The Five Realms of Physique were further divided into nine sub-realms.
Even before arriving at the academy, Yan Zhen had already reached the third sub-realm: Body Refining Minor Accomplishment, where one’s qi and blood turned into flames. Now, as he absorbed the Yang Source for body refining, the flames of qi and blood on his body surface burned even more vigorously. His entire form was bathed in crimson qi flames, resembling the Great Crimson Heaven Flame to some extent.
It was said that the Great Crimson Heaven Flame originated from the qi and blood flames of the human ancestor, though there was no concrete evidence to support this.
Yan Zhen mobilized the Great Crimson Heaven Flame to accelerate the refining of the Yang Source.
If all went as expected, he would soon achieve the realm of Perfect Minor Accomplishment: Flame Splendor Like Red Lotus. At that stage, his qi and blood would transform into a red lotus guardian around his body, allowing him to charge into battle recklessly like a true berserker.
There were no nights in the Yang Pole Secret Realm, just as there were no days in the Yin Extreme Secret Realm. A bright pseudo-sun hung perpetually in the sky.
After what felt like half a day, Yan Zhen emerged from his cultivation state. He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a puff of scalding white vapor from his mouth.
By now, he felt a slight heat throughout his body, akin to the discomfort of catching a common cold in the past.
This was a side effect of the Yang Source.
For fire-attribute mystic cultivators like him, absorption happened quickly, but so did the side effects. One had to stop promptly, consume special water- or ice-attribute pills to alleviate it, and only then resume absorption.
However, with the Great Crimson Heaven Flame protecting his body, Yan Zhen could dispel it rapidly without pills. It was no major issue.
The one who struggled most was Zi Xunyi. Her divine soul was innately powerful, and she primarily cultivated spiritual power, leaving her physique unable to keep pace with the intensity of her soul. She was inherently somewhat frail.
Despite her strong spiritual power, her speed in absorbing and refining the Yang Source matched Yan Zhen’s, leading to a case of her body being too frail to handle the supplement.
Three hours earlier, she had woken once. This was her second time.
She resembled a cooked shrimp, her entire body flushed red, her skin abnormally hot—essentially in a high fever state. Without mystic power protecting her, she might have already fainted.
Zi Xunyi gasped for air in heavy bursts, enduring the discomfort as she tried to circulate her mystic power to dissipate the heat within her body.
But this approach was wrong. She cultivated light Mystic power, which was yang-attributed. As it circulated through her limbs, the heat only trapped itself inside, unable to escape.
The more she circulated her power, the hotter she felt. Finally, she could bear it no longer. Her vision spun, and her body tilted as she collapsed.
Yan Zhen had just exited cultivation and immediately sensed the anomaly with his future wife. His heart jolted, and he leaped onto the stone platform where she lay.
“Zi Ji, are you alright?”
Zi Xunyi narrowed her gem-like purple eyes and said weakly, “I’m so hot, Yan Zhen. It feels like my whole body is about to burn up.”
“Sorry, I forgot to prepare cooling pills.”
In the script, Yan Zhen had come here with Long Ying. He had the Great Crimson Heaven Flame for protection, and her physique was inherently strong, so neither needed pills to dissipate heat. He hadn’t considered the problem.
“Let me help you cool down.”
Zi Xunyi obediently murmured her assent and allowed Yan Zhen to help her sit up.
“Take off your clothes.”
“Okay~”
She assumed he meant her outer robe, which suited her just fine. But then he added, “You need to remove your top completely. You can put it back on after cooling down. Alright?”
“Eh? This…” Zi Xunyi leaned against Yan Zhen’s chest, hesitating. “Can’t I keep it on?”
This was a public space. Even removing her outer robe was embarrassing enough—stripping bare? How could she?
Besides Yan Zhen and herself, Long Ying and Huangfu Wenqing were there too.
If they saw her like that, where could she hide her face?
“I need to use the Great Crimson Heaven Flame to help you. If you’re wearing clothes, they’ll burn away. It’ll end up the same.” Yan Zhen gently stroked Zi Xunyi’s hair. “Be good, okay?”
Zi Xunyi bit her lip. Her maidenly modesty made it hard to agree, but the discomfort was equally unbearable.
Hearing his gentle voice, her defenses slowly melted away. She finally nodded and closed her eyes.
Yan Zhen glanced aside. Huangfu Wenqing and Long Ying were still meditating quietly.
Long Ying’s talent was exceptional, and Huangfu Wenqing cultivated wind Mystic power, which had its own cooling system. Both women could endure longer.
No one should approach at this time, but to be safe, Yan Zhen released the gold-silver fire to envelop the entire stone platform before proceeding.
He first untied Zi Xunyi’s belt and removed her outer robe. Then he opened the collar of her inner garment and slipped it down to her elbows, leaving only a pale golden tube top.
Beneath the tube top lay her snow-white, full, and plump breasts, rising and falling rhythmically with her breaths in an endless, mesmerizing wave that drew the eye inexorably.
In such a serious cultivation setting, the girl’s half-open garments and labored breathing exuded a seductive charm. The stark contrast sent a thrill of forbidden excitement through Yan Zhen.
Especially from his vantage point—it was perfection.
He hadn’t harbored any improper thoughts at first, but now his mind flooded with naughty ideas. He deliberately leaned close to Zi Xunyi’s ear and whispered, “I’m taking off the tube top now.”
Zi Xunyi couldn’t endure such embarrassment. Her soft jade hand rested on Yan Zhen’s forearm as she pleaded, “No, Yan Zhen, don’t…”
Seeing her pitiful, fragile demeanor—so pitiable it stirred the heart—drove away Yan Zhen’s bold impulses, leaving only boundless tenderness. Still, he insisted, “It’ll be over soon.”
With that, he untied the tube top’s strings and removed it.
Zi Xunyi let out a startled cry and hurriedly hugged her ample chest. Her cheeks burned impossibly red, her teeth nibbling her lip, her beautiful eyes misty and bright as if on the verge of tears.
“You… you have to be quick.”
Yan Zhen tenderly brushed her hair forward to cover her, then flipped his right hand palm-up, fingers curled like claws. A blood-colored flame erupted from his palm.
The Great Crimson Heaven Flame, known as the Hottest Extreme Flame, could not only emit terrifying heat but also absorb it, achieving balance.
He pressed his right palm, blazing with blood-colored extreme flame, flat against Zi Xunyi’s smooth, flat pink back. The flames spread rapidly, covering her body and swiftly absorbing the excess heat.
Moments later—
“How do you feel?”
“It should… be about enough.”
“Then I’ll withdraw it.”
“Mm.”
With a thought from Yan Zhen, the blood flames cloaking Zi Xunyi’s body all returned to his palm and vanished.
“All done.”
“Thanks.”
“Next time you refine the Yang Source and feel discomfort, stop immediately. Don’t circulate your power to dissipate heat. Your light Mystic power is yang-attributed, so under these conditions, it carries just as much heat as your body. Circulating it will only make things worse.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Zi Xunyi muttered shyly, then said weakly, “Turn around. I need to get dressed.”
