Chapter 1951: Deep Abyss

Qin Sang wandered in a sea of stars, drawing the celestial bodies into his cave dwelling.

The starlight was, in fact, sword-stars formed by streams of sword aura.

These sword-stars were constantly shifting, with no fixed arrangement, forming various formations.

The gathering and dispersing of the stars reflected Qin Sang's ongoing deduction of the Southern Seven Mansions Sword Array.

Within this stellar sea, a single red light shone brightest, a cluster of fiercely burning flames.

This cluster of flames was currently shapeless, existing in its initial form.

However, within the flames, a Vermilion Bird, with its wings spread wide as if soaring, manipulated the true fire, coordinating with the changing sword-stars.

Qin Sang intended to use the Vermilion Bird to comprehend the Southern Seven Mansions Sword Array. This task was equally challenging, but his deductions over this period had given him a glimmer of hope.

Normally, Qin Sang would use his understanding of the Sword Dao to deduce the sword array, at least constructing its rudimentary form and nurturing a unique sword intent that would eventually transform into a Vermilion Bird's malevolent energy.

Now, with a real Vermilion Bird available to substitute for the Vermilion Bird's malevolent energy, Qin Sang could deduce the array by referencing the Seven Mansions Constellation Sword Array. Once he found the point where they aligned, the Vermilion Bird and the sword array could merge.

At that point, to some extent, it could be regarded as an array spirit!

Qin Sang wasn't entirely confident whether this concept would ultimately succeed.

He hoped for a successful start, otherwise comprehending the other two Four Symbols Sword Arrays would be even more difficult.

'Whoosh!'

The sword light abruptly vanished.

"This Vermilion Bird has suffered a great loss!"

The Vermilion Bird landed on Qin Sang's shoulder and grumbled. Before Qin Sang could speak, it tilted its head and fell asleep, truly exhausted and worn out from cooperating with him.

Qin Sang quietly reflected on the insights gained from this deduction. After some time, he rose and exited his cave dwelling.

"This is the place!"

Fu Xiao was at the end of his tether. Fortunately, the terrain here favored him, allowing him to narrowly escape certain death multiple times.

But could this place help him shake off his pursuers?

Fu Xiao smiled bitterly to himself, fearing there wasn't even a ten percent chance.

Yet, his will to survive remained undiminished. Cultivators who could reach the God Transformation stage were all strong-willed individuals.

Immersed in the magma, he noticed the temperature steadily dropping, and a chilling aura gradually permeated the surroundings.

Behind him, the green flames showed signs of catching up again.

Fu Xiao clenched the object in his palm, and his body abruptly plunged deeper into the magma.

As expected, the pursuers reacted immediately.

The tall man suddenly spat out a mouthful of vile blood, which landed in the green flames, causing them to surge. From the flames, over a dozen black chains shot out.

At the end of each chain was a human head engulfed in green flames. The heads had grotesque expressions, their eye sockets empty and replaced by green fire, emitting ghoulish howls.

These eerie heads darted through the magma unimpeded, instantly catching up to Fu Xiao, encircling him in a chaotic frenzy.

The heads shrieked, opened their gaping maws, and lunged at Fu Xiao.

Fu Xiao seemed truly spent. He only managed to conjure a fiery red jade bracelet, which expanded into a ring of fire. However, not only did it fail to repel the heads, but it was also bitten into pieces by them after only a brief resistance.

'Crack!'

The sound of shattering was clear.

The heads swarmed Fu Xiao, tearing at his flesh.

Simultaneously, in the lower layers of the magma, Fu Xiao's figure unexpectedly reappeared. His breathing was rapid and erratic as he forcefully channeled his True Essence, slamming his palm downwards.

The spot he struck shimmered with an unusual light.

Within the light, a dilapidated palace emerged.

The palace, long devoid of human presence, appeared desolate and lifeless, giving off a sense of decay.

However, the patterns on the palace walls were still vibrant as new, depicting various fire beasts.

These fire beasts were lifelike, positioned around a fire phoenix. Their arrangement contained hidden mysteries, resembling a grand array.

Some fire beasts were particularly striking, appearing to be consumed by raging flames, as if about to step off the wall.

Not all fire beasts were like this; many had lost their luster, but the situation was still better than Fu Xiao had anticipated.

Fu Xiao's face lit up with joy. He immediately took out a bronze mirror, aimed it at the fire phoenix at the center of the beasts, chanted an incantation, and drew the phoenix into the mirror. Then, gathering all his strength, he hurled the bronze mirror.

'Boom!'

The fire phoenix burst out of the bronze mirror, soaring magnificently through the magma with wings spread wide.

The palace simultaneously exploded.

Amidst the palace fragments, streams of red light shot out, transforming into illusory fire beasts. Attracted by the fire phoenix, they gathered around it, just as depicted in the patterns.

At this moment, the 'beast diagram' had come to life.

Roars erupted one after another.

