Chapter 264: Recalling Old Ties and Clearing Away

The golden blazing sun slowly faded, but the scorching heat lingered in the air, mixed with the smell of charred wolf corpses, forming a strange and pungent odor.

Within the valley lay utter devastation—scorched earth, shattered rocks, and the traces where the demon wolves had turned to ash—silently attesting to the terrifying power of that recent golden blazing sun.

The five survivors' minds and spirits remained shrouded by immense shock.

They stared blankly at the green-robed figure, feeling an inexplicable tremor in their hearts.

Jin Aoxing endured the waves of sharp pain from the deep bone-deep wound on his back, and the weakness from his nearly exhausted spiritual power, bowed deeply once more, his voice trembling slightly:

"Thank you, senior, for saving my life! I, Jin Aoxing, along with my fellow cultivators, am deeply grateful! This kindness is like a rebirth; we will never forget it!"

His four companions behind him also came to their senses, all bowing in salute, their voices filled with the excitement of having survived and heartfelt reverence: "Thank you, senior, for saving my life!"

This suddenly appearing green-robed cultivator had an aura as deep as the sea, making it impossible to gauge his depth.

Merely a casual gesture produced that golden sun, condensed like substance and emitting a soul‑shuddering high temperature.

Like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, it instantly incinerated the numerous blood‑eyed demon wolves that had plunged them into despair.

Even the mid‑Golden Core wolf king that had filled them with despair could not last a single breath!

Such strength far exceeded their imagination—at least a top‑tier late‑Golden Core existence, and possibly even a legendary Nascent Soul master wandering the world!

Wang Ping stood with his hands behind his back, his green robe fluttering lightly in the breeze; he deliberately altered his voice to sound low and flat, devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

"A mere gesture, no need for thanks." His gaze seemed to casually sweep over Jin Aoxing, yet his powerful spiritual sense keenly caught the fleeting flash of surprise and confusion in the other's eyes when he furtively sized him up.

'"He seems to think I'm somewhat familiar?" Wang Ping understood at once. After all, years ago in the Lower Realm Luoxian Valley, although they had never met face‑to‑face and he had worn a mask, he had in fact seized the other's magic treasure.'

For someone like Jin Aoxing, who had lost the important treasure White Scorching Bottle, even after many years and increased cultivation, that instinctive vague sense remained hard to erase completely.

Like a mark etched into the bone, it normally stays hidden but is triggered in certain situations.

Jin Aoxing's heart was indeed tumultuous at this moment.

The burning pain on his back constantly reminded him of the recent danger, but what unsettled his mind more was the "senior" standing before him.

He forcibly suppressed his doubts and squeezed out a more respectful, enthusiastic smile:

"Senior, your power is profound and your abilities vast; I admire you wholeheartedly."

He paused, enduring the back pain, then issued the invitation again: "We are heading to Qingyu City in the Northern Territory to attend the lecture of the Qingyu Great Ability. Senior, if it is on your way, would you honor us with your company? The Qingyu Great Ability is a mighty human cultivator, but of mild temperament."

"I have the good fortune to have formed a karmic bond with that Great Ability; if you accompany us, I guarantee I can arrange a meeting with him for you, to repay your great kindness in saving my life."

His companions nearby, hearing this, immediately reacted and all voiced their agreement.

The burly man slapped his chest, voice booming: "Yes, senior, Aoxing knows a Void Refining Stage Great Ability," he gave a thumbs‑up, "he will certainly make you feel most welcome!"

The blue‑clad female cultivator spoke softly: "I don't know the Great Ability, but my family runs a pill business; I wish to offer our ancestral spirit pills to help you regulate your magical power."

The green‑clad youth and the purple‑clad woman also looked at Wang Ping with eyes full of expectation.

To form a karmic bond with such a powerful being is undoubtedly a tremendous opportunity for them, possibly bringing immeasurable benefits to their future cultivation path.

However, although Wang Ping felt surprised, his heart remained calm as an ancient well; a Void Refining Stage Great Ability is indeed the greatest opportunity for countless cultivators in a lifetime, but for him it was still insufficient.

