Chapter 6: Swallowing the Mortal Flame, Ingesting the Earth Pill

“Absolutely not! I will go to His Majesty right now and plead our case!”

The head of the Lin family, Lin Jingtian, changed his expression. Being exiled to the Western Regions was tantamount to sending Lin Fan to his death.

A cold glint flashed through his eyes. Was the royal family trying to wipe out the Lin clan?

As the head of the Lin family, he quickly realized that this decree was most likely the work of the Crown Prince, Tuoba Yan.

Unfortunately, the Second Prince was stationed at the frontier and had yet to return to the capital. Even if Lin Fan entered the palace, the Emperor would probably not change the decree on his account.

“Master, this is truly my fault. I accept His Majesty’s punishment. Let’s go back to the Lin residence and prepare. I will get ready to depart for the Western Regions.”

Lin Fan waved his hand calmly in response.

It wasn’t that he was resigned, but because he had read an old legend in ancient texts.

In the Western Regions, mysterious fire beasts had once ravaged the mines, burying dozens of miners forever within.

Since the Western Regions had always been self-governed, the empire had never responded to such incidents. Over time, the matter was forgotten.

These fire beasts must have possessed beast fire.

Beasts capable of generating their own beast fire were extremely rare.

The main reason Lin Fan did not protest before the palace was this.

From what he learned from the witch, beasts capable of nurturing beast fire within themselves were mostly fifth rank or higher.

Since the Tianfeng Empire had no large beast forests, high-level beasts were scarce. Fourth rank beasts were rarely seen, let alone fifth rank.

How did he get this information from the witch?

Naturally, it was exchanged through his physical body...

“Fan, you...”

Lin Jingtian hesitated, then helplessly nodded. “Enough. The Emperor’s decree must be obeyed. The general guarding the Western Regions has had contact with the Second Prince. I will send word to him to ask that he have the general look after you.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Lin Fan did not refuse the Lin family head’s kindness. Having the Western Regions’ general’s protection would certainly make his journey much easier.

However, the journey spanned thousands of miles, fraught with danger. Whether he could arrive safely in the Western Regions was uncertain.

“I must quickly try to refine the ordinary fire.”

Lin Fan had resolved that upon returning home, he would immediately refine the flint ordinary fire. If the cultivation method’s description was true, he was confident he could break through to the Earth Dan realm today!

“Lin Fan, the road is long and perilous. Don’t die on the way.”

From one side, Luo Qingkong raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly but with malice in her eyes, speaking sarcastically.

“Thanks for the reminder. You take good care of yourself too. Don’t die before I come back.”

Lin Fan cupped his fist toward Luo Qingkong with a smile and replied.

After speaking, he strode forward, giving no chance for a retort.

Lin Jingtian and the Lin family elders glanced coldly at Luo Qingkong. The head of the Luo family did not appear this time, but everyone knew this was mostly the idea of Luo Xiu, the Luo family head.

...

“Fan, the journey is dangerous, and the Luo family won’t let this opportunity pass.

This time, the Great Elder will lead four Dan Realm elders to secretly accompany you. Don’t refuse.”

This...

Lin Fan opened his mouth but ultimately did not refuse Lin Jingtian’s kindness. He knew well that this trip would not be safe.

Having five Dan Realm experts secretly protecting him would indeed increase his safety considerably.

In today’s Tianfeng Empire, apart from the four great families and the royal family, it was difficult for other noble families to dispatch five Dan Realm masters at once.

Even the four great families probably wouldn’t expect five Dan Realm masters to be secretly protecting Lin Fan.

However, this would weaken the Lin family’s top combat strength in the capital.

If the Luo family acted recklessly, the Lin family might not be able to withstand them.

“Don’t worry. The Second Prince should return soon. Once he is back, the Lin family can rest easy.

Also, I have sent a letter to your Third Aunt. If she receives it, she will surely hurry back to the capital.”

Third Aunt is coming back?

Lin Fan’s eyes lit up. Third Aunt was the third younger sister of Lin Jingtian. Since childhood, she had enjoyed guiding his cultivation. Among the Lin family, he had the closest relationship with her.

