If he could find a way to refine the Qilin source seed, the benefits would be boundless.
Even without the Vermilion Bird's reminder, Qin Sang was well aware that the origin essence of an ancient paragon could never be seized so easily; there were bound to be defensive safeguards.
Even if he could locate it via the Qilin source seed, a mere Deity Transformation cultivator like him would never be able to breach those defenses. If blinded by greed for treasure, one would not be far from death.
The only thing Qin Sang was curious about right now was where the Qilin origin essence was hidden.
He hoped most of all that the Qilin origin essence had ended up in this realm, just like the Qilin source seed.
There were no powerhouses above the Deity Transformation stage in this realm, so no matter how long the Qilin origin essence lay dormant, he would not have to worry about anyone beating him to it.
Once his cultivation grew high enough, he might well possess the power to break through realms, at which point he could find a way to retrieve the treasure.
It was still far too early to ponder such matters. Qin Sang cast aside extraneous thoughts and, following the Vermilion Bird's guidance, quieted his mind to perceive the Qilin source seed.
In Qin Sang's eyes, it was merely an inconspicuous, transparent lotus seed; no matter how many times he scanned it with his divine consciousness, he could detect nothing out of the ordinary.
Following the Vermilion Bird's method, Qin Sang stirred his divine consciousness and immediately sensed a slight difference within the seed.
The Vermilion Bird had made it sound effortless earlier, but perhaps due to the difference in their races, Qin Sang found executing the secret technique exceptionally difficult. Not daring to relax in the slightest, he peeled away layer upon layer like unraveling a cocoon, cautiously permeating the Qilin source seed until he sensed what seemed to be a wondrous power within the heart of the lotus.
According to the Vermilion Bird, this power was the essence within the Qilin source seed, yet Qin Sang still could not detect any fluctuations of consciousness.
Such was the wondrous profundity of an ancient divine beast's methods. When dormant, the Qilin source seed appeared as good as truly dead; even if someone cultivating the Fire Seed Golden Lotus had the Qilin source seed begin reviving inside their body, they would fail to notice.
He could only vaguely perceive it, unable to pry loose any of the Qilin source seed's essence.
Evidently, the source seed contained restrictions left behind by the Qilin during its lifetime. In its prime, the Vermilion Bird might have seized it with ease, but now even it could not absorb it directly.
The Vermilion Bird's method was simple in theory: to turn the beast's own trick back upon itself. It still required Qin Sang to use the Fire Seed Golden Lotus to take the Qilin source seed into his body, manage to suppress the Qilin true spirit, and siphon off the essence while it was still dazed and oblivious.
Putting it into practice, of course, was far from easy.
Qin Sang contemplated for several days, consulting the Vermilion Bird repeatedly before finally daring to make a move.
The fire lotus flew out from between his brows, hovering before him.
At the same time, a strand of divine consciousness guided the Qilin source seed, sending it drifting toward the fire lotus until it came to a stop about three inches above it.
He had yet to cultivate the second layer to its peak, so the petals at the fire lotus's center remained tightly closed. Yet now, a thread of flame rose from the lotus and coiled around the surface of the Qilin source seed, spreading into a sheet of black flame that enveloped it.
The Sun God Tree rested beside Qin Sang. On its branches, nine divine birds held their heads high and watched, their gazes filled with envy and grievance.
Qin Sang's gaze was likewise fixed on the Qilin source seed. With a thought, his hand seals shifted in rapid succession, streaming forth like flowing water.
Ripples surged across the flames enveloping the seed, and the tongues of fire soon twisted as one flame talisman after another emerged, sinking into it in a flash.
At last, the Qilin source seed suddenly shuddered. As though dragged downward by that thread of flame, it sank toward the bud without stopping, passing unimpeded straight into the heart of the lotus!
Up to this point, it had all been accomplished through the methods of the Fire Seed Golden Lotus, reintegrating the Qilin source seed into the fire lotus. What came next was the most critical part.
Qin Sang's expression darkened. His divine consciousness burst forth from between his brows without reserve. Invisible ripples stirred within the cabin as a vast and mighty force materialized out of thin air, coiling through the space before converging upon the fire lotus.
The flames blazed intensely!
The fire lotus swayed gently, its petals trembling.
