Within his sea of qi, the true fire blazed fiercely.
Azure-red light flooded almost the entire qi sea.
It was an atmosphere teeming with vibrant vitality, as though all creation were bursting forth in vigorous growth.
The Golden Core and the fire-attribute Broken Moon Wings were like fish taking to water in this lush, vital environment.
The Broken Moon Wings transformed into flowing moonlight, wheeling and swooping continuously.
The crimson Golden Core spun on its own faster and faster, greedily attempting to absorb the boundless life force contained within the Wither-Bloom True Fire.
The Wither-Bloom True Fire seemed to possess a will of its own, reluctant to share the vitality harvested from burning and refining over ten thousand sea snakes with the Golden Core or the Broken Moon Wings.
Yet residing in their midst, some was inevitably siphoned away.
Naturally, the lion's share was retained by the Wither-Bloom True Fire itself.
Faintly, it appeared to be undergoing a metamorphosis in some direction.
Luo Chen closed his eyes and sensed the shifts within his qi sea, instantly catching that thread of reluctance from the Wither-Bloom True Fire.
"Is this... sentience?"
Surprise appeared on Luo Chen's face.
Heaven and earth spawned rare fires, mostly born in perilous and bizarre places; once formed, they could exist independent of their origin.
Thus, rare natural fires were often referred to as—sourceless flames!
When a cultivator refined one to serve as their true fire, the sourceless flame gained a vessel and a source, thereby becoming a true source fire.
Yet among the sourceless flames as countless as stars, not all were formidable or extraordinary.
They were merely unconventional cultivators, akin to plants turning into spirits or stubborn rocks gaining souls.
At the beginning, they possessed virtually no intelligence, acting purely on instinct.
Furthermore, unlike monster beasts that evolved from wild beasts, which could gain sentience and actively seek metamorphosis even at lower realms, such beings were different.
Rumor had it that for a sourceless flame to develop sentience, it had to reach at least the fifth tier before even a flicker of spiritual awareness could emerge.
Luo Chen's Wither-Bloom Fire had been obtained from the Flame Alliance.
Originally, it was only at the third tier.
For three hundred years, the Flame Alliance had nurtured it using the Incense-Burning Spirit Seizing Formation—a modification of the Heavenly Craft Spirit Seizing Formation—periodically feeding it various spirit woods and monster beast blood. Only through this long, drawn-out process had its grade been pushed to the fourth tier.
And that was essentially the limit of the Wither-Bloom Fire.
Its potential ended there.
Yet after Luo Chen refined it, he discovered that it had unconsciously inherited the habit of seizing spirits through burning incense.
Consequently, after incinerating and refining living creatures on a massive scale, it could actively plunder the vitality inherent in their flesh.
Most of this life force was absorbed by the fire itself, while a small portion benefited Luo Chen's physical body, even extending his lifespan.
Even so, the upper limit of the Wither-Bloom Fire had seemed plain to see.
At most, it would reach the peak of the fourth tier; it could never break through to the fifth tier.
Yet now, it faintly exhibited a trace of sentience—a matter of momentous significance!
Spiritual sentience was the hallmark of a fifth-tier sourceless flame!
In other words, the Wither-Bloom Fire stood a chance of ascending to the fifth tier!
"Could a qualitative leap have arisen from sheer quantity?"
"Yet while ten thousand sea snakes sound like a vast horde, do they truly compare to several third-tier monster beasts?"
"Could it be... the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture?!"
The more Luo Chen cultivated this technique, heralded as the progenitor of fire arts, the more unfathomable he found it.
Even though he possessed only the Golden Core chapter, and even though it contained no appended spells or secret techniques,
its uncanny ability to alter the nature of spiritual roots and cloak all five elements under a single element was already endlessly beneficial.
It now appeared that there remained far more to explore within this scripture.
