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Chapter 533: The Azure Sun Alchemy Canon
Chapter 533: The Azure Sun Alchemy Canon
At the Sea Gazing Cliff.
The night was deep, and the sea breeze blew gently.
Amidst the crashing waves, a sense of unusual tranquility prevailed.
Luo Chen flipped his wrist, and the black banner instantly appeared, planted in the center of his Cave Mansion.
He extended his Divine Perception into it, and the battle within continued.
Hundreds of powerful Malevolent Souls surrounded Yan Nan Tian's remnant soul, constantly pulling and devouring it.
Especially the Golden Core Realm Demon King's remnant soul, as it devoured, the originally dim Divine Light within it began to recover.
Aside from that, there was nothing else.
Observing this scene, Luo Chen's expression turned contemplative.
"Cultivators may borrow external resources to accelerate their cultivation speed, but essentially, they still follow the path of refining essence and transforming it into Qi, and then transforming Qi into the Divine Soul, just like ancient Qi Condensation Cultivators."
"Foundation Establishment cultivators release their spiritual consciousness, and Golden Core cultivators transform their spirits into gods, but ultimately, the Divine Soul's essence remains unchanged."
"Without the physical body as a vessel for crossing the seas, a Golden Core cultivator's Divine Soul is like a naked child, vulnerable to the elements, not to mention the attacks of Malevolent Souls that have fallen into the Ghost Path."
"Perhaps only upon reaching the Nascent Soul Stage will there be some slight improvement, as the Divine Soul can control the Nascent Soul, forming a second vessel. But even then, it cannot be considered a qualitative change. The true transformation occurs at the Divine Transformation Realm, where the Nascent Soul and the Divine Soul merge into one, forming the Primordial Soul."
Luo Chen wasn't sure if his guess was correct.
However, based on ancient records, exchanges with fellow cultivators, and the current situation of Yan Nan Tian's remnant soul being unable to resist, he arrived at this speculation.
His thoughts wandered, and he wondered how he could preserve his own remnant soul if he were to suffer a similar fate.
The answer was none.
Or rather, there was only one option: to strengthen the foundation of his Divine Soul.
"Unfortunately, the Abyssal Pill no longer has any effect on me, and the soul-refining effect of the Dusty Essence Technique is minimal."
Luo Chen had assessed that after advancing to the third layer of the Golden Core, his current Divine Soul's strength still hadn't surpassed that of an ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivator.
It was roughly equivalent to a fifth-layer Golden Core cultivator, or even a slightly weaker sixth-layer cultivator.
He recalled the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture, a top-tier fire-attribute cultivation technique.
However, it didn't record any methods for refining the Divine Soul.
He felt that such a renowned technique, rumored to lead directly to the Great Vehicle Stage, shouldn't have this flaw.
"So, if such secret techniques exist, they should be found in the Nascent Soul or even the Divine Transformation chapters."
Luo Chen pursed his lips, dismissing these fantasies.
He had no intention of returning to Cangwu Mountain for higher-level cultivation techniques, so naturally, he had no chance of obtaining them.
After some thought, Luo Chen squeezed out a drop of essence blood and let it fall onto the Ten Thousand Souls Pennant.
His spiritual power surged, and his Divine Perception encircled it.
Luo Chen sat cross-legged and began the refining process.
This was a remarkable Magical Treasure, especially since it was a Soul Path Artifact not within the Five Elements system, allowing him to use it without any hindrance.
Moreover, its foundation was excellent!
Even though the tens of thousands of low-level souls within had been exhausted in the previous battle, the core of over a hundred Malevolent Souls, eight sub-souls, and the main soul were still preserved.
With some effort to replenish the low-level souls, this treasure would retain its power.
It even possessed excellent growth potential!
What was on the Ten Thousand Souls Pennant?
The Ten Thousand Malevolent Souls Pennant!
Time passed slowly...
By dawn, Luo Chen's expression showed fatigue as he paused his actions.
With a wave of his hand, the black banner planted in the ground flew into his grasp.
A faint connection stretched from the banner, reaching deep into his Divine Soul.
