Chapter 122: The Six Dings and the Flying Fire Ruler

“You,” came the majestic voice from the crane-beaked figure, tinged with hesitation as if weighing something carefully. “The Six Ding Fire is divine fire, used for alchemical refinement, not to be handed out lightly. However, if you can summon three thousand of my magical thoughts, then what harm is there in gifting you this Six Ding Divine Fire?”

With that, he raised his hand toward the heavens, and an ancient measuring rod materialized abruptly from the void, summoned by the elder star’s magic.

The rod was made of a crimson crystal-like material, square in cross-section, resembling a short staff. It bore incised fire patterns and a star map of the Wing Constellation, exuding an aura of profound mystery.

“This is the Flying Fire Rod. It contains three thousand notches; every time you summon one of my thoughts, one notch fills. Summon three thousand thoughts, and the rod will be fully charged, summoning the divine fire itself.”

The clever rat stepped forward, hands lowered, eyes fixed intently on the rod, nearly drooling. Even without mentioning the divine fire, the Flying Fire Rod alone, once slightly consecrated, would be a priceless treasure.

He shamelessly pleaded, “Old Star, give me a rod too.”

“Clang!”

The rod tapped the clever rat’s head once, then the magical thoughts vanished into the crane’s body.

Ji Ming’s consciousness returned, and he examined the Flying Fire Rod in his hand, marveling at the extraordinary turn of fate that had befallen him.

“Old Star?”

“Nephew!”

“Uncle Rat.”

Ji Ming presented the well-prepared words he had been rehearsing: “I am grateful to Old Star for enlightening me, opening my mind, and awakening my wisdom root; otherwise, I would surely have met disaster this time.”

The clever rat’s eyes darted wildly before breaking into a smile. “Nephew, with your uncle here, you will surely be well protected.”

After a moment of contemplation, he added, “Now that the old ape has withdrawn, he will no doubt summon the infernal generals of the Netherworld beneath Jiheng Mountain. We’d better leave quickly and find refuge to regroup.”

Ji Ming clutched the Flying Fire Rod, running his fingers over the crimson fire-patterned robe he wore. Gazing into the blood-stained water, he saw the faint flicker of the small cluster of Six Ding Divine Fire still burning atop his head like a fiery crown.

Though this small flame was not the original Six Ding Source Fire governed by the Wing Star Elder, it nonetheless had its own uses and power.

“Nephew, extinguish that fire quickly,” the clever rat said with a hint of fear in his gaze. “Your physical body carries magical thoughts and thus has a greatly reduced lifespan. Even though your body has been transformed by Old Star’s grace into an advanced spirit being, you have yet to fully refine your form. Bearing this fire will surely consume your life essence as its core.”

“But I find this fire quite wondrous,” Ji Ming smiled.

“Very well! Very well!” The clever rat relented. “Enough talk. Let us leave this mountain and temporarily hide in the Wave-flipping Mountain pass between the Ochre Bear Continent and the Grain Valley Continent to lay low.”

With that, he reached to pull Ji Ming away.

---

Seeing Ji Ming dodge, the clever rat’s patience waned, his expression darkening. “Nephew, do you distrust me, or do you have other plans?”

His eyes greedily swept over the rod and the Six Ding Fire, as if itching to try them out.

“Uncle, how many days old am I since birth?”

“By my reckoning, over two months.”

Ji Ming bowed his head and counted on his fingers, muttering incantations, a display that genuinely unsettled the clever rat. He wondered if the Old Star had secretly bestowed something upon this nephew—or perhaps the nephew’s body had been seized by a foreign spirit.

However, that was unlikely. Ji Ming’s spirit and flesh were too well integrated; any possession would have been detected through subtle anomalies.

“I have calculated that within a week, a lucky star will shine upon me, bringing fortune. I must not leave this place until then.”

“Nonsense!” The clever rat urged urgently, “Nephew, what we have done here in Jiheng Mountain is enough to condemn us to soul-shattering punishments in the Northern Netherworld.”

