Outside the mountain col, Taisui was in a foul mood.
Once again, he had failed to probe the man's true depths.
Whether it was the demon-fiend echo on the Demon-Fiend Concentric Tree, the three Eight-Star Demon Hunters of the Myriad Immortals Association, or even this ancestral True Artifact of the Penglai Immortal Sect, every single one of these matters would have been extraordinarily intractable for any Golden Core cultivator.
Yet Luo Chen had a way to handle every one of them.
Could there truly be such an all-around capable person in this world?
Gazing at the massive gray cauldron that constantly spewed spiritual light, forcefully suppressing the Penglai Octagonal Pavilion with its master's magic power, Taisui's eyelids twitched incessantly.
*Damn it!*
He had never heard of any Golden Core cultivator crafting a natal magic treasure that, rather than being tailored for the utmost singular compatibility, aimed for utter versatility instead.
Didn't he know that versatility meant being motley and mediocre?
"And yet, out of pure luck... the brat actually managed to pull it off."
...
With years of nurturing and the gradual purging of impurities, the Hunyuan Cauldron's all-encompassing nature had grown increasingly pronounced.
During daily cultivation, when refining pills or forging artifacts, it was as if divine aid assisted him.
In battle, whether it was working in concert with his natal Golden Core to unleash the Senluo Fire Prison or exerting its might to suppress and entrap foes, it was not inferior to any high-grade magic treasure.
And after arriving in the Land of the Fallen Demon, its wondrous capabilities continued to be brought to light.
The Five Elements Lotus Platform could be suppressed by it, and the Penglai Octagonal Pavilion could likewise be subdued by it.
One could say that while the Hunyuan Cauldron was not an ultimate offensive or defensive treasure, its utility in a supporting role was maxed out.
With this treasure as his natal magic treasure, Luo Chen could handle all manner of situations with ease.
Paralleling this was Luo Chen's own capability.
Over the years, the skills and arts he had studied were exceedingly diverse.
Some he had mastered, some he had merely dabbled in, and some he had honed to the pinnacle of perfection.
In the outside world, those various arts had been distinctly separate, each existing independently.
Yet after coming to the Land of the Fallen Demon, compelled by external pressures, Luo Chen had continually tapped into and fused everything he had learned, creating the outward impression of being entirely omnipotent.
At this moment, the Hunyuan Cauldron hung suspended in midair as surging magic power poured into it. Leveraging the cauldron's properties, Luo Chen began to derive various different elemental magic powers to suppress the Penglai Octagonal Pavilion.
As time went on, enlightenment gradually dawned in Luo Chen's mind.
A so-called True Artifact was simply a magic treasure on a different level. If one were to describe it, it could be likened to a "lever."
A Nascent Soul cultivator used their domain as a fulcrum, wielding the True Artifact to pry and harness the heaven-and-earth spiritual energy of the outside world for their own use.
The stronger the cultivator, the sturdier the fulcrum, the greater the True Artifact's might, and the more ambient spiritual energy it could leverage—giving rise to the terrifying reputation and destructive power attributed to True Artifacts in countless legends.
Bearing mountains, burning oceans, driving winds, and chasing the moon—it was nothing less than that.
Conversely, if a cultivator had not reached the Nascent Soul stage and lacked that domain fulcrum, they naturally could not pry ambient spiritual energy.
In their hands, a True Artifact was merely a slightly peculiar high-grade magic treasure.
Once he understood the true nature of True Artifacts, the subsequent task of subduing it became much easier.
From time to time, the Senluo Fire Prison unfolded.
With overbearing fire-attribute magic power, it forcefully screened out the surrounding heaven-and-earth spiritual energy.
Each time he deployed it, Luo Chen found moments to imprint his own restrictions onto the Penglai Octagonal Pavilion.
He might not be able to immediately claim it for his own use, but sealing the Penglai Immortal Sect's imprint with restrictions and temporarily shrinking it was well within his power.
Under normal circumstances, Luo Chen likely could not have achieved this.
It was, after all, the ancestral heritage treasure of a Nascent Soul sect, and the measures placed upon it would have been extraordinarily formidable.
Yet this time was different.
To allow Golden Core disciples like Yu Gao to manipulate the treasure, most of its countermeasures had already been deactivated.
This had given Luo Chen an opening to exploit.
While Luo Chen was subduing the octagonal pavilion, Han Zhan's voice transmission echoed by his ear.
"Do you already intend to leave the Myriad Immortals Association?"
