Chapter 230: Vanishing Without a Trace Under Everyone's Watchful Eyes

Chapter 230: Vanishing Without a Trace Under Everyone's Watchful Eyes

"Ah, there's actually a reward."

Xiao Chen strode slowly toward the tray and placed the Infant Jade into his storage pouch.

A crowd of cultivators watched longingly as this unfolded. Though they couldn't identify the object's nature, they instinctively sensed its extraordinary value.

With the Yin Corpse Sect's cultivator serving as a recent cautionary tale, no one dared voice objections.

Ten breaths after the Infant Jade vanished, the tray automatically retracted beneath the platform.

Moments later, the entire Observatory Platform trembled slightly. As the vibrations rippled through, numerous sealing formations dissolved into nothingness, revealing seven new stone pillars rising from the center.

Each pillar measured about three meters tall, engraved with ninety-nine ancient spirit characters. Viewed from above, they formed a ladle-like arrangement mirroring the Big Dipper constellation.

The first five pillars already glowed with soft white light illuminating their spirit characters. The sixth pillar was mostly illuminated, with a single flickering character glowing faintly near its midpoint.

Meanwhile, in the direction pointed by the ladle's mouth, a faint archway materialized like mist.

Though Xiao Chen couldn't yet decipher the ancient spirit characters, the situation made their purpose clear - this must be the Relic's exit.

Judging by the sixth pillar's incomplete activation, he realized, Looks like we'll need another day and a half before the seventh prodigy can leave.

No escape routes left inside? How utterly inconsiderate.

Xiao Chen immediately recalled the Yellow Spring Palace. That legacy clearly anticipated the need for unconventional exits to prevent enemies from ambushing heirs.

While this might relate to its Demonic Dao origins, Tianxing Sect had clearly overlooked such precautions.

He studied the glowing pillars. A day and a half wasn't long, but certainly not short either. What should I do now?

After consideration, he decided to focus on gathering more intelligence about the Relic. Perhaps there were hidden exits concealed within these legacies.

Turning to the platform's southwest corner, Xiao Chen first deployed the Wild Goose Return Formation as a precaution. While no one likely dared disturb him, preparedness was always wise.

He then retrieved two additional Jade Slips, carefully studying their contents.

The first Jade Slip contained the Heaven-Tier cultivation manual legacy Twenty-Eight Stars Cultivation Manual Legacy. More remarkably, it included twenty-eight Earth-Tier cultivation manuals covering Mutated Spirit Roots, all cultivatable to Golden Core Perfect Completion.

In terms of sheer cultivation manual quantity, Xiao Chen could practically establish his own sect with this single Jade Slip. Of course, founding a sect required more than Golden Core cultivation realm, and he had no such ambitions currently.

"Maybe I'll sell these legacies later", he mused. "Selling the entire Jade Slip would be too valuable to handle easily. Perhaps I should learn Jade Slip inscription techniques first, then split and sell the manuals separately."

This approach would help spread Tianxing Sect's teachings while securing resources for himself.

The second Jade Slip contained no cultivation manuals, but instead held a unique Dao art - Stargazing Fate-Reading Essentials.

As the name suggested, it was a divination legacy for predicting fortune and misfortune, and calculating life's trajectories.

Seeing this legacy, Xiao Chen immediately thought of Lin Ping An, wondering how that young man was faring.

"Stargazing to comprehend Dao, with Dao unfolding fate's principles..." He skimmed through the Jade Slip, finding mostly esoteric and abstruse content.

"Why do these legacies always contain such strange, complicated things? Can't there be something simpler and more practical?"

As Xiao Chen internally grumbled, his vision suddenly blurred. He seemed to float above Tianxing Island, facing a young man in wide-sleeved black robes embroidered with golden star patterns.

The figure faced away, speaking slowly, "Has the time finally come for this body to awaken?"

"No time to waste - this divine projection won't last much longer. Let's begin."

"Next, I shall personally demonstrate the secret technique. Watch carefully."

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. Could this be the legendary divine sense demonstration?

For ordinary cultivators, legacy Jade Slips saved time memorizing cultivation manuals. But for top sects with Nascent Soul cultivators, they served another critical purpose - preserving ancestral divine senses within Jade Slips.

Future legacy inheritors could then witness predecessors demonstrating techniques and receiving teachings firsthand, especially experiencing their profound essence, which greatly benefited cultivation.

"I've spent three centuries perfecting this path. Remember this demonstration well, and your future cultivation will progress twice as fast."

As he spoke, the figure turned, studying Xiao Chen with sudden interest. But his gaze soon turned disappointed: "A mere outsider has claimed this legacy? Very well, you'll have to figure it out yourself."

With those words, the figure disintegrated into shimmering motes, the world collapsing around them.

