Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 608: Fire Affinity

But fire affinity was different entirely.

Affinity did not simply manifest after adulthood. It did not change because someone willed it. It did not mutate based on cultivation either. It was engraved in the spirit root at birth. If Ju Fan suddenly developed an affinity, people would notice.

They might declare him a genius. They might test him repeatedly. They might drag him to the formation halls and try to study him. The sect was ruthless enough to dissect him if they found anything unusual.

So Han Yu had never dared to examine it. He never even considered the possibility.

Yet the Dancing Flame Art had exposed a truth he could not deny.

Something about inheriting Ju Fan’s body had altered him. Something in the fusion of soul and vessel. Something in the latent Blood Qi of the Blood Moon Continent. Or perhaps some remnant of Ju Fan’s cultivation had merged with his own spirit, creating a mutated affinity.

Han Yu rubbed his forehead. None of these explanations fully convinced him.

"Just what happened to this body?" He wondered.

Still, there was no denying the benefits. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Now that he had fire affinity, even if it was strange, this gave him a tremendous edge as an alchemist.

He could control cauldron flames directly with his own Qi. No need for external flame talismans. No need to rely on the expensive Moon Blood Crystals to fuel specialized fire arrays for long refining sessions. He could now use his own flame as the core flame for alchemy.

More important still, he could now cultivate a spirit flame.

Many alchemists dreamed of forming their own spirit flame. Most resorted to refining mutated elemental fires, or flaming spirit beasts, or rare earth flames. Fire affinity cultivators, however, could form one from within by compressing their own elemental Qi repeatedly until it condensed into a flame with a soul of its own.

Lin Mei had passed on several books to Han Yu back then which he had all memorized. Even if he had no fire affinity back then, she reckoned the books could serve as a reference for future. After all, there would be similarities in refinement, and even if he refined a wood elemental spirit flame, it would come in handy.

Lin Mei had once instructed him on the theory herself, half teasing him by saying he would not form one for many years. Yet now the instructions she gave might become incredibly useful.

But Han Yu did not dare to attempt it here.

Forming a spirit flame was dangerous for even an accomplished alchemist. Mistakes could lead to inner heat rampage. Failure could burn meridians or destroy the dantian. In the worst scenario the flame could explode violently outward and incinerate everything nearby.

Trying it in a small wooden village bordered on lunacy.

’Best to test it out after leaving the settlement, somewhere open and safe.’

For now, he focused on the breakfast the villagers had brought. He returned to the room and sat down at the table. The porridge had gone cold, but that was no problem.

He willed the fire art.

Crimson flame appeared obediently at his fingertip. He held it under the bowl and watched the congee steam again. The scent of rice and broth filled the air. He did the same for the fried tomatoes and eggs. The food warmed evenly, as if prepared fresh. Finally he reheated the pork belly which crackled lightly under the controlled flame.

He ate in silence. Each bite confirmed the villagers had given him the best they had. The desire of the people for his goodwill made them overly generous. Yet he kept the cold, aloof demeanor of Ju Fan firmly intact.

Once done, he stepped outside.

A young villager stood guard, trembling slightly but still trying to maintain a respectful posture. He bowed deeply the moment he saw Han Yu emerge.

"Honored disciple Ju Fan, this humble one is standing watch for your departure."

Han Yu gave a curt nod. "I am leaving now."

The young man bowed again and hurried to inform the others. Soon the entire village gathered near the gate. Men, women, and even children lined up along the dirt path. Some bowed. Others knelt. A few simply lowered their heads and pressed their hands together in reverence.

Their faces were pale with awe and fear. Their feelings washed over Han Yu like a tide.

Grey surprise. Green trust mixed with reverence. Violet fear that pulsed heavily.

Hundreds of tiny wisps of Eight Emotions Energy drifted toward him. Even more than last night.

Han Yu did not visibly react, but inwardly he found himself curious.

’This can be farmed... Can’t it?’

If every settlement on the Blood Moon Continent reacted like this, then he might gather enough emotional force to strengthen his soul significantly, perhaps even to reach the next minor stage.

He did not plan to purposely terrorize anyone. But simply showing up in the robes of the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect was enough to make ordinary people tremble.

’Perhaps stopping in more villages would be useful.’

But for now, he simply walked forward, keeping Ju Fan’s cold arrogance in place.

Not a single villager dared to meet his eyes.

Not a single one dared speak.

Han Yu passed through the gate in silence. Behind him the villagers bowed deeper, almost touching the ground.

He did not look back.

He did not wave.

He simply continued on the road, just as a disciple of the Blood Sect would.

But as he walked, he could not help thinking:

’If fear alone could generate this much Eight Emotions Energy, then by the time he returned to the sect, he might have enough to push his soul cultivation to a new height.’

And perhaps, along the way, he might learn more about this fire affinity that had awakened mysteriously within him.

Whatever the reason, he needed to understand it.

Because gifts that appeared without explanation in a place like the Blood Moon Continent could just as easily be traps.