Upon arriving at the bustling market of Jia Ma Imperial City, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise flicker across his face. The vibrant energy of the city pulsed through the air, filled with a mix of sharp bargaining voices, the clatter of carts, and the occasional roar of spiritual beasts caged within shimmering arrays. Yet what caught his attention the most were the faint, fiery auras flickering in the air—Beast Fires.
"There are this many Beast Fires just out in the open?" he muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes. Even though they were weaker than Heavenly Flames, the fact that he could see several beast fires of different grades being sold like rare herbs or treasures astonished him. It spoke volumes about the wealth and background of Jia Ma's elite.
As he strolled through the market streets, his pace unhurried, a voice suddenly called out to him from a nearby stall.
"Young man, come take a look! You'll look like a war god in these robes!"
The voice belonged to an older man with a wiry mustache and sharp, hawk-like eyes. Xiao Yan paused and looked toward the stall—oddly empty, with not a single customer in sight. Despite that, something about the place felt... peculiar.
He stepped closer, letting his eyes roam over the neatly folded clothes displayed on a jadewood platform. The robe that had caught his attention was surprisingly elegant: a deep black fabric with golden and crimson curls twining around the hems, resembling fire patterns. A faint line of white thread traced along the edges, giving it a touch of grace. More importantly, as he reached out and brushed his fingers lightly across the surface, he felt a soft pulse of Dou Qi flow through the material.
'Dou Qi-infused clothing... not just for show. It could offer some protection in a fight.'
"This isn't bad," Xiao Yan murmured with a nod of approval. "How much for this robe and those accessories?"
"The robe is 100 gold coins, and the accessories go for 50," the shopkeeper replied, his grin widening.
Xiao Yan raised a brow. "Ah... no wonder your stall's empty. That's expensive."
The old man chuckled, not offended in the slightest. "Quality demands price, young master. This isn't a market rag. It was crafted by a Dou Shi tailor who specializes in battle attire."
Xiao Yan said nothing more. Though costly, the robe would be a practical addition—not just stylish, but durable enough for his journey ahead. He pulled out his storage ring and handed over 150 gold coins without bargaining, then stored the robe and accessories inside. The shopkeeper's eyes gleamed with delight as he bowed deeply.
Continuing through the market, Xiao Yan's interest deepened. He began to notice more stalls selling Beast Fires, each housed in thick crystal flasks, pulsing with primal heat. Some flickered with azure or violet hues, others roared within their containers like tiny trapped beasts.
He approached a stall with a crimson-golden beast fire that coiled like a serpent behind reinforced glass.
"How much for this one?" he asked, voice casual.
The vendor, a chubby merchant with luxurious robes, rubbed his hands together. "Ah, young master has good eyes! This is a 5th-grade Flame-scaled Python Fire! Rare indeed. Price is 500,000 gold coins!"
Xiao Yan nodded, expression unreadable, and turned to the next.
"This one?"
"200,000 gold coins! It's only 4th grade, but very stable—ideal for forging weapons or alchemy."
"Pack them Up",Xiao Yan ordered handing him a Purple card.
The stall owner immediately swiped the card for 700000 Gold coins.
"Come again",The old man said,Before handing him the Two beast fires.
He took the Beast fires in Jade bottles.
In this way Xiao Yan bought 7 more Beast fires.
In the quiet of the inn room, Xiao Yan sat silently by the window as the moon cast a pale glow over the wooden floorboards. Outside, the bustling noise of Jia Ma Imperial City had finally quieted down, the marketplace now a ghost of its daytime self. He gently pulled the curtain shut and turned toward the small table where several jade bottles rested in a neat line, each one pulsing with a faint fiery glow.
He sat down cross-legged on the floor, hands resting on his knees as he took a deep breath.
"The day after tomorrow…" he murmured, his voice soft but clear in the stillness, "That's the day of the Three-Year Agreement."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Nalan Yanran… I wonder if you've grown stronger like you said you would."
There was no smile on his face—just calm determination. He reached for the first jade bottle and uncorked it. A rush of heat exploded from within, and a thin serpent-like wisp of flame slithered out, writhing like it was alive.
The Flame-Scale Python Fire.
Xiao Yan didn't hesitate. He opened his mouth and drew in the beast fire, swallowing it whole.
The effect was instant.
A wave of scorching heat erupted from his abdomen, like a furnace had been lit inside his core. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his teeth clenched as the fire began to resist him—pushing against his meridians, testing the strength of his control.
"Tougher than I expected," he growled inwardly, his body trembling slightly as the beast fire flared violently, trying to tear him apart from within.
But Xiao Yan had faced worse. He activated his Dou Qi, circulating it steadily through his body, guiding the beast fire toward his Dou Qi whirlpool. Each circuit was like dragging molten steel through narrow pipes—painful, but necessary. After what felt like hours, the intense struggle slowly began to fade.
His breathing evened out. His body was drenched in sweat. But in his core, the beast fire had finally submitted—refined and subdued.
He opened his eyes, which now gleamed with a faint reddish-gold light.
"One down," he whispered.
Without wasting time, he uncorked the next jade bottle. And the next. Each beast fire more violent than the last. Flames of azure, violet, and deep green color poured into his body one after another. With each ingestion, the pain grew sharper. His internal organs felt like they were being roasted alive. But still, he endured.
Because he had something that made it all possible—
The Purple Crystal Essence Flame.
Once the beast fires were refined individually, it was time to fuse them. Xiao Yan released the Purple Crystal Essence Flame from within his body, and as soon as it emerged, it roared to life. It danced in the air with arrogance, like a sovereign claiming its domain.
Then came the merging process.
The moment the first beast fire was drawn close to the Purple Crystal Essence Flame, a wild reaction occurred. The two flames clashed violently, creating explosive heat waves that cracked the stone floor beneath him. Even with his high flame affinity and meticulous control, Xiao Yan's consciousness began to waver.
The stress on his spiritual sea was immense.
"I can't pass out yet…" he muttered, but his eyelids were heavy, his body pushed beyond its limit.
Then—
Darkness.
For a few moments, his mind blanked out completely.
In that unconscious daze, his body moved on instinct.
Without hesitation, without thought, he devoured every last beast flame he had bought.
The flames surged within him like a tidal wave of destruction, battling, merging, resisting—and slowly, refining. Dou Qi swirled chaotically, and his flame essence core began to change, shifting hues and density with every passing second.
And amidst the chaos… the Purple Crystal Essence Flame roared triumphantly.
It devoured and assimilated the other flames, fusing them one by one, becoming something new—something far more powerful than before.
"Golden Amethyst Beast Flame",