The Firefly Dharma Chain

"The Fire Rhinoceros Pendant!" The Daoist nun also caught sight of the crimson immortal pendant, and her breathing suddenly grew heavier. She had just heard her senior brother speak of the supreme treasures of the Fire Branch, among which was the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. Its most astonishing function was that it could be used to lay down a Tribulation-Transcendence Formation. After the fall of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant had vanished without a trace, its whereabouts unknown. As it turned out, the Fire Phase patriarch had brought it into the Yang-Flame Divine Restriction. The nun was eager to make a move, but seeing that her senior brother remained still, she dared not act on her own. "Junior Sister, do not celebrate too early. Laying down a Tribulation-Transcendence Formation requires not only the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant, but also a supreme treasure from the Water Branch, which remains unaccounted for. Furthermore, we do not possess the method to construct the formation. Trying to restore it would be harder than ascending to heaven." The white-robed Daoist shook his head slightly, pouring cold water over her enthusiasm. The nun was not particularly discouraged. Turning her head, she glanced toward the east. "The supreme treasure of the Water Branch might have been brought into the mountain by the Water Phase patriarch as well. Senior Brother, after we take the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant, why don't we make a trip to the Water Divine Restriction?" The Five Elements Divine Restriction was laid out around the mountain in an arrangement following the mutual generation of the five elements. Water generates Wood, and Wood generates Fire. From this, one could infer that between them and the Water Divine Restriction lay the Wood Divine Restriction. The best path would be to exit the Fire Divine Restriction first and circle around from the outside. Wandering outside carried the risk of being discovered. Yet that was not the greatest problem. They could move freely within the Yang-Flame Divine Restriction relying on the Yang-Flame Dharma Sword, but they did not even know what divine restriction guarded the Water direction. If its power rivaled that of the Yang-Flame Divine Restriction, the two of them would find it immensely difficult to locate the Water Phase patriarch's cave abode. The white-robed Daoist knew his junior sister certainly understood these difficulties, but the temptation of a Tribulation-Transcendence Formation was simply too great. "It is far too early to speak of transcending tribulation," the white-robed Daoist said consolingly, before shifting his tone. "The Tribulation-Transcendence Formation is only one use for the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. With its aid, the difficulty of cultivating several of our sect's great divine abilities will be drastically reduced. Even without the formation, this trip will not have been in vain..." Hearing her senior brother name those divine abilities, the nun's eyes sparkled. Even as they conversed, they did not forget to observe the cave abode. Seeing that the interior remained serene and undisturbed, and that the elder sat withered and motionless—truly perished, likely having long rotted away just like the other corpse, preserved from turning instantly to dust only by the bell of fire—the two hesitated no longer and entered the cave abode one after the other. The white-robed Daoist headed straight for the fire bell. Arriving nearby, he did not reach out rashly. His gaze swept over the elder's deathly still face before settling down to inspect the formation beneath him. The nun followed closely behind, scanning the cave abode. When her eyes passed over the spot where the earlier corpse had sat, her expression shifted as though she had spotted something new, and she flickered over in an instant. That corpse sat cross-legged at the edge of the fire bell's spirit array, atop a stone platform that was also enveloped by the array's qi, though it did not lie within the fire bell itself. Judging by his position relative to the elder, there was clearly a hierarchy between them. The corpse had left behind only a heap of white ash on the stone platform. The nun stared at it for a couple of breaths, then actually reached out toward the white ash. Her unauthorized movement startled the white-robed Daoist. His expression changed, fearful that she might trigger the spirit array. Just as he moved to stop her, the white ash swelled, and an object flew out, landing directly in her hand. It was a bracelet. At first glance, it lacked any dazzling spiritual luster, but once the white ash was brushed away, its exquisite craftsmanship was revealed—an item that would make any female cultivator's heart