“It’s just a try. If you can’t bear it, don’t push yourself.”
“Mm, I understand, Yu Shizun.”
Treating Yu Shizun’s strange condition was actually quite straightforward. It involved refining some high-grade yang-attribute heavenly treasures, ideally ones at the Supreme level.
In the Jialan Holy Land, the only one with such a treasure was Sunny Supreme among the Jialan Seven Sages.
However, Supreme-level yang-attribute treasures were extremely precious even to Sunny Supreme, and she was unwilling to give them away lightly.
Before this, Yu Shizun had tried to trade a water-attribute Eighth-Tier Mystic Pill for an equivalent yang-attribute herb, the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Yang Flower, but Sunny Supreme had refused. She needed the Heavenly Yang Flower to refine her own pills, and if she gave it to Yu Shizun, heaven knows when she would gather all the materials again.
Supreme-level heavenly treasures were far too rare; money alone couldn’t buy them. One could only seek them out through chance encounters.
With no other options, Yu Shizun had turned to Chen Xi and Yan Zhen for help once more.
Yan Zhen’s Great Crimson Heaven Flame was precisely such a Supreme-level heavenly treasure. As long as he shared some of the flames for her to refine, it would gradually alleviate the yin-yang imbalance in her body.
In simple terms, he would act like a human battery pack, channeling dense, scorching Great Crimson Heaven Flame into her body to recharge her.
The problem was that with Yu Shizun’s absorption capacity, she would quickly drain a Mystic King Realm cultivator like Yan Zhen dry, damaging his cultivation foundation.
That was why they needed to borrow the power of the Fire Refining Starry Sky. Through resonance with the Extreme Flames in his body, it would elevate his cultivation and ensure he wouldn’t be depleted in one go.
Of course, Yan Zhen wouldn’t come out of it empty-handed. He could experience Supreme-level power firsthand in advance, which would greatly aid his future breakthroughs.
Moreover, the rapid consumption and recovery of mystic power in this process would enhance both its quality and quantity—a fine training for someone whose cultivation had skyrocketed like Yan Zhen.
“Both of you are in good shape. No time like the present—let’s begin now.”
Chen Xi raised her jade hand, summoning a Dao Platform beside them. She inscribed an array formation upon it and gestured for Yan Zhen to take a seat.
Yan Zhen leaped lightly onto the man-high platform and sat cross-legged. Following his beautiful master’s instructions, he circulated the Flame Yama Ninefold Transformation, drawing on the power of the Fire Refining Starry Sky to maximize his cultivation.
The Flame Yama Ninefold Transformation was a secret art based on Extreme Flames. With four Extreme Flames in his body, Yan Zhen could currently activate three, allowing him to unleash up to the third transformation.
As the three Extreme Flames resonated with the Fire Refining Starry Sky, borrowing its vast, unmatched power, Yan Zhen’s cultivation surged instantly to the Nine-Star Mystic Lord Realm.
Mystic Lord-level power surged through his body. Yan Zhen felt a faint ache in his meridians. Outside the Fire Refining Starry Sky, this state could last at most five minutes, but within its domain, there was no time limit—the resonance with his Extreme Flames wouldn’t break.
Still, such overwhelming power placed a heavy burden on the human meridians. Though Yan Zhen was extraordinarily talented, even he—a Mystic King Realm cultivator—couldn’t sustain Mystic Lord-level mystic power for long.
His limit was about half an hour.
Chen Xi asked with concern, “How does it feel, Zhen’er? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”
Under the influence of power beyond his own, Yan Zhen’s hair stirred without wind. He shook his head and said, “I’m fine, Master. Have Yu Shizun come up.”
Chen Xi looked toward Yu Shizun. With a light tap of her toe, Yu Shizun floated gracefully onto the platform opposite Yan Zhen and sat cross-legged. She extended her arms, pressing her fair jade hands firmly against his.
“It’s starting, Yan Zhen.”
Yan Zhen looked resolute. “Come on, Yu Shizun. I can handle it.”
Yu Shizun closed her eyes and slowly circulated her mystic power. Yan Zhen mobilized his Great Crimson Heaven Flame, letting it flow along his meridians.
A powerful suction pulled at the flames of the Great Crimson Heaven Flame, drawing them out. At the same time, Supreme-level power flowed into him.
Boom!
It was like a flood surging into an empty riverbed, overflowing the banks in an instant.
The intense pain of his meridians forcibly expanding stabbed into his brain like needles. Yan Zhen’s brows furrowed; he nearly cried out but clenched his teeth and endured.
The gap between Nine-Star Mystic Lord and Supreme was still as vast as heaven and earth. One needed at least the Mystic Ancestor Realm, with body and soul tempered by the power of heaven and earth, to withstand Supreme power!
But Yan Zhen had “read the script” from his past life’s memories and was mentally prepared.
If he endured, his meridians would expand, allowing mystic power to flow more swiftly in the future.
And that was a key to defeating Rain God Peak’s chief disciple, Ye Qingtian.
The Great Crimson Heaven Flame flowed continuously from Yan Zhen into Yu Shizun’s body. She refined it with the Timely Rain Scripture while channeling her own mystic power back into him. Under the influence of his four Extreme Flames, it transformed into pure mystic qi and merged into his dantian.
Finally, after half an hour, just as Yan Zhen neared his limit, Chen Xi called out, “Time’s up, Zhen’er, Little Yu’er—stop now!”
Yu Shizun immediately halted her technique and slowly withdrew her mystic power.
She felt much better; the Great Crimson Heaven Flame had worked wonders. A few more sessions, and her condition would be cured.
Opening her eyes, she saw Yan Zhen’s gaze unfocused, his entire body flushed red, veins bulging across his skin. He couldn’t even sit steady and slumped weakly to one side.
“Yan Zhen!” Yu Shizun quickly caught him, letting him lean into the crook of her arm. “How are you?”
Yan Zhen, brows tightly knit, said weakly, “I-I’m okay… just my meridians hurt a lot.”
Yu Shizun swiftly retrieved a jade vial from her storage ring, popped the stopper, and a round blue pill flew out.
“This is the Seventh-Tier Mystic Pill, Mending Heaven Pill—it repairs meridians and the dantian. Open your mouth.”
Yan Zhen parted his lips, and the blue pill flew in, melting into a liquid that slid down his throat.
A flash of blue light swept over him. The blood-red flush on his skin faded gradually, and the pain eased dramatically.
Whew!
Yan Zhen let out a long breath of relief. He realized he was being held by Yu Shizun and felt a bit shy, but exhaustion left him unable to move—he could only lean against her.
Seeing his color return to normal, Yu Shizun sighed in relief. “Feeling better?”
Yan Zhen gave a soft hum. “It doesn’t hurt much anymore.”
A trace of pity appeared in Yu Shizun’s eyes. She lifted her sleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow. “You’ve worked hard. This Seat… I had no choice but to ask you to push yourself like this—”
Yan Zhen blinked. “You’re too kind, Yu Shizun. It wasn’t pushing too hard—just giving it my all.”
“…You’re a good child. Xuan’er is fortunate to have you by her side.”
“Heh heh, same to you. It’s my fortune that Mentor Yu Xuan likes me.”
Yu Shizun’s eyes curved slightly in a gentle smile, making Yan Zhen even shyer. He felt like she was treating him as a kid from the family.
