Inside the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover, the Vermilion Bird Strange Fire was struggling violently.
The Divine Fire Cover acted as a spiritual lock or a silken net, the kind typically used by cultivators to capture spiritual entities. It trapped the Strange Fire within, absorbing every bit of the violent, erupting flames it spewed.
Nie Shiyun extended his divine sense into the artifact. Sensing the encroaching mental pressure of a cultivator and finding itself unable to dodge, the Strange Fire instinctively began to burn. It had been embroiled in successive battles with several cultivators today and was already at the end of its tether. Now, as it fitfully scorched Nie Shiyun’s divine sense with its flames, it discovered that his soul strength far surpassed that of the previous group.
Nie Shiyun felt a sharp sting from the burning, but it was not a major hindrance. Although the Nascent Soul stage was only one minor step above the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage, the difference between them was immense.
He had heard that Strange Fires possessed intelligence, though he did not know to what degree. When he hurriedly asked Meiqiu about it, Meiqiu—recalling how the fire had led him on a chase earlier as if it were playing a game—felt a surge of irritation.
"It’s probably like a cub that’s just opened its eyes!" Meiqiu huffed indignantly. "It can’t talk, and it doesn't really understand human speech!"
Feeling the Strange Fire’s resentment and struggle, Nie Shiyun had no choice but to continue contending with it using his soul strength. If the fire possessed the same level of comprehension Meiqiu had when he first hatched, Nie Shiyun could have attempted to communicate. But since it couldn't understand human words, he could only resort to force.
The Vermilion Bird Strange Fire was indeed a rare spiritual treasure, the likes of which were seen only once a century; even against a Nascent Soul cultivator, it did not submit easily. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the Divine Fire Cover was actually overturned by a sudden burst of energy. Not wanting the artifact to sustain excessive damage, Nie Shiyun promptly recalled it.
Zhai Bairong stood at the cave entrance, watching the commotion inside. Seeing the Divine Fire Cover broken, he wavered for a moment, nearly rushing in to assist. However, seeing that Nie Shiyun did not call for help and instead calmly produced spirit locks to bind the fire anew—while simultaneously telling Meiqiu to absorb the bursts of light it emitted—Zhai Bairong stayed his hand.
Breaking free from the Divine Fire Cover seemed to have exhausted the fire’s last ounce of strength. Its subsequent flame attacks were entirely consumed by Meiqiu, dealing no damage at all. Finally, the Vermilion Bird Strange Fire gradually ceased its movement.
Nie Shiyun closed his eyes, releasing the full extent of his soul strength. It probed invisibly into the Strange Fire, piercing through the surrounding flames to reach its core.
As his soul imprint formed a contract with it, the flames surrounding the Vermilion Bird fire spirit extinguished with a soft *whoosh*. All that remained was a dark red orb, which flew toward Nie Shiyun and merged into his forehead.
After a cultivator forms a contract with a Strange Fire, it takes a little time to integrate, but once this stage is reached, no further variables can interfere. Knowing Zhai Bairong was guarding his back, Nie Shiyun felt no anxiety and sat down on the spot to begin meditating.
A Strange Fire could assist in alchemy and weapon forging, be used for attacks, and even bolster one's cultivation. Since Nie Shiyun possessed a fire spiritual root, his compatibility with the extremely yang-aligned Vermilion Bird Strange Fire was excellent. Standing at the entrance, Zhai Bairong and Shen Yan clearly felt Nie Shiyun’s cultivation base surging upward as he integrated the fire, nearly reaching the threshold of the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
Though he had the self-awareness to know the Strange Fire was never meant for him, Shen Yan, as a cultivator without a powerful background, couldn't help but feel a whirlwind of emotions seeing someone else contract a Strange Fire and skyrocket in power right before his eyes.
He glanced at Zhai Bairong, only to see that there wasn't a trace of envy in the man's eyes—only relief and joy.
"I have never seen a cultivator as selfless as you," Shen Yan murmured.
Zhai Bairong paused, then said calmly, "I am only like this toward him. If I were this way with everyone, I wouldn't have lived to see this day."
