Chapter 522: Ajie and His Two Little Brothers

"Little Ice Lotus, undo the seal on the Ember Flame Seed."

Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual sense connected with the Ember Flame Seed in his Qi Sea.

Mere words wouldn't suffice. If he truly wanted to subdue the "Ember White Skeleton," brute force was certainly not the best approach. Instead, he needed a primal allure that could keep it tethered, making it willing to serve him.

Undoubtedly, the "Ember Prime Seed" was precisely such an existence.

After so many years in the White Cave, the "Ember White Skeleton" had never managed to obtain the power of this flame seed. Once he completely subdued the "Ember Prime Seed," he wouldn't have to worry about the "Ember White Skeleton" eagerly following him.

"Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling..."

Upon receiving the command, the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation" immediately unfroze the "Ember Prime Seed."

The poor flame seed, under the disheveled saint's seal, could not access most of its power and was forced to cower in a corner.

"So, have you understood?"

Xu Xiaoshou communicated directly with the "Ember Prime Seed" via telepathy. The spiritual intelligence of such a heavenly treasure was too high for it not to understand. Even if it pretended not to, it would just be a matter of being confined for a bit longer. Once his strength increased, refining it would be a matter of minutes.

Clearly, the "Ember Prime Seed" knew this as well. Being dependent on others, the wise recognize when to yield. After realizing it couldn't resist the sealing power, it vibrated a few times and then voluntarily formed a contract with Xu Xiaoshou.

"Puff-puff—"

A faint sound rippled through his Qi Sea. With the "Ember Prime Seed's" complete acceptance, Xu Xiaoshou could once again sense a new intimate connection between himself and this other divine object within his Qi Sea.

"Buzz!"

After the contract was successfully formed, his Qi Sea suddenly quivered and began to surge again.

"Spiritual feedback?"

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. He had experienced this familiar sensation before, when he had fully mastered the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation."

However, at that time, it was an unfamiliar icy power. No matter how pure, the first moment of absorption had made him extremely uncomfortable. It was only later, when the "Breathing Method" converted all the energy, that the discomfort turned into comfort.

But now, after the "Ember Prime Seed" accepted him, the power fed back from it was not only of the Ember lineage but also different from the previous pain of consuming the "Ember Flame Seed." Although the "quality" of this energy was greatly improved, it could perfectly contain its own power. As a result, the Ember power surging from the "Ember Prime Seed" could instantly be assimilated by the spiritual energy in his Qi Sea. There was no pain whatsoever!

Furthermore, with the help of the "Breathing Method," it began to improve the essence of his spiritual energy, elevating it to another quality level.

"White Flame!"

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized. He immediately pulled out the jade slip Elder Sang had given him—Ember Heavenly Flame: White Flame. His spiritual sense swept over it, and he instantly grasped the method for converting to White Flame.

"It's still the basic cultivation method of Ember Heavenly Burn, but White Flame's manifestation is no longer energy compression, temperature compression... It's 'Energy Core Fusion'!"

A strange expression appeared on Xu Xiaoshou's face.

When he cultivated "Ember Heavenly Burn," it was surprisingly easy; a simple compression was all it took. But now, the method to transform Ember Heavenly Flame into White Flame involved an ionic collapse to form an energy black hole. Then, using the black hole's suction, all the Ember Heavenly Flame would be absorbed and compressed, forming the ultimate high-temperature White Flame.

This "Energy Core Fusion" method not only ensured that the "core" itself compressed extreme energy but also utilized the "core's" suction to perfectly control the residual heat emitted around it.

This was why the "Ember Prime Seed" appeared to have no high temperature on the surface, and didn't even possess the same size or flamboyant aura as the "Great Ember Flame Seed." In reality, during combat, if the "core" were ignited like a "condensed pill," it could create a terrifying volcanic eruption effect, instantly achieving an extreme temperature surge that completely surpassed that of the "Great Ember Flame Seed."

"Aha."

"Ahahaha..."

Xu Xiaoshou laughed. This was the reason for his strange expression.

If he currently possessed the "Great Ember Flame Seed," he might indeed need the "Core Fusion" step. This was because the jade slip described the "Great Ember Flame Seed" as having energy constantly on the verge of explosion, fully expansive and uncontrolled. It couldn't compress itself, placing it a rank lower than the "Ember Prime Seed."

