Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 822 Totem System, Empty Promises (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"Life responses are mainly concentrated at the edges of polar ice caps and in some large networks of lava caves that extend deep underground."

The Thousand Machine Elder added, "The intensity is not low, and some of the auras even reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, but it seems... that their intelligence has not been developed and they are full of primal wildness."

"The terrain here is relatively flat, and the distance from the Arctic glaciers and the southern volcanic belt is moderate. Although the spiritual energy here is violent, if a large array can be set up to guide and suppress it, it can be used as a candidate for a base."

Li Yunjing stared at the light screen and pointed his finger at a vast area in the Northern Hemisphere marked "Ash Plains": "Order to land ten thousand feet above the 'Ash Plains' and conduct close-up reconnaissance first."

"Boom!"

The "Sky Patrol Ship" adjusted its course and slowly descended towards the dark red land.

The closer you get, the more intense the planet's heat becomes.

The air was thick with the smell of sulfur, and the visible heat distorted the view. The earth below was covered with cracks and jagged landscapes formed by cooled lava flows.

Just as the warship hovered, preparing to send out a reconnaissance team, an unexpected change occurred!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The seemingly peaceful "Ash Plains" below suddenly exploded with several huge holes, accompanied by a deafening roar, and several enormous creatures soared into the sky!

These creatures resemble giant lizards, but are as large as small mountains. Their bodies are covered with thick, dark red scales, from which molten lava flows. They have long, whip-like tails, ferocious heads, and spew out black smoke and flames powerful enough to melt metal and stone!

Their auras had all reached the late stage or even the peak of the Nascent Soul realm!
"It's a native fire-type monster!"

"We were alerted by the energy fluctuations of the warship!"

A glint flashed in Xuan Gang Sword Master's eyes, and his hand was already on the hilt of his sword.

“There’s more!”

"There are signs of life rapidly approaching from beneath the plain!"

The detection array controlled by the Thousand Machine Elder issued a warning: "We may have stumbled into the lair of a demon beast clan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, more lava giant lizards emerged from the ground, along with some flying fire crows and fire moths. In an instant, tens of thousands of monsters surrounded the "Sky Patrol Ship," emitting threatening roars and shrieks.

"Vice Alliance Leader, what should we do? Fight or retreat?"

Li Cangqiong looked at Li Yunjing.

If war breaks out, there will inevitably be casualties, and it may also attract an even more powerful being.

If we retreat and look for another place, it will waste time.

“We have come here to build a defensive line, not to engage in pointless fighting with the native creatures.”

Li Yunjing's gaze swept over the monsters with hostile and greedy eyes, his eyes calm and unwavering: "But if they attack first, we must also show our thunderous methods to deter them."

“We are cultivators from the Tianlan Alliance. We are passing through this star and wish to establish an outpost here. We have no intention of being your enemies.”

He stepped forward, his voice carrying clearly through the amplification array, reaching the ears of the demonic beasts: "Retreat immediately, and all will be well."

However, these demonic beasts seemed to have extremely low intelligence, and were completely attracted by the powerful energy emanating from the warship, which was an excellent "nourishment" for them.

"Roar……"

The largest lava giant lizard in the lead let out a ferocious roar, its thick hind legs slamming into the ground, carrying lava and flames, and crashing into the "Sky Patrol Ship" like a meteor!
"Boom!"

Its movement was like a signal to attack, and tens of thousands of demonic beasts launched an attack at the same time!
Fireballs, lava spews, and claw-like tearing attacks rained down on the warship's shields like a storm!
"Stubborn!"

"Fellow Daoist Xuan Gang, to capture the thief, first capture the king!"

Li Yunjing snorted coldly, "Fairy Xuling, stabilize the protective barrier! Elder Qianji, Elder Li Cangqiong, lead the others to clear out the other demonic beasts. Be careful to conserve your mana, focus on killing, and try to ensure your own safety!"

"Order!"

With a long roar, the Xuan Gang Sword Master merged with his sword, transforming into a sword light more dazzling than the sun, directly meeting the oncoming Lava Giant Lizard King!

"Boom!"

The sword light collided with the scorching breath spewed out by the Lava Giant Lizard King, unleashing a deafening roar.

The ethereal fairy formed hand seals, and the ship's protective shield shone brightly, steadily blocking the rain of attacks.

