Back at the sect, the two landed at Jin Yun's house.
He descended, opened the door, and entered. Huo Lie followed.
Sitting on the bed, Jin Yun kept his promise by taking out the Crimson Sunflower from his storage ring.
When Huo Lie took it, he felt excited. "So beautiful! Could this help me break through the seventh cyclone?"
"It can. This sunflower is perfect for your root. Fifteen days in seclusion should be enough to break through," Jin Yun said sincerely.
"And are you going to break through again?" Huo Lie was curious. After everything that had happened, he no longer felt envy toward Jin Yun. Seeing him fight both the alligator and the fire dragon earned his admiration.
Very few were as insane as the young man before him.
"I need three months," Jin Yun replied proudly, hoping to see Huo Lie's reaction—but it remained unchanged.
That disappointed him.
"I'll get the place I promised you once I make contact with Sun Lingxin."
"Don't worry, the sunflower is enough."
"…?" Seeing Huo Lie's kindness, Jin Yun found it strange.
"What are you thinking? I don't like men, okay?"
"What the hell are you talking about, damn it!" Huo Lie turned red with anger.
"I'm joking, but this behavior is weird. What's going on with you? Took the wrong medicine?"
"Don't you feel it? We just went through a life-and-death battle."
"…"
Jin Yun went silent, but thinking back on what had happened, he did feel a sense of camaraderie between them.
"I'm leaving. I need to cultivate." Huo Lie, wanting to break the awkward atmosphere, walked out.
Left alone, Jin Yun set the oyster in the corner and went to the giant water basin.
There, he washed his body, rinsing off all the excessive sweat.
Once finished, he dressed in clean clothes and walked out holding a talisman.
Arriving at the courtyard, he mentally prepared himself.
"Time to find that woman." Jin Yun shivered just thinking about her.
But now he had no choice, both because of the promise and the questions he had.
"Let's go. Sooner or later, I have to meet the devil." Taking a deep breath, he broke the talisman, which shattered into fragments of water.
After a few seconds, nothing happened. 'Maybe she's busy?'
He thought that until—
"Looking for me?"
A voice came from behind him. Jin Yun froze. His heart stopped for a moment before beating normally again.
"Yes, I am—" Once again, he was interrupted.
"You want to give my valley to Huo Lie, is that it?"
"You were watching me? Why didn't you save me? You left me to almost die." He spoke calmly, but his eyes burned with living flames.
"Why are you angry? Didn't I help you? The reason I didn't intervene is because I trust you. I trust that lunatic and believe he'll never fall." Her voice grew lively.
Jin Yun frowned and stopped speaking.
That made him realize he shouldn't rely on anyone to cover his back.
Always have a plan B to get things done.
"What do I need to do to get control of the Fire Valley?" Jin Yun asked, turning around as he finished his sentence.
In his view appeared a woman with light blue hair, like the ocean, flowing gently like a river.
Her eyes, the same color as her hair, gave her a peaceful aura.
The temperament of someone who just lets things flow.
"How about accepting a challenge from me?" She smiled and took out a coin. "Take this from me. I won't use cultivation, only physical strength. If you manage, the valley is yours. If you fail, you'll owe me."
"Do you accept?" She looked at Jin Yun, still smiling.
"Why be afraid?" Jin Yun didn't know her true motive, but not wanting to owe any favors, he accepted the proposal.
"Begin." Sun Lingxin tossed the coin into the air.
Not wanting to waste time, Jin Yun activated all his cyclones and dashed forward.
Getting close, he jumped, and as he raised his hand to grab the coin—
He saw a blur snatch it before he could. It was fast. He didn't even react, especially when the wind formed
And blew him far away.
He clawed into the ground, dragging dirt until he managed to stop.
Standing up, he saw his hand covered in cuts, his fingernails left behind in the soil.
"Hey! What about the promise not to use cultivation?" Jin Yun frowned.
Sun Lingxin said nothing, just took a step—which shattered space in milliseconds.
"I didn't use any. This is my normal physical strength. Consider it training. Boy Yun, use everything you've got to beat me.
Don't rely only on your spiritual soul. Use your body, which is very strong, to your advantage. Your biggest flaw right now is that you don't know how to use your body; you depend only on Spiritual Energy.
For someone who focuses on refinement, that's a disgrace."
Sun Lingxin spoke like a mentor teaching a student.
"I'm also a swordsman," Jin Yun didn't argue. He knew that.
But his time was too short to train sword and fist techniques simultaneously.
He wasn't a genius who learned everything instantly—just someone with average comprehension.
"I know that. Your spiritual root is a sword… But let me ask: aren't you a martial artist? Why absorb energy from the air?"
"So my body won't break when the sword fuses, right before the energy explosion," he answered honestly.
In this sect, no one knew more about him than the woman in front of him, who had helped him train many times.
"Bingo! Now that you've broken your bones several times, do you feel any changes? Like, has a part of your body transformed?"
"Yes, my spine turned golden. What does that mean?" He waited for her answer, a little anxious.
"Adaptation. Your bones are slowly mutating—an incredible feat. Did you know that at a certain level—not related to your current self—the goal is to transform the entire body? To change the very essence of being human?"
"Ohhh." This news made Jin Yun's eyes light up, but soon a serious expression followed. 'If this keeps up, how will I evolve in the future?'
"See the level you've reached?" Sun Lingxin understood him easily. "Now comes body tempering. Jin Yun, stop trying to break your body. Think of making it as strong as possible! To become a true living furnace capable of controlling everything! Treat your body the same way you treat your root.
That's your cultivation, the path you chose. Follow it to the end. And don't stop! The root might be limited, but the physical potential is infinite."