The passage ahead curved slightly, and the mingling sensation of cold and heat grew more intense. Along with this air came an extraordinarily abundant influx of worldly spiritual energy.

This truly was a prime spot for cultivation!

Nie Kong advanced another hundred meters, and the passage gradually widened, revealing small rooms separated by stone slabs lining both sides of the corridor. Each room had a small window near the floor, a convenient feature designed so that delivering water and food would not disturb the clansmen cultivating inside in seclusion.

Walking along, Nie Kong observed that the doors of the dozens of rooms nearest the entrance were all adorned with red plaques, signifying they were occupied. If a door bore a black plaque, it meant the room was vacant; usually, there was no reason for someone to deliberately hang a red plaque outside an empty room.

"Whoosh."

Suddenly, Nie Qing'an, who had been following behind, zipped past Nie Kong like a gust of wind, stopping before a stone chamber not far ahead. He sighed dramatically, "Honestly, why are there so many people cultivating in the Ice Flame Cave today? There’s only one room left in the first section's first half..."

To prevent clansmen from accidentally intruding and to allow cultivators of different realms to choose suitably matched rooms, the Ice Flame Cave was divided into four sections. The first section was suitable for those at the Spirit Comprehension realm; the second, Spirit Fusion; the third, Spirit Transformation; and the fourth section was reserved for masters at the Spirit Control realm and above.

Seeing Nie Kong approaching, Nie Qing'an shifted his tone, sighing, "...But it’s no matter. After all, I am an elder. Elders always make concessions for the younger generation. As long as someone asks nicely, I wouldn't mind giving up this room. We must afford some respect to a genius, after all."

Having spoken, Nie Qing'an deliberately flaunted the black plaque in his hand, giving Nie Kong a look of feigned reserve, though his eyes clearly betrayed a smug expectation of being begged. Nie Qing'an had already prepared his response for Nie Kong, intending this time to finally air the grievance from their encounter in the Illusory Realm before handing over the plaque.

However, Nie Kong seemed not to have heard a word of his speech, walking past Nie Qing'an as if he were mere air, completely ignoring him.

"Huh?"

Nie Qing'an froze instantly, his triumphant smile stiffening on his face. His gaze followed Nie Kong’s retreating figure for a good ten meters before he snapped back to reality.

Seeing Nie Kong continue walking forward, Nie Qing'an couldn't help but call out, "The first half here is best suited for those below the fifth rank of Spirit Comprehension, Nie Kong. Aren't you taking this room?" These rooms had been inscribed with spirit patterns by Nie family ancestors, capable of blocking sound so that even outside clamor would hardly disturb the clansman within.

"Keep it for yourself!"

Nie Kong waved a hand backward without turning around.

Nie Qing'an stared blankly, a cold sneer rising in his heart: I don't believe you won't come back begging me, unless you plan not to cultivate in the Ice Flame Cave today!

Just then, Nie Kong halted at the very end of the first section.

He really is going to come back and beg me!

Nie Qing'an was so excited he nearly laughed aloud. He parted his lips to speak, but then he saw Nie Kong push open the door to a stone chamber on the right. The expression on his face instantly morphed into something utterly bizarre, quickly followed by a furious rush: "Nie Kong, that’s my room! You..."

"Bang!"

The answer Nie Qing'an received was the resounding slam of a door. Nie Kong’s figure vanished from sight, and a red plaque was thrust through the small gap in the door, wobbling and tapping against the wood. The number "Eighty-Eight" etched on the plaque seemed to transform into Nie Kong's mocking smile, directed right at him.

"Nie Kong, you get out here!"

Nie Qing'an, consumed by shame and anger, kicked the door panel. The spirit patterns on the door flashed with an enchanting red glow. Nie Qing'an yelped, clutching his toes and drawing sharp, hissing breaths. After a long moment, as the pain subsided, Nie Qing'an tiptoed back and forth a few steps, glaring at the red plaque with a face like blackened iron: "Go to hell, you little brat! To dare use my room to cultivate—truly overestimating yourself. I’d like to see how long you last!"