"Why does Senior say so?"
"Having let Diaosou and Zihou go, you surely won't hand this treasure over to Loose Cultivator Yue once you leave. That means you have thoroughly offended her, so I doubt you can stay in the Myriad Immortals Association any longer!"
Luo Chen went slightly quiet.
A moment later, he chuckled softly. "Senior has a keen eye."
"When did you formulate this plan?" Han Zhan asked, adding pointedly, "This couldn't possibly be a spur-of-the-moment whim."
He saw things clearly: when Luo Chen left Penghu Lake, aside from the Constellation Palace and a few miscellaneous items, he had essentially brought all his worldly possessions with him.
In other words, from the moment he set foot into the Sunken Sea, Luo Chen had harbored no intention of returning to the Myriad Immortals Association.
Overwhelming the three Eight-Star Demon Hunters and offending Loose Cultivator Yue had merely brought things to a head.
Luo Chen said wistfully, "When? Probably when I saw the Shark Emperor Liu Jun at Three Pillars Gorge in the Sunken Sea!"
The old man understood.
If a Nascent Soul demon cultivator like the Shark Emperor Liu Jun could escape from the Arctic Yama Heavens, it meant the so-called Dual Demon-Sealing Grand Formation had already developed flaws and breaches.
If Liu Jun could escape, other Nascent Soul demon cultivators could as well!
In all likelihood, the escape of the ancient Soul Formation demon was not far off either.
Under such circumstances, the Myriad Immortals Association, which relied on the Three Oceans Defensive Line to hold its ground, would bear the brunt of the onslaught.
A perilous, turbulent era had arrived.
Luo Chen did not know what other loose cultivators planned to do, but he knew that a wise man does not stand beneath a collapsing wall.
Making preparations early was undeniably the right choice.
The only thing Luo Chen was uncertain about was: where should he go?
...
Half a month later, the octagonal pavilion standing on the ground vanished in an instant.
Throughout this process, he had not seen Taisui or Moyun.
According to Tianxuan, Taisui had taken Moyun to harvest some rare spirit herbs.
With such an "inside thief" leading the way, any spirit herbs of somewhat lower grade that lacked specialized grand formations guarding them were virtually defenseless before the two of them.
Luo Chen paid them no mind, instead retrieving a large quantity of supreme-grade True Flame Pills to begin restoring his magic power.
Frantically and continuously driving the Hunyuan Cauldron to capture the octagonal pavilion had truly drained a massive amount of his magic power.
Mutianyuan was dominated by wood-attribute spiritual energy, so restoring himself to peak condition could only be achieved with medicinal pills.
While digesting the pills and relaxing his mind, Luo Chen occasionally wondered: if he had not focused solely on fire cultivation in those early years, but had instead persisted in cultivating all five elements while specializing in one, would he have felt even more like a fish in water within the Five Elements Heavens?
There was no answer to this question.
Quite simply, had he not devoted himself to cultivating the *Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture*, his cultivation speed would never have allowed him to reach his current realm at this age.
Naturally, this journey would have been out of the question as well.
On the other hand, the abundant fire-attribute spiritual energy in Blazing Purgatory lingered in Luo Chen's thoughts.
"Once I fulfill my promise and rescue Taisui's true form, perhaps I can choose to go to Blazing Purgatory for secluded cultivation and quietly await the closing of the secret realm."
The method to leave the Land of the Fallen Demon was very simple.
How one entered was how one exited!
Once the secret realm had absorbed enough external heaven-and-earth spiritual energy, it would form reverse channels.
When that time came, corresponding vortex channels would appear in every domain of the Five Elements Heavens; one could simply leave directly through them.
If one wanted to be safer, finding the stone hut corresponding to where one entered was also an option.
Such stone huts were mostly located in the outer regions of the Five Elements Heavens, requiring merely a bit of extra effort to locate.
However, the timing had to be seized precisely.
Unlike the entry vortexes, which remained from start to finish for several years or even decades, the reverse channels would exist for only a day or two when it was time to return.
If one failed to seize the opportunity, one would be trapped in the Land of the Fallen Demon indefinitely.
According to the records of the Yuan Demon Sect, those stranded in the Land of the Fallen Demon would vanish without a trace by the next time it opened.
Luo Chen dared not wager on that.
Another half month passed.
Luo Chen's condition had fully recovered, and Cave Master Moyun and his companion returned.
Seeing Cave Master Moyun beaming with joy and wearing his delight openly on his face, Luo Chen felt a touch of curiosity.
