Luo Chen could see clearly that the robes worn by the Foundation Establishment True Cultivators outside the hall bore various insignias and emblems.
They were either clan crests or sect symbols.
Although three of the Nascent Soul True Monarchs within the Myriad Immortals Association commanded their own factions, the insignias of those three groups were entirely different from the ones before him.
Wu Ruofu cautiously explained from the side, "These people are likely prodigies from Shenyuan City who came to gain experience along the Three Oceans Defensive Line through Old Sang's connections."
"Prodigies?"
Luo Chen's brow rose slightly.
His sharp gaze swept over them.
Sure enough, most of these Foundation Establishment cultivators were youthful in appearance, and even the older ones merely looked middle-aged.
Even though cultivators could nourish and preserve their youthful appearance with spiritual qi during daily practice, doing so consumed spiritual power, and anyone aspiring to longevity would not waste effort on such vanity.
If an entire group looked this way, it could only mean they were genuinely young.
Wu Ruofu nodded. "Indeed. The war between the righteous and demonic factions is growing increasingly chaotic. To prevent total annihilation, some forces pressured into the conflict send their promising young talents to neutral powers."
"After all, one cannot put all their eggs in one basket. Shenyuan City is the stronghold of the Tianyuan Business Alliance, backed by the Tianyuan Dao Sect of the Central Plains, making it the safest place in the Northern Sea today."
"Over the years, more and more exceptionally talented young cultivators have gathered in Shenyuan City. At first, seeing so many people in the same realm as me who were decades or even a century younger, I felt rather ashamed. But after seeing it so often, I became numb to it."
Toward the end, his tone carried a touch of wistful sighing.
However, he received no response from Luo Chen.
That was because Luo Chen's gaze had settled upon a single person.
Wang An, a Foundation Establishment disciple of Mount Langya.
Back when Luo Chen traveled from the southeast to Giant Whale Port, he had taken Mount Langya's fleet, and it was Wang An who brought him aboard the ship.
Luo Chen had not expected him to show up here at the Three Oceans Defensive Line as well.
The man was not old—merely in his thirties back then, and at most in his early forties now.
Yet his cultivation had already advanced to the mid Foundation Establishment stage!
It could only be said that he truly lived up to Mount Langya's rigorous selection of exceptional talent; free from worldly distractions, his progress had advanced by leaps and bounds.
However...
'I vaguely recall Mount Langya's seniors instructing them to cultivate diligently in Shenyuan City, preserving the sect's vital strength until the righteous-demonic war came to an end. Instead of staying safely in Shenyuan City, they ran off to the Three Oceans Defensive Line for so-called experience. I wonder whether they think their skills are unmatched, or if they simply have a death wish.'
Muttering a few words to himself, Luo Chen entered Quyang Palace without hesitation.
Behind him, dozens of gazes followed his passage.
Once he stepped inside, hushed murmurs arose like the buzzing of mosquitoes.
They were mostly discussing how Luo Chen was one of the three garrison Core Formation masters on Quyang Island, not daring to show the slightest disrespect in their tone.
In the crowd, Wang An, clad in white robes, stared with bewilderment at Luo Chen's retreating back. Naturally blessed with sharp spiritual senses, he somehow detected a faint trace of familiarity.
It felt as if he had just seen an old acquaintance.
Yet how could he have an acquaintance within the Myriad Immortals Association?
"Junior Brother Wang, what's wrong?"
A senior brother from Mount Langya patted his shoulder.
Wang An said nothing.
The senior brother chuckled. "Don't worry. Quyang Island belongs to the second defensive line; it isn't dangerous."
Wang An snapped back to his senses and asked in confusion, "Weren't we supposed to go hunt demon beasts in the Liuyang Sea Domain on the first defensive line? I heard things have never been peaceful over there."
The senior brother shrugged. "If it were peaceful, how could we temper ourselves? We have spent all these years in bitter seclusion and our cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, but only the power we can actually unleash counts as true strength. Working behind closed doors will never do. Only such perilous places can hone our arts!"
At this point, he winked.
"Junior Brother, you wouldn't want us, after the sect spent so much to cultivate us, to turn out to be nothing more than flashy showpieces, would you?"
Battling demon beasts honed one's combat skills without the need to worry about the cunning treachery of human cultivators.
In other words, it allowed them to safely accumulate combat experience without facing undue peril.
