Chapter 1056: Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream, Honored Luo Chen

Sparrow-Head Islet!

The foremost island of the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago.

This place was built with the largest wharf and was also the location with the highest volume of human traffic.

But today, Sparrow-Head Islet was eerily and incomparably quiet.

It was empty, with not a single living creature to be seen.

Ships of various sizes had lowered their sails and were docked in the harbor.

Only a single figure stood quietly on the wharf, looking around with a complex expression.

This had been the environment where he grew up from childhood; even though hundreds of years had passed and much had changed, he still felt a sense of familiarity.

Back then, he was not valued by his family, and in order to refine his alchemy skills, he would often come to the wharf to take on odd jobs to earn spirit stones.

Perhaps if he had continued like that for his whole life, he could have become a skilled first-tier alchemist, or at most, second-tier.

As for his cultivation realm, it would have stopped at the Qi Refining stage.

But everything changed because of the appearance of his Master.

The Master of that time needed a large number of people to help with chores.

Whether they were low-tier alchemists or fire-tending medicine boys, the more there were, the better.

The various great families, eager to please, selected a large batch of talent to send over, and because he was familiar with medicinal herbs, he was also called over.

From that point on, the true opportunity belonging to him, Xu Muxian, began.

He became a named disciple of the Senior Qingyang Demon Lord, learned the other's alchemy techniques, was valued by his family, and entered into a marriage alliance with the Xu family...

And what moved Xu Muxian the most was a conversation he had with Luo Chen on Invitation Moon Island back then.

At that time, he was merely at the seventh level of Qi Refining. Feeling that he lived a comfortable life despite his low cultivation, while his high-and-mighty Master lived a life of bitter hardship, he couldn't help but feel confused, so he specifically sought guidance from his Master.

The beginning of that guidance was a stern reprimand, a scolding for his reaching for things beyond his grasp.

But by the end, his Master seemed to have understood, and did not reproach him further.

It was as if he tacitly accepted that everyone has their own aspirations and should not be forced.

Only at the very end did his Master mention, "The result is not important; the journey in pursuit of longevity holds even more beautiful scenery and an even broader world."

That one sentence completely touched him.

All his confusion was perhaps hidden within that broad world.

After his Master left the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago, he relied on his own bitter cultivation and the Foundation Establishment Pill his Master had left behind to successfully reach Foundation Establishment. After his Dao companion's lifespan ended and she passed away, Xu Muxian bid farewell to his Master's wife, Cheng Haixin, and followed in his Master's footsteps, leaving the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago to venture into the North Sea alone.

In the blink of an eye, more than three hundred years had passed.

Over three hundred years of time, tens of thousands of days and nights.

Different moonlight had shone upon him, and sea breezes, sometimes violent and sometimes gentle, had blown past him.

He had witnessed the treachery of human hearts, the cunning of spirit beasts, the crushing of major powers, and the rise and fall of North Sea overlords as they took the stage.

Among them were also the struggles for survival of the weak and the helpless sighs of those whose lifespans were nearing their end.

Just like that, through step-by-step travels and adventures, plus some fortuitous encounters, he eventually achieved the Nascent Soul realm.

Along the way, he occasionally heard the name of his Master, the "Senior Qingyang Demon Lord," but after he pursued those leads, most of them led to nothing.

Even the Ten Thousand Immortals Society had been blown away by the wind and rain.

Later, he stopped trying to pursue his Master.

He was, after all, only a named disciple; if fate did not bring them together, then so be it.

Returning to his homeland today to protect his Master's wife during her Nascent Soul formation could be considered fulfilling the bond of master and disciple he had with his Master back then!

Suddenly!

The wind had not moved, yet the sails stirred.

Xu Muxian's heart skipped a beat, and amidst the flapping of countless sails, he looked up into the distance.

A streak of green light arrived in an instant.

Wherever it passed, a clear trail was left in the blue sky, as if the sky itself had been torn apart by the newcomer.

A powerful aura drew ever closer.