At present, his proficiency in the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture had merely reached the Adept level. Once he attained Consummate, Grandmaster, and ultimately Great Perfection, perhaps further transformations would unfold naturally!
After inspecting the Wither-Bloom True Fire, Luo Chen examined his physique.
Even though he had received only a fraction of the vitality shared by the fire, its absorption into his flesh sent waves of comforting warmth coursing through his limbs.
Luo Chen could even sense that his maximum lifespan was poised to increase once more alongside his body's transformation.
What was more, the increase might be substantial!
"Over ten thousand sea snakes... I wonder how many years they will add to my maximum lifespan."
"If it is significant, does that mean I could hunt and refine monster beasts en masse to harvest lifespan, thereby achieving an alternative form of immortality?"
When this thought surfaced, Luo Chen could not help feeling a surge of excitement.
After a long while, Luo Chen finally suppressed the excitement in his chest.
Such longevity was ultimately not the orthodox path!
He might dabble in it, but he could never rely on it.
What he sought was not merely longevity, but eternal life and indestructibility!
Lifespan brought longevity, but surviving required sufficient means to protect his Dao.
And formidable means inevitably depended on the continuous advancement of his cultivation realm.
Therefore, cultivation remained paramount; he could never lose sight of what truly mattered!
After a careful inspection, Luo Chen sent out a divine sense transmission.
Before long, Cheng Haichang stepped into the cabin.
"Master, what are your orders?"
This time, Luo Chen did not deploy Mirror Flower, Water Moon, instead conversing with the man in a relatively calm manner.
"Earlier, I observed that your crew held your ground under the siege of the sea snakes. This ship is quite remarkable!"
Cheng Haichang nodded. "My lord has a sharp eye. This demon-hunting vessel is indeed extraordinary, purchased by our Cheng clan at great expense. It can undertake long-range ocean voyages, hunting marine fish and monster beasts far beyond the islands where humans gather."
"A demon-hunting vessel?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping down across the deck beneath his feet.
With his discernment, he could naturally tell that the vessel's quality reached the level of a magic treasure!
A ship of such scale had to be extraordinarily expensive.
Through Cheng Haichang's explanation, he learned of the vessel's origins.
Grandmaster artifact refiners from the Tianyuan Business Alliance had tailored and crafted these specialized magic treasures to suit the conditions of the Northern Sea.
They were amphibious craft capable of moving through both sea and air, though they were swifter upon the water.
Constructed primarily from the bones of dragon whales harvested from the ocean depths, they possessed an exceptional affinity for water.
Not only were they fast, but their carrying capacity was equally impressive.
Any cultivation clan across the Northern Sea's various islands that possessed a measure of strength would spend vast sums to purchase one for offshore operations, securing a steady stream of revenue.
"That white banner—it is a Soul Refining Banner, is it not?"
Out of nowhere, Luo Chen brought up the artifact Cheng Haichang had employed earlier.
Cheng Haichang bowed his head, visibly tense as he replied, "It is indeed a Soul Refining Banner from the Yuan Demon Sect's Soul Refining branch. However, this junior did not actively violate the prohibition by absorbing the souls of cultivators. Under ordinary circumstances, I only ever harvest the souls of monster beasts to replenish it."
"Oh?"
Luo Chen's brow twitched. He had clearly seen the man draw in the remnant souls of those who had fallen aboard the demon-hunting vessel earlier.
Did that not count as violating the prohibition?
Through the man's subsequent explanation, he came to understand the so-called Yuan Demon Prohibition of the past.
Soul Refining Banners were permitted for use.
However, their souls were preferably drawn from the countless monster beasts of the sea.
The souls of human cultivators could not be forcibly captured.
If anyone harbored evil intentions and slaughtered cultivators en masse to craft Soul Refining Banners, the Yuan Demon Sect would issue a warrant to hunt them down.
Evidently, with the destruction of the Yuan Demon Sect, this Yuan Demon Prohibition had become little more than a dead letter.