flutter. Most eye-catching were three longan-sized red crystals embedded within it. Inside each crystal burned a speck of firefly light, containing the purest essence of fire element. It cast a faint, delicate glow within the gem—not blinding, yet remarkably gorgeous. "The Firefly Dharma Chain!" the white-robed Daoist exclaimed in surprise. This was another precious treasure of the Fire Phase Hall. "Senior Brother!" The nun looked up, her face filled with delight as she played with the Firefly Dharma Chain, unable to part with it. "Keep it. When we return, I will teach you several talisman seals. Combined with this Dharma chain, your strength will surely multiply!" The white-robed Daoist could hardly seize his own junior sister's treasure. He took it to examine it, verified that it matched the records in the ancient texts, and handed it back, envying her good fortune. Then he warned her sternly that from this point forward, she must not act rashly again! From his inspection of the fire bell's spirit array, he had already discerned a few clues. The cave abode drew heavenly fire from the Yang-Flame Divine Restriction outside into the formation, suppressing its violent nature and manifesting it as the fire bell. Superficially, the Yang-Flame Divine Restriction was the spirit array's source of power, but the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant was also indispensable, occupying a vital position. Rashly removing the pendant would, at best, trigger turbulence in the spirit array and cause the fire bell to collapse; at worst, it could incite a riot of heavenly fire, allowing the endless flames outside to flood in and easily destroy this pure sanctuary. When that happened, not even the Yang-Flame Dharma Sword would be able to protect them. Hearing her senior brother explain the dire consequences, the nun felt a lingering dread. She repeatedly promised she would not do it again, slipping behind him to avoid his stern gaze, and happily admired the chain once more. Knowing her temperament, the white-robed Daoist offered a helpless smile. The Yutai Sect was a secluded sect, and its disciples rarely had opportunities to venture out into the world. His junior sister was the most pampered of all; since entering the sect, she had hardly ever descended the mountain, knowing nothing of worldly affairs and remaining as naive as a young girl. Pushing aside stray thoughts, he carefully studied the spirit array, contemplating how to retrieve the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant along with the elder's relics. Hiding behind him, the nun could not tear her eyes from the Dharma chain. The more she looked, the fonder of it she grew. After turning it over in her hands a few times, she could not resist slipping it onto her wrist. The Firefly Dharma Chain complemented her fair wrist beautifully; even if it were not a treasure, it would still make an exquisite ornament. The moment she put on the chain, her movements hitched almost imperceptibly before instantly returning to normal. Completely oblivious to the change, she twisted her wrist continuously, never tiring of the sight. Her other hand stroked the chain absently, the firefly sparks within the crystals swaying gently, as if responding to her touch. A long time passed. The white-robed Daoist finally untangled the pathways and identified the crux of the mechanism. "Junior Sister, step back!" he warned in a deep voice. Obediently, the nun retreated three paces. She was no longer as infatuated with the Firefly Dharma Chain as before, quietly watching her senior brother's movements, though her fingers continued to stroke the crystals on the chain. "This disciple is disrespectful; Patriarch, forgive me!" The white-robed Daoist bowed respectfully toward the elder, then sat cross-legged on the spot. Next, he raised a hand and brushed the top of his head. A crimson beam flew from his crown, and at the same moment, the Crimson Fire Sword chimed and plunged into the crimson light. In a flash, the crimson light subsided, and dense patterns formed by countless complex runes appeared across the blade of the Crimson Fire Sword. The patterns flared and dimmed alternately as a distinct power coursed through them, circulating along the blade. *Swish!