But the "Ember Prime Seed" was different! This item inherently possessed the ability to contract and erupt high temperatures at will. Therefore, as soon as Xu Xiaoshou looked at the jade slip, he understood completely. The energy form held by the "Ember Prime Seed" within his body was already in the "Core Fusion" state.

With the "Ember Prime Seed" fully accepting him, its fundamental transformation of his spiritual energy's essence was assimilation! It assimilated his spiritual energy towards the "Core Fusion" direction, allowing him to freely control White Flame.

"This..."

"Doesn't this mean I, Xu Xiaoshou, don't have to do anything?"

Xu Xiaoshou became somewhat arrogant upon realizing this. He completely abandoned the opportunity to shape White Flame, which he would only have had at the moment of devouring the "Great Ember Flame Seed." Instead, he simply watched as the "Ember Prime Seed" transformed his energy, choosing not to intervene or attempt any refinement.

"There really isn't anything to refine..."

Xu Xiaoshou was a bit speechless. He actually wanted to put in more effort, like others did in their cultivation. But it seemed unnecessary!

Perhaps Elder Sang also used the "Great Ember Flame Seed" to cultivate White Flame, and along the way, he was probably injured multiple times by failed "Core Fusions." But he, Xu Xiaoshou...

"Done?"

Not long after, Xu Xiaoshou felt his Qi Sea had been compressed by a full two-thirds. The evolution from quantity to quality was the most direct feedback of this "spiritual feedback." There was no increase in spiritual energy quantity, but his strength had more than doubled!

Xu Xiaoshou looked at his Qi Sea; he could feel the amount of spiritual energy within it, as if it had returned to the early stages of the Origin Court realm. Perhaps even less than the early stage! But the "quality"...

"Hehehe!"

After feeling that the manifestation of the spiritual energy in his body had completely transformed into the "Core Fusion" state, he realized that he might have truly succeeded!

"White Flame!"

He opened his left palm, casually stirring his spiritual energy. "Puff-puff." Sure enough, with this soft sound, the temperature in his Yuan Mansion suddenly soared. And the Ember Heavenly Flame that appeared in his palm was no longer an invisible flame. It was a terrifying energy form, compressed to the extreme, which even the Heavenly Dao could no longer conceal—White Flame!

"White..."

Xu Xiaoshou's smile finally bloomed. "This... what does it mean to get something without any effort? This is what 'getting something without any effort' means!"

He clenched and then opened his right hand again, and an ice lotus bloomed on it. White Flame in his left hand, Ice Lotus in his right. When these two extremes of high and low temperature manifested in concrete forms on his palms, Xu Xiaoshou could no longer suppress his joy.

"Damn it... Among my peers, who can stop me now?"

With a throw of his hands, the White Flame and Ice Lotus immediately shot out into the chaotic mist. When his "Perception" detected that they had flown several miles away, to a place where he should not be harmed, Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual sense stirred.

"A Song of Ice and Fire!"

Energy collided!

"Boom!"

The chaotic mist directly exploded, vehemently surging towards the usable space of the Yuan Mansion. Xu Xiaoshou was shocked. So far away, and it could still cause harm?

He frantically moved his thoughts, looking at the massive spatial black hole blown open within the chaotic mist, and shifted the explosive force, sending it into the spatial turbulent currents. It was fortunate that he was inside his Yuan Mansion. In this domain, he, Xu Xiaoshou, was akin to a god. This was what gave him the capital to move the explosive force.

But even with just a slight friction between the two forces, let alone a full explosion caused by their complete fusion, Xu Xiaoshou still suffered tremendous damage while moving the force in the aftermath. "Cough!" With a heavy cough, blood streamed from all seven orifices, and he felt his brain was about to split. The part of his spiritual sense that had just moved the two explosive forces was instantly wiped out by the terrifying vibrations.

"Crack-crack—"

Looking at the constantly shattering spatial cracks far in the Yuan Mansion, Xu Xiaoshou realized he was wrong. This "Song of Ice and Fire" move would definitely not be as simple as he had imagined.

Back then, a mere collision between the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation" and the "Ember Prime Seed" had blown the entire Spirit Melt Pond to dust. Now he had full mastery of both. The power he summoned was even more core. In this situation, he had actually thought of trying a contact explosion within his own Yuan Mansion space?

"Damn it, I must have been trying to die! Fortunately, fortunately, it was in the Yuan Mansion..."

