Seeking the Flame
A grade-two spiritual vein would have been ideal, but even a grade-one vein would suffice. There were several spiritual veins in Yangseo Lake. The two great human Core Formation sects each possessed a grade-one spiritual vein, while the Gakchung Clan had built their nest atop a grade-two spiritual vein. As for the Yao, Gyeongwang Palace was situated on a grade-two spiritual vein, and Yojeong possessed an artificially created grade-one spiritual vein.
However, the current state of Yojeong's spiritual vein was impossible to verify, and those held by the humans or the Gakchung Clan were completely out of reach. Realistically, the only grade-two spiritual vein Jekyeong could even hope to access was the one at Gyeongwang Palace.
Jekyeong wondered if he could borrow the spiritual vein from the Jansu Whale King. If he agreed to whatever conditions the Whale King demanded, perhaps it might just be possible.
As if that would ever happen.
Putting himself in the Whale King's shoes, there was no way he would allow it. Not only would he refuse to watch a second Simjeon Demon King rise right under his nose, but a breakthrough to the Core Formation realm—no matter how abundant the spiritual energy of a grade-two vein—would inevitably damage the vein to some degree. Why would he ever permit that?
Jekyeong quickly abandoned such unrealistic hopes. That left him with only two options. One was to follow the exact method the Simjeon Demon King had used, and the other was to seek a spiritual vein outside of Yangseo Lake. He gave both serious consideration, and after much deliberation, chose the latter.
"Let's go."
"Caw."
Cheongo, who had wrapped the storage bag around its neck like a scarf, landed on his head. Jekyeong set off from Heukgyodo with powerful strides. He headed southwest, toward Jimagwon.
The Heavenly Fire Sect.
The Heavenly Fire Sect. As one of the great sects of Jimagwon, its renown had once been so immense that even the cultivators of Yangseo Lake had heard of its prestige.
However, after the demonic disaster blanketed the heavens and earth of Jimagwon, the Heavenly Fire Sect naturally began its decline. No, perhaps "decline" was a bit of an understatement. Unlike other sects and clans whose lineages had been completely severed, the Heavenly Fire Sect had merely shut its mountain gates, still preserving its heritage.
Compared to the days before the demonic disaster, they had undoubtedly fallen into a wretched state of decay, but that was an unavoidable consequence of the catastrophe.
Did I make the wrong decision back then?
Gye Muyang, the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Fire Sect, let out a deep sigh as he looked down at the silent sect from the peak of a mountain.
He extended his Spiritual Awareness to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Within the scorching, feverish energy, he felt a thread of chilling sharpness. It had no source and no direction, but it was unmistakably killing intent.
It is fading, slowly but surely.
Compared to when the demonic disaster first struck Jimagwon, the corruption had definitely thinned and dulled. At this rate, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth might return to its pre-disaster state within fifty years. But... fifty years. Could the Heavenly Fire Sect truly hold out until then? Even if they did, how would they handle what came after?
Neither I nor the other old bones will last that long.
There were still a few late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators left in the Heavenly Fire Sect, including himself. It was thanks to them that the sect could still maintain order and firmly defend its gates against external threats, such as the Fire Demons prowling outside.
Yet, this was mere survival on life support. They had already missed their chance to retreat, and advancing was impossible. Now, they had no choice but to endure, day after grueling day.
It was a mistake.
Only today did Gye Muyang finally cast aside his last shred of petty pride and look honestly into his own heart. He deeply regretted it. He should have left this place on the very day the demonic disaster swallowed Jimagwon.
Looking back, he had already dimly foreseen today's plight even then. There had been many reasons why he hadn't left, but now, they all seemed like mere excuses. No matter what justification he offered, it was an undeniable fact that under his watch, the ancient Heavenly Fire Sect had been pushed to the brink of absolute ruin.
Should we retreat even now?
Now that the delusions in his heart had cleared, Gye Muyang's mind was sharper than ever. He weighed the future of the Heavenly Fire Sect and quickly found his answer. Whether they could endure for another fifty years was meaningless. If they couldn't, there was nothing more to say. But even if they did, the wild dogs waiting outside would descend upon them and pick their bones clean.
The grade-one spiritual vein the Heavenly Fire Sect sat upon was one of only two in Jimagwon. Containing earth fire, it was the perfect foundation for a cultivation sect. Consequently, many had coveted it for a long time, but when the Heavenly Fire Sect was in its prime, they had suppressed those ambitions with sheer strength and prestige. After the demonic disaster struck, the entirety of Jimagwon had turned into a barren wasteland, so there had been no need to worry.
But what would happen once the demonic disaster cleared? It would be impossible for a decayed sect to fend off the invaders rushing in from the outside. Would they have to meekly hand over their ancestral lands and retreat then? Even if they did, would the invaders leave them in peace? Never. Whether to eliminate future trouble or to plunder the sect's heritage, the invaders would never let them go quietly.
Gye Muyang could see the bleak future awaiting the Heavenly Fire Sect as clearly as if it were unfolding before his eyes.
We must move. While this old body of mine still has some strength left.
Having made up his mind, Gye Muyang descended the peak and convened an elders' council.
"Senior Brother."
"Martial Uncle."
A short while later, all the elders, including the Sect Master, gathered in one place. Nine Foundation Establishment cultivators. Among them were two at the late stage. With such strength, they could hold their heads high in any ordinary market town.
