Immortal Refiner

In no time, the Flying Spirit Clan elder had pierced through multiple layers of the Fire Domain, arriving at the outer edge of the eighth layer.

”The fire’s intensity has indeed diminished. Even the seven-colored flames have grown feeble, lacking their former terrifying power.”

The body integration realm elder muttered to himself before pressing onward, attempting to enter the ninth layer—the Fire Domain’s deepest reaches.

After confirming the absence of danger, the Flying Spirit Clan’s old monster swiftly overcame the remaining barriers and plunged into the ninth layer!

Contrary to his expectations, the ninth layer of the Fire Domain was not as perilous as he had imagined. Instead, it was eerily tranquil, devoid of even the slightest flicker of flame.

”Is this the ninth layer of the Fire Domain? Am I the first person in history below the great ascension realm to enter this place?”

The elder felt a surge of excitement, but he maintained his composure.

He glanced around, his brow furrowing. ”Hmm? I haven’t seen the weapon refiner anywhere along the way. Could he have already left?”

He still felt a lingering concern for the treasured sword that had undergone the heavenly tribulation earlier—a killing sword destined to be nourished into a heaven-piercing spirit treasure.

But the Flying Spirit Clan elder quickly dismissed these thoughts. His gaze settled on the center of the Fire Domain, where a fragmented rune floated silently in the air.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away. Though incomplete, the rune seemed to contain profound truths of the great dao, drawing him into its depths, making it difficult to pull himself free.

Having had much of its origin power drained, the already fragmented flame law fragment had dimmed considerably, its burning flames now barely visible.

To fully recover, it would likely require hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Yet even in this diminished state, it remained a fragment of the flame law, its inherent power far beyond the comprehension of a mere body integration realm cultivator.

Boom!

Lost in his fascination, the Flying Spirit Clan elder became completely absorbed, forgetting himself entirely. He felt as if he were on the verge of deciphering something extraordinary from the fragmented rune.

But soon, the excruciating pain searing through his body forced him to snap out of his entranced state.

As consciousness returned, he discovered his entire body engulfed in flames. These flames were utterly bizarre; when he tried to extinguish them with mana, even his mana was ignited.

”No! Where did this fire come from? How is this possible?!”

”It’s that fragmented rune! I understand now—it’s a law of fire! The Fire Domain’s origin lies in this very law!”

Once he recognized the level of power he was witnessing, despair gripped the Flying Spirit Clan elder.

”No!”

Desperate to escape, he unleashed his Flying Spirit True Form on the ninth level.

His true body transformed into a magnificent five-colored peacock, its plumage breathtakingly beautiful. The sight of its burning feathers was dazzling beyond words.

The peacock flapped its wings furiously, hurtling out of the Fire Domain’s ninth level at breakneck speed.

Yet the flames showed no sign of diminishing, instead growing fiercer, consuming his entire body.

Boom!

The powerhouses on the outer levels watched in stunned silence as the spectacle unfolded.

”Elder Kong Han, what’s happening to you?” The Flying Spirit Clan members stared in shock at the peacock emerging from the Fire Domain, almost mistaking it for a fire phoenix from myth.

The five-colored peacock had no time to respond. The power of the flame law had already begun to burn his divine soul.

Along the way, he noticed that the Giant Spirit Race’s body integration realm experts hadn’t ventured deep into the Fire Domain, as if they knew better.

”Giant Spirit Race, you dare to betray me!”

His words were cut short as the five-colored peacock was completely incinerated. His body, once vibrant with color, was reduced to black ash. Even his demon spirit was consumed, turning to dust alongside him.

Several Giant Spirit Race experts shook their heads with smug satisfaction. ”Ignorant fool,” one sneered. ”Didn’t he realize where he was? Even with the outer flames weakened, not just anyone can reach the deepest depths.”

”Too bad he burned to ash. I was hoping to taste five-colored peacock meat.”

”Heh heh, if our ancestor hadn’t warned us in time, I might have rushed into the Fire Domain myself to investigate.”

The reason they hadn’t rushed into the Fire Domain was naturally due to the Giant Spirit Ancestor’s warning as he departed.

However, abruptly leaving would have seemed unnatural, so they remained stationed at the Fire Domain’s periphery, showing no inclination to compete with the Flying Spirit Clan.

As expected, a body integration realm elder of the Flying Spirit Clan perished, leaving only a pile of ashes on the ground.

After the war had reached this stage, this marked the first death of a body integration realm expert, and the manner of his demise was utterly unexpected.

With this, the Fire Domain’s mutation came to an end. Apart from the Giant Spirit Race’s ancestor, no one knew what had transpired within the domain. The whereabouts of the mysterious treasure sword also vanished without a trace.

In Profound Ancient City, Li Qing was in his cave abode, refining and nourishing the Immortal-Trapping Sword he had just forged.

The Immortal-Trapping Sword, radiating a faint purple spiritual light, floated before him as Li Qing continuously channeled his scarlet true essence into it.

Through this refinement process, the Immortal-Trapping Sword became completely imprinted with his spiritual aura, allowing him to wield it effortlessly with a mere thought.

”Truly worthy of being an earth-grade spiritual treasure! Its power far exceeds my expectations. When combined with the Golden Thread Treasure Robe, I could even stand a chance against a void refinement realm cultivator!”

After fully mastering the Immortal-Trapping Sword, Li Qing was deeply awed by its latent power. A treasured sword forged with the power of the flame law was truly extraordinary.

Moreover, the Immortal-Trapping Sword possessed immense potential. With continuous nourishing, it could undoubtedly evolve into a true heaven-piercing spirit treasure.

At that point, the sword would become renowned throughout the world, earning a place on the Chaos Myriad Spirits Ranking and making its reputation as a killing sword known throughout the spirit realm.

Soon, Li Qing retrieved the golden Immortal Slaughtering Sword.

Through his experiences in the Heavenlight Secret Realm, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword had perfectly fused with the unique metal-attribute radiance.

The already incomparably sharp geng metal sword had become even more formidable, though its radiant glow was now subdued, making its extraordinary nature difficult to discern with the naked eye.

Yet Li Qing, who held the sword in his hand, knew with certainty that the Immortal Slaughtering Sword had now approached the level of an earth-grade spiritual treasure.

With another decade or so of nourishing, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword should formally ascend to earth-grade status.

By then, Li Qing would wield two earth-grade killing swords and possess the Golden Thread Treasure Robe, a garment with exceptional defensive capabilities.

At that point, his strength would undergo another quantum leap.

”For now, I can set aside matters of treasures and focus on further refining my daoist arts and cultivation.”