Green Flames covered the sky over the Marshal’s Base. The walls, tiles, grounds, and iron trees of the Northern Hall all emitted a sinister green light. The flames danced rhythmically before finally subsiding.

In the dark green halls, Moon Fairy, dressed in a wide silver robe and barefoot, stood with his eyes swirling with a ghastly gale and abyssal flames.

Beside him, a strikingly beautiful woman, draped in thick black armor and armed to the teeth, curled up in a corner, her eyes blazing with anger.

Yet, the hint of pleasure and her slightly trembling fingers and legs betrayed her.

“Give me ten Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Sources,” Moon Fairy demanded calmly, extending his hand.

“Why should I?” Lin Daiyuan’s voice trembled slightly, sticky with fear.

“Give,” Moon Fairy said softly, yet the dominance and ferocity in his eyes flickered with a dangerous glint.

The Black Brute Bear never feared a demon fox, but this one was too ferocious...

Imagine, in a forest, a small white fox pinning down a large black bear and beating it, what a spectacular scene.

As a Colonel in the Fourth Baptism Realm, Sealing Heaven-grade Calamity Sources were useless to Lin Daiyuan. However, the 1,000 soldiers in her Black Brute Battalion needed them, and she surely had them!

A fox and a bear locked eyes, both fierce!

The brutality of the fox just moments ago had cast a shadow over Lin Daiyuan’s heart. Her power was explosive, enough to tear him apart! Yet, why was she forced to retreat step by step, manipulated and humiliated?

That was because authority and influence mattered!

Moon Fairy’s presence overwhelmed her.

“Ten…”

Lin Daiyuan did not know why Moon Fairy wanted ten Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Sources.

She bowed her head, counting out ten from her Bag of Holding and threw them to the ground!

This act of throwing was perhaps the last of her dignity…

After tossing away the Calamity Sources, unable to contain her frustration, she let out a low growl. She suddenly rose and furiously declared to Moon Fairy, “Fortune waxes and wanes, don’t celebrate too early. Next time I rise, I’ll grind you to dust!”

With that, she swung her hips and strode away, so furious her nostrils flared, pounding her chest and the walls as she went, truly exploding with rage.

“She's still a beast, no matter how enlightened. Nature cannot be altered,” Moon Fairy remarked, watching her retreating figure.

“Hey, you’re just a stinky fox yourself,” the Nian chuckled.

“I'm human,” Moon Fairy replied.

“Fox or human, or whatever else, can you even keep it straight? Don’t get so lost in playing with your body double that you forget what you really are,” the Yaksha Ancestor suddenly interjected somberly.

"You worry too much," Moon Fairy said.

"It's for your own good," the Yaksha Ancestor snorted. "No matter what, I can help you. Your fighting methods are too monotonous; I have plenty of divine techniques."

"You, willingly help me? What's the catch?" Moon Fairy asked.

"Simple," the Yaksha Ancestor paused, then added somberly, "Next time you're enjoying yourself, don't blindfold me."

The Nian coughed and said, "I second that."

"How rare, you two actually share a common interest," Moon Fairy chuckled.

They fell silent, clearly embarrassed to find common ground.

"Nevertheless, I refuse," Moon Fairy declared.

"Why?" the Yaksha Ancestor asked, puzzled.

"I'm not an exhibitionist, and I don't enjoy an audience," Moon Fairy replied.

"Pah! You seem perverted enough to me," the Nian scoffed.

Moon Fairy, uninterested in their banter, took the ten Sealing Heaven grade Calamity Sources and muttered, "I'm just borrowing these, I'll return them to Old Kapok in a couple of days, no broken promises."

He was in a good mood. After getting a bit of revenge on Lin Daiyuan for trying to kill him, he felt somewhat better. But the rage from being turned into a cloud of blood and flesh by Yanfu Tan still simmered in his chest.

"It won't be long before I make my way to the Asura Path."

Turning back, Moon Fairy noticed that the grand doors of the Northern Hall were still open. He'd been a little too eager to get his revenge. And he'd just been talking about not being an exhibitionist a moment ago…

"Luckily, no one's around." With a resigned smile, Moon Fairy approached the massive steel doors. As he reached to close them, he was startled by the appearance of a large figure!

