Chapter 521

Within the Qi Sea, the true fire was raging.

The cyan-red light almost filled the entire Qi Sea.

This state was like vibrant vitality, with all things competing to flourish.

The Jin Dan and that pair of fire-attribute Po Xiao Yue wings were simply like a fish in water in such an environment of exuberant vitality.

The Po Xiao Yue wings turned into flowing moons, constantly flying and rotating.

The red Jin Dan's automatic rotation speed became faster and faster, greedily wanting to absorb the majestic vitality contained in the withered-prosperous true fire.

The withered-prosperous true fire seemed to have spirituality, not very willing to share the vitality after burning and refining the tens of thousands of sea snakes with the Jin Dan and the Po Xiao Yue wings.

But being in the midst of it, it was still divided up more or less.

Of course, most of it was still kept by the withered-prosperous true fire itself.

Vaguely, it seemed to be undergoing a transformation in a certain direction?

Luo Chen closed his eyes and sensed the changes in the Qi Sea; the slight reluctance of the withered-prosperous true fire was instantly captured by him.

"This is... spirituality?"

A look of surprise appeared on Luo Chen's face.

The world has strange fires, mostly from strange and dangerous places; once formed, they can exist apart from the source.

Therefore, world strange fires are mostly called—source-less fires!

Cultivators refine them to use as true fire; in this way, the source-less fire has a place to reside and a root, so it becomes a source true fire.

But the source-less fires, which are as numerous as stars, are not all powerful and unique.

They are just alternative cultivators similar to plants becoming spirits or stubborn stones giving birth to spirits.

At the initial stage, there is basically no intelligence, relying purely on instinct to act.

Moreover, this type of creature, unlike demonic beasts evolved from wild beasts, cannot give birth to intelligence at a low realm and actively transform.

It is rumored that for a source-less fire to give birth to intelligence, it must at least advance to the fifth-tier level to give birth to a little bit of spirituality.

Luo Chen's withered-prosperous fire was obtained from the Yan Alliance.

Initially, it was only at the third-tier level.

For three hundred years, it was nurtured by the Yan Alliance using the Incense-Burning Spirit-Snatching Array improved from the Heavenly Craft Spirit-Snatching Array, and from time to time, various woods and demonic beast blood were thrown into it; over time, its grade was pushed to the fourth-tier level.

And this was basically the limit of the withered-prosperous fire.

Its potential was only this much.

But later, after Luo Chen refined it, he discovered that it had unknowingly brought with it the habit of incense-burning and spirit-snatching.

Therefore, after wantonly burning and refining living creatures, it could actively plunder the vitality contained within the creatures themselves.

Most of this vitality was absorbed by the withered-prosperous fire itself, and a small part blessed Luo Chen's physical body, even bringing about an increase in lifespan.

However, even so, the upper limit of the withered-prosperous fire could be seen at a glance.

At most, it was the fourth-tier limit, unable to break through to the fifth-tier level.

But now, it vaguely had a trace of spirituality, which was incredible!

Spirituality is the hallmark of a fifth-tier source-less fire!

In other words, the withered-prosperous fire had the hope of advancing to the fifth tier!

"Could it be that quantitative change leads to qualitative change?"

"But tens of thousands of sea snakes are said to be many, but do they really compare to a few third-tier demonic beasts?"

"Could it be... the 'Tianhuang Nirvana Sutra'!"

Regarding this technique known as the ancestor of fire methods, the more Luo Chen cultivated it, the more he felt it was incomparably profound.

Even if it was just the Jin Dan chapter, even if there were no appendices of any spells or secret techniques on it.

But just the mystery of changing spiritual root attributes and covering five systems with one system was enough to make one benefit infinitely.

Now it seems that this technique still has many, many places worth exploring.

Nowadays, the proficiency of the "Tianhuang Nirvana Sutra" has only just reached the proficiency level; after the later perfection, master, and even great completion, there might be changes that arise on their own!

After checking the withered-prosperous true fire, Luo Chen checked his own physique.

Even if it was only a part of the vitality shared by the withered-prosperous fire, after being absorbed by the physical body, a warm feeling flowed throughout his whole body.

Even, Luo Chen felt that his lifespan upper limit would also increase again with the transformation of his body.

And this amount might be very large!

"Tens of thousands of sea snakes, I don't know how many years of lifespan upper limit they can provide me."

"If it's a lot, does that mean I can rely on wantonly hunting demonic beasts, refining them, and obtaining lifespan, thereby achieving an alternative longevity?"

