His shock and fury lasted only an instant, and in the next breath, Luo Chen's expression returned to normal.
Through that brief contact, he had already discovered that the green slave seal shared a striking similarity of purpose with his own.
Both sought to plant the seed of servitude deep within without hindering Di Tu's cultivation and growth.
In doing so, Di Tu's development would remain unimpeded, yet in the future, one would naturally reap a peak Grand Demon Sovereign—or even a Soul Formation ancient demon.
To forcibly breach the Golden Wind Astral Qi and arrive here was something no ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator could achieve.
Luo Chen swept his gaze across the surroundings before his eyes settled once more upon the space between Di Tu's brows.
A slave seal shaped like a green leaf flickered faintly.
"The handiwork of a Soul Formation mighty figure!"
"If I am not mistaken, this must be the doing of Mighty Chun Yuan, whom the Tianyuan Dao Sect sent to oversee the Eastern Desolation back then."
"Now that Chun Yuan is dead, I might just be able to unravel the slave seal she left behind!"
Luo Chen did not know the extent of Monarch Qixia's injuries from the battle at Broken Soul Cliff, but the Tianyuan Dao Sect's losses had been staggering.
Of the Five Elders of Tianyuan, a full four had fallen; only the youngest, Ancestor Liancheng, had miraculously survived.
Among them, Mighty Chun Yuan had also failed to walk out of Broken Soul Cliff alive.
With the master gone, the techniques she left behind could naturally no longer remain at their peak.
Especially since this slave seal was not particularly coercive to begin with.
With a touch of anticipation, golden light blazed in Luo Chen's eyes. As he fixed his gaze on Di Tu, his divine sense gently extended forward, gradually sinking into the leaf-shaped slave seal.
Dispelling seals and restrictions was one of Luo Chen's specialties.
Over the past three hundred years, the storage rings, magical treasures, and tools whose residual imprints he had unraveled were beyond count.
Thus, he possessed a unique method of his own—both swift and precise.
As he analyzed and peeled it back bit by bit, Luo Chen grew increasingly familiar with Mighty Chun Yuan's methods, even discerning a wisp of law power of the Wood Origin within.
This force was quietly influencing Di Tu's divine soul.
The day Di Tu completed his cultivation would also be the day he fell completely into servitude.
"A truly silent, pervasive mastery!"
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Luo Chen closed his sore, aching eyes and gently rubbed his temples, having gained clarity in his mind.
For now, he could not yet unravel this slave seal.
It was not that Mighty Chun Yuan's methods were incomparably profound, but rather that the soul restriction forming this slave seal was simply too resilient!
Even though it contained only a sliver of divine soul power, its extreme refinement was enough to withstand the repeated scouring of Luo Chen's vast divine sense.
Furthermore, if handled with the slightest clumsiness, it could easily startle Di Tu awake, interrupting his process of absorbing his father Di Tian's Metal Origin.
"Time!"
Luo Chen soon arrived at the best solution.
Chun Yuan was dead, and the slave seal she left behind would gradually weaken with time. Even if he did nothing at all, the seal would eventually dissipate entirely on its own.
Of course, that would also grant Di Tu his freedom.
What Luo Chen needed to do was simply wait for the right moment—when the seal was on the verge of fading away—to imprint his own slave seal anew.
Taking one last deep look at the slumbering golden tiger, Luo Chen turned and departed.
...
When Luo Chen returned to the flying boat, Haoranzi and Yu Jiaolong, who had been fraught with worry for three days, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Three days without a single word had genuinely frightened them that something might have befallen Luo Chen.
Though they had now achieved the Nascent Soul realm, the longer they spent in it, the more they realized how vast the chasm could be between cultivators of the same stage.
Both remained in a weakened state. Without Luo Chen's protection, navigating the present or the future would prove unimaginably arduous.
Therefore, none wished for Luo Chen's safety more fervently than the two of them.
Seeing Luo Chen return looking somewhat fatigued, they wanted to ask, yet tacitly held their tongues.
If he did not volunteer information, they dared not pry.
Bypassing the Bikong Region, the flying boat set sail once more.
