195: Burning Heaven Valley

A warm look of reminiscence flickered in her eyes. "We met back when you were diligently practicing the Silk Winding Hand. I know your Heart-Nature is resilient, that you value relationships and keep your promises; you are certainly not one to betray trust. Only by entrusting this matter to you can I feel at ease."

As Lin Feng listened, he couldn't help but recall the events of many years ago. At that time, he had just become an Outer Sect Disciple with low cultivation, and it was Senior Sister Fang Lingyao who generously offered guidance, passing on to him various Cultivation Techniques such as the Ice Heart Art and the Flowing Cloud Water Dividing Sword Art.

When he went out to travel, she even gifted him the Magic Treasure, the flowing cloud immortal binding silk. Those small acts of assistance might have just been camaraderie among fellow disciples at the time, but for Lin Feng, they were like charcoal in snowy weather.

Now, the Senior Sister of the past, troubled by a stubborn illness, had come to him in a low voice for help. Her words were full of trust in him, and she was even sharing the Opportunity of seeking the red emperor flowing pearl with him.

He nodded almost without hesitation: "Senior Sister, I understand. I will definitely do my utmost regarding this matter."

...

After Lin Feng and Fang Lingyao left the Sect, he waved his hand to summon the wine immortal gourd. The gourd grew as it met the wind, transforming into the length of a zhang, its entire body shimmering with radiant light as it hovered three feet above the ground. Lin Feng leaped lightly, landing steadily on the front of the gourd, and turned back to look at Fang Lingyao.

Understanding, Fang Lingyao also stepped lightly onto the back of the gourd. She felt slightly surprised in her heart; she had seen Lin Feng use this wine immortal gourd before, but the feeling now was completely different.

The spiritual light swirling around the gourd was more solid, and it flew almost silently, yet its speed was astonishingly fast.

The surrounding scenery swept backward at high speed, turning into blurry ribbons of color, while the biting gale was completely blocked outside by an invisible barrier.

She compared it to herself; this speed was probably several times faster than her flying at full power with her own artifact. Was this the true speed of a Core Formation Cultivator controlling a Magic Treasure? She couldn't help but grip the edge of the gourd to steady herself.

Lin Feng stood at the head of the gourd with his hands behind his back, his Divine Sense spread out. He could clearly feel the subtle changes in Fang Lingyao's aura, and knowing she still needed to adapt to such high speed, he slowed down slightly to make it smoother. Even so, after only three days, the two of them arrived at the outskirts of the Heaven Burning Valley.

He lowered the gourd onto a barren red cliff. The wine immortal gourd quietly shrank and flew back into his sleeve.

As soon as his feet stepped onto the scorching hot rock, a wave of scorching and dry air rushed at them from the valley.

Fang Lingyao frowned slightly; the cold poison within her body seemed to be stirred up by this omnipresent heat. Under the clash of ice and fire, her face turned faintly pale, and her aura appeared slightly chaotic.

Lin Feng took a step forward, shielding her, and at the same time circulated his Cultivation Technique, emitting a circle of cool water vapor around his body to isolate that heat slightly.

"The situation inside the valley is unclear; let's observe for a moment here first." Lin Feng swept his gaze across the valley entrance in the distance, which looked like the gaping mouth of a giant beast, and said in a deep voice.

Fang Lingyao nodded, using the slight coolness he brought to slowly regulate her breathing and suppress the discomfort in her body.

On a scorching clearing in front of the valley entrance, the atmosphere was heavy. Three figures stood in a triangular Formation, separated by a great distance, clearly wary of one another.

Lin Feng extended his Divine Sense; apart from these three, there was no one else around. Clearly, ordinary Cultivators dared not approach this deadly place at all.

In the center, a young man wearing a white Daoist robe embroidered with flame patterns stood with his hands behind his back, his posture upright; it was the True Disciple of the Heavenly Fire Sect, Liu Mingxuan. His expression appeared calm, but when his gaze swept over the churning fire clouds in the valley, it carried an almost instinctive heat and desire.

Noticing the arrival of Lin Feng and his companion, his eyes flickered slightly. Upon sensing Lin Feng's Early Core Formation Stage cultivation, he nodded slightly as a greeting, then his gaze fell back into the valley.

He was not here by chance. The Heavenly Fire Sect had a long Legacy, and their records of the world's exotic fires and supreme yang treasures were the most detailed.

