Chapter 271: Startled Awakening!

Before Suo Huan could even finish his sentence, a streak of escaping light suddenly shot out from the [Earth Fire Sea Heart Furnace]. It landed in front of the two men, revealing a figure.

He was handsome and young, though his temples were already frosted with white.

The air of nobility he once carried was gone, replaced by a sense of maturity and steadiness. The moment he appeared, he bowed respectfully to Suo Huan.

“Senior Suo Huan, and the Perfected One!”

When his gaze shifted to Lu Yang, who was standing beside Suo Huan, he froze. Terror flooded his eyes, and he subconsciously took several steps back.

Seeing this, Lu Yang burst into laughter. “So it’s Junior Brother Chong Ming.”

He stepped forward and patted Chong Ming on the shoulder.

Yet, this simple gesture nearly scared the soul right out of Chong Ming’s body. He stared straight at Lu Yang with an expression of unspeakable horror.

Who the hell are you? Get off Senior Brother Yuan Tu’s body!

To the side, Suo Huan laughed as well. “Chong Ming was left with me by [Perfected Lord Iridescent Brocade] to facilitate contact if necessary.”

This simple sentence terrified Chong Ming even more. He looked at Suo Huan in disbelief. You warned me a thousand times never to mention the Perfected Lord! You trapped me here so I wouldn’t run off, and now you just blurt out the secret casually?!

Or… is it actually not a big deal?

Chong Ming glanced at Lu Yang, then at Suo Huan. The tight knot in his brow seemed smoothed by an invisible hand, and his expression gradually brightened.

I must have been overthinking it!

Lu Yang didn’t think much of it either.

As for this mere [Matter of the Perfected Lord], he forgot it as soon as he turned his head. More importantly, he needed to refine his spiritual treasure ASAP, increase his strength, and then head to the Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain.

“Senior, we shouldn’t delay. We still need to head to the Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain. Let’s open the furnace immediately.”

Urged by Lu Yang, Suo Huan nodded impatiently. “Chong Ming, come here and tend the furnace for me. I need to cast the spell to activate the Earth Fire.”

“…Yes.”

Chong Ming looked conflicted, but his body obeyed honestly. He felt he shouldn’t delay their major business of finding the Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain.

Soon, the Earth Fire furnace was opened.

The first item Lu Yang took out was the Avici Sword. This spirit sword originated from Perfected One Blood Demon, and now possessed four divine wonders—truly a rare item.

Huh? This is…

Lu Yang suddenly paused. He noticed the Avici Sword was glowing strangely, constantly pulsing with a deep crimson light.

…Seems to be one of the Avici Sword’s divine wonders?

Lu Yang thought back. It seemed to be called [Danger Sense]. He had always thought it was a useful ability; it had even saved his life before…

What was the specific effect again?

Lu Yang couldn’t quite remember, but he didn’t care. If he couldn’t remember, it meant it wasn’t important. Refining the Spirit Treasure and finding the mountain was the priority.

Thinking this, Lu Yang stopped dwelling on it.

The Avici Sword dropped into the furnace, followed by other Spirit Treasures. Lu Yang didn’t hesitate; aside from the Myriad Spirits Banner, he emptied his entire stash.

Once the furnace was stuffed full of the light of Spirit Treasures, he turned to Suo Huan. “I’ll trouble you, Senior.”

“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist!”

Suo Huan laughed heartily. He pinched a hand seal and pointed. Instantly, the entire [Earth Fire Sea Heart Furnace] shook violently, detonating a thousand fire veins at once!

Boundless raging fire rolled out from the earth’s core, laced with Yin Baleful Qi, igniting the entire pill furnace in an instant. Seeing this, Chong Ming hurriedly channeled all his spiritual power and slammed down on the furnace, sealing the lid tight so not a wisp of fiery qi could escape.

A second later, the furnace began to glow red.

Suo Huan changed his hand seals. Ten thousand acres of seawater outside the furnace poured down to cool it, simultaneously drawing Water Qi into the vessel.

“Fellow Daoist, my technique is no ordinary method,” Suo Huan explained with a smile. “This art is called the [Water and Fire Refinement Art]. It only works to its full potential with this [Earth Fire Sea Heart Furnace].”

“You have many Spirit Treasures, Fellow Daoist, which are hard to refine with ordinary means.”

“Only by using this method, aided by both water and fire and the harmony of Yin and Yang, can we melt your many Spirit Treasures into one without damaging their individual divine wonders.”

Lu Yang’s eyes lit up. “Oh? Really?”

“Absolutely!”

Pride suddenly surfaced on Suo Huan’s face. “This is the most exquisite artifact refining method passed down through generations in my [Universe Ruins Realm].”

As they spoke, the sun rose and set.

Under the joint tempering of water and fire, the various spiritual treasures in the furnace had melted into a shapeless, five-colored mass of swirling light.

“Now!”

Suo Huan shouted at Lu Yang. “Fellow Daoist, use your [Essence Soul] to refine it! Seize this chance to define the artifact’s form and unify the divine wonders!”

Lu Yang didn’t hesitate. He immediately circulated his Divine Sense and spat out a mouthful of brilliant, radiant blood.

This so-called [Essence Soul] referred to the essence of blood and soul—not physical blood, but the blood of the soul, its most quintessential part.

One step further, and it would be [Golden Nature]!

As Lu Yang spat out the [Essence Soul], his previously vibrant complexion instantly withered. His vision darkened, and a wave of weakness washed over him.

But as the [Essence Soul] fell into the furnace, Lu Yang quickly felt a mental connection. He watched his [Essence Soul] merge with the five-colored mass. Finally, the shape settled, revealing its true form—a spiritual sword radiating blinding dark light!

The sword bore the color of dark frost, its form dignified and solemn.

Its spine was like the boundary of the Great Void, its blade patterns hiding the River Map and Luo Scroll star charts. The guard was cast as a Chiwen beast swallowing clouds, the hilt engraved with golden seal true edicts. Five colors wrapped around the handle, and Three Caverns bestowed spiritual patterns upon it.

“It’s done!”

With a thought from Lu Yang, the spiritual sword in the furnace transformed into a streak of lightning and shot out, landing beside him with a joyous, thundering sword hum.

“A superior Spirit Sword… No, it already possesses a hint of [True Intent]!”

Suo Huan looked delighted. But in the next second, that joy stiffened and froze under the illumination of the sword’s light.

…What am I doing?

Also changing expression was Lu Yang, holding the spiritual sword. His smile turned rigid, his lips trembled, and the look on his face became indescribable.

In the next instant, both Lu Yang and Suo Huan, who had only been sweating lightly before, were now drenched. The furnace had just opened, releasing heat akin to scorching summer, yet both men felt a chill piercing their very bones.

Lu Yang looked at the spiritual sword in his hand.

The sword light flowing along the blade, illuminating them both and severing that strange influence, was none other than a mystery of this Spirit Sword.

[Insight]

This divine wonder was achieved by fusing the Avici Sword’s [Danger Sense] and the Investigating Heaven Sphere’s [All Clear]. It combined both and took them to a higher level.

Without it, they couldn’t have seen through the delusion.

“Huu…”

Lu Yang exhaled a long breath. The ambitious heroism he felt upon leaving the sea was gone, replaced by thick shock and dread.

He turned to look at Suo Huan.

That outer-heaven Great Perfected One was also dripping with sweat, his neck stiff as he slowly turned to look back. Their gazes met.

Neither dared to speak first.

The reason was simple.

God only knows if that [Sky-shrouding] Lord is standing right next to me at this very moment!!!

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