Crossing the Southern Ocean, Turbid Waves Engulf the Flames

"We respectfully bid farewell to the Ancestor's ascension!" ... The earth-shaking chorus of farewell still faintly echoed in his ears, yet it gradually faded beneath the lapping of the waves underfoot. Luo Chen looked out across this unfamiliar expanse of sea. No birds took flight, and dense mist blanketed the water, though an inkling of familiarity stirred within him. "Is this... the Southern Ocean?" Luo Chen murmured hesitantly. All of a sudden— "Ugh..." A muffled groan slipped from his lips, and his complexion shifted. Only now did an overwhelming sense of profound weakness abruptly surface. Sweeping his divine sense inward to inspect himself, the dire state of his body became instantly apparent. His Nascent Soul was withered, his magic power hollow. From his four limbs and hundred bones to his five viscera and six bowels—even each meridian and acupoint—surges of sharp agony tore through him. These were the injuries sustained in the battle of the Yin-Yang Remnant Realm! During his brief time with Divine Lord Youli, the senior had suppressed them with immense supernatural power, keeping him from feeling them. Now that he had left that pinnacle above the sea of clouds and the suppression had vanished, the backlash violently rebounded upon Luo Chen. The sole piece of good news was that his nearly depleted source power had quietly swelled by a fair margin, granting him a meager measure of self-preservation. Source power differed from magic power. Magic power was drawn from without and gathered within. Source power, however, was physical might refined from potent flesh and blood; so long as the body did not perish, source power could flow endlessly. The word "source" signified both the primal origin of the physical body and an unceasing wellspring. Of course, no truly limitless power existed under heaven. The price of an unceasing flow was the relentless squeezing of the physical frame. If squandered to excess, one's lifespan would be severely curtailed. On the status panel, Luo Chen's staggering fifteen-hundred-year lifespan—once towering above those of his peers—had already been noticeably reduced by the battle in the Medicine King Domain and the struggle in the Yin-Yang Remnant Realm. Having lived through both ordeals himself, Luo Chen understood ever more clearly why the path of body refinement had gradually fallen into decline across the Shanhai Cultivation World. When every desperate battle consumed one's very lifespan, who would still be willing to practice such a method? Had he not also walked the path of Qi refinement, which supplemented his years, even he could not have endured such attrition. Exhaling a mouthful of turbid breath, Luo Chen also understood why Divine Lord Youli had sent him to the waters of the Southern Ocean. At this moment, he was in a state of extreme languor. Had he remained within the Southern Border cultivation world and crossed paths with any formidable Nascent Soul expert, accidents would be difficult to avert. Though the Southern Ocean was equally treacherous and bizarre, for a natal magic treasure like the Hunyuan Cauldron—which still bore the lingering aura of a fifth-rank Divine Gu—it was far less terrifying. "That senior truly thought of everything!" Luo Chen murmured with emotion. Though countless questions still lingered in his heart, he held profound admiration for the senior's deeds. Before ascending, the Divine Lord had even resolved the invading calamity for the Gate of Life and Death. Now, with Tianyuan routed and the Fierce Peak Zombie Alliance broken, the entire Southern Border cultivation world was drained and hollow. Under these circumstances, the Gate of Life and Death—its strength preserved completely intact—could pour forth in full force to unify the Southern Border! What the Mingyuan Sect had once longed to achieve but failed to accomplish, Divine Lord Youli had largely brought about with a single intervention. Furthermore, with the hidden threat of the Yin-Yang Remnant Realm eliminated, the Gate of Death could return and merge with the Gate of Life, providing the sect with an impenetrable defense. Even if the various cultivators of the Southern Border rallied to strike back in the future, the sect could advance or retreat as it saw fit, never again reduced to having enemies breach its mountain gates. "It is still a bit of a pity, though." "This journey to the Southern Border fulfilled its goals completely, yet I came in haste and left in haste, missing out on so many figures and landscapes." Amidst his sigh, Luo Chen turned his attention to the sea shrouded in faint black mist. Back when he had newly