233: Chapter 236, Lesson One: The True Meaning of Water and Fire

Three days later. Yuanxing Palace.

When Lin Yi arrived before the cyan palace again, the sea of clouds outside was as quiet as a mirror.

Zhou Xuan did not lead the way again. This time, it was Lin Yi who came himself.

He held the silver personal Disciple token in his hand; the token glowed slightly, and the palace gates opened silently.

Lin Yi stepped inside.

World Lord Yuanxing was still sitting in the palace. Only this time, there was an additional stone platform in front of him.

There were no sabers or scrolls on the stone platform. Only two balls of light.

One water-blue. One crimson-red.

The water-blue ball of light flowed quietly, like a deep sea shrunk to the extreme.

The crimson-red ball of light kept pulsing, like a ball of suppressed raging fire.

The two forces were separated from each other. No Fusion. No conflict.

World Lord Yuanxing raised his eyes to look at Lin Yi. "You have arrived."

Lin Yi bowed. "Greetings, Revered Master."

World Lord Yuanxing nodded. "Sit."

Lin Yi sat down in front of the stone platform. World Lord Yuanxing did not make small talk and said directly:

"Your strongest ability right now is the fourth level of the True Intent of Water."

"Mastering the fourth level of True Intent at the Divine Body Realm is already quite rare."

"Among ordinary Disciples of the World Realm, it is enough to make people call you a Genius."

Lin Yi did not respond. He knew there was a "but" coming.

Indeed, World Lord Yuanxing continued: "But it is not enough."

"With only the True Intent of Water, even if you cultivate it all the way to the ninth level, it only shows that you have gone far enough on the Dao of Water."

"However, those who truly stand at the heights rarely rely on just one path to the end."

Lin Yi asked: "Can even a True God not do it?"

"They can." World Lord Yuanxing said: "If a single True Intent is cultivated to an extremely deep level, one can naturally become an extremely strong expert."

"But that path is narrower."

"And the further you go, the easier it is to be limited by yourself."

"You have a Top-grade Divine Body, Comprehension Ability for the Blade Dao, and you have already established a Foundation in the True Intent of Water."

"If I only let you cultivate the Dao of Water alone, it would be a waste."

He raised his hand and pointed. The water-blue ball of light on the stone platform rose slowly.

"What is water?"

Lin Yi thought for a moment. "Flowing, accommodating, dissolving force, sinking, bearing."

These were all understandings he had pieced together bit by bit in the Hunyuan Tower.

World Lord Yuanxing did not deny it. "Not bad."

Then, he pointed to the crimson-red ball of light. "Then what is fire?"

Lin Yi was silent for a moment. "Fierce, explosive, destructive, vitality."

"Still not enough." World Lord Yuanxing said calmly: "You have never truly cultivated the True Intent of Fire, so these are just the understandings of a bystander."

"Fire does not only burn."

"Fire can destroy, and it can also refine."

"It can explode, and it can also nurture."

"Medicinal Pills require fire, Artifact Refining requires fire, and the transformation of the Physical Body cannot do without fire either."

After he finished speaking, the water-blue ball of light and the crimson-red ball of light moved toward the center at the same time.

Before they actually touched, the entire stone platform shook violently.

Hiss! Water vapor steamed. The firelight surged.

The two forces separated upon contact.

World Lord Yuanxing did not force them to undergo Fusion, he just wanted Lin Yi to see the changes at that instant clearly.

"Did you see it?"

Lin Yi nodded. "Water and fire counteract each other."

"That is only the first layer." World Lord Yuanxing said: "Water extinguishes fire, fire steams water; this is the shallowest form of opposition."

"Ordinary cultivators who reach this point will only feel that the two are naturally in conflict; if they try to practice them together by force, nine times out of ten, they will injure themselves."

"But look again."

He tapped his finger lightly. This time, the water-blue ball of light did not press directly onto the crimson-red ball of light.

The crimson-red ball of light did not violently rush out either. Between the two, a very thin gap appeared.

Water vapor rose. The fire spread upward along the water vapor.

The crimson-red light was not extinguished by the water; instead, it became more lively with the help of the water vapor.

And the water-blue ball of light was not steamed dry by the fire; instead, it flowed faster amidst the alternation of cold and heat.

Lin Yi's eyes narrowed. "Mutual generation."

World Lord Yuanxing said: "Water and fire counteract each other, but they also generate each other."

"But knowing this sentence is meaningless."

"What is truly difficult is finding that position where they can still generate each other after counteracting."

He raised his hand and clenched it. The water-blue and crimson-red balls of light suddenly intertwined.

At first, the two were constantly colliding. With every collision, water vapor would explode, and sparks would scatter.

But soon, Lin Yi noticed something wrong.

The exploding water vapor and sparks did not disappear. They were constrained by World Lord Yuanxing's Saber Intent into a very thin trajectory.

After water extinguished fire, vapor was generated. After fire steamed water, momentum was born.

That momentum was then guided by the Saber Intent, in turn pushing the water and fire to continue circulating.

Finally, a tiny vortex appeared on the stone platform. Half water-blue. Half crimson-red.

It was very unstable. Yet it truly existed.

Lin Yi stared at that vortex, his mind slightly shaken. This was the prototype of the Fusion of the True Intent of Water and Fire.