Luo Chen closed his eyes, immersing his mind into his sea of consciousness.
His colossal main soul sat entrenched at the center, surrounded on all sides by eight formidable split souls.
Through his clash with the soul seal left by Mighty Chun Yuan, he had gained another realization:
He now clearly understood the disparity in divine soul between himself and a Soul Formation mighty figure.
The difference lay not in quantity, but in quality!
His ordeal at Broken Soul Cliff could be called the second greatest fortuitous encounter of his life, surpassed only by the Land of the Fallen Demon in the North Sea.
In terms of direct gains, the rapid surge in his divine soul's foundation in such a short span even outshone the enduring aftereffects of the Land of the Fallen Demon.
Cultivated over many years, Luo Chen's divine soul foundation had already far exceeded those of the same realm.
After absorbing vast quantities of soul stones at Broken Soul Cliff, it had swelled more than tenfold!
At one point, Luo Chen had believed his divine soul foundation could rival an ordinary Soul Formation mighty figure.
Yet viewing it now, he still fell short.
The disparity was precisely in quality.
"Is it the difference between a Nascent Soul and a Primordial Spirit?"
Luo Chen muttered to himself, his thoughts drifting back to not long ago.
In the Western Desert, he had briefly clashed with Master Xuandu before the latter's breakthrough.
That had been a collision on the level of divine sense!
At that time, Master Xuandu's divine soul foundation had been distinctly inferior to his, yet their clash had ended in a draw.
Master Xuandu could do nothing to him, nor could Luo Chen shake Xuandu.
And Xuandu's reliance had been none other than his prematurely condensed Primordial Spirit.
"The divine soul is ethereal and lacks an anchor, dwelling within the sea of consciousness for shelter. But once it completely fuses with the Nascent Soul, it gains the most perfect vessel."
"If that is so, confronting the Tianyuan Dao Sect won't be so simple."
The Tianyuan Dao Sect still had a Soul Formation mighty figure overseeing it!
And Luo Chen's strength, tested by the Thirty-Six Arhats Formation of the Hanging Temple, was also abundantly clear.
There was still a gap between him and the might of Soul Formation.
Therefore, facing the Tianyuan Dao Sect head-on was out of the question!
"This matter must be planned thoroughly, finding a foolproof way to retrieve my life soul quietly without alerting Mighty Liancheng."
Luo Chen pursed his lips, pondering in silence.
...
The flying boat glided leisurely, crossing Lingtian and Dieyun. Along the way, it passed by numerous friendly powers such as Fenghua Palace and the Tiandu Sect, but made no stops.
It paused only briefly when deciding whether to return to the Netherworld Abyss or divert toward the Taishan Sect.
Ultimately, Luo Chen chose not to visit the Taishan Sect.
He had indeed promised Deng Taiyue of the Taishan Sect that he would complete and concoct the Empowerment Pill for him, but his own affairs took precedence for now.
As for the recipe of the Empowerment Pill, after years of research—particularly with the reference of the pill scripture provided by Mister Xuan Yan—he had pieced together a rough draft. If he had sufficient herbs for experimentation, aided by the confirmation of his attribute panel, he might truly be able to restore it.
Yet that required time!
Time was precisely what Luo Chen lacked, so he had no wish to distract himself.
Thus, without altering its course, the flying boat flew steadily for a year before finally returning to the Netherworld Abyss.
Yet though he intended to avoid it, another had been dwelling on this matter for a very long time.
Beside the pitch-black Ming Water, a steady, middle-aged Daoist looked in astonishment toward the Netherworld Abyss, then turned back in bewilderment toward the three aboard the flying boat.
Taking a deep breath, he cupped his hands in greeting. "Pill Grandmaster, long time no see!"
Putting away his own surprise, Luo Chen returned the courtesy. "Perfected Taiyue, how have you fared of late?"
Deng Taiyue gave a wry smile. "Hardly well, Brother Luo. Had I waited any longer without seeing you, I was planning to force my way into this Netherworld Abyss, where living souls dare not tread."
Luo Chen raised a brow, wondering how the other man had confirmed that the Luotian Sect was hiding within the Netherworld Abyss.
