At the summit of Shengang Peak.
Qin Sang and Xiang Qing sat cross-legged like clay statues on opposite sides of the Ancestral Holy Fire. One focused intently on cultivating the secret technique, while the other exerted all his strength to drive the grand formation, binding the flame.
At the foot of Shengang Peak, Wu Youdao led a group of Qingyang Demonic Sect disciples in a battle array, standing ready to receive orders at a moment's notice.
From time to time, they looked up toward the summit, murmuring among themselves in private.
"The Sect Master has been in seclusion on the peak for months now, not even going to the front lines. Could something have gone wrong with suppressing the Ancestral Holy Fire earlier?"
"Suppressed? Before, we were at least allowed up the mountain to absorb the Qingyang astral qi, but since the suppression, going up has been forbidden. It doesn't look suppressed at all."
Among the disciples, only Wu Youdao knew some of the truth, but they were all clever cultivators. From the sect's unusual actions, they could easily deduce clues.
Wu Youdao tilted his head, gazing at the summit.
Hearing the disciples' chatter, he did not intervene.
Just a short while ago, the Sect Master had sent him a voice transmission: this time, the hidden threat hanging over their sect would definitely be resolved once and for all, and there would no longer be any need for secrecy!
At this thought, Wu Youdao felt an extraordinary surge of excitement.
Ever since he had entered the sect, he had known that the Ancestral Holy Fire was on the verge of losing control. It had loomed over the Qingyang Demonic Sect like a dark cloud, suffocating the entire sect.
The Qingyang Demonic Sect held both reverence and fear for this spiritual fire left behind by their founding ancestor. In the past, it had driven back invading foes and protected the sect, yet it had also become a dire peril, capable of destroying Shengang Peak and cutting off the sect's very foundation.
It was only because later generations were incompetent, with no one capable of subduing the Ancestral Holy Fire, that the problem had accumulated until it became intractable.
Xiang Qing had ventured deep into the battlefield, risking his life to find a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm.
They had thought they could finally suppress the Ancestral Holy Fire, but unexpectedly, even Xiang Qing could only restrain it temporarily.
*I wonder what method the Sect Master came up with. Could it have something to do with that Demon Flame Sect ancestor?*
Wu Youdao thought to himself.
He recalled that ever since the Demon Flame Sect ancestor had come calling, he seemed never to have left.
"I hope it gets resolved soon! Otherwise, with us forbidden from climbing the mountain, merely receiving our rations of astral essence can barely support our cultivation. What's most annoying is that astral essence is so hard to preserve. If something comes up and you don't refine it in time, it simply dissipates," someone sighed, eliciting a chorus of agreement.
"Indeed. I've lost portions twice already—it broke my heart!"
"Could there really be nowhere else in this world with Qingyang astral essence?"
"Astral essence is formed from Qiantian astral qi descending from the ninth heaven into the mortal realm. Even the Sect Master lacks the ability to ascend to the heavens and gather astral qi. And Qiantian astral qi is far from just Qingyang astral qi alone—legend has it there are thirty-six varieties. Even if astral essence exists elsewhere, it might not be Qingyang astral essence. The Sect Master has surely searched everywhere already..."
These Qingyang Demonic Sect disciples used Qingyang astral essence to cultivate day and night, so they were quite knowledgeable about Qiantian astral qi.
"The Sect Master has been in seclusion for so long this time; he must have a way. Maybe earlier it wasn't that he couldn't suppress it, but that he didn't want to!" someone scoffed.
Hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.
"Didn't want to suppress it? Could the Sect Master be refining the Ancestral Holy Fire?"
"Then wouldn't the Sect Master's strength..."
***
Regardless of the commotion below the mountain.
Qin Sang refined another wisp of the Ancestral Holy Fire and recalled his fire seed.
A teal fire seed floated before him in the shape of a lotus seed, though it was only mostly formed, with a portion still ethereal and indistinct.
Apart from condensing an embryonic fire seed out of the Nine Nether Demonic Fire as an initiator at the very beginning, Qin Sang had spent all this time focused on refining the Ancestral Holy Fire.
At this moment, the Ancestral Holy Fire was still burning fiercely, but its core body was a full size smaller than it had been several months ago.
