"You have walked the wrong path."
A single, simple sentence stirred a tempest in Luo Chen's heart, leaving him shaken and unable to compose himself.
In truth, he had harbored doubts about his own situation for quite some time.
And those doubts had only grown larger after he stepped into the mid-Nascent Soul stage!
The root of his doubt was that his cultivation speed seemed to have slowed down.
Indeed, while ordinary people thought his cultivation speed was shockingly fast, it had actually slowed.
When he first formed his Nascent Soul, his progress had been unstoppable, surging from newly ascended Nascent Soul to the second layer in barely any time at all.
Yet now, over a hundred years had passed since he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, and he remained stuck at the fourth layer.
To be sure, continuous fierce battles and an inability to settle down peacefully to cultivate were contributing factors, but their impact should never have been this significant.
After all, his supply of pills to aid cultivation had never ceased, and he possessed the Fire Spirit Physique, perfectly attuned to absorbing fire-attribute spiritual energy.
Most importantly, upon forming his Nascent Soul, he had constructed the barrier of his violet palace using the foundation of his five-element spiritual roots, allowing him to absorb external spiritual energy recklessly and refine it into his own magic power.
Where, then, did the problem lie?
In the past, no one could answer this question for Luo Chen, nor did he have anyone to ask.
Until this moment, when the woman standing atop the Mountain Sea Realm enlightened him with a casual remark.
"The wrong path?"
Monarch Qixia seemed quite pleased to have obtained the Dao Combining Pill recipe, so she smiled and answered Luo Chen's involuntary plea for guidance.
"When you studied the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture, what was your purpose?"
Luo Chen reflexively glanced toward the black crow perched on Monarch Qixia's shoulder.
"To control fire."
Back then, his alchemy could already be considered accomplished, worthy of the title of alchemy master.
Yet the rank of the Wither-Bloom True Fire he controlled was simply too high, so much so that he often fell short when it came to managing heat at critical moments.
Under such conditions, he naturally could not recklessly attempt to refine fourth-rank Transformation Pills.
Thus, Youquan had bestowed the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture upon him, causing him to shift completely from dual cultivation of fire and wood to exclusively walking the path of fire.
Monarch Qixia said as though it were the most natural thing in the world, "If it was to control fire, why have you allowed the fire to control you instead?"
"How could I be controlled by fire..."
Luo Chen reflexively wanted to refute her, but his entire face froze in an instant.
In that flash, Luo Chen felt as though enlightened by pure revelation!
Truly, he had risen by the Wither-Bloom True Fire, and fallen by the Wither-Bloom True Fire!
He had always been meticulous about controlling this powerful sourceless fire seized from the Yan Alliance, deliberately suppressing it for a time, especially when it was on the verge of developing intelligence.
Once it advanced to a fifth-rank divine fire, Luo Chen had dared not unleash it lightly.
Counting it all up, he had only unleashed it fully during his battle against Huang Man and Qingshuang.
He had thought that exercising such restraint would prevent the guest from overshadowing the host.
In reality, however, he had already fallen under the influence of the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire without realizing it.
His core cultivation technique, the Wither-Bloom Dao Scripture, seemed to have been forged from the essence of a hundred different schools through his own creation, yet its true core lay in the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire.
When refining spiritual energy during cultivation, he often had to temper it through the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire; his magic power was inextricably linked to the flame.
It could even be said that the law true intent he had comprehended was the Wither-Bloom True Intent!
While Luo Chen's mind was in utter turmoil, Monarch Qixia's light laughter continued by his ear.
"The Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture is a core cultivation technique of the phoenix clan, leading straight to the Mahayana stage.
"For humanity, it is second to none among first-rate fire-element techniques.
"Cultivating with it grants a speed comparable to a Heavenly Spiritual Root. Particularly after completing the Second Nirvana and attaining the Fire Spirit Physique, the progress becomes even faster. After all, a Fire Spirit Physique is virtually indistinguishable from an extraordinary fire born of heaven and earth, naturally unaffected by the slowing cultivation speed that Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators suffer after advancing to the Nascent Soul stage.
