Chapter 1861: Mystical Jade Ice Flame

"Where is the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven? Didn't the Demon Race send people to search for treasures there?" Wang Youwei asked, full of curiosity.

"The Immortal Burying Cave Heaven enters a weakened state only once every millennium or so. Outside of this period, its restrictions are incredibly powerful. The Demon Race sent many cultivators to search for treasures there, but they suffered heavy losses, with survival rates extremely low. Later, no one dared to go. To my knowledge, Senior Chen from the Demon Race personally entered the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven. He emerged quickly and never went back in. He should possess a partial map of the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven." Ye Tianlong explained, a look of yearning on his face.

Wang Youwei nodded and instructed, "Give us a good introduction to the Thousand Gourd Realm, especially its secret realms and forbidden zones. If you do well, I can introduce you to my ancestor. I forgot to mention, I am a descendant of the Azure Lotus Immortals." By the end, Wang Youwei's face was filled with pride.

Ye Tianlong was secretly astonished. No wonder the other Nascent Soul cultivators had voluntarily withdrawn.

"No problem," Ye Tianlong said with a smile. "I heard a Nascent Soul cultivator discovered the ruins of a major cultivation clan and plundered many treasures. Other forces tried to corner him, but he still managed to escape." After the fall of the Demon Race, various factions in the Thousand Gourd Realm were stirring. Some allied with powerful entities, while others took the opportunity to initiate conflicts, annexing smaller forces. The Thousand Gourd Realm was currently in chaos; whoever had the stronger fist could plunder more cultivation resources.

"You wouldn't be talking about Huang Fugui, would you? He's a legendary figure in our East Fence Realm. He started as a tomb raider and, by chance, acquired a cultivation method. He's exceptionally skilled at treasure hunting, and his evasion speed is top-notch; few cultivators of the same rank can catch him." Ouyang Mingyue said with a light chuckle.

Ye Tianlong nodded. "It seems so. Others call him 'Huang the Runner.'"

"That confirms it. No one is more passionate about treasure hunting than Huang Fugui. It's quite possible he'll go to the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven to seek treasures. There isn't a secret realm or forbidden zone he wouldn't dare explore." Wang Youwei said playfully.

The Immortal Burying Cave Heaven is located in the southwest and is a renowned ancient battlefield. It is said that over a dozen Soul Transformation cultivators perished there. Its restrictions are manifold and remain incredibly powerful even after tens of thousands of years, making it truly a place of near-certain death. Consequently, the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven is known as the most dangerous place in the Thousand Gourd Realm.

After the Demon Race occupied the Thousand Gourd Realm, they once organized a team to forcibly enter the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven. The survival rate was less than one percent, cementing its fearsome reputation as the most dangerous place. Nevertheless, it is widely confirmed by cultivators that the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven indeed contains numerous treasures. Some high-level cultivators nearing the end of their lifespans still venture into the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven to try their luck. Every millennium or so, the restrictions of the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven weaken, making it the optimal time for treasure hunting.

A golden streak of light pierced the sky. After a few flashes, it stopped near the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven. The light dissipated, revealing a gleaming golden dragon boat. On its deck stood a three-story golden pavilion, and seven men and two women. Leading them was a golden-robed old man over seventy. The elderly man was stout with a thick neck and a bulging belly, his waistline layered with rolls of fat like stacked fans. His eyes were squeezed into narrow slits by the flesh on his face. Judging by his aura, he was clearly a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. Huang Fugui stood beside the golden-robed old man, his expression excited.

Huang Fugui pointed to a circular, greenish void high in the sky and said, "Fellow Daoist Jin, this is the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven, the most dangerous place in the Thousand Gourd Realm. It's said that over a dozen Soul Transformation cultivators perished here, so there might even be Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures."

After parting ways with Wang Changsheng, Huang Fugui encountered a large group from the East Fence Realm. As he excelled at treasure hunting, several Nascent Soul cultivators proactively sought him out and invited him to join their expedition. There's strength in numbers. Huang Fugui wouldn't dare to approach the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven alone, but with eight other Nascent Soul cultivators, it was naturally no problem.

Upon hearing the words "Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures," the eyes of the other seven Nascent Soul cultivators, except for the golden-robed old man, became fervent.

"Hmph, Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures aren't so easily acquired," the golden-robed old man said indifferently. "I just want to find that ten-thousand-year-old Golden Flame Ginseng. If I can't advance to the Soul Transformation stage, even a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure will be useless to me in a hundred years, when I turn to dust." His tone was indifferent. His lifespan was limited, and for him, advancing to the Soul Transformation stage was paramount.

When the Demon Race explored the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven back then, few survived. A cultivator surnamed Ma, by chance, encountered a ten-thousand-year-old Golden Flame Ginseng, which was said to have already taken human form. If a Nascent Soul cultivator consumes Golden Flame Ginseng, they can use its immense medicinal power to attempt to break through to the Soul Transformation stage. Furthermore, Golden Flame Ginseng is an excellent material for refining avatars. Their primary goal for this expedition was the Golden Flame Ginseng. If the opportunity arose, they would dare to venture deeper into the Immortal Burying Cave Heaven to search for Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures. Fortune favors the bold, and opportunities are rare.

"Fellow Daoist Jin's spirit treasure can guide us through that dangerous area, and then I can set up a formation to capture that beast," a strikingly beautiful, tall young woman in a green dress said confidently.

Huang Fugui cautioned. He was always careful and cautious when treasure hunting, never daring to be negligent. A slight mistake could cost him his life.

"Let's go! I hope we can find something," the golden-robed old man said with a heavy tone. He conjured a spell, and the golden dragon boat immediately erupted with dazzling golden light, transforming into a golden rainbow that swiftly flew towards the greenish void. Soon after, the golden rainbow vanished into the greenish void, as if it had never been there.

***

Thousand Gourd Sect, main headquarters. Purple Gourd Peak, Purple Gourd Hall.

The main hall shook violently, as if an earthquake were occurring.

In a certain stone chamber, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. A cluster of snow-white flames floated in mid-air. The floor and stone walls were covered in ice, several feet thick. He cast a spell, and the snow-white flames churned intensely, transforming into a white lotus about ten feet in size, floating in mid-air. Seven misty, watery banners floated above the blue lotus. Runes shimmered on their surfaces, and the words "Overturning Sea" were engraved on their flagpoles. Their spiritual energy was overwhelming, clearly indicating they were spirit treasures. Numerous refining materials lay scattered around Wang Changsheng. His face was slightly pale, and his expression was agitated.

Overturning Sea Banners, a complete set of spirit treasures. Wang Changsheng had originally intended to refine a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure, but his refining skill was limited, making it impossible for him to create one for now. Refining a complete set of spirit treasures was also a good achievement. He had refined the Glazed Ice Flame, obtaining a new type of flame called Profound Jade Ice Flame, a name he himself coined. Using the Profound Jade Ice Flame for refining significantly improved Wang Changsheng's efficiency. However, he still had a long way to go to refine a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure; one cannot become fat with a single bite. Wang Changsheng planned to refine several more sets of spirit treasures to further improve his refining techniques before attempting a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure.