Chapter 59: Flame Spirit Clone!
Hearing Jiang Yun agree to his request, Yao Tianhuo's face finally showed a relieved smile. He could finally leave this sunless place, no longer doomed to die with regret in this underground magma.
Watching Jiang Yun put away the Five-Wheel Separating Flame Art, a hint of pride appeared on Yao Tianhuo's face. "That 'Five-Wheel Separating Flame Art' was this old man's flame control method back in the day. It is divided into five levels, distinguished by animal forms — wolf, leopard, lion, tiger, and flood dragon. Each level has its own flame spirit. When the technique is mastered, the five beasts gather together, forming the Five-Wheel Separating Flame Array, with the immense power to evaporate seas and burn the heavens."
"If among the five beasts, four are condensed from heavenly flames, the power of this technique rivals a Heaven Class Dou Technique."
"A Heaven Class Dou Technique — that is indeed quite good." Jiang Yun nodded calmly, not a ripple in his eyes.
Seeing Jiang Yun's demeanor, Yao Tianhuo's breath caught. Were geniuses these days this special? This was a Heaven Class Dou Technique — something even a Dou Zun would fight over.
Indeed, Yao Tianhuo, who could create a technique rivaling a Heaven Class Dou Technique on his own, was a genius. It could be said that everyone who possessed a heavenly flame was extraordinarily capable.
Regardless of how stringent the conditions were for the Five-Wheel Separating Flame Art to unleash the power of a Heaven Class Dou Technique, it was indeed a feasible Heaven Class Dou Technique. Creating such a technique as a Dou Zun was something to be proud of.
But in Jiang Yun's eyes, he was only interested in the final Five-Wheel Separating Flame Array. He had not even finished learning his own clan's inherited divine arts and abilities.
As for Dou Techniques on the Dou Qi Continent, unless they had special properties, even a Heaven Class high-level technique did not move him in the slightest.
Seeing that Jiang Yun truly did not seem to care about a Heaven Class Dou Technique, Yao Tianhuo lowered his head to look at his own skeleton. A trace of sorrow appeared in his eyes. He sighed. "Young friend, you should also take these bones of mine. At least they are the bones of a Dou Zun strong expert, and have some special uses."
Jiang Yun nodded slightly. It was best to see things through. If there was ever a chance to resurrect him in the future, his own bones would suit him best.
He raised his hand and swept, storing all the bones into his ring. With the bones gone, the outer light ring seemed to lose its power source and began to dissolve bit by bit.
Having stored the bones, Jiang Yun turned his head to look at Yao Tianhuo and said, "Elder Yao, let us leave."
Yao Tianhuo looked at the Fallen Heart Flame beside him and said hesitantly, "There is no way to preserve this heavenly flame. Do you have a way to take it, young friend? If not, I can do it."
Hearing this, Jiang Yun looked at the young Fallen Heart Flame. Compared to the mature-stage invisible fire python before, this Fallen Heart Flame was pitifully weak.
Although the quality was the same, this young Fallen Heart Flame's power ranged between Dou Ling and Dou Wang — quite weak.
Having made his decision, Jiang Yun opened his mouth and inhaled. The young heart flame dissolved into an invisible flame, entered Jiang Yun's mouth, and traveled to the energy vortex in his dantian.
Seeing this, the Saint Demon Flame immediately turned into a wicked uncle, pulling it inside to keep the Sea Heart Flame company.
Now that he had the Sea Heart Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame within him, it was time to deal with them.
"Young friend, do not — the power of a heavenly flame is extremely violent. Absorbing it into your body without preparation will..." Seeing Jiang Yun directly inhale the young heart flame, Yao Tianhuo hurriedly shouted, his eyes wide. Before he could finish, his voice stopped abruptly.
There stood Jiang Yun, perfectly calm, looking at him after absorbing the Fallen Heart Flame.
"..."
Could it be done this way? It was not like this for him when he refined a heavenly flame back in the day. Even with ample preparations, he had nearly burned himself alive. Was this how it felt to be treated differently?
"Young friend's methods are superior. This old man spoke too hastily." Smiling bitterly, somewhat dejected, Yao Tianhuo's illusory body dissolved into a shadow of light and merged into the ring. The ring then automatically fell into Jiang Yun's palm.
At this, Jiang Yun's body was once again wrapped in white flame. With a tip of his toe, his body shot out, rushing out of the light ring.
Back in the magma sea, Jiang Yun held a scroll, carefully studying it while vigorously deducing it in his mind.
"This Burning Art is quite interesting. I am now inclined to believe it is the cultivation method for the Myriad Flames Imperishable Body. Who would have thought that a technique capable of causing an uproar in the Great Thousand World would appear in a small lower plane?" Qing Ming, who was also observing, spoke with some emotion.
