Zhi Xuan moved swiftly. Although he felt shocked by Xiao Die's new power and presence, his survival instincts dominated. The Demon Mist Swamp was now too dangerous. The death of three Azure Kings would soon attract high-level predators—or worse, Treasure Hunting Cultivators looking for the energy anomaly. Xiao Die's Verdant Titan Aura, though soothing to Zhi Xuan, was a bright beacon to other creatures, inviting attention.

  "Ruo, direct me to the nearest stable location. A place far enough from the Swamp's influence, yet hidden enough for closed-door cultivation," Zhi Xuan commanded in the Sea of Consciousness, as he leaped over rotten tree roots.

  'You are lucky, Monkey. In your ancient map scroll, about half a day's journey at full speed north, there is an ancient mountain range called the Jade Dragon Ridge,' Ruo Xianxue replied, her voice now sounding like a strict instructor. 'The mountains are very high and the Spiritual Essence is thinly distributed, so they do not attract attention. It is a perfect location to achieve the First Ember without disturbance.'

  Zhi Xuan nodded internally. Thin Spiritual Essence was actually good. He did not want to absorb Essence from a chaotic environment, especially after his body had just been purified by cosmic pollen. He only needed the Three Pure Blood Petals to trigger the transformation.

  He accelerated his run, his body gliding over the shallow water. Every step felt light, much more vigorous than before. Xiao Die's pollen had not only restored his Essence; it had condensed every muscle fiber and meridian.

  Xiao Die, sitting silently on his shoulder, occasionally flapped its rainbow-colored wings. With each flap, the moth released a delicate vibration, creating a micro-energy field that neutralized the decaying Yin Essence around Zhi Xuan, ensuring he was no longer contaminated by the swamp's poison.

  'That celestial insect is an invaluable asset,' Ruo Xianxue said, her voice dripping with solace.

  After running non-stop for five hours, the sight of the Demon Mist Swamp began to fade. They were on higher ground, marked by a change in vegetation—greener trees and neutral spiritual Essence.

  In the distance, Zhi Xuan saw the silhouette of towering mountains, their peaks shrouded in mist—the Jade Dragon Ridge.

  He immediately moved into the dense forest at the foot of the mountain, looking for a hidden cave or crevice. Before long, he found a narrow cave covered in moss, located behind a small, frozen waterfall on the side of the hill. The place was cold, hidden, and perfect.

  Zhi Xuan entered the cave.

  The cave was dark and only illuminated by the faint light filtering from a small crack at the entrance. The air inside was clean and cold, the smell of wet rocks mixing with the thin Spiritual Essence—perfect, just as Zhi Xuan wanted.

  Zhi Xuan sealed the cave entrance with rocks and moss he found, ensuring the entrance was invisible. He dropped onto the cold dirt floor, his back leaning against the hard cave wall.

  Xiao Die slid from his shoulder and flew in a circle inside the cave, emitting a gentle hum. She landed on a flat rock in the corner of the cave, instantly transforming the ordinary rock into a jade pedestal that shone with a soft rainbow glow.

  "I need a few days to stabilize myself, Xiao Die," Zhi Xuan muttered, looking at the majestic moth with admiration. "Then, we will begin."

  Zhi Xuan sat cross-legged, forming a meditation mudra and closing his eyes. He knew careful preparation was the key to condensing a foundation that would not waver. Zhi Xuan sighed and began to sink into his meditation.

  Tranquility enveloped the cave. Outside, the sound of the frozen waterfall created a barely audible melody, a soothing contrast to the hustle of the escape from the Demon Mist Swamp. Zhi Xuan sat silently, his Essence slowly spinning in his Sea of Consciousness, harmonizing the energy he had newly absorbed from the Pure Spring Pool and Xiao Die's cosmic pollen. He felt his body, which was formerly a Divine Wheel Sanctum, now on the verge of a great transformation.