Xu Muxian's heart began to pound, and the long sword in his hand emitted a trembling sound involuntarily.

A Nascent Soul domain suddenly expanded!

Boom!

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream stopped abruptly, his narrow eyes squinting as he looked at the man in green.

"Who are you, and why do you block my path?"

Xu Muxian's expression was calm. "I am Xu Muxian. I ask that you stop here, fellow Daoist, and do not disturb the Nascent Soul formation process of the person on the island."

"Xu Muxian?" The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream frowned, as if he had heard the name somewhere before. He had roamed the North Sea for a long time and knew most Nascent Soul cultivators, but this person looked unfamiliar. After some thought, the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream's eyes suddenly lit up. "Could you be the rogue cultivator Taibai Shi who refined the Thousand-Jin Dan for the old freak Feng Zhang?"

Xu Muxian nodded. "It is indeed me!"

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream laughed. "That Thousand-Jin Dan is a fourth-tier elixir, incredibly precious. It was precisely by relying on the Thousand-Jin Dan that the old freak Feng Zhang was able to advance to the late Nascent Soul stage. He even put out the word that whoever makes things difficult for you is making an enemy of him."

Xu Muxian breathed a slight sigh of relief.

In the current North Sea, after years of war, even though high-tier cultivators had strong survival capabilities, many had withered away.

Under such circumstances, the Demonic path was gradually gaining power, while the Righteous path was declining.

But within the Righteous path, there were also top-tier powerhouses who rose to the challenge.

The old freak Feng Zhang was one of them; after advancing to a Great Cultivator, he protected the human race in one region.

His relationship with him was not bad, and now, by borrowing the other's name, he might be able to scare off the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream.

However, before he could feel happy, the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream's expression changed abruptly.

"If it were someone else, I might give Old Monster Fengzhang some face, but I have long had a grudge against him. If you move aside today, that's fine, but if you don't, then I wouldn't mind tearing you apart alive!"

Xu Muxian's expression sank. "Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream, do you really want to fight to the death like this? The person forming their Nascent Soul behind me is my Master's wife, and her Dao companion is also a powerhouse with no small strength. You had better think carefully; once you start, the people you offend will not just be me, but also fellow Daoist Feng Zhang, and my Master!"

These words carried quite a bit of weight.

The old freak Feng Zhang was a Great Cultivator currently in the limelight, and Xu Muxian, known by the Daoist name Taibai Shi, was also beginning to make a name for himself in the North Sea, having gathered many connections through his skills as a fourth-tier alchemist. If it were true as he said, that his Master was also a Nascent Soul powerhouse, then the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream would indeed have to weigh his own strength today.

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream blinked and asked curiously, "I wonder, what is your Master's name?"

After this question was asked, before Xu Muxian could answer, the weather over the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago suddenly changed.

Wind and clouds gathered, and lightning flashed.

The heavenly tribulation had appeared!

Such a scene already explained everything.

The Invitation Moon Fairy, Cheng Haixin, had already crossed all the difficult steps before Nascent Soul formation and was just waiting to pass the lightning tribulation to become a true Nascent Soul True Person!

Seeing this, the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream could not help but be overjoyed, and he no longer cared about waiting for Xu Muxian's answer.

A Nascent Soul that had just condensed in such a way was the most delicious thing imaginable. Once he swallowed it, Nascent Soul and soul together, he would have a chance to advance a great step and completely cross into the late Nascent Soul stage.

Not only that, he might even be able to get ahead of others and condense that legendary Primordial Spirit!

"Get lost!"

He shouted sharply, transforming into a green streak of light and breaking through the air.

Xu Muxian did not dodge or evade, slashing out with his sword.

But the gap in realm between the two was like a chasm, and the contrast in strength was even more obvious.

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream just swiped his hand casually, scattering the sword light, then reached out and grabbed toward Xu Muxian.

His famous signature technique, the Heaven-Splitting Divine Claw!

Facing this move, Xu Muxian's expression was grave, and a bird's nest-like magic treasure appeared beside him.