Although this technique appeared unremarkable at first glance, merely at the Huang Class low level — any random technique on the continent was stronger — Qing Ming's eyesight was keen. He had seen through its essence: it was a technique capable of infinite growth.
Even with its many flaws and incompleteness, its miraculous nature could not be denied.
"Unfortunately, it is incomplete." Jiang Yun closed the technique and spoke flatly. He had essentially confirmed it. If what the Saint Demon Emperor said was true — that the owner of the Myriad Flames Imperishable Body had fallen here — then the Burning Art was indeed the cultivation method for the Myriad Flames Imperishable Body.
Moreover, the one in Yao Chen's hands was definitely also incomplete. Both Xiao Yan and Tuo She Ancient Emperor had cultivated this technique. The difference was that Xiao Yan, relying on his own talent, had gradually completed it, cultivating to the Saint-grade Heavenly Sovereign, and ultimately transcending to achieve the Great Ruler realm.
Tuo She Ancient Emperor had not been so fortunate. As a flame spirit, his cultivation was naturally slow. In the eyes of people from the Great Thousand World, he was still a temptation. Jiang Yun did not know what had ultimately become of him.
"You want to cultivate it?" Looking at Jiang Yun, Qing Ming asked with some surprise.
Jiang Yun hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Senior Qing Ming, in your opinion, what strength is needed to lead the Xie Ling Clan to true liberation?"
Qing Ming paused slightly at this. He opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent.
"Sovereign Saint-grade is not enough, is it?" Jiang Yun gave the answer calmly. "Only by matching the Undying Emperor, or even surpassing him, can one lead our clan to liberation, right?"
"This..." Qing Ming looked at Jiang Yun. A trace of heartache flashed in his eyes. He seemed to want to speak but not.
"It is impossible, is it not?" Jiang Yun took over Qing Ming's words. Finally, he raised a brilliant smile. His eyes were filled with determination. "We are all on the path. How do you know whether I can or cannot?"
"My current cultivation could be said to have been given by the Saint Demon Emperor. Although I have used the power of the Fallen Heart Flame to break free from his influence, I am still living in his shadow. How can someone like me surpass him?"
"Now I have an idea. If it succeeds, in the future, I may be able to do what others have not."
Jiang Yun's voice was full of confidence. Looking at the spirited youth before him, Qing Ming sighed and said with mixed emotions, "Perhaps you are right. Go ahead. I will always support you."
Hearing Qing Ming's words, Jiang Yun felt warmth in his heart. In his eyes, Qing Ming's attitude was the same as Jiang Hong's. With this 'grandfather's' support, Jiang Yun's heart was filled with a sense of security.
Having made his decision, Jiang Yun moved his mind. The Saint Demon Flame emerged from his dantian energy vortex and slowly appeared before him.
Looking at the black-and-white flame dancing before him, a glint of light passed through Jiang Yun's eyes. He muttered, "Do not disappoint me." As his voice faded, his hands rapidly formed seals. An array slowly took shape.
At the same time, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth quickly gathered, finally transforming into a seed of spiritual energy. Under Jiang Yun's control, it slowly invaded the black flame of the Saint Demon Flame.
Hiss — As time passed, the black flame began to slowly writhe. Jiang Yun clearly felt as if something was about to be born.
"Now!" At this moment, a cold gleam flashed in Jiang Yun's eyes. He slowly raised his hand and formed a seal that emitted an ancient charm.
Hum!
When his seal was formed, a marvelous sound wave seemed to ring out across heaven and earth, then spread outward.
"Xie Ling Soul-Splitting Art — Blade of Self Severance."
A murmuring voice, carrying an inexplicable charm, suddenly lit up a deep purple light on Jiang Yun's brow. A purple eye suddenly opened. Purple light gushed forth from Jiang Yun's purple eyes.
The light churned continuously before Jiang Yun, faintly forming an ethereal purple long blade.
The long blade was extremely strange, as if a single chop would sever something within a person's soul. It was visible, yet gave a feeling of illusion and ethereality.
"What is this..."
"Does the Xie Ling Clan have this divine ability?"
Qing Ming looked at the scene before Jiang Yun with some surprise. He could not remember the Xie Ling Clan having such a technique.
Indeed, this was not a divine ability of the Xie Ling Clan. It was Jiang Yun's innate divine ability. Every member of the Xie Ling Clan had a different talent, and the divine abilities they gave birth to were all different.
It was perfectly normal that Qing Ming did not recognize it.
"Chop —"
At this moment, Jiang Yun manipulated the long blade and heavily swung it down toward the depths of his own soul.
The next moment, Jiang Yun felt as if he had lost something, yet also as if he had lost nothing. It was very marvelous. Beside him, a purple xuan light was continuously writhing.
