Chapter 1239 Today's Revenge

"Boy, I'll remember what happened today! If I ever get the chance, I'll definitely avenge myself!" Elder Hu said ruthlessly, then turned to run away.

"Trying to leave?" Liu Yang sneered, raising his hand to conjure a chain of spiritual energy that instantly wrapped around Elder Hu's ankle. Elder Hu lost his balance and fell heavily onto the muddy ground. Just as he tried to struggle, Liu Yang used his spiritual energy to immobilize him, rendering him unable to move.

"Fellow Daoist, spare my life! Fellow Daoist, spare my life!" Elder Hu hurriedly begged for mercy, his arrogance completely gone, replaced by a thick layer of flattery. "I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have colluded with Burning Heaven Valley, and I shouldn't have chased after Bai Jingjing. Please, Fellow Daoist, have mercy and spare my life!"

Liu Yang ignored Elder Hu's pleas for mercy, walked to Bai Jingjing's side, raised his hand and waved it to release the spiritual energy chains binding her.

"Thank you for your help, fellow Daoist. I am Bai Jingjing, and I am deeply grateful." Bai Jingjing quickly stood up and bowed to Liu Yang, her eyes filled with gratitude. Her gaze towards Liu Yang held a mixture of admiration and curiosity—this human cultivator was not only powerful but also full of a sense of justice, unlike those cultivators who colluded with Burning Heaven Valley.

Liu Yang nodded slightly, his gaze falling on a yellow talisman tightly held in Bai Jingjing's hand. The talisman was inscribed with complex fox clan runes and emitted a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy; it was the "Fox Clan Guiding Talisman" that Elder Hu had mentioned.

"Is that the fox clan's guiding talisman in the young lady's hand?" Liu Yang asked.

Bai Jingjing nodded, handed the guiding talisman to Liu Yang, and said, "Fellow Daoist, this is the Fox Clan's guiding talisman. Holding this talisman can help you avoid all the restrictions surrounding the Burning Heaven Valley. I know you are heading to the Burning Heaven Valley, and this talisman might be useful to you. I would like to give this talisman to you to repay your life-saving grace."

Liu Yang took the guiding talisman, which was slightly warm to the touch. He could clearly feel the fox clan's spiritual power contained within it. He could sense that the talisman could indeed resonate with the restrictions surrounding Burning Heaven Valley, allowing it to bypass the restrictions' detection.

"Thank you for your generous gift, young lady," Liu Yang said. "But I wonder what your plans are next? Although Elder Hu has been subdued, there must be others in the Fox Clan who are colluding with Burning Heaven Valley. If you return to the Fox Clan, you may be in danger."

Upon hearing this, Bai Jingjing's face darkened. She had intended to use the guiding talisman to find someone who could stop Elder Hu, but she hadn't expected to be caught up with so soon after escaping. Now that Elder Hu had been subdued, she didn't know where to go—she could no longer return to the Fox Clan, and in the vast world of cultivation, there was nowhere for her to go.

"I...I don't know." Bai Jingjing's voice was choked with sobs. "I only wanted to stop the Fox Clan from colluding with Burning Heaven Valley and didn't want to see the Fox Clan headed for extinction. But my strength is too weak, and I can't fight against those who collude with Burning Heaven Valley."

Seeing the despair in Bai Jingjing's eyes, Liu Yang's heart stirred slightly. He pondered for a moment and said, "My trip to Burning Heaven Valley is to investigate its unusual activities and thwart their conspiracy. If you don't mind, you can travel with me. If you encounter any danger along the way, I can protect you. After this matter is resolved, I will help you regain control of the Fox Clan. How about that?"

Bai Jingjing was stunned for a moment, then a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She looked at Liu Yang and asked incredulously, "Fellow Daoist...Fellow Daoist is really willing to take me along?"

“Of course.” Liu Yang smiled slightly. “You have a strong sense of righteousness and are unwilling to see your people being used by Burning Heaven Valley. This kind of character is admirable. Moreover, you are familiar with the relationship between the Fox Clan and Burning Heaven Valley. Having you accompany me will be of great benefit to my investigation of Burning Heaven Valley’s unusual activities.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Jingjing's eyes instantly welled up with tears. She bowed deeply to Liu Yang and said sincerely, "Thank you for taking me in, fellow Daoist! If you ever need my help in the future, I will gladly do my utmost!"

After saying that, Bai Jingjing took out a small tuft of snow-white fox fur from her storage bag and handed it to Liu Yang: "Fellow Daoist, this is my 'Fox Clan Spirit Fox Fur,' which was refined from my own fox tail. It can be used to refine defensive magic weapons that can withstand the full force of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."

