txolops Chapter 2591 Nine Earthly Furnaces
Chapter 2591 Nine Earthly Furnaces
Chapter 2591 Nine Earth Furnace
Upon entering the Fire Abyss, the two women activated their lotus platforms, causing spiritual fire to flow and transform into a robe of radiant fire. Protected by the robe, the surrounding flames became docile upon contact with its spiritual light.
The two goddesses appeared calm and composed. Their Dao foundations were forged from fire lotuses, allowing them to easily control the spiritual fires surrounding the Fire Abyss.
The Danhuo Xiayi is a protective secret technique from the Daoist Fire Department. Upon closer inspection, one can see the difference between the two women's Xiayi.
The higher a cultivator's cultivation level, the more luxurious and detailed their creation of a rosy robe. Bai Ying'er's robe had fewer obvious decorations, but its spiritual light was concentrated, like a treasure concealing its true nature. It seemed to be of a higher quality than Yu Ying's robe, thanks to the Qilin Origin.
"Senior Sister Bai, have you found anything?" Yu Ying asked telepathically.
Before leaving, Qin Sang instructed Bai Ying'er to try to use the lotus platform to sense the situation in the Fire Abyss. If she could arouse the reaction of the Qilin Fire, it would mean that this item was closely related to the Qilin clan and should be obtained first.
Previously, they addressed each other as sisters, but now that Yu Ying has joined Qin Sang's sect, and Bai Ying'er joined first, she must follow the sect's rules and address Bai Ying'er as senior sister.
Bai Ying'er gently shook her head, "This place is still shallow, let's continue down."
The two women paused briefly before heading deeper into the Fire Abyss. As they descended, waves of fire erupted continuously, one after another, like a raging tide. If it weren't for the protective array outside, the area around the Fire Abyss would have long since become a sea of fire.
The impact of the raging fire was neutralized by the Danhuo Xiayi (a type of protective robe), and the two women made a new discovery: the color of the surrounding spiritual fire was changing.
Looking in from outside the Fire Abyss, everything appears crimson, but this is not the case deep within the Fire Abyss.
The appearance of flames of different colors indicated that something strange was ahead, and the two women perked up, their escape speed suddenly increasing by three points.
Before long, the two women entered a blue sea of fire.
These flames are very peculiar; they exist as separate, individual flames, floating quietly in this void like ice.
The scene was serene, but the two women became increasingly cautious, and their pace unconsciously slowed down.
“It seems we’ve entered a fragment of a hidden cave,” Bai Ying’er whispered.
Understanding the scene when the Qilin Cave Heaven shattered reveals that during the cataclysmic event, a blue cataclysmic fire appeared, incredibly violent and capable of devouring everything.
These blue flames were very similar to the Calamity Flames, and at the same time, both she and Yu Ying sensed an unusual aura coming from in front of the blue flames.
The two women exchanged a glance and cautiously made their way through the blue flames, soon witnessing a breathtaking scene.
The blue flames ahead converged completely, and a vast azure lake appeared before them. In the center of the lake was a whirlpool like an ocean eye, constantly rotating, yet it did not disturb the tranquility of the place.
The two women knew that the key to this place lay deep within the 'sea eye', but the seemingly calm 'sea eye' filled them with apprehension.
"Shall we put Master's calligraphy scroll in?" Yu Ying asked.
Before their departure, Qin Sang bestowed upon them a stack of magic scrolls, as did the other True Lords. When Bai Ying'er and the others found the treasure land and left the magic scrolls, they would belong to Qin Sang. Other True Lord disciples would also detour if they sensed the magic scrolls.
However, it wasn't as simple as Yu Ying thought. If it were just a matter of first come, first served, the competition would lose its meaning. They had to go inside and figure out the general layout of the place before they could keep Qin Sang's calligraphy scroll.
Whatever treasures they encounter during the competition, they can possess them if they have the ability to obtain them. Therefore, this competition is also considered an opportunity bestowed upon their disciples by several True Lords.
After listening to Bai Ying'er's detailed explanation, Yu Ying said, "I'll go ahead and scout the way. Senior Sister, you can cover my rear."
Although the Qilin Fire did not react, they still decided to go in and investigate. After discussing it, the two women approached the 'Sea Eye' one after the other.
The sea eye was as calm as expected, both inside and out, but trouble soon followed.
Bai Ying'er was shocked to suddenly lose track of Yu Ying without any warning. She quickly summoned the Heaven-Binding Golden Lock and the Earth-Imprisoning Divine Ring, but then she heard Yu Ying's joyful cry.
"Senior sister, come quick!"
As Bai Ying'er approached, she saw Yu Ying holding a blue crystal, her eyes shining. The crystal's color was similar to the surrounding spiritual fire, like a crystallization of blue fire.
Yu Ying was delighted and exclaimed, "I didn't expect to make a gain so soon after coming in. My spiritual treasure is finally settled."