Jiang Yun raised his hand and pointed. With a swish, it rushed toward the black flame over there.
Hum —
The moment the purple xuan light entered the black flame, the black flame suddenly separated from the white flame. It continuously writhed, gradually transforming into a slender figure.
That figure wore a black robe. Its appearance was seven-tenths similar to Jiang Yun's. Black flames coiled around its body. Its eyes, like a black hole, emitted a terrifying devouring power.
"What is this?" Qing Ming looked somewhat dumbfounded at this scene. He naturally knew what a flame spirit was. But this flame spirit, formed from the Saint Demon Flame, clearly carried Jiang Yun's aura. What was going on?
"I am Jiang Yun." The black-robed figure looked at Jiang Yun and spoke coldly.
Jiang Yun looked at himself, or rather the flame spirit, before him and asked, "Any discomfort?"
The other felt for a moment and slowly shook his head.
Although the other was a manifestation of his own will and shared his thoughts, there was still a distinction between primary and secondary. After all, he was a flame spirit born from half of the Saint Demon Flame. And the Saint Demon Flame had been refined by Jiang Yun. Thus, Jiang Yun was the absolute main body.
If Jiang Yun fell, the other's consciousness would dissipate along with him.
"From now on, you will be called Yun Yi." Jiang Yun looked at Yun Yi and spoke slowly.
Yun Yi nodded expressionlessly. A name was just a label.
Seeing that Yun Yi had no objection, Jiang Yun took the Sea Heart Flame and tossed it to him. "Defeating the Saint Demon Emperor will not be so simple. It requires the joint effort of both of us."
"Take the Sea Heart Flame and devour it."
Yun Yi did not refuse. Silently taking the Sea Heart Flame, he went to a corner and manipulated the flame to devour it.
"You certainly have a lot of ideas." Over on this side, Qing Ming, seeing this, walked over at the right moment. His expression was somewhat unreadable. Glancing at Yun Yi, who was silently devouring the Sea Heart Flame, he reminded, "He is a flame spirit formed through intelligence, not a true clone. He is far from the 'One Energy Transforming into Three Pure Ones' clone method. Are you not afraid of a backlash?"
Jiang Yun smiled slightly, his eyes full of confidence. "He carries only a wisp of my will. He is formed from half of the Saint Demon Flame. The other half is still in my possession. Moreover, I have already refined him. He is completely under my control. There is absolutely no risk of a backlash."
How could Jiang Yun not know the risks of the clone method? But having a clone would make things more convenient at times. Moreover, would he do something without being sure?
The Saint Demon Flame he had currently absorbed and refined was less than one percent. That meant this clone's upper limit was clear — about the limit of fifteen to twenty strange flames. Anything beyond that would be extremely difficult. This was one of Jiang Yun's sources of confidence.
"As long as you are aware." Qing Ming nodded and said no more.
Watching Yun Yi methodically absorbing the Sea Heart Flame, Jiang Yun took jade boxes one by one from his ring.
Now he wanted to refine a fifth-grade pill — Soul-Nourishing Saliva — for Flame Sovereign. Since he had promised, Jiang Yun would not go back on his word.
After gathering all the medicinal ingredients needed to refine the Soul-Nourishing Saliva, he summoned the cauldron. Flame slowly drifted from his fingertips, and he began refining methodically.
A fifth-grade pill was a piece of cake for Jiang Yun, now with a Spirit Realm soul. Moreover, Jiang Yun had acquired Han Feng's alchemy inheritance. His alchemy skills were improving daily, changing by the day.
In just three hours, the Soul-Nourishing Saliva was refined.
Looking at the mass of liquid in the cauldron, full of vitality, like jade, Jiang Yun curled his finger. The liquid floated down, then landed on the ring, slowly seeping into it.
"Elder Yao, consider this my down payment."
As the Soul-Nourishing Saliva gradually seeped in, the white ring emitted a faint, bright luster. A grateful, aged voice came out.
"Heh, young friend, great kindness need not be thanked with words. If you have any commands in the future, this old man will certainly go all out."
Hearing this, Jiang Yun smiled faintly, not taking it to heart. By the time he resurrected him, a Dou Zun would probably no longer pose much of a threat to him.
He glanced at Yun Yi, who was still absorbing the Sea Heart Flame. Jiang Yun closed his eyes and began to deduce the Burning Art in his mind, hoping to understand the characteristics of its flame refinement, so that he could safely restart the absorption of the suppressed Saint Demon Flame.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, three months flew by.
One day, Jiang Yun, who had been sitting in meditation with his eyes closed, suddenly felt a power beginning to surge within his body. He opened his eyes and saw Yun Yi before him.
At this moment, the Sea Heart Flame that had been outside his body had vanished.