The cabin was sealed by restrictions, shutting out the noisy churning of the waves outside.
In such a dead-silent space, the sudden sound of an unfamiliar voice declaring that you were going to die was horrifying to imagine.
Especially when Qin Sang realized the voice originated from the Sun God Tree, his scalp prickled with numbness, and a cold sweat nearly broke out across his back.
In an instant, countless possibilities flashed through Qin Sang's mind, and his entire body went rigid.
Fortunately, his composure held, and he did not lose his head on the spot.
"Who are you?"
Qin Sang stared fixedly at the Sun God Tree, confirming that the voice was coming from deep within it.
"Just as you thought."
The young girl's voice sounded once more, laden with deep meaning and an air of enigma. Then she raised her tone to emphasize, "You are going to die!"
This time, Qin Sang saw clearly.
The moment the voice rang out, the nine divine birds perched on the branches of the Sun God Tree turned their heads simultaneously, staring right at him.
Being pinned beneath the unblinking gaze of nine pairs of eyes made of fire would make anyone's skin crawl.
With every word spoken, one of the Sun God Birds opened its beak, and the next word was taken up by the next bird in line.
In this manner, an entire sentence was spoken in turn by the nine divine birds, yet there was not the slightest hitch or delay—it flowed as seamlessly as if they were a single being.
The other party most likely possessed the power to manipulate the Sun God Birds. At such close quarters, if all nine birds pounced at once, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Yet Qin Sang did not dodge; he merely maintained a vigilant guard in secret.
The Sun God Tree had accompanied him for centuries. If this entity had lurked at his side for so long and harbored ill intent, it would not have waited until now.
*Are you the Vermilion Bird Spirit?*
Thoughts raced through Qin Sang's mind.
The Sun God Tree had been forged by his own hands, but it differed vastly from an ordinary magic treasure.
Refining this treasure had been a continuation of the method deduced by Patriarch Kuiyin, similar to the Ten Directions Yanluo Banner, and it was meant to serve as a receptacle for the Vermilion Bird True Feather.
Because the power of the Nanming Primordial Fire within the Vermilion Bird True Feather was too violent, it required the core of the Sun God Tree—that green copper chunk—to suppress it, pieced together with rare materials like the carapace of the Nine Lives Black Tortoise and the mysterious white copper.
The Sun God Tree could hardly be considered a proper magic treasure. Qin Sang's aim had been to refine the Nanming Primordial Fire, and he had never performed sacrificial refinement on the tree with secret arts, so by all ordinary reason, it could not have birthed a spirit of its own.
There was only one possibility.
The Vermilion Bird True Feather!
After obtaining the Vermilion Bird True Feather, although Qin Sang had relied on the Sun God Tree many times to repel powerful foes, he had only ever been able to command the Sun God Birds condensed from the aura of the Nanming Primordial Fire; he had never touched the true feather itself.
Later, his repeated attempts to refine the Nanming Primordial Fire with the Fire Seed Golden Lotus had all ended in failure.
In truth, he knew next to nothing about the Vermilion Bird True Feather.
"Did you hear a word I said?!"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit seemed somewhat impatient. "I'm not lying to you! You really are going to die!"
Such words hardly sounded like the talk of a sly old ghost that had lurked in hiding for years.
It sounded more like a petulant child.
Or was it a deliberate disguise?
A strange look flashed across Qin Sang's eyes, and he exhaled softly. "My lifespan is far from exhausted, nor am I pursued by powerful enemies. Why would I die?"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit let out two cold sneers in succession, but because the voice was so crisp and childlike, it gave off a youthful, almost endearing impression instead.
"No powerful enemies are hunting you—you are walking to your own doom!"
Seeming to feel that this threat lacked bite, the Vermilion Bird Spirit sneered twice more. "You carry the scent of a Qilin!"
Yet to its disappointment, Qin Sang's face barely shifted. There was no terror in his eyes, only bewilderment and confusion.
Qin Sang had no idea what it was talking about!
