225: Chapter 224 Tide-Burning Sky Slash

Water and fire are incompatible; this is a fundamental principle of heaven and earth.

But water and fire aiding each other is also a fundamental principle of heaven and earth.

The key lies in how to transform them from "incompatible" to "mutually aiding."

And the path he found was "circulation."

Using his Dantian as a furnace and his Meridians as channels, he let the two Qis of water and fire form a great circulation within his body. In this cycle, they did not collide directly but instead took turns leading and borrowing momentum from each other.

When fire was strong, water yielded; when water was strong, fire yielded.

As one waxed and the other waned, they were endless and ever-renewing.

He continued to circulate his Cultivation Technique, making that cycle increasingly stable and smooth.

The intense pain within his body gradually diminished.

His torn Meridians, nourished by the Lihuo True Flame, began to slowly heal.

The Inner Core before him gradually slowed its rotation, returning to a state of calm.

Red and blue light still radiated from the core, but this time, they did not surge into his body; instead, they flowed like a trickling stream.

Those trickles were absorbed, fused, and assimilated one by one by that great circulation.

He didn't know how much time had passed.

Perhaps a day.

Perhaps two.

Jiang Hanzhou opened his eyes.

A flash of red and blue light flickered in his eyes and vanished.

He looked down at his hands. They were perfectly intact, with faint red and blue patterns visible beneath the skin, slowly flowing—a sign of water and fire aiding each other.

He closed his eyes and looked within.

Deep within his Dantian, the three-colored flame still burned quietly. But now, a red and blue halo had appeared around the flame. The halo rotated slowly, and with every turn, wisps of Tide intent and Pure Yang intent drifted out from it, merging into the flame.

Tidal True Intent, thirty percent.

Pure Yang True Intent, thirty percent.

Golden Sharpness True Intent, twenty percent Peak.

Heavenly Fire True Intent, its embryonic form stabilized.

More importantly—

Tide and Pure Yang had finally reached a sort of balance.

Although the balance was not yet perfect and still required a lot of time to refine, it had indeed—been achieved.

He stood up and walked out of the cave.

Outside the cave, the mist in Ice Fire Two Energies Valley was still churning. The left side was crimson like fire, while the right was deep blue like ice; the two-colored mists intertwined and collided in the valley, forming a clear dividing line.

He stood on the dividing line and raised his right hand.

Within his body, that great water-fire circulation slowly operated.

Tidal True Intent surged from his Dantian, flowing right along his Meridians and into his right arm.

Pure Yang True Intent surged from his Dantian, flowing left along his Meridians and into his left arm.

The two forces met in his palm.

The moment they met—

Boom!

A red and blue flame erupted from his palm!

The flame was crimson, but its edges shimmered with a deep blue light. As the flame churned, it possessed the enduring continuity of Tide, the fierce dominance of Pure Yang, and the sharp incisiveness of Golden Sharpness—the characteristics of the three True Intents were perfectly fused at this moment!

Within the flame, countless tiny golden edges could be seen flickering—traces of Golden Sharpness True Intent.

As the flame burned, it emitted a low rumble, like waves crashing against the shore in an endless succession.

Everywhere the flame passed, the air twisted, trembled, and—submitted.

Jiang Hanzhou stared at the cluster of flame in his palm, a burning light flashing in his eyes.

Fusion ultimate move.

It was a success.

He took a deep breath and swung his right hand.

The flame shot out, transforming into a red and blue blade light that slashed toward a massive boulder a hundred feet away!

The blade light streaked past, fast as lightning!

Wherever it passed, the crimson mist on the left was swallowed by the flame, and the deep blue mist on the right was torn apart by the blade light!

Three breaths later—

Boom!!!

The moment the blade light struck the boulder, it exploded!

Countless fragments splattered in all directions, each bearing crimson scorch marks and deep blue frost marks. Some fragments fell into the lake, boiling the water, while others froze it, creating a bizarre sight.

Where the boulder had once stood, only a massive crater three zhang deep remained.

The edges of the crater were smooth as a mirror, with lingering traces of intertwined crimson and deep blue light.

Jiang Hanzhou withdrew his hand and stared at the crater, remaining silent for a long time.

Then, he looked down at his right hand.

His right hand trembled slightly, with a faint scorch mark on his palm—a backlash from that strike.

Although the ultimate move was successful, given his current cultivation, pushing this move to its full potential was still a bit straining.

But he didn't care.

Because the power of this move far exceeded his expectations.

Tide as the momentum, Heavenly Fire as the blade, and Golden Sharpness as the edge—with the three intents combined, the power was far more than doubled.

He gave this move a name.

[Tidal Heaven-Burning Slash].

He turned and walked toward the exit of the valley.

Behind him, the massive crater was gradually swallowed by the mist under the erosion of the two energies of ice and fire.

As if it had never existed.

Red Fire Peak, Lihuo Hall.

Master Xue Mu stood by the window with his hands behind his back, gazing at the churning sea of clouds outside.

Hearing footsteps, he didn't turn around, only saying indifferently:

"You're back?"

Jiang Hanzhou walked up behind him and bowed respectfully:

"Disciple greets Master."

Master Xue Mu turned around and looked at him.

Those deep eyes lingered on him for a long time.

Then, Master Xue Mu smiled.

That smile was more radiant than any before.

"Thirty percent," he said. "Tidal True Intent at thirty percent, Pure Yang True Intent at thirty percent. Water and fire aiding each other, circulating endlessly."

He stepped forward, looking Jiang Hanzhou up and down, his eyes filled with gratification.

"Kid, you did it."

Jiang Hanzhou shook his head slightly. "It's only a preliminary Fusion, not yet stable."

"Preliminary Fusion?" Master Xue Mu laughed. "Do you know that for many people, those two words represent a hurdle they can never cross in their entire lives?"

He turned and walked to the tea table, poured two cups of tea, and handed one to Jiang Hanzhou.

Jiang Hanzhou took it and drank.

The tea entered his stomach and turned into a warm current, nourishing the Meridians that had just healed within his body.

Master Xue Mu finished his tea, set down the cup, and said seriously:

"Show me your ultimate move."

Jiang Hanzhou nodded and walked out of the hall.

Master Xue Mu followed him out, standing with his hands behind his back on the stone steps in front of the hall.

Jiang Hanzhou stood on the square in front of the hall and took a deep breath.

Within his body, that great water-fire circulation slowly operated.

Tidal True Intent surged toward his right arm, while Pure Yang True Intent surged toward his left arm, the two forces meeting in his palm.

The moment they met—

Boom!

A red and blue flame erupted from his palm!

The flame churned, transforming into a three-zhang-long blade light that slashed toward a Sword-Testing Stone a hundred feet away!

The blade light streaked past, fast as lightning!

Three breaths later—

Boom!!!

The three-zhang-high Sword-Testing Stone exploded!