Chapter 238: You can question my character, but you cannot doubt my mind

Chapter 238: You can question my character, but you cannot doubt my mind

"Ding!"

The Red Thread Bell chimed. Su Li, as usual, sat on the seaside rocks, her bare feet playing in the foam.

The difference now was that her gaze always lingered on the young man meditating in the distance.

Every day, for at least nine hours, he immersed himself in cultivating various cultivation manuals.

He barely had time to speak.

Yet Su Li deeply admired him. After all, most cultivators couldn’t maintain such relentless focus.

In her youth, she had tried arduous training but failed to sustain such discipline for long.

Xiao Chen looked young but had achieved Dual Cultivation (Body & Spirit) with impressive cultivation realms—a feat undoubtedly tied to his unwavering dedication.

At times, Su Li even found his focused cultivation posture strangely appealing.

Fifteen days passed, and the full moon returned. Normally, Su Li would already be preparing to suppress her condition.

But tonight was different. They had agreed to try an alternative method to resolve the moon eclipse curse.

"Hu~!"

Xiao Chen glanced up mid-cultivation. It was early Hai hour.

He slowly steadied his breath, ending his session early.

Thanks to the abundant Supplement Yuan Pills, the Mercy Sea’s rich heavenly qi, and the daily boost of two Third Stage spirit fruits and a bowl of White Jade Xiao Qinglong, Xiao Chen maintained an astonishing cultivation speed—expanding one true mana channel every two days despite reaching the Golden Core Middle Stage.

This pace outstripped ordinary golden core cultivators by over a hundredfold.

Yet as he turned, he saw Su Li once again lost in a daze.

Xiao Chen felt familiar envy. He now knew she wasn’t comprehending the heavens—she simply didn’t need to cultivate.

No matter. Tonight, he would obtain another Blood Crystal.

They walked side by side to the island’s center, waiting for Zi hour.

Strangely, Su Li felt an inexplicable anticipation.

In the past, she dreaded the moon eclipse. Even now, they hadn’t truly found a way to break the curse.

"Ugh~!"

Su Li groaned, instinctively clutching her chest.

Moonlight pierced the sparse clouds, bathing the island. Her Wu Blood surged, boiling uncontrollably within her.

This process subjected her to passive Body Tempering.

Scalding blood coursed through her limbs and bones, strengthening her body while searing her with pain like molten oil.

The familiar agony made Su Li tremble. As her emotions fluctuated, the ground erupted with Datura Flowers.

The wind howled, scattering petals like snow.

"No effect?"

Xiao Chen held her hand, frowning.

He had hoped his Divine Veil might end the moon eclipse, but it seemed ineffective on others—a passive ability limited to himself.

"Su Li?"

"Shh~!"

Her soft body suddenly collapsed into his arms. Under the moonlight, they embraced.

Through her feathered robe, he felt her searing temperature.

The tyrannical moon eclipse force surged into Xiao Chen’s body through her heat, only to dissipate instantly.

As the endless eclipse energy vanished, the curse’s effects waned.

The wind stilled. The Datura Flowers ceased growing, then began wilting.

Su Li’s fever quickly receded, though her skin remained warm.

"If you can’t endure the curse’s burden, tell me."

She tilted her head slightly. "Don’t push yourself too hard."

She said this because earlier conversations inevitably touched on Xiao Chen’s immunity to moon eclipses.

The real reason couldn’t be revealed.

So Xiao Chen’s Spiritual Mechanism stirred. "People’s constitutions vary. I discovered I’m naturally resistant to curses—perhaps a hidden bloodline?"

Most would doubt such a vague claim, but Su Li believed him. Her own Nine Yin Calamity Spirit Body was equally rare.

"Cough, I’m fine." Xiao Chen looked away. "Don’t worry about me. No amount of curse energy will harm me."

A beam of moonlight pierced the sky, reopening the Wu Clan legacy sealed in Su Li’s bloodline for millions of years.

Weakened by the curse’s suppression, even this usually agonizing process felt milder.

Fragments of ancient memories flickered before Su Li’s eyes, though their speed had slowed to a fifth of their original intensity.

"Huh?"

Xiao Chen blinked. For a moment, faint images had appeared before him.

An illusion? Impossible!

Could it be...?

He tightened his embrace, and the images sharpened.

