194: The source of Fang Lingyao's cold poison

Lin Feng calmly returned the greeting, exchanged a few pleasantries with the Elders, completed the necessary procedures, and received the token representing his status as a Core Formation Elder, along with a generous portion of resources.

After handling the trivial matters, Lin Feng bid farewell and left, preparing to return to his Immortal Cave to plan his next stage of Cultivation.

As soon as he arrived in front of his Immortal Cave, he saw Fang Lingyao, dressed in a light green dress, standing quietly by the door. The mountain breeze ruffled her hair, adding a touch of coolness to her demeanor.

Seeing Lin Feng, a faint smile appeared on Fang Lingyao's face, and she stepped forward to greet him.

"Lin... Junior Martial Uncle Lin, congratulations on your Core Formation." Fang Lingyao lowered her eyes slightly, her voice still gentle, but when she spoke the address, there was a hint of imperceptible hesitation and a sense of indescribable unfamiliarity.

Her hands unconsciously clasped gently in front of her.

Lin Feng was also slightly taken aback by her words; this address of "Junior Martial Uncle" coming from Fang Lingyao felt a bit abrupt and unaccustomed to him.

Once upon a time, he was still the low-level Cultivator who needed to seek her advice on Cultivation Techniques.

Times had changed, and the shift in their identities was so swift and clear that even the natural camaraderie they once shared seemed to be covered by a subtle barrier.

He immediately stepped aside, "Senior Sister Fang, please don't address me like that. Between you and me, there's no need to stick to such formalities. It's fine to be as we were before."

After speaking, he gestured for her to enter, "Senior Sister, waiting here, is there something you need?"

Fang Lingyao looked up, quickly glanced at Lin Feng, and seeing his sincere expression, not just being polite, her tense heartstring relaxed slightly. The corners of her lips curved into a shallow, somewhat relieved arc: "Okay, then... Senior Brother Lin."

She stepped into the Immortal Cave, and the atmosphere between them finally became much more natural.

The two sat down at the stone table inside the Immortal Cave. Fang Lingyao didn't exchange many pleasantries. She took a light breath, and her expression became serious: "To be honest, Senior Brother Lin, I came here this time with a request, and perhaps... it's also an Opportunity."

She paused, organized her thoughts, and continued, "I've recently reviewed some Incomplete Manuals of ancient classics, combined with a clue I obtained from my previous travels, and I speculate that there might be signs of the red emperor flowing pearl appearing in the Heaven Burning Valley, deep within the Southern Wilderness."

"Heaven Burning Valley? red emperor flowing pearl?" Lin Feng frowned slightly. The name was very unfamiliar to him. "Senior Sister, what is this item...?"

Seeing Lin Feng's puzzled expression, Fang Lingyao knew he hadn't heard of this item. She pondered for a moment, seemingly weighing how to begin.

"Senior Brother Lin, have you ever heard the legend of the Red Emperor?" she asked softly. Seeing Lin Feng shake his head, she continued, "According to scattered records in my Family's Incomplete Manuals, in ancient times, there was a powerful fire Dao Cultivator known as the Red Emperor."

Her words slowed, "Legend has it that to quell a great catastrophe, he once slew a Profound Nether Ice Phoenix that came from the Nine Nether. When the Ice Phoenix fell, its Origin cold poison almost defiled a whole region."

At this point, she paused, "To purify that eternally unyielding Profound Nether Qi, the Red Emperor took his own Origin essence blood, fused it with supreme fire power, and refined three precious pearls, which are the red emperor flowing pearl."

She looked at Lin Feng, her tone becoming certain: "These pearls contain the Vermillion Radiance Heavenly Flame, which is supremely yang and pure, practically the natural nemesis of all yin, cold, and toxic filth in the world."

As she spoke, her tone became particularly low, even carrying a hint of imperceptible humiliation and pain: "And the cold poison in my body... its root, is faintly connected to that Profound Nether Ice Phoenix."

Lin Feng's gaze sharpened, realizing that this involved Fang Lingyao's most core secret. Therefore, he didn't urge her but listened quietly, and the atmosphere in the Immortal Cave became somewhat heavy.