It was not about forcing water and fire together. It was about letting the opposition itself become the starting point for generation.

Letting the conflict turn into a cycle.

World Lord Yuanxing closed his fingers. The vortex dissipated. The stone platform returned to calm.

"How much did you understand?"

Lin Yi did not try to act tough. "I only understood a little."

"Speak."

"Water and fire cannot be forced together." Lin Yi said: "One must first find the position of opposition, then use the changes produced after the opposition to reform a cycle."

"This step is not just about water and fire. There must also be something that can suppress the conflict between the two."

When he said this, he looked at World Lord Yuanxing. "Revered Master used Saber Intent just now."

A faint trace of satisfaction finally appeared in World Lord Yuanxing's eyes. "Not bad."

"For others, the Fusion of water and fire might rely on the Dao of Medicine, on Artifact Refining, on the Physical Body, or on Formations."

"For me, it is the saber. And for you, it will also be the saber."

Lin Yi understood a bit more in his heart. His saber was not just a weapon for killing enemies. In the future, it would also be the core that suppresses the conflict of water and fire and guides the cycle of water and fire.

World Lord Yuanxing continued: "But you are still far from it right now."

"You do not have the True Intent of Fire. You do not even have the first level."

"Talking about Fusion now is just a castle in the air."

Lin Yi nodded. "Disciple understands."

"So the first step is not Fusion." World Lord Yuanxing said: "It is entering the fire."

"You must first comprehend the first level of the True Intent of Fire."

"But remember, I am not asking you to switch to cultivating the Dao of Fire. Nor am I asking you to push the Dao of Fire to any great height."

"What you need to find is that wisp of fire that can counteract and generate with water."

Lin Yi asked: "How do I find it?"

World Lord Yuanxing raised his hand, and a crimson jade talisman landed in front of Lin Yi. "The Flaming River Secret Realm."

"A place where Inner Court Disciples who cultivate the True Intent of Fire often go."

"There is a Flaming River there. In the river, it is not water, but fire."

"The flow of fire is like water, never ceasing day or night."

"You cultivate the True Intent of Water, and you need to enter the fire, so that place is most suitable for you."

Lin Yi took the jade talisman. The jade talisman felt warm in his hand, and firelight faintly flowed within it.

World Lord Yuanxing said: "I give you three months."

"Within three months, comprehend the first level of the True Intent of Fire. If you cannot do it, come back and continue cultivating water. Go again after three months."

Lin Yi said: "What if I do it?"

"Come back and see me." World Lord Yuanxing looked at him. "I will teach you how to use the saber to suppress water and fire."

Lin Yi's heart shook slightly. "Yes."

World Lord Yuanxing said again: "There is one more thing."

Lin Yi looked up. "The registration application for the Nine Provinces has been submitted."

"The Inner Court will send people to verify the coordinates. With my personal Disciple token, the ordinary procedures will not block you."

"But during this time, do not get distracted."

"If you really want the Nine Provinces to be stable, do not put your mind on watching the procedures. I will have people push the procedures."

"What you need to do is let everyone know who is standing behind the Nine Provinces."

Lin Yi gripped the crimson jade talisman tightly. "Disciple understands."

World Lord Yuanxing waved his hand. "Go. Enter the fire first."

Lin Yi stood up, bowed, and exited Yuanxing Palace. The sea of clouds outside the palace was still quiet.

But in Lin Yi's heart, it was as if an extra wisp of fire had appeared. It was not a violently burning fire. But a path that would run parallel to water in the future.

Zhou Xuan was waiting for him outside the palace. Seeing the crimson jade talisman in his hand, Zhou Xuan smiled.

"The Flaming River Secret Realm?" Lin Yi nodded.

Zhou Xuan said: "That place is not easy. Many Inner Court Disciples who cultivate fire have suffered there."

"You cultivate the True Intent of Water; I'm afraid it will be even more uncomfortable when you first go in."

Lin Yi said: "That is perfect."

Zhou Xuan was taken aback. Lin Yi looked up and looked into the distance.

"Only when it is uncomfortable does it mean it can temper me."

Half a day later. Southeast of the Inner Court. In front of a crimson-red teleportation Formation.

Lin Yi arrived holding the personal Disciple token. The Formation-guarding deacon saw the token and immediately let him pass.

Before the teleportation Formation lit up, Yuan Yi's voice sounded in his mind.

"The path of the Fusion of water and fire is harder than you think."

"The first level of the True Intent of Fire is just the shallowest step."

Lin Yi said: "I know."

"Still so calm even though you know?"

Lin Yi watched the crimson light rising in the Formation. "Because I finally know where to go for the next step."

Yuan Yi was silent for a moment, then laughed. "That is true. Having a path to walk is better than bumping around blindly."

Crimson light rose. Heaven and earth transformed. A scorching aura rushed toward his face.

When Lin Yi opened his eyes, he was already standing on a crimson-red land.

In the distance, a long river spanning heaven and earth was flowing. There was not a drop of water in the river. Only fire.

The flames rolled, surged, and roared like a river.

The Flaming River Secret Realm.

Lin Yi gazed at that river of fire, crimson-red light reflecting in his eyes.

The fourth level of the True Intent of Water vibrated slightly in his body. Not rejection. But vigilance.

Lin Yi gripped his long saber and stepped toward the Flaming River. The first step, entering the fire.