OBS Chapter 1398 Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire
Chapter 1398 Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire
Chapter 1398 Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire
Qin Hao ignored the shock of the Miaoyin Sect members behind him, his gaze fixed on the broken azure dragon phantom in mid-air.
Even without its master's control, the "Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire" originating from the divided spirit of the Extreme Yin Ancestor still exuded a chilling and destructive aura. Like a leech clinging to a bone, it struggled left and right within the constraints of the Azure Dragon phantom. Each impact made the already broken Azure Dragon light and shadow even dimmer, emitting painful hisses, and azure light spots continuously dissipated from its body.
"Hmph, an unclaimed item, yet it dares to be so arrogant?" Qin Hao sneered, his eyes sharp as knives. He gripped the wooden dragon tablet tightly again, his pure and powerful Nascent Soul stage mana flowing into it like a burst dam.
The wooden dragon tablet instantly shone with a brilliant blue light, as if it had come to life. Nourished by this powerful magic, the previously tattered blue dragon phantom was repaired at a visible speed, like rain after a long drought. Blue dragon scales were re-covered, broken dragon claws reformed, and the originally thin dragon body became thick and solid.
A blue light flowed, and the dragon's might reappeared! It roared, and its huge dragon body suddenly tightened, wrapping the restless black flame more tightly and firmly around its core. Layers of blue light, like the most resilient shackles, pressed down on it, temporarily curbing its escape momentum.
However, Qin Hao knew that this was merely a temporary measure. The Wooden Dragon Token was ultimately a wood-type magic weapon, and the azure dragon phantom it generated contained inexhaustible wood-attribute energy, which countered the extremely yin and evil Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire attribute but did not absolutely suppress it.
Maintaining this pure energy confrontation for a prolonged period not only causes significant damage to the wooden dragon tablet itself, but also continuously depletes one's magical power. The Azure Dragon phantom alone is simply insufficient to safely bring this unruly demonic fire back to the Heavenly Star City cave for further refining.
With a sweep of his gaze across the battlefield, Qin Hao's figure vanished from his spot. The next moment, he appeared like a ghost in front of the Hidden Fiend Sect Master, who was being imprisoned by the divided spirit of the Extreme Yin Ancestor and stood stiffly like a puppet not far away.
The sect leader, who was in the late stage of Core Formation, was in a terrible state. His whole body was enveloped in a thick, impenetrable black aura. This black aura writhed like a living thing, deeply embedding itself into his meridians and acupoints. It not only sealed off all his magical power, but also prevented him from moving even a single finger. Only his eyeballs could still move, revealing nothing but horror and despair.
He watched helplessly as Qin Hao, a Nascent Soul cultivator, teleported in front of him, his pleading eyes growing even stronger.
Qin Hao looked down at him, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Fellow Daoist Sun, just now the Yin Demon tried to take your life, but I intervened and severed his demigod's avatar. In a way, I saved your life. Now, I wish to borrow a magic weapon from you. I'm sure Fellow Daoist Sun won't mind, will he?"
The sect leader of the Hidden Fiend Sect, surnamed Sun, had his pupils shrink slightly. His mouth was sealed by spiritual energy, and he could only blink repeatedly, his eyes full of helplessness—even if he minded, he had no room to refuse.
Seeing this, Qin Hao smiled slightly and said, "Since that's the case, I won't stand on ceremony."
Before he finished speaking, a wisp of spiritual energy shot out from his fingertip, precisely hooking the storage pouch at Sect Master Sun's waist. The storage pouch flashed with spiritual light and landed in Qin Hao's hand. He probed the pouch with his divine sense and quickly retrieved a bead the size of a fist. The bead was pale blue, covered with a thin layer of frost. As soon as it was taken out, the surrounding air temperature plummeted, and even the ground condensed into tiny ice particles.
"The Frost Pearl, crafted from deep-sea mystic crystal, is indeed incredibly cold." Qin Hao weighed the pearl in his hand, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "With the extreme cold power of the deep-sea mystic crystal, it should be enough to temporarily suppress the ferocity of the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire."
