The Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit was an exceedingly rare delicacy, growing only by absorbing fire elementals from nature, advancing a mere centimeter annually; it flowered and fruited only after sixty years. It was the indispensable ingredient for refining the potent Fire Elixir. Legend held that the Phoenix Clan’s ancestral laws decreed this fruit as the benchmark for every phoenix’s coming-of-age trial. A phoenix capable of consuming a single fruit was deemed a One-Star Phoenix, possessing the lowest potential for future growth. Two fruits denoted a Two-Star Phoenix, and so on, up to nine stars.
Unbeknownst to him, Chen Feng had consumed four, a rarity even among the Phoenix Clan. Given that phoenixes are reborn through fire, their immunity to flames is unrivaled in the world. How could a mere human body withstand such a trial?
It was a blessing that he possessed the Innate Dou Ling Physique, and that the gentle nourishment of the Qi Cyclone had remolded his very being. Otherwise, he would likely have perished beyond recovery after consuming just the first fruit!
Little Tiger knew the name Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit, but had no idea how to resolve the crisis. Paralyzed with indecision, he watched as Chen Feng’s clothes burned away, his body glowing a stark crimson. If he didn't act immediately, Chen Feng would truly turn to ash. In his desperation, he didn’t pause to consider, muttering an incantation and unleashing a sudden wind-based magic that blasted Chen Feng into the air!
Plop!
Chen Feng plunged into the hot spring!
“Aaaah…”
The intense shock of falling into water of such scalding temperature was an agony no human could possibly endure!
“Little Tiger, this is blatant murder! I will never forgive you for this…” was the last coherent thought that flashed through Chen Feng’s mind just before immersion.
…………
The immense geothermal heat within his body, now enveloped by the tepid embrace of the spring water, was trapped inside, unable to vent. Chen Feng held his breath as his body slowly sank. Following the initial pain and tension of entering the water, his state of mind gradually settled. His will commanded the Qi Cyclone to tightly encase the fiery energy emanating from the Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit, drawing it in, bit by bit, in a slow rotation along the Cyclone’s path.
The Qi Cyclone pulsed with a faint yellow hue, entrenched directly in the center of his Dantian, resembling a spiraling nebula. It slowly orbited the frantic energy at its core. Once the incoming surge of heat was drawn in, it immediately transformed into the same color. However, this influx of heat was overwhelmingly powerful. While the Cyclone was formidable, it was nearing the limits of its structural stability! It was akin to a pond possessing the capacity to collect a stream, but being instantly flooded by the surging waters of the Yangtze River—even the largest pond would breach its banks!
Chen Feng was acutely aware of the danger. If not for the profound mental fortitude gained from two lifetimes, he would have long since succumbed to the pain and passed out. Seeing that the Cyclone in his Dantian could no longer withstand the pressure, he clenched his jaw and suddenly accelerated its spin, quickening the rate at which he drew the energy. His arm tensed, and following the unique circulatory path of the Aragami, he threw a punch while standing in the water!
“Aragami!”
Boom…
A massive wave erupted from the hot spring!
Little Tiger was just about to leap in to assist Chen Feng when the resulting explosion of water slammed him back into the air!
The water churned and surged violently, instantly vaporizing into a thick white mist under the intense heat unleashed by the power of the Aragami.
Little Tiger watched as the pool’s surface continually evaporated beneath Chen Feng’s fists, turning the area into a colossal steamer. The intense vapor cloud saturated half the valley, obscuring all visibility—it felt as if they were adrift in the clouds.
“This… this actually works!” Little Tiger was utterly dumbfounded. “Even if the Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit’s energy is immense, this is… overkill!”
…………
Chen Feng knew precisely how terrifying the heat contained within the Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit was. In his desperation, he conceived an ingenious solution: extraction! He would use the power of the Qi Cyclone to slowly siphon the excess internal heat out of his body and expel it through the technique, Aragami!
His trial proved the method effective. With every punch he threw, he felt a degree of relief internally. Chen Feng unleashed his only known technique, Aragami, with relentless fervor. The hot spring roared ceaselessly, wave after wave splashing dozens of meters high, and the steam grew denser, slowly rising toward the sky.
The rate at which the Qi Cyclone drew in energy was too fast; his meridians were swelling as if they might burst. Each punch felt like a passage through hell, eliciting a low groan of agony from Chen Feng.
Yet, despite the pain, in the continuous application of Aragami, Chen Feng gained significant combat insight. Previously, his Qi Cyclone was too weak for him to employ a taxing move like Aragami without restraint. Now, he was suffering from an excess of energy with nowhere to channel it. He fought without reservation, his fists whipping through the air, and with every strike, his understanding of Aragami deepened.
As he fought, he unexpectedly slipped into a profound state of immersion!
“I never knew Aragami could be executed like this!” Chen Feng mused internally.
His body moved with incredible swiftness, suddenly spinning, his posture reminiscent of a yogic flow. His right fist was drawn back behind him, unleashing a punch into empty air!
Boom! The water parted!
Previously, Chen Feng executed Aragami with a singular motion: stepping back with the right foot, leaning forward, left leg straight, adopting an archery stance. The Qi Cyclone would generate power, circulate through the meridians beneath his feet, and erupt from his fist. Now, through this repeated exertion, a hazy comprehension began to dawn in his mind.
The circulatory path of Aragami, the compression it exerted on the surrounding air upon impact, the precise speed required to draw upon his own Cyclone…
With every additional punch thrown, his grasp of Aragami grew. He realized that his previous execution was merely the surface layer. As the most fundamental technique of the Kusanagi style, how could it possibly be that simple?
