Chapter 290: Chapter 220: Comprehending a Grade-1 Spell, 5-Fire 7-Beast Transformation

Among the True Inheritance disciples in Yuanchu Palace, only Feng Yuan of Li Peak showed no change in expression. He had long since witnessed just how exquisite the Daoist’s Merit with fire spells was.

’The Tail Fire Tiger is one of the Four Phases of Fire Virtue, and it’s certainly difficult to subdue, but the Daoist will surely have a way to handle it.’

Seated on the other side, Qu Liu’er’s bright eyes flickered slightly as she gazed at the tall, straight figure inside the Zanghai Sanctum.

True Monarch Lu was the Daoist’s classics teacher, which meant there was a bond of sorts between him and Kan Peak.

In terms of seniority, Qu Liu’er had to address him as "Senior Brother Jiang."

’The Tail Fire Tiger is fierce and belligerent. Although the Daoist has already achieved the Combined Refining of Bing and Ding Fire, Bing Fire is easily provoked into a frenzy, while Ding Fire struggles to suppress ferocity... This is a problem that can only be solved at the Foundation Establishment Level.’

Qu Liu’er furrowed her delicate brows, feeling that the Artifact Spirit of the Zanghai Sanctum was deliberately making things difficult for the Daoist.

’Could it be that True Monarch Xu of Kun Peak’s Grotto-Heaven is also displeased with an outsider becoming the master of the Changming Heavenly Pond?’

"The Four Phases of Fire Virtue..."

A smile played on Yuan Xiao’s lips, his expression one of eager anticipation.

’If it were him back in the Qi Cultivation Realm, he would have had absolutely no way to solve this problem.’

"It makes one curious just how much weight ’first in Dao Wisdom on the Southern Dipper Rankings’ truly carries."

Countless gazes focused on the Zanghai Sanctum. Pang Zhongwang sneered, his face a mask of mockery.

’If he can’t even pass the Yuanchu Palace’s examination, on what grounds could the Daoist command the respect of the eight peaks?’

’Wouldn’t that make the Innate Sect a laughingstock!’

’At the future ’Daoist Banquet’ of the Nanzhan Continent’s Eight Sects, if the Innate Sect ends up in last place, the Ancestral Master will naturally lose face... This Jiang’s end is destined to be miserable.’

Pang Zhongwang considered himself a man of great fortune with a smooth path on his Dao journey. He had leaped from being a disciple of a side branch to becoming a True Inheritance of Dui Feng—what a glorious achievement.

But he never expected someone to ascend to the heavens even faster than him. A country boy from a desolate place like Beimang Ridge had managed to draw the gaze of the Golden Position and be personally chosen by the Ancestral Master. In doing so, he had trampled all over the descendants of the Eight Monarchs and the Dao Materials from the master-disciple lineage...

Whenever Pang Zhongwang thought of this, a fierce jealousy would surge within him, even stronger than his resentment toward the main branch of his own Pang clan.

’Flowers don’t stay red for a hundred days, and good fortune never lasts. As if a piece of trash like him, who relied on luck to take over the Changming Heavenly Pond, can truly secure the position of Crown Prince and lead his peers.’

「Within the Great Void.」

Seated cross-legged and motionless, his presence spanning heaven and earth, a faint ripple appeared in True Monarch Xu’s eyes.

’Dui Peak’s cultivation method is to accumulate water into a marsh, empty above and solid below... It seems to be at odds with Shao Yang.’

The True Monarch’s gaze slowly shifted away, returning to Jiang Yi in the Zanghai Sanctum.

Inside the sanctum, the short old man asked:

"Is my honored guest finding this difficult?"

Jiang Yi shook his head but remained silent, seemingly concentrating with all his might on a solution.

Half an incense stick’s time passed in a flash. Even someone like Feng Yuan, who had great confidence in the Daoist, couldn’t help but feel that confidence waver.

Yuanchu Palace grew ever more silent; you could have heard a pin drop.