Moreover, he sought the Great Dao of longevity, avoiding unnecessary karma and trouble whenever possible.

He slowly shook his head, his tone still flat yet carrying an undeniable resolve:

"I am known as Lihuo Sanren, a mountain‑dweller accustomed to wandering alone. I still have pressing matters on this journey, so I cannot travel with you all. The immortal road is long; please each take care, and let us part here."

'"Lihuo Sanren..." Jin Aoxing silently repeated the name in his mind, confirming he had never heard it before.'

Seeing the other's attitude so firm, he felt deep regret but dared not press further, fearing to provoke this unpredictable senior.

He therefore bowed again sincerely: "If that is the case, we dare not disturb you."

"Senior, your lifesaving kindness I will keep in my heart! Should you ever need my help in the future, please come to the Jin Family in Liuyun City; I will certainly not refuse."

The others also repeatedly thanked him, seeing Wang Ping off.

Wang Ping said no more, gave a slight nod to the crowd, then his form flickered—like a wisp of green smoke merging into the air; the next instant a fine thread of green light flashed at the horizon, vanishing in an instant into the boundless mountains, its speed beyond their imagining.

"That Lihuo senior… what terrifying speed!" the green‑clad youth exclaimed, mouth agape, muttering.

The purple‑clad woman's eyes shone: "Not only the speed, that golden flame… I have never felt such pure and terrifying yang vigor."

The burly man scratched his head: "Big Brother Jin, did you perhaps know this senior just now?"

Jin Aoxing gazed toward the direction where Wang Ping vanished, his eyes complex, he shook his head with a wry smile: "I merely felt the senior's aura was somewhat… familiar, perhaps just an illusion."

"Alright, we shouldn't linger here; the bloody smell might attract other beasts. Let's tend to our wounds quickly and leave. We must hurry to where the Qingyu Great Ability will appear."

He suppressed his various speculations; now the most important thing is to bring his companions safely to where the Qingyu Great Ability will appear.

…

Wang Ping rode his escape lightning, swift as wind and electricity, covering thousands of miles in one go.

He did not choose a straight return to the Ninth Dao Academy, but deliberately took a detour, weaving through even more remote and perilous primordial mountain ranges. Below lay endless towering ancient trees, the thick vegetation's spiritual aura almost undissipated, while distant unknown beasts let out low growls, showing the area's danger and antiquity.

Finding a mountain stream concealed by vines, with relatively rich spiritual energy yet still well hidden, Wang Ping first carefully laid out a few simple warning and concealment seals, then sat cross‑legged and began a meticulous inner inspection of his condition.

Although his clash with that Bloodfiend Evil Spirit was brief, the opponent was after all a terrifying Void Refining Stage entity, its power essence strange and unfathomable.

Especially, to break the Bloodfiend Seal he had nearly exhausted all low‑grade spirit crystals, and to seize a chance to escape he struck head‑on the Blood Soul Pearl forged from the essence of a Spirit Transformation cultivator.

Although relying on the ultimate restraint of Yimu Divine Thunder and the protection of the Head's Decree he suffered no serious injury, his meridians still felt faint aches and his spiritual power flowed less smoothly than usual.

More importantly, as his powerful spiritual sense carefully swept over his body, he faintly detected an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible chill, like a bone‑deep ulcer, winding through his flesh and his consciousness.

This aura carried a faint, nauseating bloody smell and a deep‑seated grudge; it was extremely weak, and would hardly be noticeable were it not for his spiritual sense far surpassing his peers and his cultivation of the profound Soul Refining Technique.

'"Indeed…" Wang Ping's heart turned cold: "Such an ancient evil spirit truly has strange methods. Even far from its main body, its residual power aura can autonomously form such a hidden tracking mark."

He knew well that if left unattended, this trace could not only become a beacon for the opponent to track him, but could also insidiously erode his mind and affect his Dao foundation.

He did not dare delay; he held his breath and focused, the five‑colored divine light behind him subtly circulating, chiefly activating the green Yimu Divine Light brimming with life and purifying power.

The warm, life‑filled green radiance spread like water waves, enveloping his whole body, like the finest comb, repeatedly tidying every inch of his meridians, every thread of magical power, and even the minute corners of his soul's consciousness sea.

