Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 368: The Crimson Core

Everyone was startled by the Crimson Core.

It looked far too much like a demonic core!

Only great demons at the Demonic Core Realm could produce demonic cores, equivalent to the Golden Core of human cultivators at the Core Formation Realm. Using a demonic core to resist the blood miasma seemed like an outrageous waste—Kong Xin was either reckless or absurdly bold.

However, they soon realized something was off. The Crimson Core lacked the legendary demonic core’s oppressive aura—it was merely a superficial resemblance.

"Hehe, turns out it’s the inner core of a Heavenly Flame Jiao..."

Among the group, only Wandering Man immediately recognized the true origin of the Crimson Core. Noting the curiosity in everyone’s eyes, he explained, "The Heavenly Flame Jiao is not a true Jiao, but a peculiar demonic beast that resembles one without actually sharing its bloodline."

"This beast has two wings growing from its ribs, making it somewhat resemble the mythical Yinglong[1], but it lacks any true Jiao or dragon bloodline, bearing only their outward form.

"The most distinct trait of a Heavenly Flame Jiao is that it can form an inner core even before reaching the Demonic Core Realm."

"Of course, the inner core and a demonic core are completely different things."

"The inner core contains all the fiery energy that the Heavenly Flame Jiao has absorbed from the outside world throughout its life, condensed into a single core. This energy undergoes metamorphosis within the core, aiding the beast’s cultivation."

"When the Heavenly Flame Jiao reaches the Demonic Core Realm, its inner core is replaced during its breakthrough, much like a snake shedding its skin. The inner core is discarded along with the old remnants."

"Only then does the fiery energy within it stabilize, allowing it to exist independently from the Heavenly Flame Jiao."

"The inner core of a Heavenly Flame Jiao is quite rare. Although most of its fiery energy is devoured by the emerging demonic core, the breakthrough process triggers a mutation, giving birth to a unique demonic flame—one that bears remarkable similarities to the Heavenly Flame Jiao’s flame at the Demonic Core Realm."

"This inner core happens to be highly effective against blood miasma. Daoist Sun using the Heavenly Flame Jiao’s inner core in this situation is indeed a perfect choice."

Everyone suddenly understood.

Kong Xin revealed an admiring expression and clasped his hands toward Wandering Man.

"I only discovered the origin of the Crimson Core after much effort. I didn’t expect you to see through it with a single glance."

"Your knowledge is truly vast. I’m deeply impressed."

"But there’s one more thing, which you haven’t mentioned—due to the peculiar nature of the Heavenly Flame Jiao’s demonic flame, the demonic flame within this Crimson Core barely maintains its form. It cannot be carelessly disturbed, or the energy within will spiral into chaos, causing it to self-immolate and be destroyed."

"As such, it is useless for artifact refinement, and aside from keeping it as a heat source, it has no other purpose. However, in the frigid Endless Valley, it proves invaluable—that is what I rely on when traversing the valley."

As he spoke, Kong Xin channeled a trace of spiritual power and lightly touched the crimson core.

Immediately, the core burst into intense flames, releasing an incredibly chaotic aura. Its surface shone in an eye-piercing crimson, resembling a glossy, liquid glaze, as if it were about to melt in the next moment.

Everyone was astonished.

Kong Xin swiftly withdrew his spiritual power and examined the crimson core. Seeing it remained intact, he sighed in relief.

Wandering Man was also intrigued. "I had heard of this before, but it was only hearsay. I’ve never seen an actual Heavenly Flame Jiao’s inner core with my own eyes, so I wouldn’t have dared to speculate about its properties. Now that I've heard your explanation, I finally understand."

Qin Sang secretly nodded. So, this was essentially a supersized Yang Warming Pill.

Within the blood miasma, the Yang Warming Pill had limited effect—better than nothing. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

But this was no ordinary Yang Warming Pill—it contained the demonic flame of a Heavenly Flame Jiao at the Demonic Core Realm. The fiery aura radiating from the crimson core was far stronger than that of any Yang Warming Pill.

"Fellow Daoists, stay close to me," Kong Xin said as he lifted the crimson core and took the lead, stepping into the blood miasma. The others followed closely behind.

