Chapter 144: A Different Thousand Lakes and Islands, Completing the Tempering of Magic

Chapter 144: A Different Thousand Lakes and Islands, Completing the Tempering of Magic

Chu Ning's spiritual sense was powerful, his vision far surpassing that of an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator.

From a distance, he spotted a dock where boats were moored and immediately steered his boat toward it.

Upon disembarking on the island, he found himself on a long street bustling with people, surprisingly vibrant and bustling.

Among them were many cultivators, and interestingly, about half of them were ordinary mortals without any cultivation.

At this moment, Chu Ning hadn't altered his appearance, but he was revealing his cultivation base at the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

Upon arriving in a new place, he naturally wouldn't expose his full strength.

However, in a place as mixed as this, having too low a cultivation could also be a disadvantage.

As expected, Chu Ning's eighth layer of Qi Refining cultivation still held some intimidation factor, and those mortals who couldn't discern his true strength gave him a wide berth.

Occasionally, a cultivator would glance at Chu Ning, and upon noticing his unfamiliar face and perceiving his late Qi Refining cultivation, they would quickly avert their gaze and move slightly farther away.

Chu Ning was naturally aware of this reaction, but he didn't show much expression on his face.

After all, this Caiwu Island was one of the outermost spiritual energy islands in the Thousand Lakes and Islands, and from the density of spiritual energy he felt, it was rather ordinary.

He estimated that there probably weren't many late Qi Refining cultivators on this island.

Chu Ning walked along the street, intending to find a place to gather some information.

Just then, a figure quickly approached him.

"You seem new here, fellow Daoist. Are you visiting the Thousand Lakes and Islands for the first time?"

Chu Ning stopped and looked at the person in front of him—a middle-aged man dressed like a scholar.

This man wore a Confucian robe and held a folding fan in his hand. He appeared to be in his forties, and there was a faint fluctuation of magical power about him.

However, his cultivation was pitifully low, probably only at the third layer of Qi Refining.

Chu Ning didn't try to avoid him and nodded in response, "Indeed, I've just arrived. Is there something you wish to tell me, fellow Daoist?"

Hearing Chu Ning's acknowledgment, the Confucian-robed middle-aged man immediately smiled.

"I wouldn't dare to give you any advice, but seeing that you're new here, I thought you might want to gather some information.

I, Chen, am not talented, but I make a living by selling information for spirit stones."

Chu Ning became interested at this point and asked, "Oh? So, fellow Daoist, you're well-informed?"

A hint of pride flashed across the Confucian-robed man's face, but he quickly composed himself and smiled amiably, "I, Chen, have an extremely poor spiritual root and no hope of cultivating the Dao. I also lack other immortal cultivation skills, so I had to find another way and ended up in the business of selling information.

Please forgive my impertinence, fellow Daoist."

Chu Ning nodded, "Good, then let's find a place to chat. I'd like to hear about this place as well."

He had indeed read about the Thousand Lakes and Islands in the Green Creek Sect's records, but he didn't consider that information comprehensive.

Now that he was here, it would be better to gather information from local sources.

Hearing this, the Confucian-robed man named Chen looked delighted and said, "Please follow me, fellow Daoist. Let's go to the Drunken Immortal Tower for a chat."

"Drunken Immortal Tower," Chu Ning murmured as he stood beneath the tavern.

He hadn't expected to find a tavern name from the mortal world here.

At that moment, Chen said, "Don't underestimate these three words, fellow Daoist. The Drunken Immortal Tower is the number one tavern in the Thousand Lakes and Islands. Wherever there is a bustling flow of people, you will find a Drunken Immortal Tower.

It is said that this tavern was directly established by several of the Alliance's leading families.

Oh, and the name 'Drunken Immortal' isn't just for show. There's a type of wine served here called the 'Immortal's Drunkenness.'

Even a fully realized Qi Refining cultivator will get drunk if they drink too much of it. Why don't you give it a try, fellow Daoist?"

Chu Ning was astonished.

A cultivator's body was cleansed by spiritual energy, so even a cultivator at the middle stage of Qi Refining wouldn't get drunk from drinking alcohol.

But this Chen claimed that even a fully realized Qi Refining cultivator would get drunk from this wine, which piqued his curiosity.

However, when he heard that a pot of this wine cost five spirit stones, he immediately shook his head, "Never mind, that's too expensive. Let's just have some regular tea."