As soon as he finished speaking, he channeled his spiritual power into the Frost Pearl. The pale blue pearl instantly burst forth with a dazzling white light, and the chill spread like a tide, instantly covering the surrounding rocks with a thick layer of ice.
The next second, a condensed white light shot out from the bead, rushing towards the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire within the Azure Dragon phantom. At the same time, Qin Hao withdrew the spiritual power he had poured into the Wooden Dragon Token, and the azure Azure Dragon phantom receded like a tide, transforming back into runes and merging back into the Wooden Dragon Token.
Unbound, the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire indeed erupted, its black flames expanding rapidly and transforming into a fire serpent that fled towards the western sea. However, before the fire serpent could fly ten feet, the white light emitted by the Cold Dawn Pearl instantly enveloped it like a giant net.
"Hmph, that old bastard Ji Yin, he really did have a backup plan." Qin Hao's expression darkened, and he increased his spiritual power output. The white light of the Cold Dawn Pearl suddenly tightened, and the power of extreme cold surged wildly into the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire.
The black flames struggled violently in the white light, emitting a hissing sound. The blackness on the surface of the flames gradually faded, eventually being covered by a thin layer of ice. In just a moment, the raging Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire was completely frozen into a pitch-black "fireball," suspended in the center of the white light, unable to move any further.
Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction, then waved his hand, unlocking the black chains binding Sect Leader Sun. He tossed the storage bag back to him, but Han Lizhu showed no intention of returning it.
Once free, Sect Leader Sun quickly stretched his stiff body and bowed deeply to Qin Hao with utmost respect, his tone filled with sincere gratitude: "Senior, I will never forget your life-saving grace."
He knew very well that if Qin Hao hadn't intervened, he would have died at the hands of the Extreme Yin clone today. Compared to his life, a magic weapon was nothing.
"Saving someone's life is a life-saving favor; simply saying thank you seems insincere, doesn't it?" Qin Hao looked at him with a half-smile.
Sect Leader Sun was incredibly astute and instantly understood Qin Hao's meaning. He gave a wry smile, took out a light black jade slip from his sleeve, and presented it to Qin Hao with both hands: "Senior is too kind. I have nothing of value, but this scroll of the 'Mysterious Yin Scripture' might be of some use to you. I hope you won't find it offensive."
A glint of light flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. He raised his hand and summoned the jade slip, which transformed into a stream of light and fell into his palm. He pressed the jade slip to his forehead and probed it with his divine sense, carefully browsing its contents—Avatar, Shapeshifting Technique, the initial refining method of Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, Yin Demon Slash, Yin Fire Thunder... Each supernatural power carried a strong aura of yin and evil, yet was incredibly powerful.
This *Mysterious Yin Scripture* is far superior to the incomplete and half-baked cultivation technique of the Yue Emperor. Unfortunately, it's still incomplete, lacking the most crucial Mysterious Soul Refining Demon Technique. It seems this technique will have to be found from the Mysterious Bone Master.
After putting the jade slip into his storage bag, Qin Hao changed the subject and asked, "Now that you have been discovered by the Extreme Yin Demon, what are your plans for the future? Continuing to hide is probably not a long-term solution."
Sect Master Sun looked helpless and sighed, "The only option now is to hide in the Tongtian Mist Sea again. The mist there never dissipates and can block divine sense. It was there that I was able to escape the pursuit of the Extreme Yin Demon back then."
Qin Hao raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. He had long heard of the Heavenly Mist Sea, a notorious forbidden zone within the Chaotic Star Sea. The mist there not only blocked cultivators' divine sense but also carried a faint illusionary power, making it easy for even Nascent Soul cultivators to lose their way. Even more dangerous was the fact that most of the demonic beasts in the Mist Sea were adept at close combat. With their divine sense blocked, cultivators couldn't detect the beasts' tracks in advance, and a moment's carelessness could lead to a direct collision.
Even a Nascent Soul cultivator, without having cultivated body-tempering techniques, would have their physical body destroyed within a few rounds of close-range attack from a level seven demonic beast. Sect Master Sun's decision to hide there clearly indicates he had no other choice.
"Sect Leader Sun, do you think I have the strength to fight against the true form of the Extreme Yin Demon?" Qin Hao suddenly asked.
