Across the horizon, a fiery shooting star flashed past.
The next instant!
Thud!
Upon an unnamed islet, a black-robed Daoist stood motionless, the ground beneath his feet completely undisturbed. For someone halting from such incredible speed without causing the slightest damage to his surroundings spoke volumes of his exquisite mastery over both magic power and physical body.
This person was none other than Luo Chen.
In his pursuit of firmament qi, he had long departed the Western Continent and was not far from the Tiannan Continent. Upon receiving Xiao Bai's voice transmission, he had unleashed his Airburst Fire Evasion with all his might, crossing the continent in a mere two or three days to arrive in this sea territory.
During his journey over the past few days, Luo Chen had also attained a fresh understanding of this new movement technique that fused Airburst Step and fire evasion.
Purely in terms of speed, it was likely among the rarest under heaven.
Its only flaw was that it could not be cast continuously; it required several breaths as a buffer, incapable of seamlessly slipping into the void as frequently as Qingshuang's Void Evasion Divine Art.
"Still, it's enough. Supplementing the buffer interval with Moon Step won't reveal any major flaws."
Luo Chen chuckled softly, sweeping his gaze across the surroundings.
According to Xiao Bai's voice transmission, the two had agreed to meet around here.
Now that he had arrived, where was Xiao Bai?
As Luo Chen turned his gaze behind him, his eyes narrowed slightly.
A woman in a green gown came into view, her eyes shimmering with surprise and delight.
"It really is you!"
Luo Chen fell silent for a moment, but then gave an easy smile, cupping his hands in a Daoist greeting. "Fellow Daoist Fu, I trust you have been well?"
Observing this polite greeting, Fairy Qinglan's initial joy turned into something far more complicated.
"I am well, of course, but your path, Fellow Daoist Luo, has been full of twists and turns. Since you left the Central Plains, news about you has arrived without end. Reigning supreme over the Eastern Desolation under the title of Alchemy Grandmaster, joining forces with the demoness Qingshuang to contend against the heroes of the Western Desert, and I hear your figure has even been spotted in the Southern Border. If one counts your past exploits in the Northern Sea and Central Plains, it would not be an exaggeration to say your name shakes the five continents—truly unique across the Mountain Sea Realm."
"Haha, just a bit of wind and frost, hardly worth calling twists and turns."
Luo Chen wore a smile, appearing completely unfazed by the life-and-death perils he had faced.
Yet the more he acted this way, the more conflicted Fairy Qinglan felt.
*Did he not even notice the change in how I addressed him?*
A pang of bitterness welled in her heart. In the past, her attitude toward him had undergone a continuous shift, reflected clearly in her forms of address. From the initial, polite "Fellow Daoist Luo," to "Brother Luo," and at one point she had even called him "Big Brother Luo." Yet now, when she reverted to that initial courteous title, his expression remained entirely unchanged, utterly indifferent.
Clearly, even their shared ordeal in the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven was nothing more than another trial of wind and frost in his eyes.
Since that was the case, Fairy Qinglan dwelt no further on the past, her expression turning abruptly solemn.
"That black dragon attacking Zhenhai City—it's your bonded beast, isn't it?"
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, then nodded slightly.
Receiving confirmation, Fairy Qinglan bit her red lip. "Forty years ago, what happened in God Burial Valley—was that your doing as well?"
Luo Chen was taken aback. He believed he had kept his subjugation of the Kui Cow ghost-god in God Burial Valley relatively discreet; he had not expected Fu Qinglan to identify him.
Yet Luo Chen disdained deception and nodded openly once more.
Confronted with his refusal to deny or explain, anger finally surfaced on Fairy Qinglan's face.
"First you unsealed a ghost-god, and now you direct your bonded black dragon to assault Zhenhai City! Luo Chen, what exactly are you trying to do to my Tianyuan Dao Sect?"
Luo Chen finally spoke.
The carefree look on his face gave way to an anger that matched her own.
"What could a person with an incomplete life soul like me possibly do to your esteemed sect?"
That sharp retort left Fairy Qinglan stunned.
She was no fool. Long ago, when she became a disciple under the Transformation God mighty figure Chunyuan, she had learned the details of the Grotto-Heaven Competition.
Back then, all Dao Protectors who entered the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven—especially those from outside continents—had a wisp of their life soul sheared away by the Lanke Chessboard. It had happened silently, leaving no trace behind, and had not significantly affected the Dao Protectors at the time. However, that missing wisp of life soul would hinder a cultivator from breaking through to the Transformation God realm! This was a safeguard instituted by the Tianyuan Dao Sect to prevent the opportunities within the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven from falling into outside hands.
Yet the Fu family back then had been ignorant of it, and they had even concealed the fact that the temporal flow in the grotto-heaven differed, which would consume vast amounts of a Dao Protector's lifespan.
Those two grievances were more than enough to fill Luo Chen with fury.
