Chapter 251: Chapter 248: Crimson Flame, Cold Flame

Flying Snow City.

Arduous cultivation, alchemy...

In the blink of an eye, another three years had passed.

On this day, Li Ping was sitting in a pavilion, chatting idly with Xu Guikai, who had come to visit.

After becoming Daoist partners with Lin Yue three years ago, Xu Guikai had remained in the city to cultivate, no longer going out to hunt Demon Beasts.

He was a Sword Cultivator with astounding combat prowess and had made a great name for himself among the cultivators of Flying Snow City.

Li Ping knew that although he was only a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, during the Ice Sea Beast Tide, he had seized the opportunity when the Demon Beasts left the Ice Sea to slay several Tier Two Late Stage Demon Beasts, amassing more than enough cultivation resources.

He planned to use these resources to cultivate in the city until he reached the Late-stage of Foundation Establishment.

This made Li Ping marvel inwardly at the man’s powerful aptitude.

After all, from what he understood, Xu Guikai was only in his early seventies.

To be so young and already so close to breaking through to the Late-stage of Foundation Establishment—such a cultivation speed was second only to Xiao Yunzhi’s.

His aptitude had to be a Celestial Spiritual Root or an Abnormal Spiritual Root.

Li Ping guessed it was more likely a Celestial Spiritual Root; cultivators with Abnormal Spiritual Roots didn’t cultivate this fast.

’To be taken as a disciple by a Core Formation Cultivator, Xu Guikai truly is extraordinary.’

However, a cultivator’s Spiritual Root aptitude was their own secret. Unless they were close to someone, they would not reveal it. So, despite his speculation, Li Ping didn’t ask.

He didn’t know that Xu Guikai actually had the worst aptitude, a Five Spiritual Root, but possessed a special constitution called the Heaven-Sundering Sword Body. This constitution was a perfect match for the "Heaven-Sundering Sword Dao" he cultivated.

It was this that granted Xu Guikai a cultivation speed comparable to someone with a Celestial Spiritual Root.

...

After chatting for a while about recent interesting events in Flying Snow City, the two turned their conversation to the reconstruction of Silver Moon City.

Although the Land of the Far North was vast, its land was barren, with only eight Tier Three Spirit Veins in total.

Silver Moon City had been destroyed, but the Tier Three Spirit Vein beneath it remained perfectly intact.

Seven or eight years had passed, and with no sign of the Beast Tide returning, the leaders of the seven surviving Main Cities planned to rebuild a new Main City on the ruins of Silver Moon City.

The resources for reconstruction weren’t an issue, but conflicts arose among the seven Main Cities over how to divide the spoils.

If any cultivators from the Silver Moon Sect had survived, the matter would have been simple. An alliance pact would have ensured that the rebuilt city would still be inherited by the Silver Moon Sect.

But now, with the entire Silver Moon Sect wiped out, the city had become ownerless.

An unclaimed Tier Three Spirit Vein naturally sparked a contest among the other seven Main Cities.

Wealth moves the hearts of men!

Faced with the enormous benefits of rebuilding a Main City, even the greatly weakened Flying Snow City couldn’t resist getting involved.

However, considering the security of the new Main City, it was best to have a Core Formation Cultivator stationed there, and the Cloud Sect promised to dispatch one.

Thus, in the end, the benefits of the new Main City were divided into ten shares.

The Cloud Sect, which would send a Core Formation Cultivator to guard the New City, would take four shares, while the other six Main Cities would each take one.

Of course, the Cloud Sect would also bear the majority of the resources needed for reconstruction, with the other six cities merely assisting.

With the Human Race of the Land of the Far North working together, a new Main City, even grander than the original Silver Moon City, would probably be erected on the old site in less than ten years.

A new city meant a blank slate, but it also meant endless opportunities!

With an influx of cultivators and mortals from the other Main Cities, it might not even take a few hundred years to restore its former prosperity and grandeur.

Xu Guikai smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Li, I’ve already thought it over. Once I reach the Late-stage of Foundation Establishment, I’ll take my senior sister and move to this New City to cultivate!"

"Oh? And why is that?" Li Ping asked, a little surprised.

