Chapter 477: Azure Lotus Sacred Flame, Flame of Creation?

"Hall Master, the ghostly Qi is surging — this is not a good sign."

Deputy Hall Master White Wolf stared at the ghostly Qi ahead, his gaze grave.

Deputy Hall Master Canglong stood beside him without speaking; the gravity in his eyes was enough to show his mind was not calm.

Jing Yuheng had a terrible headache. The affairs of the Wanggong alone were enough to give her one, and they were not yet fully handled — several families' matters, the subordinates of several princes, and a portion still not yet brought under control. Just digesting these forces would require a good deal of time.

For some people, their backgrounds needed to be thoroughly investigated; there were also some worth cultivating whom they had investigated before, but now they still needed to be reinvestigated and vetted. Not just anyone would be taken — what was needed were loyal people, people without problems.

As for people from the great families, Jing Yuheng, having suffered a loss once, would no longer harbor any thoughts about them, nor would she entrust them with important roles.

Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of a well rope.

These past days, Jing Yuheng had been so busy she was frazzled. All matters were handed to her to handle, while His Highness had gone off to who knows where to enjoy himself.

Pitiful her — she held absolute power, but she was truly exhausted.

"What do you two think?" Jing Yuheng rubbed her temples, truly not wanting to deal with it.

That ghostly Qi was so terrifying that ignoring it was not an option.

Outside Wangdu, something major must be happening. Once it erupted, it would soon spread to Wangdu. As the Black Dragon Guard, they would bear the brunt and had to stop the ghostly Qi from spreading, and also stop the danger over there.

This level of ghostly Qi was certainly nothing good.

"Hall Master, the ghostly Qi must be dealt with. This surge of ghostly Qi is likely the work of the Yin Gui Sect's Grand Elder. The Yin Gui Sect's Holy Maiden Zhuge Ruolan and the Yin Gui Sect's Holy Son Yin Killer Holy Son are both over there, and the three swordsmen of the Heavenly Heart Sect have also gone."

"Besides them, quite a few old things were also drawn over there. A new battlefield has opened up over there."

"Moreover, apart from this, this subordinate discovered a Formation beneath the Wanggong."

Deputy Hall Master White Wolf's words made Jing Yuheng's brows lock tightly.

"What Formation? Where?"

Deputy Hall Master White Wolf led the way, and soon they arrived at the Formation's location — a small Formation connecting to somewhere far away.

Tracing along the Formation, they ultimately discovered that it connected to the distant place where the ghostly Qi surged.

Jing Yuheng's expression turned very ugly.

"When did this happen?"

Deputy Hall Master White Wolf said, "By this subordinate's observation, it should have been before the battle for the succession in the Wanggong."

"Then that means the blood and resentment of those who died in the Wanggong earlier were absorbed by this Formation and transferred over there?"

"In theory, yes," Deputy Hall Master White Wolf answered truthfully.

Jing Yuheng fell silent.

She stared at the Formation before her; even though it had been destroyed, she could still make out its function.

No danger, extremely hidden, yet... its effect was limitless.

Deputy Hall Master Canglong said slowly, "Hall Master, this matter is of great importance. Should we report it to Your Majesty?"

The form of address had changed. Her Highness the Eldest Princess was not yet Your Majesty, but her status and her identity were already undoubtedly that of Your Majesty.

She was only short of a coronation.

There could be no change.

That person was in Wangdu — this matter was set in stone.

"No rush for now. Keep watch over that side. If anything happens, act immediately."

"Do not let the ghostly Qi approach Wangdu."

"Yes."

Deputy Hall Masters White Wolf and Canglong cupped their hands. They understood Jing Yuheng's intent — watch and wait.

Do not move for now.

First bring Wangdu under control; the rest could wait.

Turmoil was normal.

As long as it did not spread to Wangdu, there was no need to deal with it for now.

Inside the Qi Family treasury.

Chen Chuyang looked at the treasury before him, as if he had entered a scripture pavilion. Various cultivation arts and divine abilities were all piled together — these were the accumulations of the Great Qi Dynasty over several thousand years. Every single cultivation art could cause upheaval.

Placed here, they were treated like trash.

Many books were covered in dust, the words on them impossible to read clearly.

These books were forged from who knows what material; stored for many years, they showed not the slightest decay.

He casually flipped through a few — none were what Chen Chuyang needed.

Some cultivation arts, divine abilities, and a few travelogues.

Going deeper, the divine abilities and cultivation arts grew higher in grade.

Treasures had not yet appeared.

Going still deeper, Chen Chuyang saw some treasures, all locked away.

Taking them would not be easy — one had to break through the seals.

This was a little trick of the Qi Family: the items were right before you, but without the strength, taking them was impossible.

"Tsk tsk, clever trick. The Qi Family's methods are something. These seals are not weak. An ordinary person who entered, even upon seeing a desired treasure, would be unable to take it."

"It depends on fortune, and it depends on strength."

Without fortune, one naturally could not obtain the treasure. This move, one had to admit, was extremely effective.

Having accounted for every contingency, Chen Chuyang swept a glance over the area. The treasures up front did not catch his eye. Deeper in were some ordinary pills and spiritual medicines — these, truthfully, Chen Chuyang did not lack.

Walking far ahead, he saw a ball of flame and narrowed his eyes.

The Pill Fire in his dantian quivered once. Chen Chuyang knew this ball of flame was no simple thing.

He reached out and touched that orb of light.

The light ball dodged.

Or rather, his hand grasped at nothing.

「Huh？」

「What an interesting seal—does it look down on me? 」

「If it looks down on me, I'll seize it anyway. 」

Chen Chuyang acted faster, piercing the void; before that light cluster could react, Chen Chuyang caught it in his hand.

The light cluster struggled, trying to escape; how could Chen Chuyang let it leave?

He grabbed it tightly, then broke through the outer layer of confinement.

A cluster of flame appeared in his palm, its scorching heat burning Chen Chuyang's skin.

The surrounding treasures fled quickly, not daring to come within ten meters.

「Hum。」

The rotating flame emitted a greenish light.

Around Chen Chuyang, nine flames appeared, like lotus blossoms.

Each flame cluster was real, contracting toward Chen Chuyang.

「Hmph。」

「Mere flames, and they dare to resist? 」

Chen Chuyang extended his right hand and directly seized a flame cluster; the other flames vanished instantly.

The main body was captured; Pill Fire appeared, wrapping around this flame cluster and began to devour it outright.

This flame cluster struggled a few times, then had no reaction.

There was no movement at all; it was completely devoured.

Upon the Pill Fire, a hint of green light appeared, and in Chen Chuyang's mind, a new flame's information arose.

「Azure Lotus Holy Fire. 」

「One of the heavenly fires, with limitless power, containing the power of creation. 」

「It is the fire collected by the Qi Family a thousand years ago, kept here all along, never taken by anyone. 」

Chen Chuyang closed his eyes, carefully sensing the power of the Azure Lotus Holy Fire and its abilities.

It can heal the body, possessing a unique ability; though it is fire, it is unlike any other.

Besides this, it also possesses some power of creation, but it is not very strong—or rather, this flame cluster is not complete.