The Thousand Machine Elder released a swarm of puppets, while Li Cangqiong led elite cultivators out of the warship to fight the monster horde.

Li Yunjing remained standing on the bridge, his divine sense encompassing the entire battlefield.

He noticed a figure that had appeared on a distant crater at some point.

It was a tall man with bronze skin, wearing simple leather armor and holding a white bone spear. He was coldly watching the battle, and the aura emanating from him was faintly at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage!

"Is a Nascent Soul True Monarch... a native powerhouse of this star, or an outsider like us?"

Li Yunjing's mind raced, but he remained outwardly calm and did not immediately reveal the other party's presence.

The most important task at present is to resolve the current siege by the beast tide.

In the center of the battlefield, the battle between Xuan Gang Sword Master and Lava Giant Lizard King has reached a fever pitch.

Sword cultivators possess unparalleled offensive power among their peers, and the Xuan Gang Sword Venerable is an expert at the fourth level of the Nascent Soul realm. His sword light crisscrosses and sweeps, leaving deep sword marks on the "Giant Lizard King's" thick lava scales with every strike!

molten lava gushed from the wound.

"Roar...human...I'm going to...eat...you..."

The "Giant Lizard King" roared in pain, its attacks becoming increasingly frenzied, stirring up the surrounding spiritual energy into chaos.

The puppet army of the Thousand Machine Elder formed a battle formation, cooperating with the cultivator team led by Li Cangqiong, and stood firm against the onslaught of tens of thousands of demonic beasts.

"Boom!"

The light of magic intertwined with the roars of demonic beasts. Demonic beasts were constantly being slain and falling from the sky, while cultivators were also injured and quickly rescued by their companions and treated inside the ship.

Under the guidance of Fairy Void, the "Sky Patrol Ship's" protective shield remained as stable as Mount Tai, effectively blocking most attacks.

At the same time, the "Thunder Cannon" on the "Sky Patrol Ship" kept spitting out bolts of lightning, blasting holes in the monster horde.

Countless demonic beasts were reduced to ashes by the lightning, leaving not a trace.

"You are polite, fellow Taoist."

"We are cultivators from the Tianlan Alliance of the Tianlan Star Region. In order to deal with the great enemy from outside the region, we wish to establish an outpost base on this star."

"This conflict was completely unexpected, caused by an initial attack by creatures from your territory."

Seeing that the battle had temporarily stabilized, Li Yunjing separated a wisp of his divine sense, which transformed into a peaceful voice and directly transmitted to the figure on the volcano crater: "Fellow Daoist, since you are a powerful figure in this place, would you be willing to show yourself and have a chat to end the fighting?"

Upon hearing this, the bronze-skinned man raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat surprised that Li Yunjing could so accurately detect and transmit his voice to him.

He remained silent for a moment, then slammed the bone spear in his hand to the ground with a dull thud.

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry a strange rhythm, piercing through the deafening shouts and roars, and clearly reaching the ears of every demon beast.

The horde of monsters, which was attacking furiously, suddenly stopped moving.

Especially the Lava Giant Lizard King, which was fiercely fighting with the Xuan Gang Sword Master, had a struggle flash in its crimson pupils, but in the end it let out a low whimper and its huge body slowly retreated, breaking away from the battle.

The other monsters retreated like the tide, but still surrounded the area, watching with predatory eyes, clearly not having completely given up.

"Ok?"

Seeing this, Xuan Gang Sword Master also sheathed his sword and stood still, his sword energy receding into his body. His gaze swept warily over the retreating beast horde, finally settling on the figure at the crater.

The man took a step forward, and ripples appeared in the void beneath his feet. In the next moment, he appeared a thousand feet in front of the "Sky Patrol Ship" and faced Li Yunjing across the void.

His gaze was sharp as an eagle's, sweeping over the "Sky Patrol Ship," lingering for a moment on Xuan Gang Sword Master and the others, before finally settling on Li Yunjing.

"Tianlan Star?"

"Outsiders."

The man's voice was hoarse and deep, carrying a sense of awkwardness from not speaking to anyone for a long time, "This place, the Crimson Flame Realm, does not welcome outsiders. Your presence has disturbed the slumber of the 'Flame God'."

"The Crimson Flame Realm?"

"Fire God?"

Li Yunjing caught these two key pieces of information, his heart stirred slightly, and he cupped his hands and said, "I am Li Yunjing, and I am honored to be the vice leader of the 'Tianlan Alliance'."