Xu Xiaoshou patted his chest, still shaken, feeling like he had narrowly escaped death. It was a good thing that being in the Yuan Mansion allowed him to call upon spatial power and send the explosion into the spatial turbulent currents...

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

"What are you doing?"

From below, Junior Sister's voice, a mix of fear and accusation, immediately reached him.

Because Xu Xiaoshou had sealed the space, even though power had erupted within the chaotic mist, it had been contained in time and hadn't damaged the Yuan Mansion's usable space in the slightest. Yet, even so, the deafening noise from just now could not be hidden.

Mu Zixi was stunned. She had entered the Yuan Mansion to avoid the potential explosions Xu Xiaoshou might cause while refining pills. But this guy... Now he was causing these things *inside* the Yuan Mansion? You can afford to play, but who here can afford to play with you?!

"Cursed, Passive Points, +4."

"It's nothing, nothing." Xu Xiaoshou gave an awkward smile, "Just a little trinket..."

He was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly felt something was off with the space around him. It seemed... distorted?

The next second, "Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—"

The energy that erupted from the spatial turbulent currents directly shattered the Yuan Mansion space, flipping everything upside down: the broken tower, the spirit pond, and even the spiritual herbs floating in the sky. Chaotic mist raged everywhere. Dust flew. Spirit fish floated belly-up. Greed God was blasted skyward, directly landing with a "splat" and embedding itself into the eye socket of the "Ember White Skeleton." Little Chick, cowering in a corner, was even less able to escape this catastrophe. A spatial crack tore open beneath his backside, and he let out an "Ah!" as he fell straight in.

"Oh my goodness..."

Looking at the Yuan Mansion space, which had completely collapsed into a black hole. Then seeing Mu Zixi and Yu Zhiwen, unable to protect themselves and helplessly swept away by the spatial turbulent currents, Xu Xiaoshou was terrified.

"Freeze!"

He shouted. The Yuan Mansion space, which had not yet completely collapsed, was finally stabilized. Cracks froze, the black hole stopped. Mu Zixi's panicked expression solidified. Yu Zhiwen's frantic hand seals also slowed...

"Swoosh!"

A fragment blade shot out from the spatial turbulent currents, then transformed into Little Chick's form. Looking at the seemingly completely frozen space, he quietly slowed his pace and found a corner to lie down in.

"Damn you, Xu Xiaoshou, what on earth are you doing?!"

Little Chick was furious! The Yuan Mansion had exploded. Such a good opportunity. He had originally intended to seize the chance to escape through the spatial turbulent currents, as this wasn't his first time doing such a thing. Practice makes perfect, so he should have been able to escape.

But what was terrifying was that the Yuan Mansion being blown to such a state made the situation within the spatial turbulent currents look like a mere trifle in comparison! Who had ever seen black holes and turbulent currents directly collapsing and caving in? Little Chick hadn't! But with just one glance, he knew that if he were to pass through the explosion's epicenter in the spatial turbulent currents, the only possible destination would be the gates of the Underworld. Therefore, he had no choice but to re-enter the Yuan Mansion, into this broken yet still somewhat survivable space.

"Merge!"

Xu Xiaoshou was also stunned by the explosion. He finally realized that spatial turbulent currents were not omnipotent. Not all garbage could be thrown into them. If it wasn't thrown far enough, the energy exploding on the other side would still affect his Yuan Mansion.

But thankfully, there was still room for salvage. After all, the spatial barrier had withstood everything. After a brief period of fragmentation, the Yuan Mansion space finally began to heal, guided by Xu Xiaoshou's will.

Mu Zixi suppressed her wildly pounding heart, looking up in disbelief: "Xu Xiaoshou! Is this what you called... a 'little trinket'?"

"Hehe."

"Your Yuan Mansion, you wanted to blow it up too?"

"Hehe."

"Xu Xiaoshou, what exactly do you want to do!!!" the young girl shrieked.

Tears welled up in her eyes. For no reason, just sitting there peacefully, she had almost died. What kind of situation was this?

"Hehe." Xu Xiaoshou could only offer an awkward smile.

"Talk to me!" Mu Zixi wiped away tears of lingering fear, hissing: "Speak, where's your explanation? Aren't you supposed to be eloquent, Xu Xiaoshou?!"

Xu Xiaoshou was silent for a long time, finally composing his embarrassed expression. He subtly lifted his chin.

"An experiment."

Everyone: "..."

"Cursed, Passive Points, +4."

"Feared, Passive Points, +4."