He did have quite a few spirit stones in his storage bag, but as a newcomer, he wouldn't dream of flaunting his wealth.

Hearing Chu Ning's refusal, Chen's face fell slightly, but he quickly hid his disappointment and said, "My name is Chen Wangdao. I haven't asked for your name yet, fellow Daoist."

"Chu Ning!"

Chu Ning didn't bother with an alias this time. This place was far from the Green Creek Sect, and the northern region belonged to other major sect powers.

The Green Creek Sect's influence didn't reach this area.

"So, it's Fellow Daoist Chu," Chen Wangdao said, "What kind of information are you interested in?"

"The general distribution of power in the Thousand Lakes and Islands, things to be aware of, how to find a suitable place to establish a cave mansion, and so on," Chu Ning replied.

After Chu Ning finished speaking, Chen Wangdao nodded and began to explain.

As Chu Ning listened, he couldn't help but be a little surprised.

"Are you saying that even if I'm willing to pay spirit stones, it's impossible to buy a place to establish a cave mansion from the Thousand Islands Alliance now?"

"That's right," Chen Wangdao nodded. "Several decades ago, one could indeed do so by paying spirit stones to the Alliance.

But in recent years, the number of cultivators in the Thousand Lakes and Islands has been increasing, and any island with spiritual veins, even the lowest-grade ones, already have cultivators residing on them."

Chen Wangdao continued, nodding, "In recent decades, the management of the Thousand Lakes and Islands has changed significantly from the past.

Almost every spiritual island has one or several late Qi Refining cultivators serving as island masters, and they are responsible for collecting spirit stones from the cultivators on the island and then handing them over to the Alliance."

Hearing this, Chu Ning frowned slightly.

"So, if I want to find a place to establish a cave mansion for cultivation now, I shouldn't look for the Alliance but should instead seek out the island masters of each island?"

Without a place rich in spiritual energy, his cultivation would be greatly affected.

After all, even though he could create talismans, the spiritual plants in his possession still needed to be planted in areas with dense spiritual energy, which was equally important for his cultivation.

"However, it's not entirely impossible," Chen Wangdao said with a smile.

Then, under Chu Ning's gaze, he continued in a calm and unhurried manner, "Thirty years ago, the Thousand Islands Alliance introduced the Thousand Islands Competition, held once every five years. If a cultivator sets their sights on another island, they can challenge that island during the competition. If they win, they gain the rights to reside on and govern that island."

"The Thousand Islands Competition?" Chu Ning heard the term and vaguely guessed that it was what Chen Wangdao had been alluding to earlier.

Sure enough, the other man quickly added, "In a month's time, the Thousand Islands Competition will be held. Some of the larger islands with mid-tier second-grade spirit veins or above might not be too active in recruiting. However, many of the islands with lower-tier second-grade or first-grade spirit veins are currently recruiting all kinds of experts to strengthen their forces. They either want to prevent their islands from being taken by others or aim to acquire better islands for themselves."

As he spoke, Chen Wangdao looked at Chu Ning and said, "With your strength, Fellow Daoist, I believe there will be islands willing to accept you if you're willing to join them."

Chu Ning now understood that he would first have to represent an island in the Thousand Islands Competition. If he could help that island win, he would naturally gain a place to establish his cave mansion.

Upon realizing this, Chu Ning frowned slightly. He had originally thought that he could simply spend some spirit stones to settle the matter of finding a cave mansion. He hadn't expected that he would also have to participate in this martial competition.

However, after some thought, Chu Ning sighed inwardly and resolved to give it a try. After all, he had already been away from the Green Creek Sect for several months, and his cultivation had slowed down considerably. Many of the spiritual plants in his storage bag were also ready to be planted. For the time being, aside from this place, he couldn't think of a more suitable alternative.

Thus, Chu Ning asked Chen Wangdao, "Where can I find information about the islands that are recruiting helpers?"

"I happen to have a set of materials here. If you're interested, Fellow Daoist, it's yours for just two spirit stones," Chen Wangdao said, his expression suggesting that he had anticipated this request.

Without further ado, Chu Ning took out four spirit stones from his storage bag and handed them to Chen Wangdao, including payment for the information he had just gathered.

Earlier, Chen Wangdao had also given Chu Ning a map of the Thousand Lakes and Islands, and the two spirit stones covered the cost of both items.

