Chapter 942: Completion

This treasure is a damaged ancient artifact. Its grade when intact is unknown, but now it can only be used to conceal one's aura.

Back then, the young man named Fang relied on the Crimson Essence Veil to move freely within human territory.

After Qin Sang finished explaining the uses of the Crimson Essence Veil, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on Bai's face. "Excellent!" he exclaimed. "With this treasure's help, it should be foolproof. Fellow Daoist, let's begin..."

Qin Sang nodded.

The ground of the grotto and the stone walls of the canyon were similar in material, shining with a metallic luster and incredibly hard. According to Bai, this was all due to the presence of the Demonic Restriction. The Demonic Restriction permeated the entire Ghost Land, completely enveloping it, sealing the departed souls, and eternally suppressing this place.

It was due to the altar that Bai was able to sleep in the grotto. In any other place, if Bai dared to approach the Demonic Restriction, he would immediately suffer its backlash. Just now, when he was observing the Nascent Soul at the valley entrance, he could only stand far behind.

Bai led Qin Sang around the altar. After instructing him on the key points for breaking the Demonic Restriction, he sat cross-legged in the center of the altar, ready to activate it and provide assistance when Qin Sang collected the demonic flame. He clasped his hands tightly, his eyes unable to conceal his inner tension.

Qin Sang walked a few circles around the altar, pondered for a moment, then sat cross-legged in a spot near the altar and took out a demonic banner from his Thousand-Jun Ring. He slightly closed his eyes, recalling Patriarch Kuiyin's artifact refining methods. In fact, at this stage, it was no longer artifact refining but rather collecting the Nine Nether Demonic Flame and sealing it using the original restrictions of the Profound Iron Pillar and the power of the essence soul threads.

During this process, he not only had to suppress the Nine Nether Demonic Flame's resistance but also now face the backlash from the Demonic Restriction. If he were to collect the demonic flame that appeared in its true form at the canyon entrance, it might be much easier. However, first, the Nascent Soul was observing outside, and second, that wouldn't achieve the desired effect of weakening the Demonic Restriction. Fortunately, Bai could activate the altar's power to help him resist the Demonic Restriction at crucial moments.

After long deliberation, Qin Sang mentally rehearsed the process several times, ensuring there were no omissions. He then opened his eyes, nodded to Bai, and said, "Let's begin!"

Bai took a deep breath, his expression solemn, and surveyed the eight spiritual pillars on the altar. The spiritual pillars were crafted from an unknown material. After countless years, they had transformed into unassuming, dusty stone columns. Bai's lips moved slightly as he chanted the incantation etched deep within his soul, to unseal the altar that had slumbered for countless years.

Qin Sang held the demonic banner in one hand, ready at any moment to cast his secret art and collect the demonic flame, his eyes fixed on Bai's movements. Bai's chanting grew faster and faster, but the altar remained motionless.

Suddenly, the altar shuddered violently, causing the entire grotto to tremble. The next moment, a cracking sound emanated from one of the spiritual pillars at the altar's edge. Qin Sang's gaze shifted, and he looked over.

A faint glow lit up the center of the spiritual pillar, illuminating it from within. The pillar's appearance changed dramatically, as if shedding a layer of stony shell, its interior resembling finely carved jade. What was startling was that under the faint glow, countless spiderweb-like cracks were revealed within the spiritual pillar, covering its entire structure.

Seeing this, Qin Sang's heart tightened. Noticing that Bai seemed to have paused his incantation, he quickly asked aloud, "Are these cracks original to the spiritual pillar?"

The power of the Demonic Restriction had waned, and it seemed the altar wasn't in optimistic condition either. Qin Sang couldn't help but worry if the spiritual pillar would shatter midway, causing them to fail at the last step. In that case, he would truly be trapped in the Ghost Land for decades.

