"For a short time, methods to increase combat power? Neither of us has any secret arts that involve risking our lives."
This was indeed the case. Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu had not cultivated any secret arts that would grant potential by self-harm.
It was because the two of them had always been very strong and essentially never needed such methods.
Furthermore, they believed that using secret arts would inevitably cause permanent damage, leading to a drop in cultivation and hindering further progress. They felt it would be better to die in battle than to suffer such consequences.
Wan Lei possessed only one method that wasn't quite a secret art: his natal lightning essence, which he hadn't used in many years.
After using it in the Thunder Sea, he had become completely incapacitated, which had left him with lingering fear and he hadn't dared to use it again.
This showed how much harm secret arts could inflict upon oneself.
"Let's think of a way. Our Calling Wind and Rain Blood Demon Art is hard-pressed to harm Xi Ren Yuan Jun and Huofeng. One can automatically burn off such attacks, while the other's vitality provided by the Flame of Life is too strong. Our offense and defense are currently balanced. If we don't have any other means, we won't be able to outlast them."
"I have a way."
Wan Lei raised his head and looked at the fireball of the Sacred Fire inheritance in the sky.
"Now you want to go for the Sacred Fire inheritance? Are you tired of living? Are we just going to stand there as targets for them to attack?"
"I have a way. We only need to suppress them for a brief moment. Regarding the Sacred Fire, I have already gained a lot of insight, and it won't take too long."
"Do you have any suppressive treasures that they cannot burn through?"
"Yes."
Wan Lei patted his storage bag, and a yellowish scroll appeared, rapidly expanding in mid-air.
It was the Life Controlling Diagram.
Wan Lei maneuvered the Life Controlling Diagram, attempting to suck the three enemies into it. However, the enemies were at their peak strength and far stronger than him, so he couldn't pull them in.
"Then, I'll suppress them directly!"
Wan Lei gave the Life Controlling Diagram its command. The diagram immediately shifted from suction to suppression, its immense power pinning the three individuals in place.
Although suppressed, it didn't mean they were unable to attack. The three powerful figures immediately unleashed their attacks on the Life Controlling Diagram.
"Hmph, I refuse to believe that the Life Controlling Diagram, forged by an immortal, can be shattered by you."
Wan Lei sneered. These enemies couldn't even burn through his armor.
In truth, he didn't know that this Life Controlling Diagram was not a suppressive treasure forged by an immortal, but was personally crafted by an Immortal Venerable...
A treasure of rules.
Immortals were countless, Sages were many, but Immortal Venerables, who transcended the will of the boundless universe, numbered only a handful.
"Let's go."
Wan Lei pulled Fang Xiaoyu, and the two of them instantly soared towards the inheritance fireball.
Then, they scanned it with their divine senses. Inside, there was only fire, nothing else.
Inheritance was meant to be obtained through gradual comprehension, painstakingly unraveling the meaning of the Supreme Sacred Fire, not like a divine ability, where every cultivation method and execution was clearly recorded.
"This aura, this Dao rhyme, truly... truly matches what I envisioned."
A triumphant smile spread across Wan Lei's lips, his eyes shining.
Fang Xiaoyu didn't understand, but she didn't ask further.
She was accustomed to Wan Lei comprehending things faster than her.
Fang Xiaoyu was indeed smarter than Wan Lei, but that was in areas of strategy, schemes, and planning. As the protagonist, Wan Lei couldn't possibly be so incompetent that he needed his wife for everything.
What he excelled at was the comprehension of Dao and Dharma: the Dao of Light in the Wood Immortal Realm, the Dao of Rules in the Golden Immortal Realm, the Dao of Destruction in the Water Immortal Realm, and now, in the Fire Immortal Realm, the Dao of...
Creation.
"Do you remember last winter? When we huddled under the eaves for warmth with those two refugee families.
That old man said that fire gives birth to all things, and it was because of fire that humanity had civilization.
Because of fire, people could live better lives, no longer needing to fight wild beasts for food or eat dirty raw meat. They could forge farming tools, create cooking utensils, and do many, many more things.
Previously, we heard that the founding Emperor of the Great Jin, inspired by the Supreme Sacred Fire he sensed among the common folk, had single-handedly defeated enemies, swept across the land, and established a unified dynasty, allowing people to live and work in peace.
This story, at this moment, seems true."
As Wan Lei spoke, Fang Xiaoyu saw that within the inheritance fireball of the Sacred Fire, myriad beings began to appear.
In a small village, cooking smoke curled upwards. A village woman was preparing a meal at home, adding firewood chopped by her husband that morning to the stove. In the pot, she was cooking wild vegetables her husband had picked while chopping wood and noodles he had personally rolled.
The aroma of the food wafted throughout the village with the cooking smoke.
She was waiting for her husband and children to return home for dinner.
At this moment, her husband was looking at the large swaths of straw burning in the fields, a gratified smile on his face.
He told his son that it had been a good harvest year. Burning the straw in the fields would allow the remaining ashes to be absorbed by the soil, making it more fertile, ensuring another bountiful harvest next year.
In the village, blacksmith Wang was toiling, his body glowing red from the heat of the forge as he hammered a piece of iron. Once this batch of ploughshares was finished, he would earn enough silver to pay for his son's schooling.
In the brick kiln to the west of the village, workers had just placed a batch of shaped green bricks into the kiln. Once these bricks were fired, the village would be able to build more houses.
On a mountain to the west of the village, a young "immortal" was lost in thought, gazing at the ashes of a failed pill.
Outside his door, his master was using fire to detoxify his senior brother.
All beings thrived, flourishing with life.
"Fire has always been about creation, always for the benefit of the people.
What is Samadhi True Fire, what is Netherworld Cold Fire, what is Flame of Life, what is Heart Fire.
Those fires, though seemingly powerful, are all for destruction. Compared to creation, they ultimately fall short.
This true Supreme Sacred Fire was never meant for destruction.
It is creation, it is the bustling world, it is the mortal realm, it is the...
essence of worldly life!!!"
As Wan Lei finished speaking, the inheritance fireball instantly collapsed, transforming into a fiery dragon that coiled before him.
The Sacred Fire inheritance had found its master today.
Wan Lei extended his hands, and the fiery dragon danced within them.
"He succeeded! He has comprehended the Sacred Fire inheritance!"
Xi Ren Yuan Jun roared with desperation.
"How is this possible? How could he be so fast? On what grounds is he this fast!"
Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu, for a moment, forgot to continue bombarding the Life Controlling Diagram.
"No... not only that, what is he doing?!"
Huofeng was stunned, suddenly realizing that the flames within her body were uncontrollably drifting towards Wan Lei.
It wasn't just her; the flames within Xi Ren Yuan Jun and Bu Zhi Huo Qing Wu were also surging towards Wan Lei.
"Samadhi True Fire, return!
Netherworld Cold Fire, return!
Flame of Life, return!
Heart Fire, return!
Today!
All fires return, I am the Great Lord of Flames!"