Chapter 526: The Demon Sect's Demise, Chaos Ensues
Chapter 526: The Demon Sect's Demise, Chaos Ensues
On the blood-soaked deck, everyone held their breath, afraid to make a sound.
Amidst Luo Chen's silence, the entire ship fell into an eerie calm.
Demon Sea Region!
Upon hearing these three words, Luo Chen immediately thought of the Northern Sea of the Five Continents in the Mountain and Sea World.
This was not without reason. The Northern Sea was also known as the Demon Sea!
The origin of this alias was due to the fact that the sacred ground controlling the Northern Sea was an indisputable demonic sect.
During his seclusion on Wave Calming Peak, Luo Chen had read numerous books.
Among them, cultivation manuals and secret manuals were the most abundant, aiding in his strength enhancement.
Next were records of figures from the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation Realm, as one couldn't stay cooped up in one place forever, especially after reaching the Golden Core stage. It would be courting disaster to attract unwanted attention from others when venturing out.
Aside from that, he also read many travelogues and cultural accounts of this world.
In these records, which documented the customs and cultures of various places, there was a systematic overview of the Mountain and Sea World.
Although there were few records of remote, dangerous, and forbidden places, the descriptions of the Five Continents were of utmost importance.
Especially the hegemonic powers ruling over the Five Continents: the Eastern Wilderness Abyss Sect, the Southern Border Life and Death Gate, the Western Desert Floating Temple, the Northern Sea Demon Sect, and the Central Continent's Heavenly Origin Dao Sect.
Among the Five Continents, the Central Continent had been completely dominated by the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, free from natural disasters, human calamities, and demonic beings. It was a genuine human cultivation sanctuary in the world! Rumors claimed that since ancient times, all those who ascended to immortality came from the Central Continent!
And so it was.
Every year, countless peerless geniuses from the other four continents would flock to the Central Continent, seeking the opportunity to ascend.
As for the other four continents?
The Eastern Wilderness had a million mountains in the Wild Frontier, constantly watched by the powerful Abyss Sect. Despite the ancient great war and the three thousand years of development, they only occupied thirty-six regions, and there were still countless heavenly treasures and supreme-grade spirit veins hidden deep within the Wild Frontier.
For this reason, the Abyss Sect, the hegemon of the Eastern Wilderness, was very supportive of the smaller sects under its wing.
Whenever a new Nascent Soul stage sect emerged, they would try to mediate conflicts between the new sect and the local established sects, urging them to cease fighting and redirect their conflicts outward, launching one campaign after another to open up the million mountains.
If one didn't consider the internal squabbles among the Eastern Wilderness cultivators, from a macro perspective, the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation Realm was united, presenting a unified front against external threats.
In comparison, the Southern Border was shrouded in mystery.
The Life and Death Gate was proficient in various poison arts.
While poison was an external object, it wasn't particularly surprising.
However, the Life and Death Gate combined poison with cultivation methods, giving rise to the Poison Cultivation Path.
These poisons were known as Spirit Poisons, and they were extremely mysterious, making them difficult to defend against in battle.
Even with utmost caution, cultivators could easily fall victim to these poisons.
Therefore, even powerful cultivators, unless they were natives of the Southern Border, were reluctant to venture there.
Consequently, among the Five Continents, the Southern Border had the least information available, and ordinary cultivators treated it with caution, adding to its air of mystery.
Outside cultivators couldn't help but warn others to minimize contact with the Southern Border cultivators.
The Western Desert, on the other hand, had its own story to tell.
The Floating Temple, as its name suggested, was a Buddhist sacred ground.
It was primarily inhabited by monks.
Unlike the usual Buddhist sects with their large numbers, the Floating Temple had a relatively small number of monks, maintaining a constant number of 108 high-ranking monks.
However, this didn't mean the Floating Temple was weak. The entire Western Desert was filled with Buddhist sects, and each of them had intricate connections with the Floating Temple.
It could be said that almost all the powerful Buddhist cultivators in the Mountain and Sea World were linked to the Floating Temple.
In the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation Realm, where Buddhism wasn't prevalent, there was also the Heaven's Peak Zen Sect. The late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Huiping, was rumored to have been one of the 108 monks of the Floating Temple.
Finally, there was the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm!
The Northern Sea was vast and boundless, with abundant resources that surpassed the rest of the Mountain and Sea World. Even the million mountains of the Eastern Wilderness, renowned for their abundant treasures, couldn't compare to the Northern Sea!
People only heard about the Northern Sea's resources being circulated to the other four continents; no one had ever heard of the Northern Sea actively seeking cultivation resources from the other continents.
