The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

Tie Yan was very familiar with this road, and as they walked, he pointed out, "In two more days, we'll reach the Black Sand Sea. The sand there is black and fine; when the wind blows hard, it can bury people alive."

Yin Beishan rode his horse to Xiao Fan's side and lowered his voice, saying, "Two years ago, my elder brother sent people to the Western Regions to search for the roots of the Black Lotus, but they found nothing. However, he said that the Yin energy in the Western Regions is the weakest, making it easy for someone to take advantage of the situation."

Xiao Fan nodded and said, "Your brother is indeed farsighted."

Yin Beishan smiled, a rare occurrence, and said, "Although he doesn't like to talk, he's very perceptive."

On the evening of the fourth day, the group finally arrived at the end of the Black Sand Sea.

As far as the eye could see, there was an endless black desert.

The sand, like ink, turned a dark red under the setting sun, as if molten iron had been poured over it. The wind wasn't strong, but it was very hot; taking a breath made my throat feel dry.

Tie Yan jumped off his horse, squatted down, grabbed a handful of black sand, and smelled it: "This sand contains fire poison. If left for too long, it will burn your meridians."

Xiao Fan dismounted, squatted down, and put his hand into the sand. He activated the Qiankun Refining God Technique, probing his divine sense into the sand.

It's so hot.

A scorching heat rose from the depths of the earth, as if an inextinguishable furnace was buried deep underground.

That scorching power, carrying a twisted force, contrasted sharply with the cold of Qingyun Mountain, yet it sent chills down one's spine.

"Found it." Xiao Fan stopped.

With a wave of his hand, Tie Yan sent all the disciples of the Fire Refining Sect off their horses, each applying a thin layer of fire-repelling ointment to their bodies.

Aduo and Acai also took out two bamboo tubes and sprinkled a handful of dark green medicinal powder on each person, saying it could ward off the poisonous fire.

The group headed towards the Black Sand Sea.

The black sand underfoot was soft and scorching hot; every step felt like walking on burning coals.

He walked at a leisurely pace, his feet circling with spiritual energy. Half an hour later, Master Gu Yuan cried out, and Xiao Fan gave him a calming pill, which finally calmed him down.

As darkness fell, a dark figure suddenly appeared on a sand dune ahead.

This is a tall tower, half-buried in the black sand, with only four or five stories.

The tower was entirely black, covered with patterns resembling withered vines, quite different from the gray-white stone tower in the icy sea. However, the runes engraved on it were exactly the same as the patterns on the stone pillars of Qingyun Mountain.

Tie Yan squinted and stared at it for a long time: "It doesn't look like a stone carving at all, it looks more like... burnt wood."

Xiao Fan took a few steps forward and stopped three zhang in front of the tower. The scorching aura was coming from inside the tower, and it became more intense as he got closer, like a flame burning silently inside the tower.

He took a deep breath and extended his divine sense outwards.

The moment the divine sense touched the pagoda, the illusory image of the Creation Cauldron in the sea of ​​consciousness trembled violently and burst forth with boundless golden light.

The scene appeared before his eyes once more—it was still that black mountain, but the stone tower's door was now half-open. Dark red light shone through the crack, like lava, like blood.

A hand reached out from under the door.

It was a hand as black as iron.

Xiao Fan abruptly withdrew his divine sense, retreating backward, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

"What's wrong?" Yun Ruoxi grabbed his arm.

Xiao Fan calmed himself down and said in a low voice, "The restrictions here are even looser than those on Qingyun Mountain. It...it's awake."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

Tie Yan gripped the bronze hammer, a rare look of seriousness on his face: "Should we go in?"

Xiao Fan glanced at the half-buried black tower, thought for a moment, and said, "This seal is only loosened, not completely opened, if I'm not mistaken."

Although the tower gate had been breached, the restriction left by the Grandmaster of the Void Pill remained in place. If it wasn't reinforced now, the consequences could be dire in the long run.

Yin Beishan stepped forward and carefully examined the symbols on the tower, saying, "These symbols are very similar to those on the Ice Sea Tower, but some of them have been burned off. It seems someone melted the restriction with high temperature."

Xiao Fan walked up the tower and circled it halfway. Sure enough, on the west side of the tower, there was a large area of ​​charred runes, with traces of being cut by a sharp weapon still remaining at the edges.

"Several months ago, someone came here and burned down the outer barrier with fire. Then, they used some tools to dig out some of the runes inside."

Xiao Fan squatted down, picked up a piece of black sand, and looked at it. "However, this person's fire technique is not pure enough. He only broke through one layer before stopping. He cannot open it completely."

Tie Yan leaned closer to take a look and said, "Not pure enough? That means his cultivation level is at most the early stage of the Spirit Realm. If it were my Crimson Fire Palm, this tower door would probably have been burned through."

Xiao Fan stood up: "Brother Tie, put away your supernatural powers. What we need is to strengthen this seal, not break it."

Tie Yan laughed and said, "Just kidding. Just tell me what to do."

Xiao Fan took out several medicine bottles, a stack of talismans, and a bluish-gray jade slip. He once again immersed his divine sense in the jade slip, searching for the method of sealing left by the Grandmaster of the Void.

After a while, he opened his eyes, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

"This tower is powered by earth fire at its core and linked by black lotus roots, with layers of suppression, making it incredibly powerful. But now, most of the roots have been burned away, and the earth fire has flowed back, making the tower so scorching hot."

To strengthen it, the earth fire must be drawn back into the spiritual veins, and then the power of the elixir fire must be used to reactivate the refined runes.

He looked at Tie Yan and said, "Brother Tie, your Crimson Fire Palm can just right to unify the earth fire."

Tie Yan patted his chest and said, "Don't worry."

Xiao Fan then said to Yin Beishan and Gu Yuan, "Elder Gu is proficient in talisman techniques, and Brother Yin has profound spiritual power. You two, one in the south and one in the north, should each use your spiritual power to support the pagoda. Under no circumstances should the pagoda be allowed to tilt."

The monk Gu Yuan raised his beard and said, "When did I become a pile driver?"

Xiao Fan laughed and said, "I'll give you a large sum of money after it's done."

Emperor Guyuan snorted coldly and headed north.

After doing all this, Xiao Fan came to the tower gate and placed his hand on the crack in the gate.

The crack in the door was small, barely wide enough for two fingers. But the heat emanating from it caused a slight blush to rise to his palms. He gritted his teeth, activated the Qiankun Refining Spirit Technique, condensed his true essence into a thread, and slipped it through the crack.

He probed into it with his divine sense.

This is a huge circular hall with an extremely high dome.

A dark red orb of light floated in the center of the hall, like a solidified flame, covered with fine cracks, from which magma-like light shone.