Chapter 1081: Who Here Could Have Done This

"Little Mirror, this Immortal Flame Valley feels rather unusual. What's its background?"

Fang Chen didn't approach recklessly. There were numerous restriction spells laid out around the valley, complex ones that even with his Primordial Immortal Eye activated, would require time to analyze and find the optimal way to break through.

"Nothing particularly special. There's just a cluster of immortal flames here. This place might have been the cave-dwelling of an alchemist from the Immortal Realm," the Mirror of the Universe replied.

A cave dwelling of a pill maker from the Immortal Realm?

Fang Chen nodded. Judging by how many immortal abodes were left on Tuxiong Star alone, it was clear that when the ancient Immortal Realm's gates were still open, immortals enjoyed establishing residences in the Mortal Realm to cultivate.

A few days later, Fang Chen found a flaw in the array and proceeded without obstruction into the depths of the Immortal Flame Valley. There, he saw a massive formation, around which sat several first-transformation Loose Immortals and over a hundred Ascension Realm cultivators.

At the formation's center, a peculiar immortal flame was burning furiously, and floating above it was a crimson-gold gourd.

Fang Chen recognized it, it belonged to Wang Chongsong.

However, Wang Chongsong was not here. Even Yun Ding was absent. It seemed the pill-refining process was led by the three Loose Immortals, with the other Ascension Realm cultivators merely assisting.

But Fang Chen could tell they were only auxiliaries. They were using the formation to control the immortal flame and refine the Heaven Calamity Dragoness and others within the gourd.

Having inherited the Heavenly Supreme Pill Technique, Fang Chen was easily able to identify the flame, and his eyes stirred slightly.

Coldwater Immortal Flame...

In the Heavenly Supreme Pill Technique, there were ninety-nine types of unique spiritual flames. This Coldwater Immortal Flame was one of them. It was a rare and special spiritual flame even in the Immortal Realm. If used properly, it not only had the power to burn everything but could also freeze thousands of miles.

The Thousand Dao Tower clearly did not know how to truly subdue and refine the Coldwater Immortal Flame, which was why they had arranged this formation. With three Loose Immortals in charge and over a hundred high-level cultivators, they could only barely control it, using it to burn away karmic ties on the Heaven Calamity Dragoness and others.

Originally, Fang Chen just wanted to take them away and deal the Spirit God Sect a silent blow. He hadn't expected such a windfall.

Unfortunately, with this many cultivators stationed here, even if he had a special method to subdue the Coldwater Immortal Flame, he couldn't use it now.

Given his current cultivation, he'd need at least a year or two to subdue this flame.

However, he had another idea in mind. Perhaps he could try bringing it into the Underworld. There, he'd have enough time to refine it.

Naturally, that came with risk; those Loose Immortals before him could react the instant he made a move. He might not have enough time to forcefully take the Coldwater Immortal Flame.

A thought stirred in Fang Chen's mind.

These cultivators are exhausting their spiritual energy at a rapid pace. This formation likely can't be sustained indefinitely.

He patiently waited nearby. A month later, one Loose Immortal opened his eyes and rose to his feet. Then the other two followed, along with the hundred-plus Ascension Realm cultivators.

Without the formation's activation, the Coldwater Immortal Flame gradually ceased releasing heat, becoming like an ordinary fire.

There was no trace of its might.

That was one of Coldwater Immortal Flame's traits; without spiritual power to activate it, its dual ice-fire nature neutralized itself, making it seem ordinary. Even if a mortal touched it, they wouldn't be harmed.

Thus, in the Immortal Realm, Coldwater Immortal Flame was rarely discovered, and even when it appeared, it was often overlooked.

Soon, another batch of cultivators entered the Immortal Flame Valley, identical in configuration to the previous group, led again by another three Loose Immortals.

The handover was seamless.

Fang Chen was somewhat disappointed. Without enough time, he still couldn't make a move. "There aren't many first tribulation Loose Immortals stationed at the Thousand Dao Tower. If a few left for some reason, there might be a gap during the handover."

A plan crystallized in Fang Chen's mind.

In the following days, the Thousand Dao Tower's external operations were suddenly hit by assassinations. Even some spirit mines guarded by Loose Immortals were attacked, and two of the Loose Immortals standing watch had been killed.

The incident shocked all of Prison Wind. No one had expected someone would suddenly target the Thousand Dao Tower.

Some suspected the hidden Loose Immortals of the Sun and Long Families, but their grudges were with the sword cultivators, not the Thousand Dao Tower. Others speculated that the Great Sun Sect or the Yin Holy Sect had clashed with the Tower, causing these attacks.

As the incidents piled up, tension boiled within the Thousand Dao Tower. Disciples speculated wildly about the perpetrator, shouting for revenge.

To clear suspicion, both the Sunlight and Yin Holy Sects voluntarily sent Loose Immortals to explain.

One day, Yun Ding entered the Immortal Flame Valley with a dark expression and waved his hand. "Everyone, stop what you're doing."

The Loose Immortals immediately halted and rose to salute.

The hundred-plus cultivators sensed something and looked somewhat uneasy.

Yun Ding's face was grim. "Someone has been recently targeting the Thousand Dao Tower. In a short time, four first-transformation Loose Immortals have died. The perpetrator leaves no trace; it's difficult to track them down."

A Loose Immortal was stunned. "Who's so bold? We've already wiped out the Killing Spiritual Division cultivators in this region. Could they have sent others?"

Fang Chen's gaze flickered; this was unexpected news.

The Killing Spiritual Division's cultivators in Prison Wind have been completely wiped out?

"All Starry Teleportation Formations are under strict watch by sword cultivators, and anyone who arrives through them is immediately slain. It couldn't have been them," said Yun Ding. "I suspect it's those sword cultivators scheming something."

"How dare they?"

The others were even more shocked.

"We'll go meet their leaders and find out. The Tower Master has already arranged the meeting, we're just going along for support," Yun Ding said indifferently.

Not long after, he led the group of cultivators out of the Immortal Flame Valley.

They left without any special precautions, seemingly confident in the restriction spells and convinced no one could infiltrate the valley undetected.

Fang Chen waited patiently until they had completely left. In the next instant, he blinked into the valley's center, a hand reaching for the gourd, and another grabbing the Coldwater Immortal Flame.

Boom!

A terrifying force swept out like thunder.

Fang Chen's expression tightened.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Everything happened too quickly. It was very likely that the Tower Master had sensed the disturbance.

A path to the Underworld opened before Fang Chen, and he leapt in, vanishing.

Immediately after, a middle-aged man in blue robes appeared in the Immortal Flame Valley. Seeing the empty formation, his face darkened.

Yun Ding and the others returned soon after. When they saw that the Coldwater Immortal Flame had vanished, and the gourd containing the Heaven Calamity Dragoness and other Loose Immortals had disappeared, they were dumbfounded.

"To steal my Coldwater Immortal Flame right under my nose... Tell me, who in this place could have done such a thing?" the blue-robed man asked in a quiet voice, his gaze indifferent.

No one dared answer; they all knew the Tower Master was not truly asking them...