Liu Yang took the fox fur. It was soft to the touch, and he could clearly feel the pure spiritual energy contained within it. He could sense that this fox fur was indeed a rare material for refining defensive magical artifacts, and it was quite valuable.

"Thank you for your generous gift, young lady," Liu Yang said, putting the fox fur into his storage bag.

Bai Jingjing looked at Liu Yang with a hint of shyness on her face and said softly, "Fellow Daoist, I... I have something else to tell you. I have heard that there is a 'Burning Heaven Token' hidden in the 'Fire Seed Treasury' of Burning Heaven Valley. Holding this token allows one to freely enter and exit the middle area of ​​Burning Heaven Valley. If you can obtain this token, it will be of great help in going to the core area of ​​Burning Heaven Valley."

A look of understanding flashed in Liu Yang's eyes. He had heard of the existence of the Burning Heaven Token before, but didn't know its exact location. Now, with Bai Jingjing's reminder, his goal in finding the Burning Heaven Token became clearer.

"Thank you for informing me, young lady," Liu Yang said. "This place is not safe to stay any longer; let's leave as soon as possible."

Bai Jingjing nodded and followed Liu Yang. Li Qingyue walked to Bai Jingjing's side and smiled gently: "Miss Bai, we will be companions from now on. My name is Li Qingyue, and I am skilled in medicine. If you feel unwell, you can come to me at any time."

Looking at Li Qingyue's gentle smile, Bai Jingjing's unease gradually dissipated. She also smiled and said, "Sister Li, you're too kind. I hope you'll take good care of me in the future."

The three walked side by side into the depths of the swamp. Liu Yang led the way, his aura of spiritual energy protecting the other two and dispelling the surrounding miasma and illusions. Li Qingyue and Bai Jingjing followed behind, occasionally exchanging their experiences in the cultivation world, and the atmosphere gradually became harmonious.

Looking at Liu Yang's tall and straight back, Bai Jingjing was filled with gratitude and admiration. She knew that from this moment on, her life would usher in new hope. Liu Yang also knew that with Bai Jingjing's help, his journey to Burning Heaven Valley had gained another asset.

The fog above the swamp remained thick, but it could no longer hinder the three's progress. Their figures gradually disappeared into the mist as they continued their journey towards Burning Sky Valley.

The wind from Burning Heaven Valley carried scorching spiritual energy. As it brushed against Liu Yang's cheek, his fingertips twitched slightly, and a wisp of ice-elemental spiritual energy quietly flowed through him, instantly neutralizing the heat of the wind. Behind him, Li Qingyue carried a medicine chest, her white fox tail gently brushing against her skirt. The two followed closely behind Liu Yang, their eyes warily surveying the majestic city ahead—this was the core of Burning Heaven Valley, Burning Heaven City.

The city walls were constructed of dark red "Burning Sky Rock," with dark red magma seeping from the cracks, gleaming dangerously in the sunlight. At the city gate, two cultivators clad in black armor held spears, exuding the pressure of early-stage Golden Core cultivators. Every cultivator entering or leaving the city was subjected to rigorous inspection. Their spiritual senses swept over passersby like searchlights, their eyes filled with vigilance and arrogance.

“Fellow Daoist Liu, this Burning Heaven City is even more fortified than rumored. The Valley Master’s aura pervades the entire city, and I always feel like there’s a pair of eyes watching us.” Li Qingyue leaned closer to Liu Yang and whispered, her fingertips unconsciously tightening their grip on the strap of her medicine box. She was skilled in medicine, and although her spiritual sense wasn’t as sharp as Liu Yang’s, she had an instinctive perception of danger.

Liu Yang nodded, his spiritual sense already spread out, like an invisible net covering the entire Burning Heaven City. The city's streets and alleys were crisscrossed, and cultivators moved about in twos and threes, their auras mixed—there were direct descendants of Burning Heaven Valley cultivators, as well as rogue cultivators who came to trade, and many spies hidden in the shadows. Their spiritual senses swept across the streets from time to time, clearly monitoring outsiders.

What concerned Liu Yang even more was the faint but powerful aura emanating from the direction of the City Lord's Mansion. Although it wasn't being released at full power, it carried the domineering presence of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, presumably the Valley Master of Burning Heaven Valley. Furthermore, unusual spiritual energy fluctuations were faintly emanating from the west of the city. These fluctuations contained the auras of both ice and fire elements, and also carried a hint of the obscure nature of an ancient restriction.

"Is there a forbidden area in the west of the city?" Liu Yang asked Bai Jingjing beside him. As a fox clan cultivator, Bai Jingjing was quite familiar with ancient legends. Back in the Misty Swamp, it was she who recognized the runes of the Meteor Palace.

