The Mysterious Underworld Hellfire Banner / The Amulet

After looking her over, she lifted Yotsuya Kyosuke off the ground and used her Falcon Spirit Wind Control Incantation to speed to where she could see.

"First, the eyes,"

The first incantation was cast into Kyosuke's body.

"To help you see more clearly and to protect your eyesight."

"Then there's the high-temperature isolation,"

The second incantation followed, entering Yotsuya Kyosuke's body.

"And then..."

The third and fourth incantations were cast, and by the time Yotsuya Kyosuke reacted, Yotsuya Miko had already completed her protective measures against him. She took out the drinks and snacks she had prepared beforehand from her shoulder bag and placed them in his hands.

She had quite a few of these foods in her shoulder bag.

"The refining process will take a while, I hope you can persevere."

"Uh, here?"

Kyosuke glanced at the volcano in front of him, feeling somewhat puzzled, but he quickly guessed Yotsuya Miko's intentions from the TV dramas he had watched.

"Sister, are you planning to use lava to forge a divine artifact?"

"Yes."

She answered, and then cast several more spells into the mountain.

Then the volcano roared, as if something was about to burst forth from within its body.

As a large amount of ash spewed from the crater, Yotsuya Miko stopped and moved to the vicinity of the crater, taking out the materials she had prepared beforehand from her shoulder bag.

"First of all,"

Smoke billowed, and amidst the gray haze, scattered sparks finally appeared, soon revealing the sky and earth. Crimson lava surged from the mountain pass, much of it flying towards the heavens.

"The Prison Spirit Remnant Soul Clothes transformed into the Xuanming Soul Robe."

A mass of crimson lava was forcibly extracted from the crater, shaped like a sphere, comparable to a red sun.

Clutching this enormous mass of lava, a piece of clothing quickly disappeared into it, tattered and vanished within the lava.

Yotsuya Kyosuke, standing some distance away, was stunned by the scene. He couldn't help but wipe his eyes, and upon looking again, he still saw Akamaru. Yes, Akamaru.

After the garment was swallowed up, the enormous spherical lava was compressed by an inexplicable force, its volume shrinking dramatically until it looked like a small ball in Yotsuya Kyosuke's hand.

Although it looked like a small ball to him, it was still about the size of a basketball compared to Miko's body.

He blinked, not wanting to miss a single scene. Then he saw Yotsuya Miko close her eyes, and the lava ball that was originally a basketball began to change shape, transforming into many different forms. With each transformation, something entered into it. He couldn't tell what it was, only that these objects disappeared into it extremely quickly, too fast to see.

As these objects were inserted, the lava mass finally took on a clear form. It resembled a large kimono, yet it was quite different from a kimono, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

The garment took on the final form of the lava, its peculiar appearance made by the dazzling firelight. Soon, however, this peculiarity vanished.

Yotsuya Miko had kept her eyes closed, opened them. She scratched the inside of her wrist with her fingernails, causing some blood to flow. She dabbed some of this blood on her fingers and then used her bloodied index finger to smear symbols, or perhaps some strange characters, on the lava-made clothing.

Kyosuke wasn't afraid when Miko's index finger touched the lava; he knew his sister would find a way to avoid being burned by the lava. He was now curious about the garment that was gradually taking shape, wondering what the final product would look like.

"It's definitely better to refine it from scratch."

Unlike Yotsuya Miko, who was directly Kyosuke the process, was troubled by the refining work at hand.

Lacking a furnace, she chose the Soul Merging Artifact Casting Understanding Method, which involved using the Earth Fire to refine materials. She would forge all the materials into the flames, allowing them to be blended together and impurities removed. This method was highly demanding, requiring high-quality Earth Fire and materials. If the Earth Fire was of low quality, the materials wouldn't burn properly and wouldn't blend. If the materials were of low quality, they would easily be burned away by the Earth Fire instead of retaining their essence.