Cheng Haichang, for instance, was skirting the edges by using the souls of his own deceased kinsmen to feed the Soul Refining Banner.
"And what was that formation?"
"Does the Master refer to the formation aboard the vessel? That is the Sea Soul Formation. It draws upon the power of the ocean and the souls of myriad sea demons. It grows stronger the longer it fights and is essentially standard equipment for all large demon-hunting vessels."
"Intriguing. Do you possess the corresponding formation diagram?"
"Uh, no, we do not. It was specially developed by the Tianyuan Business Alliance by incorporating techniques from the Yuan Demon Sect's Soul Refining branch. A small clan like ours would never have the chance to acquire the original diagram!"
"The Tianyuan Business Alliance? What is its relationship to the sacred ground of the Central Plains, the Tianyuan Dao Sect?"
"The Master is perceptive. The Tianyuan Business Alliance is an enterprise of the Tianyuan Dao Sect, responsible for collecting resources in the Northern Sea to sell across the other four continents, while also shipping goods from the other continents into the Northern Sea."
Luo Chen nodded. Commerce, after all, was merely buying low and selling high.
"The Tianyuan Business Alliance is exceedingly powerful, with Nascent Soul Perfected Persons stationed here year-round. They also employ countless masters across every trade—alchemy, formations, artifact crafting, and talismans, all of which they excel in. Rumor has it they can even forge demonic artifacts."
"Earlier, I saw that the Master took an interest in those spirit-attached magical artifacts. In truth, those too are the handiwork of the Tianyuan Business Alliance."
"Artifacts of that kind are not driven by spiritual qi, but powered by the internal energy of martial artists."
"In this way, the countless mortals across the Northern Sea find their purpose. As long as they train diligently in martial arts, they can wield spirit-attached magical artifacts to unleash strength comparable to early-stage, or even mid-stage, Qi Refinement cultivators."
"On a vessel of this size, it is impossible to staff it entirely with cultivators. Typically, every major clan brings a large cohort of mortal martial artists aboard to assist with fishing, hunting beasts, butchering game, and even taking part in battle."
The more Luo Chen listened, the brighter his eyes shone.
Mortals, who in the Eastern Desolation were utterly beneath notice, treated almost like penned livestock, surprisingly enjoyed such status in the Northern Sea cultivation world!
For mere mortals to exert the might of mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators was truly astounding.
He requested three spirit-attached magical artifacts from Cheng Haichang and dismissed him.
Afterward, Luo Chen set to work examining the contraptions.
...
With its sails hoisted high, the massive demon-hunting vessel cut through the wind and waves, forging ahead.
The distance to their destination grew steadily shorter.
Two days later, Luo Chen laid down the saber, the sword, and the trident before him.
A pensive look surfaced on his face.
"Marvellous, truly ingenious!"
"Such modest spirit-attached artifacts actually contain the mystery of converting vital essence into spiritual power—is that not precisely the 'refining essence into qi' of the early Qi Refiners?"
"The Tianyuan Business Alliance merely accomplished it through formations and spirit stones."
"It is a pity that the conversion formations are fitted with protective measures preventing them from being forcibly pried open for study."
"If such ingenious craftsmanship were popularized throughout the entire Mountain Sea Realm, the strength of the human race would undergo an earth-shaking transformation. After all, mortals reproduce far more swiftly than cultivators who cherish their cultivation. If someone reached the realm of an Innate Grandmaster like Wang Yuan in his early years, wielding the finest spirit-attached artifact, they might even pose a threat to late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators."
"Yet why would the Tianyuan Dao Sect distribute this technique only to the Northern Sea?"
Putting away the three spirit-attached artifacts, Luo Chen sighed.
He saw what it did without knowing the deeper reasoning behind it, which piqued his curiosity.
Yet clearly, the grand Tianyuan Dao Sect was under no obligation to explain itself to a mere Golden Core cultivator like him.