Bai Ying'er knew that after Yu Ying changed her cultivation method, she had been planning to refine a new spiritual treasure, but she was struggling to find the right spiritual materials. Judging from her tone, the properties of this blue crystal were very suitable for her requirements.
Thinking of the recent loss of Yu Ying's whereabouts, Bai Ying'er suspected that there were other secrets here. Looking around, she found that there were many crystals scattered around, which seemed to be in a mess, but upon closer inspection, they seemed to form a huge flame rune.
Yu Ying was blinded by her own involvement and only noticed it after Bai Ying'er reminded her.
"Could this be a formation naturally generated by heaven and earth?" Yu Ying was greatly surprised.
Bai Ying'er agreed, "This innate fire talisman might also be useful to Junior Sister."
Yu Ying nodded repeatedly. Seeing that Bai Ying'er had no interest in this blue crystal, she guessed, "Could the spiritual fire that Master used to rebuild my Dao foundation have been extracted and refined from the Fire Abyss?"
Next, with Bai Ying'er's help, Yu Ying collected all the blue crystals and memorized the fire talisman.
Deeper into the 'sea eye', they made further discoveries, finding the ruins of several palaces. Searching the ruins carefully, they eventually discovered a complete jade palace!
The jade palace was surrounded by blue flames, emitting a blue glow that obscured its original color. Strangely, the jade palace had no doors or windows, as if it were carved from a single giant piece of jade.
The two women circled the jade palace for a while but could not find a way in. They were indeed unable to open it with their abilities, so they pasted Qin Sang's calligraphy scroll on the jade palace.
They had explored most of the place and it was sufficient for the competition. Unless someone else could open the Jade Palace, then the Jade Palace would belong to Qin Sang.
After putting down the scroll, the two women returned the way they came. They calculated that more than ten hours had passed, and they had only explored one place.
Fortunately, the True Lords did not set a time limit for them. The two women flew out of the sea eye, identified their direction, and continued downwards.
In the depths of the fiery abyss, there is no distinction between day and night.
The two women focused intently on their search in the Fire Abyss, and several months passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, they discovered several secret realms, and their gains could only be described as 'abundant'. The Fire Abyss was newly formed, and they were the first to explore it. The abyss was overflowing with rare and precious materials, many of which they couldn't even name. Other cultivators at the Void Refinement stage would be filled with envy and jealousy upon learning of this.
On this day, after searching for a while, the two women were drawn to a river of purple fire.
This purple river meanders through the fiery abyss, its origins unknown. Their past experiences tell them that such strange sights are often accompanied by secret realms and rare treasures.
Just as they decided to investigate seriously, they suddenly saw two streaks of light appear on the opposite bank of the river.
The other party had obviously also noticed them. They slightly changed direction, went around the river, and landed in front of them, revealing themselves to be Yunqi and Songjian, two Daoist disciples under Yuan Zhenjun.
"I have met Master Bai and Fellow Daoist Yu."
Yunqi and Songjian bowed and paid their respects.
Bai Ying'er and Yu Ying dared not be negligent and returned the greeting.
These two were called Daoist disciples under Yuan Zhenjun, but when they went out, they were actually Great Masters, and their status in Gengchuzhi was no less than that of Bai Ying'er.
The Fire Abyss is vast, and since everyone is deliberately avoiding each other, Bai Ying'er and Yu Ying haven't encountered many other people in the past few months. They usually greet each other and then go their separate ways.
"Have the two esteemed individuals gone in?"
Bai Ying'er looked at Zihe. If Zihe already had someone, they didn't need to waste any more time.
Yunqi and Songjian exchanged a glance and said truthfully, "No, we just arrived and were drawn by the Purple River, so we came to investigate. If you two are also interested in exploring this Purple River, why don't we proceed from the upper reaches and the lower reaches respectively..."
This was a way to resolve the dispute. With the consent of both women, they split up. Yunqi and Songjian headed upstream, while Bai Ying'er and Yuying went downstream to go upstream.
The interior of the Purple River seemed to be a self-contained space. The two women discovered that there were many places inside that were even more mysterious than the Jade Palace they had initially found. They could only explore it to the best of their ability, making it the most difficult experience they had had in a long time.
Finally, after a difficult trek, they reached a point near the center and bumped into Yunqi and Songjian.
As agreed, they left Yuan Zhenjun's and Qin Sang's calligraphy scrolls here, and they would distribute them accordingly after the matter was settled.
"Master Bai, did you record the course of the fire vein while you were downstream?" Yunxi asked.
Bai Ying'er nodded and handed over a jade slip. Yun Qi thanked her and, after reading it, returned it, also inscribing their discoveries from upstream onto the slip.
Their mission was not only to explore the treasures within the Fire Abyss, but also to trace and record the flow of the fire veins deep within it. Especially in those places containing rare treasures and secret realms, the energies were tangled and chaotic, and they spent far more time on this than on the treasure hunt itself.
Qin Sang and his group collected these items in preparation for rebuilding the fire veins and creating the Nine Earth Furnaces!