Presumably, it was related to whatever specialized methods Deng possessed!
Composing himself slightly, he asked out of the blue, "Is Brother Deng here regarding the Empowerment Pill?"
Deng Taiyue nodded repeatedly. "Precisely! Over these years, I have gathered a massive amount of medicinal herbs related to the Empowerment Pill, merely waiting for you to collect them. Yet you made no move for so long. Having suffered enough from being stranded at the sixth layer of Nascent Soul, I truly could sit still no longer."
Deng Taiyue was actually quite advanced in years, having achieved fame early on.
However, because he had missed comprehending the true meaning of laws in his earlier years, he had instead become trapped by it, leaving his cultivation stalled for ages.
Even Sovereign Jiuling had overtaken him from behind—how could he bear it?
Only after news of Luo Chen's battle with Demon Sovereign Qingshuang spread from the Central Plains did he realize how active Luo Chen had been.
Relying on a secret art unique to him, he had tracked his way to the edge of the Netherworld Abyss, yet finding it difficult to enter, he could only wait in frustration.
He had never imagined that instead of seeing Luotian Sect cultivators emerging from within, he would encounter Luo Chen returning from the outside.
A truly remarkable coincidence!
With a shift in thought, Luo Chen nodded slightly. "Regarding the Empowerment Pill, I have made some headway. However, certain essential ingredients were left within my sect. If Brother Deng does not mind, why not accompany me to the Luotian Sect as a guest?"
Deng Taiyue's eyes brightened, his face radiant with anticipation. "Brother Luo's invitation is precisely what I desire!"
Luo Chen nodded, bringing the boat to a halt by the shore. While chatting with Deng Taiyue, he waited for the Black Tortoise to guide them in.
Along the way, he also introduced Haoranzi and Yu Jiaolong to Deng Taiyue.
Clearly, however, Deng Taiyue did not pay much mind to the two, offering only courteous responses for Luo Chen's sake.
Naturally, Haoranzi and Yu Jiaolong bore no resentment; figures like him were supreme experts whom they once could only look up to from afar. Even though they now shared the same major realm, they harbored no delusions of equal footing.
Yet they gained an increasingly vivid awareness of Luo Chen's current influence.
Those he associated with were all peak experts of the Eastern Desolation; the places he frequented were either sacred grounds or forbidden perils.
Gone was any trace of the cautious, prudent Dan Chenzi of the past; in his place stood the commanding presence of a Pill Grandmaster whose fame shook the Eastern Desolation and overshadowed his era!
If they could shelter beneath the banner of such an entity, even with damaged foundations, they might still have a glimmer of hope to pursue the Great Dao in the future.
...
"Shangyou Immortal City still retains its foundation, after all. For rogue cultivators to occupy it now is truly a waste. With a bit of tidying up, it could easily serve once more as the bedrock of an upper sect. I know not what blessed land your esteemed sect relies upon within the Netherworld Abyss, but in terms of a sect's growth, being too isolated from the world is hardly conducive to passing down one's legacy. If Brother Luo is willing, my Taishan Sect can lend assistance to help you relocate to Shangyou Immortal City. Of course, returning to the Luotian Domain is also an option."
"This place is rather close to the Dongyang Sect. If the Luotian Sect occupies it, the Dongyang Sect might harbor thoughts about it."
"Haha! With Brother Luo's strength, why fear a mere Dongyang Sect?"
"That is true. In fact, I have long wanted to meet that Grand Elder of the Dongyang Sect."
As the two chatted and laughed, they carried an air of looking down upon all the heroes of the Eastern Desolation.
Under the toll of continuous wars, the Eastern Desolation was now exceptionally hollowed out.
Should the Luotian Sect wish to emerge into the world, there was ample territory to choose from at will.
Anyone who dared stand in their way would have to weigh the chasm in strength between themselves and Luo Chen!
Even as they conversed, Luo Chen's brows furrowed slightly.
"Why has there been no response after so long?"
He shared a deep connection with that Black Tortoise. After reaching out via secret arts, a reply would usually arrive in as little as a moment, or a few days at most.
