The upper part of the "Chaotic Jade Codex" was already like this; if he could absorb all the Heavenly Fire sealed in the lower part of the "Chaotic Jade Codex," how much further would the primal power of Chaos change?

The thought of the Jade Codex in the underground secret chamber beneath the Qianji Hall sent a thrill through Nie Kong. Now was the perfect time to try again! Seeing Tai Yan still sitting quietly with his eyes closed, Nie Kong didn't disturb him and slipped out of the pavilion without a sound. Less than a minute later, Nie Kong arrived at the entrance of the Dantian Palace on Shenxiao Peak.

Night had just fallen, and the firmament glittered with starlight.

As if sensing Nie Kong's arrival, the figure of Tai Shuyan materialized abruptly before him. He eyed Nie Kong with a smile, joking, "Elder Tai, it's been over twenty days; you've finally decided to venture out for a walk. Tell me, what brings you to see me?"

Nie Kong chuckled sheepishly, "I've been deeply engrossed in my cultivation recently, causing the Sect Master to be amused. After such a long time, I wanted to revisit the 'Chaotic Jade Codex' to see if I could absorb the Heavenly Fire."

"That's easy enough; follow me."

"..."

Walking the passage beneath the Qianji Hall once more, Nie Kong’s perception was utterly different.

More than twenty days ago, when he first appeared here, he had only felt the aura of the illusion formations guarding those massive doors. But now, even through several thick, array-inscribed gates, he could vaguely sense the warmth emanating from the "Chaotic Jade Codex" in the secret chamber.

Tai Shuyan moved swiftly, and the gates sprang open one after another in response. Before long, the two entered the secret chamber. The moment Nie Kong stepped inside, his sensation became even clearer: the fiery primal power of Chaos in his body churned and roared, seeming poised to burst forth, while the Heavenly Fire within the Jade Codex also surged violently, as if responding to each other's calls.

Sensing the atmosphere in the chamber suddenly turn somewhat strange, Tai Shuyan frowned slightly in confusion but didn't dwell on it. He quickly walked to the wooden rack and retrieved a purplish-red wooden box.

"Elder Tai, take this."

Tai Shuyan handed the box to Nie Kong and laughed heartily, "Today, you can try absorbing the Heavenly Fire to your heart's content. No matter how many times you try, I will stay here with you."

Nie Kong naturally wished to remain alone in the chamber, but he knew it was impossible. This place held all the treasures accumulated by the Danxian Sect, and he had only joined less than a month ago. How could Tai Shuyan possibly feel at ease leaving him unattended?

"Then I shall trouble the Sect Master."

Nie Kong smiled, sat down cross-legged, and eagerly opened the wooden box.

The familiar fiery-red glow stabbed into his vision, stirring his excitement. If the Sect Master of Danxian, Tai Shuyan, hadn't been standing right there, and if the Spirit Gods Wu Hou and Zhuang Yu weren't guarding the Qianji Hall above, he would have snatched the box and immediately left the Danxian Sect with Tai Yan.

In a flash, Nie Kong dismissed the distraction and took the "Chaotic Jade Codex" into his hands.

Although the surface of the Jade Codex appeared unchanged, Nie Kong’s feeling was vastly different from last time, as if he were holding a fiercely burning flame. This flame felt like a living spirit, roaring and howling within the codex, desperate to break free from the constraints of its covers.

Nie Kong’s own primal power of Chaos and the "Chaotic Heavenly Fire" within the codex connected like blood brothers, responding strongly. An intensely potent heat surged through his meridians. If Nie Kong hadn't suppressed it with all his might, Tai Shuyan would have undoubtedly noticed something amiss.

"Hah!"

He exhaled a long breath, calmed his mind, and a ball of dark-red flame materialized in his palm.

With Tai Shuyan watching nearby, Nie Kong dared not burn the newly evolved primal power of Chaos. Instead, he employed his Dharma Aspect power. To conceal the true aura of the "Blood Prison Sword King Tree," Nie Kong took painstaking effort, adding a trace of Chaos primal power and having the little fellow infuse a large amount of his own foundational Dalong-Yao power into the Dharma Aspect.

After about ten minutes, the dark-red fireball successfully condensed in his palm.

Immediately, Nie Kong slightly opened the "Chaotic Jade Codex" with his left hand, and his right hand, holding the fireball, pressed it against the gap. Compared to the last attempt here, the "Chaotic Heavenly Fire" surged wildly into the fireball, and the Dharma Aspect power within his body also converged toward his right palm, as if about to be devoured by the Heavenly Fire.

Nie Kong quickly shut the Jade Codex and released the fireball, watching it get sucked in the instant the codex closed.

The first attempt today was a failure!

After pondering for a while, Nie Kong condensed a second fireball, but not long after, the attempt to absorb and refine the Heavenly Fire failed again.

The third time, failure!

The fourth time, failure!

The fifth time... Nie Kong was not discouraged, fighting on despite repeated setbacks.

At some point, Tai Shuyan had also sat down in the chamber. Watching Nie Kong's endless attempts and failures, he showed no impatience, his eyes still fixed keenly on the process, a barely perceptible yearning flickering in his bright gaze.

Time slipped away quickly. Nie Kong’s expression remained placid, still mechanically condensing fireballs. His speed did not slow due to the exhaustion of his Dharma Aspect power; rather, it grew faster.

The twentieth time, failure!

The thirtieth time... the fiftieth time... the ninetieth time...

Failure! Failure! Failure! ...

The opened "Chaotic Jade Codex" closed again and again, and the condensed fireballs were swallowed by the "Chaotic Jade Codex" time and again...

When Nie Kong reached the fiftieth attempt, a hint of disappointment finally surfaced in Tai Shuyan's eyes. Subsequently, this disappointment became more pronounced. He repeatedly seemed about to speak and interrupt Nie Kong but ultimately held back the words. It seemed that despite his disappointment, a sliver of hope still remained in his heart.

Nine more failures passed.

"It's the hundredth time now [First published on Baidu Tieba]. Could it be that no one can truly absorb the 'Chaotic Heavenly Fire,' not even fire infused with its aura?" Watching Nie Kong condense another fireball, a cloud of gloom settled over Tai Shuyan’s tightly furrowed brow, murmuring in a voice only he could hear.

Only a few minutes later, Nie Kong pressed the fireball against the opening of the "Chaotic Jade Codex," his movements as precise as ever!

"Failure!"

Tai Shuyan judged this attempt a write-off in his mind.

However, the moment those words surfaced in his heart, Tai Shuyan noticed Nie Kong nearby suddenly erupt into a nervous, almost manic laugh.

Tai Shuyan froze in surprise. Looking again, he saw that although the Jade Codex had closed, the fireball had not vanished as in the previous ninety-nine attempts. Instead, it remained burning fiercely in Nie Kong's palm, radiating the intense aura of the "Chaotic Heavenly Fire."

"This, this... it succeeded!"

A thought suddenly struck him, and Tai Shuyan was overcome with uncontrollable excitement. His body shot forward, landing right in front of Nie Kong, his eyes wide open. The gloom vanished from his brow, and his pupils were filled with disbelief. "It succeeded! It truly succeeded! This is the 'Chaotic Heavenly Fire'—the real 'Chaotic Heavenly Fire'!"