Chapter 340

Chapter 340: First, Recreate My Body for Me

These words instantly silenced Chang Xiang’s intended response. He understood Lou Yun’s temperament well; unless Lou Yun had discovered something extremely important, he would never act so outragely. Yet he simply couldn’t imagine what, in this place covered in magma, could command Lou Yun’s attention to such an extent—even to the point of nearly sacrificing his life!

A trace of curiosity stirred Chang Xiang. He soared directly into the air and unceremoniously sat down on Lou Yun’s back. Of course, he was in his spiritual form, possessing no physical weight, so sitting there had no impact on Lou Yun whatsoever.

Chang Xiang folded his arms across his chest. Though intensely curious inside, his mouth remained sharp. "What are you looking at? It’s all magma everywhere. What could possibly be here?"

"Brother Chang, look below the magma!"

Chang Xiang couldn’t help but reach out and deliver a sharp knuckle-rub to Lou Yun’s head. "What nonsense! How could I possibly see anything below the magma! Besides, what’s under the magma is just more magma! What’s there for you to make such a fuss about?"

Lou Yun didn’t speak again. Instead, he suddenly took a deep breath, and then forcefully exhaled toward the magma below!

With this energy-laden breath, the scorching magma parted like gentle lake water, automatically splitting open along the path of the exhaled air, creating a narrow fissure.

"Brother Chang, look!"

By now, Chang Xiang didn’t need Lou Yun to tell him. When he saw what lay within the fissure, his entire body trembled as if struck by lightning, freezing him in place.

Within the crevice seamlessly parted by the molten stone, a single, gently swaying red flower grew!

The fire within the volcano stemmed from the earth’s own flame. The temperatures of this earth fire were incredibly high—arguably comparable to celestial fire itself. Chang Xiang understood this far better than Lou Yun. That’s precisely why he was even more worried than Lou Yun himself; having already absorbed two celestial fires, if Lou Yun fell into this magma, the earth fire might inflict severe burns or even reduce him to nothing.

Therefore, under such extreme temperatures, absolutely no material should be able to exist here!

Yet, the sight now revealed before Chang Xiang completely shattered that understanding.

Below the fiercely intense magma, a small flower was actually growing!

This little red flower stood no taller than three inches. Its stem was barely thicker than a human hair, delicate and seemingly boneless, giving the impression that even a moderately strong breeze might snap it in two.

But this fragile little blossom not only survived beneath the searing magma, it actually seemed to thrive. Otherwise, it couldn’t possibly bloom with such a vibrantly red hue.

Compared to Chang Xiang’s shock, Lou Yun appeared far calmer. His ability to discover the flower came purely during his earlier communion with the primal energy. Images continuously surfaced in his mind, generated automatically by this energy. Suddenly, the scene featuring this flower flashed before him. Surprised himself, he quickly retreated within his consciousness, meticulously reviewing the image. Only after thoroughly confirming it did he have such a strong reaction, driven by the desire to investigate the origin of this peculiar bloom.

Lou Yun, being a skilled weapon maker, could identify metals and minerals without much trouble. However, discerning plant types was a different matter entirely. He stared at the little flower for a long while but couldn’t fathom what this intensely red, flame-like bloom might be.

Regardless, a flower capable of thriving in such an incredibly hostile environment, where almost nothing else could exist, was bound to possess an extraordinary origin. It likely belonged to the category of rare, divinely bestowed treasures.

"Brother Chang, do you know what kind of flower this is?"

Lou Yun asked this mostly as a passing thought, certainly not expecting Chang Xiang to genuinely recognize the flower’s origin. To his utter astonishment, Chang Xiang made a faint swallowing sound, followed by an almost inaudible sigh through his nose, almost like… resignation.

It was Lou Yun’s turn to be shocked. He whipped his head around to look at Chang Xiang, his voice full of disbelief. "Brother Chang… you know this flower?"

As Lou Yun turned, the parted magma instantly flowed back together, re-covering and hiding the small red flower once more.

Chang Xiang’s face flickered with sudden panic, apparently worried the little flower had been destroyed by the magma. Seeing this, Lou Yun quickly reassured him, "It’s alright! The primal energy I channeled just shifted direction, that’s all. It caused the magma to merge again. This flower grew here; it won’t be destroyed by the magma."

Lou Yun’s words calmed Chang Xiang down a little. He wiped both hands over his face, letting out a long, deep sigh. "Is it… is it truly heaven’s will? Could this really be heaven’s will?"

The sentence struck Lou Yun as completely disjointed. He didn’t understand why Chang Xiang would utter such a strange sentiment at this moment. Yet, he didn’t press him; he waited patiently. He knew Chang Xiang would eventually give him a satisfactory explanation.

After uttering those enigmatic words, Chang Xiang drifted back effortlessly to perch on the rock ledge. Lou Yun, who had been levitating horizontally, seemed drawn back by an invisible cord. He landed softly on the rock, settling into a cross-legged position. Throughout the motion, Lou Yun’s gaze never left Chang Xiang.

