Chapter 158: Azure Lotus Flame Kindling! Gift!
Although Su Ying knew that an upheaval had taken place, she wasn’t aware of the details.
At most, she knew that a major battle had erupted and that the course of the war had shifted as a result.
Chen Xuan was disappointed, but not surprised. It was only natural.
Even though Su Ying was his subordinate, and many cultivators would show her some respect because of his status, her cultivation was still too low to truly enter the circle where such matters were discussed.
In Chen Xuan’s opinion, only Nascent Soul experts and the Elders of the major sects were qualified to know what had actually happened.
Thinking of this, he realized he would have to do the one thing he least wanted to do:
Go through the pile of messages stored within his transmission talisman.
But before that, there was something else he wanted to deal with.
After exchanging a few more words, he dismissed Su Ying.
Only then did his attention fall entirely upon Huo Ling’er.
His disciple still looked aggrieved.
Ever since Chen Xuan had casually tossed her into the corner of the room, she hadn’t moved a single inch.
She sat there hugging her knees, pouting with reddened eyes, looking as though tears would spill out at any moment.
Every now and then, she would secretly glance at Chen Xuan, only to immediately avert her eyes once she noticed he wasn’t paying attention.
Naturally, Chen Xuan wasn’t fooled by such childish antics.
Instead of comforting her, he silently activated the Heavenly Insight Eye.
Immediately, a familiar panel appeared before him.
...
[Name: Huo Ling’er]
[Physique: Vulcan Holy Body (High-Grade)]
[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment (Middle)]
[Technique: Vulcan Immortal Scripture (Fifth Level)]
[Talent Rating: 9.5 (9) Stars]
[Evaluation: ...]
...
On the surface, the changes weren’t particularly remarkable.
Yet the fiery aura emanating from Huo Ling’er’s body told a completely different story.
Her cultivation had certainly improved, but that was far from the only change.
There was a faint sense of completeness to her aura, as though her foundation had become even more stable than before.
Chen Xuan couldn’t help raising an eyebrow.
He scrutinized Huo Ling’er from head to toe, his gaze repeatedly sweeping across her body.
Feeling herself examined so intently, Huo Ling’er gradually became flustered.
The pitiful expression on her face disappeared, replaced by embarrassment. Her ears slowly turned crimson.
Just as countless strange thoughts began surfacing in her mind and her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the tightly shut door and then down on her own body...
Chen Xuan suddenly spoke, mercilessly shattering every one of her fantasies.
"What did you eat?"
His calm voice echoed throughout the room.
Huo Ling’er’s face instantly flushed an even deeper shade of red.
The moment she heard the question, she recalled the mysterious pill she had accidentally swallowed inside the forest.
She also remembered Chen Xuan repeatedly warning her never to consume unknown pills or spiritual herbs without identifying them first.
Immediately, guilt filled her heart.
"N—Nothing."
"I... I’ve been cultivating in seclusion this entire time."
"Master, it was the Nirvana Phoenix Feather you gave me that allowed me to break through."
"Yes... yes, that’s definitely it."
She nodded repeatedly, trying to convince both Chen Xuan and herself.
Watching her desperately defend such an obviously fabricated explanation, Chen Xuan couldn’t help resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
How could a magic treasure possibly raise someone’s cultivation simply by carrying it around?
Moreover, hadn’t Huo Ling’er just complained moments ago about being chased all over the place by beasts?
Could it be that those beasts had invaded the Spirit Stone mine solely to bully her?
Although Chen Xuan knew perfectly well that she was lying, he chose not to expose her.
From what he could tell, whatever opportunity Huo Ling’er had encountered hadn’t left behind any hidden dangers. On the contrary, it had benefited her tremendously.
At the very least, through the Heavenly Insight Eye, he could clearly see that the medicinal effects lingering within her body had further stimulated her Vulcan Holy Body.
Thinking of this, Chen Xuan suddenly remembered something.
He slowly stretched his hand.
Within his Dantian, the Nascent Soul pointed a finger toward the heavens.
The next moment, an azure flame quietly blossomed above his palm.
Instantly, the temperature throughout the chamber soared to an astonishing degree.
The surrounding walls softened and began melting as though they were wax beneath a blazing sun. Even the air itself distorted under the terrifying heat.
Huo Ling’er was no exception.
Although she was the owner of the Vulcan Holy Body, even her proud Physique, which made her the Empress of all Fires, was rendered invalid before the flame.
Her cheeks immediately turned bright red.
Thin wisps of steam rose from the top of her head as though she were being slowly steamed from the inside.
Seeing this, Chen Xuan’s expression changed.
He immediately restrained the Azure Lotus Flame, forcefully suppressing most of its power.
Only after the frightening heat rapidly subsided and the surrounding phenomena disappeared did he stop.
Seeing Huo Ling’er’s complexion gradually return to normal, Chen Xuan subconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
He wiped away a bead of nonexistent sweat on his forehead.
’Fortunately, I reacted quickly.’
’Otherwise, I really would’ve cooked my own disciple.’
Looking at Huo Ling’er gasping for breath with her tongue hanging limply from the corner of her mouth, looking as though she had just survived heatstroke, Chen Xuan couldn’t help feeling slightly awkward.
After allowing her several moments to recover...he made another move.
To Huo Ling’er’s horror, Chen Xuan flicked his finger. The azure flame immediately drifted toward her.
Huo Ling’er instinctively covered her head.
Fortunately, the terrifying scene she imagined never happened.
Rather than engulfing her body, the Azure Lotus Flame gently stopped a few inches in front of her face, quietly floating in the air.
At the same time, Chen Xuan’s calm voice sounded once more.
"This is a Heavenly Flame that I obtained during this journey."
"Although what you’re seeing is merely a kindling, a sub-flame separated from its main body, it is more than enough to become the foundation of your future cultivation."
"As long as you refine it, you’ll obtain a nascent form of the Azure Lotus Flame."
"In the future, once your cultivation is high enough, you’ll naturally have the opportunity to control the complete Heavenly Flame."
Hearing those words, Huo Ling’er immediately understood what the azure flame before her truly represented.
Her expression quickly became hesitant.
In the past, Chen Xuan had helped her cultivate the Nirvana Phoenix Flames. However, that had been completely different.
Those flames had been cultivated through a technique.
The azure flame before her, on the other hand, was an actual fragment separated from a complete Heavenly Flame.
In other words, Chen Xuan had deliberately split off part of his own Heavenly Flame.
For a very long time to come, the power of his own Azure Lotus Flame would inevitably be weakened.
The thought alone made Huo Ling’er instinctively shake her head.
She couldn’t bring herself to accept such a precious gift.
However, just as she was about to refuse, Chen Xuan spoke once more.
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