Chapter 1317: Fire-eating Beast

Junior Yun Lan, a deacon of the Void Spirit Sect, greets Senior Qin. Are you indeed Senior Qin?

Three men and one woman, four Void Spirit Sect disciples, flew in front of Qin Sang in the blink of an eye. Upon seeing his face clearly, they all showed surprise and bowed respectfully.

What was surprising was that the female disciple was at the Core Formation stage.

A Core Formation stage disciple guarding the gate.

Qin Sang recalled Qing Jun's previous comment that the Void Spirit Sect had quietly amassed great wealth during the war. It seemed this was indeed true; the foundation of Qingyang Temple still couldn't compare to that of these renowned major sects.

The woman appeared to be in her twenties, with a graceful figure and a beautiful face, dressed in a red palace gown. She was the one who had just spoken.

Qin Sang hadn't concealed his true appearance. He was now somewhat renowned throughout the entire Northern Star Region, and there were indeed few cultivators from either domain who didn't recognize him, which was why the female cultivator identified him at a glance.

"It is I!"

Qin Sang looked calm and nodded, saying, "I previously made an arrangement with Fellow Daoist Bing Han. Having free time today, I specifically came to visit and hope you can convey my arrival."

Yun Lan's face lit up with joy. "There's no need to send a message beforehand, Senior Qin. Please come with this junior into the sect. I am precisely here awaiting Senior Qin, under orders from our Sect Master."

"Oh? Fellow Daoist Bing Han is thoughtful. In that case, I shall respectfully comply."

Qin Sang nodded slightly.

Yun Lan motioned for the other three disciples to withdraw and then led the way herself.

Qin Sang deliberately slowed his pace, leisurely observing the surrounding scenery.

As they flew over the dead volcanoes, Qin Sang noticed some spirit beasts below that resembled leopards but weren't, running freely in the mountains. The beasts were very small, about the size of cats, but had long, bushy tails twice the length of their bodies.

Their fur was entirely crimson, without any mixed colors, and a bright sheen flowed through their coats, as if lava coursed beneath their skin. Only their eyes were black.

The spirit beasts were lowering their heads, searching for something on the ground.

As Qin Sang and his companions flew past, they raised their heads, their eyes gentle, tinged with innocence and curiosity. They tilted their heads for a glance, then withdrew their gaze and continued with their activities.

Behind the spirit beasts, some Void Spirit Sect disciples were panting, led haphazardly by the creatures. Upon seeing Yun Lan, they hurriedly bowed in greeting.

"These must be your esteemed sect's famous Fire-Eating Beasts, correct?" Qin Sang asked.

Although other sects didn't primarily cultivate beast taming like the Beast Taming Sect, they weren't without similar secret techniques. Spirit beasts chosen and continuously cultivated by them all possessed special abilities.

What surprised him was that the Fire-Eating Beasts' eyes showed no hint of murderous intent, like innocent children who seemed to have never experienced combat.

"Indeed, they are Fire-Eating Beasts. However, many external rumors are mistaken and don't do them justice, surely not meeting Senior Qin's discerning eye."

Yun Lan let out a soft laugh. Seeing Qin Sang's curiosity, she explained the reason: "Everyone says Fire-Eating Beasts have formidable innate abilities, but they don't realize they are actually referring to another spirit beast, the Red-Tailed Leopard, which is similar in form to the Fire-Eating Beast. Of course, these rumors were deliberately spread by our Void Spirit Sect to protect the Fire-Eating Beasts. The Fire-Eating Beasts' inherent ability is fire manipulation, which helps us stabilize spiritual fires during artifact refining, increasing the chance of success. They themselves actually possess little combat prowess."

As she spoke, Yun Lan pointed to the ground. "The Fire-Eating Beasts are foraging, but their food is unique: it's the fiery essence from underground lava veins that hasn't yet formed into fire spirits. These past few days, the underground lava veins have been continuously turbulent, causing the fiery essence buried deep underground to be shaken out."

Qin Sang followed her gaze.

He then saw a Fire-Eating Beast seem to sense something, let out a sharp cry, and suddenly burrow into the ground, digging out a large hole.