"Remembered, Passive Points, +2."

"Xu Xiaoshou..." Yu Zhiwen said, still shaken, "You need a 'Dao-Pattern Prime Stone,' and in the future, before you experiment, could you please give us some warning?"

"Okay." Xu Xiaoshou immediately nodded obediently, then added, "Actually, this time, I didn't have any warning myself, hehe, hehe."

Everyone: "..."

"Cursed, Passive Points, +4."

Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Looking at the devastated Yuan Mansion space, Xu Xiaoshou himself fell silent. This explosion was incredibly unexpected. A simple little experiment had such terrifying consequences.

"My spiritual herbs..."

Xu Xiaoshou's heart was bleeding. The spiritual herbs he had painstakingly acquired, having used "Step to Heaven" three times to dig them up, were inexplicably swallowed by the suddenly appearing spatial turbulent currents. Those were Rank 4 spiritual herbs! Imperial spiritual herbs, each one an invaluable treasure. Had he just squandered them like this?

"Damn it, I absolutely can't test techniques in the Yuan Mansion space anymore," Xu Xiaoshou thought tearfully. Not only were the spiritual herbs gone, but the spirit fish he had painstakingly fattened up, which he hadn't even had a chance to eat, were either blasted to death or scared to death. The various poisonous vines, grasses, and flowers on the ground, which he had spent so much time cultivating, were also reduced by more than half after this explosion. The losses amounted to far more than a few hundred million!

"Darn it..."

Xu Xiaoshou felt a pang of self-reproach. He had let everyone in the Yuan Mansion space down. But!

"This spiritual technique is also quite impressive, wow..."

Thinking of the power of this little spiritual technique, which could be thrown into the spatial turbulent currents and still cause such consequences, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but feel excited. This thing, with just the friction of its forces, produced such astonishing might. If it were completely fused and then sent into an enemy's belly, lighting them up like fireworks...

"Hiss!"

Xu Xiaoshou shivered. Can't think about it, can't think about it! It was like killing a thousand enemies but losing twelve hundred of his own! After using this move, he probably wouldn't be able to escape the blast's radius without performing "Step to Heaven" ten times.

"What a disgusting skill..."

He temporarily suppressed the urge to try it again. Xu Xiaoshou cast his gaze on the "Ember White Skeleton's" face, pulled out Greed God, and casually tossed it aside.

"See? This is what happens when you resist me."

"Feared, Passive Points, +1."

The "Ember White Skeleton" withered. A transparent halo of energy actually floated above its skull.

"What's that?" Xu Xiaoshou was startled.

"It's a soul essence!" Yu Zhiwen was also dumbfounded; she hadn't expected the "Ember White Skeleton," which had been fiercely resisting just moments ago, to simply give in after such a scare. But she immediately snapped out of it and reminded him, "Quickly take it! Holding its spiritual essence means this white skeleton has completely submitted to you. Its life and death are now entirely at your command."

"Oho?" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he absorbed the item and sent it into his Violet Mansion Yuan Court. A sense of intimacy spread through him. "A bond?"

Xu Xiaoshou was amused. He could feel that the "Ember White Skeleton's" soul essence still contained hatred for him. But at this moment, all that hatred had been completely replaced by deep fear.

"Very good."

"You're smart."

Xu Xiaoshou patted the "Ember White Skeleton's" head and said, "Since you've chosen to follow me, I won't let you suffer. I'll repair your body soon and then take you for a ride. Moreover, the power within my body seems to be transferable to you through your soul essence. This way, your longed-for 'Ember Prime Seed' will be with you in a different form. Happy?"

"Hoo-hoo..." The white skeleton seemed to force a smile, magma flowing from its mouth, and nodded foolishly.

"Feared, Passive Points, +1."

"This guy..."

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled and ignored it. He turned his head to look at the Ice-Blue White Skeleton still sealed below.

The spatial explosion evidently couldn't harm it. Or rather, with the sealing mist providing isolation, it couldn't harm the "Ice-Blue White Skeleton" inside. But...

"Why are you here?" Xu Xiaoshou looked curiously at the little monk on top of the white skeleton's head.

Bule: "..."

Why am I here? Why am I here, shouldn't you be asking yourself?! Don't you have any idea what good deeds you've done? It's a good thing the explosion blasted me onto this white skeleton's head; if I had been sent directly into the spatial turbulent currents, you wouldn't even have a chance to ask!

