Chapter 375

Words : 2519 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Chapter 375"Roar!" After a long period of preparation, the Li Huo Cauldron, filled with an abundance of spiritual energy, roared under Lu Qing's command. It emitted a dragon-like roar, carrying a heart-shaking force, and plunged toward the mountain peak below, where the red-faced old monk and others stood. "Not good!" Sensing the terrifying pressure coming from above, as heavy as a mountain, the red-faced old monk’s expression changed drastically, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints in an instant. But it was already too late for him to warn the other disciples. He could only channel his Soul Force frantically into the formation flag in his hand. With the surge of Soul Force, the formation on the mountain peak where the red-faced old monk stood activated with a brilliant glow, forming a barrier that enveloped the entire mountain. Even after completing this defense, the red-faced old monk still felt no sense of safety. A burst of golden light shot out from his body, forming a protective shield around him. Although this recount sounds lengthy, everything actually happened in a split second. From the moment Lu Qing directed the Li Huo Cauldron to strike downward to when the red-faced old monk activated the formation, it all took place within the span of a breath. Just as the formation barrier lit up, the Li Huo Cauldron crashed into it. The might of a Spiritual Artifact was terrifying. Even though Lu Qing’s current cultivation level was far from enough to unleash one percent of the cauldron’s full power, this earth-shaking blow, long prepared, was still beyond what Xuankong Mountain’s hastily deployed formation could withstand. Thus, the formation barrier created by the red-faced old monk had only just begun to glow when it was smashed apart like an eggshell under the descending Li Huo Cauldron, in less than the blink of an eye. Then, under the terrified gaze of many Xuankong Mountain disciples, the cauldron struck the mountain peak. "Boom!" The Li Huo Cauldron, as large as a small mountain, crashed down, causing the ground and mountains to shake in an instant. Its incomparably sturdy body created an enormous crater in the mountain upon impact. The force of the impact was overwhelming, sweeping through everything in its path and leveling all buildings and trees within a hundred-zhang radius. Even more terrifying was the spiritual fire spilling out of the Li Huo Cauldron, spreading across the mountain peak and turning it into a sea of flames. ɽÂꞐǑ₿Ɛᶊ “Ah!” “No! Elder Taishang, save me!” “What is this fire? Why won’t it go out?!” ... The power of this earth-shaking strike by the Li Huo Cauldron was immense. The disciples of Xuankong Mountain had not managed to escape far enough. Some, with slower movement techniques, were struck by the terrifying shockwave at the moment of impact, their internal organs shattered, crushed to pieces and dying instantly. Those who narrowly escaped the shockwave weren’t spared from the engulfing flames that descended from above. The flames from the Li Huo Cauldron were spiritual fire, which burned not only the physical body but also the soul. As long as a person came into contact with it, unless they had a special technique or a protective artifact, it was nearly impossible to extinguish the flames until the target was completely consumed. The disciples of Xuankong Mountain, with their most advanced ones only at the Precelestial Realm, had no way of resisting the burning power of this Spiritual Artifact’s flames. No matter if they used true energy or spiritual energy to protect themselves or even rolled on the ground, they could not put out the spiritual fire in the slightest. In no time, the entire mountain peak was filled with the desperate screams of Xuankong Mountain disciples, ringing with despair. Watching the hellish scene below, Lu Qing hovered in the sky, his expression unchanged. Back on Sacred Mountain, the bald monks of Xuankong Mountain had tried to forcibly convert his master. Later, they had repeatedly sent Wujian Tower Assassins to kill him. The enmity between him and Xuankong Mountain was already set; only one of them could survive. Since they were his enemies, there was no reason for mercy. With an indifferent gaze, Lu Qing looked at the disciples struggling and screaming in the sea of flames below. He extended his hand, and from the crater in the mountain, the Li Huo Cauldron, still blazing, began to rise slowly. As it rose, it shrank in size, approaching him. By the time it reached him, it was only the size of a thumb and landed in Lu Qing’s hand. “Young Master, I can’t help you further. Be careful from here on.” The weak voice of "Yan" sounded in Lu Qing’s mind at this moment. “Rest assured, Senior. Just take your time to rest.” Lu Qing nodded earnestly and put the Li Huo Cauldron away. He could feel Yan’s exhaustion. This was the precious quality of a Spiritual Artifact. With the presence of an Artifact Spirit, it could unleash formidable power