From Lan An, to those who walk this path with me
You've followed me through flames and shadows, through battles not just of blade, but of heart.
If the bond between me and Xiao Qing Xuan stirred something within you… then lend me your strength.
One Power Stone may seem small but together, they shape destiny.
Cast your vote, and help this tale ascend beyond the mundane.
Let the heavens know: we are not done yet.
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The kiss seemed to stretch for decades, but no Xiao Qing Xuan felt her small tongue nearly swollen from Lan An's fervent exploration. In a fluster, she bit down with her pearly teeth on the intrusive tongue ravaging her mouth.
"Ow!"
Lan An, lost in the sweet savoring, jolted as pain shot through his tongue.
"Hehe, serves you right!" Xiao Qing Xuan giggled at his flustered state, her lips red and swollen from the kiss.
"Your mouth is so sweet," Lan An said, smacking his lips, still unsatisfied.
"Pervert!" Xiao Qing Xuan snapped, pointing decisively at a palace with a lush garden. "I choose that one!"
"Not bad… Qing Xuan Palace, fitting your name," Lan An nodded, summoning a token for Qing Xuan Palace with a thought and handing it to her.
After settling matters, he pulled her to a massive branch of the Palace Tree, where they sat.
"This place is stunning, but a bit plain," Xiao Qing Xuan remarked, brushing her hair, gazing at the Spirit Realm Pearl's scenery.
"You're the second to say that," Lan An smiled. The first was Qin Meng Ying.
He thought of the Five Elements Small World mission, wondering when it could be completed.
"Young Master, you could use architectural treasures like the Blissful Spring to decorate the Spirit Realm Pearl. You don't have to complete the Five Elements Small World," Jin Ni chirped playfully.
Lan An nodded. At the upcoming Duo Bao Pavilion event, he'd seek decorative treasures. The Lucky Shop hadn't offered architectural artifacts yet.
"Tian Er, you know my three Strange Flames. Let me see yours!" Lan An said, lifting Xiao Qing Xuan's hand with a smile.
She nodded without hesitation. A black flame erupted, and faintly, Lan An heard ghostly wails and cries, chilling his spine.
"Seventh on the Strange Flame Ranking Nether Ghost Flame, imbued with the grudges of the Netherworld. Those struck, if weak-willed, suffer illusions of being swarmed by countless ghosts. Truly terrifying," Xiao Qing Xuan said with a hint of pride.
Lan An was stunned. Her flame ranked seventh, surpassing his Purple Heart Void-Burning Flame.
"Where did you get it?" he asked curiously.
"Following my master's guidance," Xiao Qing Xuan replied honestly, now open with him since accepting him.
"Not bad, but this flame isn't ideal for alchemy, is it?" Lan An mused.
Xiao Qing Xuan rolled her eyes. Did he think Strange Flames were common as cabbages, to pick and choose?
Still, she said, "Nether Ghost Flame's strength isn't alchemy, but it's still countless times better than ordinary flames."
"Which Strange Flame best aids alchemy?" Lan An raised an eyebrow.
"Ding Tian Flame, shaped like a giant cauldron for alchemy, tenth on the Strange Flame Ranking," Xiao Qing Xuan answered promptly, her knowledge of flames vast.
"Ding Tian Flame, huh? I'll find it for you, sooner or later!" Lan An thumped his chest confidently.
"Let fate decide," Xiao Qing Xuan smiled. His three Strange Flames were already impressive, and she was content with her Nether Ghost Flame.
"Tell me how to forge a body for your master. If I find suitable materials, I'll collect them," Lan An said sincerely.
Xiao Qing Xuan and her master's soul were touched. This man genuinely wanted to help.
"To forge a body, first you need a skeleton, ideally over half intact, from a matching person. My master, a female Transcension cultivator, requires a female Transcension skeleton," Xiao Qing Xuan listed the first material.
"A female Transcension skeleton…" Lan An's face grew solemn. The first requirement alone was daunting.
"Next, Blood-Gathering Herb, a Peak Heaven-grade spiritual herb to form blood. Then, a Low Spirit-grade Organ Heaven Fruit for organs, a High Spirit-grade Thousand-Year Ginseng for flesh, and finally, any Peak Heaven-grade spiritual herb to restore the soul."
"With all materials gathered, a Seventh-grade Alchemist uses a special method to fuse them, forging the body," Xiao Qing Xuan explained, her voice growing heavy with despair.
Lan An asked, "Have you collected anything yet?"
Xiao Qing Xuan shook her head, ashamed, feeling utterly useless.
He wasn't discouraged, gripping her hand gently. "Don't worry. I believe we can do this."
"Indeed, I've never given up these years," Xiao Qing Xuan nodded firmly, her small fists clenched with determination.
"Let's hunt Zhang Yu!" Lan An wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and their figures vanished.
On the sea's surface, the young couple reappeared.
The sea had returned to a pristine blue, blood washed away by waves, blending into the vast ocean.
"Zhang Yu live at the ocean floor. Let's dive," Lan An said, holding the Water-Repelling Pearl. The sea parted, forming a protective bubble around them.
"Water-Repelling Pearl? Fascinating…" Xiao Qing Xuan smirked. As a Fire and Wood cultivator, she rarely ventured underwater.
As the water parted, they descended leisurely.
After hundreds of meters, Lan An glimpsed the ocean floor—countless creatures, crystal-clear water revealing vibrant coral reefs, a scene like a crystal palace.