"Cursed, Passive Points, +1."

"Swoosh!"

Xu Xiaoshou flung the little monk away. Pouting, he was about to start absorbing the sealing qi. But then he reconsidered: if he absorbed the sealing qi, wouldn't it seal him too?

He immediately pulled out the A-Jie stone and pressed it against the "Ice-Blue White Skeleton." "Absorb."

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..." In a few breaths, the sealing mist was completely gone.

"Buzz!"

The icy power within the Yuan Mansion quivered, and the "Ice-Blue White Skeleton" slowly opened its eyelids. Xu Xiaoshou watched it with a smile.

This guy was clearly not as irritable as the "Ember White Skeleton." Waking up to find itself no longer in the land of ice and cold, and the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation" no longer by its side, its eyes held a touch of bewilderment.

The "Ice-Blue White Skeleton" saw Xu Xiaoshou. This human actually possessed an aura that it yearned for.

"Are you looking for this?" Xu Xiaoshou opened his hand, and an ice lotus appeared.

Little Chick, who had kept his distance, darted back several steps like a startled bird. Not just him, even the normally composed Yu Zhiwen instinctively took a step back. Mu Zixi, even more terrified, raised her small hand, clutching the tree seed tightly, in case an explosion occurred and she was once again powerless to do anything but wait for death.

"Cough, cough."

Xu Xiaoshou saw everyone's reactions and could only dry cough, choosing to ignore them. He wasn't so bold as to continue testing moves in the White Cave. Harming others was a minor matter. His own little space absolutely couldn't be destroyed by his own hand!

"Whoa..." The "Ice-Blue White Skeleton" let out a soft cry, staring at the ice lotus in Xu Xiaoshou's hand with envy in its eyes. It had been frozen in the land of ice for so long, and only through a fated acquaintance was it able to borrow some power from the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation." But this human before it could actually control it completely?

"I can lend you power, but it requires a condition that might not be very favorable to you..." Xu Xiaoshou paused, then said, "Your soul essence!"

"Roar!" The "Ice-Blue White Skeleton" instinctively let out a soft roar. A soul essence. Which senseless white skeleton would hand over something related to its very life and safety?

"It already gave it." Xu Xiaoshou pointed at the "Ember White Skeleton," and "puff-puff" White Flame suddenly appeared in his hand.

"I presume you can also sense that I have mastered not only the 'Three-Day Frozen Tribulation' but also the 'Ember Prime Seed,' which completely counters its power. To you creatures of the White Cave, I, Xu Xiaoshou, am a god! Now, the god wishes to lead you out of this small world to see the vaster realms outside. This opportunity, I place before you. Whether to follow me, that is for you to consider."

Xu Xiaoshou smiled gently, his words containing both arrogance and subtlety. He used different ways of speaking for different White Cave creatures. The "Ice-Blue White Skeleton" clearly seemed like a creature with its own thoughts, and with a less volatile temper than the "Ember White Skeleton," it would probably figure things out quickly.

Without the great formation of the land of ice and cold, its existence as the formation's core had lost its meaning. Without the company of the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation," the consequence of its refusal would be endless solitude and bewilderment. And for a White Cave creature that had gained sentience and wished to continue growing, there was now such an excellent opportunity before it: it could borrow the power of the "Three-Day Frozen Tribulation" and also be given a new goal—to explore the truly vast continent. The only price to pay was its freedom, which it had not yet regained.

Under these circumstances, acceptance was merely a matter of time.

"Hoo-hoo..." The "Ember White Skeleton" let out a few low calls, seemingly persuading it in a language only their kind could understand. Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself that this fellow had finally done something good. As expected, a moment later, a transparent halo floated above the "Ice-Blue White Skeleton's" head.

"A very wise choice." Xu Xiaoshou gladly accepted it, stepping forward and gently patting the white skeleton's head. "From now on, you will be pleased with the decision you've made today."

After a pause, he pondered seriously for a moment, gathering both white skeletons in front of him. "Since you've chosen to follow me, you must have titles that distinguish you from other white skeletons—that is, names. I shall bestow upon you sacred names!"

Xu Xiaoshou declared, pointing at the "Ember White Skeleton," "From now on, you shall be called 'Ah Huo'!" Looking at the other one, he said, "And you shall be called 'Ah Bing'!"

Then, he pulled out a stone. "This is your big brother..."

"Suspected, Passive Points, +2."

"His name is 'A-Jie'!"