"Who dares to offend me, you lowly scoundrel!"
With a majestic shout, even more intense heat surged from the depths of the cauldron, threatening to incinerate the figure formed from Lu Qing's divine soul power.
"The spirit of the Blazing Fire Cauldron has actually recovered to this state?"
Lu Qing was slightly startled.
However, he did not panic. With a slight thought, he used a profound technique to dissolve and dissipate the scorching heat.
"Hmm? Fire Control Technique? Boy, who are you, and why do you know the Fire Control Technique of the Li Huo Sect?"
The authoritative voice was somewhat surprised to see Lu Qing so easily neutralize the fire attack from the cauldron.
In particular, he also recognized that the method Lu Qing used was the secret Fire Control Technique of the Li Huo Sect.
That was even more shocking.
"Lu Qing, successor of the Li Huo Sect, pays respects to Senior 'Yan'."
Lu Qing respectfully replied via telepathic communication.
"A successor of the Li Huo Sect? You claim to be a successor of the Li Huo Sect?"
The voice resonated, and the next moment, with a whoosh, a figure appeared in front of Lu Qing.
The figure was formed from pure flames, tall and solemn, and depicted as a middle-aged man with a pair of horns on his forehead.
"Boy, you just said you are a successor of the Li Huo Sect, what proof do you have?"
The middle-aged man's gaze fell on Lu Qing, instantly causing a burning pain in his heart.
However, with a quick thought, Lu Qing easily neutralized the heat.
This scene further confirmed the middle-aged man's suspicions: "It is indeed the Fire Control Technique. Kid, where did you learn the Fire Control Technique from? Tell me the truth!"
After saying that, endless flames rose from behind him, their powerful energy crushing towards Lu Qing.
However, Lu Qing's expression remained unchanged: "'Senior Yan', there's no need to frighten this junior with illusions. Everything this junior has said is true."
"Nonsense! The Li Huo Sect was destroyed tens of thousands of years ago. How can there be any successor? Your Fire Control Technique must have been stolen from somewhere."
"Speak quickly, or don't blame me for being impolite and incinerating your soul along with your physical body!"
The middle-aged man looked unwell.
"The Fire Control Technique can be learned by stealing, but what about this?"
With a thought, Lu Qing felt a surge of spiritual energy emanating from the space within the cauldron.
The next moment, the endless flames behind the middle-aged man vanished without a trace, leaving not a single spark.
"The technique for controlling the Fire Cauldron!"
At this, the middle-aged man's expression finally changed drastically.
"This is impossible! How do you know how to control the Fire Cauldron?!"
"If I were to say that I learned from Senior 'Yan', would you believe me?" Lu Qing asked with a mysterious expression.
"Boy, are you trying to scare me?" The middle-aged man's eyes flashed with murderous intent. "Don't think that just because you know a little about how to control the Fire Cauldron, you can put on airs in front of me."
Don't forget, this is my world!
As soon as he finished speaking, endless flames reappeared, even more violently than before.
The flames dissipated the moment Lu Qing's soul energy dissipated.
Furthermore, the middle-aged man felt a powerful binding force on his body, which greatly increased the pressure on him.
The middle-aged man's expression immediately turned serious.
Finally, I realized that what this kid had mastered was not just a little manipulation technique, but the most complete method of controlling the Fire Cauldron.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to mobilize the power of the Fire Cauldron to bind himself, who was the spirit of the vessel.
But how could that be?
The technique for controlling the Li Huo Cauldron has always been one of the highest secrets of the Li Huo Sect.
Apart from the sect leader and a few supreme elders, no one else is qualified to cultivate.
In that battle tens of thousands of years ago, the Li Huo Sect was destroyed. Apart from a few disciples who managed to escape, almost all the rest were wiped out.
Those elders and the sect leader of the Li Huo Sect also perished in that battle.
In the end, only the young sect leader escaped with the Li Huo Cauldron and hid in a secret place.
However, later, with the young sect leader also perishing in the secret realm, the technique for controlling the Fire Cauldron should have been completely lost.
The middle-aged man was completely baffled, and finally, he turned his attention to Lu Qing.
"Boy, stop now. I believe you are a successor of the Li Huo Sect. The power in this cauldron is not much. It is what I have painstakingly accumulated over many years. It should not be wasted like this."
Lu Qing's mind stirred slightly, and he removed the restraints from the middle-aged man.
"Please forgive me, Senior Yan. You were too agitated. I had no choice but to activate the restriction and offend you."
The middle-aged man's eyes flickered, revealing a hint of resentment.
This is the frustration of being a spirit of an artifact.
As a family heirloom, the Li Huo Sect added countless layers of restrictions when it was refining the Li Huo Cauldron.
