The Seal

Boom! Deafening rumbles echoed over the sea from time to time. Two figures streaked across the water, one chasing and the other fleeing, churning up layer upon layer of towering waves wherever they passed. The two-headed hou looked in far worse shape than before. Its fur was mangled and scorched in several places, and its breath came in ragged gasps. As it fled, it looked back over its shoulder from time to time. Having used its Shadow Split divine ability three times, it had opened a considerable distance between itself and the black-armored man. Yet what worried the hou was that the man trailed behind it like a persistent ghost, hanging on from a distance without ever being shaken off. In contrast, the black-armored man's expression grew increasingly confident; he already viewed the two-headed hou as a prize in the bag. Just then, he suddenly accelerated into a furious pursuit, only to see the hou repeat its old trick and split into six figures once more. "Did you think this Lu would be helpless against you once the spirit water in my bamboo tube ran out, you beast? Let me see how many more times you can use that Shadow Split of yours, and just how far you can run!" The black-armored man barked in anger as the phantom of the treasure mirror rose once more above his head. Controlling this treasure mirror was an exhausting effort, but seeing the two-headed hou pull further away, he could no longer afford to hesitate. Besides, after being hunted by him for so long, the hou was on the verge of exhaustion. It was the perfect moment to deploy the mirror. The treasure mirror spun slowly before fixing upon the third hou from the left, effortlessly picking out the beast's true body. With a cold sneer, the black-armored man raised his black spear, about to give chase, when his expression suddenly shifted drastically. He whipped his head around to look behind him. Rays of blue light were flashing from the direction of Cold Flame Island—unmistakably a sign of the cold flame erupting! "The Dongming Cold Flame!" he cried out in shock. Bound by duty, how could he care about chasing down the two-headed hou when an anomaly had occurred with the Dongming Cold Flame? Without hesitation, he turned and sped back toward Cold Flame Island. Before long, the black-armored man appeared in the sky above Cold Flame Island, gazing downward with an ashen face. The cold flame had erupted. With Cold Flame Island at the epicenter, the surrounding sea had completely frozen over. In just a short span of time, the ice had reached a depth of over a dozen meters, showing just how terrifying the cold flame's power was. For reasons unknown, the Dongming Cold Flame had fallen into utter turmoil, erupting in continuous waves. The black-armored man hurriedly produced a jade talisman to send word, but just as he was about to transmit the message, the Dongming Cold Flame began to mysteriously settle down. His hands froze, and suspicion crept across his face... Meanwhile, south of Cold Flame Island. Qin Sang, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, and the two-headed hou had already reunited. "Well done!" Qin Sang straddled the two-headed hou's back, patting its head with a word of praise. Having smoothly made off with a wisp of the Dongming Cold Flame, he was in high spirits. The two-headed hou shook its head reluctantly to shake off Qin Sang's prying hand. Qin Sang smiled faintly without taking offense. He tossed several spirit pills into the hou's mouth, then looked up at the boundless Demon Sea and said in a grave voice, "I wonder if this will alert the Huntian Island Master... We can't take the original route. We must bypass Huntian Island. Even if it carries some risk, we'll head straight for Duyan Island. It'll be hard work for you..." Holding the fireball in his hand, Qin Sang had yet to figure out how to tame the cold flame. He dared not put away the Ten Directions Yanluo Banners, which left him with no choice but to ride the two-headed hou. For some reason, the hou's attitude toward Qin Sang had softened considerably. After swallowing the spirit pills, it bounded forward across the sea without a sound. Qin Sang kept an eye behind him. Only after confirming that the black-armored man had not pursued them did he concentrate on studying the Dongming Cold Flame. 