Shen Yan couldn't help but ask, "He is already a Nascent Soul, and obtaining the Strange Fire is another massive leap forward. Yet you haven't even formed your own Nascent Soul yet?"
Seeing that he was asking in earnest, Zhai Bairong smiled and explained, "Forming a Nascent Soul is only a matter of time. This time, it was simply because he needed the Strange Fire more than I did. In the future, if there is something more suitable for me, Shiyun will surely choose to let me have it as well."
Shen Yan had always been a solitary traveler and did not understand such sentiments. He merely looked at Zhai Bairong and did not pursue the conversation further.
Seeing that Nie Shiyun no longer needed his assistance, Meiqiu ran over to Zhai Bairong’s side.
"You guys were so slow! That ball of fire led me on a chase across half the island! I'm starving..." Meiqiu let out a long sigh. However, in his form as a young child, such a world-weary expression only made him look adorable and slightly ridiculous.
*Chase...*
Shen Yan’s eyelid twitched. A Qi Condensation cultivator couldn't fly, which was why he had taken the child along on his sword earlier.
Zhai Bairong sighed and picked Meiqiu up. "You should talk less. It’s exactly because of this that Shiyun doesn't feel safe letting you show your face in the Yunqing Pavilion."
"Huh?" Meiqiu didn't even realize what he had let slip this time, looking at Zhai Bairong in confusion.
Just then, Nie Shiyun finally finished his attunement with the Strange Fire and opened his eyes.
It wasn't that the fire spirit couldn't speak; it simply couldn't communicate with the outside world. Once the contract was finalized and the Vermilion Bird Strange Fire entered his sea of consciousness, it cried out, "It hurts!"
Nie Shiyun glanced at the others behind him. Seeing they had no reaction, he realized the fire was communicating with him through thought.
"I didn't hit you. You were the one thrashing around inside the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover..."
"Before that! A group of people! Surrounded me and hit me!" the Strange Fire complained.
"As it happens, I have a very good place for you to recover. Why don't you go rest there..." Nie Shiyun used the patience one would use with a child, guiding the fire spirit into the jade pendant space to recuperate.
"Oh!" Though mischievous, the Vermilion Bird Strange Fire had already recognized Nie Shiyun as its master. It followed his instructions and entered the space. The dense spiritual energy there delighted it, and the slight lingering resentment from being forcibly contracted vanished instantly.
If a fire spirit had previously followed a cultivator and was contracted again after that cultivator's death, it would carry some memories. However, the Vermilion Bird Strange Fire was clearly a new flame born of heaven and earth within the last few centuries; Nie Shiyun was likely its first master.
Feeling as though he had gained another "cub" before even finishing raising Meiqiu, Nie Shiyun felt a bit helpless. He wondered why he seemed to have such a strange affinity for children.
Seeing Nie Shiyun finally walk over, Zhai Bairong couldn't help but ask, "How is it? Did everything go smoothly?"
Nie Shiyun smiled. "Very smoothly. However, after being attacked by several people in turn today, its vitality is heavily damaged. I’ve let it go to rest."
Zhai Bairong nodded in agreement. Nie Shiyun obtaining the Strange Fire was the icing on the cake; he didn't urgently need it for anything, so letting it rest was fine. Once they finished discussing the fire, Zhai Bairong turned his gaze back to Shen Yan. At this point, Nie Shiyun also vaguely sensed that Shen Yan had wanted to leave but had been detained by Zhai Bairong.
"You must be quite curious about Xuan Yang, aren't you?" Zhai Bairong said to Shen Yan.
He then looked at Nie Shiyun, asking for his opinion with his eyes. Although he didn't know exactly what Zhai Bairong intended to say, Nie Shiyun trusted his judgment implicitly. He nodded, signaling for him to speak as he saw fit.
Shen Yan was naturally curious, but he also knew that curiosity could be a dangerous thing. Facing two—or more accurately, perhaps three—cultivators whose power exceeded his own, he said sincerely, "Xuan Yang appears young, but his cultivation is far beyond what he displays... Of course, the cultivation world is full of secrets. If this isn't meant to be shared, I will act as though I know nothing."
