Chapter 1324: Spiritual Embryo
Chapter 1324: Spiritual Embryo
Inside the mountain within the mountain, the nature of the fire power underwent a strange transformation.
The mountain body was nearly transparent, allowing them to clearly see the flames swaying within its stone core. What was peculiar was that these flames were actually blue.
It was as though they were walking through a sea of fire. The Frost Pendant could no longer fully shield them from the fire poison, so Qin Sang activated the fire lotus seed, forming a layer of flaming armor around his body.
As the aura of devilish fire spread out, the blue flames visibly shrank back in fear.
At the sight, Bing Han was delighted inwardly. The devilish fire’s suppressive effect on the blue flames was even stronger than she had anticipated.
Soon, Qin Sang saw the fire jade.
This was the core of the mountain within the mountain, containing a small chamber. The power of the fire vein there had grown so dense it resembled liquid slurry, like a pool of blue spring water, an extraordinary sight.
But the "water" in that spring was incomparably pure flame power. At the center of the fiery spring floated a head-sized piece of blue jade. This was the fire jade Bing Han had spoken of.
The fire jade was flat and round, floating on the surface of the spring, perpetually tempered by flames.
Its surface rose and fell in steady pulses. The fluctuation Qin Sang had sensed outside had come from it. Judging by its appearance, its texture seemed remarkably soft.
Qin Sang also noticed the phantom of a square cauldron surrounding the fire jade, perfectly enclosing it within. The square cauldron was clearly not naturally formed.
Sweeping his gaze around, Qin Sang quickly discovered a spiritual array nearby. The square cauldron was simply the manifested power of that array.
"This Spirit-Nurturing Grand Array was personally laid down by our grandmaster. One purpose is to draw in the power of the underground fire veins and accelerate the gestation of the fire spirit. Its second purpose is to subdue the fire spirit. But this fire spirit is far too special. It cannot be subdued by the array alone..." Bing Han said as she stepped forward.
She lightly tapped the air with a jade-like finger, and the square cauldron trembled faintly. The fire spirit immediately reacted.
Ripples suddenly surged through the fiery spring. The underground fire veins stirred violently, sending waves of force sweeping outward. The mountain within the mountain shook as though the fire spirit were roaring in fury.
This was the fluctuation Qin Sang had sensed outside, but here, its intensity was far greater. Flame power from every direction crashed toward them.
Bing Han immediately withdrew her hand, and the fire spirit gradually calmed.
Qin Sang studied the fire jade and asked, "How confident are you, Daoist? If we find a similar fire spirit elsewhere, can we also use this method to refine a spiritual treasure?"
Bing Han did not hide anything and explained in detail, "Until the day the spiritual treasure fully takes shape, even we cannot be certain! Even if you found another fire spirit, it would be exceedingly difficult to replicate. Only because of the mountain within the mountain’s unique terrain, combined with the arrangements made by our grandmaster, was such a special fire spirit able to be born."
Qin Sang nodded in disappointment. Xuling Sect had begun laying plans from the era of its founding grandmaster, over an unimaginably long stretch of time. He could never afford to wait that long.
Rather than relying on such a method, it would be better to continue studying artifact refinement thoroughly, ensure Wandering Man’s true spirit safely merged into the ebony sword, and await its metamorphosis.
"Once Daoist Xiang recovers, we will begin. During this time, you should fully comprehend the artifact refinement secret techniques recorded in this jade slip. Should any unexpected mishap occur during the refinement process, we will still need the help of you two." Bing Han took out a jade slip.
Qin Sang accepted it and smiled. "So even if I had not asked, I still would have been able to learn artifact refinement techniques. It seems like I suffered a bit of a loss in this bargain."
Bing Han said seriously, "These few artifact refinement secret techniques are merely a portion of our sect’s collection. Once the matter is accomplished, I will open all of our records to you. At that time, you will surely feel the journey was worthwhile."
After inspecting the fire jade, the two flew back out of the mountain opening.
Qin Sang returned to the Fire-Hating Pavilion and began studying the contents of the jade slip.
