Volume 2 Chapter 15

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Volume 2 Chapter 15: Legend

"Fire Cloud Technique! Swift!"

As the elder’s low voice echoed, the previously intense yet calm Fire Spirit Qi in the air suddenly became fierce. Under the powerful Spirit Qi fluctuations, it became exceedingly difficult for Xu Qingfan to cast spells. Fortunately, the mutated beasts also became sluggish under the strong Spirit Qi waves; otherwise, Xu Qingfan and his companions would have been unable to withstand their frenzied onslaught.

Then, a deep rumbling sound continuously arose from the expanse of fire cloud that obscured the sky. The fire cloud’s color became increasingly vivid, casting the entire world in a red hue. Then, specks of fiery rain began to slowly drift down from the fire cloud, avoiding Xu Qingfan and his companions as they fell into the midst of the mutated beast horde.

Each drop of the fiery rain, although a small fragment, contained an immense amount of Fire Spirit Qi. The mutated beasts struck by the fiery rain were engulfed in flames, transforming into fireballs that rolled and wailed on the ground. Even the lower-level demon beasts, distorted by mutation, howled in agony when hit by the fiery rain.

At first, it was just a few drops, but as time passed, the drizzle turned into a downpour, and the downpour became a torrential storm. The drops of fiery rain fell more and more densely, eventually obscuring everyone’s vision. The cries of agony from within the mutated beast horde grew increasingly intense. Countless mutated ground beasts, enveloped in flames, rolled unceasingly on the ground, while many burning mutated birds plummeted from the sky. The world seemed to transform into a fiery inferno, leaving only a sea of red.

This was still Xu Qingfan’s first time witnessing the spellcasting of a great master at the Condensed Core Stage. Although he had previously encountered several masters with strength comparable to Bao Wei’s, he could only sense a fraction of their power through their sheer presence and had never seen them perform spells. Now, finally witnessing a great master at the Condensed Core Stage casting spells, the shock within Xu Qingfan’s heart was beyond words, and the power of this spell could only be described as earth-shattering.

The once-mighty mutated beasts appeared so weak before the fiery rain, helplessly rolling and wailing on the ground. The once-endless beast horde seemed destined for complete destruction, with the passage of time appearing to be the only barrier.

The expressions of those around were not much better than Xu Qingfan’s. Lv Ziqing, witnessing the might of the Fire Cloud Technique, besides shock, harbored a serene longing. Meanwhile, Shang Nianyao’s face darkened with worry, seemingly lamenting when he himself would reach such a mystically profound level of spellcraft. Xu Xiurong looked pale and showed great pity on her face as she watched the continuously rolling and wailing beasts. Strangely, Hou Wanjun, after witnessing his master Bao Wei’s terrifying spell, remained unmoved, his face expressionless.

Amidst the fiery rain showering down, it’s unclear how much time has passed. The once echoing cries of sorrow have gradually quieted, and the seemingly endless rain of fire has slowly come to a halt.

After the fiery rain completely stopped, Bao Wei called out firmly, "Withdraw!" Instantly, the blazing flames on the ground transformed into the purest fire Spirit Qi and dissipated into the air. The hellish scene of flames returned to peace, and with the desolate Southern Wasteland breeze blowing, the temperature quickly dropped, as if it was a whole different world from before.

Once the flames were all dispersed by Bao Wei, the scene before them became clear. On the barren land of the Southern Wasteland lay a field of corpses. The once ferocious mutated beasts had now burned into dried corpses. Only a few lesser mutated demon beasts with stronger vitality were sighing weakly. The air was filled with a nauseating stench.

Seeing the sight before them, Xu Qingfan and the others turned pale, their stomachs churning. Xu Xiurong couldn’t hold back and ran to the side to vomit.

Bao Wei’s face also showed a hint of paleness, but it was unclear if it was due to the excessive Spirit Qi consumption from performing the "Fire Cloud Technique" or because of unease from the destruction he caused. However, compared to the younger ones like Xu Qingfan, Bao Wei remained quite calm. He slowly approached a still-breathing mutated demon beast and extended his Spirit Qi to investigate the cause of its mutation.

What weighed most on his mind now was what Xu Qingfan had mentioned about the ‘Nine Transformations of Demonization.’ If what Xu Qingfan said were true, it would mean the reappearance of demon cultivators, a thought that could deeply unsettle the older generation of cultivators familiar with their terrifying nature.

After probing with his Spirit Qi for a long time, Bao Wei’s expression remained serious, yet he seemed relieved. Still unsure, he checked the remaining living mutated demon beasts one by one, then slowly returned to the group, lost in thought, as if pondering something unknown.

In Bao Wei’s contemplation, time slipped by unnoticed. Although everyone’s faces were still pale, they managed to suppress the turmoil within themselves. No one dared to interrupt Bao Wei’s thoughts, choosing to wait silently. The world turned quiet, with only the desolate breeze of the Southern Wasteland softly whispering the unrest of this world.

"These creatures have fallen victim to the ‘Nine Transformations of Demonization,’ but there shouldn’t be any demon cultivators in the Southern Wasteland," Bao Wei finally spoke, as if confirming the thoughts lingering in his mind.

Upon hearing Bao Wei’s words, Xu Qingfan felt curious and was about to say something when he suddenly remembered something and fell into deep thought.

"No demon cultivator appeared? But isn’t the ‘Nine Transformations of Demonization’ exclusive to demon cultivators?" Lv Ziqing asked in surprise.

