I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

All of this happened too fast. From the moment the city was engulfed in flames to the opening of the city gates by an inside agent, only a few dozen breaths had passed. Although Wen Ruohai reacted swiftly, he was overwhelmed and could only watch helplessly as the Crimson Flame Sect's large force marched in. His eyes were bloodshot with rage: "Crimson Flame! How dare you do this! You've broken the rules of the Hundred Sects Battlefield! Does your Crimson Flame Sect intend to wage war against my Book and Sword Sect?!"

Chi Rong stomped on the burning cobblestones, laughing wildly: "Rules? Wen Ruohai, the rules are only for the victors! This Qing Shi City, my Chi Yan Sect wants it! As for war? Let's talk about that when your Shu Jian Sect can survive this Hundred Sects War! Kill! Occupy the City Lord's Mansion, control the core of the formation! Those who resist, kill them without mercy!"

The disciples of the Crimson Flame Sect pounced on key locations throughout the city like wolves and tigers, engaging in fierce battles with the hastily assembled disciples of the Book and Sword Sect and the defending cultivators. Shouts of battle, explosions, and screams instantly filled the entire city. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the demonic beings outside the city also surged in through breaches in the city gates and weak points in the defenses, making the situation even more chaotic and bloody.

Qin Yuan's section of the city wall, being closest to the main gate, bore the brunt of the attack. Several elite demonic creatures and a number of Crimson Flame Sect disciples charged forward in a mixed attack. Chu Wuyue, Yun Qingyao, and the others, though startled, remained calm, forming a battle formation back to back and fighting back with all their might. Purple Spirit Daggers flashed, Han Bing and Ye Guying drew their swords and sabers simultaneously, Tuoba Shan wielded his giant axe wildly, and Su Meier and Yin Jiuyou also unleashed their techniques.

Qin Yuan, at the heart of the battle, continued his concise and efficient attacks; wherever his finger strikes and fist punches landed, an enemy was sure to fall. However, his brow furrowed slightly, his divine sense encompassing the chaotic battlefield. The Crimson Flame Sect's operation this time was premeditated, a coordinated effort from within and without, and certainly not a spur-of-the-moment decision. That "Junior Brother Wu" had been infiltrating the Book and Sword Sect for quite some time. And his target was clear: control of the city. A swift and decisive crackdown on this "destabilizing factor" was certain to follow.

They, a group driven out of Huangtu City and who happened to arrive in Qingshi City, were probably already on the enemy's purge list. The initial expulsion was perhaps just the first step, intended to force them to leave the relatively familiar Huangtu City and fall into this carefully laid trap. If they were to take action directly in Huangtu City, the Crimson Flame Sect would have to consider the impact and possible backlash. But in this "enemy territory" of Qingshi City, killing them would be without any burden.

"I must break through immediately," Qin Yuan decided. He had thoroughly comprehended the Nine Deaths Nascent Soul Technique, only lacking a suitable environment of the Earth's core fire for his first "Infant Burning Tempering." Originally, he planned to seek a safe place and proceed slowly, but now the situation had changed drastically, and the crisis was imminent, leaving no time to wait.

"Senior Brother Qin, there are too many people from the Crimson Flame Sect! And there are also demons!" Han Bing forced back a Crimson Flame Sect disciple with his sword, but a bloody gash appeared on his shoulder from the demon's claws. He shouted urgently.

Qin Yuan smashed the head of a wolf-shaped demon that pounced on him with a single palm strike, and said in a deep voice, "Retreat to the inn, hold your position, and await reinforcements! I'll be right back!"

"Junior Brother Qin, where are you going?" Chu Wuyue's white pupils were filled with a mixture of fighting spirit and worry.

"Breakthrough." Qin Yuan said succinctly, his figure blurring as he broke away from the battle, skimming down the city wall like a wisp of smoke, speeding towards the inn where they were temporarily staying. Although there were scattered enemies blocking his way, he killed them all with a single move, his speed undiminished.

The inn was located in the relatively quiet southwest corner of the city, and had not yet been affected by the large-scale war. However, the shouts of battle could be clearly heard in the distance. The innkeeper and his staff had long since disappeared, and only a few guests were peeking out in panic.

