Chapter 674: Five-Hundred-Year Grand Competition, Protector Luo Chen

"Daoist Luo Chen, you won't blame this old man for leveraging favor to demand repayment, right?"

Fu Chaosheng said with a smile, his small eyes flashing with essence, constantly looking at Luo Chen.

Luo Chen smiled awkwardly; it was indeed somewhat unexpected.

Back then, Han Zhan had indeed analyzed for him that Fu Chaosheng showing such favor to him must have a plan.

Never expected that the other party would be so straightforward, climbing up the pole directly, without the roundabout style of a merchant bargaining.

But since the matter was at hand, Luo Chen couldn't push it away.

"How could that be? What are you saying, fellow Daoist? Why not speak directly about what it is? If it is within Luo's ability, I will definitely help with all my strength!"

What a "within the scope of ability"!

Fu Chaosheng cursed in his heart; he knew that this Qingyang Demon Lord, whom he had met in a hurry back then, was definitely not someone who focused on cultivation.

He wouldn't dare say he understood the world, but his sophistication in human relationships was not inferior to their veteran merchants.

His expression became serious, Fu Chaosheng put away his smile and said seriously:

"This matter is not about me, but about a granddaughter of mine; I want to ask you to protect her for a period of time."

Being a bodyguard?

Luo Chen frowned, "What is your granddaughter's cultivation?"

"Equivalent to you."

"This..." Luo Chen's expression became even more serious, "The cultivation realm is equivalent to mine, and she is a disciple of the Holy Land; I imagine she has some skills. Moreover, you are a member of the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, with countless strong people inside to help, and as a Merchant Alliance elder, you have been doing business in the North Sea for many years, with extensive connections. Not to mention me, I fear even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators could be invited. What kind of matter actually requires me, a small newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator, to protect her?"

When saying this, Luo Chen had already started to think about backing out.

Fu Chaosheng sighed and said gloomily: "Have you ever heard of the Heavenly Origin Grand Competition?"

"Sect Grand Competition?" Luo Chen nodded, "I have heard of this; it is said to be once every hundred years, and every time, strong people from major forces of the five continents come to watch the ceremony and celebrate the birth of a new generation of geniuses in the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect. Such a scale of competition, even among the internal competitions of countless sects in the world, belongs to the top level. However, I am an outsider..."

"Then have you heard of the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven?"

Luo Chen was blank.

Fu Chaosheng had an "as expected" look and told the origin of the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven in detail.

In ancient times, desolate beasts spread across the Mountain and Sea World; they were the true masters of this world.

At that time, the human race was weak, scattered everywhere, and slaughtered by beasts.

Until the five Holy Lands appeared, launching an ancient war that lasted for ten thousand years, one by one, powerful desolate beasts were either beheaded or suppressed, and there were also instances of forcing them to retreat into the wilderness.

Just like this, fighting for every inch of land, in the vast Mountain and Sea World, the five Holy Lands opened up the five continents, which were the most essential and most suitable for human cultivation.

The five Holy Lands fought through thorns and thistles and made great contributions!

That battle was called the Ancient Human-Demon War; the reason it wasn't the Human-Desolate War was that in the middle and late stages, many weak desolate beasts switched to the demonic cultivation path, accelerating their cultivation promotion, and only then did they change their flags and banners, considering themselves demons.

Even now, many demonic beasts in the Mountain and Sea World can decide whether to take shape when they reach the fourth tier; either walk the demonic cultivation path or crush the demonic core and return to the desolate ancestors.

Black King was a product of this choice; without the demonic core, he could also be said to be forced to walk the desolate beast path.

Not to mention the differences within the demon race and desolate beasts.

Just talking about that battle, the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect paid the most and had the most brilliant results, so after the war, they obtained the essence of the essence of the Mountain and Sea World—the Central Plains!

There, there was neither the threat of endless demonic beasts in the Eastern Wasteland and North Sea, nor the erosion of poisonous insects and fog in the Southern Frontier, and the richness of resources far exceeded the barren Western Desert.

And the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven was one of the results of the ancient war.

"Mirage Dragon, one of the top great desolate beasts. Swallowing clouds and spitting fog, transforming the sun, moon, and stars, the interior forms a cave heaven itself."