"In fact, had you possessed even a sliver of sense, you would have naturally comprehended the True Intent of Fire during the Nascent Soul stage, smoothly stepping into the Soul Formation stage.
"Yet look at what you have cultivated yourself into.
"Wither-Bloom True Intent?
"Is that not a true intent belonging to the laws of wood?
"A person cultivating a fire-element technique who comprehends a wood-attribute law true intent—tell me, is that not laughable?"
Luo Chen did not know if it was laughable; he only knew that he had indeed been influenced far too deeply by the Wither-Bloom True Fire, to a degree he had failed to notice himself.
No wonder his cultivation speed had slowed after reaching the fourth layer of the Nascent Soul stage.
Possessing a Fire Spirit Physique while mastering a wood-attribute law true intent—with the two in conflict, it was only natural for his cultivation to grind to a halt.
And he should have realized this long ago!
After all, on his status panel, the Wither-Bloom True Intent was explicitly labeled as "Wood"!
Yet because the rank of the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire was so lofty, and the divine ability of his Wither-Bloom Dao Art was so potent, he had willfully ignored the hidden dangers.
He had walked a shortcut, fixated on overtaking on the curves and leaping over centuries of accumulation that others endured.
In reality, however, this shortcut was a dead end!
If he continued down this path, not only would it lead nowhere, but breaking through to Soul Formation in the future would surely be unimaginably difficult.
Swallowing hard, Luo Chen could not help looking at the exceedingly noble woman.
"Senior, is there a solution?"
Monarch Qixia asked in surprise, "Have I not already given it to you?"
Luo Chen blinked, then realized with a start: the streak of fire she had cast into his body earlier was the solution!
As for the specifics, he would still need to contemplate and comprehend it thoroughly.
"Leave."
Monarch Qixia covered her red lips with a hand as a trace of drowsiness seemed to wash over her, and waved Luo Chen away.
Luo Chen looked up blankly. Was that all?
"Where should I go?"
Monarch Qixia showed an impatient expression, disdaining even to disguise it.
"Go wherever you please. Were it not for the Dao Combining Pill, I would never have bothered wasting my breath on you."
Luo Chen understood that his journey to Mount Cangwu had ended here.
This was truly somewhat unexpected.
After all, he had assumed he would stay here for quite a long time.
Yet thinking carefully, from the very beginning, Qingshuang had only said that Monarch Qixia wished to see him.
Now that she held the recipe for the Dao Combining Pill in her hands, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator like him naturally became insignificant to the mighty Monarch Qixia.
Even as a weight was lifted from Luo Chen's shoulders, he felt a sense of hollow disappointment.
Walking toward the exit of Tongxuan Hall, he lingered with a touch of reluctance.
If only he could receive a bit more guidance from Monarch Qixia...
Yet he knew that was impossible. An eye for an eye, a favor for a favor; using corrections for his cultivation errors as repayment for the Dao Combining Pill recipe was already quite generous.
How could he dare covet more?
As for just how immense the value of the Dao Combining Pill recipe truly was, Luo Chen could not yet grasp it, but even if he did, he would still have chosen this trade without hesitation when compared to today's guidance.
If the road beneath his feet was not firmly trodden, how could he speak of the future?
When Luo Chen stepped out the grand doors of Tongxuan Hall, still no one barred his way, showing that Monarch Qixia's words—"go wherever you please"—were by no means deceit.
Yet this only left Luo Chen at a loss.
Should he return?
...
Tock!
The raven's sharp beak pecked at the table, swallowing a black bead into its gullet.
An exceedingly surging aura radiated outward in an instant, yet the moment that aura touched Monarch Qixia beside it, it cowered back, left with no choice but to be swallowed reluctantly by the black crow and refined bit by bit.
"Take it slowly. This is the soul of an ancestor from the Soul Refining branch of the Yuan Demon Sect. Even if it is merely fragmented soul essence, you must not swallow it whole."
Youquan nodded repeatedly. The Monarch was indeed wonderful to her, always bestowing tasty snacks every time they met.