When Luo Chen was younger, the main ingredient for refining the Many Marvel Pills, the Jade Yao Pillar, came from the Northern Sea.
Despite being separated by hundreds of millions of miles, it could still be transported to the Eastern Wilderness, showcasing the Northern Sea's abundant resources.
With such abundant resources came countless risks and crises.
The boundless sea was home to countless powerful demons and sea monsters.
Among them were beings capable of rivaling Venerable Transcenders.
Ordinary sects would struggle to suppress such a realm.
Fortunately, the sect stationed in the Northern Sea wasn't one that preached kindness and benevolence.
Instead, it was the Demon Sect, renowned as the foremost demonic sect in the world.
Within its ranks were countless demonic arts and evil techniques, and its disciples were all ruthless and cruel, with the higher-ups being even more domineering.
The entire sect adhered to the law of the jungle, where the strong preyed on the weak.
This wasn't just their external attitude; even internally, they frequently held terrifying 'Blood-colored Trials.'
Those who emerged from the Demon Sect were all demon lords and evil sovereigns.
As a result, the Northern Sea was filled with countless powerful demons and monsters, earning it a unique alias from the other four continents—the Demon Sea!
"I, Luo Chen, a virtuous and kind person, have ended up in such a perilous place?"
Despite his extensive mental preparation, Luo Chen still felt a sense of surrealism.
As he pondered, the black-faced big man and the others felt their spirits sinking.
They had only heard the names of the Flying Swans Archipelago and the Northern Sea, yet this Golden Core cultivator was acting so dramatically.
Recalling his previous display of power, where he had incinerated tens of thousands of sea snakes with a single move, especially that strange azure vermilion flame... a thought suddenly flashed through the black-faced big man's mind.
Could it be that he is a remnant of the Demon Sect?
In the end, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Venerable, although the Flying Swans Archipelago is governed by the Sea Ocean Alliance, it's only been thirty years. We here still hold allegiance to the Demon Sect!"
A sentence that began and ended abruptly.
Luo Chen's eyebrows furrowed, and he withdrew his thoughts, looking at the man coldly, "What's your name?"
Under that cold gaze, the black-faced big man's heart trembled.
Asking for a name...
"I...I..."
"Hmm?" Luo Chen stared at him, exuding a hint of danger, "I saved all of you, and you won't even tell me your name? Do you really think I'm that easy to get along with?"
Plop! The black-faced big man knelt on the ground and started kowtowing in fear.
"Please calm your anger, Venerable. My name is Cheng Haichang, a lowly name not worth mentioning. I didn't say it before because I was afraid it would dirty your ears, Venerable!"
Luo Chen shook his head, feeling a sense of absurdity in his heart.
In his opinion, Cheng Haichang was at least at the third level of Foundation Establishment, a formidable figure in Dahan Market who could even lead a small force in Tianlan Immortal City.
When encountering a Golden Core Cultivator, even if he didn't show arrogance or subservience, he shouldn't be this humble.
It was just a simple inquiry, why was he acting so servile?
Suddenly, Luo Chen seemed to understand something.
Perhaps, this was the atmosphere formed over hundreds of years in the Northern Sea Cult Realm under the rule of the Demon Sect.
Lower-ranked individuals absolutely obeyed those above them!
After all, the Demon Sect's experts were known for their volatile temperaments, often resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement.
It was said that even those with inferior temperaments didn't need to say a word; if they saw something they didn't like, they would forcefully take what they wanted due to the disparity in cultivation.
After all, the term 'Tribulation Cultivator' originated from the Northern Sea Cult Realm.
But if they were truly obedient, why didn't they directly introduce themselves earlier?
Luo Chen didn't pursue this question.
He only needed to gather enough information; he could analyze and judge the details himself. The deeper he inquired, the more likely he was to expose his identity as an outsider.
Unless he decided to kill everyone on the boat afterward.
But Luo Chen wasn't a true demon lord; how could he be so heartless?
"Cheng Haichang, right? Lift your head and look at me!"
Cheng Haichang stopped kowtowing, his forehead covered in red marks, indicating the intensity of his previous kowtowing that even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator's body, tempered by the Yi Jing Fa Mai, had sustained minor injuries.
He looked at Luo Chen with fear and trepidation, but instead of the coldness he expected, he saw a pair of kind and gentle eyes.
It felt like seeing the elder who had personally taught him his lessons years ago.
In front of him, he had no secrets, nor did he need any.
After all, that elder had treated him like a beloved grandson.
"Next, I'll ask, and you'll answer."
"Yes, Haichang will speak without reservation!"
