Chapter 353: Is This Still a Golden Core Cultivator?

Chapter 353: Is This Still a Golden Core Cultivator?

After sharing their tales of longing, Chu Ning asked, "By the way, what happened when you went to the Thousand Lakes and Islands thirty years ago? Didn't the Yin Demon Sect take over that place?"

"They did, but I guess they found the spiritual energy there to be lacking," replied Cen Ziqin. "And it was too vast to manage easily. They looted the place and then left."

"It's become even more chaotic since then," Chu Ning said. "The Thousand Islands Alliance is no more, and the major families have suffered heavy losses. Later, it was occupied and ruled by other Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the Cen family..." She paused for a moment.

"Has fallen into decline," Cen Ziqin continued. "When I returned, many of my relatives had already passed away. I managed to find the clan's formation techniques and provided some resources to the clan, but it won't be easy for the family to rise again."

Hearing this, Chu Ning asked, "So, are you planning to take the Yao Chi Palace disciples back to the Thousand Lakes and Islands to revive the Cen family?"

Cen Ziqin shook her head lightly. "No, I just want to find a place for the sect's disciples to settle. My master always wanted to protect Yao Chi Palace. I'll be content if I can help leave some legacy for the palace."

Chu Ning nodded slightly and then suggested, "Ziqin, if your fellow disciples stay here in the Eastern Sacred Continent, they will always be hunted by the Purple Moon Sect. If they find out you've gone to the Thousand Lakes and Islands, they will likely pursue you there as well. Actually, I have an idea."

Hearing this, Cen Ziqin looked at Chu Ning intently.

Chu Ning smiled and said, "Why don't you come with me to the Western Alliance Continent? If you're willing to join the Nineflower Sect, I'll speak to the sect on your behalf. If you don't want to join, I can see if there's a spiritual mountain nearby where we can establish a small sect. With your Senior Sister Cheng's late Golden Core cultivation, protecting a small sect is definitely achievable."

Hearing Chu Ning's proposal, Cen Ziqin's eyes lit up slightly.

She turned to face Chu Ning and smiled gracefully. "Are you trying to lure me to the Western Alliance Continent with your enthusiasm?"

Chu Ning laughed. "Hey, Cen Xianzi, your heart is as clear as a mirror, you've seen right through me."

Cen Ziqin smiled back, then turned serious. "Of course, I have no objections, but I still need to discuss this with Senior Sister Cheng. Establishing a new sect is no easy task. Joining the Nineflower Sect with you might not be a bad idea."

Chu Ning stood up immediately and said, "Then let's go talk to your Senior Sister Cheng now that you're on board."

With Cen Ziqin's agreement, Chu Ning casually lifted the restrictive barrier.

Bai Ling smiled slightly seeing the two of them holding hands as they emerged.

Cen Ziqin's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly let go of Chu Ning's hand.

Chu Ning gave Bai Ling a slight glare.

Bai Ling stuck out her tongue playfully.

Cen Ziqin couldn't help but smile at the exchange.

Then, she and Chu Ning made their way to the front of the bone boat to find Cheng Qinghui.

"The Western Alliance Continent? The Nineflower Sect?" Cheng Qinghui was astonished to learn that Chu Ning was an elder of a sect from another continent.

She didn't immediately agree but instead asked Chu Ning for more details.

Chu Ning didn't hide anything and shared what he knew about the Western Alliance Continent, the Cloudsoar Alliance, and the Nineflower Sect. "The leader of the Cloudsoar Alliance is a late Nascent Soul cultivator, and the Nineflower Sect has one Nascent Soul cultivator and ten Golden Core cultivators."

Hearing about the Nineflower Sect's strength, Cheng Qinghui and the others were surprised.

It was far superior to the Yao Chi Palace, which had only had six Golden Core cultivators when they had a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Chu Ning quickly added, "But that was over fifty years ago, almost sixty. I've been away traveling for the last few decades and haven't returned, so I don't know if there have been any changes."

Cheng Qinghui nodded slightly and then fell into thought. "Fellow Daoist Chu, it's only reasonable for me to agree immediately since you're so enthusiastic and have a close relationship with Sister Cen. But once we go to the Western Alliance Continent, it's uncertain when we'll be able to return to the Eastern Sacred Continent. This matter is of great significance, so I need some time to think about it. Moreover, I also have to discuss it with the other cultivators in the palace. After this, I was planning to tell them that they are free to leave and find their own paths if they wish."