"So beautiful… my first time seeing the sea so clearly and comfortably," Xiao Qing Xuan's eyes sparkled, looking around excitedly.
Lan An found the experience novel too. He spotted a shark, a top predator in his past life, effortlessly cleaved in half by a Fourth-order crab-like sea monster.
They continued downward, the sea floating above them, not touching a single hair, thanks to the Water-Repelling Pearl's bubble-like shield.
Lan An turned to Xiao Qing Xuan, teasing, "Tian Er, think we'll be lucky enough to meet mermaids?"
"Mermaids? What are those?" Xiao Qing Xuan asked, her innocent curiosity almost criminal.
"Uh…" Lan An blinked. Could a diverse place like Lan Zhou Continent lack mermaids?
He tried to explain, "Mermaids are beautiful women with enchanting voices, but instead of legs, they have colorful fish tails. They're the sea's beauties, symbols of allure and mystery."
"Oh? Such a race exists?" Xiao Qing Xuan was amazed by his vivid imagination.
"That's the Merfolk Tribe, all female, not particularly strong, specializing in cultivation support. Enslaved by other races, they went extinct long ago," her master's melodious voice explained.
Xiao Qing Xuan relayed this to Lan An.
"Extinct? How could that be?" Lan An fumed, his face darkening. A mythical race from his past life, gone? Utterly outrageous.
As they chatted, they neared ten thousand zhang deep.
The water turned inky black, but their cultivator senses were unhindered.
The sea's pressure was immense, the Water-Repelling Pearl's shield trembling slightly but holding.
"Look!" Xiao Qing Xuan pointed suddenly.
Lan An followed her gaze, activating Thousand-Mile Vision.
A white creature, slippery, with lantern-like eyes and writhing tentacles, crushed a hapless fish.
"A Zhang Yu…" Lan An grinned.
"We're in the right place, but this one's only Fourth-order. Not enough," Xiao Qing Xuan nodded.
"Let's go deeper."
At an unknown depth…
"Humans, this isn't your place!"
A booming voice threatened, followed by a massive, tree-trunk-like tentacle smashing toward them.
"A Fifth-order Zhang Yu, our target!" Lan An smirked.
Xiao Qing Xuan wasted no words. A giant blade appeared, Nether Ghost Flame blazing along it. She reached out from the Water-Repelling Pearl's shield, slashing the tentacle.
Hiss
The sea boiled under the flame's power, ghostly wails echoing. The tentacle was severed effortlessly.
"Aaah! What flame is this?" The Zhang Yu roared in fear. Living deep underwater, how could it recognize a Strange Flame?
It felt countless ghost souls clinging, gnawing its body. The Zhang Yu thrashed, its tentacles flailing, trying to dispel the sudden apparitions.
"Cackle, cackle…"
The ghosts' sinister sounds tormented its mind. As it smashed some apart, others appeared, driving it mad.
Outside, Lan An watched the Early Fifth-order Zhang Yu flail at empty water, clearly trapped in the Nether Ghost Flame's illusions.
"Zhang Yu have weak minds. Against humans, the illusions wouldn't last as long, and some could break free instantly," Xiao Qing Xuan explained, seeing Lan An's surprise. "The Nether Ghost Flame catches foes off guard with illusions, but if they're prepared, the ghosts have little effect."
Lan An nodded. The seventh-ranked Strange Flame's power was already terrifying. In battle, a moment's distraction was fatal, let alone prolonged illusions. With this flame, one could turn defeat into victory, shifting the tide.
Its destructive power was immense too. The Zhang Yu was half-burned. Xiao Qing Xuan slashed again, ending its life.
"My Tian Er is a peerless genius, slaying beasts above her level so easily!" Lan An seized the chance to flatter.
"Hmph, collect the beast core!" Xiao Qing Xuan snapped, embarrassed.
Lan An, holding the Water-Repelling Pearl, cloaked his hand in Strange Flame, pierced the Zhang Yu's head, and retrieved its core.
"One down, six to go!" Xiao Qing Xuan smiled.
Beasts had territories, Zhang Yu included. To find another, they'd need a new area, as this was the dead one's domain.
They continued across the ocean floor.
Soon after…
"Die!"
Lan An wielded the Big Dipper Bow, its arrow cloaked in Strange Flame, piercing a Mid Divine Transformation Zhang Yu's head, roiling thousands of li of sea.
"Second core. Let me handle it with the Big Dipper Bow easy as pie!" He grinned smugly at Xiao Qing Xuan.
"My master in my body taught me alchemy and flame control. My second trial's master taught blade arts and defense. I'm no slouch at ranged attacks either!" Xiao Qing Xuan huffed, unconvinced.
"Fine, you take the next one," Lan An nodded nonchalantly.
"Oh, what's that? Get closer!" A strange object appeared deep on the ocean floor a rotting warship, moss-covered, a haven for tiny sea creatures.
Many deep-sea creatures had grotesque forms, some transparent, revealing their innards, making the warship even more sinister.
"Let's check it out!" Lan An pulled Xiao Qing Xuan, and they leaped onto the deck.
Crack
Time had decayed the ship. Their landing scattered countless small creatures, and the wood beneath splintered.
"Look there…" Lan An pointed to a shadowed corner in the ship's largest cabin.
Xiao Qing Xuan glanced, her eyes shrinking. She clung tightly to his arm in fear…