Chapter 611

Luo Chen's confusion came quickly and went quickly.

This was related to his personality.

Pragmatic!

Even if the road is long, as long as one walks it step by step, one will eventually arrive one day.

In the process of moving forward, one will inevitably encounter many problems.

And these problems are like scenery; they can be remembered in the heart, but there is no need to linger.

Unless these problems completely block his path forward, he rarely gets stuck in a dead end.

Beside the cold pool abyss, apart from the big problem of "the higher the realm, the more flaws," Luo Chen had indeed identified three problems limiting his current combat power.

In fact, these problems were not something that would trouble ordinary Core Formation cultivators at all.

Before opening their spiritual intelligence, spirit plants are unconsciously breathing in and out heaven and earth spiritual energy, and some spirit plants don't even rely on spiritual energy to grow.

Instantly, the dense restrictions on the sealed jade box collapsed layer by layer like dominoes.

The Core Formation flew up, wobbling, and finally fell back into the jade box.

Therefore, the spiritual sense restrictions he placed on his own storage ring were quite cumbersome.

Spiritual light flashed, and a dim Core Formation came into view.

He just wanted to "go a step further."

Of course, this growth pattern caused spirit plants, even if they were born with spiritual intelligence and possessed fourth or even fifth-grade realms, to have extremely low combat power themselves.

Inside the cave dwelling.

Luo Chen muttered, his mind feeling like a tangled mess, with no way to start.

Before a cultivator advances to the Nascent Soul stage, their soul relies on the sea of consciousness to survive; even if their spiritual sense is released, it is just a minor detail.

A thread end seemed to be pulled out from the tangled mess.

The latter two were easy to clear; even the point of blood-binding, as long as the Master of Baizao Mountain was completely dead, could be easily removed.

On Purple Spirit Island, beside that fourth-grade Purple Monkey Flower that once grew on the cliff wall, there was no longer the sight of the Purple Monkey Flower swaying in the wind, but a simple cave dwelling.

Unlike human cultivators and monster beasts, the growth place of spirit plants has requirements for spiritual energy concentration, but not that high.

Because no one would treat a great cultivator, or even a Nascent Soul True Person of a higher realm, as a hypothetical enemy every day.

Luo Chen had observed carefully; the "password" on the dark green ring was quite complex.

With Luo Chen's soul foundation, plus his attainments in restrictions, he estimated that it would take at least three or four years to break it.

Unless it is completely transformed into a ghost cultivator's resentful soul object, otherwise, encountering scorching sun exposure or attacks from other fierce objects, it will completely vanish.

His gaze subconsciously fell beneath his feet, on that formation flag he had inserted into the solid ground.

Luo Chen watched this process coldly, feeling something in his heart.

They value more the essential transformation brought by the passage of time over long years.

"Spells, magic treasures, body development..."

Luo Chen's eyes flashed, and he cast a magic power onto the jade box.

It was indeed a place that could support the growth of fourth-grade spirit plants; the quality of spiritual energy here barely reached the level of early third-grade.

Being able to have this specification shows that this ring itself is an extraordinary magic treasure.

However, at least this spiritual vein could support Luo Chen's daily cultivation in the short term.

Withered Blood Vine is like this, and Purple Monkey Flower is also like this.

According to Luo Chen's thoughts, if he could solve the current three problems, perhaps he could truly achieve rampant success at the same level!

Even if he encountered an ambush like the Master of Baizao Mountain again, he wouldn't be too embarrassed.

Moreover, Luo Chen's own capability was already sufficient to crush early-stage and mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, and even when encountering late-stage Core Formation great cultivators, he wouldn't fall behind in the slightest.

And that jade box...

Only the spiritual sense restriction was quite troublesome.

This can be seen from the formation he set up on Seven Star Island, tailored to his own powerful physical body.

"Fellow Daoist, long time no see."

It is not excluded that this person traveled light, leaving most of his savings at the sect, Baizao Mountain.

The ring was the Master of Baizao Mountain's spatial storage ring; apart from the treasures left on Purple Spirit Island during the previous battle, the Master of Baizao Mountain's life savings should be inside.

Once the physical body is destroyed, the soul has nowhere to rely.

Luo Chen had two items placed in front of him.

The Master of Baizao Mountain was not only a formidable master craftsman but also a formation master with decent attainments.

A dark green ring, a jade box.

Not only were there conventional spiritual sense restrictions and magic power imprints, but it was even blood-bound.

However, this limitation was not entirely unsolvable.

The Core Formation stage is just such a transitional phase.

The Core Formation is formed by the condensation of pure magic power.

And magic power is formed after the pure spiritual energy refined by the cultivator is invaded and fused by the soul.

From this point of view, a cultivator's Core Formation already possesses some soul attributes.