But Gye Muyang knew the truth. His own vital energy and blood had already begun to decline, making it difficult to exert the full power of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. His martial brother would face a similar plight in just a few years.
The Sect Master and the other juniors still had time, but in an environment where they could not continue their cultivation without relying on elixirs, raising their cultivation realms was an incredibly arduous task.
"I have convened this elders' council today to discuss the future of our sect."
Gye Muyang looked at the faces clearly marked with exhaustion and reaffirmed his resolve.
"We must leave."
Jekyeong gazed at the horizon, where heat haze shimmered.
"How is it?"
"Hot."
Cheongo's voice was completely limp. Of course, a respectable Great Demon wouldn't lose its stamina so easily; it was merely expressing its distaste for the environment with a lifeless tone.
"Fly as high as you can. Keep an eye on our surroundings and let me know if there's anything I missed."
"Got it."
Although Fire Demons posed no threat to him, Jekyeong did not let his guard down in the slightest. Jimagwon was not home to Fire Demons alone, and there was always a chance that an extraordinary individual capable of threatening him might exist among them.
"Caw!"
A disgruntled caw echoed from above. Jekyeong read two meanings in that frivolous cry: It's hot, and all clear.
Thud! With a single stomp of his foot, Jekyeong's body shot forward like an arrow. His speed was barely inferior to the flight speed of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Of course, even so, it could not compare to a proper flying Dharma treasure, and Jekyeong was not entirely satisfied with this speed. However, flying through the sky was far too conspicuous, so he had no choice.
Furthermore, Jekyeong knew that even if he were riding the fastest flying boat, he would still feel impatient. His mind had already raced ahead, arriving at the gates of the Heavenly Fire Sect.
When one's heart has already reached its destination, what did a little extra speed matter?
The Heavenly Fire Sect.
Anticipation and tension, confidence and apprehension warred in his mind. Since there were only two grade-one spiritual veins in Jimagwon, choosing the Heavenly Fire Sect was an inevitable decision.
Moreover, the reason he had chosen the Heavenly Fire Sect over the other was because he knew they possessed a rare spiritual flame known as the Sect-Guarding Heavenly Fire. Jekyeong planned to see if he could claim that Sect-Guarding Heavenly Fire while borrowing their spiritual vein, should the opportunity arise.
Of course, he would not force the issue. His Origin Earth Fire had already begun to take on its own unique color, so forcing an incompatible flame into it would only cause harm.
Even if I cannot use it myself, it would be best to claim it if I can.
A spiritual flame was an invaluable treasure in the cultivation world, of immense help not only to cultivators practicing fire-attribute techniques but also for alchemy and artifact refining. Jekyeong had no intention of letting such a treasure slip through his fingers if the opportunity presented itself.
However, he did not forget his priorities. Under any circumstances, Core Formation came first. He would only consider the spiritual flame after he successfully achieved Core Formation.
Tap! Leaping with power, Jekyeong landed atop a jagged, protruding rock. A desolate land stretching endlessly filled his vision.
This land, which might have been a vast grassland in the past, had now transformed into a barren wasteland where not a single trace of vitality could be found. Had he not sensed the blazing spiritual energy through his Spiritual Awareness, Jekyeong would have mistaken this place for a dead zone.
"It's so boring here," Cheongo said, descending from the sky as Jekyeong remained still for a moment. "There's nothing here."
"True. But I like this place."
"Why?"
Why? Because every time he came here, good things happened.
I hope that holds true this time as well.
Sensing a presence at the very edge of his Divine Sense, Jekyeong narrowed his eyes. Cheongo took flight once more, soaring high into the sky.
A moment later, after swallowing a wandering Fire Demon whole, Jekyeong resumed his journey.
The place where the Heavenly Fire Sect resided was called the Yanghu Mountain Range. The sect was spread across seven peaks at the center of the range, with the Sect Master's faction and six lineages each occupying a peak. This tradition of the Six Lineages and Seven Peaks had stood unshaken for hundreds of years, its name widely renowned throughout Jimagwon alongside the prestige of the Heavenly Fire Sect.
Jekyeong sat upon the back of Cheongo, who had enlarged its body, and took in the vast Yanghu Mountain Range and the seven peaks at its center in a single glance.
The spiritual vein... does it extend to there?
Although he could not directly sense it with his Spiritual Awareness, he could roughly deduce its location through the massive array spread across the area. The grand formation surrounding the seven peaks of the Yanghu Mountain Range was undoubtedly designed to lock in the spiritual energy of the vein. If so, the center of the spiritual vein was highly likely to be at or near the heart of that formation.
I have no choice, then.
Originally, Jekyeong had wanted to avoid entangling himself with the Heavenly Fire Sect as much as possible before achieving Core Formation. He needed to keep both his body and mind in peak condition, so he wished to avoid even the slightest injury if he could help it.
But from the looks of it, avoiding the eyes of the Heavenly Fire Sect while accessing the spiritual vein would be impossible.
"That's strange."
"Hmm?"
Cheongo tilted its head, staring off into the distance.
"They look super busy."
"What do you mean?"
"Huh? I said they look super busy!"
Jekyeong turned his gaze in the direction Cheongo was looking, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"Explain in more detail."
"I don't know how to describe it. They're just... moving around busily all over the place."