In front of the alchemy chamber, Li Changshou sat quietly on a reclining chair. His left hand was extended, and a ball of green flame burned slowly within it.
This was not the complete Three Flames True Fire; there was no harm in revealing it as it was, after all. It had been three months since the Immortal of Forgetfulness had gifted him the cultivation method for the Three Flames True Fire, and being able to produce the simplest “Qi Fire” was entirely reasonable.
The power of “Qi Fire” was far less than one-third of the Ghostly Cold Fire when using the same amount of magic power.
However, once he combined the “Qi Fire,” “Essence Fire,” and “Spirit Fire” into the Three Flames True Fire, the power would be several times stronger than the Ghostly Cold Fire!
At this point, Li Changshou had already grasped the principle of cultivating the Three Flames True Fire.
In essence, it involved cultivating three fire seeds from one’s Qi, Essence, and Spirit, and then merging them into the Three Flames True Fire. This fire could reside permanently within the cultivator’s body, burning away evil spirits and purifying filth, thus protecting with true fire.
What pleased Li Changshou the most was that the power of this fire was directly related to the cultivator’s Qi, Essence, and Spirit.
In other words, the power of the Three Flames True Fire would grow as his cultivation increased, and he wouldn’t waste time on a technique that would be useless after a few years of mastery.
A white cloud appeared from the horizon. Li Changshou clenched his fist, and the Qi Fire was extinguished with a simple gesture.
He stood up and cupped his hands in salute toward the cloud.
A short figure on the cloud smiled and leaned over to look down, remaining at a height of ten zhang, and said in a warm voice:
“Changshou, I heard that your journey to the Eastern Sea three months ago was quite successful. You handled the Prince of the Dragon Palace’s provocation well, and I’m glad I recommended you for this.”
Li Changshou immediately smiled gently and replied, “Thanks to Master’s good intentions, I was able to acquire both the fire and thunder techniques. I’ve prepared a banquet today as a token of my gratitude for your guidance, Master.”
The wine-loving elder, who had just returned to the mountain, squinted his eyes and chuckled, “Hmm… this feels suspicious. When I came to visit you for wine before, you were always reluctant. Now, you went to the Eastern Sea, and I had to coax and deceive you. Changshou, could it be that you want to use poison pills to scheme against your master?”
Li Changshou couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head. “Master, I’m just a disciple of Xiaoqiong Peak. You are a true immortal, a member of the Break Heaven Peak lineage, and an elder highly favored by the sect. Even if I wanted to scheme against you, I wouldn’t have the courage.
Besides, my trip to the Eastern Sea indeed brought me great benefits.”
As he spoke, Li Changshou pulled out two “Night Pearls” from his sleeve. “These are the image-recording spheres. I’ve modified them into sound-image spheres. One for you, one for me. Today’s banquet will be fully recorded in these spheres. What do you think?”
The elder laughed and jumped off the cloud, floating down toward Li Changshou. With a smile, he took one of the spheres and said, “Let’s see what tricks you’re up to. Please, go ahead.”
Li Changshou smiled even more warmly. “After you, Master.”
Beside the alchemy furnace were two low tables. Little Ling’e, under the guidance of her senior brother, had fully displayed her culinary skills, and the table was loaded with a generous spread of food and wine. There were also three stacked wine jars on the side.
The two sat down, opening the sound-image spheres and placing them at the corners of the table.
Then, the elder picked up a jade chopstick and began tasting the dishes, trying each one and sipping from the wine jars.
“You are offering me wine?” the elder laughed. “Could it be that each dish here contains some harmless herbs, and when combined, they form a drug or poison?”
Li Changshou couldn’t help but hold his forehead and sigh. “Master, what kind of winds and storms have you encountered outside to make you so suspicious of my intentions? I’m not a villain.”
“Haha, just kidding,” the elder waved his hand and invited Li Changshou to drink. They both drank heartily.
Before long, half a jar of wine had been finished, and the elder had only sampled half the dishes, leaving the other half untouched.
