"Haaah... sss..."
A comfortable groan instinctively escaped the red-robed man's lips, drawing sidelong glances from the two beside him.
Yet neither wondered why Luo Chen had lost his composure so.
It was simply that upon stepping into the Blazing Purgatory, the ambient spiritual energy had shifted drastically.
It was no longer like the razor sharpness of Thousand-Blade Mountain that chilled the flesh upon contact, nor the oppressive weight of the Quicksand Sea that shackled one like the earth itself. Instead, it had turned scorching, restless, surging, and vibrant.
It was as if even breathing in and out drew in sparks!
Such an extreme spiritual environment was naturally uncomfortable for Taisui, who specialized in wood-attribute arts.
For Luo Chen, however, who cultivated purely fire-attribute cultivation methods, it was like a fish taking to water—utterly invigorating!
Not just him, but even Cave Master Moyun could not resist stretching his body and taking a few deep breaths, as he also cultivated a fire-attribute method as a secondary discipline.
Amid his comfort, Cave Master Moyun's guard lowered, and he could not help but grumble a bit about Luo Chen's reckless actions earlier.
"Why go out of your way to provoke that monster? We were nearly trapped in there."
"How I conduct my affairs is hardly for the Cave Master to judge, is it?"
Luo Chen cast a sidelong glance at him, causing Cave Master Moyun's expression to freeze.
In his heart, a long-suppressed rage threatened to burst forth.
Ever since forming an alliance with Luo Chen, nothing had gone right!
First, the man had delayed their entry into the Sunken Sea; then he provoked Guixian Tower, nearly getting them all killed.
Once they finally entered the Land of the Fallen Demon, this brat had craftily laid an ambush and placed him under the threat of the Rank 4 exotic beast, the Nine Sun Golden Eagle.
Over the years, Cave Master Moyun had been a revered grandmaster of artifact crafting, held in awe by thousands. When had he ever suffered such indignity?
Now that they were in the Blazing Purgatory, this was his home turf—high time they had this out!
A white true flame flickered into existence around him.
Seeing this, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Right at that moment, a hand rested upon Cave Master Moyun's shoulder.
"Your mind is disturbed."
"I..."
Cave Master Moyun turned to look at Taisui, suddenly jolted awake.
And when he looked back at Luo Chen, the icy, overt killing intent emanating from the man felt like a basin of freezing water poured over his head.
Indeed—how dared he provoke Demonic Lord Qingyang!
This was a figure who had safely escaped even when besieged by the master of the Quicksand Sea.
Moreover, in recent years, rumors within the Myriad Immortals Association regarding Demonic Lord Qingyang's combat prowess had grown increasingly fierce. How could a seventh-layer Golden Core cultivator whose heart was devoted to artifact crafting ever hope to match him?
"Hmph."
Luo Chen gave a faint snort. Ignoring Cave Master Moyun's petty thoughts, he turned his gaze to Taisui.
"Why was Tianrang so relentless in pursuing the dragon soul that the three Moluo Stream Golden Core cultivators were trying to capture?"
Taisui glanced at Luo Chen's hand, where two rings rested on his fingers.
One was dark green; the other, pitch-black.
The Soul Attracting Banner containing the dragon soul was inside that pitch-black ring.
After a moment of thought, Taisui said, "I have pondered this matter for a long time on the road and arrived at a rough guess. Whether it is correct, I cannot say, but I can share it for your reference.
"Beings like us who have attained spiritual awareness may rank at the fifth rank, comparable to Soul Formation, but in truth, we lack the true might of a Soul Formation cultivator. Though our physical forms embody heavenly laws, we cannot wield them proficiently. In fact, due to the inherent limitations of our bodies, the power of law we grasp is often incomplete."
Luo Chen frowned, his thoughts instinctively turning to that Rank 5 Witherblood Vine atop Withered Wood Ridge.
As Taisui explained it now, that truly seemed to be the case.
Plants, trees, metals, and stones found it exceedingly difficult to awaken spiritual consciousness.
Often, only upon reaching an exceptionally high grade would they have a chance to develop sapience.
Compared to the human race, it was roughly akin to someone possessing the physical body of a Soul Formation cultivator while their intellect was newly born, like that of an infant.
Clumsy control, inability to manifest their full might, a dearth of versatile methods... these were the general hallmarks of awakened spirits.
For such beings, their forte lay mostly in manipulating the lands where they had grown from infancy to annihilate their foes.
Just as the Witherblood Vine blanketed Withered Wood Ridge, and just as Tianrang stirred the entire Quicksand Sea.
"Tianrang's innate shackles are even greater!"
"He was artificially created by Demonic Lord Liantian. Though his foundation is profound, it is exceedingly difficult for him to bring out his true abilities. For this reason, all these years he has been dividing his body, attempting to master his power bit by bit before merging it back into one."