Xiao Chen focused intently, memorizing the legacy’s revelations.

This was an ancient legacy!

Even in its prime, few had access to such supreme secrets.

Even partial knowledge offered immense benefits.

First, others’ stones could polish one’s own jade.

Second, even broadening one’s perspective or gaining cultivation insights was worthwhile.

Every hidden truth learned might prove invaluable someday.

Lost in the legacy’s memories, they ignored the Blood Crystal clattering to the ground.

The legacy came first. With no one else around, it could wait.

Under the bright moonlight, scenes unfolded:

The Moon Witch Clan, the Moon Sacrifice Ritual, spiritual energy retreats, Wu Ling, the Witch Calamity...

History revealed a sliver of truth—a race’s rise from weakness to glory, then decline.

For Xiao Chen, most details were irrelevant.

Two matters, however, captured his attention.

First: the Moon Sacrifice Ritual, the so-called moon eclipse curse.

For the Moon Witches, this monthly gathering was a crucial opportunity for advancement.

The High Priestess condensed moonlight into a Blood Crystal, dramatically enhancing the consumer’s vital energy concentration and offering bloodline refinement.

Typically, only the clan’s strongest warriors or most promising youths received this reward.

In other words, if performed correctly, this wasn’t a curse but a blessing.

Realizing this, Xiao Chen mused—was Su Li simply born out of time? Had she lived in that era, she’d have received the finest care.

Second: Wu Ling.

This was key to lifting the curse.

The ritual required a special item—Wu Qi.

It suppressed the High Priestess’s curse energy daily, channeling it to erupt during the Moon Sacrifice for a more potent Blood Crystal.

Though Wu Qi couldn’t remove the curse, its importance to Su Li was obvious.

With the Wu Clan’s fall, Wu Qi was lost.

Now, only one place might still hold it: Wu Ling—the burial site of the Moon Witches’ Grand Priest.

"Never thought we’d find a clue this quickly."

Xiao Chen glanced down but saw no joy in her expression. "Why the long face?"

Dawn broke. The moon eclipse had ended.

Morning light caressed Su Li’s pale face but couldn’t smooth her furrowed brows.

She tilted her head. "Before, I couldn’t see those memories clearly. But after so many moon eclipses, I already knew about Wu Qi."

"Huh? Then why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Xiao Chen blinked. "What’s the problem?"

Su Li bit her lip. "Wu Ling is far away. Obtaining Wu Qi is... extremely difficult."

She shook her head, clearly disheartened.

"Huh?" Xiao Chen blinked. "Go on! Don’t just say ‘extremely difficult’—at least explain why it’s hard!"

"I can help you find Wu Qi."

He pressed, "Tell me what preparations we need."

He didn’t need noble excuses—Wu Qi’s ability to create superior Blood Crystals was reason enough.

Solving the curse was just an added bonus—two birds with one stone!

Su Li, under his gaze, explained, "The legacy’s memories warned that after building Wu Ling, the Grand Priest sealed its perimeter to prevent desecration."

"There are poisons, traps, and most dangerously, Abyssal Grave Miasma."

"Wu Ling lies deep within the remote Abyssal Sea—a natural reservoir of malevolent qi."

"After centuries, that malevolent qi must be overwhelming."

Su Li stole a glance at Xiao Chen, reading his surprise.

This reaction was normal. She understood.

Malevolent qi was notoriously dangerous—only demonic cultivators sought it willingly. Others avoided it fiercely.

She smiled faintly. "It’s okay. With your help, we’ll find another way."

Yet Xiao Chen stared at her cheek, his surprise replaced by resolve.

"Save your breath."

"Just tell me the location."

Su Li warmed at his words but urged, "You don’t need to risk yourself for me."

Xiao Chen hesitated.

How to explain his immunity to malevolent qi?

He shifted tactics. "Do you trust me?"

This worked.

Su Li relented, recalling the legacy’s images.

Though no written records existed, the clues pointed to the Mercy Sea’s northwest corner.

Two landmarks stood out:

First, Wu Ling was deliberately built within the Abyssal Sea to preserve malevolent qi—specifically, at the bottom of a massive underwater trench.

Such terrain was rare but not unheard of.

If we really can't find it, we can always resort to the elimination method. It'll just take more time.

The second clue is that near Wuling lies the Starfall Lands.

