"The Chaos Jade Tome, it actually has an upper volume? Then the one held by the Danxian Sect must be the lower volume?"

At this moment, Nie Kong found himself deep within the subterranean passage of the Qianji Hall. Having passed through eight massive doors etched with illusion arrays, he had finally arrived here with Marquis Wu, Tai Shuyan, and Luan Yexin. Hearing about Xiangxiang's experiences on Shenxiu Peak only deepened his sense of disbelief.

The Danxian Sect had long struggled to harness the Heavenly Fire within the "Chaos Jade Tome"; was this linked to the missing upper volume?

"Kacha!"

The grating sound of heavy doors opening dragged Nie Kong from his thoughts. He looked up to see a spacious secret chamber, enclosed on three sides, spread out before him.

Three towering wooden racks stood against the walls, upon which vast numbers of boxes were neatly arranged.

Varying auras leaked from within the containers…

Nie Kong took a brief survey and his heart skipped a beat. There was the scent of elixirs, the aura of talisman artifacts… these appeared to be treasures stored by the Danxian Sect over the years. Judging by the pill essences he perceived, they were likely top-tier Ninth Grade elixirs, perhaps even Tenth Grade!

"These are the precious collections of the Danxian Sect spanning over ten millennia; every single item is priceless," Marquis Wu swept his gaze around, then reached out to a delicate, purplish-red wooden box from the rightmost rack, carefully cradling it as he presented it to Nie Kong. "Taishuang, this is the 'Chaos Jade Tome' inside."

"Oh? Senior Marquis Wu, please open it quickly so we can see." Nie Kong’s eyes gleamed.

A smile flickered across Marquis Wu's aged face, resembling a dried flower basking in the sun. He stroked the surface of the box for a moment before gently releasing the latch.

"Click!"

With a crisp sound, the lid opened, and billions of rays of brilliant, fiery-red light burst forth from within, accompanied by an oppressive wave of heat.

For an instant, it seemed as though a violent hurricane had erupted from the box, its scorching heat rolling outward in surging waves. Yet, the heat had absolutely no effect on the surrounding wooden racks or boxes, seeming to be firmly blocked just two or three meters from its source.

Tai Shuyan and Luan Yexin, having witnessed scenes like this many times, remained unruffled.

Nie Kong, however, couldn't resist leaning closer. Inside lay a thin booklet, its cover crystal clear, like a perfectly square piece of red jade. Through the cover, one could vaguely discern what looked like a raging inferno burning within, occasionally condensing into two shapes, forming two fiery-red characters: Chaos!

"Is the core of the Jade Tome the 'Chaos Heavenly Fire'?"

Excitement welled up uncontrollably in Nie Kong's eyes, and he couldn't help but look up at Marquis Wu. Marquis Wu seemed to grasp Nie Kong's intent and gave a slight nod.

Given permission, Nie Kong reached into the box and seized the "Chaos Jade Tome."

A soft texture met his fingertips, startling Nie Kong slightly. The jade tome felt as pliable and smooth as silk, not nearly as scorching as expected, but rather pleasantly warm. Gentle tendrils of heat seeped through his skin and into his body, and Nie Kong sensed an unexpectedly intimate connection.

Nie Kong took a deep breath, gently caressing the cover of the tome with his palm, his movements tender, as if stroking a lover's smooth skin—an indescribable sensation.

Tai Shuyan asked with a smile, "What is the sensation?"

"One touch confirms it's a magnificent treasure, worthy of being the foundational artifact of the Danxian Sect!" Nie Kong replied without looking up, a joyful smile gracing his face. The tome appeared to have only a front and back cover; between them was a fiery red expanse, somewhat hazy, suggesting no actual pages existed inside.

It was a pity this object belonged to the Danxian Sect, and not to him.

Otherwise, he could hold it and examine it closely every day. Although the Danxian Sect had promised to let him absorb and refine the "Chaos Heavenly Fire," judging by how seriously Marquis Wu and the others regarded the tome, they certainly wouldn't allow him to take it out and about. And it was unlikely this chamber would be available to him constantly.

"Taishuang, you can try opening the tome to look," Luan Yexin said with a slightly teasing smile.

"Alright!"

Nie Kong failed to notice the oddity in Luan Yexin's smile and happily agreed. He then held the front cover in one hand and the back cover in the other, gently flicking them apart.

"Boom!"

An intensely violent heat surged out from the gap where the jade tome had opened, rolling out like a crashing tide, seemingly intent on melting Nie Kong. Almost instantly, large beads of sweat seeped from every pore, and the primal power within his body roared uncontrollably in his meridians, threatening to burst forth from his frame.

Nie Kong's hands felt as if they had been kissed by a venomous snake, and he hastily let go.

"Snap!"

The jade tome fell back into the wooden box, the covers meeting shut, and the heat wave instantly subsided sharply. The flames visible through the cover began to coalesce and spread again…

Everything returned to the state it was in when the box was first opened.

Luan Yexin chuckled sweetly, "Brother Taishuang, now you know what the 'Chaos Heavenly Fire' feels like? Although your Dharma Aspect power exudes the aura of 'Chaos Heavenly Fire' when it burns, absorbing and refining the Heavenly Fire sealed within the tome is not so simple. You must take it step by step."

Tai Shuyan laughed, "Taishuang, don't be frightened by what just happened. Your power is unique; if you find the right method, you stand a very good chance of successfully absorbing the Heavenly Fire."

"How should I proceed?"

Nie Kong collected himself, his gaze sweeping over Marquis Wu, Tai Shuyan, and Luan Yexin.

In that brief moment, Nie Kong was completely drenched in sweat, but he hadn't come away empty-handed. Though his primal power surged violently, it hadn't truly spun out of control.

The feeling was exceedingly strange, much like a restrained child suddenly spotting their parents, bursting into joyous cheers and desperately throwing themselves toward them. Thus, amidst the frenzy of his primal power and the agitation of the "Chaos Heavenly Fire," Nie Kong perceived that intimate connection even more distinctly.

If there were a way to calm his primal power and quell the volatility of the "Chaos Heavenly Fire," absorbing and refining it might indeed be possible.

Marquis Wu smiled faintly, "Over the course of ten thousand years, although no alchemist in my Danxian Sect has ever succeeded in absorbing the 'Chaos Heavenly Fire,' the efforts of countless generations of sect elders were not in vain. They compiled a highly effective method to help soothe the Heavenly Fire as much as possible when the tome is opened. Now, this old man will instruct you in this method."

"Thank you, Senior Marquis Wu." Nie Kong beamed, the lingering awkwardness between them, born from the memory theft, seemingly having vanished completely.

"..."

Several minutes later, Nie Kong sat cross-legged in the center of the secret chamber, the "Chaos Jade Tome" once again held in his left hand. Taking a deep breath, Nie Kong calmed his spirit, and a ball of dark red flame suddenly sprouted from his right palm, condensing instantly into a small fireball. Flames emerged again in his palm, merging into the fireball.

He repeated this cycle for about ten minutes, until the fireball in his palm was as large as a sea bowl.