"What do you call fellow Taoist?"

"What kind of being is this so-called 'Flame God'?"

"We were forced to enter this realm. If we have unintentionally offended anyone, please forgive us."

This planet seems to be looked down upon; judging from this person's words, there seems to be a god here.

It should be understood that in the world of cultivation, there are no true gods; they are mostly false gods.

And can a True Monarch at the Nascent Soul stage address the other party as a god?
That proves that even a false god's cultivation level is probably far above that of a Nascent Soul cultivator, which is interesting!

Is he a powerful expert at the Returning to Emptiness realm?
Or perhaps it's a higher realm?
A great calamity is imminent, and "Tianlan Star" needs allies, especially top-tier allies. Is it possible to try and win over this "Flame God"?
Should the two sides have a talk?
As far as Li Yunjing knows, the only Transcendental expert he knows on Tianlan Star is that Daoist nun from Guanghan Palace!

However, through his observation of "Tianlan Star", he noticed that the leaders of "Thirty-Six Cave Heavens", "Huangze Dynasty", "Blood God Sect", "Luofu Dao Sect" and other places did not seem very anxious. It seemed that everyone had their own trump cards!

Is he a hidden master from various factions?

Or perhaps, like the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," they communicated with the heavens and found their own backer?
In short, this unusual behavior reassured Li Yunjing quite a bit.

Of course, this sense of security is subject to uncertainty.

So when he heard the man mention "Flame God," he immediately had the idea of ​​winning him over.

After all, having another expert increases the chances of successfully passing the tribulation.

The man paused for a moment, seemingly weighing his options.

The strength displayed by Li Yunjing and his group, as well as their relatively restrained attitude, might have made him feel that communication was possible.

My name is Jin.

"One of the guardians under the 'Flame God'."

"The Flame God is the embodiment of the will of this world, and he slumbers within the molten core of the earth."

"Your warships possess immense spiritual power, like beacons in the dark night, which has already alarmed all directions."

The man spoke slowly, “Leave quickly, otherwise, once the Flame God awakens, or other guardians arrive, it will not be as simple as a mere beast tide.”

His words carried a warning, but also revealed some information.

This "Crimson Flame Star" has a suspected native deity called "Flame God," and he is not the only guardian.

Li Yunjing's expression remained unchanged, but his mind was racing.

Forcibly establishing a base would inevitably lead to conflict with these powerful natives, wasting resources in vain.

However, if we retreat here and look for another place, time is running out, and we may not be able to find a more suitable location than this "Ash Plain".

"Fellow Daoist Jin."

"To be honest, we have come to resist an extraterrestrial demon race called the 'Void Demons'."

"This demon is ferocious; wherever it goes, all things perish."

"If it is allowed to invade this realm, the 'Crimson Flame Realm' will also be hard-pressed to escape."

"Establishing an outpost here is both to protect our Tianlan Star Region and to serve as a barrier for this world."

Li Yunjing spoke sincerely, "We are willing to use an array to restrain spiritual energy, so as not to disturb the 'Flame God's' slumber. We are also willing to offer spirit stones, pills, and other resources as collateral to borrow this land, to befriend the nobles and jointly defend against external enemies. I wonder if this arrangement is possible?"

Li Yunjing's words were half true and half false, highlighting a potential common threat and suggesting the possibility of a deal.

He carefully observed Jin's reaction.

Ember's bronze face showed little expression, but his eyes flickered slightly, clearly indicating that the terms "Void Demons" and "fighting against external enemies" had caught his attention.

He fell silent again, as if communicating with something distant in some way.

"This matter is not something I can decide."

"You shall wait here and shall not proceed further, nor shall there be any further large-scale energy fluctuations."

After a long while, he looked at Li Yunjing again, his tone still cold, but his hostility lessened slightly: "I will report your words to the High Priest."

After saying that, without waiting for Li Yunjing's response, Jin's figure slowly disappeared from the spot, as if merging into the heat wave, and his aura also instantly went away.

As he left, the surrounding monsters roared and slowly sank into the ground or flew towards the distant volcano.

Moments later, the once bustling "Ash Plains" returned to deathly silence, leaving only the devastation of the battle.

"Vice Alliance Leader, is this person trustworthy?"

Xuan Gang Sword Master returned to the bridge and asked in a deep voice.

"A mixture of truth and falsehood."