Luo Chen's eyes narrowed, and he asked in a clear voice, "Where do you come from?"
"The Cheng Family of Black Swan Island, one of the thirty-six islands of the Flying Swans Archipelago, governed by the emerging Sea Ocean Alliance."
"Do you have a detailed map with you?"
"Yes."
"Give it to me!"
Cheng Haichang obediently took out a well-preserved map and respectfully handed it to Luo Chen.
As Luo Chen took the map, he felt its smooth surface, akin to fish skin.
Luo Chen unfolded the map, studying the densely packed terrain, then, with Cheng Haichang's guidance, focused on the lower right corner of the map.
There, an extremely tiny sea swallow seemed ready to spread its wings and fly high.
A tiny black dot marked the most remote part of the sea swallow's wing, indicating the location of the Cheng Family's ancestral land on Black Swan Island.
From this point, Luo Chen expanded his view, and when he looked back at the Flying Swans Archipelago, it seemed vast.
The map had many detailed locations marked, each larger than the Flying Swans Archipelago.
It was said that the Northern Sea was boundless and infinite.
This map, obtained from a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, confirmed this notion.
At least to Luo Chen, the million mountains of Donghuang, even if not yet conquered, would likely not compare to the vastness of the Northern Sea, even if they were thoroughly explored.
The map's edges were marked with numerous unknown seas.
As Luo Chen asked questions, he compared them with the map.
"How many Cultivators of various levels are there in the Cheng Family?"
"What is the overall cultivation level of the Flying Swans Archipelago? Are there any Golden Core Cultivators stationed there?"
"What kind of power is the Sea Ocean Alliance, and why have I never heard of them before?"
Cheng Haichang answered each question honestly and thoroughly.
When he mentioned the Sea Ocean Alliance, saying, "The Sea Ocean Alliance, the Northern Sea's Holy Land," Luo Chen's pupils constricted.
"What nonsense! Isn't the Northern Sea's Holy Land the Demon Sect?"
Cheng Haichang sincerely replied, "A hundred years ago, the Northern Sea was in chaos. The Demon Sect's headquarters, Northern Nightmara Sky, was besieged by countless sea demons. Several ancient demons at the Soul Transformation stage personally joined the battle, completely crushing the Demon Sect."
"Nonsense!" Luo Chen still couldn't believe it, "Northern Nightmara Sky is known as the most impregnable stronghold in the world, backed by the thousand-year-old Submergence Sea and protected by the Primordial Magnetic Aurora. How could it end up being besieged?"
"I don't know the details, but I know that battle turned the world upside down, with even Soul Transformation experts falling in the turmoil."
Luo Chen's heart trembled in disbelief.
Soul Transformation experts, falling? This was a huge joke.
Soul Transformation Cultivators could directly ascend and were considered reserves for immortality.
Could they really fall? He suppressed the shock in his heart and asked, "Then, what's the story behind the Sea Ocean Alliance?"
Cheng Haichang replied without hesitation, "The Sea Ocean Alliance was established by a powerful man named Li after the Northern Sea's chaos. It is said that he was from the Demon Sect but was upright and different from the demonic path. Unwilling to see the human race of the Northern Sea become prey for sea demons, he formed an alliance for self-defense. The Sea Ocean Alliance is also known as the Sea Ocean Righteous Alliance!"
"The Sea Ocean Alliance?"
"The Linked Island Formation?"
"Yes, that powerful being is different from the experts of the Demon Sect. He's extremely skilled in the art of formations. As long as you acknowledge yourself as a member of the Sea Ocean Alliance, he'll selflessly pass down a miraculous formation to connect the islands, blocking the sea demons from landing."
Luo Chen listened with a slight headache.
So much information instantly shattered his preconceived notions of the Northern Sea.
The new Northern Sea situation filled his mind with countless thoughts, and he didn't know where to begin.
He only knew that the previous ruler had fallen, and the already unstable order under the Demon Sect's rule had nearly collapsed.
Fortunately, a human powerhouse personally intervened, single-handedly saving the world and establishing a new order.
Although it still seemed precarious.
However, even the weakest order was still order, and Luo Chen was highly adaptable. With order, there were rules to follow, and once he adapted, he could thrive within it like a fish in water.
If it were truly a lawless place, he would have no choice but to find a remote location, endure solitary cultivation, and painstakingly grind his way to higher realms.
Conflict was not something Luo Chen desired!
Rubbing his forehead, Luo Chen momentarily closed his eyes.
Waving his hand, he walked towards the depths of the ship's cabin.
"Let's return. Take me to Black Swan Island."
