Chapter 672 - 531: Red Flame Peak Erupts

Daoist Master Zhengyang rode on a Red Spirit Cloud, flying towards Ningcui Cliff. Beside him stood Jia Yu, with Master Yuxiao on the other side.

The three of them landed on the summit of Ningcui Cliff, where four stone houses were carved beside a grotto mansion, each containing a teleportation array.

Above the entrance of each stone house, characters were engraved on the rock wall: Yunhe Mountain, Red Copper Mountain, Sunrise Peak, Red Flame Peak—these were the destinations of the teleportation arrays.

Master Yuxiao asked, "Who has the Dao Field here now?"

Ningcui Cliff holds a Tier Two top-quality spiritual vein. He remembered it once belonged to Ge Ying. After Ge Ying’s passing, Ji An took over, and later, he didn’t know who cultivated there.

"It is the Dao Field of Hall Master Lin Lan from the Agricultural Hall."

"Oh, it’s Ji An’s senior disciple."

Master Yuxiao remarked, then turned and said:

"Senior Brother, the line of Ningcui Cliff can now be considered the strongest inheritance in the Sect.

Ji An is a Golden Core cultivator, and Zhong Yuefei, Liu Yu, and Li Lingyu are Chao Origin Stage cultivators. Moreover, Liu Yu also has the potential to break through to the Golden Core stage.

Reflecting on Ge Ying’s life, his improvement in cultivation was slow, but he took on so many remarkable disciples that he could pass with satisfaction."

At this, he sighed inwardly.

He did not have many disciples; only one reached the Chao Origin Stage, who later went missing in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

Daoist Master Zhengyang paused for a moment and said:

"In light of this, the most successful mentor in the Sect’s history might indeed be Ge Ying."

He admitted it was a regret that he did not cultivate a Golden Core cultivator.

Master Yuxiao was momentarily surprised, his face showing a peculiar expression:

"It truly is."

Jia Yu popped his head out from the door engraved with ’Red Flame Peak’ and said:

"Ancestor, I’ve already filled the teleportation array with Spirit Stones. We can depart now."

The three stepped into the teleportation array, and as light twisted and transformed around them, they appeared at Red Flame Peak.

Master Yuxiao immediately sensed the turbulent Spiritual Mechanism in the air and said:

"This feeling can’t be wrong! Before the spiritual vein grade was elevated at Sunrise Peak, the mechanism was also this agitated.

By monopolizing a Tier Three spirit vein node, Junior Brother Ji’s cultivation can accelerate even more."

Deep inside, he envied those Junior Brothers who broke through to the Golden Core stage a few years back.

He waited over two hundred years as a Golden Core cultivator to enjoy the sect’s Tier Three spirit vein node, while those Junior Brothers waited at most twenty to thirty years.

The Golden Feathered Eagle was circling in the sky at that moment. Seeing several cultivators walking out from the stone house at the mountain’s foot, it screeched immediately.

The clear cries spread far and wide, and Ji An by the Cold Pool understood visitors had arrived.

He had assigned the task to the Golden Feathered Eagle to signal immediately if unfamiliar cultivators emerged from the stone house.

Red clouds formed underfoot as Ji An rode the clouds and soared into the sky. Spotting the visitors, he went to greet them:

"Everyone, I’ve been waiting for quite some time.

I’ve instructed the disciples to prepare the ingredients; let’s settle in the guest hall and have a few drinks."

Daoist Master Zhengyang waved his hand and said:

"It’s been a long time since I last came to Red Flame Peak, and I’ve forgotten the scenery at that time. Junior Brother, would you show us around, so we can reacquaint ourselves with this bountiful land?"

He only knew about the prosperity here through Jia Yu; these years, the Treasure Pavilion had accumulated a lot of Tier Two top-grade resources.

"Haha, I’d be more than happy to. I was just thinking about showing off a bit."

Ji An pointed to the west and continued:

"We used to go from east to west, but today we shall reverse course."

"You’re the host; it’s your call."

"Then let’s start with the grotto and check out the Soul Nourishing Wood."

Ji An opened the sealing array of the grotto; the passageway was immaculately clean.

This wasn’t because of a special cleaning; he had purchased a batch of Spirit Lizards years ago, which excel at cleaning grottos.

The group descended to the lowest level of the grotto, where the Spirit Wood radiated a crystalline brilliance, dispelling the ancient darkness below.

"Here stand eight Top-grade Earth Spirit Fruit Trees and one Top-grade Soul Nourishing Wood."

Daoist Master Zhengyang stood beside the Soul Nourishing Wood, marveling:

"Cultivating Soul Nourishing Wood is exceedingly difficult; the sect’s own has been cultivated for hundreds of years yet remains Tier Two Middle Grade, which is quite a disparity.

I remember you mentioning that this Soul Nourishing Wood thrived so quickly because the ashes of a Golden Core cultivator were buried beside it?"

"Yes, indeed."

"If I pass away, where would my ashes be best buried?"

Daoist Master Zhengyang asked, unafraid to discuss life and death. He hoped that even in death, he could still serve the Sect.

Ji An pondered:

"I think using them to cultivate this Soul Nourishing Wood would be most appropriate. If it can be nurtured to Tier Three, every Golden Core cultivator would benefit, and it would be very easy to find buyers if sold."

Strengthening the Spiritual Soul is something a cultivator must work on for a lifetime.

He transmitted a message:

"Senior Brother, I plan to travel to the Central Continent someday, and the Sect can take over everything in Red Flame Peak."

This was his first time formally speaking of leaving, as he believed it would not be long before he reached his goal.

Daoist Master Zhengyang’s expression remained unchanged, subtly nodding. He was not surprised by the decision.

If he were in the same position, he would make the same choice.

