[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-treasure-immortal-basin":3,"chapter-the-treasure-immortal-basin-the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-25":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Treasure Immortal Basin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2355208,4608,"Chapter 25: Fire Crow","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-25",25,"\u003Cp>\"Collect...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng placed all his belongings into the Treasure Basin, then absorbed them into his dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should he do next?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still had two top-grade Zhi-Qi Dan on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these two were certainly insufficient to break through to Qi Refining fifth layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To continue breaking through, he could only rely on prolonged cultivation of drawing spiritual energy into his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given He Pingsheng’s Five Element spiritual root affinity, that would truly take a very long time—perhaps he would never reach the fifth layer through breath and meditation alone in this lifetime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, he still needed to seek out cultivation resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before seeking cultivation resources, I should first go out and test this technique!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng stepped outside and walked steadily into the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small town was definitely out of the question—no one knew the power of this Fire Crow, and if anyone noticed, it would be trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past year, as his cultivation base improved, He Pingsheng’s mind had gradually opened; things he once couldn’t understand or couldn’t wrap his head around now made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, in character, he remained as cautious as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His caution was not innate, but a lesson learned after witnessing his parents’ murder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an uninhabited mountain, He Pingsheng walked for two full days in the opposite direction of Grand Void Gate before stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re this far already… Even if I make some noise, it shouldn’t reach Grand Void Gate, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng stopped in a primeval forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him, behind him, all around him, stood towering ancient trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground was slick with moss; above, no sky could be seen—only the gentle murmur of a stream flowing down from the mountaintop to his left gave He Pingsheng a sense of the world’s reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gather…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng took a deep breath; fire-element spiritual power surged wildly through his body, quickly gathering into a ball of flame in his right palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flame flickered, it took the shape of a crow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crow flapped its wings, lifelike and vivid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng directed his intent, sending the Fire Crow flying forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three zhang away, the Fire Crow slammed violently into the trunk of a tree thick enough to embrace with both arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fierce explosion echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of fire-element energy rushed toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caught off guard, He Pingsheng was blown back three steps by the heatwave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he looked up again, he saw a large black hole carved into the tree trunk three zhang away, flames already burning at its mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames grew fiercer, crackling loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than three breaths later, the towering ancient tree snapped in half, its branches crashing heavily to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the fire on the trunk burned even more fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bad!” He Pingsheng smacked his forehead. “Don’t start a mountain fire!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly pulled out the Treasure Basin, rushed to the nearby stream, fetched water, and poured it directly onto the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A miraculous sight occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng poured five or six basins of water—but the flames didn’t extinguish; instead, they grew even stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strange… this fire can’t be drowned by water?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worried, He Pingsheng ran over himself and tried smothering the fire with rocks and soil; after immense effort, the flames finally died out only after consuming the entire tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng took a deep breath, sat down exhausted, and stared at his palm, murmuring: “Could it be… flames formed by spiritual power are different from ordinary fire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This strike can shatter an old tree—surely that’s not bad? But I wonder, what if it hit a cultivator? Would it match the power of a peer-level disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, He Pingsheng avoided trees. He found a rocky area devoid of trees or dry grass, then condensed another Fire Crow and slammed it hard against the cliff face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, rocks shattered and flew!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large black hole was blasted into the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So strong!” He Pingsheng was stunned—he hadn’t expected smashing rock could create such a hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom… Boom… Boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After unleashing twelve Fire Crows in succession, He Pingsheng’s fire-element spiritual energy was completely depleted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, he could only unleash this attack twelve times in a row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he couldn’t defeat his enemy within twelve strikes, he’d have to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he had no benchmark and had never fought anyone, nor knew how strong other Qi Refining fourth-layer techniques were, He Pingsheng, though having seen his own technique, didn’t know how he compared to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt his talent was far inferior to those genius cultivators, so he habitually assumed his technique was also inferior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet if any peer-level cultivator saw his Fire Crow technique, they’d be stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After testing the technique, He Pingsheng returned along the same path to the small town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Round trip took five days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon reaching the Outer Gate town, He Pingsheng did not head home first, but returned to the Outer Gate Grand Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the bustling hall, his spiritual sense naturally extended, clearly sensing the cultivation levels of all cultivators within ten zhang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Refining first, second, and third-layer cultivators were everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were some fourth-layer cultivators too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they were few.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for those above fourth layer, He Pingsheng found he could not perceive their levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet among the over a hundred bustling cultivators in the hall, only three were beyond his perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng felt quietly pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother…” The disciple seated in the hall’s center handling clerical duties stood up and greeted him—such treatment He Pingsheng had never received before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother, what do you need?” The clerk bowed respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng scanned him with his spiritual sense and saw the man was only third-layer; he smiled and said: “Younger Brother, I heard Grand Void Gate has a Free Exchange Pavilion open to Outer Gate disciples. I’d like to visit—how do I get in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Free Exchange Pavilion was slightly more advanced than the Outer Gate Grand Hall’s service counter, selling cultivation items needed by Outer Gate disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not every Outer Gate disciple could enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its entry requirement: Qi Refining mid-stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is, at least fourth layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother, you’ve reached fourth layer, then?” The disciple looked up with full respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng nodded: “I have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!” the man said. “Senior Brother, the Free Exchange Pavilion is on the second floor of this Outer Gate Grand Hall—you can enter through that side, there’s a staircase.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But before entering, you must test your cultivation level.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once you’ve reached fourth layer, someone will personally guide you up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect!” He Pingsheng was overjoyed and walked toward the staircase leading to the Free Exchange Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>",1106,"2026-06-21T04:08:57.694Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","831515073fa1f73bddfdef142c42781e429098bcae65324793b6fecb17f53a43","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-26","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-24",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-treasure-immortal-basin-cover.jpg"]