'Master Dongming was too powerful. This spiritual fire belonged entirely to him, so thoroughly entwined with his essence that neither the Transformation stage great demon nor the Huntian Island Master could do anything about it! Even if I had decades, it would be impossible to erase Master Dongming's aura. What should I do?' Qin Sang was at his wit's end, utterly helpless before the Dongming Cold Flame. Although the Nine Nether Demonic Fire could suppress the Dongming Cold Flame, the two spiritual fires were entirely incompatible. If Qin Sang attempted to use the Nine Nether Demonic Fire to invade or devour it, a massive detonation would inevitably follow. 'For now, the only option is to find a way to stabilize the cold flame first. I can't just keep holding it in my hand forever. I'll have to take my time and figure out how to subdue it later. Perhaps I can pair it with a restriction...' Qin Sang pondered silently, and an idea sprang to mind. To stabilize the Dongming Cold Flame, he would certainly have to draw upon the power of the Nine Nether Demonic Fire. Holding the fireball in one hand, he traced patterns in the empty air with the other. True essence flickered at his fingertips, forming a rune in a single breath. Then, using his spiritual sense, Qin Sang guided a wisp of the Nine Nether Demonic Fire to attach to the rune. After dozens of consecutive failures, he finally gained some experience. The fire-restraining restriction slowly took shape. Black as pitch like the Nine Nether Demonic Fire, it drifted toward Qin Sang's other palm. Under his meticulous control, the fire-restraining restriction penetrated the body of the Nine Nether Demonic Fire, adhering to the surface of the cold flame and sealing it. Qin Sang let out a deep breath, drew back his spiritual sense, and dispelled the Nine Nether Demonic Fire. Seeing that the Dongming Cold Flame remained stable, a heavy weight dropped from his heart. He hurriedly fetched a large jade box from his Qianjun Ring and placed the cold flame inside. ... Having stolen the Dongming Cold Flame, Qin Sang dared not linger for a second. He and the two-headed hou took turns pressing forward. He did not dare set foot on Huntian Island, preferring to take the risk of bypassing it. Once he rejoined the standard sea route, he headed straight for Duyan Island. On his journey back along the established route, he spotted large ships sailing, which made it clear that the two races had indeed reconciled. Qin Sang knew the way well and had the Primordial Concentric Rings, making travel far easier, so he did not board any vessel. Soon, he arrived near Siming Island. With no sign of the Huntian Island Master pursuing him, he smoothly made his way back to Duyan Island. Unexpectedly, twenty years had slipped by in the blink of an eye since he had last left the island. Qin Sang felt somewhat dazed, as if all those years of braving the elements to hunt demons were nothing more than a dream. Donning a cloak, he flew toward Duyan Island. Midway there, he encountered a patrol guard; upon presenting his Qiongyu Guild guest elder token, they immediately let him pass. 'It seems the Qiongyu Guild's influence is still on the island. I wonder if the people in charge have changed.' With that thought, Duyan Island was already right before his eyes. Duyan Island and the city upon it were just as they had been when he left, largely unchanged. The turmoil between the two races had not spread here. 'I was worrying over nothing back then.' Qin Sang chuckled self-deprecatingly. With a leap, he landed before the city gates, walked in on foot, and headed toward the Qiongyu Guild's outpost from his memory. A plaque hung over the outpost, and cultivators were entering and exiting as usual. Just as Qin Sang reached the storefront and was about to step inside, several cultivators walked out. Two women among them casually glanced at him. Upon seeing his attire, a sense of familiarity welled up in their hearts. The two women exchanged a glance, pure joy and surprise lighting up their faces. Under the astonished gazes of their companions, they flashed forward, blocking Qin Sang's path, and asked with suppressed excitement, "May we ask if Senior's Daoist name is Qingfeng...?" Qin Sang smiled slightly, cutting them off. "What, after just a few years apart, you two fellow Daoists no longer recognize this poor Daoist?" The two women were none other than the Wang sisters, who had accompanied him on his demon hunt all those years ago before they were separated by an ambush from the Witch Clan on the return trip. Qin Sang had not expected to run into old acquaintances the moment he returned. What surprised him even more was that the elder of the Wang sisters had already successfully achieved Core Formation, prompting a wave of emotion in his heart.