Yun Lie did not recognize the map, so Xu Ziqing explained at once. “We obtained this fragment from the Nine-Mysterious Bewitching Fox. It’s part of a map of the Tianlan Secret Trove.” He related what had happened on the Savage Beast Plains, then continued, “Earlier, we entered the trove with Prince Tiancheng, Xuan Ze, using his map fragment. He doesn’t know we have one too. The inheritance grounds of Perfected Master Luofu were marked on his fragment.”
After listening, Yun Lie said, “Is something unusual about this place?”
Xu Ziqing nodded. “I never imagined the white-jade palace would cast us out, not into the region marked on Prince Tiancheng’s fragment, but into the area on the fragment we possess.”
In fact, although the terrain depicted on the different map fragments was clear, the maps were not exhaustive, and some subtle features were left undescribed. In theory, Xu Ziqing should not have recognized the place at a glance.
But he had seen something both striking and deeply familiar.
About a hundred zhang ahead rose an exceptionally tall mountain, fiery red from top to bottom and dazzling to behold.
Yet despite its resemblance to a volcano, this mountain was not one.
It was a mine.
The mountain contained Evil-Flame Gold ore.
This was an ore with two elemental attributes, its surface coated in unusually sinister flames that burned all year round, radiating tremendous heat. Beneath that evil-fire coating lay Flame Gold, an extremely rare and precious material possessing supreme Fire and Metal attributes, ideal for refining artifacts.
Anyone who obtained it could readily refine a high-grade spiritual artifact of both Fire and Metal attributes. With proper technique, retaining only one of the two supreme attributes was not especially difficult.
But this kind of ore had long since vanished from the outside world.
Xu Ziqing could recognize the mine even with his eyes shut.
For the Essence of Geng-Metal he sought lay within it.
Ordinarily, a mine containing two attributes would have impure Metal qi and could not produce such a natural treasure as Essence of Geng-Metal. But this mountain was also home to a colony of Flame-Devouring Demon Insects.
These insects delighted in consuming anything associated with fire. They could enter the tiniest cracks and penetrate almost anywhere. If there was even a trace of fiery heat, they would immediately approach and devour it completely.
The reason Xu Ziqing did not sense any heat rising from the mountain was precisely this colony of insects.
Or, more accurately, the absence of heat was what convinced him that the Flame-Devouring Demon Insects described on the map fragment truly lived here.
While he pondered, Xu Ziqing suddenly felt his hand tighten. Yun Lie had squeezed it, pulling his attention back. Turning, he saw a thoughtful gleam pass through his senior brother’s deeply dark pupils.
“Senior Brother,” he asked, “what is it?”
Yun Lie replied, “Something there is calling to me.”
Xu Ziqing was startled, then understood and brightened. “Senior Brother, perhaps there really is Essence of Geng-Metal there, and it may already have developed a trace of spiritual intelligence.”
For plants, metals, and stones, even the emergence of intelligence was rare. To become full-fledged spirits was harder still, and cultivating to immortality more difficult beyond measure. Such things often had to choose masters in accordance with heaven’s will and receive their protection before they could ever hope to take human form.
Essence of Geng-Metal that had developed intelligence would naturally favor Metal-attribute cultivators. Like the twin lotuses calling Xu Ziqing, it could send out a summons.
Xu Ziqing quickly worked this out and explained it to Yun Lie. His confidence in obtaining the Essence of Geng-Metal grew stronger.
Only four people knew the terrain shown on their map fragment: the two martial brothers, Nan Zhengya, and the Fox King. The Fox King had long since fallen under Nan Zhengya’s control. And Nan Zhengya cultivated the Fire attribute; if he approached the Evil-Flame Gold mine, the Flame-Devouring Demon Insects would attack and devour him completely. With Nan Zhengya’s intelligence, he would surely avoid this place. Indeed, when he had told Xu Ziqing about subduing the Fox King, perhaps he had already hinted that he would not compete for this extraordinary treasure.
Thus Xu Ziqing now needed to worry only about people who stumbled here without possessing a map fragment.
But such people were unlikely to know that Essence of Geng-Metal might be found within this mine.
After listening, Yun Lie nodded. “Obtain it quickly, before complications arise.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “As Senior Brother says.”
They immediately used their escape arts, becoming two streaks of azure and black light that traveled a hundred zhang in an instant.
As they drew closer, they began to feel a certain dry heat. It was because they were nearing the Evil-Flame Gold mine. Yet the heat leaking out was not coming directly from the ore, but from…
Once Xu Ziqing stopped, he drew a sharp breath.
The mine rose just five zhang ahead. The mountain was not particularly high, scarcely more than a hundred zhang tall. Yet its outer surface was densely blanketed with insects.
They were, of course, Flame-Devouring Demon Insects.
Their bodies were fiery red, resembling living flames. Only now did Xu Ziqing realize that the mountain’s brilliant red color did not come from the ore itself, but from the insects covering its surface.
