Inside the lakeside cave residence, the flickering lamplight cast long shadows against the stone walls. Luo Chen sat cross-legged, composed as ever. Across from him, Wang Yuan blinked in disbelief. "You want to draw fiend qi into your body?" he asked, his voice caught between concern and confusion. Luo Chen nodded without hesitation. "Yes, exactly." Wang Yuan frowned. "Weren't you committed to focusing solely on your path of Qi-Refining?" Ah, he had misunderstood! Luo Chen laughed casually. "Brother Wang, to you, Divine Breaker of Malevolence is a technique for strengthening the physique or tempering the will. But for me it’s a path to Qi-Refining, and even refining the divine soul." "I see!" Wang Yuan exclaimed, his voice firm with realization. The two had known each other for years, words were hardly needed. As soon as Luo Chen spoke, Wang Yuan immediately understood what he meant. The Divine Breaker of Malevolence had originally been developed to refine essence into qi and walk the path of immortality. But since its creator had been a martial arts grandmaster, the technique naturally carried elements of divine soul training, will-tempering, and even Physical-Refining. One could say, this was an extremely adaptable low-tier technique. Wang Yuan had chosen to focus on Physical-Refining, while Luo Chen had first used it to temper his will, and now intended to shift gradually toward soul refinement. Wang Yuan now understood Luo Chen’s plan. Still, to be cautious, he asked about Luo Chen’s progress with Divine Breaker of Malevolence. After all, drawing fiend qi into the body wasn’t child’s play. Luo Chen, of course, was full of confidence. His proficiency had long since reached the Perfection level, just one step away from Grandmaster level. After years of tempering, his willpower was nearly unbreakable. Now that he had reached Foundation Establishment, his spirit consciousness flowed effortlessly. Controlling mere fiend qi entering his body posed no difficulty at all. Seeing Luo Chen’s confidence, Wang Yuan retrieved a floating rock from his storage pouch. "Though my focus these years has been on solidifying Perfected Mastery of the Qi-Refining Realm, and the fiend qi I've accumulated isn’t much. Still, take this piece first, " But just as he handed it over, Luo Chen pushed the rock back. Seeing Wang Yuan's puzzled look, Luo Chen pointed downward. "There should be quite a bit of Earth Fire Fiend Qi beneath us, right?" Wang Yuan paused, then said instinctively, "The spirit vein beneath Xiao Huan Mountain is formed around earth fire, and naturally, refined earth fire will birth fiend qi. "But, if you extract the fiend qi, won’t that cripple the entire spirit vein?" Suddenly, he realized what Luo Chen was thinking and pointed at Luo Chen, half laughing and half exasperated. "You’re planning to ransack the whole place before you leave, aren’t you?!" Luo Chen chuckled slyly. "Brother Wang, just be honest, "Do you have a way to gather the Earth Fire Fiend Qi?" Wang Yuan sighed, “I used the Divine Breaker of Malevolence to set foot on the Dao and achieved the second stage of Physical-Refining. What do you think? Inside the alchemy room, silence reigned. Luo Chen had already dismissed all unrelated personnel, leaving only himself behind. He stood alone, eyes fixed warily on the opening from which the earth fire surged. A subtle prickle crawled along his scalp. That unease had nothing to do with the flames, it was with what lay deeper. He hadn’t expected that Wang Yuan’s method for gathering Earth Fire Fiend Qi would be so crude. Personally diving deep into the earth veins, searching within scorching magma for traces of Earth Fire Fiend Qi. The thought of swimming through those magma-filled caverns? Luo Chen shuddered. “Thankfully, Xiao Huan Mountain is a dormant volcano. Otherwise, that Solar Flare I cast before wouldn’t have just created a small lake, it could’ve triggered a full eruption.” He stared into the molten glow a while longer. Nothing stirred. Luo Chen began to pace, slowly circling the room, one hand tucked behind his back. With each step, he found his thoughts drifting further into what this operation might cost him. After drawing out a significant amount of fiend qi from the earth fire, this place was likely going to be "ruined." Not in the sense that the mountain would collapse, but without the essence of fiend qi, this area’s earth fire would no longer be of usable grade. Even the Ice-Fire Spirit Spring at the mountain peak would likely collapse due to the resulting imbalance of yin and yang. Luo Chen felt a pang of regret. After all, for an alchemist, earth fire had always been the best tool for alchemy. Once a cultivator reached Foundation Establishment, they could summon true fire through liquefied spirit energy, far stronger than basic Fireball. However, such true fire wasn’t often used unless absolutely necessary. The spirit liquid consumption was simply too steep. Typically, true fire was reserved to refining enchanted treasures or used in emergencies. Why were enchanted treasures standard gear for Core Formation cultivators? Because Core Formation cultivators could freely use true fire to refine and bond with their treasures. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, even if they acquired an enchanted treasure, they had to spend a long time gradually refining it to wield it effectively. Mi Shuhua had once appeared to hold three powerful enchanted treasures. But even in his final counterattack, he hadn’t managed to kill even a single early stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Clearly, such treasures weren’t about quantity, It was about compatibility. Thinking about it, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect’s dominance through combat power made perfect sense. Once a disciple reached Foundation Establishment, the sect would issue them a sword orb. And that sword orb was a treasure embryo! From the moment of Foundation Establishment, the cultivator would begin nourishing and refining it. Once it evolved into a full-fledged enchanted treasure, even just a low-grade one, its might would far surpass ordinary low-grade enchanted treasures. The path of artifacts is in no way inferior to that of alchemy, from artifact forging to nurturing to wielding, every step is filled with wisdom. It’s just a pity… without this earth fire, my alchemy efficiency will probably drop again. I wonder if Taishan Market has… His thoughts drifted endlessly, as they always did. Time passed by in silence, every minute slipping away unnoticed. Suddenly. steaming figure shot up from the earth fire conduit. “Mission accomplished!” Wearing a fire-resistant enchanted robe, Wang Yuan tossed ten floating rocks over to Luo Chen. Luo Chen exclaimed, “That many?” Wang Yuan patted his storage pouch. “I’ve got more. Though I’m already at the second stage of Physical-Refining and first-tier Earth Fire Fiend Qi doesn’t do much for me, it’s still better than having none.” Luo Chen happily stowed away nine of the floating rocks. He then turned and activated the formation set by the Ai Lao Mountain cultivator, drawing out a wisp of earth fire. The flame was weak, barely one third of its usual strength. “What a pity this spirit land had to go.” Wang Yuan chuckled lightly. “Regretting your decision?” “Nothing to regret.” Luo Chen shrugged and spread his hands. “I’m leaving anyway, can’t leave empty-handed and if I’m taking something, better it’s something I carry inside my body.” Wang Yuan’s expression turned serious. He looked at Luo Chen and said solemnly, “The first time drawing fiend qi into the body is often the most dangerous. “Do it here. I’ll keep watch for you.” “Alright.” Luo Chen didn’t put on any airs. That last floating rock he had kept, was precisely for this moment. In front of Wang Yuan, Luo Chen lifted his hand and tossed the floating rock into the air. It hovered steadily, suspended midair like a waiting vessel. A slender thread of spirit energy flowed from Luo Chen’s fingertips and slipped into one of the honeycomb-like, sealed apertures embedded in the rock’s surface. Gone were the rough, rudimentary methods of Divine Breaker of Malevolence. Luo Chen’s current technique for guiding fiend qi had evolved, now seamlessly merged with the more sophisticated Fiend Control, a gift from the cultivator residing at the Immortal Build of Ai Lao Mountain. With this, whether controlling or drawing in fiend qi, it had become far more refined and manageable. Under Luo Chen’s precise control, it didn’t take long before a faint crimson wisp of fire drifted free from the floating stone and slowly sank into his chest and abdomen. In a flash, agonizing pain swept across Luo Chen’s entire body. Luo Chen clenched his jaw, riding the waves of torment with an unwavering willpower. He even had the presence of mind to assess the pain’s intensity, it was slightly worse than the usual training of Divine Breaker of Malevolence, but far below the tongue-root agony of his Foundation Establishment. In his ear, came the earnest voice of Wang Yuan. “See through the heart, unify spirit and will. Draw fiend qi in, break it, then bind it! “Remember, you must not only endure the pain, you must learn to shatter whatever brings it to you. “Right now, what is it that brings you pain?” In that subtle, instinctive moment, Luo Chen directed a stream of spirit power and struck the invading flame hard. In the blink of an eye, the flame shattered into fragments! Countless fiery streams scattered wildly, burrowing into Luo Chen’s skin, bones, blood, and even his acupoints. At the same time, a searing pain like branding iron exploded throughout his body. It was as if a volcano had erupted within him. Luo Chen’s entire body shuddered as illusory flames rose from his skin. Even the air around him seemed to ripple and twist from the heat. Wang Yuan, watching from nearby, paled and instinctively reached out. But just before he touched Luo Chen, he froze. Before his eyes, those ghostly flames suddenly rushed back into Luo Chen’s body as if drawn by some force. All the intense heat was now sealed within Luo Chen. The five internal organs burnt, tempered in fire! He already grasped that concept? So quickly? No… it seems this Earth Fire Fiend Qi is unusually suited to his cultivation? Wang Yuan muttered under his breath, thoughtful. He took a step back and quietly watched Luo Chen continue his cultivation. And just like that, night passed into dawn. Hoo… Luo Chen exhaled deeply. Not in the ordinary sense of a breath, but a literal, materialized exhale. A long, pitch-black stream of smoke spilled from his mouth. It trailed out like a smoke dragon. Luo Chen blinked in surprise, then hastily cast a Cleanse to dispel the smoky fire aura from his body. A dense barrage of popping sounds rang out all at once. It sounded like frying beans, or bamboo splitting under pressure. Luo Chen froze again. “Don’t move!” Along