Li Changshou, however, slowly tasted all the dishes, constantly praising his little junior sister’s cooking skills.
As the two became slightly tipsy, Li Changshou brought out a third wine jar.
“Here it comes, this guy’s methods are easy to predict,” the elder thought to himself, secretly smiling, eager to see how Li Changshou would proceed with his plan.
Li Changshou said, “Master, this is a gift for you—Bone Strengthening Poison Dragon Wine.”
“Oh?” The elder raised an eyebrow, used his immortal power to take the jar, and opened it a few zhang away. He used his qi to pick up a small amount of wine and lightly tasted it between his fingers.
The elder’s eyes brightened. “Good wine!”
Li Changshou became serious and explained, “This is made with thirty-six kinds of poisonous herbs, twelve types of poisonous insects, and Ganges water mixed with aged white liquor. After soaking for three months, the poison has been perfectly neutralized, and it has the effect of nourishing the essence, strengthening the bones, and enhancing a man’s vigor.
But there is one thing… I don’t know if you can handle it, Master, as it’s quite potent.”
The elder raised an eyebrow and exchanged a wink with Li Changshou. The two shared an understanding smile.
They both understood what the other meant.
The elder laughed, “What’s there to not handle? I have a Dao companion!”
“That’s why I brewed this medicinal wine for you, Master. Please,” Li Changshou said.
“Then let me try it!”
In high spirits, the elder took the jar, first tasted a small sip, analyzed it carefully in his mind, then tilted his head back and drank a large gulp, immediately feeling refreshed.
“This wine is perfect for me, especially after just emerging from seclusion! I’m not afraid of it!”
“Master, don’t drink too much at once,” Li Changshou cautioned.
“I’m an immortal. What’s there to fear?” the elder replied confidently.
Then, they clinked their cups and continued drinking, the table becoming messier as the night went on.
“Little Changshou,” the elder said, leaning back with the wine jar, “Now tell me, how exactly do you plan to scheme against me?”
Li Changshou gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “I invited you here to ask for your help.”
“Oh?” The elder raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
“In the array insights Master gave me, there is a formation called the Nine Luminescent Glass Array. I’ve been studying it with Elder Jiu for half a month, but I still can’t set it up. I was hoping Master could give me some guidance.”
Jiu Wu immediately chuckled. The Nine Luminescent Glass Array was a trapping formation he had created himself. Even if Li Changshou tried to trap him with it, Jiu Wu could break it easily with a wave of his hand.
“Let’s go, I’ll take a look,” Jiu Wu said.
With that, Jiu Wu packed up the medicinal wine, and he and Li Changshou each took a sound-image sphere and went to the open space behind the alchemy chamber.
On the ground were eighty-one small copper mirrors arranged in a precise, mysterious formation. Jiu Wu immediately saw where the issue lay and pointed it out, giving Li Changshou some tips.
Li Changshou smiled with pleasure, stepping forward to adjust the positions of a few of the copper mirrors as instructed. Instantly, the eighty-one mirrors lit up, and the trapping array activated, enclosing the two of them inside.
Silver light filled the surroundings, and no trees or flowers could be seen.
Jiu Wu remained calm, his eyes narrowing into a smile. “Changshou, is this how you plan to trap me? Do you think being stuck in here with me will satisfy you? Self-deception isn’t good.”
Li Changshou turned around, smiling. “Master, what are you talking about? How could I possibly try to trap you?”
As he spoke, a flicker of flame suddenly ignited on Li Changshou’s arms and legs.
Jiu Wu was momentarily stunned before quickly exclaiming, “Why are you on fire?!”
“Master, why—” Li Changshou’s voice trembled as he threw the sound-image sphere in a certain direction.
In the blink of an eye, flames had engulfed the area around him, and with a burst, his form transformed into a paper figure, instantly burning away in the fire.
Jiu Wu’s eyes widened in shock.
The divine flame of the Three Flames True Fire?
The Paper Man Transformation from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Laws?
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1