When this thought popped up, Luo Chen was actually a bit excited for a moment.

After a long time, Luo Chen finally suppressed the excitement in his heart.

Such longevity is ultimately not the right path!

Perhaps it can be tried, but it must never be relied upon.

What he wants is not just longevity, but immortality!

Lifespan can bring longevity, but immortality requires sufficient means of protection.

And powerful means of protection inevitably rely on a constantly transforming cultivation realm.

Therefore, cultivation is still the top priority, and one must never neglect one thing for another!

After a careful investigation, Luo Chen sent a sound transmission.

Before long, Cheng Cheng Haichang entered the cabin.

"True Person, do you have any orders?"

This time, Luo Chen didn't use Mirror Flower Water Moon, but chatted with the other party quite peacefully.

"Earlier, I observed that you all stood firm under the siege of the sea snake group; this ship is extremely peculiar!"

Cheng Cheng Haichang nodded, "My lord has extraordinary vision; this hunting ship is indeed not simple, it was bought by my Cheng family at a high price. It can sail on the ocean, hunting sea fish and demonic beasts far away from islands where humans gather."

"Hunting ship?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the ship beneath his feet.

With his knowledge, he could naturally see the quality of this ship, which was at the magic treasure level!

Such a large ship must be incomparably expensive.

Under the other party's explanation, he also understood the origin of this kind of ship.

It was a special magic treasure forged by the alchemy masters of the Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance, combined with the situation in the North Sea, and adapted to local conditions.

It was amphibious on sea and air, especially faster on the sea.

The whole body was forged using the bones of dragon whales from the deep sea, which was particularly friendly to the water system.

Not only was it fast, but its load capacity was also quite impressive.

Cultivation families on the major islands of the North Sea, as long as they had some strength, would spend a lot of money to buy one to work at sea as a source of income.

"That white banner, it's a Soul-Refining Banner, right!"

Out of the blue, Luo Chen mentioned the magic tool Cheng Cheng Haichang had used before.

Cheng Cheng Haichang lowered his head and said nervously, "It is indeed a Soul-Refining Banner from the soul-refining lineage of the Yuanmo Sect, but the junior did not actively violate the ban to absorb the souls of cultivators. In normal times, it has always been absorbing the souls of demonic beasts as a supplement."

"Oh?"

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow; he had seen it before, the other party had absorbed the remnant souls of those who died in battle on the hunting ship.

Does this not count as violating the ban?

Subsequently, under the other party's explanation, he learned about the so-called Yuanmo Ban.

Soul-Refining Banners can be used.

But the souls within them should best be the souls of countless demonic beasts in the sea as materials.

The souls of human cultivators must not be forcibly detained.

If there are those with ulterior motives who wantonly hunt cultivators to refine Soul-Refining Banners, they will be wanted and hunted by the Yuanmo Sect.

However, it was obvious that with the destruction of the Yuanmo Sect, this so-called Yuanmo Ban had basically existed in name only.

Like this Cheng Cheng Haichang, he was playing on the edge, using the souls of his own clansmen who died in battle to supplement the Soul-Refining Banner.

"And that formation, what is it?"

"Is the True Person talking about the formation on the hunting ship? That is the Sea Soul Array, a formation formed by absorbing the power of the sea and countless sea demon souls; it can become stronger the more it fights, and is basically the standard formation for all large hunting ships."

"Interesting, is there a relevant formation map?"

"Uh, there isn't one; this was specially researched by the Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance combined with the methods of the Yuanmo Sect's soul-refining lineage. How would small families like us have the opportunity to obtain the original formation map!"

"Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance? What is the relationship with the Central Plains holy land Ancestor Tianyuan Dao Sect?"

"The True Person is wise; that Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance is an industry of the Ancestor Tianyuan Dao Sect, responsible for collecting resources in the North Sea to sell to the other four continents, and at the same time dispatching resources from the other four continents to the North Sea."

Luo Chen nodded; doing business, buying low and selling high, was nothing more than that.

"The Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance is very strong, with Nascent Soul True Persons sitting in town all year round. It also raises countless master-level figures in various industries, alchemy, formation, weapon, and talisman, all of which are refined; it is rumored that they can even refine demonic weapons."

"Just now, seeing the True Person is very interested in that spirit-attached magic tool, in fact, that is also one of the handiworks of the Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance."

"Such magic tools are not driven by spiritual energy, but by the inner Qi of martial artists."

"In this way, countless mortals in the North Sea have a place to use their skills. As long as they practice martial arts well, they can use spirit-attached magic tools to exert strength not weaker than the early stage of Qi Refining, or even the middle stage of Qi Refining."

