The familiar room greeted Lin Xun’s eyes, making him feel inexplicably calm and relaxed.
“The last time I passed the second level of the Great Azure Cloud Path happens to be before the quarterly assessment in Blood Kill Camp, which means there is less than three months before the third level of the Great Azure Cloud Path opens.”
Lin Xun cast his mind back to the ice-cold voice echoing in his dream and calculated the remaining time.
The Omega Secret Realm was a supreme opportunity. After he passed the first level of the Great Azure Cloud Path, he was rewarded with the Little Divine Meditation Art and healed the damage on his four heart acupuncture points.
When he passed the second level of the Great Azure Cloud Path, not only did his physical cultivation reach the level of inner-outer perfection, but he also obtained the first part of the Mystery Grotto Devour Wilderness Scripture and the Heavenly Yuan Blade Art.
The two were both unique techniques. One was a profound cultivation art. The darkness of the mystery grotto was connected to the mystery of all things and the devouring of nature formed the ten directions to return to the great wilderness. The cultivation technique was incomparably mysterious and could support Lin Xun to reach the Heaven Ascension Stage.
Although the Heavenly Yuan Blade Art only consisted of three moves, Star-Gather, Moon-Catch and Burning Sun, each one was immeasurable and incomparably mysterious. Given Lin Xun’s current comprehension ability, he could only grasp the first move, Star-Gather.
Regardless, Lin Xun fully realized the value of the Omega Secret Realm after passing the first two levels. He felt it wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a supreme opportunity.
Lin Xun was full of anticipation for the third level.
Jiujiu’s cheerful chirps and Xue Jin’s hearty laughter echoed throughout the courtyard.
Lin Xun got up, pushed the door, and walked into the courtyard. He immediately saw Xue Jin drinking proudly with a wine jar in his arms and opposite him was Jiujiu lying in front of a bowl and also gulping down wine. It occasionally chirped happily while its round ball-like body swayed side to side like it was drunk.
Xue Jin burst into laughter and constantly topped up Jiujiu’s bowl with wine like he was drinking with a good friend.
Lin Xun’s face darkened. He flounced forward and lifted up Jiujiu’s soft and round body. He snapped, “You could have learned anything but you learned to drink. I don’t have the money to buy you wine.”
It was unknown whether Jiujiu understood him but it leaped into Lin Xun’s arms and affectionately rubbed its head against his chest. It chirped continuously and looked very silly.
Helpless, Lin Xun sat down opposite Xue Jin and asked, “How long have I slept?”
Xue Jin casually replied, “Three days. It’s not that long.”
Lin Xun’s heart tensed up. “Has anything happened in those three days?”
Xue Jin chuckled, “Don’t worry, those guys won’t dare to do anything to you, at least until the provincial exam is over.”
He spoke casually but his words were filled with absolute confidence.
Lin Xun couldn’t help feeling surprised. He knew that while he was asleep, Xue Jin had helped him do something to resolve the troubles brought about by that night’s battles.
Lin Xun raised the wine bowl, expressed his gratitude to Xue Jin, and finished the bowl in one go.
Xue Jin smiled. Then, he pointed to Jiujiu in Lin Xun’s arms and asked curiously, “Where did you get this little thing?”
“I found it. I don’t know what kind of monster this little guy is but I just kept it as a pet.”
Xue Jin broke into laughter. “A pet?! Are you blind? Although I can’t tell what this guy’s background is, I am certain that it has a lot of extremely special powers.”
Lin Xun shuddered inwardly. “Why do you say that?”
Even Xu Sanqi and Old Mo couldn’t figure out Jiujiu’s background in Blood Kill Camp, but it seemed that Xue Jin had noticed something in Jiujiu.
Xue Jin exclaimed in surprise, “This little guy has been following you for so long. Don’t you know about its power?”
Lin Xun looked baffled and then he knitted his brow in deep thought before he finally said, “I only know that Jiujiu can spit fire and the flames are incredibly domineering. They can penetrate the ground and burn rocks. The flames are comparable to an attack of the ninth layer True Martial Stage. Oh, this happened when Jiujiu was born.”
Xue Jin’s interest was piqued. “What about now?
Lin Xun shrugged helplessly. “During my training in Blood Kill Camp, I happened to obtain a mysterious black beast tooth from an assassin of the Water Tribe but Jiujiu swallowed it in one mouthful. It went into a deep sleep after that and only woke up three days ago.”
Xue Jin said ruminatively, “In other words, you don’t know what happened to the little guy after it awakened.”
With a flip of his hand, Xue Jin brought out a glistening silver object shining in the sun like a gemstone.
Lin Xun’s eyes were immediately drawn to the item. He felt a terrifying qi emitting from it. From one glance, he could tell that it wasn't ordinary rune material.
