Chapter 342

Chapter 342: Devouring the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire

The Chaos Golden Cauldron itself was a creation of unknown origin, and its innate Chaos Seal represented a supreme seal capable of commanding the energies of heaven and earth. Thus, now that Lou Yun could perceive and absorb these energies, the Chaos Golden Cauldron could understand his thoughts.

With a container prepared, Lou Yun immediately raised the temperature around the Day Spirit Flower once more. Soon, a single glistening dewdrop slowly coalesced upon one of its crimson petals.

Guided by the heavenly and earthly energies, the Day Spirit Flower quivered gently, causing the dewdrop to fall precisely into the Chaos Golden Cauldron awaiting below.

Lou Yun merely formed a thought in his mind, and the Chaos Golden Cauldron autonomously stored that dewdrop within its own internal space.

Having completed this task, Lou Yun slowly withdrew his right hand and gradually inhaled the breath he had earlier exhaled.

The heavenly and earthly energies enveloping the Day Spirit Flower vanished instantly. The molten magma flowed back together, submerging the flower once more.

Lou Yun brought the Chaos Golden Cauldron before him. Probing its interior with his spiritual sense, he saw the dewdrop suspended within an isolated space. Nodding in satisfaction, he declared, "Brother Chang, now we’re only missing two more items!"

"Mmm, but don’t celebrate too soon. The Night Spirit Flower and the Rootless Tree remain unfound!"

"With those two items located, we will undoubtedly succeed!"

After stowing away the Chaos Golden Cauldron, Lou Yun recalled the baffling statement Chang Xiang had made upon seeing the Day Spirit Flower: "Destiny… could this truly be destiny?"

Naturally, Lou Yun voiced his question.

After a moment’s contemplation, Chang Xiang replied, "I cannot tell you yet. Only after you restore my physical body will I reveal the truth."

Though Lou Yun was slightly frustrated, he was well accustomed to Chang Xiang’s habit of speaking in half-measures. Grumbling internally for a moment, he chose not to press further. Instead, he settled back onto a nearby rock, crossing his legs. He began to visibly ponder something, his eyes darting thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking about?" This time, it was Chang Xiang’s turn to be puzzled.

"I’m considering which of the heavenly fires I should devour, now that I can advance my magical weapon’s realm."

Lou Yun had so far encountered five kinds of heavenly fire: Thunderstorm Fire and Fusang Fire, which he had already devoured, as well as Hellfire, Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire, and Five-pointed Golden Fire. The latter three had been swallowed as "food" by Xiao Huo. Fortunately, though Xiao Huo consumed these fires, it did not digest them. If it could be coaxed to disgorge them, Lou Yun could still absorb them into his magical weapon.

Persuading Xiao Huo to relinquish an ingested heavenly fire was assuredly difficult, yet Lou Yun felt it might still be possible. His current task was to decide precisely which heavenly fire to devour.

More than eighteen distinct heavenly fires were known, each differing not only in temperature but also in unique characteristics.

Hellfire, ranked fifteenth, was said to originate from the deepest underground. Its intense heat could sear even the soul. Manifesting as black flame, akin to the legendary fires of the volcanic hells, its terrifying power could reduce a person to ashes instantly. This lethality stemmed not solely from its heat, but from its unique property—burning the soul itself.

Five-pointed Golden Fire, ranked sixteenth, possessed the special ability to fragment into tens of thousands of smaller flames, each retaining its original temperature and potency.

Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire, ranked thirteenth, stood as the most bizarre of all heavenly fires. Its origins were obscure. It rarely appeared as conventional flame, instead assuming the form of a wolf and truly exhibiting lupine traits!

Each of these three heavenly fires possessed distinct characteristics, strengths, and capabilities. Upon devouring one, Lou Yun would inherently gain its properties. Therefore, he needed to carefully assess which heavenly fire would provide him with the greatest advantage under his current circumstances.

After thorough deliberation and consultation with Chang Xiang, Lou Yun decided: He would devour the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire first!

Ranked lowest among the three in raw destructive power, its ability to manifest as an independent wolf-form with genuine lupine attributes held immense appeal for Lou Yun.

Though Lou Yun had glimpsed the nature of the soul and gained control over heaven and earth energies, he remained a novice. The path to true mastery stretched long before him. Facing numerous adversaries, he desperately required a wholly trustworthy, obedient ally—one who could remain constantly at his side.

The Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire was, without question, the ideal candidate!

Ordinarily, it could reside within his magical weapon. When summoned, it could obey commands to attack foes directly. It offered distinct advantages over even Xiao Huo.

Moreover, upon devouring the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire, Xiao Huo would still harbor Hellfire and Five-pointed Golden Fire within itself. Spat forth by Xiao Huo at a critical moment, these two retained astonishingly formidable power.

Resolute in his decision, Lou Yun wasted no time. Once more, he produced the Chaos Golden Cauldron and released Xiao Huo.

The sight of Xiao Huo froze both Lou Yun and Chang Xiang in astonishment. Its form had undergone a staggering transformation!

When Lou Yun first encountered Xiao Huo, it resembled a small mouse. Over time, it had grown, yet the changes had been minor. This metamorphosis, however, far exceeded their imaginations.

Xiao Huo now stood nearly a meter tall. Its facial features had sharpened considerably: once small and folded, its face now grew angular, its mouth even becoming sharp and slightly protruding. When it wrinkled its entire face and bared its teeth, an aura of ferocity radiated outwards. Only its fur remained unchanged—still blazing crimson.

Seeing Lou Yun, Xiao Huo displayed obvious joy. Utterly unfazed by the intense ambient heat, it darted straight onto Lou Yun’s shoulder—its old favourite perch—and affectionately licked his cheek with its tongue.

However, its newly sharpened face and mouth now inflicted a faint burning sensation with each lick.

Lou Yun paid it no mind. Smiling, he stroked its head. "Xiao Huo, Xiao Huo," he chuckled, "so long unseen, you’ve changed so drastically I scarcely recognize you!"

"Chi chi chi chi!"

A stream of squeaks came from Xiao Huo, seemingly in reply to Lou Yun.

After exchanging a few casual words, Lou Yun came directly to the point. "Xiao Huo, my magical weapon needs advancement. To raise its realm, I must devour another heavenly fire. It pains me to ask, but… could you bear to part with the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire you hold? Please bring it back up for me."

Lou Yun braced himself for lengthy persuasion to make Xiao Huo relinquish the fire. To his and Chang Xiang’s complete surprise, upon hearing Lou Yun, Xiao Huo immediately hopped onto the rock. Giving two decisive nods, it opened its mouth wide.

With a soft "phut," a palm-sized fireball shot from Xiao Huo’s mouth. Cradled within the flame was a minuscule wolf—the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire.

Staring at the heavenly fire, Lou Yun gaped in astonishment. He truly hadn’t expected Xiao Huo to become so compliant. In the past, it would guard ingested heavenly fires jealously, utterly unwilling to part with them. What had happened? Changed nature? Lost interest in heavenly fires?

"Xiao Huo, are you not angry?" Worried he had upset his companion, Lou Yun pressed for reassurance. In his heart, Xiao Huo held an exceptional position—more than just a pet, it had saved his life multiple times.

Another series of squeaks emerged as Xiao Huo shook its head emphatically, appearing completely unbothered.

Examining its expression, which indeed betrayed no hint of anger, Lou Yun breathed easier. Though the reason for this transformation remained a mystery, it was undeniably beneficial. "Then I shall begin the devouring!" he declared.

Even as he spoke, Lou Yun’s hand shot out, closing around the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire. Whether intimidated by Xiao Huo’s presence or broken by its long captivity as "food," the heavenly fire offered no resistance. Its former ferocity seemed extinguished.

Lou Yun hesitated not an instant. He opened his mouth and swallowed the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire whole, guiding it down toward his dantian!

Within Lou Yun’s dantian, the heavenly fire seemed finally to grasp its impending fate. Just then, it cast off its seeming docility. Its wolfish nature surged forth violently. It frantically amplified its internal heat, opened its fearsome maw, and lunged, ready to bite into the Dream Emperor Sword.

Lou Yun, however, was no stranger to devouring celestial flames. Though the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire harbored a savage spirit, harming him within his own body remained an impossibility.

All told, the devouring process proved considerably more arduous than with the previous two heavenly fires. The Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire fought relentlessly, struggling like a wolf possessing human intelligence and desperate to escape. But Lou Yun was no longer the same cultivator. Deeply attuned to the way of nature and wielding control over heaven and earth energies, he ultimately succeeded in assimilating the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire into the Dream Emperor Sword!