Chapter 246: Burning Heaven Flame White Flame

"Outside the Spirit Palace, it's not as peaceful as the inner and outer courtyards; you'll need to be more careful after you leave."

"Keep this letter safe," Elder Sang told Mu Zixi, pulling out an envelope. "When you go to the Alchemist Association in Tiansang County, just hand it to the president."

"Oh," the little girl chirped, thrilled to receive a task in front of her senior brother.

Shouldn't tasks like this usually be handled by the senior disciple? How did it fall to her?

Elder Sang noticed Mu Zixi's puzzled expression, then looked at Xu Xiaoshou and said, "Before you reach the Alchemist Association, no one is allowed to peek at this letter — including yourself."

The last sentence was clearly directed at Mu Zixi, yet Xu Xiaoshou felt it was an insinuation against him!

What a joke! It's just a letter, isn't it?

Is it really necessary?

Such a move, despite his initial lack of interest, suddenly made him intensely curious about its contents.

"What about me?" Xu Xiaoshou grumbled unhappily. "Don't you have any instructions for me?"

"You?" Elder Sang hesitated for a moment before saying, "Once you're outside, don't cause trouble."

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

Mu Zixi couldn't help but giggle; she somewhat understood what Elder Sang meant.

So, it seemed the letter and the words were all meant to guard against Xu Xiaoshou?

"Oh, right, one last thing."

Elder Sang seemed to recall something and looked at them both seriously: "Out there, no matter what happens, always remember..."

"Kill when necessary, make decisive breaks, eradicate the root, and show no mercy!"

These solemn words immediately added a chilling, murderous aura to the air, and both their expressions tightened simultaneously.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized that perhaps this journey wouldn't be so simple after all.

"By the way, I just killed Zhang Xinxiong," he mused, his expression turning odd. "There won't be a bunch of assassins waiting for me outside, will there?"

When he killed Wen Chong before, his life afterwards was filled with constant anxiety, with endless, never-ceasing troubles!

Now that he had killed the main target, he had thought he could finally enjoy some peace.

But perhaps leaving the Spirit Palace itself would lead to an even greater misfortune?

"What?" Mu Zixi, standing nearby, froze for half a second upon hearing this. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she exclaimed in horror, "You killed Zhang Xinxiong?!"

How is that possible?

Wasn't Zhang Xinxiong the inner courtyard's senior figure?

She had only just entered the inner courtyard herself, and Xu Xiaoshou hadn't even officially joined it. How... how could he just kill him?

So carelessly?!

Doubt Received, Passive Points +1.

Doubt Received, Passive Points +1.

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. "Have you really been cooped up in the Spiritual Library Pavilion, never going out?"

"Mm-hm!" Mu Zixi nodded obediently. Hadn't they said that day that only the Spiritual Library Pavilion was safe from the "Holy Slaves"?

Xu Xiaoshou sighed, another one completely out of touch.

Elder Sang waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a minor issue. Don't let it delay important matters. Remember to return within a month after finishing your badge exam. There's something important!"

"Oh?" Xu Xiaoshou's attention was indeed caught. "What important matter?"

Elder Sang suddenly chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "A very important matter. If you miss it, you'll probably regret it for a long time!"

A shiver ran down both their spines simultaneously. Every time that smile appeared, something dreadful was bound to happen!

"Alright, I'll try my best..."

Xu Xiaoshou reluctantly agreed. He wanted to make a quick escape, fearing the old man would assign even more bizarre tasks if he lingered.

Elder Sang, too, had said enough.

He had already said enough for today; any more and he'd sound less like a master and more like a doting old father.

He handed a ring to Mu Zixi, dispelling her notion that he favored males, then waved his hand, saying, "You two may return!"

"Don't come to the Spiritual Library Pavilion during this time," he added. "I also need to go out for a while."

Xu Xiaoshou felt a wave of relief and started to leave, but Elder Sang called out, "Stop!"

"What is it now?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

Another jade slip flew out. Under Mu Zixi's envious gaze, Elder Sang said softly, "The spiritual skill I promised you."

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow and was about to hand it back when he suddenly realized Elder Sang seemed to know something about his situation.

It seemed none of the spiritual skills Elder Sang had ever given him required any comprehension to learn.

He pressed the jade slip to his forehead, and as the information swept through his mind, Xu Xiaoshou froze.

"Blazing Heavenly Flames of Ash: White Flame!"

White Flame?

He suddenly recalled Elder Sang's "Dragon Melt Realm" technique from that night, which had completely locked down the masked man and Cen Qiaofu, trapping them without escape.

Such flames could burn one's soul just by looking at them.

Even powerful individuals like Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi had needed special means to see what was happening within it.

Could he also learn such a spiritual skill?

"I can?" To be honest, Xu Xiaoshou truly felt a moment of self-doubt.

"With a Grandmaster's body, yes," Elder Sang nodded with a smile.

A shiver ran through him.

Xu Xiaoshou felt no joy, but rather more fright.

He stared deeply at the smiling old man. "Cultivating 'Blazing Heavenly Flames of Ash' with a congenital body means a one-in-ten chance of survival," he said. "This... won't be the same, will it?"

"You're overthinking it!"

Elder Sang pressed down on his straw hat and retorted, "For the White Flame, a one-in-ten chance of survival... you're overestimating yourself!"

"It's more like certain death, with no chance of survival. Whether you can live depends purely on fate!"

Xu Xiaoshou was utterly bewildered.

He had actually been happy for a moment when he heard the first part, but that old man was truly full of surprises!

Just thinking about cultivating the White Flame felt terrifying!

"Does it hurt?"

"What do you think?"

Without a second thought, Xu Xiaoshou threw the item back.

What a joke! He had passive points he could easily use to improve himself; why go through such torment?

Elder Sang chuckled, and without demur, took the item back.

"Alright, you two may return!"

Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily stunned. This wasn't like Elder Sang at all; he hadn't forced him... It felt very unaccustomed!

No, that's not right!

This old man wouldn't give up so easily. He must have made preparations!

Xu Xiaoshou was suddenly alarmed and pulled out the herb ring Elder Sang had given him earlier. Sure enough, just like last time, a jade slip lay quietly on it.

"Oh!" Elder Sang said with a smile. "You're quite alert; I thought you'd only discover it after returning."

Just as Xu Xiaoshou was about to take out the jade slip, Elder Sang immediately stopped him. "Don't be so quick to refuse," he said. "This isn't White Flame; it's 'Dragon Melt Realm'!"

This time, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't bring himself to throw it away. Was it that terrifying spiritual skill?

He felt his heart tremble. To cultivate or not to cultivate, that was the question...

Elder Sang seemed to have guessed his thoughts. "I won't force you," he said. "However, since you still can't bear to part with the 'Dragon Melt Realm', you might as well take the 'White Flame' too. Who knows, one day you might get the urge to cultivate it!"

As he spoke, he threw the jade slip back into Xu Xiaoshou's hand.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. He couldn't shake the feeling that this situation was familiar.

Mu Zixi covered her forehead. Wasn't this the exact method Xu Xiaoshou had just used when "looting" Elder Sang's treasures?

"Indeed, they are truly master and disciple..."