The so-called Starfall Lands are simply areas where meteorites have fallen. During the initial construction phase, the project even halted for a while due to these meteorite impacts.

Therefore, we can deduce in reverse that Wuling must be within the affected zone of this meteorite.

"It's definitely not close", Xiao Chen muttered.

Currently located at the Southwest of Mercy Sea, Silent Calamity Island had been deliberately chosen as a remote location.

In other words, he would need to cross the entire Mercy Sea to reach Wuling's vicinity.

This round trip would undoubtedly consume significant time - likely measured in months.

"Once I finish refining the Blood Crystal, let's go look for Wuling together?" Xiao Chen directly proposed, "At worst, we'll circle around the perimeter and avoid other solitary cultivators."

Su Li declined, "No, I've sworn not to leave this place until my curse is lifted."

"Besides, don't forget about the supervisor formation outside."

She offered a bitter smile, "If I activate that formation, within days you'll probably see half the golden core True Sovereigns in Mercy Sea descending like locusts."

"We might even get to witness the true forms of those Nascent Divinity experts."

Hmph!

You think you're that important?

Honestly, Xiao Chen wanted to boast about how Nascent Divinity experts were mere ants to him.

But truthfully, he still had a long way to go before reaching golden core True Sovereign status.

"Forget all that complicated thinking!" Su Li unexpectedly encouraged, "Let me help you refine the Blood Crystal."

Picking up the crimson gem, she explained - as Moon Witch Saintess, she was the only one who could directly handle the Blood Crystal without being corroded by its vital energy.

So as long as she held the Blood Crystal, brief contact transfers with Xiao Chen would allow controlled reduction of the refining difficulty.

Compared to swallowing Purple-Gold Bodhi Fruits one by one, this method was clearly superior.

With Su Li's assistance, the refinement process went exceptionally smoothly.

When the final surge of vital energy was completely refined, Xiao Chen's body gained another eighty-two true mana streams.

The reason for fewer new mana streams this time?

Midway through refinement, his life-essence core had reached the perfection of the Golden Core Initial Stage.

Seizing the momentum, Xiao Chen directly launched an assault on the Golden Core Middle Stage of Body Cultivation, consuming part of the Blood Crystal's vital energy during this breakthrough.

Thanks to increased vital energy concentration, the breakthrough succeeded with minimal effort.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough!" Su Li teased with a tilt of her head, "On behalf of the Moon Witch Tribe, I hereby recognize you as our mightiest warrior!"

Across the entire cultivation world, only Xiao Chen could understand her words' true meaning.

While the Saintess and priests must belong to the Wu Clan, the Moon Witch warriors weren't necessarily Wu descendants.

Ancient records mentioned warriors who, seeking Blood Crystals, joined the tribe through cooperation with past Saintesses.

Recalling legacy memories of moon-worship rituals, Xiao Chen performed the fist-to-chest salute.

"Many thanks for the Saintess's praise!"

The next morning, just as dawn's first light emerged.

Xiao Chen had already prepared to depart, seeking Wuling to retrieve the Wuqi.

Better short-term pain than prolonged suffering.

As a cultivator, he clearly understood his priorities, never hesitating or wavering.

Su Li wholeheartedly agreed, "Of course I'm fine with it."

"Over a hundred years have passed, what's a few more months?"

"Just promise me you'll be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks to save time."

Nodding, Xiao Chen replied, "Rest assured! I may lack many virtues, but I value my life above all."

What seemed dangerous to outsiders...

To him, every action carried absolute certainty.

"Then it's settled!" Su Li turned toward the stone house, "Wait a moment before leaving."

Moments later, she returned holding a spirit-sealed cloudwood box containing a smaller identical box inside.

"Take this Thunder Ball. It might help if you encounter danger."

Hmm?

Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows. You probably don't know my Ninghuo Palm surpasses this.

Unless it's a Fifth Stage Thunder Ball, even golden core True Sovereigns wouldn't be affected - they could only threaten ordinary golden core cultivators.

Not that he was arrogant, but currently within golden core ranks, few could rival him.

Instinctively waving off the offer, "No need, I-"

Mid-sentence, seeing Su Li's expectant gaze, he changed course, "Actually, that's very kind. I'll accept it."

The Han Hai Ring had ample space, what's a little extra?

Better not refuse her goodwill.

"Xiao Chen!"