"Marshal!"

Standing just outside the door was a woman clad in black scale armor, her long rainbow colored hair cascading down, her dignified face bearing a strangely amused smile. Those rainbow colored eyes unnerved Moon Fairy.

"Why are you here…" Moon Fairy asked, his scalp tingling.

The Desolation Marshal spoke calmly, "When I left earlier, it occurred to me that the Flame God happens to be at the military base today, so I thought I'd take you to meet him now."

Ah, crap…

Moon Fairy's face flushed red. He'd been toying with Lin Daiyuan for some time, and the implication from the Desolation Marshal was that she hadn’t gone far…

That meant she had been standing right there for quite a while. Only a wall separated the two of them, and the door remained open!

“I... um...” Yun Xiao wished he could find a crack to crawl into. "There goes the good boy image I had just built."

Facing the Desolation Marshal’s multi-colored gaze again, he felt a guilt as if illuminated by a divine light, especially with her faint smile, its meaning indecipherable.

"Shall we go?" the Desolation Marshal suddenly asked.

"Yes!" Moon Fairy nodded quickly, eager to agree. "Yes, we can!"

"Follow me."

The Desolation Marshal turned and disappeared into the distance.

Moon Fairy hurried after her. True to her role as a commander, she had glimpsed another side of Moon Fairy but spoke not a word of it.

So, Yun Xiao’s embarrassment gradually subsided. Once he caught up, his demeanor grew serious as he asked, "Marshal, may I know who the Flame God is?"

"The strategist of the Desolation Corps. He's also responsible for training the military’s talents. He is a respected elder and was also my mentor," the Desolation Marshal explained.

"Understood." Moon Fairy nodded.

"Currently, there are about 100 young talents under his tutelage. You may simply call him teacher," the Desolation Marshal added.

"Understood!"

Navigating through the dark corridors of the Marshal’s Base, they approached a steel fortress-like structure, clearly the real hub of the Desolation Corps.

"Since you saved the Reincarnation Wick, all of the Flame God's students are out celebrating today, leaving only the Flame God here. It’s quite quiet," the Desolation Marshal said.

As she spoke, a black semi-spherical building appeared ahead. The Desolation Marshal pushed open the door!

Moon Fairy expected darkness inside, but to his surprise, the interior was bustling and brightly lit, radiating intense heat.

Following her inside, he saw that this

training camp

was vast enough to allow 1,000 demons to run amok in their true forms.

At the far end of his vision, he could distinctly see a

person

! It was a figure in a black robe!

Moon Fairy couldn’t discern his age, for instead of a human head, his neck bore a blazing flame, within which one could faintly discern eyes, ears, a mouth, and a nose.

"He seems to be a resentment demon, similar to the Burning Saint from the Demon Continent."

Resentment demons were a rare sight within the Beast Path.

"He's strong..." Moon Fairy felt it—the resentment demon known as the Flame God harbored a fierce grudge. His demonic power was endless, sweeping across the entire training camp and turning the building into a furnace. Anyone who entered would start sweating.

"Being the Desolation Marshal’s mentor, he naturally commands high status, vast experience, and great strength."

As to who was stronger, the Flame God or the Desolation Marshal, Yun Xiao couldn’t tell.

"Teacher, this is Moon Fairy."

The Desolation Marshal clearly held him in high regard.

"I pay my respects, Teacher," Moon Fairy followed.

The Flame God was reading a book. Hearing this, he looked up at Moon Fairy. Unlike others, he wasn’t overly moved or emotional; his

expression

seemed rather flat as he said, "Alright, leave him here, I'll take care of him."

"Thank you for your trouble." The Desolation Marshal smiled wryly, then whispered to Moon Fairy, "That's just his way."

"Understood." Moon Fairy nodded. He knew that not everyone would treat him as the Desolation Marshal did, just because he could save the Reincarnation Wick.

In any world, what truly earned respect was sheer combat power!