Nie Qing'an sat down by the chamber door, muttering curses under his breath.

"Huh? Where’s the door tag?" Soon, a surprised voice sounded. It came from outside the stone room Nie Qing'an had taken when he snatched the black plaque from the previous occupant.

"Here, here." Nie Qing'an quickly jumped up, grabbed his black plaque, and hurried over, shoving the door open and entering the room. Behind him came the teenager's annoyed voice: "A ninth-rank Spirit Comprehension cultivator running out here to steal our rooms. He must be sick!" The footsteps gradually faded toward the exit.

Hanging the red plaque back onto the door panel, Nie Qing'an’s face was full of bitter resentment. I didn't want to do this, but who told him my room was taken? It’s all that damned Nie Kong's fault! Only after the sound of the retreating footsteps completely vanished did Nie Qing'an quietly push open the ajar door and peek toward Stone Chamber Number Eighty-Eight ahead.

No one had come out!

Nie Qing'an retreated into his room. After a few minutes, he cautiously poked his head out again. There was still no sign of activity there, and the red plaque still hung on the door!

...

The stone chamber was extremely small, about two meters long and wide, containing only a meditation cushion in the center. After sitting cross-legged, Nie Kong discovered that the worldly spiritual energy within was even denser than in the outer passage. It appeared the spirit patterns etched onto the stone walls not only blocked sound but also gathered spiritual energy.

Of the eighty-eight rooms in the first section of the Ice Flame Cave, the fusion of the cold and hot energies was most intimate in this chamber. Yet even so, there was a subtle difference between the rooms on the left and right sides: the left tended to be colder, the right, hotter. The spiritual energy in Nie Kong's room was most abundant in fire elements.

Outside, the mingling cold and heat had felt comfortable and invigorating, like a spring breeze on Nie Kong's skin. But after just a moment in the stone chamber, the sensation of heat began to deepen. First, his skin felt scorched, and then it was as if roaring flames ignited deep within his internal organs.

Only now did Nie Kong realize Nie Qing'an hadn't been entirely wrong. The first forty-four chambers closer to the entrance were better suited for fifth-rank Spirit Comprehension cultivators. The deeper one ventured into the cave, the higher the cultivation required. A chamber like this one—even Nie Qing'an couldn't sustain cultivation here for long periods.

Clearing his distracting thoughts, Nie Kong initiated the "Wood Yang True Spirit Art."

Regardless of the attribute, the root of any spiritual art lay in the Three Spiritual Apertures. Different arts required different amplitudes, frequencies, and coordination patterns among the three apertures. The higher the grade of the spiritual art, the more intricate the vibration patterns of the Three Spiritual Apertures became.

Nie Kong had practiced the Five-Star Shifting Art for ten years. As the most fundamental universal spiritual art, the vibration pattern of its Three Spiritual Apertures was the simplest: the three apertures maintained the same amplitude and frequency throughout cultivation. However, the Wood Yang True Spirit Art involved considerable fluctuations in both amplitude and frequency.

Yesterday, Nie Kong had basically mastered the Wood Yang True Spirit Art at home. Now, as he activated the technique, the Three Spiritual Apertures vibrated skillfully, and the spiritual energy within Nie Kong’s body accelerated its flow. In an instant, wood spiritual energy elements began pouring madly into his body through his pores.

Among these wood spiritual energy elements were a significant number of fire spiritual energy elements.

Under Nie Kong's control, the wood elements were rapidly refined, and the fire elements were gradually integrated. When the first thread of newly refined wood energy, imbued with fire essence, burst forth from the apertures, Nie Kong's internal body began to churn. His spiritual energy traveled through his meridians like streams of burning liquid fire.

Unconsciously, the intense searing sensation gradually diminished. Nie Kong’s body was once again enveloped in that peculiar, strangely mixed aura of cold and heat. As the Wood Yang True Spirit Art flowed, the aura seemed to transform into countless small hands, gently massaging his entire body, making him feel wonderfully ecstatic...