Chapter 527: My Azure Sunfire

Chapter 527: My Azure Sunfire

Within the Aura Sea, the True Flame blazed fiercely.

The azure vermilion glow seemed to fill the entire Aura Sea.

In this vibrant state, it was as if life force was thriving, and all things were flourishing.

The Golden Core and the Fire-attributed Moonbreaker Wings, in such a vibrant environment, thrived like fish in water.

The Moonbreaker Wings transformed into flowing moons, constantly flying and spinning.

The crimson Golden Core automatically spun faster and faster, greedily absorbing the vast life force contained within the Prosperity and Withering True Flame.

The Prosperity and Withering True Flame seemed to have a will of its own, reluctant to share the abundant life force from the refinement of over ten thousand sea snakes with the Golden Core and Moonbreaker Wings.

However, being in the midst of it, some of the life force was inevitably divided.

Of course, most of it was still retained by the Prosperity and Withering True Flame itself.

Vaguely, it seemed to be undergoing a transformation in a certain direction.

Luo Chen closed his eyes and sensed the changes within the Aura Sea, instantly capturing the unwillingness of the Prosperity and Withering True Flame.

"This is... sentience?"

Surprise flashed across Luo Chen's face.

The world had peculiar fires, often originating from dangerous places. Once formed, they could exist independently of their source.

Thus, the world's peculiar fires were often referred to as Unoriginated Flames.

When cultivators refine them as True Flames, the Unoriginated Flames find a place to reside and regain their source, becoming Essence True Flames.

However, the countless Unoriginated Flames, akin to the stars, were not all powerful and unique.

They were merely like plants and stones that gained sentience, a different kind of cultivator.

Initially, they would have no spiritual intelligence, acting purely on instinct.

Moreover, these beings, unlike beasts that evolved into demon beasts, would not gain spiritual intelligence or actively transform at lower cultivation levels.

According to rumors, Unoriginated Flames needed to reach at least the fifth-tier to develop a hint of sentience.

Luo Chen's Prosperity and Withering Flame was obtained from the Flame Alliance.

Initially, it was only at the third tier.

The Flame Alliance used the refined Incense Soul Seizing Array to nurture it, occasionally throwing in various woods and demon beast blood, eventually raising its grade to the fourth tier.

This was essentially the limit of the Prosperity and Withering Flame.

Its potential was only so much.

But later, after Luo Chen refined it, he discovered that it had unknowingly developed the habit of seizing souls.

Therefore, after thoroughly refining living beings, it could actively plunder the life force within them.

Most of this life force was absorbed by the Prosperity and Withering Flame itself, with a small portion benefiting Luo Chen's physical body, even extending his lifespan.

However, even so, the upper limit of the Prosperity and Withering Flame was still clearly visible.

At most, it could reach the fourth-tier limit, unable to break through the fifth tier.

But now, it seemed to have a hint of sentience, which was extraordinary!

Sentience was the hallmark of a fifth-tier Unoriginated Flame! In other words, the Prosperity and Withering Flame had the potential to advance to the fifth tier!

"Could it be that quantitative change leads to qualitative change?"

"Over ten thousand sea snakes are a lot, but can they really compare to a few third-tier demon beasts?"

"Could it be... the Heavenly Phoenix Rebirth Scripture!"

The more Luo Chen cultivated this scripture, known as the origin of fire cultivation, the more profound and mysterious it seemed.

Even though it was just the Core Essence Chapter, with no spells or secret techniques attached, the mere change of spirit root attributes and the divine mystery of using one attribute to conceal five was enough to provide endless benefits.

Now it seemed that this scripture had much more to explore.

Currently, his proficiency in the Heavenly Phoenix Rebirth Scripture was barely at the Skilled level. Who knows what changes might occur when he reached the Perfect, Master, or even Great Perfection levels!

After examining the Prosperity and Withering True Flame, Luo Chen checked his physical body.

Even though it was only a portion of the life force shared by the Prosperity and Withering Flame, after being absorbed by his body, a warm feeling flowed throughout.

Moreover, Luo Chen felt that his lifespan limit would further increase with his physical transformation.

And this increase might be substantial!

"Over ten thousand sea snakes, I wonder how many years of lifespan they can provide."

"If there's enough, does that mean I can rely on hunting and refining demon beasts to gain lifespan, thus achieving a different kind of immortality?"

When this thought emerged, Luo Chen couldn't help but feel excited for a moment.

