Seeking the Flying Sword Path
chapter-159

"Oh?" Ji Lie saw that not far from him, Qin Yun was walking towards the Earth fire. He could not help but scoff.

However, Sixteenth Prince, who was standing beside him, commented, "Elder Lie, this Qin Yun's flying sword arts are extremely formidable. Perhaps, he might be able to withstand the Earth fire."

"You think too highly of him." Ji Lie shook his head. "Back when he controlled a weaker flying sword to produce the Heavenly Cycle, it was still directly destroyed by me. Later on, he used an extremely powerful flying sword to defend against me. The extent to which his flying sword can produce the Heavenly Cycle is limited no matter how powerful it is! Compared to Fairy Bai's Minor Stellar Heavenly Cycle, it is still quite inferior. After all, the Minor Stellar Heavenly Cycle is a first-grade Dharma treasure and it nears perfection in the production of the Heavenly Cycle. The only flaw is that Fairy Bai doesn't grasp the Heavenly Cycle concepts, so she is unable to withstand the Earth fire."

Elsewhere, Bai Junyue and Bai Junyu were watching as well.

"Sister, his Heavenly Cycle flying sword art should be inferior to the Minor Stellar Heavenly Cycle, right?" Bai Junyu asked.

Bai Junyue usually had a cold demeanor. The way she looked at Qin Yun was a lot warmer for she could see a shadow of another person on Qin Yun. She whispered, "His advantage is his powerful sword intent, while my advantage is in the powerful first-grade Dharmic powers. However, he is only at the Connate False Core realm and his Dharmic powers are weak. I guess he won't be able to withstand it."

Yi Xiao, Yi Fenggu, and Hong Lingtong watched nervously.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, if you were to obtain the Golden Core Cauldron, you can sell it to my Zhu family." Eighth Zhu shouted with a smile.

When Qin Yun heard Eighth Zhu's shout, he smiled. "I'll count on your blessings. However, if I were to retrieve the Golden Core Cauldron, it will still depend on the price offered. It will be given to whoever offers the best."

"Being way over your head." The distant Ji Lie scoffed when he heard that.

However, Qin Yun walked to the side of the Earth fire. As the terrifying temperatures inundated him in waves, it illuminated his face red.

"Golden Core Cauldron. If I were to obtain the Golden Core Cauldron, there will truly be nothing left that I would need to worry about." Qin Yun thought to himself. "Be it selling it to Numinous Treasure Mountain or to the imperial government, I will be able to exchange it for great prices. It would even be very easy for me to directly hire a Godfiend Guard to station themselves in my Qin family, protecting it for centuries."

A treasure like the Golden Core Cauldron obviously had to be sold upon obtaining it!

Qin Yun had no use for it himself. The transcendent-grade Dharma treasure, Golden Core Cauldron, could barely be controlled by Connate Golden Core cultivators that had extremely robust foundations. However, the refinement of pills needed perfect control! Any tiny mishap would result in the failure of the alchemical process. Therefore, it could only be wielded by immortals. Furthermore, they had to be grandmaster alchemists. If not, with ordinary alchemical skills, it would be a waste using the Golden Core Cauldron.

Typical factions could not afford it. And even if they did, it was useless.

However, the imperial government would definitely want it! The origins of the Daoist movement, Numinous Treasure Mountain similarly wanted it! The Yi family and the Zhu family, thousand-year-old family clans, would also have thoughts on it. When the time came, requesting the imperial government to send a Godfiend Guard or Numinous Treasure Mountain to send one or two legendary Yellow-scarved Strongmen to guard the Qin family would not be difficult. Would there be any fear of fiendish demons trying to rob his treasures?

"Phew."

The Earth fire flared.

Qin Yun waved his hand and sent his Intrinsic Flying Sword flying out. It immediately produced the Cyclic Sword Flash, transforming into a massive Cyclic Sword Flash barrier of light. Qin Yun floated up and was protected by the barrier.

The Cyclic Sword Flash attempted to touch the Earth fire as the Earth fire soared with menacing might.

It was only for an instant.

Despite the Cyclic Sword Flash's barrier trying its best to divert the force that bore down on it, the barrier was suffering the brunt of the mighty Earth fire everywhere. The barrier broke apart and dissipated directly.

"He failed."

Yi Xiao, Eighth Zhu, Lunatic Zhu, Bai Junyue, Bai Junyu, and company were rather calm. Even Yi Xiao only bore a sliver of anticipation but she knew how powerful the Earth fire was.

"Do you think you are capable of withstanding the Earth fire's might?" Ji Lie could not help but scoff when he saw Qin Yun fail.

"Qin Yun likely hasn't used his Golden Core Outer core." Hong Lingtong thought to himself. "Back when he lacked the Golden Core Outer core, he was able to withstand Ji Lie! If he were to use the power from the Golden Core Outer core, his flying sword arts will be enhanced to a brand new level. He should be able to withstand the Earth fire."

…

After one failed attempt, Qin Yun made a second attempt.

"Power from the Golden Core Outer core." Qin Yun secretly diverted the Golden Core Outer core's power towards his Intrinsic Flying Sword. With a whoosh, his Cyclic Sword Flash barrier was produced once again. At that moment, the surface of the barrier looked no different. But in fact, it was a lot stronger, with most of it converged.

"Chi! Chi! Chi!"

The sword beam barrier touched the soaring Earth fire once again, allowing it to be clawed away by the Earth fire.

Qin Yun immediately sensed that the casting of the Cyclic Sword Flash had a harmonious feel. Each layer of strength was diverted away, perfectly defending against the Earth fire's might. Furthermore, that was not his limit! It felt like he had only used fifty percent of his Cyclic Sword Flash barrier's strength.