With its power severely diminished, the Ancestral Holy Fire was no longer as difficult to deal with.
With the original formation, Xiang Qing would need only a bit of effort to reseal it. Afterward, he could gradually refine it while bolstering his own strength, thereby resolving this long-standing crisis.
Seeing Qin Sang stop, Xiang Qing looked over. "Is this enough?"
Qin Sang's condition for helping to suppress the fire was that he be allowed to refine it freely. Over a month ago, Xiang Qing had already become capable of sealing the Ancestral Holy Fire on his own, but seeing that Qin Sang had not stopped, he had let him continue.
"It is enough! Many thanks for your generosity, Fellow Daoist Xiang!"
Qin Sang sensed the fire seed, drew it into his purple palace, and nodded in reply.
Previously, he had estimated that he would need to use the Ancestral Holy Fire to condense the fire lotus seed completely before he could refine the Nine Nether Demonic Fire.
However, by drawing upon the Qingyang Demonic Sect's secret technique, Qin Sang could now purify demonic fire, making it somewhat easier to subdue than before. Thus, there was no need to wait for the fire lotus seed to fully take shape.
News had previously arrived from Wuya Valley that disturbances in the Blood Lake's seal were growing increasingly frequent.
In the nearly two years since Qin Sang's journey to the Abyss Ruins, Old Demon Ye had made slow progress, showing just how sturdy the seal on the Blood Lake was. The Two Realms Alliance had been quietly watching and making preparations in secret, refusing to step in and assist in breaking the seal so as to drain Old Demon Ye as much as possible.
Before entering the Blood Lake, Qin Sang needed to refine the Nine Nether Demonic Fire as quickly as possible and gain control over as many demonic banners as he could, which was why he decided to conclude early.
Xiang Qing beamed and rose to offer a bow. "Fellow Daoist Mingyue, your words put me to shame! Your actions are equivalent to saving our sect's lineage. Which matter takes precedence goes without saying—it is I who should be thanking you!"
Having both resolved a major dilemma, the two looked at each other and laughed heartily.
After regulating his breath for a moment, Qin Sang took his leave.
He first visited the Demon Flame Sect, reminding Zhao Shanran to devote himself to fostering disciples, building a solid foundation, and not aiming too high too soon. Then he went to the Yuanshen Sect, and finding Bai still in seclusion, he returned to Sandie Pass.
Having been away for several months, Qin Sang found little had changed at Sandie Pass. He summoned the juniors to offer them guidance, then entered seclusion once more.
He retrieved the intact demonic banner given to him by his senior sister and set about refining its demonic fire with practiced ease.
*Fire Seed Golden Lotus* was truly extraordinary. As long as Qin Sang refined them according to the secret technique, two entirely different spiritual fires could be assimilated into the fire seed and coexist peacefully.
The two fires did not truly merge into a new spiritual fire that possessed the attributes of both.
Qin Sang stimulated the fire seed with his divine consciousness, and a teal flame flickered from his fingertip before turning black, alternating back and forth under his effortless control.
Then the flame dispersed, turning into a thin veil that shifted into myriad forms.
Between Qin Sang and the spiritual fire, there was a sense of blood-linked connection—a sensation completely different from manipulating it through the Ten Directions Yanluo Banners. Everything obeyed his whims, leaving no flaws or openings when unleashed against an enemy.
However, with his current cultivation, refining all the Nine Nether Demonic Fire within the demonic banners was impossible; for now, he still needed to rely on the demonic banner grand formation. His current aim was merely to control more of the banners.
Day after day passed.
Qin Sang remained inside his quiet chamber, concentrating entirely on refining the demonic fire. Having received their orders, Li Yufu and the others dared not disturb him unless an urgent matter arose.
In this manner, several more months went by.
The last ethereal, indistinct trace of the fire lotus seed was finally filled by the spiritual fire!
Next would be continually nourishing it with divine consciousness and consuming spiritual fires to incubate the seed. Once the time was ripe, the fire lotus seed could 'sprout,' advancing to the next level and blooming into a bud.
Qin Sang put away the demonic banner, adjusted his breathing for a moment, and with a flicker of his figure, flew out of the Cold Bell Grand Array alone.
Chapter 1227