Immortality Cultivation

Chapter 279: Soldier fiend spirit fire

Leaving that exposed and chaotic stone chamber, Fang Hao and Crimson Phoenix stepped back into the suffocating environment of the Valley of Buried Soldiers.

The surrounding churning Evil Qi seemed thicker and more restless than before, as if disturbed by the previous battle, faintly transmitting more indescribable sensations of being watched and low, mournful wails.

Crimson Phoenix continued to walk in front, the "departing fire pearl" in her hand emitting a stable crimson halo, dispelling the Evil Qi within a few feet around them and carving out a relatively safe path.

However, her pace at this moment was clearly much more cautious than before, her phoenix eyes shining with a brilliant light as she constantly scanned her surroundings, clearly guarding against things that might have been drawn by the previous commotion.

Fang Hao followed closely behind, also on full alert.

He silently activated the Ethereal Art, condensing his own aura to the extreme, while his Divine Sense, like invisible ripples of water, quietly spread outwards, sensing any trace of abnormal fluctuations.

After his Breakthrough, his Divine Sense range and insight into minute details had both significantly improved, and in this chaotic Evil Qi environment, his perception was far sharper than before.

The two walked in silence, the atmosphere slightly heavy.

Although their cooperative relationship had been established, the wariness and sense of distance between them still remained.

Crimson Phoenix no longer treated him as cannon fodder to be driven at will, and Fang Hao had also put away the "fear" and "reluctance" he had previously feigned, returning to his original calmness.

A subtle balance had formed between them.

After traveling like this for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the surrounding terrain began to change.

It was no longer a flat valley floor covered in weapon debris, but began to feature massive gullies as if split by sharp blades, scattered with even larger and more heavily rusted weapon fragments, some even piled up like small hills.

The concentration of Evil Qi in the air seemed to have reached a peak, almost solidifying, and the resentment and killing intent contained within had become more heterogeneous and chaotic, with faint auditory hallucinations of various weapons clashing and sky-shaking battle cries lingering in their ears, disturbing their minds.

Even with Fang Hao’s resilient Divine Sense and the protection of his Chaos Qi vortex, he felt a trace of agitation.

The Crimson Phoenix in front had the crimson halo outside her body swaying slightly, clearly under considerable pressure.

"Be careful, we have entered the’soldier fiend core’ zone of the Valley of Buried Soldiers."

Crimson Phoenix finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of gravity, breaking the silence, "The Evil Qi here has already been mixed with the obsessions of Soldier Souls and the killing will of the ancient battlefield, making it extremely dangerous."

"It not only corrodes spiritual power and the Physical Body, but can also strike directly at the Divine Soul, inducing a Heart Demon. Follow me closely, and don’t stray too far from the range of the departing fire pearl."

Fang Hao nodded, feeling even more vigilant.

He could feel that the Evil Qi here was different from the relatively "pure" Geng Metal Origin Evil Qi that had spewed from the spring earlier; it was filthier, more chaotic, and filled with all kinds of negative spiritual fragments.

If not for the protection of the treasure, the departing fire pearl, an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator here would likely not last long before losing their mental defense, being corroded by the Evil Qi, and becoming a monster that only knew how to kill.

"Miss Chi Huang, where exactly is the object you want to retrieve? The depths of this Valley of Buried Soldiers probably contain more than just the kind of Baleful Spirit from before, right?"

Fang Hao asked; since he had decided to cooperate, he had to understand what the target was and how great the risks were.

Crimson Phoenix did not stop, remaining silent for a moment as if weighing whether to reveal more.

Finally, she parted her red lips slightly, her clear and cold voice sounding somewhat ethereal amidst the Evil Qi: "What I am looking for is not an inanimate object, but a... ’fire seed’ sealed here."

"A fire seed?" Fang Hao’s gaze flickered slightly.

"Correct." Crimson Phoenix did not turn back, continuing forward, her voice carrying a hint of hard-to-conceal heat, "In the ancient era, this place was once a world-shaking battlefield where a peerless mighty figure fell. Their natal true fire Origin did not completely dissipate, but instead combined with the Evil Qi, the aura of weaponry, and the surviving will of that mighty figure in this Valley of Buried Soldiers. After countless years, it formed a special ’soldier fiend spirit fire’."