“This was what the little guy spat out from its mouth the night three days ago, after I brought you back.”
A strange look flashed across Xue Jin’s eyes. “Based on my observation, it is a piece of silver lightning snow metal. It is very precious and incredibly rare. It can easily be sold for five hundred coins on the market.”
Lin Xun narrowed his eyes. He suddenly remembered that it was Jiujiu who swallowed Remnant Snow’s arrow and saved him during the most critical moment that night.
The piece of silver lightning snow metal wouldn’t be related to the arrow that Jiujiu swallowed, right?
Lin Xun told Xue Jin about his speculation.
Xue Jin’s eyes lit up. “As I thought.”
As he was speaking, he brought out a lower human-grade sword and handed it to Jiujiu.
Jiujiu opened its jet-black and pure eyes wide and stared at Lin Xun. A thought struck Lin Xun’s mind and he nodded at Jiujiu.
The moment that Jiujiu opened its mouth and inhaled, the two-foot-long sword was devoured in one gulp.
Lin Xun and Xue Jin both fixed their eyes on Jiujiu, observing intently.
Jiujiu’s small, round body suddenly stretched outwards like dough, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Then, wisps of dazzling golden flames rose from his body like sun rays, blazing brightly.
The flames were incredibly domineering and seemed capable of incinerating everything in the world. Even if Lin Xun was a few steps away, he still felt his skin aching like it was being burned.
Xue Jin was struck by a flash of realization, quickly followed by surprise. “It seems to be one of the different fires in the world, the Golden Star Fragment Fire.”
The Golden Star Fragment Fire!
Lin Xun’s heart trembled. He had also heard rumors of many different fires born in the world, such as the Stone Bell Jade Fire, Icy Soul Fire, Blazing Pure Fire and Samandhi True Fire.
Each of those different fires had their own mysterious uses. Some assisted cultivators in their cultivation and some were useful in alchemy or for refining weapons.
According to their powers, the different fires were divided into four grades: yellow, earth, heaven and mysterious.
The yellow grade was the lowest and was the most common type of fire in the world.
The mysterious grade was the highest and every fire under this grade was incredibly rare with earth-changing powers.
The Golden Star Fragment Fire was a type of heaven-grade fire.
It might not be as rare as mysterious-grade fire but it was still incredibly rare. Only rich and powerful forces with a long history could be in possession of such a different fire.
However, Xue Jin was certain that the fire released from Jiujiu’s body was the Golden Star Fragment Fire. Lin Xun was utterly shocked
If it was true, Jiujiu’s background had to be very unusual.
Under the intent gaze of Lin Xun and Xue Jin, the flames around Jiujiu grew increasingly intense and it gradually restored its soft body.
When its body returned to its round sphere form, it opened its mouth and spat out a beam of scarlet light.
Xue Jin made a grabbing motion in the air and swiftly caught the item in his grip. He took a closer look at it and said, “As I thought. The lower human-grade sword had been smelted into a piece of scarlet fire rune iron. Also, it's incredibly pure with no impurities.” His voice was full of astonishment.
Lin Xun frowned. “A good aeth tool has been smelted into a piece of rune material. It’s a bit uneconomical.”
Xue Jin snapped, “How can the value of a lower human-grade aeth tool be compared to a top grade rune material without any impurities? Kid, you found a treasure.”
Lin Xun raised his brows in puzzlement. “From what you said, Jiujiu possesses unusual smelting powers?”
Xue Jin said strangely. “It’s not only unusual. It’s heaven-defying. It can smelt and refine an ordinary aeth tool and remove all its impurities to produce the purest rune material. In terms of value, pure rune materials are worth much more than ordinary aeth tools.”
After a pause, he continued, “This is just a comparison in terms of value. Did you know that a pure rune material can make aeth tools with significantly improved powers?”
His voice was full of excitement as he explained, “Most importantly, the reason that rune armaments are very rare in the world is because they require top quality and pure rune materials”
Xue Jin paused, staring strangely at Lin Xun. “Kid, you’re a rune master. Don’t tell me you don’t know about this.”
Lin Xun frowned, puzzled why Xue Jin was so excited. “From what I know, any rune masters with some rune skills can smelt rune materials in the same way. It’s nothing incredible or unbelievable.”
Xue Jin said firmly, “You’re right, but have you seen a beast that can achieve this by eating? It possesses the Golden Star Fragment Fire and is a natural smelting master.”
His eyes blazed as he stared at Jiujiu playing in Lin Xun’s arms. “Most importantly, this is just one of its talents.”
“Jiujiu has other special talents?” Lin Xun exclaimed, unable to calm himself down.