Laura's voice, tinged with concern, came from the other side of the door. She was passing through the hallway when she heard a sound of items falling from Rex's room.
Gritting his teeth to suppress a groan, Rex stumbled toward the door.
"I'm fine! Just knocked something over"
"Can I come in?"
"No"
The response was sharper and louder than he intended, but his brain worked quickly for a response in order to not let her know what was happening to him.
"I mean... I'm training right now"
"It's better if you stay out since I don't want you to get hurt by accident"
A pause followed, and Rex could sense her hesitation. Eventually, her footsteps receded, leaving him alone once more.
Releasing a sigh in relief, Rex took out a sound-isolation formation from his storage ring. He activated the item and the faint hum of the formation settling around him as another wave of agony tore through him.
Needles of pain stabbed at every inch of his skin, his muscles spasming uncontrollably. The heat intensified, especially near his chest. Rex's heart felt as though it were about to burst, each beat sending shockwaves of pain throughout his body. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony, his nails digging into the wooden floor.
[Warning: Please maintain focus to prevent spiritual collapse]
"Focus?" he spat, his voice hoarse.
"Easier said than done…"
Through sheer willpower, Rex forced his eyes open. He focused on his breathing, trying to calm himself amidst the chaos. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. The rhythm steadied him, even as the flames continued to rage within.
Time became meaningless as the torment stretched on, each second feeling like an eternity. Hours passed but finally, the burning sensation began to fade, leaving behind a dull ache. Rex lay motionless, his breathing ragged, his body drenched in sweat.
He lay there motionless, too exhausted to move. Every muscle ached, and his skin felt raw, as if he'd been flayed alive. With trembling hands, Rex pushed himself up.
"It was worth it"
Rex could feel that his entire body was stronger. Rather than feeling pain, he was feeling energetic at this moment. A refreshing feeling hit his body as if washing away all the pain he had suffered.
"Even cultivation has been improved somewhat"
He used his element, a dark fire started to appear on his hand, expecting it to be in control as it had been before.
But the flames erupted chaotically, spiralling out of control. The once-familiar flame now felt hostile making him remember a past occasion that he had faced before. He forcibly cut of the mana supply making the flame go out but, pain exploded through his body once more.
Rex gasped, clutching his chest .
"Damn it, not again"
The Fire Emperor Yang Constitution was supposed to enhance his abilities, not hinder them. Yet it was clear that something was terribly wrong. It was not all the constitution's fault it seems as Rex saw the words from the system.
[Warning: Conflict detected between host's innate fire element and the Fire Emperor Yang Constitution]
[Please brace for the impact]
"Conflict? Are you kidding me!!!" Rex shouted, his frustration was nothing more in the face of the soul wrenching pain.
The flames within him clashed violently, like two beasts fighting for dominance. His innate fire, an evolution of the normal fire element. His strongest element was with him him since his first awakening, resisted the the constitution. The constitution in turn, sought to assert its dominance.
Rex's body became the battlefield for this struggle. The fiery energies tore through him, wreaking havoc on his meridians. Each clash sent shockwaves of pain through his body, leaving him gasping for breath.
The two beasts clashed incessantly, colliding in bursts of power that sent shockwaves rippling through his meridians. Rex's body trembled violently, his veins feeling as if they were being scorched and frozen simultaneously. Every cell in his body screamed in protest as he struggled to maintain control.
Inside his inner world, Rex could clearly see the forms of the two flames. The dark fire appeared as a roiling inferno, its black flames laced with faint streaks of crimson, pulsing with chaotic energy. It writhed and twisted like a living creature, roaring defiantly at the golden fire.
The golden fire, however, was no less magnificent. It burned with a dazzling brilliance, its flames pure and radiant, exuding an aura of majesty and authority. Each flicker of the golden fire seemed to declare its sovereignty, an unspoken command for the dark fire to bow before it. But the dark fire refused to yield, rising up again and again to meet the golden fire's challenge.
Rex floated between them, his presence a mere speck in the vast landscape of his inner world. He could feel the immense pressure emanating from the two forces, each vying for dominance, neither willing to give an inch.
"This isn't going to work"
If he couldn't stabilize the conflict, his cultivation could be crippled or worse, he could perish.
"If they keep this up, they'll destroy me"
He extended his will, focusing all his energy on mediating between the two. It was like trying to tame two wild beasts, each snapping at the other with the intent to kill. The dark fire lashed out, its tendrils seeking to engulf the golden fire, but the golden flames burned brighter, repelling the attack and striking back with equal ferocity.
"Enough!"
Rex roared, his voice echoing through his inner world. For a moment, the flames hesitated, as if startled by his command. Seizing the opportunity, Rex plunged his consciousness deeper into the chaotic battlefield.
He reached out with his will, wrapping it around the dark fire first. Its energy was wild and unruly, but it wasn't the first time Rex had faced such a case. He used his will and mental to wrap around the fire and chains started to form, binding it.
'You are mine'
The dark fire quivered, its chaotic movements slowing. Next, Rex turned to the golden fire. It resisted his approach, its aura flaring in warning. The regal flames seemed to reject him, as if deeming him unworthy of its power. But Rex refused to back down.
'I need you for Laura' he thought, his determination unwavering.
'But if you're here, then you're mine too. Submit!'
The golden fire burned brighter in defiance trying to burn the mental chains, but Rex didn't falter. He poured his mental power into it, matching its intensity, demanding its acknowledgment. Slowly, grudgingly, the golden fire's resistance began to wane.
Rex sighed as he looked at the two fires under his control with his will which materialized as chains strapped onto them. If he were to continue like this it was sure that his mental power would be drained if he were to encounter a situation which required a fight, it could be fatal. It was like a ticking time bomb. He could even feel the intent of the two fires as if they were growling at each other even though under his control.
'This isn't going to work'
He glanced at the churning chaos between the flames, where their violent clashes had left an unexpected remnant. It was a tiny ember, flickering weakly but undeniably alive. The small fire shimmered with a blend of black and gold, its colour a perfect combination of the two battling forces.
"What… is that?"
Rex said, his voice heavy with exhaustion yet with a tinge of curiosity still sparked as he saw it. The dark gold ember pulsed faintly, its energy subdued yet stable. It was unlike the wild rage of the dark fire or the regal dominance of the golden fire. Instead, it felt balanced, as though it held the essence of both without their inherent hostility.
The two fires upon sensing the dark golden fire, started to roar with renewed aggression and Rex had to yank the chains that were strapping the chains stopping them from whatever they wanted to do. Rex could feel the feelings of the two flames towards this new small ember, the anger they felt towards it but what caused his interest was the small sense of fear they had towards it.
"What if..."