The lava from the active volcano wasn't of very good quality, and of course, the materials she prepared weren't very good either. At most, the Xuanming Python was of higher quality, but this thing was meant to be the main material anyway, so it only needed to be able to deform.

The problem lay in the original quality of the Prison Spirit Remnant Soul Clothes. It was mostly burned away the moment it entered the lava, rendering it unusable. After that, it was basically like refining it from scratch, starting from zero to create the Xuanming Soul Robe. Shaping and shaping, defining its functions, setting up restrictions, and so on were all done all over again.

In Yotsuya Kyosuke's eyes, she had simply closed her eyes, and the lava before her had transformed into a garment. However, in reality, she had closed her eyes to use her Spiritual Sense to process the material encased in lava in various ways, and these tedious processing procedures were giving her a headache.

If she hadn't been a cultivator specializing in Spirit Refinement, and not just any cultivator, but one of the most advanced Spirit Refinement techniques, she wouldn't have been able to successfully refine it; she would have destroyed the materials halfway through due to a minor oversight. But there are no "what ifs."

As the runes drawn on the lava by blood were absorbed by the robe within, the crafting of this Xuanming Soul Robe finally came to an end.

Yotsuya Miko breathed a sigh of relief, skillfully severing a portion of her Spiritual Sense and merging it into the body. This was the final step in the Soul Merging Artifact Casting Understanding.

This approach will bring the Magic Treasure closer to the creator, making its use smoother, while also significantly reducing the spiritual energy required.

As his Spiritual Sense entered the lava, the once radiant lava robe dimmed, losing its surface luster. Immediately afterward, large chunks of magma began to break off and fall into the flowing lava on the ground.

As the magma crumbled, the dark robes beneath floated in mid-air, revealing little about their divine nature.

Except for a sudden, piercing scream at the moment of its birth.

That's a result of using the Xuanming Python material; there's no need to worry about it too much.

Chapter 267 Xuan Ming Hellfire Banner

The Xuanming Soul Robe was completed while the volcano was still erupting.

The amount of lava—no, earth fire—required for this Magic Treasure is not excessive; it is mainly used as a smelting step in the refining process.

The main focus is still on the next Magic Treasure.

"Xuan Ming Hellfire Banner"

Yotsuya Miko murmured, completing the form in her mind. Unlike the Xuanming Soul Robe, this Magic Treasure required a great deal of earth fire power.

Originally, Miko planned to create a Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner to contain Ghosts, and the Xuanming Python material she had was sufficient. However, this Magic Treasure did not meet her expectations. After studying the cultivation techniques and knowledge of the Heavenly Demons, she redesigned a Magic Treasure in her mind, which is now the Xuan Ming Hellfire Banner.

As part of the Xuanming Tribulation Fire lineage, possessing this banner can enhance the Xuanming Tribulation Fire that Miko originally unleashed. It can also manipulate the "Xuanming Hellfire" nurtured within to kill on its own. This flame is different from the Xuanming Tribulation Fire; it is a variant that can transform into countless forms and can devour other flames to strengthen itself. However, it also possesses the characteristic of the Xuanming Tribulation Fire that scorches the Soul Body.

Of course, nurturing such a flame is quite troublesome. Therefore, the current lava is just right.

"As usual, we start with shaping."

Several hand seals drew out a large mass of lava again, but this time there was no manipulation like with the Xuanming Soul Robe.

Miko took out a long, narrow wooden stick from his shoulder bag; it was made of Pagoda Tree Wood.

This world is very different from the Xuanhui Realm, but in many ways they are surprisingly similar. For example, there is the saying that the Pagoda Tree Wood is a "ghost among woods". In the Xuanhui Realm, most of the banner-type Magic Treasure use yin wood as the banner pole. Yotsuya Miko also followed this trend and chose the Pagoda Tree Wood as the banner pole.

