Chapter 942: The Banner Completed

This treasure was a broken ancient artifact. No one knew what grade it had been when intact, now it could only conceal aura.

That young man surnamed Fang had once relied on the Red Origin Gauze to come and go freely through human territory.

After Qin Sang explained the use of the Red Origin Gauze, Bai’s face lit up with delight. "Good! With this treasure’s aid, we are bound to succeed. Daoist, let us begin..."

Qin Sang nodded. The ground of the cavern and the stone walls of the canyon shared the same material. They gleamed with a metallic luster and were incomparably hard.

According to Bai, all this was due to the existence of the barrier. The barrier covered the entire ghostly land, shrouding it completely, sealing the wandering spirits and suppressing them here for eternity. It was because of the altar that Bai had been able to slumber within this cavern.

Elsewhere, if he dared to approach the barrier, he would instantly suffer its backlash. Earlier, when he peered at the Spiritual Infant from the gorge's mouth, he had no choice but to stand far back.

Bai led Qin Sang to the altar, pointed out the crucial methods to break through the barrier, then sat cross-legged at the altar’s center, ready to activate it and assist Qin Sang when he drew out the devilish flames.

He clenched his hands tightly, his gaze unable to hide the nervousness in his heart. Qin Sang circled the altar a few times, contemplated, then sat cross-legged in one spot. From the Thousand-Jin Ring, he produced a devilish banner.

Closing his eyes slightly, he recalled Founder Kuiyin’s methods of artifact refinement. By now, it was no longer artifact refinement in the true sense, but rather a matter of seizing the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells, sealing them with the aid of the black iron column’s original barriers and the power of the Soul Threads.

In this process, he not only had to suppress the fire’s resistance but also contend with the backlash of the barrier.

If he had chosen the flames at the canyon entrance that had already revealed themselves, it might have been easier. But with the Spiritual Infant cultivator watching outside, and with no way to weaken the barrier that way, it was not an option. Fortunately, Bai could channel the altar’s power to help him at the critical moment.

After rehearsing the process in his mind several times and ensuring there was nothing missing, Qin Sang opened his eyes and nodded to Bai. "Begin."

Bai drew a deep breath, his expression solemn as he looked around at the eight spiritual pillars standing on the altar.

No one knew what these spiritual pillars had been forged from. After countless years they looked like nothing more than plain stone pillars, dull and gray.

Bai’s lips moved, chanting an incantation carved into the depths of his soul, awakening the altar that had slept for countless years.

Qin Sang grasped the devilish banner tightly, ready to unleash his secret technique at any moment. His eyes were fixed on Bai’s movements. The speed of Bai’s chanting grew faster and faster, yet the altar remained still.

Suddenly, the altar shuddered violently, shaking the entire cavern. The next moment, one of the spiritual pillars at the edge of the altar let out a cracking sound.

Qin Sang turned his gaze toward it. A faint light glowed from within the pillar, shining outward until it appeared translucent. The pillar seemed to shed a stone shell, revealing an inner body carved like fine jade.

Yet what shocked him was that under the glow, countless spiderweb cracks covered the entire interior.

Seeing this, Qin Sang’s heart tightened. He noticed Bai had paused his chant and quickly asked, "Were these cracks already there in the spiritual pillar?"

The power of the barrier was fading, and it seemed the altar was in no better condition.

Qin Sang could not help but worry that the pillar might shatter halfway, ruining their efforts. If that happened, he would be trapped in the ghostly land for decades.

Bai’s expression turned grave. Staring at the pillar for a long moment, he finally said, "Be at ease, Daoist. The cracks were caused by the altar’s weakening under the barrier’s corrosion. But this is an item I personally refined in life. It is not as fragile as it appears. Moreover, the barrier’s strength is far from what it once was. The pillars will last until we break it and deliver the spirits."

Qin Sang’s face eased. "In that case, I am reassured. I am ready with my secret art. You may directly strike the barrier and force the devilish fire to manifest."

"Very well!" Bai nodded. He pointed at the spiritual pillar, his fingers flicking like wheels as streaks of light poured into it.

With a creaking sound that set one’s heart on edge, the pillar erupted in brilliance, flooding the stone chamber with dazzling light. At the juncture where the pillars and altar met, countless profound runes appeared.

Enveloped by the light, Qin Sang saw the runes and felt a deep peace well up within him, though his mind remained clear. Perhaps it was the influence of the Jade Buddha, or perhaps the altar’s power did not target the living.

The runes appeared, and with them came sudden change. The ground shone with strange light, and black markings surged up densely like a vast net, enclosing the altar.

From these black markings Qin Sang sensed a familiar aura. It was the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells.

The moment the black net appeared, the pillar’s glow dimmed, the runes recoiled into the altar, and the light grew weaker.

"Open!" Bai’s eyes bulged as he roared, pressing his hand down. The altar’s runes exploded into a mass of light that struck fiercely against the black net before Qin Sang.

Boom!

Amidst the violent tremor, Qin Sang relied on the supernatural ability of the Sky-Eyed Butterfly to see the changes.

The black net rose from the ground, taking true form, its eerie runes twisting and devouring the altar’s light. It sensed Bai’s aura and surged toward the altar in madness.

Bai’s face changed. He hastily drove the altar’s power to resist the invasion of runes, casting an expectant look at Qin Sang. Qin Sang’s eyes were locked on the place where the net burst forth.

The barrier’s power, forced to appear by the altar, revealed itself as threads of the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells. Ordinarily, the flames and runes were inseparable, but now, with a flaw present, he had a chance.

Seeing the opening, Qin Sang wasted no time. He swept the devilish banner toward it.

As the banner descended near the flames, its black glow flared, unleashing a suction that drew a wisp of the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells into it. At the same time, Qin Sang cast his secret technique to seal the fire within the astra.

To his astonishment, the ferocious devilish fire, trapped in the banner’s glow, struggled violently yet could not break free.

Gradually, the wisp of fire calmed, then vanished into the banner, sealed away. At once, the eerie runes shattered, and the black net weakened.

Seeing this, Bai rejoiced and urged him again and again. "Daoist, quickly collect the devilish flames! Once we succeed, we must move on at once and destroy the other crucial barriers before they recover!"

Knowing time was pressing, Qin Sang dared not hesitate. He sped up despite the heavy drain on his true essence, sealing away one wisp of the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells after another.

Under Bai’s anxious gaze, a brand-new devilish banner was finally completed! Drawing the banner into his hand, Qin Sang could not help but smile.

Surely Founder Kuiyin had never imagined that the Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions, which he had poured so much effort into creating, would reappear in Qin Sang’s hands and shine with glory once again.