Fire-Eating Beasts

"Junior Yun Lan, deacon of the Xuling Sect. Might I be addressing Senior Qin?" Four disciples of the Xuling Sect—three men and one woman—flew before Qin Sang in the blink of an eye. Upon clearly seeing his face, looks of astonishment surfaced on their features, and they bowed with utmost respect. To Qin Sang's surprise, the female disciple was actually at the Core Formation stage. A Core Formation disciple standing guard at the perimeter. Qin Sang recalled Qingjun's earlier remark that the Xuling Sect had quietly made a fortune during the war. Seeing this now, it was indeed true; Qingyang Temple's foundation truly could not compare to these renowned great sects. The woman appeared to be in her twenties, with a graceful figure and pretty features, dressed in a red courtly gown. She had been the one to speak just now. Qin Sang had made no attempt to conceal his true appearance. He now held quite a reputation throughout the Beichen Realm, and very few cultivators across the two domains would fail to recognize him, which was why she had identified him at a glance. "It is I," Qin Sang replied with a calm demeanor, nodding slightly. "I previously made an arrangement with Fellow Daoist Bing Han. Having some leisure today, I came specially to pay a visit. I hope you might pass word along on my behalf." Delight showed on Yun Lan's face. "There is no need for a prior announcement. Senior Qin, please accompany Junior into the sect first. Junior was specifically ordered by my Sect Master to wait here for your arrival." "Oh? Fellow Daoist Bing Han is quite thoughtful. In that case, I shall defer to your kind invitation." Qin Sang nodded slightly. Yun Lan signaled the other three disciples to withdraw and took the lead herself. Qin Sang deliberately slowed his pace, leisurely taking in the surrounding scenery. As they flew over the dormant volcanoes, Qin Sang noticed several spirit beasts below that resembled leopards yet were not leopards, bounding freely across the mountains. They were quite small, about the size of a cat, yet possessed fluffy tails twice the length of their bodies. Their fur was pure scarlet without the slightest blemish, and a bright sheen circulated through their coats as though magma flowed across their forms. Only their eyes were pitch-black. The beasts had their heads lowered, foraging for something along the ground. When Qin Sang and Yun Lan flew overhead, they lifted their heads, their gazes gentle and tinged with innocent curiosity. They tilted their heads for a brief look, then turned their attention back to their own business. Behind them, several Xuling Sect disciples were panting, being led on wild chases by the creatures. Upon seeing Yun Lan, they hurriedly bowed in greeting. "Are these your esteemed sect's renowned spirit beasts, the fire-eating beasts?" Qin Sang asked. While other sects did not specialize in spirit taming like the Yuling Sect, they did not lack similar secret arts. Any spirit beast selected and continuously reared by them possessed unique abilities. What surprised him was that the eyes of these fire-eating beasts held not the slightest murderous aura; like innocent children, they seemed never to have experienced combat. "Indeed, they are fire-eating beasts. However, the rumors outside are riddled with errors and hardly live up to their reputation—they certainly will not catch Senior Qin's discerning eye." Yun Lan gave a soft laugh. Seeing Qin Sang's curiosity, she explained the reason: "Everyone claims the fire-eating beast's divine abilities are formidable, not knowing that the tales actually refer to another spirit beast, the scarlet-tailed leopard, which shares a similar appearance. Naturally, our Xuling Sect deliberately spread those rumors to protect them. The fire-eating beast's innate ability allows it to manipulate fire, helping us stabilize spiritual flames during artifact refinement and raising our rate of success. In truth, it possesses very little combat strength." With that, Yun Lan pointed toward the ground. "The fire-eating beasts are foraging, but their food is rather unusual: it is the unformed fire qi from the subterranean fire veins that has not yet condensed into fire spirits. These past few days, the subterranean fire veins have been churning restlessly, jolting up the fire qi buried deep underground." Qin Sang looked in the direction she indicated. He saw a fire-eating beast seem to notice something. Letting out a shrill chirp, it abruptly plunged into the