The Sun Blazing Radiance continuously poured into the massive liquid sphere. Gradually, wisps of chilling energy began to spread from the sphere’s ashen-white side. This cold was so intense that a thin layer of frost formed even near the vents of the ground flames. Correspondingly, following the principle of Yin and Yang generation, where there is Yin there must be Yang, the innate true fire of the Vermilion Kirin contained within the sphere was gradually ignited. The crimson-gold half of the liquid sphere began to spread a scorching heat, causing the temperature in the alchemy room, which had been steadily dropping, to rise again. After another forty-nine days, the liquid sphere floating before Gu Xiechen had shrunk to the size of a human head. The essence of thirty-six million jin of Kirin scales had condensed into this tiny mass.

This sphere was half crimson-gold, emitting a violent light and heat so intense the sun itself could not be stared at directly; the other half was ashen-white, radiating an equally bone-chilling cold and a painful, stark light. Extreme high temperatures and absolute severe cold wrestled and coiled within the alchemy room, yet they maintained a delicate balance, rendering the room's temperature as comfortable and balmy as spring.

Xin Jia and the others were already sweating profusely. Their internal True Essence and magical power were nearly drained by Gu Xiechen. Especially toward the end, the energy consumption by Gu Xiechen increased exponentially, requiring more True Essence and magical power drawn from them. Eventually, the speed at which Xin Jia and the others could absorb ambient Heaven and Earth spiritual energy to replenish themselves could not match the rate of consumption. They had the distinct illusion that their very essence, spirit, and mind were about to be completely sucked out, as if they themselves were about to be drawn into that head-sized liquid sphere.

Xin Jia lamented internally: "This mortal realm, after all, has inferior spiritual energy. The concentration is too low. If we were in the Celestial Realm, never mind the residences of the High Immortals and High Sages, even the spiritual energy near the Southern Heavenly Gate is a hundred times superior in quality to this place, and the concentration is over twenty thousand times higher!" With a deep sigh, Xin Jia muttered to himself, "The Celestial Realm..." How could one return to the Celestial Realm? "This fragment of memory, we have all lost it." Just as Xin Jia and the others seemed close to collapse, Gu Xiechen suddenly opened his eyes.

The image of the Corpse Emperor striking people with the White Bone Great Seal echoed in his mind. The earth-shattering might and world-altering power of that colossal seal left Gu Xiechen utterly astounded.

"It is merely a great seal! Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang, the generation and transformation of the Two Poles, the richness of the Nine Heavens, heed my command!" As Gu Xiechen murmured the incantation, the liquid sphere slowly solidified into a square seal, one inch square at the base, upon which was carved a vivid, lifelike Kirin figure. The body of the seal was an exquisite pale red, faintly threaded with countless ripples of ashen-white light halos, like water waves. At first glance, the seal appeared nearly transparent, yet one could never quite see through its body. If one concentrated on gazing at the great seal, they would only perceive countless gray-white clouds and mists drifting within it, gradually drawing one's entire focus inward until all consciousness was absorbed by the seal.

If one stared for too long, a warm, harmonious Yang energy would flow along the gaze into the body, nourishing the entire frame, leaving one feeling cozy and warm all over; yet, this Yang energy was subtly threaded with a faint coolness, which also entered the body along with the gaze, slowly circulating through the meridians, possessing the miraculous effects of cleansing the marrow and gradually improving the physique.

Innumerable spirit talismans flashed through Gu Xiechen's mind. In a near-catatonic state, he coated each talisman with his own True Qi mixed with a trace of his Soul Origin essence and forcefully blasted them into the great seal. The front, back, left, and right faces of the seal were each imprinted with eighty-one spirit talismans. The seal's knob—the small Kirin—was adorned with forty-nine talismans. And the bottom face of the seal held three hundred and sixty-five talismans. All the talismans shimmered with five-colored light, mirroring the five-colored halo currently surrounding Gu Xiechen’s own Soul Origin.

With a soft chime, the great seal finally took shape.

Gu Xiechen immediately felt a wonderfully intimate connection between his mind and the great seal. Overjoyed, he cried out, "From this day forth, you shall be called the Kirin Seal!" The seal flashed with light, as if acknowledging the joy of its own birth.

But in the very next instant, Gu Xiechen nearly wept from sheer grievance.

Refining the innate fire-attributed Vermilion Kirin scales using the Taiyin Blazing Charcoal—this secret method for forging a Dharma Treasure did not belong to the scope of the cultivation world at all. This was the method used by legendary Immortals, and high-ranking Immortals at that, to forge their Natal Spirit Treasures! The Vermilion Kirin scales were an innate artifact, harboring the purest innate True Fire; as for the quality of the Taiyin Blazing Charcoal, there was no need to even mention it! A Dharma Treasure forged from these two innate substances did not fall under the category of what the cultivation world termed a "Dharma Treasure," but rather a legendary "Spirit Treasure"!

The problem lay here: Gu Xiechen was merely a "Martial Artist" who hadn't even achieved the Golden Core stage, not truly a cultivator. How was he supposed to activate a Spirit Treasure?

With a bitter smile, Gu Xiechen could only offer a bitter smile.

And those spirit talismans that had manifested in his mind at the end were the unique secret art of some ancient Great Power. Every single one of these talismans possessed the great divine ability and power to cleave the heavens and overturn the universe, severing all obstacles and breaking down all blockages. These were the Natal Spirit Talismans realized by that Great Power when they transcended the mundane and attained sainthood, each one brimming with infinite mysteries.

The profound secret of these talismans was that even a person who understood nothing of magical power, as long as they inherited the talismans and could sketch their true form, could invoke their marvelous abilities.

And Gu Xiechen, by some cruel twist of fate, had inscribed these infinitely potent talismans onto the Kirin Seal. Inherent to the seal was the reciprocal flow of Yin and Yang embodied by the Kirin. The seal would ceaselessly absorb Heaven and Earth spiritual energy to enhance its own capabilities and rank, and these talismans would continuously absorb spiritual energy to amplify their power. Before long, when these talismans absorbed sufficient spiritual energy, it would be impossible even for Gu Xiechen to activate a single one, let alone control the entire Kirin Seal!

"Why is my fate so miserable? Others struggle just to forge a Dharma Treasure, and I... I actually forged a Spirit Treasure! And one of innate quality!" Gu Xiechen wanted to weep but had no tears. It was like giving a two- or three-year-old baby billions of dollars in gold when it was right in front of him—he couldn't spend a single cent! Now, Gu Xiechen was experiencing this agony mixed with elation!

Gently stroking the Kirin Seal for a while, sensing the faint warmth and coolness emanating from its body, Gu Xiechen let out a wry laugh.

"Alas, alas. With such immense power, at the very least, you can serve as an artifact to ward off evil! Since you are already connected to my consciousness, I am certain I will be able to unleash your full strength once my own abilities suffice!" The Kirin Seal flickered with a soft light, seemingly agreeing with Gu Xiechen's assessment.

Gu Xiechen sighed. He took a strand of Ice Silkworm thread from the Crane Hair brush and passed it through the seal’s knob, hanging the Kirin Seal from the silk sash at his waist.

This was a treasure of the Spirit Treasure grade. In the current world, no one would be able to sense its extraordinary nature, so Gu Xiechen decided to treat it as a personal ornament.

Stretching languidly, Gu Xiechen muttered to himself, "After cultivating for so long, it's time to get down to some real business." "Once I complete the chapters on Hanyuan (Containing the Primordial) and Yunshen (Nourishing the Spirit)," he mused, "I will finally know the true treasure my father left for me!"