Chapter Eighty-Nine: Half Is Fire, Half Is Sea

The thunderclap in midair forced him to release the spirit beast pouch. With a fluttering sound, the Gluttonous Pig flew out. At some point, this greedy creature had grown a pair of transparent wings. The moment the pouch loosened, it burst forth eagerly, making straight for the northeast without a backward glance.

What was happening? Had the Gluttonous Pig lost control?

This was the first time such a thing had occurred. From the moment he acquired the Gluttonous Mouth to its evolution into the Gluttonous Pig, everything had always been under Lei Xiang’s command. After a brief contemplation, Lei Xiang resolved to chase after it and see what was wrong. He poured spiritual power into his feet, yet the Gluttonous Pig still outpaced him by half a mile.

It’s gone mad!

That was Lei Xiang’s immediate thought, but when he finally caught up, he nearly lost his own mind. What he saw overturned everything he previously believed.

There was no path ahead, only a sea of fire stretching beyond sight. Flames blazed everywhere, and the Gluttonous Pig plunged headlong into the inferno, like a moth drawn to its doom.

Lei Xiang thought for a moment, then abruptly raised his head. Blue light flashed wildly in his eyes, and at last, he peered through the boundless fire. Vaguely, he glimpsed what lay beyond—a vast ocean, its misty surface unmarred by any sign of flame.

The Land of Spirits truly held marvels beyond count, such as this place where fire and water coexisted. Such wonders were unheard of in the world of men. With a sigh of awe, Lei Xiang cast a defensive spell and summoned the treasured artifact of the Azure Elves—the Azure Veil—before stepping into the sea of fire.

The heat was intense, at least eight hundred degrees if not a thousand. Lei Xiang activated the Azure Veil, shrouding himself in a bluish mist, keeping the temperature around him at a comfortable thirty degrees. A smile curled at his lips, his small tiger tooth protruding from beneath.

Once inside, he realized that the spiritual energy in the fire sea was three times as dense as outside, and compared to the Eastern Yue Kingdom, at least tenfold richer. Could there be some ancient treasure or spiritual pill hidden here?

Before he could finish his thoughts, a crackling sound echoed from afar. Lei Xiang focused his blue gaze, and what he saw nearly made his nose twist in fury—the pink Gluttonous Pig was darting about, feasting on scattered flames. Its twin rows of green teeth gnawed loudly, long saliva trailing from its red lips. The flames were scorching hot, at least fifteen hundred degrees. Parts of the pig were already ablaze, its fur charred black, the original pink completely obscured.

“This fool would risk its life just for another bite,” Lei Xiang scolded with a laugh. Composing himself, he drew out a premium spirit stone and sent a mental command to the pig. The Gluttonous Pig licked its lips, reluctantly flew back, grabbed the stone, gnawed at it, and hopped back into its pouch.

Lei Xiang paid it no heed, his focus riveted on the floating sparks. The more he observed, the more alarmed he became. These dancing sparks seemed random, but there was a hidden pattern—they appeared to be coalescing into something. Unable to decipher it, Lei Xiang muttered a strange incantation.

“Bo Po Demon Buddha, Detenele—”

“What now, disturbing me again?” As the voice spoke, a plume of black smoke rose from the crown of Lei Xiang’s head, coalescing into the image of a filthy old man—none other than Zhu Chi, the spirit in his sea of consciousness. Zhu Chi blinked his small eyes, glanced at the endless fire sea, shuddered violently, then dissolved back into black smoke and reentered Lei Xiang’s mind.

“I say, Lei Xiang, what sort of ghostly place is this? It’s so hot, my soul’s about to roast to a crisp.”

Lei Xiang replied with a sardonic smile, “Master, if I knew, why would I call you out? I came from the Azure Elves and found this fire sea brimming with spiritual energy. Beyond it lies a true ocean. I can’t fathom what wonders are hidden here—perhaps a primordial spiritual treasure?”

“You’re mad for treasure! Where do you think so many primordial treasures come from? The meteor shower was nine thousand years ago; anything worth having was snatched up long ago. There might still be good things—maybe a spiritual spring, spiritual fire, or a root. This feels a bit like the Purple Wood Root used to seal me on Nameless Mountain.”

“Spiritual energy?” That phrase jogged Lei Xiang’s memory. He quickly rummaged through a storage pouch and produced a small ceramic bottle, shaped like the upper half of a beautiful woman, exquisitely crafted. The red lips seemed almost alive, half parted as if to speak, though her chest was smooth from frequent handling.

It was the famed Beauty Spirit Smoke Bottle, capable of storing ten thousand years’ worth of spiritual energy.

Zhu Chi cried out in Lei Xiang’s mind, “Where did you get that?”

Lei Xiang laughed, “Why so surprised? Are you stunned by the treasure, or by the beauty’s allure?”

Ignoring Lei Xiang’s jest, Zhu Chi pondered for a moment before saying, “If I’m not mistaken, that’s the Beauty Spirit Smoke Bottle—stores ten thousand years’ spiritual energy and releases it in an instant.”

