Zhi Xuan placed the bronze cup on the table, the loud clack once again breaking the gripping silence between them. He did not look at Lin Mu, instead focusing his gaze on the remaining wine in the cup, as if contemplating the essence of the Golden Dragon Blood was as complex as digesting the Qilin Blood Dew.

  "I have something you can choose," Zhi Xuan murmured, without looking up, merely swirling the bronze cup in his hand. "Come with me, and in the near future, you will leave the Divine Wheel, move toward the First Ember, and ignite your Soul Fire. Or, stay here and simply sever your own bloodline."

  Lin Mu swallowed hard. He looked at the senior before him, who radiated a contradictory aura—the coldness of the snow phoenix jade in his hair and the primordial chaos hidden in his blue eyes. Those words, igniting the soul fire, were a wild promise. For a Divine Wheel realm cultivator, crossing into the First Ember realm was the gateway to Transformation; it was a threshold that could require years of meditation and purification.

  Moreover, searching for the Flame of the Sunrose Flower, the flower that served as the critical factor for ascending to the First Ember realm, was something Lin Mu had no idea how to approach. He possessed no knowledge of how to absorb, purify, or find a high-quality Flame of the Sunrose Flower. He could only watch as the sons of rulers brought the Flame of the Sunrose Flower from the auction houses, never having the opportunity himself.

  Lin Mu felt his breath hitch. The fear of the Shi Clan hunting him across the continent now clashed with a promise that challenged the heavens. Before this Senior, whom he had just met and who was suddenly offering this, he was faced with an unavoidable Destiny; awakening or destruction.

  He touched the ancient wooden box on his lap. The Black Dragon Key felt cold beneath the silk of his tattered robe. He remembered the cruelty of the Shi Clan, the Seal that hindered his bloodline, and the shame of having to suppress the secret of the Great Golden Dragon. The choice was no longer about safety, but about the Destiny of his Bloodline.

  Zhi Xuan, seeing Lin Mu's hesitation, smiled coldly and raised his hand. From his index finger emerged a dark purple flame, which was his Soul Fire. The Azure Holy Flame was enough to exert pressure and a sense of submission upon other, weaker Soul Fires, such as those of other cultivators who possessed only the Ethereal Flame or the Crimson Flame.

  On the other side, the Divine Wheels of the cultivators within the Pavilion felt a subtle vibration. It was as if a third-level Holy Soul Flame had suddenly appeared inside the Pavilion. They all immediately turned toward Zhi Xuan, who sat across from the youth of the Divine Wheel cultivation.

  "Soul Fire... he possesses such an oppressive Soul Fire!" whispered an Organ Transformation realm cultivator with a choked voice, disbelief creeping across his oily face. "And look at the color! That is no ordinary Crimson Flame. That is... the Azure Holy Flame!"

  "Quiet! That is a Flame that emerges from a high-level Soul Fire," replied his companion, who possessed a higher cultivation, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Only cultivators with a very sturdy spiritual foundation or a royal bloodline can reach that level of Holy Flame color. But why is he sitting with a Divine Wheel youth?"

  "He must be an Elder from a hidden sect," another murmured, his tone full of fear. They felt the Azure Holy Flame radiating a strange heat, a heat that could burn their Souls to ash, especially since their own Soul Fires were only the Ethereal Sky Flame.

  At the corner table, Zhi Xuan ignored the whispers and the fear of the cultivators around him. His focus was fixed on Lin Mu. He allowed the Azure Holy Flame to dance on his fingertip, radiating an indescribable aura of arrogance. That flame was both a promise and an inescapable pressure.

  "With your bloodline," Zhi Xuan whispered calmly, flicking his finger as the Azure Holy Flame vanished once more. "You might be able to possess a Soul Fire even higher than mine."

  Lin Mu trembled, but not out of fear; rather, it was due to a surge of emotion and a polarizing promise. That Azure Holy Flame, even in an instant, had burned his doubts to ash. It was real authority, a promise carved into the Law, not merely empty words. He could feel that Zhi Xuan’s Azure Holy Flame carried an essence of majesty far beyond any Soul Fire he had ever seen from the Young Masters of the Shi Clan.

  "He has the Azure Holy Flame, just below the legendary Bloom Lotus Flame and Heavenly Lotus Flame," whispered the cultivator who had been trembling, his voice now filled with awe. "That type of flame can only be tempered by Geniuses of Cultivation. That Senior... he is no ordinary cultivator."

