Chapter 434: Heavenly Fire Falls to the World

Yan Buji was quite clear that any action of his that broke the rules could easily be wiped out by the restraints before him.

Although he didn't understand why the barriers took humanoid form, Yan Buji guessed it might be related to the puppets he had encountered before.

"And how do they know my cultivation name? Unless they looked at my memories when delivering some information," Yan Buji squinted.

It is possible, and also extremely dangerous.

Letting others see one's trump card means that some of his actions could be inferred and countered, putting him at a disadvantage.

Yue Jin.

"Senior brother." Yan Buji clasped his hands, and several Daoists returned the salute.

"Junior brother Yue Jin, this is your textbook; don't forget to practice diligently. In a few days' rest-and-fasting retreat, the Patriarch may conduct a spot check on us," the Daoist handed over the book, and Yan Buji's eyes flicked.

"Senior brother, could you give me some guidance on how to cultivate this Longevity Qi?"

The Daoists wore odd expressions: "We haven't mastered it either; asking us is useless."

"Huh?"

"You don't actually think this book will teach us how to cultivate, do you? That's all false; the Patriarch says Longevity Qi is attained through enlightenment! Just remember to apply the daily lessons practically."

"Oh, okay then."

"Then you start practicing; we're leaving."

"Understood."

Yan Buji watched the Daoists leave, pinching his chin.

"These restraints seem to guide us outsiders on what to do; failing to comply could lead to being erased," Yan Buji thought.

Sitting on the bed, Yan Buji opened the book and began reading carefully.

"The Thief of Fire Scripture?"

Yan Buji looked puzzled; this seemed to be one of the Daoist classics, entirely recounting the deeds of the first person in the Primeval Age who discovered fire.

"Heaven-sent meteorite, the fire‑stealer obtains fire."

Yan Buji pinched his chin, subconsciously assuming the ancient text concealed some cultivation method.

But on closer inspection, he found that most of the chapters described the fire‑stealer's techniques for wielding flame, and in an instant Yan Buji attempted to activate the Golden Foil Pattern!

As his intellect rose, Yan Buji swiftly comprehended a fire‑controlling technique!

"Heavenly Fire Falls to the World?!"

Yan Buji paused, recalling the key details of this technique.

It turned out the ancient text concealed not a cultivation method but a fire‑type technique.

The technique manipulates flame to form a massive fireball in the sky, which then falls to the ground causing large‑scale, wide‑area damage, with some splashing damage as well.

Of course, that is not the main effect.

Such a technique appears to require no mana consumption at all?

But without mana to support it, where would such massive lethality come from…

"No, this technique consumes Dao Mark! Fire‑type Dao Mark?!"

Yan Buji's pupils contracted.

Isn't this a Divine Ability?

Heavenly Fire Falls to the World is no longer a simple technique; it is a Divine Ability that a Nascent Soul cultivator can wield through Dao Mark!

Yan Buji also knows some variants of the Earth Fiend Divine Ability; although the authentic form is hard to learn, he understands that once a practitioner reaches the Nascent Soul stage, the Heavenly Gang Earth Sha Divine Skill can be fully unleashed via Dao Mark, which is the essential difference between techniques and Divine Abilities.

However, it is said that ordinary Divine Abilities draw mana as energy and use Dao Mark merely as a conduit, not directly consuming Dao Mark, since cultivating Dao Mark is far more troublesome than cultivating mana.

Dao Mark is a manifestation of a person's comprehension of the laws, not simply a level of mana.

"I fear that even now, draining my mana would still make it hard to wield this Divine Ability. Moreover… since it's at the Divine Ability level, why can I learn it?"

It's rather odd; perhaps the techniques of the Primeval Age differ from those of today?

Yan Buji packed away the ancient text and stepped outside to inquire about the situation at Penglai Pavilion.

After repeatedly questioning numerous humanoid restraints, Yan Buji managed to grasp the basics of Penglai Pavilion.

Penglai Pavilion has a main hall, two towering peaks, and three Patriarchs seated within.

Around it are disciple quarters, alchemy rooms, spirit‑medicine chambers, and servant quarters; in front of the main hall lies a large plaza where daily studies and cultivation take place.

After that there was no further description of other locations; Yan Buji clearly saw a tall tower between the two peaks, yet others seemed completely unaware of it, looking at him with puzzlement as if he were seeing things.

Later, Yan Buji tried speaking to these humanoid restraints about matters unrelated to Penglai Pavilion; they remained rather dull, not as lively as real people.

After a while.

"Fellow Daoist Yan, have you discovered anything?" Feng Yue approached Yan Buji, asking about the events.

Yan Buji pondered briefly: "Did you obtain an ancient text?"

"Got it. They said the Patriarch will test us during the rest‑and‑fast retreat; I think that might be part of the restraints' operation."

Yan Buji nodded: "I thought the same; I'm afraid this will be a key left for us."

Feng Yue, holding the ancient text, asked: "Did the Daoist you obtained have any records about the fire‑stealer?"

"Yes, I even thought what we obtained would be different," Yan Buji said, his face full of regret.

After all, if the humanoid restraints delivered an ancient text that might contain Primeval Divine Abilities, that would be quite exciting.

Feng Yue, with a strange expression, asked: "Fellow Daoist Yan, do you know the secret inside?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be a technique, right?" Yan Buji said, hinting.

Feng Yue frowned: "A technique? What do you think about the assessment a few days from now?"

"If they only test our simple technique usage, that's fine; I'm afraid they'll ask us to demonstrate on the spot, and that would be the end of us."

Yan Buji shared that concern; after all, even if he understood how to release Heavenly Fire Falls to the World, he lacks the capacity to sustain it, so ultimately he must find a way to escape.

Feng Yue thought for a moment, then said: "I was assigned to the spirit‑medicine garden to oversee the herbs, and I noticed that some disciples' technique methods seem somewhat similar to those recorded in this ancient text."

"Is that so?"

"You just watch." Feng Yue thought, and a flame ignited in his palm.

The flame kept turning in Feng Yue's palm, sometimes turning into beads that flowed around his fingers, sometimes covering the whole palm.

Then, Feng Yue pushed his hand forward, and a flame ignited out of thin air; within the undulating wave-like flame, a purer blue flame began to Devour the bright yellow flame outward, until this flame turned completely blue.

"They use this azure fire to refine pills."

Yan Buji nodded and gave it a try.

Feng Yue watched Yan Buji push out a palm; the speed at which the flame turned azure was faster than his, and his eyes lit up involuntarily: "Your control of fire far surpasses mine, fellow Daoist."

"Just a minor trick, not worth mentioning. It seems that by this method, I should be able to comprehend the technique recorded in this ancient text." Yan Buji smiled and withdrew his power.

He had the foundation of understanding from the Heavenly Fire's descent into the world; at a glance he could see that Feng Yue's method resembled some of the operational trajectories of the Heavenly Fire's descent, so a slight execution was naturally no problem.

"Hopefully that's the case."