Within the bird's nest, black light flew about, and fire phoenixes flew out one after another, blocking the Heaven-Splitting Divine Claw firmly on the outside.

"The Phoenix-Perching Nest! The old freak Feng Zhang is truly generous to be willing to lend you even this kind of defensive true treasure."

His ultimate move was ineffective, but the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream was not panicked in the slightest.

"This treasure can protect you, but it cannot stop me!"

He let out a sharp whistle, instantly crossing past Xu Muxian, and with extreme speed, rushed toward the very center of the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago.

Such a scene made Xu Muxian's eyes split with rage!

Was he still unable to do it?

Even though he was prepared to drag the other down with his life, he couldn't even delay the other for a single step?

Could it be that he was really going to let his Master's wife fail her breakthrough and perish in front of him?

Within his line of sight, everything seemed to have slowed down.

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream tore through the sky, and from far away, he reached out a claw toward the Ten-Mile Flat Lake.

Just at this moment.

"Fellow Daoist, I ask that you stop here!"

A grand voice containing Buddhist chants rang out, enveloping the area around the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream.

Tentacles stretched out eerily from the void, binding the Heaven-Splitting Divine Claw firmly, preventing it from advancing even an inch!

"Who is it?"

Seeing this, the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream could not help but be both shocked and angry.

His famous signature technique had failed twice in a row.

Failing before the Phoenix-Perching Nest was understandable; after all, that was the old freak Feng Zhang's defensive true treasure.

But this time, it had been blocked head-on by someone using proper spells.

He looked up and saw a bald monk with a withered figure but a kind and benevolent face slowly descending from the sky.

Around his neck hung a string of skull prayer beads, and his hands were forming a Buddhist seal.

Compassionate and solemn, yet clearly malicious—two completely different temperaments were fused in the old man, giving one a sense of demonic strangeness.

At just one glance, the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream recognized the newcomer.

"The Demon Monk Kong Chan!"

Kong Chan smiled slightly. "This humble monk greets you."

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream took a deep breath. "Why block me? This is merely a human junior forming a Nascent Soul; as a Great Demon Emperor of the Demon race, do you have such leisure to meddle in other people's business? Or is it that you have taken a fancy to the other party?"

Kong Chan waved his hands repeatedly, not even caring about maintaining his Buddhist seal.

"What nonsense are you spouting, fellow Daoist? The person forming their Nascent Soul here is my Master's Dao companion."

Master?

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream was stunned!

A dignified Great Demon Emperor, the Demon Monk Kong Chan who had shaken the North Sea for hundreds of years—when did he have a master? What kind of existence could make the other party so willingly acknowledge him as master?

A thought emerged that could not be suppressed.

A Soul Transformation powerhouse!

And he said that the Invitation Moon Fairy forming her Nascent Soul here was his Master's Dao companion?

Combining this with what the Taibai Shi Xu Muxian had said earlier...

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream asked with difficulty, "I wonder, what is your Master's honorable name?"

Kong Chan pressed his palms together, his face filled with reverence. "I would have you know, fellow Daoist, my Master's name is Luo Chen."

Without adding any Daoist title or honorific, the simple two words "Luo Chen" made the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream's expression change drastically.

Whoosh!

Without a second thought, the Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream transformed into a green streak of light and sped toward the distance.

Seeing this, Kong Chan smiled helplessly.

"I already told you to stop, fellow Daoist. These words 'stop here' mean you cannot advance, and you cannot retreat, so just honestly stay behind!"

He saw him point a finger, and black mist suddenly rose all around, with tentacles appearing and disappearing within it.

Even more, the Morning Bell and Evening Drum, two great true treasures, stood within it.

Under the lashing of the tentacles, they emitted grand Buddhist chants that shook the soul.

He had used his full strength from the very first move, showing how hard Kong Chan was working.

The Lord of the Heaven-Splitting Stream's heart and gallbladder trembled, but his mouth remained stubborn.

"Old bald donkey, do you really think I'm afraid of you?"