As he prepared to depart, Su Li finally called out, "Will you return?"

Logically she shouldn't worry, but she had waited a century to meet him.

"Don't worry!" He turned, answering solemnly, "Of course I'll return!"

With a smile, he added, "You can question my character, but never doubt my judgment."

"Last night proved how much the Blood Crystal benefits me. Why wouldn't I come back?"

This reasoning satisfied both logic and heart.

More importantly, for the Blood Crystal alone, he would definitely return.

His complete plan had already formed:

First locate Wuling while gathering malevolent qi.

Then return with Wuqi to suppress Su Li's curse and enhance Blood Crystal effects.

Next, use Su Li's Blood Crystal to breakthrough to Golden Core Realm.

Finally, return to Storm Sea and utterly destroy Yin Corpse Sect.

Compared to previous elaborate schemes, this plan was refreshingly simple.

Primarily because he was new here, knowing almost nothing.

Though Su Li explained part of Mercy Sea's situation, his intelligence remained limited.

Without sufficient information, detailed planning was impossible.

Better to keep it simple, adapting as circumstances changed.

Leaving Silent Calamity Island, Xiao Chen flew northeast toward his first destination - Cang Ming Bazaar.

He didn't head directly north because he needed to purchase a sea chart first, preferably gathering basic intelligence about local factions.

After all, sharpening the axe wouldn't delay chopping wood.

Understanding Mercy Sea's specifics would help plan optimal routes.

Rushing north blindly risked encountering perilous regions like frost-sealed mists, wasting more time through danger.

Certain sea areas might even be blockaded by factions.

Like when Fubing Sect's Right Hu Fa sealed the sea previously - accidentally entering such zones could create major troubles.

Better to avoid these from the start.

Though Cang Ming Bazaar was the closest settlement to Silent Calamity Island...

Xiao Chen still traveled two full days, finally seeing the massive island complex at midday on the third day.

Or more accurately, this vast archipelago.

Built by Cang Ming Immortal Sect as a super-bazaar, disciples had transported massive amounts of earth and stone here over thousands of years.

Through persistent accumulation, they filled shallow waters to create seven medium-sized islands.

The smallest satellite island measured 100 kilometers long (200 li) and 30 kilometers wide (60 li).

The central island, built upon an original islet, expanded to an impressive 400 kilometers long (800 li) and 250 kilometers wide (500 li).

This island cluster permanently housed tens of thousands of cultivators.

At any time of day, looking skyward revealed streaks of colored light - cultivators teleporting to designated zones.

Of course, aerial formations restricted flying, requiring most to walk.

As Xiao Chen landed at the central island's port, several cultivators immediately surrounded him.

Nearby, a Foundation Building cultivator had already attracted attention.

"Fellow cultivator here for business? I know this place like the back of my hand. I'll guide you to the perfect shop!"

"Seeking local spirit delicacies? I can recommend the best restaurants in the bazaar!"

"Or perhaps interested in our new exotic companions? Several charming ladies just arrived. I can introduce you for a small service fee."

The Foundation Building cultivator had been walking briskly.

At the last offer, he hesitated briefly before selecting a flamboyantly dressed female cultivator to accompany him.

Others eyed Xiao Chen, but his golden core aura discouraged most from approaching recklessly.

Uncertain about his temperament, they feared encountering a capricious senior.

Previously, someone aggressively approached a golden core cultivator for business...

Only to get half-killed for "disrespect."

Since no death occurred, the bazaar merely provided a healing pill as resolution.

However, some had devised solutions.

A thin youth with sharp, clever eyes stood at the crowd's rear, energetically waving a sign reading "Guide" to attract Xiao Chen's attention.

This indeed proved effective.

"Come here!" Xiao Chen beckoned, "Know where to buy intelligence?"

If arriving fresh to Mercy Sea, he'd happily spend days exploring the bazaar, gathering street rumors.

But time was pressing - better to hire a local guide for a few spirit stones.

Impressed by the youth's cleverness, he made his choice.

"I know everything, Senior! This way please!" The youth eagerly led, introducing himself while walking, "I'm Guo Pan, but everyone calls me Stone."

"There are two main intelligence brokers - Cang Ming Pavilion and Spirit Intelligence Pavilion."

"Which would you prefer to visit?" (End of Chapter)

Chapter end