After storing the newly acquired cauldron, Xiao Ranyu didn't turn to strength, power, or pills for himself.
Instead, he searched the store for something... gentler.
> [Query: Pills for soul-nourishing, internal weakness, and long-term vitality restoration.]
Several options flickered past, but one caught his eye.
---
> [Spirit Spring Jade Essence Pill – Tier 4]
Formulated to restore weak constitutions due to lingering illness or internal collapse. Strengthens qi roots and body meridians steadily over years.
Price: 1,200 Points
---
> "Perfect," he whispered, eyes softening.
He purchased it.
That evening, under a silver moon, he sat beside his sleeping mother and gently fed her the pale green pill.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—a warmth spread through her limbs, and color slowly returned to her cheeks.
It didn't heal her overnight. But over the coming months, day by day, she improved—laughing more, walking longer, smiling often. For Xiao Ranyu, that was more satisfying than any cultivation breakthrough.
---
For the next five years, Xiao Ranyu didn't chase power.
He chose the slow road.
He focused on alchemy.
On refinement, failure, and mastery.
On burning countless herbs in the cauldron, alone in a quiet cave
---
His realm didn't rise quickly.
While others chased levels, he chased understanding.
At age 11, without warning—
> BOOM—
In a remote, hidden cave in the mountain behind the Xiao clan, a ripple of flame burst out as Xiao Ranyu completed his breakthrough , his aura compressed so tightly it barely leaked at all.
> [ Breakthrough: 9 Star Dou Spirit]
---
Xiao Ranyu opened his eyes slowly, embers dancing within them. A gentle breath escaped his lips, but it carried the pressure of a small mountain. He clenched his fist—9-Star Dou Spirit. The power surged beneath his skin like a restless beast finally tamed. His Spiritual Strength had also transformed—refined, vast
---
"System, open host panel."
[Host Panel Opening ]
[Host Panel – Xiao Ranyu]
Age: 11 Year
Cultivation: 9-Star Dou Spirit (0%)
Physique: Eternal Flame Vassal Body
Flame Affinity: A – Excellent (+)
Technique: Flame Mantra (Heaven-tier High, Evolvable)
Profession -
Alchemist: Tier 4
Skills
[ Movement Skill: Infernal Mirage Step (Earth-tier High)(perfect)
Swift movement enveloped in flame mirages. Leaves afterimages and bursts forward with flaming speed.]
[ Palm Skill: Sun Destroying Palm (Earth-tier High)(perfect)
Channels flame Qi into the palm; releases wide-area heat shockwaves capable of melting defenses.]
[ Fist Skill: Molten Tyrant Fist (Earth-tier High) (perfect)
Each punch erupts like a mini sun, condensing explosive flame into close-range blows.]
[ Defensive Skill: Flame Emperor's Wrath Body (Earth-tier High)(perfect)
A defensive body-forging technique that cloaks the user in a semi-visible armor of flame essence. Passively reduces damage and reflects a portion back as searing heat.]
Sword Skill:
[Solar Rupture – Ninth Heaven Flame Slash (Earth-tier mid)(not started)
Description:
A supreme flame sword technique that evolves by quenching with Heavenly Flame. The user does not merely slash with fire—they wield the laws of destruction through flame.Total 7 forms.
1 Flame – First Form: Scorching Fang
Flame Used: Any Heavenly Flame
Effect: A burning crescent slash that scorches enemies and burns away weaker techniques. Leaves smoldering trails of flame Qi.
Visual: A red-orange flame arc flies from the sword, leaving deep gashes in stone.
2 Flames – Second Form: Twin Flame Pyroclasm
Flame Used: Dual-type ( Green Lotus Flame + Bone Spirit Cold Flame)
Effect: Launches two layered flame waves that collide mid-air and explode, causing a pyroclastic storm of flame debris and heat pulses.
Visual: A spiraling helix of red and blue fire explodes outward like a volcanic storm.
3 Flames – Third Form: Solar Collapse
Flame Used: Any 3 Heavenly Flames
Effect: A falling sun-shaped flame sphere that explodes on impact, creating a heat vacuum and gravity distortion zone.
Bonus: Damages Soul and Qi channels.
Visual: A mini sun appears above the blade and crashes down like divine punishment.
4 Flames – Fourth Form: Crimson Sky Divide
Flame Used: 4 Flames with distinct natures (one raging, one corrosive, one devouring, one sealing)
Effect: Tears a burning rift through the sky, temporarily sealing flame-based powers of enemies.
Visual: A slash that opens a burning crack in the air itself—anything in its path is disintegrated.
5 Flames – Fifth Form: Infernal Crown Execution
Flame Used: Crown-type flame ( Must include Nine Nether Flame or Purifying Demonic Flame)
Effect: A regal, descending sword strike empowered by a flame crown that marks enemies as "Subjects of Fire." They suffer increased flame damage and cannot regenerate.
Visual: A flame crown appears above host; sword glows gold-red before slashing downward like judgment.
6–8 Flames – Sixth Form: Cataclysm Lotus Rupture
Flame Used: Must include Green Lotus Flame
Effect: A massive lotus blooms beneath the battlefield and explodes into cascading lotus petal-shaped slashes. Causes large-scale terrain destruction.
Visual: A field of flame lotuses forms, then detonates in a wave of destruction.
9 Flames or more – Final Form: Eternal Ember Annihilation
Flame Used: Must include emperor Flame + 9 Heavenly Flames
Effect: One slash that burns through laws. Flame erases technique, spirit, and existence. Can damage flame-immune beings and even distort time for a second.
Visual: The sword disappears for a moment, then a line of nothingness follows, and the target vanishes with it.]
[ Special: None ]
[ Weapon: Sword]
[ Emberfall Edge
"When this blade falls, emperor burns."
Description:
A 3-foot-long scarlet sword laced with streaks of shadowy black. The blade pulses with the aura of a dying star, as if flames are eternally trapped within its edge. When swung, it hums like an ancient dragon growling from the abyss. Can evolve by quenching it with heavenly flame. Indestructible and can hurt up to Dou Huang with sharpness. ]
[ Item: None]
[ Heavenly Flame -
Mysterious Yellow Flame (Refined)
Bone chilling cold flame (Unrefined)
Gold Emperor Incineration Flame (Unrefined)]
[ Points: 1036110 (46200-1200 form before+10000 Dou Spirit breakthrough+11110 Alchemy tier breakthrough from tier 1 to tier 4 -30000 for buying medicine material during practice form system + 1 million for changing fate) ]
"One more step, and I'd touch Dou King…" he muttered.
Yet his joy was incomplete.
In theory, with his talent, constitution, and the system, he should've long since broken through. But both his cultivation and alchemy had quietly hit a wall. There was no mistake—the system had just confirmed it.
He leaned back, letting the warm stone cradle his body. The answer had been right in front of him.
"Eleven years of practice… and not a single real fight," he whispered.
He had refined pills. Cultivated. Studied. But he had never lived as a cultivator.
No danger. No tempering. No unpredictability.
How could a flame burn bright without ever being tested by wind?
A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "I became strong in theory—but power without chaos is hollow."
Decision made, he stood up.
"I'll spend the next two years living freely. No caves. No breakthroughs. Just food, wine, and people."
Then—he looked to the horizon beyond the mountain walls.
"After that… I'll head to the Magic Beast Mountain Range."
A real path to Dou King required fire, not just from his flames… but from the world itself.