Chapter 190: The Sword-Forging Fire Pool
Many of the ideas within appeared heterodox, even heretical, yet they opened Song Yan’s eyes wide. This “Thousand Pill Formulas” truly deserved the word “singular” in its name.
What surprised him most was a pill-concocting method mentioned within—one he had never even conceived possible.
“Sword qi alchemy?”
Upon first encountering this term, what arose in Song Yan’s mind was not pill refinement at all.
It was a concept referenced in the Sword Seed Art.
The Sword Pill.
Though that was more properly a technique of sword-dao artifact refinement.
Song Yan studied the relevant passage in the “Thousand Pill Formulas” carefully and confirmed that this was indeed a method of alchemy employing sword qi.
In the understanding of most cultivators today, “sword qi” was an offensive manifestation condensed from spiritual energy.
Its essence was still spiritual energy.
But if the “sword qi” described in this preview section was truly the kind the general populace believed…
Then condensing spiritual energy into sword qi for pill refinement, and igniting spirit fire from spiritual energy to refine pills, were fundamentally no different.
The latter was, in fact, more universally applicable.
There would then be no reason whatsoever to pursue the study of sword qi alchemy.
And so a vague premonition rose from the depths of Song Yan’s heart.
“The ‘sword qi’ described in this alchemical text—could it be the sword qi of a true sword cultivator?”
Unbidden, the scene at North Watch Mountain came to mind, when his sword qi had catalyzed the blooming of the Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus.
The sword qi within the Sword-Suppressing Residence bore a nature vastly different from ordinary spiritual energy.
The preview section of the “Thousand Pill Formulas” contained relatively little; he had read through it again in short order.
Song Yan resolved on the spot to duplicate this text and take it with him.
Though many of the methods required a higher cultivation level to attempt, the very concepts alone would prove of immeasurable benefit.
Moreover, within these pages lay a method of alchemy using sword qi.
“If I could use sword qi to refine pills, would I not need even a pill furnace?”
Little Song let his imagination run with delight.
He hesitated no further. The “Thousand Pill Formulas” was exchanged and transcribed on the spot.
He also spent a portion of his sect contribution points to copy the Minor Mysterious Qi Scripture before departing.
Stepping out of the Inner Sect Library, he reviewed his affairs in detail and confirmed that every matter had been settled. Only then did he turn for home.
According to Li Yi, the process of joining Bamo Peak had originally been exceedingly complex and drawn out.
However, owing to the unusual circumstances of this year’s recruitment—with two individuals entering Bamo Peak together—the sect had simply assigned an attending disciple to handle the matter in its entirety.
This saved the two of them a great deal of trouble.
Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Song Yan wasted no time and strode directly into his cultivation chamber.
Spiritual treasures of the highest grade could strengthen the Sword Dao Seed and enhance one’s cultivation aptitude.
For him, refining the Burning Ruin Karmic Fire was naturally the foremost priority.
Incidentally, the fact that this spirit fire possessed its own name had also come as a surprise to Song Yan.
Within the cultivation world, aside from the exceedingly rare and unique spiritual treasures of the highest order, most such objects possessed no fixed form or appearance.
Spiritual treasures were predominantly born of heaven and earth. Depending on the time of their creation, the climate, and the terrain, their nature and appearance would all differ.
Thus the majority of spiritual treasures bore no name of their own.
When cultivators made use of them, they were collectively referred to as fire-attribute spiritual treasures.
The Wind-Thunder spirit treasure Song Yan had previously gathered in the world within the painting, for instance, had possessed no name.
At least, none that he had ever heard of.
Within the cultivation chamber, Song Yan sat cross-legged and placed the jade box containing the Burning Ruin Karmic Fire before him.
His fingertips touched the box, and he gently pried it open. A searing blast of heat struck him in the face.
Worthy indeed of a spirit fire of the highest grade.
He drew a deep breath. Sword qi surged from his palm as he slowly lifted the flame spirit from within the box.
The dark crimson flame danced quietly in his hand, the purple-gold hue at its heart standing out vividly in the dim chamber.
