Chapter 53
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Chapter 53: Anomalous Fire
From a distance, the mountain peak seemed engulfed in flames. Yet, upon closer observation, a massive crack had appeared in the mountainside, radiating an intense, bright red light.
At the summit, a colossal beast stood roaring at the heavens. Even from over a mile away, Yi Qianmo and Su Muyu could feel the oppressive power resonating through its voice.
“Fire Demon!” Yi Qianmo’s voice trembled as he identified the beast. Swallowing hard, he added, “This aura… it must be at least at the first level of the third grade!”
“The first level of the third grade?” Su Muyu’s face turned pale. “Doesn’t that mean it’s equivalent to the Golden Core Realm?”
Entering the realm of immortality elevated a cultivator beyond the ordinary, divided into the Qi Refining Stage, Foundation Establishment Stage, and Golden Core Stage.
A Golden Core cultivator could command flying swords to slay foes from miles away. Su Muyu had never encountered a second-grade spirit beast in her life, let alone a third-grade one comparable to the Golden Core Stage.
“Even an average Golden Core cultivator might struggle against this Fire Demon,” Yi Qianmo admitted.
From the inherited memories of his ancestors, he understood the Fire Demon’s immense strength. His ancestor had once fought such a beast in the Golden Core Stage. It took three grueling days and nights, along with severe injuries, to subdue the creature.
As Yi Qianmo finished speaking, the Fire Demon moved. It leaped from the mountaintop, releasing a wave of crushing pressure that spread in all directions. The cultivators scrambling up the mountain were forced to the ground, their strength sapped by its aura.
Even Yi Qianmo and Su Muyu, observing from afar, felt their legs weaken. An instinctive urge to flee gripped them.
The Fire Demon unleashed a burst of flames, instantly incinerating several disciples of the Xuanyuan Sect. Their swords melted away, leaving no trace of their existence.
Su Muyu gasped. “Those were Xuanyuan Sect disciples! Could Yu Youwei have been among them?”
Yi Qianmo noted the absence of Yu Youwei but doubted she had perished so easily. She was likely elsewhere or had already returned to the Xuanyuan Sect.
After the carnage, the Fire Demon halted at the mountain’s base. Without chasing the fleeing cultivators, it turned back and disappeared into the crack in the mountain.
A Treasure Guarded by Flames
“What’s going on?” Su Muyu’s puzzled voice broke the silence. “Why would it stop there?”
Her curiosity mirrored that of the remaining cultivators, who, despite their fear, couldn’t take their eyes off the glowing crack.
It was common knowledge that extraordinary treasures were often guarded by powerful beasts. The fiercer the guardian, the greater the treasure’s value. Considering the legendary Pill Furnace rumored to have fallen from the heavens, excitement burned in the hearts of the onlookers.
“We can’t just wait here,” Su Muyu urged Yi Qianmo. “If that beast returns, it will kill us all.”
But Yi Qianmo’s gaze was fixed on the mountain. “No one is leaving,” he said, pointing to the clusters of cultivators below.
Among the groups present were disciples from the Xuanyuan Sect, Tianyuan Academy, and other notable factions. A group of monks dressed in robes stood out, representing the Tianlong Sect. Each group’s leader appeared to possess Foundation Establishment-level cultivation.
“The Fire Demon may be constrained by something,” Yi Qianmo speculated. “If we can identify its weakness, we might be able to enter the crack.”
Su Muyu’s face was pale with disbelief. “Are you insane? Didn’t you see how easily it obliterated those people?”
“I saw,” Yi Qianmo replied calmly. “If things go south, we’ll retreat immediately. I’m not foolish enough to risk my life without a plan.”
His confidence eased her worries slightly, and the two advanced toward the base of the mountain.
An Unexpected Encounter
As they approached, several leaders of the factions noticed their arrival. Among them was Minister Professor Yu, who stepped forward with a stern expression.
“Your Highness, this place is too dangerous,” he said to Su Muyu. “You should return to Green Cloud City immediately.”
“The Fire Demon is still up there,” Su Muyu argued. “I’ll stay here at the mountain’s base for now.”
Unable to persuade her, Minister Professor Yu assigned a Foundation Establishment steward to guard her. He then turned his attention to the leaders of the other factions to discuss their next move.
Meanwhile, a young monk from the Tianlong Sect approached Yi Qianmo with a gentle smile. “Yu Xiu greets the senior,” he said respectfully. “Thank you for saving me earlier.”
Su Muyu raised an eyebrow in confusion. “When did you save someone from the Tianlong Sect?”
Yi Qianmo dismissed the monk’s gratitude with a cold tone. “I told you, I wasn’t saving you. Don’t thank me.”
The monk’s smile didn’t waver. “Regardless of your intentions, you saved my life. The Buddha teaches that saving a life—”
“Enough,” Yi Qianmo interrupted, his patience wearing thin. “I’m not interested in your gratitude, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t disturb me.”
The monk bowed slightly before returning to his group, unfazed by the brusque response.
Su Muyu watched the interaction curiously but said nothing. She could sense that Yi Qianmo’s focus was entirely on the mountain and the mysterious treasure it concealed.
Nightfall and a Closing Window
As evening descended, the leaders of the factions reached a consensus. They decided not to provoke the Fire Demon further and began sending messages to their sects, requesting reinforcements.
Just as the camps were being set up, the Fire Demon leaped into the crack. The mountain trembled as the beast vanished, and the glowing fissure slowly began to close.
Yi Qianmo’s heart raced. “If that crack seals completely, we’ll lose our chance to retrieve the treasure—and stop the disaster it might bring.”