The technique claimed that a compatible man and woman, in terms of elemental affinity, cultivation level, and spiritual compatibility, could cultivate together.

Circulating Qi simultaneously through their bodies, merging their energies during moments of intimate contact. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

According to the book, this could drastically increase cultivation speed, energy refinement, and even the spiritual purity of both partners.

The cultivation speed could double. Or even more.

Kyrian did not know if he completely believed it.

It seemed strange. Very strange.

Still...

The explanations regarding energy circulation made sense.

The Yin and Yang flows described by the technique appeared stable. Complementary. Balanced.

It was not merely a vulgar method for physical pleasure, as some disciples liked to imply with their chuckles and comments.

It was genuinely a cultivation technique.

Even if... a strange one.

"Does this really work?" Kyrian murmured doubtfully.

He obviously had no experience whatsoever with such matters.

In fact, up to this point, Kyrian barely understood relationships between men and women beyond the basics, what he had observed in the village, what he had heard from disciples, and what he had read in books.

Nothing practical.

So he viewed the technique purely as a cultivation method. Nothing more.

Even so...

The idea lingered in his mind for a few seconds.

A technique that used two people simultaneously to cultivate.

It was different. Very different. And it broadened his horizons even further.

The memory of Mu Yanyu briefly appeared in his mind.

Her face. Her eyes. Her voice.

The thought came and went like a breeze. Kyrian did not consciously notice it at all.

’Well.’ He thought, pushing the image away.

’I will consider any useful technique.’

’Perhaps this will be useful in the future.’

’Perhaps not.’

’But knowledge is never wasted.’

He mentally stored the information from the Mature Fire and Ice Technique, the diagrams, the explanations, and the flow patterns before finally turning his attention back to the combat techniques.

And then something curious happened.

All of them seemed absurdly easy to understand.

Far easier than they should have been.

Kyrian devoured the information rapidly.

Qi flows, he could see the pattern before even reading the explanation.

Movements, his mind visualized the perfect execution before reaching halfway through the description.

Activation methods, he understood the logic behind them within seconds.

Everything seemed too clear in his mind.

As if his eyes had been made precisely for this.

To learn. To analyze. To understand.

Of course, he still could not test any technique.

His Qi was almost completely exhausted, his two cores still rotated weakly, producing energy at a slow pace.

Furthermore, his body was still injured, his muscles ached, his meridians burned, and his bones protested with every movement.

But that did not matter. Memorizing was enough for now.

Time passed slowly. A few more hours. The sky remained red. The ashes continued to fall. The magma continued to flow.

Kyrian remained seated upon the black stone.

Resting. Studying. Thinking.

Until another thought emerged in his mind.

’Should I continue using the Eyes of Fire...’

’...or the Eyes of Ice?’

Kyrian remained silent.

With both paths, fire and ice, he had already comprehended Aura.

That profound understanding that allowed him to project his path into the external world.

And that was extremely powerful. But precisely because of that...

The other paths would begin to fall behind.

Of course, he could switch his eyes at any moment.

At any second, if he wished, Kyrian could abandon the orange of fire and return to the blue of ice, or the green of the sword, or the red of blood.

The transition was instantaneous.

But he could feel it clearly.

It would be better to temporarily focus on a single path at a time.

Dividing his attention equally among all paths meant progressing slowly in each of them.

Concentrating on one meant advancing rapidly in that path.

Perhaps that way he could also comprehend Aura in the other eyes.

Sword.

Blood.

Lightning.

Each would require time, dedication, and battle.

Kyrian remained thoughtful for a few moments.

Evaluating. Calculating.

Then he made his decision.

He slowly closed his eyes.

When he opened them again...

Everything changed.

The orange vanished instantly, as if a flame had been extinguished.

The red flames dancing within his pupils disappeared.

In their place appeared a deep purple glow.

His pupils transformed.

They now took the shape of lightning bolts.

Small stylized bolts branching into sharp angles, shining with a light that seemed alive.

Faint violet crackles appeared around his eyes, tiny sparks leaping from his skin into the air, creating a low and constant hum.

At the same time, his two cores changed completely.

The little remaining Fire Qi inside them, those orange particles still circulating slowly, transformed into Lightning Qi.

Instantly. Naturally.

As if it had always been that way.

Kyrian observed his own hands as tiny violet sparks danced between his fingers, not painful, not dangerous, simply present.

"Then lightning it shall be."

He decided.

Until he comprehended Aura in that path as well.

Even after changing his eyes...

The heat of the volcano remained incapable of affecting him.

His body was still deeply connected to fire because of the Bone of the Heavens.

Flames could not burn him. Magma could not harm him. Heat did not bother him.

That would not change.

Kyrian then closed his eyes once more.

And rested.

Time passed quietly.

And thus...

An entire day passed.

...

"It is time."

Kyrian murmured slowly as he stood up.

His legs wavered for a moment, his muscles were still weak, his meridians still sensitive, but he steadied himself.

His body had not fully recovered yet.

Neither had his Qi. The cores were still far from their maximum capacity.

But it was enough.

He looked one final time at the Great Volcano.

At the mountain where he had encountered the Fire Spirit.

Where he had obtained the Bone of the Heavens.

Where his life had changed completely.

Smoke still rose from the crater. The glow of magma still illuminated the slopes. The heat still distorted the air. But Kyrian had nothing left to do there.

So he turned around. And began to walk. In the direction of Red Smoke City.

It was time to retrieve Arcon, his black-winged horse, who was resting in the city’s stables.

To continue his journey.

And finally depart for the Central Territory.