"Did it fail?"
"Yeah."
"No need to rush. This bead of Hidden Dust Sand is at rank-three Great Circle; it can take a beating from you. A few more tries will do it."
"That's all I can do."
On this day, such a conversation drifted from within the cabin.
Luo Chen pressed his thumb against the space between his brows, rubbing it incessantly.
For a cultivator whose divine sense was on par with the late Golden Core stage to feel thoroughly exhausted, one could see just how mentally taxing it was to weave a circuit of magic power through Hidden Dust Sand.
The reason it proved so arduous was not merely Luo Chen's own rudimentary techniques, but also because Han Zhan had never practiced the Origin Core Art himself, leaving him unable to provide detailed guidance.
Luo Chen could only grope his way forward step by step.
Still, just as Han Zhan had said, fortunately, this bead of Hidden Dust Sand was of exceedingly high grade and could withstand his rough handling.
Had it been an ordinary rank-three Hidden Dust Sand, it would have been ruined after two attempts at most. Setting aside the material cost, the expended energy alone would not have been worth the loss.
Exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, Luo Chen felt the mental exhaustion ease slightly.
Next, he needed to rest properly for a while.
Inscribing a complete circuit of magic power upon a foreign object—and ensuring it flowed unimpeded—was an ordeal whose difficulty could well be imagined. Thus, after each failure, Luo Chen would rest for a spell, recharging his energy for the next attempt.
Only this time, Han Zhan could hold back no longer.
"You've finished absorbing all the energy inside the Hidden Dust Sand, haven't you?"
Luo Chen arched an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.
"Of course!"
Not only had he finished absorbing it, but his cultivation had unconsciously surged by twenty points of progress, bringing him one step closer to the fifth layer of the Golden Core.
If an outsider were to learn that the magic power stored within a rank-three Great Circle Hidden Dust Sand had only elevated a fourth-layer Golden Core cultivator by twenty points of progress, they would likely curse Luo Chen for reckless waste.
Yet Luo Chen knew that while he understood the essence of power, his conversion method was still relatively crude.
Consequently, more than half of the energy had been squandered during the conversion process.
To gain twenty points of progress was already a stroke of divine fortune, saving him several years of bitter cultivation.
Han Zhan's spirits lifted. "Your magic power has reached its peak now, and you're about to take a brief rest. Why don't you..."
Luo Chen smiled, and an inch-long piece of black wood appeared in his hand.
"It's not out of the question, but..."
Looking at the black wood in his palm, Luo Chen's smile gradually faded, replaced by gravity.
His prior reluctance had not stemmed from breaking his word.
The truth was that upon contacting the Soul Nourishing Wood, the sinister balefulness clinging to it had terrified him from the very first touch.
An instinctive reaction had driven him to refuse to cleanse it.
It was precisely because of this that he had offered excuse after excuse.
Han Zhan watched this, his tone betraying urgency.
"You promised me!"
Luo Chen raised his head, blinking his eyelashes. "I have a premonition that a balefulness which Golden Core cultivators shun like the plague, and which Nascent Soul True Persons refuse to touch, cannot possibly be anything ordinary."
"You possess the Dragon Slaying Art at Grandmaster achievement, so what is there to fear? Besides, this wisp of balefulness is merely a lingering remnant. With a bit more effort, I'm confident you can eradicate it," Han Zhan urged, his frantic tone laced with persuasion.
Luo Chen bit his lip, frowning in thought for a long moment.
In the end, he gave a slight nod.
It was not for any other reason than what Han Zhan had said earlier—he had given his word.
Han Zhan had indeed paid a tremendous price for this piece of Soul Nourishing Wood:
The Origin Core Art, the Nascent Soul Formation Pill formula, setting up formations for him, acting against Blood Nightmare Moluo, and even making time to help unravel the storage bag's imprint.
Now that it had come down to it, going back on his word would truly be unjustifiable.
Of course, before starting, adequate precautions still had to be taken.
Luo Chen circulated his magic power, and an azure light barrier slowly materialized over his body.
It was none other than the water-attribute defensive spell he was most adept in—Glazed Sky Canopy.
At this moment, tightly shrunk to shroud him like a second skin, its defensive potency was no less than any top-tier rank-three defensive spell.
Not only that!
Luo Chen retrieved the Fengshen Compass, slotted several high-grade spirit stones into it, and activated a protective formation to shield his physical form.
Finally!
