Chapter 6: Art Of Flame

Frank had already arrived at a small hill.

Here, the trees were lush, and the flowers and plants were abundant, but compared to the three main peaks, this hill was indeed quite small.

Hoo!

Taking a deep breath, Frank inserted the Heavenly Palace Sword into the ground before him. Then, he cut his finger and let a drop of fresh blood fall on it. As a Spiritual Weapon, it naturally required a blood bond.

Soon, the blood was absorbed into it.

Then, the Heavenly Palace Sword trembled slightly, and a green light flashed. A massive wave of information, carrying an aggressive force, forcefully surged into his mind.

Ah!

The sudden, sharp pain in his mind made Frank clutch his head and let out a painful groan.

However, the pain came swiftly and left just as quickly.

After a while, Frank shook his head, and the veins on his forehead gradually receded. His blurred eyes became clear again, and an uncontrollable joy appeared on his face.

"The Art of Flame." Frank's breath quickened.

He was so elated because there was a concealed secret technique within the Heavenly Palace Sword. His blood bond had triggered the seal within the Heavenly Palace Sword, releasing this technique known as the Art of Flame.

"This is truly a treasure." Suppressing his excitement, Frank hurriedly sat down cross-legged and quietly pondered the mysteries of the secret technique.

Through contemplation, Frank discovered that the Art of Flame was a technique for tempering the physical body.

"Bone refinement and marrow cleansing, tendon strengthening and meridian building, heart ignition and blood tempering, skin polishing and flesh grinding."

Frank didn't realize his heart was pounding as he spoke, but these sixteen words perfectly captured the essence of the Art of Flame.

Indeed, the Art of Flame involved refining every inch of flesh, every segment of bone, and every meridian. It was a complete method of body refinement, and the pain of cultivating this technique rivaled that of the harshest torture.

"Who was the madman that created this secret technique?" Frank opened his eyes, stunned by the sheer dominance of the Art of Flame.

But after the shock, a fiery glint emerged in Frank's eyes.

Although it required enduring excruciating pain beyond ordinary tolerance, the benefits it provided were terrifyingly substantial. Cultivating it to its peak could yield an indestructible body, with the power to do incredible things.

Moreover, not everyone could practice this technique. The word "Flame" indicated that the practitioner must possess innate fire.

Frank realized that the Art of Flame.was tailor-made for him, and obtaining it was predestined. His body contained powerful flames, and practicing the Art of Flame gave him a unique advantage.

"Since fate has allowed me to acquire you, I won't let you go to waste," he thought to himself, deciding to cultivate the Art of Flame.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly closed his eyes.

After 15 minutes of adjusting his breath and comprehending, he silently began to practice the Art of Flame that he had already committed to memory.

Crack!

As soon as it started circulating, his bones began to emit cracking sounds. The celestial fire in his Elixir Sea surged, igniting his entire body.

"Damn it, this pain is unreal!" The sudden, severe pain forced a low growl from him.

Pop!

Pop!

Pop!

These sounds continued one after another. Amidst the excruciating pain, Frank didn't realize that all 720 of his acupoints were being continuously opened, one after another. As the acupoints burst open, so did the meridians. With each ongoing refinement, they too were cleared.

Ah!

Frank gritted his teeth, his entire body in agony. He felt as if every bone and every inch of his skin were being torn apart, the pain nearly making him faint.

Crack!

Crack!

One by one, his bones fractured and then slowly rejoined, only to fracture again as they rejoined. It was a continuous cycle of breaking and mending.

Veins bulged on Frank's forehead, and his dark eyes were bloodshot. His whole body felt like it was being pierced by thousands of needles.

After three hours, he finally collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

His first body refinement had nearly cost him his life, and he barely managed to complete a single minor cycle.

"This is insane!" Frank gasped, drenched in sweat. His face was pale as a sheet. But despite it all, his eyes still held a thrilled excitement.

He understood that body refinement was not a task that could be achieved overnight. It required endless time and repeated efforts. It was a path forged through blood and pain.

Frank forced himself to sit up and examine his physical condition.

Sure enough, his efforts had not gone unrewarded. His rough bones had shed their old layers, becoming smooth and resilient, with a faint golden glow surrounding them. It was a peculiar sight.

His body was covered in black impurities that were all expelled during the refinement, a stench emanating from them.

A gentle breeze entered through the window, and Frank felt a refreshing comfort throughout his body.

Then, the sparse spiritual energy in the air began to gather, and his opened acupoints and pores expanded, absorbing the incoming spiritual energy to nourish his bones and meridians and smoothing out the imperfections.

The demands of body refinement made Frank greedy. He inhaled the spiritual energy deeply and gradually the pain in his body faded. Immersed in the whirlpool of spiritual energy, he felt as if he were basking in the warm sunlight on a cold winter day, with a cozy warmth spreading through his body.

"Hard work truly pays off." Frank clenched his fist, clearly feeling the strength in his body.

At this moment, not only were his vision, hearing, speed, and strength enhanced, but every corner of his body also brimmed with strange power, leaving him feeling invigorated.

After a while, Frank jumped up. He took out a bottle of Jade Spirit Liquid and tilted it up, drinking the entire bottle at once.

If someone had been there, they would surely have stopped him, as Jade Spirit Liquid was concentrated with various spiritual herbs and contained immense energy, requiring caution. Drinking an entire bottle might rupture one's elixir field.

However, such concerns were negligible for Frank. It should be noted that he didn't possess an elixir field but an Elixir Sea, with a capacity far beyond the ordinary. Not only could he handle a bottle of Jade Spirit Liquid, but even drinking a hundred bottles wouldn't burst them.

With the Jade Spirit Liquid entering his body, Frank felt a refreshing stream fill his meridians, cooling and nourishing his aching muscles and bones, while his exhaustion rapidly faded.

At this moment, Frank began to realize a significant point, which was the vast capacity of his Elixir Sea. Its capacity was much greater than a normal elixir field, yet it also meant his cultivation speed would be much slower than others at the same level.

"I wonder if opening the Elixir Sea is a blessing or a curse," he thought.

Three hours later, Frank withdrew his aura, jumped onto a rock, and quietly gazed at the starry sky sentimentally.

Just a day ago, he had been expelled from the Sunrise Sect and left homeless. By chance, he had acquired a celestial fire and coincidentally was brought to the Alps Sect, where he became a disciple. Everything felt like a dream.

"Is it fate's design?" Frank murmured, his eyes holding a trace of sarcasm.

Clearing his thoughts, he began to plan his next steps in cultivation.

The large capacity of his Elixir Sea gave him many advantages but also significant drawbacks—progressing was incredibly difficult. Though as a probationary disciple, he could receive a bottle of Jade Spirit Liquid each month. Yet, it was barely enough to satisfy his enormous appetite.

Since that was the case, he would need to put in even greater effort and not approach cultivation with an ordinary mindset.

Frank thought about the sect's missions.

All sect missions came with generous rewards, encouraging disciples to train. During his time at Sunrise Sect, he often took missions, and Alps Sect's missions were likely similar to Sunrise Sect's.

With a decision in mind, Frank slowly closed his eyes, hugging the Heavenly Palace Sword. Soon, he drifted into sleep.