"This fire contains the sharpness of weapons and slaughter, possesses the essence of earth fire, and is even tainted with a trace of that mighty figure’s Dao rhyme, making it crucial for my Cultivation."

soldier fiend spirit fire? Fang Hao suddenly understood.

No wonder Crimson Phoenix cultivated such a pure and domineering fire-type Cultivation Technique and was determined to venture deep into this dangerous place.

Such a heaven and earth exotic fire was indeed rare and hard to find; if one could successfully refine it, it would not only greatly increase the power of their natal true fire, but might also allow one to comprehend fragments of the ancient mighty figure’s Dao rhyme, which would be of immense benefit for breaking through Realms and enhancing one’s potential.

"Where is this fire sealed? And what guards it?" Fang Hao pressed, as this was the key.

"The place of sealing is in the deepest part of this Valley of Buried Soldiers, a place called ’Broken Blade Cliff’. It is an important node of the ancient battlefield, where the Evil Qi is heaviest and the obsessions of Soldier Souls are strongest."

Crimson Phoenix’s tone became increasingly grave, "As for the guardians... as far as I know, besides this ubiquitous Evil Qi erosion and the various Baleful Spirits that may appear, beneath that ’Broken Blade Cliff’, there likely remains a part of the fallen mighty figure’s residual will, or a ’Soldier Soul’ formed from their weapon debris! Its strength is likely far beyond the Baleful Spirit in the stone chamber earlier, and it may even reach the Nascent Soul level."

Soldier Soul? A threat at the Nascent Soul level? Fang Hao raised an eyebrow.

This Valley of Buried Soldiers was indeed no good place. Crimson Phoenix’s target was actually this dangerous.

No wonder she needed a "helper" before, even if just as "cannon fodder" to scout the path and draw fire.

"How powerful is the soldier fiend spirit fire? How can it be collected? Does Miss have any confidence?" Fang Hao continued to ask, as he needed to evaluate the risks and rewards.

If Crimson Phoenix was well-prepared and had a thorough plan, it wouldn’t be impossible to take a risk.

After all, this kind of Opportunity was equally attractive to him; even if it wasn’t fire-type, observing the Dao rhyme left behind by an ancient mighty figure was a rare Opportunity.

"The soldier fiend spirit fire is extremely violent, fusing Evil Qi with the slaughter of weapons, making it extremely difficult to subdue. I have prepared several treasures for this purpose to restrain Evil Qi and stabilize the mind, as well as a Legacy fire-collection secret technique. As for confidence..."

Crimson Phoenix paused, her voice dropping a few degrees, "Less than fifty percent. The strength of the Soldier Soul and the changes in the seal are unpredictable. But this fire is crucial to me, and I am determined to obtain it."

Less than fifty percent... This was almost gambling with one’s life. Fang Hao thought to himself.

This woman was indeed crazy enough, and persistent enough.

"Therefore, Fellow Daoist Ning," Crimson Phoenix suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Fang Hao with burning phoenix eyes. Under the red light of the departing fire pearl, her face appeared bright and earnest, "If you are willing to help me obtain this fire, in addition to the previously promised resources, I can also promise to share with you after the fact a portion of the information I have obtained regarding this ancient battlefield and that mighty figure. Furthermore, if there are other treasures suitable for you among what the Soldier Soul is guarding, you may also have priority in choosing them. How about it?"

She had offered new conditions, clearly realizing that with the strength Fang Hao had now displayed, simply driving him as cannon fodder was no longer possible; she had to present enough sincerity and benefits to exchange for his genuine assistance.

Fang Hao did not answer immediately, but pondered.

Crimson Phoenix’s terms could not be called anything but generous.

The information about the ancient battlefield and the fragments of the mighty figure’s Dao rhyme were things that could not be bought with Spirit Stones.

Moreover, the right to prioritize choosing other treasures also increased his chances of gain.