Although its quality cannot compare with the many precious woods of the Xuanhui Realm, it is still of some great use.

"Although it's not that great, with the nourishment of the Xuanming Hellfire, it shouldn't fall too far behind."

Ultimately, it's because this world's foundation is too weak. The Pagoda Tree Wood in front of her is the best one she could find. It's the straightest section of a locust tree that has grown for many years next to a mass grave, and it's covered with the aura of many Ghosts.

She had already carved many runes into the Pagoda Tree Wood, and these runes responded in unison with the incantation.

The runes in the Soul Nourishing Artifact Path Understanding are also enhancing the quality of this Pagoda Tree Wood, so that it can withstand the upcoming refining ceremony.

The large mass of lava drawn from the crater shrank again in mid-air, transforming into a banner, only now lacking the restraining outer covering.

Miko took out of his shoulder bag, he threw them into the banner, and then cast another spell to make the melted materials evenly distributed on every inch of the banner.

With this step, the lava banner was finally fixed in the invisible mold, and its originally radiant red color dimmed, turning into a dark red.

On this dark red banner was the image of a black snake, glaring angrily and flicking its tongue. As if it possessed sentience, the snake tried to break free from the banner and bite Yotsuya Miko, but it failed and was sealed onto the banner by an invisible force.

"Spiritual remnants in the body, etc."

Yotsuya Miko shook her head and reached out to grasp the banner. The banner, shaped from lava, was as soft and light as silk in her hands, and could be easily crumpled into a ball.

He joined the Pagoda Tree Wood banner pole with the silk banner surface, and the runes on the Pagoda Tree Wood and the banner surface, which had been inlaid earlier, began to resonate and quickly adhered together. He waved the banner to confirm that there was no sign of it coming loose, and the banner was now mostly complete.

"What comes next..."

Holding the banner in his hand, a great deal of spiritual energy flowed into the banner pole and banner surface through his grasp.

As a result, an extremely terrifying suction force appeared on this banner.

The lava that had been flowing freely suddenly rose into the sky after struggling several times, drawn by this suction force.

The crimson lava flowed back to the sky, rushing rapidly towards the banner in Yotsuya Miko's hand, and the heat also struck Yotsuya Miko's body.

"Receive."

Its robust physique was completely unaffected by the heatwave that would have caused even the slightest contact with it to curl the fur, and even its clothing remained largely unaffected.

That's not the most surprising part; the most surprising thing is actually that banner.

The banner made of lava absorbed all the incoming lava, and from the outside it looked as if the lava disappeared completely upon contact with the banner.

The banner pole began to emit a strange red light, and countless peculiar patterns shone on its surface. These patterns shone brightly, even surpassing the light emitted by the lava at one point.

As the eerie light shone, the color of the flagpole changed from dark brown to dark red.

Yotsuya Kyosuke was watching the scene unfold, was stunned and didn't dare to blink.

He gazed at the figure making contact with the lava flowing against the current, and felt a sense of awe.

It was one thing for Jian Jiu to extract a "red sun" from the lava, but now she was causing the lava to flow continuously into the banner in her hand, as if the lava was nothing more than a toy to her.

However, his education taught him that the lava erupting from these volcanoes was definitely not a toy.

The lava was extremely hot; even a tiny bit of it would cause serious harm. Yet, not only had it not harmed Yotsuya Miko in the slightest, it had become a material for her to forge a divine artifact, which was truly beyond Kyosuke's expectations.

Gods...?

He couldn't think of any words to describe his sister now, only the words of a deity remained.

To achieve this level of skill, one would truly be considered a god, wouldn't one?

Volcanic eruptions and nationwide torrential rains are undoubtedly natural disasters for humanity, forces beyond human control. But now, something has appeared that can manipulate these calamities—what could it be but a deity?

The lava flow from this volcano was not inexhaustible. Under such frantic suction, the once ever-erupting crater finally showed signs of decay. Thus, this great river of lava flowing backwards eventually dried up and stopped at a certain point.

