Chapter 565: Sacred Fire (Please Subscribe)
Chapter 565: Sacred Fire (Please Subscribe)
Wanhua Island.
Fang Xi once again donned his 'Qing Hezi' alias, following the route from that day, arriving before the ancient teleportation array.
The one guarding the array was still that fierce-looking Nascent Soul cultivator.
“Fellow Daoist Qing Hezi. . . ”
Seeing Fang Xi, he forced a smile: “Are you perhaps looking to return to the Western Desert? ”
“Please, fellow Daoist, lend me a hand. ”
Fang Xi smiled faintly, tossing over a storage bag and a token.
The fierce-looking cultivator took the storage bag, checked it briefly, and nodded with satisfaction.
In truth, cultivators stationed at ancient teleportation arrays, with their convenience of connecting two realms, were truly rolling in wealth.
But the more so, the more they valued 'rules'.
This 'Qing Hezi' was very perceptive, and he was very satisfied.
Fang Xi stepped onto the ancient teleportation array, and the cultivator, with practiced ease, installed the spirit stones and activated the formation.
After a flash of silver light, Fang Xi vanished from the ancient teleportation array.
...
The world spun.
In an instant, the world had changed again.
The humid air was gone, replaced by a dry climate.
Fang Xi frowned slightly, stepping out of the ancient teleportation array.
The one guarding this teleportation array was, unexpectedly, still that dishevelled, linen-robed cultivator, 'Senior Brother Sang'.
“Ah, so it's Fellow Daoist Qing Hezi. After more than a decade apart, have you returned from your travels? It seems you've gained much. ”
Senior Brother Sang was startled for a moment upon seeing Fang Xi, then smiled.
Indeed, for Nascent Soul cultivators, a mere decade or so was a very short time; a single journey could potentially last centuries.
“I did gain a little. ”
Fang Xi exchanged a few polite words, then prepared to leave Misty Peak.
After all, this was the location of the Saint Fire Cult's main altar, with a Divine Transformation Ancestor in residence, and even a fifth-tier formation!
Staying here for too long always made Fang Xi feel a bit uneasy.
‘Sigh. . . after all, when one is under another's roof. ’
He sighed inwardly with emotion.
Senior Brother Sang, however, smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist, you've arrived at just the right time. Our Saint Fire Cult's centennial 'Saint Fire Festival' is currently underway, and even Fire Ancestor himself has emerged from seclusion. . . ”
“The Saint Fire Festival? ”
Fang Xi's heart stirred. He knew this was a major festival for the Saint Fire Cult, with celebrations even held in many affiliated forces, considered a grand event in the Western Desert.
The shops in Shaoyang City would also deliberately lower prices and then hold several large auctions to boost popularity.
“Is it a festival celebration? If there are any large auctions or private exchanges for Nascent Soul cultivators, I would indeed like to participate. ”
Fang Xi said with considerable interest.
“Haha. . . those are merely appetizers. The main course is still within our Saint Fire Cult. During this 'Saint Fire Festival,' our eighteen Saint Fire Envoys, as well as numerous Nascent Soul elders, as long as they aren't burdened with crucial missions, will all return to the sect to await the glory of being bathed in the sacred fire. . . ”
Cultivator Sang enthusiastically said, “During this period, there's also the rare spectacle of the 'Heavenly Fire Illuminating the Sun,' which one absolutely must see. . . ”
Fang Xi rubbed his fingers, his voice suddenly turning cold: “Fellow Daoist, it seems you've left something out? ”
“It's like this: the Saint Fire Festival is a crucial date when the sacred fire absorbs the true power of the Great Sun, increasing its might even further, a rare occurrence even once a century. To protect it, not only have Fire Ancestor and numerous cultivators personally emerged from seclusion, but even our sect's grand formation is fully activated, and cultivators are not permitted to enter or exit. ”
A hint of awkwardness appeared on Senior Brother Sang's face: “Therefore, we can only inconvenience fellow Daoist by having you stay here for three days. . . Similar situations have occurred before, and we always handle them this way. Of course, basking in the glory of the sacred fire together is the supreme honor of the Saint Fire Cult, and our sect will additionally present a 'Saint Fire Token'. . . After three days, I will personally escort fellow Daoist out of the formation. ”
In all fairness, this method of handling things wasn't bad.