Upon hearing this, Sect Master Sun was taken aback, then shook his head with a wry smile: "Senior is incredibly powerful. Today, you killed the clone of the Extreme Yin Demon with just one move. This strength is enough to intimidate the Chaotic Star Sea. However, the Extreme Yin Demon was already at the peak of the early Nascent Soul stage a hundred years ago, and now he has cultivated the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire. His strength is even more unfathomable. I really dare not say that you can defeat him."
Having followed Ji Yin for many years, he was well aware of Ji Yin's ruthlessness and strength. Even though Qin Hao displayed formidable combat power, he dared not overestimate him.
Qin Hao was not angry. He just smiled calmly, pointed to the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire floating in the white light, and asked, "Do you think that I went to great lengths to trap this Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire just to weaken the power of the Extreme Yin Old Demon?"
Sect Master Sun's pupils constricted sharply, and he looked up at Qin Hao with disbelief in his voice: "Could it be... that Senior intends to take this Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire for his own use?"
The Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire is Ji Yin's natal flame, refined over a hundred years with his own essence and primordial spirit. It is closely connected to Ji Yin's primordial spirit. Ordinary cultivators, let alone refine it, will be devoured by the corpse fire and have their primordial spirit burned if they are not careful. He never thought that anyone would dare to make a move on this flame.
"Who told you that the Heavenly Capital Corpse Flame can only be used by the person who cultivated it?" Qin Hao's lips curled into a confident smile, his eyes gleaming with self-assurance. With the AI's deduction of the refining method, coupled with the strength of his own primordial spirit, refining this ball of corpse flame, though troublesome, was not impossible.
Sect Master Sun swallowed hard, his gaze towards Qin Hao completely changing. He knew the power of the Heavenly Capital Corpse Flame; if Qin Hao could truly refine it, his strength would undoubtedly surge, giving him a fighting chance against the Extreme Yin True Body. He took a deep breath, bowed deeply to Qin Hao, and said with utmost respect, "This junior is willing to obey Senior's orders. If Senior can find any use for this junior, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Zi Ling not far away and said, "If Sect Leader Sun doesn't mind, then temporarily take on the position of Guest Elder at the Miaoyin Sect. The Miaoyin Sect has just lost two Core Formation Elders and is in dire need of manpower. I'm sure Fairy Zi Ling won't object to Sect Leader Sun joining us, will she?"
Upon hearing this, everyone in the Miaoyin Sect showed expressions of joy and delight. Zi Ling was overjoyed, her smile impossible to hide. Previously, she had been troubled by the loss of two Core Formation elders in the sect, but now that Sect Master Sun, a late-stage Core Formation expert, was willing to join, not only would the losses be made up, but the strength of the Miaoyin Sect would also be elevated to a new level. This was simply a tremendous boon for the Miaoyin Sect.
"This junior obeys!" Sect Master Sun turned around and cupped his hands to Zi Ling, speaking politely, "From now on, I hope Fairy Zi Ling will take good care of me."
Zi Ling quickly stepped forward, cupped her hands in return, and said respectfully, "Elder Sun, you flatter me. You are a senior and highly accomplished person. I hope you will take good care of Miaoyin Sect in the future."
She knew very well that Sect Leader Sun was only able to stay in the Miaoyin Sect because of Qin Hao's influence, and she had to maintain this relationship well.
Seeing that even the sect leader had joined the Wonderful Sound Sect, the remaining dozen or so cultivators from the Hidden Fiend Sect stepped forward and bowed to Zi Ling, saying, "We are willing to join the Wonderful Sound Sect and obey the sect leader and Elder Sun's orders!"
They were already worried about being hunted down by Ji Yin, and now that they had the backing of Miao Yin Sect and the support of Nascent Soul cultivators, they were naturally more than happy to accept it.
Seeing this, Zi Ling's eyes narrowed with laughter. The complete annihilation of the Miaoyin Sect had actually greatly increased her strength, making her even more grateful to Qin Hao.
Qin Hao nodded slightly as he looked at the scene before him. The increased strength of the Miaoyin Sect was also a good thing for him. After all, individual strength is limited, especially when it comes to rare materials. With the Miaoyin Sect's help in collecting them, it would save him a lot of trouble.