"For a hunting ship as large as this, it's impossible to use only cultivators. Generally, major families will bring a large group of mortal martial artists on board to help them catch fish, hunt demons, and process prey, and even help in battle."

The more Luo Chen listened, the brighter his eyes became.

In the Eastern Wasteland, they were not worth mentioning, like mortals kept in captivity; he didn't expect them to have such status in the North Sea cultivation world!

To exert the strength of the middle stage of Qi Refining with a mortal body was indeed a bit unbelievable.

He asked for three spirit-attached magic tools from Cheng Cheng Haichang and let the other party go down.

Subsequently, Luo Chen began to study this thing.

The huge hunting ship, with sails hoisted high, rode the wind and waves, constantly moving forward.

The destination was getting closer and closer.

Two days later, Luo Chen put down the knife, sword, and trident in his hand.

On his face, a thoughtful look appeared.

"Strange, wonderful!"

"In a small spirit-attached magic tool, it actually contains the mystery of the transformation of blood and spiritual power; isn't this the refining essence into Qi of the early Qi Refiners?"

"It's just that the Ancestor Tianyuan Commercial Alliance has changed it to the way of using formations and spirit stones."

"Unfortunately, the Qi-spirit transformation formation on it has been set with confidentiality measures, and it cannot be forcibly opened for research."

"If such exquisite means were popularized throughout the Shanhai Realm, the strength of the human race would undergo earth-shaking changes; after all, the reproduction speed of mortals far exceeds that of cultivators who cherish their cultivation. If it were the realm of a congenital grandmaster like Wang Yuan in his early years, driving the best spirit-attached magic tool, it might be able to threaten the late stage of Qi Refining."

"But why does the Ancestor Tianyuan Dao Sect only distribute this means to the North Sea?"

Putting away the three spirit-attached magic tools, Luo Chen sighed.

He now knows the 'what' but not the 'why', and is truly a bit curious.

However, it was obvious that the dignified Ancestor Tianyuan Dao Sect would not explain it to a mere Jin Dan cultivator like him.

Moreover, there was no more time.

The destination had arrived!

As the anchor was dropped, the huge hunting ship swayed slightly and stopped at a huge pier.

Luo Chen walked out of the cabin, looking at the bustling and incomparably prosperous pier, a strange color flashed in his eyes.

So many ships!

And so many people!

Hunting ships of the scale of the Cheng family were hoarded here with seven or eight, and there were more than a dozen smaller ones.

According to Cheng Cheng Haichang's previous introduction, those small hunting ships could only work in the near-sea range.

Only these large hunting ships dared to sail beyond the ten-thousand-mile range.

And those people!

Except for the Qi Refining stage cultivators maintaining order one by one, ninety-nine percent were mortals!

These mortals, walking between them, were full of vigor. On their bare arms and legs, muscles were knotted, and beneath their physique contained thick blood energy.

If judged by the standards of Wang Yuan back then, these mortals working at the pier were at least second-rate, or even first-rate martial artists!

Even a portion of them had already touched the edge of a congenital grandmaster!

What made Luo Chen pay the most attention was that on the faces of these mortal martial artists, there was no look of numbness toward life.

What they had was full of drive, as if they were full of hope for life.

This feeling was not at all like a world under the rule of a demonic sect, but rather like a righteous world with prosperous luck and harmonious politics.

Just as he was observing, the others on the pier also discovered the Cheng family's hunting ship that had arrived.

Looking at the sparse number of people on it, and the thick smell of blood on the ship, everyone understood what had happened.

The Cheng family's ocean hunting trip this time had suffered a disaster!

Waves of discussion and sympathetic gazes surged toward the Cheng family.

Cheng Cheng Haichang's face was a bit ugly as he walked to Luo Chen's side.

"True Person, my Black Swan Island is located in the northwest corner of the Du Feiyan Archipelago, and it's still some distance from here, but we have to rely on ourselves to walk there next."

"Hmm." Luo Chen nodded.

"True Person, please wait a moment, let me arrange it."

"Suit yourself!"

Luo Chen continued to observe the bustling scene on the pier, his Yin-Wei formation fully activated, only revealing the spiritual power fluctuation of the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

However, his spiritual sense had already spread out silently.

"On the pier, there are two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators sitting in town."

"The nearest island should be the Jade Jiao Long Gang that Cheng Cheng Haichang mentioned before, specializing in business on the pier. I didn't expect that there would be a late-stage Foundation Establishment great cultivator in the Jade Jiao Long Gang!"