Chen Wangdao was overjoyed and exclaimed, "You're indeed a decisive person, Fellow Daoist!"

As he spoke, he took out a thin booklet from his storage bag and handed it to Chu Ning.

Chu Ning took it and carefully flipped through the pages. Although Chen Wangdao's cultivation was mediocre, he seemed to have a keen eye for business.

The booklet contained detailed information about the islands that were recruiting, including the number of helpers they sought and the required cultivation levels. There were over a hundred entries.

After browsing through it, Chu Ning put the booklet away in his storage bag.

At this moment, Chen Wangdao continued, "Fellow Daoist, the competition will be held on the Thousand Illusions Island, where the Thousand Islands Alliance is located. Therefore, most of the islands are currently gathering participants there. You just need to go to the Thousand Illusions Island."

Chu Ning nodded and asked, "How do I get to the Thousand Illusions Island?"

"Through a teleportation array, of course," Chen Wangdao said, looking a little puzzled at Chu Ning's question.

Then, he tapped his forehead and said, "My apologies, I forgot that you're new here. Actually, setting up short-distance teleportation arrays isn't difficult for sects. Many sects are capable of doing so. However, managing teleportation arrays between different sects is a huge hassle. That's why, aside from areas controlled by major sects, teleportation arrays are rarely found elsewhere."

Chu Ning nodded in agreement. For example, the Green Creek Sect wasn't that large, and since it was close to Qinghe City, there wasn't much need to set up a teleportation array. As for Fengxia City, it didn't seem suitable for a teleportation array either.

Of course, this also had a lot to do with the fact that the Green Creek Sect itself wasn't proficient in the art of array formations.

Thinking of this, Chu Ning asked curiously, "Does the Thousand Islands Alliance have experts in array formations?"

"You've guessed correctly, Fellow Daoist," Chen Wangdao replied with a smile. "There's a family by the name of Cen in the Thousand Islands Alliance, and they are indeed proficient in the art of array formations."

Only then did Chu Ning understand.

After bidding farewell to Chen Wangdao, Chu Ning followed the directions he had been given and found the teleportation array in the center of the island.

There was already a cultivator in his thirties standing by the array.

After hearing Chu Ning's intention, the cultivator expressionlessly said, "It costs ten spirit stones to teleport to the Thousand Illusions Island. You can either pay ten spirit stones and go now, or you can wait here until we have enough people for a group teleportation."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning immediately chose the second option.

Having just entered the Thousand Lakes and Islands region, he thought it best to maintain a low profile.

The cultivator didn't seem surprised by Chu Ning's choice and simply gestured for him to wait by the array.

Fortunately, there were quite a few people on Caiwu Island, and since the Thousand Illusions Island was the main island of the region, many people were heading there.

Chu Ning only had to wait for less than an incense stick's worth of time before ten people had gathered.

After each person paid one spirit stone, the thirty-year-old cultivator activated the teleportation array.

"This island probably has a relatively high-grade second-rank spirit vein," Chu Ning mused to himself. However, upon realizing that this was the main island of the Thousand Islands Alliance, he understood why it was so rich in spiritual energy.

Walking down the street, Chu Ning carefully observed his surroundings. Unlike Caiwu Island, there were far fewer mortals here. As far as he could see, seven or eight out of ten people were cultivators.

Moreover, their cultivation levels were generally higher than those on Caiwu Island, with most of them being at the middle stages of Qi Refining or above. Cultivators in the late stages of Qi Refining were also not uncommon.

However, those who had reached the ninth layer or achieved a perfect Qi Refining realm were rare.

Chu Ning didn't rush to check out the recruitment areas for the different islands. After all, the information he had received from Chen Wangdao was just one man's words, and he wasn't going to take it entirely at face value. He intended to do some more discreet inquiries first.

Drunken Immortal Tower.

Once again, Chu Ning chose this place where dragons and snakes mixed.

Although the information one could hear in such places was often mixed and mostly consisted of rumors, there were still many useful tidbits to be found.

Compared to the Drunken Immortal Tower on Caiwu Island, the one on Thousand Illusions Island was larger and more crowded.

Most of the cultivators gathered here were at the middle stages of Qi Refining or above, and many of them were communicating using sound transmission techniques.

However, with his powerful spiritual sense, Chu Ning was able to listen in on their conversations effortlessly.