After affirming the matter, Qin Yun immediately dispersed his Cyclic Sword Flash barrier voluntarily but feigned as though it had been dissipated.

"He actually managed to resist for a while before it dissipated." Ji Lie frowned slightly when he saw the situation.

However, Qin Yun turned around and walked towards Yi Xiao and Hong Lingtong with a frown. As he walked, he shook his head.

When he came near them, a sword flash whizzed, forming the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier. It enveloped Qin Yun, Yi Fenggu, Hong Lingtong, and Yi Fenggu within.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, what's the matter?" Yi Fenggu was confounded.

"Qin Yun?" Yi Xiao felt a little taken aback.

"You succeeded?" However, Hong Lingtong was overjoyed.

Qin Yun nodded with a smile. "Don't worry. This Cyclic Sword Flash of mine can resist the Earth fire!"

The Bai sisters, Eighth Zhu, Lunatic Zhu, and Ji Lie, Sixteenth Prince, and Fang Yu were astonished as they looked at the quartet that was being enveloped by the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier.

"You can resist the Earth fire?" Ji Lie refused to believe it.

"Haha, do you think my strength is something you can fathom?" Qin Yun roared with laughter.

At the same time, Qin Yun transmitted his voice to his three partners. "Hong Lingtong, you have to enter with me to crack the array formation. Yi Xiao, I'm afraid Ji Lie will harm you if you stay here. Be it the first-grade Dharma treasure on you or the fact that you can be used to threaten me would be problematic. As for fellow Daoist Yi Fenggu, are you staying here or do you want to enter with me?"

"Of course, I'll enter with you," said Yi Fenggu through a voice transmission. "However, Daoist Qin, are you certain?"

"Can you resist the Earth fire?" Yi Xiao found it unbelievable too.

"You will see with your own eyes in a while," said Qin Yun with a laugh.

Phew.

The quartet flew towards the Earth fire.

"Elder Lie, should we stop them?" Sixteenth Prince asked immediately.

"Can you crack open his Heavenly Cycle sword art?" Ji Lie shook his head. He had attempted before and it was impossible to do so. At the same time, he said with a voice transmission, "Besides, if he can enter, then let him enter. The rest of us can't lift the Golden Core Cauldron out anyway! If he were able to retrieve it, it would be a good thing. As for after he retrieves it… Hmph! It wouldn't be too late to think of means to snatch it from him."

"Alright." Sixteenth Prince nodded.

Everyone stared intently.

Yi Xiao, Hong Lingtong, and Yi Fenggu were carefully watching the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier in front of them. As they flew, they approached the Earth fire and finally, the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier made contact with the Earth fire.

Black light streams flowed across the Earth fire. It was also ablaze with red flames that soared wantonly upwards.

"Chi! Chi! Chi!"

A third of the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier entered the Earth fire's confines and no matter how much the Earth fire scorched it, the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier continued its revolutions, perfectly withstanding it.

"He withstood it."

"He really, really withstood it." In a blink of an eye, the barrier had withstood the flames for a few seconds.

It left everyone dumbfounded from afar.

"Enter!"

Only then did Qin Yun rapidly fly in. The four of them flew extremely fast as they whistled hundreds of feet out. Along the way, they passed through fiery pangs of Earth fire but they failed to deter the Cyclic Sword Flash barrier. Following that, the four landed in the alchemy lab in the middle. There was an array formation isolating them, so no Earth fire infiltrated for dozens of feet.

"They really got in." Bai Junyue looked from afar as Qin Yun withstood the Earth fire. She said softly, "He is even stronger than me!"

A hint of softness appeared in Bai Junyue's eyes.

Her brother was also a lot more powerful than she was. Similarly, he was once extremely illustrious.

…

Qin Yun and company stood beside the Golden Core Cauldron. Through his sword intent domain, he could sense that there was no danger several dozen feet out. Only then did he disperse his Cyclic Sword Flash barrier away.

The four landed on the ground.

"This is the Golden Core Cauldron." Yi Fenggu and Yi Xiao looked at the gargantuan cauldron in front of them. It was bronze in color and Earth fire was burning beneath it. The entire cauldron appeared ordinary but on a careful look, the surface of the cauldron was adorned with countless patterns. And these patterns looked more profound the more they looked. It was unfathomable.

"It lives up to its name as a transcendent-grade Dharma treasure. The runic patterns on it must be produced by an immortal that is best at smithing artifacts." When Hong Lingtong looked at the Golden Core Cauldron, he turned a little infatuated. He said under his breath, "Furthermore, according to legend, it was refined through the collective efforts of several immortals."

"Now, there's no owner to power it. But once it's powered, I believe it would become even more powerful," Qin Yun commented. "Why? Brother Hong, do you also know alchemy?"

"Just a little." Hong Lingtong looked at Qin Yun. "Even in our Jiang Prefecture, I probably can't even rank within the top ten. It's really not worth mentioning."

"Take a look at the surrounding array formation. Quickly crack it so that we can take this Golden Core Cauldron away," said Qin Yun.

"Alright." Hong Lingtong immediately lowered his head and observed the array formation carefully. Without the Earth fire blocking him, he could naturally see the array formation clearly.

"Can you crack it?" asked Qin Yun.

As Hong Lingtong studied it, he said, "Don't worry, since Immortal Scenic Yang left this for his descendants, the array formation shouldn't be too complicated. Yea, give me an hour. I'm confident of cracking it."