Chapter 350 The Art of Fire Control

"How did you do that?"

Huo Zhi's voice broke the silence of the Flower Hall.

She stared at Shen Wen, her eyes filled with undisguised shock.

"That flame… it's not a Heavenly Flame, yet it can make the Heavenly Flame within my body feel fear. This is impossible."

Shen Wen leaned back in his chair, picked up his teacup, and took a sip, his tone very casual: "Heavenly Flames are ultimately external objects."

Huo Zhi froze.

Shen Wen set down his teacup, his gaze landing on her face before sweeping over the silent Huo Xuan beside her: "The Yan Clan relies on Heavenly Flames to establish its reputation, and you both possess your own Heavenly Flames. Have you ever considered what you would do if the Heavenly Flames were to leave you?"

Huo Xuan frowned, speaking almost subconsciously: "Heavenly Flames cannot leave us."

His tone was firm, as if it were the most unquestionable truth in the world.

The Yan Clan has accompanied Heavenly Flames for thousands of years, and the talent for controlling fire flows within their Bloodline. Once a Heavenly Flame acknowledges its master, it is linked to the master's life; how could it possibly leave?

Shen Wen did not explain.

He simply raised his hand and opened his palm.

A wisp of pale cyan flame emerged from his palm.

The flame was as warm and smooth as jade, emitting a crisp, cool aura as it flickered.

That was the aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Huo Zhi's pupils constricted slightly.

Immediately after, the flame changed.

The cyan faded, turning into a deep green, carrying a cold and overbearing aura—the Netherworld Poison Flame.

The flame changed again. The deep green faded, and a purple-gold light shone forth. A faint Dragon shadow could be seen moving within the flame, and a low Dragon roar echoed through the Flower Hall.

The Nine Dragon Lightning Flame.

Huo Xuan stood up abruptly, his chair sliding back half a foot and making a harsh, grating sound.

He watched the flame in Shen Wen's palm, which was freely switching between the auras of the three Heavenly Flames, and the composure on his face shattered completely.

"You…"

He opened his mouth but could not speak.

Shen Wen withdrew the flame, his tone calm: "Have you heard of the Myriad Fire Plaza?"

Huo Zhi and Huo Xuan exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.

Shen Wen continued: "That is a divine object refined by the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, capable of controlling all fires under heaven."

"Before it, Heavenly Flames are no different from ordinary flames."

His gaze fell on their faces: "It's not that Heavenly Flames cannot leave you; it's that you haven't encountered something capable of taking them away."

The Flower Hall fell silent for a moment.

Huo Zhi took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in her heart, her voice somewhat dry: "So… you don't need Heavenly Flames?"

Shen Wen shook his head: "It's not that I don't need them."

He raised his hand, and that wisp of pure flame appeared once more, burning quietly at his fingertips: "For me, Heavenly Flames are merely products used to cultivate the truth by borrowing the false."

"My current flame can simulate the effects of many Heavenly Flames."

He paused, his tone taking on a hint of seriousness: "Flames produced by one's own Dou Qi will inevitably be easier to control than Heavenly Flames."

"Because it is already a part of you; it does not need to be tamed, nor does it need to be suppressed. You only need to let it grow naturally."

Huo Xuan sat back down, was silent for a moment, and then suddenly spoke: "We understand everything you've said."

He raised his head, his gaze locked on Shen Wen: "The Yan Clan has passed down its Legacy for thousands of years, controlling fire through our Bloodline and Cultivation Technique."

"Our flames do indeed rely on the Bloodline."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly: "But this is our path."

"The Bloodline is the Foundation, the root; without the Bloodline, there would be no Yan Clan."

Shen Wen looked at him and suddenly asked: "Then, are your flames controlled by yourselves?"

Huo Xuan froze.

Shen Wen continued: "By relying on the Bloodline, the flames naturally obey."

"But where does the Bloodline come from?"

"It was left behind by your ancestors and passed down from generation to generation."

"You are merely using the keys left behind by your ancestors to open a door that was already open for you."

He stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his back: "Using the Soul and one's own Dou Qi to control fire is what can truly be considered controlling fire."

"Not relying on external forces, not depending on the Bloodline, and completely mastering the flame through one's own will."

He turned around and looked at the two: "Unless you can completely break free from the shackles of the Bloodline and treat the Bloodline as a tool, rather than the root."

Huo Zhi opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat as if it were blocked by something.

She wanted to refute.

In the Yan Clan, these words would be considered almost treasonous.

The Bloodline is the root, the Foundation, and the cornerstone upon which the Yan Clan has stood for thousands of years.

Without the Bloodline, there would be no Yan Clan.

Yet every word Shen Wen spoke was like a needle, precisely pricking the softest part of her heart.

They did indeed rely on the Bloodline.

From childhood, the instinct to control fire had been carved into her bones; she had never thought about whether it was she who was controlling the flame, or the Bloodline.

Huo Xuan was also silent.

He understood better than Huo Zhi what these words of Shen Wen meant.

If there were no Bloodline, could he still control fire?

He did not know.

Shen Wen looked at the two and suddenly smiled.

There was no mockery or smugness in that smile, only the composure of someone who had been through it all.

Huo Zhi took a deep breath, suppressing the surging thoughts in her heart, and asked: "We do not possess your Soul Realm; how can we reach this level?"

Her voice was lower than before, with less arrogance and more seriousness.

Shen Wen returned to his seat, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said in a casual tone: "I have my own methods."

He did not say more.

Huo Zhi and Huo Xuan exchanged a glance, neither of them pressing for more.

They knew that such a secret technique could not be easily imparted upon a first meeting.

But Huo Zhi did not give up. She paused, then suddenly bowed slightly: "Grandmaster Shen, I wonder if you could offer us some guidance on the methods of controlling fire?"

Her tone was sincere, and the doubt in her eyes had long since vanished, replaced by seriousness.

Shen Wen glanced at her and nodded.

For the next half hour, only Shen Wen's voice remained in the Flower Hall.

He did not speak of any profound principles, but started from the most basic flame control.

How to make the flames more solid, how to reduce unnecessary consumption, and how to make the changes in the flame's form more fluid.

These were things Huo Zhi and Huo Xuan had been learning since childhood and knew by heart.

But what Shen Wen was teaching was different from what they had learned.

"When you control fire, you rely on willpower." A wisp of flame appeared in Shen Wen's palm, burning quietly at his fingertips.

"The stronger the willpower, the more intense the flame. But willpower is not brute force; it is not holding on tightly without letting go."

He paused, and the flame suddenly became gentle, like the warm breeze of spring: "Controlling fire is not about making the flame obey you; it is about letting the flame know what you want to do."

Huo Zhi stared at that wisp of flame, deep in thought.

Shen Wen continued: "Your Bloodline is naturally close to fire. This is an advantage, but also a shackle."

"Because it is too easy, you conversely never think about what fire really is."

He raised his hand, and that wisp of flame slid from his palm, flowing onto the tabletop like water: "Fire is not a tool, nor is it a weapon; it is an extension of your will."

"You do not need to command it; you only need to let it become a part of you."