Chapter 176: Tang Gu

"Master, are we really going down?"

After donning the Polar Cold Marrow Jade, they were no longer assailed by the scorching heat, yet gazing into the rock valley that plunged endlessly like an abyss, Xia Yang and Xia Xue both hesitated.

They knew that continuing downward meant facing not only the threat of alien flames but also the influence of demonic qi.

Baili Changfeng actually felt uncertain in his heart, but since members of the Demon Race had infiltrated the center of the array eye, he had to stop them; moreover, outside the military formation stood the Demon-Suppressing Guards, whose soul attacks they could not withstand.

With a Nascent Soul cultivator present, plus some magical treasures he carried, they should be able to sustain their journey to the center of the array eye.

Seeing his two disciples showing signs of retreat, Hua Changxi's expression remained unreadable, so Baili Changfeng could only ask, "Do you know what place lies below?"

Hearing this, Hua Changxi, Xia Yang, and Xia Xue all looked over simultaneously, not understanding why Baili Changfeng would ask such a question.

Xia Yang replied, "The center of the array eye, of course."

Baili Changfeng said, "In ancient times, this center of the array eye was known as Tang Gu."

Xia Yang and Xia Xue exclaimed in unison, "Tang Gu lies below?"

Clearly, both of them knew of Tang Gu.

Xia Xue's face lit with realization: "Of course, the place where the Fusang Divine Tree grows is none other than Tang Gu."

Xia Yang's expression grew excited: "Master, ancient records state that within Tang Gu there exists a Primordial Hot Spring, the bathing ground of the sun during the Primordial Era—is this true?"

Baili Changfeng replied, "There is indeed a hot spring in Tang Gu, but whether it was truly the sun's bathing place, your master does not know. However, for cultivators with fire spiritual roots, the Hot Spring is absolutely a blessed land; as long as one endures its tempering, the quality of one's spiritual root will improve drastically, and one might even forge a Fire Spiritual Body."

Hearing this, neither Xia Yang nor Xia Xue could remain calm.

They were cultivators with fire spiritual roots; although the quality of their roots was good, compared to a Fire Spiritual Body, it was utterly insignificant.

If they could forge a Fire Spiritual Body, their cultivation talent would surely leap forward by a huge margin.

Looking at his two excited disciples, Baili Changfeng poured cold water on them: "Since legend says the Hot Spring was the sun's bathing ground, the temperature within must be incredibly high; not just anyone can endure its tempering."

Hearing this, Xia Yang and Xia Xue, who had been excited moments before, immediately wilted.

Indeed, if they could not even withstand alien flames, how could they possibly endure the extreme heat within the Hot Spring?

Baili Changfeng turned to Hua Changxi: "Senior, your strength is formidable; after dealing with those six individuals from the Demon Race, you might try entering the Hot Spring—it will definitely benefit you." He said this hoping to dangle the benefits of Tang Gu before her, lest she give up halfway when danger arose later.

Hua Changxi had remained silent, quietly listening to the conversation among the master and his two disciples; upon hearing Baili Changfeng's words, she frowned slightly: "Fellow Daoist Baili came specifically to stop Lu Yan; are you all from the Artifact Sage Palace?"

Baili Changfeng paused briefly, not understanding why Hua Changxi would suddenly bring up Lu Yan, but he still nodded: "Yes, both Lu Yan and I are direct disciples of the Artifact Sage Palace."

Hua Changxi stated, "The Four Sacred Lands are each responsible for suppressing one array eye; the Artifact Sage Palace is responsible for suppressing this one."

Baili Changfeng nodded.

Hua Changxi continued, "Those few individuals from the Demon Race were brought by Lu Yan, which means the instability of this array eye stems from internal turmoil within the Artifact Sage Palace; am I mistaken?"

Baili Changfeng's expression shifted slightly, but he nodded again: "What does Senior wish to say?"

Hua Changxi replied, "Since the instability of this array eye was caused by your internal chaos, dealing with those few individuals from the Demon Race is your duty. I merely encountered you by chance; out of shared humanity, I can offer some help, but eliminating those demons is not my responsibility."

Hearing this, the expressions of Baili Changfeng and his two disciples all changed.