After a long time, Luo Chen finally suppressed his excitement.

This kind of immortality was not the right path! It might be worth trying, but it must not be relied upon.

What he sought was not just immortality but eternal immortality!

Lifespan could bring immortality, but immortality required powerful means to protect one's cultivation path.

And powerful protective means relied on constantly transforming one's cultivation realm.

Therefore, cultivation remained the top priority, and one must not neglect it.

After a thorough investigation, Luo Chen sent out a sound transmission.

Soon, Cheng Haichang entered the cabin.

"Venerable, do you have any instructions?"

This time, Luo Chen did not use Mirror Flower Moonlight but simply chatted with Cheng Haichang.

"Earlier, I observed you standing firm amidst the sea snake horde. This demon-hunting ship is extraordinary!"

Cheng Haichang nodded, "Your discernment is exceptional. This demon-hunting ship is indeed remarkable. It was bought with a hefty sum by my Cheng family. It can sail the open seas, hunting sea fish and demon beasts far from human settlements."

"A demon-hunting ship?"

Luo Chen raised his eyebrows, his gaze falling onto the ship beneath his feet.

With his knowledge, he could naturally discern the quality of this ship, which was on par with a Magical Treasure!

Such a massive vessel would undoubtedly be incredibly expensive.

As the other party explained, he also understood the origins of this ship.

It was a special Magical Treasure crafted by the Master of Ten Thousand Paths Confluence of the Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance, tailored to the conditions of the Northern Sea.

Capable of both land and sea travel, it was especially fast on the ocean.

The entire ship was crafted from the bones of deep-sea dragon whales, making it particularly compatible with the Water Principle.

Not only was it fast, but its carrying capacity was also quite impressive.

The various immortal cultivation families on the Northern Sea's islands, as long as they had some strength, would spend a fortune to purchase one, using it for operations at sea to supplement their finances.

"That white banner, is it the Soul Seizing Banner, right?"

Luo Chen suddenly mentioned the Magical Artifact that Cheng Haichang had used before.

Cheng Haichang lowered his head and said nervously, "It is indeed the Soul Seizing Banner from the Soul Seizing lineage of the Demon Sect. However, I did not actively violate the prohibition by absorbing the souls of cultivators. Usually, I only absorb the souls of demon beasts as a supplement."

"Oh?"

Luo Chen raised his eyebrows. He had seen earlier that the other party had absorbed the residual souls of the fallen warriors on the demon-hunting ship.

Wasn't this considered a violation of the prohibition?

Afterwards, he learned from the other party's explanation that the so-called Demon Sect prohibition was essentially a formality.

The Soul Seizing Banner could be used.

However, the souls within it were preferably those of countless demon beasts in the vast ocean, used as materials.

The souls of human cultivators should not be forcefully seized.

If someone had ill intentions and hunted down cultivators to refine the Soul Seizing Banner, they would be wanted and pursued by the Demon Sect.

However, it was evident that with the Demon Sect's destruction, this so-called Demon Sect prohibition had essentially become a dead letter.

Someone like Cheng Haichang was walking a fine line, using the souls of his fallen clansmen to supplement the Soul Seizing Banner.

"What about that array?"

"Are you referring to the array on the demon-hunting ship? That's the Sea Soul Formation, an array formed by drawing upon the power of the ocean and the countless souls of sea demons. It becomes stronger with each battle and is basically a standard array for all large demon-hunting ships."

"Interesting, do you have the related array diagram?"

"Er, I don't have that. This is a method that the Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance specifically researched by combining the techniques of the Soul Seizing lineage of the Demon Sect. How could a small family like ours have the opportunity to obtain the original array diagram?"

"The Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance? What's its relationship with the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect in Zhongzhou Sacred Land?"

"As you've astutely observed, the Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance is an enterprise of the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, responsible for collecting resources in the Northern Sea and selling them to the other four continents, while also directing resources from the other four continents to the Northern Sea."

Luo Chen nodded. It was a business, buying and selling, nothing more.

"The Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance is very powerful, with Nascent Soul True Men stationed there year-round. They also nurture countless masters in various fields, excelling in pills, arrays, artifacts, and talismans. It's rumored that they can even refine Demonic Artifacts."

"I noticed your interest in that Soulbound Artifact earlier. In fact, that's also one of the Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance's creations."

"This type of Magical Treasure isn't driven by spiritual energy but by the internal energy of martial artists."

