Boom!
A dull, heavy explosion reverberated through the void, signaling the Ming Water Springhead's desperate, fierce resistance.
More and more Ming Water poured in from all directions, glimmering with a hazy, ghostly glow. Packed with crushing force, it pulled and wrenched at the Hunyuan Cauldron, shaking it violently.
Now that things had reached this point, how could Luo Chen sit by and watch such a treasure slip away?
His magic power surged out like an overflowing river, pouring into the Hunyuan Cauldron and manifesting more and more crimson chains.
Unlike before, these chains extended directly from the void, coiling layer upon layer around the Ming Water Springhead.
This technique of spreading through the void was not an application of the cauldron born from reaching a higher cultivation realm.
Rather, it was an experiment born of his heightened sensitivity to spatial fluctuations. Earlier, Huan Youji had been abruptly trapped precisely because she was caught unawares by this trick.
Luo Chen surmised that, perhaps owing to the Life-and-Death Gu, he had managed to pilfer a sliver of spatial talent from Qingshuang.
Of course, at such a critical juncture, relying solely on such a minor art was nowhere near enough to secure victory.
Luo Chen held back no longer, unleashing all his methods!
"Come forth!"
With a thought, streaks of blue-white flame spread frantically outward with his body at the center.
In the blink of an eye, a colossal cyan tree of fire that reached from earth to heaven materialized above the white jade plaza, thoroughly enveloping this domain.
Instantly, the surging torrents of Ming Water were shut outside.
Not only that!
With a frenzied gleam in Luo Chen's eyes, even the fire spirit of the Nirvana Holy Fire soared out, transforming into a great bird beating its wings and circling outside the cyan tree of fire.
Wherever the Ming Water breached an opening, it pounced directly, incinerating the water in a flash.
Compared to the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire, the current Nirvana Holy Fire had been nurtured for too short a time and remained relatively weak; thus, it could only serve to patch leaks and fill gaps.
Yet for some reason, once the Nirvana fire spirit flew out, it seemed even more in its element than the tree formed by the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire.
Surprise flickered in Luo Chen's eyes. Gazing through the nine underworld depths toward the ocean surface, he sensed a faint resonance with the authentic Nirvana Holy Fire left behind by Monarch Qixia.
A fleeting doubt crossed his mind, but Luo Chen instantly cleared his head of stray thoughts.
The urgent priority was to subdue the Ming Water Springhead!
The springhead seemed to possess a faint trace of sentience. Sensing what subjugation would mean, it struggled with mounting frenzy.
However, cut off from the outside world by two Tier 5 divine flames, the Ming Water Springhead was finally reduced to water without a source, unable to replenish itself.
The scales in this tug-of-war gradually began to tip.
Resembling an eye, the Ming Water Springhead was dragged inch by inch toward Luo Chen.
Throughout the process, Luo Chen divided his attention, mobilizing the power of the Hunyuan Cauldron to its limit.
As his lifebound magical treasure nurtured for over two centuries since Core Formation, it might not be as sharp as the Yuantu Sword in a single aspect, nor as violent as the Blood Jade Three-Flame Fan, yet its inherent attributes were exceptionally well-rounded.
Binding, suppressing, capturing, nurturing, tempering... endowed with countless wondrous uses, it virtually had no shortcomings.
Even its standard offensive and defensive capabilities rivaled most True Artifacts.
Perhaps it was precisely because of this that the cauldron's evolution and advancement were so arduous.
Yet it was also this comprehensive versatility and profound foundation that made it Luo Chen's finest instrument for subduing the Ming Water Springhead at this moment!
"Capturing and binding with crimson chains alone is still not enough!"
"I must counter it directly!"
With a thought, Luo Chen slapped a hand against the Hunyuan Cauldron.
Clang!
A dull resonance echoed as Luo Chen flicked his hand casually.
Instantly, an earthen-yellow light never seen before burst from the cauldron, showering over the Ming Water Springhead.
Though ordinary in appearance, this earthen-yellow radiance demonstrated an extraordinary effect the moment it appeared.
The Ming Water Springhead visibly withered.
Yet as a ghostly light flickered, it regained a sliver of vitality.
Seeing this, Luo Chen was not discouraged; rather, his eyes lit up.
"The Flood-Suppressing Divine Light produced after refining the Living Earth truly works!"
Back then, he had personally visited Shenyuan Peak and slain Perfected Shenyuan of the Five Elements Divine Sect, later extracting a tiny piece of Living Earth from the man's shattered lifebound Five Elements Tower.
According to legend, Living Earth was the ultimate earth-attribute earthly treasure, possessing the miraculous effect of calming seas and stemming floods.
Although there had been only a minuscule amount of Living Earth in Perfected Shenyuan's five-colored tower, refining it into his own lifebound magical treasure had noticeably enhanced the Hunyuan Cauldron.
This Flood-Suppressing Divine Light was the technique derived from it, and its power was in no way inferior to the cauldron's innate crimson chains.
Luo Chen continuously tapped the Hunyuan Cauldron, showering one wave of Flood-Suppressing Divine Light after another.