Hua Changxi continued, "Tang Gu teems with alien flames; the fact that those few demons dared to descend earlier means they must have some reliance. Fellow Daoist Baili should be mentally prepared."

"No one knows the true situation below Tang Gu; all I can do is assist you when I have spare capacity. Eliminating those demons still depends on yourselves; do not pin your hopes on me."

Although the instability of the array eye threatened the human world, and she would certainly not ignore it upon encountering it, the primary and secondary responsibilities regarding the demon followers still needed to be distinguished.

Baili Changfeng, having his hidden motives exposed directly by Hua Changxi, looked somewhat embarrassed: "Naturally."

Xia Yang, however, looked indignant: "Protecting the array eye is everyone's responsibility; if demonic qi spreads to the human world, Senior, you cannot escape either and will be affected. I originally thought Senior was a person of high integrity, but I did not expect you to be a selfish individual who cares only for yourself."

Hearing his words, Hua Changxi's face turned cold; she released her spiritual pressure, forcing Xia Yang flat onto the ground: "What kind of person I am is not for you to judge."

Seeing this, Baili Changfeng immediately stepped in front of Xia Yang, bearing the spiritual pressure for him, and urged anxiously, "Senior, my disciple spoke without thinking; please do not take offense at his words."

Hua Changxi stared at Baili Changfeng until fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead before withdrawing her spiritual pressure, sneering coldly, "I have seen countless cowards like this who love shifting blame onto others; if I were to make an issue of it, I would fear dirtying my hands."

Hearing Hua Changxi call him a coward, Xia Yang felt deeply unconvinced; he wanted to defend himself, but seeing his master and junior sister glaring at him, he could only close his mouth in resentment.

Baili Changfeng ultimately spoke up for his disciple: "My disciple was merely anxious out of concern."

Hua Changxi did not accept this: "He may care about the world, but he should not shift the responsibilities that caring for the world entails onto others; when others do not comply with his wishes, he first flatters them with high hats and then belittles them—does he truly think everyone else is a fool?"

Baili Changfeng fell silent.

Hua Changxi gripped the Floating Light Sword tightly, suppressing its tremors, and held up the Polar Cold Marrow Jade, saying, "I have no obligation to protect you; having taken your item, I will take responsibility for clearing the path ahead and doing my best to block the alien flames, but as for other dangers, you must look out for yourselves."

With that, she walked forward.

Seeing this, Baili Changfeng shot Xia Yang a fierce glare, then quickly led his two disciples to follow.

Without a Nascent Soul cultivator clearing the way, they might not even be able to reach the depths of Tang Gu.

Previously, while climbing upward from outside the volcanic crater, the alien flames were mainly red, orange, and yellow; now, moving from the top of the crater inward, after passing the flat outer perimeter and beginning the descent, the first wisp of alien flame they encountered was green.

"Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet?"

When the red, orange, and yellow alien flames appeared, Hua Changxi had thought it might be a coincidence, but now with the emergence of green alien flames, she could not help but think of the sequence of natural light colors.

As soon as the green flame appeared, a sense of affinity surged within Hua Changxi's heart.

Alchemical fire is green; although this green flame was not alchemical fire, it carried a rich fragrance of grass and trees, and using it to assist in pill refining would definitely enhance the quality of the pills; for an alchemist, it was undoubtedly a rare treasure.

Just as before, Hua Changxi first subdued a wisp of the green flame and incorporated it into her dantian, before helping the Floating Light Sword absorb the green flame.

Continuing downward, just as Hua Changxi had guessed, after the green flame came the cyan flame, after the cyan flame came the blue flame, and after the blue flame came the violet flame.

When incorporating the blue flame into her dantian, Hua Changxi already felt some strain; subduing the violet flame cost her considerable effort.

As soon as the violet flame entered her dantian, her sea of qi immediately began to boil, showing faint signs of instability, and Hua Changxi clearly felt a stabbing pain emanating from her dantian.

At this moment, the Mount Wuzhi seal, which had been hidden within her sea of qi, flew out; subsequently, a vast power akin to a mountain range rapidly radiated outward, suppressing the boiling and surging sea of qi.

Once the sea of qi returned to calm, the pain in her dantian gradually faded away.