In a secluded valley cut off from the outside world, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi lived quietly and peacefully, each pursuing their own paths—Xiao Yan diligently refining his Qi cultivation, while Xiao Yi deeply studied the art of toxins. Their lives, free from disturbance, were both tranquil and fulfilling. The breakthrough to the Battle Master level proved far more challenging than Xiao Yan had anticipated. After nearly two weeks of cultivation within the valley, although his internal Qi grew increasingly robust and concentrated, the sensation of breakthrough still remained elusive. To this, the elderly physician only replied, "Be patient. Everything will unfold naturally." Faced with the elder's enigmatic and evasive remarks, Xiao Yan could only express growing helplessness. Yet, over time, he gradually reduced the daily Qi cultivation sessions that had once consumed nearly all of his time. Occasionally, when he found moments, he would practice combat techniques in the valley. And when he had a bit more free time, he would, under the guidance of the elder, carefully identify and study the unique medicinal herbs growing in the valley. Yet, under the enticing allure of the rare medicinal herbs scattered throughout the valley, the desire in Xiao Yan's heart to practice pharmaceutical techniques suddenly stirred to life. As a result, each day he devoted a significant portion of his time specifically to refining his pharmaceutical skills. To avoid revealing his identity as a pharmacist, Xiao Yan chose a small cave located about six to seven meters above ground within the valley. Each day, when the sun reached its peak, he would enter the cave and quietly prepare various basic pills. While refining the elixir, Xiao Yan was somewhat astonished to find that the pale yellow flame infused into the cauldron from within him seemed noticeably hotter than before. Upon closer observation, he noticed that within the swirling pale yellow flame, there seemed to be a subtle hint of purple flame. Staring blankly at the faintly visible purple flame, Xiao Yan's mind snapped into motion, and he exclaimed in surprise, "This... is the purple flame of the Purple Crystal Wing Lion King, isn't it?" "How did it end up inside me?" He blinked in bewilderment, furrowing his brows and murmuring, "Could it be due to the shared origin of the Purple Crystal Source?" As he pondered this, Xiao Yan gradually calmed down. Since the Purple Crystal Source and the young Purple Crystal Wing Lion King originated from the same source, it was no surprise that a trace of their unique flame might be present. Xiao Yan's speculation was indeed accurate. Like the young purple crystal lion king, the accompanying purple crystal source had also resided within its mother for many years. Over time, it naturally absorbed some purple flames. By chance, Xiao Yan accidentally consumed the purple crystal source, thus enabling the flame catalyzed by the medicinal cauldron to carry traces of purple fire. Although the quantity of these purple flames was modest, their quality surpassed Xiao Yan's ordinary combat flame significantly. This made it a notable opportunity for him to obtain such a flame. As his sensory awareness gradually extended into the cauldron, Xiao Yan gently enveloped the slender strand of purple flame, isolating it from the surrounding pale yellow flames. Gazing at the purple flame now dancing independently within the cauldron, Xiao Yan excitedly licked his lips, then further intensified his spiritual perception to regulate and stabilize its rising temperature. Yet as Xuanyin attempted to exert control, a subtle resistance emanated from the slender streak of purple flame—something instinctive, unyielding. Control failed. Xuanyin paused, then furrowed his brows, fixing his gaze intently on the small purple flame, concentrating his mind ever more deeply, sharpening his perception and continuously probing the flame's limits of resistance. Though the purple flame was strong and defiant, Xuanyin remained undaunted. After all, it was currently unclaimed—his confidence in gradually asserting dominance was firm. Within the medicinal cauldron, Xuanyin and the purple flame held each other in a tense standoff, neither willing to be the first to falter. This stalemate lasted nearly ten minutes. As Xuanyin grew increasingly weary and perspired profusely, the soul force enveloping the flame suddenly trembled, then surged in a tidal wave, swiftly mastering every aspect of the flame. The soul's power flowed into the purple flame, causing Xiao Yan's entire body to tremble suddenly. This trembling radiated from deep within his soul, spreading rapidly throughout his frame. In that instant, Xiao Yan felt as though his soul were being elevated, his pores nearly fully expanding and contracting in a matter of seconds—such a sensation was profoundly mysterious and deeply refreshing. The intense pleasure caused him to tremble once more. His eyes, which had been closed since unknown, slowly opened again, and a faint purple hue briefly flickered across his dark irises. The purple light vanished swiftly. Xiao Yan then turned his gaze back to the cauldron. Due to the dispersion of his awareness, the pale yellow flame had completely faded, leaving only the slender, trembling purple flame still swaying gently. Fixing his eyes on the purple flame, Xiao Yan's mind stirred, and the flame swiftly darted across the cauldron's mouth, finally piercing into his palm before entering his body. The palm gradually withdrew from the cauldron. Xiao Yan exhaled gently, then gently curled his right hand, extending his middle finger and softly saying, "Now!" As soon as Xiao Yan's voice fell, the middle finger trembled