Six days passed within the endless inferno of the Abyss Tower's first floor.
Lin Xuan's life had become a simple cycle—wake, cultivate, check-in with the system, absorb fire essence, and sleep when fatigue finally crept in. The corpses of the five intruders sent by Mei'er were now little more than charred ash swept away by the molten rivers. The Magma Lord remained ever watchful, silently pacing the edges of the floor like a loyal sentinel.
That morning, Lin Xuan woke with his blood running warmly through every vein. His aura was brighter, denser—forcing him to smile faintly.
"Finally… Qi Condensation Stage Eight," he muttered, the steady progress a small comfort amidst his growing impatience.
The advancement had been almost mechanical—the system had rewarded him daily with cultivation pills, Level 5 and Level 6 grade mostly, allowing him to climb steadily upwards. But despite the speed, Lin Xuan found himself irritated.
"It's always the same," he thought. "Pills, minor boosts… nothing truly special these days."
He closed his eyes and spoke aloud in his mind. "System. Check-in."
The familiar chime rang.
Ding! Congratulations, host. You have obtained: Blue Star Fire.
Lin Xuan's brows knit together. "…Blue Star Fire?"
The system's voice continued.
Description: The hottest fire known in the realms, categorized in the Twelve Heavenly Flames list. This flame cannot be extinguished unless the host allows it. Integrates with host's meridians upon acceptance.
Before Lin Xuan could react, a blinding speck of light—no larger than his thumb—materialized before him. The flame burned with a deep cerulean glow, unlike any fire he had ever seen. Its light was pure yet fierce, radiating heat that made even the molten lava seem cold.
The speck drifted forward gently, but its presence was so overwhelming that Lin Xuan instinctively straightened his back. As it touched his chest, it merged into his body without resistance.
At once, his blood became fire. The Blue Star Fire raced through every vein, scorching him from the inside out—but it was a refined burn, a forging heat. His Supreme Bone absorbed and synchronized with this new essence, strengthening his resistance and amplifying his affinity with fire by a magnitude.
The Magma Lord watched silently from the side, his eyes glowing brighter. "Master," he said in his deep rumble, "that flame is no ordinary fire. Even demons of the Hell World fear such a thing. To hold it within your body is to hold part of the heavens' own wrath. You are… truly blessed."
Lin Xuan breathed slowly, controlling the torrent of energy. The Blue Star Fire quickly settled into his meridians, leaving him with an intense inner heat and an entirely new layer of strength. He flexed his fingers; a sliver of blue flame danced across them, burning silently.
A faint, almost satisfied smile touched his lips. "Blessed… or cursed. Either way, now it's mine."
Outside the Tower – The Sect in Chaos
Beyond the black spire of the Abyss Tower, the Azure Sky Sect was in turmoil.
For close to a week, the disappearance of five disciples had stirred unrest. They had vanished with no trace, last seen heading toward Mei'er's cave, and the elders could find neither their bodies nor signs of them outside the sect.
In the main meeting hall, five kneeling men awaited judgment—spies, messengers, and investigators. The heavy silence was suffocating.
From the throne at the top of the hall, the Sect Master stared down at them, his aura thick like a rolling storm. Pressure flooded the chamber so heavily that even elders struggled to breathe.
The Sect Master's cultivation at Late Ensoulment Stage Nine was a crushing reminder of why he ruled the Azure Sky Sect.
His voice cracked through the air like a whip. "Useless. All of you. My sect is rotting from within. A disciple steals from us. My spies gather no knowledge, cannot find the one who bears the Supreme Bone. Now five disciples vanish while I told you to find them, and you bring me no answers. Is it because I am too soft these days, that you think you can all act without consequence?"
Silence weighed heavy, none daring to speak.
"Tell me," his tone sharpened, "do you have any news of worth? If not, I will kill you here and now."
One of the spies swallowed hard, his forehead pressing into the floor. "Sect Master… I have news regarding the five missing disciples. Before they vanished, they were seen entering Elder Jin Yuyan's third disciple's residence."
The Sect Master's eyes narrowed immediately. "Bring her here."
A servant sprinted away and shortly returned with Mei'er, the third junior sister, who now looked pale as snow.
The Sect Master's voice was low and dangerous. "Tell me about them."