After a Core Formation cultivator's physical body collapses, the remaining Core Formation can serve as a boat to cross the sea, carrying the cultivator's soul.

However, this boat cannot compare to a Nascent Soul; it is truly too small, cannot cross the bitter sea, and the carrying period is extremely short.

Plus, without subsequent magic power replenishment, the original magic power in the Core Formation will gradually dissipate, and the soul relying on it will ultimately have to face the scorching sun.

"I wonder if I were in this situation, how far my Core Formation could protect my remnant soul?"

The thought flashed by, and Luo Chen looked at the dim Core Formation again.

"Sect Master, why bother?"

A faint spiritual sense transmission issued gloomily from the Core Formation.

"Four hundred years of bitter cultivation, having been glorious and holy, is this the final destination?"

Luo Chen shook his head, "The fault is not yours, and even less mine; it was just the order of a True Person, and you had no choice."

The Master of Baizao Mountain was stunned, feeling a sense of sympathy, but then sensed something wrong.

If it were said that the Blood Nightmare Demon Luo forced him, that would be fine.

But to say he was not at fault was a bit insincere.

Back then, when surrounding and killing Luo Chen on Lengguang Island, he had personally taken action.

If not for that, the Blood Nightmare Demon Luo wouldn't have found him.

The karma ultimately lay on his side.

But why did Luo Chen want to take the initiative to exonerate him?

His gaze subconsciously fell on the ring; it was his storage ring.

Instantly, the Master of Baizao Mountain sneered.

"You are eyeing my inheritance!"

Luo Chen said calmly: "We are both craftsmen; judging by the jade box restriction, you must have felt my attainments in restrictions. How much time do you think I need to break the restrictions on your storage ring?"

"Seven or eight years? Three or five years?"

In short, the other party didn't need to beg for this cooked duck.

The Master of Baizao Mountain hesitated, then asked: "Then what do you want, my craftsmanship?"

"I, Luo, am not interested in that."

Not for the inheritance, and not wanting the craftsmanship? Then what exactly does Demon Lord Qingyang want?

The Master of Baizao Mountain fell into complete confusion.

However, this confusion of his didn't last long.

With a prisoner, Luo Chen didn't need to beat around the bush, and the previous chat was just to calm the other party's emotions.

Seeing that there was already a gentle atmosphere for chatting, he went straight to the point.

"When you ambushed me earlier, what formation did you use?"

"Big Dipper Seven Peaks Formation."

"Big Dipper Seven Peaks Formation?"

"Yes, this formation was improved by me from the Big Dipper Demon-Sealing Formation. Monster beasts have huge bodies and many are extremely flexible; the Big Dipper Demon-Sealing Formation is a fourth-grade formation specifically used by the North Sea cultivation world to suppress powerful monster beasts. And most powerful body-refining cultivators, in their physical tempering, are also comparable to monster beasts. After I improved it, combined with my natal magic treasure, it could have a very good targeted effect."

When saying this, the Master of Baizao Mountain was quite proud.

But this self-satisfaction dissipated in an instant.

After all, he had the advantage of the first move and still lost to Luo Chen; what was there to be proud of?

He looked at Luo Chen suspiciously, "Why are you asking this? Afraid of encountering similar formations in the future and want to prepare countermeasures in advance?"

Luo Chen shook his head, "That's not it. After all, existences like you who spent twenty years hunting me down are few and far between. Although I cannot say I am as wise as a demon, I am not a stupid person either. Being ambushed like this, once is enough; I won't step into someone else's formation ambush again in the future."

Facing these words, the Master of Baizao Mountain fell silent.

He didn't doubt the other party's confidence, or rather, didn't deny his own patience.

How many fools like him are there in the world?

After a long silence, he spoke again.

"Then what do you want to know?"

Luo Chen said bluntly, "I want to know, how did you improve this formation, and how did you raise its power to that level?"

So he was interested in this aspect!

After clarifying this, the Master of Baizao Mountain chose to wait for a price.

"Why should I tell you?"

Luo Chen said coldly: "You have no choice."

"I can choose to die!"

"Your life and death are in my hands; do you think you can choose? I'm afraid you don't know, but I also know some human-puppet methods. In addition, I also know a Core Formation cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Star Sect; I heard that sect is best at refining secret treasures with monster beast inner cores and cultivator Core Formations. I think a cultivator Core Formation with a complete soul must be able to refine formidable items."

"You!!!"

The soul trembled, and the spiritual sense sound was full of anger.

But after the anger, the Master of Baizao Mountain quickly calmed down, "Even if I tell you, what good will it do me? Will you let me go?"