Fang Lingyao took a deep breath, as if making a great decision, before slowly continuing: "I come from a declining Cultivation Family. An astonishingly talented ancestor once appeared in my lineage.

However, this ancestor, in pursuit of supreme power, took a dangerous path, attempting to refine a trace of a Profound Nether Ice Phoenix's remnant soul that he had accidentally obtained.

The result was... a Cultivation Technique backlash, which not only led to his own demise but also caused the Ice Phoenix's cold Qi to merge into the Family Bloodline, passed down through generations, almost impossible to eradicate."

She paused: "With his peerless talent, he successfully refined a part of it, and his cultivation once surged, his Divine Abilities shaking the heavens. But... the extreme coldness and resentment in that remnant Ice Phoenix soul quietly eroded his Dao foundation. Initially, he suppressed it forcefully with his cultivation, and... left behind descendants."

At this point, a flash of pain crossed her eyes: "But this cold poison continued with the Bloodline.

When the ancestor's cultivation reached a certain critical point and he could no longer suppress it, the cold poison completely erupted, ultimately... causing his Dao foundation to collapse, and he perished.

And his Bloodline descendants were cursed with this inescapable cold poison for generations.

Men might barely manage with their yang blood Qi, but women's Physiques are more yin, providing the best breeding ground for this cold poison..."

She looked up at Lin Feng: "Most of the women in the Family... most of them perished, body and soul, due to the complete eruption of the cold Qi at the critical moment of attempting Core Formation."

"To be frank, Senior Brother Lin, when I invited you to Zen Sound Temple to seek the Bodhi Seed, it was with a sliver of hope... hoping that the peaceful power of the Buddhist treasure could temporarily suppress this cold poison and help me seize a chance at Core Formation."

A helpless arc appeared on her lips, and she shook her head slightly, "Unfortunately, although the Bodhi Seed can calm the mind and focus the spirit, for such cold poison deeply rooted in the Bloodline, it is ultimately... treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

I originally thought I might not escape this calamity in this life, until I discovered the records about the red emperor flowing pearl. It might be the only hope to purify this trace of curse in my Bloodline."

Lin Feng had never expected that the cold poison on Fang Lingyao, which seemed like a mismatch in Cultivation Techniques, actually concealed such a tragic Bloodline curse.

In an instant, Lin Feng's mind flashed back to the time when they were trapped on an isolated island overseas for two years.

At that time, Fang Lingyao would often inexplicably turn pale and emit coldness, requiring him to help her warm up.

He had then only thought it was a characteristic of her Cultivation Technique or an old injury. Now, he realized that those were clearly signs of this Bloodline cold poison flaring up.

When he obtained the crimson sun pearl, he had also wondered if his supremely yang and fierce Sun Essence Flame could be of any help to her condition.

He just felt it would be too abrupt to inquire about someone else's Cultivation Technique privacy, so he didn't delve deeper, but he always kept it in mind.

Now that she had actively sought his help and trusted him so much, the concern that had always existed in Lin Feng's heart transformed into a firm resolve.

"Senior Sister, I understand." He looked at Fang Lingyao with calm eyes, "So, that Heaven Burning Valley is the most likely place for the red emperor flowing pearl to appear?"

Fang Lingyao saw the clarity in his eyes, only seriousness and no hint of disdain or pity. Her last trace of apprehension dissipated, and she nodded vigorously:

"Yes. However, the Heaven Burning Valley is an extremely dangerous place. Not only do ground fires rage, and the environment is extremely harsh, but it is also rumored to have a sixth-tier fire-elemental Yao Beast lurking there. With my Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, going alone would be like throwing an egg against a rock."

She looked up, her gaze honest as she met Lin Feng's: "Although there are many Core Formation Cultivators in the Sect, this trip is of great importance... I can't trust others."

She paused slightly, her voice softer, "After much thought, I could only come to you. Senior Brother Lin, you are now a Core Formation Cultivator, far stronger than me. And..."