111: The Art of Wine Transcendence

"Senior Brother, these are all fire spirit stones unearthed from the volcanic regions of the Southern Frontier. They possess pure fire attributes and can even be used directly to Cultivate!" The stall owner rubbed his hands together and continued:

"Ten Spirit Stones for one fire spirit stone. How many would you like..."

The stall owners here were all very perceptive; they knew that Lin Yan and his companion were both Sword Pavilion Disciples.

Although they didn't know their cultivation levels, as long as they were Sword Pavilion Disciples, they habitually addressed them respectfully as Senior Brother.

"How bold!"

Before Lin Yan could speak, Lu Jingran spoke up first, reprimanding the burly man:

"Do you take us for fools? Other shops trade fire spirit stones at a one-to-one ratio, yet here it is ten-to-one?"

"Hehe..." The burly man gave a sheepish laugh and changed his tune:

"Senior Brother, please don't be offended. My fire spirit stones are of high quality. How about this: five Spirit Stones for one!"

"Three for one, or no deal!" Lu Jingran bargained again.

"Fine, fine, fine, we'll do it your way, Senior Brother." The burly man nodded hurriedly and then asked, "How many do you want?"

Lin Yan picked up a fire spirit stone the size of a pigeon egg. He scanned it with his Divine Sense and indeed felt a surge of scorching fire-attribute Qi rushing toward him.

"I'll take them all. Do you have any more?" Lin Yan asked.

"Uh... no more." The stall owner was a bit surprised by Lin Yan's generosity.

The transaction was completed swiftly.

Afterward, Lu Jingran took Lin Yan to visit a few more shops, exchanging for a total of around a hundred fire spirit stones.

After returning to the spirit field, Lin Yan did not delay. He immediately dug three shallow pits near the roots of the first mutated Crimson Flame Rice and buried the pigeon-egg-sized fire spirit stones inside.

The effect was almost immediate.

The next morning, Lin Yan discovered that the mutation progress of that Crimson Flame Rice had increased.

【spirit plant Name: Crimson Flame Rice】

【growth progress: 64 / 1000】

【mutation progress: 13%】

【spirit plant Characteristics: Wood-Fire Dual Attribute Spirit Rice】

【Growth Status: None】

...

"As expected, my line of reasoning was correct." Lin Yan nodded with satisfaction.

Immediately afterward, he buried fire spirit stones at the roots of every mutated Crimson Flame Rice.

A month passed, and the first mutated Crimson Flame Rice reached its transformation node.

【spirit plant Name: Crimson Flame Rice】

【growth progress: 174 / 1000】

【mutation progress: 99%】

【spirit plant Characteristics: Wood-Fire Dual Attribute Spirit Rice】

【Growth Status: None】

...

The day of the harvest had arrived.

Lin Yan sat cross-legged and began to catalyze the process, employing the Azure Emperor Longevity Art.

Soon, he and the Crimson Flame Rice entered a state of resonance.

Under his catalysis, this Crimson Flame Rice began to transform rapidly.

The overall color of the rice stalk deepened further, shifting from dark red to nearly crimson gold.

The luster on the surface of the rice ears seemed as if it had been tempered by fire, faintly shimmering with a flowing sensation like molten lava.

Even more astonishing was that the air around the rice stalk was slightly distorted due to the gathering of fire-attribute Qi, forming a faint red halo that was difficult for the naked eye to discern.

"It's done!" Lin Yan's mind jolted. He immediately increased his spiritual power output, carefully catalyzing the final transformation.

The next moment, the Crimson Flame Rice shuddered violently, and the crimson gold on the surface of the rice ears suddenly shifted to a brilliant fire-crystal color.

It looked as if every leaf had turned into a translucent crystal, with what appeared to be liquid fire flowing inside.

Its overall aura had completely transformed; the wood and fire attributes were deeply fused, making them indistinguishable from one another.

A purer fire attribute erupted from the rice stalk, and even the surrounding soil was stained with a faint crimson red, as if it had been steamed by high heat.