This had long been a tradition in the Northern Sea's cultivation world once disciples from prominent sects and clans achieved some measure of success in their realms.
The only difference was that in the past, they would form groups to hunt beasts in the outer sea, whereas now they had come to the Myriad Immortals Association instead.
Wang An's mind remained somewhat unsettled, whether due to Luo Chen's silhouette earlier or his own deep-seated unease.
"The orders from Mount Langya weren't like this. How will we explain ourselves later?"
Seeing his junior brother fuss so much, the senior brother grew slightly impatient.
"We spent a hefty sum to secure Old Sang's channel, so he will naturally protect us at critical moments. Besides, we disciples of Mount Langya aren't the only ones who came to the Three Oceans Defensive Line this time; there are others too. Do you see them worrying?"
Wang An opened his mouth, but looking around, he saw eager gazes and flushed, excited faces.
Every single one of them was itching to try their hands!
...
Inside the palace.
A woman's voice, tinged with slight anger, echoed softly through the surroundings.
"These people are not cultivators of our Myriad Immortals Association. How could you bring them so casually onto Quyang Island, a central hub? Sang Jiugong, I require an explanation!"
"Why must Lord Lushan be so furious? It isn't as if cultivators from other forces haven't operated along the Three Oceans Defensive Line in the past."
"That was during wartime status, when outside cultivators came as reinforcements from various quarters! How can that be compared to the present? Furthermore, the central hubs of the three defensive lines have always strictly forbidden cultivators of other forces from setting foot here. Sang Jiugong, you entered the Myriad Immortals Association before I did—surely you cannot claim ignorance!"
"Lord Lushan, do you truly insist on being so obstinate?"
"I am the master of this place for ten years. If the slightest mishap occurs on Quyang Island, it barely affects you, but I must bear primary responsibility. Tell me, how can I not be strict?"
When Luo Chen stepped into the grand hall, this quarrel was the first thing that met his ears.
He had not expected that a mere group of outside cultivators would provoke two Core Formation masters into such heated fury.
At the same time, from their conversation, he vaguely deduced that Sang Jiugong had likely used his position to skim some handsome profits.
Those young prodigies from various sects who fled from all directions to take refuge in Shenyuan City might not possess particularly high realms, but their wealth was undoubtedly substantial.
Sang Jiugong had likely made a fortune off them.
Otherwise, there would be no need for him to butt heads so obstinately against Lord Lushan, a cultivator at the fifth layer of Core Formation.
As the tension between the two froze to an icy standoff, Sang Jiugong's face was utterly livid. Suddenly, his eyes shifted to Luo Chen.
Across his ashen face, he forcefully squeezed out a smile.
"This must be Master Qingyang, master of Penghu Lake. Old man Sang Jiugong pays his respects."
One does not strike a smiling face.
Luo Chen returned the greeting with proper etiquette. "Indeed, it is I. Fellow Daoist Sang is far too polite."
On the side, Lord Lushan looked on with surprise.
She had long known of Master Qingyang's reputation—a fairly renowned weapon refiner within the Myriad Immortals Association who had leased the eight-hundred-li Penghu Lake five years ago, stirring up no small amount of discussion.
Outsiders perceived him as wealthy, possessing profound cultivation, and faintly overlapping with the rumored identity of Demonic Lord Qingyang.
That was precisely why she had taken the initiative to propose a voice transmission talisman deal when they first met.
She had even hoped to conduct more talisman business with him once they established a good rapport.
However, for Sang Jiugong to act so courteously was somewhat unexpected.
Though Sang Jiugong's realm was not particularly high—only at the fourth layer of Core Formation—he was quite advanced in age, possessed immense combat experience, and was considered a figure of note within the Myriad Immortals Association.
Usually, when meeting other Core Formation cultivators, he would lean heavily on his seniority.
Yet before this Master Qingyang, he was acting so humble?
Sang Jiugong smiled faintly. "Why say too polite? On Penghu Lake, Fellow Daoist made Huangfu Song retreat in the face of difficulties. With such ability, no amount of courtesy could ever be excessive."
Made Huangfu Song retreat?
What was this about?
Lord Lushan frowned slightly. She realized that having assumed her post early, she had probably missed whatever news had unfolded back in the Dragon Taming Mountain Range.
And Huangfu Song... he was a grand cultivator at the seventh layer of Core Formation!
Master Qingyang had actually managed to make someone like that back down?
