The next morning, Alex, feeling refreshed and free of any lingering hangovers, stood before the Primordial Hellflame Pagoda within his satchel's domain. Its obsidian surface pulsed with a faint, crimson glow, promising untold power. He had a month until the Unseen Summit trial, and the Pagoda was his first step towards preparing.
"Alright, Kael," Alex thought, a determined glint in his eye. "Let's check out this 'Hall of Flames.' Time to get enlightened."
He focused his will, and the entrance to the Pagoda shimmered. With a single step, Alex found himself no longer on the shed's porch, but on a bridge of swirling, ethereal flame. The air instantly thickened, heavy with an ancient, oppressive heat. Each step forward on the shimmering bridge brought a new wave of intensity, the very air vibrating with intricate, ever-shifting fire laws that seemed to twist and contort reality.
He took his first step, and a sudden, overwhelming wave of madness and destruction slammed into his mind. It wasn't just heat; it was a primal, untamed fury, a whisper of cosmic annihilation that threatened to consume his very sanity. Alex gasped, his eyes widening, his newly forged Primordial Flame Emperor Physique flaring instinctively, battling against the encroaching chaos.
Holy hell, he thought, gritting his teeth, sweat instantly beading on his brow. This is... intense.
"I can handle this," he muttered aloud, his voice a strained whisper. He took another step, then another, forcing himself forward. The heat became a physical pressure, the whispers of destruction growing louder, twisting his perception.
On his third step, the bridge beneath him pulsed violently. From the swirling inferno ahead, a colossal, terrifying fire dragon materialized. Its scales, forged from pure, incandescent flame, shimmered with an ancient, malevolent power. Its eyes, twin suns of molten rage, fixed on him. With a deafening roar that shook the very essence of his being, the dragon lunged, its fiery maw engulfing him in an instant.
A searing, all-consuming agony ripped through Alex. It was pain unlike anything he had experienced since the initial, transformative agony of awakening his physique – a pain that tore at his spiritual roots, threatened to unravel his very soul, and left him utterly helpless. He felt himself being utterly obliterated, reduced to nothing but ash in the face of absolute, primordial fire.
Just as quickly as it began, it ended. Alex found himself back on the shed's porch, gasping, his body trembling, a phantom ache lingering in every fiber of his being. His floral shirt was singed, his hair slightly frazzled, but physically he was unharmed. The Pagoda entrance shimmered innocently before him.
Okay. Nope. Not ready for that. Alex ran a hand through his singed hair. The Hall of Flames was clearly not a "Beginner's Guide." He needed to cultivate, to gain control, before attempting to comprehend the "profound laws of fire." The raw power of the Pagoda was intoxicating, but without the fundamental understanding, it was a weapon he couldn't wield, a system he couldn't interface with. He felt a familiar frustration, akin to staring at a complex piece of software with no documentation.
"Kael was right," he mumbled, a wry grin returning despite the lingering terror. "Superior engine, but I still need to learn how to drive it. And maybe install some better firewalls." His mind, ever analytical, quickly shifted gears. The Pagoda was a tool for mastery, but he lacked the prerequisite knowledge. He needed the foundational framework first.
He grabbed his Void Fishing Rod, a new determination in his eyes. The flame inheritance was secured, a powerful asset, but it was useless without the proper foundation. He couldn't even begin to comprehend the Pagoda's lessons if he couldn't control his own Qi.
Alright, Kael, he thought, focusing his intent on the Cosmic Being's Vault. Time for the other half of the equation. I need a cultivation technique. A proper one. Something that lets me actually use this Qi.
He cast the invisible line into the fabric of reality. The tug was swift, light, and precise. He reeled it in, and with a soft thud, a thick, leather-bound tome materialized on the deck. Its cover was surprisingly plain, but it radiated a subtle, profound energy that felt ancient and boundless.
His Divine Eye of Essence flared, immediately overlaying reality with a torrent of luminous text and intricate diagrams: [Origin Source Manifestation Technique] Description: This supreme cultivation technique transcends conventional methods of Qi absorption. Instead of relying on external spiritual energy, it manipulates the wielder's meridians and Dantian to produce Origin Source Qi internally, like a bright, glowing sun within their very being. This self-sustaining Qi is purer, more potent, and far more adaptable than externally absorbed energy, granting unparalleled growth and control. Notes: Requires immense talent and a unique constitution to initiate. Once mastered, the wielder becomes a self-contained source of boundless spiritual power.
Alex stared at the description, a slow, triumphant grin spreading across his face. "Bingo," he whispered. This was it. This was the real deal. No more relying on ambient Qi. He was going to be a walking, talking power plant.
Alright, Kael. It's time to cultivate.