Fairy Qinglan parted her lips, wanting to explain, but the anger on Luo Chen's face vanished as swiftly as it had appeared. He even turned his gaze aside.
Whoosh!
A spray of water burst open, and a streak of dim light flew out, resolving into the enchanting figure of a woman.
"Master, the Black King seems to be controlled by someone. He doesn't remember you or me at all! No matter how I called him through voice transmission, he ignored me completely and just kept fleeing north with his head down."
Luo Chen took a deep breath. "He won't get away!"
With that, he turned and left, clearly unwilling to say another word to Fu Qinglan.
Xiao Bai cast a curious glance at Fu Qinglan and hurried after Luo Chen.
Behind them, Fairy Qinglan grew anxious.
"Luo Chen, listen to me! As long as you are willing to return to the Tianyuan Dao Sect with me, in a sixty-year cycle, I will definitely help you retrieve your life soul!"
The black-robed man ahead paused inwardly, yet did not stop walking.
"Believe me! I am the sect's True Disciple and Master of the Houtu Hall; I have a say within the sect!"
The black-robed man merely gave a soft snort and continued striding through the air.
"At least tell me—before my grandfather perished, did he leave behind any last words?!"
Fu Chaosheng had perished in the Mingyuan Sect. When he went there, his goal was to find Luo Chen; the only person he could have met before his death was Luo Chen.
This time, Luo Chen halted. He did not turn back, however; only a faint voice drifted across the wind.
"He was very proud of you."
"Is that all?"
There was no response. Only a muffled boom resounded on the spot. Amid a burst of sparks, Luo Chen vanished. When he reappeared, he was already dozens of li away.
Such an astonishing movement technique would have drawn gasps of awe from Fairy Qinglan on any other day.
Yet right now, the green-clad woman stood blankly upon the islet, letting the sea wind whip her hair, lost in melancholy.
...
"Master, you and that woman seem to have quite a history!" Xiao Bai's voice drifted through the whistling gales, sounding somewhat faint.
Luo Chen's expression remained calm, though ripples stirred in his heart.
His history with Fu Qinglan was far more than just deep.
Because of her, he had come to the Central Plains, joined the Star Gate, and gained the Alchemy Saint's favor, receiving the Heavenly Mechanism Pill that laid the groundwork for his later comprehension of the Wither-Bloom True Intent. Even the Myriad Firmaments Myriad Transformations Sword Scripture he cultivated so diligently now had been gifted by that woman as compensation for the lifespan he had lost.
Yet also because of her, he had fallen into his most awkward predicament, forever unable to take that final step into the Transformation God realm.
The grievances and entanglements between them were beyond words.
This meeting was likely their last as friends; the next time they crossed paths, they would probably be fighting to the death.
His earlier aloofness had been deliberate, lest he hesitate when the time came.
"Forget it!"
Luo Chen sighed, pulling himself together, and asked, "Where is the Black King?"
Xiao Bai replied at once, "He was probably injured by that woman just now, and is fleeing for his life toward the Northern Sea. I left a soul beacon on him, and based on the connection, he isn't far from us. With your marvelous movement technique, Master, you'll catch up in half an incense stick at most."
At that point, confusion showed on Xiao Bai's face. "Master, the Black King bears your slave seal, and you still hold his soul blood. How can you not sense his location?"
Luo Chen's expression turned chilly. "Didn't you say he appeared to be controlled? The mastermind behind this even overwrote the slave seal I placed on him. How could I possibly sense him?"
Xiao Bai looked shocked.
She knew better than anyone the sheer depth of her master's divine soul and his attainments in soul restrictions.
Even though he had only been at the early Nascent Soul stage when he placed the slave seal on the Black King, any divine soul capable of overwriting that seal would have to be extraordinarily formidable.
The entity behind the scenes had to be terrifying!
With a grim expression, Luo Chen carried Xiao Bai forward, repeatedly casting Airburst Fire Evasion.
Across the vast sea, sparks flickered as they streaked steadily northward.
Just as Xiao Bai had estimated, scarcely half an incense stick later, Luo Chen felt a stir in his heart and manifested from the void.
His gaze fell upon the depths of the ocean, where a dark shadow could be faintly seen fleeing at an unhurried pace.
"Master, the Black King is right below!"
"I know."
"Uh... Master, aren't you going to fish him out?"
Luo Chen snorted coldly. "Why catch him now? Now that we've found him, bringing him back under my control is child's play. Right now, I'm far more curious about who could possibly overwrite my slave seal, forcibly control the Black King, and even block his memories of us."
Xiao Bai's eyes lit up. "Master, you mean...?"
"Follow him!"
Luo Chen slowed his pace, trailing far behind the Black King while concealing his aura.
Squinting at the shadow deep beneath the sea, he turned various thoughts over in his mind.
He not only wanted to see who was controlling the Black King, but also where they found the nerve to order the Black King and other demon beasts to attack the Tiannan Continent.
Although the Tiannan Continent was the weakest fragment after the collapse of the Central Plains, it was still territory of the Dao Sect.