"The sect will compensate you for handling so many high-tier spirit plants."

...

The group left the underground cavern and arrived at the Copper Patterned Mulberry Field. Ji An introduced:

"Both the Copper Patterned Mulberry and the Jade Leaf Mulberry haven’t produced any Tier Two top-grade plants, which seems to be the limit of their species.

There are thirty-six top-grade Profound Leaf Sword Bamboos here, each yielding half a pound of Golden Leaf annually.

Over there is a top-grade Vajra Bodhi Tree, grown from a seed I acquired during my travels in the Southern Continent."

"Vajra Bodhi? That’s a sacred tree for the Buddhist Cultivators; I’ve heard from friends in the Middle Continent that it can be used to make single-use spiritual artifacts with extra lethality against demon cultivators."

...

Red Cloud Pine Forest, near the Fire Crystal Ants’ Nest.

Ji An smiled and said, "This plot of spirit plants hasn’t been cut down for many years, and now there are thirty-two top-grade Red Cloud Pines.

There’s also a top-grade Jade Flame Purple Spirit Gourd planted here. I originally estimated that these two gourds would mature in twenty to thirty years.

Now that the spirit vein grade of Red Flame Peak has been upgraded, this process will accelerate."

Jia Yu spoke up:

"I used to envy Senior Brother Zhang Zizhao’s spiritual artifact made from such gourds. Unfortunately, as I grow older, my affection for spiritual artifacts declines. Now, I prefer fine wine."

After chatting for a while, the group entered the lava cave, hovering above the magma lake.

Ji An pointed to a lotus seedpod, mostly turned golden, and said:

"The Heaven and Earth Spirit Fruit is not far from maturation, and the upgrade of Red Flame Peak’s spirit vein grade can also speed up this process.

The Phoenix Wood over there has already reached the top-grade level, but I wonder when it will be cultivated to the Tier Three level."

In the future, he must obtain the seeds of the Phoenix Wood before leaving. How could he miss out on Tier Four Treasure Plants!

Master Yuxiao looked around and asked:

"What is planted at the edge of the magma lake?"

"This is called Fire Coral. It can serve as pasture grass for Fire Element Beast Taming and can be ground to use as spirit soil to improve the land."

...

In the Wood Element Spirit Plant Garden, Ji An pointed at the white tea trees, his eyes full of tenderness:

"There are currently four top-grade Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Trees and twelve top-grade Cloud-Top Jade Trees.

There is one top-grade Bodhi Tree and one top-grade Longevity Peach, fifty-six top-grade Biluo Trees, and twenty-one top-grade Canglan Dragon Wood."

Jia Yu interjected, "A significant number of over fifty top-grade Canglan Dragon Woods have been cut down to stockpile resources for trading with Middle Continent cultivators."

Ji An nodded slightly, "When the merchant flying ship from the Middle Continent arrives, we should be able to cultivate at least a dozen more top-grade Canglan Dragon Woods."

Daoist Master Zhengyang felt somewhat numb. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed that the sect had so many top-grade spirit plants. Previously, the sect had taken thousands of years to accumulate just a few top-grade spirit plants.

...

In the Fire Element Spirit Plant Garden, the Spiritual Peach trees were laden with fruit.

Ji An smiled genuinely,

"We currently have twenty-eight top-grade Spiritual Peaches, twelve top-grade Dragon Blood Trees, and one top-grade Lingxiao Cloud Tree."

They strolled through the garden for a while and finally arrived at the cold pool, diving to its deepest layer.

Ji An said:

"This Pure Water Lotus has reached the Tier Two top-grade level. Once it seeds, it can be planted at several spirit vein nodes within the sect.

The Pure Water Lotus can improve water quality and increase the concentration of spiritual qi, making it an invaluable treasure plant."

Master Yuxiao praised:

"Coming to Red Flame Peak has made me realize Junior Brother’s strength.

Though I’ve always overestimated you, it seems I still underestimated you."

...

Another seven days passed, and Ji An felt the Stone Turtle leave his body, vanishing into the earth.

He sensed the earth trembling, and almost simultaneously, Red Flame Peak erupted with lava soaring a hundred feet high.

The accompanying volcanic ash quickly covered the sun and then fell like black snowflakes, darkening the ground rapidly.

Spiritual Qi surged like tidal waves, bursting forth in all directions.

A wild wind rose within Red Flame Peak, and the water at the edge of the cold pool bubbled as if boiling.

Daoist Master Zhengyang exclaimed with joy, "It’s started; the second Tier Three node of the southern spiritual vein is about to be born!"

Li Haoran bowed, "Fellow seniors, Red Flame Peak’s eruption will eject spiritual objects nurtured deep within the underground magma lake. I must go find usable Tier Three Metal-elemental Spiritual Objects. Until we meet again."

With that, without waiting for a response, he rode his sword light and escaped, his speed like a thunderbolt.

Ji An scratched his head; such speed was clearly much faster than his spiritual artifact-assisted flying escape.

Jia Yu said, "If Senior Brother Zhuu and Junior Martial Uncle Lin Qiubai were not away from the sect, they would definitely attend such an event."

Daoist Master Zhengyang pondered aloud,

"After the eruption, the disciples are supposed to submit the collected spiritual objects to the Treasure Pavilion, so why do so many risk gathering them during the eruption? That often results in things being overlooked.

In my view, waiting until after the eruption to collect spiritual objects would be more efficient."

Master Yuxiao explained, "Senior Brother, finding spiritual objects gives a unique sense of satisfaction, especially if you find high-tier ones. That satisfaction cannot be matched by simply exchanging for them."

Jia Yu chimed in from the side, "Indeed, during the last eruption of Red Flame Peak, I found a head-sized Li Fire Crystal, and the joy was indescribable!"