The Qilin was a legendary divine beast, an existence not inferior to dragons and phoenixes according to ancient records.
He was already connected to quite a few divine beasts: the Vermilion Bird True Feather and Heavenly Phoenix True Feather were right beside him, and he had even absorbed Green Luan true blood to reshape his phoenix wings.
Where would a Qilin come from?
"I don't understand what you mean," Qin Sang replied honestly.
"Humph! Humph! By the time you understand, it will be too late! The Qilin has already begun reviving within you. Oh, in your terms, it should be called body possession!"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit dropped its pitch, but it felt as though it were straining with all its might to manufacture a frightening atmosphere to terrify him.
Qin Sang's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly let out a cold snort. "This poor Daoist has never laid eyes on any Qilin. Cease your alarmist talk! Having lurked by my side for so many years, why reveal yourself so suddenly? What is your true aim?"
In a voice heavy with exasperation at his stubbornness, the Vermilion Bird Spirit barked, "This Vermilion Bird revealed itself to save you! In a little while longer, once the Qilin source seed awakens in your body, it will be completely irreversible!"
"Qilin source seed?"
Qin Sang was startled, finding it all the more preposterous.
Just then, he noticed the divine birds on the Sun God Tree shifting their gaze away from him toward the fire lotus floating beside him, and his heart gave a sudden leap.
"You mean this?" Qin Sang pointed at the fire lotus, his expression finally changing.
"Though its aura is faint—likely from lying dormant for too long—it is definitely a Qilin, without a doubt!"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit muttered first, then raised its voice: "When the fire lotus blooms, that is when the source seed will sprout! The Qilin will be nurtured upon the lotus dais and descend upon the world once more! Although you are its incubator, it will not feel the least bit of gratitude toward you; it will devour you first!"
Fire lotus, lotus dais...
Having cultivated the Fire Seed Golden Lotus for years, Qin Sang naturally knew what these terms signified.
This secret art was divided into three stages: the first formed the fire lotus seed, the second birthed the fire lotus, and the third transformed the lotus into a lotus dais!
According to the Vermilion Bird Spirit, when he painstakingly pushed this secret art to its third stage, formed the lotus dais, and brought the technique to great fruition, he would merely be replaced by the Qilin.
Wouldn't that make him nothing more than a human field used to nurture a Qilin source seed, with spiritual fire as the fertilizer—fertilizer he had actively gathered himself?
Qin Sang's face darkened.
The Fire Seed Golden Lotus was the most formidable soul-refining secret art he had ever encountered in his life. As long as one refined enough spiritual fire, one could obtain divine consciousness far exceeding one's cultivation realm, which had been of immense help when he broke through to the Deity Transformation stage. Who could have imagined it hid such a trap!
Then what exactly was the Qilin source seed?
It was impossible for everyone who cultivated this secret art to revive a Qilin inside them.
Qin Sang immediately thought of that transparent lotus seed—a thing he had once thought useless, which he had even nearly traded away in the past!
Seeing Qin Sang lose his composure, the Vermilion Bird Spirit said smugly, "Now you realize how terrifying it is! Your fire lotus has already formed so many petals, which means your realm is quite advanced, and the Qilin source seed has already taken root and sprouted. Otherwise, why do you think it was so easy to cultivate?"
"Thank you for the warning, Senior." Qin Sang's expression shifted several times as he voiced his thanks, even addressing it as Senior, seemingly cowed.
In truth, he only believed half of it.
Throughout the entire process of cultivating the Fire Seed Golden Lotus, he had never noticed the slightest abnormality.
Was this secret art easy to cultivate?
Qin Sang certainly did not think so.
To attain divine consciousness far surpassing his peers—rivaling Deity Transformation cultivators while still in the Nascent Soul stage—was indeed due to the profound nature of the secret art, but it was also thanks to the Nine Nether Demonic Fire. The Nine Nether Demonic Fire was not of this world, and it was virtually impossible for ordinary cultivators to obtain demonic fire of such caliber. Had Qin Sang been forced to gather ordinary spiritual fire bit by bit, there was no telling how long it would have taken.