After only a rough first reading, Qin Sang immediately felt as though a veil had been lifted from his mind. He could not help sighing inwardly. The difference between fumbling forward alone and standing upon generations of accumulated knowledge was truly immense.
He had first entered the path of artifact refinement through the notes left behind by a Golden Core cultivator of Xuling Sect. After arriving at Canglang Sea, he had also made an effort to collect books related to artifact refinement, but none were systematic, and it was nearly impossible to obtain the core secret techniques treasured by other sects.
Whenever he encountered problems, Qin Sang could only explore solutions on his own. Thanks to his cultivation and the overwhelming strength of his devilish fire, he had still achieved some success. Yet after reading the jade slip, Qin Sang finally understood that there remained an enormous gulf between himself and a true grandmaster of artifact refinement.
Bing Han had deliberately given orders that no one was to disturb him. Thus, for the following days, Qin Sang devoted himself entirely to the jade slip.
The jade slip opened an even broader world before him. Many difficult problems were resolved with ease, leaving him utterly absorbed. In only a few short days, Qin Sang discovered several flaws in the plan he had previously conceived for subduing the Southern Sun Fire.
By the end, he still had not had his fill, and nearly wanted to charge straight into the scripture vault of Xuling Sect.
One month later, Qin Sang, who was immersed in the Dao of artifact refinement, was awakened by a disturbance in the barrier.
Bing Han and Xiang Qing were waiting outside. Qin Sang walked out of the Fire-Hating Pavilion. After exchanging a few words, the three of them flew shoulder to shoulder toward the summit.
They returned once more to the mountain within the mountain.
Qin Sang and Xiang Qing positioned themselves to the left and right of the fiery spring, while Bing Han floated into the air directly above the square cauldron. The three exchanged glances, sat cross-legged, and closed their eyes.
None of them made the slightest movement. The fiery spring remained utterly still, with only the fire jade pulsing gently.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Bing Han suddenly opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on the fire jade. Her fingers moved like spinning wheels, sending streams of hand seals flowing into the square cauldron like water.
At the same moment, Qin Sang and Xiang Qing also moved. They had already planned everything in advance. No words were needed. Each carried out their own role.
The fire lotus seed flew out from Qin Sang’s brow. His gaze shifted toward the array, and from within the lotus seed, a strand of devilish fire separated.
These devilish flames had already been subdued by the Fire Seed Golden Lotus. Before Qin Sang, they were incomparably docile, like a strip of black silk, gently drifting down onto the array.
Soundlessly, the devilish fire merged into the array and spread along its runic patterns, creeping toward the square cauldron.
This process demanded astonishing precision. If the devilish fire clashed with the array in the slightest, all previous efforts would be wasted.
At the same time, Xiang Qing extended both hands, hovering them above the array. Devilish Qingyang Fire erupted from him, slowly gathering toward his palms as he performed the same method as Qin Sang.
If disciples of Devilish Qingyang Sect had been present, they would have noticed that Xiang Qing’s Devilish Qingyang Fire was different from theirs. After merging with the Ancestral Sacred Flame, it had undergone a transformation.
The two spiritual fires each occupied half of the array. The instant the fires were about to touch the square cauldron, both men stopped at the same time and raised their eyes toward Bing Han.
In the next moment, Bing Han completed the final hand seal. Bringing her hand close to the square cauldron, she gave it a light slap.
Thud! A faint sound, yet it marked the beginning of the upheaval.
The fire spirit instinctively sensed danger and launched a counterattack without hesitation.
Crash! The surrounding power of the fire veins was instantly stirred by the fire spirit and surged wildly forward. The fluctuations reappeared, and the earth shook violently!
Bing Han’s body trembled slightly, but it had little effect on her, because all of the impact had been blocked by Qin Sang and Xiang Qing.
She shut out everything beyond her senses, keeping her palm pressed firmly against the square cauldron. Using the square cauldron as a furnace, she began refining the fire jade!
Qin Sang and Xiang Qing split their focus in two, resisting the surging flame power with one mind while fully driving their fires with the other. The two fires merged beneath the square cauldron and blazed fiercely, releasing their aura without the slightest restraint.
The square cauldron had become a blazing furnace!