Elder.
"No need. They can't help me," Yao Yan said directly, grabbing Cai Lin's slender arm. His breathing became heavier, but he could still maintain some clarity in his eyes as he gazed at her enchanting face. "Right now, you're the only one who can help me."
Cai Lin froze, her beautiful brows knitting slightly. "How can I help?" she asked.
"I didn't expect this kind of reaction after fusing two heavenly flames. The corrupting fire energy is attacking my heart. If I don't release it, I might go insane…" Yao Yan clenched his fists, saying this with great difficulty.
"You…"
Cai Lin quickly understood, not being ignorant of such things. She turned cold and said, "Don't even think about it. Don't forget, I'm Cai Die's sister!"
She probably didn't know just how much her words stimulated Yao Yan. The queenly aura she exuded sparked a deep desire within him, a male instinct to conquer.
"But I can't hold it much longer."
Yao Yan's face turned red as he spoke, and the clarity in his eyes was almost entirely replaced by desire.
"You hold on. I'll take you to find a woman!" Cai Lin's face flushed slightly, gritting her teeth as she spoke.
"I'm not that easygoing."
Upon hearing this, Yao Yan immediately released Cai Lin, sitting down cross-legged with strong resolve, trying to suppress the corrupting fire energy with sheer willpower. However, this pressure backfired, causing his body to start emitting white mist.
"Then why did you accept my gift back then?" Cai Lin immediately questioned, recalling when Yao Yan accepted the flowers from the Serpents. He didn't seem so noble then.
"It's different. I thought they were Cai Die's dowry."
Yao Yan spoke with great confidence, still holding on. He wanted to see what Cai Lin thought of him and whether she would truly watch him burn from the corrupting fire, choosing to stand by and do nothing.
"You…"
Cai Lin was furious, glaring at Yao Yan. He was on the verge of dying, yet he still insisted on his principles. She had seen Yao Yan being flexible, but now that it came to these matters, he suddenly had boundaries. Did he think she would serve him? He was dreaming.
"Do you think I care about your life or death?"
Her gaze turned cold as she looked at him, giving a huff.
Yao Yan complied, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his aura growing even more chaotic. His body felt scorching hot, as though he was about to explode. It seemed that if Cai Lin didn't help him, he would die right before her eyes.
Cai Lin: ...
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997