After everyone had cleaned up the battlefield and properly collected the bodies of the fallen cultivators, Qin Hao, along with Yuan Yao, Zi Ling, Sect Master Sun, and others, boarded the spirit boat returning to Tianxing City. The ink-black dragon boat cut through the sea, leaving a white trail, and sped eastward.
Three days later, in the secret room on the top floor of Miaoyinfang in Tianxing City.
Qin Hao sat on a purple futon, toying with the Cold Dawn Pearl that sealed the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire in his hand. Suddenly remembering something, he looked up at Zi Ling standing beside him and asked, "Does the Myriad Sounds Sect have Golden Thunder Bamboo in its inventory?"
Zi Ling pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "There is indeed a small section of Golden Thunder Bamboo stored in the storeroom. It was sent by a small sect and was originally intended for an auction. I will have someone fetch it for me right away."
As she spoke, she turned and walked out of the secret room, returning shortly afterward with a jade box in her hand.
The jade box was opened, revealing a piece of bluish-gold bamboo, about half a foot long. The surface of the bamboo was covered with fine golden patterns, like intertwined lightning, and one could faintly sense the weak lightning-type spiritual power contained within it.
Qin Hao picked up the Golden Thunder Bamboo, tracing the patterns on its surface with his fingertips, a smirk playing on his lips: "This time, I guess I'll just have to let that kid Han Li have it for now."
This small section of Golden Thunder Bamboo was utterly useless to him—his cultivation technique was unrelated to lightning, and he didn't need to forge the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword. But for Han Li, who possessed the little green bottle, this small section of Golden Thunder Bamboo was equivalent to having an endless supply of ten-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo. The little green bottle's ripening ability could allow the Golden Thunder Bamboo to grow to ten thousand years old in a short time, enough for Han Li to forge seventy-two Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords. Han Li would definitely remember this favor.
After leaving the Mystic Sound Pavilion, Qin Hao took out a sound transmission talisman, infused it with spiritual energy, and casually waved it. The talisman transformed into a golden light and flew towards the Holy Mountain, eventually landing in front of a hidden cave.
Half an hour later, the stone door of the cave opened with a loud bang, and Han Li rushed out. He was wearing a blue robe, and his aura was already at the mid-stage of Core Formation. His face was full of anxiety. As soon as he saw Qin Hao, he asked eagerly, "Senior Brother, did you really find the Golden Thunder Bamboo?"
Over the years, although Han Li's cultivation had advanced to the mid-stage of Core Formation, he had never refined a natal magic weapon. The reason was simple—his cultivation technique, the Azure Cloud Sword Art, required the exclusive natal magic weapon, the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword, to unleash its full power, and refining this magic weapon required the Golden Thunder Bamboo, one of the three great divine trees.
However, the Golden Thunder Bamboo had long since disappeared from the Chaotic Star Sea. He had searched for decades but had not found even a single section. Now, upon receiving Qin Hao's transmission talisman, he didn't even bother to accelerate the ripening of the Gold-Eating Insects and rushed over immediately.
Seeing his eagerness, Qin Hao didn't keep him in suspense any longer. He handed over the Golden Thunder Bamboo in his hand and said calmly, "Here, this is the section. See if it's what you're looking for."
Han Li quickly took the Golden Thunder Bamboo, gently stroking the golden patterns on its surface with his fingertips, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes. But soon, a look of "regret" appeared on his face, and he sighed, "It really is Golden Thunder Bamboo, but it's a pity there's only such a small section... Refining the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword requires a large amount of Golden Thunder Bamboo, and this section is probably not enough."
Qin Hao chuckled inwardly: This guy really knows how to pretend. With Little Green Bottle's abilities, let alone a section of bamboo, even a single bamboo leaf could grow into a whole Golden Thunder Bamboo Forest, yet he insists on putting on this regretful act. He's really cautious enough.
"Junior brother, don't be so ungrateful." Qin Hao deliberately put on a stern face and said, "This may be the last section of Golden Thunder Bamboo in this world. You should cherish it. If you don't even have this section, you probably won't be able to forge the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword in your lifetime."
