For hundreds and thousands of years, to facilitate the ascent, Haojing City crafted a stone stairway that directly leads to the mountain peak of the Yin Fire Cave on West Mountain.

Ascending along the steps, one sees a vast expanse of snow-white all around, yet this place alone is a barren mountain with withered stones, the soil crisp and sallow, and even the stone steps are gradually filled with cracks.

Zhang Kui walked while observing, finding it peculiar.

He originally thought this place was a volcanic crater or an underground coal seam burning, but under the Cave Abyss Skill investigation, it revealed a stretch of blue light, undulating like turbulent waves.

As he neared the mountaintop, faint voices came from the front, a funeral procession was in progress.

At the back, people in white mourning clothes, crying and sobbing, at the front, a Daoist was burning incense and scattering talismans, his prayer intonation rising and falling:

"The sorrowful wind opens the ghostly gate,

Yin soul floats, Cyan Nether appears,

The deceased anxiously enters the magic platform,

The treasure light illuminates the heavenly path..."

Ahead was the Yin Fire Cave, dozens of meters wide, its cave walls scorched into a blackened glaze, and below, blue light blazed fiercely.

This was clearly a burial, respecting the deceased. Zhang Kui stood quietly on the side waiting.

Upon seeing him, the funeral procession was obviously a bit surprised, but did not say much. Under the old Daoist's command, they slowly lowered the massive coffin into the cave.

Boom!

A streak of blue Yin flame shot up to the sky, the heat wave intense, causing the procession to hurriedly retreat.

After the cremation, these people left silently. The old Daoist simply gave a Daoist salute upon seeing him, then passed by without a word.

After they left, Zhang Kui approached the cave entrance and looked down, seeing the scorched black cave filled with blue Yin fire, countless coffins and bodies reduced to black charcoal, with an unpleasant burnt stench.

Yet Zhang Kui was undeterred, as this charred mountain of coffins could not withstand burning for thousands of years without disappearing.

Indeed, upon closer inspection, the cave sloped downwards, the charred mountain of coffins blocking halfway with gaps around the sides.

Pinching his nose, Zhang Kui performed the Sitting Fire Skill, leaping down as blue Yin fire rushed towards him.

This Yin fire was different from the celestial tribulation Yin fire in a cultivator's body, significantly less powerful. Though the Sitting Fire Skill was only level two, it easily endured with minimal mana consumption.

Passing through the gap, it was indeed much cleaner. The cave walls were a red copper-like color, with blue fire burning on the surface, not knowing where it sloped down towards.

To differentiate between mortal fire and spirit fire, the simplest way is to see if there is any fuel. Mortal fire has no root, while spirit fire is self-contained.

Zhang Kui looked around, slightly shook his head, and continued deeper into the Yin Fire Cave.

About several hundred meters deep, the fire intensified, when suddenly, a strange whistling sound came from the depths of the cave.

Zhang Kui's expression changed, quickly ducking against the stone wall. From the depths, a gust of blue flame roared out like a gale, the heatwave rolling in, forcing him to draw the Lu Li Sword and insert it into the stone wall to stabilize himself.

A few breaths later, the heatwave subsided.

Staring at the depths of the cave, Zhang Kui gnashed his teeth and moved forward again, stopping a few breaths later, his face filled with uncertainty.

In front of him, beside the cave, stood a bright red hot stone tablet that hadn't melted. On the stone tablet was an exceptionally conspicuous large character "Forbidden."

Beneath the "Forbidden" character were inscribed the three words Li Wuji.

Emperor Qianyuan?

Zhang Kui was taken aback. He had thought this was just a natural fire cave, but somehow it was connected to Emperor Qianyuan.

Could there be some secret within the cave?

Zhang Kui furrowed his brow, his eyes wide open, activating the Cave Abyss Skill.

But after a closer look, he was even more puzzled; there was no formation, no barrier behind the stone tablet, so what was the use of just erecting it?

What exactly was inside?

Zhang Kui heightened his vigilance, gripping the Lu Li Sword as he cautiously stepped past the stone tablet, continuing inward.

Soon, he stopped once more.

Ahead was a fiery cave leading directly underground, the Yin fire almost white, frolicking like a living being, occasionally accompanied by faint laughter.

Earth Fiend Yin Fire!

Zhang Kui felt a rush of joy.

The alchemy texts listed numerous types of fire: Samadhi True Fire, Ziwei Celestial Fire, Earth Fiend Yin Fire, True Sun Fire, Red Lotus Karmic Fire, Nanming Li Fire, Six Ding Divine Fire...

Though the Earth Fiend Yin Fire is relatively common and far inferior to the Six Ding Divine Fire, it is still a spirit fire.

An unexpected delight indeed.

However, just as he was about to step forward, an old, hoarse voice whispered in his ear:

"Leave... this place..."

Chilled to the bone, Zhang Kui swiftly retreated, raising the Lu Li Sword horizontally, his body enveloped by the Golden Light Skill.

Looking around, he found no one nearby, as if the voice was merely an illusion.

Holding his breath, Zhang Kui fully activated the Cave Abyss Skill, his eyes glowing with divine light, scrutinizing closely, suddenly locking onto the left side of the fiery cave, the Lu Li Sword shimmering with golden light.

