Chapter 14: The Frost Spirit Violet Flame Physique

As Xiaran practiced her breathing techniques, her meridians became increasingly harmonious. With Xia Jiuxuan using external force to remodel her acupuncture points, the effects of the Hundred-leaf Vermillion Fruit reached their peak. A single Vermillion Fruit could transform anyone into a prodigy. Xiaran’s own aptitude was not lacking, and with the breathing method and guidance of a true emperor from a previous generation, it would be more surprising if she didn’t defy the heavens in the future.

After an hour, the fruit’s effects were exhausted. A thick layer of violet mist enveloped Xiaran’s body, interspersed with beautiful blue ice flowers.

“Ice and flame fused—Ice Spirit Violet Flame Physique. Excellent, excellent!” Xia Jiuxuan nodded repeatedly. This was exactly the effect he desired; from the very beginning, he had given his niece the very best.

Soon, Xiaran opened her small eyes, and the world before her seemed sharper and clearer than ever. Yet, being so young, she couldn’t comprehend what this change meant.

“Second Uncle, I’m sorry. I accidentally fell asleep just now,” Xiaran whispered, nervously rubbing the edge of her clothes, afraid of being reprimanded and even more afraid she wouldn’t get to taste the sweet fruit.

“Silly girl, you did very well. Second Uncle is very pleased. I’ll reward you with another one.”

“Really?” Xiaran leapt up with joy. How easy—just by sleeping, she could earn rewards.

“Eat slowly. After this one, we’ll go find other tasty things. The rest, Second Uncle will keep for you.”

“Okay!” Xiaran nodded and nibbled at the Vermillion Fruit, unwilling to eat it too quickly.

Half a day passed. Under Xia Jiuxuan’s guidance, Xiaran performed several more breathing exercises, fully stabilizing her physique. The spiritual energy around her began to flow into her body automatically. In just half a day, she reached the first stage of martial cultivation—she had entered the innate realm.

“Xiaran, how about playing a game with Second Uncle?”

“Okay!”

“Watch—Second Uncle will jump from here, and you’ll follow, alright?” Xia Jiuxuan pointed to the bottom of the hundred-zhang cliff.

Xiaran was stunned, instinctively stepping back, her little face turning pale with fright.

“Are you scared?”

“Yes,” Xiaran nodded pitifully.

“But Xiaran promised to play games with Second Uncle. You can’t break your word.”

“But… wuwuwu…” Xiaran didn’t know how to argue and burst into tears.

“Alright, alright, we won’t play now. We can play later, okay?” Xia Jiuxuan reconsidered; he shouldn’t push her too quickly and must guide her gradually.

He picked her up and leapt from the cliff.

During the fall, Xiaran opened her eyes wide, feeling the exhilarating rush of wind sweeping past her ears.

“Giggle, this is so much fun!” she laughed, full of joy. In Second Uncle’s arms, she had nothing to fear.

At the base of the cliff, a thick carpet of fallen leaves cushioned the ground. Sunlight was filtered by dense branches and vines overhead, casting the area into shadow.

“Xiaran, look over there!”

After walking a bit, Xia Jiuxuan spotted a small beast—a petite creature, pure white and fluffy, incredibly adorable.

“Wow! Such a cute puppy! Second Uncle, catch it for me!” Xiaran squealed, waving her arms excitedly.

“That won’t do. Xiaran is now a cultivator; you have to do things yourself. If you catch it, Second Uncle will reward you with another wild fruit.”

“But… alright.” Xiaran felt nervous, but the thought of the sweet fruit spurred her on.

“Go on, Second Uncle is right behind you.”

Jumping down from Xia Jiuxuan’s arms, Xiaran giggled and chased after the little beast, calling, “Don’t run, puppy! Here I come!”

The white creature was terrified, fleeing desperately. Xiaran, caught up in the chase, didn’t realize she was moving as swiftly as the wind.

“Heh.” Xia Jiuxuan followed at a leisurely pace.

After a long pursuit, Xiaran finally caught up to the beast, but it panicked and crashed headlong into a tree, dying instantly.

“Wuwuwu…” Xiaran hugged the small beast and cried softly, “I’m sorry, puppy, wuwuwu…”

Xia Jiuxuan approached. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes,” Xiaran nodded.

“Then today we’ll have roast meat.”

Xiaran was stunned, forgetting to cry, and swallowed hard.

“Sigh.” Xia Jiuxuan was speechless; the little one’s appetite was truly insatiable.

He started a fire and skinned the beast...

For the next half hour, Xiaran cried nonstop, refusing to eat the roast even after it was cooked.

“Second Uncle is bad, wuwuwu…” Xiaran was upset; her young heart simply couldn’t accept such a thing.

“Xiaran, let Second Uncle tell you: never be deceived by appearances. Take this beast, for example—though it looks fluffy and cute, it’s actually very vicious, stealing other beasts’ babies for food. If Second Uncle weren’t here, it would have eaten you. Do you still pity it?”

Indeed, the beast had only fled earlier because it sensed the pressure Xia Jiuxuan exerted; otherwise, it would never have feared Xiaran, such a tiny child.

Xiaran listened, confused.

It looked so cute—how could it be so wicked?

But Second Uncle’s words must be obeyed. What should she do?

For the first time, her young heart wrestled with such complex, tangled feelings.

“Be good, try a bite. Don’t let yourself go hungry.”

Although Xiaran had entered the innate realm, she had yet to temper her body and open her meridians, so she still felt hunger.

Timidly, she accepted a small piece of roasted meat.

Fifteen minutes later, her chubby hands were clutching a roasted leg.

“Second Uncle, the meat is so delicious!” Tears shimmered in her eyes as she devoured it, unable to stop.

…

Three days passed like this.

Xiaran had adapted to jungle life, eating meat with gusto and never crying again.

Xia Jiuxuan’s cultivation level rose once more, reaching the sixth stage of the innate realm.

The innate realm was foundational; with eight puppets tirelessly assisting his cultivation, advancing two stages in three days was not unusual.

As for the Blood Fury Nine Lives Technique, it consisted of nine forms. The puppet beast had only mastered two so far—it had a long way to go.

Relying on familiar memories, Xia Jiuxuan took the shortest route and was now approaching the core region.

Here, the number of beasts increased, their auras growing ever more formidable.

Just moments ago, the aura of a ninth-grade beast had appeared a hundred meters away, prompting Xia Jiuxuan to lead Xiaran away from it.

A rustling sound reached Xia Jiuxuan’s ears.

His spiritual sense expanded—ten meters away in a muddy pond, a giant snake as thick as a barrel lay in ambush.

“Iceborne Serpent—excellent.”

A seventh-grade beast, of the ice attribute.

Xia Jiuxuan prepared to hunt it.

He could bind its soul as a puppet, and its icy blood would be perfect for Xiaran’s first body-tempering.

Two birds with one stone.

Assessing his strength—sixth stage of the innate realm—he believed that, with some maneuvering, he could kill a seventh-grade beast.

Just as Xia Jiuxuan settled Xiaran and prepared to act, a fiery spirit arrow streaked from the distance, striking the serpent’s vital spot.

“There’s someone here?” Xia Jiuxuan frowned.

To unleash a fiery spirit arrow, one must wield a formidable spirit-grade bow.