Chen Feng’s eyes remained shut, seemingly oblivious to the tearing of his meridians or the fiery agony engulfing him. He was completely lost in the artistic realm of the King of Fighters, so captivated that he secretly wished the internal heat would never cease, allowing this enlightenment to continue indefinitely!
Could this be the ultimate secret?
The most crucial aspect of the King of Fighters techniques was not the moves themselves, nor the Super Specials, but the ultimate Ogi (Secret)!
Like Ryo Sakazaki’s one-hit kill, the Heaven-Shattering Dragon Fist; Kyo Kusanagi’s ultimate secret—Mugen; Iori Yagami’s Forbidden Art 1211: Yachiyome; Orochi’s Sun That Makes All Things Vanish…
These moves could not be unleashed merely through superior power. First, one needed a profound comprehension of the fighting style itself, and of the nature of space, time, and energy. In King of Fighters '96, Ryo Sakazaki, after being defeated by Iori, went into seclusion for a year to grasp the Heaven-Shattering Dragon Fist. In King of Fighters '97, Kyo Kusanagi, after his supposed demise at Iori’s hands, achieved the ultimate secret—Mugen—only after realizing Terry Bogard’s revitalized energy.
All these instances proved the profound nature of the King of Fighters techniques. In essence, a technique executed without understanding its Ogi was a lifeless shell.
As the most basic punch of the Kusanagi style, the Ogi for Aragami was comparatively simpler. Through constant repetition, Chen Feng was beginning to grasp its essence. While he hadn't truly peered through the gateway to the King of Fighters' ultimate secrets, a clear direction for advancement had been illuminated!
Understanding the existence of the Ogi, Chen Feng finally experienced a moment of true clarity. No wonder his fight against Gu Bo resulted in such severe injuries; the fire damage remained unresolved because he lacked control over the fire energy itself!
It was like a beast tamer who, ignorant of the beast’s habits and preferences, could only recite commands by rote—such taming would never yield a truly trained animal!
Mastering the Ogi meant mastering the true method of the technique. At this moment, if Gu Bo were to see Chen Feng fight, he would believe his martial prowess had amplified tenfold!
The roaring within the spring water continued for over three hours before gradually subsiding. Chen Feng, utterly exhausted, swam ashore and collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
The energy of the Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit had been entirely discharged, leaving his body feeling instantly hollowed out. In those three-plus hours, he had thrown countless punches. Every inch of his body burned, and his meridians spasmed as if fire-forged, almost inducing nausea.
The Qi Cyclone in his Dantian was thinner than before, but having been tempered by the searing flames, it had become significantly more refined and easier to manipulate.
Seeing his master safely emerge from the water, Little Tiger leaped up with excitement and rushed over, bombarding Chen Feng with anxious questions.
Chen Feng managed a few weak replies, but his mind was reeling, and he could bear no more. He sank heavily into sleep.
After an unmeasured amount of time, Chen Feng awoke again to find himself lying inside a small, simple cave. Beside him rested several peculiar fruits emitting a fragrant aroma.
Chen Feng knew Little Tiger must have dug out this small hollow in the cliff face while he was unconscious. The nearby fruits were undoubtedly edible. He casually ate a few; they were sweet upon the tongue, warming his core upon swallowing—truly exquisite fare!
His clothes had long since been incinerated by the intense heat before he passed out, so Chen Feng hastily grabbed some nearby foliage to cover his essentials and stood up, resembling a wild man.
Stepping out of the small cave, he took a single forward stride and was immediately stunned by the scene before him.
The hot spring had shrunk by more than half its size. The vegetation bordering the pool was largely dead, their leaves drooping, looking parched and yellowed.
“Little Tiger, what happened here?” Chen Feng quickly grabbed hold of the nearby Little Tiger and demanded.
“What happened?” Little Tiger replied with a touch of resignation. “It’s all because of the heat radiating from you after you ate the Blazing Fire Ghost Fruit! You nearly evaporated the entire pool. The vegetation suffered terribly from the constant scorching steam!”
Chen Feng was unsettled by the sheer level of destruction wrought simply by expelling the internal heat. “This…”
“Stop with the ‘this’!” Little Tiger cut in. “Let’s just check if your Dou Qi survived the burning!”
Chen Feng agreed. Such violent energy, even slowly siphoned out, must have inflicted irreparable damage on his meridians. He sat down cross-legged and performed a spiritual inspection. The moment he took a look, his face was instantly replaced by sheer astonishment!
Not only was his body unharmed, but it had actually advanced!
The Qi Cyclone in his Dantian spun with a newfound steadiness, denser and purer than before. His meridians were wider, and when he casually flexed his fist, Chen Feng felt that the latent power was easily ten times greater than before!
Fourth-Level Fighter cultivation!
He had somehow leaped two whole levels in a brush with death!
Furthermore, having grasped the Ogi of Aragami, he would no longer rely on single, mindless barrages of punches in future battles!
An intense sense of fulfillment flooded his heart. This was the first time since arriving in this strange world that Chen Feng had felt such a sensation. Possessing the King of Fighters techniques, armed with the lessons of two lifetimes—was it possible that heaven had sent him to this alien world to forge an immortal legend?
And the grudges—the mutilated arm, the shattered teeth—they would all be repaid! Harry, Kiku, Filia… just you wait!
In that moment, Chen Feng was filled with soaring ambition!
ps: A massive thanks to my brothers for supporting Old Ya… I’m weeping with gratitude… Oh, today is Qinghai’s “Flower Festival,” a day for young men and women to woo each other with love songs… Old Ya went to participate. I genuinely thought my voice, comparable to Andy Lau’s, could at least charm a few innocent maidens, but alas… several grandmothers well over sixty came up to me asking all sorts of questions—it was tragic… Pity this legend of mine…