"This way, the countless mortals in the Northern Sea have a place to showcase their skills. As long as they diligently practice martial arts, they can use Soulbound Artifacts to unleash strength comparable to the early or even mid-stage of Qi Refinement."

"For such a large demon-hunting ship, it's impossible to staff it entirely with cultivators. Usually, the major families will bring a large number of mortal martial artists on board to help with fishing, hunting demons, and even combat."

The more Luo Chen listened, the brighter his eyes became.

In the Eastern Wilderness, mortals were insignificant, but he never expected them to have such a status in the Northern Sea's cultivation world!

For a mortal to display the strength of the mid-stage of Qi Refinement was indeed quite unbelievable.

He obtained three Soulbound Artifacts from Cheng Haichang and then dismissed him.

Afterwards, Luo Chen began studying these artifacts.

...

The massive demon-hunting ship sailed forward with its sails high, riding the wind and breaking through the waves.

The destination was getting closer and closer.

Two days later, Luo Chen put down the sword and trident in his hands.

His face showed a thoughtful expression.

"How strange and wonderful!"

"Within these small Soulbound Artifacts lies the secret of transforming Qi and blood essence. Isn't this the same as the early Qi Refinement cultivators' refinement of essence into Qi?"

"It's just that the Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance has replaced it with arrays and spirit stones."

"Unfortunately, the Qi and spirit transformation arrays on it have privacy measures in place, making it impossible to forcibly open and study them."

"If such exquisite methods were popularized throughout the entire Mountain and Sea Realm, the strength of the human race would undergo a tremendous change. After all, the reproduction rate of mortals far surpasses that of cultivators. If an early-stage Great Master like Wang Yuan from the past were to drive the best Soulbound Artifacts, they might even threaten those at the late-stage of Qi Refinement."

"But why did the Heavenly Origin Dao Sect only distribute this method to the Northern Sea?"

Putting away the three Soulbound Artifacts, Luo Chen sighed.

He now understood the phenomenon but not the underlying principles, and he was indeed a bit curious.

However, it was evident that the grand Heavenly Origin Dao Sect would not explain to a mere Golden Core cultivator like him.

Moreover, time was running out.

They had arrived at their destination!

As the ship's anchor was thrown down, the massive demon-hunting ship slightly swayed and came to a stop beside a huge pier.

Luo Chen stepped out of the cabin, looking at the bustling, vibrant pier filled with people coming and going, and a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Ships, so many!

People, even more!

For a family like the Chengs, there were seven or eight large-scale demon-hunting ships docked here, and over a dozen smaller ones.

According to Cheng Haichang's previous introduction, those small demon-hunting ships could only operate within the nearshore waters.

Only these large demon-hunting ships dared to venture beyond the ten-thousand-mile range.

And those people!

Aside from the Qi Condensation cultivators maintaining order, ninety-nine percent of them were ordinary mortals!

These mortals moved with a vigorous and energetic aura. Their bare arms and legs were muscular, and beneath their robust physiques, there was a strong presence of vital energy.

Judging by the standards of Wang Yuan from back then, these mortals working at the dock were at least second-rate, if not first-rate, martial artists! Some of them had even touched the threshold of the Innate Master realm!

What caught Luo Chen's attention the most was that these mortal martial artists didn't have the dull and lifeless expressions one might expect in a world ruled by the Demon Sect. Instead, they exuded enthusiasm and seemed filled with hope for life.

This feeling was completely contrary to the so-called world under the Demon Sect's rule; it was more like a world of flourishing fortune and harmonious governance under a righteous path.

Just as Luo Chen was observing, the other people on the dock also noticed the arrival of the Cheng family's demon-hunting ship.

Seeing the sparse group of people on the ship and the thick aura of blood and violence emanating from it, everyone understood what had happened.

The Cheng family's deep-sea hunting expedition had met with disaster!

Discussions and sympathetic glances flooded towards the Cheng family.

Cheng Haichang's face turned grim as he walked up to Luo Chen.

"Venerable, Black Swan Island is located in the northwest corner of the Flying Swallow Archipelago, and it's still some distance away. From here on, we'll have to make our way there on our own."

"Mhm." Luo Chen nodded.

"Venerable, please wait a moment while I make some arrangements."

"Go ahead."

Luo Chen continued observing the bustling scene at the dock, his Concealment Array fully activated, revealing only the spiritual energy fluctuations of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But his divine sense silently and stealthily spread out.