Bai's expression also held a hint of seriousness. He turned his head and stared at the spiritual pillar for a long time before saying, "Fellow Daoist, don't worry. The cracks are due to the altar's power weakening from the Demonic Restriction's erosion. However, I personally refined this item during my lifetime, so it won't be as fragile as it appears. Moreover, the power of the Demonic Restriction is not what it once was. The spiritual pillar is strong enough to last until we break the Demonic Restriction and guide the departed souls."

Qin Sang's expression relaxed as he said, "In that case, I am relieved. I have already prepared my secret art. Fellow Daoist, please directly impact the Demonic Restriction and force the demonic flame to reveal itself."

"Alright!"

Bai nodded, pointed a single hand at the spiritual pillar, his fingers rapidly conjuring streaks of spiritual light like a spinning wheel, which merged into the pillar. Then, amidst a heart-clenching creaking sound, the light pillar suddenly erupted with a powerful glow, illuminating the entire stone chamber in exquisite detail. At the connection point between the light pillar and the altar, countless profound and unusual runes appeared.

Qin Sang was enveloped by the light. As soon as he saw the runes, a profound sense of tranquility spontaneously arose within him, yet his mind remained clear. He wasn't sure if it was due to the Jade Buddha or if the altar's power simply didn't target living beings.

As the runes took form, a sudden change occurred. The ground shimmered with an unusual light, then dense black patterns emerged, like a vast black net, encompassing the altar itself. From these black patterns, Qin Sang sensed a familiar aura: it was precisely the Nine Nether Demonic Flame!

The moment the black patterns appeared, the spiritual pillar's light abruptly dimmed, the runes swirled and were forced back into the altar, and the spiritual pillar's light became even fainter.

"Open!"

Bai's eyes widened suddenly, he let out a sharp cry, and pressed one hand down. Immediately, the runes on the altar erupted, coalescing into a ball of spiritual light which fiercely crashed into a section of the black net in front of Qin Sang.

"Boom!"

After the violent tremor, Qin Sang, using the Eye of Heaven Butterfly's divine ability, observed the changes occurring there. The black net emerged from the ground, revealing its true form. Countless strange runes danced, enveloping and eroding the altar's spiritual light, and seemingly sensing Bai's aura, they surged wildly towards the altar.

Bai's expression changed. He hurriedly activated the altar's power to block the runes' invasion and looked at Qin Sang with expectant eyes. Qin Sang was intently staring at the point where the black net erupted. The power of the Demonic Restriction was forced out by the altar and revealed itself. The entities carrying the Demonic Restriction's runes were indeed streams of Nine Nether Demonic Flame. Originally, the demonic flame and the runes should have been one, but due to a flaw, an opportunity had arisen.

Seeing the opportunity, Qin Sang didn't hesitate, immediately waving the demonic banner in his hand towards that spot. The demonic banner slowly descended near the demonic flame. Black light flickered, and a sudden suction force appeared, drawing out a wisp of Nine Nether Demonic Flame. At the same time, Qin Sang cast his secret art, activating the artifact to seal the demonic flame.

A surprising scene unfolded: the fiercely surging demonic flame, after entering the demonic banner's black light, struggled violently yet couldn't break free. Gradually, this wisp of demonic flame completely settled down, flashed, and vanished into the demonic banner. Simultaneously, the strange runes shattered, and the black net's momentum weakened.

Bai was overjoyed at the sight. He urged repeatedly, "Fellow Daoist, quickly collect the demonic flame! Once it's done, we'll immediately go elsewhere. We must destroy those crucial restrictions before the Demonic Restriction recovers!"

Qin Sang knew time was pressing. He dared not hesitate, not caring about the consumption of his true essence as he hastened his actions. Wisp after wisp of Nine Nether Demonic Flame was sealed by the demonic banner.

Under Bai's anxious gaze, a brand-new demonic banner was fully refined!

Qin Sang summoned the demonic banner into his palm and couldn't help but reveal a faint smile. Patriarch Kuiyin would certainly never have imagined that the Ten Directions Yama Banner, which he had created with immense effort, would reappear in his hands and shine brightly!