  Those whispers, though low, carried the weight of cultivation assessment. Zhi Xuan, who had just recovered and had his foundation enhanced, now radiated an unintentional aura of majesty. The Soul Fire was the true foundation of a cultivator; their Divine Wheel condensed and ignited with the Soul Fire. The foundation of the Soul Fire determined how far a cultivator could go in the future.

  Lin Mu took a deep breath; the scent of the strong spiritual wine and the soothing purifying tea gave him strength. He placed the ancient wooden box on the table, then bowed as deeply as possible until his forehead nearly touched the jade table.

  "This servant, Lin Mu, is willing to bind his Destiny with Senior," he said, his voice now firm, shedding all tremors of fear. "I beg for Senior's guidance to ignite my Soul Fire and to restore the honor of the Golden Dragon Bloodline."

  Zhi Xuan smiled thinly, a smile that was cold yet full of calculation. He waved his hand, and the wooden box disappeared, stored within his own storage bag. This was an assertion of power; Lin Mu had now surrendered his greatest secret to Zhi Xuan.

  "Lift your head," Zhi Xuan commanded. "A Golden Dragon should not bow like a mortal. From now on, you are a Junior who will be my right hand. I do not need false respect; I need loyalty."

  The whispers in the Seven Clouds Pavilion grew louder. "He truly took a Divine Wheel cultivator as his right hand?" "Is he mad, or does he see something we do not?" "Whoever he is, he has great nerves. And that Soul Fire..."

  Zhi Xuan ignored the judgments and whispers, as if they were merely insects rustling in his ears. He glanced briefly at Lin Mu, who now raised his head, his eyes filled with a burning determination. The Golden Dragon aura hidden within him, which had been suppressed for so long, began to fluctuate faintly, responding to Zhi Xuan's promise and authority.

  "Very well, Junior Lin Mu," Zhi Xuan said, his voice returning to an indifferent tone, yet with a sharp touch of intent. "Our first step is to find a high-quality Flame of the Sunrose Flower. But before that, we shall enjoy the Shi Clan auction."

  Lin Mu nodded quickly, absorbing every word from Zhi Xuan. He knew that he had just begun a journey far beyond his imagination. The fear of the Shi Clan remained, but it was now shrouded by a greater hope.

  "Understood, Senior," Lin Mu replied, his voice steady. "The Shi Clan minor auction will begin in one hour. The venue is not far from here, in the main trading area."

  "Good," Zhi Xuan murmured. He took another sip of his wine, letting the Qilin Blood Dew essence clean the remnants of madness from the filthy blood within him. He stared out the window at the starlit night sky above the Zhao State. The heart of civilization, a place where Destiny and cruelty walked hand in hand.

  "Great Saint," Zhi Xuan whispered in his Sea of Consciousness, calling to Ruo Xianxue. "The Kun Peng fetus and the Golden Dragon bloodline are in my hands."

  Ruo Xianxue, who was now seen sitting quietly leaning against the Ancient Devil Monument, opened her double-pupiled eyes. She glanced cynically. "Your path is always full of monkeys. Now you carry not only a Primordial Calamity but also a cursed royal bloodline."

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  "The Kun Peng will surely be suppressed by the Golden Dragon," Zhi Xuan replied calmly, feeling that all of this was something that would save him one day. "On the day the Kun Peng emerges into the world, the Plains will race to kill me. With a Golden Dragon by my side, the birth of the Kun Peng will be somewhat suppressed and hide what is unnecessary."

  Zhi Xuan snorted coldly, ignoring Ruo Xianxue’s cynicism. The Snow Phoenix Jade in his hair felt cold, calming the turbulence in his sea of consciousness, as if it were a balance holding back his arrogant nature. Ruo Xianxue was right; he had now become the center of a vortex of chaos. On one hand, he sealed the Primordial calamity of the Kun Peng; on the other, he protected the vulnerable Golden Dragon Bloodline.

  "Do not talk so much, Old Fox," Zhi Xuan replied. "I am only gathering strong Destinies to fight an even greater Destiny. Now, focus on your recovery. Perhaps the Shi Clan auction will discard something you can chew on."

