Chapter 144: Desire and Pursuit
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**
At the entrance of the cave dwelling—
A graceful figure dressed in white, with long white hair cascading down, slowly stepped out.
After breaking through to the Dou Huang level, the light and ethereal aura around Xian'er became even more otherworldly.
Her entire demeanor had subtly transformed, exuding an air that felt increasingly divine, as though she were a celestial fairy.
"Sister Xian'er!" Qing Lin stood up excitedly and called out.
Xian'er nodded with a gentle smile before turning her gaze to Wei Yang.
Wei Yang lifted the teapot, poured a cup of steaming tea, and waved her over. "Come, have a seat."
Xian'er's smile brightened as she took light and cheerful steps toward him. Her gaze briefly swept past Du Jiao, who stood nearby like a towering pillar, expression dull and wooden.
But from him, she sensed an immense and dangerous pressure. A flicker of surprise—and then a trace of wariness—flashed across her face. "Who is he?" she asked.
Wei Yang pointed toward the nearby cushion. "Sit down and have some tea first. I'll explain everything slowly."
"Alright." Seeing how relaxed he was, Xian'er set her mind at ease and came over to sit.
"It's like this…" Wei Yang began slowly, recounting the entire series of events.
Xian'er listened quietly, her beautiful eyes fixed on him the entire time.
When he finished, Wei Yang lightly brushed his fingers across his storage ring and took out a jade bottle, placing it gently into her hand with a smile. "I didn't let you down. This is the Ghostly Poison Flame."
Having completed this task, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Only at this moment did it feel like a heavy burden had finally been lifted from his chest. His whole body relaxed.
From the moment he met Xian'er, he had been constantly thinking and planning—how to resolve the hidden danger of her Woeful Poison Body. He had once solemnly promised her that he would find a way to help.
Truthfully, he had carried a lot of pressure in his heart.
Now, the goal was finally within reach. Just one more step.
After personally coming into contact with the Ghostly Poison Flame and witnessing its bizarre and terrifying nature, Wei Yang's confidence in using it to eliminate the hidden threat of the Woeful Poison Body had grown significantly.
This type of Heavenly Flame truly seemed tailor-made for her body.
In all the world, no other Heavenly Flame could be more suitable than this one.
"Brother Yang…" Xian'er clutched the bottle tightly in her delicate hand. Her eyes reddened, misting with unshed tears, and deep emotion welled up within her.
"I made you a promise—and I've kept it," Wei Yang said with a warm smile. "No need to thank me. We're family. This is what I should do."
"Mhm." Xian'er nodded firmly.
Her nose stung with emotion, and the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over, trailing down her jade-like cheeks.
"Silly girl, what are you crying for?" Wei Yang reached out and gently wiped her tears away, then gave her nose a playful flick. His voice was full of tenderness. "You look like a little crying kitten."
"Hee~" Xian'er burst into giggles through her tears, raising a hand to lightly swat at him. "You're so annoying!"
Off to the side, Qing Lin watched this scene with a trace of envy in her eyes, but she was genuinely happy for Xian'er.
…
After that emotional moment—
"Open it and take a look," Wei Yang said with a chuckle.
"Mhm." Xian'er's eyes were filled with anticipation as she gently uncorked the jade bottle.
Immediately, a palm-sized green flame slowly drifted out, hovering in mid-air before them, quietly burning.
This flame didn't radiate heat. On the contrary, just looking at it stirred a cold, eerie feeling in the heart.
It resembled a ghostly flame drifting through a graveyard at night.
Chiii~
The air above the flame sizzled and corroded, making faint sizzling noises.
"The Ghostly Poison Flame!" Both girls widened their eyes in awe.
Especially Xian'er—her usually calm and serene expression grew visibly stirred. A rare gleam of fiery desire lit her eyes as she locked her gaze onto the flame.
Her body trembled ever so slightly. From deep within her, a fierce, consuming desire suddenly surged forth.