Seeing the two chatting with growing warmth, Lord Lushan gave two soft coughs. Once they paused their conversation, she spoke coldly:
"Let us first discuss how to handle the batch of cultivators Sang Jiugong brought here! Their backgrounds are tangled and diverse, mostly hailing from other Nascent Soul factions. Keeping them on Quyang Island indefinitely will remain a hidden danger after all."
Sang Jiugong's heavily wrinkled face bunched up.
"I brought them here, so I will certainly not send them back with their tails between their legs."
"You!"
Sang Jiugong turned to Luo Chen. "Master Qingyang, you are an understanding person. Why not weigh in on who is right and who is wrong?"
Luo Chen felt helpless. How could he possibly judge this?
Whatever he said would offend one side, and he was no fool.
After a moment of thought, Luo Chen said calmly, "In the end, this is merely an issue of lacking proper justification. Who is right and who is wrong is unimportant; solving the problem is what matters most. In my view, simply granting them temporary status as loose cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Association will suffice."
"This... there is no precedent!" Lord Lushan hesitated slightly before rejecting Luo Chen's proposal.
Luo Chen smiled. "It would only be ordinary loose cultivator status within the Myriad Immortals Association, which they could apply for themselves anyway. It isn't like the star-ranked Demon Hunter status we registered with the Demon Hunting Department. Besides, their true goal is to hunt demon beasts on the first defensive line to temper themselves. Wouldn't it be better to simply urge them toward the first line sooner?"
This was effectively advising her to pawn the trouble off onto someone else.
Lord Lushan's delicate brows knit as she weighed the suggestion.
Seeing her resolve soften, Sang Jiugong struck while the iron was hot. "Master Qingyang speaks with great wisdom. Moreover, I hear demon beasts on the first defensive line are growing increasingly numerous, and manpower there is stretched thin. With this group of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators joining the fray, it can also ease our association's burden. Why not consider a solution that benefits both sides, Lord Lushan?"
After pondering for a good while, Lord Lushan finally gave a slow nod.
"Three days!"
"Three days at most, and they must leave Quyang Island."
"Old Sang, I hope you will not put this poor Daoist in a difficult spot."
Phew...
Sang Jiugong exhaled in relief. After giving his guarantee and thanking Luo Chen, he departed from the grand hall first.
Once he had gone, Lord Lushan let out an audible sigh.
"This Sang Jiugong hustles and schemes, scurrying between the Myriad Immortals Association and Shenyuan City all day long. Where is the carefree spirit of a wandering crane befitting our kind?"
Luo Chen chuckled softly. "Even carefree wanderers like us are bound by duties, having to sit in isolation on this Quyang Island for several years, aren't we?"
"It is not the same."
Lord Lushan shook her head. "Sang Jiugong is advanced in years with no hope of a breakthrough in cultivation. He wishes to leave behind a legacy before he passes away. Fearing that the faction he establishes might be coveted by others, he scampers about in all directions to forge connections."
"Is that so..."
Luo Chen grew thoughtful.
In the few short years since arriving at the Myriad Immortals Association, he had already encountered three loose cultivators who sought to establish their own factions.
Yet each had entirely different motives.
One was the couple Zhang Jiadi and his wife, founding a clan to shelter and pave the way for their child, Zhang Jingqing.
Another was Huangfu Song, who wished to restore the Great Zhou Dynasty, only to stub his toe against Luo Chen's iron plate right at the inception of his grand endeavor.
And Sang Jiugong, who seemed like a greedy schemer chasing profit, was actually doing it to leave behind a lineage so his legacy would carry on.
Seen this way, among the countless loose cultivators, very few truly wished to wander the world alone for their entire lives.
By contrast, the Daoist nun before him was a genuine loose cultivator—solitary and unburdened, without a single follower or retainer.
"Since you have met Sang Jiugong, there is nothing else here. Master Qingyang, please suit yourself."
"Very well."
Luo Chen gave an acknowledging hum. Just as he was about to leave, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"Regarding what Sang Jiugong mentioned earlier about the battle situation tightening on the first defensive line, what is going on there?"
Lord Lushan gave a bitter smile. "What else could it be? Nothing more than the seal over the Arctic Yama Heavens loosening once again!"
Luo Chen's expression instantly changed!
He vividly remembered that rumors spoke of over a hundred million demon beasts sealed within the Arctic Yama Heavens, including fourth-rank demon emperors at the Nascent Soul stage, and reportedly even fifth-rank ancient demons at the Soul Formation stage.