The beasts guarded the fire phoenix, circling it faster and faster, as if all of them had fallen into a fiery vortex, rapidly brewing a terrifying aura.

At this point, the tall man realized he had been tricked. The flesh and blood torn off by the heads had turned into dry pieces of wood.

He snorted coldly. Just as he was about to cast a spell to drag out Fu Xiao, he suddenly felt something and his expression changed dramatically.

'Rumble!'

A deafening explosion suddenly occurred below, followed by an astonishing gush of fire elemental energy.

This scene was like an eruption of an underground fiery vein, but with even greater power and destructive force!

The tall man bore the brunt of it. By the time he sensed something was amiss, the crimson torrent was already upon him.

'Swish! Swish! Swish!'

Unfazed by the danger, the tall man hastily recalled the heads, and the iron chains wove themselves into a net around him.

Simultaneously, fire spewed from all his pores, and the green flames transformed into a thick fiery armor, protecting his entire body.

Almost the instant the fiery armor formed, the tall man was engulfed by the torrent.

The next moment, the power of the Fire Beast Array completely erupted.

From an aerial view, one could see the surrounding magma, earth, and mountains violently shaking. The center swelled high before spewing forth scorching magma, filling the entire sky.

The magma continued to erupt, and from a distance, one could see crimson torrents, larger than mountains, surging towards the heavens.

Amidst the terrifying spectacle caused by the Fire Beast Array, the tall man was unable to maintain his form.

The heads and chains finally gave way, making cracking sounds as they shattered piece by piece.

However, this Fire Beast Array was not enough to kill the tall man.

Green flames continuously surged from within him. Donning a pair of dark gold gloves, he repeatedly struck with both palms, using his physical strength to resist the torrent, surprisingly showing signs of gradually stabilizing his position.

His eyes were deep and his gaze like lightning as he searched for something within the fiery torrent.

Suddenly, he frowned, feeling an inexplicable unease.

Soon, his unease was confirmed. He felt his internal energy inexplicably flowing sluggishly, with a subtle disharmony, as if he had been poisoned.

"Poison?"

Since joining the Fallen Soul Abyss and becoming a Corpse Cultivator, making him immune to all poisons, he hadn't felt this way in a long time.

Just then, a teasing voice suddenly rang in his ear.

"Didn't that old corpse demon teach you the principle of not pursuing a desperate foe?"

"Who's there!"

The tall man was startled. Catching sight of a figure to his left from the corner of his eye, he immediately recognized Ling Shi. "It's you!"

"And me, this Marquis! Please, fellow Daoist, accompany us back to our residence for a discussion!"

Another figure appeared from the right, approaching rapidly, forming a pincer movement against him.

The tall man's heart sank to rock bottom.

After activating the Fire Beast Array, Fu Xiao used the chaos created by the torrent to conceal himself, desperately fleeing beneath the magma. He hoped the Fire Beast Array would stall his enemies for a while longer.

He was truly at his last gasp now. Doing his best and leaving the rest to fate, a faint sense of despair lingered in his heart.

After escaping a certain distance,

Fu Xiao couldn't resist looking back. Behind him was a scene of chaos, and he couldn't perceive anything. He only cared about the corpse demon, and it hadn't pursued him!

"The incomplete array really trapped the corpse demon!"

Fu Xiao, having narrowly escaped death, could barely contain his ecstasy. As he fled, he silently thanked the patriarchs of the Six Harmonies Sect.

Not long after he escaped,

The magma in the sky gradually receded, and two streaks of light burst forth from the flames.

Marquis Gui held a person, who was none other than the tall man, now stripped of his ability to resist.

With the two of them working together to set an ambush, and the tall man already poisoned, the outcome of the battle was decided without further complications.

At the cultivation ground.

When Marquis Gui returned with the tall man, he received an order to take him directly to the fire chamber.

"Reporting, master, the person has been brought. We previously interrogated him and learned he has another accomplice lurking elsewhere. Fellow Daoist Ling Shi has gone to apprehend that person as well."

Qin Sang sat cross-legged atop the copper pillar, with the Gray Oriole Sword suspended before him, undergoing refinement with his essence blood.

Marquis Gui stood silently to the side.

Before long, Qin Sang stopped his refinement and looked at the tall man slumped on the ground.

The man's five senses had not been sealed. Seeing Qin Sang and the arrangements within the fire chamber, his face was filled with shock.

But Qin Sang did not see the reaction he desired.

Without any visible movement from Qin Sang, an object suddenly flew out from the tall man's chest. It was a crimson jade disc, precisely the "Fiery Heart Jade".

Qin Sang looked at the Fiery Heart Jade. From this jade pendant, he sensed familiar fluctuations—power originating from the same source as the copper pillar!

This was why he had impulsively ordered Marquis Gui and the others to bring the man here.

Yet, judging by the man's reaction, he didn't seem to recognize the copper pillar.

"Where did you get that jade disc?"

Qin Sang asked indifferently.