The Crimson Flame Rice had officially completed its transformation.

【spirit plant Name: Fire Crystal Rice】

【growth progress: 194 / 1000】

【spirit plant Characteristics: A type of Spirit Rice containing the pure essence of fire】

【Growth Status: None】

...

"Fire Crystal Rice!"

Before Lin Yan could recover from his pleasant surprise, a massive surge of spiritual power feedback poured out from the Fire Crystal Rice.

This surge of spiritual power was not a violent shock, but rather flowed slowly into his Dantian like a warm current, nourishing his spiritual meridians and causing his cultivation to increase by a small margin without him even realizing it.

Following this came an even more precious fluctuation of spiritual resonance—this was the insight transmitted to Lin Yan during the Fire Crystal Rice's transformation.

It was an ultimate understanding of the "fusion of wood and fire."

Fire is not merely a force of destruction; when it is enveloped by the vitality of the wood attribute and delicately regulated by spiritual nature, it can become the purest fire of nourishment.

And the miraculous characteristics of the spirit plant allowed the two attributes to find their most compatible equilibrium point.

Lin Yan's mind suddenly fell into a state of clarity.

He entered an Epiphany.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, rays of spiritual light flickered, eventually condensing into an extremely simple rune.

This was the wine-brewing technique Lin Yan had bought from that laborer.

Its core was a rune composed of only a few strokes.

Although simple, it was not simplistic; it contained quite a few profound mysteries.

Even for an ordinary person, it would take some effort to fully comprehend it.

Subconsciously, he raised his hand, condensed spiritual power at his fingertips, and traced the trajectory of the rune in the air.

The rune for the wine-brewing technique appeared before him.

As soon as it took shape, the rune flickered slightly, as if responding to his will, full of spiritual vitality.

Over these years, Lin Yan had brewed wine at least once a month, so his comprehension of this technique had naturally reached Perfection long ago.

However, Lin Yan did not stop; instead, he made some modifications to the rune.

He condensed spiritual power at his fingertips, playing with the rune in his palm, constantly deconstructing and reconstructing it.

Everything seemed to be happening unconsciously, like an instinctual reaction.

He would adjust the angle of the rune's rotation, making the fluctuations emitted by the rune gentler, and then he would optimize the lines of the rune's outline, shifting the nodes of the spiritual power circulation...

As he improved it, the rune gradually became profound and mysterious.

Multiple variations were blended into the originally simple strokes.

Finally, when the rune completely set, a soft sound echoed in Lin Yan's Sea of Consciousness.

The sound was like the essence of fire bursting open, or perhaps like drops of aged fine wine falling...

Lin Yan awoke as if from a dream.

Looking at the profound rune before him, an irrepressible smile spread across his lips:

"I have unexpectedly comprehended the Transcendent Wine Art!"

Now his grand plan for spirit wine was secure.

Transcendent is a magical Realm; for the same technique, the effects of the Transcendent state comprehended by each person are often different.

For Lin Yan, this Transcendent wine technique was better able to harmonize wood-attribute Qi and refine fire-attribute Qi.

With a thought, the wine-brewing rune danced gently above his palm like an elf, as if it had a life of its own.

Lin Yan had a vague feeling.

"This wine technique rune still has room for improvement!"

Transcendent transcends Perfection; what could lie beyond Transcendent?

Lin Yan felt a faint sense of anticipation.

He took out the last bit of Crimson Flame Rice and brewed some spirit wine separately using the Transcendent Wine Art.

This time, using pure Crimson Flame Rice, combined with the power of the Transcendent Wine Art, the reaction during the fermentation process of the Crimson Flame Rice was even more intense, nearly causing it to spontaneously combust.

Lin Yan used five Water Spirit Stones to barely manage to ensure the Crimson Flame Rice successfully completed fermentation.

When the wine was finished, scorching and mellow fluctuations of spiritual power surged from the jar.

Taking a deep breath, one could smell the scent of the fire essence carried within the aroma of the wine.