  Zhi Xuan finished the last of his wine, the burning sweetness flowing through his meridians, purifying the final traces of the trash cultivator blood. He rose, his red-silk-trimmed black robe fluttering gently. His movements, now supported by dozens of powerful Slaughter Seals, radiated an aura of weight and an indescribable majesty, far beyond the realm he should possess.

  Lin Mu immediately rose, bowing slightly before standing tall, trying to emulate the majesty Zhi Xuan had just demanded. He set down his teacup; the purifying taste was still refreshing his Divine Wheel. He was ready to follow.

  The cultivators in the Seven Clouds Pavilion held their breath as Zhi Xuan walked out. Those with sharp Divine Senses could feel the oppressive aura of the Azure Holy Soul Fire behind the calm of the black-haired Devil. They did not dare block Zhi Xuan's path, fearing to provoke a wrath that could even destroy their foundations.

  Zhi Xuan and Lin Mu soon exited the Seven Clouds Pavilion. The lanterns in the Zhao State now shone brighter, enveloping the night in golden light. They stepped onto the main street, Lin Mu walking one step behind Zhi Xuan, maintaining a polite but close distance.

  "Senior, the Shi Clan has three auction paths," Lin Mu whispered as they walked, his voice now filled with cold and focused information. "The Grand Auction is for Immortal Artifacts, the Intermediate Auction is for Godly Herbs and Immortal Pills, and the Minor Auction is for Failed Artifacts and Common Herbs. Tonight is the Minor Auction, but because the location is near the main business area, usually many high-level cultivators come just to look for misidentified artifacts."

  Zhi Xuan snorted softly, his eyes narrowing as he observed the dull jade tower towering in the distance, the site of the Shi Clan auction. "Misidentified artifacts. That is what we are looking for. The strength of the Shi Clan lies in that auction, not on the battlefield."

  Zhi Xuan nodded slightly, letting Lin Mu walk one step behind him. He felt the tension wrapping around Lin Mu, a blend of lingering fear and newly awakened pride. At the Seven Clouds Pavilion, Lin Mu had made his greatest exchange; surrendering the Black Dragon Key box for the guarantee of Destiny and the awakening of his Bloodline.

  They walked along the streets filled with shimmering lanterns, the aroma of spiritual spices, and cheerful chatter that contrasted with their dark purpose. Zhi Xuan stared at his reflection in the small river water by the roadside; the two of them turned to pass through a dark alleyway as a shortcut toward the auction.

  "Look at what we found here," a voice suddenly echoed around Zhi Xuan. From his surroundings, several cultivators with Organ Transformation and Consciousness realms suddenly appeared. "Is this not the Devil who became a karmic bond with the Holy Maiden of the Ancient Zhu Clan? It turns out he mingles with the weak cultivators of the Zhao State."

  Zhi Xuan stopped, his pace halting in the middle of the dimly lit alley. The Snow Phoenix Jade in his hair emitted a soft, cold light, contrasting with the darkness of the passage. He felt the spiritual pressure released by the five figures surrounding him. They wore grey robes without insignia, their faces shrouded by a mist of essence. Their auras were dense, with three in the Organ Transformation realm and two in the Consciousness Transformation realm.

  Lin Mu immediately tensed up behind Zhi Xuan. He felt a pressure far stronger than the previous thugs. He closed his eyes, focusing his remaining courage. The two of them had fallen into a trap, not from the Shi Clan, but from another party targeting Zhi Xuan.

  "Rats who do not know their place," Zhi Xuan hissed, his tone cold and full of arrogance, as if he were dismissing dust. He did not turn around, only glancing briefly at his shadow in the puddles of the alley. "Where did you come from? Who sent rats who do not even dare to show their faces?"

  The leader of the group, a Consciousness Transformation realm cultivator, laughed coldly. The laugh sounded hoarse and filled with hidden killing intent.

  "We come from a place where the Destiny of a Devil like you will soon end," he replied. "We know you just emerged from the Great Emperor’s Tomb, and your foundation must still be unstable. Holy Maiden Zhu has left you, and now, you are prey for us. Hand over all the Emperor’s treasures you took from the Tomb!"

  "Treasures?" Zhi Xuan hissed with a dry laugh, a laugh that felt like a Devil's hum on a night of the full moon. "I have said to everyone who ambushes me, at least a Five Element realm is worthy of my consideration as an enemy. Not a Transformation realm that serves only as fertilizer for me."

