Chapter 82: Mastering the Dragonflame!

A whole day had passed.

At dusk, forty-eight people, breathless and exhausted, returned to the deck.

Throughout the day, each had swallowed about five stellar-level beast cores.

Among the forty-eight, all those who'd previously reached the planetary realm had now successfully advanced to the stellar level. The advancement process was both easy and swift.

However, progressing further to the super-stellar realm would not be so simple. This stage required the consumption of an enormous quantity of beast cores.

To put this into perspective: when Yang Ye helped the wild boar Dahei ascend to the super-stellar level, he had to bring out every single beast core he possessed. These were stockpiles accumulated by Fusang Nation over decades, even centuries, not to mention the stellar-level beast cores Yang Ye had collected himself. Although human cultivators did not require quite as many beast cores as Dahei to reach the super-stellar realm, the quantity needed was still so great that even a single cultivation family could hardly bear the cost.

After resting sufficiently on the deck, Zhou Hun sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to regulate his breath.

Moments later, Zhou Hun opened his eyes, astonishment written on his face as he addressed Yang Ye. “Ye Xun, my star sea has changed.”

“So has mine,” Mao Li quickly chimed in.

“What sort of change?” Yang Ye approached, frowning in concern.

“Ye Xun, it’s best if you see for yourself,” Zhou Hun replied, closing his eyes once more.

Yang Ye understood Zhou Hun’s meaning—he was inviting Yang Ye to enter his star sea with his divine sense.

Standing before Zhou Hun, Yang Ye placed his hand atop Zhou Hun’s head and closed his own eyes.

A wisp of Yang Ye’s divine sense soon entered Zhou Hun’s star sea.

What he saw there surprised him greatly. Zhou Hun’s star sea was murky and clouded, filled with multicolored particles throughout. At the very center, the star-shaped core was dull and without luster.

Withdrawing his divine sense, Yang Ye then moved to Mao Li.

Mao Li, knowing what was expected, closed her eyes and relaxed.

Upon entering Mao Li’s star sea, Yang Ye saw the same scene: a thick haze, just as with Zhou Hun.

Retracting his divine sense, Yang Ye pondered for a while, then took Long Xiaoqing with him and dove into the sea, returning to the Dragon Palace.

There, Yang Ye recounted the state of Zhou Hun’s and Mao Li’s star seas to Nezha.

Nezha operated on a computer he had personally built and programmed, then pointed at the monitor. “Master, is this what you saw?”

On the screen was a simulation identical to the conditions inside Zhou Hun’s star sea.

“What’s going on?” Yang Ye asked, curiosity piqued.

Nezha explained, “Super 101 has three main functions. First, it strengthens the physical body, meridians, and the barrier of the star sea. Second, it fortifies the stellar core. Third, it grants the body resistance to the toxins of beast cores.

“Together, these three aspects allow the lifeform to absorb energy nearly without limit. To use an analogy: a normal cultivator’s star sea barrier is like a glass vessel, but Super 101 transforms it into iron. As a result, the star sea can hold much more energy. However, the internal pressure becomes immense, and the stellar core slows its rotation under the strain. Once the rotation slows, its attraction to energy diminishes, and much of the energy can no longer merge into the core swiftly, resulting in this condition.

“Additionally, the multicolored energy particles are impure and mixed. This is why, after advancing to the super-stellar realm, further breakthroughs become exceedingly difficult.”

When Nezha finished, Yang Ye asked, “Is there a way to refine these impure energies?”

Zhou Hun and the others were willing to sacrifice not only their lives but even their futures for Yang Ye; naturally, he wanted to find a way to mitigate any side effects they suffered.

Nezha shrugged. “Medicines can’t solve this. Only cultivation techniques can help. In fact, cultivation methods are far more wondrous than mere drugs.”

At that moment, Steward Mu approached and spoke calmly, “Actually, it’s not without a solution.”

“How?” Long Xiaoqing asked curiously.

“The dragon flame can refine all things,” Steward Mu replied blandly.

“You mean, have Xiaoqing use her dragon flame to help them refine away those impure energies?” Yang Ye inquired.

Steward Mu shook his head. “The young lady cannot do it. If she were to act, she would likely refine even their stellar cores along with the impurities. In truth, the young master can accomplish this.”

“I understand, Steward Mu!” Long Xiaoqing’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.

With that, she pulled Yang Ye along. “Husband, I’ll pass on the dragon flame technique to you. You’ll understand then.”

…

Within a quiet chamber of the stone palace—

With a whoosh, Long Xiaoqing transformed into a small dragon and slipped into Yang Ye’s body, entering directly into his star sea.

In the golden star sea, Long Xiaoqing closed her eyes for a moment in silence, then opened her mouth and spat out a fist-sized, crimson flame.

“Husband, this is a portion of my natal dragon flame. You must now merge it with your divine sense,” she said weakly after releasing the flame.

“Understood!”

With a thought, Yang Ye entered the dragon flame.

He found himself in a world of fire. The dragon flame radiated immense heat, combined with overwhelming pressure, corrosion, and decomposition—Yang Ye quietly immersed himself in comprehending it.

As time passed, the fist-sized dragon flame in his star sea grew smaller and smaller, until at last it vanished.

He had succeeded!

Yang Ye opened his eyes.

Long Xiaoqing returned from his star sea, transforming into a beautiful woman in azure dress.

Yang Ye smiled softly and raised his right hand.

A strand of crimson flame appeared in his palm, lively and flickering.

“This flame is truly marvelous. It’s merged completely with my divine sense, yet when it burns, it draws upon dragon qi instead,” Yang Ye remarked in amazement as he gazed at the fire.

Long Xiaoqing yawned, visibly exhausted.

During the fusion process, she had continuously expended her own energy to assist him. Without her help, merging the dragon flame in just three days would have been impossible.

After Yang Ye absorbed the dragon flame, Long Xiaoqing nestled in his arms and fell into a deep sleep.

A day and a night passed before she awoke, her energy restored.

…

On the deck of the Heavenly Patrol.

Zhou Hun sat cross-legged, while Mao Li and the other forty-seven gathered around, watching Yang Ye and Zhou Hun with curiosity.

Yang Ye placed his hand atop Zhou Hun’s head.

Soon, his divine sense entered Zhou Hun’s star sea.

A thunderous roar erupted.

Crimson flame surged forth, flooding Zhou Hun’s entire star sea.