"Although I can't use it directly, with persistent refining, it won't take more than a few months before this treasure can be used by me. By then, the souls within, including Yan Nan Tian's, will be completely divided."
Luo Chen smiled in satisfaction and stored the Soul-Refining Banner in his Storage Ring.
Then, another object appeared in his hand.
It was a weapon resembling a short halberd, but longer and narrower, with a sharp tip and a pool of blue light flowing along its length.
The Water-Splitting Spear! A Lesser Artifact!
It contained the Water-Splitting Dragon killing move.
This was one of the few spoils of war left behind by Yan Nan Tian for Luo Chen in the previous great battle.
The power of Fire School Spells was too violent.
In extreme opposition, even Yan Nan Tian's physical body couldn't be preserved, let alone his Storage Ring.
The Ten Thousand Souls Pennant and the Water-Splitting Spear were all that remained.
"The quality is indeed good, almost on par with the Heaven Moon Purple Golden Wheel I used before."
"Unfortunately, I can't use it."
Luo Chen shook his head in regret and put away the Water-Splitting Spear.
Now that he primarily cultivated fire attributes, his spiritual power had become purer and more formidable, but the drawback was evident.
He couldn't flexibly utilize high-quality Magical Treasures of the other four attributes.
Even if he forcefully refined and wielded them, their power in battle would only be five or six-tenths of their original strength, and they would severely damage the treasures themselves.
There are gains and losses.
Luo Chen had prepared himself for this, having already given up on the Heaven Moon Purple Golden Wheel, which he had invested significant effort in, let alone the newly acquired Water-Splitting Spear.
Then, Luo Chen extended his hand, and a small, round, gray cauldron flew out of his palm, growing larger as it landed in front of him.
Gazing at the small cauldron, Luo Chen fell into a pensive silence.
This was his Lifebound Treasure, acquired after an arduous search and an unknown amount of effort.
But now, among all his treasures, the Primordial Cauldron was in the most awkward situation!
He wasn't a master Artificer, and he wasn't sure if the methods left by the Heavenly Forger still remained.
For this reason, after leaving Cangwu Mountain, he dared not swallow this treasure into his Aura Sea to nurture and refine it day and night. He could only keep it in his storage ring.
And because of this, the tempering process of this object had always been stuck.
Not to mention its ugly appearance, the terrifying impurities within it couldn't be refined, hindering the advancement of its rank.
However, even so, the might of the Primordial Cauldron still left Luo Chen in awe.
Whether it was imprisoning Han Zhan's soul, capturing the Blue Ring Fangtooth Sea Snake, or nurturing the Fiery Poison Mist, all of these demonstrated the power of this "masterpiece" left by the Heavenly Forger.
One could imagine how great its potential would be if the impurities were completely removed!
One might even say that after that, if it were to continue absorbing the Thousand-Year Thunder Flower and various mineral materials, how much higher would its rank rise!
A high-grade treasure?
No, this was far from the end of the Primordial Cauldron's journey.
A true Spirit Tool... a Divine Treasure...
After a long silence, a battle raged within Luo Chen's heart. Finally, he clenched his fists tightly.
"Who cares what happens, the Heavenly Forger is dead. Even if he left some backup, no one else can activate this treasure."
"To be so cautious and hesitant is not my style, Luo Chen."
With a thought, Luo Chen opened his mouth and sucked.
Instantly, the round little cauldron shrank rapidly and eventually turned into a stream of Ethereal Light, flying into Luo Chen's mouth and finally settling in his Aura Sea.
Pure spiritual power from all directions surged upwards, and the Essence True Flame surrounded and burned away the impurities.
In the end, Luo Chen still couldn't bear to part with his Lifebound Treasure.
Not to mention the amount of effort he had put into this treasure.
Just the upcoming task of pill concoction required him to master this treasure.
The True Flame Pill couldn't be supported for a long duration and high-frequency refining like the incomplete Shangshu Furnace.
After inspecting the spoils of war.
Luo Chen left his cave abode and strolled along the Sea Gazing Cliff.
Gazing at the boundless ocean and the slowly rising sun, his weary mind seemed to find some relief.