At first, that faint crimson mark lay deeply hidden, showing no reaction to the Yimu Divine Light's cleansing.

But Wang Ping, with ample patience, continually increased the output and fineness of the divine light.

Finally, when the vibrant green light reached that thread of dark red hidden deep in the sea of consciousness, almost fused with his own soul's fluctuations, a sudden change occurred!

Hum!

A surge of violent, greedy intent, filled with endless blood evil and resentment, erupted violently from that mark, attempting to resist the azure light's purification.

Although this intent was faint, its quality was extremely high, carrying the terrifying aura remnant of a Refining Void existence, instantly causing Wang Ping's soul to feel a bone-chilling cold and annoyance.

Hmph! Water without source, wood without root, dare to cause trouble!

Wang Ping gave a cold snort in his heart, having long been prepared. With a thought, he did not summon the Sun True Fire, but directly invoked the Yin Wood Divine Thunder that specially subdues all evil spirits!

Crack!

A faint thunderclap, as if originating from the depths of the void, sounded in his sea of consciousness.

A strand of azure lightning, as fine as a hair yet condensed to the extreme, appeared within his body and sea of consciousness.

Within it, countless tiny lightning balls seemed to constantly arise and vanish, the lightning appearing out of nowhere.

This Yin Wood Divine Thunder was not overbearing and ostentatious like ordinary lightning; instead, it carried an atmosphere of purifying all things.

At the moment the divine thunder appeared, that dark red mark seemed to encounter its natural nemesis; the violent intent within let out a silent shriek, frantically struggling, yet like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun.

The azure-green lightning lightly coiled around it, without even making much noise; that deeply hidden, incessantly entangled evil spirit mark, like a snowflake thrown into a furnace, instantly melted and dissolved, ultimately turning into a wisp of faint azure smoke that drifted from Wang Ping's brow and vanished completely.

With the mark's disappearance, Wang Ping felt his whole body lighten, as if shedding an invisible shackle, and even the circulation of his spiritual power became smoother and more effortless.

Phew… He slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of lingering fear crossing his gaze.

The methods of this blood evil spirit were indeed impossible to guard against.

If I hadn't just happened to possess this supreme thunder method, the Yin Wood Divine Thunder, even an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator might not have been able to detect and completely erase this trace of the mark. In the future, when facing such ancient lingering evil things, I must be more cautious.

He faintly felt that the matter of this evil spirit was not yet fully settled. The other party's greedy words—'Sun True Fire, Yin Wood Divine Thunder, this child hides many secrets'—still echoed in his ears.

A vague premonition told him that his karmic ties with this blood evil spirit, or with such evil things in general, had perhaps only just begun.

He still did not know that the evil spirit had already been captured by his own master.

……

Meanwhile, at the peak of the cloud sea, far beyond countless miles away, lay the Ninth Dao Institute.

Dean Jiang Mingyuan continued to sit quietly in that seemingly ordinary stone pavilion, when a pot of clear tea steaming with spiritual energy appeared on the stone table at some point.

He unconsciously tapped his fingertips on the smooth stone table, producing a rhythmic tat-tat sound, his gaze distant, as if piercing through layers of clouds and spatial barriers.

His Star-Grasping Giant Hand had long been retracted; now, on his outstretched palm, a pearl the size of a pigeon's egg, dark as congealed blood, slowly rotated.

Fine blood lines on the pearl's surface twitched like living things, emanating a heart-pounding murderous aura.

Yet they were tightly bound and compressed into a tiny space by an immense, invisible stellar force; the threads of blood-colored aura were forcibly drawn out, refined, and merged into the Zhou Tian Star Virtual Illusion, causing the pearl's color to fade at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

Blazing Flame Valley's depths… I never expected to find such a clinging-to-life blood evil spirit hidden there.

Jiang Mingyuan muttered to himself in a low voice, his tone flat yet carrying an undeniable authority.

As an Exalted of the Refining Void, to act against a junior without regard for face, seeking to seize his origin—death is not worth regretting.