"Go? Where can you go?" Luo Chen said calmly, "In this vast sea, it is sparsely populated. Even if you want to perform possession, you can't make bricks without straw. Moreover, you and I have a life-and-death grudge; it is impossible for me to let you go."

The Master of Baizao Mountain laughed in anger, "Then what do you want?"

"Tell me the answer, and I will let you die decently." Luo Chen's expression was indifferent, his words calm but quite weighty. Hearing them, one would not doubt he was faking it at all.

The Master of Baizao Mountain fell into silence again.

Luo Chen didn't say much more, and like the act of swearing an oath, he didn't add anything unnecessary.

At this moment, he was the one in control.

The Master of Baizao Mountain's spiritual sense kept watching him, and after a long time, a faint sound came from the cave dwelling.

"I can tell you."

"In that case, good!"

On a small island fifty miles away from Purple Spirit Island.

Black King lay there, looking at a dirt pit, a look of reluctance in his eyes.

"Master, it's really a waste! This is an eighth-level Core Formation; even if there isn't much magic power left, if I eat it, maybe I can directly step into the late third-grade realm."

Luo Chen couldn't be bothered to look at him. After digging the pit, he took out a stone of extraordinary material from the Accumulating Thunder Treasure Ring and was about to carve words on it.

However, just as he was about to write, a voice came out.

"No need, I have failed Baizao Mountain, failed you, and failed myself in this life; what face do I have to set up a monument and leave words."

Luo Chen said "Hmm" and took the stone back.

"That's fine, lest a tombstone be left, and later it be dug up by someone, thinking it's a predecessor's opportunity."

"Heh, Fellow Daoist is really humorous." The Master of Baizao Mountain laughed, but the laughter was a bit bitter.

Looking at the concave pit, the Core Formation seemed to tremble.

Four hundred years of bitter cultivation, having been glorious and holy, is this the final destination?

The sea breeze blew, salty, damp, and hot.

As if guessing what the Master of Baizao Mountain was thinking, Luo Chen comforted him softly: "There is a legend of reincarnation; in a thousand years, Fellow Daoist might step onto the path of cultivation again."

"Reincarnation?" The Master of Baizao Mountain muttered, "Is it in the Azure Falling Yellow Springs, the Netherworld, or the Return to Ruins of all things?"

Luo Chen was speechless; he hadn't reached that realm, so how could he know the truth of the legend.

The Master of Baizao Mountain sighed, "Take out my storage ring!"

Luo Chen was surprised and took out the dark green ring from his bosom.

The dim Core Formation trembled for a moment, the remaining magic power fell on the ring, spiritual light burst forth, and finally returned to silence.

Looking again, the spiritual sense restrictions, magic power imprints, and even the fused essence blood had all been forced out.

At this moment, this ring was an ownerless object!

"Sect Master, what are you doing?"

"Just consider it an extra reward after you keep your promise! But it was your spoils of war to begin with, and I'm just saving you a few years of effort."

The Master of Baizao Mountain smiled, then mobilized his magic power to take out a clean bright yellow Daoist robe, a flying sword of high-grade magic treasure level, and a jade seal engraved with the words 【Liang Family Baizao】.

Under the gaze of Luo Chen and Black King, the Daoist robe, flying sword, and jade seal all fell into the dirt pit.

"The rest of the things will be yours, Fellow Daoist, from now on."

The Master of Baizao Mountain sighed gloomily, and the Core Formation fell into the dirt pit.

Subsequently, his magic power reversed, the Core Formation disintegrated layer by layer, and a wisp of remnant soul appeared in the world.

Under the warm sunshine, the remnant soul gradually dissipated.

Luo Chen watched everything silently, and until his spiritual sense scanned and there was no longer the aura of the Master of Baizao Mountain, he waved his sleeve, and the soil completely covered the pit.

He turned and left.

Where the yellow soil was newly covered, no one would think that this was the location of the cenotaph of a sect master and an eighth-level Core Formation great cultivator.

Black King swam with his huge body, following closely behind.

"Master, this old guy ambushed you, why let him disintegrate himself and have a chance to be reincarnated?"

Luo Chen didn't answer, just walking faster and faster.

Not long after, he returned to Purple Spirit Island.

After returning to the cave dwelling, he took out the jade slip analyzing the Big Dipper Seven Peaks Formation left by the Master of Baizao Mountain before he died.

Looking at the words above, Luo Chen fell into deep thought.

"A formidable natal magic treasure can amplify magic power, and a powerful formation can both amplify oneself and restrict others."

"Combining the two, if matched with an extraordinary energy source, can it perfect my original Nascent Soul domain hypothesis?"

He opened his mouth and spat, and three streaks of light emerged suddenly.

Looking closely, they were clearly two cores and one tripod.

Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Hunyuan Tripod!

(End of chapter)