Bai Jingjing's fox ears twitched slightly as she followed Liu Yang's gaze to the west of the city. A knowing glint flashed in her eyes: "Fellow Daoist, you're talking about the 'Meteorite Forbidden Land,' right? I've seen records of it in ancient fox clan texts. Legend has it that a meteorite fell here in ancient times, forming a forbidden land containing ancient inheritances. However, the outer perimeter of the forbidden land is heavily fortified, and high-level demonic beasts inhabit it. Over the years, many cultivators have tried to break in, but none have returned."

Liu Yang's heart stirred. The unusual fluctuations in spiritual energy were coming from the Meteorite Forbidden Land. He could sense that the restrictions of the forbidden land resonated with the "Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Technique" he cultivated. Perhaps that was the opportunity for him to break through.

"Enter the city first, then explore the forbidden area at night." Liu Yang made the decision, then concealed his aura and suppressed his cultivation to the late Foundation Establishment stage. Li Qingyue and Bai Jingjing followed suit, disguising themselves as rogue cultivators who came to trade.

The three followed the crowd toward the city gate. As soon as they reached the gate, a black-armored cultivator's spiritual sense swept over them, lingering on Liu Yang for a moment. A hint of disdain flashed in his eyes: "Late Foundation Establishment stage dares to come to Burning Heaven City? Behave yourself once you're inside, don't cause trouble, or don't blame us for being impolite."

Liu Yang didn't respond, only nodded slightly, and then led Li Qingyue and Bai Jingjing through the city gate. The streets inside the city were even more bustling than those outside, lined with shops on both sides. Many shops displayed signs saying "Special Supply from Burning Heaven Valley," and inside were various medicinal herbs and magical artifacts imbued with fire-elemental spiritual energy. Cultivators haggled loudly, and when a Burning Heaven Valley cultivator occasionally passed by, those around would subconsciously give way, clearly harboring a sense of apprehension towards Burning Heaven Valley.

Liu Yang and his two companions found an inconspicuous inn to stay in. Their room was on the second floor, with the window facing west of the city. As night fell, Burning Sky City gradually quieted down, with only the torches on the city walls still burning, making the walls look like the spine of a monster.

"I'm going to investigate the forbidden area. You wait here. If there's any danger, I'll return immediately," Liu Yang said to Li Qingyue and Bai Jingjing. He condensed a wisp of spiritual energy at his fingertips and set up a simple defensive array around the room. "This array can withstand attacks from early-stage Golden Core cultivators. If anyone breaks in, use the array to delay them. I'll be back soon."

Li Qingyue nodded and took out a bottle of "Hundred Herbs Detoxification Pill" from the medicine box and handed it to Liu Yang: "Fellow Daoist, this pill can cure all poisons. If you encounter poisonous miasma in the forbidden area, it may come in handy."

Bai Jingjing then took out a "Fox Clan Invisibility Talisman": "This talisman can conceal one's aura for half an hour. Although it cannot block the spiritual sense of high-level cultivators, it can avoid external spies."

Liu Yang took the pills and talismans, put them into his storage bag, and then, with a flicker of his body, darted out of the window like a ghost. In the darkness, his figure blended into the shadows, silently crossing the streets and heading west of the city.

The forbidden area on the west side of Burning Heaven City was even more desolate than the city itself. The ground was riddled with bottomless cracks, from which seeped miasma with a pale green hue and a pungent odor. A pale red light barrier enveloped the area around the forbidden zone, its surface shrouded in flowing runes—the outermost restriction of the forbidden zone: the "Burning Heaven Flame Array."

Liu Yang approached the light barrier, a wisp of ice-fire spiritual energy silently protruding from his fingertip. The moment it touched the barrier, the runes flickered violently, and a pillar of fire suddenly shot out from within, hurtling towards Liu Yang. Liu Yang was prepared; he easily dodged the pillar by sidestepping, while simultaneously using his spiritual sense to carefully observe the runes on the light barrier. He quickly grasped the pattern of the restriction—this "Burning Heaven Flame Array" required fire-type spiritual energy to operate; if ice-type spiritual energy was used to specifically attack the array's core, a temporary breach could be created.

Just as Liu Yang was about to break the restriction, a deep roar suddenly came. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a huge monster slowly crawling out of the crack not far away. The monster was covered with dark red scales, with pale blue flames burning on the scales. It had a protruding horn on its head. It was a third-tier monster called "Flame Pattern Beast".