* The Crimson Fire Sword paused briefly before flying above the fire bell, its tip pointing straight at the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. At the same time, the white-robed Daoist's hands blurred into motion, his fingers weaving like wheels as talisman seals materialized out of thin air and struck the interior of the fire bell in rapid succession. The spirit sword chimed crisply. Guided by the talisman seals, strands of sword intent seeped into the fire bell, effectively blending into the spirit array through the power of the seals. Throughout this process, the physical body of the Crimson Fire Sword grew increasingly ethereal, almost turning into a beam of sword light that crept downward until it truly touched the fire bell. The fire bell quivered slightly, but the expected counterattack did not arrive. The white-robed Daoist felt a surge of secret joy, knowing he had guessed correctly, and promptly quickened his movements. The sword light into which the Crimson Fire Sword had transformed gradually melted into the fire bell until it vanished. Inside the bell, a finger-sized sword shadow appeared, slowly swimming toward the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. At that moment, light converged within the sword shadow, and a dharma seal flickered into view. This seal was meant to serve as a substitute for the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. While the pendant was not the ultimate power source of the spirit array, replacing it with a dharma seal would eliminate its demon-smelting properties, yet still allow the array to barely maintain stability for a short time without collapsing. That way, he could easily retrieve the treasure. *Buzz!* The sword shadow attempted to pry the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant loose. As if a hornet's nest had been stirred, the fire bell shuddered violently, its qi falling into chaotic disarray. This was within the white-robed Daoist's expectations. What made his heart tighten, however, was that the Daoist within the fire bell also shook from the disturbance. His body swayed and his facial features shifted, as though he were about to wake—a deeply eerie sight. Immediately after, the white-robed Daoist breathed a sigh of relief, for the elder, like the corpse before him, crumbled away into ash. Having endured the scouring of Yang-Flame Heavenly Fire for countless years, not even the remains of a Deity Transformation cultivator could have endured. Besides, there was no telling whether the elder had truly been a Deity Transformation cultivator in life. The elder was dead. As the corpse dissolved into ash, an object within peeked out from a corner, resembling an archer's ring. Apart from that, there seemed to be no other relics. *A spatial treasure?* The thought flashed through the white-robed Daoist's mind, setting his heart ablaze with excitement. Now that both corpses in the cave abode had decayed completely, he had nothing left to fear. Shifting his gaze back to the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant, he manipulated the Crimson Fire Sword to continue prying at it, sending violent tremors through the cave abode. After testing countless times, the white-robed Daoist finally unraveled every thread of the mechanism. Hesitating no longer, his hands swiftly completed a seal, and he barked, "Descend!" The sword shadow stopped tangling with the pendant and plunged down abruptly, preparing to pierce through the fire bell and claim the ring first. *Whoosh!* The Crimson Fire Sword pierced into the fire bell. Its sword light scattered the white ash, swept up the solitary ring, and reversed course, aiming to retreat the way it had come. Unexpectedly, the array's disposition changed drastically. *Boom!* The fire bell shuddered violently. A toll seemed to sound within the white-robed Daoist's mind, rattling him until his vision blurred. Flames erupted from within the bell, and several fire dragons surged out instantly, lunging toward the Crimson Fire Sword. *This array allows entry but forbids exit?* Thoughts raced through the white-robed Daoist's mind as he hastily shifted hand seals. The Crimson Fire Sword flickered several times in rapid succession, dodging the dragons' pounce, and continued its mad rush upward. In the next instant, chaos erupted throughout the spirit array. The sword shadow twisted and dodged within, treading a perilous wire. The white-robed Daoist's mind was stretched taut, locked entirely onto the Crimson Fire Sword as if unified with it, searching for an escape route amidst the crisis. The only piece of good news was that the fire bell's spirit array was targeting only the sword, showing no sign of attacking them for the moment. "Junior Sister, assist me!" As the battle reached its fiercest pitch, the white-robed Daoist finally devised a plan, but fearing his own strength would fall short, he hurriedly called for the nun's aid. Obediently, the nun stepped forward. Following his instructions, she unleashed a phoenix hairpin. A hairpin shadow flashed out like a sharp blade, piercing into the fire bell with immaculate timing. With inner and outer forces resonating, an opportunity presented itself at once. Like a swimming fish, the Crimson Fire Sword seized the fleeting opening and leaped past the dragon gate! At the same time, the talisman seal manifested, poised to replace the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant and bring both treasures out in a single breath. In that narrow space, the tension was breathtaking. Victory was practically in hand. Just as the white-robed Daoist was about to laugh aloud, a sudden sense of extreme danger erupted in his heart. Feeling a fierce gust strike from his flank, aimed straight at his vitals, his face drained of color. "Junior Sister, you—" Startled, the white-robed Daoist whipped his head around, only to see his junior sister staring at him with stiff movements, a bewildered expression, and vacant eyes. That familiar, charming face sent a chill straight down his spine. *Demonic corruption?