"Of course," Chu Ning smiled. "Actually, it's not a simple matter to make the journey. I still need to see if the teleportation formation can be repaired and if the Nineflower Sect's teleportation formation is still intact."

After attaining Foundation Establishment in the Nineflower Sect, Chu Ning had taken the opportunity to inspect the teleportation formation he had used to arrive. At the time, the Nineflower Mountain's teleportation formation was intact, but since the one in the Thousand Lakes and Islands was broken, Chu Ning had been unable to complete the teleportation.

Chu Ning took control of the bone boat, and Cheng Qinghui went with Cen Ziqin and Ge Yu to discuss the matter with the thirty-plus female Foundation Establishment cultivators at the back of the boat.

After a while, only Cen Ziqin returned.

Chu Ning smiled and asked, "So, have you come to a decision?"

Cen Ziqin shook her head. "I just told them about your situation. They haven't decided yet."

Chu Ning turned his head to look at Cen Ziqin. "If, I mean, if your Senior Sister Cheng and the others don't want to go, will you still come with me to the Nineflower Sect?"

"Won't you ask for my opinion?" Cen Ziqin's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.

Chu Ning laughed. "I'm already kidnapping you, what else is there to ask?

"That's perfectly fine," Chu Ning replied with a smile.

"To be honest, I'll also need to return to my sect and report this matter to the sect leader after we arrive," Cheng Qinghui said.

Cheng Qinghui cupped her hands toward Chu Ning. "In that case, we'll have to trouble you, Fellow Daoist Chu."

The two exchanged a few polite words, and then Chu Ning and Cheng Qinghui took turns piloting the bone boat.

They flew northward for a while, covering a distance of several thousand li away from the area controlled by the four sects surrounding Wangshan City.

Then, they changed course and flew westward.

After flying for another two thousand li, Chu Ning, who was piloting the bone boat, suddenly sensed something. His expression turned solemn, and he brought the bone boat to a halt.

"Chu Ning, what is it?" Cen Ziqin, who was standing right beside him, immediately noticed and asked with concern.

Cheng Qinghui and Ge Yu also emerged from their meditative states.

Chu Ning's face was grave as he looked toward the left. "We've been discovered. There's a cultivator flying toward us. If I'm not mistaken, he might even be a Nascent Soul cultivator."

"A Nascent Soul cultivator?" Hearing this, everyone's faces changed color.

Cheng Qinghui followed Chu Ning's gaze and said worriedly, "Could it be that the cultivators from the Purple Moon Sect are chasing after us? But if they are, why are they coming from that direction?"

Chu Ning shook his head and said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Cheng, if a Nascent Soul cultivator shows up in a moment, I'll hold him off. You drive the bone boat and take everyone away first."

"Chu Ning, that's a Nascent Soul cultivator!" Cen Ziqin exclaimed anxiously upon hearing this.

Chu Ning smiled at her and said, "Don't worry. This isn't my first time seeing a Nascent Soul cultivator. It might be a bit difficult to defeat him, but if I just want to escape, he won't be able to do anything to me."

His spiritual sense could detect the presence of the Nascent Soul cultivator, but the cultivator's aura wasn't particularly strong. Chu Ning felt that the person was probably only at the early Nascent Soul stage. Their spiritual sense might not even be better than his.

Facing a cultivator of this level, Chu Ning was indeed quite confident in his ability to escape unscathed.

Seeing that Cen Ziqin still wanted to say something, Chu Ning reassured her once more. However, this time, he transmitted his voice into her mind: "Don't worry. Didn't I tell you that in the Northern Cold, I escaped from the hands of a tenth-grade demon beast? If we really do have to separate, we can meet up later at the Thousand Lakes and Islands. For now, let's keep flying forward. Maybe I'm just overthinking things."

After he finished speaking, Chu Ning piloted the bone boat to continue flying forward.

However, after flying less than fifty li, he let out a soft sigh.

As he was flying forward, the Nascent Soul cultivator had changed his flight path as well.