slightly, and instantly, a slender strand of purple flame quietly rose from the tip of his finger, then swayed gently. Real fire—substantial flame! With Xiao Yan's current rank of First-Class Alchemist, he had managed to summon this tangible flame, which normally required at least a Fourth-Class Alchemist to produce from the palm! For Alchemists below the Fourth Rank, the body's fire-based Qi typically needed the unique transformation at the cauldron's flame mouth to be converted into tangible flame. Only when reaching the Fourth Rank or above could Alchemists bypass this step and directly summon real flame. Many advanced alchemists, when engaged in combat, typically summon real fire directly. Due to their alchemical soul nature—naturally composed of fire with an inherent wood essence—their summoned flames are significantly hotter and more powerful than those of peers of the same rank among combatants. Therefore, the ability to summon real fire without relying on any external aids becomes the most crucial criterion for determining whether an alchemist has advanced to the fourth rank. Of course, this is not an absolute rule—it all assumes the standard case of ordinary alchemists. If someone happens to successfully refine a unique "divine fire," even if they have not yet reached the fourth rank, they can still summon real fire, and the quality of their flame will often surpass that of conventional real fire. After all, the fires they command are the most destructive forces in the natural world—the very "divine fires" themselves! Thus, "Ethereal Flames" have always been the supreme treasures yearned for by every alchemist. Yet, the fierce and destructive power of these flames has claimed countless brilliant alchemists, who have perished like moths caught in the flame! ... Similarly, staring at the delicate streak of violet flame at his fingertips, Xiao Yan remained motionless for a while before finally drawing a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly: "Master, come out and take a look!" "Hmm?" came the master's voice of curiosity from within the ring, after a brief pause, a beam of light suddenly burst forth and hovered before Xiao Yan, his eyes wide and fixed upon the slender violet flame. "Ethereal Flames? Not quite—much weaker... This is... Ah! The purple flame of the Crystal-Winged Lion King?" With a tone of both wonder and astonishment, the elder alchemist exclaimed, "I never knew the Crystal Source could produce such an effect—it seems capable of forming the very essence flame of the Crystal-Winged Lion King within the human body." "Can this be considered an unusual fire?" Staring intently at the slender streak of purple flame that seemed to fade at any moment, Xiao Yan urgently asked. "Hmm... not quite." After a brief pause, the Ye-Lao shook his head, saying, "Although this is indeed a strange kind of fire, it falls short compared to true 'unusual fire.' Perhaps it would be better called a beast's fire." "...?" Shaking his head in quiet disbelief, Xiao Yan replied, "Whether it's an unusual fire or a beast's fire, I only want to know—shouldn't it be stronger than the qi flame I summoned using my medicine cauldron?" "Indeed, that's certain." "So now, can I consider myself its master? Will it not reverse its effects and overwhelm me?" Xiao Yan asked with renewed caution. "This strand of purple fire is still too small to overpower you." "What if I absorb it entirely?" Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan followed up with his next question, "Then, could my Burned Technique evolve?" "Hmm..." The Yeold frowned again, his brows tightly creased, hesitating for a moment before speaking with some uncertainty. "Perhaps it could work... but even if it does evolve, it probably won't reach a very high stage. After all, this purple flame is still far from true heteroflame. Moreover, it's currently quite small. Even if you consume it now, I believe it will make little difference." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, looking somewhat troubled. Although the Burned Decree was unusual, its foundation was simply too weak—the ability to generate and store qi was insufficient to meet his current demands. Most of the techniques he mastered were now at the Xu level, so each time he used one, he often had to quickly swallow a Qi-restoring pill to recover. Otherwise, relying solely on the speed of his Huang-level, lower-tier techniques to generate qi would leave him in a constant state of qi deficiency. If the rank of Burned Decree could evolve to the Xu level, then during his last visit to the Wolf's Head Guild, Xiao Yan would have completely eliminated all the上百 members without needing even the slightest assistance from Xiao Yi—the small healer! This, in fact, represents the greatest difference between a Xu-level and a Huang-level cultivation technique. Therefore, Xiao Yan now urgently hopes his technique can evolve as swiftly as possible. However, the rare "Divine Fire" not only is hard to encounter, but even when seen, its overwhelming destructive power may not allow Xiao Yan to successfully absorb it. Thus, the current emergence of Purple Fire is like a well of water in the midst of a desert—bringing him immense joy. "If you truly wish to absorb the Purple Fire and use it to evolve Burned Decree, there is actually a method," said the Elder Yao after a moment's thoughtful pause. "What method?" Xiao Yan immediately brightened, eager to inquire. He fixed his gaze upon the slender strand of purple flame. Elder Yao smiled gently. Refine it into its primal flame essence, nurture and cultivate it gradually. Once it reaches a certain stage, apply the Burn Technique to consume it, thereby achieving evolutionary transformation!