"There are two Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed at the dock."

"The nearest island should be the Jiaolong Gang that Cheng Haichang mentioned earlier, specializing in dock businesses. I didn't expect there to be a late-stage Foundation Establishment grand cultivator within the Jiaolong Gang!"

Luo Chen slowly retracted his divine sense and gazed towards the central area of the Flying Swallow Archipelago.

It was said that there was a solitary cultivator with a Golden Core there! Taking advantage of the chaos following the Demon Sect's destruction, he personally eliminated the most powerful Foundation Establishment family in the archipelago and seized their inherited third-tier spirit vein.

Using this land as his cultivation center, he ordered those below him to pay tribute.

Thirty years ago, this person voluntarily joined the Sea Ocean Righteous Alliance, becoming a nominal member of the Sea Ocean Alliance and, in return, received the Linked Island Formation technique from the Sea Ocean Alliance without reservation.

With this, the Flying Swallow Archipelago became even more tightly knit! For the past thirty years, this person had lived a very comfortable life!

"The initiator of this, does he have no descendants?"

Luo Chen's lips curled slightly; he, too, was in need of a suitable third-tier spirit vein for cultivation.

If they could do it on the first day of the month, he could certainly do it on the fifteenth.

However, he wasn't in a rush at the moment; he needed to first probe the depths of that person's strength.

"Venerable, I've made the arrangements. This way, please."

"Mhm."

Luo Chen followed Cheng Haichang and flew towards the northwest.

Their speed was swift, and in less than half a day, they arrived at a relatively remote corner.

Standing in the sky, Luo Chen surveyed the area below.

Black Swan Island was long and narrow, shaped like a crescent moon, with a large beach in the middle.

On one end, there was a five-hundred-zhang-high mountain, not too tall but extremely steep, with cliffs and precipices guarding against threats from the sea.

On the island, there were several small lakes as adornments.

And in those lakes and on the beach, numerous black swans roamed.

He knew that this was the Cheng family's main industry—breeding first-tier spirit beasts, the black swans.

As his divine sense swept across, he also gained a general understanding of the overall strength of the Cheng family's cultivators.

There was one grand cultivator at the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment! None at the mid-stage.

At the initial stage, there were four.

Including Cheng Haichang and Cheng Ji, who was on the demon-hunting ship, there were six initial-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators in total.

"One late-stage and six initial-stage. Such strength is already remarkable among Foundation Establishment forces. It's no wonder the Cheng family can occupy a position in the Flying Swallow Archipelago, even ranking among the top five. There's indeed a reason for it."

While Luo Chen was observing the situation on Black Swan Island, Cheng Haichang had already hurriedly entered the family's stronghold.

The Cheng family's Foundation Establishment cultivators seemed to have been informed beforehand, and although some were curious, none disturbed Cheng Haichang.

Before long, Cheng Haichang arrived at a small lake that resembled a round mirror.

A young man in white stood there, appearing to have been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Cheng Haichang arrive alone, the young man in white frowned.

"Where's the Golden Core cultivator you mentioned in your sound transmission talisman?"

"Reporting to the family head, that Venerable is still waiting outside."

Cheng Dou was taken aback. "So polite? I thought you said he was a powerful demonic cultivator?"

"Family Head, be careful!"

Cheng Haichang's face changed slightly.

Cheng Dou waved his hand. "It's fine. I've already set up a soundproofing formation around this Small Mirror Lake."

Perhaps he can't resist the Nascent Soul Cultivator's divine sense, but he can still be alerted. As long as he eavesdrops, the formation will break. You see, the formation is still intact, which shows that the powerful individual is still adhering to etiquette."

These words dispelled Cheng Haichang's concerns.

He heaved a sigh of relief, "That senior does seem to have principles, but in reality, his style is not at all like that of the righteous path."

"How so?" The head of the family, Cheng Dou, showed a look of eager anticipation.

The previous sound transmission talisman had provided too little information.

He needed to know more about the mysterious powerful individual, so that he could make arrangements for the upcoming hospitality, or even consider reporting to the senior in the center of the Flying Swans Archipelago.

Next, Cheng Haichang recounted everything that had happened in the Trust Heaven Sea, leaving out no details, big or small.

"Flames resembling Azure Sunfire."

"Mind-Bewitching Technique."

"Extremely interested in information about the Demon Sect."

