Immortal Refiner

Zuiyue Wine was truly extraordinary, the finest wine Li Qing had ever tasted. He couldn’t resist indulging in several cups.

Beyond its exquisite flavor, this Spirit Wine, brewed with a variety of spirit herbs, also offered a subtle boost to his cultivation.

Though the effect was minimal, it genuinely increased Li Qing’s mana by a small amount.

Don’t underestimate this seemingly insignificant benefit. Remember, this was foundation establishment realm cultivation, where every incremental improvement was precious, nearly equivalent to half a month of arduous meditation.

Elder Xu proved remarkably generous with those he favored, continuously refilling Li Qing’s cup without the slightest hesitation about the wine’s rarity.

Li Qing, naturally, didn’t hold back, raising his cup for small sips and savoring this rare moment of leisure.

After all, what could be more ideal than enhancing his cultivation while enjoying fine wine?

As the Spirit Wine flowed, their camaraderie deepened rapidly.

”Hahahaha! I never expected you to be such a connoisseur, Brother Li! You’re truly a remarkable man!” Elder Xu, slightly tipsy, roared with laughter.

Li Qing chuckled heartily. ”To be honest, when I was still honing my martial skills in the mortal world, it was thanks to a few medicinal liquor recipes that I achieved such rapid progress in the Martial Dao. That’s how I first glimpsed the immortal dao!”

”So, everything I’ve achieved in this life is inseparable from these wines!”

As a spirit brewer himself, Elder Xu naturally appreciated Li Qing’s words.

”Brother Li, you’re truly a straightforward man. When you leave, take this entire jar of Zuiyue with you!”

”I can’t accept something I haven’t earned. That wouldn’t be right!”

”Enough! Do you think so little of my Zuiyue Wine?”

”How dare I?”

”...”

Soon, their drinking spirits soared once more, and they completely forgot about whether to take the remaining Spirit Wine. Judging by their fervor, they seemed poised to drain the entire precious jar of Zuiyue Wine on the spot.

Amidst this convivial atmosphere, Li Qing managed to maintain a sliver of clarity.

Seizing the opportunity, he steered the conversation toward heavenly spirit fire, hoping Elder Xu’s vast knowledge might reveal some clues about these legendary flames.

”Hahaha! If I’m not mistaken, Junior Brother Li, you’re cultivating the Crimson Blaze Heaven-Burning Art?” Elder Xu, his face flushed from the wine, suddenly became more boisterous.

Li Qing nodded openly in acknowledgment. ”Indeed! My cultivation aptitude is merely average. If I can’t find a heavenly spirit fire soon, my progress in this lifetime will likely come to a halt.”

Elder Xu showed no surprise at this revelation. ”Difficult, difficult, difficult!” he exclaimed. ”Heavenly spirit fires are no ordinary treasures. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them the most precious spiritual objects in the mortal realm.”

”Even in my long life, I’ve only witnessed heavenly spirit fires twice with my own eyes.”

He’s actually seen them!

Li Qing’s breathing quickened slightly, his composure wavering. He took a silent sip of Spirit Wine to regain his composure.

Sensing Li Qing’s eagerness, Elder Xu didn’t prolong the suspense. He revealed the truth:

”Speaking of which, Junior Brother Li, have you ever heard of the Cold Wind Pool atop the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains?” Elder Xu asked with a smile.

Cold Wind Pool?

Li Qing immediately began mentally reviewing the geographical information surrounding the Lingyun Sect.

”I do recall something,” Li Qing said, narrowing his eyes. ”Isn’t that where the Winter Jade Snow Lotus grows?”

Elder Xu didn’t reply, merely nodding as he continued, ”The Cold Wind Pool is perpetually surrounded by bone-chilling winds. Even cultivators in the foundation establishment realm would be stripped of a layer of skin, if not killed outright, if they ventured too close.”

”However, every two hundred years, the terrain shifts and the seasons cycle, causing the winds to subside. That’s the optimal time to enter the Cold Wind Pool.”

”While it’s said the Winter Jade Snow Lotus grows in the Cold Wind Pool, that’s only partially true. To be precise, it grows in a secret realm beneath the pool!”

As he spoke, Elder Xu’s eyes narrowed further, revealing a hint of nostalgia.

”It’s been nearly eighty years since the last opening of the secret realm. I had just achieved foundation establishment back then and was selected by the sect to gather cultivation resources from the Cold Wind Secret Realm.”

”The secret realm contains not only the Winter Jade Snow Lotus but also Essence Fusion Fruits, Purple Jade Herbs, Yang Essence Flowers, and other precious spirit herbs.”

”Being newly established in the foundation establishment realm and naturally adventurous, I ventured deep into the secret realm beyond the designated gathering areas.”

”Deep within the secret realm, I witnessed the birth of a heavenly spirit fire!”

Li Qing’s heart jolted violently at these words, instantly dispelling the lingering tipsiness from the wine he had just drunk.

”May I ask what kind of spirit fire it was?” Li Qing pressed, his curiosity piqued.

”Netherworld Cold Fire!”

”Hiss!”

Li Qing gasped, his mind immediately conjuring information about the Netherworld Cold Fire.

