Chapter 1738: Person Field

The cabin was sealed by restrictions, cutting off the noisy waves outside. In the silent space, a strange voice suddenly echoed, saying, “You are going to die.” One can imagine how terrifying such a situation would be.

Especially when Qin Sang realized the voice originated from the Solar Divine Tree, his scalp tingled, and a cold sweat nearly broke out on his back. In an instant, Qin Sang’s mind raced, and his entire body tensed.

Fortunately, he maintained his composure and didn't lose control on the spot.

“Who are you?”

Qin Sang stared at the Solar Divine Tree, confirming the voice came from within the divine tree.

“Just as you’re thinking.” The child's voice sounded again, full of profound meaning, making it seem unfathomable. Then, it emphasized with greater intensity, “You are going to die!”

This time, Qin Sang saw clearly. As the voice spoke, the nine divine birds perched on the branches of the Solar Divine Tree suddenly turned their heads and collectively stared at him.

Being stared at by nine pairs of eyes made of flames would unnerve anyone.

With each word spoken, one Solar Divine Bird would open its mouth, then the next word would be spoken by the following bird. Thus, an entire sentence was spoken in turn by the nine divine birds, yet it flowed seamlessly, as if spoken by a single entity.

The other party likely possessed the ability to control the Solar Divine Birds. At such close proximity, if all nine birds attacked simultaneously, the consequences would be unimaginable.

However, Qin Sang did not dodge; he remained secretly on guard.

The Solar Divine Tree had followed him for several centuries. If the other party had intended to harm him, lurking beside him for so long, there would have been no need to wait until now.

“Are you the Vermilion Bird Spirit?”

Qin Sang's thoughts raced.

The Solar Divine Tree was personally refined by him, but it differed significantly from typical magical artifacts.

This artifact's refinement followed the method deduced by Old Ancestor Kuiyin, similar to the Ten Directions Yama Banner. It was essentially a vessel designed to hold the Vermilion Bird's True Feather. Because the power of the Southern Bright Lihuo within the Vermilion Bird's True Feather was too volatile, it required suppression by the Solar Divine Tree's core—the green copper block—along with other spiritual objects like the Nine-Lives Mystic Tortoise shell and mysterious white copper, all pieced together.

The Solar Divine Tree could not be considered a true artifact. Qin Sang intended to refine the Southern Bright Lihuo and had never consecrated it with secret arts, so it wouldn't spontaneously develop sentience.

There was only one possibility.

The Vermilion Bird's True Feather!

After acquiring the Vermilion Bird's True Feather, although Qin Sang had repeatedly used the Solar Divine Tree to repel powerful enemies, he could only control the Solar Divine Birds formed from the Southern Bright Lihuo's aura, never truly touching the Vermilion Bird's True Feather itself. Later, he tried to refine the Southern Bright Lihuo multiple times using the *Fire Seed Golden Lotus* technique, but all attempts failed.

In reality, he knew nothing about the Vermilion Bird's True Feather.

“Are you even listening to what I'm saying!”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit seemed somewhat impatient. “I'm not lying to you, you're really going to die!”

Such words didn't sound like they came from an old, cunning spirit that had lurked for years.

It sounded more like a demanding child. Or was it deliberate pretense?

A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Sang's eyes as he exhaled lightly. “My lifespan isn't over, and I have no powerful enemies. Why would I die?”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit scoffed twice in quick succession. However, because its voice was clear and so childlike, it gave off a sense of childish innocence. “No powerful enemy is chasing you; you're walking into your own death!”

Apparently feeling that this warning wasn't enough, the Vermilion Bird Spirit sneered twice more. “You have the aura of a Qilin about you!” To its disappointment, Qin Sang's expression remained unchanged; his eyes showed no fear, only bewilderment and doubt.

Qin Sang simply didn't understand what it was saying!

The Qilin, a mythical beast of legend, was considered in ancient texts to be no less significant than dragons or phoenixes.

Many mythical beasts were, in fact, already connected to him. The Vermilion Bird's True Feather and the Heavenly Phoenix's True Feather were right there beside him, and he had even absorbed the True Blood of the Azure Luan to reshape his phoenix wings.

But where did the Qilin come from?

“I don't understand what you're talking about,” Qin Sang replied honestly.

“Hmph! Hmph! By the time you understand, it will be too late. The Qilin is already reawakening within you. Oh, according to your terms, it should be called 'body snatching'!”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit's tone was low, yet it felt as though it was trying its best to create a terrifying atmosphere to intimidate him.

Qin Sang's gaze shifted, and he suddenly scoffed. “This humble Daoist has never seen any Qilin. Stop trying to scare me! You've lurked beside me for so many years; what is your real purpose in suddenly showing yourself?”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit, with a tone of exasperation, shouted, “I, the Vermilion Bird, appeared to save you! In a while, the Qilin Source Seed will fully awaken inside you, and it will be irreversible!”

“Qilin Source Seed?”

Qin Sang was taken aback, increasingly feeling it was nonsense.

At this moment, Qin Sang noticed that the divine birds on the Solar Divine Tree shifted their gaze from him to the fire lotus floating beside him, and his heart suddenly stirred.