Each insect resembled a spider, with eight legs, two pincers, and viciously sharp mouthparts.
They clung tightly to the mountain shell, their heads buried in the rock. Their bodies bulged and contracted as if they were feeding at every moment.
They were not directly devouring the ore. Rather, they constantly sucked its fiery energy, allowing them to dine for ages without exhausting the mountain. Who could say they possessed no intelligence?
Having absorbed all that heat, the insects themselves naturally became hot.
The warmth Xu Ziqing had sensed came from the heat they unconsciously gave off.
He had known that a nest of vicious insects was here, but had never imagined they would occupy the entire mountain.
How, then, were the two martial brothers supposed to find the Essence of Geng-Metal?
After a deep breath, Xu Ziqing searched his memory furiously for every catalog of unusual treasures he had read, trying to recall some weakness of these insects or a way to deal with them.
Flame-Devouring Demon Insects loved fire, but did not appear especially aggressive by nature. As long as no one fought them for things containing fire, they seldom attacked people unprovoked…
While he considered this, several streaks of escaping light suddenly appeared overhead, arriving in a group of three to five and preparing to land nearby.
Sensing their approach, Xu Ziqing immediately pulled Yun Lie away, and the two concealed themselves in an unoccupied spot.
He did not know whether these arrivals were friendly or hostile. Given his senior brother’s condition, it was best to avoid meeting strangers.
The streaks soon landed and transformed into five young men wearing matching sect robes. They were likely fellow disciples who had come together.
Three had reached Golden Core, and the other two were at the peak of late Essence Transformation. Even the two Essence Transformation cultivators were powerful for their realm. Together they constituted a respectable force.
Yet Xu Ziqing still did not emerge to greet them, although they all appeared to belong to the immortal path. For one thing, he did not know why they had come or whether their objectives clashed with his. For another, even cultivators could harbor selfish intentions, and secret realms were notorious for murder and theft of treasures. Caution was best.
He tightened his grip on Yun Lie and transmitted privately, “Senior Brother, don’t make a sound.”
Yun Lie replied by spiritual transmission, “I fear none of these people.”
Xu Ziqing smiled reassuringly. “All the same, let’s avoid trouble where we can.”
Yun Lie drew him close with an arm around him and said no more.
Xu Ziqing watched the five newcomers again, studying their actions.
Did they come for the Evil-Flame Gold?
With this in mind, he extended his senses and listened carefully to the cultivators’ conversation.
All five were handsome and carried themselves like disciples of a distinguished sect. Their status within their sect was probably not low.
One of them spoke first. “Senior Brother Shen, is the information you obtained reliable?”
Another replied, “The heat here is abundant. I doubt that person deceived us.”
A third said, “If so, we might find the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Lingzhi and present it to Elder Cen. Perhaps Elder Cen will accept us as personal disciples, and we’ll no longer have to put up with Senior Brother He’s treatment!”
The others agreed. “Exactly! Senior Brother He has always exploited us simply because he’s a personal disciple and we’re ordinary disciples. Naturally, Master values him more. But once we find the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Lingzhi Master desires, things will be different!”
Listening from his hiding place, Xu Ziqing began to understand.
These men seemed to be disciples of an elder within the same sect, though not personally taught and therefore little regarded. Their elder wanted a Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Lingzhi, so the five had come to the secret trove to try their luck. Someone had told them this place might contain the herb, and they had hurried here together.
But… Xu Ziqing frowned.
Fire Lingzhi was a pure spiritual herb that could grow only in a place of pure Fire energy. It was extraordinarily beneficial to Fire-attribute cultivators, but its growing conditions were exacting. If the local Fire qi weakened, it would immediately wither.
This mine contained both Fire and Metal attributes, so it was never truly a place of pure Fire. Worse, the Flame-Devouring Demon Insects had been sucking away the Fire energy year after year. How could any Fire Lingzhi grow here? Their information was likely incorrect.
Xu Ziqing hesitated, wondering whether he should warn them.
But they had come filled with hope and would probably disbelieve any warning. Better to let them search for themselves. When they found nothing, they would naturally leave.
Having decided against unnecessary complications, Xu Ziqing continued to watch.
Meanwhile, the five finished discussing what to do and prepared to act.
Senior Brother Shen was the one who had obtained the information, so he seemed to lead the group and the other four generally followed his advice. When he proposed, “Let’s first investigate with our spiritual senses,” the rest released their senses to examine their surroundings.
Xu Ziqing’s heart tightened. If they discovered him now, matters could become difficult!
He then felt faint killing intent brush past him. A layer like gauze seemed to settle over his body, and everything before his eyes blurred for a moment. He instantly understood that his senior brother had erected a barrier against spiritual sense. Reassured, he looked outside again.
The five cultivators appeared to have noticed the vicious insects covering the mountain and were all astonished.
But the next moment one of them attacked, releasing a stream of fire to drive the insects away.
Xu Ziqing was aghast. This is bad!