None of the True Inheritance disciples present jumped out to mock him, but the likes of Pang Zhongwang and Zhou Shiyu were all eagerly waiting for the drama to unfold.

Another incense stick’s time went by. The Artifact Spirit of the Zanghai Sanctum was growing restless and was just about to urge him on when Jiang Yi, who was opposite him, suddenly lifted his eyelids. His eyes seemed to hold a divine splendor, sparkling and bright.

The young Daoist smiled gently.

"Sorry to have kept you all waiting."

With that, his Divine Thought stirred. The Bing and Ding Fire in his palm swirled and transformed, condensing into a Fire Jiao that pounced straight at the fierce tiger in the bowl.

"The Tail Fire Tiger is savage and ferocious in battle. If my honored guest intends to forcibly suppress it with his Cultivation, I’m afraid..."

Disappointment showed in the short old man’s eyes. The young Daoist had thought for so long, only to resort to using his supreme True Qi to break the spell with brute force in the end. It was truly the worst possible approach.

’This Fuchen Bowl is a special artifact, refined from the qi of the Seven Luminaries and containing the Essence of Tail Fire. Any Fire Attribute energy poured into it will be assimilated and turned into more Tail Fire, only making the tiger stronger.’

’No matter how incomparably powerful Jiang Yi’s True Qi was, it would be like a clay ox entering the sea—gone without a trace, a completely futile effort.’

"Huh?"

The short old man’s expression suddenly changed.

In the bowl, the Fire Jiao and the fierce tiger were locked in a desperate struggle. The tiger whipped its long tail and instantly dispersed the clawing Fire Jiao. But with another turn of his Divine Thought, Jiang Yi summoned his Ding Fire, shaping it into a sky full of crows that pecked at the tiger in waves.

The Bing and Ding Fire, a weave of golden flames and red mist, successively transformed into various fire forms—a Fire Phoenix, a fire snake, a fire monkey, a fire sparrow—which took turns attacking the Tail Fire Tiger.

But the Tail Fire Tiger only grew stronger with each battle. Like an invincible general on the battlefield, it swept through all opposition, shattering each fire form and absorbing it completely into its body.

Seeing this, the True Inheritance disciples in the hall all thought the Daoist was about to fail at the cusp of success and would surely not pass this trial.

The more Fire Attribute energy the Tail Fire Tiger absorbed, the more solid and lifelike its form became. It was clear that it was impossible to subdue.

Just then, Feng Yuan raised an eyebrow, then clapped his hands and laughed.

"What a brilliant technique from the Daoist!"

At his words, all eyes in the hall turned to him, and everyone looked confused.

Qu Liu’er, the True Inheritance of Kan Peak, spoke softly:

"Please enlighten us, Senior Brother Feng."

Feng Yuan’s expression turned serious as he stated bluntly:

"The Daoist is performing the Combined Refining of Bingding, and he possesses an Innate Fire Virtue Body.

He is using Bing Fire as yang and Ding Fire as yin, allowing the Tail Fire Tiger to gather the ferocity of yang fire while absorbing the gentleness of yin fire.

I am no match for that level of meticulous control over fire spells."

Everyone present was a True Inheritance of their respective peak, and their knowledge and Dao Wisdom were already impressive. After hearing Feng Yuan’s explanation, they all had a moment of sudden realization.

"So that’s how it is. Separating yang and transforming yin, using fire to control fire... The Daoist is ’enlightening’ the Tail Fire Tiger."

Gu Changling looked thoughtful, a hint of admiration rising in his eyes.

Even for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, achieving such incredibly precise control over the Fire Attribute—down to the finest detail—was by no means an easy task.

The Fire Attribute is inherently violent and volatile, far less manageable than water, wood, or earth—and Jiang Yi was still only in the Qi Cultivation Realm.

His feat was equivalent to a small child swinging a thousand-pound hammer.

Yuan Xiao nodded in agreement: