Treasure Gathering Immortal Furnace

Seeing the Heavenly Fire Ancestor's appearance, the Jing Ancestor was also filled with worry. Although the Xuan Yang Sword Sect was said to have three Nascent Soul Ancestors in charge,

In reality, only Tianhuo and Jingchuan were truly within the sect. As for the other Nascent Soul cultivator, he had not returned to the sect for many years.

"Senior brother, your lifespan was already short, and this time you've suffered a serious injury. I'm afraid your lifespan will be shortened even further," said Ancestor Jing, his face full of helplessness.

"There's no need to worry about lifespan. I won't be passing away anytime soon," Ancestor Tianhuo said, raising his hand slightly, seemingly unconcerned.

Lu Fan could tell that after this great battle, plus the sneak attack from the Blood Longevity Old Monster, the Heavenly Fire Ancestor probably only had forty or fifty years of lifespan left, and that was under the condition that his injuries were stable.

It can be said that this trip to the Fire Cave was entirely a matter of trading the lifespan of the Heavenly Fire Ancestor for treasures.

"Ancestor, if I had known that the journey to the Fire Cave would be so dangerous, I would never have participated in the competition," Lu Fan said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Tianhuo immediately became serious and said, "Lu Shizhi, don't let this make you feel guilty and disturb your Dao heart. It was I who insisted on going to the Li Huo Cave this time. Compared to the overall situation of the sect, what does sacrificing myself matter? Besides, you killed Gu Shuo and Gu Chen this time, which earned my Xuan Yang Sword Sect a lot of face!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Jing was immediately stunned and asked, "Senior Brother, what did you say? Who did Lu Shizhi kill?"

"Haha, before I could even announce the good news, Gu Shuo and Gu Chen of Sword Pavilion both died at the hands of Lu Shizhi. Didn't you see how humiliated Gu Xin looked? Hahaha!" Ancestor Tianhuo burst into hearty laughter.

"This Gu Shuo is in the mid-stage of Core Formation, and his swordsmanship is quite advanced. I didn't expect Lu Shizhi to actually win?" Ancestor Jing looked at Lu Fan in disbelief.

"You flatter me, Ancestor. Gu Shuo had already fought with Song Zhiyuan and the others before he fought me. I just happened to get lucky," Lu Fan replied.

"Don't be modest! With your strength, you're at least in the top five among the Core Formation geniuses of the Great Yan Wind Kingdom, if not in the top three! That's quite remarkable!" Ancestor Jing praised him generously.

"Junior brother, how is your Golden Essence Pill refining going? Quickly, give Lu Shizhi a few pills," said Ancestor Heavenly Fire.

Only then did Ancestor Jing take out the five Golden Essence Pills from the jade bottle and say, "Although there aren't many of these pills, I will continue to refine them so that your cultivation resources will not be lacking."

Lu Fan was quite moved when he saw the pills handed over by Ancestor Jing. Although he didn't lack Golden Essence Pills at all, he still reached out and accepted them.

"Thank you, Ancestor!" Lu Fan accepted the pill, then seemed to remember something. He then took out the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Lotus and said, "Ancestor's injuries are quite severe. I wonder if this Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Lotus will be of any use to your injuries."

Upon seeing the ten-thousand-year-old fire lotus that Lu Fan had taken out, the Heavenly Fire Ancestor was immediately shocked: "Good lad! You actually obtained such a rare and precious treasure!"

"It truly is a ten-thousand-year-old fire lotus! If this fire lotus could be refined into a magic weapon, it would be of great help to Senior Brother's cultivation of the Heavenly Flame Technique!" Ancestor Jing was also quite amazed.

Judging from the expressions of the two patriarchs, it seems that this ten-thousand-year-old fire lotus is indeed a very rare treasure.

"Not only is it effective against fire-attribute techniques, but this fire lotus base is itself formed from the fire of the earth veins. It is a rare ten-thousand-year-old spiritual fire. If it is refined into a lotus platform and paired with a good body-refining technique, the body can be tempered with the fire of the earth veins, which can greatly enhance the strength of the physical body."

"Moreover, the fire lotus seeds in this can be combined with other spiritual herbs to refine some pills that can enhance cultivation."

The Heavenly Fire Ancestor looked at the fire lotus in Lu Fan's hand and said.

"Since it's so useful, let's give this Fire Lotus to the Ancestor. I'll just take one lotus seed," Lu Fan said, taking a Fire Lotus seed from the Fire Lotus.

After all, as long as he has the Fire Lotus Seed, he can conjure up a complete Fire Lotus, so he doesn't lack it at all.

"Haha! Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony!" Ancestor Tianhuo didn't hesitate and took the fire lotus.

"It's a pity that we didn't encounter any rare and precious materials that could increase lifespan on this trip, otherwise we could have added some lifespan to the two ancestors," Lu Fan said regretfully.

"Although it is a pity, it is fate. However, there is no need to worry too much. Before Junior Brother Jiang returns to the Xuan Yang Sword Sect, I will not easily pass away. I must ensure that the Xuan Yang Sword Sect has two Nascent Soul cultivators in charge." Ancestor Tianhuo raised his hand slightly.

Upon hearing this, Elder Jing frowned and said, "Senior Brother, you don't mean to think of using that technique, do you?"

"Well, given my current condition, I'm unlikely to live for another twenty years. However, if I cultivate the Infant Locking Technique, I can extend my life to sixty years," said Ancestor Heavenly Fire.

Upon hearing that he would have to live for another twenty years, Lu Fan was also shocked. He had thought that the Heavenly Fire Ancestor had only forty or fifty years left, but he didn't expect it to be even less than he had anticipated! But what surprised him even more was that there were cultivation techniques in the world that could increase lifespan.

"Ancestor, what kind of technique is this Infant Locking Technique?" Lu Fan asked with a puzzled look. How could there be a technique in the world that could extend one's lifespan by more than forty years at once?

After being introduced by Elder Jing, Lu Fan finally understood what the Infant Locking Technique was.

The Nascent Soul Locking Technique was created by Ancestor Xuanyang. Only Nascent Soul cultivators can practice it. Once one practices this technique, the Nascent Soul will be deeply bound to the physical body, meaning that the Nascent Soul will never be able to separate from the physical body again.

At the same time, the Infant Locking Technique will also stimulate the full potential of the Nascent Soul, which is equivalent to overdrawing the power of the soul and forcibly prolonging life in this extreme way.

However, the cost is extremely high. If a Nascent Soul cultivator cannot break through during the extended lifespan, their remnant soul will dissipate once their lifespan is exhausted.

If one manages to break through, the Infant Locking Technique can be lifted, granting a lifespan of another hundred years—essentially exchanging the destruction of one's soul for a miraculous breakthrough.

"This technique is so risky," Lu Fan was also shocked.

Most Nascent Soul cultivators, knowing they have no hope of breaking through, choose to peacefully pass away, so that they can at least enter reincarnation and start anew in the next life.

However, if one damages their soul in extreme ways and loses the chance to reincarnate, then their soul will truly be scattered.

"It's alright. Perhaps with this Nascent Soul Locking Technique, I can break through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage within sixty years. At that time, there will naturally be no problem," said the Heavenly Fire Ancestor, looking completely unconcerned. He added, "Even if I can't break through, it's worth it to exchange these sixty years for a period of stable development for the Xuan Yang Sword Sect."

Seeing that Ancestor Tianhuo was determined, Ancestor Jing did not continue to dissuade him. After all, once his senior brother made up his mind about something, not even eight oxen could pull him back.

"Since Senior Brother insists on this, then Junior Brother will take this opportunity to find more rare and precious materials for your breakthrough and give it a shot," Elder Jing said slowly.

"Well, then I'll have to trouble you, Junior Brother. Once I start cultivating the Infant Locking Technique, it's like I'm in a life-or-death retreat. Unless it's a matter of life and death for the sect, I won't be able to help you, Junior Brother," said Ancestor Heavenly Fire.

"It's alright. As long as you don't pass away, from the outside world's perspective, our Xuan Yang Sword Sect still has two Nascent Soul elders in charge, so there won't be any trouble," Elder Jing raised his hand slightly.