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Chapter 288: Mermaids, A New Cultivation Direction?
Chapter 288: Mermaids, A New Cultivation Direction?
High in the sky, tens of thousands of feet above the ground.
The Wind Falcon flapped its broad, pale green wings, maintaining its stance amidst the howling gale.
Lu Chen stood on its back, gazing down at the scenery below.
Countless islands dotted the vast ocean, varying in size, their surfaces shimmering under the golden sunlight, creating a majestic vista.
"We've finally arrived at Kongming Island," Lu Chen murmured to himself as he gazed at a large island in the forefront of the archipelago below.
After leaving Linyang Fang City, he had not detoured to any other places and, following the route designated by his sect, he had reached the vicinity of Kongming Island within two days.
He recalled the Wind Falcon and slowly descended onto the island.
Kongming Island stretched for hundreds of miles, its terrain mostly comprised of rugged and bizarre-looking rocks. Only in the central region of the island was there a sizable settlement of cultivators and mortals.
Lu Chen strolled along the cobblestone streets.
Occasionally, sea breezes blew by, bringing with them a cool and slightly briny scent.
The streets were bustling with cultivators, mostly at the lower ranks of the Qi Refining stage, with only a handful at the middle stages and none at the higher levels.
The cultivators on the island stood in stark contrast to those in Linyang Fang City; their attire was rugged and wild, and their exposed skin was tanned to a dark shine.
Along the streets were numerous stalls, each displaying unique and intriguing goods.
"Friend, come and have a look! I have a large quantity of Silver Silk Algae, freshly harvested from the nearby seas. Only three spirit stones per pound!" a tanned young man called out enthusiastically as he noticed Lu Chen eyeing the items on his stall.
On his stall lay a huge pile of silvery seaweed, still moist and glistening, resembling a drenched mass of silver hair.
"What is this Silver Silk Algae used for?" Lu Chen asked curiously as he picked up a handful.
"After drying and grinding it, it can be used as an ingredient in the refinement of many pills," the young man explained.
"I see," Lu Chen replied politely, declining the offer as he continued his leisurely stroll down the street.
Not only were there spiritual herbs, but the stalls also displayed a variety of demonic beast materials, magical artifacts, and talismans, each with their own distinct characteristics.
Many of the demonic beast materials were clearly sourced from the ocean, with a diverse array of sea creatures, turtles, and beasts, all imbued with rich aqueous spiritual energy.
The artifacts and talismans on display also bore a close relationship with the sea, and Lu Chen noticed a considerable number of water-controlling artifacts and talismans.
"Hmm?"
As Lu Chen wandered, his footsteps suddenly halted, drawn to a particular stall.
On this stall were two captive sea beasts, both looking emaciated and on the brink of death.
The sea beasts had peculiar forms; their lower halves resembled fish, covered in dense, dark green scales, and sporting a pair of short webbed feet.
What caught Lu Chen's attention was the upper half of these sea beasts, which bore a striking resemblance to humans.
Their irises shone with a viridescent hue, their noses were flat, and sharp teeth protruded from between their lips. Drool of a pale green color dripped from their mouths, emitting a putrid stench.
Despite their ferocious appearance, their features distinctly resembled those of humans.
"May I ask, friend, what are these sea beasts?" Lu Chen inquired of the stall owner, a burly man with a long, centipede-like scar running down his face, giving him a sinister appearance.
"These, my friend, are mermaids," the burly man replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as he discreetly probed Lu Chen's aura, only to have his spiritual sense seem to sink into a vortex. Realizing he had met his match, he continued, "They dwell in the deep sea, and my companions and I went through great lengths to capture them. They can be tamed, or you can directly obtain various materials from their bodies."
The centipede-scar on his face twitched involuntarily as he offered a faint smile, knowing he had encountered someone beyond his means.
"Mermaids... Why do they resemble humans so closely?" Lu Chen asked, suppressing the urge to try feeding the mermaids.
"What offspring would result from the mating of different breeds and lineages of demonic beasts?"
He seemed to have discovered a new direction in cultivation. When cultivating spirit herbs, he could induce spirit veins and cause mutations by altering the herbs' growing environment.
And if he wanted to alter the bloodline of a spirit beast, it seemed that hybridization could be a viable option.
Lu Chen thought to himself, determined to experiment if the opportunity arose.
The chances of successful mating and producing offspring between spirit beasts of different bloodlines were almost zero, and the process was fraught with dangers. However, Lu Chen could monitor the detailed state of the spirit beasts and make adjustments as needed, greatly increasing the chances of success.
He continued strolling down the street for a while and reached the central region of Kongming Island.
"Inform your island master that someone from the Celestial Sword Sect has arrived." Lu Chen said to a guard cultivator standing in front of a majestic building.
"The Celestial Sword Sect? Yes, yes! I'll go right away!" The guard cultivator was initially startled but quickly reacted, scrambling into the building on his hands and knees.
Soon, the sound of chaos erupted from within the building, and immediately, a large group of cultivators rushed out.
"We apologize for our lack of hospitality, please forgive us, esteemed senior!" The leader of the group was a refined cultivator with a pale complexion, possessing the cultivation level of the higher stages of Qi Refining. Upon seeing Lu Chen and sensing his Foundation Establishment spiritual power fluctuations, he immediately believed him to be a senior and bowed deeply in greeting.
Over a dozen people behind the leader also bowed respectfully.
"Are you Kongming Island's island master, Song Yu?" Lu Chen had gathered some information about Kongming Island before his arrival and knew that it was managed by a minor family with the surname Song, and the island master was named Song Yu.
"Indeed, it is I. May I ask how I should address you, senior?" Song Yu glanced at the unique identity plaque that Lu Chen had taken out, which was exclusive to inner disciples of the Celestial Sword Sect, and asked respectfully.
"Lu Chen. However, I've heard that your Song family has some connection to the Celestial Sword Sect. You may call me Uncle Lu, no need to stand on ceremony." Lu Chen replied.
"Yes, Uncle Lu, please come in." The refined cultivator ushered Lu Chen into the majestic building.
There were many minor families like the Song family, most of which were established by exposed disciples of the Celestial Sword Sect.
Many outer disciples who had lost hope of breaking through and repeatedly failed to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage became disheartened and left the sect. They ventured out and started their own families.
As a result, these families maintained close ties with the sect, relying on its protection while providing various cultivation resources, such as pills and artifacts.
When Lu Chen was still at the Qi Refining stage, he had once helped resolve a pest problem for one of these minor families.
The Song family was similar, but their influence was much greater.
"How has the island fared during the handover period? Have there been any major incidents involving the Kongming Spirit Fish?" Lu Chen asked as he walked at the forefront, addressing Song Yu, who was trailing slightly behind him.
"Everything has been normal. The previous master made thorough arrangements before leaving, and although there hasn't been a Foundation Establishment senior overseeing the island during this time, it has remained stable." Song Yu replied, bowing his head respectfully.
"There were two waves of small sea beast poaching attempts near the area where the Kongming Spirit Fish are kept, but we managed to drive them away without any losses." Song Yu continued, his head still lowered.
(End of Chapter)
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