Han Li quickly concealed the "regret" on his face, cupped his hands in a respectful bow to Qin Hao, and said sincerely, "Senior Brother is right. In any case, I am grateful for your help in finding the whereabouts of the Golden Thunder Bamboo. I will remember this kindness."
"Junior brother, don't thank me yet." Qin Hao changed the subject, his eyes becoming serious: "I have a request. After you finish refining the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword, you need to use the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder contained within the magic weapon to do me a favor. How about it?"
Yin Fire Thunder is a great thing, with immense power. Moreover, it will be needed for the later fusion with Asura Sacred Fire. Han Li is definitely going to be a "mobile power bank".
Upon hearing this, Han Li agreed without hesitation. If his senior brother hadn't found the Golden Thunder Bamboo, he wouldn't know when he would be able to refine his natal magic weapon. This little thing was nothing at all.
Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction, then remembered the Blood Jade Spider and asked, "How is the progress of your Blood Jade Spider cultivation going?"
Without a word, Han Li patted his spirit beast pouch, revealing two millstone-sized blood jade spiders. The spiders were entirely blood-red, their exoskeletons as smooth as jade, and the tips of their eight legs gleamed with a subtle, cold light. They exuded the aura of fifth-level demonic beasts. They seemed to recognize Qin Hao, only glancing up slightly before continuing to lie docilely at Han Li's feet.
"Thanks to my senior brother, these two Blood Jade Spiders have already advanced to level five." Han Li's face showed a hint of pride.
Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction and then cautioned, "Junior brother, you must not reveal anything about the Blood Jade Spider. The situation in the Chaotic Star Sea is complicated right now. If it attracts the attention of those with ulterior motives, it could easily cause complications, which would be detrimental to both of us."
"Don't worry, senior brother, I understand." Han Li quickly put away the Blood Jade Spiders, his tone solemn: "I have been hiding them deep in the cave. Apart from you, senior brother, no one knows of their existence."
After exchanging pleasantries, Han Li hurriedly returned to his cave dwelling. He was eager to use the small green bottle to accelerate the ripening of the Golden Thunder Bamboo. After all, refining seventy-two Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords would require a large amount of Golden Thunder Bamboo. The ripening and refining process would take at least several years and at most more than ten years, so he had to hurry.
Qin Hao watched Han Li's departing figure, a faint smile playing on his lips, before turning back to his cave. He took out the Cold Dawn Pearl, which sealed the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, from his storage bag, placed it on the stone table in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "AI, deduce the method of refining the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire in the 'Mysterious Yin Scripture,' and formulate the optimal refining plan."
[AI system activating... Data loading... Deduction beginning...]
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, and streams of data flashed rapidly through Qin Hao's consciousness. The AI, combining the records in the "Mysterious Yin Scripture," the characteristics of the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, and Qin Hao's primordial spirit data, began to rapidly deduce the refining steps, eliminating potential risks of backlash and optimizing the rhythm of spiritual energy injection.
About an incense stick later, the AI's voice sounded again.
[Deduction complete. Optimal solution: First, use the extreme cold power of the Cold Dawn Pearl to suppress the ferocity of the corpse fire, gradually dissipating the ice layer to prevent a sudden backlash from the corpse fire; Second, use one's own primordial spirit as a guide to invade the interior of the corpse fire and erase the residual divine consciousness imprint of extreme yin; Third, circulate the "Mysterious Yin Scripture" technique to fuse one's own spiritual power with the corpse fire, nourishing it daily with essence blood, and continuously refining it for three years to initially control the corpse fire...]
Qin Hao nodded and began to act according to the steps deduced by the AI. Spiritual energy surged at his fingertips, slowly dissipating the ice layer on the surface of the Frost Pearl. As the ice layer thinned, the black corpse fire began to flicker slightly, emitting a faint burning aura.
He circulated his primordial spirit, and a wisp of condensed divine consciousness pierced into the corpse fire like a fine needle, carefully searching for the remaining divine consciousness imprints of extreme yin.
Before long, he found a faint black mark deep within the corpse fire—a wisp of extremely Yin spirit, clinging to the core of the corpse fire like a maggot. Qin Hao's eyes narrowed, and his divine sense suddenly erupted, slashing at the mark like a sharp blade. With a "sizzle," the black mark was instantly shattered, turning into specks of spiritual light and dissipating.