Simultaneously, a message unfolded directly within Xiao Chen's spiritual sea - Starlight Body Tempering Secret Technique.

"Huh? Wait, did the divine sense just... quit?"

Xiao Chen opened his eyes, finding the Jade Slip completely darkened with a crack running through its center.

"Is this... normal?"

He had been fully prepared to learn the secret technique, only for the divine sense to refuse demonstration.

Do I really not look like a Tianxing Sect disciple?

Well, that might actually be true, but did they have to be so stingy?

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator held such factional biases, hoarding knowledge selfishly.

Carefully studying the Starlight Body Tempering Secret Technique, he found it specialized in harnessing starlight for body cultivation. This Heaven-Tier legacy followed a unique path, simultaneously strengthening vital energy and gradually transforming the physical body.

Cultivating this secret technique to Grand Mastery realm would allow forging the Starlight Spirit Body.

What intrigued Xiao Chen most was discovering three versions of this cultivation manual.

Tianxing Sect had considered dual-path cultivation's immense resource demands, recognizing most disciples couldn't manage both. During refinement, they preserved failed attempts as alternative paths rather than discarding them.

Thus emerged two lower-tier versions: Starlight Body Tempering Secret Technique and Starlight Body Tempering Secret Technique.

The former barely reached Earth-Tier, forging the inferior Starlight Spirit Body. The latter hovered near Mystic Rank, merely a Yellow Rank technique forging the weaker Starlight Law Body.

"A Law Body works too!"

Xiao Chen showed no disdain, instead feeling excited. Even the weakest Law Body far surpassed having none at all.

How many cultivators desperately sought Law Bodies without finding any connections?

Though he gained no additional intelligence from the legacy Jade Slip, accidentally acquiring a suitable legacy still proved fortunate.

While cultivating multiple manuals simultaneously consumed exponential resources, Xiao Chen currently had no problem affording Golden Core Stage cultivation expenses.

Glancing upward, the pillar's glow still had much to traverse. Though reading the legacy message consumed considerable time, the Relic's conclusion still required several hours.

"Not enough time to refine Storage Rings..."

He touched the necklace around his neck - a temporary solution using a Silk Ribbon to string fifteen Storage Rings together. This freed his hands, though it appeared somewhat unseemly to onlookers.

But no matter - the surrounding cultivators viewed him with reverence and fear, none daring to mock him.

"Might as well consider my plans after leaving here."

With the Relic's end approaching, Xiao Chen abandoned cultivation for now, reflecting on his current situation.

Frankly, his circumstances weren't ideal.

Having offended the Yin Corpse Sect, especially the Dai family, the Darkness Sea was now off-limits. Just when he'd escaped the Three Great Clans' territory, this new complication arose.

"Sigh..."

He exhaled bitterly, "From Inner Sea to Outer Sea, now fleeing again. This region's sects truly lack hospitality."

Primarily, as a solitary cultivator, he lacked the background influence to intimidate others.

And since he refused to grovel before figures like Dai Tianrui or retreat meekly, naturally many troubles found him.

Solitary cultivators inevitably faced oppression wherever they went - such was the world's reality.

"No worries, the Thirty-Six Stratagems' first is best - escape."

Xiao Chen accepted this philosophically, "The Eastern Territory is vast enough to find my place."

Unlike the Divine Flame Cult blocking his previous escape route, the endless ocean offered countless alternatives.

The old saying held true - thirty years east of the river, thirty years west.

Once he formed his Golden Core, he'd return in triumph, repaying every grudge.

But speaking of which, Xiao Chen had offended a Golden Core True Sovereign this time.

So not only Darkness Sea, but probably the entire Storm Sea region was now dangerous.

His best options were returning to Inner Sea or fleeing overseas to distant lands.

Previously in Hundred Grasses City, he'd heard the Three Great Clans had reconciled with Jin Xia Sect. Considering potential Inner Sea wanted notices, he'd rather not return there.

Better to head directly to distant lands for temporary refuge!

Making this decision, he couldn't help feeling slightly absurd:

"Before coming here, I planned to search Feidu Sea's Darkness Sea region for malevolent qi clues after exiting the Relic."

"Alas, fate remains ever-changing. That plan's now useless."

"Now I must flee so far, but likely without access to Spirit Ships."

If the Dai family had any sense, they'd block all nearby Spirit Ships with strict surveillance.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen's escape speed far surpassed ordinary cultivators. Flying directly across the sea remained his best option.

With his current true mana reserves combined with escape speed, Xiao Chen could easily cross tens of thousands of kilometers of open sea in one go.

