Chapter 331

Words : 2655 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 331"As expected, there have been some changes here." seaʀᴄh thё Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Qing walked along the passage, continuously heading deeper into the mountain's belly. He noticed that the ground energy in the passage was not only thick but that spiritual energy was also continuously gathering here. Soon, he saw a formation light screen blocking the way ahead. "Even the defensive formation has regained some of its power?" Lu Qing was a little surprised. There had always been a defensive formation protecting the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber. When Li Weitian found this place years ago, the defensive formation still maintained a faint operation. It was precisely because he tried to break through the formation’s defenses that he exhausted much of his energy and suffered serious injuries. Coupled with his nearing the end of his lifespan, he had no choice but to take a risk and attempt a breakthrough, ultimately dying in the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber. Now, after the revival of spiritual energy, the defensive formation here had started absorbing spiritual energy again, gradually reactivating, and even producing a formation light screen. The mysterious expert who created the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber back then was truly beyond imagination. Even after all these years, without the nourishment of spiritual energy, the formation could still function normally. With a thought, a wisp of soul force extended from the acupoint at Lu Qing's brow, probing into the formation light screen ahead. As someone who had inherited the legacy of the Divine Rune Sect and refined soul runes, he was naturally immune to the attacks of this formation. Upon sensing that trace of soul energy, the formation light screen retracted, allowing Lu Qing to pass through. He stepped through slowly, and the formation light screen closed up again behind him. Lu Qing was pleased. This way, when he came here to cultivate in seclusion in the future, it would be much safer. He wouldn’t have to rely on Xiao Li for protection each time. Upon entering the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber, Lu Qing was even more delighted. Inside the chamber, the concentration of spiritual energy was much thicker than outside. In fact, it wasn’t far off from what he had felt in Azure Dragon City before. "I can definitely come here often to cultivate in seclusion from now on." Lu Qing gazed at the formation runes on the cave walls, lost in thought. The mysterious figure who created the Jade Transformation Cave Chamber had set up an exceptionally powerful formation inside. It served multiple purposes, including defense, gathering spiritual energy, and concealing the chamber’s aura. The dense spiritual energy in the cave was a result of the formation's spirit-gathering effect. "The Earth Vein Spirit Liquid is condensing much faster now, too." Lu Qing looked toward the jade-like stone platform in the center, where the spiritual energy was thick and rich. Another drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid had already condensed there. Above it, the tip of the stalactite was also accumulating spiritual energy, and it wouldn’t be long before another drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid formed. "It used to take twenty years to condense a single drop of Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, but now, after the changes in the world, it only takes about a year?" Lu Qing estimated the rate of accumulation within the stalactite and, after a quick calculation, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face. If that was the case, it was very good news for him. Earth Vein Spirit Liquid was an excellent treasure. It could not only improve a person’s aptitude, transforming them and greatly increasing their potential, but it also had the power to bring the dead back to life and heal bones and flesh, making it an incredibly potent healing elixir. Naturally, such spiritual materials were invaluable. In the past, the depletion of spiritual energy meant it took twenty years to condense a single drop, which was far too long for Lu Qing. But if it could now condense in a year, that drastically increased its value. And this was only at the beginning of the world's changes, with the spiritual energy just starting to recover. As the spiritual energy grew thicker, reaching the levels of Zhongzhou, the condensation time for Earth Vein Spirit Liquid could likely shorten even further. If that happened, this precious liquid could become a key resource for Lu Qing. "This is indeed an unexpected delight." Lu Qing calmed his inner excitement and entered the chamber where he usually cultivated. With a wave of his hand, he released a small cauldron. The small cauldron fell to the ground and grew with the wind, quickly transforming into a half-human-sized cauldron—none other than the Li Huo Cauldron. "Kid, you're too unkind! Why have you been blocking my senses all this time?!" An angry and humiliated soul wave emanated from within the Li Huo Cauldron. It was the voice of the cauldron's spirit, Yan. "I have