In Life, One Must Take a Risk Sometime

"The ancient cultivator's exact origins remain unknown, but one fact is universally acknowledged: he passed away roughly a thousand years ago." "Why that specific point in time? Surely Fellow Daoist Luo has heard of the thousand-year advent upon the Sunken Sea?" "Though the Sunken Sea was perilous in the past, that peril stemmed solely from its natural environment. It was far from its current reputation, where all things sink and no spirit beast dares tread. The shift began with the arrangements that ancient cultivator made prior to his demise, transforming the Sunken Sea entirely." "The opening of the ruins follows no fixed schedule. Yet after decades of observation, the experts of the Yuan Demon Sect gradually discerned a pattern." "Before the ruins open, celestial phenomena manifest over the Sunken Sea, vanishing only once the realm seals shut. This duration can last as briefly as a year or two, or stretch as long as four to five decades." "According to the Yuan Demon Sect's conjectures, that ruin was likely the ancient cultivator's personal mobile palace, equipped with a grand spirit-drawing array. When it activates on its own without a master, the massive intake of spiritual energy triggers striking celestial anomalies." "You ask what kind of palace and what manner of array could cause such an uproar? Haha, Ding doesn't know either. But many surmise that the ruin's owner was a supreme grandmaster of formations in life. One supporting proof is that after Almighty Li of the Canghai Alliance emerged alive from the ruins, he attained the Soul Formation stage through the laws of formations." "As for the next opening, the Yuan Demon Sect calculates it should be soon. The exact moment hinges on when the celestial phenomena arise." "Still, setting aside what lies within, our primary concern is how to cross the Sunken Sea. To speak of that, one cannot overlook the legend claiming it to be the land of Guixu." *** Inside the Starry Hall. Luo Chen sat cross-legged with his eyes shut, turning over the conversation between the three of them at Moyun Cave. Most of it had been recounted by Ding Yi. At first, Luo Chen had harbored doubts about its authenticity. Ding Yi had kept talking about "Yuan Demon Sect research," "Yuan Demon Sect conjectures," and "Yuan Demon Sect experts." He wasn't a disciple of their sect; how could he possess such detailed intelligence? It was only when Ding Yi, seeking to dispel his reservations, produced a Golden Core. That was the Golden Core of a Yuan Demon Sect cultivator! After the sect's destruction, Ding Yi had captured him, extracted the vital information through secret arts, and even traveled to the Sunken Sea in person to survey the grounds. Only then did he verify the intelligence. With the information proven authentic, Luo Chen's interest in the ancient ruins deepened. As Ding Yi put it, plenty of figures across the North Sea cultivation world harbored designs on the ancient ruins. With the living precedents of Almighty Li of the Canghai Alliance and Fairy Feileng of Feileng City before them, more and more people were growing restless. Yet the thought of competing on the same stage with Nascent Soul eccentrics gave Luo Chen pause. Perhaps some true master would choose to clear the board, wiping out Golden Core juniors like them before they could even lay eyes on the treasures. Without conflicting interests, a Nascent Soul expert might maintain an air of magnanimity and disdain bullying juniors. But within a secret realm, everyone became an opponent, and conflicting interests were inevitable from the start. "According to Ding Yi, the mobile palace spans an enormous area. Its entrances are distributed across the spirit-drawing array's nodes, so the likelihood of crossing paths is slim. Moreover, what a true master seeks differs from what we desire. Barring encounter with someone purely bloodthirsty, the situation remains manageable. The greater concern is the threat from other Golden Core cultivators." Before all that, however, as Ding Yi had stressed, one had to figure out how to safely traverse the Sunken Sea. The Sunken Sea was renowned for swallowing all things, forbidding any spirit beast from entering. Yet that had only been true after the thousand-year advent. A thousand years ago, the Sunken Sea was in fact the land of Guixu. Naturally, the legendary "Guixu" was the mythical void where all things returned to nothingness; a modest expanse like the Sunken Sea hardly deserved the name. It was called Guixu merely as a homophone—the turtle graveyard. In the ancient, primeval era of the Mountain Sea Realm, wild beasts roamed and great demons prowled. Among them, the Black Turtle clan was the longest-lived. Upon nearing the end of their lifespans, they would seek out a secure haven to serve as their final resting place. The Sunken Sea was their most celebrated burial ground. To keep outsiders from desecrating their remains, the Black Turtles had established myriad restrictions, barring anyone without Black Turtle bloodline from penetrating its depths. Thus, to venture deep into the Sunken Sea, one had to integrate Black Turtle bloodline into oneself or seek out a matching secret treasure. According to Ding Yi, the tainted Soul Nourishing Wood and his own bulk of excess flesh had both been granted by