"Young mistress, why do you think so highly of that boy?"
As the words fell, space rippled, and a white-haired old woman holding a walking stick stepped out of the disturbance, hovering in midair.
She took a step, sending ripples through the space beneath her feet, and instantly appeared behind the witch, bowing respectfully.
The witch gave no response, as though she had not noticed the newcomer at all. She rested her chin on her delicate hand and watched the people coming and going below.
She seemed to be speaking to the old woman, yet also to herself.
"The world hurries on, and prodigies are as plentiful as carp crossing a river, as countless as stars in the heavens."
Then, as though something had occurred to her, the corners of her lips lifted, and she murmured softly, unhurriedly:
"But some people, from the very first glimpse, you know will become the masters of this world."
"Even when they are young, you can see in them a might that could swallow the universe. Perhaps this is how the great tide of destiny begins."
"Prodigy after prodigy brings their own might, sweeping across the world and gathering into that great tide."
Her murmurs drifted farther and farther on the breeze. Her voice grew softer, but her eyes shone ever brighter.
She slowly sat up, turning her beautiful eyes toward the old woman as she idly toyed with the teacup in her hand.
"What did the Double-Pupiled One's side say?"
The old woman shook her head, a trace of indignation in her eyes.
"People from the Heaven Mending Sect have arrived as well. The Double-Pupiled One seems more inclined toward them."
The witch chuckled, as though she had found something entertaining.
"So Yue Chan really did come?"
"If the person she chose ends up losing to the one we chose, I wonder what her expression will be."
She was already somewhat impatient to see that scene. It would certainly be spectacular.
Seemingly sensing the old woman's anger behind her, the witch merely chuckled. Their Sky Severing Dao and the Heaven Mending Dao had a long history of grudges.
She had long since grown accustomed to the old woman's feelings on the matter. Her lips parted slightly.
"If we can't recruit the Double-Pupiled One, let it go. Just keep things peaceful with him."
"The great tide has already arrived. More and more geniuses will emerge into the world."
She rose from the reclining chair and looked down at the surging crowds, as though she could see the undercurrents stirring beneath the situation.
The old woman standing behind her suddenly spoke, interrupting her wandering thoughts.
"Holy maiden, since we can't recruit the Double-Pupiled One, when will we return?"
The moment the witch heard the word "return," she immediately lay back down, leaning against the window as she said carelessly:
"What's the hurry? It's not easy to get a trip to the lower realm. Shouldn't we have some fun?"
"We can hide from those annoying fellows in the Upper Realm and relax properly at the same time. Why wouldn't we?"
Before the old woman could get her "but" out, the witch's words stopped it in her throat.
"Don't worry. I'll tell Master. You won't be blamed."
"And don't call me young mistress when we're outside. Call me miss."
Like a flame fish shimmering with treasure light, Shi Qingyun swiftly darted through the magma. Ahead of him, a precious piece of jade radiated a lustrous glow.
Several intricate Dao patterns were engraved on the jade. As Shi Qingyun poured divine power into it, it shed flecks of clear light that enveloped him and Little White.
That clear radiance kept most of the waves of heat outside, allowing them to approach the depths of the magma swiftly.
"I really owe her a huge favor this time. She handed over a treasure like this without a second thought."
"Without this treasure, reaching the depths would have been rather difficult."
The magma flowing around him grew hotter and hotter, and he knew he was nearing his destination.
Ten thousand words updated today. Wishing you a happy weekend.
Chapter 82: The Immortal Talisman Emerges, the Immortal Bone Melts
As he ventured deeper, strands of red light appeared in the surrounding magma, shining from somewhere nearby. At their source, a speck of light flickered.
His divine power surged, and he sped toward that speck of light, a constant sizzling sounding around him.
Ripples spread across the barrier raised by the precious jade.
As they gradually approached the light, a membrane glowing faintly white appeared before them. It looked thin, yet it kept the scorching magma outside.
He stopped before the white membrane and examined it. Finding no danger, he plunged straight through.
Shi Qingyun and Little White passed through the white barrier with ease and landed directly on a Dao Platform.
The Dao Platform was pitch-black throughout, with a jade-like texture, as though it had been fashioned from a single piece of the finest black jade.
At the center of the Dao Platform, an azure flame burned.
The moment he stepped onto the jade Dao Platform, he felt none of the scorching heat he had expected. Instead, a chill reached him. It was truly extraordinary.
There was not a trace of magma around the Dao Platform. It seemed to be a small space propped open within the world of magma, completely sealed off from the molten rock outside.
Shi Qingyun looked around. There was nothing on the black Dao Platform except the azure flame at its center.
The Azure Flame burned quietly there, its fierce heat twisting the surrounding space. Beneath it, the Dao Platform had taken on a glazed, crystalline sheen.
Sparks leaped from the flame and fell into the magma outside, instantly setting it churning.