On the surface, it appeared relatively calm.
Like a surging tide, his divine consciousness poured incessantly into the fire lotus, transforming into intangible spiritual seals that melded into the Qilin source seed one after another.
Before long, beads of sweat appeared on Qin Sang's brow; clearly, this was no easy task.
After an indeterminate time, Qin Sang suddenly let out a long breath. The fire lotus jolted and returned to normal.
The Sun God Birds curled their beaks in unison. The Vermilion Bird had naturally hoped Qin Sang would fail and be forced to beg for its help, allowing it to demand benefits, but alas, its wish had not been fulfilled.
Whoosh!
The fire lotus floated into Qin Sang's palm. Rather than rushing to adjust his breath and recover, Qin Sang stared fixedly at the heart of the lotus. He could sense an extra object within, but it was seamlessly integrated with the fire lotus, showing no anomalies.
Absorbing the source seed's essence would not be achieved overnight, but the fact that this step had gone so smoothly gave Qin Sang tremendous confidence.
The only drawback was that he had to keep his divine consciousness circulating at all times to maintain the secret technique.
After a brief contemplation, Qin Sang stowed the fire lotus away, shifted his gaze to the Sun God Tree, and asked, "How should I hand that Heavenly Phoenix True Feather over to you?"
With the Qilin source seed now inside his body, Qin Sang could not continue refining spiritual fires to cultivate the Fire Seed Golden Lotus during this period. However, once the deed was done, he was bound to make immense progress—far faster than progressing step by step through conventional cultivation.
During this interim, it would be better to fulfill his promise by handing the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather to the Vermilion Bird to comprehend, so that when the time came, it could supply him with Phoenix True Fire directly.
The dejected Vermilion Bird perked up upon hearing this and said repeatedly, "It's very simple. Just drive it into the tree where I am. You don't need to worry about anything else."
"This..."
Qin Sang frowned, his gaze sweeping over the divine birds perched on the branches. "Will it not affect the Sun God Tree?"
To this day, the Sun God Tree remained his most potent method, leaving no room for the slightest mishap.
The Vermilion Bird True Feather was situated at the base of the tree trunk, suppressed by the green copper chunk and the tortoise shell. Since it was not a spatial treasure, that cramped space was saturated with violent Nanming Primordial Fire, barely maintaining a balance.
If he cast the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather in and the two true fires clashed, destroying the Sun God Tree, would the loss not far outweigh the gain?
"Don't worry. Although this Vermilion Bird cannot fully control the true fire, I have learned to restrain it somewhat over the years. That feather is heavily damaged, and its true fire's power has lain dormant for years; so long as we don't provoke it too much, nothing will go wrong. If I can't suppress it, at worst you can just pull it back out."
The Vermilion Bird sounded brimming with confidence and slightly impatient, as Qin Sang had promised to share some of the Phoenix True Fire with it.
Qin Sang wore a dubious expression. The fledgling spirit's words and conduct were truly difficult to trust.
He questioned it repeatedly until every detail was clear. Seeing that the Vermilion Bird's answers were coherent and that it was genuinely confident, he gave a slight nod, raised the Sun God Tree, and retrieved the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather.
With the Vermilion Bird's assistance, Qin Sang was able to perceive the interior of the Sun God Tree, which had become vastly different from when the treasure was first refined.
Qin Sang could hardly find any traces left from his original forging; having been calcinated by the Nanming Primordial Fire year after year, calling it completely transformed was no exaggeration.
Aside from the green copper chunk, which seemed unchanged, the mysterious white copper, the Nine Lives Black Tortoise shell, and the other auxiliary spiritual materials had all been melted and forged into a single whole, making it impossible to distinguish between the materials.
The power of the Nanming Primordial Fire circulated constantly through the Sun God Tree. In the future, once the Vermilion Bird regained its strength and no longer needed the tree to help suppress the true fire, this item, even if it did not become a supreme treasure, would certainly be a rare, priceless material.
"Qin Sang, I'm here."
A crisp, childish voice came through Qin Sang's perception.
Its strength was lacking, yet it possessed the pride of a Vermilion Bird, not feeling in the least that it was relying on someone else's charity. Believing that entering into an alliance made them equals, it refused to acknowledge Qin Sang as master and addressed him directly by name.
