Time swept by like wind through eaves; two days at home vanished. That morning, after breakfast and tidying, we headed straight for the Dragon Realm. Xinuo and FrostyLily Dream set out to find what they needed.

In the Dragon Realm, we were escorted to the gate of Crimson Dragon Valley; Celia Maya, Lingxiao, and Lingsaki parted from Lixue and me, heading for Holy Spirit Island.

As for Serenemoon and Hill, they slipped away to play elsewhere, like birds skimming wide skies, so our training wouldn’t be disturbed; the Dragon Realm is vast enough to wander for ages.

Bottom line: our cultivation life began, like a drumbeat striking the first note.

Crimson Dragon Valley stretched stark and blazing; molten mountains burned on every side, and even rivers ran with lava. We stepped into a world of fire against a sapphire sky, alien yet mesmerizing.

The heat pressed like an oven; fire element thickened the air like visible waves, while other elements thinned like mist.

Within ten minutes, sweat beaded like dew on stone; it was scorching. I glanced at Lixue—she moved cool as snow, untouched, her path aligned with ice.

I was about to wreath myself in ice-aspected Sword Aura, but changed my mind and took her jade-smooth hand; coolness flowed like a mountain spring, and the heat faded.

Curiosity pricked like a spark. "Huh, Lixue, the fire element here is so dense. Why can’t I feel any near you?"

She paused, thinking like snow settling. "It’s my constitution. My body favors ice and water, and it rejects other elements—especially fire."

Relief clicked into place like a key in a lock. I nodded. No wonder holding her hand cooled me; near her, only ice and water gathered like twin streams.

I wondered aloud, a smile flickering. "So when you soak in hot springs, is it the same? Do you feel the heat?"

She answered, calm as moonlight. "Of course I do. I can regulate it. If Crimson Dragon Valley weren’t this hot, I wouldn’t. Day to day, I’m like anyone."

We chatted as we walked, letting time drift like ash on the wind. After twenty minutes, a lavish castle rose ahead, out of place amid the inferno—that had to be Crimson Dragon Heart’s residence.

As we neared the gates, Lixue asked softly, like frost on glass, "Emperor, is the gift for Crimson Dragon Heart ready?"

Confidence settled like a steady flame. "All set before we came to the Dragon Realm." I drew a finely wrapped box from my spatial bracelet. "This should do."

"What’s inside?" Her voice brushed like snowflakes.

"Mm, ten bottles of Supreme Divine Elixir. I wanted to add more, but we’ll need some later, so I kept it to this."

Three hundred bottles sounded like a sea, but after sharing with Lingxiao and the others, the tide ebbed; ten remained fit for a meeting gift.

Lixue muttered, wry as winter wind. "Ten bottles are ‘just a little,’ huh. After visiting the Mizumi Clan once, I get it."

A ripple of confusion crossed me. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Nothing, just thinking," she said, a small sigh like mist.

While we spoke, we reached the castle gates, where someone already waited—poise like a flame poised on a wick.

She wore a scarlet plain dress; crimson hair cascaded, set with twin dragon horns. She looked twenty-five or so, beautiful as a blaze. Around her, fire element and fire laws danced like wild fire.

Awe stirred like a drumbeat. "Is that Crimson Dragon Heart? Her aura’s unusual!"

I met Lixue’s eyes. "No mistake. I can feel her strength, well above Miss Celia Maya."

We traded a glance and quickened our steps, like sparks carried by wind; she’d been waiting, and dawdling would be rude.

She spoke first, voice warm as embers. "You must be Yumigawa Sumeragi and Lixue. Your bearing and looks are remarkable. I am Crimson Dragon Heart. My strength is far below your mentor’s, but I will teach you with all I have. Please guide me as well."

Guilt pricked like a thorn. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Xinyin. I’m Yumigawa Sumeragi. We’re the ones who should ask for your guidance."

"I’m Lixue. Please be strict with us, Miss Xinyin," she said, tone cool as ice.

After greetings, I offered the box like a lantern. "A small token—please accept it."

She took it and opened it by reflex. On seeing what lay within, shock flashed like lightning. "This is too valuable. I can’t accept it!"

She re-wrapped it, ready to return it. I blinked—just ten Supreme Divine Elixirs; that costly? The thought felt odd, but a gift once given doesn’t return.

Lixue stepped in, voice soft as falling snow. "Miss Xinyin, don’t stand on ceremony with Emperor. He has Supreme Divine Elixirs in plenty."

"Right—just treat it as a simple meeting gift," I added, light as breeze.

Curiosity tugged again, like a fish on a line. "From your reaction, are Supreme Divine Spirit Medicines truly that rare?"

She shook her head, expression steady as a mountain. "Rare doesn’t begin to cover it. Potions above the Divine tier are scarce across the world outside the Central Continent, let alone Supreme Divine Elixirs. They’re chance encounters, not rewards you can chase, worth no less than top-tier artifacts. I’ve seen Supreme Divine Elixirs twice in my life—once only from afar behind a protective ward, and the second time is this box."

Surprise flared like a spark. "Why is it that rare?"

She explained, clear as running water. "Two reasons. First, spirit medicines above the Divine tier mostly grow on the Central Continent; high-grade ones almost only exist there. Second, very few people have the alchemy to craft Supreme Divine Elixirs. In my years roaming the world, I never saw anyone craft even mid-grade Divine potions. At most, I met one alchemist who could make low-grade ones—and success and quality weren’t assured."

"By the way, who refined your Supreme Divine Elixirs, Yumigawa?"

"Ah, those were refined by FrostyLily Dream—Lixue’s teacher. She made three hundred bottles in under a minute."

"Miss Lixue, your teacher… is she in the Origin Realm?!"

Lixue nodded, calm as a still lake. "Yes."

Xinyin’s voice held awe, like a low hum. "An Origin Realm existence… and the Central Continent’s endless resources. No wonder Supreme Divine Elixirs aren’t that precious to the Mizumi Clan."

I smiled, easy as spring wind. "We still have plenty of Supreme Divine Spirit Medicine on our side. Please don’t overthink it, Miss Xinyin—just accept it."

She drew a breath, then yielded, like a flame settling in a lamp. "Declining further would be rude. Still, ten bottles of Supreme Divine Elixir are the most precious gift I’ve ever received. If I can help you, don’t hesitate—just ask."

She stowed the box with care, sincerity bright in her eyes like firelight.

"All right, and thank you, Miss Xinyin," I said, gratitude like warm tea.

"It’s I who should thank you. And call me Xinyin—adding ‘Miss’ feels too formal," she said, gentle as heat haze.

"No problem. Then, Heartvoice, don’t call me ‘Yumigawa-kun.’ Just call me Little Emperor," I laughed, light as sparks.

She felt like an older sister, warm as a hearth; calling her ‘sis’ suited her.

"Same for me—just call me Lixue," she added, voice cool as frost.

Xinyin’s gaze steadied like a blade’s edge. "A heads-up: my teaching is strict. I won’t let personal feelings sway me. Be ready, Little Emperor, Lixue."

"That’s exactly what we want. As they say, strict teachers forge great disciples," I said, resolve kindling like a torch.

"Emperor’s right. We came to train and grow stronger, not to play," Lixue affirmed, crisp as ice.

"Good fighting spirit! I’ll give you everything I’ve got in return," Xinyin said, voice bright as flame.

And just like that, we grew familiar with Xinyin, rapport forming like embers catching on dry wood.