without the need for its master’s control. In truth, with Lu Qing’s current cultivation level, it would have been impossible for him to bring forth the Li Huo Cauldron’s full might without Yan’s help. The sheer amount of spiritual energy alone would have drained him dry in an instant. However, the previous strike had exhausted all the spiritual charm accumulated within the Li Huo Cauldron over a long period. Without some time to recuperate, it would be difficult to recover. “Hm?” Just as he put away the Li Huo Cauldron, Lu Qing sensed something and looked downward. There, he saw a figure slowly crawling out of the crater left by the cauldron’s impact—the red-faced old monk. But this time, the old monk was no longer calm. His appearance was extremely tragic. His robe was in tatters, half of his body was stripped of flesh, leaving only charred bones. Faintly, his internal organs could be seen pulsing, making for a terrifying sight. If it weren’t for the layer of golden light protecting his internal organs, he would have already perished. Yet the red-faced old monk could not spare a moment to tend to his injuries. He even ignored the weakening cries of his disciples around him, looking up at Lu Qing in the sky with utter terror. The power of the previous strike had been too dreadful. If not for that split-second barrier provided by the formation, he would not have escaped the fate of being struck directly by the Li Huo Cauldron. By now, his body would have been pulverized, with no corpse left behind. “Li Huo Cauldron! The Guardian Spiritual Artifact of the ancient Li Huo Sect! It’s in your hands? Are you the heir of Li Huo Sect?” The red-faced old monk’s voice was hoarse, disbelief evident in his tone. Seeing the form and power of the colossal cauldron Lu Qing had summoned, he finally remembered some ancient records within his temple’s ancient tomes. “Old bald donkey, I didn’t expect you had such resilience, to withstand a blow from my Li Huo Cauldron.” Lu Qing eyed the golden light shielding the old monk’s internal organs, understanding that the monk must be carrying some treasure. Otherwise, he should not have survived the terrifying strike from the Li Huo Cauldron, even without a direct hit. Inwardly, he sighed, realizing the resilience of a cultivator at the Peak Foundation Establishment stage. Their life-preserving methods were indeed impressive. “It really is the Li Huo Cauldron!” Hearing Lu Qing's words, the red-faced old monk knew his guess was correct, and his disbelief grew even stronger. According to his temple’s ancient records, the Li Huo Sect, an ancient immortal sect, had been destroyed long before the last cultivation era came to an end. Its Guardian Spiritual Artifact, the Li Huo Cauldron, had vanished without a trace. Yet now, tens of thousands of years later, amid the revival of spiritual energy, the Li Huo Cauldron had reappeared. And it was wielded by a powerful, mysterious figure. Could it be that the extermination of the Li Huo Sect was a facade, much like the Four Great Secret Realms, and that the sect had been hiding in a secret realm all along, surviving through the long period of spiritual depletion and now preparing to emerge? But why would the Li Huo Sect be hostile toward Xuankong Mountain? Even in the ancient cultivation era, there was no significant animosity between the two sects... Countless thoughts and speculations swirled in the red-faced old monk’s mind. But in the next moment, a strong sense of danger arose within him. Without a second thought, the red-faced old monk quickly shifted sideways to evade. Just as he moved, a sharp blade of energy slashed down beside him, carving a deep scar in the ground where he had just stood. But before he could catch his breath, countless more slashes of blade energy rained down from above, intertwining as they hurtled toward him. “He just activated a Spiritual Artifact—how can he still have so much spiritual power left?!” Staring at the oncoming onslaught of blade energy, a trace of despair surfaced on the red-faced old monk’s face. Earlier, he had exhausted all his strength to withstand the energy emanating from the Li Huo Cauldron. Now severely injured, with his protective artifact damaged and his spiritual power nearly depleted, he had no strength left to fend off Lu Qing’s relentless blade attacks. In addition, he was completely baffled. How could Lu Qing, after wielding the Li Huo Cauldron, still appear unaffected and capable of launching such an assault? It defied all logic. Seeing that the red-faced old monk was about to be torn apart by Lu Qing's blade energy... Just then, a streak of golden light shot over from the distance at an incredible speed, overtaking the blade energy and transforming into a semi-transparent golden bell that shielded the red-faced old monk within it. Clang! Clang! Clang... Lu Qing’s blade energy clashed against the golden bell, but it could not penetrate its defenses. Although it made the bell tremble violently, it ultimately failed to break through and kill the monk inside. “Elder