The goal is to gain absolute control over the Fire Cauldron.
This is to prevent problems from arising during that transmission.
Therefore, even as a spirit of an artifact, it was difficult for Lu Qing, who possessed complete control techniques, to harm him.
This is also the real source of Lu Qing's confidence in refining the Fire Cauldron.
Even if the refining fails, he is absolutely confident that he can prevent the Li Huo Cauldron from erupting.
"Boy, tell me, what is your purpose in coming here?"
The middle-aged man's expression returned to calm as he stood in the void.
"Why ask such a question when you already know the answer, senior? I have come here today naturally to regain control of the Li Huo Cauldron and refine and master it," Lu Qing said frankly.
"You?" The middle-aged man revealed a hint of sarcasm. "It's not that I'm looking down on you, but boy, you're just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. You think you can control a spiritual artifact? Isn't that a bit too far-fetched?"
“There is one thing you have misunderstood, senior.” Faced with the middle-aged man’s mockery, Lu Qing was not angry at all. Instead, he said seriously, “I am not in the Foundation Establishment Realm, but in the Qi Refining Realm. Moreover, I just broke through not long ago and am now in the initial stage of Qi Refining.”
"Early stage of Qi Refining? That's impossible!" the middle-aged man blurted out. "Your soul power is so strong, how could you only be at the early stage of Qi Refining!"
"That's because the cultivation method I practice is somewhat special," Lu Qing said calmly. "Moreover, not long ago, I was fortunate enough to survive a heavenly tribulation, and my soul power was refined by the tribulation lightning, transforming from yin to yang, which is why I am stronger than cultivators of the same level."
"To survive the Heavenly Tribulation and refine one's divine soul with the tribulation lightning?" The middle-aged man was shocked again. "Boy, are you kidding me? With your cultivation level, you can summon tribulation clouds and survive the Heavenly Tribulation?"
Lu Qing did not argue, but simply smiled slightly.
But his confident demeanor calmed the middle-aged man down.
Finally, he calmed down and began to observe Lu Qing.
Then, sensing this, his expression gradually became serious.
Because he discovered that Lu Qing's divine soul power was indeed extraordinary.
Not only is it exceptionally powerful and resilient, but it is also full of yang energy, unlike ordinary yin spiritual power.
Most importantly, he sensed a trace of calamity within it.
The middle-aged are no strangers to the concept of "robbery energy".
When he was first created by the Li Huo Sect, he underwent a heavenly tribulation before finally breaking free and being reborn.
So what Lu Qing said earlier was not a lie; he really did experience a heavenly tribulation and successfully survived it.
The middle-aged man was immediately filled with doubt and uncertainty.
"It seems you saw through me, senior," Lu Qing said with a faint smile. "I haven't been deceiving you, have I?"
"The rules of heaven and earth have only just begun to evolve and be established, yet you have already been able to trigger tribulation clouds and survive the heavenly tribulation."
"Young man, could you perhaps be the legendary chosen one, destined to suppress an entire era's extraordinary being?"
The middle-aged man stared at Lu Qingdao with astonishment.
"I don't know anything about people destined for greatness," Lu Qing said. "I just want to ask you a question: would you be willing to cooperate with me?"
Relinquish control of the Fire Cauldron.
As a spirit of the artifact, you should know that it is almost impossible for a spirit artifact to advance on its own.
Even if one survives until the end of this era of cultivation, it will probably be difficult to achieve.
However, with the help of younger generations, it will not be difficult for the Li Huo Ding to be promoted to the ranks of high-grade spiritual artifacts in the future.
Going even further, it's not impossible to free the older generation from their constraints and grant them their freedom.
"What will you do if I disagree?" the middle-aged man asked, looking at Lu Qing.
“Then this junior will have no choice but to offend you and forcibly refine you, senior,” Lu Qing said without backing down.
"Do you really think you, with your mere Qi Refining Realm cultivation, can refine my true form?"
"Why don't you give it a try, senior?"
The middle-aged man fell silent.
If Lu Qing had dared to say such things from the beginning, he would have thought the other party was delusional and fanciful.
And he will not hesitate to burn and destroy it as the price for daring to offend him.
However, now that Lu Qing has mastered the complete control technique of the Li Huo Sect, it is no longer possible for him to incinerate his soul power.
Even expelling it from the Fire Cauldron is extremely difficult.
More importantly, Lu Qing's spiritual power, having been tempered by the heavenly tribulation, is not only incredibly resilient but also brimming with yang energy, making it unafraid of fire.
If he really had to forcibly refine the Fire Cauldron, he really couldn't be careless.
Otherwise, once Lu Qing refines one or two layers of the restrictions within the cauldron, he will be completely at a disadvantage.
So strictly speaking, Lu Qing's words were not an exaggeration.