The Flame-Patterned Beast's spiritual sense swept over Liu Yang, a fierce glint flashing in its eyes. It clearly regarded Liu Yang as prey that had trespassed into its territory. With a roar, the Flame-Patterned Beast opened its mouth and spewed out a pillar of fire. The pillar of fire, carrying scorching heat, attacked Liu Yang, melting the rocks in its path.

Liu Yang smiled faintly, not using any weapon, but simply raising his hand to condense a stream of ice-elemental spiritual energy, and flicking his finger lightly. The ice-elemental spiritual energy flew out like a meteor, and the moment it collided with the pillar of fire, there was no earth-shattering sound. The pillar of fire vanished instantly, like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun. The remaining force of the ice-elemental spiritual energy did not diminish and directly struck the scales of the Flame-Patterned Beast.

With a crisp "crack," the flames on the Flame-Patterned Beast's scales instantly went out, leaving a crack in the scales. The Flame-Patterned Beast, in pain, roared and pounced on Liu Yang, its massive claws carrying a powerful gust of wind, as if to tear Liu Yang to shreds.

Liu Yang swayed, easily dodging the Flame-Patterned Beast's attack. At the same time, he condensed a wisp of fire-elemental spiritual power at his fingertips and infused it into ice-elemental spiritual power. The fire and ice-elemental spiritual powers merged, forming a pale purple spiritual power blade. Liu Yang raised his hand and swung the spiritual power blade towards the Flame-Patterned Beast's neck.

The Flame-Patterned Beast sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but it was too late. A blade of spiritual energy instantly sliced ​​across its neck, blood gushing out. The Flame-Patterned Beast's massive body crashed to the ground, twitching a few times before dying.

Liu Yang stepped forward, flicked his fingertips with spiritual energy, and took out a dark red inner core from the Flame-Patterned Beast's body. The Flame-Patterned Beast's inner core contained pure fire-type spiritual energy, which could be used to assist in cultivation and also to refine fire-type magic weapons, making it a pretty good harvest.

After dealing with the Flame-Patterned Beast, Liu Yang looked at the outer layer of the forbidden area's restrictions again. By now, he had figured out the patterns of the restrictions, and his fingertips circulated ice and fire spiritual energy, accurately striking the array's eye on the light screen. The runes flickered violently, and a gap about the width of a person appeared on the light screen. No pillar of fire shot out from the gap, clearly indicating that the outer layer of restrictions had been temporarily broken.

Liu Yang did not rush in, but instead probed the forbidden area with his spiritual sense. The miasma inside the forbidden area was thicker, the spiritual energy fluctuations were more complex, and the aura of a fourth-tier demonic beast could be faintly heard from the depths, along with even more obscure restrictions.

"The inner layer of restrictions should be of the ice and fire attributes, which can be broken with the 'Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Technique'," Liu Yang thought to himself. He then withdrew his spiritual sense, and with a flash, quietly returned to the inn.

When they returned to the room, Li Qingyue and Bai Jingjing were anxiously waiting. They both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Liu Yang return safely.

"Fellow Daoist, how is the situation in the forbidden area?" Bai Jingjing asked hurriedly, her fox ears perking up slightly, her eyes full of curiosity.

Liu Yang handed the Flame Pattern Beast's inner core to Li Qingyue, then said, "We've figured out the pattern of the outer layer of restrictions; it's the 'Burning Heaven Flame Array,' which can be broken using ice and fire spiritual power. There are fourth-tier demonic beasts inside the forbidden area, as well as an inner layer of restrictions. We'll go there together tomorrow and try to find the inheritance as soon as possible."

Li Qingyue accepted the inner core, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "This Flame-Patterned Beast inner core is of extremely high quality. If used to refine a 'Body Tempering Pill,' it can greatly enhance the purity of spiritual energy. Tomorrow, when we go to the forbidden area, I can protect you, and if you are injured, I can provide timely treatment."

Bai Jingjing nodded, her fox tail swaying gently: "I know a little about ancient restrictions, so perhaps I can help you break the inner layer of restrictions."

Looking at the two, Liu Yang felt a surge of warmth in his heart. From Qingyang City to Burning Heaven City, the two had always trusted and supported him. This friendship gave him more confidence in the perilous Burning Heaven Valley.

As night deepened, the torches of Burning Heaven City still burned, and the oppressive aura emanating from the City Lord's Mansion continued to envelop the city. Liu Yang sat by the window, toying with the inner core of the Flame-Patterned Beast, his gaze fixed on the Meteorite Forbidden Land to the west of the city. He knew that tomorrow's journey to the forbidden land would be a crucial step towards the core of Burning Heaven Valley, and the opportunity hidden deep within might just be the key to his breakthrough to the Immortal Rank.