"Eh? When did I get exposed!" Meiqiu cried out, realizing it late.
In just a few words, Nie Shiyun understood the situation. He didn't think Shen Yan harbored any ill will. Thinking it was better to be honest than to let the man speculate in a negative direction, he told Meiqiu to return to his original form.
Compared to his soft, toddler-like appearance, Meiqiu naturally felt his bird form was much more majestic. With Nie Shiyun’s permission, he immediately transformed back into his true self with a flourish, standing tall and proud on Nie Shiyun’s shoulder.
Shen Yan let out a soft gasp of surprise, immediately realizing that this was the same spirit beast of Nie Shiyun’s he had seen before. He was speechless for a long time. By now, Meiqiu’s earlier hostility had vanished; he felt Shen Yan was a decent enough fellow. He assumed the man was simply stunned by his magnificent true form and felt quite smug.
"...Senior Nie truly hides his strength well, to be able to form a contract with a transforming spirit beast," Shen Yan said, deeply shocked, though he quickly recovered and offered a compliment.
Meiqiu ruffled his wings in dissatisfaction. Why was this guy praising Nie Shiyun instead of him?
No one noticed Meiqiu’s stifled desire to show off. Zhai Bairong and Nie Shiyun exchanged a look, and Zhai politely asked Shen Yan not to reveal this to the outside world. Seeing that the two had no intention of making things difficult for him, Shen Yan breathed a sigh of relief and proactively swore an oath of secrecy.
Shen Yan glanced at the black bird on Nie Shiyun’s shoulder, feeling a flicker of regret in his heart. He had lived by the principle of minding his own business until now, rarely helping others for fear of inviting trouble. Today, he had made a rare exception, and it had indeed led to complications. Fortunately, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong were not heartless people; otherwise, he might have died a senseless death today.
He looked away, feeling lucky, and silently warned himself never to be deceived by appearances again or do something so foolish.
Meiqiu lifted his head proudly, convinced that his semi-divine beast posture was so beautiful it had overwhelmed the bystander.
"You needn't be nervous. Aside from you, a few close friends also know of this. My cultivation isn't yet enough to fully protect Xuan Yang and the Yunqing Pavilion. Once the day comes that this can be made public, you won't have to worry about keeping the secret anymore," Nie Shiyun said politely, not putting on the airs of a senior.
Shen Yan replied stoically, "It matters not. I don't know anyone anyway, so I have no one to tell."
Nie Shiyun: "..."
The three men and the bird left the cave. Having secured their primary objective, there was no reason to remain.
"Huh, the smell of blood again."
They hadn't walked far and were about to part ways when Meiqiu suddenly spoke up.
"Could it be that the people from the Moon-Reflecting Sect have already reached this island?" Zhai Bairong asked suspiciously. He knew the sect was pursuing Duan Mingyu and Rong Lü, but he hadn't expected those disciples to actually find their way here.
Shen Yan added, "It could also be the people from Zhaohun Valley chasing me. Those people who call themselves 'righteous'... Duan Mingyu and the others have no love for Zhaohun Valley. If they ran into each other, it would be normal for a fight to break out."
Halfway through, Shen Yan remembered that Zhai Bairong was a disciple of the "righteous" Moon-Reflecting Sect. He observed Zhai Bairong’s expression and, seeing no sign of displeasure, changed his phrasing slightly.
Nie Shiyun took note of this and felt surprised—why did it seem like Shen Yan wasn't afraid of him, a Nascent Soul senior, but was somewhat intimidated by Zhai Bairong?
"Shall we go take a look?" Zhai Bairong turned his head, seeking Nie Shiyun’s opinion.
"Let's go see. We'll just be careful," Nie Shiyun estimated that there were no Nascent Soul cultivators here. Even if they ran straight into the people from Zhaohun Valley, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
"Alright."
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong followed the scent of blood Meiqiu had found. Shen Yan originally intended to leave, but considering his injuries hadn't healed, it would be a problem if he ran into a Zhaohun Valley ambush alone. In the end, he followed them.
The three passed through the woods and saw a man lying pathetically on the ground. A large pool of blood had seeped out beneath him, staining the soil crimson.
