Chapter 211: 211. Chapter 211: The Flying Vessel Ahead Stops for Inspection

211. Chapter 211: The Flying Vessel Ahead Stops for Inspection

After parting ways with Ruan Bufan, Xiao Zhangqing did not explore the Black Sand Secret Realm again.

The secret realm was about to close, and since only Foundation Establishment cultivators were allowed inside, the most precious treasures produced over centuries had already been taken by me; reentering might yield nothing.

Heading north, I flew toward the main base of the Seven Star Sword Sect, Panlong Immortal City.

More than ten days later.

On the flying vessel.

Xiao Zhangqing let out a sigh; the cultivation of recent days and the overdrawn Soul Transformation from using Dragon Chant Technique had almost fully recovered.

The recovery time was much shorter than before; the last time I used Dragon Chant Technique was ten years ago against Zhu Qingyun, who pretended to be the immortal Character: Liyang, and after that I took over a month to recuperate.

This time it was so brief because my Soul Transformation had become stronger and deeper than ten years ago, already beginning an extraordinary metamorphosis.

Another important reason is the source of my conflict with the Giant Wood Sect: the Fourth-Grade Spiritual Wood Essence!

"No wonder the Giant Wood Sect's sacred tree is so coveted; it truly is a treasure."

"Unfortunately, I still can't equip it now; I can only use it superficially."

Xiao Zhangqing gazed at the radiant green essence in his hand, feeling deeply moved.

The bronze ancient mirror and sacred tree branch seized from the immortal Changxu were also fine, especially the bronze mirror's 'Spatial Talent' skill, which will greatly aid Xiao Zhangqing in the future.

But compared with this Fourth-Grade Spiritual Wood Essence, it's a minor trick compared to a major one.

When I obtained the Fourth-Grade Spiritual Wood Essence from the Yang siblings, it was somehow tainted with evil aura and couldn't be used directly. Later, during the duel with the Giant Wood Sect members, Xiao Zhangqing didn't address it immediately.

After parting from Ruan Bufan, I finally tried to equip it via the inventory.

Once equipped, the tainted evil aura would self‑nullify, being purified by the system.

As expected, the wood essence was successfully recorded.

After all, the Jiaolong Essence Pill was also recorded in the inventory and granted two divine skills.

In a sense, this wood essence is similar to a beast internal core.

A beast's internal core also aggregates the essence of the beast's years of cultivation.

The system extracted four major skills from this treasure.

The first skill raises the Wood Spirit Root to the Earth‑grade realm.

The second skill, named Yi Wood Longevity Art, is an auxiliary cultivation technique; after practice it greatly extends one's lifespan, far surpassing the top‑tier Longevity Pill of the same tier. For example, a Core Formation cultivator who fully masters this method can increase lifespan by three hundred years! Considering that Core Formation cultivators only have five hundred years of lifespan, this brings them close to the Nascent Soul True Lord's lifespan. However, the technique is best suited for cultivators of wood affinity, whose lifespan can increase the most.

Xiao Zhangqing practices a water‑affinity technique, so the lifespan increase is somewhat reduced.

The third skill, Taiyi Divine Light, is also powerful. It is an offensive divine art with endless clever uses; its initial power already reaches early Fourth-Grade, and at its peak it can threaten the Transformation God Venerable! The fourth skill, Primordial Spirit of Creation, is an upgraded version that enhances Soul Transformation.

In the late Core Formation stage, after projecting Soul Transformation two hundred zhang, it has essentially reached its limit. Beyond that one must undergo metamorphosis to become a Primordial Spirit! The Primordial Spirit is the fundamental difference between a Nascent Soul True Lord and a Core Formation Realist.

It can be said to be the result of the qualitative transformation of many factors—magical power, Soul Transformation, flesh, and life.

A cultivator's soul can continuously strengthen with cultivation and has many wonderful uses, but it will ultimately perish.

Body dies, soul vanishes.

When the flesh is destroyed, the soul generally cannot exist independently.

Yet the Primordial Spirit is, in a sense, 'imperishable.'

Therefore, a Nascent Soul True Lord is hard to truly kill.

Even if the flesh is destroyed, the Nascent Soul can out‑body and seek a chance to possess another.

The ability of the Nascent Soul to out‑body, wield various divine arts, and possess others stems from the Primordial Spirit.

Primordial Spirit of Creation can greatly amplify the strength of the Primordial Spirit!

Of course.

If one has not yet cultivated a Primordial Spirit and remains in the Soul Transformation state, this skill can swiftly convert the Soul Transformation toward a Primordial Spirit.