As the Burning Ruin Karmic Fire emerged, the temperature within the entire cultivation chamber rose sharply, the very air rippling and distorting under the heat. Song Yan slowly circulated the Sword Seed Art of the Spirit Transformation Chapter, and within the Sword-Suppressing Residence, the Sword Dao Seed seemed to sense the presence of the flame, trembling faintly.
He carefully drew a thread of sword qi and sent it probing toward the flame like a needle.
“Hss—”
The instant they made contact, a searing pain surged over him like a tide.
Yet he felt no surprise. During his previous refinement of the Withered Wood Wind Thunder in the world within the painting, his divine sense had similarly experienced numbness and throbbing pain.
A fine sheen of sweat beaded his forehead, though his hands did not cease their work.
His fingers formed the Dao seal, and the spirit fire flickered in rhythm with Song Yan’s breathing, pulsing between brightness and dimness.
Strands and wisps of flame were refined by the sword qi and drawn into the Sword Dao Seed.
The process was not prolonged.
Perhaps, compared to the first time, he had grown considerably more skilled.
Within the Twin Jade Realm, beneath the tranquil ink-dark firmament, a streak of deep crimson suddenly appeared.
The withered tree wreathed in wind and thunder seemed to stir, golden light flickering among its branches.
The Burning Ruin Karmic Fire hovered in midair, pulsing between light and shadow as though surveying this unfamiliar world.
Song Yan’s divine sense manifested within the boundary.
Compared to the first time he had merged a spiritual treasure—the Wind-Thunder spirit—into his Dao Seed, the changes this time were far less conspicuous.
He was about to step forward and examine the Burning Ruin Karmic Fire when the anomaly struck without warning.
Boom!
The Burning Ruin Karmic Fire exploded violently in midair, and a deluge of purple-red fire rained down.
At the same moment, he felt the spiritual energy and sword qi throughout his body begin to surge outward in tandem.
All of it poured into the Twin Jade Pearl.
The fire rain fell, scorching countless blackened marks into the ink-dark earth. Opposite the Ink Pool Heavenly Waterfall and the projection of the Dao Seed, a field of scorched earth materialized in the span of a heartbeat.
At the center of the scorched earth, the ink-dark ground collapsed inward, forming a boiling fire pool.
Within the pool, purple-red spirit flames churned and roiled.
Song Yan stared at the fire pool and the scorched earth before him, transfixed in bewilderment.
The topography of the Twin Jade Realm seemed to be growing ever more elaborate.
A stir of thought, and he sensed something—in the world outside, the sword within his sword case emitted a clear, resonant cry. It transformed into a streak of light, drawn into the Twin Jade Realm, and plunged directly into the fire pool.
Hsss—
The instant the blade entered the pool, the karmic fire within surged violently.
Wisps and threads of spirit flame flowed toward the Sword Spirit Linjun like a hundred rivers converging upon the sea.
“Oh?”
Song Yan stepped forward and examined it closely.
Upon the blade’s surface, those ancient, faint cracks had begun to mend themselves, and the dulled patterns were once again suffused with spiritual luminescence.
Merging a spiritual treasure of the highest grade could also repair and reforge a flying sword?
He had never heard of such a thing.
Song Yan recalled carefully. Forget the Sword Seed Art—even the entirety of the Spirit Transformation Chapter contained not a single mention of this phenomenon.
Could this then be the power of the Twin Jade Pearl?
He knew nothing of the Dao of artifact refining, nor had he ever entertained thoughts of studying it deeply.
If the Twin Jade Pearl truly possessed the ability to repair and reforge flying swords, it would naturally prove an immense aid.
His prior acquaintance with the Yan family of Longquan Prefecture had been cultivated precisely for the day his flying sword might be damaged, or when he required spirit-forging and quality enhancement.
As a sword cultivator, one naturally bore responsibility for one’s own flying sword.
Song Yan observed the state of affairs within the pool, and a thought seemed to strike him.
The Sword Spirit Linjun had already been reforged once using qilin scales in the hands of Senior Nie Chao. Without that reforging, it could never have withstood the sword intent of a sword cultivator.
Later, perhaps limited by the means of reforging, the remaining two qilin scales had never been incorporated.
The fire pool within the Twin Jade Pearl appeared to possess wondrous properties. He wondered whether he might try once more…