Qin Sang did not care about such things; he only cared whether it was useful to him.
At this moment, he vaguely sensed a feather within the Nanming Primordial Fire, upon which the outline of a fiery spirit bird seemed to emerge, though indistinct—it was merely the fledgling Vermilion Bird spirit struggling to manifest its form.
Qin Sang observed closely for a while, then gave instructions to the Vermilion Bird, which followed them one by one.
The cabin was lit by flames flickering bright and dim.
Finally, Qin Sang nodded. Pressing his other hand, along with the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather, against the Sun God Tree, he slowly channeled the feather into the space beneath the green copper chunk where the Vermilion Bird True Feather resided.
The Nanming Primordial Fire quieted down a little.
The Heavenly Phoenix True Feather did not sink into the flames; instead, it clung tightly to the green copper chunk. With a subtle fluctuation, the Vermilion Bird seemed to extend its power across.
Seeing that everything with the Sun God Tree was normal, Qin Sang felt somewhat relieved.
...
The dharma boat remained anchored near the ancestral grounds of the flood dragons for an entire month.
Over that month, all who held the authority to take part in decisions among the demon tribes received summons from the Flood Dragon King, calling them to confer.
Awed and intimidated by Qin Sang's might, the demon kings of the various tribes did not dare approach the flood dragon ancestral grounds, so the Flood Dragon King arranged for them to stay in an underwater manor.
The incarnation sat cross-legged at the bow, cultivating in silence, while the true body did not step outside the cabin once, nor did he press them.
Several days later, the two demon kings commanding the Flood Dragon King's royal guards suddenly exchanged a glance. Having seemingly received an order, they projected their voices, sending them rolling like thunder toward the dharma boat.
"Reporting to True Monarch, our king has matters to discuss with you."
The incarnation opened his eyes and said, "Speak."
Seeing that Qin Sang's true body did not emerge from the cabin, the two demon kings dared not object. They cast a spell to reform the water mirror, revealing the Flood Dragon King with the Phoenix King standing beside him.
Already aware of the incarnation's identity, the Flood Dragon King did not waste words and said in a heavy voice, "Is True Monarch willing to swear the oath first?"
The incarnation smiled. "It seems fellow Daoists have reached a decision. What difficulty is there in swearing an oath? Set up the karma altar."
"The altar is already prepared!"
The Flood Dragon King silently gave an order.
Shortly after, surging waves churned before the dharma boat as several flood dragons parted the waters, bearing a golden platform a hundred zhang square upon their backs.
The incarnation surveyed it and nodded slightly before awakening the true body.
Qin Sang's true body emerged from meditation and drifted onto the altar. Seeing the oaths already laid out in neat rows and columns—exceedingly thorough in their consideration—he smiled faintly without minding, swearing the karma oath in full view of everyone.
Watching through the water mirror, the Flood Dragon King and Phoenix King only relaxed their expressions once Qin Sang had sworn the oath.
True to his stature as a ruler of his clan, the Flood Dragon King then departed the ancestral grounds in person and boarded the dharma boat.
Looking upon this king, whose bearing surpassed that of the previous Flood Dragon King, Qin Sang could not help but praise, "Fellow Daoist possesses fine courage."
The Flood Dragon King cupped his hands in greeting and declared loudly, "Since True Monarch cannot ascend away, we could hardly cower in our ancestral grounds forever. I trust True Monarch would not tear up a karma oath merely to deceive this humble king. Going forward, our tribes will spare no effort in searching for the Ascension Platform, and should we discover anything else, we will certainly conceal nothing from True Monarch."
Qin Sang nodded with gratification. "That you all can resolve strife and unite in seeking a path forward for this realm's cultivators brings me great relief. Next, I shall pay a visit to Witch God Mountain; the Witch Clan will likewise restrain their conduct, just like the human race."
The two discussed various details.
Although only the Flood Dragon King appeared in person, the other demon kings were observing from afar; Qin Sang was effectively conferring with the entire demon race of the Demon Sea.
Qin Sang did not make any unreasonable demands, so everything proceeded very smoothly.
At the end, Qin Sang smiled suddenly. "The flood dragon clan possesses formidable physical bodies, far beyond what other races can match. Rumor has it that your ancestral grounds house a secret ground that works wonders for tempering the flesh. I wonder if that is true or false?"