"But at least it provides a channel for communication."

"Pass down the order: hover the warships here, activate the concealment array, and reduce energy fluctuations."

Li Yunjing's gaze was deep. "Everyone should take the time to rest and treat the wounded, but remain vigilant."

He looked in the direction where the embers had disappeared, and further away at the continuous volcanic belt.

Besides the intense fire elemental power, there is an even more ancient and obscure fluctuation of will, like the heartbeat of the earth, faint yet encompassing all four directions.

"Totem gods... the power of faith... interesting."

Li Yunjing muttered to himself, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes.

"Vice Alliance Leader, you noticed it too?"

The Thousand Machine Elder manipulated the magic array, recording all the energy data when Jin appeared and disappeared. Hearing this, he asked curiously.

"I see it!"

"It's the power of the totem!"

Li Yunjing turned around and looked at the core members in the bridge: "Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on the so-called 'Flame God' and its guardians here?"

"The totem power system is quite peculiar. The guardian named Jin seems to have his power closely connected with this land, and he can mobilize the power of heaven and earth very smoothly, unlike us cultivators who mainly rely on our own nascent soul or primordial spirit to communicate with heaven and earth."

Xuan Gang Sword Master frowned slightly: "As for the 'Flame God,' if he is truly the embodiment of the will of this world as he says, his strength is probably unfathomable, at least at the Void Returning level, or even higher."

“He can easily command those low-intelligence demon beasts, especially the Lava Giant Lizard King at the Nascent Soul stage, which can be made to retreat with just a signal.”

The ethereal fairy added, "This is by no means a simple suppression of strength; it's more like a... natural dominance based on rank."

"good."

"That's the key."

Li Yunjing nodded approvingly, "According to ancient records and information brought back by some cultivators who have traveled to foreign lands, in some primitive or special worlds, a 'totem god' system will be born based on a combination of collective faith and the origin of the world."

"The so-called 'totem god' is often a special existence formed by the natural phenomenon, ancestor or powerful creature worshipped by a tribe, a race or even a world, under the nourishment of a long period of time and a vast amount of faith."

"Their power stems from faith and the 'concepts' they represent."

“For example, the word ‘炎’ here represents fire, earth, destruction and rebirth, and is deeply connected to the world.”

He paused, gathered his thoughts, and continued, "Within their faith, they can mobilize the power of the world, their power is boundless."

"Does the Vice Alliance Leader mean that this 'Flame God' might be the totem god of the 'Crimson Flame Realm's' concept of fire and earth?"

Li Cangqiong pondered: "And those guardians, like Jin, are His devout followers, or rather, the 'chosen ones' who have received partial authority from the 'Flame God'?"

"That's probably the case."

"Jin said he was going to report to the 'High Priest,' which further confirmed our suspicions."

Li Yunjing affirmed, "In this system, the 'high priest' is often the key figure in communicating between the 'totem god' and mortals. He is in charge of sacrifices and interprets divine pronouncements. He holds a prestigious position, and although his strength may not be the strongest, his status may be extremely special."

The old man of a thousand machines suddenly realized: "So, whether we can gain a foothold here depends not on how many monsters we defeat or how strong our martial power is, but on whether we can gain the approval of this 'Flame God' or his representative, the 'High Priest'?"

"Exactly that."

Li Yunjing's gaze swept over everyone. "There are a few key points to keep in mind when dealing with this kind of totem god system!"

"First, respect their beliefs and rules."

"To rashly belittle or provoke one's gods is a path to death."

"Second, demonstrate value rather than just force."

"We need to make them realize that establishing a base here will not only not undermine the authority of the 'Flame God' or the balance of the Crimson Flame Realm, but will also bring benefits, such as jointly resisting external threats like the 'Void Demons' or providing them with the resources they need."

"Third, find common ground."

“The Void Demons are the enemy of all living beings; this might be a breakthrough point.”

Fourth, be wary of its xenophobic tendencies.

"Totem god systems often have a strong sense of territory and a tendency to be exclusive, so we need patience and strategy."

Li Yunjing concluded, "In short, we must be cautious when dealing with them, and we must never provoke a war!"

"In that case, the upcoming meeting with that 'High Priest' will be of paramount importance."

Xuan Gang Sword Master pondered, "But do we really need to be so subservient? Even those at the Returning Void Realm aren't invincible. My 'Tai Xu Sword Sect' has ways to kill beings of that level!" Upon hearing this, the expressions of the several giants present changed drastically.