Yet three days had already passed since he sent out the signal in advance, and there was still no reaction whatsoever.
Could something have happened?
Noticing that Luo Chen was waiting for someone to guide them, Deng Taiyue offered comforting words: "Rumor has it that within the Netherworld Abyss, yin souls and ghostly fiends are countless. Perhaps your esteemed sect's people were merely delayed!"
Luo Chen shook his head. "In the past, I might have believed that. But now, it shouldn't be so!"
Deng Taiyue was bewildered.
Luo Chen, however, had great confidence in his judgment.
This was because back when Monarch Qixia attacked the Central Plains, aside from the four Great Desolate Beasts, nine Ghost Emperors had also been at her beck and call.
Ghost Emperors were Tier 5 ghostly entities.
They stood above Ghost Kings and Ghost Sovereigns.
It was impossible for so many Tier 5 ghostly creatures to appear out of thin air in this world.
Thus, those nine Ghost Emperors could have originated from only one place:
The Netherworld Abyss!
Before his death, Ancestor Tianyuan had unsealed the restrictions, releasing the countless ghosts suppressed beneath the Netherworld Abyss for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, in an attempt to besiege and kill Monarch Qixia.
Unexpectedly, Monarch Qixia had paid a heavy price to avert mutual destruction.
Not only that, but years later she had returned, using the spiritual treasure Myriad Beasts Chart surrendered by Moon Hermit as a foundation to harvest the powerful ghosts within the Netherworld Abyss.
Using them as her bargaining chips, she had launched a forceful assault on the Tianyuan Dao Sect.
Consequently, though the Netherworld Abyss still appeared terrifying, its danger had long since been reduced to a minimum.
With the Black Tortoise traversing the abyss and Xiao Bai's body of a Ghost Sovereign serving as a beacon, establishing contact with Luo Chen should have been effortless.
For there to be no response after all this time, there was only one explanation:
Something had happened to the Luotian Sect!
Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen soared into the air.
Seeing this, Deng Taiyue cried out in alarm, "Brother Luo, what are you doing?"
"Crossing the Netherworld Abyss to return to the Luotian Sect," Luo Chen replied, looking down from above.
Deng Taiyue said in terror, "How can you be so reckless? The Netherworld Abyss is rife with Nirvana Holy Fire, and above the old ruins of the Ming Abyss, elusive spatial rifts lurk everywhere. We are merely in the Nascent Soul realm—how can we cross it?"
He did not even mention traveling submerged within the abyss, as that was even less viable.
The ubiquitous Ming Water would seep into a cultivator's spiritual power, contaminating it bit by bit; if brought into the body in the slightest, it could corrode the purple mansion and bring harm to the Nascent Soul itself.
Facing this dissuasion, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes, gazing into the boundless Netherworld Abyss.
"My mind is made up. Brother Deng, the three of you wait here for me. Once I have settled matters in the sect, I will send someone to fetch you."
Having said that, he glanced at Haoranzi and Yu Jiaolong.
Neither raised any objection; whether by virtue of his status as Master of Duzhen Hall or his title as their senior martial brother, both were enough to command their absolute obedience.
Deng Taiyue pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and leapt up to follow.
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "Brother Deng, what are you doing?"
Having made his decision, Deng Taiyue felt relieved instead. He laughed and said, "The Empowerment Pill I have dreamed of is right within reach. If some mishap were to befall you, where would I ever find a second Pill Grandmaster? Naturally, I must stick with you and contribute whatever strength I can!"
Seeing his resolute expression, Luo Chen was momentarily speechless, then nodded.
"Then keep up!"
With that, he transformed into an escape light and plunged into the Ming Abyss.
Deng Taiyue followed close behind, enveloped tightly in a thick barrier of mysterious yellow light.
"Senior Brother Luo Chen, please be careful!"
From behind, Haoranzi called out in worry, then exchanged glances with Yu Jiaolong, who also remained on the shore.
"What should we do now?"
"Waiting here in vain would just be wasting time." Yu Jiaolong's eyes rolled slyly as an idea struck her. "Why don't we go have a look around Shangyou Immortal City?"
Chapter 997