Half a day later, Yang Kai returned to his cave dwelling, still no closer to understanding what on earth his White Fire actually was.
Sect Master Baili Yunsun and the two Elders certainly knew the truth, but whether out of some misgiving — perhaps worrying that Yang Kai was too young — they hadn't told him much, merely stating that this White Fire was no ordinary Pill Fire and couldn't be classified using the standard Human, Earth, Heaven, or Spirit grades. Its origins stretched back to an extremely distant era, they said, and he should use it cautiously, paying close attention to any changes it underwent, lest something untoward happen.
Their attitude toward the White Fire was peculiar — a mix of desire, wariness, and something approaching reverence.
Since they wouldn't say more, Yang Kai couldn't be bothered to press the matter. He'd never get a straight answer out of them anyway. What truly occupied his thoughts now was that voice he had so casually fabricated…
He had only meant to push everything onto his nonexistent master, never expecting the voice to turn out to be real.
Yang Kai didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He truly seemed to share some ineffable destiny with this Xuan Dan Sect. Back then, he had invented a fictitious master on the spot, only for Gao Xinpeng to take it seriously, which led to his recruitment into the Xuan Dan Sect. Now he had conjured up some mysterious voice out of thin air, and once again it connected to something entirely real.
Moreover, judging by the expressions of Baili Yunsun and those two Elders, whatever had produced that voice was apparently something quite extraordinary.
And right now, within the Xuan Dan Sect, there was indeed something extraordinary. Yang Kai had a vague suspicion forming in his mind, and he couldn't help feeling a flicker of anticipation.
The next day, the one-eyed Spirit Grade elder who had visited before arrived once more at the cave dwelling on Lock Moon Peak. The moment he laid eyes on Yang Kai, he wasted no words, enveloped him in Spirit Power, and carried him skyward.
When Yang Kai's feet touched solid ground again, he found himself standing in a secluded valley. Before him stood the figure of an old man — none other than the Xuan Dan Sect Master, Baili Yunsun. This time, however, he was alone; the two Elders from the previous day were nowhere to be seen.
Yang Kai stepped forward and offered a respectful greeting.
Baili Yunsun nodded. "Follow me."
With that, he took the lead, and Yang Kai hurried to keep pace. They passed through checkpoint after checkpoint, and Yang Kai could clearly sense that countless Spirit Grade powerhouses were concealed in the shadows all around, quietly surveying their surroundings. As he walked alongside Baili Yunsun, those Spirit Grade auras clung to him with unrelenting intensity, pricking at his back like a bed of needles.
"This is a forbidden zone of our Xuan Dan Sect," Baili Yunsun remarked casually as he walked. "Only the Sect Master and a handful of Elders may set foot here. Anyone else must spend an enormous number of contribution points and pass certain trials to prove their unwavering loyalty before being granted entry." He glanced back. "Do you sense anything?"
The question came without preamble. Yang Kai shook his head. "I don't sense anything, Sect Master."
Baili Yunsun seemed unbothered by the answer and continued forward.
After another stretch of walking, Yang Kai realized they had entered the interior of a mountain peak. Here, the view suddenly opened up — within the mountain's hollow was an enormous chamber bathed in a soft, gentle radiance that illuminated every corner.
Yang Kai's gaze was instantly drawn to something ahead.
At the far end stood an altar-like structure, and perched atop it was an ancient, four-legged tripod cauldron roughly half a man's height. It was clearly very old; the marks of countless ages were etched across its surface. Wisps of white mist swirled within the cauldron, spilling over the rim and flowing like water, filling the entire space with a peculiar, indescribable power.
Under the influence of that power, Yang Kai's mind sank into instantaneous tranquility, his spirit achieving a state of clarity he had never experienced before.
In that very moment, struck by a sudden flash of inspiration, Yang Kai pressed his fingers together into a sword shape, turned to the nearest cave wall, and began channeling Spirit Power to inscribe characters across the stone.
Baili Yunsun was startled by the abrupt action, having no idea what had come over the young man. He was about to intervene when his expression suddenly shifted — as though something had just occurred to him. He bit back his words and instead watched Yang Kai's movements with rapt, earnest focus.
A soft scratching sound filled the chamber. Though this place was a forbidden zone, the only truly precious object here was that great cauldron. Everything else — the altar, the chamber itself — was ordinary stone. Under Yang Kai's hand, dense rows of small characters quickly appeared across the rock face, and a fine layer of dust accumulated at his feet.
The process lasted roughly half an incense stick's time before Yang Kai suddenly let out a muffled groan, clutching his head as he stopped writing.
Baili Yunsun strode over to him, his eyes blazing as he stared at the characters on the wall, his expression one of barely contained excitement. He murmured under his breath, "Incredible… absolutely incredible…"
"Sect Master…" Yang Kai shook his head and turned to call out.
"Oh — are you all right?" Baili Yunsun finally remembered to check on his condition.
Yang Kai shook his head. "I'm fine. Sect Master, what just… happened?"
Baili Yunsun looked at him with a broad smile. "You don't remember what you just did?"