  Two days passed in solemn silence. Xiao Die remained on her jade rock, occasionally flapping her wings, sending waves of rainbow energy that cleansed the cave air, keeping the environment pure for cultivation. Her Verdant Titan Aura felt like an invisible shield, warding off wild spiritual essence and ensuring Zhi Xuan could focus completely.

  In his meditation, the Celestial Samsara Wheel slowly turned and reached its peak, Zhi Xuan channeled his spiritual essence towards the Celestial Samsara Wheel, rotating the Wheel with the Law of Four Seasons, Spring.

  "When the Dao falls, only the empty cup remains. Birth is like spring, only those who rise to defy Heaven and Earth."

  The Law of Four Seasons, Spring gently rotated his Celestial Samsara Wheel, Zhi Xuan's understanding reached a new level about the Law of Four Seasons contained within the Celestial Samsara Wheel. Clearing all impure essence absorbed into the Celestial Samsara Wheel, strengthening the foundation of his essence.

  On the third day, Zhi Xuan had reached the peak of his meditation. He felt the Celestial Samsara Wheel in his Sea of Consciousness spin with unprecedented speed, emitting a pure, cold light. Every particle in his body felt like it was trembling, ready to break through the limits of Divine Wheel.

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes, shining with resolve. His left eye, which was still half-blind, would soon be healed. He reached into his robe pocket, pulling out the three petals of the nine lotus blood. Throwing them into the air and immediately, a sharp, hot reddish essence began to permeate around Zhi Xuan.

  The three flower petals, now glowing with greater intensity thanks to Xiao Die's purification, spun in the air in front of him, emitting a sweet aroma and a concentrated Yang aura. The reddish essence permeated into Zhi Xuan's body through every pore, flooding his meridians with a strong, yet gentle warmth.

  Inside his Sea of Consciousness, the Celestial Samsara Wheel rumbled, spinning faster and faster. The energy from the Three Pure Blood Petals, which was far more concentrated than he had expected, went straight to the core of the Samsara Wheel, where the soul flame should ignite.

  This was not just absorption. It was fusion. The Yang Essence of the petals met the pure Taiyin Essence that dominated Zhi Xuan's Sea of Consciousness, creating a perfect balance—a bubbling Yin-Yang harmony with potential.

  "Focus, Monkey! Let that energy fuse with the core of your Samsara Wheel! Do not fight it!" Ruo Xianxue commanded, her voice filled with urgency.

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw, enduring the piercing pain, but also the spiritual ecstasy flooding his body. It felt as if his essence core was being reforged inside a cosmic furnace. The Celestial Samsara Wheel trembled, and from its center, the first spark of fire emerged—a tiny, dim, but undeniable soul flame.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  It was the Ethereal Flame—the first level of Soul Flame.

  The fire, a pale blue-green color, pulsed with life, slowly beginning to burn the core of the Celestial Samsara Wheel, changing it from a solid wheel into a pulsating, fiery energy core. Every rotation of the Wheel now strengthened the fire, condensing the foundation of Zhi Xuan's cultivation.

  Zhi Xuan's left eye, which had been blind all this time, suddenly twitched. From inside his eyeball, a delicate, blood-red vein could be seen pulsating, followed by a strong flow of Yang Essence. With a barely audible hiss, the skin covering his eye peeled off, revealing a clear sapphire-blue iris that was restored, though now emitting a faint red glow. His sight was recovered, sharper and clearer than before, capable of seeing the details of the Essence around him.

  Zhi Xuan held his breath, surprised to see his world whole again. He looked around the cave, and the thin mist of spiritual Essence now looked pulsating with color. In the corner of the cave, Xiao Die shone with a soft rainbow glow, her aura clearly visible to his newly recovered eyes.

  'Monkey, this is not over yet!' Ruo Xianxue exclaimed. 'These petals have cleansed all the impurities in your Divine Wheel, and your Soul Flame has ignited. But to stabilize it, you must condense that Soul Flame, and use the Law of Four Seasons contained within your Celestial Samsara Wheel to perfect your Soul Flame!'

