Chapter 2882 — The Dan-Fire Bomb

"Master, I... this... I swear I will mend my ways and become an upright man, I..." Kang Zhaoming started in fright and hurried to explain.

"No, you misunderstand me. What I mean is, when I take disciples, your sort is what I like best. You're not bad at all—thoroughly rotten in everything you do, which suits my taste perfectly. At first I only meant to make you a nominal disciple, but you've succeeded in making me look at you with new eyes. I am prepared to take you on as a formal disciple!" said Elder Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Huh?!" Kang Zhaoming was struck dumb by Elder Ancestor Xuanchen's words. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that a belly full of wickedness could count as a virtue, and that it would even move Elder Ancestor Xuanchen to accept him as a formal disciple. Was he dreaming?

"Kang Zhaoming, are you unwilling?" Elder Ancestor Xuanchen asked mildly.

"Master, I am willing!" Kang Zhaoming, astonished and overjoyed, dropped to his knees and kowtowed. "Master, from now on I will carry my character to even greater heights, and strive to help you do plenty of wicked deeds!"

"Mm, get up. While we're at it, let me tell you—I have a grudge against Wei Zhao as well." Elder Ancestor Xuanchen was pondering whether he might use Kang Zhaoming's hand to dispose of Wei Zhao. As things stood, he could not move against Wei Zhao because of Chief Bai, but Kang Zhaoming was a different matter entirely. Kang Zhaoming and Wei Zhao were already enemies; if Kang Zhaoming struck directly, then even if Chief Bai suspected it was at his instigation, there would be no proof. This was a way to kill two birds with one stone.

"What? Master, that insignificant Wei Zhao—if you were to act, would it not be as easy as crushing an ant? Why not strike him down?" Kang Zhaoming was rather puzzled. In his eyes, however capable Wei Zhao might be, he could never contend with the Five Luminaries Sect.

"There are reasons for that, which we need not speak of. In short, I cannot move against him directly." Elder Ancestor Xuanchen waved his hand. "Let us set aside the matter of Wei Zhao for now and speak of your own affairs. Originally I intended to casually impart some martial technique to you, but since you have now formally entered my sect, I shall teach you some formidable martial techniques!"

"Thank you for your blessing, Master!" Kang Zhaoming hastened to express his gratitude.

"The martial technique I shall teach you is called... the Dan-Fire Bomb!" Elder Ancestor Xuanchen said, word by word.

"The Dan-Fire Bomb?" Kang Zhaoming was slightly taken aback at the name. "Master, this Dan-Fire Bomb—it doesn't sound all that impressive..."

"It does not sound impressive, true, but when put to use, it is more impressive than you can imagine!" Elder Ancestor Xuanchen waved his hand. "This martial technique was invented by my own master. Only alchemists can unleash it. But within my sect, apart from me, no one knows of it. I teach it to you, first, because among my disciples you alone are an alchemist; and second, because I find your temperament much to my liking—it suits my taste. That is why I teach you the Dan-Fire Bomb!"

"Ah, thank you for esteeming your disciple so highly, Master!" Hearing Elder Ancestor Xuanchen's explanation, Kang Zhaoming realized this must be a most formidable martial technique—otherwise Elder Ancestor Xuanchen would never have kept it hidden and told no one.

"Mm. This martial technique is neither hard nor easy to describe; it is simply that ordinary people would never think of it," Elder Ancestor Xuanchen said. "In truth, it turns the process of condensing dan-fire into the process of unleashing a martial technique—turning dan-fire into a martial technique and releasing it against an enemy!"

"Oh? So it is simply using dan-fire to burn one's opponent?" Kang Zhaoming had grasped the gist and asked.

"More or less, though not entirely." Elder Ancestor Xuanchen shook his head. "You must circulate the incantation for condensing dan-fire, but circulate it continuously without condensing the dan-fire into substance. Instead, you keep compressing it ceaselessly in your palm until it forms a compressed great fireball. Then, in an instant, you unleash it with the heart-method incantation of the martial technique, and it becomes a Dan-Fire Bomb, producing a burst of flame in an instant—thus achieving the effect of wounding the enemy!"

"Oh? So formidable?" Kang Zhaoming asked in some astonishment. "Master, is this Dan-Fire Bomb very powerful?"

"Come with me!" Elder Ancestor Xuanchen did not explain further. Instead, he meant to demonstrate in person and show Kang Zhaoming just how formidable the Dan-Fire Bomb was.

"Yes!" Elder Ancestor Xuanchen walked out of the room, and Kang Zhaoming hurried after him, out of the room and into the courtyard behind the side residence.

"Kang Zhaoming, watch closely!" With that, Elder Ancestor Xuanchen began to circulate the heart-method incantation for condensing dan-fire, and started compressing the dan-fire in his palm.

Kang Zhaoming stood to one side, eyes fixed unblinkingly on Elder Ancestor Xuanchen. Yet all he saw was Elder Ancestor Xuanchen standing there, not unleashing any martial technique. Kang Zhaoming waited a while and grew somewhat impatient, but did not dare ask; he could only wait patiently like a fool on the sidelines...

"Watch closely. First I shall unleash a small Dan-Fire Bomb!" Just as Kang Zhaoming was growing restless with waiting, Elder Ancestor Xuanchen finally spoke. He suddenly raised his right hand and pushed it out flat, pointing toward a rockery not far away!

"Whoosh—boom—"

A great red fireball burst violently from the center of Elder Ancestor Xuanchen's right palm and hurtled toward the peak of the rockery, and at once there came a peal of thunderous noise. Half the peak of that rockery was blasted to smithereens; in an instant, flying sand and shattered stone filled the whole rear courtyard of the side residence, rubble whirling through the sky, along with the scorching afterblast of the fireball's explosion. Kang Zhaoming stared, dumbstruck and utterly aghast!

Elder Ancestor Xuanchen looked at wide-eyed Kang Zhaoming, thoroughly pleased with his expression at this moment, and asked mildly, "Well? Not bad, is it?"

"Utterly incredible! Master, this Dan-Fire Bomb is practically the same as a real cannon shell—to think it had such power! If it hit a man, would it not blast him to death?" Kang Zhaoming had only now come back to his senses and spoke excitedly.

"That was merely the power of a small Dan-Fire Bomb. My time for condensing it was limited. Given enough time, I could condense a far more powerful Dan-Fire Bomb!" Elder Ancestor Xuanchen laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying Kang Zhaoming's praise.

"What? That was only a small one? It can be even more powerful?" Kang Zhaoming was even more thrilled at this. If a small Dan-Fire Bomb was already so formidable, how powerful must a large one be?

"Naturally. But there is a flaw: condensing takes time, and the more powerful the Dan-Fire Bomb, the longer the condensing takes." Elder Ancestor Xuanchen explained, "This Dan-Fire Bomb cannot be unleashed as an emergency martial technique. It can only be used after planning—strike once you have calculated your move. It is suited to killing by surprise."

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