Such a vast distance would surely have at least one island or reef to rest upon. Besides, if he truly needed to rest, Xiao Chen could simply toss a piece of wood onto the sea surface as a temporary foothold. After all, his true mana recovery speed was hundreds of times faster than other cultivators. He could fully recover and leave before any yao beasts could detect and swarm him.

Therefore, the challenges that restricted other cultivators became advantages for Xiao Chen, who possessed hextech reinforcement. Even if the Dai family was powerful, they would never anticipate this. Even if they did, they couldn’t possibly seal off the entire Darkness Sea. There would always be gaps to escape through.

“I remember the intelligence I bought earlier included a sea map.” Xiao Chen rummaged through his Storage Ring and indeed found a simplified map of the Darkness Sea’s power distribution. He glanced at the jade pillar: “There should still be two shichen. I might as well study the route ahead in advance.”

As he studied the route, a net had already been set up outside the Relic. Three golden core True Sovereigns guarded the exit.

This story began a day earlier. The Yin Corpse Sect wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Tianyin Sect. Such a major move wouldn’t just involve younger generations. The marriage was merely a pretext, not decisive. In fact, after years of careful courting, they had convinced a Taishang Elder from the Tianyin Sect—True Sovereign Zhi Qin.

The latter had arrived at the Darkness Sea a day earlier to discuss the marriage details. The Yin Corpse Sect naturally arranged for the Dai family’s ancestral founder, Dai Fei’ang, to host the visit for smoother communication.

As they were halfway through negotiations, discussing how to create opportunities for Dai Tianrui and Wen Suruo to interact and develop feelings, a Dai family member suddenly rushed in, wailing, “Ancestral Founder, it’s terrible! Young Master Rui’s Life Token… it, it just suddenly shattered!”

“What did you say?!” Dai Fei’ang immediately scanned the ancestral hall with his spiritual sense and indeed saw his beloved grandson’s Life Token Shattered.

“Crash!”

The sudden tragedy enraged him. He swept his hand across the tea table to his right, sending cups and pots crashing to the ground. Fortunately, he knew there were outsiders present and slightly controlled his temper.

He then forced a faint smile: “Fellow cultivator Zhi Qin, this sudden matter requires my attention. Let’s continue our discussion another day.”

True Sovereign Zhi Qin immediately offered, “Fellow cultivator Liansha, are you heading to Tianxing Island? Why don’t we go together?”

“Liansha” was Dai Fei’ang’s dharma name.

Both knew their juniors had entered the new Relic, which was part of the original plan. Upon hearing Dai Tianrui’s Life Token shattered, Zhi Qin was concerned for her disciples. Though Wen Suruo wasn’t her direct apprentice, he was still a sect member. She was also curious. Logically, as the Dai family’s chosen bridegroom, he should have multiple life-saving treasures. With so many Yin Corpse Sect disciples protecting him, how could he die? Could it be the new Relic had a major upheaval?

Thus, Zhi Qin volunteered to go, wanting to understand the situation firsthand.

In truth, Dai Fei’ang had initially considered the possibility of an accident. After all, he knew his great-grandson had a Tai Xu Cloudlight Barrier sealed within his body. With this spell alone, he was invincible in the Tianxing Island Relic, where only golden core cultivators could enter.

However, after gathering intelligence, he couldn’t help clenching his fists. The Yin Corpse Sect’s five true disciples in the sect had all perished, while core disciples from other factions remained unharmed. At this point, even a fool could tell someone was deliberately targeting the Yin Corpse Sect.

“No matter who it is, they’re asking for death!” Dai Fei’ang’s face darkened. “No matter how many participants there are, once the Relic opens, I’ll personally refine them all into corpse puppets.”

He glared at True Sovereign Zhi Qin, each word squeezed out. As the local power, the Yin Corpse Sect had the strongest presence in the Relic. Logically, such a targeted attack must be a coalition from multiple factions. It likely involved Tianyin Sect disciples, so he needed to state his position clearly.

“Fellow cultivator Liansha, rest assured. If any disciple truly committed such an unjust act, I’ll personally hand them over to you for punishment.” True Sovereign Zhi Qin immediately declared, her curiosity growing. Who dared to act so brazenly?

It wasn’t that they couldn’t form a coalition, but why do it on the opponent’s turf? She glanced at True Sovereign Ji Gu, who had specially come from the Yin Corpse Sect and stood silently nearby, and couldn’t help shaking her head. Though the other party didn’t speak openly due to their good relations, this was still a warning.

At this moment, Zhi Qin only hoped her sect’s disciples weren’t involved. Otherwise, she might be powerless to intervene.

A good marriage alliance had turned into this mess. Originally a profitable deal for Spirit Herbs, this sudden upheaval—could someone be scheming against her?

