Chapter 70: The Legendary Karmic Flame
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
“Where are the other three?”
Yuan Cai Wei glanced behind Ji You, noticing no one in sight. His appearance bore no trace of combat, which left her momentarily puzzled.
“Oh, they had a change of heart after I earnestly persuaded them,” Ji You replied with a faint smile. “They were so moved by my words that they handed over their coin purses and begged for forgiveness, promising they’d never act out again.”
The chill in his smile made Yuan Chen shiver. [Moved by his words? More like delivering their wills.]
Yuan Cai Wei, unable to comprehend his true methods, decided to stay silent. After all, she couldn’t fathom the power of Ji You’s sword within the ruins.
Ji You tucked the coin pouch into his robe and retrieved a jade gourd he had taken from the middle-aged woman. Activating its spiritual glow, he opened it. Inside were five vermilion fruits, a few spiritual stones of varying quality, and two unassuming pills.
These pills looked ordinary—dark and almost charred—offering no immediate clue to their nature. Nevertheless, Ji You picked one up and handed it to Yuan Chen. “Can you tell me what kind of pill this is? Is it worth anything?”
Yuan Chen inspected the pill briefly before whispering to his sister, “Brother-in-law… you might want to keep this. It’s an… aphrodisiac pill.”
“?”
Ji You considered the strange combination of the trio earlier, concluding that middle-aged couples could be even more… uninhibited than their younger counterparts. Still, he had no need for such an item—his strength was in no way lacking.
Carefully, Ji You stored the pills back in the gourd and secured it at his waist before leading the siblings into the mine tunnels.
Above the Qiling Mountain Range, a dark night stretched endlessly as thousands of flying chariots surged toward the area. News spread that disciples of immortal sects and scions of noble families had achieved breakthroughs while meditating within the mountain.
On a high peak, a cultivator from the Chen Clan of Immortals drank celestial dew descending from the heavens. His aura now radiated the Heaven Resonance Stage, even though he was a year younger than the young master of Spirit Sword Mountain.
Elsewhere, a direct disciple of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion broke through two realms in rapid succession, stepping into the Boundless Martial Stage. His spiritual essence seemed to flow directly into him, merging seamlessly.
Feeling a newfound immortality in his body, he stretched his hand as if to grasp the sky, overwhelmed with joy.
From the escape of the malignant beings to their subsequent rampage and the assault on Pill Sect, the trail had led countless cultivators to these ruins. None had anticipated uncovering such vast celestial opportunities within.
The allure of this place was immense. For millennia, countless cultivators had chased after the Heavenly Dao, yearning for ascension. Yet none had known that the Azure Clouds Dominion concealed a sacred land capable of bestowing instant enlightenment.
Some, however, hesitated at the mountain’s edge, unwilling to act recklessly. A message from the Appraiser of Spirit Sword Mountain had warned of grave dangers: “Calamity dwells within the mountain; men turn into malignant beings.”
“Perhaps someone accidentally activated a hidden celestial inheritance within the ruins, unleashing this catastrophe,” one speculated.
“The capital already reported sightings of sentient malignant beings. Rumor has it that one from the Chen Clan attained such power, with unparalleled strength of body and cultivation. They likely obtained their fortunes here.”
“To become a malignant being is the price of celestial fortune.”
“Still, those transformed can control malignant beings,” another noted. “If they maintain their minds, why not take the chance? When they ascend to immortality, they will shed their corrupted shells and achieve divine forms. The risk may be worth it.”
“Properly trained malignant beings could bolster a family’s might, making them sovereign over entire regions.”
Thus, sects and clans weighed the promise of celestial fortune against its perils.
Meanwhile, Ji You and the Yuan siblings emerged from the Red Mountain Mine, standing on a gentle slope above the mining area. As soon as Ji You set foot outside, he felt an oppressive sensation lift, leaving him slightly relieved.
Looking around, he noted that the miners trapped earlier had all escaped. It seemed his earlier guess was correct; they had long discovered an alternate route out of the tunnels.
Ji You exhaled softly but had no time to relax. A sudden explosion roared beside them. Without warning, he was sent flying, the force striking his waist directly.
Yuan Chen and Yuan Cai Wei gasped in alarm, scanning their surroundings for an attacker. Yet, they saw no one, only shattered jade scattered across the ground.
“Who’s attacking us? I didn’t see anything!” Yuan Chen exclaimed.
Dusting himself off, Ji You frowned at the spilled spiritual stones and pills. “It’s not an attack. The storage gourd exploded. Low-quality products are worse than useless.”
Even as he spoke, the vermilion fruits began to wither, crumbling into black residue.
Yuan Chen gawked in disbelief. “How could this happen?”
Ji You stood in contemplative silence. His mind returned to the twisted visions he’d glimpsed earlier in the ruins. After a pause, he murmured, “Perhaps it’s the repulsion of the Heavenly Dao.”
“What repulsion?” Yuan Chen asked.
“The Heavenly Dao above us… it doesn’t seem to tolerate such things existing in this world.”
Yuan Chen blinked in confusion. “Wait, I think I’m losing my mind.”
Yuan Cai Wei, however, froze at Ji You’s words. Slowly, she turned her gaze back toward the ruins, her pupils narrowing. Raising her right hand, she recited an incantation. A mystical light engulfed her hand, transforming it into a translucent, jade-like form.
This was the Jade Pill Hand, a technique of the Pill Sect for refining elixirs. From her hand, a flicker of flames leapt forth—black and viscous, resembling molten liquid. The eerie fire danced with an ominous allure.
The Karmic Flame…
Yuan Cai Wei stared at the flames for a long time, her thoughts racing. [So, it’s true.]
The Pill Sect, inheritors of the Immortal Cauldron, had spent countless years refining alchemical theories. Among these theories was one concerning the existence of primordial flames, recorded in ancient times but never confirmed. Despite centuries of searching, such a flame had remained elusive. Labeled a dead end, the theory was abandoned by most.
Yet, just because it hadn’t been found didn’t mean it didn’t exist. As a result, every alchemical theory remained ingrained in their training.
Raising her head, Yuan Cai Wei gazed toward the ruins, a chilling realization dawning upon her.
[Not all lights emerging from the mountain are celestial. Some could be alchemical qi nearing eruption.]
Both Pill Dao and Immortal Dao were branches of the Heavenly Dao. Supreme-grade pills could release celestial radiance akin to someone ascending.
And now, something within the mountain was about to ignite… a furnace ready to open….