"Since this fire curse integrates the power of the Dongming Cold Flame, and the Dongming Cold Flame fears demonic fire, we might be able to use that as our breakthrough by borrowing demonic fire..." Bai softly explained.
Qin Sang nodded without saying much. He had only just learned about curse techniques and could think of no better alternative.
The fiery thread touched Qin Sang's arm, bone-chillingly cold.
Bai warned Qin Sang that he had to suppress the demonic fire and under no circumstances let it backlash; otherwise, both of them would suffer injury.
Qin Sang was extremely cautious, carefully channeling the demonic banner.
Bai stared intently at the fiery thread. After a brief hesitation, he suddenly struck several incantation seals toward it. A fiery thread began to writhe, transforming into singular, strange runes that gave off fluctuations similar to those of the fire curse runes.
Joy had just surfaced on Qin Sang's face when Bai abruptly halted his movements. He pondered deeply for a while before resuming his efforts.
Stopping and starting like this, the fiery thread twisted and warped in succession, transforming into countless runes that finally coalesced together, barely forming a petite, translucent demonic fire curse seal.
Immediately after, Bai pointed into the empty air toward Qin Sang's arm.
The demonic fire curse seal trembled and drifted over, but before it could even touch Qin Sang's skin, it fell apart into pieces.
Seeing this, Qin Sang sighed inwardly, understanding what Bai had meant earlier.
Breaking the fire curse was not something accomplished overnight; it was tremendously difficult.
There was no telling how much of Bai's memories had returned, but those concerning curse techniques were clearly hazy and fragmentary. He could only grope forward bit by bit to find a way to break it.
Night fell.
Qin Sang glanced back behind him.
Dark clouds obscured the moon; no starlight could be seen.
The edge of his vision was completely engulfed in darkness.
It felt as though a terrifying beast lurked there, relentlessly pursuing, gaping its bloody maw in eager anticipation of savoring a delicacy.
Qin Sang sensed the state within his body and the spiritual power remaining in the spirit stone in his hand. He had to plan his medicine intake, coordinating it with the Three Light Jade Liquid to minimize the impact of impurities as much as possible and hold out longer.
Bai continuously made various attempts.
Two shichen passed, and it was already the dead of night.
Failing again and again, Bai still persisted. The pressure on him was no less than that on Qin Sang.
By this point, the demonic fire curse seal he condensed was several times more stable than at the start.
"Go!"
The demonic fire curse seal landed on Qin Sang's arm once more.
This time, the demonic fire curse seal did not immediately shatter.
Delighted at the sight, Bai rapidly shifted his incantation seals. The demonic fire curse seal blurred, slowly sinking into Qin Sang's arm, followed by a faint, peculiar fluctuation emerging within Qin Sang's body.
Qin Sang suppressed the true essence in his meridians to avoid interfering with Bai's actions.
Bai said not a word, focusing entirely on maneuvering the demonic fire curse seal as it swam through Qin Sang's arm, seemingly searching for something.
Before long, Bai's expression shifted slightly, and he pressed down forcefully toward the demonic fire curse seal.
*Boom!*
Black light erupted brilliantly.
The demonic fire curse seal abruptly burst with powerful fluctuations. Under the curse seal's impact, a faint blue glow emerged within Qin Sang's flesh, and the fire curse runes faintly materialized.
Flames seemed to flicker within the runes, and the moment they took form, they began contracting inward.
"Congeal!"
Bai changed his hand seals with lightning speed.
The next instant, the runes were actually shackled by the power of the demonic fire curse seal.
Qin Sang felt a sharp sting inside him, and an inconspicuous fleck of blue light was forced out by the demonic fire curse seal. The true form of the fire curse emerged, resembling a thread of blue flame.
"Break!"
Bai shouted aloud, and the demonic fire curse seal shuddered violently. The fire curse shattered at the sound, dispersing with the wind.
"The fire curse is broken?"
