On East Dragon Island—
In the southwest corner of the island, Liu Xi sat cross-legged upon his bed, his hands forming a cultivation seal. The surrounding Heaven and Earth energy condensed into streams of milky-white mist, all surging toward his body like rivers returning to the sea.
Yet that was only the smaller portion. The true essence came from the Fire Bead he had swallowed earlier—a fiery red orb condensed from the essence of a Dou Zun, similar in nature to a Monster Core. Normally, such an item would be dangerously volatile, yet under Liu Xi's control, the violent heat of the bead was being steadily refined.
His Heavenly Flame was far more tyrannical than the Fire Bead itself. As the cyan flames coiled around him, the rampant energy within the bead was quickly tempered away, leaving behind only pure fire-attribute Dou Qi, which flowed into his meridians like a molten river.
Within moments, the energy in his body reached a critical point. A faint cracking sound echoed from deep within him, like a bubble bursting.
Liu Xi's Dou Qi surged violently, breaking through an invisible bottleneck. His aura skyrocketed, climbing steadily toward a higher realm.
"Hu—"
Letting out a long breath, he slowly opened his eyes. A gleam of satisfaction flickered in their depths.
"7-Star Dou Zun. These Fire Beads truly are useful," he murmured with a faint smile. "It's just a pity that every time I refine one, I lose a portion of its energy while purging the violent impurities."
Standing up, he stretched lazily, his entire demeanor relaxed and unrestrained.
"Zi Yan has gone with Elder Zhu Li to begin absorbing the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit. With her current Dou Zun cultivation, it should be far easier for her than it was in the original timeline."
His voice carried a trace of relief. After crossing half the continent, he had finally paved the smoothest path for Zi Yan's advancement.
Liu Xi clasped his hands behind his back and stepped toward the window. The endless green canopy outside exuded fresh vitality, its fragrance washing away all fatigue.
"Qing Lin should have reached the Dragon Tomb by now," he muttered. "With the Dragon Aura there suppressing the Ancient Heaven Serpent and her Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils absorbing its power, her strength will rise rapidly as well."
A faint grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "Then I must not fall behind."
Placing his right hand over his chest, Liu Xi felt the rhythmic pulse of his heart—each beat carrying traces of the Dragon Emperor's blood coursing through him. That potent essence continuously tempered his body, refining his flesh and bones from within. Though slow, the improvement was undeniable.
"Right now, my main resources are these Fire Beads and the Dou Saint's Bone," he mused. "But Fire Beads can be found again. A Dou Saint's Bone, however, is far too rare to be wasted on simple cultivation."
His gaze deepened. "The Dou Saint's Bone must be saved for something greater. For daily cultivation, these Fire Beads will suffice… though the loss each time is troubling. Nearly a fifth, sometimes even a quarter of their power is wasted. If this keeps up, it's like throwing away ten entire beads."
He clenched his fist lightly. "No, I need to find a way to stabilize the Fire Bead's energy—to harmonize it without losing its essence."
Without hesitation, he left his room. Along the way, the patrolling Dragon Guards greeted him warmly, showing no hostility to the human alchemist who had gained their elders' favor.
When he found Hei Qing, he explained his intent—to conduct alchemical research and needed a quiet, secluded environment.
Hei Qing readily agreed, his booming laughter echoing through the corridors. "A secluded place? Easy! Leave it to me!"
He led Liu Xi to the southern part of the island, where volcanic mountains towered above the clouds and fire-attribute energy was thick in the air. The location made Liu Xi nod in satisfaction.
After setting up a simple residence and sending Hei Qing away, Liu Xi finally began his true experiment.
"You can't catch a wolf without risking the child," he muttered, quoting an old saying.
He took out one of the lower-quality Fire Beads and began his research. His goal was simple yet ambitious—use medicinal properties to neutralize the bead's violent nature, allowing its energy to be absorbed completely without waste.
To achieve that, he would need the perfect combination of herbs—ones that could balance fire's aggression without diminishing its purity. It wasn't about creating a pill, but about understanding the reaction between energy and medicine.
However, theory rarely matched reality.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rocked the cavern, followed by a plume of black smoke billowing out from the entrance.
Coughing, Liu Xi rushed out, soot covering half his face. "Water and fire refuse to coexist," he muttered with a sigh. "If I want to use the gentleness of water to tame the fury of fire, I'll need a catalyst to bridge them… but what kind of herb could possibly achieve that?"
He frowned in deep thought. Countless medicinal names flashed through his mind—then were immediately dismissed.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Wait… something with both wood and fire attributes, gentle in nature… Yes, that might work."
With a flick of his sleeve, a gust of wind swept through the cavern, clearing away the thick smoke. Inside, the walls were pitted with shallow craters—remnants of his repeated failures. Were it not for the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron being one of the Heavenly Cauldrons, the entire cave would have collapsed by now.
Liu Xi approached the cauldron and sighed at the pile of charred residue inside. "If not for the treasures I brought back from the Dou Saint's Relic, I'd have gone broke by now."
He waved his hand to disperse the ashes, then sat down before the cauldron once more.
A wisp of azure flame flickered to life at his fingertip. He guided it into the cauldron, where it expanded into a roaring blaze. The engraved beast patterns along the cauldron's surface shimmered to life, their outlines glowing vividly in the firelight.
Once the temperature stabilized, Liu Xi began the next attempt.
"Water Moon Flower… Azure Moon Fruit… Sea Heart Ginseng…" he murmured one by one, his gaze sharpening as inspiration struck.
Finally, his hand tightened slightly. "And… the Green Lotus Platform."
(End of Chapter)
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