If anyone was to blame, it could only be Fang Xi himself for returning at an inconvenient time.
‘They didn’t even bother to notify the other side. . . just to save a few spirit stones? Well. . . perhaps the ancient teleportation array is used too infrequently, and such exceptions were rare in the past. . . Besides, they’re offering compensation in the end, so what more could an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator do? ’
Fang Xi rolled his eyes internally, yet a smile appeared on his face: “For cultivators like us, what are a mere few days? I was just planning to properly observe the wondrous spectacle of the Heavenly Fire Illuminating the Sun. As for the Saint Fire Token? Is it perhaps the legendary token that grants one a discount equivalent to that of a Saint Fire Cult Nascent Soul elder when presented at any of the Saint Fire Cult's subordinate shops? Then I truly must thank fellow Daoist. . . ”
“Haha, no problem! ”
Senior Brother Sang escorted Fang Xi out of the teleportation hall.
Around Misty Peak at this moment, jade platforms floated horizontally in the air, connected by countless thick chains, with various intricate patterns covering the chains.
Upon these jade platforms, there were even quite a few cultivators sitting cross-legged.
Among them were Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, and Core Formation cultivators. . .
And Misty Peak was not the most dazzling. The truly dazzling one, of course, was the highest peak, Luminous Peak!
At its summit, that three-colored flame was even more brilliant and eye-catching, with scorching radiance falling from it.
Senior Brother Sang sent out a sound-transmission talisman, and not long after, Jue Yanzi transformed into a streak of firelight and flew over.
Seeing Fang Xi, a smile appeared on his face: “Fellow Daoist Qing Hezi. ”
“Fellow Daoist Jue Yanzi. ”
Fang Xi nodded in greeting. With a quick sweep of his divine consciousness, he discovered that Jue Yanzi's magic power had greatly improved, clearly having digested the benefits he received from Fang Xi last time.
“Junior Brother Jue Yanzi, this esteemed guest will be entrusted to you next. ”
Senior Brother Sang gave the instruction, then returned directly to the teleportation hall.
“Haha. . . Qing Hezi, what luck you have. ”
Senior Brother Sang had clearly already explained the whole story via sound-transmission talisman, causing Jue Yanzi to chuckle: “Originally, they should have notified the other side in advance these past few days. Perhaps Senior Brother Sang wanted to be lazy, and who knew you'd teleport right over. That 'Saint Fire Token' was probably paid for by Senior Brother Sang himself. ”
“So that’s how it is. . . ”
Fang Xi glanced around, unable to suppress a faint smile: “Speaking of which, last time I came in a hurry and never properly toured your esteemed sect's grounds. I wonder if fellow Daoist could guide the way? ”
“This. . . recently, the sect's restrictions are very strict, but if it's just to a few less important places, then there's naturally no problem. ”
Jue Yanzi pondered for a moment, then readily agreed, leading Fang Xi to a spot: “This place is 'Fire Mountain,' our sect's foremost spirit peak for alchemy. . . ”
Fang Xi gazed at the fiery red peak ahead, unable to help but exclaim in admiration: “Truly a good place. . . ”
As he walked, tiny nanorobots transformed from his 'Green Reaping Sword,' under the manipulation of 'Taiyi,' slowly seeped from his shoe soles and vanished into the nearby soil.
The situation was currently fine, so Fang Xi naturally couldn't turn hostile.
But to be safe, some necessary precautionary measures still had to be taken.
After touring for a while, more than half a day had already passed.
Jue Yanzi then invited Fang Xi to a jade platform.
