Refining Infernal Flames! (1)

As Su Xiaobai delved deeper into the myriad cultivation paths available to practitioners of evil dao for attainment of 'Evil Heart', he encountered a spectrum of options, each shrouded in its own charm and mystery.

These paths represented a vast array of daos, techniques, and potential destinies, inviting cultivators to explore the boundless realms of power and knowledge.

This dao of Dual Cultivation was marked by a unique understanding of Yin and Yang—not merely as dualities to be balanced but as dynamic forces to be exploited.

In the dao of the evil, the interplay of these forces could be pushed to extremes to achieve powerful transformations and breakthroughs that those following the dao of righteousness might consider too dangerous or taboo.

Su Xiaobai now understood that the path of Ying and Yang was but one avenue through the vast expanse of cultivation possibilities.

Beyond the balanced dao of Yin and Yang, there were several other daos that cultivators might embark upon, each offering unique powers and trials.

Dao of Slaughter, this brutal dao was followed by those who believed that power was forged in the crucible of conflict.

Adherents of this dao harnessed the negative energy released during battle and death.

Practitioners often sought out wars and strife, believing that their spiritual essence could be strengthened through the act of destruction and the absorption of life-force from fallen.

While immensely powerful, this path risked the cultivator's humanity, as the constant exposure to death and chaos could erode their compassion and empathy, potentially leading to a descent into madness.

Dao of Elemental Fury, cultivators on this path aligned themselves with one or more of the primal elements of the universe—fire, water, earth, wood, and metal.

By embodying the essence of these elemental forces, practitioners could manipulate the natural world to an astonishing degree, summoning storms, volcanic eruptions, or quaking earth at will.

The danger lay in losing oneself to the elemental power, becoming more force than human, unbalanced and susceptible to being consumed by the very energies they sought to control.

Dao of Forbidden Mysteries, this secretive and often taboo path involved delving into ancient and forbidden knowledge, such as necromancy, blood magic, or other dark arts that many cultures shunned.

Practitioners believed that true power lay in the forbidden, and by breaking taboos, they could access hidden realms of strength.

However, such practices could attract evil spirits and curses, and the ethical implications often led to isolation and conflict with mainstream cultivation societies.

Each of these paths came with its own form of a 'Heart Devil'—a unique internal struggle that cultivators had to overcome.

The Heart Devil represented the inner demons and conflicts that arose from practicing their specific Dao.

For the Evil Dao, the Heart Devil was particularly insidious, often manifesting as an embodiment of the practitioner's darkest desires and fears.

It preyed on the mind and spirit, creating illusions and doubts that could lead a cultivator astray, drive them insane, or even cause their cultivation to regress.

The presence of the Heart Devil made the Evil Dao less favorable among cultivators, as dealing with such a powerful and persistent internal enemy required immense willpower and spiritual clarity.

The battle with the Heart Devil was as much a part of the cultivation journey as any external conflict, and overcoming it was considered one of the highest achievements a practitioner could attain.

As Su Xiaobai pondered these paths, he realized that choosing a Dao was not merely a matter of selecting techniques or paths—it was a profound commitment that shaped one's destiny, challenged one's morality, and tested one's resolve at every turn.

Whoosh!

Su Xiaobai's eyes snapped open, the night's chill still clinging to his skin.

He glanced around, the body of Ning Gufan nowhere to be seen.

A wave of confusion washed over him. "Gone," he muttered, "just like that."

The man who had tried to refine him for his own selfish gain had perished, leaving behind only questions.

"Was it fate?" he wondered aloud, shaking his head to clear the lingering haze of disbelief.

Taking a deep breath, he let his gaze wander to the stars above, twinkling like distant fires in the boundless night.

He was standing just outside the boundary of the savage beast forest, in the heart of the Seven Cloud Mountains.

This was a world unlike any he had known, a far-flung corner of the Soaring Dragon Continent, within the stranded Yue Country.

"Rain Immortal Valley," he muttered, "So far from White Cloud Star. Can I ever go back

...?"

The thought of revenge flared briefly in his mind, a sharp, burning desire.

He clenched his fists. "As long as I surpass the Celestial Apex Realm and become immortal, I should be able to defy even the heavenly restrictions and travel between worlds!"

Frustration welled up inside him, and he slammed his fist into the ground. "But I'm merely at the intermediate stage of Qi refining! Wouldn't it take me an eternity?"

His voice echoed through the silent forest, a stark reminder of his lone struggle.

Suddenly, a wry smile curled his lips. "Or would it?" He chuckled, a sound tinged with a mix of hope and irony.

"Ning Gufan, you old cunning bastard. You've left me so many 'gifts'." He tapped his temple, feeling the weight of the profound knowledge now nestled within his mind. "Combined with your knowledge and my talent, I can absolutely achieve immortality!"

A laugh bubbled up from his chest, rich with newfound confidence.

If Ning Gufan knew his inheritance and treasures were being treated as 'goodwill,' he would cough blood and die again!

Su Xiaobai paused, then thought with a smirk, 'If he had a chance to live, why would he bother to leave an inheritance? That's the way of almost every great being once alive.'

His thoughts turned inward, a fierce determination lighting up his eyes. "I have the knowledge. I have the means. Now, I just need the strength." He stood up, his silhouette framed against the vast night sky, a tiny ant on it's way to climb the stairs of heavens. "I will rise above. I will surpass the Celestial Apex Realm. And I will return to White Cloud Star, the Sun Dynasty, and the Azure Dragon Clan. Even the blood of your nine generations will not be enough to atone for your sins!"

As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Su Xiaobai felt a surge of the Infernal Flame's spirit igniting between his brows, a scorching sensation that pulsed with latent power.

This was no ordinary flame; it was not a Sky Flame, renowned for its own consciousness, yet it had transcended the pinnacle of Earth-grade flames, developing a pseudo-consciousness of its own.

Earth-grade flames, though powerful, were limited in their scope and influence.

They were rare treasures that could incinerate armies and devastate landscapes, harnessed by cultivators to forge powerful weapons and enhance their own cultivation.

Yet, they were tame compared to the celestial might of Sky-grade flames.

Sky-grade flames were legendary, each with a sentience and will akin to a living being.

These flames were said to be born from the stars themselves, capable of consuming everything in their path, from mountains to oceans.

They could obliterate even the mightiest cultivators, reducing them to ash in moments.

Their power was so immense that entire sects and empires would wage wars to possess even a fragment of a Sky Flame, for its mastery promised unmatched supremacy.

For a flame of this grade, even in the exalted realms of the Four Heavens, it would ignite conflicts of unimaginable scale.

The mere presence of such a flame could alter the balance of power among the immortal clans and sects.

The knowledge left behind by Ning Gufan had subtly altered Su Xiaobai's persona, as if he had lived through all those years and accumulated wisdom.

He glanced at his right hand, which clutched a Spirit Flame Pendant.