"Furthermore, his Earth Dao law is defective."
"From what I observed, that mindless remnant dragon soul belonged in life to some spirit or desolate beast that had comprehended the laws of earth. Thus, Tianrang wished to devour it to complete himself."
Taisui paused, then added with a hint of conjecture, "As far as I know, the Quicksand Sea never used to have that gobi desert. Clearly, it was formed from that dragon soul."
Luo Chen furrowed his brow. When it came to the Dao of laws at the Soul Formation realm, his understanding was extremely limited.
Hearing this now, he felt as if lost in a fog, grasping only threads of true meaning.
Thus, he cut straight to the core of the matter.
"Where did this soul come from?"
"It is not from our place; it is an outsider," Taisui stated decisively.
"An outsider?" Luo Chen asked in surprise.
Hearing this, Cave Master Moyun said thoughtfully, "Earlier, I heard Tianrang shout and call it the Stone Dragon. That name seems to align somewhat with a legend from our Myriad Immortals Association."
The Stone Dragon?
All at once, Luo Chen recalled a tale told to him years ago on Quyang Island by a Golden Core cultivator.
The Dragon Taming Mountain Range, headquarters of the Myriad Immortals Association, was rumored to have formed in antiquity after a desolate beast known as the Stone Dragon perished and transformed the land.
Later, through the ancient war between humans and demons, humanity established its dominion over the Five Continents, and the Yuan Demon Sect forcefully took control of the North Sea.
During that era, a Soul Formation ancestor of the Yuan Demon Sect passed through the Dragon Taming Mountain Range, extracted the mountain soul, and used it to bolster the foundation of their sect's spiritual land, the Arctic Yama Heavens.
And that mountain soul was rumored to be the remnant soul of the desolate beast Stone Dragon!
Though called a desolate beast, most people held that the Stone Dragon was an ore that had become a spirit, a spirit stone that had attained the Dao.
If that was truly the case, it would explain why Tianrang was so determined to obtain the remnant soul of the Stone Dragon.
As an artificial creation, what he lacked most was the natural essence of the world.
Thoughts whirling, Luo Chen murmured thoughtfully, "It is said that several centuries ago, the Soul Formation ancestor of the Yuan Demon Sect's Blood Sea Lineage entered the Sunken Sea in person and never returned. Some even say he perished inside this secret realm. Could it be that he brought the Stone Dragon's remnant soul in here?"
"You mean that old man!" Taisui suddenly chuckled aloud.
This laugh drew curious glances from both Luo Chen and Cave Master Moyun.
Taisui shrugged. "Though I am only a remnant thought and do not know much, I remember that person vividly. In fact, it was precisely because of him that I had the chance to divide my spiritual sense and escape the Land of the Fallen Demon."
"Three hundred years ago, he indeed came to the Land of the Fallen Demon, bringing along a group of juniors skilled in formations. As for that group... I don't remember. But that old man, I remember clearly. He entered the Inheritance Grounds, and then he died inside."
Luo Chen and Cave Master Moyun asked in shock, "Died inside?"
Even though they had already anticipated it, hearing someone confirm the answer with their own ears still shook them to the core.
After all, that was one of the world's apex powerhouses—a Soul Formation mighty figure of his era!
"He deserved to die!"
Taisui curled his lips, looking as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Seeing the confusion on Luo Chen's and Cave Master Moyun's faces, he explained patiently, "The so-called Inheritance Grounds, as the name implies, is the place where Demonic Lord Liantian passed down his own legacy. Those who can enter are either individuals of extraordinary talent or those whose future path has yet to be set. A Soul Formation being has long since forged their own path; how could they possibly become the True Monarch's successor?"
"When you already have your own path, yet still covet walking someone else's..."
"Tell me, didn't Ancestor Blood Sea bring about his own doom?"
Luo Chen and Cave Master Moyun looked at each other, momentarily at a loss for words.
Could they really say a Soul Formation powerhouse deserved to die?
Yet, just as Taisui said, when one's path was already set, coveting another's Great Dao out of sheer greed was indeed courting destruction.
Taisui curled his lip again. "Later, after possessing Ding Yi's body, I learned of the Yuan Demon Sect's destruction. Although that tragedy was wrought by the allied forces of the North Sea monster race, as I see it now, the prime culprit was none other than that old man."
"How so?"
"A top combat asset of the sect died in a secret realm, emboldening the monsters to make their move. On top of that, he took away one of the sect's foundational assets, the Stone Dragon's remnant soul, causing a flaw in the Arctic Yama Heavens—a world-renowned natural stronghold—which allowed the monster coalition to storm right in. Do you think that old man deserves to be called the culprit?"
Well then!