A wisp of black light welled up and spread outward from the depths of Luo Chen's sea of consciousness.
The Lanke Black Chess Piece, refined over many years to near the mid-grade magic treasure rank, also unfolded its soul defense.
Spell, array, magic treasure!
A three-pronged defense that could be called foolproof.
Even so, before beginning, Luo Chen still said to Han Zhan, "If something goes awry, Senior, you must step in to protect me."
Seeing how cautious Luo Chen was, Han Zhan felt both amused and exasperated, yet he solemnly agreed.
Then, Luo Chen formed hand seals aimed at the black wooden slat floating half a foot before him.
The Dragon Slaying Art, a rank-four spell.
It originated from the Eastern Desolation's Five Elements Divine Sect.
The spell's purpose was to cleanse foreign magic power.
Through years of practice, Luo Chen had already brought it to Grandmaster mastery, only a single step away from Great Circle.
At this juncture, cleansing the balefulness on the Soul Nourishing Wood served as an ideal way to boost his proficiency and push it into Great Circle.
Threads of magic power circulated, working in tandem with the hand seals to form a distinct conduit of power.
A sharp, blade-like aura coalesced at Luo Chen's palm.
Bringing his palm flat like a blade, he struck downward.
It was as though even a genuine dragon before him would be cleaved under his palm.
Luo Chen's force was vigorous, yet his angle was precision itself, brushing right against the physical surface of the Soul Nourishing Wood.
The first strike felt neither here nor there.
The second strike felt like falling into cotton.
Just as Luo Chen's third strike descended, an anomaly abruptly erupted!
An extreme aura breached the Fengshen Compass's formation in an instant and collapsed the azure canopy of light.
"Senior..."
Luo Chen's eyes widened, and he cried out sharply.
Yet before he could finish speaking, that final layer of black radiance was pierced straight through after a mere moment's resistance.
Fast!
Far too fast!
An unrivaled, tyrannical aura breached the defenses Luo Chen had deemed foolproof in a split second, rushing straight into the depths of his sea of consciousness.
In an instant, Luo Chen plunged as if into an abyss.
Ghostly shadows loomed, somber pavilions towered!
"What place is this?"
In a daze, Luo Chen looked at the illusions surrounding him from all directions. The soul foundation he had once considered formidable was now as fragile as an infant.
In the very next moment, from within the grim towers, the thousands of bound ghostly shadows suddenly surged forth, pouncing toward Luo Chen's soul.
"I'm finished!"
Just as this thought sprang into Luo Chen's mind, a brilliant cyan light burst open in his sea of consciousness.
"Luo Chen, wake up!"
Boom!
Amid the resonant shout that echoed like a great bronze bell, Luo Chen snapped awake as if from a dream.
Drenched in cold sweat, he looked as though he had just been fished out of water.
Trembling all over, he could not help but ask, "What on earth was that?"
Outside the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, Han Zhan's miniature Nascent Soul had already floated out.
Frowning deeply, the illusory figure said uncertainly, "It must have been caused by the master who left behind that balefulness. But just what manner of existence was that person, and how powerful were they, for a mere wisp of balefulness to cast a fully prepared Golden Core cultivator into an abyss?"
"Senior, how about... next time?" Luo Chen ventured, feeling an urge to back out.
The miniature Nascent Soul cast a glance at Luo Chen and said coldly, "Strike while the iron is hot!"
Seeing Luo Chen frown, the miniature Nascent Soul sighed and forced a smile.
"Don't be afraid!
"You saw it too. Even though that balefulness carries a powerful mental influence, your soul-defending magic treasure managed to stall it for an instant.
"Furthermore, with me—a Nascent Soul True Person proficient in soul secret arts—standing by, I can ensure you won't sink into that illusion.
"One more time, just one more time!"
Luo Chen gave a strained smile, then fell silent.
Han Zhan did not press him, quietly awaiting Luo Chen's reply.
Throughout this, he drifted beside the Soul Nourishing Wood from time to time, observing the wisps of red mist being drawn out from the black wood.
After a long while, Luo Chen finally gave a slight nod.
"One more time."
"Excellent!" Delight colored Han Zhan's face. "Rest assured, I will prepare in advance this time to ensure you won't be severely affected."
"I hope so."
Luo Chen glanced at Han Zhan, then began repeating his previous actions.
Although the prior spell and formation had seemed ineffective, he laid them out anew regardless, even stacking a few extra layers of the Glazed Sky Canopy.