Moreover, time had run out.
They had arrived!
As the anchor plunged into the water, the massive demon-hunting vessel shuddered slightly and came to a halt beside an enormous wharf.
Luo Chen stepped out of the cabin. Looking upon the bustling, crowded harbor, a look of surprise flashed through his eyes.
So many ships!
And so many people!
Vessels on the scale of the Cheng clan's demon-hunting ship numbered seven or eight moored here, alongside over a dozen smaller crafts.
According to Cheng Haichang's earlier explanation, those smaller vessels could only operate within near-shore waters.
Only these large demon-hunting ships dared venture past ten thousand li offshore.
And the people!
Aside from the occasional Qi Refinement cultivators maintaining order, ninety-nine percent were mortals!
These mortals walked with vigor, wind stirring in their wake. Veins and knotted muscle bulged across their bare arms and legs, rich vital blood coursing beneath their physiques.
Judged by the standards Wang Yuan had once set, the mortals working on the wharf were at least second-rate or even first-rate martial artists!
Some had even touched the threshold of Innate Masters!
What caught Luo Chen's attention most was that none of these mortal martial artists bore the numb, hollow expressions of those beaten down by life.
Instead, they radiated boundless drive, as though filled with hope for the days ahead.
This scene bore no resemblance to a realm governed by a demonic sect; rather, it felt like an upright, righteous world basking in prosperity, good governance, and popular harmony.
Even as he took in the sight, others on the wharf noticed the Cheng clan's vessel pulling in.
Seeing the sparse, scattered survivors aboard and smelling the heavy stench of blood, everyone understood what had transpired.
The Cheng clan's deep-sea voyage had met with disaster!
Murmurs broke out, accompanied by waves of sympathetic glances directed toward the Cheng clan.
Cheng Haichang's expression grew somewhat grim as he walked up to Luo Chen.
"Master, our Black Swan Island lies in the northwestern corner of the Feiyan Archipelago, some distance from here. From this point forward, we must travel under our own power."
"Understood," Luo Chen nodded.
"Please wait a moment, Master, while I make the arrangements."
"Suit yourself."
Luo Chen continued observing the lively scene on the wharf, keeping the Yinwei Formation fully active so that he emitted only the spiritual fluctuations of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
His divine sense, however, had already unfurled without a sound.
'There are two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators presiding over the wharf.'
'The nearest island must belong to the Jiaolong Gang Cheng Haichang mentioned, which oversees trade at the dock. Who would have thought the Jiaolong Gang harbored a late-stage Foundation Establishment great cultivator?'
Luo Chen slowly reeled in his divine sense and looked out toward the central region of the Feiyan Archipelago.
Supposedly, a rogue Golden Core cultivator resided there!
Taking advantage of the chaos following the fall of the Yuan Demon Sect, that person had stepped in personally to wipe out the most powerful Foundation Establishment clan in the Feiyan Archipelago, seizing their ancestral third-tier spiritual vein.
He had turned that land into his cultivation hub, ordering everyone below to pay him tribute.
Thirty years ago, he had taken the initiative to join the Righteous Canghai Alliance, becoming a nominal member of the Canghai Alliance and thereby receiving the method for linking islands into a grand formation, shared unreservedly by the alliance.
Consequently, the Feiyan Archipelago had become an even tighter monolith!
Over the past thirty years, that man had enjoyed quite a comfortable life!
"Was he who first set the precedent left without posterity?"
A slight smile played on Luo Chen's lips. He too was in need of a suitable third-tier spiritual vein for cultivation.
If that man could set such a precedent, Luo Chen could certainly follow suit.
For now, though, there was no rush; he had to sound out the other man's background first.
"Master, I have arranged everything. This way, please."
"Lead the way."
Luo Chen flew northwest alongside Cheng Haichang.
Both moved swiftly, and within less than half a day, they arrived at a relatively remote corner of the waters.
