Chapter 175: Exotic Fire
The Floating Light Sword remained stuck, and the Floating Light Sword Art was notoriously difficult to cultivate. Now sensing a disturbance from the Floating Light Sword, Hua Changxi pondered for a moment after observing the three disciples of Baili Changfeng walking ahead, then drew out the Floating Light Sword.
With the Floating Light Sword drawn, her position was exposed, rendering further invisibility unnecessary.
Therefore, Hua Changxi removed the invisibility talisman.
As soon as the invisibility talisman was removed, Hua Changxi, clad in a black cloak, appeared within the sight of Baili Changfeng and his three disciples.
The cloak’s hood concealed most of Hua Changxi’s face. Although her features were unclear, Baili Changfeng and his disciples could still discern her young age from her build and the visible parts of her face.
The three of them felt a stir in their hearts, each thinking that Hua Changxi must be an elder who had consumed some sort of youth-restoring elixir.
The massive platform was difficult to ascend, and the air temperature was exceedingly high. Even with talismans applied, Xia Yang and Xia Xue were struggling. Baili Changfeng also affixed a talisman to resist the fire spiritual energy and held out another to Hua Changxi.
“Senior, do you require a talisman?”
“I can still manage. You should focus on protecting yourselves.”
Baili Changfeng found Hua Changxi’s voice too young and secretly glanced at her again, his previous speculation that she was an elder who had consumed a youth-restoring pill wavering.
With the spiritual energy revival, the disciples of the cultivation noble families who had seized the initiative had indeed gained a head start. While noble families controlled abundant cultivation resources, cultivation also depended on opportunities and talent. Some younger cultivators, due to their high talent and numerous opportunities, would surpass many disciples from cultivation noble families.
This female cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm before them might not necessarily be an elder who had cultivated for many years.
Since Hua Changxi did not need a talisman, Baili Changfeng said no more. He retracted the talisman and continued forward.
The fire spiritual energy in the air was extremely dense. Unfortunately, it was mixed with demonic energy, making it impossible to absorb. Otherwise, this place would have been an excellent cultivation spot for fire spiritual root cultivators.
The higher they climbed, the hotter the air became, and the more violently the Floating Light Sword in Hua Changxi’s hand vibrated. On the subsequent path, she suppressed the Floating Light Sword with her spiritual power while vigilantly scanning her surroundings.
Before stepping onto the massive platform, she hadn’t clearly seen what it was made of. Now, walking upon it, she realized that not only did the platform resemble a volcanic cone in shape, but its material also seemed to be volcanic rock, as if cooled from lava.
“Master, why does this giant platform feel even taller than the highest peak of Kunlun Mountain?”
Xia Yang and Xia Xue were struggling to move forward. Seeing that they had been climbing for so long and the summit of the platform was still so far away, they couldn’t help but ask.
Baili Changfeng replied, “Haven’t I told you about spatial folding? For the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands and ruins that appear on the Central Continent, aren’t they all small on the outside but contain a universe within?”
“This is the center of one of the four formation eyes of the Demon Prison, the place where the Fusang Divine Wood grows. The Fusang Divine Wood connects the Human World and the Nine Netherworlds. Do you think this place is small?”
Upon hearing this, Xia Yang and Xia Xue exchanged bitter glances.
Before this, they both felt that their Early Core Formation cultivation was already that of experts, capable of retreating unharmed from any trial. Now, they realized how laughable their previous thoughts were.
Just then, a wisp of scarlet flame suddenly appeared out of thin air and shot directly towards Xia Xue, who had the lowest cultivation.
Baili Changfeng’s expression changed drastically upon seeing this: “It’s an exotic fire, dodge quickly!”
The red flame was too fast for Xia Xue to evade. Just as the red flame was about to touch her, Hua Changxi swung the Floating Light Sword, blocking in front of Xia Xue. The red flame directly merged into the sword.
As the red flame entered the Floating Light Sword, Hua Changxi felt a sensation akin to long-awaited rain after a drought. This feeling wasn’t hers, but the Floating Light Sword’s.
Exotic fires were beneficial to the Floating Light Sword!
“Thank you for your intervention, Senior. If my disciple had been struck by the exotic fire, she would have surely become its fuel.”
