Fanzhu led Ji Xia to the gate of Yanxiang Manor and bid him farewell before returning to the Fanzhu family estate. The Fanzhu family, a prominent household in the Grand Fu Kingdom with a Sovereign Talisman General among its ranks, resided in an opulent estate spanning dozens of acres. Ji Xia had caught sight of its grandeur while walking along Zhongjing Street—a sprawling complex of towers and lush gardens, exuding immense luxury.
Standing alone before Yanxiang Manor, Ji Xia's eyes, illuminated by the Radiant Sun Spirit Sight, gazed upon the elegantly crafted yet imposing residence. Even as he admired its design, his mind churned with thoughts, speculating on Ji Ning's intentions in gifting him the manor.
Through his Sun Spirit Sight, the manor revealed its true form: its resplendence remained intact, but the skies above were shrouded in dense shadows, obscuring sunlight. Countless eerie and sinister figures loomed around the manor gates, their features indiscernible, emanating an unsettling chill and dampness.
"Yesterday, Ji Ning seemed so sincere when she handed me the talisman key that I almost believed she was a cold-faced but warm-hearted Sovereign Talisman General. But now, seeing this Yanxiang Manor, it's clear there's more at play," Ji Xia muttered to himself.
Within the Snow Mountain in his soul sea, the Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace was ablaze with energy. Its four suns spouted violet flames, and the two golden crows hovering above it cried out incessantly, circling with restless excitement.
He could sense the furnace's emotions—an exuberant joy, as though it had found a long-awaited feast.
"This manor definitely holds something the Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace desires," Ji Xia mused. "The furnace is eager—it's urging me to enter."
Placing his faith entirely in the furnace, Ji Xia began to ascend the twenty-odd stone steps leading to the gate. As he approached, the shadows seen through his Spirit Sight multiplied, their silhouettes vaguely discernible. They stood rigidly at the gate, their featureless forms fixated on him.
As Ji Xia drew closer, the Spirit Furnace grew increasingly agitated, its vibrations causing even his heartbeat to accelerate slightly. Finally, standing before the gate, the shadows stirred.
They floated up and encircled him, rotating around his body. If Ji Xia possessed advanced spiritual awareness, he would have discerned the sinister chants emanating from the shadows—whispered incantations that wove unseen waves of malevolence. These waves touched Ji Xia's body, seeping into him like venomous whispers.
Ji Xia frowned as a sudden surge of irritability overtook him. His thoughts turned chaotic, and his gaze reddened. Memories of the Grand Fu Kingdom's oppressive acts, such as the sword of retribution once looming over Taicang's head, surfaced, filling him with an inexplicable fury.
He glanced around, almost ready to vent his anger on anyone nearby.
At that moment, the Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace finally acted.
The two golden crows soared aloft, spewing fiery red spiritual flames across Ji Xia's body. Instantly, sinister runes and curses materialized, fleeing from his limbs as wisps of black smoke that scattered in panic.
The golden crows darted about, consuming the escaping black smoke with each peck. In mere moments, the haze of resentment in Ji Xia's eyes dissipated entirely. Regaining clarity, Ji Xia quickly turned his focus inward, observing the Spirit Furnace.
Within, the golden crows had eradicated the lingering curses. The furnace, now calm and steady, emitted a resplendent golden radiance that surged out from Ji Xia's body, enveloping the surrounding shadows.
The unseen force of this light struck the shadows with overwhelming pressure, leaving them trembling and immobile. Despite their struggles, the golden light dissolved them into black smoke, which was inexorably drawn into Ji Xia's body, consumed and suppressed by the Spirit Furnace.
Ji Xia witnessed the entire process through his Spirit Sight. In less than a dozen breaths, the shadows outside the manor were annihilated, absorbed by the Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace.
He could sense the furnace's delight—it radiated a vigor that made it feel almost alive.
Opening his palm, Ji Xia held up the talisman key. It glimmered and flew from his hand, embedding itself into a slot on the scarlet gates. Slowly, the gates swung open, revealing the manor's inner courtyard.
Inside, countless shadows of varying forms awaited—some massive, some diminutive, some tranquil, others violent—all fixated on Ji Xia. As golden light emanated from him once more, these shadows recoiled in silent terror, as though faced with an inevitable catastrophe.
But it was too late.
The radiant light swept across the courtyard, erasing shadow after shadow. Each was reduced to smoke and absorbed into Ji Xia's body, fueling the furnace's relentless hunger.
If an onlooker had possessed supernatural sight, they would have witnessed a bizarre spectacle: Ji Xia standing amid the courtyard, his body alternately emitting golden light and drawing in dark smoke—a surreal and otherworldly scene.
Before long, the shadows within the manor were entirely eradicated. Sunlight broke through the veil of darkness, illuminating Ji Xia's profile. He squinted at the three suns hanging in the sky, his thoughts racing.
"So the 'Spirit Suppression' of the Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace manifests here. I used to think it referred to subduing spiritual energy," he murmured.
Inside the Snow Mountain, the furnace had absorbed tens of thousands of shadows. Its violet flames burned brighter, the four suns more radiant, and the golden crows grew larger and more resplendent. As the crows let out a triumphant cry, a complex stream of information flooded Ji Xia's mind—a cultivation technique called the Golden Crow Primordial Saint Sutra.
Observing the furnace's attributes within his soul sea, Ji Xia noted a new change:
Evolution Potential: Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace can evolve into the Sovereign Cangyuan Refining Furnace.
Evolution Progress: 48,900/500,000 points (4,000 progress unlocked the first three volumes of the Golden Crow Primordial Saint Sutra).
Required Spirit Seeds for Direct Upgrade: 268,000.
Ji Xia exhaled deeply.
Previously, the furnace's upgrade requirement was shrouded in mystery, denoted only by question marks. The recent devouring of shadows not only advanced its evolution but also unlocked a profound cultivation technique.
"Even after consuming so many shadows, I still need nearly 270,000 spirit seeds for the next upgrade. Just how terrifying will the Sovereign Cangyuan Refining Furnace be?" Ji Xia wondered.
"Still, the Radiant Sun Spirit Furnace grows stronger with every shadow it devours, providing me with both power and enlightenment. Though progress is slow, one day it will achieve its ultimate form."
With newfound understanding, Ji Xia activated the furnace. Black smoke billowed from it, spreading across the Snow Mountain within his soul sea. Though inert and subdued, the smoke served as a reminder of the furnace's capability.
Reflecting on the earlier events, Ji Xia smirked. "Those shadows weren't trying to harm me; they only sought to influence my mind. I'll wait and see what Ji Ning's true intentions are. Regardless of her plans, she's already handed me an extraordinary gift."