Even Li Yunjing is the same!
This is the first time someone has publicly admitted that they can fight against or even kill a master at the Void Returning Realm!

Does a top-tier sect like the "Tai Xu Sword Sect" really possess such methods?

"Absolutely not!"

"We don't need to waste our trump card on these natives!"

"The demonic calamity will begin in a few years. When that time comes, whatever conditions we agree to with the totem god will be nullified."

"Those Void Demons don't care whether 'Flame God' and his group have any ill intentions!"

After a long while, Li Yunjing waved his hand and advised, "At that time, hehe... Yan Shen and the others will have no choice but to resist!"

"hey-hey……"

Xuan Gang Sword Master, Thousand Machine Elder, Void Spirit Fairy, Li Cangqiong, and others all laughed.

Li Yunjing is giving Yan Shen and the others an empty promise!
The group understood immediately, and the slight pressure they had felt from facing an unknown expert dissipated considerably.

Since a plan had been made in advance, the subsequent maneuvering had a clear bottom line and objective.

Time passed slowly while waiting.

The "Sky Patrol Ship" completely concealed its presence, like an inconspicuous patch on the dark red sky.

The cultivators inside the ship seized the time to rest, treat the wounded, and replenish their spiritual energy. Although the atmosphere was solemn, it was orderly.

About half a day later, unusual activity was detected again from the distant volcanic area.

This time, it wasn't a scorching heatwave, but a solemn and imposing pressure, like a sleeping giant slowly opening its eyelids.

Three powerful auras arrived together, their speed seemingly slow, yet they seemed to be in sync with the pulse of the entire earth, each step landing precisely on a spatial node.

Leading the group was none other than the returning Guardian, Jhin, who remained silent, like the most loyal guard.

To his left was an old man dressed in an elaborate crimson robe, holding a staff with a huge dark red crystal at the top.

The old man had a simple, ancient face with deep wrinkles like ravines carved by flowing lava, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, as if they contained the light and heat of molten lava from the earth's core.

Its aura was as deep as the sea, reaching the fourth level of the Nascent Soul stage; it was none other than that "High Priest".

To the right of Jin was a woman with a lithe figure and healthy wheat-colored skin.

She wore only simple leather armor that outlined her explosive curves, with two curved swords hanging at her waist. Her eyes were sharp as an eagle's, carrying a wild and untamed light. Her aura was fierce, indicating that she was also at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage, and should be another guardian.

The three of them stopped a thousand feet in the void in front of the "Sky Patrol Ship," facing the bridge from afar.

"Leader of the outsiders, I am Chi Liao, the High Priest under the Flame God."

"Your words have been conveyed by Jin."

High Priest Chi Liao slowly raised his staff without speaking. A gentle yet undeniably majestic divine thought resonated directly in the minds of Li Yunjing and several key figures on the bridge: "Although the will of the Flame God is dormant, it has sensed your arrival and... your intentions."

Li Yunjing's expression turned serious, knowing that the crucial moment had arrived.

“Li Yunjing, Vice Leader of Tianlan Alliance, greets High Priest Chi Liao and the two guardians.”

He stepped out of the protective light shield of the bridge and stood alone in the void. He bowed to the High Priest of the Crimson Blaze with a dignified yet respectful demeanor: "I have disturbed the peace of your esteemed place without my consent. I hope you will forgive me."

“Li Yunjing, you want to use this land to establish an outpost, claiming that you are going to defend against a great enemy called the ‘Void Demon Clan’.”

"What exactly is this demon?"

The high priest of the Crimson Blaze fixed his deep gaze on Li Yunjing, as if trying to see through him from the inside out: "How can you prove that you are not the vanguard of this demon, or that you have other plans?"

"High Priest, please see this clearly."

"The Void Demons are a terrifying race that roams the depths of the starry sea, feeding on the world's origin and annihilating the life force of all things."

"Where it passed, the stars dimmed and the realm turned to ash."

Li Yunjing was prepared and said in a deep voice, "This is not just my opinion, but a catastrophe known to many star fields."

"As for proof... the cultivation methods practiced by the cultivators of the Tianlan Alliance are upright and honest, drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to temper themselves, which is completely opposite to the demonic energy that devours and destroys."

"The High Priest is all-powerful and should be able to sense the purity of our auras."

He paused briefly, then continued, "If the High Priest is still not at ease, I can release some records of the Void Demons' images and energy characteristics for the High Priest to examine."

Proposing to open the record is both proof and a gesture.

We possess knowledge and information that you do not know.

This gives them an advantage over the natives!
The power of "Tianlan Star" is incomparable to that of "Chiyan Star"!

The High Priest Chi Liao's eyes flickered slightly; clearly, Li Yunjing's suggestion was somewhat unexpected.

He remained silent for a moment, as if communicating with something unseen, or perhaps weighing his options.

"can!"

The High Priest Chi Liao slowly uttered two words, his voice resonating directly in everyone's hearts.

Li Yunjing was certain that knowing the other party was willing to make contact was the first step to success.

He took out a specially made jade slip, and with a slight movement of his divine sense, imprinted a processed, blurry image of the "Void Demons" ravaging the star field, along with their unique annihilation energy fluctuations, onto it.

This information is enough to make people feel the terror and threat of the "Void Demons", but it will not expose the core secrets of "Tianlan Star".

Jade simplified into a stream of light, which flew steadily toward Chi Liao.

The High Priest of Chi Liao extended his withered hand to take the jade slip, but did not examine it immediately. Instead, he placed it close to the tip of the dark red crystal staff on his forehead.

The crystal shimmered slightly, enveloping the jade slip.

After a moment, he put down the jade slip. His ancient face showed no emotion, but a trace of solemnity, barely perceptible, flashed deep in his eyes.

"This aura... does indeed bear some resemblance to the 'world-devouring calamity' foreshadowed in ancient murals."

The high priest of the Crimson Blaze's divine sense fluctuation carried a hint of antiquity, "The will of the Flame God also fluctuates. It seems that what you say is true."

"The high priest is extremely perceptive."

"Now that we know the threat is real, our 'Tianlan Alliance' is willing to join hands with you to build a defense line."

"Our alliance only needs to demarcate a vast area of ​​ten thousand miles on the edge of the 'Ash Plains', set up formations, and establish outposts."

"In return, our alliance is willing to provide ten thousand spirit stones, a thousand bottles of various healing and cultivation pills as funds for borrowing this land, and can also share some of the formations, which may also benefit the cultivation environment of your realm."

Li Yunjing pressed his advantage, cupping his hands and saying, "If the demonic calamity comes in the future, our alliance's outposts are willing to serve as a shield for the 'Crimson Flame Realm,' advancing and retreating together with your side!"

The conditions proposed by Li Yunjing were quite generous.

Spirit stones and elixirs are real resources.

More importantly, he positioned Tianlan Alliance as a "barrier" rather than an "invader," adopting an extremely humble stance.

The High Priest Chi Liao remained silent for a long time, his staff unconsciously tapping the void, creating ripples in circles.

He seemed to be weighing the pros and cons, and even more so, he seemed to be listening to the will of the "Flame God" from the darkness.

Jin and the female guardian stood silently to one side, their sharp eyes fixed on Li Yunjing and the "Sky Patrol Ship" behind him, maintaining the highest level of vigilance.

“Outsider, your sincerity has been felt by me and the Flame God.”

Finally, the High Priest Chi Liao raised his head and looked at Li Yunjing with piercing eyes: "This vast land is a place where you may temporarily reside."

Li Yunjing was overjoyed and was about to express his gratitude when Chi Liao suddenly changed his tone, his voice becoming solemn and majestic, carrying a rhythm that seemed to draw upon the power of heaven and earth.

"However, the 'Crimson Flame Realm' has its own laws!"

"To use this place, a 'Fire Pact' must be established!"

"First, your formations must not touch the area within a hundred miles of the 'Silent Volcano Cluster,' which is the forbidden zone where the 'Flame God' slumbers. Touching it will result in death!"

"Second, you must not actively slaughter native creatures that have developed intelligence, unless they launch an attack that endangers your very foundation."

"Third, you must swear an oath on your own path that if the 'Void Demons' descend upon this world, you, as the vanguard, must be the first to fight, and you must not retreat or shift the disaster to the native creatures!"

"Fourth, every ten years, five thousand spirit stones and one hundred bottles of specific elixirs must be offered to the 'Flame God' altar as a tribute!"

"These four points are the bottom line, and there is no room for doubt!"