A shocking battle unfolded above the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago.

However, for some unknown reason, the battle that should have devastated this region was restricted by some inexplicable force; the aftermath could not spread, and the battle's influence was limited to a range of just a few miles.

Such an eerie situation naturally made people wonder.

As a Nascent Soul True Person, Xu Muxian felt the terror even more profoundly.

A Soul Transformation existence had intervened!

He swallowed hard, looking at the place where the Demon Monk Kong Chan had appeared, and the words the other had just spoken surfaced in his mind.

"Master's Dao companion!"

"Could it be that Master has returned?"

"But he is called Luo Chen, not Luo Hai... an alias?"

While he hesitated, a divine sense transmission came.

"Come here."

Xu Muxian's mind was in total chaos. He avoided the battlefield where the demon and the monk were fighting and, following the guidance of the divine sense, flew to a cliff standing by the sea.

It was precisely Sea-Gazing Cliff!

A figure stood with hands behind his back. Although his temperament was somewhat different, his face was still familiar. At just one glance, Xu Muxian fell to his knees with a thud.

"Disciple Xu Muxian greets Master!"

Luo Chen smiled slightly, lifting a hand to help Xu Muxian up.

Looking him up and down, he couldn't help but show a look of admiration.

"Nascent Soul realm, not bad, not bad!"

It was indeed not bad!

In this life, Luo Chen had not taken many disciples.

His true, authentic disciple was actually only Qu Lingjun.

But because of his four-spirit-root aptitude, his eldest disciple was still stuck at the Core Formation stage, and he didn't know when he would reach Nascent Soul.

Yet the two named disciples he had pointed out casually—the Cangwu Mountain demon cultivator Hua Mei and the North Sea's Xu Muxian—had both successively achieved the Nascent Soul realm.

The different fortuitous encounters each had were truly something to reflect upon.

Xu Muxian's eyes grew hot; receiving Luo Chen's praise made him inexplicably excited.

He stammered, appearing not like a Nascent Soul True Person but like a young child, his face filled with shame. "Master overpraises me. Disciple still has many shortcomings. If it weren't for Master's appearance today, I fear I would have been powerless to protect Master's wife during her tribulation."

Luo Chen chuckled. "This is not your fault; that fellow Lie Tian is naturally formidable. Back when he was only at the third level of Nascent Soul, three Nascent Soul cultivators from the Canghai Righteous Alliance couldn't stop him, let alone now that he is at the sixth level of Nascent Soul. With your current realm, being able to block one of his moves is already not bad."

Xu Muxian hummed. As a rogue cultivator who ventured alone, having self-awareness was the most important character trait.

Otherwise, one wouldn't even know where they died.

He looked at Luo Chen expectantly. "Master, your real name is Luo Chen—could you be that legendary East Wasteland Alchemist who reversed-slayed a powerhouse?"

"As you think." Luo Chen nodded, then asked doubtfully, "The North Sea is chaotic and news doesn't travel, but didn't Haixin tell you my real situation?"

"Master's wife didn't say." Xu Muxian answered honestly.

Luo Chen said "Oh," and understood Cheng Haixin's intentions.

As early as back then, Luo Chen had already told Cheng Haixin his general situation.

The reason she didn't tell Xu Muxian was likely to avoid unnecessary trouble!

Xu Muxian was currently immersed in the shocking truth that his Master was Luo Chen, and especially the means by which Luo Chen had restricted the aftermath of the battle between two powerhouses without showing any effort, which shocked him even more.

This represented that Luo Chen's realm had already completely surpassed them.

His Master was no longer that Core Formation cultivator from back then, but a Soul Transformation powerhouse!

Just as he was in shock.

Luo Chen said softly, "It has begun!"

The final step had begun!

Above the Du Du Feiyan Archipelago, dark clouds gathered, and lightning flashed.

The power of the heavenly tribulation had gathered to its limit.

And a tall, slender figure appeared in the void, prepared to face the might of heaven! ===== CHAPTER 1057 =====