Chapter 114: One Step Too Late

The gloomy wind felt piercingly cold, chilling one to the bone.

As soon as Qu Yiqiu stepped into the cavern, she immediately formed a seal, conjuring the Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire. The brilliant flare of flames forced Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King to retreat several steps.

"My Lord, what kind of spirit fire is that in your hand?" Yao Zhimei was the first to ask, her voice laced with astonishment.

Qu Yiqiu, not expecting such a strong reaction from them, replied, "This is the Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire. I obtained it by chance."

No sooner had she spoken than the flame hovering in her palm surged, emitting a soft, bird-like cry. It suddenly spread its wings and, defying her control, darted forward. Qu Yiqiu chased after it in surprise; this was the first time she had manifested the fire in front of others, and she had not expected it to go awry.

Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King, having regained much of their strength since entering the cave, hurried to follow. However, the speed of the Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire was far too great, outpacing even the swift Yao Zhimei.

"Hiss, who are you?"
"Who dares trespass into the Palm Bone Seal formation!?"
"Please, let me go... save me..."
"Let me out... let me out..."

Before Qu Yiqiu could catch the fire, the mournful, piercing screams echoing around her left her feeling frayed and irritable.

"Silence, all of you!" she roared, her voice imbued with a terrifying pressure that crushed down in all directions.

Deep within her sea of consciousness, little Yan, who had been sitting in meditation, was startled awake by the sudden surge in her aura. "Master, what is wrong? Why are you so angry?" his clear voice flowed through her mind like a spring, washing away her inner turmoil.

Qu Yiqiu snapped back to reality. Looking ahead, she realized that Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King had stopped chasing the spirit fire and were instead attacking the restrained ghost cultivators nearby.

"The resentment here is too heavy; this formation is already affecting our states of mind," Qu Yiqiu thought, grateful for little Yan's intervention.

Bound by soul contracts to her, she issued a single thought, forcing them to cease their assault. Yao Zhimei hesitated for a few heartbeats before snapping out of it, realizing her own strange behavior. She turned and asked, "My Lord, has your spirit fire developed sentience?"

If the fire had gained consciousness, it might have been influenced by the formation to flee. Qu Yiqiu shared this suspicion and nodded. "It has some, but not much."

"Then we must find it immediately!" Yao Zhimei realized the gravity of the situation. If a spirit fire that had recognized its master developed hostile tendencies, it could cause significant harm to Qu Yiqiu.

"If we subdue these ghost cultivators first, finding the spirit fire should be easier," Qu Yiqiu said, turning her gaze toward the tormented spirits trapped around them.

"The Master is right!" the Golden Ghost King chimed in, eager to flatter her.

As soon as they spoke, the surrounding ghost cultivators panicked. No one wished to become a slave. Qu Yiqiu could feel the resentment in the cave thicken instantly; the formation beneath their feet felt icy to the touch, yet to the ghost cultivators, it burned like a branding iron.

"Ah! My body is tearing apart!"
"Save me... get me out of here!"
"I would rather die than be anyone's slave!"

The shrill cries echoed through the narrow cavern. Qu Yiqiu flicked her slender fingers, weaving layers of intricate golden seals into the void. The profound rhythm of the seals left Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King stunned, standing rooted to the spot.

Little Yan stood up in excitement, his small, chubby legs looking adorable as he balanced atop the eye. "The Master is actually capable of imprinting the laws of space onto another world!"

Qu Yiqiu was unaware of the significance of her actions. Having experienced the submission of ghosts like Shen Mengkai, she had suddenly gained a marvelous insight into the nature of space, instinctively creating a new binding seal. As she slowly pushed the golden seal forward, a terrifying force of law flooded the entire cavern. Not a single ghost cultivator could escape this calamity.

Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King watched in awe, their mouths hanging wide enough to fit an egg. Qu Yiqiu herself was startled; she had not realized that a seal cast so casually could possess such immense power.

A few moments passed. Suddenly, Qu Yiqiu felt as though the entire layout of the cave was mapped out within her mind. Receiving information from the ghosts bound by the Palm Bone Seal, she raced toward the location of the Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire. She moved like a gust of wind, flashing past Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King.

Yao Zhimei touched her face and turned to the dazed Golden Ghost King. "It seems that whether we come here or not makes no difference to the Master at all!"

Around them, the silence was absolute. Every ghost cultivator had been subdued by Qu Yiqiu.

A surge of intense resistance flooded her consciousness. Qu Yiqiu's eyes flashed with cold light as she raised her hand to form another golden seal.

The Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire was currently greedily devouring a mass of ghostly white flame. As the white flame dwindled, the intricate patterns of the Palm Bone Seal formation grew deeper and more profound.

Once the white flame was consumed, a bird's head suddenly sprouted from the body of the Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire, adorned with long, brilliant, and dazzling feathers.

"Caw—"

A clear, resonant cry erupted from the fire's sharp beak. It spread its fiery wings, preparing to pierce through the stone ceiling and flee. Qu Yiqiu's heart stirred, and several nearby ghost cultivators rushed forward without hesitation, surrounding the fire while screaming as they were scorched.

In the blink of an eye, the Dark Purple Sparrow Phoenix Fire broke through the encirclement and cried out to the sky. Qu Yiqiu cast her seal, which flew after the fire's tail.

"Caw—"

Just as the fire was about to pass through the stone wall, the golden seal struck its tail, quickly spreading across its entire body and enveloping the flames before they returned to normal. The spirit fire’s final traces of defiance vanished. It flew obediently back into Qu Yiqiu’s palm, affectionately rubbing its head against her soft skin.

Qu Yiqiu saw even more intelligence in its eyes; the creature had become much smarter.

"Is that it?" Yao Zhimei asked, looking bewildered. The Golden Ghost King was equally stunned.

Qu Yiqiu put the fire away and turned around. "Let's go. We must leave this place with these ghost cultivators immediately; if the Ghost King of the Yellow Springs Pool discovers us, our lives will be in danger."

Yao Zhimei’s expression turned solemn. "Understood!"

The Golden Ghost King followed respectfully behind them, sweeping a smug glance over the obedient ghost cultivators. None of them could compare to him; he was the only one who could stay by Qu Yiqiu's side every day!

Qu Yiqiu led the massive procession of ghost cultivators out of the Palm Bone Seal formation. It was not until the very last ghost had exited the cave that Yao Zhimei and the Golden Ghost King realized just how many ghosts Qu Yiqiu had subdued with her layers of seals.

Shortly after they departed with their massive retinue, Wu Xinzhi and her group of seven arrived at the scene.

"Is this the cave entrance?" Wu Xinzhi asked, a faint smile playing on her lips as she stood before the very opening where Qu Yiqiu and her companions had subdued the ghosts.