The creation of the Qi Veil, whether a true spiritual shield or a fevered vision, had left Li Wei with a fortified sense of resolve, his spirit strengthened against the doubts and distractions that threatened his path. The hidden valley, with its shimmering pool, ancient tree, and glowing blossoms, pulsed with an energy that seemed to resonate with the warmth in his dantian—a warmth he believed was his nascent Golden Core, nurturing a fledgling Nascent Soul. Azure Dragon, his scruffy spirit beast, remained a loyal companion, curled by the stone altar as Li Wei pored over the scroll, its worn bamboo slats a sacred guide through his trials. The scroll's latest passage unveiled a fiery new challenge: "The Eternal Flame, where the cultivator kindles the fire of the Dao to purify the soul's essence."
In the cultivation novels Li Wei had devoured in Beijing, eternal flames were mystical fires—divine blazes that burned away impurities, granting cultivators enhanced qi or spiritual clarity. The scroll's description was more poetic but equally compelling: "Ignite the flame that never fades, let it consume the mortal dross, and rise with a soul unbound. Craft with intent, for a faltering heart dims the light." Li Wei, tempered by lightning, betrayal, and moments of clarity, felt a surge of determination. His earlier Phoenix Rebirth had involved fire, but this trial seemed to demand a deeper purification. His body, ravaged by hunger, fever, and the throbbing infection in his hand, ached with every movement, but the valley's mystical aura and the scroll's promise fueled his resolve to kindle this flame.
Li Wei prepared with the reverence of a priest tending a sacred pyre. He reinforced his altar with smooth stones, their surfaces carved with star-like patterns inspired by the Starstone to channel the valley's qi. He placed the scroll, jade slip, Starstone, and stolen booklet at the altar's center, surrounded by the ancient tree's glowing blossoms, their light pulsing like embers. Azure Dragon watched, head tilted, as Li Wei gathered dry branches and fallen blossoms from the valley, piling them into a larger fire pit than he'd ever built. The scroll emphasized "intent" in kindling the flame, so he resolved to infuse it with his qi, believing it would purify his spirit as much as his soul. He sipped the valley's crystal-clear water, its coolness a fleeting relief against his persistent fever, and waited for twilight, when the valley's energy felt most potent, to begin.
As the sky deepened to a violet hue, Li Wei lit the fire, its flames roaring to life with a crackle that echoed off the cliffs. He sat cross-legged by the altar, the Starstone in one hand, the jade slip pressed to his chest, and chanted the scroll's incantations, their rhythmic tones blending with the valley's whispers and the fire's hiss. He focused on his dantian, visualizing his Golden Core as a radiant star, its light flowing into the flames, making them burn brighter, as if infused with his qi. The scroll urged him to "consume the mortal dross," so he imagined the fire burning away his doubts—the scroll's jest, the betrayals of Wang Hao and Lin Tao, the lingering pull of Mei Ling's smile. The warmth in his dantian surged, pulsing in rhythm with the flames, which seemed to dance with an otherworldly glow.
Hours passed, his body trembling from the strain, his fever intensifying, the pain in his infected hand throbbing with each heartbeat. The fire's heat was intense, sweat soaking his tattered shirt, but he pushed through, chanting louder, visualizing his Nascent Soul—a glowing figure—emerging from the flames, purified and radiant. In his trance, the valley faded, replaced by a vision of a boundless blaze, a phoenix soaring within, its wings of fire enveloping his soul. A voice, resonant and commanding, echoed: "Will you burn, or rise?" Li Wei's qi flared, but his body faltered, the fever spiking as dizziness gripped him. He collapsed by the altar, the Starstone slipping from his hand, Azure Dragon whining and nudging his face as the fire sputtered to embers.
He awoke at dawn, sprawled in the dirt, his body wracked with chills, but the warmth in his dantian pulsed stronger, clearer, as if the Eternal Flame had refined his qi. Had he truly purified his soul, or was it another delusion born of fever and exhaustion? The scroll promised a soul unbound but warned of a faltering heart, and Li Wei chose to believe he'd passed the test, even at a cost. He scribbled in his notebook, hands trembling: "Eternal Flame kindled. Soul purified, qi rises. Body burns, spirit endures." The valley's whispers seemed to approve, their murmurs blending with the morning breeze, the ancient tree's blossoms glowing brighter.
During the next video call with the Order of the Jade Dawn, Li Wei shared the ritual, describing the phoenix vision and the fire's glow. Zhang Wei, eyes wide, called it a "divine purification," urging him to brew an elixir with the fire's ashes to enhance his qi. Liu Mei, her serene face lit by moonlight, praised his resolve but insisted he seek medical care: "The flame strengthens the soul, but the body must endure." Chen Xiu saw it as proof of ascension, while Zhao Feng, skeptical, suggested it was delirium, sparking a debate that tested Li Wei's leadership. He hid his worsening fever and the throbbing pain in his hand, fearing their concern might fracture the sect's unity.
As the sun rose, Li Wei sat by the pool, the Starstone warm in his hands, Azure Dragon snoring softly. The scroll promised that the Eternal Flame purified the soul, but also warned of greater trials. The valley's energy, his sect's support, and the scroll's guidance bolstered him, even as his body weakened. With his Golden Core and Nascent Soul pulsing as beacons, Li Wei felt ready to face the next challenge, his spirit kindled by the eternal flame, one fiery trial at a time toward immortality.