On the deck, Cheng Haichang, who had been kneeling earlier, suddenly trembled as if waking from some kind of bewilderment.
He turned his head to look, and the other companions were still dazed and stunned.
At this moment, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"It's truly the act of a demon, using bewitching illusions to confuse people!"
In addition to his awe, he quickly used the Clear Mind Technique to awaken his companions who had been affected.
A moment later, the entire deck was filled with shocked expressions.
The eldest, Cheng Ji, went to control the demon-hunting ship for the return journey, but before leaving, he still couldn't help but transmit his thoughts through spiritual sense.
"Haichang, with such a demon, will there be big trouble if we bring him back to the family?"
"I don't know if there will be big trouble, but if we don't set sail now, we'll be the ones to die!" Cheng Haichang was feeling rather irritable. He waved his hand and said, "Moreover, my Black Swan Cheng family is just a small Foundation Establishment family. That Venerable shouldn't pay any attention to us."
Cheng Ji asked again, "He specifically asked for your name, and he's proficient in bewitching techniques. Do you think he might be skilled in the Demon Sect's Curse Killing Technique?"
In an instant, Cheng Haichang's face turned as white as snow.
He swallowed, "He probably won't, why would he need to use such a costly curse-killing technique when a wave of his hand would do?"
That made sense.
Cheng Ji nodded, looking at the deck strewn with corpses, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"I'll go start the ship. You guys clean up a bit!"
Although it was sad, he seemed rather nonchalant.
After he left, Cheng Haichang also fell silent.
Under the gaze of the other younger companions, he suddenly took out the white soul banner from his storage bag, his face turning stern.
"With so many souls, we can't waste them. At the very least, we should let these humans and demons die with some dignity."
As he spoke, the soul banner unfurled!
Streams of ghostly energy gushed out from it.
The bloody deck, which had been filled with carnage, instantly echoed with wails. One by one, the souls of sea snakes, ordinary people, and even the fragmented souls of Cheng family cultivators were absorbed into the white soul banner.
With the influx of these souls, the spiritual light on the white banner became even more intense.
Observing its grade, it had already reached the Supreme Grade, just one step away from the Magical Treasure grade.
...
In the cabin, Luo Chen silently watched the water mirror, witnessing Cheng Haichang's actions, including his previous simple spiritual sense transmission conversation with the elder, all under Luo Chen's powerful perception.
The previously fawning and spineless Foundation Establishment cultivator, without a moment's hesitation, turned his back on his own clan and captured his soul, storing it in that soul banner.
Such behavior truly exemplified the phrase "fickle and capricious."
"Is this the way of survival for Northern Sea cultivators?"
Luo Chen muttered to himself, understanding the general situation through a single incident. He gained a glimpse into the atmosphere of the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm.
He also understood why the other party had been so terrified when he asked for his name earlier, even risking angering him by not answering directly.
"The Curse Killing Technique?"
"It seems the Demon Sect does have a strange and mysterious technique called the Curse of the Seven Stars Spell."
"It's complex and costly to cultivate, and you need to know the enemy's real name. However, its power is also extraordinary. Even without seeing the person, from a distance of thousands of miles, it can decide life and death."
"In that case, if I want to travel in the Northern Sea, I'll have to carefully consider my name and background."
As he spoke to himself, Luo Chen didn't dismiss the water mirror technique.
Although his spiritual power had been completely transformed into fire-attributed power due to the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture, he could still use this low-level technique without issue.
The water mirror technique was a basic spell he had already cultivated to Great Perfection, and with Mirror Flower Moonlight rooted in his eyes, it was unaffected.
Especially here, deep in the ocean, where abundant water-attributed spiritual energy was present.
He only needed to slightly circulate his cultivation method, and before the transformation of attributes, he could easily maintain the water mirror technique for an extended period.
Some other low-level techniques, if practiced in a suitable environment and with high proficiency, could also be used in this manner.
However, Luo Chen still needed to find time to experiment and see how far he could push these techniques.
Otherwise, if he unconsciously tried to use his previously proficient techniques in future battles, but couldn't, it would be quite a predicament!
As his thoughts turned, the water mirror technique monitored every corner of the ship, and Luo Chen closed his eyes, his spiritual sense spreading throughout his body.
It was time to take stock of his gains!
Just now, on the vast ocean, he had burned and refined over ten thousand first-stage sea snakes with the Prosperity and Withering True Flame, absorbing vitality on a massive scale.
Although the quality wasn't high, the quantity was truly terrifying.
With just a slight perception, Luo Chen couldn't help but smile.
"This Northern Sea, known as the Demon Sea, might just be my land of opportunity!"
(End of Chapter)
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