Infinite Fire Record

Chapter 25: One Star of the Fighter

The Ancient Tomb Sect.

A dark space, filled with a faint, icy coldness.

Amidst the endless chill, a snow-white female ghost drifted through the shadows. She was stunningly beautiful, her features untouched by the warmth of the mortal world, her expression ever cold, as though she were encased in ice.

Her right hand stretched out, pale as jade, with a delicate flush of red beneath the skin. A white ribbon danced between her fingers, carrying a subtle fragrance.

At that moment, a large hand appeared. Smooth like jade yet brimming with power, it seized the ribbon with a single shake, its strength unraveling the delicate fabric until it fell apart.

“Little Dragon Girl, your strength is far inferior to mine. It is better to give up.”

As the words fell, a man stepped forward. His gaze was cold, yet held a trace of amusement.

The Little Dragon Lady remained expressionless as she spoke, her voice like frost, “Why do you not leave? You have already seen and used the Cold Jade Bed. Why do you still linger?”

Her tone was devoid of emotion.

The man’s lips curved into an indifferent smile as he loosened his grip, allowing the white ribbon to flutter back into her hands. His gaze, tinged with playfulness, lingered on her as he said, “The Cold Jade Bed is quite effective. However, my goal has not yet been fulfilled. This is merely the preparation stage. For that reason, I must stay a few more days. Besides—” He chuckled, his voice laced with amusement. “—I have found that your presence makes these days far more interesting.”

The Little Dragon Lady’s eyes grew colder. Without another word, she took the ribbon and turned to leave.

Imperial Heaven watched her retreating figure. The playfulness in his eyes faded into indifference, though a faint smile remained on his lips. “She is truly a cold beauty… but interesting.”

With that, he turned and made his way toward a stone chamber.

Inside, the air was frigid. At the center of the chamber lay a platform of white jade—the Cold Jade Bed.

The Cold Jade Bed was a treasure of the Ancient Tomb Sect. Sleeping upon it accelerated cultivation tenfold. At first, the jade’s chilling hardness was unbearable, forcing the practitioner to resist it with full strength. Over time, the body adapted, training even in sleep. Furthermore, internal energy cultivation often risked deviation due to the fiery turmoil within the heart. Cold jade, being the purest yin essence, naturally suppressed this inner fire, allowing for unfettered progress.

Imperial Heaven leaped onto the bed, landing lightly. After days of acclimatization, he had already mastered the bed’s effects.

A faint flame flickered between his brows as he furrowed them slightly. With a wave of his right hand, a jade platform materialized in the air before him.

Atop the platform rested a golden elixir, radiating a soft, golden aura—the Red Gold Dragon Marrow Pill, an elixir refined through the Pill Clan’s techniques.

His eyes gleamed with determination. Today is the day for a breakthrough.

With that thought, he pressed both hands against his abdomen, exhaled, and opened his mouth.

Instantly, the Red Gold Dragon Marrow Pill dissolved into a golden stream, flowing into his mouth. With each breath, he guided the medicinal energy into his body, aligning himself with the natural laws of heaven and earth.

The golden stream transformed into boundless energy, spreading through his meridians.

As Imperial Heaven’s body underwent its metamorphosis, an unseen figure appeared.

A pale face and cold eyes tinged with curiosity.

The Little Dragon Lady.

She gazed at Imperial Heaven, a hint of intrigue flickering across her brow. “Is this… cultivation?”

Her voice was soft, but the moment the words left her lips, Imperial Heaven’s eyes snapped open. His sharp gaze pierced the darkness.

The Little Dragon Lady flinched.

With a deep breath, Imperial Heaven commanded, “Nine-nine-eighty-one, Fighting Qi Spin—condense!”

The golden aura atop the jade platform gathered, condensing into the form of a five-clawed divine dragon with deer-like antlers and eagle talons. The dragon released a mighty roar.

“Ang—!”

An immense suction force erupted from Imperial Heaven’s core, drawing the divine dragon toward him.

The Little Dragon Lady’s mouth fell open, disbelief flashing in her eyes.

In the next moment, the golden dragon plunged into Imperial Heaven’s body. He clenched his mouth shut, his pupils flickering with a crimson light.

A vast energy surged through him. His robes disintegrated into dust.

Beneath them, his skin shone like jade, yet his aura burned with untamed power.

Then, his body began to writhe. Beneath the surface, his muscles twisted like living serpents.

His flawless jade-like skin turned a deep, blood-red hue.

His flesh quivered violently before splitting open, releasing a slow trickle of purple blood.

The Little Dragon Lady frowned, puzzled. “This bad man… what kind of martial arts is he practicing? It is so domineering.”

Though curious, she did not intervene.

Imperial Heaven remained motionless as his blood continued to flow.

He knew the cause—this was the effect of the Red Gold Dragon Marrow Pill.

In the world of Dou Dou, consuming high-grade elixirs at a low level often led to bodily destruction. Only certain rare elixirs could bypass this limitation.

However, the Pill Clan’s techniques defied this rule. By converting the elixir’s energy into Fighting Qi Spirals, the practitioner absorbed its essence without suffering its destructive side effects.

At this moment, Imperial Heaven was experiencing the Red Gold Dragon Marrow Pill in full force.

As his old blood drained, fresh, powerful blood emerged from his heart, strengthening his body with every pulse.

His consciousness sank into his dantian, his mind resolute. Fighting Spiral—condense!

Instantly, a dense force gathered, golden Qi swirling into a vortex within his dantian.

A smile tugged at his lips. It is done. One-star Dou Shi—Fighting Qi Spiral condensed.

He slowly opened his eyes. A sharp, refined light shot forth.

In his vision, the Little Dragon Lady stood before him. His smile deepened. “I did not expect you to be here.”

The Little Dragon Lady’s expression remained cold. Without a word, she turned and left.

Imperial Heaven rose to his feet. The purplish-red blood crusted on his body and flaked away, revealing pristine, flawless skin beneath.

His once-black hair had turned a shimmering silver.

He surveyed his own body, murmuring, “One-star Dou Shi. The first layer of the Fighting Qi Spiral. With this strength, I should stand at the peak of the Houtian realm… and among the strongest at that.”