The other man was not evasive, candidly explaining that under Taisui's guidance, he had reaped some benefits, harvesting two types of spirit herbs that aided in Nascent Soul formation.
Then...
"Demonic Lord, about that Divine Iris...?"
Seeing Luo Chen's expression darken slightly, Cave Master Moyun waved his hands in haste and said, "I don't expect it for free! This old man is willing to pay equivalent spirit stones, or trade item for item."
To this, Luo Chen shook his head.
"Although the Penglai Octagonal Pavilion has been temporarily sealed by me, it has yet to be refined after all. I cannot see the spirit herbs inside, nor can I retrieve them. I fear I must disappoint the Cave Master."
Cave Master Moyun opened his mouth, hesitating as if wanting to say more.
In the end, he merely sighed, not daring to question whether Luo Chen's words were true or false.
Since returning to Mutianyuan, Taisui's condition had been steadily rising.
Perhaps due to the rich wood-attribute spiritual energy here, his aura now surpassed Ding Yi's peak state.
Even Cave Master Moyun's injuries had been mostly healed by him using a type of restorative spirit grass.
Seeing Luo Chen with spirit and vitality fully restored, Taisui wore a hesitant expression.
"There are no further attachments here. Let us go!"
Luo Chen naturally did not object. Summoning a magic cloud, he flew low at a measured pace.
Three streaks of light skirted past array formations visible and hidden, gradually leaving Mutianyuan behind and flying toward the final domain of the Five Elements Heavens.
...
Yuecanglan!
The moment Luo Chen and the others set foot in Yuecanglan, the complexions of all three changed instantly!
A faint, terrifying pressure permeated every inch of the land.
Taisui bent down and scooped up a handful of marsh soil mixed with clear and turbid elements, his face grim.
"Yuecanglan was not like this in the past!"
Luo Chen also scooped up a handful of soil carrying a foul, rotting odor and brought it to his nose to sniff gently.
"Demonic qi!"
Pervasive demonic qi blanketed this marshland of Yuecanglan.
The three instantly grew vigilant.
There were no demon beasts within the Five Elements Heavens!
There were only numerous spirits, monsters, and anomalies of the five elemental attributes.
Whether naturally formed or forcibly enlightened by Void Refinement True Monarchs, there were definitely no demon beasts or demonic beasts in the Five Elements Heavens.
According to Taisui, Yuecanglan had been the same, dominated by a large host of water monsters, among which a fifth-rank Canglan Water Monster was the most formidable.
That Canglan Water Monster possessed extraordinary capability, and with home-field advantage, it was not inferior in the slightest to the Iron-Devouring Beast, the Earth Spirit Tianrang, or the Vermilion Bird Fire Spirit of the other domains.
Even the three titans in the Hundred Crow Ghost Forest, who guarded Mutianyuan, dared not cross their territorial boundaries to provoke this creature in Yuecanglan.
Their original plan had been to quietly cross Yuecanglan without provoking the water monster.
Yet right now, some unforeseen change had clearly taken place.
Taisui took a deep breath. "Let us stick to the original plan: advance quietly and avoid stirring up complications."
Luo Chen nodded and raised no objection.
One could say that in this environment, his strength was curtailed to the greatest degree.
Fighting was the last thing he desired.
The three crossed the waters, flying quietly, and Luo Chen even released Black King, who was proficient in water methods, to guard them at their flank.
As the three men and one beast ventured deeper into Yuecanglan, the terrifying demonic qi became increasingly pronounced.
One day, Black King suddenly spoke up.
"Master, there is something below!"
Taisui furrowed his brows and looked over.
Luo Chen waved a hand. "No matter, let us just take a look."
He signaled Black King to act.
A jet of water spat forth from Black King's mouth, washing over the black marsh mud below.
In an instant, a dense, squirming mass came into view.
A single glance was enough to evoke a wave of revulsion.
It was a species of demon beast resembling earthworms, coiled together and burrowing outward.
Cave Master Moyun instinctively blurted out, "Earthworms?"
Well-versed and knowledgeable, Luo Chen held a vague impression of such beasts. He dismissed the guess, saying, "Not earthworms, but dragon earthworms."
Cave Master Moyun was astonished, pointing at the long worms below that measured at least half a zhang. "How could there be such long dragon earthworms in this world?"
He could see clearly that these worms were, at most, only first rank.
Unlike ordinary demon beasts that were known for their size, dragon earthworms were born exceptionally diminutive.