many secrets and don't want you knowing too much," Lu Qing said calmly. Ever since he refined the Li Huo Cauldron, he had used the restrictions within the cauldron to block Yan's senses. This confined Yan to the cauldron's internal space, preventing it from sensing what was happening outside. Lu Qing’s frank response left Yan momentarily speechless. It hadn’t expected Lu Qing to be so direct, without even bothering to come up with an excuse. However, this only stoked Yan's anger further. "But you've completely sealed the Li Huo Cauldron! How am I supposed to absorb spiritual energy and recover? Don’t forget, the more power I regain, the more I can help you!" "So now I'm letting you out. The spiritual energy here should be enough to help you recover, right?" Despite Yan's complaints, Lu Qing remained calm. His indifferent tone made Yan grit its teeth in frustration. Back when it had first encountered this boy, Yan had known he wasn’t an easy person to deal with, which was why it had resisted being refined by him. But the situation had been beyond its control, and it had ultimately ended up in this predicament. Now, it knew that getting angry wouldn’t change anything, so Yan had no choice but to suppress its frustration and observe its surroundings. Upon doing so, it was taken aback. "Huh? Why is the spiritual energy here so dense? Kid, where is this place?" "Senior, have you ever heard of the Divine Rune Sect?" Lu Qing asked. To his surprise, Yan was visibly shocked upon hearing that name. Its voice trembled. "What did you say? The Divine Rune Sect?!" "Yes, the Divine Rune Sect. Judging by your tone, Senior, you seem to know this sect?" Lu Qing’s curiosity was piqued by the spirit’s strong reaction. Could the Divine Rune Sect have been some extraordinary sect in the ancient era of cultivation? "Of course I know that sect! In the ancient era of cultivation, the Divine Rune Sect was one of the most powerful sects." "That powerful?" Lu Qing was taken aback. But this reaction made Yan realize something. "Kid, from the way you're speaking, don’t tell me you have some connection to the Divine Rune Sect? Wait, I see it now. Your soul force is stronger than normal. You're clearly only at the initial Qi Refining stage, but your soul force rivals that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. In the ancient era, the disciples of the Divine Rune Sect were famous for their powerful souls. Could it be... you're actually a descendant of the Divine Rune Sect?" The more Yan thought about it, the more certain it became of its guess. But then, it hesitated. "Wait, that doesn’t make sense. After the decline of spiritual energy and the calamity of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, no great cultivator above the Golden Core stage could survive. Even the Divine Rune Sect couldn’t have lasted for thousands of years." "No need to guess. I’m not a disciple of the Divine Rune Sect. I merely obtained some of their inheritance by chance." Lu Qing continued, "As for our current location, it’s a small cave dwelling left behind by the Divine Rune Sect at an unknown time." "You mean to tell me you’ve reached this level of cultivation with only a bit of the Divine Rune Sect’s inheritance?" Yan looked at Lu Qing as if he were some kind of monster. In the ancient era, the Divine Rune Sect was known for its incredibly high standards for talent. Many disciples who were considered geniuses in other sects would have no chance of even entering the Divine Rune Sect. As a result, although the Divine Rune Sect was widely known, its number of disciples was relatively small compared to other top-tier sects. But those who did manage to join were renowned for their strength and mysterious methods, often surpassing disciples from other sects by a large margin. Even in that golden age of cultivation, it was rare for anyone to be admitted to the Divine Rune Sect, underscoring the immense difficulty of joining the sect. Yet now, Lu Qing had managed to cultivate to such a high level with just a fragment of their legacy. This kind of cultivation talent couldn’t be described as genius—it was monstrous. No wonder this boy had triggered tribulation clouds and survived a heavenly tribulation so soon after the revival of spiritual energy. Yan finally understood just how terrifying Lu Qing was. "Senior Yan, earlier you mentioned the Five Decays of Heaven and Man. What exactly is that?" Lu Qing’s interest was piqued by the information the artifact spirit had just revealed. "The Five Decays of Heaven and Man... hmm..." Yan’s eyes flickered. "Kid, if you want to get information from me, it won’t be that easy. How about we make a deal?" "What kind of deal?" Lu Qing asked calmly, eyeing the cauldron. "You want to know about the ancient era of cultivation, and I can tell you. But you must meet some of my conditions. For example, stop blocking my senses like you did this time, and let me stay aware of what’s happening in the outside world. If you agree to that, I’ll tell you all about the calamity of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man." Seeing that Yan was trying to negotiate again, Lu Qing smiled faintly. "Let’s talk about that later. For now, I’ve summoned you because I need your help with