Perhaps they had merely been broken too quickly, rather than being completely useless.
Just as before, Luo Chen pinched his seals, mobilized his magic power, and unleashed the Dragon Slaying Art.
Compared to the unhurried pace before, this time the balefulness on the Soul Nourishing Wood struck back even faster.
Ghostly shadows loomed, somber pavilions towered.
The familiar scene manifested within Luo Chen's mind.
The cyan light bloomed in an instant as well, shielding Luo Chen and ushering him out of the illusion.
"Again!"
"Yeah."
"Again!"
"Take a break."
"Let's continue!"
"Senior, I seem to have gotten the hang of it."
"Oh? Then again!"
The sun rose and the moon set; the tides ebbed and flowed.
Without realizing it, three days flew by.
As the morning sun crested the horizon, Luo Chen finally brought his palm cleaving through the air, causing the Soul Nourishing Wood to tremble slightly in midair.
Seeing this, Han Zhan was overjoyed.
"Did you succeed?"
"You could say that," Luo Chen replied wearily.
"What do you mean, 'could say that'?" Han Zhan asked in astonishment.
Luo Chen explained patiently, "Though it looks like just a single wisp of balefulness, it's far too immense and deeply rooted for someone like me. I've only found the right angle to shake it loose. Completely cleansing it will require a long, grinding effort."
Enlightenment dawned on Han Zhan.
Though impatience still lingered within him, he offered soothing words: "As long as you've found a way, take your time. I'm in no rush."
Luo Chen shot him a knowing look, making the miniature Nascent Soul squirm uncomfortably.
"All right, fine, I'm a little rushed."
"I'll rest for two days first. Once my spirit recovers, we'll continue. I'll call you then."
With that, Luo Chen lay down on the bed without waiting for Han Zhan's reply, drifting peacefully to sleep.
Han Zhan carefully stowed away the Soul Nourishing Wood, his eyes brimming with boundless hope.
This was the most critical step concerning his soul reconstruction and retreading his cultivation.
Whether he could reclaim the Nascent Soul realm in the future hinged upon it.
...
Time slipped by as the massive ship surged forward, braving the wind and cleaving the waves.
Half a year passed, and Giant Whale Port drew ever closer.
Had they not made several detours to bypass the clash between orthodox and demonic forces, they would have reached their destination long ago by their initial estimates.
Fortunately, nothing went wrong along the journey.
With their destination in sight, the atmosphere aboard the ship grew increasingly restless.
Giant Whale Port was merely a harbor; their true destination was Shenyuan City.
That was an extraordinarily vast megacity, considered massive across the five continents of the Mountain Sea Realm.
Compared to the thirty-six domains of the Eastern Desolation, Shenyuan City alone was equal to an entire domain!
For the Tianyuan Dao Sect to command such a sprawling metropolis in the Northern Sea testified to its immense influence.
Rumor had it that back when the Yuan Demon Sect held sway, Shenyuan City was nowhere near this large. Only over the past century had Shenyuan City undergone frantic expansion, reclaiming land from the sea and moving mountains and veins to attain such a grand scale.
Yet such undertakings were commonplace nowadays.
The Tianyuan Dao Sect was not alone in doing so; other powers acted with equal abandon.
The Mount Langya cultivators on board could hardly wait to reach Shenyuan City to witness its grandeur.
They had heard that it was prosperous beyond measure.
It gathered resources from all five continents and served as the premier choice for cultivators journeying to the Northern Sea.
Even the Dao Sect's true disciples frequently made appearances there.
Of course, there were exceptions, and Luo Chen aboard the ship was that exception.
At this moment, his eyes were closed as he executed one Dragon Slaying Art after another with practiced ease.
Beside him, Han Zhan stared with wide eyes, his gaze locked unblinkingly upon the target enveloped by the spell.
Abruptly.
Luo Chen opened his eyes.
"What is it?" Han Zhan asked without turning his head.
Luo Chen paused his hand movements. "Senior, you can even put such a small piece of Soul Nourishing Wood to use. I wonder, once this is done, could you share that method with me?"
Han Zhan whipped around. "Hiking the price on the spot?"
Luo Chen smiled. "If not, forget it. I was merely asking."
With a chuckle, he resumed his hand movements.
Seeing that the balefulness was about to detach from the Soul Nourishing Wood, while an aura that refreshed a cultivator's soul was poised to burst forth, Han Zhan could not hold back: "It's merely a minor art. I'll transmit it to you when the time comes. Hurry it up!"