However, after reaching the Dan Realm, Third Aunt had become a disciple of an elder from the Divine Profundity Sect and spent most of her time there, returning home only at year’s end.

“I wonder if Third Aunt has reached the Yuan Mansion Realm by now?”

Hearing Lin Fan’s question, Lin Jingtian smiled and shook his head. “Since you disappeared, she hasn’t returned, saying she wants to cultivate hard and reach the Spirit Realm soon, so she can come find you.

Even I don’t know her current cultivation level.”

Third Aunt!

Lin Fan was slightly moved, the image of her beautiful face appearing in his mind. He clenched his fist tightly.

“Master, I have some things to attend to and need to rest for a while. Please help me prepare a wind-riding steed. I will leave the city at night and head to the Western Regions.”

“Very well!”

...

In the Lin family’s young master’s residence, Lin Fan took the flint he had gotten from the kitchen and struck it sharply. Sparks immediately flew into a copper basin.

Flames instantly flared up.

Watching the flames in the basin, a bright gleam flickered in Lin Fan’s eyes, as if firelight danced within them. He took a deep breath and stretched out his right hand, activating the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Technique.

Suddenly, a powerful devouring force surged from his palm. The flames in the basin seemed to be controlled, diving straight into his palm.

So hot!

An unbearably scorching heat flooded his palm. Lin Fan felt intense pain and burning spreading through his entire body, as if even his soul was being scorched.

“Still not gathering the fire? Are you planning to be burned alive by this flame?”

A cold voice echoed in Lin Fan’s mind. It was the witch’s reprimand.

This voice snapped Lin Fan back to reality. Without hesitation, he hastened to gather the erratic flames within his dantian.

The lid of the furnace opened suddenly. The flames surged in wildly, as if aware of their impending fate, wildly escaping inside. The lid rattled continuously with metallic clinks.

“Behave yourself!”

Lin Fan hardened his heart, focusing all his energy on the furnace. He could even see tiny sparks flying wildly inside.

As he accelerated the cultivation method, his abundant spiritual power poured into the furnace. The furnace seemed to receive the power supply and suddenly burst with a mysterious energy. This energy enclosed, compressed, and refined the flames...

Until the flames completely fused with the furnace, the turmoil within Lin Fan finally settled.

Before he could catch his breath, a tremendous wave of energy surged from the furnace, converging towards the spiritual power star core in his dantian.

Transformation into a Dan!

Lin Fan had once ventured into the Divine Dan Secret Realm and knew well that this energy could transform his spiritual power star core into a Divine Dan.

After a short while, a silver Dan speckled with golden light appeared in place of the star core, and Lin Fan’s aura soared dramatically.

At this moment, he had clearly crossed beyond the True Spirit Secret Realm, reaching the first stage of the Divine Dan Secret Realm—the Earth Dan realm.

Not only that, his cultivation had reached the peak of the Earth Dan realm, and the golden Dan was not far off.

The Divine Dan Secret Realm was divided into three Dan realms.

Earth Dan was represented by silver Dan, Heaven Dan by golden Dan, and the final stage, Divine Dan, by milky white Dan.

“The Burning Heaven Qi Refining Technique does not deceive.

Just by refining an ordinary fire, my cultivation reached the peak of the Earth Dan realm.

If I can devour a beast fire, I might even restore my peak strength.”

Excitement gleamed in Lin Fan’s eyes. It had only been two days since he returned from the Divine Abyss Secret Realm.

His cultivation had risen from nothing to the peak Earth Dan realm in that short time.

Such speed would astonish even the Tianfeng Empire’s former top prodigy—himself.

If word got out, it would surely attract covetous eyes among many powerful figures.

Lin Fan had made up his mind: apart from himself and the witch, no third party could know.

Not even the Lin family, whom he trusted most.

He understood the principle—possessing a treasure unwittingly invites trouble. Even if the Lin family had no ill intentions, no one could guarantee that someone wouldn’t slip and reveal the secret of his cultivation method, triggering others to seize it.

“Boy, I thought I had tempered your character well over these two years.

Unexpectedly, you nearly capsized.

It seems I haven’t trained you enough.

Come, let’s have some fun!”