Yan Nantian was dead.
After personally witnessing Luo Chen's mighty display, the cultivators of the Flying Swans Archipelago would have no other thoughts for a short time and could be used by him.
With this, Luo Chen finally had a temporary place to rest and continue his cultivation.
The tasks ahead were actually simpler.
It was just a matter of organizing manpower, gathering resources, refining pills, and secluded cultivation.
Looking at the sea swallows circling above the sea, Luo Chen felt refreshed.
"If I really count, Yan Nantian was my first serious life-and-death battle opponent after Core Formation."
"Not weak at all, he was at the fourth layer of the Golden Core realm."
"It's just a pity that right after he broke through, he received my Azure Sun Great Palm, and the subsequent battle was completely under my control."
"I guess he must feel wronged. He had no grudge or enmity with me, and he only attracted this disaster because he coveted my Spirit Ground."
"If I really think about it, his methods were quite impressive and very comprehensive. He could even simultaneously control two Magical Treasures with full strength. His biggest mistake was trying to forcefully break through his realm..."
On the cliff, the young man paced slowly, summarizing the gains and losses of the previous battle.
The salty sea breeze brushed against his body, and as it lifted his black hair, it seemed to also take away his restlessness.
...
One month later!
At the very center of the Thirty-Six Islands.
The ten-mile lake stirred once more, and the Moon Invitation Island rose from the depths, with dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth beginning to spew out again.
Figures moved between the islands, preparing for today's grand ceremony.
There wasn't a single mortal among them, and at the very least, they were Qi Condensation Stage cultivators.
From time to time, someone would glance at the small island in the center of the lake, their faces showing fear.
Within just one month, the name Azure Sun Demon Lord had spread among the tens of thousands of mortal cultivators across the Thirty-Six Islands.
Everyone knew that the Flying Swans Archipelago had undergone a transformation!
It was no longer "Southern Heaven," but "Azure Heaven."
What the future held was unknown.
But for now, the initial signs were already visible.
Just the Spirit Gathering and Pulse Stabilization, and the reconstruction of the Third Rank Spirit Ground, had consumed a significant amount of resources from dozens of families across the Thirty-Six Islands.
Recently, forty-nine Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, led by the three major array masters of the Flying Swans Archipelago, had forcefully pulled the Moon Invitation Island out from the depths of the earth. The commotion was no less than when Luo Chen had sent the island into the ground.
One could imagine that in the future, the Azure Sun Demon Lord might have even more tasks for the cultivators of the Flying Swans Archipelago.
Hums of discussion constantly arose as the crowd moved about.
But as noon approached, the discussions gradually faded, and all the cultivators below the Foundation Establishment Stage also left.
Suddenly!
A red cloud appeared from the distance and hovered above the Moon Invitation Island.
On the red cloud stood a tall man dressed in a black Daoist robe, his black hair neatly bound by a jade hairpin. His face was young, but his Spirit Eyes were like a deep abyss, vast and unfathomable.
Seeing the newcomer, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators on the lakeside bowed in greeting.
"We pay our respects to the Azure Sun Demon Lord!"
Although it was the sound of a hundred people, together it had the force of a mountain or a tsunami.
Luo Chen's Spirit Eyes looked down at the cultivators on the lakeside, slowly sweeping past them.
In the end, they arrived at Moon Invitation Island.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Not bad, I'm pleased."
"And not only is everyone here, but there are even a few extra. I'm even more pleased."
At these words, the group couldn't help but feel slightly relieved.
Luo Chen swept his sleeves and declared, "I won't say more. You'll come to understand my ways as we interact in the future."
"Today, I'll only speak of three matters."
"First, the Cheng Family of Black Swan Island will henceforth be my representative in the Flying Swans Archipelago, handling all mundane affairs."
Upon hearing this, the cultivators' hearts sank slightly, despite their prior mental preparation.
The Cheng Family had indeed struck gold, gaining the support of a powerful figure. From now on, they would be second only to him and above countless others!
The seven Cheng Family Foundation Establishment Cultivators at the front of the crowd couldn't help but reveal their smug expressions.
