The moment Liu Xi's voice fell, the colossal dragon beneath him trembled faintly. Madness flickered within its eyes, an instinctive struggle against submission — yet it was futile.
Liu Xi's body quivered as a strange pulse rippled outward. The giant dragon shuddered as if struck by divine lightning; its gaze turned dull, its consciousness scattering.
With a final roar, the enormous form disintegrated into countless streams of violet-black flame that surged toward Liu Xi, wrapping around him like a tide.
The scorching pain was unbearable, yet Liu Xi's expression remained serene, a faint smile on his lips. The lotus mark on his forehead glowed brilliantly — he knew that power never came without price.
---
Outside of Three Thousand Burning Flame.
The Three Thousand Burning Flame's body began to stir. Xuan Kongzi's eyes snapped open, gleaming with sharp light as his Dou Qi surged, ready to intervene at any moment.
But what he saw below made him freeze.
Liu Xi's aura was rising rapidly — his Spiritual Power boiling like a storm, spreading ripples through the surrounding space. The Origin Flame's little dragon form had vanished entirely.
Xuan Kongzi blinked, dumbfounded, then broke into a dazed grin. "This… he did it? Liu Xi actually subdued the Three Thousand Burning Flame!"
His expression wavered between astonishment, envy, and relief. A Heavenly Flame — he had coveted it for years, yet could never claim one. Now, this young man had succeeded where he could not.
"Truly blessed by heaven," he murmured. "It wasn't luck alone — timing, talent, and destiny… all aligned for him."
But as the Origin Flame disappeared, the immense dragon body began to destabilize, cracks spreading across it like shattered glass.
Xuan Kongzi hesitated. Should he pull Liu Xi out now? The young man still lay unconscious — wouldn't he be consumed by the collapsing flames?
Moments later, the violet-black fire suddenly gathered around Liu Xi of its own accord, forming rings that shielded him instead of burning him.
"Oh? It's already protecting its new master?" Xuan Kongzi exhaled, smiling faintly. "Seems I was worrying for nothing. I'd best leave before this mess scorches me bald."
Seeing Liu Xi safe, he turned and leapt away. His figure blurred — in an instant, he vanished into the distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Only seconds after his departure, the dragon's body finally exploded. A tidal wave of violet-black flames swept outward in every direction.
The accumulated stellar fire of countless ages erupted uncontrollably. With its consciousness absorbed into Liu Xi, the Three Thousand Burning Flame's unleashed energy rampaged across the Star Region without restraint.
Even Xuan Kongzi's scalp tingled at the sight. To fight this head-on would be meaningless — it would only further destabilize the fragile space.
The best course was containment: let the firestorm burn itself out within the Star Region, far from Holy Pill City.
As for Liu Xi, with his Heavenly Flame body and control over the Three Thousand Burning Flame, there was no danger to him.
"Still, I wonder which flame he'll favor in the future," Xuan Kongzi mused as he sped through the fractured void. "The Green Lotus Core Flame ranks below the Three Thousand Burning Flame, but its might… hmph, it's hardly weaker."
He couldn't help but chuckle enviously. "Truly unfair. I've never possessed a single Heavenly Flame, while that boy now has two to choose from!"
Within moments, Xuan Kongzi burst out of the Star Region gate. Before the anxious crowd could speak, he barked sharply, "No time for questions — close the gate, now!"
Startled by his urgency, Tian Leizi and Xuan Yi exchanged glances, then rapidly formed seals. Waves of Dou Qi surged as layers of spatial ripples spread, sealing the gate shut.
Even so, a wisp of violet-black flame slipped through the closing rift. The crowd recoiled in alarm, but Xuan Kongzi simply waved his palm — his Dou Qi surged forth, instantly crushing the flame into nothingness.
Seeing him emerge alone and somewhat singed, Tian Leizi frowned. "Where's Liu Xi? You didn't bring him out. And that flame — was it the Three Thousand Burning Flame? What exactly happened inside? Or… is Liu Xi already—"
The words froze everyone in place. Panic flickered across their faces. Liu Xi had won the Pill Gathering, exposed Mu Gu's schemes, and risked his life to save them all. If he had perished, no one could accept it.
Xuan Kongzi chuckled softly, stroking his beard. "Don't panic!"
Seeing their worried faces, he continued — though his "explanation" was more imagination than fact.
"After entering, I found that Liu Xi had drawn the Three Thousand Burning Flame into a soul confrontation, preventing it from unleashing its true power. It was risky, yes — but through sheer will, he triumphed. The Three Thousand Burning Flame has been subdued, and he's now refining the Origin Flame. Though the Star Region burns wildly, it cannot harm him. Rest assured — once he completes the refinement, he'll emerge safely. Liu Xi's courage and sacrifice make him a true hero of the Pill Tower!"
(All of the above was, of course, Xuan Kongzi's own interpretation.)
Relief washed over everyone.
Liu Xi was alive — that was all that mattered. Cao Ying and Dan Chen's faces brightened with joy; both had long admired him, and now admiration had deepened into heartfelt gratitude.
Xiao Yan and Song Qing exchanged complex glances. They too had once coveted this Heavenly Flame — yet now, it belonged to Liu Xi. Fate had made its choice.
After a moment's thought, Xuan Kongzi turned to Qiu Ling. "First Elder, go to Liu Xi's residence and inform his friends of his condition. We wouldn't want them to worry."
Hearing that Liu Xi was safe, Qiu Ling grinned broadly and cupped his fists. "Understood. I'll go at once!"
---
Inside the Star Region.
The disintegration of the Three Thousand Burning Flame's dragon form had transformed the realm into an ocean of violet-black fire.
At its center, a single flame ring floated — within it sat a lone figure, cross-legged. Liu Xi.
The azure lotus mark at his brow now shimmered with shades of violet and black, giving him an almost demonic aura.
Within his spiritual body, the Three Thousand Burning Flame's Origin Spirit was being devoured as nourishment. Liu Xi's Spiritual Power surged wildly, rising without pause.
At the same time, the stellar fire energy within the flames flooded eagerly into his body — no, rushed into him, competing to be absorbed.
His Qi Method began to circulate on its own, refining the pure essence of the flames into Dou Qi, driving both his cultivation and soul strength higher and higher.
(End of Chapter)
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