He truly has the ability to gradually refine the Fire Cauldron.
However, the middle-aged man found it hard to accept being controlled by a mere Qi Refining Realm youth.
Even magical artifacts have their own pride.
In the ancient era of cultivation, he was firmly controlled by the Li Huo Sect ever since he was created.
However, his status is highly respected within the Li Huo Sect.
Apart from the sect leader and a few elders, no one in the entire Li Huo Sect was qualified to speak with him.
Even those sect disciples who had reached the Golden Core stage had to be extremely respectful when facing him, and dared not show the slightest intention to overstep or offend him.
Now, however, he was about to be controlled by a mere Qi Refining Realm youth, which the middle-aged man was extremely unwilling to do.
"It seems you are unwilling, senior. Then please don't blame me for offending you."
Seeing the conflicted look on the middle-aged man's face, Lu Qing shook his head.
He'd tried everything, from kind words to harsh ones, but if the other party still didn't appreciate it, he'd have no choice but to resort to force.
Although he did not want to forcibly refine it, because if he did, the mental and physical energy he would have to expend would increase a thousandfold due to the resistance of the artifact spirit.
But since the other party wouldn't listen to either persuasion or threats, he didn't need to waste any more words.
With a surge of thought, Lu Qing's spiritual power immediately permeated the surrounding space.
It quickly reached the first layer of restrictions, requiring forced refining.
The middle-aged man immediately sensed the change; his expression shifted, and he finally sighed.
He said, "Alright, let's stop for now. I agree."
Lu Qing's spiritual fluctuations froze for a moment.
He looked at the expression on the middle-aged man's face and sensed that he wasn't joking.
He slowly withdrew his spiritual power and waited in place.
“However, before handing over control, I need to make three rules with you,” the middle-aged man said solemnly. “If you do not agree, I would rather risk my life than give up your refinement.”
Believe me, with my current cultivation level, it would take you decades or even centuries to gain control of the Blazing Fire Cauldron, especially with my interference.
"Please tell me, senior."
Lu Qing listened to the middle-aged man's threat and remained noncommittal.
"First of all, you can refine the restrictions on the Fire Cauldron, but you need to make a divine oath that you will not enslave my soul and turn me into a puppet."
This is the most important point; if you disagree, then there's nothing more to discuss.
Even if I die, I will never relinquish control of the Fire Cauldron to you!
The middle-aged man spoke those last words with absolute certainty.
It seemed that if Lu Qing disagreed, he would completely break off relations.
“That’s easy to say. I have no intention of enslaving you, senior. After all, the Fire Cauldron still needs your help to unleash its full power.”
Lu Qing nodded in agreement without hesitation.
What the middle-aged man referred to as enslavement was actually the way the cultivation world controlled spiritual artifacts.
In the ancient cultivation world, the major sects had two different approaches to their spiritual artifacts.
One method is to completely refine and enslave the spirit, making it completely obedient to the controller's commands.
Another approach involves not refining and enslaving the spirit, but rather cooperating with the spirit to jointly control the artifact.
It's hard to say which of these two methods is better; each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The former method completely refines and enslaves the spirit of the artifact. Although it allows complete control over the artifact, it greatly diminishes the spirit's spirituality.
It becomes extremely difficult, almost impossible, to advance the grade of a spirit weapon.
The latter method can completely preserve the spirit of the artifact, allowing the spirit to control the artifact alone when fighting enemies, thus increasing its combat power.
However, the drawbacks are equally obvious.
That is, if the spirit of the artifact betrays you at a crucial moment, does not perform its duties, or even betrays you.
That would become extremely dangerous, potentially leading to the death of the owner.
Therefore, in the ancient cultivation world, most sects and powerful individuals who possessed spiritual artifacts would choose to completely enslave and refine the artifact spirits, bringing them under their control.
Even if they don't enslave the spirit of the artifact, they will still add many restrictions to the artifact to prevent the spirit from turning against them.
Only those with special experiences, where there is absolute trust and affection between the master and the spirit, will not impose any restrictions on the spirit.
Of course, such examples are extremely rare.
Even in the ancient era of cultivation, over tens of thousands of years, there were only one or two such cases.
The Li Huo Sect chose not to enslave the spirit of the Li Huo Cauldron, but instead used restrictions and limitations to control it.
Lu Qing knew this, so he wasn't surprised by the middle-aged man's request and nodded in agreement.
Of course, the most important thing, as the middle-aged man said, is if he fights to the death.
Given Lu Qing's current cultivation level, it would indeed be extremely difficult for him to enslave and refine it.
There is virtually no chance of success.
Seeing that Lu Qing had agreed to the first condition, the middle-aged man smiled.
"The second condition..."