"According to what you said, this person is very likely a disciple of the Demon Sect who has been traveling abroad for many years. He hasn't returned to Beihai for so long that he doesn't even know about the Demon Sect's destruction."

"Of course, it's also possible that he's a powerful cultivator from the Five Continents who crossed the vast ocean to come and travel in our Beihai."

Cheng Dou combined the information and made an analysis.

Then, he asked about Luo Chen's habits, preferences, and personality in detail.

Cheng Haichang provided answers based on his own judgment, but there wasn't much information in this regard.

After a while, the hesitation in Cheng Dou's eyes disappeared, and he showed determination.

"According to what you said, this person acts with unparalleled dominance, but he also inquires about various intelligence, which shows that he's a ruthless character who plans carefully before taking action."

"Especially when he came to the Flying Swans Archipelago, instead of visiting the Southern Heaven Adept, he chose to come to us first, which further supports this idea."

"Regardless, we must treat him well!"

"Go and prepare the best spirit meal, and take out a jar of Washed Orange Wine that has been sealed for two hundred years."

Cheng Haichang was taken aback, "But that Washed Orange Wine is for when you, the head of the family, break through to the Golden Core stage. Even when the Southern Heaven Adept occupied the Flying Swans Archipelago, we didn't send a jar, we only sent a gourd."

Cheng Dou shook his head, "I won't need that much for my own Core Formation. You are all still at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, and it will be a long time before you reach Core Formation. Taking out a jar is not a big deal. The most important thing is to treat this person well."

"Why? He might just be a passing traveler, temporarily staying on our Black Swan Island."

Cheng Dou smiled slightly, "The way he inquired about the Flying Swans Archipelago doesn't seem like the attitude of a hurried traveler. Oh, tell Qi Mei to prepare and accompany me later."

Cheng Haichang's face changed slightly.

"Head of the family, Qi Mei has only just reached Foundation Establishment!"

"If I tell you to go, then go!" Cheng Dou's smile instantly faded, and he glared at Cheng Haichang.

Cheng Haichang clenched his fists, but after a moment, he also understood.

The head of the family must have some plan, and he is willing to spare no effort for it. How can the family hold him back?

Cheng Haichang took his leave and began making arrangements for the hospitality.

As for Cheng Dou, he straightened his clothes and personally went out to welcome the guest.

...

Outside the island, Luo Chen's expression changed slightly.

The conversation between Cheng Haichang and the head of the family, Cheng Dou, fell into his ears without missing a single word.

His divine sense was already incredibly powerful, and he had cultivated the Soundproofing Technique to the Great Perfection stage in his early years. In recent years, he had also mastered the seven fundamental obscuring taboos.

With these combined, an ordinary soundproofing formation couldn't block him at all.

Unbeknownst to anyone, he had eavesdropped on their conversation.

At this moment, a thoughtful look appeared in Luo Chen's eyes.

"No wonder Cheng Haichang showed such loyalty to the late Demon Sect when he saw me. He must have mistaken me for a remnant of the Demon Sect!"

"Azure Sunfire?"

In the palm of his hand, a flame appeared, and Luo Chen's lips curved upwards.

Indeed, this Prosperity and Withering True Flame was quite similar to Azure Sunfire.

In his early years, he had obtained a cultivation technique that recorded Azure Sunfire.

This kind of flame wasn't naturally born but was man-made.

It required a large amount of living beings' essence blood and was refined using demonic secret techniques, making it extremely harmful and evil.

In battle, it had a powerful corrupting ability against cultivators' magical treasures.

However, this man-made flame diminished with use and needed to be replenished after battles, unlike the Prosperity and Withering True Flame.

"Since it's like this, I'll just go with the flow!"

Luo Chen muttered to himself, and in his eyes, the image of Cheng Dou in a white robe with flowing sleeves appeared.

From a distance, Cheng Dou quickened his pace and jogged over.

"Senior, I apologize for not coming to greet you earlier. Please forgive me!"

"It's nothing. I don't mind such details," Luo Chen said with a slight smile. His black martial robe made him appear even taller, a head taller than Cheng Dou.

His gaze swept behind, and there were no other Cheng family cultivators.

It seemed that Cheng Dou had come alone to keep the news of his arrival within a certain range.

After Cheng Dou respectfully performed a greeting, he cautiously raised his head, "Junior dares to ask for the senior's esteemed name?"

Luo Chen's lips curved upwards, and he spoke in a clear voice, "This one is Azure Sun!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end