Otherworldly Desert Dust

...

Wu Hen's fingertips conjured a flicker of flame, and under his guidance, the wisp of fire shot toward a spot three kilometers away.

The flame wasn't the essence of the spell but rather a command.

"Listen up, all of you! At the spot I've marked, I want you to pile up a Flame Mountain. Make it towering. The shape doesn't matter, but it has to be fierce — vigorous and imposing! If anyone dares to slack off, I'll see to it personally!"

Wu Hen barked commands while marking the coordinate for the fire particles to follow. He made it crystal clear that failing to meet his demands would have consequences!

As expected, the Flame Elves were cowardly and submissive. Treat them gently, and they scatter like grains of sand; exert some pressure, and they become beasts of burden for the Fire Mage, obeying every directive without the slightest complaint.

The fire particles rapidly gathered, coalescing into enormous Fire Rocks across the three-kilometer radius. These rocks stacked together, forming a bizarre, jagged mountain in an instant.

The jagged Flame Mountain descended heavily upon the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow intruders.

Though elite amongst its kind, the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow lacked significant manipulation abilities. Much like most predators, it excelled at roaming and hunting. Clearly, it had caught the scent of the Soul Nest Wood Seed, lusting for this rare, once-in-a-millennium opportunity.

The Ghost Willow's trunk was covered in protruding human faces, each expressing varied emotions: greed, excitement, jealousy, hunger…

It seemed that for every soul devoured, the Ghost Willow gained one new grotesque face on its trunk. These faces, much like tree rings, represented its cultivation level.

Under the oppressive weight of Wu Hen's Flame Mountain, all of the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow's countless faces erupted in furious roars. It emanated a strong desire to imprint Wu Hen's face onto its trunk as well.

The Thousand-faced Ghost Willow broke free of the Flame Mountain. Surprisingly, its bark was fire-resistant, likely due to its prolonged dwelling in cold, damp swamps. The moisture within provided adequate protection against the flame's scorching heat.

Its hanging branches instantly turned wooden, transforming into countless eerie Willow Spears. The sheer number of spears resembled a charging cavalry regiment wielding long spears, rushing toward Wu Hen.

Wu Hen shouted and nearly retrieved a whip to lash at the surrounding fire particles and elves.

"Can't you be a bit more proactive? Do I have to draw out every tedious command? Is it too much to expect you to follow my intent and conjure powerful fire spells instantly? Otherwise, compared to the domineering Divine Skills of this Otherworldly Dust, my Fire God Body feels utterly useless!"

The Spirit Contract Realm was indeed remarkable. Bound by its contract, Wu Hen could impose his demands freely, and the fire particles—though furious—had no choice but to comply, meeting every requirement to the best of their abilities.

The fire particles accelerated their gathering and aligned their formations with newfound precision.

As the Ghost Willow drew closer, Wu Hen finally completed a Meteor Fire Technique!

Overhead, an extraordinary, dazzling meteor fire descended forcefully, brimming with overwhelming power. Yet, whether due to Wu Hen's haste or a lapse in the fire particle's coordination, the meteor's trajectory slightly faltered, landing prematurely before Wu Hen, far off from the intended target—the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow.

Wu Hen took a deep breath, holding back the urge to lash out at the fire particle elves.

He glanced at the approaching Ghost Willow, then at the meteor fire's landing point.

With a burst of momentum, just as the meteor fire touched down, Wu Hen launched himself forward with a flying kick!

The kick landed precisely on the meteor fire. At this moment, Wu Hen resembled a football player, executing an exaggerated leap to salvage a poorly aimed pass. His airborne, powerful strike transformed the misplaced meteor fire into a dazzling world-class shot, propelling it straight at the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow!

"BOOM!!!!!!!"

The falling meteor fire, already brimming with massive power, combined with Wu Hen's kick, struck the Ghost Willow's raging faces with pinpoint precision. The impact detonated ferocious explosive energy upon the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow!

The fierce blast shattered the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow into fragments. Its grotesque array of face-like tree bark burned into ash within the searing flames, while the spirits inside disintegrated like ants on a furnace, destroyed instantly, achieving eternal rest.

The heat wave expanded in all directions, with one strand reaching Wu Hen, ruffling his disheveled hair.

Around him, the Flame Elves erupted in applause, resembling a stadium filled with thousands of cheering fans, commending Wu Hen's impeccable recovery. The blazing flames enveloped Wu Hen's figure, casting him as a radiant and fiery figure.

But Wu Hen wasn't basking in their idle praise. Coldly, he sent out a message of warning to the tiny, useless creatures around him: "Next time, if the trajectory veers off again, I'll throw all of you into the Snow Realm to freeze to death!"

The temperature dropped sharply. Many fire particles shivered, momentarily losing warmth. They had thought the free-spirited realm had gained a benevolent leader, only to realize their ruler was a violent tyrant, punishing even minor mistakes with freezing burial!

...

Having dealt with the Thousand-faced Ghost Willow, Wu Hen sat on the ground to absorb the fires' Spiritual Factors surrounding him. Control and cultivation propelled each other. As Wu Hen's intimidation spread farther, more fire Spiritual Factors were conquered, flocking to him to forge his Fire God Golden Body.

Time passed. Who knew how long? Wu Hen felt his Spirit Contract domain's intimidation had reached its zenith. Yet, his frail body could no longer withstand the overwhelming influx of Spiritual Factors.

It was akin to a Flame Empire with a never-ending influx of soldiers, but its territory was too small to accommodate such a vast army. Expansion was imperative.

The path to expanding this territory lay in strengthening his physique. Wu Hen's body couldn't subsist on air alone—it needed nourishment from rich Spiritual Treasures.

Opening his eyes, Wu Hen spotted a delicate figure stumbling back from the fiery earth. It was clear she was injured, yet a radiant smile lingered on her face.

"It's my first time seeing Yuan You formed from Fiery Flower Honey," Gao Yu Yan said, handing a fire-red honey crystal to Wu Hen.

Wu Hen gazed at her.

Her body was covered in fine cuts, slashed open by sharp flower filaments. Her clothing was badly torn, and as time passed, her host's skeletal structure and appearance began merging with her original form, shedding her mature womanly charm and reverting to a youthful maiden's vigor.

"So it's Pure Yuan You infused with Flame Honey properties. If I crush it, my soul will return to the Divine Realm," Wu Hen remarked to Gao Yu Yan.

"If you're experiencing symptoms of being Lost, it's fine to go back first. We should be able to complete our mission and escort your host safely back to the Divine Realm," Gao Yu Yan reassured him.

Wu Hen nodded, accepting the Fire Honey Essence Gao Yu Yan had retrieved for him.

However, Wu Hen didn't crush it. Instead, he let his malnourished body absorb the Pure Energy hidden within.

At last, the Fire God Body was complete, and his host had reached Mahayana!

As Wu Hen focused on absorbing the Yuan You energy, Gao Yu Yan couldn't hide her disappointment. Turning away, she muttered under her breath, "Couldn't even show a little concern for my wounds. Hmph!"