103: It's very easy to make!

Southern Region, Wuzhou.

Liucheng.

This was a remote small town of mountains and rivers, having lived in peace with the world for thousands of years, like a paradise forgotten by the world.

Quiet and peaceful.

At this time, the air was somewhat sweltering, and thick, ink-colored clouds shrouded the sky above the small town, as if a storm was brewing.

On the muddy path, villagers carrying firewood hurried along with their heads down, looking up at the sky from time to time; they wanted to reach home before the storm arrived.

In the small town, low, green-tiled houses were everywhere, with rivers weaving through them, flowing quietly.

On the bluestone paths beside the rivers, children frolicked and ran about bare-legged.

While the adults slowly moored their black-awning boats to the shore, tying them with thick ropes; the tofu shops, grocery stores, and blacksmith shops on both banks began to close; families brought in laundry, dried fish, and salted vegetables... the entire town was making full preparations for the upcoming storm.

"Mother, I want to go out and play!"

Under the low eaves, an adorable little boy around five or six years old sat on the threshold, pouting.

"No, it's about to rain heavily, you can't go anywhere!"

The woman, holding a worn-out quilt, walked quickly past him.

"Waah..."

The little boy began to cry and fuss: "I don't care, I don't care! I want to go out and play!"

"Are you looking for a beating?"

"Waah waah waah..."

The little boy cried even harder.

"Haha, if my son wants to go out and play, just let him!" At this moment, a sturdy farmer in coarse cloth clothes walked in laughing, set down his plowing tools, and smiled: "I'll take him, it'll be fine."

"...The two of you, I really can't do anything about you!"

The woman glared at them, pretending to be angry, but the look in her eyes had softened considerably as she urged: "Only for a little while, come back early!"

"Your mother agreed. Come on, I'll take you to catch loaches!"

"Yay!"

The little boy jumped up excitedly, threw his arms around the woman's neck and gave her a kiss, then ran out bare-legged.

"Hey—slow down—"

The woman shouted anxiously.

"You spoil him too much!"

Seeing the child's figure already disappearing from sight, the woman complained in a low voice.

"Haha, I'm here, nothing will happen!"

The man laughed and took the straw raincoat the woman handed him, throwing it on casually. Holding another much smaller straw raincoat, he followed slowly behind.

"I don't want to bother with you two!"

After the father and son left, the woman grumbled and turned back to her chores.

Drip-drop—drip-drop—

Light rain fell pattering down, dripping onto the green tiles of the houses, forming lines of water that fell onto the bluestone paths with a rhythmic sound.

The wind picked up, and the wind chimes hanging under the eaves rang with a series of pleasant sounds.

"Dad, this loach is huge!"

"Quick, catch it! Don't let it get away!"

The man sat on the ridge of the field, watching the tiny figure in the straw raincoat excitedly digging through the mud in the paddy field, his lips curling up unconsciously.

Just then, a nearly invisible spark of fire landed in the paddy field.

"Sizzle—!"

The flame didn't go out; instead, it began to burn slowly on the water's surface.

"Strange... is someone burning straw?"

The man instinctively looked around but saw no fire.

"No... this fire is a bit strange!" The man frowned.

"Dad, why is the water on fire?"

The little boy, focused on catching loaches, also seemed to notice the anomaly and stared at the ball of fire burning on the water, filled with curiosity.

The man was stunned for a moment, then suddenly looked up at the sky.

The next moment—

His pupils suddenly constricted!

"Quick, quick, stop playing! Come home with me!!"

Seeing his son standing there dazed, the man immediately jumped into the paddy field, scooped up the confused little boy, and ran toward home like mad!

"Dad, what's happening..."

The little boy clung to the man's neck, asking nervously.

"..."

The man had no mind to answer at this moment, only running desperately, his straw sandals making dull thuds as they hit the field ridge.

The little boy pressed against the man's chest, looking at the sky behind them.

Under the ink-black rain clouds, streaks of red fire fell like rain, covering the sky. The moment they touched the rainwater, it was as if they hit an accelerant; with a 'fwoosh', the flames suddenly flared up.

In an instant, the area behind them had turned into a sea of fire.

"...Ah?"

The little boy had never seen such a scene; he was completely stunned, his small body trembling involuntarily.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Fire rain surged down from the sky; not just behind them, but the sky ahead had also become a sea of fire.

A spark of fire landed on the little boy; in an instant, the straw raincoat he was wearing was ignited, quickly enveloping his entire body.

The man was also burned and let go in pain instinctively.

The little boy fell to the ground, like a desperate firebird, thrashing and struggling on the ground, letting out desperate, shrill wails.

"My son—"

Even though the man was also on fire, he endured the crackling pain of his body burning and rushed over without hesitation, trying to extinguish the flames on the little boy.

However... no matter how hard he tried, he could not extinguish the flames on his son; instead, they burned even brighter. As soon as tears left his eyes, they were ignited and instantly burned away.

Soon, that small ball of fire collapsed to the ground, completely still.

Only then did the man discover in panic that he too had become a ball of fire.

He screamed, roared, and wailed... then gradually fell into silence.

A torrential rain of fire poured down from the sky; the once quiet and peaceful Liucheng had now become a sea of fire.

Black-awning boats, willow trees, white walls, green tiles, bluestone paths... everything was burning.

Green tiles melted into lava, flowing down from the eaves like waterfalls of fire.

The wind chimes were burned into a twisted shape and fell into the sea of fire with a 'clack'.

Flames filled every corner, people struggled and ran through the sea of fire, and billowing smoke rose straight into the sky.

At this moment, Liucheng turned into a living hell.

Countless lives quickly vanished in the sea of fire.

The busy woman noticed something was wrong and rushed out anxiously to find her husband and son, only for a wave of fire to sweep over, completely submerging her.

A pale blue Soul slowly drifted out from the woman's burning body.

It drifted upward, reaching above the rain clouds.

Then it was absorbed by a massive force, entering a grand array; meanwhile, countless Souls from all directions also quickly gathered here.

At the core of the array, a blood-red soul stone was slowly condensing into shape.

Above the array, a figure stood tall.

Beneath his feet, the Soul Refining Blood Array rotated silently, with streaks of red lightning snaking around him. He watched this human tragedy expressionlessly, his heart untroubled.

This inhumane massacre was merely a disaster he had created on a whim.

A Mortal's life is worthless in the eyes of an 'Immortal'.

Not long after, the sea of fire gradually died out, and all the spirits had been collected into the array.

That 'Immortal' walked slowly with his hands behind his back to the core of the array, gently taking down a blood-red stone, and murmured: "Is this the soul blood stone? Refining it..."

"Is quite simple!"