They were a low-rank, dual water-and-earth-attribute demon beast bred specifically by major sects to cultivate spiritual soil.
Luo Chen cautiously reached out and beckoned a dragon earthworm into his grasp, examining it attentively.
"These are no ordinary dragon earthworms!"
He took a deep breath and released the dragon earthworm safely back into the swamp.
"What do you mean?" Taisui asked in confusion.
Luo Chen pointed at the dragon earthworms continually burrowing outward. "They are secreting mucus and spitting out foul mud. In all likelihood, Yuecanglan's transformation into a swamp is their doing."
Taisui raised an eyebrow and peered closely.
Sure enough, visible to the naked eye, these dragon earthworms were continuously secreting mucus that blended with the azure lake water.
And that marshy soil was unmistakably spat from the dragon earthworms' mouths.
The mixture of clear water and turbid mire was truly caused by them.
One could see that, through their staggering numbers and bizarre methods, they were steadily eroding and claiming this precious territory of Yuecanglan.
"How could this happen?" Taisui's expression shifted erratically. "Could the Canglan Water Monster not care about these intruders?"
Luo Chen pursed his lips, casting a Cleansing Art to strip away the faint earthy stench lingering on his person.
"I do not know what the Canglan Water Monster is thinking, but I fear it has its own hands full right now."
"Dragon earthworms are communal creatures that band together. In earlier years, they were captured by major sects to improve spiritual soil, leaving very few wild dragon earthworms in the cultivation world."
"For so many low-rank mutated dragon earthworms to appear here, there must be an exceptionally powerful leader behind them."
"And their attempt to corrode and seize Yuecanglan surely harbors a deeper motive!"
Within his heart, Han Zhan's words echoed in Luo Chen's mind.
*Someone is imitating what you did in Blazing Purgatory!*
What had he done in Blazing Purgatory?
Devouring the sourceless fire, transforming into a fire spirit, actively merging into Blazing Purgatory, and even showing signs of assimilation.
Back then, Luo Chen had been ignorant, and only under Han Zhan's warning had he halted that course of action.
Yet right now, a great demon was clearly modifying Yuecanglan while actively attuning and assimilating itself into this realm.
Its intention was self-evident!
That demon beast was attempting to align itself with this heaven and earth, seeking to perceive the water-attribute laws left behind by this place's master!
And one who dared to do such a thing was by no means an ordinary great demon—it had to be a Demon Emperor!
Sure enough, on the seventh day of crossing the marshland, a third-rank dragon earthworm burrowed out from the inner regions of the grand swamp, barring the path before Luo Chen and his companions.
Facing the abruptly appearing third-rank dragon earthworm, Luo Chen and the others stood as if confronting a formidable foe.
The dragon earthworm spoke in human tongue, its voice raspy and chilling.
"Lord Longzong is communing with heaven and earth; you must not disturb him!"
As it spoke, the surrounding demonic qi thickened even further, and the swamp terrain heaved without pause, with living creatures faintly visible slithering within.
Cave Master Moyun swallowed hard. "Our apologies. We shall take a detour immediately."
Neither Taisui nor Luo Chen objected. They immediately changed directions, bypassing the depths of Yuecanglan.
Throughout this, the third-rank dragon earthworm did not give chase, merely watching coldly as they departed.
Perhaps there was no need to chase them.
For at this moment, countless low-rank dragon earthworms covered Yuecanglan, and no matter how well Luo Chen and the others concealed themselves, they had nowhere to hide.
Luo Chen felt prickles down his back as a name surfaced in his mind.
*Duoyuan Longzong!*
*The one known as the Lord of Dragon Earthworms, who stirred up storms in the depths of the Demon Sea and slaughtered countless human cultivators—Duoyuan Longzong!*
*He entered the Land of the Fallen Demon as well!*
Seeing that someone as formidable as Luo Chen remained silent, Cave Master Moyun knew that the demon beast occupying this place was definitely not to be trifled with.
Meanwhile, Taisui also seemed to recall something, his eyes darting about.
Suddenly, Luo Chen glanced back and fixed a sharp gaze on him.
"Fellow Daoist Taisui, we agreed not to cause unnecessary complications."
Having his thoughts seen through, Taisui forced a strained smile.
"My true body is on the verge of being freed; how could I? The Demonic Lord worries overmuch."
"Hmph."
With a cold snort, Luo Chen increased his flying speed, unwilling to linger in this realm for even a single moment longer.
Chapter 679