* The words flashed through his mind, but it made no sense! The sect's ancient texts clearly stated that when a cultivator suffered demonic corruption, it did not take hold immediately; the higher one's cultivation, the stronger one's resistance. Otherwise, the cultivation world would have fallen long ago. His junior sister was a Nascent Soul cultivator; there was no way she could have been silently subverted by demonic corruption. Furthermore, the corpses in the cave abode had long turned to ash—what could the demonic corruption have clung to? Her symptoms were also wrong. When demonic corruption eroded someone, they transformed into hideous demonic monsters, which was nothing like her present state. Those texts had been penned personally by a patriarch who had lived through the Demonic Tribulation; there could be no mistake. In a split second, countless questions rushed through his mind, destined to remain unanswered. As the sneak attack struck home, his protective astral qi flared in response. At the same time, his robes billowed, and a teal ring flew out—a rare magic treasure capable of protecting its master automatically. Yet the moment the teal ring appeared, it was abruptly swallowed by blinding heavenly fire. "Heavenly fire..." The white-robed Daoist practically groaned in his heart. The fire bell's spirit array had been targeting the Crimson Fire Sword all along, yet at this very juncture, it turned on him, its master. Something was wrong! As the crisis descended, an epiphany dawned on him. It wasn't that the fire bell's array had been unable to target him earlier—there was an invisible hand capable of manipulating the heavenly fire here, deliberately misdirecting his judgment. And whatever controlled his junior sister had to be that very same presence! *Boom!* The heavenly fire instantly shredded his robe's defenses, and the searing agony that followed snapped the Daoist back to reality. The twist had occurred so abruptly, the coordination between the nun and the heavenly fire so seamless, that the white-robed Daoist had no chance to respond. Straining to lower his head, he watched his junior sister's slender, jade-like hand drive a jade sword through his chest, drenching it in blood. *I was the one who taught her that sword technique...* A memory of the past flashed before him. The white-robed Daoist offered a tragic smile as the light in his eyes rapidly faded. In the next instant, a brilliant glow erupted from the crown of his head. His Nascent Soul emerged, glancing around in bewilderment. Casting a look of deep sorrow and pity at his junior sister, it turned and attempted to teleport outside. Outside, heavenly fire raged everywhere. He did not know if he could survive, but it was his only path. Yet the onslaught of heavenly fire showed no sign of abating. The flames suddenly erupted and swept outward, sealing the entire cave abode and easily trapping the Daoist's Nascent Soul in place. Right then, the nun's eyelids fluttered shut, as though she had recovered a shred of sanity. Smelling the pungent stench of blood, she opened her eyes to see her senior brother dead beneath her sword, his bloody, unseeing eyes staring straight at her. The sheer shock of the scene struck the nun senseless. A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek rang through the cave abode. Soon, however, the screaming ceased, replaced by wet, sucking noises. Before the nun could flee the cave abode, she lost herself once more. Like a ravenous beast pouncing on prey, she threw herself onto her senior brother's corpse and began drinking his essence blood in massive gulps, the spectacle no different from that of a vicious fiend. Blood trickled down the corners of her mouth and soaked her clothes, dyeing them crimson, yet she paid it no heed. After draining his essence blood, her gaze locked onto his Nascent Soul. Beckoning it into her hand, she stuffed it whole into her mouth and began chewing ravenously. The sound of gnashing teeth, mingled with the occasional muffled, agonizing shriek, was enough to make one's blood run cold. Gradually, the screams grew sparser until the cave abode returned to silence, leaving only a mangled corpse and a blood-drenched female cultivator slumped upon the ground.