  Zhi Xuan nodded. He felt his Ethereal Flame Soul Flame trembling, as if he could condense the fire at any moment, but he also felt instability. He needed more energy.

  "The breath of autumn fells the Dao flower, the breath of winter freezes the soul of death, the breath of summer refines all things, the breath of spring clears the mind and heart."

  He began to rotate the Celestial Samsara Wheel with the Law of Four Seasons, focusing on Spring. Every rotation condensed and clarified his Ethereal Flame, making it stronger and more stable. The fire, which was initially just a small spark, now became a pulsating ember at the core of the Samsara Wheel. However, he felt the need for more. His Celestial Samsara Wheel felt empty, as if ready to receive something greater.

  'Use the Spiritual Essence you absorbed from the Pure Spring Pool, Monkey,' Ruo Xianxue instructed. 'Xiao Die's cosmic pollen has opened your meridians. Now, let the black jade Essence from the Jade Dragon Ridge enter. Your Law of Four Seasons will purify it.'

  Zhi Xuan opened himself up. He took a long breath, and the thin Spiritual Essence from the cave and surrounding mountains flowed into him. The Celestial Samsara Wheel with the Law of Four Seasons immediately processed it, converting the wild Essence into pure energy that supported his Ethereal Flame Soul Flame.

  As time passed, Zhi Xuan's Soul Flame grew stronger. The pale blue-green color began to change, growing darker, more intense. It felt like a fire burning in the middle of a storm, refusing to be extinguished. After one more full day, Zhi Xuan's Soul Flame reached its limit. The blue-green color had changed into dark purplish that pulsed with a searing radiance.

  It was the Azure Holy Flame—the third level of Soul Flame.

  Concurrently, the Law of Four Seasons in his Sea of Consciousness became clearer, stronger, and more integrated with the core of his Soul Flame. Zhi Xuan had succeeded in condensing his foundation to the highest limit he could achieve with only the Three Pure Blood Petals. His eyes, now both sapphire blue with a faint red sheen, radiated an aura of cold calmness and power, a sign of a cultivator who had surpassed limitations.

  BOOM!

  An intense dark purplish light suddenly exploded from within Zhi Xuan, enveloping him in a dazzling aura. The newly formed Soul Flame not only burned in his Sea of Consciousness but also radiated out of his body, penetrating the cave walls and coloring the surrounding air with a purple glow. Zhi Xuan yelled with a long growl, not from pain, but from the incredible release of power.

  A powerful wave of spiritual energy spread from the cave, penetrating into the Jade Dragon Ridge, causing the surrounding trees to shake and leaves to fall as if blown by an invisible storm. This was the Azure Holy Flame! A proficient Soul Flame, marking an unparalleled foundation in the First Ember realm.

  Apart from the Bloom Lotus Flame and Heavenly Lotus Flame which are celestial blessings obtained by True Geniuses, the Azure Holy Flame is only one level below them! This is not like a Great Heaven Defier giving birth to a purplish flame that would shake the heavens itself.

  Even without celestial blessing or ancient clan inheritance, Zhi Xuan had achieved something that could only be achieved by the greatest geniuses of the Ancient Clans. Anyone who obtained the Azure Holy Flame would have a foundation that would not lose when compared side-by-side with any true genius from the Ancient Clans in the Southern Continent!

  The energy explosion from the newly formed Azure Holy Flame shook the cave. The jade rock where Xiao Die resided shone brighter, as if the moth welcomed Zhi Xuan's achievement. Xiao Die, who had been silent all this time, now flapped its rainbow-gold wings joyfully, sending a pure spiritual vibration towards Zhi Xuan—a silent approval.