Reflecting on his journey, he had run into bottlenecks time and again, forced to use rare spiritual materials found only through painstaking effort to aid each breakthrough.
However, could that be related to the fact that he had not kept the transparent lotus seed inside his body?
Back when he first began cultivating it, Qin Sang had placed great importance on the transparent lotus seed. He had experimented with it repeatedly and found that it helped condense spiritual fire, shielding the primordial spirit from being incinerated by the flames.
Drawing spiritual fire into the purple palace and condensing a fire lotus seed with one's primordial spirit was inherently perilous in the extreme. But Qin Sang was protected by the jade Buddha, so he had no need for anything else. Having suffered similar pitfalls before, and seeing no need to leave the transparent lotus seed in his purple palace, he had stored it away.
According to the Vermilion Bird Spirit, as the Qilin source seed gradually revived during cultivation, it might bring unexpected benefits, making subsequent progress far less grueling than Qin Sang's own experience.
Little would the cultivator realize that the faster they advanced, the faster they approached their doom!
"Warning you is useless anyway. The Qilin source seed is steadily reviving, and your condition is already incurable. You are powerless to stop it from waking; it is merely a matter of time!" The Vermilion Bird Spirit seemed to sigh for Qin Sang, yet there was an irrepressible lift in its voice.
Qin Sang frowned. "Does Senior mean that even if I stop cultivating this secret art right now, I am beyond saving?"
"Exactly!"
All nine Sun God Birds nodded vigorously in unison. "Unless you end your own life first and let it find another host, you are doomed to die! Here, only this Vermilion Bird can save you!"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit abruptly shut its mouth.
Qin Sang knew full well what it was doing: it was waiting for him to beg for help.
The Vermilion Bird Spirit's intention was glaringly obvious. Giving it what it wanted, Qin Sang composed his expression and bowed solemnly. "I beg Senior to save me!"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit let out a giggle. The nine divine birds on the sacred tree stirred, looking as though they wanted to spread their wings and dance, but ultimately failed to take flight.
At the sight, a light flickered in Qin Sang's eyes, though his expression remained unchanged.
The Vermilion Bird Spirit continued, "I possess a method that can help you suppress the Qilin source seed without damaging your cultivation, sparing you the calamity of body possession."
"Since Senior has revealed yourself, you must harbor kind intentions and cannot bear to watch this poor Daoist meet disaster, wishing to deliver me from dire peril. But what must I do for Senior to pass down this technique?" Qin Sang spoke with deep deference, his demeanor full of entreaty.
Seeing how obliging he was, the Vermilion Bird Spirit grew puffed up with pride. "As long as you agree to three... no... four... four things, I will save you!"
Every sentence was uttered by the nine divine birds taking turns.
Changing the number from three things to four mid-sentence made it sound as though the birds were squabbling amongst themselves, which made for a peculiar sight.
Qin Sang wore an odd expression. "Which four things? Please enlighten me, Senior."
Were their roles reversed and someone else's life lay entirely in his hands, they would be his to manipulate at will; why would he need to lay down conditions so formally? He could not tell whether this Vermilion Bird Spirit was genuinely naive or merely toying with him.
The Vermilion Bird Spirit spoke at rapid-fire speed: "First, this Vermilion Bird will teach you how to suppress the Qilin source seed. You must act strictly according to my orders and help me extract the essence within it."
Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. "This essence is useful to Senior?"
"It can help me recover..."
Realizing its slip of the tongue, the Vermilion Bird Spirit quickly shifted its tone. "Even if you have no great merit, your hard work will count! I won't drain all of the essence away. Besides, drawing out the essence requires channeling it through you, which will bring immense benefits to you as well."
Qin Sang feigned ignorance and nodded. "And the second condition?"
"Give me that feather!"
The Sun God Birds turned in unison toward the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather in Qin Sang's hand. Flames danced in their eyes, and the surrounding air seemed to grow hotter.