Thinking thus, Zhi Qin’s expression cooled. She resolved that even if Tianyin Sect disciples were implicated, she would not interfere. The only reason she stayed instead of leaving immediately was to obtain first-hand intelligence, not filtered and distorted messages from the Yin Corpse Sect.

As night fell, starlight dappled across the sea, it wasn’t dark at all.

Yet no one had time to appreciate the scenery.

As the stars shifted, a giant circle floated above Tianxing Island, connecting to the Observatory Platform. Simultaneously, the Skyflight Sealing Formation near the Observatory Platform quietly dissolved.

For the next half-shichen, all cultivators near the Observatory Platform could fly out.

However, as the exit opened, everyone looked toward Xiao Chen’s position.

In their eyes, exiting was a death sentence. But staying wasn’t a solution either. Who knew what other sealing formations in the Relic forbade lingering? Even if there weren’t, no one knew when the next opening would be.

Sensing the gazes, Xiao Chen put away the map, stretched his limbs, and flew out of the Relic with an easy expression, utterly unfazed.

Many cultivators rushed out behind him, eager to see what awaited outside.

Then they were shocked to see three figures standing in the distance. Without deliberate breathing, spiritual energy swirled around their bodies, forming small vortices.

Powerful aura pressure filled the air, with semi-transparent barriers in all directions.

The Tai Xu Cloudlight Barrier, personally set by Dai Fei’ang on-site, was even stronger than the one inside the Relic.

“Heavens, they’ve mobilized three True Sovereigns!”

Someone couldn’t help exclaiming, then covered their mouth.

“What a grand display!”

Someone secretly took out a recording stone to document the scene.

“Taishang Elder?”

Wen Suruo saw True Sovereign Zhi Qin in the distance and felt joy. He quickly used spiritual sense to transmit a message, trying to seek help for Xiao Chen.

This was a Kirin Prodigy who had one foot in the Golden Core Realm—definitely worth the sect’s full protection.

“Fellow cultivator Zhi Qin, I need an explanation.” Dai Fei’ang turned, sensing the spiritual sense fluctuation. Without a reasonable explanation, he would interrogate Wen Suruo today.

The reason he hadn’t acted yet was because he considered the culprit already in his grasp.

True Sovereign Zhi Qin hesitated for a breath, then decisively repeated the transmitted message.

A future golden core True Sovereign was still not a golden core True Sovereign yet.

Wen Suruo stood frozen. How did it come to this?

“Good, very good!” Dai Fei’ang suddenly understood, his pupils contracting. He glared at Xiao Chen ahead: “No wonder you broke my techniques, no wonder you broke my techniques. You’re a half-step golden core!”

“You’re the Golden Light Technique hermit, right? Speak—Who is your master?!”

Besides the main culprit, he also planned to confront the hidden sect that cultivated Xiao Chen.

First, killing one person wasn’t enough to avenge his beloved grandson.

Second, if they were to incur enmity, better to eradicate completely.

“Hmph!” Xiao Chen scoffed: “So many words. You don’t dare attack me while I stand here. What a useless old fool!”

“You had your chance, but you blew it!”

“This is boring. I have urgent matters in the Jingkong Sea. I’ll skip the playtime today. Farewell!”

Saying this, he bent his legs as if charging forward, but actually used Ninghuo Palm on himself.

Right, Xiao Chen seemed to charge, but his real move was against himself.

Barriers surrounded him. Direct escape was impossible. He needed to trigger Night’s Blade first.

Since the enemy hadn’t attacked directly, he’d take the initiative. Quick action to avoid complications.

Before leaving, Xiao Chen also planted false clues to divert hatred toward Jingkong Sea.

At his words, everyone was startled.

“Hmph, just a cheap illusion. Daring to show off such petty tricks before me!” Dai Fei’ang snorted, immediately raising his hand to strike, wanting to capture this arrogant braggart.

A pair of pitch-black giant hands emerged from his front, instantly expanding to hundreds of zhang long, completely covering all flames and more.

However, when the hands closed, they grasped nothing. After a burst of firelight, Xiao Chen vanished before everyone’s eyes.

“What?!” Dai Fei’ang’s face changed. He quickly changed hand seals, enhancing the Tai Xu Cloudlight Barrier around him with true mana, while fully activating his spiritual sense to scan the surrounding space.

But this wasn’t an illusion or hiding technique, so naturally undetectable.

“Heavenly Eye Tracking!”

Seeing this, True Sovereign Ji Gu extended his right hand to cover his eyes, chanting secret techniques to search, but ultimately found nothing.

“Hm?” Even True Sovereign Zhi Qin was startled, her eyes wide with confusion and shock.

She couldn’t detect how Xiao Chen left, but now couldn’t find him at all.

A living person just disappeared into thin air?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end