To these words, Luo Chen and the others had no counterargument.
The North Sea monster race was powerful, yet their forces were fractured.
With the Yuan Demon Sect's three Soul Formation experts in the world, they had been more than enough to suppress everything.
Yet the fall of Ancestor Blood Sea had provided the North Sea monster race with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
From their current perspective, Ancestor Blood Sea truly had to shoulder the blame.
Luo Chen sighed, his gaze sweeping gravely across this world shrouded in endless firelight.
As far as the eye could see, volcanoes spewed black smoke, erupting intermittently.
Vast rivers of magma flowed sluggishly, leaving scarcely any place to set foot.
This was a land bereft of life!
The occasional trees were lustrous, crystalline fire-attribute flora.
This was the Blazing Purgatory, the domain of Fire within the Five Elements Heavens!
"Thousand-Blade Mountain, the Quicksand Sea, the Blazing Purgatory, and the Wood Origin Plain rumored to harbor countless precious spirit herbs... Even setting aside the Inheritance Grounds, the Five Elements Heavens alone are a top-tier resource realm!"
"If a sect were to take full control of this place, it would bless them for ten thousand generations!"
"Put that way, it is no wonder Ancestor Blood Sea paid such a steep price to enter the Land of the Fallen Demon in person."
Speaking from the perspective of sect leadership, Luo Chen could not help sighing in admiration.
Cave Master Moyun nodded in sympathetic agreement; he, too, was nominally the master of a minor faction.
Taisui, on the other hand, felt nothing of the sort.
Gazing at the infernal realm of blazing fire and billowing smoke, Taisui suggested, "Shall we go look for the Five Elements Lotus Platform now?"
"Hold on a moment!"
Luo Chen shook his head, his spiritual eyes scouring the void that seemed warped by the searing heat.
"Hm?" Taisui asked in confusion.
"First, let us find a spot rich in spiritual energy. I need to recover some magic power."
Taisui was startled, and Cave Master Moyun was equally astonished.
From their perspective, Luo Chen's magic power fluctuated as steadily as ever, with no signs of flagging vigor. Why did he need to recover magic power?
Luo Chen did not explain. His gaze settled on the foot of a small hill that was not spewing magma.
"That spot looks quite good!"
With a word, he flew straight over.
Approaching the site, he patted the storage pouch at his waist, and Tianxuan flew out in an instant.
"Protect me while I cultivate."
"Yes, Master!"
He did not summon Black King, because Black King specialized in the water attribute and would be suppressed most severely in the Blazing Purgatory.
Tianxuan was somewhat better; though she also cultivated water-attribute techniques, her primary affinity was wind, so she was not as heavily affected.
Afterward, Luo Chen operated the Soul Sky Sword Casket. One of the Seven Fiends Swords flew out, boring like a drill deep into the mountain.
In mere moments, a crude cave dwelling took shape.
Luo Chen entered, retrieved formation plates, laid out an array, and sat down cross-legged.
Consuming a supreme-grade True Flame Pill, he circulated the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture to draw in the ubiquitous fire-attribute spiritual energy from outside.
As surging spiritual energy entered his body, the slightly dimmed second primal core within him instantly swelled with brilliant radiance.
His natal Golden Core indeed had barely expended any magic power.
However, charging that single palm strike earlier, combined with escaping Tianrang's pursuit, had genuinely drained most of the magic power in his second primal core.
With his natal Golden Core serving as the core of his trump card, the Senluo Fire Hell, and unable to be used lightly, the second primal core was his primary source of strength.
Only when his spirit and vitality were brimming would he have sufficient confidence in their subsequent actions.
As his sea of qi swelled and the primal core shone, a subtle, restless impulse began to stir within Luo Chen's heart.
He circulated the Micromote Origin Art to sever that sensation.
"Strange?"
Taking a brief pause, Luo Chen turned his vision inward.
Within his sea of qi, the source true fire formed from the Wither-Bloom Fire was dancing vigorously.
"Could this place be exceptionally suited to the existence of such sourceless fire?"
Luo Chen was thoroughly surprised.
Immediately, he recalled Cave Master Moyun's abrupt burst of anger earlier, as well as the white flame that had surfaced around him.
"So that's how it is!"
Luo Chen murmured softly to himself before closing his eyes and continuing to meditate and adjust his breathing.
Meanwhile, outside.
Having found another low hill, Cave Master Moyun had involuntarily released the source true fire he had refined.
Named the White Cloud Vast Flame, it shared common origins with the Sky Burning Fire of Master Xingyun from Azure Pill Valley.
Feeling the exuberant thrill coursing through the White Cloud Vast Flame, Cave Master Moyun's eyes glittered.