He was no longer a novice in the cultivation world. Within the sect, he had access to a vast library of texts that he could freely consult.

After choosing the Crimson Blaze Heaven-Burning Art, he had deliberately researched various heavenly spirit fires, so the mention of the Netherworld Cold Fire came as no surprise.

”Such a rare heavenly spirit fire! Legend has it that the Netherworld Cold Fire is a sub-flame derived from the Nine Netherworld Ghost Fire, one of the Ten Primordial Flames. Could the Cold Wind Secret Realm truly harbor the Nine Netherworld Ghost Fire itself?”

Hearing Li Qing’s alarmed exclamation, Elder Xu shook his head repeatedly.

”Impossible! The Nine Netherworld Ghost Fire ranks alongside the Three True Flames and the Solar True Fire as one of the fundamental primordial flames. Even a single wisp of it could incinerate the entire Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains into ashes.”

”Rumors are just rumors, after all. Who can truly explain the birth of a heavenly spirit fire?”

”However, within the Cold Wind Secret Realm, I personally witnessed the birth of the Netherworld Cold Fire.”

”The sight was unforgettable. The entire bottom of the secret realm transformed into a true Netherworld, its bone-chilling cold far surpassing even the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains outside.”

”Had the Netherworld Cold Fire not been in its nascent stage, even my divine soul would have suffered severe damage.”

Elder Xu spoke calmly, but Li Qing could sense the terrifying danger lurking beneath his words.

This fire, renowned for its Netherworld nature, targets the soul. Whether it be a cultivator’s divine soul or a demon beast’s Demon Spirit, both would be utterly vulnerable before its flames.

Li Qing slowly set down his wine cup, suppressing his initial excitement at hearing news of a heavenly spirit fire.

”Senior, you’re sharing such vital information with me so casually?” Li Qing asked with a dry laugh.

Elder Xu burst into hearty laughter. ”Hahahaha! The information is indeed priceless, but that depends on who you are. I’ve long given up on achieving core formation. In my younger years, I reveled in conflict and competition, and I know I won’t live past a hundred.”

”The next opening of the Cold Wind Secret Realm has nothing to do with me.”

”If you truly feel indebted to me, then wait until you’re capable of refining top-grade magical artifacts. Then, refine one for me without charge!”

Hearing this, Li Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief. If it was just artifact refinement, that wasn’t so bad.

If helping refine a magic artifact for free could earn him information about a heavenly spirit fire, he’d even be willing to become a free artifact refinement tool for life.

Of course, there couldn’t possibly be that many heavenly spirit fires in the world.

”Senior Brother Xu, do you know where you saw the other heavenly spirit fire?” Li Qing continued to ask.

Elder Xu shook his head. ”Don’t even think about it. Back when I first joined the sect, an external core formation True Lord came to visit. Ancestor Devourer of Heaven sparred with him, and many of us fellow sect members saw from afar how a great sun seemed to rise on the horizon, causing the surrounding temperature to soar.”

”It wasn’t until I reached the foundation establishment realm that I realized it must have been a type of heavenly spirit fire called the Great Sun Golden Flame!”

If a core formation true lord possessed such power, Li Qing knew he had to abandon any thoughts of challenging him. Even ten of his current selves wouldn’t stand a chance against a core formation true lord.

Moreover, the opponent wielded a heavenly spirit fire, making his combat prowess even more terrifying—absolutely unrivaled among his peers.

”May I ask, Senior Brother, what was the outcome of that battle?”

Elder Xu shook his head. ”That’s beyond my knowledge. However, Ancestor Devourer of Heaven and the foreign core formation true lord merely exchanged blows; it wasn’t a true life-or-death struggle.”

”Without them truly going all out, who could possibly know the truth of what transpired?”

As they chatted idly, the two finished the remaining Zuiyue Wine in the jar. Li Qing then formally bid farewell and left Elder Xu’s cave abode.

On his way back to his own cave abode, Li Qing claimed the contribution points for completing the artifact refinement commission. He departed the refining hall under the respectful and astonished gazes of the disciples.

Clearly, completing Elder Xu’s artifact refinement commission was considered an unbelievable feat by many in the refining hall.

Li Qing, however, paid little attention to this, his thoughts already consumed by the Netherworld Cold Fire.

Even the substantial contribution points he had just received failed to stir much excitement or elation within him.

”Netherworld Cold Fire... Netherworld Cold Fire. I need to research more about this spirit fire in the classics.”

”And the Cold Wind Secret Realm... Though it’s still some time before it reopens, preparing in advance wouldn’t hurt. I might even need to venture inside.”

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Li Qing stroked his chin, resolving to use his elder’s authority to delve deeper into matters concerning the Cold Wind Secret Realm and the Netherworld Cold Fire.

No sooner had he decided than he acted. A few sleepless days of artifact refinement had left him surprisingly unfatigued.

Moreover, the generous consumption of Spirit Wine in Elder Xu’s cave abode had completely dispelled any lingering weariness.

Thus, Li Qing mounted his magic artifact and set off to investigate the specific details of the Cold Wind Secret Realm and the Netherworld Cold Fire.

(End of the Chapter)

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