something." Yan was disappointed that Lu Qing hadn’t agreed to its terms, but its curiosity got the better of it. "What do you need?" "This." Lu Qing took out the Qiankun One Qi Bag from his waist and, using his mind to control both spiritual tools simultaneously, he enlarged the bag, releasing a gray gourd from within. Then the Li Huo Cauldron's mouth opened wide and swallowed the gourd, suppressing it inside. The old man in the Plague Gourd had initially felt the restraints around him vanish and was just beginning to feel overjoyed when, in an instant, he found himself plunged into another space. This space, unlike the one inside the Qiankun One Qi Bag, was filled with scorching heat, like being inside a furnace. "What is this place? Is it another spiritual tool’s space? Impossible! That kid couldn’t possibly own two spiritual tools at once! Even if his luck was defying the heavens, just controlling them would drain him dry!" The plague elder felt uneasy, but he tried to reassure himself. He carefully probed the surrounding space, hoping to uncover its secrets. But no matter how hard he tried, he found nothing but emptiness. The only thing he could sense was an invisible force pressing down on the Plague Gourd, immobilizing him completely. This realization sent the plague elder’s heart sinking. He had a bad feeling about this. Still unwilling to give up, he continued to search with his mind, trying to find any clues about the nature of this space. Meanwhile, as the plague elder was struggling to figure out his predicament, Lu Qing and Yan were quietly observing the Plague Gourd from a place beyond his perception. "This gourd... it’s that plague elder’s Plague Gourd?" Yan was shocked upon seeing the gray gourd being suppressed. "Senior, you recognize this gourd?" Lu Qing asked. "Of course! In the ancient era, the plague elder was quite a notorious figure. Although his cultivation only reached the Nascent Soul stage, through some stroke of luck, he managed to refine a spiritual tool—a life-bound artifact, no less. That very artifact is this Plague Gourd. With it, his strength was greatly amplified, allowing him to contend with Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivators. Combined with his cautious nature and strange methods, even in an era filled with powerful cultivators, he made quite a name for himself. Most sects didn’t dare to provoke this fiend." Yan spoke at length, this time without demanding any conditions, readily explaining the origins of the Plague Gourd. But it was still puzzled. "However, how did this Plague Gourd fall into your hands?" "Just something I picked up recently while handling some affairs," Lu Qing answered casually. Yan shot a strange look at him. This kid’s luck was truly outrageous. To own three spiritual tools at once was something unimaginable, even in the ancient era. Unless one was a grand cultivator above the Nascent Soul stage, possessing three spiritual tools would have been impossible. If word got out, even the most powerful Nascent Soul cultivators would covet such a treasure. It took a long while for Yan to suppress its astonishment. "So, you need my help with this Plague Gourd?" Lu Qing nodded. "Yes, there’s still a remnant soul of the plague elder within this gourd. I need your assistance to refine it." "A remnant soul of the plague elder? That’s impossible!" Yan was once again shocked. "How could the plague elder have survived the calamity of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man? Wait, don’t tell me he possessed the spirit of his own life-bound artifact?" Yan, an ancient spirit, immediately pieced together the truth from Lu Qing’s few words. "That seems to be the case. The plague elder himself admitted as much. With him blocking me, it’s incredibly difficult for me to refine the Plague Gourd. That’s why I want to borrow the power of the Li Huo Cauldron to completely destroy him." The Plague Gourd was different from the Li Huo Cauldron. Lu Qing didn’t have the control techniques necessary to fully wield it. So, unlike the Li Huo Cauldron, where he could suppress Yan’s resistance, it was nearly impossible to refine the Plague Gourd as long as the plague elder’s remnant soul remained intact. Only by completely destroying or refining the elder’s remnant soul could Lu Qing truly control this powerful artifact. "Are you sure? If you kill the plague elder’s remnant soul, the gourd will lose its spirit, and it might no longer be classified as a spiritual tool." Yan hesitated. "It doesn’t matter. I don’t need another spiritual tool. That old ghost mocked me before. If I don’t show him a lesson, he’ll think I’m too soft! I’ll refine him completely. I can always find a way to cultivate a new spirit for the gourd later." Lu Qing’s cold tone sent a chill down Yan’s spine. It felt as if there was an implicit warning hidden in his words. But before Yan could ponder it further, Lu Qing vanished from its side, reappearing in front of the Plague Gourd. A voice echoed through the space. "Plague elder, there’s no need to keep probing. Didn’t you say I couldn’t do anything to you last time? Let’s see if your mouth is still so tough now!" Table of content

Chapter 331

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