In this era, with two of the five sacred grounds destroyed, one sealed, and one in seclusion, the Tianyuan Dao Sect remained the paramount power in the Mountain Sea Realm.
In fact, due to the profound foundations handed down from antiquity, not even Transformation God mighty figures dared provoke them lightly.
Yet now, not just the Tiannan Continent, but even the Libei and Dongyuan Continents were receiving constant reports of demon beast incursions. Someone was clearly targeting the Tianyuan Dao Sect with deliberate intent.
*Heading north... the Northern Sea... Could it be the two ancient demons rumored to dwell in the Northern Sea?*
At that thought, Luo Chen's fingers subconsciously brushed against his sleeve.
The Million Fiend Soul Banner rested right within!
...
Time passed swiftly.
Pursuing the Black King's trail, Luo Chen spent three months crossing both the Tiannan and Libei Continents, traveling day and night without pause.
Such a vast distance only brought Luo Chen's suspicions closer to the truth.
If they pushed forward any further, they would enter the Northern Sea cultivation realm.
"Master, isn't that fellow the Black King tired at all? He's wounded, yet he's traveled this long without stopping."
"You underestimate him. A desolate beast body combined with an undying physique, plus the heaps of demon beasts he's devoured along the way—his injuries have largely healed by now."
As the Black King's former master, Luo Chen understood the fool's foundation inside and out.
Fu Qinglan had indeed made astonishing progress, advancing to the mid-Nascent Soul stage in a mere century since their parting, but the Black King was no pushover either. Back then, Luo Chen had invested untold precious resources into him, laying a foundation far exceeding that of ordinary beasts.
Emperor Flowing Liquid for opening intelligence and strengthening foundations had never been in short supply. Flesh-and-blood resources of every kind were provided at will. On top of that, after devouring the remnant soul of the stone dragon and advancing to a fourth-rank desolate beast, the Black King's foundation had become profound beyond measure.
It was only because the fellow was too lazy, always wanting to sleep in the past, that his accomplishments were limited to the mid-fourth rank.
Three months were plenty of time for the Black King to recover from the injury dealt by Fu Qinglan's palm. Yet he still hadn't stopped, evidently having lost his nerve; he didn't want to fight anymore and wished only to return to his current "master."
It seemed that new master gave him quite a sense of security!
While Luo Chen pondered this, Xiao Bai's puzzled voice came from beside him.
"Why is there so much mist?"
Luo Chen's heart gave a jolt, and he grabbed Xiao Bai. "Possess my body. Don't get separated."
Luo Chen then bit his fingertip and smeared a droplet of essence blood across his eyes.
The next instant, crimson veins spread, and a dazzling golden radiance burst forth from his eyes—Scarlet Eyes and Golden Pupils manifested once more.
Luo Chen gazed outward. Amid the vast, swirling mist upon the sea, faint traces of distinctive array patterns revealed themselves.
"What an exquisite array!"
Hearing this, Xiao Bai, possessing Luo Chen's back, felt her heart tighten.
For an array master like her master to praise it like this, the danger here had to be immense.
"Who in the world could set up such an array?"
Luo Chen pursed his lips. His earlier speculation was overturned, and another guess surfaced in his mind.
*Could it be that person?*
Stepping forward, he appeared calmly and confidently within another area of thick mist.
The moment his feet touched down, he didn't pause; Luo Chen stepped into the void again, emerging in yet another spot.
Thus, his figure flickered repeatedly.
Until a cold, biting frost-mist appeared, whereupon Luo Chen brought his fingers together like a sword and stabbed forward.
Pop!
Like a burst bubble, heaven and earth suddenly flipped, and the surrounding mists rolled back. In the shifting of stars and sky, Luo Chen appeared upon an expanse of ice.
Looking across it, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.
From his memory, a scene of earth-shaking slaughter surfaced.
"This place is... the Ice Polar Sect?"
The moment this thought surfaced, Luo Chen's eyes shot into the distance.
Far across that stretch of ice, an elegant, weathered scholar sat holding a fishing rod, leisurely angling in the frozen sea.
As if sensing Luo Chen's gaze, the weathered scholar turned his head in curiosity.
"Oh? Someone actually managed to break through this old man's Mist Concealment Mind-Bewildering Array?"
In his surprise, his eyes met Luo Chen's.
"Young friend, those eyes of yours are quite something!"
Luo Chen took a deep breath and said neither servilely nor arrogantly, "Junior Luo Chen pays his respects to Senior Li!"
"Luo Chen?!"
The weathered scholar murmured the name, and the fishing rod in his hand flicked.
Instantly.
The ice shattered, and a colossal black dragon soared into the air, crashing down heavily onto the ice surface.
Luo Chen's gaze settled upon the black dragon, and he spoke calmly, "It is indeed I. And that dragon happens to be this one's spirit pet!"
The moment those words were spoken, the weathered scholar's eyes narrowed instantly.
Chapter 1050