Seeing that Xia Xue was unharmed, Baili Changfeng quickly thanked Hua Changxi. At the same time, he glanced at the Floating Light Sword in her hand, wondering what grade of spirit sword it was to be able to absorb exotic fire.
“It was nothing. Fellow Daoist, you mentioned earlier that there are many exotic fires here, so allow me to clear the path.”
Since exotic fires were beneficial to the Floating Light Sword, Hua Changxi wanted it to absorb more.
Upon hearing this, Baili Changfeng felt a sense of relief and thanked her again.
The stone steps had the most exotic fires, designed to prevent people from intruding into the formation eye’s center. The closer they got to the platform’s summit, the more exotic fires there would be, and their power would increase. Even as a Late Core Formation cultivator, he couldn’t protect his two disciples.
Afterward, Hua Changxi led the way.
As they continued to climb, the exotic fires appeared with increasing frequency. Each time one attacked them, Hua Changxi would block it with the Floating Light Sword.
After the Floating Light Sword absorbed nine wisps of red flame, Hua Changxi no longer felt that sensation of long-awaited rain after a drought, realizing that the red flame had no further effect on the Floating Light Sword. When the red flame attacked again, she directly dispersed it with her sword.
The red flame turned into sparks and disappeared into the volcanic rock beneath their feet.
Xia Yang looked on with regret: “Exotic fires are rare treasures for fire spiritual root cultivators to increase their strength. If my cultivation were strong enough to subdue an exotic fire, I wouldn’t have to disperse it.”
Baili Changfeng also felt regret, as his current strength was insufficient to subdue exotic fires. He then said, “The Fusang Divine Wood can nurture exotic fires, and after being dispersed, they will be nurtured again.”
While they couldn’t subdue exotic fires, Hua Changxi could. Reminded by Baili Changfeng and his disciples, she easily absorbed a wisp of red flame into her Dantian.
Seeing this, Baili Changfeng and his disciples were filled with envy.
Afterward, the four of them climbed for another hour. When exotic fires attacked them again, they were no longer red flames but orange flames.
The temperature of the orange flame was clearly several times higher than that of the red flame, and its appearance immediately made Xia Yang and Xia Xue feel suffocated.
Hua Changxi, however, felt the Floating Light Sword’s excitement and quickly swung it, striking directly at the exotic fire.
As the orange flame merged into the Floating Light Sword, the sword once again displayed its joyful sensation of long-awaited rain after a drought.
Thus, as they ascended, Hua Changxi swung the Floating Light Sword, absorbing enough exotic fires of red, orange, and yellow colors. Only then did she and Baili Changfeng’s disciples reach the summit of the massive platform.
Before ascending, Hua Changxi had assumed the summit of the massive platform was a spacious area with an array formation. Upon reaching it, she discovered it was nothing of the sort. This wasn’t a massive platform at all; it was a volcanic crater.
“Fellow Daoist, do we still need to go down?”
Baili Changfeng nodded: “Yes.”
Upon reaching the rim of the volcanic crater, the temperature had already reached a terrifying level. The yellow exotic fire that had just appeared was so hot it could burn Hua Changxi. If they were to descend, more powerful exotic fires would surely appear.
Hua Changxi looked at Baili Changfeng: “Are you sure you still want to go down? Can you withstand it?”
Baili Changfeng replied, “Whether we can withstand it or not, we must. We have to stop those six members of the Demon Race.” As he spoke, he took out four sky-blue stones.
As soon as the sky-blue stones were taken out, the surrounding air temperature dropped significantly.
“This is Polar Cold Marrow Jade. It can help us resist the attacks of the fire spiritual energy in the formation eye’s center.”
Polar Cold Marrow Jade was extremely rare. Baili Changfeng gave one to each of his two disciples, then reluctantly handed one to Hua Changxi.
There was no choice; they needed her to help them resist the exotic fires, and perhaps in the formation eye’s center, they would still need her help to deal with those six members of the Demon Race.
Although Polar Cold Marrow Jade was rare and difficult to obtain, the stability of the formation eye was more important.
The Floating Light Sword needed to absorb exotic fires, and there was also a Demon Suppressing Guard General outside the stone sculpture soldier who wanted to capture her. Although Hua Changxi knew Baili Changfeng had a use for her, she still reached out and accepted the Polar Cold Marrow Jade.