"Even after death, its cultivation didn't dissipate, but remained in the Central Plains, causing endless trouble."

"The strong people of my sect could have removed it, but under the insistence of the first sect master, the Mirage Dragon's corpse was transformed into a secret realm; this is the origin of the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven."

Fu Chaosheng paused for a breath and continued: "The transformed secret realm generates creation internally, and can use the power of the Mirage Dragon to let Nascent Soul cultivators merge their spirits with heaven and earth and comprehend the true meaning of the laws."

Luo Chen looked surprised, "Nascent Soul cultivators merging their spirits with heaven and earth; aren't they afraid of being assimilated by heaven and earth?"

"Didn't you also merge your spirit with heaven and earth just now?" Fu Chaosheng asked back.

Luo Chen explained: "I was by chance, resonating with the true fire in my body, and using the resonance between the true fire and heaven and earth to touch the truth of heaven and earth from the side."

Fu Chaosheng smiled slightly, "Coincidence, isn't it? That Mirage Dragon power and your origin true fire have the same effect. And, the Mirage Dragon itself is proficient in illusions, enough to reach the point of being fake, which can not only let cultivators comprehend the true meaning of the laws inside, but also because the Mirage Dragon's body forms a cave heaven itself, and there is a natural barrier with the outside heaven and earth, which can maximize the avoidance of the cultivator's soul being assimilated by heaven and earth."

Luo Chen opened his mouth, and for a time, didn't know how to answer.

After he absorbed the Netherfire in the old monster Netherfire's body, the Withered Glory True Fire life-death conversion, by mistake, luckily entered that state of epiphany.

Never expected that this method had already been "standardized" within the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect.

Even saying that the objects faced by the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven were not just one person, which meant it was expanded.

Seeing Luo Chen shocked, Fu Chaosheng shook his head and continued:

"This kind of opportunity, even in the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, is the top creation, dreamed of by countless people."

"But not everyone is qualified to enjoy it."

"Because the power of the Mirage Dragon is limited, every time it is consumed, it needs hundreds of years to recover a little bit."

"So, my Dao Sect fixed the time to once every five hundred years. This time also happens to coincide with my sect's grand competition, so every five hundred years, that internal disciple grand competition is bound to be the most intense and the one with the most generous rewards."

What kind of reward counts as the most generous?

Magic tools, magic treasures? Elixirs, spirit herbs?

No!

Compared to these, merging spirits with heaven and earth and comprehending the Dao is undoubtedly the reward that cultivators yearn for the most.

Usually, the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect grand competition also divides into three realms: Nascent Soul, Golden Core, and Foundation Establishment, each setting up one time.

But in this five-hundred-year grand competition, the participants are almost all early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators!

As for why it is only early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, and not Golden Core people, or mid-stage or even late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators?

Fu Chaosheng also explained this point slightly.

It is too wasteful for Golden Core cultivators to use that opportunity, and there are phantom beasts generated in the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven, which Golden Core cultivators find extremely difficult to resist.

And mid-stage cultivators, because they have been cultivating for many years, the Purple Mansion barrier is gradually thickening, unlike early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who still have a certain degree of resonance with heaven and earth.

As for late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivators?

The late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivators of the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect have more or less participated in a grand competition after being promoted to the Nascent Soul realm.

Even if they didn't happen to encounter the five-hundred-year grand competition, at that age, they wouldn't be good at snatching opportunities from the younger generation.

"After the ancient war, for more than three thousand years, my sect has held six five-hundred-year grand competitions one after another. The details of the rules are also gradually being perfected. Up to now, it has been clarified that only those who have been promoted to the Nascent Soul realm within a hundred years and below can step into the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven."

"It is extremely dangerous inside, especially when merging spirits with heaven and earth to comprehend the Dao, there are phantom beasts invading and opponents disturbing. So, those participating in the competition can all bring a protector who meets the rule restrictions."

"Luo Chen, you are the most suitable protector I have chosen for my granddaughter!"

A few words, spoken slowly, finally explained the reason for the matter clearly.

Whether there are still reservations, let's not discuss it for now, but Luo Chen had a preliminary concept of this five-hundred-year grand competition in his heart.

Under the other party's gaze, he raised the first question.

"Why me?"