Panic clouded Mei'er's face. Realizing the weight of the situation, she decided to twist the truth rather than outright lie. "I… I summoned them and sent them to the Abyss Tower."
Gasps ripped through the chamber. Several elders turned sharply toward her in disbelief.
The Sect Master's palm flashed before anyone could blink—his slap cracked across her cheek so hard it threw her bodily to the side. She hit the floor with a cry, clutching her face.
"You fool," the Sect Master thundered. "Do you not understand what the Abyss Tower is? You sent two of our most promising Foundation disciples—and three late Qi Condensation—to hell. You might as well have murdered them yourself!"
He took a deep breath, visibly calming himself just enough to speak clearly. "Why did you send them?"
"I… was worried about my Senior Brother Lin Xuan," Mei'er stammered, shaking. "I just wanted them to see if he was alive…"
The Sect Master turned sharply to Jin Yuyan, anger still flashing in his eyes. "How stupid is your disciple? If two Foundation cultivators and three Qi Condensation cultivators cannot survive, how do you think a cripple can live through the first floor?"
Jin Yuyan's face darkened, clearly displeased but unable to defy the Sect Master here. She bent her head, masking her emotions. "Sect Master… please forgive her. She is young and acted out of sentimental nonsense."
The Sect Master's gaze cut toward the guards stationed for the Abyss Tower. "You two. Explain what happened that night. There were clear orders—no one is allowed near that tower. Where were you when these five went inside?"
The guards looked at each other nervously before one replied, "Sect Master… no one entered. We saw no one."
Suspicion immediately rippled through the hall.
"So you were not even there?" His voice rose sharply. "What were you doing? Playing games while our rules were broken?"
Before either guard could reply, the Sect Master's hand flicked. "Kill them."
Two elders stepped forward without hesitation, ending the guards' lives in an instant.
"Replace them. And send two Golden Soul cultivators into the Abyss Tower to search for signs of those five—alive or dead. Within three days."
The pressure in the hall rose again until trembling was visible even among elders.
Finally, he straightened, looking at the gathered strength. "And if anyone dares challenge the Azure Sky Sect… they will remember why we stand above them."
A New Vision
The Sect Master strode toward the verandah at the edge of the hall, gazing upward.
Then—it appeared.
The sky began to shift as countless stars swirled above the sect, forming a vast cosmic pattern. At the center glowed a single, massive blue star, brighter and more radiant than any other. It pulsed once, twice, then began descending slowly toward the Azure Sky Sect.
The closer it came, the higher the temperature rose. Even the Sect Master felt beads of sweat trace down his temples, while several elders shifted uncomfortably.
Lower-ranked disciples began doubling over, gasping from the sudden surge of heat in the air. Some collapsed entirely, clutching at their robes.
Then—
Boom!
The blue star exploded into a wave of fire that washed over the sky, bathing every inch in blazing brilliance. The Sect trembled beneath the blast. And just as quickly, the vision vanished. The sky became clear, blue, and calm—as though nothing had happened at all.
The Sect Master's expression was a careful mask. "What was that?" he asked, his words directed toward the learned elders.
Silence. None could answer.
Then all eyes turned toward the Second Elder, who was still frozen in shock. After a moment, he drew a slow breath and bowed. "My apologies, Sect Master. That… was the vision of a strange fire. Only Heavenly and unique 'strange fires' manifest such phenomena. And this one… I have never read of it, nor seen its sight before."
Interest lit the Sect Master's sharp gaze. "A strange fire? Ha… and not one recorded in the elder tomes?"
The Second Elder shook his head. "Never. Its heat, Sect Master… even from the vision alone… was enough to make the air burn. But what name it bears, I do not know."
The Sect Master chuckled low, but there was steel in his tone. "Spy," he called to the kneeling messenger. "This is your final chance. Find the bearer of this fire. Bring them to me—and you will be rewarded more than you can imagine."
The spy bowed so low his forehead touched stone. "Yes, Sect Master!"
Without another word, he vanished into the air like a shadow.
Far below, deep within the Abyss Tower, Lin Xuan sat with blue flames flickering faintly across his palms, unaware that his check-in gift had turned the entire sect's eyes unknowingly toward him.