broken through to the Nascent Soul realm, he had stumbled into this maritime region by chance and tried to use it to cross over to the Eastern Desolation. Regrettably, his insufficient strength and prudent nature had kept him from venturing deep. This time, he could finally put it to the test. Even so, to be safe, preparations were necessary. With a shift of thought, Luo Chen twitched his left shoulder. A flash of black light erupted, and his spiritual pet reappeared. Looking at the Black King sprawled languidly in the water, Luo Chen asked calmly, "Can you still move?" "I can't move at all!" Black King drooped his eyelids, his voice devoid of energy. "I was nearly torn to pieces by that big fellow." "Stop putting on an act. For this leg of the journey, I need you to carry me." Though he spoke in such a manner, Luo Chen felt genuine heartache for his companion. In an ordinary battle, having a portion of his body fractured would hardly impair the Black King. But the Nether Earth Dragon was ultimately a fifth-rank desolate beast, and by all appearances, shared the earth element with the Black King. Suffering a heavy blow from such a monstrosity was bound to leave him in terrible shape. Flipping his wrist, Luo Chen drew streaks of flowing light from his storage ring—all healing pills from his personal collection. Some he had concocted himself, while others he had deliberately gathered before embarking on this journey. Without pausing to distinguish them, he stuffed a generous handful straight into the Black King's maw. Keeping his eyes closed, the Black King gulped them down whole. To top it off, he offered a few theatrical, strained coughs. "Master, I'm choking a little!" Luo Chen shook his head helplessly, well aware of what the beast was angling for. Yet remembering the Black King's proactive move to protect his master amidst the recent peril, he chose not to be stingy. Another streak of light flashed from the storage ring. A wine jar materialized before them. A faint, rich aroma of wine drifted into the air. The Black King peeled open his drooping eyelids, eyes instantly gleaming with sharp light. "This is the very last jar of thousand-year Five Temples Immortal Brew. Consider it your reward!" "Thank you, Master! Thank you!" The Black King threw back his head at once. Wine poured in a roaring torrent from the jar, swallowed in enormous gulps until his face radiated pure satisfaction. It truly was the final jar of the thousand-year Five Temples Immortal Brew. Although the Dieyun Sect held ample stocks of this spiritual wine, it could not withstand Luo Chen's continuous consumption over thirty years! There had only been a few hundred jars to begin with, and they had long since run dry. Of course, draining so much of it had brought undeniable benefits to Luo Chen. After his progress in the Convergence of Myriad Paths had stalled, that he was still able to cultivate to the ancient fourth-rank late stage was not solely due to the Hundred Poisons Body Refinement Technique. The foundation laid by thirty years of Five Temples Immortal Brew had created the miracle of a massive breakthrough from deep accumulation. Though parting with the final jar of wine stung a little, Luo Chen did not truly grieve it. For one, the recipe had already been roughly deduced by the cultivators of the Luotian Sect, so it could eventually be brewed again. For another, he possessed the Hundred Poisons Body Refinement Technique; as long as he had a steady supply of toxic cultivation materials, he would not lack for body-tempering efficacy. "I have heard that the Southern Ocean is the cradle of the Southern Border's Gu insects, and countless marvelous Gu have emerged from these waters over thousands of years." "I can keep an eye out along the way. If I manage to pick up a few high-grade toxic Gu for free, they could also aid in refining the Hundred Poisons King Gu." Gazing across the boundless sea, Luo Chen fell into contemplation, then sat cross-legged upon the Black King's smooth, scaled back. "Head northeast. Strive to return to the Eastern Desolation as soon as possible!" Having issued the command, Luo Chen produced a top-grade Hongyuan Pill and began to recover his magic power. With a booming cry, the Black King parted the black mist and swam out into the boundless ocean. ... One month later. Above the vast sea, a cyan-and-blue Zhen bird wheeled through the sky, its sapphire-like eyes fixed intently on the dark silhouette gliding slowly beneath the surface, resembling a patient hunter waiting for its moment. Upon that immense dark shape sat a Daoist in white robes. Having left the Southern Border, Luo Chen had naturally reverted to his