This was a plan proposed by Yuan Zhenjun.
Within the Fire Abyss, there are countless spiritual flames. Leaving them here unattended, allowing their power to dissipate, would be a true pity.
Yuan Zhenjun was a master craftsman, so he proposed to use the secret methods of the Daoist court to build the Nine Earth Furnace in the Fire Abyss, which would allow Daoist disciples to refine pills and craft weapons, thus strengthening the foundation of Gengchuzhi.
The so-called Nine Earths Furnace requires the use of underground fire veins, and specifically, only the finest fire veins in the world can be forged; the requirements are extremely stringent. Although the Fire Abyss Fire is not earth fire, it was formed from the destruction of the Qilin Cave Heaven, its flames raging and no less powerful than any fire vein. If all goes well, a superior-grade Nine Earths Furnace can be forged. Therefore, they instructed their disciples to take this opportunity to investigate the direction of the fire vein.
After exchanging greetings, Yunxi invited, "The upper levels of the Fire Abyss have been largely explored by you fellow Daoists. We need to venture deeper now. Would you two be willing to travel with us?"
The deeper the abyss of fire, the more dangerous it becomes. Following the method just described, traveling together will not cause any disputes, which is a wise move.
Bai Ying'er remained noncommittal and asked, "Which direction do you two intend to go?"
Yunqi pointed north, "We discovered a secret realm before, but due to insufficient preparation, we hesitated to enter for many days. Recently, we have been inspired and have made some progress."
“We’re heading south,” Bai Ying’er gently shook her head, declining their invitation.
Upon hearing this, Yunqi felt a little regretful but did not insist, saying, "Take care, both of you. Until we meet again."
Until we meet again!
The two then parted ways by the Zi River.
After leaving, Yu Ying asked curiously, "We weren't planning on going south, were we? Why did you lie, Senior Sister?"
“Do you remember the fluctuation I sensed a while ago? That fluctuation just appeared again in the Purple River!” Bai Ying’er said, frowning as she looked into the depths of the Fire Abyss, as if trying to see through the secrets hidden there.
"Are you able to pinpoint the location this time?"
Yu Ying was overjoyed upon hearing this. She had just joined Qin Sang's ranks and was eager to make contributions. She had finally discovered what her master wanted, so she naturally couldn't miss it, and it was best not to share it with others.
Bai Ying'er hesitated and said, "It's in that direction, but the location seems to be deeper than I expected."
No matter how dangerous it is, they will go to retrieve any treasures related to the Qilin.
The two women activated their protective magical artifacts and proceeded cautiously, as the resistance ahead grew increasingly stronger.
……
While Bai Ying'er and the others were groping around in the Fire Abyss, Qin Sang and the other True Lords remained high in the clouds.
The clouds gathered in front of them to form a long platform, on which a scroll was unfurled.
The scroll was woven from some kind of spiritual silk, its texture almost transparent and as thin as a cicada's wing.
A painting has been created on the scroll, depicting a vast sea of fire. Although it is lifelike, with the flames seemingly about to burst out of the painting, it lacks detail and spirit, appearing as if it were painted on.
The True Lords stood beside the cloud platform, their expressions focused as they stared at the scroll, each holding a vermilion brush. Every now and then, someone would step forward, dip their brush in ink, leaving a mark, and then quickly retreat.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the painting depicted the Fire Abyss, not just random scribbles. The places where Qin Sang and the others had drawn their brushes were precisely where the fire veins were disordered, and also where the disciples had discovered the secret realm and left their calligraphic works.
Each time a calligraphy work is left behind, another ink mark is added.
As time went by, more and more ink marks appeared on the scroll, dotting the surface and gradually outlining the entire fiery abyss.
They have already spent several months here, and the True Lords are still in high spirits.
According to Yuan Zhenjun's description of the Nine Earths Furnace, once the Nine Earths Furnace is completed, not only will the disciples of the Daoist court benefit, but they will also be able to use the Nine Earths Furnace to refine treasures, achieving twice the result with half the effort.
Qin Sang had not yet begun to reforge the Taiyin Spirit Sword, as he was waiting for the Nine Earth Furnace.
Bai Ying'er and her group explored at a slower and slower pace, while the True Lords appeared quite relaxed.
Qin Sang turned to look at Yuan Zhenjun, put down her vermilion brush, and said, "It seems that Yuan Zhenjun is already confident."
Yuan Zhenjun smiled and said, "The interior of the Fire Abyss is indeed more stable than expected. I am already 60% confident. However, we still need to wait for them to return and observe the fire veins before we can draw a conclusion."
"Since I have nothing else to do, I have a question I'd like to ask True Lord Yuan," Qin Sang said, releasing his Thunder Beast Guardian. "This puppet has been by my side for many years, but its strength is now insufficient, and I can't bear to discard it. I discovered long ago that this puppet was somewhat lacking when it was first forged, and I wanted to reforge it, but I haven't been able to find the right method..."