Luo Chen slowly withdrew his spiritual sense, his gaze looking toward the central area of the Du Feiyan Archipelago.

It is said that there is a rogue cultivator Jin Dan there!

Taking advantage of the chaotic situation after the destruction of the Yuanmo Sect, he personally took action to destroy the most powerful Foundation Establishment family in the Du Feiyan Archipelago and seized the other party's ancestral third-tier spiritual vein land.

Using this place as the center of cultivation, he ordered the people below to offer tribute to him.

Thirty years ago, this person actively joined the Li Canghai Righteous Alliance, becoming a member of the Li Canghai Alliance in name, thereby obtaining the method of island-connecting formations selflessly passed down by the Li Canghai Alliance.

In this way, the Du Feiyan Archipelago became even more of an iron plate!

For these thirty years, the other party has lived very comfortably!

"Is there no successor for the initiator?"

Luo Chen's mouth curled slightly; he was also lacking a third-tier spiritual vein land suitable for cultivation.

If the other party can do the first, he can naturally do the fifteenth.

But for now, there's no rush; he must first probe the other party's background.

"True Person, I have arranged it, please this way."

"Hmm."

Luo Chen followed Cheng Cheng Haichang and flew toward the northwest.

The two were very fast, and in half a day's time, they arrived at a corner with a relatively remote geographical location.

Standing in the sky, Luo Chen looked down.

Black Swan Island was long and narrow, shaped like a crescent moon, with a large beach in the middle.

One end had a mountain five hundred zhang high, not too high, but very steep, with cliffs blocking threats from the sea.

On the island, there were some small lakes dotted about.

And in those lakes, and on the beach, there were a large number of black swans walking around.

He knew that this was the Cheng family's main industry, farming first-tier spirit beasts, black swans.

And as his spiritual sense swept over, he also had a rough understanding of the overall level of the Cheng family cultivators.

A great cultivator at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment!

There were none at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

There were four at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

If you add Cheng Cheng Haichang, and Cheng Ji who was active on the hunting ship, there were six early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"One late-stage, six early-stage. Such strength, among Foundation Establishment forces, is already considered extraordinary. The Cheng family can occupy a place in the Du Feiyan Archipelago, and even rank in the top five, it really has its reasons."

And while Luo Chen was observing the situation on Black Swan Island, Cheng Cheng Haichang had already hurriedly stepped into the family's important place.

The Cheng family's Foundation Establishment cultivators seemed to have already received notice; although some were curious along the way, none disturbed Cheng Cheng Haichang.

Before long, Cheng Cheng Haichang arrived in front of a small lake like a round mirror.

A young man in white stood there, looking as if he had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Cheng Cheng Haichang coming alone, the man in white frowned.

"Where is the Jin Dan True Person you mentioned in the sound transmission talisman?"

"Reporting to the family head, that True Person is still waiting outside."

Cheng Dou was stunned: "So polite, didn't you say he was a demonic powerhouse?"

"Family head, be careful with your words!"

Cheng Cheng Haichang's face changed slightly.

Cheng Dou waved his hand, "It doesn't matter, I have already set up a sound-insulation formation in this Small Mirror Lake area in advance. Perhaps it cannot block the spiritual sense of a Jin Dan True Person, but it can still provide a warning; as long as he eavesdrops, the formation will break. You see, the formation is still intact now, which shows that the powerhouse is still observing etiquette."

These words dispelled Cheng Cheng Haichang's concerns.

He breathed a sigh of relief, "That senior does indeed look very principled, but his actual style is not like the righteous path at all."

"How so?" Family head Cheng Dou showed a look of listening attentively.

The previous sound transmission talisman mentioned too little information.

He needed to know more information about that mysterious powerhouse, so as to make arrangements for the subsequent reception, and even consider whether to report it to that lord in the center of the Du Feiyan Archipelago.

Next, Cheng Cheng Haichang told Cheng Dou everything that happened in the Xintian Sea Area one by one.

From big to small, all kinds of details, almost nothing was left out.

"Flames suspected to be Senior Qingyang Demonic Fire."

"Soul-bewitching and heart-confusing techniques."

"Extremely concerned about information on the Yuanmo Sect."

"According to what you said, this person is indeed very likely a disciple of the Yuanmo Sect who traveled abroad in his early years. He hasn't returned to the North Sea for many years, and doesn't even know about the destruction of the Yuanmo Sect."