"If you are willing to accept, then use your essence, blood, and soul to activate the fire source laws of this world and form a 'Flame Pact'."

"If you disobey, the wrath of the Flame God will burn your souls to ashes, and you will have no place to stand in this world!"

The voice of the Crimson Blaze High Priest was like thunder, resounding in the minds of every cultivator in the "Sky Blue Alliance".

Those four prohibitions, especially the third and fourth, are quite harsh.

The initial battle force means being cannon fodder, while the ten-year offering is equivalent to long-term resource plunder.

Xuan Gang Sword Master frowned and transmitted his voice to Li Yunjing: "Vice Alliance Leader, these conditions are a bit too much..."

Li Yunjing raised his hand to stop him, his face remaining calm.

He had long anticipated that the other party wouldn't agree so easily!
Although these conditions were harsh, they were all within his expectations, especially the "cannon fodder" clause, which was originally intended for the natives of the "Crimson Flame Realm" to suffer first. Now that the other party had brought it up, it saved him a lot of trouble.

As for offerings, they are nothing but empty promises. When the demonic calamity strikes, who will care about the ten-year agreement?
“What the high priest said is reasonable.”

Li Yunjing said loudly, "To show our sincerity, the Tianlan Alliance is willing to accept this 'Flame Pact'! However, could we please have a moment to discuss the types and quantities of offerings to ensure a long-term and stable supply?"

"can."

Chi Liao was surprised that Li Yunjing agreed so readily, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "I hope you can give me a reply today."

Li Yunjing returned to the bridge and quickly communicated with Xuan Gang Sword Master and others via telepathy.

"Vice Alliance Leader, are you really going to agree?"

"This is utterly humiliating and disgraceful!"

The Xuan Gang Sword Master was somewhat resentful.

Although they had already discussed it, the sword cultivator was still very dissatisfied with the other party's conditions!
"Agree? Why not agree?"

"Under the calamity of the demons, the native creatures will be the first to suffer. We are merely taking refuge here temporarily and observing the movements of the demons."

"Their demand for us to be the first to fight is exactly what I wanted!"

"As for offerings... Hmph, whether this 'Crimson Flame Realm' will even exist when the demonic calamity arrives is still uncertain."

Li Yunjing's lips curled into a cold smile. "Everything we agree to now is just a temporary measure to buy this precious time to set up the formation!"

Everyone instantly understood Li Yunjing's deeper meaning.

This is a conspiracy!

By exploiting information asymmetry and judging future situations, they may seem to be at a disadvantage, but in reality, they are pushing the greatest risks and responsibilities onto the local forces of the "Crimson Flame Realm".

"High Priest, after discussion, our alliance agrees to all the terms of the 'Flame Pact'."

Soon, Li Yunjing reappeared and said to the High Priest of Chi Liao, "The offerings can be made according to your request, but our alliance hopes to add some pills that can help stabilize the soul and repair injuries, in preparation for future battles. This also aligns with our mission of jointly resisting foreign enemies."

Chi Liao gave Li Yunjing a deep look, as if trying to read something from his eyes, and finally nodded: "Okay!"

Immediately, he waved his staff, and a complex contract scroll composed of countless leaping dark red flame runes unfurled in the air, clearly displaying the four terms that had just been agreed upon.

A scorching and ancient aura of law spread out, causing one's soul to tremble.

"By blood, by soul, we pledge our oath!"

Chi Liao shouted in a low voice.

"go with!"

Without hesitation, Li Yunjing forced out a drop of his life essence blood, containing his soul essence, and shot it towards the scroll.

The moment the blood merged, the scroll shone brightly, transforming into two streams of light. One entered Li Yunjing's brow, while the other soared into the sky and vanished into the world.

An invisible sense of constraint enveloped Li Yunjing's heart.

The contract is complete!

Supervised by the fundamental laws of this "Crimson Flame Realm".

This kind of law-based supervision is not harsh, unlike the oath of Heaven. As long as Li Yunjing leaves this planet, the other party will be unable to do anything to him.

"The contract has been made; you'd better behave yourself."

"Jin will stay nearby, both to keep watch and to provide some assistance as long as you do not violate the contract."

The High Priest Chi Liao's tone softened slightly, "The boundary is a hundred miles from the direction of the Silent Volcanoes. Do not cross it."

After speaking, the figures of the Crimson High Priest and the female guardian slowly disappeared.