If they all came bursting out... he would genuinely have to consider packing his bags and fleeing.
Seeing his reaction, Lord Lushan quickly spoke to comfort him.
"Do not fret. Such occurrences happen once every ten years. Even if powerful demon beasts escape, they are merely some formidable third-rank beasts. Those of the fourth and fifth ranks cannot emerge as of now."
"As of now?" Luo Chen could not help expressing his concern. "What about in the future? How could demons be permitted to sleep peacefully beside the bed of the Myriad Immortals Association? If the seal on the Arctic Yama Heavens is completely broken and Soul Formation ancient demons break out, won't you and I become fish on a chopping board, slaughtered at their whim?"
Lord Lushan shook her head. "There is no need to worry about that either. The sealing formation over there was personally laid down by the ancestor of the Yuan Demon Sect's Soul Refining branch before his demise. Combining astronomical timing, geographical advantage, and the Yuan Demon Sect's ten-thousand-year heritage, how could it be broken so easily? Moreover, over a century ago, Mighty Cultivator Li of the Canghai Alliance traveled in person to the perimeter of the Yama Heavens and personally set up another grand formation. Under this double guarantee, it will remain secure for at least a thousand years. And a thousand years from now, you and I will either have achieved the realm of Nascent Soul True Monarchs, roaming freely across the Mountain Sea Realm, or have turned into handfuls of yellow soil—who cares if the deluge follows?"
Luo Chen opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only offer a wry smile.
Indeed, it seemed that was truly the case.
He had also heard that the Soul Formation mighty cultivator of the Canghai Alliance had attained divinity through the Dao of formations, possessing earth-shattering formation mastery.
The island-linking formation method he had casually passed down had spared countless immortal islands throughout the Northern Sea from the threat of sea beast assaults.
If he had gone outside the Yuan Demon Sect's ruins and personally set up the sealing formation, even ancient demons of the same Soul Formation rank would find it exceedingly difficult to breach.
The reason low-rank beasts below the fourth rank periodically slipped through the seal now was likely an intentional design by the two grand figures.
For such a sealing formation, the higher a beast's realm and the stronger its soul, the greater the restriction placed upon it.
Conversely, the lower the realm of the demon beast, the lighter the binding force.
This principle was something Luo Chen had deduced after delving into formations and gaining some modest insights over the years.
The sealing formation of the Arctic Yama Heavens was like an immense fishing net; small fish could slip through the mesh, while large fish remained trapped despite all their struggles.
Naturally, Luo Chen had no way of knowing the precise details.
In any case, if the sky fell, the tallest would hold it up.
Did anyone see the several Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the Myriad Immortals Association panicking in the slightest?
After bidding farewell to Lord Lushan, Luo Chen did not return directly to his immortal cave, heading instead toward the shore.
Under the reverent gazes of a patrol squad, he released Black King.
"This is my spirit pet. I have already notified Lord Lushan and Old Sang; there is no need for you to panic when seeing him in the future."
Seeing Black King baring his fangs and brandishing his claws in midair, radiating fierce aggression, Luo Chen could not help adding:
"Don't be afraid. He doesn't bite people."
Black King's imposing aura froze, and he slunk disheartenedly into the vast ocean.
Neither the space inside the Hunyuan Cauldron nor the eight-hundred-li Penghu Lake could compare to the uninhibited comfort of this boundless azure sea!
"Don't play too wild. Remember the time, and come back to watch the furnace fire for me."
Luo Chen gave an instruction, then returned to his mountain cave dwelling beneath the awestruck gazes of the low-rank cultivators.
Three days later.
Sang Jiugong personally led the contingent of prodigies who had registered as temporary loose cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Association, escorting them to the first defensive line.
Regarding this, Luo Chen offered no further comment.
He simply immersed himself wholeheartedly in his daily routine of refining artifacts and practicing techniques.
...
Half a year later.
Outside the cave dwelling, a shrunken Black King controlled two flying daggers—one black and one white—lazily chopping hard timber.
Luo Chen's initial estimate had been off.
He had not expected his artifact-crafting skills to advance so swiftly, exhausting all the consumable materials he had brought within half a year.
This was also related to his extended immersion in practicing the Dragon Slaying Art, which prevented him from replenishing his Wither-Bloom True Fire in a timely manner and required spirit wood to keep the furnace fire roaring.
Consequently, the later wood was gathered for him from various sources by Quyang Island's logistical units.
