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The last thing Huo Ling’er remembered was being on stage and battling Mu Chen, only to fall at the hands of the enemy.

After that, her mind went blank. She lost consciousness, and her connection to the outside world was severed.

She didn’t know that she had unknowingly unleashed the potential of her Holy Body, much less the demonic invasion that soon followed.

Huo Ling’er floated powerlessly in a dark void.

A chorus of voices rang in her ears, but they were indistinct and formless, making them impossible to recognize.

Apart from these whispers, the only other thing Huo Ling’er could feel was a pair of arms holding her gently.

She didn’t know who they belonged to, but she felt that this was the safest place in the world, while her heart couldn’t help but flutter.

The wait in this dark void continued.

Just as it seemed it would last forever...

Bang!

--

Huo Ling’er opened her eyes!

She scanned her surroundings, only to find that she was neither in her childhood room nor in her courtyard at Yin Yang Peak.

She found herself floating in a giant lake that shimmered with the brilliance of a thousand colors, as vibrant and beautiful as a rainbow.

Her body was bathed in its gentle waves.

They didn’t hurt her; if anything, they nourished her.

Huo Ling’er sensed her tense mind relax.

Despite her sudden arrival in an unknown environment, she didn’t panic.

The colorful lake seemed capable of dissolving her every worry, cleansing her heart from within.

Huo Ling’er closed her eyes and allowed herself to be immersed in the sensation.

The injuries riddling her body rapidly healed.

Not only did her aura recover quickly, but it faintly surpassed its previous peak.

Huo Ling’er had reached a certain threshold. With a single thought, she could break through to the Late Stage of Qi Refining!

However, just as she was about to do so, she suddenly realized something.

Huo Ling’er looked down at her own body.

Then, she raised her head, rubbed her eyes, and took another look.

Her face instantly flushed with shame.

"Eeek!" she couldn’t help but scream upon discovering her current state.

She was almost completely naked!

Only a thin black undergarment hid her most sensitive parts, while the rest of her body was left bare for the world to see.

Huo Ling’er reacted quickly.

She sank down and submerged herself in the lake, hiding beneath its colorful waters.

Only her head remained above the surface as she frantically surveyed her surroundings.

Moments later, Huo Ling’er breathed a sigh of relief.

She realized she was the only one in the lake, while a dress tailored to her exact size was lying on the shore as if waiting for her.

No longer in the mood to enjoy the lake, she confirmed that no one was near and sneakily approached the shore.

Once close enough, she leapt out.

Reaching out with her Spiritual Energy, she grabbed the dress.

In a series of fluid movements that felt practiced countless times in her mind, she slipped on the dress, ignoring the uncomfortable cling of the wet underwear beneath.

It was only then that the flush in her cheeks retreated. At the same time, curiosity surfaced in her mind.

Where was this place? Why had she appeared here?

Just as these questions arose, a female voice rang out from behind her.

"Are you finally awake?"

Huo Ling’er almost screamed in shock, though she ultimately forced herself to stay calm and spun around.

She was instantly relieved.

The person who had spoken was not the rumored ghost her parents used to scare her with as a child, but a familiar woman.

She had seen her from afar in the past and recognized her identity—the Jade Pure Sect’s Leader.

Despite this, Huo Ling’er felt extremely vulnerable being alone with such a powerful cultivator.

Qian Lingxue sensed her worry and confusion. She didn’t point it out, but smiled faintly and took the initiative to explain.

"You don’t have to worry. This is still within the Jade Pure Sect. Even if I wished to harm you, I wouldn’t be able to get away with it," she said, brushing her hair.

"If I did anything detrimental to your well-being, I’m afraid that your Master would kill me."

"You know... That boy is usually gentle, but when he truly gets mad, even Immortal Mu is scared of him, let alone me."

Qian Lingxue seemed to realize that she had talked too much. She immediately fell silent and did not continue that train of thought.

"You should have heard of the Jade Pure Sect’s greatest treasure before. This is it," she said, pointing to the body of water, "The famous Aurora Lake."

"Besides being a supreme treasure for healing injuries and accelerating cultivation, it has several other functions."

"Most don’t concern you. However, one is the reason your Master brought you here."

Saying this, Qian Lingxue’s face grew solemn.

"Every time someone visits the Aurora Lake for the first time, they receive its blessing, a reward if you will."

"There’s no rule for the reward’s level, its type, or even its function," she said, shaking her head.

"No one knows how this effect came to be. Perhaps the sect’s Founder knew, but they didn’t pass down any information."

Having said her piece, Qian Lingxue felt she had explained enough.

After giving Huo Ling’er the method to obtain the Aurora Lake’s blessing, she hastily departed.

It was unknown whether she did so because she was busy, or if she was simply unwilling to see what Huo Ling’er obtained.

Regardless of Qian Lingxue’s motives, her departure allowed Huo Ling’er to relax.

Staring at the Aurora Lake, she channeled her Spiritual Energy according to the method provided by the Sect Leader.

The lake grew turbulent. Large waves formed and crashed onto the shore, splashing water onto Huo Ling’er’s face.

At the same time, a giant whirlpool formed at the lake’s center.

Before she could take a closer look, though, a red light flickered from within.

The phenomenon abruptly ceased. The lake quickly calmed down, as if the previous scene had been nothing but an illusion.

The only remaining evidence of the earlier turbulence was a small, flickering flame in Huo Ling’er’s hand, which pulsed according to the rhythm of her heart.

She felt an intense sense of yearning the moment her eyes landed upon it.

However, a sudden warning rang in her mind, preventing her from swallowing it immediately.

She was puzzled at first, but the more she listened, the more flushed her face became.

By the end of the message, both her face and her ears were dyed crimson, mirroring the color of her hair and eyes.

--

Huo Ling’er was not permitted to stay in the Aurora Lake any longer. Having received its blessing and having recuperated from her injuries, she was quickly sent on her way.

She was not in the state of mind to pay attention to the journey.

She didn’t know how she had returned to the Yin Yang Peak, let alone how she had reached her room and sat down.

By the time she snapped out of her daze, she was already sitting cross-legged on her bed, holding the flickering orange flame.

Huo Ling’er had already learned of its name and function.

It was called "Flame Qi", born in environments filled with fire elements such as volcanoes.

Consuming it could greatly accelerate the cultivation speed of people like her, who focused on fire techniques.

Even Foundation Establishment experts would yearn for it, hoping to use it to break through certain bottlenecks.

Yet, the Flame Qi also carried a major drawback: its essence was too potent. At the very least, it was difficult for Qi Refining cultivators to fully absorb.

They either had to prepare a Yin resource to balance out its Yang effects, or...

Recalling the alternative method mentioned in the message, Huo Ling’er’s face grew rosy.

She subconsciously lifted her head and stared at the wall behind her.

Though there was an entire building separating them, she knew what lay on the opposite side.

It was Chen Xuan’s courtyard.

Huo Ling’er hesitated. She stared at the Flame Qi and then looked in Chen Xuan’s direction before making her decision.

Without further hesitation, she tossed the Flame Qi into her mouth. As its effects began to take hold, she felt her body grow feverishly hot.