At the sight of the flame blooming in midair, Little White's eyes filled with burning desire. Little White swallowed and stared at the Azure Flame without blinking.
That gaze brimmed with covetous longing.
One glance at the fervor in Little White's eyes brought several black lines of exasperation to Shi Qingyun's forehead. He slapped Little White on the head, and Little White immediately looked up at him aggrievedly.
"That's not something we can covet. Stay here and behave."
With that, he set Little White down and paid no further attention. His divine power surged, and the precious jade slowly floated before him, casting its clear radiance over his body.
With the jade's protection, he strode toward the Azure Flame with the vigor of a dragon and a tiger. Before he could draw close, sparks splashing from it landed on the barrier surrounding him.
Countless ripples instantly spread across the barrier. It began to shake, showing faint signs of shattering.
Seeing this, Shi Qingyun hastily poured his surging divine power into the jade. Under that infusion, the barrier slowly stabilized.
The closer he drew to the Azure Flame, the slower he became.
With the jade above him, Shi Qingyun approached the flame step by step. Waves of heat struck the barrier, raising layer after layer of ripples that swiftly faded away.
At the edge of the Dao Platform, Little White could only pace back and forth from time to time.
As though sensing Shi Qingyun's approach, the Azure Flame trembled slightly, and a ring of red fire swept toward him.
His right hand quickly seized the jade floating above his head. The Moon Seal swiftly appeared on his left hand, and with a sweep of that hand, it transformed into a pitch-black longsword.
His divine power surged, and the muscles of his left arm tightened. Gripping the black sword firmly, he slashed in front of him, sending a gleaming sword ray through the wave of fire.
The fiery wave split in two before him and slowly dispersed. The black sword in his hand trembled violently.
Runes flashed beneath Shi Qingyun's feet. With a single movement, he reached the space beneath the flame, and the jade's radiance slowly receded.
He gradually withdrew the barrier around him, only to discover that it was exceedingly cool beneath the flame, a stark contrast to the scorching heat outside.
Up close, he found wisps of white mist rising from the glazed Dao Platform, gathering in a thin layer beneath the Azure Flame. It was truly wondrous.
He tucked the jade into his robes, found a spot beneath the Azure Flame, and sat cross-legged.
With a wave of his hand, a bone as white as jade and a fan as black as ink appeared in midair. Another wave brought several pieces of metal shimmering with halos of light beside them.
Looking at the white bone bobbing in midair, Shi Qingyun silently thought, Forgive the offense.
The next moment, divine power surged within him. He raised his hand and drew the pristine bone fragment toward him, then lifted it into the Azure Flame.
The instant the white bone entered the Azure Flame, the fire shrank slightly, as though afraid of it.
Shi Qingyun increased his output of divine power, and the Azure Flame immediately swelled. Yet as time slowly passed, the white bone bobbing within it showed not the slightest sign of melting.
Despite the azure flames refining it from every side, it remained exactly as before, without the slightest change.
I was indulging in wild fantasies. It looks like I'll have to forge a weapon from the other materials first.
Shi Qingyun gave a bitter smile, feeling somewhat helpless. Still, he had anticipated this possibility. He could only change his plan.
Just as he was about to give up, several runes suddenly floated out of Little White and landed on the white bone.
Before his dumbfounded eyes, the surrounding fire suddenly turned violet and instantly wrapped around the white bone.
The Violet Flame fiercely scorched the bone, and under its heat, the white bone slowly began to melt.
He had no time to dwell on his shock. Golden runes flew from his body one after another, swarming toward the bone.
In the space of an instant, the white bone was densely covered in runes. Under the Violet Flame's refining heat, they shattered continually into flecks of golden radiance.
The golden radiance fell into the translucent liquid formed by the melted bone, slowly seeping into it.
Time passed little by little. Glistening beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and dripped down from time to time. The moment they touched the ground, they froze into ice and shattered.
Within the violet fire, a mass of silvery liquid floated. As the Violet Flame refined it, specks of black impurity slowly seeped out.
Those black impurities carried a dense aura of laws. They were remnants of the white bone's owner's Dao arts.
Runes continued to pour from his body into the mass of white liquid. Faintly, a golden thread could be seen within it.
Seeing that the time was almost right, he waved his right hand, and the black fan floating beside him plunged into the silvery liquid.
Chapter 83: A Weapon Is Forged, Shocking Ghosts and Gods
The moment the dark-black fan entered the flame, it seemed to be provoked by something, and streams of black vapor immediately poured from it.
Imprints instantly appeared on the fan's pitch-black ribs. Those mysterious markings spread continuously, soon covering the entire fan.
A small black hole appeared on the fan, devouring the violet fire. As more and more flame was swallowed, something seemed on the verge of emerging from the fan's surface.
"I didn't expect this thing's grade to be so high."
"But I can't let you keep swallowing it!"
When the violet fire first appeared, cracks had already spread across the jade Dao Platform. If the fan swallowed it now, there was no telling what the consequences would be.
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