“Then you may go on your own,” Ji Ming’s gaze grew cold. The clever rat clearly thought he was still a naive novice, easily deceived. The greed in the rat’s eyes was now openly revealed.

“You see through my thoughts? The Old Star’s enlightenment has truly sharpened your insight into human nature?”

“What are your intentions, uncle?” Ji Ming asked with innocent curiosity.

The clever rat chuckled, realizing no more could be gained by pressing further. The changes in his nephew were perplexing beyond measure.

But that was fine. He did not believe that the Old Star, before departing, would have endowed this nephew with such profound divine powers.

“Very well. Since you have your own ideas, I, as your uncle, will not force the matter. I shall leave the mountain now and hope for your safety.”

With a swift leap, the clever rat vanished underground.

Ji Ming watched the hole left behind. Everyone says rats dig holes—the rat spirit was certainly an expert at it. Yet this hole was not intended for escape.

As his body shifted to the side, an arm suddenly emerged from the earth where he had just stood but grasped at empty air.

“Uncle, are you coming back to see me?”

Ji Ming spoke as the image of the “True Form of Yin Wind” flashed through his mind. Recalling it once more, he instantly mastered the Yin Wind Sorcery again.

Unfortunately, the Lesser Ruyi Technique, suited only for special spirits like centipede demons, was beyond his crane spirit to learn.

The clever rat, realizing his intentions were seen through, felt no anger. He regarded Ji Ming seriously and no longer dared to look down on him, retracting his arm underground.

---

Just as Ji Ming was about to sidestep, the ground beneath him collapsed, leaving him without support. Spreading his arms, a gust of Yin Wind rose beneath his ribs, lifting him into midair.

The clever rat leapt out and said, “Good nephew, you have indeed inherited your parents’ demon wind technique, but this small sorcery can’t match your uncle’s.”

“Then let’s see about this,” Ji Ming said.

Standing in the wind, it was not the demon wind the clever rat spoke of, but true Yin Wind.

Thanks to Old Star’s transformation of his body, Ji Ming could freely wield the Yin Wind techniques from his past life, unleashing their power more fully.

With sufficient Yin energy, his Yin Wind sorcery could soar to even greater heights.

Ji Ming twisted his palm, condensing the Yin Wind within his illusory hand, using his crane’s palm strength to gradually compress the wind.

Luckily, having the form of a crane was crucial; without the avian demon’s nature, his palm control might not have manifested properly.

He had not forgotten the Yin Wind Palm he created in his third incarnation, but now, with new insights and years of immersion, especially under the old ape’s tutelage, his palm power was refined.

He drew his palm to his chest, then suddenly thrust it forward.

Despite holding Ji Ming in higher regard, the clever rat was shocked by the roaring sound following the strike, his mouth agape as he spat out a filthy pearl.

“Bang!” The palm’s force struck heavily against the magical shield formed by the pearl, shaking the entire barrier several times, frost rapidly covering its surface.

After this strike, Ji Ming realized the principle behind the old ape’s Empty Palm technique was similar to his own—compressing energy within an illusory palm.

Since the illusionary limb lacked veins and flesh, increasing its intensity to compress more energy and releasing it instantly magnified its power.

“Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!” came the rat cries, and from within the frozen shield burst forth a giant rat the size of a small hill, bearing an angry human face. It shouted, “Nephew, your uncle has arrived!”

Ji Ming knew he could not defeat such a fully realized illusionary spirit, even wielding the Flying Fire Rod. His hand plunged into the Six Ding Fire atop his head.

The flames flowed into his palm, turning it as hot as a branding iron, radiating a fiery glow that illuminated the surrounding area.

Just as he prepared to raise his palm again, the clever rat suddenly shrank back, humbly submitting and saying, “Alright, alright, uncle was wrong. I admit my mistake. Good nephew, please accept this precious cluster of Six Ding Fire.

We shall stay here with you, awaiting the day your lucky star shines, so that when fortune comes, your uncle may share in your good luck.”