true appearance. The Xuanchen Armor he had worn all along was now retracted into his purple palace, continuously tempered and nourished by the magic power of his Nascent Soul. In the clash against the Nether Earth Dragon, the armor had suffered severe damage; without suitable materials to repair it, he could only rely on magic power to slowly mend it. The Pingshan Crown, however, remained atop his head. Not only did this magic treasure boast an exceptional appearance, but its defensive power was also outstanding—it had, after all, been daily wear for Di Tian, Lord Pingshan, an ancient demon of his era. That it had failed to display its full glory in the previous battle was simply because Luo Chen had not yet grown thoroughly familiar with it. Once properly mastered, its defensive might ought to surpass that of the Xuanchen Armor. At this moment, Luo Chen had just concluded his meditative cultivation and was scrutinizing the treasure in his hands with rapt attention. It was a vigorously beating heart! The heart of Celestial Master Li! Even though it had been separated from its master for many days, the heart remained a healthy, ruddy red, maintaining its pulse at a steady rhythm of once every five breaths. Moreover, with each beat, it exuded a vast amount of blood and qi, swelling the veins across its surface. Such a bizarre sight was truly astonishing. Comparing it to his own heart, Luo Chen concluded that it was in no way inferior. "Fortunately, I launched a surprise attack back then and carved out Celestial Master Li's heart. Otherwise, with this heart aiding him under the suppression of the Fengbo Pavilion, his strength would have been another thirty percent higher," Luo Chen murmured, his words tinged with genuine praise. Yet this praise was directed not at Celestial Master Li's attainment in body refinement, but at the Demonic Heart Gu that had actively fallen into dormancy within the heart! After Luo Chen personally wiped away the divine sense imprint upon the Demonic Heart Gu, this extraordinary insect had sunk into slumber. Even so, the sheer volume of blood and qi it naturally exhaled in its dormant state remained awe-inspiring. It was hard to imagine what height this Gu had reached after centuries of nurturing by Celestial Master Li. Most likely, it was merely a single step away from the fifth rank. "Perhaps the reason Celestial Master Li coveted the Life-and-Death Gu—and did not even mind that it was only of the fourth rank—was precisely this Demonic Heart Gu!" "The two share the same origin. If this Demonic Heart Gu were refined into the fourth-rank Life-and-Death Gu, would there be a chance of elevating it to the fifth rank?" Luo Chen did not know the answer; he had no great attainment in the art of Gu refinement. Yet with Celestial Master Li's methods, achieving such a feat would likely not have been difficult. "Never mind. There is no need for it to reach such a high rank, as long as bringing it back allows me to unravel the restriction on Lingxi." Luo Chen laid down several restrictions, temporarily sealing the heart away. Next, he began taking inventory of his other spoils! Indeed, although the journey through the Yin-Yang Remnant Realm had ended abruptly and inexplicably, he had genuinely reaped a bountiful harvest. Leaving aside the source blood of the Golden Dragon Lion, the "miscellaneous items" scooped up by Divine Lord Youli alone held immense utility for him. A shimmering, crystal-clear saber resembling pure quartz. This was a True Artifact left behind by Meng Shentong, named the Void Severing Blade. In combat, it was formless, intangible, and ever-shifting. It could alter its shape at will and traverse space to unleash tremendous power. Its sole drawback was that it required the accompaniment of a Void Gu to multiply its efficacy. A piece of turtle shell, etched with ancient patterns and countless restrictions. This was the very item Granny Hongye had desperately desired. When she was caught in Luo Chen's Wither-Bloom Divine Fire, the majority of her treasures had vanished along with the collapse of her storage artifacts, leaving only this shell intact. Later, after Divine Lord Youli cast his Moon-Scooping Realm technique and swallowed countless relics, this item was bestowed upon Luo Chen. Viewing it with his current knowledge, Luo Chen found himself temporarily unable to determine whether the object was a magic treasure or a Gu insect. It bore both the aura of a Gu and the intricacies of formation dao, all carried upon a single turtle shell. He only knew that it seemed alive, like a living being; once a cultivator refined it, they could utilize the seven fundamental restrictions of