“Are you talking about *it*?” Qin Sang pointed to the fire lotus, his expression finally changing slightly.

“Though its aura is faint, likely due to being dormant for too long, it is definitely a Qilin!” The Vermilion Bird Spirit first mumbled a couple of words, then raised its voice: “When the fire lotus blooms, it is when the Source Seed will sprout. The Qilin will be nurtured within the lotus pedestal and return to the world. Although you are its nurturer, it won't thank you; it will devour you first!”

Fire lotus, lotus pedestal...

Having practiced the *Fire Seed Golden Lotus* technique for many years, Qin Sang naturally knew what these represented. This secret art was divided into three layers: the first involved condensing the Fire Lotus Seed, the second giving birth to the Fire Lotus, and the third transforming it into a Lotus Pedestal!

According to the Vermilion Bird Spirit, when he painstakingly cultivated this secret art to the third layer, forming the lotus pedestal and achieving mastery, he would be replaced by the Qilin.

Wouldn't he then become a human field for nurturing the Qilin Source Seed, with spiritual fire as the nourishment, and all of it sought out by him voluntarily?

Qin Sang's expression turned grim.

The *Fire Seed Golden Lotus* was the strongest spirit-refining secret art he had ever seen. By refining enough spiritual fire, he could possess divine sense far beyond his realm, which greatly aided him in breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage. Who would have thought it concealed such a trap!

So what exactly was the Qilin Source Seed?

It couldn't be that everyone who practiced this secret art had a Qilin reawakening inside them.

Qin Sang immediately thought of the transparent lotus seed, something he had once considered useless and had almost traded away back then!

Seeing Qin Sang's discomposure, the Vermilion Bird Spirit said with satisfaction, “Now you know how serious it is, right? Your fire lotus has already formed so many petals, which means your cultivation realm isn't low. The Qilin Source Seed has already taken root and sprouted. Otherwise, why do you think cultivation has been so easy?”

“Thank you for the warning, Senior,” Qin Sang said, his expression shifting several times as he voiced his gratitude, even addressing it as “Senior,” seemingly intimidated.

In reality, he only believed half of it.

During his cultivation of the *Fire Seed Golden Lotus*, he hadn't noticed anything unusual.

Was this secret art easy to cultivate?

Qin Sang didn't think so.

While possessing divine sense far surpassing others of the same stage and rivaling Soul Transformation cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage was certainly due to the profoundness of the secret art, it also owed much to the Nine Nether Demonic Flames. The Nine Nether Demonic Flames were not from this world, and it was almost impossible for others to obtain such high-grade demonic flames. If Qin Sang had to collect spiritual fire bit by bit, it would have taken an unknown amount of time.

Looking back at his cultivation journey, he had encountered bottlenecks multiple times and was forced to use various rare spiritual objects to aid in breaking through.

However, could it be related to him not keeping the transparent lotus seed inside his body?

At the beginning of his cultivation, Qin Sang had greatly valued the transparent lotus seed, testing it repeatedly. He felt it could assist in condensing spiritual fire, preventing cultivators from burning their spirits, and thus protecting their primordial spirit. Refining spiritual fire into the Purple Mansion and condensing the fire lotus seed with the primordial spirit was, of course, extremely dangerous.

But Qin Sang had the Jade Buddha for protection, so he didn't need other objects.

He had suffered similar losses before, and seeing no need to keep the transparent lotus seed in his Purple Mansion, he stored it away.

According to the Vermilion Bird Spirit, the Qilin Source Seed gradually reawakens during a cultivator's practice, perhaps revealing unexpected benefits later on, making subsequent cultivation less difficult than his. However, little did he know, the faster one cultivated, the faster one would die!

“Warning you is useless. The Qilin Source Seed is gradually reawakening. You are already terminally ill, powerless to stop its awakening; it's only a matter of time!” The Vermilion Bird Spirit seemed to sigh for Qin Sang, yet its tone had an uncontrollable upward lilt.

Qin Sang frowned, asking, “Senior, do you mean that even if I stop cultivating this secret art now, I'm beyond saving?”

“That's right!”

The nine Solar Divine Birds nodded vigorously in unison. “Unless you end your own life first so it finds another host, you are doomed! Only I, the Vermilion Bird, can save you here!”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit suddenly fell silent.

Qin Sang knew perfectly well that the other party was clearly waiting for him to ask for help. The Vermilion Bird Spirit's intention was too obvious. Qin Sang complied with its wish, bowing respectfully and saying, “Please save me, Senior!”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit giggled. On the divine tree, the nine divine birds stirred, as if wanting to flap their wings and dance, but ultimately did not fly. Seeing this, Qin Sang's eyes flickered, but his expression remained unchanged.

He then heard the Vermilion Bird Spirit say, “I have a method that can help you suppress the Qilin Source Seed, without harming your cultivation or risking body snatching.”

“Since Senior has appeared, it must be out of benevolence, unwilling to see this humble Daoist suffer, and wishing to rescue me from my predicament. May I ask what I must do for Senior to impart this method?” Qin Sang's tone was very respectful, his expression pleading.