Luo Chen's spirits rose.
"Deal!"
His efforts over the past half year had not been in vain; after exhausting his spirit countless times to cleanse the balefulness for Han Zhan, he had now secured an extra reward.
To tell the truth, he had never imagined that purging this balefulness would prove so difficult.
Even after grinding the Dragon Slaying Art to the Great Circle realm and unlocking a new special effect, he could only peel away the threads little by little.
Now, it seemed well worth it.
With a shift of thought, he wielded the Dragon Slaying Art effortlessly.
...
Outside the room, Tianxuan stood demurely, having evidently waited for quite some time.
She glanced occasionally at the scenery outside the window, and at times her gaze fell upon the formation outside the room.
"Master, we're almost there. Why haven't you emerged from seclusion yet?"
Thud!
A dull sound echoed as the long sails dropped.
The manifold spiritual lights enveloping the Langya gradually dimmed.
From the deck came cheers of jubilation.
"We're here!"
"We've finally arrived!"
"This is my first time leaving Mount Langya. I never expected my first long journey would have me drifting at sea for a whole year."
"That must be Giant Whale Port ahead!"
"Good heavens, look beneath the water—so many dragon whales!"
"My goodness, are those rank-three dragon whales? The Tianyuan Dao Sect is lavish indeed, using rank-three dragon whale kings to pull ships. I can't begin to imagine how fast they must be."
"Why do you think the Tianyuan Business Alliance's trade is the biggest across the five continents? Their speed is second to none. I hear that over in the Boundless Sea of the Western Desert, they even have Earth-Shaking Divine Bulls pulling carts for them."
"Get ready, load up the goods, we're disembarking!"
On the top deck, Mount Langya's Second Elder stood with one hand behind his back, stroking his beard with the other, his eyes filled with relief.
They had finally arrived safely.
The business was secondary; settling this batch of sect seeds meant Mount Langya wouldn't be putting all its eggs in one basket.
Even if misfortune struck in the future, they would still have a chance to rise again.
"I wonder what stage the war between orthodox and demonic forces has reached by now."
"Once ashore, I must seek out old friends to inquire about the situation. Even though Shenyuan City is far away, its intelligence network is bound to be well-developed."
Just as the Second Elder was murmuring to himself, his expression shifted drastically.
An extremely terrifying sensation, like an impending apocalyptic catastrophe, welled up in his mind.
He abruptly looked down.
A dark, inscrutable aura had broken through layer upon layer of formations, shooting skyward from a room on the second floor.
The aura was so ferocious that even catching a fleeting glimpse of it made his heart pound with dread.
Yet just as his hair stood on end like an alarmed cat, the aura reached the air and abruptly vanished into thin air.
"What was that?"
The Second Elder swallowed hard.
Suppressing the fear in his heart, he donned full protective gear, activated his defensive magic treasure, sent a three-inch flying sword whizzing around his body, and descended toward that room.
The moment he landed, however, he found the room already deserted.
"Come here!"
Soon, several figures dropped down behind him.
Gazing into the empty room, the Second Elder felt dread like facing a tiger, yet his face revealed not the slightest trace of it.
"Who was staying in this room?"
The disciples looked at each other until Wang An took a step forward.
"Reporting to Second Elder, it was a rogue cultivator named Murong Yuan."
"Murong Yuan?" The Second Elder frowned. He had never heard the name before; it was likely an alias.
He had half a mind to reprimand Wang An for bringing someone aboard without knowing their background.
Yet after a moment's reflection, he ultimately held back his harsh words.
If an existence who could evade his own notice and unleash such a terrifying aura was involved, how could a mere Foundation Establishment disciple see through their true depth?
"Elder, what happened?" Wang An remained somewhat bewildered, while also muttering internally—how had Fellow Daoist Murong departed without saying goodbye before the ship had even come to a full stop?
The Second Elder waved a hand. "It's nothing. Just make sure to be careful in the future and do not associate casually with rogue cultivators of unknown background. In particular, Shenyuan City is quite close to the Myriad Immortals Association, where rogue cultivators congregate in large numbers, many of whom moonlight as bandit cultivators. Exercise caution in all things."
"Understood!"
Hearing the disciples reply in unison, the Second Elder nodded, cast a deep, lingering glance at the room, and turned to leave.
To the very end, he did not dare step foot inside that room.
It was as though that wisp of terrifying aura still lingered within.
Chapter 592