"Let me give you a tour." The Desolation Marshal personally took Moon Fairy around the training camp, showing him the arrangements. The great hall was used for regular training and martial combat, and there were many areas in the back said to hold various resources.

"Is there any desolation?" Moon Fairy asked.

The Desolation Marshal pointed deep within the training camp. "Over there is the Great Barren Well that nurtures the desolation of our Desolation Corps. It’s divided into four layers, containing desolation from the Defying Heaven to the strongest Burying Heaven grade. You can speak to the Flame God whenever you have a need. Currently, you have the highest authority in the corps, even above my daughter."

"Thank you, Marshal, for your generous favor!" Moon Fairy said.

The fact that he held influence above her daughter clearly showed the high regard he was held in.

"May I visit the Great Barren Well now?" Moon Fairy asked.

The Desolation Marshal looked towards the Flame God.

The Flame God continued reading his book but tossed a fire token to Moon Fairy.

Catching the token, Moon Fairy felt its scorching heat.

"With this token, you can enter the first two upper layers of the Great Barren Well and try to absorb and refine Defying Heaven and Sealing Heaven grade desolation there. The bottom two layers of the well are still too dangerous for you. So, don't venture there yet," the Desolation Marshal instructed.

That meant to access the lower layers, Moon Fairy would need a different token. This token was his pass.

"The desolation within the military must be greater and more potent than the amount in the Soul Refining Cauldron!" Moon Fairy thought to himself.

Desolation and Calamity Sources were of utmost importance to him.

"Follow me."

The Desolation Marshal was indeed meticulous. At Moon Fairy’s request, she promptly led him to the Great Barren Well.

The so-called Great Barren Well looked like an abyss that had appeared out of nowhere, or the mouth of an underground volcano!

This opening was sealed by a celestial formation, masking its violent and scorching nature from the rest of the training camp.

But looking through the formation, one could see a world like a raging furnace below. There, desolation of various elements—wind, fire, water, earth, and thunder—roared and rampaged like mighty beasts!

And this was just the top layer containing the Defying Heaven grade desolation!

"The desolation in the Soul Refining Cauldron is merely an oil, monotonous in nature, but the Great Barren Well offers much more variety."

This indicated that while the Soul Refining Cauldron was sufficient for temporary needs, for comprehensive development, the Great Barren Well was essential.

"If I hadn't saved the Reincarnation Wick, how could I have so easily come here to enjoy the privileges reserved for the geniuses of the Desolation Corps?" Moon Fairy mused.

He might have taken many risks since arriving in the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but they had all paid off so far!

Holding the fire token, Moon Fairy asked the Desolation Marshal, "May I go down now?"

"Of course, you can start your training here from today; you can do whatever you wish," the Desolation Marshal replied.

"Thank you for your guidance, Marshal."

With that, Moon Fairy took out the fire token and leaped into the bottomless furnace.

The fire token also served as the key through the celestial formation; without it, any attempt to force entry would likely result in being reduced to ashes by the formation.

After he jumped into the Great Barren Well, the Desolation Marshal turned and approached the Flame God.

"How do you feel about him?" the Flame God asked, looking down at his book illuminated by the firelight, which detailed various Calamity Sources.

"I thought he was quite tame, but I've realized he's not. He has a strong, wild side and desires. That's actually a good thing. Given his importance… if he were just a timid fox, who wouldn't want to turn him into a delicacy?" the Desolation Marshal said.

"Whether he becomes a hero or a delicacy, it's up to him," the Flame God remarked.

The Desolation Marshal pursed her lips, a slight frown creasing her brows. "But for some reason, I don't feel like the word

hero

quite fits him."

"What might he become, then?" the Flame God asked.

"Time will tell. At least having him here is very good news…" the Desolation Marshal mused deeply.

"Indeed!" The Flame God nodded and closed his book.

As he stood up, his hunched figure and aging appearance became apparent.

"Let's see how this young one absorbs the desolation," he said, looking towards where Moon Fairy had gone.

JustLivingJL's Thoughts

"I'm not an exhibitionist, and I don't enjoy an audience," Moon Fairy replied.