Due to his merit in saving Village Chief's beloved daughter Ah Huo, Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister Liu Yun's treatment in Fire Crow Village underwent a dramatic change. They were respectfully invited into the village and arranged to rest in a clean, spacious guest bamboo house, no longer restricted to the village's edge. The food and water delivered were noticeably more refined. Villagers even proactively brought some Southern Frontier-specific spiritual fruits that helped restore primordial energy and resist miasma.
The next morning, Xiao Qi was slowly operating his cultivation technique on an open space outside the bamboo house, absorbing the local fire-wood spiritual energy—though scalding and complex, it possessed its own vitality. He was attempting to further adapt to the environment. After yesterday's consumption and recuperation, he felt his refinement efficiency for Southern Frontier spiritual energy had seemingly improved slightly. The water-moistening intent from the Azure Dragon Soul Crystal formed a subtle balance with the surrounding environment.
At this moment, the village chief arrived personally, accompanied by the leader named Yan Lie. After a night's rest, the worry on the chief's face had completely vanished. Though still commanding, his gaze toward Xiao Qi was filled with gratitude and kindness.
"Little brother, yesterday's thanks for your life-saving treatment. Ah Huo woke up this morning, her spirit much better, just still physically weak." The chief's voice was sonorous, carrying the straightforward nature unique to Southern Frontier people. "I'm Lie Shan, chief of Fire Crow Village. This is my brother, Yan Lie, responsible for the village's defense."
Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister hastily returned the greeting.
Chief Lie Shan waved his hand, signaling they needn't stand on ceremony. He glanced at Xiao Qi, then at the ancient stone totem in the village center,pondered for a moment. "Little brother, the techniques you displayed yesterday contain the utmost pure water intent, and can dispel Earth Lung Fire Poison'syin evil violent energy—not something an ordinary cultivator could achieve. Elder Wumeng says you've come seeking an ancient object related to 'fire' concerning this region's peace?"
Xiao Qi's heart stirred. He knew the main topic had arrived. He nodded, speaking candidly: "Indeed. The two of us were guided by a senior, learning that the 'Molten Fire Heart' in the Southern Frontier's depths may be related to this object. This item is crucial to us, and relates to a potential huge catastrophe that could affect this region." He still didn't explicitly mention the soul crystals and demonic entity, but highlighted that it concerned regional peace and catastrophe, hoping to draw the other's serious attention.
Chief Lie Shan's tiger-like eyes gleamed sharply. He exchanged a glance with Yan Lie. Both faces showed expressions of "as expected."
"It seems Elder Wumeng's guess was correct." Chief Lie Shan drew a deep breath, his gaze returning to the totem, his expression becoming distant yet reverent. "What you seek may be related to the sacred land our clan has guarded for generations, and the 'Ancestral Spirit' enshrined there."
He extended his hand, pointing to the bird-head, flame-shaped stone totem. "What you see here is not something Fire Crow Village imagined. It is our clan's hereditary 'sacred emblem.' What it depicts is precisely the majestic form of the ancient sacred beast—the Vermillion Bird Divine Bird—that protected the Southern Frontier and commanded the source of all fire!"
"Vermillion Bird!" Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister's hearts shook violently. Though they had guessed as much, hearing confirmation from Chief Lie Shan still brought a profound thrill. One of the Four Symbols Divine Beasts, the Vermillion Bird—its place of fall or slumber was indeed in the Southern Frontier!
"Indeed, the Vermillion Bird Holy Lord." Chief Lie Shan's tone was filled with piety. "According to ancient legend, in the incomprehensible primordial epoch, a demonic fiend from beyond the heavens descended, wanting to burn the eight wastes and smelt this world. The Vermillion Bird Holy Lord, to protect all beings, gathered its lifetime divine power and undying sacred fire at the Southern Frontier's extremity, engaging in a desperate battle with the demonic fiend. Ultimately, the Holy Lord used its own divine soul as the guide, igniting world-purifying sacred flames that severely wounded and sealed the demonic fiend deep within the earth veins. The majority of the Holy Lord's divine soul and divine power transformed into an immortal 'Sacred Crystal,' along with its undying will, sinking into the molten fire of the earth's heart—what we call the 'Molten Fire Heart.'"
He paused. A complex expression of pride and gravity crossed his face. "The ancestors of Fire Crow Village were the fortunate souls who witnessed the sacred war and received a trace of the Vermillion Bird Holy Lord's remaining radiance. We have lived here for generations. Our mission is to guard the entrance to the 'Molten Fire Heart,' watch over the totems left by the Holy Lord, prevent external forces from disturbing the Holy Lord's slumber, and also prevent the sealed demonic energy from leaking out."
Xiao Qi suddenly understood. The existence of Fire Crow Village was actually deeply connected to the Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal (the "Sacred Crystal" in their terms) and the ancient demonic entity. This explained why Master Tianjizi would guide them here.
"Then what is the sacred land the chief mentioned?" Third Senior Sister Liu Yun caught the key point.
The proud expression on Chief Lie Shan's face faded, replaced by deep worry. "The sacred land lies within the heart of the tallest 'Crimson Flame Mountain' behind the village. That is the place closest to the 'Molten Fire Heart,' and our clan's forbidden ground for sacrificing to the Vermillion Bird Holy Lord, drawing on a thread of sacred fire power to temper ourselves and cultivate spiritual plants. At the sacred land's entrance stands the most ancient and complete Vermillion Bird totem, said to contain a thread of the Holy Lord's divine consciousness."
His voice dropped lower. "However, several months ago, the sacred land... underwent a change."
Yan Lie spoke up beside him, tone resentful. "From somewhere, a bizarre 'demonic fire' surged forth—inky black, ice-cold and bone-eating, yet also capable of burning everything! It polluted the sacred land entrance, shrouding that totem. We tried every method possible but couldn't approach. Even the most fire-resistant warriors in the village, upon entering the demonic fire's range, were instantly ignited and turned to ash. Elder Wumeng said that demonic fire contains an extremely evil will. It's continuously eroding the sacred totem, trying to sever our connection to the Holy Lord, even... perhaps attempting to reverse-pollute the Molten Fire Heart through the totem!"
Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister listened with heavy hearts. Bizarre demonic fire? Ice-cold yet bone-eating while capable of burning everything? With an evil will? This sounded extremely similar to the methods of the Shadow Snake Pavilion and that demonic entity's residual soul! Could their tendrils have already reached here? Even moving ahead of them?
"We attempted to forcefully breach through, but suffered heavy losses." Chief Lie Shan tightly clenched his fists, knuckles whitening. "That demonic fire is extremely bizarre. Ordinary water techniques cannot extinguish it; they actually feed its growth. Our clan's hereditary fire-control arts are like child's play before it, even being manipulated to turn against us. I suspect Ah Huo's sudden eruption of Earth Lung Fire Poison is also related to this demonic fire polluting the earth veins."
He looked at Xiao Qi, eyes carrying hope and a trace of uncertainty. "Little brother, your method for dispelling fire poison yesterday was pure and clean, seeminglyjustgoodcan restrain such yin-evil fire malefic energy. I wonder... would you be willing, before heading to the Poison Dragon Pool, to come with me to the sacred land entrance and observe the situation? Perhaps... you might find a way to deal with that demonic fire?"
Chief Lie Shan's request would undoubtedly pull Xiao Qi and company deeper into Fire Crow Village's crisis. But that sacred land corrupted by demonic fire might be the key to finding the Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal. The soul crystal itself might even be under threat.
Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister exchanged a glance. Both saw determination in each other's eyes.
"Chief, this matter is weighty. We have an unshirkable duty." Xiao Qi spoke gravely. "Please lead the way. Let's first go scout the sacred land entrance. As for whether I can deal with that demonic fire, I need to see it with my own eyes to know."
Upon hearing this, Chief Lie Shan's face instantly showed excitement. "Good! Good! Many thanks, little brother! Success or failure, Fire Crow Village owes you this favor!"
Currently, led personally by Chief Lie Shan and Yan Lie, Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister passed through the village toward the rear, heading toward that entirely crimson-colored "Crimson Flame Mountain" that seemed perpetually burning. The closer they got, the more active and scalding the fire spiritual energy in the air became. They could even faintly hear low rumbling sounds from underground, like earth-fire coursing through the depths.
Arriving before a cave entrance at the mountain's base, blocked by massive vines and stone pillars inscribed with flame talismans, Chief Lie Shan and Yan Lie stopped, faces grave as they pointed toward the deep cave.
"Inside is the sacred land entrance. Little brother, be extremely careful! That demonic fire... is inside."
Xiao Qi gazed intently into the cave. In its depths, instead of the imagined scorching red glow, he saw surging, terrifying, viscous, liquid-like... ink-black flames!