After a moment’s wait, Chang Xiang suddenly looked straight at Lou Yun and asked, "Your magical weapon realm—isn’t it due for another breakthrough?"Lou Yun had expected Chang Xiang to finally reveal the flower’s origin, or perhaps explain his mysterious utterance. The sudden, seemingly irrelevant question about his magical weapon caught him completely off guard.

After a brief moment of confusion, Lou Yun instantly scanned his dantian, the lower energy center, then nodded in confirmation. "Yes. I’m now Mystery Rank five-star. Ready for the major realm advancement."

Although Lou Yun’s recent meditation and energy work had centered entirely on strengthening his soul, the primal energy contained immense spiritual essence—or was perhaps an even more potent force than ordinary spiritual energy. Its profound, subtle influence on the magical weapon unexpectedly propelled its cultivation far enough that a major realm advancement was now possible.

Chang Xiang gave a slow nod. "Good. From now on, I cannot offer much assistance in your cultivation path. However, I still wish to offer you one piece of advice."

In Lou Yun’s heart, Chang Xiang was as close as a blood relative. He valued his advice immensely. Seeing the gravity in Chang Xiang’s demeanor now, Lou Yun naturally dipped his head respectfully. "Brother Chang, I will always heed your words."

A faint smile touched Chang Xiang’s lips. "Not long ago, I urged you to begin training in crafting common weapons, embarking on true ‘practicing both magical and ordinary skills’. Correct?"

"Yes. But for that, I need to possess soul fire first. I don’t have it yet. I don’t know when it will manifest!" Lou Yun spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.

Chang Xiang waved his hand dismissively. "Whenever your soul fire appears, even if it flares into existence right this moment, hold off on forging common weapons. The very first priority you must undertake…" He pointed a thin, almost spectral finger directly at himself. "…is to help me recreate a physical body!"

Lou Yun blinked rapidly, clearly struggling to process Chang Xiang’s words. "Brother Chang… you mean for me to set everything else aside now? To focus purely on rebuilding your body?"

"Precisely," Chang Xiang confirmed with a firm nod. But then he added, "Well, perhaps not everything. Your soul cultivation efforts and advancing your magical weapon realm must continue uninterrupted. However, the profound process of ‘practicing both magical and ordinary skills’…" He paused for emphasis. "…that can only commence after you have successfully restored my physical form!"

Lou Yun grasped the meaning behind Chang Xiang’s insistence. A gentle, resolute smile touched his lips, and he nodded firmly, without a trace of hesitation. "Alright!"

Despite being the one to make the request, Chang Xiang was slightly taken aback by Lou Yun’s immediate, unequivocal assent. "Such ready agreement? You… you don’t even wish to ask why?"

"Hmm? Why wouldn’t I agree?" Lou Yun’s expression softened into one of absolute conviction. "Brother Chang, every step I’ve taken—every ability I possess—springs from your guidance. The desire to help you rebuild your body has lived inside me for a long time. The only reason I haven’t pressed forward is because you forbade it before! Now that you’ve finally taken the initiative and asked… how could I possibly refuse?"

Seeing the utterly natural, unreserved certainty on Lou Yun’s face, a wave of sudden, genuine warmth surged through Chang Xiang. He threw his head back and burst into hearty laughter. "HA! Good! Agreed is agreed! Since you are willing…" His expression turning serious, infused with a rare hint of solemn reverence. "…then I shall finally reveal what that flower truly is!"

Lou Yun, intensely curious about the little red blossom, immediately perked up his ears, bracing for the long-awaited explanation. To his surprise, Chang Xiang posed another question instead: "Boy… do you still recall what prerequisites must be met for you to help me recreate my physical body?"

"Of course I remember!" Lou Yun shot back instantly, slight indignation coloring his voice at the suggestion he might forget something so vital.

"Name them." Chang Xiang crossed his arms once more, his gaze keen.

"Three materials… and five individuals!" Lou Yun began smoothly, the list etched firmly in his memory. "The five individuals must be bondholders of the Five Elements Contract. The three materials…" He ticked them off on his fingers. "…are the trunk of the rootless tree, the very first droplet of dew shed after a Day Spirit Flower blooms, and…" His voice trailed off slightly. "…the final droplet of dew formed just before a Night Spirit Flower wilts!" Lou Yun concluded confidently. "…right?"

Despite having only heard these details from Chang Xiang once before, Lou Yun knew them by heart. He recited them purely by reflex. Midway through listing the final drop of dew related to the Night Spirit Flower, however, Lou Yun suddenly stopped. His eyes widened with dawning suspicion. His gaze whipped back and forth from Chang Xiang’s strangely expectant expression… back towards the seething magma hiding the tiny red blossom beneath its surface.

Recognizing the spark of comprehension flickering in Lou Yun’s widened eyes, Chang Xiang couldn’t contain the triumphant elation bubbling within him. Once again, hearty laughter boomed from his lips!

"HAHAHAHA! You’ve guessed it! That’s right!" Chang Xiang pointed an ethereal finger dramatically towards the concealed blossom beneath the magma. "That little flower… is none other than the Day Spirit Flower!"