“Master, you truly are learned. Even such a treasure is known to you.”

Zhu Chi’s voice sounded smug in Lei Xiang’s mind, “Naturally. Otherwise, how could I be your master? Are you hoping to collect the spiritual energy here? If you can, there must be a ten-thousand-year spiritual spring nearby.”

Lei Xiang didn’t reply—his actions spoke for him. He gently stroked the beauty’s chest with his thumb, then cast a spell. The bottle’s mouth parted, drawing in a cool breeze but showing no outward change.

Yet with his blue-enhanced vision, Lei Xiang saw clearly: faint, reddish vapors were being inhaled by the bottle. Overjoyed, he intensified his spell, raising the bottle high and darting about the fire sea. Now the bottle’s mouth was fully agape, greedily drawing in spiritual energy.

It truly was the ten-thousand-year spiritual energy!

Just as Lei Xiang soared with delight, the bottle collecting energy, a drastic change erupted deep within the fire sea. Flames surged and rolled, encircling Lei Xiang as he neared the heart of the inferno. The temperature spiked to nearly three thousand degrees. Even within the Azure Veil, Lei Xiang felt hundreds of degrees of heat, sweat pouring like rain.

He frantically switched spells, but the heat persisted. Forced to act, he summoned the Weak Water Root—a piece of eternally unmelted, transparent ice. Instantly, a refreshing chill enveloped him, clearing his mind.

Ever since mastering the Sea of Divine Power, Lei Xiang could simultaneously drive the Azure Veil, Reverse Scale Defense, Weak Water Root, and the Beauty Spirit Smoke Bottle with ease. The Weak Water Root also replenished his internal spiritual power, giving him leisure to observe his surroundings.

At this moment, a new change occurred at the fire sea’s center. The surging flames converged from all directions, forming a massive fireball ten yards across, which continued to swell.

With a booming eruption like a volcano, the fireball burst open, and from within leaped a beast of fire. It had the form of a mighty lion, twin horns atop its head, eyes like lightning, clad in fiery red scales, and dragon claws smashing the void, soaring toward Lei Xiang.

Startled, Lei Xiang conjured four spinning wheels beneath his feet, gliding rapidly across the fire sea, covering twenty yards in an instant to evade the beast’s attack. Yet the fire beast twisted mid-air, dove again at him.

There was no time to dodge. The beast’s gleaming black horns slammed into the Azure Veil’s bluish radiance, detonating with a violent explosion. The veil’s aura flickered fiercely, lighting up the fire sea as bright as day. But Lei Xiang knew this was its last stand—the aura would soon fade.

Frowning, Lei Xiang devised a plan. He reached into a storage pouch, and withdrew four talismans between his fingers, hurling them at the beast. The four Black Cloud Rain Talismans exploded from east, south, west, and north, unleashing torrents of black rain aimed solely at the fire beast.

With a furious roar, the beast opened its bloody maw, unleashing a gust of foul wind that swept the black rain away in an instant, leaving Lei Xiang frozen in place. At that moment, the Azure Veil’s radiance flared and then extinguished completely, exposing the artifact to the beast.

In desperation, Lei Xiang drew the Nine-Treasure Lotus Staff, which grew to ten yards in length with a flourish. He channeled seventy percent of his power and struck. The beast, recognizing the threat, spat out a fireball, caught it in its forepaws, and with uncanny dexterity shoved it forward. The staff struck the fireball, rebounding fiercely, numbing Lei Xiang’s arm.

Sliding with his Wind-Fire Boots, Lei Xiang’s body slanted away. He summoned the Three-Color Power to his right arm, causing the staff to swell further, then swung it down upon the beast. The fireball spun swiftly, meeting the blow. Lei Xiang brought his left hand together, blue light flashing in his eyes, and unleashed a Divine Thunder Slash—three feet of blue blade cleaving forth.

Thunderous explosions followed. The Divine Thunder Slash struck first, carving a trench in the fireball, and then the Nine-Treasure Lotus Staff split it in two, scattering sparks everywhere. Under the fire beast’s command, they began to reconvene.

These maneuvers had drained most of Lei Xiang’s spiritual power. He withdrew the Beauty Spirit Smoke Bottle, closed its red lips with a thought, then held it before his nose, vigorously rubbing the beauty’s chest. A faint blue smoke puffed from her delicate nose, and Lei Xiang inhaled greedily, like an addict savoring his fix.

The ten-thousand-year spirit smoke was indeed extraordinary. In a single breath, his spiritual power was restored. He resealed the bottle with Binding Seal, then, unburdened, swung the Nine-Treasure Lotus Staff with full force at the fire beast.

A dazzling burst of fire erupted, its brilliance beyond description. Even the blue light in Lei Xiang’s eyes was overwhelmed; he shut them tight, pouring spiritual power into his feet as his Wind-Fire Boots slid him rapidly backward.