A Lamp to Illuminate the Endless Future

"Lamp?"

"Using a lamp as your vessel seems like a pretty good choice."

"A lamp is a vessel with special significance. In darkness, a bright lamp can light the road ahead and bring comfort to one's heart."

"What goes with a lamp is fire. Lampfire, lampfire—Fang Qing, if you want to refine a bright lamp, you must gather a good divine flame. In the Jin State of the Eastern Desolation Southern Territory, there is a very mysterious Fire Domain. You can explore it when the time comes."

When Fang Qing said that he wanted to refine a lamp as his vessel, the four elders—Wu Qingfeng, Lu Zhihua, Zhou Xuanyi, and Shi Yansheng—each offered their thoughts.

The elders all felt that a lamp was a suitable vessel for Fang Qing to refine upon advancing to the Life Spring Realm, but he had to obtain a divine flame for it to possess greater power.

Fang Qing nodded.

He had chosen a lamp as his first vessel because he had obtained an intact Bronze Lamp at the Great Thunder Sound Temple. Although this Bronze Lamp had lost much of its former power, it was still exceedingly formidable.

To him, this Bronze Lamp was far more powerful than the Purple Firmament Sword the sect master had rewarded him with.

All he needed to do next was refine the Divine Marks within him according to the Bronze Lamp's many patterns, turning them into a Divine Lamp within his body. Then, he would be able to unleash even greater power from the Bronze Lamp.

Fang Qing had learned that when most cultivators chose their spiritual treasures, they selected ones similar to the vessels they had refined. Only when the two matched could they unleash their greatest power.

Thus, reasoning in reverse, since he would use the Bronze Lamp as his magic treasure for a long time to come, the vessel he chose to refine naturally had to be a lamp.

When the inner lamp and outer lamp acted as one, they could erupt with unprecedented power.

"I have no concerns about your temperament. I watched you grow up, and using a lamp as your vessel truly is a good choice."

Elder Wu Qingfeng added another remark before instructing Fang Qing, "But tomorrow, you will be heading to Lingxu with Elder Zhihua. You must be careful and cautious. There are many Ferocious Birds and Fierce Beasts within Lingxu. Do not let your guard down."

Fang Qing nodded. "Elder, I will be careful."

"Old Wu, don't worry. It may be Fang Qing's first time, but I've gone there so many times. There definitely won't be any problem with me around."

Lu Zhihua said with a smile.

"Mhm. With you there, Old Lu, I am indeed much more at ease."

Elder Wu Qingfeng nodded, and the group continued discussing tomorrow's trial in Lingxu.

Lingxu Grotto-Heaven stood above Lingxu, but Lingxu's territory extended far beyond Lingxu Grotto-Heaven alone.

In the endless ages long ago, the place where Lingxu Grotto-Heaven now stood had been ruins. After later generations cleared it out, it became a Blessed Land.

The original Lingxu was vast and boundless, stretching endlessly. Lingxu Grotto-Heaven was merely one part of it, while many vast regions remained unexplored and uncleared.

Those areas contained countless ancient trees. Rare birds and exotic beasts often came and went, and there were also many precious medicinal herbs.

Every year, Lingxu Grotto-Heaven's elders led their disciples there several times for training. It was not only a form of tempering, but also a way to broaden the disciples' horizons.

Of course, there was another benefit: the disciples could gather spiritual herbs and treasures, allowing them to grow stronger.

However, the ruins filled with ancient trees and dense forests were no peaceful land. Many Fierce Beasts and Ferocious Birds dwelled within, and although elders accompanied them, bloodshed occurred every time they ventured out.

"Fierce Beasts of the Bitter Sea Realm can be left for the disciples to train against. But once Fierce Beasts above the Bitter Sea appear, you must take action to stop or kill them."

The elders made clear what the elders were responsible for. This was also what Fang Qing would be doing on this trip.

Some elders of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven were in the Divine Bridge Realm, while quite a few were in the Life Spring Realm. Therefore, after Fang Qing advanced to the Life Spring Realm, his strength would be enough to lead a team rather than train as a disciple.

In fact, if Fang Qing wished, he could directly become an elder of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven right now.

But there was not much point in that.

"I understand."

Fang Qing nodded.

He knew what he needed to do.

There was still some time left, so he returned to cultivate.

As Lingxu Grotto-Heaven's Peerless Genius, an Immortal Seedling, and one of the leaders guiding the many disciples tomorrow, Fang Qing could now requisition a great deal of Hundred Herb Liquid. Even a hundred or so bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid were within his allowance.

Fang Qing returned to his residence and continued down the path of cultivating by consuming Hundred Herb Liquid.

Of course, he was not merely consuming Hundred Herb Liquid to cultivate. He also had to refine the Divine Marks in his Bitter Sea into the form of the Bronze Lamp.

The Bodhi Seed grew warm again, allowing Fang Qing to see the Bronze Lamp's patterns with increasing clarity.

Fang Qing sat cross-legged, his mind calm, and refined the Divine Marks within his body according to the Bronze Lamp's patterns.

This was a major undertaking. The Bronze Lamp looked simple enough, but truly refining it involved countless steps and consumed a great deal of mental energy.

Fortunately, Fang Qing's vitality was now abundant, and his spiritual power was exceptionally strong. Even though it consumed his mind, he still had plenty of mental energy to spare.

Step by step, he refined the Divine Marks within him, continuously constructing the Divine Lamp's framework and bringing it into existence from nothing, gradually perfecting it.

As he immersed himself in this construction, the hundreds of ancient characters that had appeared within the Bronze Coffin echoed in his mind.

The ancient characters were profound and wondrous, seeming like the sound of the Great Dao and supreme truth. As Fang Qing constructed the Bronze Lamp, his mind became increasingly clear.

It was an experience profound beyond words.

It was as though all things in heaven and earth lay within Fang Qing's grasp.

It was as though, since Fang Qing had decided to construct the Bronze Lamp, he was certain to succeed.

Fang Qing's mind observed every detail of the Bronze Lamp outside, while controlling the Divine Marks within his body to construct the same details. There was not the slightest difference.

As time passed, day turned to dusk, and dusk turned to night. Then Fang Qing's eyes suddenly lit up.

Within his body, a Divine Lamp had truly appeared!

This Divine Lamp was formed from countless Divine Marks within Fang Qing's body. It brimmed with power and contained boundless vitality.

Though it was inside Fang Qing's body, it could illuminate endless darkness.

With a shift of his will, the Divine Lamp flew out from his Bitter Sea and landed upon the Bronze Lamp outside.

At once, the Bronze Lamp shone brilliantly. Boundless light and flames surged forth, while countless Sanskrit Chants rang out, as though all Buddhas were chanting scriptures, as though all gods were lighting the path ahead.

That light could practically blind others.

Those flames could practically burn everything to ash.

Yet the light was gentle to Fang Qing, and the flames were mild to him as well.

"What a fine lamp!"

What kind of vessel should the protagonist forge? Swords have been written about so often that readers are tired of them, and bells or towers seem overused too. So, a lamp it is.

But how a lamp is supposed to fight people is a question.