The Dean's Order he had bestowed upon Wang Ping was triggered, and he naturally sensed it. He had originally thought that Wang Ping, while on a mission, had merely encountered trouble at the Golden Core or False Nascent Soul stage, requiring the use of a protective talisman to survive.

But he never expected that, after his divine sense descended across the void, it would draw out an ancient evil spirit sealed deep beneath Blazing Flame Valley for who knows how many ages; though its strength was but a fraction of one ten-thousandth, its nature remained that of a Refining Void entity.

What surprised him even more was Wang Ping's performance in this affair.

Late Golden Core… How long has he been cultivating? This kid's progress is actually a bit faster than I anticipated.

Jiang Mingyuan's eyes flashed with surprise, but more so was the joy and appreciation of discovering a piece of uncut jade.

He clearly remembered that Wang Ping had only been at the early Golden Core stage when he joined; this rate of advancement, even among the core disciples of the Dao Institute, counts as outstanding.

What's more rare is that his Dao arts have actually entered the Point Ling Realm.

This is what truly made Jiang Mingyuan feel somewhat surprised.

Point Ling in Dao arts is a realm that countless Nascent Soul cultivators painstakingly seek but cannot attain; it involves a profound understanding of the heavenly dao rhythms, the elevation of one's soul essence, and perfect resonance with supernatural abilities and techniques—it cannot be forcibly broken through by piling up elixirs and spirit stones.

This requires extremely high perceptiveness, opportunity, and a clear awareness of one's own path.

Sun True Fire Point Ling… It seems his gains in Blazing Flame Valley go far beyond those deep red blazing flame stones.

Jiang Mingyuan's lips curled slightly as he revealed a meaningful smile: 'It seems the disciple I casually took in hides opportunities and secrets far more interesting than I imagined.'

He felt no greed or apprehension whatsoever at the possibility of his disciple carrying a great treasure.

Having reached his level, he had long since seen his true mind and nature; external things, while useful, are ultimately rooted in oneself.

A disciple's deep fortune is a blessing to the disciple and a boon to the sect. What pleased him most was Wang Ping's mindset and decisiveness shown in this incident—when facing a foe beyond his strength, he did not resort to reckless bravery, but assessed the situation and resolutely used every means to escape.

After escaping danger, he could calmly self-examine, promptly detecting and eliminating hidden threats.

This composure, alertness, and decisiveness brought him far greater satisfaction than mere cultivation advancement.

However… Jiang Mingyuan lifted his teacup, took a light sip, and his gaze grew deep: "When wood grows in the forest, the wind will destroy it. Rapid increases in strength, especially such a signature achievement as Point Ling in Dao arts, once revealed, will inevitably attract much attention—envy, suspicion from those with ulterior motives, and even… greed.

Within the Dao Institute, it is not a monolith; beneath the calm surface, undercurrents surge as well.

He pondered for a moment, and did not immediately send a summons for Wang Ping; excessive protection sometimes hinders the growth of a young eagle.

He merely stirred his thoughts, sending a faint, elusive thread of divine sense, like a spider's silk, quietly onto the region where Wang Ping was located.

This thread of divine sense carried no intent to monitor; it was more like an invisible concern and protection, which could, when he faced a truly unbeatable life-or-death crisis, buy him a sliver of chance to survive.

As for that blood evil spirit, since he had already acted to refine its true form, there was no need to mention it further to Wang Ping.

Some storms require the disciple to experience and comprehend them himself in order to truly grow; this experience itself is also a form of cultivation.

Jiang Mingyuan's gaze once again fell upon the blood soul pearl gradually being refined in his palm, his eyes deep.

Turning evil into righteousness? Consuming the source of the Sun True Fire? Quite a scheme.

Too bad it landed in my hands; just right to take and give that kid for refining his future personal magic treasure, adding a fine resource.

Outside the stone pavilion, the cloud sea churned, ever-changing, just as the tides of the spirit realm; unseen undercurrents have already begun to surge.

Having just shaken off the evil spirit's mark, Wang Ping remained unaware of this; he was focused on restoring his spiritual power, preparing for the next leg of his journey after returning to the Dao Institute.