Teaching the Dharma

When Gu Fan first started blacksmithing, he was used to wearing a Taoist robe.

However, after being exposed to the earth's heat for a long time, even though he possessed a fire elemental root, he was still sweating profusely.

In this way, the wide-sleeved Taoist robe became quite inconvenient, so he simply followed the example of others, baring his arms and letting the sweat flow freely.

Inside the mountain are several quiet chambers that draw water from the mountain spring. Originally an accidental discovery during the excavation, they were carefully planned and heated by geothermal activity to become hot springs.

Moreover, the spring water contains a faint spiritual energy, making soaking in it exceptionally comfortable.

Although Gu Fan had also learned the cleansing spell, nothing beats the comfort of soaking in a hot spring. Naturally, he chose to soak in the hot spring, which was a small perk provided by the sect to its disciples.

The sermon was about to begin, and Gu Fan didn't want to waste any more time.

He took a storage bag from his waist and placed it on the counter, where a hundred pieces of forged spirit iron were placed.

"These spirit irons are enough to exchange for some merit points. Please check them, senior brother."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yuan reached out and picked up the storage bag. After a brief inspection, he indeed found a hundred pieces of spirit iron inside. Judging from their quality, there was nothing wrong with them. He couldn't help but widen his eyes, like a surprised hamster.

"Junior brother is really quick," Tang Yuan exclaimed in surprise.

He had met hundreds of disciples in the Heavenly Craft Pavilion, and among the newcomers, those who could achieve such speed were second to none. The implications behind this were self-evident.

Thinking of this, Tang Yuan narrowed his eyes again and forced a big smile.

"These spirit irons are all of superior quality, without any problems. Please show me the jade ring, junior brother."

Upon hearing this, Gu Fan took out a white jade ring and handed it to Tang Yuan. Tang Yuan also took out a jade ring, and after they touched together, he returned it to Gu Fan.

Gu Fan extended his divine sense into the jade ring and discovered a floating point of light within it.

"Thank you, senior brother. The lecture is about to begin, so I'll take my leave now." Gu Fan bowed and then departed.

Tang Yuan waved his hand, and after Gu Fan left, he slumped back into the recliner, his eyes slowly moving, a strange smile playing on his lips.

The sermon was held in a large hall atop Shenji Peak, with a stone platform at the head of the hall and many prayer cushions scattered below.

When Gu Fan arrived, nearly a hundred disciples were already waiting there. Fortunately, the main hall was very spacious, so even with so many people, it did not feel crowded at all.

Gu Fan found an empty spot on the edge, sat cross-legged on it, and closed his eyes to wait.

Less than half an hour later.

A burst of fire suddenly flew in from outside the hall, creating a wave of heat that caused the disciples to gasp in surprise.

The flames leaped over the heads of the disciples and landed directly on the stone platform, revealing a middle-aged Taoist with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes.

Gu Fan recognized that the Taoist priest had used a fire escape technique when he entered the main hall.

He had already mastered this escape technique, but he had only practiced it briefly on Lingxi Peak, and was far from being as agile and free as the Taoist.

Because the Fire Release technique emphasizes explosive power, it can cover ten zhang in the blink of an eye. When Gu Fan released it for the first time, he was caught off guard and almost crashed into the courtyard wall.

These days, Gu Fan has been focusing on blacksmithing and has neglected his practice.

The Taoist priest had a very serious expression, with his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed. After landing, he did not utter a word, but instead scanned the crowd present.

His imposing presence, though seemingly without anger, immediately quelled the earlier commotion, and the disciples held their breath in silence.

Only then did the Taoist speak: "I am Li Kunyuan, and I will be in charge of today's lecture. Today's lecture is on the way of controlling fire."

Li Kunyuan's voice was deep and resonant, like a great bell. After introducing himself, he sat cross-legged on the stone platform, stretched out his palm, and a blazing flame burst from his palm, rising more than five feet into the air.

Staring at the flame in his hand, Li Kunyuan spoke slowly:

"When first learning to control fire, the key is to 'tame' it. Do not regard it as an inanimate object. Among the five internal organs, the heart belongs to fire and governs the mind. Therefore, when controlling fire, you should use your mind as a rein, drawing it without releasing it, so that you can control it as easily as using your own arm."

"When the mind is restless, the fire is agitated; when the spirit is exhausted, the fire weakens. Only by focusing the mind on the dantian and keeping the mind clear can one control its strength and weakness."

As soon as he finished speaking, the flames in Li Kunyuan's palm changed.

As the flames rose, they sometimes transformed into a spirit ape fleeing outwards, and sometimes into a galloping horse charging left and right, but no matter how the flames leaped, they were firmly controlled in his palm.

In a short while, the ferocious flames, which had been baring their fangs and claws, shrank to three inches in length, like a docile kitten, swaying back and forth like a candle flame, moving between Li Kunyuan's fingers as if licking them.

"The key to mastering fire control lies in the word 'sensation.' One must integrate a wisp of divine consciousness into the fire, not only observing its changing shape and color, but also sensing the pulse of its inner spiritual energy."

"In this way, even the slightest difference in heat or the most subtle change in temperature can be clearly understood."

Li Kunyuan continued his story.

As he finished speaking, the flame between Li Kunyuan's fingers changed again. With the influx of spiritual energy, it expanded rapidly, transforming into a fire dragon that soared into the sky and danced and circled in the hall.

After the fire dragon circled the arena once, Li Kunyuan gently flicked his fingers.

The fire dragon immediately disintegrated, turning into countless sparks that drifted down, only to transform into fiery sparrows as they fell, flapping their wings and chasing each other.

The disciples below the stage watched Li Kunyuan manipulate the flames with unwavering eyes, stunned by this miraculous skill, their breath caught in their throats.

It wasn't until the Flame Sparrow, as if returning to its nest, landed in Li Kunyuan's palm and returned to its original state as a cluster of flames that everyone came back to their senses.

Gu Fan was also one of those who were shocked.

His pupils reflected the flickering candlelight, and a flash of inspiration appeared faintly in his mind.

Influenced by his memories of his past life, flames are more like a burning phenomenon driven by magic in his eyes, and the art of fire control is the precision of controlling magic.

But upon hearing Li Kunyuan's account, Gu Fan suddenly realized the error in his understanding.

In the world of cultivation, flames can be alive, rather than just a simple burning phenomenon!

Over time, some strange flames may even develop consciousness and improve themselves like cultivators.

Gu Fan suddenly realized.

"No wonder the Flame Spirit Technique stalled after splitting into dozens of streams; the key lies in the word 'spirit.'"

The term "Flame Spirit" means to endow flames with spirituality through divine consciousness, so that the flames will consciously act according to the spellcaster's will, rather than rigidly manipulating and dividing the flames.

Gu Fan really wanted to return to the foot of Shenji Peak immediately and use the Earth Flame to verify it.

But Li Kunyuan's explanation was not yet finished, so Gu Fan had to suppress his eagerness and continue to concentrate on listening to the rest of the explanation.

Li Kunyuan's gaze swept over the crowd, taking in their shocked faces. A slight smugness appeared on his lips as he slowly spoke.

"The Lingxiao Sect was founded by Ancestor Yunxiao and has inherited the lineage of the Creation Ancestor for more than three thousand years. It should be known that all things can also have spirits, and we should use the power of creation to control the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

"Let us all strive together with these words!"