Qin Sang was ecstatic.
Bai, however, showed no joy.
He let out a soft sigh and said to Qin Sang with a trace of helplessness, "The fire curse is very complex! I only recalled a few fragments and merely cobbled together a patchwork curse seal. By using the demonic fire curse seal, we could force it out bit by bit and break it with brute force, gradually purging the fire curse from your body. But doing so will be far too slow, especially when purging the curse that has merged into your internal organs. One slip-up could easily inflict severe injuries on you. Long before we unravel the fire curse, Old Devil Mou will have caught up with us."
Bai's tone was heavy.
Hearing this news, Qin Sang's heart sank abruptly.
It seemed he was facing a dead end.
Bai could disengage and leave at any time, while he could only close his eyes and await death.
"Rather than rushing to undo the fire curse, we can try shielding its fluctuations!"
Qin Sang took a deep breath, refusing to surrender to despair as countless thoughts flashed through his mind. "Perhaps we can also rely on external forces—restrictions, spirit formations... or chaotic worldly spiritual dynamism."
Qin Sang had actually sensed long ago that this might be the outcome. He had been pondering every possibility and preparing for the worst.
Since Old Devil Mou dared to employ such a method, he was certainly confident that the fire curse would not be easily broken.
And indeed that was true. Without Bai, even with demonic fire under his control, Qin Sang would have been utterly helpless against the fire curse.
Bai pondered for a moment and said, "That Old Devil Mou can sense your position over such a vast distance has a great deal to do with the Dongming Cold Flame, which enhanced the curse's potency. Using the demonic fire curse seal to suppress the fire curse's fluctuations might just work—it's worth a try! As for external forces..."
"Do you mean the Storm Belt?"
Bai's eyes lit up. "The chaotic spiritual dynamism within the Storm Belt can disrupt Old Devil Mou's perception, but that presupposes we can enter the Storm Belt before he catches up. Furthermore, staying on the outer fringes of the Storm Belt might not be enough. If we rashly charge into the deepest reaches of the Storm Belt, even if we truly manage to shake off Old Devil Mou, I'm afraid we..."
Bai hesitated.
Even if Qin Sang changed direction right now and flew toward the Storm Belt, it would take several days to get there. Old Devil Mou would never grant them that much time.
Moreover, entering deep into the Storm Belt, even if it could shake off Old Devil Mou, would mean confronting dangers such as the chaotic spirit tides and tempests within its depths.
What was even more terrifying was losing their way inside.
This time, there would be no one to guide them.
"Fellow Daoist, do you recall Yuan Zhu saying that the cave dwelling was discovered by accident? How credible do you find that?"
Qin Sang narrowed his eyes and said, "Neither of us is weaker than Yuan Zhu, yet I wouldn't dare enter and leave the Storm Belt at will to wander about inside, whereas Yuan Zhu was able to locate such a secluded cave dwelling."
Bai started slightly. "You mean... he has a way to navigate within the Storm Belt?"
Qin Sang sighed. "To stay alive, I must brave the Storm Belt no matter what. Even if there is only a slim thread of hope, I cannot let it slip by. I must ask Fellow Daoist to help me one more time. If Yuan Zhu proves helpless, there is no need for you to accompany me to my death. We shall part ways here, and I will hand over every clue concerning the Heavenly Corpse Sect to you. If I manage to cling to life... may we meet again if fate wills it!"
Bai looked deeply at Qin Sang. "Very well!"
Next, Qin Sang laid out his plan.
Bai pondered for a long time, then offered his own suggestions to refine the plan.
In the end, Bai sighed with emotion. "If your plan works, there truly is a decent chance... However, carrying it out comes with a steep price. Can you truly bear to part with it?"
"Compared to my own life, what does that little price amount to?"
Qin Sang gave a self-mocking, bitter smile and said solemnly, "From here on, everything depends on you, Fellow Daoist."
Chapter 987