earth, digging out a large hole. A wisp of red vapor surged out from underground, fleeing into the distance like a living thing. The surrounding fire-eating beasts immediately swarmed forward and devoured the vapor clean. Right after, fiery vapor began rising from fissures in the ground all around. This delighted the fire-eating beasts, who cried out with glee and pounced about in search of food. Qin Sang's attention, however, was drawn deep underground. In his perception, an unheralded tremor surged from the subterranean fire vein. The fluctuation was not strong—otherwise, it would not have released merely these wisps of fire qi. Yet the source of the tremor was unmistakably the depths of the Xuling Sect. That it could still carry such momentum after being weakened by the grand protective array was rather thought-provoking. Qin Sang kept his composure and withdrew his gaze. Yun Lan could not possibly guess what was on Qin Sang's mind and simply continued leading the way. Before long, the two passed through an invisible barrier. The surrounding heat vanished instantly, replaced by a mild, spring-like warmth. The view ahead was no longer desolate, turning lush, verdant, and brimming with vitality. This place was close to the Xuling Sect's mountain gate and served as the convergence point for the subterranean fire veins, yet it presented such a thriving scene. In the deepest part of the forest stood a mountain peak. It was not particularly tall, but it was exceptionally massive and thick, an exceedingly rare sight. Looking at the mountain from afar, Qin Sang recalled what he previously knew of the Xuling Sect. This mountain had to be the sect's most vital forbidden area. Its summit was not flat ground, but a colossal volcanic crater. The legendary Mountain within the Mountain was situated right inside the hollow of the peak. Along the way, they encountered many Xuling Sect disciples. Upon seeing Yun Lan, they all bowed respectfully, stealing curious glances at Qin Sang. A few recognized his identity, their faces filling with shock. Qin Sang observed carefully. Regardless of their cultivation levels, these disciples were all full of vigor, with robust auras and exceptional aptitude, which spoke volumes about the Xuling Sect's heritage and Bing Han's skill in instructing her disciples. Once this matter concluded, he might well consult her on how best to develop a sect. As he pondered these trivial thoughts, Qin Sang was surprised to find Yun Lan flying straight toward the forbidden area without any intention of stopping. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* Moments later, the two entered the forbidden grounds and landed before an exquisite palace halfway up the mountain, named Yanhuo Pavilion. Seeing that the palace lacked any restrictive wards, Qin Sang swept it with his spiritual sense and discovered it was completely empty, causing him to knit his brows slightly. Just then, a streak of flowing light descended from the sky, landing in Yun Lan's palm. A flicker of surprise crossed Yun Lan's eyes. After a slight hesitation, an awkward expression came over her face. "Senior Qin, Junior has just received word that the Sect Master is currently in seclusion deep within the Mountain within the Mountain at a critical juncture, and it is temporarily inconvenient for her to emerge to receive you. Might Senior please rest in Yanhuo Pavilion for a few days? Junior hopes Senior will not take offense." "It seems I arrived at an inopportune time. Since Fellow Daoist Bing Han has important matters at hand, waiting a few days is no issue." Qin Sang naturally would not make things difficult for a junior. He waved his hand dismissively and stepped into the grand hall. Yun Lan let out a sigh of relief. She personally arranged everything, presenting spiritual fruit and immortal wine, though Qin Sang politely declined them all. Qin Sang told Yun Lan not to stand on ceremony and to call upon him once Bing Han emerged from seclusion. He then laid down restrictions to seal Yanhuo Pavilion, isolating the interior from the outside world. Yun Lan did not dare slacken in her duties, remaining on guard nearby to await any commands. After inspecting Yanhuo Pavilion and confirming there were no strange formations inside, Qin Sang unclasped his spirit beast bag. A streak of red light shot out into his hand—it was the Fire Jade Centipede. Unable to fly beyond Qin Sang's palm, the Fire Jade Centipede scurried around erratically in circles, extraordinarily agitated.