Flame

Now that Damian had made his decision, doubt and uncertainty no longer plagued his mind. He focused his entire being on reaching the ninth layer as quickly as possible. He believed that once he reached that layer, he could bridge the gap and seize the flame.

More than a month had passed before Damian finally broke through to the ninth layer of the Golden Core Realm. Damian stood just centimeters away from the flame, extending his hand cautiously, prepared for any aggressive reaction. With each passing second, Damian's hand drew closer to the flame. Finally, his hand hovered right below it, establishing a connection of sorts.

"Phew…"

Damian let out a sigh of relief, genuinely concerned that the flame might attack him. Although it couldn't kill him instantly, it had the potential to cause severe harm. Damian speculated that the flame offered no resistance because it had baptized his dantian.

Mesmerized by the flame, Damian noticed that the oppressive ambient Qi in the cave no longer assailed him. However, the flame continued to emit an enormous amount of Qi. Damian understood that they couldn't return to the city with the exposed flame, as it would attract unwanted attention from both beasts and other families.

Damian attempted to store the flame in a bag of holding, but as soon as he tried, the bag burned to ashes. Fortunately, he had used an empty bag for the attempt. Damian, along with the others, pondered how to transport the flame. The Qi emitted by the flame made it impossible to return to the city discreetly. They brainstormed several ideas, but none proved successful.

After numerous failed attempts to conceal the flame, Cristine and Nathan tried enclosing it within a shield formed by their own Qi, hoping to mask the vast amount of Qi it emitted. However, the flame reacted violently to a different Qi signature, the flame reacted as Nathan and Cristine Qi approached. It battered its Qi against the barrier formed by their Qi, shattering it.

Damian proceeded to replicate Cristine and Nathan's actions, and after a few attempts, he achieved partial success. He discovered that he couldn't completely suppress the flame's Qi, so he left a small opening in his barrier to allow it to escape.

After resting and restoring their strength, the group embarked on their journey back to Violet City. Damian summoned a sword using the "Ten Thousand Jade Swords Make One Copper Sword" technique for each team member, including Cristine. They mounted the swords, while Damian activated his "A Drop In An Ocean" and "Ten Thousand Rain Drops Strengthens The Mind" techniques to their fullest. With the significant increase in his Qi quality and quantity, Damian could now fly with the team while concealing their presence to some extent.

Their primary objective was to reach the city as quickly as possible. After careful planning, they concluded that the reason the beasts hadn't claimed the flame as their own was due to the aggressive Qi within the cave. However, once the flame left the cave, everything would change, and many would be eager to seize it.

Thus, the team decided to rush back to the city, or at least to a safe distance from the powerful beasts. They aimed to create enough distance so that by the time the beasts realized the flame was gone, they would be far away. Damian focused on swift retreat, while the rest of the team remained on guard. With this plan in mind, Damian pushed the swords to their maximum speed, and within seconds, they soared above the chasm, continuing toward Violet City.

During their journey, Cristine also activated her "A Drop In An Ocean" technique to enhance the team's concealment. After four hours of full-speed flight, they finally stopped to rest briefly, allowing Damian to replenish his strength. Even though he had only used around half of his Qi, he needed to be in top condition in case of any unforeseen events. While they rested, Cristine continued to conceal the party, particularly the flame held by Damian.

After a twenty-minute break, they resumed their path toward Violet City. At their current speed, they would arrive in approximately five more hours, with another rest stop scheduled in about three hours.

Fortunately, the combined concealment abilities of Damian and Cristine made them nearly impossible to detect by a Core Formation beast.

The journey to their next stop was uneventful, which would be their final break before completing the last leg of the journey. This last part would be accomplished by flying, but they planned to descend a few kilometers from the city to avoid attracting attention.

While Damian rested, Cedric approached him, with Cristine and Nathan on high alert, standing close by in case Cedric attempted anything suspicious. They were fully aware of the flame's immense value and the desire it would stir in others. Despite spending the past months alongside the members of the Lambert family, they wouldn't risk jeopardizing potentially the strongest member of their clan while he was recovering. Of course, they also knew that the three of them could easily overpower Cedric, Agnes, and Adrian if necessary.

Cedric came to a halt a few steps away from Damian. He could guess, more or less, what Cristine and Nathan were thinking in such a situation. However, he was not worried, not really. After all, he could divine that this journey would end up being fruitful for both clans. Moreover, it would strengthen the relationship between them. He was also able to sense that the flame had formed a bond of sorts with Damian, and it would be unwise to steal it.

"I believe it's as good an occasion as any to ask what your plans are for the flame, Elder Damian?" asked Cedric with a calm tone. If he was nervous, he didn't show it.

Damian continued to replenish his Qi as he gathered his thoughts. A determined glint appeared in his eyes as he spoke, "The flame is undoubtedly a valuable resource for cultivation. I can't speak on behalf of my whole clan, as the decision will be made by the council in conjunction. However, rest assured, I will do my best to share part of this good fortune with the Lambert clan. After all, without the tea you provided, I would not have had the vision of the flame. Also, I believe we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement in the future regarding the growth of the younger generation of the Violet Sky and Lambert clan."