It is as if even in the Core Formation Realm one possesses a Soul Transformation comparable to a Nascent Soul True Lord! "The four major skills, each stronger and more useful than the last!"

When the system first extracted the skills a few days ago, Xiao Zhangqing's eyes reddened with excitement.

Even after more than ten days, opening the system's detailed description still makes his heart itch. Unfortunately, the condition to equip the Fourth-Grade Spiritual Wood Essence is that one's cultivation must be at least Core Formation Realm!

But Xiao Zhangqing is currently only at a complete Foundation Establishment, not yet at Core Formation.

"No rush, no rush..."

Xiao Zhangqing exhaled, thinking silently, "Just over a month left to reach Panlong Immortal City. Once I obtain the Condensed True Pill from the Pill Alliance, I'll hurry back to Character: Liyang Immortal City to begin Core Formation."

Without Core Formation, the Fourth-Grade Spiritual Wood Essence cannot fully function, but Xiao Zhangqing uses it to aid cultivation and restore Soul Transformation, which works quite well.

……

……

When the flying vessel crossed the Gobi desert region, the surroundings turned green with abundant aquatic plants, indicating arrival at the Seven Star Sword Sect's territory.

This place should have been harsher than the far‑west lands, but thanks to the great divine art of the Transformation God Venerable, this northwestern region has become one of the most prosperous areas in the Da Yu Cultivation World.

Approximately thirty days later.

Xiao Zhangqing avoided many troubles along the way; not wanting further mishaps, Panlong Immortal City was now within reach.

As the largest immortal city under the Seven Star Sword Sect's jurisdiction, Panlong Immortal City surpasses Character: Liyang Immortal City in prosperity and, together with Xingyue Palace's Wangyue Immortal City, is hailed as the 'Twin Pride' of the Da Yu Cultivation World, undeniably the top two.

Thus, when only two or three days remained to Panlong Immortal City, Xiao Zhangqing sometimes found it impossible to avoid.

Because cultivators from all directions were rushing toward Panlong Immortal City in great numbers.

Regardless of the route, roughly every few hundred li one could see various flashes and flying devices streaking by.

However, most cultivators, even when encountered on the road, keep a cautious distance and pass without greeting.

The Cultivation World is not a friendly place; even in the remote outskirts of the Seven Star Sword Sect's territory, calamity cultivators still exist.

Over the years, the Seven Star Sword Sect's wanted list has never reached three digits in the number of names.

These cultivators either offended the Seven Star Sword Sect or are extremely vicious criminals who committed major crimes within the sect and have yet to be executed or captured.

This isn't.

When Xiao Zhangqing saw from afar a flying boat on the left side speeding toward Panlong Immortal City, he instinctively thought of slowing down, letting the other go first.

This flying boat's class wasn't low; it seemed even higher than Xiao Zhangqing's own second‑tier supreme flying boat, nearly reaching the third‑tier Magic Treasure level.

He guessed it was either that Core Formation True Person traveling, or a first‑rate Core Formation sect's convoy heading to Panlong Immortal City.

What happened was beyond Xiao Zhangqing's expectation.

"Flying boat ahead, stop for inspection! We are the law enforcement squad of the Seven Star Sword Sect, ordered to pursue fugitives."

"If you don't stop for inspection, don't blame us for using force!"

Xiao Zhangqing was stunned, then sensed that on that quasi‑third‑tier flying boat a formation flashed with light, a rather powerful force held back, aiming at his own flying boat.

The few people appearing on the flying boat were led by a Fake Core True Person.

"To think I'd run into this…"

Xiao Zhangqing was at a loss for words.

It was still his first encounter of this kind in the Cultivation World after so many years, feeling a bit like being pulled over for drunk driving in a past life.

However.

In his past life, when the traffic police checked for drunk driving, Xiao Zhangqing certainly wouldn't have dared to run; he would have obediently stopped and complied.

But now, if Xiao Zhangqing doesn't want to, he can completely ignore the Seven Star Sword Sect's law enforcement squad.

A mere Fake Core True Person leading a team—one casual move or a single spiritual consciousness attack from Xiao Zhangqing could wipe out the entire squad.

After thinking it over, Xiao Zhangqing still chose to stop, avoiding violent confrontation.

Although his impression of the Seven Star Sword Sect isn't great, when on someone else's territory he should keep a low profile.

He doesn't care about this small detachment, but if they were to send a message and somehow get his name on the Seven Star Sword Sect's wanted list, that would be troublesome.

As the saying goes, he's only here to exchange Pill, so avoid trouble if possible. (End of Chapter)