As the last lava was absorbed by the banner in Yotsuya Miko's hand, the red light on the banner pole dissipated, leaving only a dark red skin. The black snake head on the banner surface also became more ferocious, and its eyes turned crimson.

Its crimson eyes stared coldly at its creator. The snake's mouth opened wide, and it finally broke free from the banner, transforming into a crimson python that lunged at Yotsuya Miko.

Chapter 268 Amulet

"That's interesting."

Yotsuya Miko's eyes were calm as she gazed at the crimson python, which was immobilized by the magic spell.

The spiritual essence left behind by the Xuanming Python's body was mostly hatred towards her, which naturally surfaced after she refined it into Magic Treasure. Something like the Xuanming Soul Robe was easy to destroy, but the Xuan Ming Hellfire Banner in front of her needed this spiritual essence as its banner spirit to nourish the banner's quality.

This crimson python, which we can tentatively call the Xuanming Hellfire Python, is considered the basic form of the Xuanming Hellfire.

"Unwilling to accept defeat? That's understandable. Then let's have a battle of wits."

She threw something into the crater, breaking the seal on the crimson python in front of her, and the banner also slipped from her hand.

Before Yotsuya Kyosuke could even begin to decipher what the object thrown into the volcano was, only knowing that it was bright red, he was startled by the python's roar and immediately looked back at the Red Python.

Having absorbed a great deal of lava, it roared and its body instantly grew several times larger, its coiled tail supporting its form as it stood on the ground.

Looking at its appearance, Yotsuya Miko recognized it as the Xuanming Python from her memory and knew it was doing this intentionally.

"Well... do you even know your original body size?"

While saying this, she didn't have much enthusiasm. After all, this replica of the "Xuanming Python" wasn't as powerful as the one she had encountered before, and she was now far superior to the Xuanming Python from back then.

With a slight exertion of force in his hand seals, he shattered the Red Python's form.

"I'll play with you for a bit until that item is finished."

Seeing the Xuanming Hellfire Python, whose form had been scattered and then reformed, Miko cast another spell.

Knowing that this technique was not pleasant, the Red Python decided to use its brain a little. It suddenly spat out a ball of lava and headed towards the technique.

Upon contact, the lava was shattered, and the power of the spell dissipated, with the shattered lava splattering everywhere.

This scene greatly encouraged the Red Python, which opened its mouth wide and launched dozens of lava shards towards Yotsuya Miko's direction. The flames encased in these lava shards were Xuanming Hellfire, but because they absorbed flames from lava, their quality was very poor, consisting of only a few wisps.

These lava flows, infused with the Xuanming Hellfire, moved at high speeds, yet they still couldn't escape Yotsuya Miko's omnipresent Spiritual Sense. With a casual flick of her wrist, she dispersed the overwhelming lava, even with the Xuanming Hellfire mixed in.

This wasn't because her technique was particularly powerful, but rather because the Xuanming Hellfire Python was weak. It rebelled before even accepting the Xuanming Tribulation Fire within her, hoping that the few wisps of Xuanming Hellfire refined from lava would oppose her.

It must be said that although it possesses some intelligence, it is quite dull, only concerned with hatred.

"If you could just tolerate a little more, and then betray me at a crucial moment, I might have a real headache."

As he said this, he focused most of his attention on crafting the item inside the volcano.

Originally, she didn't intend to craft anything other than the Xuanming Soul Robe and the Xuan Ming Hellfire Banner, but when she saw Yotsuya Kyosuke, an idea popped into her head.

"Should we continue?"

The Red Python responded with even more lava, which, like before, hurtled towards Yotsuya Miko.

Along with the lava came a piercing arrow formed from the body of Red Python.

In an instant, its enormous form transformed into a long, narrow arrow, shooting towards Yotsuya Miko's heart with such speed that no one could react in time.