It was like an addict who had been deprived for too long suddenly laying eyes on a pile of the purest drug—an overwhelming craving, impossible to suppress, erupted all at once.
To the Woeful Poison Body, the Ghostly Poison Flame wasn't just a perfect match—it was an irresistible lure, more tempting than any poison in the world.
It was a pull born from instinct.
The fiery gleam in Xian'er's eyes grew even stronger. A faint red light began to shimmer in her pupils.
"Xian'er, wake up!"
Wei Yang's low shout rang in her ears like a thunderclap, jolting her back to awareness in an instant.
"I—" Xian'er's gaze quickly cleared, and her heart jolted. Looking at Wei Yang, she immediately said, "Brother Yang, I'm sorry, I…"
"You were just controlled by your desire. Remember—you must control the power of your body, not the other way around."
Wei Yang's brow furrowed slightly. "The Ghostly Poison Flame is the same. You must be the one to control it—never let it control you. Otherwise…"
He pointed at Du Jiao, who stood nearby with a numb expression and hollow eyes. "He… will be your fate."
"I understand," Xian'er took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment.
A few seconds later, when she opened her eyes again, the calmness had returned—and along with it, a newfound firmness.
Wei Yang nodded.
He still had faith in Xian'er's character and willpower.
That brief loss of self was merely because it was her first time seeing the Ghostly Poison Flame in person, and her emotions had surged beyond control for a moment. That slight slip was understandable.
Wei Yang knew well that Xian'er had always longed for a Heavenly Flame—especially this one.
Now that it was right in front of her, it was only natural to lose focus momentarily.
Not to mention Xian'er—any alchemist, or any fire-attribute cultivator, would have the same reaction upon suddenly seeing a Heavenly Flame. No one could stay completely calm in front of such temptation.
…
Everyone knows the reasoning: Don't let desire control your heart.
But in truth, all living beings spend their lives under the influence of desire—unless they are dead.
No matter how powerful, no one is exempt.
Desire is both the root of all suffering and the instinctual drive of life. It is pursuit.
How could humans exist without desire?
Desire is a natural pursuit.
Hunger is desire. Thirst is desire. Sleep is desire. The wish to grow stronger is desire. The longing to attain something is also desire.
As long as someone has thoughts and pursuits—they have desire.
Even gods and buddhas are not without it—how could humans be?
The only difference is whether or not you can control your desire.
To know what should be done, and what shouldn't be done.
To control your desire is self-discipline.
To lose control is to become a slave to it.
Unless one has reached the pinnacle of existence—utterly transcendent—where nothing in the world can move or tempt them.
Where all mysteries have been laid bare, and creation itself is at your fingertips…
Only then, perhaps, would desire and pursuit cease to exist.
…
"I'll help you subdue it," Wei Yang said.
"Send your soul power into the origin of the flame. When I retract my soul imprint, immediately stamp your own soul brand on it."
"Okay." Xian'er took a deep breath and gently closed her eyes.
From between her brows, a strong surge of soul power emerged, slowly flowing into the Ghostly Poison Flame.
Now that she had broken through to the Dou Huang level, her soul power was already comparable to that of a low-tier Dou Zong.
If one were to categorize soul levels, hers would likely be at the mid-stage of the Mortal Realm.
Although she was currently a fourth-tier alchemist, based on her soul strength alone, it wouldn't be difficult for her to advance to the fifth tier in the near future.
Wei Yang also closed his eyes slightly. Once he sensed that Xian'er's soul power had completely enveloped the core of the flame, he gave a soft cue. "One… two… three—now!"
As his voice fell, he instantly withdrew his soul imprint and quickly pulled back.
In mid-air, the Ghostly Poison Flame, which had been quietly floating and burning, seemed to pause.
It flickered slightly, as though it had suddenly lost a shackle—a chain.
It was ready to explode—
But it didn't.
Because Xian'er's soul power had swiftly taken advantage of that moment and invaded the core, stamping her own imprint and taking control.
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