After erasing the extremely Yin spiritual consciousness, Qin Hao began to circulate the "Mysterious Yin Scripture" technique, infusing his own spiritual power into the corpse fire. Nourished by the spiritual power, the black corpse fire gradually became docile, no longer as violent as before. He pricked his fingertip, and a drop of blood fell onto the corpse fire. The blood was instantly absorbed by the corpse fire, making the flames even deeper in color.
Cold winters and hot summers, spring and autumn, three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
For the past three years, Qin Hao has remained in his cave, tirelessly refining the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire.
The Cold Dew Pearl on the stone table had vanished, replaced by a ball of black flame suspended in mid-air. The flame, initially raging and unpredictable, gradually became docile and controllable, eventually changing shape at will according to his will.
On this day, Qin Hao slowly opened his tightly closed eyes, a black flame flashing within them. He raised his right hand, palm up, and the ball of Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, the size of an infant's fist, slowly landed in his palm. As his hand moved, the flame changed shape, sometimes transforming into a sword shape, sometimes into a sphere, moving with incredible agility.
"Finally, these three years of tireless work have not been in vain. I have finally refined this Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire to the point where I can control it as easily as I use my own limbs." A satisfied smile appeared on Qin Hao's lips as he felt the terrifying power contained in the flame in his palm. With just a thought, this flame could instantly erupt, scorching the physical body and primordial spirit of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Its power far exceeded any supernatural ability he had mastered before.
Then, Qin Hao's mind stirred, and he gently clenched his fist. The Heavenly Capital Corpse Flame in his palm receded like a tide, slowly disappearing into his body, eventually settling near his dantian and merging with his spiritual power. He could clearly feel the presence of the flame, but he was not burned by it.
"However, the evil cultivator's techniques are indeed quite flawed." Qin Hao frowned slightly and pondered to himself: "Although the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire is strong, it is closely connected to one's own primordial spirit. Once it encounters an even stronger attack on the primordial spirit, or if there is a mistake during the refining process, it may lose a thousand years of cultivation in one fell swoop, or even be devoured by the corpse fire, ending up with the destruction of both body and soul."
He shook his head, banishing these distracting thoughts. Now that he had the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, it was time to meet Master Xuan Gu. Putting aside everything else, the complete scroll of the "Mysterious Yin Scripture" on Master Xuan Gu's person, especially the Mysterious Soul Refining Demon Technique within it, was enough to make him make the trip.
Qin Hao got up and walked out of the stone chamber. He found Yuan Yao and Yan Li, who were meditating, and instructed them, "I need to leave Tianxing City for a while to handle an important matter. You two should not go out in the near future. We'll talk when I get back."
Yuan Yao and Yan Li nodded quickly: "Senior, don't worry, we won't go out and cause trouble."
Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction, turned around and returned to the stone chamber, taking out a small black boat from his storage bag.
The Ink Dragon Boat was summoned, and the small boat instantly grew larger, large enough to accommodate several people. Qin Hao leaped onto the boat, activated his spiritual power, and the Ink Dragon Boat transformed into a streak of dark light, rushing out of the cave and flying towards the depths of the Chaotic Star Sea.
Three months later, at the edge of the Chaotic Star Sea, in the Extraterrestrial Sea.
On a remote stretch of sea, a streak of dark light flashed by like a shooting star, leaving not a trace of even a spirit boat in the distance. The Outer Star Sea is far from the core area of the Chaotic Star Sea; cultivators are scarce, and demonic beasts roam freely, so few people venture here.
Qin Hao piloted the Black Dragon Boat, flying over this sea for three days before finally stopping in front of a desolate island. The island was about a hundred miles in size, covered with dense black jungle, and the air was filled with a faint smell of blood, indicating that many demonic beasts inhabited it.
"According to the AI's analysis, the island where the Xuan Gu Shangren is imprisoned by Ji Yin must have multiple layers of restrictions nearby, and disciples must be guarding it year-round. We've explored all the suspicious islands nearby, and this one best matches our terrain, appearance, and the fluctuations of the restrictions." Qin Hao put away the Ink Dragon Boat, and with a flash, landed on the reef on the island's shore.