These jade platforms floated one after another between the various peaks, and now more and more cultivators were gathered on them.
“The view from here is the best. . . and when the Heavenly Fire Illuminates the Sun, there will be further benefits. ”
Jue Yanzi smiled.
‘Actually, I'd rather not have these benefits and just leave quickly. After all, delays breed trouble. . . ’
Fang Xi smiled bitterly in his heart, yet an expression of gratitude appeared on his face: “Many thanks, fellow Daoist. ”
He sat down cross-legged, waiting silently.
With his current mastery of the 'Turtle Breath Art,' there was a high probability he could conceal himself, so he wasn't overly worried in his heart. He only needed to fully commit to playing the role of 'Qing Hezi'.
A day later.
Night gave way to dawn, and the Great Sun rose!
A streak of rosy purple qi flowed forth from the Great Sun, landing on the summit of Saint Fire Peak!
Thump-thump!
On one of the jade platforms, several burly men gripped drumsticks, vigorously pounding the enormous drum surface.
Upon the drum surface, there were also streaks of flame patterns.
Thump-thump!
Accompanying the dull drumbeats, those patterns flashed with light every time they were struck, transmitting continuously, one after another.
“Sacred Fire blazing, illuminating all directions, heaven, earth, and human hearts, ghosts and monsters. . . ”
One by one, the white-robed Saint Fire Cult cultivators suddenly rose, forming strange hand seals with their hands, and continuously murmuring something from their mouths.
Even Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators were doing the same!
Fang Xi and the few others who had been invited to observe the ceremony also felt too awkward to remain seated, so they likewise stood up, watching these Saint Fire Cult cultivators chant spells.
And Fang Xi narrowed his eyes slightly.
He looked into the void, seemingly able to perceive faint wisps of flame emerging from the crowns of the cultivators, flowing along some mysterious forbidden passage, and converging towards Saint Fire Peak!
The 'flamelets' above the Qi Refinement cultivators' heads were the weakest, while Foundation Establishment cultivators were slightly stronger. As for the Saint Fire Envoys and Nascent Soul cultivators, they were like 'torches'!
Countless 'flamelets' converged, like the finest kindling, making the three-colored flame atop Luminous Peak suddenly blaze even more fiercely.
Blazing!
The outermost crimson flames surged dramatically!
Immediately after, the earth trembled!
From beneath Fire Mountain, streaks of earth-vein fire, bound by powerful restrictions, transformed into fire-jiao, fire-crows, fire-snakes. . . and other forms, erupting like a volcanic explosion along the internal passages of Luminous Peak!
At the summit of Luminous Peak, that three-colored fifth-tier 'Three Yangs Sacred Fire' glowed intensely. Originally almost entirely crimson flames, it now saw thin wisps of pale yellow flame layers forming.
“What a powerful formation! ”
Fang Xi sighed with emotion in his heart, looking up at the sky: “Gathering human fire, earth fire. . . next, it should be heavenly fire, right? ”
He finally understood how the 'Three Yangs Sacred Fire' came to be.
As expected, a figure emerged in mid-air, a seemingly unremarkable old man whose eyebrows and hair appeared as if on fire, blazing fiercely—it was none other than Fire Ancestor!
Fire Ancestor raised his hand and waved, and all the fire-element spiritual energy between heaven and earth was absorbed, transforming into streaks of fire-element divine light.
The Three Yangs Sacred Fire suddenly shook, its scorching flames seemingly intent on overshadowing the sunlight that had risen to mid-air.
Unbeknownst to them, half a day had already passed in the ceremony, moving from early morning to noon, the time when the radiance of the Sun Star was most intense!
From atop the crimson Sun Star, a deep blue flame core flowed down like water, absorbed by the Three Yangs Sacred Fire, and the three colors achieved a perfect balance.
The three fires—Heaven, Earth, and Man—gathered, their radiance eclipsing all other light in the world.
This was—Heavenly Fire Illuminating the Sun!
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