It seemed that the cultivator was indeed heading straight for them without a doubt.

Chu Ning wondered what the cultivator's intentions were.

For now, Chu Ning simply pretended he didn't know and continued piloting the bone boat forward.

Soon, a streak of light approached from the side and behind them.

Along with it came an arrogant voice. "Which fellow from the Purple Moon Sect is in front? Why are you running so fast when you see me?"

"Hmm?" Chu Ning's heart stirred at these words, and he stopped the bone boat.

He rose into the air from the bone boat and looked toward the newcomer.

The person who had arrived was a burly, bald man with a red face and red eyes that shone with a fierce light. He was clad in a black robe.

Seeing this face, Chu Ning was slightly taken aback.

This man resembled a cultivator he had met before, except that person had been a late-stage Golden Core cultivator at the time.

He never expected that the cultivator would have broken through to the Nascent Soul stage.

As the bald man recognized Chu Ning and the others, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Oh? You're not from the Purple Moon Sect?"

Chu Ning cupped his hands toward the man. "Senior, are you looking for someone from the Purple Moon Sect? I'm afraid you've mistaken us for them."

The bald man's gaze swept over Chu Ning and then the female cultivators on the bone boat.

"Although you're not from the Purple Moon Sect, I won't mistake this bone boat. This should be Old Man Jiang Jiu's possession. How did it end up in your hands?"

Chu Ning met the man's gaze, his expression neither humble nor arrogant. "Oh, you mean this bone boat? It was given to me by an elder."

Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed the bald man's face. "An elder? So, Old Man Jiang Jiu has fallen to one of your fellow daoists?"

Chu Ning couldn't quite understand the man's intentions and didn't answer immediately.

"Good death! Haha!" The bald man laughed wildly. "Old Man Jiang Jiu wanted to fight me after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, but now he's dead and gone. Haha!"

After a bout of wild laughter, the bald man's eyes turned fierce as he looked at Chu Ning. "You dared to make a move against Jiang Jiu. From your appearance, you're probably orthodox cultivators as well. Jiang Jiu deserved to die, but you orthodox cultivators are equally guilty!"

Hearing this, Chu Ning's face sank slightly, and he said, "You all go first!"

"Go? Do you think you can escape?"

Accompanied by a cold laugh, the bald man waved his hand, and a crimson light, accompanied by a nauseating bloody aura, slashed toward the bone boat.

Chu Ning was behind the bone boat at this moment, so he naturally couldn't dodge. He casually reached into his storage bag and took out a tortoise shell, using it to block the attack.

Seeing Chu Ning, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, using a mere tortoise shell that wasn't even a magic treasure to block the attack, the bald man sneered.

"Hmm, what is that thing?"

The bald man's face contorted in surprise.

Cen Ziqin also wore a look of astonishment, only now realizing why Chu Ning had given her the tortoise shell back in the Chaotic Beast Mountain.

This object could actually withstand an attack from a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Despite her surprise, Cen Ziqin didn't hesitate for a moment. She turned to Cheng Qinghui, who had taken control of the bone boat, and said, "Senior Sister, quick, let's go!"

Cheng Qinghui didn't hesitate either. She immediately piloted the bone boat and fled the scene.

Cen Ziqin turned her head, her eyes filled with worry as she watched their pursuer.

Just then, the bald man shouted, "Where do you think you're going?"

In the next instant, his figure flashed as he gave chase.

But at that moment, Chu Ning raised his hand, and five icy blue sword auras flashed, blocking the bald man's path.

Even though the bald man was a Nascent Soul cultivator in the early stage, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive when he sensed the power emanating from the icy blue sword auras. He paused momentarily.

Then, he waved his hand, sending forth several bloody auras.

The icy blue sword auras clashed with the bloody auras, causing them to dissipate.

Subsequently, both parties wore grave expressions.

At this moment, the bald man paid no heed to the bone boat that had already flown into the distance. He stared at Chu Ning, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"How can you, a late Golden Core cultivator, unleash such powerful spells?"

After merging the Ice Shadow Sword Talismans with the talisman ring, Chu Ning could activate them instantly, much like casting spells directly.

This naturally astonished the bald man.