The moment they entered, the thick, suffocating miasma surged toward them. The pressure multiplied dozens of times in an instant. The Demonic Qingyang Fire enveloping Qin Sang's body flickered and dimmed, on the verge of being extinguished. He quickly increased his spiritual power output to activate his jade pendant, finally managing to stabilize the demonic flame.

The cold was partially blocked by the Demonic Qingyang Fire, making it barely tolerable.

Yet, in that brief instant when his flame barrier nearly collapsed, Qin Sang sensed that the blood miasma was not only highly toxic—it also carried a sinister, violent intent, capable of clouding a cultivator’s mind.

With the Jade Buddha protecting him, he had no fear of the blood miasma’s influence. However, when he glanced at the others, he saw that they were all guarding their minds carefully, treating the situation as a grave threat.

Silently, the group followed Kong Xin, flying forward without a sound.

Within the blood miasma, the terrain was ever-changing, with undulating mountains and valleys making it difficult to even distinguish directions. Yet, Kong Xin seemed exceptionally familiar with the area, adjusting course multiple times with unwavering confidence.

For a while after entering the blood miasma, their journey remained uneventful under Kong Xin’s guidance. No unexpected dangers arose, and the group gradually placed more trust in him.

Before long, a chilling, inhuman howl echoed from the distance ahead. The cry was laced with unhinged madness—far beyond what any ordinary demonic beast could produce!

The abrupt, terrifying sound caused slight changes in everyone's expressions.

Qin Sang strained his vision, but the dense blood miasma obstructed his sight, preventing him from seeing too far ahead. He speculated inwardly that these creatures were likely blood fiends, manifestations of the bloodthirsty qi permeating Endless Valley.

Leading at the front, Kong Xin suddenly halted his evasion light, his tone grave. "From this point on, the presence of ghostly creatures will only increase. The ones at the outermost perimeter are relatively weak, but it’s best to avoid provoking them whenever possible. Some areas are swarming with thousands of them. To ensure our safety, you must follow my commands strictly—no one is to act on their own!"

The group nodded in agreement.

Satisfied, Kong Xin gave a firm nod before his evasion light flickered, and he veered toward the left, opting for a detour.

As they delved deeper, the eerie howls occasionally pierced the silence.

Kong Xin was truly skilled in his craft—despite the ominous surroundings, he expertly navigated the group, deftly avoiding any encounters with ghostly creatures. His keen awareness and precise adjustments kept them from running into danger.

Unknowingly, they had already been traveling within Endless Valley for several hours when Kong Xin suddenly made a disconcerting move.

Despite the increasing frequency of the howls ahead, he led them straight toward their source. They were rapidly approaching the origin of the cries, yet he showed no intention of taking a detour.

The group exchanged wary glances, uncertainty flashing in their eyes.

At last, Wandering Man voiced the question on everyone's mind. "Daoist Kong, the ghostly creatures are clearly entrenched ahead. Why haven’t we changed course?"

Turning back, Kong Xin explained, "You may not know this, but I’ve discovered a hidden path within the valley ahead. Passing through it will allow us to avoid detection from the ghostly creatures, and it will save us at least three hours compared to taking a detour."

The red-clad woman remained skeptical. "With the ghostly creatures so close, can you really guarantee our safety?"

Kong Xin patted his chest confidently. "I wouldn’t lead you down this path if I weren’t sure. As long as you follow my instructions, we won’t be discovered. Besides, I’m traveling with you all—if anything goes wrong, I won’t escape unscathed either. I have no grudge against any of you, so what reason would I have to risk my own life betraying you?"

With that, Kong Xin turned toward the elderly master and his young disciple. "The spiritual herb you’re searching for grows just beyond the ghostly creatures' lair. I stumbled upon it by chance. According to our agreement, my task is only to guide you to the location—gathering the herb will be up to you."

Hearing this, the disciple's face lit up with excitement.

Even the elder's tone carried a trace of emotion. "Many thanks, Daoist Kong!"

1. Yinglong is a winged dragon and rain deity in ancient Chinese mythology. ☜