Several months ago, an Elder within the Sect who observed the celestial phenomena of the Southern Border discovered a faint, strange omen of a red star piercing the sun above the Heaven Burning Valley. Combining this with ancient records regarding the possibility of the red emperor flowing pearl resonating with stellar power, they inferred that a supreme treasure might be emerging here.

As the most talented member of the younger generation in the Sect, Liu Mingxuan's arrival this time was both for training and, more importantly, to shoulder the heavy responsibility of seizing the red emperor flowing pearl for the Sect. He came alone, which was both out of self-confidence and a desire not to let fellow disciples share the credit.

Not far to the left of Liu Mingxuan, a thin, gaunt old man wrapped in an inconspicuous gray robe was squatting on the ground, his fingers pinching a pinch of red sand and soil, sniffing it carefully.

Lin Feng's gaze tightened; he immediately recognized this person as one of the three Black Fiend Alliance Cultivators who had investigated the death of the Skeleton Daoist.

Although he didn't know the other party's name, judging by his bearing, he must be a senior figure in the Alliance.

Fortunately, he had already used the Form Transformation Art to change his appearance and aura at that time, and with his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation being unremarkable, he did not arouse the other party's suspicion.

This Cultivator was none other than Old Mo of the Black Fiend Alliance, whose cultivation had reached the Peak of the Early Core Formation Stage.

That day, the three of them had gone personally to investigate the death of the Skeleton Daoist, but ultimately found nothing.

Noticing Lin Feng's arrival, he cast a glance, his gaze lingering for a moment on Lin Feng's Early Core Formation Stage cultivation, then swept over the unstable aura of Fang Lingyao, before losing interest and continuing to study the ground with his head down.

As a Loose Cultivator Alliance, the Black Fiend Alliance was well-informed, especially adept at obtaining information from various secret channels.

Several months ago, the Alliance purchased a fragmented, ancient animal skin map at a high price, suspected to be left behind by an Ancient Cultivator, which marked the possible eruption time of a secret earth fire spiritual aperture within the Heaven Burning Valley.

Combined with the sporadic news on the black market regarding the strange movements in the Heaven Burning Valley, the Alliance inferred that there might be a major treasure here.

Old Mo was proficient in Formation, escape techniques, and tracking, and was sent to investigate with the intention of obtaining the treasure without anyone knowing.

Just then, from the direction to the right of Liu Mingxuan, a sharp shout filled with shock and anger suddenly rang out:

"It's you?! That brat from the Zen Sound Temple! You actually didn't die?! And you've reached Core Formation?!"

It was none other than the Young Lord of the Xuan Yin Valley, Li Feiyu, who turned around abruptly and stared fixedly at Lin Feng.

He knew better than anyone that when they fought at the Zen Sound Temple, he, Li Feiyu, was already at the Peak of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, and relying on the resources and Cultivation Techniques of the Young Lord of the Xuan Yin Valley, he was full of self-confidence.

Yet this brat before him was only at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage at the time, like an ant in his eyes, who had only managed to escape by luck thanks to a bit of alertness and fortune.

How long had it been? A mere few decades! He, Li Feiyu, had expended massive amounts of Sect resources and gone through hardships, only barely breaking through to the Early Core Formation Stage not long ago.

But this brat... on what basis had this brat also reached Core Formation? And judging by the solidity of his Spiritual Pressure, it seemed no weaker than his own!

He had come to the Heaven Burning Valley to track the aura of a rare nine nether earth yin fiend. According to the secret methods within the valley, this Evil Qi had recently appeared near the Heaven Burning Valley.

The "Xuan Yin Ghost Controlling Art" he Cultivated and his Lifebound Treasure, the soul defilement banner, had as their core the collection, refining, and driving of powerful ghosts and Evil Qi.

Ordinary ghosts and Evil Qi could enhance the power of a Magic Treasure, but they had their limits and were easily restrained by supreme yang and righteous power.

However, the nine nether earth yin fiend was completely different. This Evil Qi was not transformed from ordinary ghosts but originated from the deepest part of the earth's core. It was an Innate Evil Qi that could only possibly be nurtured after ten thousand years in an extreme environment where supreme yang earth fire and nine nether yin veins intersected.

To him, obtaining and refining the nine nether earth yin fiend meant that his Lifebound Treasure, the soul defilement banner, would complete a crucial evolution, and its power would undergo a heaven-shaking change, sufficient for him to have the capital to challenge or even suppress an ordinary Mid-Stage Core Formation Cultivator while only at the Early Core Formation Stage.