Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Celestial Household
Ye Cheng’s heart was heavy; he could hardly bear to leave the lovely girl before him. Yet if he did not venture into the Demon Forest, he would not have enough blood cores to cultivate. Relying solely on the absorption of spiritual energy from heaven and earth to stimulate his blood would make breaking through to the Origin Realm nearly impossible.
The girl pleaded with him, her insistence tugging at his heart. He stroked her head affectionately, his voice gentle. “I don’t want to leave you either, but I must go this time. I promise I’ll settle matters quickly and return as soon as I can.”
“No, I don’t want that. I want to go with you!” Ye Ling shook his hand, stubbornly refusing.
“You absolutely cannot come with me,” Ye Cheng said firmly. This journey to the Demon Forest would be fraught with danger—how could he take her along? In his heart, he could never let the girl before him face any risk.
Seeing her persistent coaxing was futile, Ye Ling lowered her head and fell silent, softly sobbing. She truly could not bear to part from him.
“Boy, touch the girl’s spiritual acupoint,” Mu Lao reminded him at this moment.
“All right. I promise I’ll be back soon and, from now on, wherever I go, I’ll take you with me,” Ye Cheng said softly, nodding imperceptibly as he stroked her head. His fingers slid forward, touching the spot of her spiritual acupoint.
Before she could respond, a wave of spiritual power surged from the jade stone. Mu Lao’s spiritual energy entered the girl’s acupoint. In that instant, her eyelids closed, her body limp, collapsing as if all support had vanished. Ye Cheng quickly caught her slender, delicate form, the faint fragrance unique to her wafting into his nose. He murmured gravely, “Teacher, I’m counting on you.”
“Mm, don’t worry,” Mu Lao’s voice drifted from the jade.
About half the time of an incense stick passed. Ye Ling’s eyelids quivered but did not open, her body trembling ever so slightly, then more violently, as if provoked by something.
“What’s happening, Teacher?” Ye Cheng frowned deeply, but his question vanished into silence, receiving no reply. He dared not move, fearing complications.
Soon, Ye Cheng felt a burning heat radiating from her body, the temperature rising steadily, so much so that his hands seemed scalded by boiling water.
“Heavenly Fire Mark!”
Suddenly, with Mu Lao’s startled cry, the girl soared from Ye Cheng’s embrace, hovering quietly in midair. A blue flame rose around her, her hair streaming as the air itself began to boil. Ye Cheng, standing nearby, felt the scorching heat. Her eyes remained tightly shut, but on her forehead a blue flame mark slowly emerged, exuding a powerful, otherworldly aura.
In a distant, unknown realm, a figure who had sat in meditation for untold ages suddenly opened his eyes at the moment the blue flame mark appeared on Ye Ling’s forehead. Fire flickered in his profound, mysterious gaze, his mind piercing through space to sense Ye Ling’s location. A trace of doubt flashed across his face, soon fading. With a wave of his hand, space shattered.
Through the broken void, an elderly figure stepped out, bowing respectfully to the seated master. “Patriarch.”
“Elder Qin, a bloodline of our Heavenly Clan has appeared in a lower realm. Go and bring her back,” the master’s voice echoed indifferently.
“Yes,” Elder Qin bowed deeply, his figure slowly dissipating. Alone in the darkness, the original figure sat in silence.
“Heavenly Fire Mark… I never thought the Heavenly Clan’s bloodline would linger in such a lowly place.” A soft laugh drifted from his lips.
“Heavenly Fire Mark?” Ye Cheng’s brows rose. He did not know that just now the figure’s spiritual sense had swept over them. He watched the hovering girl, enveloped in blue flames, who now looked like a goddess—sacred, noble, and unreachable.
As time passed, the flame mark on Ye Ling’s forehead gradually faded and disappeared. With its departure, the flames around her receded, and her delicate body dropped from midair.
Ye Cheng caught her securely. His worry deepened with her transformation, especially after Mu Lao’s cry of surprise, which left him even more perplexed.
After the mysterious figure’s spiritual sense withdrew, a stream of light shot from the girl’s body. Under Ye Cheng’s expectant gaze, Mu Lao’s figure slowly materialized. Sensing the familiar presence fading from the unknown space, a wry smile flickered across Mu Lao’s face as he muttered, “That old fellow sure profited today. The bloodline of the Heavenly Fire Mark is rare even among the Heavenly Clan.” Recalling the strength of the spiritual sense, a smile curled his lips.
“But that old man’s cultivation hasn’t improved at all—decades on, still stuck at the same level.”
“Teacher, is the Heavenly Fire Mark that blue flame on Ling’er’s forehead? Why is she like this now?” Ye Cheng looked at Mu Lao, concern etched on his face.
Mu Lao returned from his reverie, smiled at Ye Cheng’s worried expression. “Relax, boy. This girl’s future is extraordinary—she possesses the purest bloodline of the Heavenly Fire Mark in the Heavenly Clan. She’s a born alchemist, the best candidate imaginable.”
“Alchemist?” Ye Cheng drew a deep breath, gazing at the sleeping girl, stunned. He never imagined Ye Ling’s constitution would be that of an alchemist, something countless people dreamed of. He had only read about them in ancient books.
It was known that the profession of alchemist far surpassed warriors and potion masters. Potion masters could only blend various materials, concocting aids or healing potions. The most skilled could craft sixth-grade potions, useful for the Origin Realm but ineffective for those at the Ancient Pill Realm.
Above the Ancient Pill Realm, what those experts desired most was the pills refined by alchemists. Even ordinary alchemist’s pills rivaled the best potion masters. Only alchemists’ pills could benefit them. It was said that high-level alchemist’s pills could restore lost limbs, even transform an ordinary person into a master in an instant. Thus, every alchemist was surrounded by many followers.