The Flood Dragon King's expression changed instantly, his gaze turning dark. "What does True Monarch mean by this?"
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. Since I have sworn the oath, I will naturally not go back on my word. Surely you can perceive the vitality in my body and know that I also pursue body refinement. If this secret ground of your clan is useful to me, I am willing to make a trade with you, and I certainly will not disappoint you," Qin Sang said, standing with his hands behind his back, his tone confident.
The Flood Dragon King could not help feeling tempted. Qin Sang was a Deity Transformation cultivator who had arrived from outer regions, so he surely had no shortage of supreme treasures.
Although the various clans of the Demon Sea possessed inheritances within their ancestral grounds and had special bloodlines, resources here were rather barren, leaving most to rely on their own strength.
Even though demons could cultivate their own bloodlines, they could not dispense with external resources entirely. Passed down to this day, their bloodlines had already become exceedingly thin.
Observing his expression, Qin Sang knew there was a chance. He produced over a dozen jade caskets containing sacred relics produced by the major Sacred Grounds of the Zhongzhou demon race.
Though he had not pressured them with his might, once those demons learned that he was the Deity Transformation cultivator backing the Dragon Whale Clan—and possibly the sole Deity Transformation cultivator in this realm—they had not dared to divide everything among themselves, willingly presenting offerings to him. Regrettably, the vast majority were useful only to demons.
"A portion of these treasures should be more than enough. As for the rest, so long as Fellow Daoist can offer items useful to me, they are all open for exchange. If Fellow Daoist is interested, please go make preparations without delay."
The jade caskets were opened one after another, releasing dazzling beams of treasure light that soared skyward, nearly blinding the eyes.
With an unbroken succession of Deity Transformation cultivators among the Zhongzhou demons, treasures from their Sacred Grounds were no ordinary items. Even with the Flood Dragon King's fortitude, his gaze was thoroughly captivated, and his breathing grew slightly heavy.
"Our clan indeed possesses a secret ground called the Dragon Transformation Pool. It cleanses meridians, scours marrow, and circulates blood and vitality to wondrous effect. However, no outsider has ever entered it. How much True Monarch can gain will depend on your own ability." Inwardly, he reasoned that although Qin Sang was a Deity Transformation cultivator, his physical realm was not terribly high, and being human, he surely could not endure for long or consume much of the pool's spiritual liquid.
...
After some bargaining and having Qin Sang swear another oath, the Flood Dragon King overruled all objections and invited Qin Sang into the underwater manor.
Although the flood dragon ancestral ground lay underwater, it was remarkably dry. Within, pearls gleamed with auspicious vapors and rare treasures abounded; the legendary dragon palace could be no more grand.
Unlike his behavior at the Phoenix Clan, Qin Sang behaved with proper decorum. Following the Flood Dragon King through several palaces, he arrived before a grove of coral.
The Flood Dragon King formed an incantation seal, retrieved a golden medallion, and waved it forward, causing the coral grove to part on its own and reveal a path.
"True Monarch, please!"
Following him for a short distance, Qin Sang soon saw a square stone pool. It was not large, capable of accommodating only the body of a young flood dragon, and was half-filled with pool water. An ethereal mist drifted above it, shifting and coalescing with spontaneous profundity.
"This is the Dragon Transformation Pool."
The Flood Dragon King pointed at the stone pool and tapped several times in the air toward the surrounding walls. The spiritual mist grew even denser, and within it, a true dragon seemed faintly visible, appearing and disappearing.
Even knowing it was an illusion, Qin Sang genuinely felt an intimidating might, which secretly surprised him.
Examining it closely to ensure there was nothing amiss, he suppressed his true essence, leaped into the air, and descended into the Dragon Transformation Pool in a seated posture. The spiritual liquid reached roughly to his waist.
As the spiritual liquid soaked in, Qin Sang first felt a refreshing coolness seep from his skin into his flesh, penetrate his meridians, and cleanse his marrow.
Before he could savor the sensation, the vitality within Qin Sang exploded with a deafening rumble, and the coolness abruptly turned into excruciating agony—the familiar torment of cleansing meridians and scouring marrow.
Chapter 1741