his previous journey to the Sunken Sea. As for the method? Cave Master Moyun was an expert in weapon forging with an extensive network of connections, so for him, it went without saying. Ding Yi claimed he had already refined a secret treasure imbued with Black Turtle bloodline, guaranteeing he could reach the deep waters this time. And by coincidence, Luo Chen had recently crafted the Xuanchen Armor, an armor bearing authentic Black Turtle bloodline! "Is there truly such a coincidence in this world?" "No, perhaps it isn't a coincidence!" Suddenly, Luo Chen recalled certain people and certain events. The Nascent Soul power, Flying Cloud Gorge, and the Golden Core cultivator, Gu Shaoshang! Flying Cloud Gorge was one of the many allies within the Canghai Alliance. With Almighty Li as a living testament, how could the renowned Feiyunzi not be tempted? Back in the Xuanrock Sea, apart from himself hunting demon crabs, there had been another party of demon hunters. Those men hadn't come for crabs; they had pursued the Ring-Headed Turtles, which carried Black Turtle bloodline. Feiyunzi had dispatched his own kin and direct disciples to hunt the Ring-Headed Turtles, almost certainly aiming for their bloodline to craft a corresponding treasure. Once connected, the whole picture became clear. Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes, fingertips brushing across his robes, a faint, peculiar smile touching his lips. "When the time comes, I'll take the Black King and Tianxuan along. That way, sea, land, and air will all be covered." "And then there's Han Zhan!" Thinking of Han Zhan bolstered his confidence further. Over their recent meetings, the changes in Han Zhan's Nascent Soul had been plain to see. Since obtaining the Soul Nourishing Wood, his strength had been recovering rapidly. Unlike other Nascent Soul cultivators who relied on external aids, Han Zhan excelled in divine soul secret arts and puppets controlled through divine sense. As long as his Nascent Soul returned to normal, he could regain at least seventy to eighty percent of his peak prowess. Bound by their Great Dao oath, Han Zhan would naturally protect him in life-and-death crises. With that, even facing a Nascent Soul eccentric, Luo Chen would possess some means of self-preservation. After careful consideration, Luo Chen felt somewhat reassured. Only somewhat, however. This would be the first secret realm expedition of his life, one of the rare occasions he actively embraced great risk; how could he expect total certainty? Yet when it came to an opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, taking risks was inevitable! "A man must take a risk sometime in life." Luo Chen sighed softly, then rose from the Starry Hall and headed toward the Alchemy and Forging Hall. He had no need to craft a Black Turtle treasure; he already possessed one. With this spare time, it was best to settle the matter of the Purple Monkey Flower first! All three primary ingredients for the Nascent Soul Formation Pill were indispensable. While the Five Elements Lotus Platform was precious, the Purple Monkey Flower could not be taken lightly either. Soon enough. Inside the Alchemy and Forging Hall, Luo Chen busied himself around a flower potted in earthen soil. Gathering samples, harvesting fragrances, analyzing components, and studying its medicinal properties. *** One month later. Tianxuan arrived in person at Cailian Island. Zhang Jiadi and his wife received her personally. They were bewildered; the previous year's profits had been settled not long ago, and this year's arrangements were already finalized. Why had Fairy Tianxuan returned so soon? Yet once Tianxuan stated her purpose, they understood. "Infant Face?" "That is a core treasure of my Coral Sea Zhou family, rarely sold to outsiders. Senior, are you not overestimating Zhou Shanshan's influence?" Backed by her maternal clan, Zhou Shanshan possessed ample confidence, unlike Zhang Jiadi, who stood subservient before Fairy Tianxuan. Tianxuan paid no mind to her tone, simply stating her terms. "Rarely sold still means occasional transactions occur." "My master will not take it for nothing. In addition to the corresponding spirit stones, he promises to tailor a defensive magic treasure specifically for a Golden Core cultivator of your Coral Sea!" "These terms should suffice, yes?" Zhou Shanshan's eyes lit up. A custom-tailored defensive magic treasure harmonized far better with a cultivator than anything bought on the open market. The Coral Sea Zhou family boasted a considerable number of Golden Core cultivators, surpassing even the Tianqu Chen family, falling short only in combat methods. If a prodigy of the Zhou family could obtain a custom-tailored defensive treasure, they would surely outshine their peers in upcoming clan exchanges. Under normal circumstances, Qingyangzi never accepted requests for custom treasures. Rumors outside claimed his craftsmanship was mediocre; looking at it now, it was never a matter of skill, but of willingness! "Senior Tianxuan, please wait a short while. I will send your terms back to the Coral Sea and reply once the family elders make their decision." "Very well. As quickly as possible!" Tianxuan departed. When she returned to Cailian Island half a month later, Zhou Shanshan respectfully presented three Infant Face corals