Chapter 84: Refusal
"Miss Qingzhu, you're here as well."
Lin Langtian subtly plucked the "Sacred Ice Lotus" and then looked toward the serene and graceful woman before him with a slight smile.
Lin Qingzhu didn't respond to his quick action; these herbs, while valuable, didn't really catch her eye.
"Heh, Brother Langtian, you go ahead and finish here. I'll head on first."
After briefly glancing over him, she smiled and, with bare feet upon a green lotus, gracefully continued deeper into the ancient tomb.
Lin Langtian paused, his gaze shifting, and then muttered to himself, "We'll see who claims the Nirvana Heart in the end!"
From her confident stride, it was clear Lin Qingzhu intended to go straight for the Nirvana Heart. Normally, competing against the Young Palace Mistress of the Supreme Purity Palace, Lin Langtian might not feel confident. But now, with the Crimson Flame Sky-Piercing Spear in hand and Aunt Ling awakened, he felt his odds weren't slim.
With that thought, he promptly abandoned the herb garden to follow her. He'd already gathered the most valuable herbs, so it was no waste to move on now.
Ten minutes later, Lin Langtian crossed another vast hall and spotted a shimmering curtain of light ahead. It was at the end of the passageway, still emitting a faint glow. Cautiously approaching, he sensed that beyond it lay the heart of the ancient tomb.
With a determined step, he walked into the curtain of light and disappeared from view.
Once inside, his vision briefly filled with darkness, before being overwhelmed by blazing red light. A scorching heat wave surged forward, causing him to quickly summon his inner energy to shield himself.
Now protected, he took a moment to assess his surroundings, and his eyes filled with astonishment.
Before him stretched a vast sea of flames, exuding a ferocious heat.
"These flames…are they real or illusions?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes as he noticed several fire-free paths dividing the sea of flames.
"The path forward is through the flames," he muttered decisively.
The most unlikely path often holds the answer. Resolute, Lin Langtian wrapped himself in energy and prepared his mind, his spirit power surging, ready to counter any surprises. He then took a firm step forward into the blazing sea.
But as he ventured in, the searing pain he anticipated didn't come, and he couldn't help but smile slightly. Realizing he had chosen the correct path, Lin Langtian strode confidently onward, undeterred by the surrounding flames that seemed ethereal, almost intangible.
"Qingzhu is fast…" he murmured, scanning the fire-covered horizon with a frown, noting her absence.
"She's certainly skilled—no wonder she's from one of the great sects."
Unlike himself, relying on memory fragments and analysis to solve the puzzle, Lin Qingzhu had apparently crossed it using her own power. Lin Langtian shook his head; even so, he had no intention of letting her take the Nirvana Heart without a challenge.
Then, through the flames, he spotted an ajar bronze door looming ahead. His expression tensed; Qingzhu had evidently entered just before him.
"She can't have gotten far. I still have a chance!"
With narrowed eyes, he slipped through the door, and as he passed, it softly closed behind him.
Beyond the door, the crimson light dissipated, revealing a calm stone hall, with no lavish decorations, only stark simplicity and emptiness. Lin Langtian's gaze fell to the hall's center, where an open stone coffin rested. Hovering above it was a radiant orb, pulsing with vibrant energy.
Lin Langtian's eyes focused on the orb, and within its glow, he glimpsed a green heart pulsing gently as if alive. The energy it released reverberated through the hall.
"The Nirvana Heart…" he murmured in awe.
But just as he took his first step forward, a soft, ethereal voice broke the silence.
"Brother Langtian, it seems the fire formation outside couldn't contain you. With your abilities, staying in a lower kingdom seems a waste. However, I've already set my sights on the Nirvana Heart. Might I ask if you could part with it?"
His steps halted, and slowly, he looked up. Suspended in mid-air upon a green lotus, Lin Qingzhu gazed back at him with a pair of serene, crystalline eyes.
As he took in her beauty, he felt a momentary daze, but he quickly snapped himself out of it. Shaking his head, he replied calmly.
"Apologies, Miss Qingzhu, but I, too, have a deep interest in the Nirvana Heart."
His expression turned cold as he added, "So, I'm afraid I cannot agree to that."
(End of Chapter)
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