"Of course, it doesn't exclude the possibility that he is a powerhouse from another continent who crossed the ocean to travel in our North Sea."

Cheng Dou combined the information and made an analysis.

Then, he asked in detail about Luo Chen's hobbies, personality, etc.

Cheng Cheng Haichang gave corresponding answers based on his own judgment, but the information provided in this regard was not much.

After a while, the hesitation in Cheng Dou's eyes disappeared, revealing a firm look.

"According to what you said, this person acts in a domineering and unparalleled way, but he asks for information from all sides, which shows that he is a ruthless character who plans before acting."

"Especially after arriving at the Du Feiyan Archipelago, he didn't visit True Person Nantian, but chose to come to us first, which can further substantiate this statement."

"Regardless, we must treat him well later!"

"Go and send someone to prepare the best spirit meal, and take out a jar of the Huan Cheng wine that has been sealed for two hundred years."

Cheng Cheng Haichang was stunned for a moment, "That Huan Cheng wine is the spirit wine for your breakthrough to the Jin Dan stage, family head; even when True Person Nantian occupied the Du Feiyan Archipelago back then, we didn't send a jar, just a gourd."

Cheng Dou shook his head, "I alone can't use that much for my Jin Dan breakthrough. You are all at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and the Jin Dan stage is far away. Taking out one jar is nothing. The most important thing is to treat this person well."

"Why? Perhaps he is just a passerby, temporarily residing on our Black Swan Island."

Cheng Dou smiled slightly, "The way he asks about the news of the Du Feiyan Archipelago doesn't look like a passerby. Oh, ask Seventh Sister to prepare, and accompany me to entertain him later."

Cheng Cheng Haichang's face changed slightly.

"Family head, Little Seven is only at the Foundation Establishment stage!"

"If I tell you to go, you go!" Cheng Dou's smile instantly converged, and he glared at the other party fiercely.

Cheng Cheng Haichang clenched his fists, but after a moment, he figured it out.

The family head must have some plans, and for this, he is willing to pay everything; how can the family hold him back.

Cheng Cheng Haichang took his leave and began to arrange various reception matters along the way.

And Cheng Dou, after smoothing his clothes, personally went out of the island to welcome him.

Outside the island, Luo Chen's expression moved slightly.

The conversation between Cheng Cheng Haichang and family head Cheng Dou fell into his ears without missing a word.

His spiritual sense was already incomparably powerful, and he had practiced the sound-insulation technique to the great completion level in his early years, and in recent years he had also become proficient in the seven basic prohibitions.

Combined with multiple factors, a mere sound-insulation formation could not block him at all.

Without anyone knowing, he eavesdropped on the other party's conversation.

At this moment, a thoughtful look appeared in Luo Chen's eyes.

"No wonder Cheng Cheng Haichang expressed his loyalty to the late Yuanmo Sect as soon as he saw me; he mistook me for a remnant of the Yuanmo Sect!"

"Senior Qingyang Demonic Fire?"

In the palm of his hand, a flame emerged, and Luo Chen's mouth curled slightly.

Not to mention, this withered-prosperous true fire is really quite like the Senior Qingyang Demonic Fire.

He had obtained a technique in his early years, which recorded the Senior Qingyang Demonic Fire.

This kind of flame is not naturally born, but man-made.

It requires taking a large amount of essence blood from living creatures and refining it with demonic secret techniques; it is the most harmful, evil, and strange.

During battle, it has a very strong ability to defile the magic tools and treasures of cultivators.

However, this kind of man-made flame is used up once it's used, and needs to be replenished after battle, not comparable to a single hair of the withered-prosperous true fire.

"Since that's the case, then I'll just go with the flow!"

Luo Chen muttered a sentence, and Cheng Dou's figure, with white clothes fluttering and large sleeves waving, had already appeared in his eyes.

From a long distance, Cheng Dou quickened his pace and ran over.

"Senior, your arrival is a great honor; the junior failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive me, please forgive me!"

"It doesn't matter, this seat doesn't care about these details."

Luo Chen smiled slightly, wrapped in a black tight-fitting shirt, his figure appeared even taller, a head taller than Cheng Dou.

His gaze glanced at the rear, and there were no other Cheng family cultivators.

It seems that Cheng Dou coming out to welcome him alone is also to keep the news of his arrival circulating within a certain range.

After Cheng Dou bowed respectfully, he carefully raised his head,

"The junior is bold, may I ask for Senior's honorable name?"

Luo Chen's mouth curled slightly, and he spat out a clear sound:

"This seat is Senior Qingyang!"

(End of chapter)