A wisp of red smoke then rose from the ground, like a living creature, and fled into the distance.

The surrounding Fire-Eating Beasts immediately swarmed forward, dividing and devouring the smoke completely.

Immediately afterward, fiery essence began to emerge from the surrounding ground fissures, much to the delight of the Fire-Eating Beasts, whose joyous calls echoed as they scurried about, pouncing on their food.

However, Qin Sang's attention was on what lay beneath the surface.

In his perception, a fluctuation suddenly emerged from the underground lava veins without any warning. The fluctuation wasn't strong; otherwise, it wouldn't have merely caused these wisps of fiery essence to appear.

However, the source of the fluctuation was clearly deep within the Void Spirit Sect. Even though the fluctuation was weakened by a grand formation, it still had such an impact, which was somewhat intriguing.

Qin Sang calmly withdrew his gaze.

Yun Lan could not possibly guess Qin Sang's thoughts and continued to lead the way on her own.

Not long after, the two passed through an invisible barrier. The oppressive heat in the surroundings vanished abruptly, replaced by a warmth as gentle as spring. The area ahead was no longer barren; instead, it was lush and vibrant.

This place, near the Void Spirit Sect's mountain gate, was where underground lava veins converged, yet it presented such a thriving and prosperous scene.

Deepest within the jungle stood a mountain peak. It wasn't particularly tall, but it was exceptionally wide and rare.

Qin Sang gazed at the mountain, recalling his previous knowledge of the Void Spirit Sect.

This mountain was likely the Void Spirit Sect's most important forbidden area. Its summit was not flat but a huge volcano, and the legendary 'mountain within a mountain' was said to be located inside its core.

Along the way, they encountered many Void Spirit Sect disciples. Upon seeing Yun Lan, they all bowed respectfully and secretly cast curious glances at Qin Sang. Some recognized Qin Sang's identity and were visibly shocked.

Qin Sang paid close attention. Regardless of their cultivation levels, these Void Spirit Sect disciples were all full of spirit, had robust auras, and possessed outstanding talent. This was clear evidence of the Void Spirit Sect's profound foundation and Bing Han's methods for training disciples.

After this matter is resolved, he might as well consult her on how to properly develop a sect.

While contemplating these trivial matters, Qin Sang was surprised to find that Yun Lan was leading him directly towards the forbidden area, showing no intention of stopping.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

A moment later, the two entered the forbidden area and landed in front of an exquisite palace halfway up the mountain, named the Flame-Loathing Pavilion.

Qin Sang saw that the palace had no restrictions. A quick scan with his spiritual sense revealed it was empty, causing him to subtly frown.

Just then, a streak of light descended from the sky, landing in Yun Lan's palm.

A trace of surprise flashed in Yun Lan's eyes. After a slight hesitation, she said with a troubled expression, "Senior Qin, I just received news that the Sect Master is cultivating in seclusion within the 'mountain within a mountain.' It's a critical moment, and she temporarily cannot come out to greet you. I trouble Senior to rest for a few days in the Flame-Loathing Pavilion. I hope Senior doesn't mind."

"It seems I've come at an inconvenient time. Since Fellow Daoist Bing Han has important matters, waiting a few days is no issue."

Qin Sang naturally wouldn't make things difficult for a junior. He waved his hand dismissively and entered the main hall.

Yun Lan breathed a sigh of relief. She personally made arrangements and offered spiritual fruits and immortal wine, but Qin Sang politely declined them all.

Qin Sang instructed Yun Lan not to stand on ceremony and to call him when Bing Han emerged from seclusion. He then used a restriction to seal off the Flame-Loathing Pavilion, isolating it from the outside. However, Yun Lan dared not be negligent and personally guarded the area, awaiting his orders.

After inspecting the Flame-Loathing Pavilion and confirming there were no strange restrictions inside, Qin Sang unfastened his spirit beast pouch. A red light shot into his hand; it was the Fire Jade Centipede.

The Fire Jade Centipede couldn't fly out of Qin Sang's palm. It spun around agitatedly in his hand, unusually restless.