Seeing Lv Ziqing, Shang Nianyao, and the others looking puzzled while Xu Qingfan was deep in thought, Bao Wei showed a clear sign of dissatisfaction on his face. He was obviously displeased that his own disciple’s knowledge was inferior to Xu Qingfan’s. Nonetheless, he asked Xu Qingfan, "Nephew Xu, have you thought of something?"

"Are you referring to the ‘Nine Demon Bead’?" Xu Qingfan asked hesitantly, unsure of himself. Yue Qingru had left many scrolls, and over the years, Xu Qingfan had studied them, becoming quite familiar with various strange tales from the cultivation world.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s reply, Lv Ziqing and Shang Nianyao looked enlightened, gazing at Xu Qingfan with admiration. Even Bao Wei’s face showed a hint of approval, saying, "That’s exactly what I was thinking. You are indeed someone who is well-read and remembers much. There are not many cultivators like you nowadays."

Saying this, Bao Wei gave Lv Ziqing and the other three a disapproving look.

"You flatter me, elder. I only happened to know some records on this topic by chance. I believe if Senior Brother Lv and the others were given more time, they would recall it too. Moreover, these are just minor topics, and while I’ve read more books, my cultivation and skills are still far behind Brother Shang and Senior Brother Lv."

"Hmph…! Even in terms of cultivation and skills, they may not necessarily be your match," Bao Wei remarked, glancing at the four Whomping Willows still standing around them.

"But how did you know it was the ‘Nine Demon Bead’ causing trouble and not the appearance of a demon cultivator, elder?" Xu Qingfan asked quickly, feeling a bit awkward and eager to change the subject.

"’Nine Transformations of Demonization’ refers to a mystical art that transforms nine different species – humans, immortals, beasts, spirits, insects, fish, and more – into demons. The ‘Nine Demon Bead’ is designed with a focus on each of these categories. Each bead can only demonize one species, and when used on others, its power greatly diminishes. I noticed that those low-level demon beasts are not fully demonized, nor as strong as ancient texts describe. It appears these demon beasts were forcibly transformed by a bead meant for another species," Bao Wei explained slowly.

"I see, such wisdom, I am truly impressed," Xu Qingfan said, with a respectful bow after hearing Bao Wei’s explanation.

"Uncle Bao, what is this ‘Nine Demon Bead’? Is it a magical tool?" Xu Xiurong asked from the side. Though she had recovered from her earlier nausea, her face remained pale.

Bao Wei clearly doted on Xu Xiurong and told Xu Qingfan, "Nephew Xu, why don’t you explain the ‘Nine Demon Bead’ to this girl?"

"Certainly," Xu Qingfan responded and turned to Xu Xiurong, "The ‘Nine Demon Bead’ is not a magical tool but rather a magical treasure, or to be precise, a fragment of one."

"A magical treasure?" Xu Xiurong gasped softly upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, covering her mouth in surprise, making her look even more endearing.

Magical treasures are coveted by every cultivator. While their power might not vastly surpass the strongest heavenly level tools, they differ fundamentally. Firstly, they can transform into various shapes at the owner’s command. Secondly, they can autonomously absorb the world’s Spirit Qi, requiring only a small amount of Qi from the owner to activate them. Lastly, and most importantly, they possess simple Spiritual Awareness, capable of protecting their owner automatically, displaying their wondrous and mysterious nature.

Yet Xu Qingfan, lost in recalling his book knowledge, overlooked Xu Xiurong’s charming expression and continued, "’Nine Demon Bead’ was crafted by the ‘Demon Ancestor’ tens of thousands of years ago, using the souls and blood of a million people, combined with countless rare treasures. It was said at the time, ‘When the nine beads gather, even heaven and earth are powerless.’ Combined, this ‘Nine Demon Bead’ is an incredibly powerful magical treasure. If separated, each bead can change personalities and create magical soldiers."

"Thousands of years ago, the ‘Demon Ancestor’ was vanquished by cultivators at Black Emperor Mountain, but before dying, he used his remaining strength to scatter the ‘Nine Demon Bead’ across the world. The cultivators managed to capture only four beads, and the remaining five disappeared without a trace. Before his death, he cried out, ‘The demon cultivator may be destroyed, but the demonic path will never end,’ pointing towards these demon beads."

"Seven thousand years ago, the king of a small kingdom accidentally found a demon pearl, mistaking it for a large black pearl and placing it in his crown. Before long, the pearl changed his personality. Once a benevolent ruler, he became evil and bloodthirsty, creating an army with the pearl’s power to invade other lands where destruction followed. Fortunately, powerful sects discovered and stopped him in time, but not before great harm was done."

"Four thousand years ago, a cultivator at the Fake Golden Core Stage unexpectedly obtained a demon pearl. Despite his level of power, he was changed by the Demon Ancestor. Through a series of schemes, he gained control of his sect, then killed all the high-ranking cultivators and turned the lower-ranking ones into his demon army, calling himself the ‘Demon Lord’. This caused a great disaster in the cultivation world. Although he was eventually defeated by the united efforts of the Six Holy Lands, the cultivation world suffered heavy losses."

"The six known demon pearls have been sealed by the Six Holy Lands in secret places to prevent misuse. Yet, three pearls remain missing. If Elder Bao’s predictions are correct, someone in the Southern Wasteland might have found the seventh demon pearl."

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s explanation, Xu Xiurong showed admiration on her face and whispered, "Thank you, Senior Brother Xu, for your guidance."

"No need to be so formal, Martial Sister Xu," Xu Qingfan replied with a gentle smile.

Beside them, Lv Ziqing had been listening with a smile, but when he saw the admiration in Xu Xiurong’s eyes as she looked at Xu Qingfan, his smile faltered slightly.