Qin Yuan went straight back to his room and quickly set up several simple protective barriers to block detection and defense. He sat cross-legged on the couch and focused his mind on his dantian.

The nascent soul figure sat cross-legged in the center of the dantian, its entire body a pale gold color. It looked exactly like Qin Yuan, only slightly illusory. This was the nascent soul form condensed by the Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique, with a foundation far superior to others of the same level, but it had not yet undergone the life-and-death tempering of the Nine Deaths Nascent Soul Technique.

"System, retrieve the key points of the first 'Infant Burning Tempering' stage of the 'Nine Deaths Nascent Soul Technique' and optimize it in conjunction with the current environment," Qin Yuan silently recited in his mind.

[Command received. Analysis of the environment... detected high concentration of fire-attribute energy fluctuations, source: multiple arson sites within the city, suspected to be mixed with 'Earth Vein Lava Essence' and 'Corrosive Bone Poison Fire'... the energy is mixed, violent, and highly corrosive. Directly initiate tempering; estimated success rate 37.5%, Nascent Soul damage rate 89%.]

[Deduction and optimization in progress... The original spiritual power of the "Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique" can be used to construct the "Purifying Fire Spiritual Pivot" to filter out impure fire toxins and purify the core essence of the "Earth's Core Flame"... After optimization, the success rate will increase to 68%, and the damage rate to the Nascent Soul will decrease to 41%. Execute?]

"41% damage rate..." Qin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. This risk was still very high. Damage to the Nascent Soul could result in a drop in cultivation level or even the complete destruction of one's Dao Foundation. However, compared to the desperate situation outside where there were at least two Nascent Soul Peak experts and a large number of elite enemies surrounding them, this was a relatively controllable risk.

"Execute. Simultaneously, convert 5,000 energy points to enhance the state of enlightenment and assist in controlling the tempering process."

[Energy Points -5000. Current Energy Points: 33760. Enlightenment state activated, duration: one hour. Purifying Fire Spiritual Pivot under construction...]

In an instant, Qin Yuan felt his thinking speed surge, his perception and control of his own spiritual power, nascent soul state, and external fire-attribute energy becoming incredibly precise. He formed hand seals, and the spiritual power of the Nine Revolutions Profound Origin Technique within his body circulated along a mysterious trajectory, constructing an extremely complex, constantly rotating pale golden spiritual power network around his nascent soul in his dantian, resembling a miniature array—the "Purifying Fire Spiritual Pivot."

At the same time, he released his isolation from external fire-attribute energy. The temperature in the room suddenly rose, and visible pale red currents of energy appeared in the air, wispy and fiery, carrying a chilling ferocity and a hint of venom. These currents, drawn by Qin Yuan's cultivation technique, surged into his body.

"laugh--"

The fire flowed into his body like a scalding hot iron invading his meridians! A sharp pain shot through him, causing Qin Yuan's body to tremble slightly, and sweat instantly beaded on his forehead. However, his mind, in a state of sudden enlightenment, remained as steady as a rock, guiding these chaotic and violent streams of fire into the "Pure Fire Spiritual Pivot" in his dantian.

The pale golden spiritual pivot spun rapidly, like the most precise sieve and furnace. A torrent of raging fire, streaked with crimson and speckled with blackish-green, surged in, being filtered, decomposed, and purified by the pivot. The blackish-green poisonous fire and the violent impurities were stripped away, repelled, and worn away, leaving only the purest, most intense, golden-red core fire source—the essence of the Earth's core flames!

This wisp of pure fire, as thin as a hair, contained a terrifyingly high temperature that made Qin Yuan's heart tremble, and the ability to incinerate all things. It slowly drifted toward the seated, pale golden nascent soul.

The first infancy refining process begins!

The moment the golden-red flames touched the pale golden nascent soul—

"boom!!!"

Qin Yuan's consciousness seemed to explode! An indescribable burning pain erupted from the deepest part of his soul! It wasn't physical pain, but the direct sensation of his nascent soul being burned and tempered! The surface of his pale golden nascent soul instantly turned crimson, its form began to blur and distort, as if it were about to melt and vaporize at any moment!