Hovering in the sky, Luo Chen looked down.
Black Swan Island was long and narrow, shaped like a crescent moon, with a wide stretch of beach in its center.
At one end stood a mountain five hundred zhang tall—not particularly high, but steep and sheer, its precipitous cliffs blocking threats from the sea.
Small lakes dotted the island.
Upon those lakes and along the beach, numerous black swans wandered about.
He knew this was the Cheng clan's primary enterprise: breeding first-tier spirit beasts, the black swans.
As his divine sense swept across the island, he gained a general sense of the Cheng clan cultivators' collective strength.
One ninth-layer Foundation Establishment great cultivator!
None in the mid stage.
Four in the early stage.
Counting Cheng Haichang and Cheng Ji, who had remained active aboard the vessel, that made six early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators in total.
'One late stage and six early stage. Among Foundation Establishment factions, such strength is already formidable. There is good reason the Cheng clan commands a place in the Feiyan Archipelago and even ranks among the top five.'
While Luo Chen surveyed Black Swan Island, Cheng Haichang hastened into the clan's core grounds.
The clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators had apparently been notified in advance. Though some were curious along the way, none disturbed him.
Before long, Cheng Haichang arrived before a small lake that resembled a round mirror.
A young man clad in white stood by the water, looking as though he had been waiting for some time.
Seeing Cheng Haichang arrive alone, the white-clad man frowned.
"Where is the Golden Core Master you mentioned in your voice transmission talisman?"
"Reporting to the Clan Head, the Master is waiting outside."
Cheng Dou stared in surprise. "So polite? Did you not claim he was a powerhouse of the demonic path?"
"Clan Head, watch your words!" Cheng Haichang's face shifted.
Cheng Dou waved a hand dismissively. "No matter. I set up a sound-isolation formation around Little Mirror Lake in advance. While it may not block a Golden Core Master's divine sense, it will at least serve as an early warning; the moment he tries to eavesdrop, the formation will shatter. Look, the formation is still perfectly intact, which proves the powerhouse is adhering to proper etiquette."
These words dispelled Cheng Haichang's misgivings.
He exhaled a breath of relief. "Senior indeed appears to be a man of principles, but his conduct is nothing like that of the righteous path."
"How so?" Clan Head Cheng Dou adopted an attentive expression.
The previous voice transmission talisman had contained too little information.
He needed to know more about this mysterious powerhouse so he could arrange proper hospitality, and even weigh whether to report this to the lord presiding over the center of the Feiyan Archipelago.
Cheng Haichang proceeded to recount the events in the Xintian Sea Region to Cheng Dou in full detail, omitting virtually nothing, from major occurrences down to the smallest nuances.
"Flames resembling the Azure Sun Demonic Fire..."
"Techniques of bewitchment and mind-bending..."
"An intense interest in intelligence concerning the Yuan Demon Sect..."
"Going by your description, it is indeed highly likely that he is a former Yuan Demon Sect disciple who ventured out in his youth. Having been away from the Northern Sea for so many years, he did not even know that the sect had been wiped out."
"Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that he is a powerhouse from another continent who traversed the ocean to travel through our Northern Sea."
Cheng Dou analyzed the situation based on the intelligence provided.
He then questioned Cheng Haichang closely regarding Luo Chen's habits, temperament, and preferences.
Cheng Haichang answered as best he could according to his impressions, though there was little concrete information he could offer on those points.
After a while, the hesitation in Cheng Dou's eyes cleared, replaced by resolve.
"By your account, this man acts with absolute dominance, yet makes a point of gathering intelligence from all quarters—proof that he is a ruthless figure who looks before he leaps."
"In particular, upon reaching the Feiyan Archipelago, instead of paying his respects to Master Nantian, he chose to come to our island first, which only reinforces that judgment."
"In any case, we must entertain him with the utmost hospitality!"
