Battle Throught The Heavens: Reborn Yan Emperor Ts

"If I came here today alone to seize the treasures within the mountain, do you think that with my strength you could locate me so easily? And if I wished to avoid you, do you suppose that with the Ghost Killing Sect's hiding skills I possess, you would have any chance of finding me?"

The old Flame Demon disregarded Yuan Qing's doubts and repeated his question.

Yuan Qing's expression deepened as he listened, and he lowered his head to contemplate Yan Mo's words. Yan Mo was right—in truth, with the Guishamen's hiding technique, if one truly wished to hide, even a hundred years of practice might not suffice. But what exactly did he mean? Was he purposely allowing me to find him, only to lure me out and have me ambushed in one fell swoop? The thought sent a chill down Yuan Qing's spine; his soul power surged outward involuntarily as he began to probe the surrounding environment. Yet Yuan Qing was no fool. After a brief exploration, he reined in his soul power and set his thoughts aside for a moment.

He then reconsidered: since the old Flame Demon had come out without his guards—and knowing full well that he could not kill Yuan Qing by himself—it would be acceptable as long as he wasn't slain by Yuan Qing.

So, what exactly was this old Flame Demon trying to achieve by going to such great lengths to lure him out?

High in the white clouds, Xiao Yan observed Yuan Qing's pensive expression. Shaking his head with a sigh, Xiao Yan muttered, "Alas! They say that wisdom comes with age, but Yuan Qing is so foolish! The older he gets, the more he clings to life, fearful of death. He's grown so greedy for life that he falls for such a simple ruse. At his age, he's practically living like a dog."

After a moment, Yuan Qing fixed his gaze on the old Flame Demon, not blinking, and spoke in a deep voice, "Tell me, what do you want from me? Since you've led me here, I assume you don't just wish to chat."

The old Flame Demon grinned beneath his mask, his entire form cloaked in the surrounding black fog. Though Yuan Qing could not see the details, Xiao Yan—watching from the clouds—frowned, his lips curling into a cold smile.

The treacherous nature of the Soul Clan was well known—they never failed to measure their strength against an opponent. If they were stronger, they would torture you more cruelly; if they were weaker, they would employ every trick and all available means to attract attention, only to wait for the perfect moment to strike like a venomous snake, relishing the ensuing pain.

The old Flame Demon then addressed Yuan Qing with a smile, "Brother Qingyuan, there is indeed a treasure of heaven and earth hidden deep within this giant mountain, but an extremely powerful restriction guards it. I suspect that a powerful individual has already discovered the treasure, though it was not yet mature—leaving behind this restriction for someone to claim later. You understand what I mean, don't you?"

His tone grew increasingly intimate as he spoke. Yuan Qing frowned at this, glancing at the Flame Demon Old Ghost with clear dissatisfaction, and replied, "You want me to join you in breaking the protective seal on this mountain? On what basis?"

The Flame Demon Old Ghost appeared to anticipate this question. He merely shot Yuan Qing a knowing glance before continuing, "And after I've explored the treasures within, if my guess is correct, this thing should be…" He paused, then, with an impatient glance toward the silently waiting Yuan Qing in the void, curled his lips under his mask and finally declared, "Ice Fire Vermilion Fruit!"

At these words, the world fell silent. Yuan Qing's cloudy, aged eyes widened with unmistakable excitement and greed. His entire body trembled, and a fierce fighting spirit surged within him. Had Yuan Qing not already acknowledged some value in the old Flame Demon, he might have struck him down on the spot.

The Ice and Fire Vermilion Fruit is an elixir of heaven and earth that grows only under the most extreme conditions. Wherever it thrives, the converging fire and ice energies in that locale are at extraordinarily high concentrations.

During its early stage, the fruit must absorb a substantial amount of both ice and fire energy to reach equilibrium, then continue to grow independently for a hundred years. Once that century passes, it must be harvested immediately; otherwise, one would have to wait a thousand years for its next evolutionary form.

The fruit resembles a vermilion berry, with two slender lines—one fiery red, one icy blue—intertwined across its surface, creating an effect as dazzling as an artwork alternating between red and blue.

Although ice and fire are inherently contradictory and should repel each other, perhaps this fruit is a miraculous creation or possesses unique properties that allow the two energies not only to coexist but to blend harmoniously. This very balance is what, once ingested by a cultivator, shatters the equilibrium between ice and fire within the body, releasing energy dozens of times more potent than usual, which then propels the cultivator's breakthrough.

Moreover, wherever it grows, every living creature within a thousand miles—except for plants—trembles under the immense pressure it exudes, daring not to interfere. And the situation here is precisely the same.

"It must be the Ice and Fire Vermilion Fruit, without a doubt!" Yuan Qing finally calmed his mind, fixing his gaze on the old Flame Demon, then glanced at the enormous red-and-white mountain beside him and nodded in confirmation.

"Tell me, how do we divide it?" Yuan Qing asked directly, the question on both their minds. The old Flame Demon wasn't surprised—he knew Yuan Qing had been stranded in this realm for many years. Now that Yuan Qing was certain the treasure he'd dreamed of was before him, he was naturally anxious.

"Haha, it's simple. Since we broke the restriction together, the treasures inside should be divided equally between us. Brother Yuan Qing, do you object?"

Yuan Qing hesitated briefly, then, seeing the old Flame Demon's smile, agreed, "Very well—half for each of us."

After this agreement, the two approached the giant mountain and prepared to break the mountain's protective restrictions.