"Can't it be you?" Fu Chaosheng asked back, then cheered up and said: "Over the years, I have made extensive connections and have also been looking for several suitable protectors one after another, but compared with you, they are ultimately a bit inferior."

Then, he listed Luo Chen's battle achievements like counting family treasures.

The battle of Cold Light Island, fighting more with less, and fighting across realms, finally leaving calmly.

In the Wan Xian Society, traversing the three-ocean defense line, beheading countless powerful demonic beasts, establishing the famous reputation of the Qingyang Demon Lord.

Inside the Land of Fallen Demons, killing Feiyunzi in reverse!

"And all these are the brilliant battle achievements you made when you were in the Golden Core realm; not to mention unprecedented, but it can also be considered unparalleled."

Luo Chen twitched the corner of his mouth, "You are quite concerned about me, fellow Daoist!"

"Haha!"

Fu Chaosheng laughed, "Don't be angry, my Heavenly Origin Merchant Alliance's power extends throughout the North Sea, and we still have some advantages in terms of intelligence."

The next moment, his tone changed abruptly.

"In the Golden Core realm, you were that powerful. Now, you have achieved the Nascent Soul stage, and you will only go up a level!"

"Nine days ago, using pure Nascent Soul domain to suppress the Split Heaven Flow Master at the third level of the Nascent Soul stage is enough to explain everything."

"My granddaughter's protector, it has to be you!"

Luo Chen was silent.

Indeed, any of the things he had done, if taken out, could be used as a legend.

Ordinary Golden Core cultivators could blow about one such thing for a lifetime, and he had done many.

Even some, which Fu Chaosheng hadn't even inquired about.

After a long silence, Luo Chen asked the second question.

"Five-hundred-year grand competition, is there any danger?"

"If I say there is none, then this old man is too insincere, but it will absolutely, absolutely not lead to falling. After all, even within my sect, Nascent Soul cultivators are very important talents, so how could they be easily lost during internal competitions."

"Certain?"

"Certain!"

Luo Chen was silent again, lowering his head to think.

Fu Chaosheng didn't disturb him; such things always need to be considered clearly.

He had favor with Luo Chen, but that was for a Nascent Soul cultivator to a Golden Core cultivator.

Now that everyone's cultivation realm was equivalent, those favors could only be considered small favors.

If the other party didn't recognize it, he had no choice.

He couldn't really repay a drop of water with a gushing spring.

Their relationship hadn't reached that point yet.

For a long time, Luo Chen raised his head.

"Thinking for too long, letting you wait for a long time. But this matter, for me, is indeed difficult to choose. After all, if I decide to become your granddaughter's protector, I will have to face other geniuses of the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect. If I am not careful, I might form an enmity."

Fu Chaosheng's expression changed slightly, "My Fu family in the Dao Sect, although not in the ranks of the great families, is also a great family that has been passed down for thousands of years. Those enmities, I imagine..."

"If that's really the case, why didn't you choose a protector from within the family, fellow Daoist?" Luo Chen asked back.

Fu Chaosheng's expression stiffened; this was a bit hurtful.

If the Fu family were really that powerful, there would definitely be no shortage of suitable strong people in the clan.

And the position of elder of the Heavenly Origin Merchant Alliance, in the eyes of outsiders, is supreme.

But if converted to a small sect, it is actually just a deacon handling secular affairs outside.

What kind of people and families would be assigned to such a position?

Obviously, Luo Chen was not a fool.

This time, it was Fu Chaosheng's turn to be silent.

Under Luo Chen's long gaze, Fu Chaosheng could only smile bitterly.

"It made you laugh; my Fu family is indeed a bit disconnected. Before my granddaughter, I was the only Nascent Soul True Person, and I could barely maintain the status of a great family. Now, my granddaughter has been promoted to the Nascent Soul stage, and I am greedy for more, hoping that she will break through to Soul Transformation in the future, elevate the Fu family to the ranks of the great families, and for this, I can only spare everything."

Having said this, his spirit was lifted.

"You seem to really need this thing?"

The glazed bottle appeared in his hand.

Luo Chen took it; it was the Soul Essence that the old monster Netherfire had transferred before.

"If you agree to help, I can give you two more bottles?"

Luo Chen raised an eyebrow, "Also ten million people's souls?"