He had barely steadied himself when a blue rainbow shot out from the jungle, blocking his path. It was a gaunt cultivator, dressed in a gray-black robe, with a strange flower basket the size of a palm slung at his waist. The basket was made entirely of wood, its surface carved with eerie runes, faintly radiating the aura of an ancient treasure.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass on the island I'm guarding!" The gaunt cultivator's tone was icy, his eyes fixed warily on Qin Hao. He already gripped the flower basket at his waist, ready to strike at any moment. He was a disciple of the Extreme Yin Sect stationed on the island, ordered to kill any strangers who approached without mercy.
Qin Hao's lips curled slightly as he looked at the flower basket at the other man's waist and said calmly, "You are a disciple of the Extreme Yin Demon, aren't you?"
The gaunt cultivator's expression changed, his eyes becoming even more wary: "What Extreme Yin Ancestor? I have no idea what you're talking about! If you know what's good for you, get out of here right now, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Faced with his threat, Qin Hao's lips curled into a disdainful smile. His aura suddenly erupted, the pressure of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator pressing down on the gaunt cultivator like a mountain. The invisible pressure made the surrounding air thicken, the gaunt cultivator's face instantly turned deathly pale, his legs trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with fear. Under the pressure of the Nascent Soul cultivator, he couldn't even muster the thought of resistance.
"Nascent Soul... Nascent Soul Ancestor!" The gaunt cultivator exclaimed in shock. He dared not linger any longer and turned to flee in his escape light.
"Trying to leave now? Don't you think it's a bit too late?" Qin Hao sneered, waving his right hand. From his storage bag, the gilded armor-piercing blade transformed into a golden light, slashing towards the withered cultivator's back with a sharp whooshing sound.
The gaunt cultivator sensed a deadly threat coming from behind and was greatly alarmed. Without the slightest hesitation, he swiftly retrieved the flower basket from his waist and frantically poured his spiritual energy into it. The flower basket instantly burst forth with a white light, and a dense white mist surged out from it, rushing towards the gilded armor-piercing blade like a tidal wave.
The white mist touched the golden blade, making a "sizzling" sound, and actually temporarily blocked the golden blade's attack.
"Hmm, this ancient treasure is quite interesting." A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. This flower basket could block the gilded armor-piercing blade, so it was clearly no ordinary item.
A thought struck him, and with a flash, he appeared above the gaunt cultivator's head as if by teleportation, his tone tinged with amusement: "I'll gladly accept this treasure."
The gaunt cultivator, hearing the voice coming from above, was immediately terrified and instinctively looked up. But as soon as he raised his head, he saw a ball of pitch-black flame descend from the sky—it was the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire summoned by Qin Hao. The black flame moved with incredible speed, instantly engulfing the gaunt cultivator.
"what--!"
The piercing screams ceased abruptly as soon as they began. The emaciated cultivator had no chance to resist; his physical body was burned to ashes by the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, and even his primordial spirit was unable to escape, turning completely to ash.
Qin Hao put away the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire, reached out and took the ancient treasure in the flower basket into his hand, examining it carefully.
Ancient treasures are actually magical artifacts crafted by ancient cultivators. Due to the different materials and methods used in their crafting, they generally cannot be stored in a storage bag and must be carried with one's person. These ancient treasures often have relatively simple functions, but their power is quite remarkable. Therefore, the value of one ordinary ancient treasure is often equivalent to that of ten ordinary magical artifacts.
With the ancient treasure flower basket tucked into his waistband, Qin Hao strode towards the depths of the island. The closer he got to the center of the island, the more pronounced the surrounding protective barriers became. He carefully observed the surrounding formations and discovered that they were interconnected, each layer containing different deadly intents. Moreover, judging from the time it took to set up the formations, they had been reinforced at least a dozen times, inside and out.
"They've assigned a late-stage Core Formation disciple to guard him and set up so many restrictions. It seems that the Extreme Yin Old Demon is truly terrified of the Profound Bone Immortal." Qin Hao's lips curled into a cold smile.