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong recognized him from his silhouette alone—wasn't that Rong Lü?
The man who had been fighting them just a short while ago was now lying in a pool of blood. Strangely, he was alone; Duan Mingyu and Xu Yehua were nowhere to be seen.
"Mingyu..." Rong Lü appeared heavily injured. His voice was muffled, as if his throat were filled with blood. Sensing footsteps nearby, he struggled to lift his head.
"Sorry to disappoint, but it's not Duan Mingyu." Nie Shiyun didn't know if this was a trap and didn't approach carelessly.
"Save... save him..." Rong Lü forced himself up, looking at the people standing a few feet away.
"I told you long ago that I have nothing to do with him anymore. Moreover, given my special status, even if I have grievances with the Moon-Reflecting Sect, it is inconvenient for me to act," Zhai Bairong said with a frown. Rong Lü was a difficult man to communicate with; words spoken to him never seemed to sink in, which made Zhai Bairong quite irritable.
"It's not... not the Moon-Reflecting Sect. It's Xu... Yehua... He wants to take Mingyu back to Chiyan Cliff..." Rong Lü gasped out the words. When he mentioned the name Xu Yehua, his expression was filled with hatred and regret.
Zhai Bairong was stunned and instinctively turned to look at Nie Shiyun.
Nie Shiyun had once said that the Heavens favored Duan Mingyu, giving him a special resonance with the treasures of the world and gathering exceptional, devoted men around him. Zhai Bairong had never imagined that Xu Yehua would do something to harm Duan Mingyu.
Nie Shiyun, on the other hand, had a slight premonition about this earlier, though he hadn't expected it to come true so quickly. While he didn't care much about the feud between Duan Mingyu and the Moon-Reflecting Sect, if Xu Yehua was involved as a member of Chiyan Cliff, he would rather choose a side between the sect and Duan Mingyu.
"Is this true?" Nie Shiyun released his Nascent Soul pressure, making it nearly impossible for Rong Lü to breathe. Yet the man continued to look at them, slowly nodding his head, his eyes filled with urgency.
"...Let's go take a look," Nie Shiyun said softly, glancing at Zhai Bairong.
"Let's go."
The two exchanged a look, and without needing another word, both summoned their flying swords and sped toward the main part of the island.
Shen Yan fell a step behind. Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong hadn't asked him to follow, and he hesitated over whether to get involved.
"Wait... wait... save me..."
Hearing the man on the ground pleading, Shen Yan turned back and looked at him in surprise. "Have you forgotten? Not long ago, you almost killed me."
Rong Lü looked closely and recognized Shen Yan as the Zhaohun Valley cultivator they had ambushed earlier.
Shen Yan crouched down. Just as Rong Lü was about to say something, he felt a bone-chilling pain in his shoulder that nearly made him scream. Cold sweat poured down instantly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a short sword had pierced completely through his shoulder and into the ground.
"Unlike those two seniors, I happen to be a rather petty person," Shen Yan said tonelessly.
Rong Lü was in too much pain to speak. After Xu Yehua had blindsided him, he had taken his storage ring and everything else. Even if Rong Lü’s wound wasn't fatal, without the help of pills, it might take half a month to even stand up using only a cultivator’s natural healing. With Duan Mingyu in danger, how could he wait half a month?
"I... I'm going to kill that... Xu Yehua." Rong Lü’s voice trembled with pain, but compared to Shen Yan’s revenge, his hatred for Xu Yehua had reached its peak. He had actually betrayed Mingyu’s reliance and trust!
Shen Yan saw that Rong Lü wasn't acting; he truly hated the one called Xu Yehua. Thinking about how these two had teamed up to silence him earlier, only to turn on each other now, he found it quite farcical. Deciding it would be entertaining to watch the drama unfold, he dropped a pill in front of Rong Lü.
"Th-thank you..." Rong Lü was overjoyed, a light returning to his eyes as he dragged his injured shoulder forward to reach for the pill.
Seeing him so pathetic yet still thanking him, Shen Yan felt much more satisfied. He ignored the man, mounted his flying sword, and chased after Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong.
***