Marquis Gui lifted the restrictions on the tall man and threatened in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist, you are an intelligent person; only those who understand the times are true heroes. Once our master employs soul-searching techniques, it will be too late for regrets."

In truth, the tall man had no desire to resist at this moment.

Seeing Marquis Gui's respectful demeanor before Qin Sang, addressing him as "master," a terrifying thought struck him, filling him with immense dread.

"Replying... replying, senior, the Fiery Heart Jade was bestowed by our ancestor, who commanded Lord Feiluo to lead a few of us into the Fiery Domain to search for something that would cause the jade disc to react..."

The tall man held nothing back, immediately revealing everything.

Qin Sang's heart stirred. He slightly activated the fire chamber's spirit array, allowing a trace of the copper pillar's aura to leak out, and the Fiery Heart Jade indeed lit up.

The tall man's eyes widened. None of the ruins they had found contained such copper pillars. The Fiery Heart Jade's reaction made him recall a scene from two hundred years ago.

"Something's wrong!"

Just then, Qin Sang detected an anomaly.

Before he could investigate further, the Fiery Heart Jade suddenly shattered with a 'crack' from within. However, Qin Sang acted even faster, directly seizing and isolating the core part of the Fiery Heart Jade.

"Indeed, it's a counterfeit!"

The person who refined the Fiery Heart Jade was extremely cautious, having secretly embedded a hidden mechanism, but this also allowed Qin Sang to discern a few things.

The true Fiery Heart Jade and the copper pillar clearly originated from the same source, likely a crucial component.

"What is the origin of these items, and why is the Fallen Soul Abyss ancestor searching for them?"

Qin Sang had initially believed that the secret of the copper pillar had been lost to the annals of history.

He glanced at the tall man, concluding that the Fallen Soul Abyss ancestor would certainly not reveal the true secret to them, so no valuable information could be extracted from him.

After inquiring about the other ruins, Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then waved his hand, saying, "Take him away."

Marquis Gui bowed in acknowledgment and exited the fire chamber.

Several months later.

Marquis Gui and Ling Shi stood side by side on a rock, watching two streaks of light whistle across the sky.

"Recently, more and more mysterious individuals have been roaming the Fiery Domain, making it inconvenient to venture out. Fortunately, we gathered enough spirit herbs earlier," said Marquis Gui.

Ling Shi raised a hand, pointing to one of the streaks of light. "The escape technique that person is using strongly resembles the renowned Soaring Cloud Extreme Heavens Grand Art of Cloud Capital Heaven!"

"Cloud Capital Heaven? Is it related to what happened a few months ago? Did Fu Xiao of the Six Harmonies Sect report back to Cloud Capital Heaven after escaping to his sect?" Marquis Gui speculated.

"Is Cloud Capital Heaven merely targeting Fallen Soul Abyss, or are they also interested in what the old demon is seeking? What kind of treasure could be so valuable!"

Ling Shi was also very curious. He turned his head to look at the cave dwelling on the mountaintop. "The senior hasn't given any orders. I wonder what his plan is—to secretly seize the treasure, or to sit back and watch the tigers fight?"

"Our master naturally prioritizes cultivation and comprehending the Grand Dao. How could he act rashly over some remnants of unknown value? Fellow Daoist, there's no need for baseless speculation. We only need to follow orders," Marquis Gui shook his head and flew back to the cave dwelling.

The entire cultivation ground had already been activated and hidden by a spirit array, as per Qin Sang's instructions.

Fallen Soul Abyss.

Named after an abyss, the entire sect was located within a sunless, lightless chasm.

The abyss was located west of Twilight Mountain, a fissure in the earth, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.

Deeper into the abyss, tomb-like stone caves gradually appeared, along with sarcophagi suspended from the cliff walls.

No insects or beasts dared to enter here. There were no other sounds, only gusts of chilling wind, intensifying the grim and terrifying atmosphere.

Shadows flickered occasionally, resembling ghosts.

At the very bottom of the abyss lay a river. Its waters were black and murky, leaving sludge-like traces along its banks, yet they emanated a faint, sweet fragrance.

The black river flowed silently.

Suddenly, a black-robed figure descended, standing by the bank and respectfully addressing the river: "Master, your disciple requests an audience!"

Silence filled the river.

The black-robed figure waited patiently for a moment before finally hearing a voice. "Speak."

The voice was extremely cold, devoid of any emotion.

The black-robed figure dared not hesitate, speaking rapidly: "Junior Martial Brother Feiluo and his companions have revealed their whereabouts. Cloud Capital Heaven has dispatched masters into the Fiery Domain and must have noticed we are searching for the Coiling Dragon Ancient Array. Junior Martial Brother Feiluo feels he has failed your command and is currently kneeling outside, awaiting your judgment."

This time, the river did not remain silent for too long, but the voice remained indifferent.

"It's earlier than expected. However, once this began, it was bound to attract Cloud Capital Heaven's attention. Is there anything else?"