"The next step is to grasp Flame Intent, clarify my Dao-heart, and then break through directly to Foundation Establishment!"
Qi Ping hadn't forgotten the purpose of contracting soul-attribute spirit beasts: to ensure his soul didn't hold back his advancement, and to enhance his perception and comprehension to master Flame Intent faster.
After centering himself, he produced the hammer. Sensing the Intent Residue within, he was immediately flooded with insights regarding the essence of flames.
The effect was incredible!
He had briefly sensed the hammer after first obtaining it and had gained some understanding then, but compared to now, that was like night and day.
With his soul strengthened, his ability to perceive spiritual energy and the truths of rules had skyrocketed. Before, he was like a person with severe nearsightedness trying to see the world without glasses. Now, the world had returned to focus, and everything was clearer than ever before.
This was why many Foundation Establishment cultivators began to touch upon the threshold of rules in their late stages, even without special resources—their strengthened souls allowed them to "see" more.
Furthermore, his boosted comprehension made learning much simpler. The two factors combined to multiply his speed of mastering Flame Intent.
'The speed of insight after gaining two soul talents is staggering!'
'My decision to wait until I had those talents before tackling Flame Intent was correct. It's a case of sharpening the axe before cutting the wood; it also minimizes the consumption of the Intent Residue in the hammer.'
After a moment of wonder, he focused entirely on his meditation.
He noticed a subtle detail: although the Hundred-Eyed Demon Realm didn't directly boost soul strength or comprehension, it increased his sensitivity to soul energy. By drawing parallels, it helped him understand the truths of rules. Perhaps because the realm existed as a rule-seal in his soul, it shared commonalities with other rules. Their forms of existence were similar, which aided his overall understanding.
Qi Ping's entire being sank into the study of flames.
For a long time, his core focus had been on this. Whether practicing the Wood-Flame Manual, the Explosive Flame spell, or enhancing his Beast King's Flame, he had been using the Sun-Fire Physique, Fire-Spirit Grass, Fire-Glow Fruits, and Ya Ya's natal flames to sense the essence of fire.
His harvest was immense. He observed the different forms of fire-attribute power—how they existed and how they exerted their strength.
During this period, he was free from conflict and trivial matters. His mind was purely dedicated to these powers. He had never before contemplated fire spiritual energy and Flame Intent with such depth.
Previously, he was limited by his soul and comprehension, forced to rely on his fire-attribute talent to slowly and painfully explore. But those efforts were not in vain. All the accumulated insights, confusion, and theories were exploding at this very moment!
Countless realizations regarding Flame Intent surged into his mind like a spring! All his doubts were resolved under the guidance of the Intent Residue.
'So that's how it is!'
'I see now!'
Qi Ping had never felt such joy in having his questions answered. All his past difficulties were being shattered one by one! In this state of selfless focus, his understanding of Flame Intent deepened rapidly.
Unique wisps of fire-attribute resonance rose around him. Even the Beast King's Flame within his body began to manifest sporadically, growing stronger with every passing moment.
This stunning display first caught the attention of Ya Ya. She was the most sensitive to fire power, and she immediately noticed Qi Ping's special state.
Drawn by this power, Ya Ya sat beside him to meditate as well. This was of great benefit to her! Simultaneously, she gestured for the little fox and the Flower Demon to remain silent and not disturb Qi Ping.
Qi Ping had already told them to look to Ya Ya and follow her lead when he was busy. Seeing her gesture, the two little ones nodded obediently. They huddled together, waiting quietly for Qi Ping.
The little fox and the Flower Demon quickly became friends, as their powers were similar and their minds were both young and simple.
As for the bees, they had been with Qi Ping the longest and knew his habits perfectly. They immediately organized a large swarm to enter a state of high alert, shielding Qi Ping in the center. If they sensed any danger, they would summon ten thousand combat bees and launch a frenzied assault in battle-array formation.
Qi Ping remained in this state longer than ever before. Two full days passed, and he was still immersed in the interpretation of Flame Intent.
Ya Ya didn't go out to sunbathe. She stayed by his side, sensing the power while acting as a guardian. Part of the bee swarm guarded him, while the rest continued farming and brewing honey.
The Flower Demon eventually returned to the spiritual plot to root itself and absorb energy. Only the little fox began to struggle; it had eaten all the spiritual fruits Qi Ping gave it, and after two days, its belly was growling loudly. Still, it endured the hunger.
'Chirp chirp... (Fox-Fox won't let a little hunger get in the way of the boss's important business!)'
Fortunately, Ya Ya noticed and plucked a fruit from the Fire-Glow tree, preventing the little fox from starving.
As the thirty-hour mark approached, the fire energy surrounding Qi Ping reached a peak. A powerful aura of Flame Intent suddenly erupted from him, releasing a surge of tyrannical force!
At that moment, his [Heaven and Earth Blessing] talent took effect, plunging him into a rare and coveted state of epiphany!
In this state, every remaining confusion regarding Flame Intent was shattered, and his insights were rapidly organized into a cohesive whole...