*It really is after the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather!*
Qin Sang had suspected as much. The Vermilion Bird Spirit had not shown itself earlier or later, choosing to appear precisely when he obtained the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather.
"Could this feather also contain the source seed of a divine beast with phoenix essence?" Qin Sang looked down at the remnant feather, then paused before continuing, "A single Qilin is already enough to leave me dead without a burial place. I dare not invite a Heavenly Phoenix into my body as well."
"You don't need to ask so many questions! As long as you hand this feather over to me and do as I command, I guarantee your safety."
The Vermilion Bird Spirit suddenly grew tight-lipped.
Seeing that nothing more could be coaxed out of it, Qin Sang hesitated and said, "Senior has already seen me fail to refine the demon fire inside the feather. I dare not cultivate the Fire Seed Golden Lotus any further, nor do I possess phoenix blood. Unable to refine it or wield it, this treasure is of little use to me. It is not impossible to give it to Senior, but I must first hear your other conditions. If Senior makes demands beyond my ability to bear, I cannot simply agree. This junior would rather take it to the grave."
The Vermilion Bird Spirit snorted. "This Vermilion Bird's subsequent conditions will bring you immense benefits—a supreme fortune that others could never obtain even if they begged on their knees—yet you dare to drag your feet!"
Qin Sang uttered an "Oh?" and waited with rapt attention.
The nine divine birds tilted their heads back with an air of haughty arrogance. "Since this Qilin had the power to condense a source seed, its cultivation while alive must have been extraordinarily high. It likely met a formidable enemy and had no choice but to rely on its source seed to flee, eventually winding up here. It must have its origin essence hidden elsewhere; once it revives and reclaims that essence, it can rapidly restore its strength."
"Qilin origin essence?" Qin Sang felt a stir.
Though he did not know what height of cultivation this Qilin had reached in life, the fact that it could persist across countless ages as a source seed and lay a trap within a secret art that not even Deity Transformation cultivators could detect was proof enough!
"The Qilin origin essence is bound to be deeply hidden, but it must share a connection with the Qilin source seed, which can be used to track it down. Once this Vermilion Bird drains the essence and helps you refine the source seed, you will certainly sense it. As long as you assist this Vermilion Bird in finding the Qilin origin essence, this Vermilion Bird will reward you according to your merits and share a portion with you as appropriate."
The Vermilion Bird Spirit's crisp voice was laced with temptation. "A Qilin's origin essence is a miracle of the world. It can transform your very frame!"
"This..." Qin Sang hesitated. "A Qilin is a divine beast, while I am human. With our bloodlines so vastly different, I fear this poor Daoist would be unable to refine it."
The Vermilion Bird Spirit replied contemptuously, "A Qilin's origin essence is the purest power in heaven and earth. As long as the Qilin's imprint is wiped away, anyone can refine it! Even if you cannot endure it, this Vermilion Bird's word is worth a thousand gold pieces—I will naturally find a way for you when the time comes!"
Its tone was full of confidence.
Yet Qin Sang could hear that the Vermilion Bird Spirit clearly lacked full certainty.
In all likelihood, whether the Qilin origin essence even existed was an unknown, born entirely of the Vermilion Bird Spirit's own speculation.
"And what is the fourth condition?"
The Vermilion Bird Spirit hesitated briefly before saying, "As for the fourth condition... I haven't thought of it yet! But rest assured, I still need you to search for the Qilin origin essence, so I won't make you do anything beyond your capabilities. From now on, you are not to stray half a step from me. Obey my commands, concentrate on refining the Qilin source seed, and search for the Qilin origin essence."
It already seemed to be daydreaming of a glorious future. The more it spoke, the more excited it became, its words tumbling out in a rapid flurry while the nine divine birds beamed with delight, chirping and chattering away.
"Once we find the Qilin origin essence, this Vermilion Bird will not only share a portion with you, but I can even accept your worship and offerings! As long as you present offerings of sufficient measure, this Vermilion Bird will shield you and your descendants forever!"
Chapter 1738