Chu Ning's expression also turned solemn.

This was his first real confrontation with a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Although he had killed Nascent Soul cultivators before, it was under the suppression of his origin power, and his opponents couldn't utilize their magical powers or spiritual sense.

As for Qiu Qijun, he had lost his physical body and only his Nascent Soul remained.

"Nascent Soul cultivators are indeed Nascent Soul cultivators. Only those who have recently broken through to the Nascent Soul stage in the past few decades can easily withstand the sword aura of the Ice Shadow Sword Talismans without relying on magical treasures."

This bald man was one of the Yin Demon Sect cultivators who had come to rob the Green Wood Sect of the Wood Spirit Seed back when Chu Ning was still at Qingxi Sect.

Chu Ning had caught a glimpse of him outside the Wood Spirit Seed spirit domain, but he had been trapped by the ghost mist and hadn't witnessed this man attacking the sect.

However, he later learned from Qiu Shunyong, who had entered the sect with him, that this man was the leader of the Yin Demon Sect group.

Back then, neither Chu Ning nor Qiu Shunyong could discern this man's cultivation level, but he was likely already at the late Golden Core stage.

He had also been possessed by the Yin Demon Old Freak using the Demon Subduing Body Attachment Secret Art.

It was unclear when this man had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage.

At this moment, in response to the bald man's question, Chu Ning didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his storage bag and took out a primitive-looking small seal.

The Yellow Courtyard Seal! This seal was probably the life-saving item that the Illusion Spirit Sect Leader had given to his beloved son.

Ever since obtaining it, Chu Ning had been afraid that the Illusion Spirit Sect would find out, so he had never used it.

But now that he was in the Eastern Sacred Continent, he naturally didn't have to worry about that anymore.

After all, his opponent was a bona fide Nascent Soul cultivator, and Chu Ning wasn't planning on holding anything back.

When the bald man saw the primitive-looking small seal in Chu Ning's hand, a hint of surprise flashed across his face.

The next moment, he exclaimed in uncertainty, "An ancient treasure?"

As he spoke, a greedy glint appeared in the bald man's murderous eyes.

Ancient treasures were rare in the Eastern Sacred Continent; even the Yin Demon Old Freak didn't possess one.

And now, he had come across one.

"If I kill this kid, this ancient treasure will be mine!"

As this thought flashed through his mind, the bald man's eyes, filled with killing intent, fixed on Chu Ning, who was clearly in the process of activating the treasure's power.

Simultaneously, his body transformed into a blood-red light, rushing straight toward Chu Ning.

At the same time, a claw-shaped magical treasure appeared in each of his hands.

He swung his hands, and two blood-red claw shadows streaked toward Chu Ning.

However, as the claw shadows passed, only a faint white shadow dissipated.

Chu Ning had already donned the white robe and used the Phantom Escape technique on the bone boat, easily dodging the attack.

The bald man lunged at thin air, his face twisting in anger.

"Is this still a Golden Core cultivator? He can casually unleash spells comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator's.

He carries an ancient treasure, and his escape technique is no less impressive than mine.

If not for the fact that his current aura is unmistakably that of a Golden Core cultivator, I would suspect him of being a Nascent Soul cultivator!"

With these thoughts racing through his mind, the bald man lunged at Chu Ning once more.

And once more, he lunged at empty space.

After three such attempts, the bald man's expression turned uglier by the second.

He reached into his storage bag and took out a blood-red pill, which he swallowed.

"I never thought I'd have to use a top-grade Blood Demon Pill to deal with a Golden Core cultivator, but it'll be worth it if I can get that ancient treasure!"

The bald man's body was now shrouded in blood mist, his aura surging as he continued his assault on Chu Ning.

But just then, a powerful might suddenly erupted.

The bald man's face changed slightly as he looked up.

Before Chu Ning, the primitive seal had transformed into a three-zhang-tall giant.

It emanated a yellow glow, and the might it exuded caused even the bald man's heart to tremble!

At this moment, Chu Ning had finished channeling his spiritual power into the Yellow Courtyard Seal.

He stopped infusing spiritual power and uttered an incomprehensible incantation.

Then, he pointed a finger.

The Yellow Courtyard Seal shot toward the bald man!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end