with both hands. *** "No wonder the Purple Monkey Flower can serve as medicine; its power to confound the divine soul is truly domineering." "If treated properly through alchemy to preserve its core property of guiding the soul, a Nascent Soul Formation Pill brewed from it will surely double the results with half the effort during the breakthrough." "However, if I want to counteract its toxicity, alchemy alone will not suffice." Inside the Alchemy and Forging Hall, Luo Chen refined poison-warding pills while pondering methods to suppress the Purple Monkey Flower's venomous vapors. The recipe he held, the Poison Warding Pill, was no ordinary fare. It was part of the legacy from the storage belt of Qian Ting, master of the Lengguang Island Qian family. Its grade reached as high as Tier 4! That was why Luo Chen had felt confident sending the Black King to Purple Spirit Island alone after brewing them. Yet he hadn't anticipated that even a Tier 4 Poison Warding Pill could not withstand the flower's soul corrosion. Thus, Luo Chen intended to modify the formula. The Poison Warding Pill had failed against the soul poison, but it hadn't been entirely useless; the Black King had simply stayed too long on the island and succumbed to prolonged exposure. The Coral Sea Zhou family's specialty, the Tier 3 Infant Face coral, produced sounds akin to wailing infants when swayed, disturbing any cultivator's mind. Yet if one endured it, the experience greatly tempered their will and soul. Luo Chen planned to use it as the chief ingredient, replacing one of the Poison Warding Pill's main components to reinforce its defenses on the spiritual plane. In the past, Luo Chen would never have possessed the ability to modify a Tier 4 pill recipe. Yet after successfully refining the Tier 4 Transformation Pill at Mount Cangwu and ascending to a Tier 4 alchemist, his attainments had grown increasingly profound. Moreover, formulas for warding against and neutralizing toxins were highly targeted, making them far less arduous to research than orthodox cultivation pills. The more universal a recipe, the harder it was to modify; the more niche it was, the simpler it became once the central hurdle was cleared. Hence, Luo Chen held sufficient confidence. Once the Zhou family delivered the Infant Face, Luo Chen threw himself into research without pause. *** Six months later. On a small island eight thousand li from the Dragon Taming Mountain Range. Luo Chen set foot firmly onto the soil. Taking in the lush greenery, verdant leaves, and purple fruits around him, he drew a deep breath. "So this is Tusang Island. It truly lives up to its name—a fine place indeed!" Beside him, Sang Jiugong perked up, feigning modesty. "Fellow Daoist is too kind. It is merely a small island with a low-grade Tier 3 spiritual vein." "That only highlights your skill in nurturing spiritual flora!" Luo Chen winked, plucking a dark purple mulberry and popping it into his mouth right before Sang Jiugong. As the juice burst in his mouth, satisfaction showed in his eyes. "A fine fruit indeed, no less impressive than the spiritual fruits of legend." Sang Jiugong beamed with delight. "Fellow Daoist thinks so as well? This is the Ink Immortal Mulberry, a variety I specially bred by crossing the Ink-Blood Mulberry with the Celestial Mulberry. Not only does the fruit brim with dense spiritual energy, but it also offers immense benefits for strengthening meridians." Feeling the changes within his body, Luo Chen smiled without speaking. A bit exaggerated! Sang Jiugong's expression shifted, turning mournful. "Alas, this Ink Immortal Mulberry is a new variety. Lacking renown, it cannot fetch a high price." "Outsiders simply fail to recognize quality; Old Sang, there is no need to take it to heart." Luo Chen took out a handkerchief and dabbed the dark purple juice from the corner of his mouth. Sang Jiugong shook his head. "Fame is only part of it; the main issue is the lack of proper sales channels. I hear that the Qingyang Treasure Pavilion under your banner is now a renowned establishment in Longyuan Immortal City. If my island's Ink Immortal Mulberries could grace its counters..." Luo Chen listened to his lament with a faint smile, watching the performance. He waited until Sang Jiugong paused. "Fellow Daoist's visit to Tusang Island surely isn't just to admire groves of mulberries and fields of spiritual plants, is it?" Luo Chen gave a slight smile. "The Ink Immortal Mulberries can be placed on the counters of the Qingyang Treasure Pavilion. However, do you still remember the favor you owed me all those years ago?" Sang Jiugong's face grew solemn! The power of Demonic Lord Qingyang, Luo Hai, was formidable in its own right, paired with his reputation as a master weapon forger. For him to offer both shelf space at the pavilion and invoke that old verbal promise just to ask for assistance... What kind of monumental matter could it be, and how difficult would it prove? "Fellow Daoist, it's not as if my mulberries have no market at all..." "I once heard you boast of considerable expertise in spirit farming, especially skilled in breeding new varieties and accelerating growth. Tell me, do you possess any knowledge regarding that ancient toxic flora, the Purple Monkey Flower?" This time, Luo Chen cut him off directly, laying bare his true purpose.