Earth counters water. Even though the Ming Water Springhead clearly harbored a vast source of water origin power, it had only recently condensed and was severed from outside Ming Water by the two divine flames. Thus, under this barrage of suppression, its bluster finally withered.
"Get in!"
With a low roar, Luo Chen brought his four arms together, lifted the Hunyuan Cauldron, and overturned it forward.
A suction force far greater than before erupted violently.
Whoosh!
Caught completely off guard, the Ming Water Springhead was sucked directly inside.
Such a sudden burst drained Luo Chen's magic power in an instant.
Bereft of magic power to sustain them, both the Wither-Bloom Divine Fire and the Nirvana Holy Fire receded into the depths of Luo Chen's Purple Palace.
The massive cauldron in his embrace shook violently, showing that the Ming Water Springhead was still resisting from within.
Luo Chen gave a cold snort. His thousand-zhang frame rapidly shrank, and the cauldron in his arms followed suit.
Biting the tip of his tongue, Luo Chen spat a mouthful of blood essence onto the Hunyuan Cauldron, momentarily compensating for his depleted magic power.
Having weathered this momentary crisis, the Nascent Soul within him snapped its eyes open, breathing out an even greater surge of pure magic power.
Relieved, Luo Chen cast restriction after restriction into the Hunyuan Cauldron, throwing everything into suppressing the springhead.
Indeed, what he sought was suppression, not refinement.
With the Wang Ghost Sovereign serving as a cautionary tale, Luo Chen dared not rashly attempt to refine the Ming Water Springhead. If his cultivation proved insufficient and he was assimilated instead, the loss would far outweigh any gain.
He would suppress and store it away first, deciding on further plans later.
With this treasure in hand, even if he could not yet control the Netherworld Abyss, he could at least prevent others from taking advantage of the situation.
For a time, as magic power surged and restrictions were layered on, Luo Chen gradually brought the situation under control.
***
The sky above the Netherworld Abyss was perpetually bleak and gloomy.
Dark clouds seemed to hang forever without dispersing, punctuated by occasional flashes of lightning and thunder.
Moreover, the spatial rifts that appeared unpredictably barred any living being from drawing near.
Upon the surface of the sea, the residual Nirvana Holy Fire left behind by Monarch Qixia had gradually dwindled, no longer displaying the magnificent spectacle of golden flames blanketing the waters.
Of course, relying on natural forces alone to thoroughly wear down such a grand human divine ability would take an untold length of time.
On this day.
A massive volume of Ming Water poured toward a single spot, forming a colossal whirlpool.
Yet half an hour later, the vortex abruptly collapsed, and vast amounts of Ming Water scattered in all directions.
Everything in heaven and earth returned to its former state, as if nothing had ever happened.
Had truly nothing happened?
Apprehensive and filled with worry, the people of the Luotian Sect reappeared upon the ruined white jade plaza under Deng Taiyue's lead.
This solemn ground, where the Minyuan Ancestor had once received the veneration of countless disciples, was now battered and uneven.
Numerous coiled-dragon pillars had collapsed, and countless craters pitted the ground.
Tianming Palace, one of the three Yanfu Heavenly Palaces, had been reduced entirely to ruins, its former grandeur nowhere to be seen.
Overwhelmed with worry, the crowd released their divine senses, searching frantically for Luo Chen.
Finally, beneath a mound of rubble, they found a young man sitting cross-legged.
His clothes were tattered and his aura fluctuated. Though his exposed limbs and torso were healing rapidly, conspicuous injuries were still visible.
At this moment, the young man wore a profoundly curious expression, staring quietly at the small cauldron in his hand as if lost in thought.
"See? I told you Brother Luo wouldn't be in danger," Deng Taiyue said steadily, though an obvious breath of relief escaped him.
Evidently, his heart had not been as calm as his words suggested.
The Ghost-Crossing Boat cleaved through the surrounding Ming Water, approaching swiftly.
Sensing their arrival, Luo Chen drew the Hunyuan Cauldron back into his Purple Palace and slowly stood up.
Before he could step aboard as the vessel drew near, a figure threw herself into his embrace.
It was Gu Caiyi.
Luo Chen chuckled, ignoring the gazes of the others as he smiled and patted her shoulder. "Why so sentimental?"
Faint sobs came from the woman in his arms.
Gu Caiyi held Luo Chen's solid frame tightly, as if finally regaining a sense of grounding, before releasing him.
"I was afraid something had happened to you."
No matter how restrained she had been when they first met, after such an extreme clash and grueling battle, Gu Caiyi ultimately failed to suppress her emotions, losing her composure before everyone.
Luo Chen shook his head, took her hand, and stepped onto the Ghost-Crossing Boat.
The moment he boarded, he was greeted by a chorus of varied greetings and concerned gazes.
Luo Chen smiled. "I made everyone worry."
Deng Taiyue glanced around curiously. "Is it all settled?"
Luo Chen nodded. "More or less!"
At these words, everyone rejoiced, and the look in their eyes shifted from worry to profound reverence and awe.
The ghost cultivators of the Minyuan, the five Great Ghost Sovereigns!