Seeing his understanding, the Vermilion Bird Spirit, full of satisfaction, said, “As long as you agree to three... no... four... four things, I will save you!” Each of the Vermilion Bird Spirit's sentences was spoken in turn by the nine divine birds.

Mid-sentence, it changed from three conditions to four, as if the birds were squabbling, making it seem very peculiar. Qin Sang's gaze was strange. “Which four things, Senior? Please elaborate.”

If the roles were reversed, with someone else's life in his hands, wouldn't he simply manipulate them as he pleased, without needing to list specific demands?

This Vermilion Bird Spirit, he wondered, was it truly naive, or was it merely toying with him?

The Vermilion Bird Spirit spoke quickly: “First, I, the Vermilion Bird, will teach you how to suppress the Qilin Source Seed. You must follow my instructions and help me extract the essence from the Qilin Source Seed.”

Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. “Is this essence useful to Senior?”

“It can help me recover...” The Vermilion Bird Spirit realized its slip of the tongue and quickly changed its tone. “You'll have your share of effort and reward. I won't extract all the essence, and extracting it through you will also bring you immense benefits.”

Qin Sang feigned ignorance, nodding. “What about the second condition?”

“Give me that feather!”

The Solar Divine Birds collectively stared at the Heavenly Phoenix's True Feather in Qin Sang's hand, flames dancing in their eyes, and the air around them seemed to grow hotter. As expected, it was after the Heavenly Phoenix's True Feather!

Qin Sang had already suspected this. The Vermilion Bird Spirit chose not to appear earlier or later, but precisely when he obtained the Heavenly Phoenix's True Feather.

“Is this feather also a divine beast Source Seed, containing phoenix essence?” Qin Sang lowered his head to look at the remnant feather, then paused. “One Qilin is enough to leave me without a burial ground; I certainly wouldn't dare let a Heavenly Phoenix enter my body.”

“You don't need to ask so many questions. Just give me this feather and follow my commands, and I'll guarantee your safety.”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit's tone suddenly became guarded. Seeing that he couldn't elicit more information, Qin Sang hesitated. “Senior already saw how I failed when attempting to refine the demonic fire within this feather. I also don't dare to cultivate the *Fire Seed Golden Lotus* anymore, and without phoenix bloodline, I cannot refine or control it. This artifact is like a chicken rib to me—not entirely useless, but not greatly beneficial. It's not impossible for me to give it to Senior, but I must first hear your other conditions. If Senior proposes demands I cannot bear, I cannot simply agree. This junior would rather die with it.”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit scoffed, “My subsequent conditions offer you astounding benefits, opportunities others could only dream of. How dare you procrastinate!”

Qin Sang simply said “Oh,” and listened attentively.

The nine divine birds lifted their heads, looking smug. “Since this Qilin was capable of condensing a Source Seed, its cultivation must have been extremely high in life. Perhaps it encountered a powerful enemy and had to rely on the Source Seed to escape, ending up here. It must have its original essence hidden elsewhere. Once it recovers and regains its essence, it will quickly regain its strength.”

“Qilin's original essence?” Qin Sang's interest was piqued.

Although he didn't know what the Qilin's cultivation level was in life, its ability to exist as a Source Seed for countless years and set traps within a secret art that even Soul Transformation cultivators couldn't detect was telling!

“The Qilin's original essence must be hidden very deeply, but it definitely has a connection with the Qilin Source Seed, which can be used to locate it. I, the Vermilion Bird, will extract the essence and help you refine the Source Seed, and you will surely sense something. As long as you help me find the Qilin's original essence, I will reward you based on your merits and give you a portion as appropriate.” The Vermilion Bird Spirit's voice, though clear, carried a hint of temptation. “The Qilin's original essence is a marvel of the world; it can completely transform you!”

“This...” Qin Sang hesitated. “The Qilin is a divine beast, and I am human. Our bloodlines are disparate; I fear this humble Daoist might not be able to refine it?”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit scoffed, “The Qilin's original essence is the purest power between heaven and earth. As long as the Qilin's imprint is erased, anyone can refine it. Even if you can't bear it, I, the Vermilion Bird, keep my promises; I will find a way to help you when the time comes!” Its tone was confident.

Yet, Qin Sang could tell that the Vermilion Bird Spirit clearly wasn't entirely certain. Perhaps, whether the Qilin's original essence even existed was also an unknown, entirely based on the Vermilion Bird Spirit's conjecture.

“What's the fourth condition?”

The Vermilion Bird Spirit hesitated for a moment, then said, “As for the fourth condition, I haven't decided yet. But rest assured, I still need you to find the Qilin's original essence, so I won't ask you to do anything beyond your capabilities. From now on, you must not leave my side, follow my commands, and focus on refining the Qilin Source Seed and searching for its original essence.” It seemed to be already fantasizing about a bright future, speaking faster and faster with growing excitement, as the nine divine birds chirped and flapped their brows in delight.

“Once we find the Qilin's original essence, I, the Vermilion Bird, will not only share some with you but also accept your offerings. As long as you present enough tributes, I, the Vermilion Bird, will continually protect you and your descendants!”