The Strange Flame Rekindles in Battle Through the Heavens

Chapter 29 The Devouring and Burning Technique of Strange Fire

"Have you had enough fun? I really don't know where you got such good luck! I almost got burned to ashes by the strange fire back then, but you were born with a strange fire. It's really infuriating to compare yourself to others!" Seeing Xiao Yan having so much fun, Yao Lao couldn't help but tease him.

"Teacher, now that I've entered the Dou Zhe realm, shouldn't you give me the cultivation technique?" Xiao Yan said with a smile.

"What kind of technique?" A strange smile appeared on Yao Lao's lips.

"Of course it's that cultivation technique that surpasses the Heavenly Rank!" Xiao Yan said eagerly.

"Hehe, this technique can indeed surpass the Heavenly Rank because it can evolve!" Elder Yao emphasized the word "evolution."

"Then what are we waiting for? Give it to me now!" Xiao Yan knew exactly what Yao Lao was talking about. Now that he possessed a strange fire, it would be foolish not to cultivate the Burning Technique.

"Let me finish speaking. This kind of cultivation technique is extremely dangerous, and it requires devouring a different kind of fire to evolve. Now that you also possess a different kind of fire, you should know its power. Even a Dou Huang level expert would be in considerable trouble if he accidentally got involved with it." Seeing Xiao Yan's anxious expression, Yao Lao said speechlessly.

"A strange fire? I have a strange fire! It's like it was tailor-made for me. If I have a strange fire and don't cultivate it, wouldn't I be wasting the opportunity that heaven has given me?" Xiao Yan said with a big laugh.

"Uh, well... even if you have a different kind of fire, the success rate is only 30%." Yao Lao was speechless. Although he also wanted Xiao Yan to cultivate the Burning Technique, he knew very well how dangerous the Burning Technique was. Even if Xiao Yan had a different kind of fire, the success rate would not be high.

"Thirty percent? That's enough! I thought it was only one percent! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Xiao Yan couldn't wait any longer.

Yao Lao took a deep breath. He had prepared a whole host of reasons to persuade Xiao Yan to cultivate the Burning Flame Technique, as it was related to his resurrection. However, it now seemed that Yao Lao's worries were unnecessary; Xiao Yan didn't need any reasons at all.

Yao Lao was naturally willing for Xiao Yan to cultivate the Burning Flame Technique, but during the year he spent with Xiao Yan, Yao Lao grew to admire him more and more. With Xiao Yan's talent for cultivation and his resolute character, he didn't need to rely on such a dangerous technique as the Burning Flame Technique to become a strong person, so he didn't want Xiao Yan to take that risk.

"Sigh! Since you insist, I'll give it to you! This technique is called 'Burning Technique,' which I obtained by chance. It was originally nameless; I named it Burning Technique. Actually, I wanted you to cultivate the Burning Technique. You've seen my current state; I'm neither human nor ghost. I should have died long ago; those dark and hopeless days were unbearable. It was only by chance that I discovered the Burning Technique contained a method to revive people, which is why I've persisted until now," the old medicine master said with a sigh.

"I'm lucky to have met you, but I'll still give you two choices! This black scroll is the Burning Technique. Practicing the Burning Technique is a path of no return, but it's very dangerous. You might give everything only to find it was all a dream. Moreover, the Burning Technique is only a low-level Yellow Rank technique in its early stages, so you need to think carefully. This red scroll is an Earth Rank technique. Being able to practice an Earth Rank technique in the early stages is a privilege rarely afforded even to scions of great families. Your future achievements won't be low either. So, make your choice! Whichever you choose, I will do my best to nurture you." The old man of medicine stretched out his withered palms, and with a slight shake of his hands, two somewhat illusory scrolls, one black and one red, appeared in his palms.

Xiao Yan stared intently at the black scroll, a powerful feeling rising within him that told him he had to obtain it. The strange fire in his lower abdomen suddenly surged, and a yin-yang pattern appeared in his pupils.

Xiao Yan stretched out his right hand and quickly reached for the black scroll. But just as Xiao Yan's hand touched the black scroll, a strange thing happened: the black scroll suddenly disappeared.

Looking at his empty hands, Xiao Yan stood there dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning.

"The Burning Technique! It's gone! How can I become stronger without the Burning Technique?!" Xiao Yan collapsed to the ground.

"Is this what they mean by 'the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment'? I've worked so hard for over a decade, only to have it all turn out to be a dream!" Xiao Yan felt utterly devastated at this moment.

"Calm down! The Burning Technique won't disappear for no reason. First, calm your mind and check your body to see what happened!" Yao Lao suddenly shouted.

Hearing Yao Lao's furious shout, Xiao Yan finally snapped out of his daze, slapped his forehead, and cursed himself for being an idiot. He quickly took a deep breath to calm himself down, and once he was completely calm, he slowly closed his eyes and focused his mind on his lower abdomen.

The Yin-Yang Twin Flames, the Dou Qi vortex, and the Dou Qi surrounding it all began to rotate. As the rotation speed increased, a wisp of Dou Qi separated from the vortex and began to circulate automatically along a specific route within Xiao Yan's meridians. When this Dou Qi filled these routes, Xiao Yan felt the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) suddenly increase, and it was continuously refined into pure Dou Qi, entering the vortex along the specific route.

As the rotation speed of the fire seed and the battle qi increased, the speed of refining the battle qi also gradually increased. However, after reaching a certain point, the speed seemed to have reached its limit and could not be increased further, so it began to rotate at a constant speed.

"What does this mean? I haven't even started cultivating the Burning Technique yet! How come the technique is already running on its own? Could it be that the strange fire has devoured the Burning Technique and can cultivate on its own? Isn't this like an idle game? Does this mean I won't be able to cultivate actively in the future? What's the point of this?!" Xiao Yan opened his eyes helplessly.

"Do you know what happened? And why do you feel that the energy of heaven and earth around you has suddenly increased?" Yao Lao asked with some doubt.

"Would you believe me if I said my cultivation technique activated on its own?" Xiao Yan scratched his head and said embarrassedly.

"What? Let me see!" Yao Lao was taken aback. What a joke! He quickly grabbed Xiao Yan's arm to examine it, and after examining it, Yao Lao was dumbfounded.

"You wouldn't happen to be a reincarnation of a Dou Di, would you! Although the Burning Technique can evolve, it's only at the low-level Yellow Rank in its early stages, which is one of its flaws. But now it's at least at the low-level Profound Rank and can still operate on its own. The Burning Technique itself is a rank higher than other cultivation techniques, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's at the high-level Profound Rank now. Your luck is just too heaven-defying!" Yao Lao looked at the grinning Xiao Yan, feeling a pang of resentment. He really wanted to beat Xiao Yan up to vent his anger.

"Hey! I'm going upstairs to practice my fighting skills!" Xiao Yan felt a chill run down his spine at Yao Lao's somewhat unfriendly gaze. He pulled his right hand towards the iron chain on the cliff face, and the chain instantly appeared in his hand. Grabbing the chain, Xiao Yan quickly climbed upwards, afraid that if he was even a step too slow, he would get beaten up.

Watching Xiao Yan flee quickly, Yao Lao shook his head helplessly. Although he envied his disciple's good fortune, he was not jealous.

Xiao Yan reached the mountaintop, took a deep breath, and looked up at the pale blue sky. It was just beginning to dawn. He had finished refining the Qi Gathering Powder late at night, but Xiao Yan wasn't sleepy at all; his energy was at its peak.

(End of this chapter)