Some dead, some captured—not a single one had escaped.
This was their Supreme Elder!
Bai Meiling could not help asking, "Master, what of the Ming Water Springhead? It is said to possess the power to control Ming Water and command the Minyuan. Have you already refined it?"
At this, Luo Chen's expression turned peculiar once more.
He waved his hand. "I have my own plans regarding that matter."
Bai Meiling understood and pressed no further.
Lingfengzi asked tentatively, "Senior Brother, what should we do now?"
Luo Chen offered a faint smile. "Let us head back first!"
The Ghost-Crossing Boat turned at once, steering toward the Alchemy Saint Blessed Land.
As for the former Mount Yanfu?
One of the three Heavenly Palaces upholding the restrictions had been reduced to rubble, breaching the formations here.
With vast quantities of Ming Water pouring in, it was now barely distinguishable from the outside world.
Only a few cave abode restrictions and the remaining two Heavenly Palaces lingered on amidst the tainted Ming Water.
Luo Chen had no time to handle the legacy of the Mingyuan Sect for now; he could only return first and let the sect make further plans later.
***
Within the Alchemy Saint Blessed Land.
Streaks of light flew from various mountain ranges, all converging toward the entrance.
Several late-arriving disciples were startled to discover that Sect Master Li Yingzhang was already waiting there.
Not only that, but even the sect-protecting desolate beast, the black tortoise, lay prostrate nearby.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for something!
"The Supreme Elder is returning!"
Without needing to ask around, the news quickly spread to everyone's ears.
In an instant, everyone rejoiced.
According to the three disciples sent over by the Divine Talisman Sect, the Supreme Elder had stepped out of the Minyuan and personally ascended the Five Elements Divine Sect, not only slaying the Great Cultivator Perfected Shenyuan, but also wiping out the entire sect that had once harbored ill intentions toward them.
With such a momentous feat, how could they not be thrilled?
Yao Mingyue stood among the crowd, overjoyed, her face carrying even more anticipation than the others.
Luo Chen was both the Supreme Elder and her martial uncle; she knew better than anyone his purpose for leaving the Luotian Sect.
His return this time meant he had surely achieved something.
Unable to contain herself, Yao Mingyue quietly slipped away from the group and flew in a certain direction.
Before long, she arrived at a lonely, frigid peak. After circling for a moment, she touched down.
Even before entering the cave abode, an intensely piercing chill drifted out.
Yao Mingyue frowned and stepped inside.
"Master, Martial Uncle has returned!"
Upon hearing this, a beautiful mature woman seated on an ice bed fluttered her eyelashes, then snapped her eyes open.
Her gaze was filled with delight.
Yet that delight was quickly suppressed.
Sima Huiniang said coldly, "So he still remembers the way back!"
Yao Mingyue shook her head and sighed. "I know you feel resentful after being confined for ten years, Master, but he is your husband after all, as well as the Supreme Elder of the Luotian Sect. In many matters, he cannot show favoritism. Back then, regarding Lingxi's affair, to put it lightly it was the lives of several disciples; to put it seriously, it was enough to shake the very foundation of the sect..."
"Silence!" the woman snapped, then asked, "Since he's back, where is he?"
Helpless, Yao Mingyue could only convey the current situation.
"The Supreme Elder has run into some trouble, purportedly related to the Ming Water Springhead."
Trouble?
What kind of opponent could possibly bring trouble to Luo Chen?
The woman who had looked frosty just moments ago was instantly struck by panic, her cold demeanor giving way to deep worry.
Yet when she looked back toward another bitterly cold chamber, she could not help biting her lip.
"Lingxi is sealed in ice. I must constantly supply him with blood vitality to sustain his life force, so I cannot leave for the moment. Keep watch over him for me, and notify me the instant there is any news."
Yao Mingyue hummed in assent, glanced toward that chamber, and took her leave.
After exiting Sima Huiniang's cave abode, she could not help muttering to herself.
"Master's family is truly awkward. Everything was so good in the past. Hopefully, once Lingxi recovers, Master and Martial Uncle can reconcile as before!"
With such thoughts, she also firmly resolved never to seek a Dao companion in her life.
Too troublesome, and a hindrance to cultivation!
***
Soon, Yao Mingyue returned to the entrance of the blessed land.
Li Yingzhang spotted her, called her over, asked a few questions in a low voice, and then waved his hand.
"The Supreme Elder's family matters are not for us to meddle in. Let us wait in peace!"
Yao Mingyue nodded, staying nearby to wait as instructed.
Time trickled by, and the crowd grew increasingly anxious.
Knowing that the Supreme Elder had been delayed outside because of the Ming Water Springhead only deepened their worry.
What if...
There was no what-if. When the black tortoise prostrate upon the earth suddenly lifted its head, everyone realized what was happening.
At the entrance, a water curtain rippled, and spiritual light shifted.
Several figures emerged together.
The man at their head wore a feathered robe and a tall crown, handsome and distinguished, resembling an immortal descended to the mortal realm.
All the disciples of the Luotian Sect bowed in unison.
"We respectfully welcome the Supreme Elder's return!"
Chapter 1005