After spending two marks of time in the Drunken Immortal Tower, Chu Ning left.

"Just as Chen Wangdao said, the Thousand Islands Competition will be held in a month.

However, from the discussions I overheard in the Drunken Immortal Tower, the islands that are urgently recruiting now are those with relatively ordinary spiritual energy and strength.

Those islands with second-rank spirit veins aren't worried about recruitment, so they'll probably only start looking for helpers in the last ten days."

Chu Ning recalled the information he had gathered, and a decision formed in his mind.

"I don't intend to join the few islands with the richest spiritual energy, but I still want to find a decent place. Since that's the case, I'll wait a little longer.

As for this island, there's a place specifically for loose cultivators to trade. I can go and take a look there.

I'll need spirit stones in the future, so maybe I can sell some talismans that I make in the meantime."

With this plan in mind, Chu Ning made his way to the gathering place for loose cultivators on the island, intending to scout it out.

After spending half a day exploring, Chu Ning checked into an inn that was built on a mountain peak and specifically catered to visiting cultivators.

Although it was called an inn, it was quite extraordinary.

"This room is made of a special spirit rock that not only blocks fluctuations in magical power but is also immune to damage from the spells of cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage."

Chu Ning examined the ten-zhang-wide room with curiosity.

He tried casting a spell from the Azurewood Sword Art directly at the walls, and as expected, it left no mark.

"Indeed, this is a good place to cultivate, but the price is quite high—four spirit stones per day.

Even if I book it for a month, it'll cost me a hundred spirit stones."

Chu Ning shook his head. This price was far beyond what an ordinary cultivator could afford.

However, the inn was located relatively close to the core spirit vein of Thousand Illusions Island, resulting in a denser concentration of spiritual energy.

Additionally, a hundred low-grade spirit stones weren't a significant amount for Chu Ning, and he did need a suitable place to cultivate.

Thus, despite the high price, he decided to book the room.

"I need to accelerate my cultivation of the Blazing Divine Wood Art. During this month, I must complete the tempering of my magic.

At the same time, I need to catch up on the other aspects of my cultivation that have been neglected."

With his plan in mind, Chu Ning took a quick look around the room before sitting down cross-legged to begin his cultivation.

【Blazing Divine Wood Art (High-Rank Profound Tier), First Layer (90/5000)】

【Nine Transforming Body Refining Art, First Volume, Sinew Strengthening (702/1500)】

【Refine Spirit Art, Second Layer (255/2000)】

During the past three months, Chu Ning had been in areas lacking spiritual energy, so he hadn't been able to absorb sufficient fire-attribute spiritual energy for his cultivation.

As a result, his progress in the Blazing Divine Wood Art had been slow.

However, Chu Ning hadn't been idle during this time. By relying solely on the conversion of his wood-attribute magic, he had gained a deeper understanding of the concept of wood begetting fire.

The spiritual energy in this place was relatively dense, so Chu Ning decided to forgo the use of pills or fire spirit crystals for now.

Instead, he continued with the time-consuming method of using his wood-attribute magic to convert his spiritual energy into fire-attribute magic.

Time passed as he cultivated, and seven days later…

Chu Ning, who had been in the midst of cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes.

【Blazing Divine Wood Art (High-Rank Profound Tier), First Layer (100/5000)】

As he had expected, when the proficiency of the Blazing Divine Wood Art reached 100, all of his magic had undergone the tempering process.

Chu Ning lifted his hand, and a wisp of magic gathered at his fingertip.

Sensing the perfectly balanced wood and fire dual-attribute magic, Chu Ning nodded in satisfaction.

The past hundred days of painstaking cultivation had yielded remarkable results.

Not only had it solidified his ninth layer of Qi Refining, but it had also allowed him to control the dual-attribute magic with pure precision.

At that moment, Chu Ning willed it, and the magic at his fingertip instantly transformed into pure wood-attribute magic.

With another wave of his hand, a wisp of fire-attribute magic appeared on his other fingertip.

In the next instant, Chu Ning's thoughts shifted, and the two wisps of magic instantly merged, becoming a perfectly balanced mix of wood and fire dual-attribute magic.

"Now I've truly entered the door of the Blazing Divine Wood Art, and I can proceed with my cultivation of this art as normal.

It's also time for me to start cultivating fire-attribute spells!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end