Jin nodded slightly to Li Yunjing, then his figure flashed and landed on the mountainside of a distant volcano, as if he had turned into a rock.

"Gentlemen, the first step has been successful!"

Li Yunjing returned to the bridge, faced the crowd, let out a long sigh of relief, and smiled with a sense of accomplishment: "From this moment on, with the ship as the core, set up the 'Nine Revolutions Mystic Turtle Concealing Breath Array' for initial concealment, and at the same time begin surveying the earth's veins to prepare for constructing the 'Zhou Tian Xing Chen Locking Demon Array'!"

"Time is of the essence. We must transform this place into the most fortified forward stronghold of our 'Tianlan Alliance' before the demonic calamity descends!"

Once the order was given, the construction of the base proceeded at a rapid pace.

Under the guidance of the Thousand Machine Elder, the "Nine Revolutions Mystic Turtle Concealing Breath Array" was set up first, perfectly concealing the aura of the "Sky Patrol Ship" and the surrounding area.

If one did not see it with their own eyes, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would find it difficult to detect the anomaly here.

Subsequently, the even more massive "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Locking Demon Array" began surveying the earth's veins and laying the foundation for the array.

Throughout the entire process, Li Yunjing strictly followed the "Flame Pact," keeping his activities within a radius of ten thousand miles and avoiding the hundred-mile restricted area of ​​the "Silent Volcano Group."

As promised, Guardian Jin provided some assistance, such as pointing out several relatively stable locations suitable for setting up the core array eyes by igniting the earth fire, and warning that the monster groups in certain areas were more sensitive and it was best to detour around them.

On this day, Li Yunjing was in his makeshift cave dwelling, deducing the point of convergence between the formation and the "Crimson Flame Realm" ley lines.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he sensed a very subtle feeling of being spied on.

This feeling did not come from the direction of the ashes, nor from ordinary monsters, but rather carried an ancient and boundless will, as if the entire earth was silently watching.

Li Yunjing remained calm and continued his deductions, while his divine sense, like the finest spider web, quietly unfolded, tracing the source of the probing.

Finally, his divine sense locked onto the depths of the distant "Silent Volcano Group," where the will was like a dormant volcano, vast yet restrained, carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"The God of Fire..."

Li Yunjing understood.

Even in his slumber, this totem god of the Crimson Flame Realm kept a close watch on these uninvited guests.

The spying just now might have been an unconscious glance, or it might have been a deliberate probe.

Li Yunjing did not react in any way, but simply calmed his aura and focused on deducing the formation, as if he were completely immersed in the world of formations.

The feeling of being spied on lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, then receded like the tide and disappeared without a trace.

"interesting!"

"It seems this 'Flame God' isn't exactly honest either!"

Li Yunjing slowly opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

This silent encounter heightened his wariness of the "Flame God."

This being is by no means someone to be trifled with.

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye.

With a significant investment of resources and manpower, the basic framework of the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Locking Demon Array" has been initially established.

Hundreds of enormous star pillars rose from the ground, distributed along mysterious trajectories, subtly connecting with the power of the stars in the sky and forming a delicate balance with the earth's vein fire.

After the formation was completed, it began to slowly guide and suppress the violent spiritual energy in the area.

"Vice Alliance Leader, an unusual energy fluctuation has been detected tens of thousands of miles to the south, indicating signs of a large-scale battle!"

On this day, Li Cangqiong, who was in charge of perimeter security, suddenly sent an urgent report: "It seems... it's not a fight between demonic beasts; the energy attribute is very unfamiliar and strange!"

"quick!"

Li Yunjing immediately got up and rushed to the bridge with Xuan Gang Sword Master, Qianji Elder, and others.

By magnifying the image through the detection array, one could see a vast area of ​​lava hills thousands of miles away, with billowing smoke and towering flames.

Some short, stocky, dark red humanoid creatures wearing rough stone armor could be vaguely seen fighting fiercely against a group of distorted monsters that exuded a gray-black aura of annihilation.

Those humanoid creatures were quite strong individually, mostly at the Golden Core to Nascent Soul level. They cooperated well, were fearless, and stubbornly resisted by utilizing the terrain and fire magic.

But their opponents, those gray-black monsters, with their unpredictable shapes, bizarre attack methods, ability to corrode spells and physical entities, and seemingly some resistance to fire, are gradually gaining the upper hand.

(End of this chapter)