  The dark purplish fire enveloped Zhi Xuan for a moment, then slowly receded, drawn back into his Sea of Consciousness. The Soul Flame now pulsed at the core of the Celestial Samsara Wheel, stable, strong, and full of explosive potential. The energy within him felt like a rushing river, no longer a puddle. He had surpassed Divine Wheel, reaching the First Ember realm with a solid foundation.

  "First Ember," Zhi Xuan mumbled. He had not expected this day to come. Where once he could only admire when Fourteen created fire in her hands, now he too had stepped into that realm.

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes fully. The world felt different. He was no longer a fragile Divine Wheel youth trapped by the cycle of death and rebirth; he was a First Ember cultivator with the Azure Holy Flame. He could feel the Law of Four Seasons within him, perfectly integrated with the dark purple pulsating Soul Flame.

  'Azure Holy Flame,' Ruo Xianxue whispered, her voice in the Sea of Consciousness filled with rare admiration, far from her usual scoffing. 'A proficient foundation, Monkey. Even without a perfect Nine Lotus Blood Flower, you managed to achieve the third level of Soul Flame. This is the mark of a True Genius—your foundation will not lose to any heir of the Ancient Clans in the Southern Continent.'

  Zhi Xuan took a deep breath, stabilizing the turbulent energy. He felt every cell in his body had been re-forged. The energy he had newly recovered from the Pure Spring Pool, refined by Xiao Die's cosmic pollen, and condensed by the Soul Flame, had merged into a single entity.

  "I feel like I could kick those bastards Qin and Liu now," Zhi Xuan muttered, his voice full of cold confidence. Qin and Liu, the two Consciousness Transformation cultivators from the Zhu Clan and the Jade Star Sword Sect.

  Zhi Xuan sighed, calming himself. Right now, what was more important was cultivating in seclusion and absorbing the black jade essence from the jade dragon ridge, which felt flowing through him. It was crucial to cultivate until he reached the First Ember Sanctum.

  "Ruo, Xiao Die. I will cultivate in seclusion here," Zhi Xuan said, deciding calmly momentarily after seeing the still-closed cave entrance. "This area is hidden enough, I can skip the Dawn, Eclipse, Zenith phases and reach the Sanctum here."

  Zhi Xuan calmed himself. The confidence that had just flooded him faded, replaced by a cold awareness. First Ember was a vast realm, divided into four main phases like Divine Wheel, before reaching the true Sanctum. Dawn, Eclipse, Zenith, and Sanctum. His Azure Holy Flame Soul Flame gave him an advantage, but it would take time to transform that Fire into an unshakeable foundation.

  "I need years," Zhi Xuan mumbled internally. "I must condense every phase, none must be skipped."

  He reinforced the cave covering, even setting up several basic Spiritual Diversion Formations—simple Formations he remembered from Ruo Xianxue's memories, designed to divert any passing Divine Sense so it would not focus on the cave. These Formations were weak, but enough for an area with thin Spiritual Essence like the Jade Dragon Ridge.

  Xiao Die, seemingly understanding her master's intent, slid from her jade rock and flew to the closed entrance. With a flap of her wings, she created a thin layer of Cosmic Pollen over the Spiritual Diversion Formations, neutralizing any energy fluctuations that might leak from within, perfecting the concealment.

  He touched his storage bag, which could now open after he could manifest essence in his hand. Carving a seal on the storage bag and making the bag completely his.

  "I will unpack you later, little friends." Zhi Xuan smiled faintly looking at the shabby coffin and the half-destroyed furnace inside his storage bag. Storing the storage bag back on his waist.

  Zhi Xuan sat cross-legged again. He removed the Heart Nurturing Jade from his hair, and placed it on his lap. After stabilizing himself completely, he activated the Celestial Samsara Wheel and his Law of Four Seasons, drawing the Black Jade Essence from the Jade Dragon Ridge in a stable and constant stream.

  Time lost its meaning inside the silence of the cave on the Jade Dragon Ridge. Zhi Xuan began his closed-door cultivation, accompanied by Xiao Die, whose pure presence served as both catalyst and protector.