"Send men to prepare the finest spirit feast, and bring out a jar of Huancheng Wine that has been sealed away for two hundred years."
Cheng Haichang froze. "That Huancheng Wine is the spirit wine meant to assist your future core formation when you attempt the breakthrough to the Golden Core stage! Even when Master Nantian seized control of the Feiyan Archipelago back then, we didn't offer a full jar, only a single gourd."
Cheng Dou shook his head. "My own core formation won't require that much. The rest of you are all in early-stage Foundation Establishment, still endlessly far from core formation. Giving up a jar is no great loss. What matters most is entertaining this man properly."
"Why? For all we know, he might be a mere passerby staying briefly on Black Swan Island."
Cheng Dou smiled faintly. "Someone inquiring so thoroughly into the affairs of the Feiyan Archipelago is hardly carrying himself like a passing traveler. Oh, and have Seventh Sister prepare herself to accompany me at the feast."
Cheng Haichang's expression changed.
"Clan Head, Little Seven only just reached Foundation Establishment!"
"When I tell you to go, go!" Cheng Dou's smile vanished in an instant as he glared sharply at Cheng Haichang.
Cheng Haichang clenched his fists, but after a moment, he understood.
The Clan Head clearly had grand ambitions and was willing to spare no expense for them; how could the clan hold him back?
Taking his leave, Cheng Haichang set about organizing the banquet.
Cheng Dou smoothed the corners of his robes and went out of the island to welcome his guest in person.
...
Outside the island, Luo Chen's expression stirred slightly.
Not a single word of the conversation between Cheng Haichang and Clan Head Cheng Dou had escaped his ears.
His divine sense was extraordinarily potent to begin with; in his earlier years, he had brought the Sound Isolation Art to Great Perfection, and in recent years he had mastered the Obscurity Restriction of the Seven Fundamental Restrictions.
Combining these techniques, a paltry sound-isolation formation had no hope of shutting him out.
He had eavesdropped on their dialogue without leaving the slightest trace.
A thoughtful look rose in Luo Chen's eyes.
'No wonder Cheng Haichang was so eager to profess his loyalty to the fallen Yuan Demon Sect when we first met. He mistook me for a remnant of the Yuan Demon Sect!'
'Azure Sun Demonic Fire?'
A cluster of flames manifested in his palm, and the corners of Luo Chen's mouth curved upward.
To tell the truth, the Wither-Bloom True Fire really did bear a striking resemblance to Azure Sun Demonic Fire.
He had acquired a manual in his early years that recorded the Azure Sun Demonic Fire.
That fire was not born of nature, but artificially crafted.
It required harvesting massive quantities of living blood and refining it through demonic secret arts, making it thoroughly abhorrent, wicked, and sinister.
In battle, it possessed a terrible capacity to corrupt and defile a cultivator's magical artifacts and magic treasures.
Yet such artificial fire was consumed with every use, needing replenishment after combat; it could not hold a candle to the Wither-Bloom True Fire.
"In that case, I might as well play along!"
Luo Chen murmured under his breath as Cheng Dou's figure—white robes fluttering, sleeves billowing—came into view.
From a great distance, Cheng Dou quickened his pace, trotting forward.
"Senior honors us with your presence! This junior has failed to welcome you properly. Forgive my offense, forgive my offense!"
"No matter. This seat does not dwell on such trifles."
Luo Chen smiled faintly. Clad in his black martial robes, his frame appeared tall and imposing, standing a head taller than Cheng Dou.
He cast a casual glance behind Cheng Dou; no other Cheng clan cultivators were in sight.
It seemed Cheng Dou had come out alone precisely to keep word of his arrival confined to a tight circle.
After offering a respectful bow, Cheng Dou cautiously raised his head.
"This junior makes bold to ask—might I know Senior's esteemed title?"
The corners of Luo Chen's mouth curled up as he said in a clear, measured voice:
"This seat is Qingyang!"
Chapter 526