As Yulin's powerful soul force suppressed Ma Hongjun's evil fire, the red glow on Ma Hongjun's face gradually faded.
However, Beixuan knew that external force alone was not enough—Ma Hongjun also needed to put in his own effort. Sitting in front of Ma Hongjun, Beixuan placed both hands on his chest and said, "Hongjun, don't let desire control you. Let your soul force circulate along with the one I am guiding into you. Breathe in sync with me, and follow my chant:
If the heart is as clear as ice, even the heavens collapsing will not cause fear;
Amidst countless changes, remain steady, with a calm mind and peaceful breath;
Forget the self and maintain unity, achieving supreme focus;
Restrain impulses and nurture vital energy, acting with selflessness;
Balance the inner and outer worlds, keeping mind and expression in harmony;
Focus on the vital gate and subdue distracting thoughts;
Let there be nothing within or without, like murky ice turning pure;
With a heart unburdened, roam freely through time itself."
Hearing Beixuan's incantation, Ma Hongjun began to recite it while following the breathing and energy circulation method.
After a short while, his complexion finally returned to normal.
"This is a technique for calming the mind? Xiao Xuan, you actually know something like this?" Yulin asked in surprise. Since the girl he had pursued in the past aspired to be a heroine, he had only collected techniques that rapidly increased strength. He had never studied techniques meant for stabilizing the mind.
"This is called the Ice Heart Technique. My mother taught it to me when I was younger. You know how I couldn't grow properly back then, and I often became restless. My mother would chant this incantation to calm my mind so I could sleep at night," Beixuan explained.
When Yun Wuyue first passed this technique down to him, Beixuan had been equally shocked. In this world of Ancient Swords, there existed an Ice Heart Technique similar to the one from Wind and Cloud!
However, this technique merely suppressed desires and stabilized emotions—it had little effect on improving one's strength. Because of that, Beixuan had never practiced it seriously. But today, it had proven immensely useful.
Yulin nodded. "Well, at least with the Ice Heart Technique, Hongjun won't have to worry too much in the short term. It buys us some time to find a way to completely cure his evil fire."
Beixuan, of course, knew how to cure Ma Hongjun. The Phoenix Crown Cockscomb Herb was hidden within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. But getting it wouldn't be easy.
First, Beixuan wanted to win over Dugu Bo, so he couldn't rely on Yulin to seize the herb by force. Instead, he needed to first cure Dugu Bo's poison. And that task couldn't be left to Yulin either—it had to be Beixuan himself. After all, as the future leader of his faction, he needed to earn the trust of his subordinates through his own actions. His plan for the coming years was to have Yulin teach him the art of alchemy.
Second, Ma Hongjun was still too young. He might not be able to withstand the powerful medicinal effects of the Phoenix Crown Cockscomb Herb yet. It would be much safer for him to consume it when he reached around Rank 30.
Third, Beixuan intended to use this evil fire to temper Ma Hongjun's mind. In the original story, Flender's solution was to let Ma Hongjun give in to his desires, which led to him being perceived as a pervert upon his first appearance.
However, the more one indulges in this evil fire, the more addictive it becomes—just like a drug. Initially, Ma Hongjun's condition only flared up every few months. But as he indulged more, the intervals would shorten—from weeks to days, then to mere hours. If Tang San had not given him the Phoenix Crown Cockscomb Herb, Ma Hongjun wouldn't have stood a chance of becoming a god. He would have either perished due to his own fire consuming him or descended into madness, becoming a despised evil soul master.
But this "curse" could also be turned into a training tool. If Ma Hongjun could resist it with sheer willpower, his mental strength would gradually grow stronger, and his self-discipline would sharpen.
Since Ma Hongjun had acknowledged him as his leader, it was Beixuan's responsibility to cultivate him into someone far superior to his original self.
Of course, everything had its limits. The evil fire was still a backlash from his martial soul—it couldn't be suppressed by willpower alone forever. If pushed too far, Ma Hongjun could be burned alive by his own flames.
Beixuan needed to find other methods to assist him.
—
After some time, Ma Hongjun finally regained consciousness.
"Brother Xuan, thank you for teaching me this technique. It really worked! If not for it, I'd have been doomed today," Ma Hongjun said, breathing a sigh of relief. Just moments ago, he had thought he was about to be burned alive by his own flames.
"Don't get too excited yet, little fatty," Yulin immediately rained on his parade. "Ice Heart Technique can only suppress your evil fire temporarily. It will flare up again, and each time will be stronger than before."
"What?! Then what do I do? Am I just destined to die young?" Ma Hongjun clutched his head in despair. He had only just begun enjoying life as a soul master, and now it seemed like his journey was already over. He couldn't accept that.
"Calm down, Hongjun. We may not have a solution right now, but that doesn't mean others don't. Since this problem stems from your martial soul, the best course of action is to consult an expert in the field," Beixuan said with a confident smile. "I was uncertain about where we should go for further studies before, but now I know exactly where. There's someone there who can help you."
"An expert? Xiao Xuan, don't tell me you're referring to that so-called 'Grandmaster' whose theories are supposedly unrivaled?" Yulin immediately frowned and tried to dissuade him. "You can't just believe in someone based on rumors! I've read his so-called 'Ten Core Theories'—some are just common knowledge, others are outright wrong, and the rest are unverified. That guy is unreliable."
The moment Yulin heard the word "Grandmaster," he immediately thought of the infamous laughingstock of the continent. He had no trust in that man.
Beixuan shook his head. "Of course not him. I wasn't referring to any single person. I meant two specific institutions. When it comes to the deepest research on martial souls, the first and foremost is the Spirit Hall—that's undeniable. However, they focus on all martial souls. If we're looking for expertise in a specific type, such as fire-attributed martial souls, there are places that may rival them."
"The Blazing Fire Academy from the Five Elemental Academies!" Yulin immediately caught on.
Beixuan was right. In terms of overall research, Spirit Hall was unmatched. But for a singular focus, such as fire attributes, Blazing Fire Academy could hold its own.
Moreover, unlike Spirit Hall, Blazing Fire Academy was neither a sect nor a political entity. It wasn't tied to royalty or nobility. Graduating from there wouldn't interfere with Beixuan's larger plans.
Beixuan had no intention of sending Ma Hongjun to Shrek Academy as in the original story—he had no interest in going there himself either. After all, his reason for joining an academy wasn't for mere training. His main goal was to access Mimicry Cultivation Grounds, followed by resources like soul beast meat, herbs, and other essentials.
Did Shrek Academy have any of these? They were so poor they didn't even have a proper classroom!
Besides, he had no interest in becoming a subordinate to Dai Mubai or Tang San. They weren't worthy.
"Xiao Xuan, your plan makes sense. But there's one problem—can you even get into that academy?" Yulin pointed out a crucial issue. Beixuan's martial soul, Nightmare Charm, carried a sinister aura. Would Blazing Fire Academy accept someone with such a martial soul?