Jinchong!” Seeing the golden bell enveloping him, the red-faced old monk’s face lit up with joy. “Hm?” Lu Qing, too, sensed something. He looked up toward the distant horizon. Then, he noticed multiple powerful presences rapidly approaching from the depths of the mountain range. He thought quickly, realizing that Xuankong Mountain’s reinforcements had arrived. Without further hesitation, the golden flying boat beneath his feet glowed, transforming him into a stream of light that flew swiftly toward the mountain’s outskirts. Not even ten breaths after Lu Qing departed, several figures exuding immense power appeared in the sky. They were elderly monks clad in gray robes, much like the red-faced old monk. “Trying to escape?!” The monks, their faces filled with shock and fury, took in the devastation below before looking in the direction Lu Qing had fled, ready to pursue. “Elder Jinchong, hold on! That man must not be pursued!” Seeing this, the red-faced old monk, terrified, disregarded his injuries, quickly channeled his spiritual power, and cried out. In his agitation, even the treasure-protected organs within him ruptured, causing him to cough up blood. Witnessing his intense reaction, the elder monks, though puzzled, halted and descended to his side. “Elder Chixin, how are you? Why shouldn’t we pursue that fiend?” one of the monks asked. “That fiend’s origins are unknown, and he wields a Spiritual Artifact. If we recklessly chase him, who knows what might happen!” The red-faced old monk quickly replied. “A Spiritual Artifact! How is that possible?” The other monks were immediately stunned. “It’s true,” the red-faced monk affirmed. “Look around at these spiritual flames—they were unleashed by that very artifact. “These flames are overwhelmingly powerful, burning through everything. Any living being that touches them, unless they’re at the Foundation Establishment stage or higher, will be burned alive.” The monks scanned the flames around them, their expressions darkening. With their experienced eyes, they could easily see the terrifying nature of these flames. One of the monks, his face grim, asked, “If these flames are this powerful, then all of our disciples…” Through their Soul Perception, they detected no other life signs on the mountain, save for the red-faced old monk. The red-faced old monk sighed. “They all perished in the sea of flames. That fiend attacked too swiftly; the disciples hadn’t yet dispersed when he incinerated them with his Spiritual Artifact.” In that brief period, the Xuankong Mountain disciples touched by the spiritual flames had already succumbed to them, burnt to death. “All… perished?” The monks' eyes widened, grief filling their hearts. They had sent out nearly half of the temple’s elite disciples, and all had been lost in an instant. “Avenge this fiend, or may I never find peace!” One monk swore bitterly, teeth clenched in rage. “Elder Chixin, since you fought him, did you learn anything of his identity? Why would he so cruelly, with such merciless means, massacre our Xuankong Mountain disciples?” another monk asked. “I couldn’t identify him, but I did recognize the Spiritual Artifact he wielded. It was the lost Guardian Artifact of the ancient Li Huo Sect from the Immortal Era—the Li Huo Cauldron!” ... While the red-faced old monk shared his suspicions with the others... High above the edge of the Ling Mountain Range... A faint aura was concealed within a white cloud. "Who exactly is this masked man, to wield a Spiritual Artifact so masterfully?" Yangming Daoist stared toward the burning inferno over Ling Mountain, his eyes wide with shock. Following the golden light, he had reached the outer edge of the Ling Mountain Range. And there he had witnessed a scene that left him utterly astounded. The mysterious masked man, hovering in the sky, had wielded an enormous cauldron with boundless might, slamming it down onto the highest mountain peak. The disciples of Xuankong Mountain had been crushed like insects beneath that overwhelming strike, completely powerless, slain like moths in a blaze. Even Xuankong Mountain’s iconic, majestic peak had been reduced to a large crater, scorched and nearly unrecognizable in the fierce flames. Sensing the vast power emanating from that cauldron, Yangming Daoist, from a secret sect himself, immediately recognized it as a genuine Spiritual Artifact! Xuankong Mountain had unwittingly provoked a terrifying powerhouse armed with a Spiritual Artifact! Realizing this, Yangming Daoist felt both shaken and oddly thrilled. The Spiritual Artifact's emergence was shocking. And the excitement came from seeing his enemy embroiled with such a formidable foe, bound to face hardships ahead. He also found himself increasingly curious about the identity of the mysterious masked man. That was a Spiritual Artifact—his own sect, Qingyang Temple, possessed only one, and even that was bound within a secret realm, unable to leave. Who was this mysterious masked figure, to have a fully functional Spiritual Artifact in his possession?

Chapter 375

Comments (0)