Xu Guikai made no effort to hide his intentions, explaining with a smile, "I’ve heard that the Cloud Sect, the Flying Snow Sect, and the others plan to develop the New City into a public hub for trade. The Tier Three Spirit Vein’s residences will also be available for rent. I plan to use the Spirit Vein there to attempt my breakthrough to Core Formation. Besides, the New City is closer to the Ice Sea, making it much more convenient for me to go there to hunt Demon Beasts."

Upon hearing this, Li Ping had a moment of realization.

So, Xu Guikai had chosen to go to the New City because he was considering the Spiritual Qi environment needed for Core Formation.

He didn’t have much of a relationship with the Flying Snow Sect, so he couldn’t be sure he’d get permission to use their Tier Three Spirit Vein. Even if he could borrow it, he would likely have to expend significant social capital.

In the New City, however, he could rent a Tier Three residence to attempt Core Formation just by paying a certain amount of Spirit Stones, which was clearly much more convenient.

Li Ping, on the other hand, had already established a close relationship with the Flying Snow Sect. When the time came, he could directly use their Tier Three Spirit Vein, so he had no need to go to the New City for that reason.

But as he processed this, Li Ping quickly thought of something else.

Once Xu Guikai formed his Golden Core, he would probably return to the Western Wilderness to avenge his master.

His direct enemy was Huang Yunzi, who had killed Fenglan Master and his disciples. His indirect enemies included the Meng family’s Ancestor, Meng Qingyi, and other members of the Meng family.

Li Ping didn’t care whether Huang Yunzi lived or died, but he had a connection to the Meng family. His relationship with Meng Qingyi and the Meng family Ancestor was quite good.

When that time came, Xu Guikai, in his quest for vengeance, might make a move against the Meng family.

This was a scenario Li Ping did not wish to see.

He privately believed that in the conflict between the Meng family and Dai Sangyu, the primary fault lay with Dai Sangyu.

Even though the Meng family had ended up colluding with Purple Cloud Valley to betray their own sect, they had been forced into a corner, left with no choice but to make a desperate move.

But when Xu Guikai sought his revenge, he probably wouldn’t consider any of that.

He would only know that his master and grandmaster had died at their hands, and he would want revenge.

Li Ping didn’t want Meng Qingyi to die by Xu Guikai’s sword. He couldn’t help but sigh internally. ’When will this cycle of vengeance ever end?’

...

"If I don’t avenge this, how can I ever face the ancestors of the Celestial Skill Sect!"

Several years passed. Under the guidance of the local, Gao Ji Taoist, and with the help of a treasure-hunting Exotic Beast like the Earth Spirit Rat, Xiao Yunzhi safely found a piece of Thousand-Year Ice Jade in the heart of the Ice Sea.

But just as she was about to leave, Gao Ji Taoist informed her that he had once stumbled upon a piece of Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade in the Ice Sea, hidden in a secret location.

If Xiao Yunzhi was willing to make a Heavenly Dao Oath to do her utmost to slay the Tier Four Ice Flood Dragon in the Ice Sea after she achieved Nascent Soul Formation, he would give her the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade as a reward!

Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade was one of the most supreme Treasures in this world.

It possessed miraculous effects, such as warding off Heart Demons, and even Nascent Soul Cultivators would fight to the death over it.

Xiao Yunzhi was shocked that Gao Ji Taoist was willing to give her such a priceless Treasure.

It was then that Gao Ji Taoist spoke the words from before, his tone filled with a bone-deep, unforgettable hatred.

The grudge for the annihilation of his Sect—he was sworn to avenge it!

"I’ve only just reached Core Formation. It’s hard to say if I’ll ever even reach the Nascent Soul Stage. Even if I do, I’m afraid it would be very difficult to deal with the Ice Flood Dragon," Xiao Yunzhi hesitated.

She naturally desired a wondrous Treasure like the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade, and she had some confidence in reaching Nascent Soul Formation, but killing an Ice Flood Dragon after that?

Xiao Yunzhi knew her own limits.

Before setting out, she had already learned from Li Ping that even a Great Cultivator had failed to slay the Ice Flood Dragon.

