57: Subduing the Flower in the Mirror

"Managed cultivation of Fire Absorption Guiding Technique, intelligent cultivation, starting idle mode!"

"The fully automatic managed idle cultivation system is starting up. Startup complete. Entering intelligent idle mode. Friendly reminder: During the idle period, the Host will temporarily lose control of the body. Please do not worry; leave everything to the System."

As the System began the idle session, Hong Yu's mind raced. To save Guan Yi now, he could only attempt to Cultivate the Fire Absorption Guiding Technique. Based on his deduction and the System's usual behavior, it would likely provide a gift due to the lack of a pill fire. Currently, the only available pill fire in the Secret Realm was the flower in the mirror.

Thus, Hong Yu could only stake everything on this one gamble, hoping the System would truly be capable enough to subdue the pill fire. Only by leveraging the home-field advantage could he save Guan Yi from the others' hands.

Sure enough, the System did not disappoint him, and the familiar notification sound promptly rang out in his mind.

"Detected a lack of pill fire for cultivating the Fire Absorption Guiding Technique. Searching..."

"Search complete. Preparing to grant the Host one flower in the mirror pill fire as a free gift."

It was here. Hong Yu's spirits couldn't help but rise. However, what puzzled him was that although the System said it was a gift, his entire body remained stationary on the spot and even sat down cross-legged.

This piece of junk wouldn't drop the ball at the critical moment, would it?

Just as Hong Yu was thinking this, a massive change suddenly occurred within the space of the Secret Realm.

Hundreds of flowers in the mirror suddenly appeared out of thin air from all directions. Every flower in the mirror looked exactly the same, with no difference even in size; however, some radiated scorching heat, while others seemed to have no temperature at all.

In the distance, Cheng Xi and the others, who were warily eyeing Guan Yi, saw this scene and their expressions changed drastically.

"Oh no, the pill fire is rioting! Everyone, quickly disperse your Spiritual Qi and sit still where you are!"

The moment they saw these flowers in the mirror, they put away all items containing Spiritual Qi, threw even their Storage Pouches far away, and frantically dispersed their own Spiritual Qi. Soon, their faces grew weak as the Spiritual Qi within their bodies vanished.

"This shouldn't be happening. Haven't the illusory and real fires always appeared alternately? Why would they riot at this point in time?"

Anxious look appeared on Guan Yi's face. Seeing the others' reactions, it seemed as if the scene before them was some great horror. He wondered how his Junior Brother was doing now.

"It's over. The illusory and real are alternating; whether we survive depends entirely on the will of Heaven."

Lei Su had a face full of despair, his eyes filled with unwilling resentment, yet he sat in place, not daring to move an inch.

Yao Cheng also spoke blankly, "Someone found the main body of the flower in the mirror? But there are only a few of us in the Secret Realm right now. Could it be that brat Hong Yu? Impossible! No one has found it for so many years; what right does he have!"

Hearing their conversation, Guan Yi didn't care that they were currently mortal enemies. His mind whirred as he couldn't help but chime in, "What's the situation now?"

If he hadn't spoken, it might have been fine, but as soon as he did, Yao Cheng snapped out of his daze and said with a face full of rage, "You have the nerve to ask me? Isn't this all your good Junior Brother's doing?

Don't you know the flower in the mirror is divided into illusory fire and real fire? illusory fire burns the spirit, real fire burns the body. But neither is its main body; they are both its Clones. Generally, illusory and real fires appear alternately, but once they appear simultaneously, it means the main body has been found. The illusory and real fires will undergo Fusion, incinerating everything—especially Spiritual Qi, which is their favorite nourishment!

It's over, it's all fucking over!"

"Oh, so that's how it is," Guan Yi showed a look of realization. "Could it be that Junior Brother really found the flower in the mirror and has begun refining it? Junior Brother truly is a Genius. I studied the Fire Absorption Guiding Technique for so long without even reaching the entry level, yet Junior Brother learned it just by looking and even found the main body."

Hearing this, a trace of mockery appeared at the corner of Cheng Xi's mouth, and he said derisively, "You don't naively think a Qi Refining Cultivator can actually refine the flower in the mirror, do you? Do you know why no one has come to take such a precious pill fire until now?"

"Why?"

"Because Qi Refining Cultivators simply cannot find the main body of the flower in the mirror. And even if they did, a Qi Refining Cultivator's physical body couldn't withstand it. It's like pouring an entire pool of water into a small wooden basin—do you think it can hold it?

I reckon your Junior Brother won't last long. Only when he is burned to ashes will we have a sliver of a chance at life."

Guan Yi was incensed and immediately retorted, "Impossible. I believe my Junior Brother will definitely succeed."

"What does his success have to do with you? You're a dead man anyway," Lei Su said disdainfully.

Guan Yi's heart darkened. It was true; his life had entered the countdown stage. Because of his Cultivation Technique, the Spiritual Qi in his body was currently extremely vast, and he had no way to disperse it on his own.

He was like a constantly leaking gas tank, surrounded by bright, blazing fire!

Hong Yu wasn't having an easy time either. He didn't know how the System did it, but a cluster of flames had mysteriously appeared in front of him.

The flames were sometimes solid, sometimes illusory and transparent. When solid, they were silver-white and about as tall as a person. The flickering of the flames gave off an extremely surreal feeling.

Intense heat radiated from it. Hong Yu's skin felt the burning pain, and his nose even caught the scent of char, as if every hair on his body was being ignited.

"The gift of the flower in the mirror pill fire is complete. Resuming cultivation."

The System stood up and walked toward the flower in the mirror without hesitation.

Hong Yu had already closed his eyes in agony. He hadn't expected that instead of saving Guan Yi, he was about to be cremated on the spot himself.

This dog System really can't be trusted. From beginning to end, it just wanted to kill me—from the Outer Sect to the inner sect, it's always been like this!

And now it's finished the job in one go!

However, to Hong Yu's surprise, the burning sensation didn't intensify; instead, it faded significantly.

He opened his eyes curiously to see that his entire body was bathed in flames, looking like a Divine Being descended to earth.

The System operated the Fire Absorption Guiding Technique at full power. The flames of the flower in the mirror were like mist, being sucked into his body through his mouth and nose in thin strands.

Gradually, Hong Yu only felt his body becoming warm and cozy. An unparalleled sense of pleasure surged into his mind; it was even more comfortable than soaking in a hot spring.

The Fire Absorption Guiding Technique was indeed a mantra specialized for pill fires. With the System at the helm, Hong Yu clearly felt the flower in the mirror being continuously refined, slowly merging into the Spiritual Qi in his body and forming a new kind of power.

Before Hong Yu could quietly experience this power, a sharp pain erupted within his body.

That feeling was like countless steel knives scraping his entire body; it was a pain comparable to death by a thousand cuts.

Furthermore, as the Fire Absorption Guiding Technique continued to operate, this pain showed signs of intensifying.

A realization dawned in Hong Yu's heart: I'm fucking stuffed to the brim!

Great Master System, please stop! I really can't fit any more in!

Of course, the System paid no heed to his thoughts, continuing to absorb the pill fire regardless of everything.

Hong Yu could no longer maintain consciousness. The intense pain made it impossible for him to think at all.