with the command came a wave of qi force. Smack! It struck Luo Chen squarely. “No pain. No sting?” asked Wang Yuan. That qi force definitely carried the full power of a low-grade enchanted artifact! “Brother Wang, what just happened to me?” Wang Yuan smiled and gave him a nod. “That’s right, you’ve completed the first stage of Physical-Refining.” “That simple?” said Luo Chen. Even though he had suspected it, Luo Chen still found it hard to believe once he heard it confirmed. To his view, Physical-Refining should’ve involved endless tempering and grueling hardship. It should’ve been forged through countless trials of blood and flame! And standing before him was the perfect example. But he, throughout his journey… While he’d fought often, he’d fought like a mage in an old MMO, stationary, hurling long-range nukes from a distance [1] Rarely had he ever engaged in close-quarters combat. So how had he already reached Perfected Mastery in the first stage of Physical-Refining? Seeing the look of disbelief on Luo Chen’s face, Wang Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. “You didn’t seriously think Physical-Refining was hard, did you?” “Not really!” Wang Yuan shook his head. “Or rather, low-tier Physical-Refining really isn’t that difficult.” After Wang Yuan’s explanation, Luo Chen finally realized he had a major misconception. Physical-Refining and Qi-Refining were fundamentally different. The latter required painstaking time, patience, and accumulation, eventually forming something vast and majestic. The former, however, was all about piling on resources. If you had enough resources? You could brute-force it in one go. “Why do you think there’s an old saying in the mundane world,” Wang Yuan quipped, “”Poor scholars, rich warriors”?” He gestured vaguely. “If your family didn’t have a bit of wealth, you wouldn’t even dare to pursue Physical-Refining.” “Think about it, how much have you already invested in your physical body over the years?” “Your first use of the Divine Breaker of Malevolence just poked through the final membrane, that last invisible barrier.” And in that moment, clarity struck Luo Chen like a lightning bolt. He had invested in this body. He just never realized how much progress he had already made until the barrier shattered from within. Wang Yuan continued talking, fluent and enthusiastic, his insight into physical cultivation flowing like a river. “Of course, don’t get complacent. “Sure, you’ve reached the first stage of Physical-Refining in name. But if you faced a real physical cultivator without using Daoist methods, you’d lose badly. “Due to spirit energy nourishing the body, most high-tier cultivators already have decent physical toughness. But they rarely use it in direct melee. “After all, physical and qi cultivators fight in completely different ways. “In terms of methods, tactics, temperament, or strategy, they’re not the same.” Seeing that Wang Yuan was about to launch into another speech, Luo Chen cut him off with a wry look. “So what you’re saying is, I have the realm of Physical-Refining but none of the real power to back it up?” Luo Chen didn’t mind. “No worries, still a nice surprise. My focus will remain on Qi-Refining cultivation.” “That awareness is exactly what you need.” Wang Yuan pulled out a thick book from his storage pouch.“But stones from other mountains can polish jade. It wouldn’t hurt to occasionally study Physical-Refining technique. It might become your trump card in desperate moments. “Speaking of which, now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, I never did give you a gift.” “This Wang family manual combines my early martial arts, recent physical cultivation experience, blood techniques, and even the Sky Roc Transformation. It’s a system I developed myself. “Take it, read it, and return it later.” Luo Chen’s eyes lit up. He took the book without hesitation. Muttering as he did, “A gift that comes with a return policy, huh?” Wang Yuan rolled his eyes and scolded him half-jokingly, “Of course you return it! I haven’t even figured out how to break into the third stage myself. “And one more thing: don’t take everything in this manual at its surface value! You have to adapt it to your own body, extract the essence, leave the dregs. Got it?” Luo Chen tucked the manual away with a big grin. He understood! How could he not? This was something tailored for Wang Yuan himself. It wouldn't fit him perfectly. After a bit more casual chatter, Wang Yuan took his leave. Luo Chen remained in the alchemy room. He still had pills to refine later. While it was still quiet, he took the opportunity to check his condition. His original purpose in drawing in fiend qi wasn’t for Physical-Refining . Reaching the first stage of completion was just an unexpected bonus. His main goal was to enhance the foundation of his divine soul! After an entire night of cultivation, the growth of his divine soul was minimal. His spirit consciousness had extended only a meter or two farther than before. For someone whose spirit range was measured in li, this was barely noticeable. Still, progress was progress. And it proved Luo Chen’s method wasn’t wrong. Divine Breaker of Malevolence did have some effect on divine soul cultivation. It was just… incredibly inefficient. But if he could raise its mastery, would that change? He opened his status panel. Divine Breaker of Malevolence: Perfection (401/500) Seeing that number, Luo Chen’s divine spirit stirred with excitement!