A warm breeze rustled through the bamboo trees lining the secluded courtyard as a pair of clear eyes finally fluttered open.
Long Tianyan stirred.
The sky was painted in hues of gold and amber, birds chirping softly as if greeting him after a long slumber. His body ached faintly, but the deep burning within his core had settled. He lay on a simple jade bed inside his residence—his first-ever Inner Sect courtyard—and beside him sat Chen Yixuan.
Her head rested gently on her arms, eyes closed in fatigue. Clearly, she had been watching over him the entire time.
"…Yixuan," Tianyan murmured, voice hoarse.
Her eyes snapped open. "You're awake!" Relief flooded her face as she quickly poured a cup of spirit-cleansing tea and helped him sit up. "You've been unconscious for six days."
Tianyan's brow furrowed. "Six days…"
She nodded. "You pushed yourself beyond limit, but you did it. You stopped the Bloodshade Ghost Sect… and saved all of us."
Before Tianyan could reply, a figure stepped silently through the courtyard gate. An elder in deep green robes with silver embroidery—a member of the Inner Sect management.
"Disciple Long Tianyan," the elder said with a formal tone, "the Sect Master wishes to see you immediately."
Chen Yixuan glanced at Tianyan with surprise, then helped him up.
They ascended the lofty steps to the central pagoda, where Verdant Mist Sect's most powerful figure resided—Qing Wuyou, the enigmatic Sect Master who had never taken a disciple until Tianyan.
Inside the great hall, Qing Wuyou stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at a waterfall painting that seemed to ripple like flowing water.
"You've done well," Qing Wuyou said without turning. "With your strength and sacrifice, the sect now possesses a treasure that even ancient sects would covet."
He turned slowly, his gaze settling on Tianyan and Yixuan.
"The Flameheart Seed, born only once in several centuries, has fallen into our hands due to your efforts."
Tianyan bowed respectfully. "It was a team effort, Sect Master."
Qing Wuyou gave a rare smile. "Modest as always. But now comes your reward... and your trial."
He waved a hand, and light engulfed the trio.
They arrived at a hidden valley deep within the mountains of the sect—sealed by runes, guarded by ancient stone guardians. Before them lay a glowing lake of molten spirit energy: the Verdant Mist Spiritual Pond, used only by the core disciples of the sect for breakthroughs and purification.
"This place," the Sect Master said calmly, "is normally forbidden even to elders. But for your contributions, both of you may enter."
Core disciples meditating nearby glanced over in shock. Their murmurs echoed across the pond.
"That's the Sect Master's personal disciple…"
"The girl's only at the first layer of Marrow Washing Realm..."
"Why are they allowed in?"
Yet Qing Wuyou remained expressionless.
Chen Yixuan hesitated but walked toward the middle portion of the pond. Spirit pressure weighed heavily on her, but she grits her teeth and sat down, starting her meditation.
But Tianyan…
He walked deeper.
Each step he took made the water churn, glowing with primordial heat. Pressure bores down like mountains, enough to shatter bones.
"He's… going further?"
"No core disciple has ever dared go beyond that point!"
But Tianyan kept going.
Flames coiled faintly around him, not from the pond, but from within. The Azureflame Dragon Soul inside him stirred, recognizing this place as a perfect crucible.
Finally, Tianyan sat at the deepest part of the pond—where the pressure could break even Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators.
He closed his eyes.
Inside his dantian, the chaotic remnants of the Crimsonflesh Flame Fruits still roared like wild beasts. They weren't ordinary fruits—each was infused with terrifying energy, enough to make a peak Marrow Washing Realm expert step into the Heavenly Passage Realm.
Yet Tianyan had consumed all five.
No ordinary cultivator could've survived it. But his Primordial Dragon Bloodline suppressed the violent energy.
As he meditated, he summoned the Primordial Dragonflame Sword once more. Azureflame wrapped around him, refining his body, his meridians, and even his bones.
Flame after flame pulsed in his veins—he could feel the Crimson Abyss Flame beginning to stir faintly as well, but he focused.
Two days passed.
Every breath he took condensed the Crimsonflesh essence into dragon essence. His marrow glowed faintly, as if cast from gold and tempered in divine flame.
Then—
Boom!
A pillar of energy erupted from the depths of the pond. Disciples watching from afar stepped back in shock.
"He's… breaking through? In there?!"
The spiritual pond trembled, then calmed.
Tianyan opened his eyes.
His aura surged—no longer that of a peak Spiritual Sea Realm cultivator.
Marrow Washing Realm, 3rd Layer.
From afar, Qing Wuyou observed silently. His expression didn't change—but his gaze lingered for a moment longer than usual.
"A monstrous foundation," he murmured.