Chapter 77: The Daoist of Divine Fire and Xiao Yan

What happened at the Orchid Tower remained unknown to Cao Chengyu. After returning to his own small residence and settling his mind, he began refining pills.

He spent a week completing all the alchemy tasks he had taken on, earning more than two thousand spirit stones. Of course, that was just a small part; he withheld sixty percent of the various functional and cultivation pills for himself, as each commission only required three to five pills per batch. Why should he give them twelve each? He kept the surplus for his own use.

A week had passed since the incident at the Orchid Tower, but there was still no news. Cao Chengyu realized that the higher-ups of the Five Elements Sect were likely aware of the matter but had no intention of intervening. There must be deeper secrets involved.

It seemed best to let the so-called child of destiny test the waters. That person was Xiao Yan.

Born into a fallen family, bullied all his life, surviving many near-death experiences, and advancing in cultivation even faster than Cao Chengyu—he was clearly favored by fate, with some unknown advantage. As a transmigrator himself, encountering such a person almost certainly meant he was the chosen one. All Cao Chengyu had to do was find an opportunity to tell him his suspicions about the Great Yue Dynasty.

If anyone in the five provinces mattered to him, they would inevitably be drawn into this. But how to reveal it was a question in itself.

Cao Chengyu decided to first pay a visit to the Divine Fire Adept.

The Divine Fire Adept was famed for his mastery of both pills and artifacts, and possessed the rare Earthfire from the heart of molten rock. A mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, he was the chief elder of the Five Elements Fire Line.

His status was on par with Cao Chengyu’s own nominal master, the Yin-Yang Adept. Visiting as a direct disciple should pose no issue.

After making some inquiries about the Divine Fire Adept’s abode, Cao Chengyu set out immediately.

The elder lived near a vent of the Fire Vein on the right side of Fire Peak, a place resembling a volcanic crater also known as Little Fire Peak, where he dwelled year-round. The ground was covered with black stone formed from cooled lava. As soon as Cao Chengyu stepped in, he was greeted by a scorching wind that nearly curled his hair.

This was a private domain, with no Fire Peak disciples on duty. Along the way, Cao Chengyu saw only a few disciples cultivating here; otherwise, the place was deserted.

On one side of the crater stood a fiery red stone hall, presumably where the Divine Fire Adept cultivated.

As he drew near, he found the area shrouded in an array. Without a special token, entry was impossible.

Clearing his throat, Cao Chengyu called out in a clear voice.

“I am Cao Chengyu, fifth direct disciple of the Yin-Yang Adept, seeking to pay my respects to Senior Divine Fire. May I request an audience?”

He repeated himself, but still no answer came from within. Was the elder not present? Impossible—he was said to be a true recluse who never left unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps he was refining artifacts or pills?

Just as Cao Chengyu was about to call out again, a strange voice answered.

“My master is at a critical moment in forging. Unless your business is urgent, please come again another day.”

Cao Chengyu’s eyes flickered.

“Fellow Daoist, may I ask how many more days Senior Divine Fire will need? I don’t mind waiting here.”

“It could be as little as three days, or as long as half a month. Wait if you wish.”

“My thanks for your guidance, Fellow Daoist.”

Though the voice was unfamiliar, it carried a hint of the Great Yue accent. Divine Fire Adept had few disciples, so this was likely Xiao Yan.

Cao Chengyu found a spot and sat down, genuinely cultivating. From time to time, he swallowed a pill to accelerate the evolution of his Dao body.

Another week passed in this manner.

One day, Cao Chengyu suddenly sensed the Wood Spirit Pearl in his liver shatter. Out stepped a figure with long green hair, a crown of grass upon his head, and the sigil of the Wood God on his brow.

Like the Fire Viscera God, the Wood Viscera God was verdant throughout, his features identical to Cao Chengyu’s own. First a little red man, now a little green man—powerful, but hardly auspicious.

If the Fire Viscera God helped him control flames, then this green figure granted mastery over nature. Even without wood-element spells, he could stimulate and control plants with miraculous efficacy.

The Wood God of the liver was named Long Yan, courtesy name Hanming, complementary to the Fire Viscera God. Their fusion greatly amplified his power.

With two gods now nurtured within his five viscera, the remaining three were also gestating more quickly thanks to their combined strength. The next would be the Water Viscera God, governing the kidneys—cold, nourishing, downward-flowing, and capable of controlling water.

Exhaling, Cao Chengyu rose, feeling the surging power in his body and the ever-improving quality of his aptitude and perception from the Yellow Court Scripture. Satisfaction filled him.

At that moment, a thunderous crash erupted from the small stone hall, as if something had exploded, black smoke billowing out and only dispersing after a while.

A vigorous yet aged voice called,

“Forgive the disturbance, young friend. Come in.”

Sensing that the array had been deactivated, Cao Chengyu stepped inside, curiosity in his eyes.

At the center stood a massive eight-trigram furnace. On the right, a row of meditation mats—likely for teaching disciples. On the left, a line of alchemical furnaces, but no artifact forges in sight.

Alchemy and artifact refinement each required dedicated tools; they were generally not interchangeable.

Now, a robust old man with a head of fiery red hair and a rustic, old-fashioned style looked over at him, accompanied by a youth in dark red attire, a massive blade slung across his back.

Cao Chengyu was momentarily speechless.

To be honest, the Divine Fire Adept’s appearance was rather jarring. The phantom he’d seen before looked nothing like this—his worldview was being relentlessly shattered. Now that he was here, he wasn’t sure how to face the reality.

Noticing his silence, the Divine Fire Adept frowned in confusion.

“Judging by your attire, you must be a direct disciple of the Yin-Yang Adept. What brings you to me? If it’s pills or artifacts you seek, your own master should suffice.”

Cao Chengyu collected himself, took a deep breath, and fixed his gaze on the floor, trying to ignore the blinding hairdo.

“My apologies, Senior. I came to observe the Earthfire from the heart of molten rock, and to inquire if you have any news of other such rare flames, as well as the tale of how you acquired your own.”

“So many requests?”

The Divine Fire Adept sounded reluctant. He glanced at the eight-trigram furnace, then at Cao Chengyu, before replying,

“You may see the Earthfire, but as for the rest, forget it. Why are you after rare flames, boy? Have you cultivated a fire-element Dao body?”

Cao Chengyu shook his head.

“I practice a secret art called the Incinerating Blaze Technique, which allows me to fully absorb a single rare flame. I seek one to aid in pill and artifact refinement.”

“You have skill in both arts?”

The Divine Fire Adept seemed interested now.

Cao Chengyu nodded with a smile.

“I wouldn’t claim mastery, but these days, most cultivators learn a bit of both.”

As they spoke, Cao Chengyu paid special attention to Xiao Yan. When he mentioned the Incinerating Blaze Technique, Xiao Yan visibly paused.

So it really is you!