formation dao engraved upon it to swiftly arrange the vast majority of formations under heaven. Though merely of the True Artifact grade, its practical value was scarcely inferior to that of a Spirit Treasure. Delighted, Luo Chen imprinted his divine sense onto the turtle shell. Setting up formations would be vastly more convenient from now on. While Luo Chen was cataloging his spoils, the Black King beneath him could finally hold back no longer. "Master, that Blue-Eyed Ghost Zhen has been tailing us for three days. Let's finish it off!" Without looking up, Luo Chen replied, "The Southern Ocean is fraught with perils. Avoid fighting whenever possible, unless it takes the initiative to provoke us." The Black King grumbled, "Don't you need treasures rich in potent toxins? The Blue-Eyed Ghost Zhen is inherently a venomous beast, and since it appeared in the Southern Ocean, it might even carry parasitic toxic Gu. Aren't you tempted?" Luo Chen frowned and reflexively glanced toward the azure bird circling overhead. Just as the Black King said, the beast was indeed a formidable, venomous monster, making it a fine material for cultivating the Hundred Poisons Body Refinement Technique. But this was the Southern Ocean... "Forget it. I still have a fair stock of Zhenling Millet, enough for me to cultivate for a good while. Best not to invite unnecessary trouble." As if sensing the danger, the blue bird flapped its wings and flew forward, putting distance between them. "Its instincts are quite sharp." Luo Chen chuckled and withdrew his gaze. Then he calculated the time. It had been a full month since they entered the Southern Ocean. Because both he and the Black King had been injured, their pace had not been particularly swift, avoiding any collisions with the formidable entities dwelling in the depths of the ocean. But now, aside from the Xuanchen Armor lacking materials for repairs, his other faculties had largely returned to their peak. The Black King was in much the same state. That meant they could now travel at full speed. The sooner he returned to the Luotian Sect, the sooner his son, Luo Lingxi, could resume his cultivation. They could indeed pick up the pace! With this thought, Luo Chen issued the command. The Black King let out a cheer and accelerated. The Southern Ocean was hardly welcoming to him; whether in the mist-laden air or the surging waters, Gu insects appeared from time to time. The deeper they went, the denser the insects became. Even with Luo Chen continuously radiating the lingering aura of the Calamity Gu from the Hunyuan Cauldron, mindless, low-grade Gu still collided with them occasionally. Leaving early was precisely what the Black King desired. Twisting his colossal frame, he pushed through the waves and sped forward. Wherever he passed, tumultuous breakers surged like a tidal wave. Along the way, formidable creatures were stirred, yet beneath the aura of the Calamity Gu radiating from Luo Chen, none dared approach. This sensation of charging forward unimpeded filled the Black King with delight, prompting him to loose long dragon roars from time to time. One day, finding the travel dull, Luo Chen produced the *Secret Records of the Xuan Realm* gifted by Divine Lord Youli and began reading. He wished to gain a clear understanding of the scenery and origins that gave rise to the five great sacred grounds of the Shanhai Realm. Yet before he could delve into it, the Black King's voice came again. "Master, that blue-feathered brute is haunting us like a ghost. It's back again." Luo Chen furrowed his brows and looked up. Sure enough, miles away in the high sky, the Blue-Eyed Ghost Zhen was flapping its wings, circling and patrolling. "Vile beast, do you truly seek death..." As he spoke, Luo Chen's expression subtly shifted. That was not the patient waiting of a hunter, but the cowering hesitation of terror! "Something is wrong! Retreat, quickly!" The Black King reacted a moment too slowly, asking in confusion, "Why has the seawater turned yellow?" Immediately after, an immense force slammed into his back. Luo Chen had reached out into empty air, seizing the beast's colossal frame and hurling him backward. Suspended in midair, the Black King looked back in utter bewilderment. "Master?" A boundless surge of magic power erupted toward the heavens, only to dissipate in an instant. Golden flames spread outward, yet a single wave of turbid yellow seawater crashed down, extinguishing them completely. Amidst the surging swell, blue-white flames flickered and rose in turn, only to vanish into nothingness. Watching this unfold, the Black King's jaws fell slack, terror seizing every inch of his being. "Master!"