"I don't know him. Is this person someone special?" Su Zhaoyue asked with obvious confusion.
"No, I was just curious," Su Zhan replied with a subtle smile.
How unexpected! The classic novel protagonist template of engagement cancellation is directed toward Su Zhaoyue... Could there be a powerful ancient soul residing within her body as well? Can she also practice alchemy? If so, she might be able to help me improve my pill refinement techniques in the future.
While Su Zhan entertained these thoughts, Su Zhaoyue had already begun the process of extracting the strange fire.
First, white flames gathered between her eyebrows, eventually coalescing into a mysterious rune. The radiance of this symbol intensified, and the Sun God Flower seemed to respond, suddenly emitting brilliant golden light.
Then, a golden flame emerged from the Sun God Flower and merged with the symbol between Su Zhaoyue's eyebrows.
As the golden fire continued its integration, Su Zhaoyue's cultivation rapidly increased. However, her expression grew increasingly pained, her furrowed brow indicating she was enduring tremendous agony.
An hour later, she opened her eyes. After successfully merging with the Sun Spirit Fire, her cultivation had jumped two complete levels at once, reaching the late stage of the Qi Sea Realm!
"I have successfully obtained the Sun Spirit Fire!" Su Zhaoyue exclaimed with uncontainable joy. She opened her palm, revealing a golden fireball floating above her hand, radiating tremendous power.
Thanks to the Sun Spirit Fire, my Strange Fire Physique has significantly improved. My cultivation speed has increased several-fold, and my overall strength has greatly enhanced. Now, even if I can't surpass him yet, at least we're on the same level, Su Zhaoyue thought with satisfaction.
Just then, Su Zhan spoke up casually. "Don't you want this Sun God Flower?"
"..."
Su Zhaoyue fell silent for a moment before responding, "The Sun God Flower is not something ordinary people can refine. Even powerful cultivators in the Spirit Forging Realm, Core Formation Realm, and even the Soul Transformation Realm would be unable to process it!"
"This Sun God Flower has been growing for thirty thousand years and has long since become a sacred treasure. Unless someone extremely powerful or possessing a special connection to it appears, it's impossible for anyone else to refine! Just leave it be—after some time, the Sun God Flower will naturally wither, and its power will return to the universe."
"I understand..." Su Zhan gazed toward the Sun God Flower with obvious reluctance.
Su Zhaoyue had only extracted a strand of strange fire from the Sun God Flower, and her body had undergone such dramatic transformation. If he succeeded in refining the entire flower, how many benefits could he obtain?
It might be difficult for others to refine, but he possessed the Refinement Halo! It was definitely worth attempting.
Furthermore, Su Zhaoyue had already extracted the strange fire that couldn't be processed by the Refinement Halo, so the danger level had been significantly reduced. If he let this opportunity slip away now, he might regret it and lose sleep over the missed chance when he returned home.
After brief contemplation, Su Zhan gritted his teeth and swiftly grabbed the Sun God Flower.
"Su Zhan, what are you doing!"
Su Zhaoyue was shocked. Just as she moved to stop him, she watched in horror as Su Zhan swallowed the floating Sun God Flower whole!
"What are you doing..." Su Zhaoyue stared in dismay, her heart heavy with sadness.
Su Zhan was a heavenly genius and the goal she pursued. But today, just after she had obtained the strange fire and glimpsed hope of matching his abilities, Su Zhan had acted impulsively and consumed the Sun God Flower...
Wasn't this equivalent to suicide?
If he died, her aspirations would be lost as well...
Su Zhan also felt a flicker of regret at that moment.
After swallowing the Sun God Flower, he felt as though he had consumed an atomic bomb. The tremendous power contained within was slowly being released, and even though only a small fraction had been unleashed, his organs already felt like they were being scorched by hellfire!
Moreover, he couldn't circulate his true qi to begin refining the Sun God Flower!
No, I can't let this continue—my physical body will be destroyed!
Su Zhan furrowed his brow, suddenly remembering a solution. He immediately opened his halo panel and activated his Mental Fortitude Halo.
Instantly, his agitation began to calm. Although he still experienced incredible pain, he could at least start attempting to refine the Sun God Flower.
The Refinement Halo activated, and the Sun God Flower—as powerful as an atomic bomb—began to be processed by his enhanced abilities!
Golden light flowed from his forehead throughout every bone, organ, muscle, and cell in his body!
Under the power of the Sun God Flower, Su Zhan's physical form underwent a dramatic transformation!
"How is this possible!"
Su Zhaoyue stared at Su Zhan, who sat cross-legged with golden light radiating from his entire being, her eyes wide with astonishment.
It appeared that Su Zhan was actually refining the Sun God Flower!
No, this can't be real! How could the Sun God Flower be refined so easily? He should have only succeeded in temporarily suppressing the damage caused by the Sun God Flower to his body!
Su Zhaoyue contemplated this possibility and kept her gaze fixed intently on Su Zhan.
Half a day passed.
The sun in the sky had descended toward the horizon.
Twilight approached.
At that moment, endless golden light erupted from Su Zhan's body!
The brilliant radiance pierced through the heavens, forming a second golden sun hanging high in the sky!
"A second sun..." Su Zhaoyue observed this phenomenon with complete bewilderment.
Not only she, but everyone throughout the entire ruins—even cultivators thousands of miles away—witnessed the appearance of this golden sun!
"What is that?"
"My God, am I seeing things? Are there really two suns appearing together?"
"There must be a treasure causing this celestial phenomenon!"
"I wonder how extensive the range of this manifestation is? If it only covers a small area, it means we're close to that treasure! Maybe we can compete for it!"
Voices of joy, excitement, surprise, and confusion echoed throughout the region centered on the ruins.
Tianque Sect
The sect leader, Mo Canglan, gazed excitedly at the enormous sun in the distance.
"Divine Physique! This is the phenomenon of a Divine Physique awakening! That direction leads to the ruins. Could it be that Tiangui has obtained a tremendous opportunity and achieved the Sun God Divine Body?"
"That must be it! He is the greatest genius in all of Liang Province. If anyone could obtain such an incredible opportunity in the ruins, who else but him? I can't wait any longer—I must go and witness this for myself!"
Mo Canglan laughed with excitement as he released a flying artifact and soared into the sky.
This phenomenon was also observed by various major sects within a thousand-mile radius.
Even the Yuntian Sword Sect, the premier sect in the entire Xia Nation thousands of miles away, detected something unusual through a mysterious artifact capable of perceiving intense spiritual energy fluctuations throughout the heavens and earth. They immediately dispatched powerful experts to investigate.
Powerful cultivators rushed from all directions toward the ruins!
Meanwhile, inside the ruins, Su Zhan opened his eyes. Before he had a chance to carefully examine the changes in his body, he heard a girl's voice filled with complex emotions—surprise, fear, incomprehension, and others.
"Um, how do you feel?"
"How do I feel..." Su Zhan looked at Su Zhaoyue, whose face displayed a somewhat dazed expression. After a moment of consideration, he replied with perfect composure, "This Sun God Flower actually tastes quite good."