"Don't underestimate me; the North Sea cultivation world has had monstrous killings over the years, and I don't know how many demonic thieves have secretly refined Soul Essence. With my position as a Merchant Alliance elder, a few bottles of ten-million-people Soul Essence can still be collected."

Luo Chen was somewhat moved.

"Not only that, if you agree, I can also recommend you to become a guest elder of my Dao Sect. At that time, even if you offend other geniuses in the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven, with this guest elder status, the other party won't dare to deal with you openly."

Dao Sect guest elder!

Luo Chen took a deep breath, and he had already made a decision in his heart.

But, since the other party was asking him now, rather than him asking others, he had to try his best to bargain.

"To tell you the truth, I am grateful to you and indeed have the heart to help. But now that I have just become a Nascent Soul, there are countless clues in my cultivation, so I can't sleep at night. If you can help me solve some trivial matters and save that time, I will definitely be able to concentrate on cultivation, increase my ability, and do my best in the five-hundred-year grand competition!"

Trivial matters?

Fu Chaosheng smiled slightly, "Just say it!"

Luo Chen also smiled and listed the so-called trivial matters one by one.

Fu Chaosheng had a headache listening, but found that they were indeed not big things, and with his power in the Merchant Alliance, it was not difficult to handle these things.

Besides, Luo Chen was not just taking, but willing to pay the reward, just asking him to help.

Rather than saying the third thing was a condition, it was better to say it was a normal business.

In a secret room in the Mo Luo Flow.

The old ghost Nan Qi rushed in.

"Split Heaven, the thing you promised me before wasn't done; this time, you must help me!"

As soon as he entered, he went straight to the point.

Split Heaven Flow Master was unhappy, "That matter wasn't that I didn't do it, but the old monster Netherfire didn't give a chance at all."

"Then I don't care; you can have your current ability, and my Chifeng Gu also helped a lot, so you should return the favor!"

Split Heaven Flow Master took a deep breath, "Fine, just say it and let me hear."

"This matter is simple; you and I find a chance to do that Desolate Loose Cultivator! All the things on him belong to you, only that bottle of ten-million-people Soul Essence belongs to me!"

The old ghost Nan Qi looked gloomy, "A mere loose cultivator, newly promoted to Nascent Soul, has such strength and such wealth; you can see how rich his net worth is. Don't say you are not moved. And, on the Guiyuan Palace plaza, you failed to establish your prestige, but were stepped on by someone as a stepping stone; don't say you have no resentment or hatred in your heart?"

Split Heaven Flow Master didn't refute.

After some deliberation, he nodded slowly.

"When to do it?"

"When the Cessation of Hostilities Conference ends!" The old ghost Nan Qi was full of confidence, "At that time, everyone goes back to their own homes, and no one will meddle in other people's business. You and I join forces; the Desolate Loose Cultivator and True Person Langya are definitely not our opponents."

"That's a good time." Split Heaven Flow Master smiled, "I heard that the kid, healing Netherfire, was seriously injured himself, I fear he will have to stay in the Mo Luo Flow for a while. This period of time is enough for us to plan the details."

The old ghost Nan Qi also revealed a smile, as if everything was within his grasp.

However, what they didn't know was that at this moment, Luo Chen's figure was already far away from the Mo Luo Flow.

In the deep sea, a candle flame rose slowly in the dark and fishy flesh wall.

"Is this Black King's stomach?"

Looking at the terrifying acid secreted from the flesh wall, goosebumps appeared on Luo Chen's powerful body.

If he didn't make any defense, this acid would probably even corrode and digest his body!

"True Person, where are we going now?" Sang Jinghe asked curiously.

Luo Chen smiled slightly, "First go to the Cold Light Island as scheduled, and then go to the Divine Origin City to wait for True Person Fu."

After speaking, he took out a chair and lay down comfortably.

A thin animal skin book appeared in his hand, and he soon became obsessed with it.

Sang Jinghe had no feeling for Cold Light Island, but he knew the Divine Origin City very well; it was very close to the Wan Xian Society!

It was also very close to his Tusang Island!

For a time, he actually felt a bit homesick.

I wonder how the junior brothers of the Tusang Sect are doing now?

In the deep sea, a black dragon wrapped in water flow rushed forward, bypassing the spiritual vein islands one by one, and moved quickly toward Cold Light Island. ===== CHAPTER 675 =====