Footsteps sounded.
Moon Hermit walked in and bowed respectfully.
"Monarch, he has departed."
Monarch Qixia gave a soft hum, asking nothing of his destination.
Instead, Youquan, seemingly stuffed, asked lazily, "Did he leave Mount Cangwu?"
Moon Hermit replied with some bewilderment, "No, he went to the cave abode he stayed in before."
Youquan did not seem surprised. "That kid is remarkably obsessed with cultivation. No wonder he reached such a realm in a mere two hundred-odd years. And that is without guidance from a renowned master; otherwise, he would have caught up to Qingshuang by now. Now that he knows where his problem lies, he naturally cannot bear to part with Mount Cangwu's superb cultivation environment."
Hearing this, Monarch Qixia blinked, a thoughtful look surfacing on her face.
Youquan suddenly asked, "Monarch, the position of Hall Master of Duzhen Hall has been vacant all along. Do you truly have no plan to appoint someone?"
Hearing the words "Hall Master of Duzhen Hall," Moon Hermit's expression shifted slightly.
Monarch Qixia said indifferently, "There was an arrangement previously, but she consistently refused to accept it, and now she is trapped in the Luo Net. As for right now..."
As she spoke, her gaze fell upon Moon Hermit.
Moon Hermit showed no outward sign, but her heart had already begun to race.
Yet soon, the woman's gaze drifted past her, wandering toward the outside of the hall.
"We shall speak of it another time."
...
Beyond everyone's expectations, Luo Chen, now free of restrictions, did not leave Mount Cangwu.
He calmly returned to the cave abode from earlier.
The formation activated, and amid swirling clouds and mist, the heavy door slammed shut.
Sitting in the cultivation chamber before an endless flow of dense spiritual energy, Luo Chen did not begin cultivating immediately.
Instead, holding his breath and focusing his spirit, he turned his attention into his violet palace.
There, a bright golden spark hovered directly over a small, pale greenish-white tree.
The Wither-Bloom Divine Fire, previously overwhelmingly arrogant and formidable, now shivered like a creature beholding its natural predator, not daring to make the slightest move.
This was something even Luo Chen, its master, had never been able to accomplish.
After all, the strength of the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire had already surpassed his own.
In the past, he had not worried about this, even relying upon it as his trump weapon.
Now, however, he understood what truly happened when the subject grew stronger than the ruler.
"You truly led me astray!"
Luo Chen sighed. His miniature Nascent Soul turned its gaze upon that golden spark.
Monarch Qixia was truly terrifyingly strong; with a mere casual flick of her hand, she had breached a cultivator's ultimate defense—the barrier of the violet palace.
Logically, Luo Chen should have felt panic and fear.
Yet her complete indifference toward whether he stayed or left showed him that even if he panicked or feared, it would be useless.
She did not care about him in the slightest, so why borrow trouble?
"She said the solution lies within.
"Let me take a look!"
With a shift of his Nascent Soul, he beckoned the golden spark.
Instantly, myriad illusions of soaring birds appeared, accompanied by a resounding phoenix cry that echoed through his heart.
In the end, those birds coalesced into unique characters.
Luo Chen did not recognize the characters, but once they actively flew into him, he comprehended their meaning intuitively, needing no teacher.
Only after quite a while did Luo Chen slowly open his eyes, unable to suppress the delight in them.
The subsequent stages of the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture!
And not only for the Nascent Soul stage, but extending through the Soul Formation, Void Refining, and Body Integration stages as well—it contained them all.
As for leading straight to the Mahayana stage, that was impossible for Luo Chen.
Because, in the end, he did not possess the body of a phoenix.
Yet this was already enough!
According to what the technique stated, as long as he successfully transitioned back to cultivating it, he would be able to completely command all flames under heaven.
If cultivated to great completion, it was even possible to develop a Nirvana Holy Fire unique to himself!
Luo Chen did not pin his hopes on some Nirvana Holy Fire; being able to gain full mastery over the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire was enough. And if he could unleash that flame during the Nascent Soul stage without any burden, that would be all the better.
Chapter 887