Infinite Awakening: My Exp Doubles Everyday novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Abyssal Void Flame

The warm glow of sunset cast long shadows across the training grounds as Xiang Yu and Li Yao continued their rigorous practice. Their weapons clashed rhythmically, each strike and parry flowing into the next with increasing precision as they pushed each other to new limits. Only when dusk fully settled did they finally lower their weapons, acknowledging it was time for the evening meal.

As Xiang Yu approached the dining area, ready to begin his culinary preparations, a sudden gust of wind swept through the area, announcing his martial aunt’s arrival. Elder Huang descended gracefully from the sky, her robes billowing around her. In the next moment, Elder Guo appeared as well, his curiosity evidently piqued by her dramatic entrance.

Elder Huang produced a lamp from her spatial storage, its appearance deceptively ordinary save for one remarkable feature—a black flame burning steadily within the glass enclosure. With deliberate movements, she removed the lid, and immediately the black flame attempted to escape. Acting swiftly, she summoned a bright red flame from her palm, enveloping the black fire within its grasp. Despite her obvious power, a slight tension in her face revealed the effort required to contain it.

"I don’t know what flame this is since I’ve never seen a black flame before," she explained, her eyes never leaving the dancing darkness in her grasp. "When I got it, I thought it was a special flame. I have the phoenix bloodline which allows me to absorb flames to enhance myself, but when I tried to absorb this flame, it also tried to absorb my flames. I thought it was because my bloodline was weaker, so I waited to enhance my bloodline so I could be able to absorb it."

A sigh of disappointment escaped her lips, her expression momentarily clouding. "Although I’ve had a few chances to advance my bloodline, it’s only advanced a little each time, nowhere near what I’d need to be able to consume this flame."

Her demeanor brightened suddenly, as if shaking off past regrets. "Instead of letting it rot there for god knows how long, you should have it," she declared, pushing the flame—still wrapped in her own crimson energy—toward Xiang Yu.

Xiang Yu watched the approaching black flame with fascination, his eyes capturing every detail of its mesmerizing dance. Though dark, it wasn’t completely so—tiny sparks of white flickered throughout its core, appearing and vanishing in an instant, reminiscent of stars twinkling in a night sky. As he mentally questioned what level this mysterious spirit flame might be, he cautiously extended his hand.

The moment his fingers drew near, the black flame leaped from Elder Huang’s control, wrapping around his hand with startling eagerness. Alarmed, Xiang Yu stumbled backward, frantically shaking his arm in panic, certain he would burn to death. Yet the expected agony never came, and as suddenly as it had appeared, the flame vanished entirely.

"Where did it go?" he asked, bewildered, examining his unmarked hand.

Elder Huang smiled knowingly. "This flame is really fond of you. It seems I made the right choice giving it to you."

From the sidelines, Elder Guo stroked his beard thoughtfully. It was highly unusual for a spirit flame to show such affinity for anyone—even now, it had tried to escape Elder Huang, who by all accounts should have been its ideal match with her phoenix bloodline. Why would the flame be so attracted to Xiang Yu, someone without even basic spiritual roots? Could his disciple be concealing something? Yet the genuine confusion on the young man’s face suggested he was as mystified as anyone.

Elder Guo released a contemplative sigh. His disciple, it seemed, was more special than anyone had imagined.

...

"What do I do now?" Xiang Yu asked, breaking the momentary silence that had fallen over the gathering. His voice held a mixture of curiosity and caution—understandable reactions to having a mysterious flame seemingly disappear into his body.

Elder Huang’s expression brightened with enthusiasm as she stepped closer, her robes rustling softly in the evening breeze. "Usually, refining a flame takes a long time, but since it seems attracted to you, it shouldn’t be that big of a problem," she explained. Her eyes gleamed with interest as she observed her martial nephew. "Just try to feel the flame throughout your body and bring it out."

Nodding, Xiang Yu closed his eyes, his expression settling into focused concentration. The world around him faded away as he turned his awareness inward, searching for the mysterious fire that had so eagerly bonded with him. At first, there was nothing—just the familiar sensations of his own body, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the flow of blood through his veins. Then, gradually, he sensed something new—a subtle warmth unlike his natural body heat, concentrated somewhere deep within his core.

Several seconds passed as he familiarized himself with this foreign presence, mentally reaching toward it, attempting to coax it outward. Suddenly, as if responding to an unspoken command, a dark flame materialized on his palm. It danced silently, casting no heat that would harm him, yet he could feel its power humming through his fingers. Unlike ordinary fire, this flame made no sound—no crackling, no gentle roar—it burned in eerie silence, its darkness occasionally punctuated by those fleeting white sparks.

A smile of satisfaction spread across Xiang Yu’s face. This unexpected gift represented more than just a rare treasure; it was another tool for survival in this dangerous cultivation world. As the thought of survival crossed his mind, he wondered whether this new acquisition would manifest in his system. With practiced mental focus, he summoned his status screen, and there it was, neatly catalogued among his other abilities:

[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (1/30,000)]

Surprise flickered across his features as he processed this information. A seventh-grade flame! The revelation stunned him. From Elder Huang’s casual demeanor, it seemed she hadn’t realized the true value of what she had given away. This wasn’t merely a valuable treasure—it was the kind of treasure that would provoke bloody conflicts even among top-tier sects.

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