"If I could monopolize this place, within a hundred years I would reach the Great Perfection of Golden Core. With this place's aid, I could even establish a true artifact-crafting grand sect, far surpassing Moyun Mountain!"
He could sense the density of the fire-attribute spiritual energy here—the closer one went to the massive volcanoes, the richer the spiritual energy became.
Even this low hill possessed the efficacy of a Rank 3 spiritual land.
One could well imagine that if they reached the most majestic reaches of the Blazing Purgatory, Rank 4 or even Rank 5 would be well within reach!
...
In the deepest reaches of the Land of the Fallen Demon.
Known as the Falling Demon Abyss!
Of the monstrous spiritual energy drawn in from the outside world, a small portion was channeled into Liwangtian and the Five Elements Heavens.
The vast majority converged directly into the Falling Demon Abyss.
At the bottom of the Falling Demon Abyss, atop an ancient stone platform, three figures stood upright.
All around was pitch-black darkness.
Only a dozen or so points of starlight flickered with faint radiance.
The three gazed at those starlit points, hesitation lingering in their expressions.
Suddenly, the leader's expression shifted slightly.
Old Daoist Jiyuan, who had been watching him closely, asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist Blood Nightmare, what is the matter?"
Blood Nightmare Moluo frowned. "The three I left outside to handle my affairs are dead!"
"Dead?" Old Daoist Jiyuan asked in surprise. "Among their peers, Wu Qi and the other two were by no means weak, and they had the protective talismans you bestowed upon them. Who could have killed them?"
Before Blood Nightmare Moluo could answer, Fairy Feileng sneered from beside them. "You presumed to use three Golden Core juniors to subdue the remnant soul of the desolate beast Stone Dragon. You should have anticipated the outcome of them being slain instead."
Blood Nightmare Moluo shook his head. "That is not how it is. The will of that remnant soul was extinguished long ago, leaving only base instinct. I even bestowed a True Artifact-grade Soul Attracting Banner upon them, more than enough to capture the soul. They... must have been killed by someone. Alas, now that we are inside the Falling Demon Abyss, I cannot deduce who killed them and ruined my grand plan."
Old Daoist Jiyuan nodded and remarked casually, "It is indeed a grave matter. That Stone Dragon was originally a Rank 5 spirit vein that swallowed the deceased earth dragon beast within it, thus gaining spiritual sentience. Possessing both the body of a desolate beast and the spirit of an awakened creature, it was truly a beast of miraculous fortune in antiquity. Even after tens of millions of years, leaving behind only a remnant soul, if utilized properly, it could fully nurture a Rank 5 spirit vein. With this matter ruined, Fellow Daoist's future road to Soul Formation is bound to be even more arduous."
Blood Nightmare Moluo's expression grew increasingly somber.
True Person Feileng, however, could not be bothered with them. With light, graceful steps, she walked over to one of the glowing starlit points.
"I am going in first."
Blood Nightmare Moluo frowned. "Won't you wait a little longer? There are a dozen paths here, and all are said to lead to Mingzhaotian. Yet among the generations of disciples of my Yuan Demon Sect, scarcely any have truly entered Mingzhaotian. Won't you think it through?"
"There is no need to think. My goal is not Mingzhaotian." Before her voice had faded, Fairy Feileng had already stepped into the starlight, leaving behind only one final remark:
"Ancestor Blood Sea entered the path where the starlight is dimmest. If you want his legacy, go in there!"
Doubtful yet intrigued, Blood Nightmare Moluo turned his gaze toward the dimmest of the dozen starlit points.
After contemplating for a long while, he took a deep breath and stepped inside.
After they departed, the celestial and otherworldly Old Daoist Jiyuan fell silent.
Just then, the ancient stone platform trembled slightly and erupted in brilliant radiance.
A graceful, alluring figure slowly materialized upon it.
Before the light had even faded, a pair of beautiful eyes fell upon Old Daoist Jiyuan.
"Third Senior Brother, you truly have made your junior sister search far and wide!"
A voice cold as the wind of the Nine Nether drifted over hauntingly.
Hearing this voice, Old Daoist Jiyuan's expression warped in horror.
Without the slightest hesitation, he took a stride and vanished into one of the starlit points.
After he fled, the light upon the stone platform condensed, and a woman stepped forth.
Her skin was like congealed frost, her eyes like stars, her exquisite countenance radiating a chilled detachment.
Further down, her peaks swelled like clustered mountains, billowing like furious waves, while her half-concealed, slender legs exuded an aura of wanton allure.
Such contradictory charms united upon a single woman.
In all the North Sea today, there was only one such person.
Master Yue of the Myriad Immortals Association!
Seeing Old Daoist Jiyuan flee, she let out a cold snort.
Yet immediately afterward, her gaze fell upon the dozen starlit points, and she fell silent.
Chapter 666