These were raw logs that had not been processed beforehand.
Once Luo Chen received them, he simply handed the task over to Black King.
However, if Qian Ting were here to witness the two flying daggers he had once wielded to dominate Lengguang Island being used by a beast to chop firewood, he would probably be enraged back to life even from the grave.
Under the nurturing of the Dragon Raising Basin, both daggers had long reached the level of medium-grade magic treasures.
One was named Yin Slaughter, the other Yang Extinction—names reeking of soaring baleful aura.
After Luo Chen bestowed them upon Black King, he had also taught him the human sacrificial refinement method. Having refined them day and night over the years, the beast wielded them quite decently and vigorously.
Clack!
A piece of split firewood hit the ground. Black King paid it no heed; retracting the two daggers, he burrowed into the immortal cave.
"Master, you're awake!"
On the stone bed, Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes.
With just a single glance, a bone-chilling shiver ran through Black King from head to tail.
In that instant, it felt as though a gleaming, bitterly cold blade had slashed directly toward his soul.
Seeing his reaction, Luo Chen felt deeply satisfied.
Over the past half-year, the soul essence within the small banner had been completely depleted.
And he had finally achieved consummate mastery in unleashing the Dragon Slaying Art with his soul.
From terrifying Wu Ruofu at the start to now striking a mid-third-rank beast like Black King with icy dread, it was clear his command of this technique had reached a pinnacle.
In reality, within his sea of consciousness, once the Dragon Slaying Art was unleashed, it brooked no foreign entity; outside his sea of consciousness, within a one-zhang radius of his body, it could sever the divine sense of others.
Yet it was limited to that one-zhang distance.
Any farther, and it would be beyond his reach.
Even so, it allowed Luo Chen to truly appreciate the formidable power of a fourth-rank spell.
'I have mastered two fourth-rank spells in total. The Dragon Slaying Art needs no further elaboration: at minor completion, it purges alien spiritual power, and at grand completion, it can even sever soul contamination. As for the Origin Core Art, it doubled my spiritual power out of thin air, with endless potential.'
'I wonder what wondrous qualities other fourth-rank spells possess?'
When it came to spells, Luo Chen's talent was beyond doubt!
Yet over the years, while he had cultivated almost every third-rank spell to grand perfection, fourth-rank spells remained exceedingly few.
The primary reason lay in the fact that such high-rank spells virtually never circulated on the open market, being jealously guarded secrets of Nascent Soul sects.
Even though Luo Chen possessed his system and could force an entry into any technique, even the cleverest housewife could not cook a meal without rice.
Even in the Demon Hunting Department, over the past century, only a single fourth-rank spell had ever been made available for loose cultivators to redeem—and once redeemed, it would not be offered again.
"What a pity!"
Luo Chen sighed wistfully, rising to his feet and walking over to the Hunyuan Cauldron.
"Have you been adding firewood on time these days?"
Black King sprawled at his feet, replying respectfully, "Never slacked once, Master. The fire has been kept roaring the entire time."
Luo Chen hummed in acknowledgment, then formed hand seals and spat a streak of incomparably pure azure flame from his mouth.
With this azure flame infused, the Hunyuan Cauldron glowed an even deeper crimson, faint melodic chimes ringing from within.
Half a year had passed, and whether this Dark Blue Profound Armor would succeed or fail had to have an outcome now.
As his spiritual power was steadily drained, the unusual noises within the cauldron grew louder and louder. At first listen, it sounded as if a vast ocean were stirring up wind and waves within.
Luo Chen maintained a calm expression, though a flicker of anticipation danced in his eyes.
Spotting the right moment, he suddenly struck the body of the cauldron with a palm.
Clang!
"If you do not emerge now, then when!"
With a sharp shout, the sealing barrier over the cauldron's mouth shattered instantly, and a dense wave of moisture washed over him.
Amidst the swirling vapor, the faint phantom of a deep azure armor flickered in and out of view.
Seeing this, Luo Chen uttered a soft sound of surprise.
"Eh? It actually succeeded?"
He extended his hand and beckoned. The phantom dissipated, and a palm-sized, paper-thin armor scale drifted down into his grasp.
Without question, this was the low-grade water-attribute defensive magic treasure he had named the Dark Blue Profound Armor!
Yet as he looked upon the object, his thick brows unconsciously furrowed.
"Why did it turn out like this?"
Chapter 612