"If this old man’s guess is correct, Fellow Daoist Crimson Flame should possess a Fire Element Celestial Spiritual Root, right?" Seeing Xiao Yunzhi’s hesitation, Gao Ji Taoist was not surprised but pleased.

An old monster like him, who had lived for over a thousand years, had an incredibly profound mind.

Having interacted with Xiao Yunzhi for several years, he had more or less figured out her situation, understood her character, and knew that she was a Confucian Cultivator.

Back when the Celestial Skill Sect was destroyed, it was the headmaster of the Confucian Sect himself who had rushed to the Ice Sea and wounded the Ice Flood Dragon.

Gao Ji Taoist held a favorable impression of Confucian Cultivators and believed Xiao Yunzhi was worthy of his trust, which was why he had revealed the details of the trade.

If it had been a Demon Dao Cultivator before him, he would never have brought out a Treasure like the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade.

"I do indeed have a Fire Element Celestial Spiritual Root!" Xiao Yunzhi admitted frankly.

"Hehe... Then this old man has found the right person," Gao Ji Taoist said with a laugh. "I can see that your Lifebound Magical Treasure, Fellow Daoist Crimson Flame, was refined from Ten Thousand Year Fire Separation Essence Stone. Therefore, while this Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade might just be the icing on the cake for other cultivators, for you, it is absolutely crucial. It can bring about a total transformation."

Xiao Yunzhi was confused.

Without needing her to ask, Gao Ji Taoist took the initiative to explain, "While reading ancient texts, this old man happened to learn of a Great Cultivator in Ancient Times who, relying on the power of her Lifebound Magical Treasure, was able to suppress all other Great Cultivators of the same stage. She was known as the number one cultivator. Her Lifebound Magical Treasure was called the Sun and Moon Ring. It appeared to be a single ring, but in reality, it was composed of a pair of Ice and Fire Flying Wheels! When combined, ice and fire become one, and its power is infinite. When separated, they are yin and yang, moving as unpredictably as ghosts and gods!"

"Fellow Daoist Crimson Flame, if you can use the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade to refine a second wheel, a Cold Flame Wheel, and combine the Cold Flame and the Crimson Flame... then once you cultivate to the Late-stage of Nascent Soul, you will surely be able to rely on the power of this Sun and Moon Ring to enter the depths of the Ice Sea and slay the Ice Flood Dragon!"

After hearing Gao Ji Taoist’s words, a look of shock appeared on Xiao Yunzhi’s face.

Although she cultivated a top-tier Fire Element technique and came from a prestigious background, this was the first time she had ever heard that something like a Cold Flame actually existed in the world.

’Coldness and flame... how could those two completely opposite concepts be put together?’

After a moment of silence, Xiao Yunzhi spoke slowly, "Fellow Daoist Gao Ji, if the Sun and Moon Ring truly possesses such power, I can swear an oath to do everything in my power to slay the Ice Flood Dragon after I achieve Nascent Soul Formation."

She was a Celestial Spiritual Root cultivator; there were no bottlenecks for her before Nascent Soul Formation.

This meant that as long as she spent the time in arduous cultivation, she could advance straight to the Late-stage of Core Formation.

But she hadn’t forgotten who her enemy was.

The nominal number one figure in the Western Wilderness, Old Demon Lu Kuang!

Her ancestor, who wielded the Seal of All Living Beings, was killed by Old Demon Lu Kuang. Even if she cultivated to the Late-stage of Core Formation, could she really deal with him?

But if what Gao Ji Taoist said was true, and the Sun and Moon Ring truly had such power, she could use the Ten Thousand Year Cold Jade as the main material to refine another wheel, a Cold Flame Wheel.

With the Red Flame Wheel and the Cold Flame Wheel combined into one, she would be completely confident in her ability to slay Old Demon Lu Kuang.

’Expel the Demon Dao, avenge my ancestor!’

Seeing Xiao Yunzhi agree to his condition, Gao Ji Taoist quickly sent a voice transmission, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Crimson Flame. This matter is absolutely true. As long as you swear the oath, this old man will immediately tell you the refinement method for the Sun and Moon Ring."

"Alright!"

Xiao Yunzhi nodded slightly.

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