"Cease hiding, reveal yourself!"

From the fiery red cave wall, a face slowly emerged, followed by a stone man clad in armor, his face covered in cracked stone skin, exhaling a mouthful of black smoke.

"Leave… it is… dangerous…"

Zhang Kui furrowed his brow deeply. This stone man possessed celestial tribulation realm cultivation yet his aura was pure, devoid of any demonic or evil traces, resembling more a human.

Importantly, the other party is not hostile.

Zhang Kui thought for a moment, put away the Lu Li Sword, and cupped his hands, "May I ask the senior's name?"

The Stone Man seemed to fall into deep thought. After a while, it slowly raised its head with creaking sounds, "My name is... Gong Changtian..."

Gong Changtian?

The Red Flame General Gong Changtian?

Zhang Kui was startled for a moment. Although his former self was uneducated, he had often listened to storytelling at taverns since childhood and had heard many legends of the eighteen generals of Emperor Qianyuan sweeping across Central State.

This Red Flame General Gong Changtian was one of them, but he had died during the founding of the nation. How did he become a Stone Man guarding this place?

Could it be some kind of secret technique?

Zhang Kui wanted to ask more, but the Stone Man slowly retreated into the cave wall. After leaving the word "danger," it solidified again, as if it had fallen asleep.

It seemed to be just a reminder, completely indifferent to what he was doing.

Zhang Kui took a deep look at that fire cave,

It seems there are quite a few secrets hidden inside.

However, to have a Celestial Tribulation Realm general from a thousand years ago use a secret technique to turn into a Stone Man guarding this place, no matter what is inside, he couldn't afford to provoke it.

Fortunately, he just needed to take the fire.

Zhang Kui made his decision and took out a bronze-colored lotus from his personal space, then placed a piece of meteoric iron essence in the flower's center.

Giggling sounds came through, and from the fire cave, a handful of blue-white Earth Fiend Yin Fire spread out like a living thing, sizzling on the ground as it went.

This Earth Fiend Yin Fire was like a small snake, winding and creeping to the flower center, wrapping the meteoric iron essence layer by layer.

In an instant, it became like a lotus treasure lamp, its light could hardly be concealed even in this fire cave.

Zhang Kui chuckled, and with a wave of his hand, took the bronze lotus into his personal space.

He cast a final deep glance at the cave filled with Earth Fiend Yin Fire, then turned and swiftly left.

Suddenly,

A tsunami-like wave of flames erupted again from the fire cave below, retracting rapidly after a few breaths.

As if the cave was breathing.

The Earth Fiend Yin Fire flickered, seemingly elated, and faint giggling sounds could be heard again...

Back at Iron Blood Manor, under Old Liu's curious gaze, Zhang Kui placed the bronze lotus burning with Earth Fiend Yin Fire into the bottom of the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

Instantly, the two Tai Chi eyes on the pill furnace emitted a faint blue light, and the Eight Trigrams Array inside started buzzing.

"Good, it's done!"

Zhang Kui laughed heartily,

"Old Liu, from today we will close the manor for alchemy."

Liu Mao'Er was taken aback, "Master Kui, how long will this pill take to refine, won't it take a year or so?"

"Hehe, with the fire in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, it's just ordinary pills, seven days will do!"

...

Haojing City, Xinghua Square.

Various eateries and shops stood in great numbers, steam rising in the cold wind, fragrant smells wafting, crowds bustling, a scene of prosperity.

Anyone new to the Capital City could never imagine that this was once the initial point of the terrifying "Gu Plague" outbreak.

Inside a lamb soup shop, Zheng Quanyou crouched on a stool with his hands, pouring the thick white lamb soup with chili oil, and sweating profusely as he grabbed his chopsticks to sip.

Sitting next to him, Guo Huai frowned, "Boss Zheng, we found nothing in Xiahou Jie's mansion secret room, even the National Guardian True Man found nothing unusual, we have no leads, what are we looking for wandering around here every day?"

"Wait!"

Zheng Quanyou replied without lifting his head.

"Wait for what?"

Zheng Quanyou didn't speak, but after drinking the lamb soup to the bottom, he wiped his mouth hard and jumped off the stool to pat Guo Huai on the shoulder.

"This world is not something ordinary people can change. Sometimes, when we're investigating a case, we need to think more about those above."

He said this as he hummed a tune and walked out.

"Those above… what above?"

Guo Huai quickly followed to ask for clarification.

Zheng Quanyou rubbed his hands, exhaled a breath of white air, and looked towards the direction of the Imperial Palace,

"His Majesty's birthday is coming soon..."

"You mean..."

Guo Huai looked confused and suspicious, then glanced around, "Then why are we here?"

"The wife of the deceased Ghost Rong merchant said an official with Xiahou Jie's token was involved. If the court officials are cultivators, there's a registry record; we just need to find the one secretly hiding."

"Near the year's end, all the government offices gather for meals and entertainments, the four major restaurants in the Capital City are here, we can only try our luck..."

As he spoke, Zheng Quanyou took out a small compass from his pocket and shook it, "Strange, why isn't there any reaction?"

"Could it be, the other party is just an ordinary person?"

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