  Zhi Xuan wasted no time in debating. He had gained enough empowerment from previous conflicts, and now, facing more Transformation realm cultivators was merely a boring repetition. Moreover, he felt their blood essence might not be much better than that of the street thugs earlier. However, they had come for the Great Emperor's treasures, which meant they were shards of trouble that had to be swept away before reaching the Shi Clan.

  "Lin Mu," Zhi Xuan commanded, his voice remaining calm, as if he were merely telling Lin Mu to order tea. "Wait behind me. Close your eyes, and listen. This is your first lesson on how a Golden Dragon should face rats."

  Lin Mu immediately stepped back two paces, his back pressing against the wall of the dull jade alley. He closed his eyes tightly, clutching the storage bag containing the purifying tea, not the Black Dragon Key box that was now in Zhi Xuan's hands. He knew he was about to witness brutality beyond his imagination.

  Zhi Xuan turned slowly. The Snow Phoenix Jade in his hair shone brighter, as if calming the internal storm he was about to release. He did not bring out the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron; he realized that using a soul artifact against low-level cultivators was a waste of energy and too conspicuous in the Zhao State.

  "Fertilizer," Zhi Xuan hissed, and a cold killing intent immediately exploded, filling the narrow alley. He chose to use the Heavenly-Blood Body Law and the Slaughter Seals directly.

  He lunged. Zhi Xuan’s speed, now enhanced by the Thirty Slaughter Seals, surpassed the reaction capability of the Consciousness Transformation realm. He moved in a mist of invisible destruction, not a shadow, but the Triple Trace Shadow Step reinforced by a physical foundation tempered by blood.

  Three Organ Transformation realm cultivators standing in front did not even have time to release their spiritual shields. Zhi Xuan punched them in succession, his fists piercing through shields and striking their vital organs. Immediately, a mist of blood and silent screams filled the air.

  The pillar pattern on Zhi Xuan's forehead flickered and reappeared after having briefly dimmed, indicating he had now surpassed the thirtieth Slaughter Seal. A red circle appeared in his eyes for a moment, triggering his madness. He greedily absorbed the blood essence from the cultivators who had become blood dust.

  On his forehead, the pillar pattern appeared even clearer under the moonlight. He exhaled slowly and enjoyed the absorbed blood. The Slaughter Seals were complete once again, making him feel a massive surge of power from his physical foundation alone.

  The two Consciousness Transformation realm cultivators, including the group's leader, staggered back, their faces shrouded in essence mist now radiating unparalleled horror. They had seen their comrades destroyed and harvested in the blink of an eye. This power surpassed the logic of the Consciousness Transformation realm; this was the brutality of Ancient Law.

  "Devil! He is a Devil that preys on souls!" the leader roared, his voice filled with panic. He swung his robe. A dark silk scroll appeared in his hand, radiating terrifying black fire runes, a high-level Spiritual Artifact he used as a final defense. "We must run! He has reached an indescribable realm!"

  "Too slow," Zhi Xuan hissed, his tone now filled with cold satisfaction from the harvest. He stepped forward, his Triple Trace Shadow Step seemingly erasing the distance in the narrow alley. He no longer cared about that Black Fire Artifact.

  Zhi Xuan raised his right hand. With a touch of enhanced spiritual power, he manifested the Heavenly Destruction Palm from the air, a palm carrying weight capable of crushing the alley walls themselves. With a sharp hiss, Zhi Xuan threw the Palm toward the two Consciousness Transformation cultivators.

  The Heavenly Destruction Palm, enveloped in an aura of invisible yet oppressive destruction, struck the two Consciousness Transformation cultivators. The black fire silk scroll released by the leader was only able to hold out for a moment before collapsing into spiritual ash.

  The spiritual walls of the two cultivators shattered like thin glass. The palm struck their chests, crushing their bones and organs into powder. They did not explode into blood dust like the others, but they collapsed to the ground, their Seas of Consciousness destroyed, becoming lifeless living corpses.

  Zhi Xuan snorted softly. No blood remained. He realized that the Heavenly Destruction Palm, while powerful, destroyed blood essence into nothingness, leaving little left to be harvested. He could only feel the remnants of impure spiritual essence.

  "Wasteful fertilizer." He exhaled, a sense of disappointment crossing his blue eyes. He shook his head slowly. "I should have used the Devil Blood Sword, oh well."