Suddenly, a divine light shot out from Luo Chen's sleeve, floating gracefully before the seven Cheng Family cultivators.
A magical treasure!
Unlike the lower-tier magical treasures that were prevalent in the Jade Cauldron Domain, magical treasures were still quite rare in the cultivation world.
Aside from the major sects and ancient cultivation families, ordinary small forces rarely possessed formidable magical treasures.
From Luo Chen's observations, most Foundation Establishment Cultivators here used high-grade and top-grade magical tools.
Even the more powerful Cheng Family only had an additional soul banner with growth attributes.
Seeing the divine light, Cheng Dou's heart stirred, and he was about to step forward to receive it. However, to his surprise, the light descended into the hands of the woman beside him.
"This is my token. Cheng Hairen will hold it, and seeing her is as good as seeing me."
Cheng Hairen stared at the pair of water-dividing spears in her hand, her expression blank.
Especially when she saw the fleeting gloom on her eldest brother's face, her heart trembled.
"Demon Lord, I..."
Her words trailed off as she swallowed her refusal under Luo Chen's piercing gaze.
Who would dare refuse in front of a superior?
"The second matter!"
Luo Chen's cold gaze swept over the crowd, his tone chilling.
"I will be secluding myself for cultivation. I need a large quantity of a Third Rank pill, and the required medicinal ingredients will be sourced by you all. From now on, you won't need to offer tributes; just gather the ingredients for me."
"I've already given the list to the Cheng Family. They will assign tasks, and you'll just need to collect the ingredients."
The crowd's expressions stirred slightly.
They didn't have to offer tributes to Yan Nan Tian annually; they just needed to gather ingredients? This seemed like a better deal.
The resources required for a Golden Core Cultivator's pill cultivation in a year wouldn't be excessive, and with the combined efforts of the thirty-six islands, the expenses shouldn't be too high.
Cheng Dou smirked as he watched. If they knew the quantity of ingredients on the list, they probably wouldn't be so optimistic.
The amount of ingredients required by the Azure Sun Demon Lord, when converted to spirit stones, exceeded the annual tribute demanded by Yan Nan Tian!
Luo Chen wondered how these people would react when they realized the gains and losses after he assigned the tasks.
How would the Azure Sun Demon Lord appease their discontent?
The next moment, Luo Chen spoke again.
This time, everyone's faces glowed with fervor.
Luo Chen flipped his wrist, and a stone monument floated beside him.
On the monument, the characters were intricately carved, resembling the inscription of a divine art, but they were obscured by divine light, preventing the crowd from seeing their true form.
Only four characters entered everyone's minds.
The Azure Sun Alchemy Canon
"Previously, I learned about the history of the Flying Swans Archipelago. In the past hundred years, not a single Golden Core Cultivator has emerged. Even in the last eight hundred years, only two Golden Core Cultivators have left this place."
"Such a laughable Core Formation success rate. Could it be that your talents are lacking, or your temperament is too poor?"
"I don't believe that's the case."
"You have gathered spirit energy for me before, and in the future, you will also travel the four seas on my behalf. Your efforts are indeed commendable."
"Therefore, I bestow upon you this middle-grade Core Formation secret technique. Each family can exchange for it based on their contributions and merits to me. And that's the third matter."
Luo Chen smiled slightly, and divine light blossomed from his hand.
Layer upon layer of restrictions were imprinted on the monument, and the hazy divine light soared into the sky before disappearing into nothingness.
The characters on the monument also completely dissipated.
But everyone knew that it wasn't the characters that had vanished; they were temporarily hidden by the Azure Sun Demon Lord, a Golden Core Cultivator, using his formidable means.
In the future, if they wanted to exchange for it, they would need to offer sufficient contribution merits.
And those merits would likely be determined by the number of precious ingredients they could gather for the Azure Sun Demon Lord.
Luo Chen clapped his hands, and the monument descended, embedding itself into Moon Invitation Island.
After completing this, Luo Chen smiled faintly.
"Fellow cultivators, the Dao is arduous. Let's encourage each other on this path!"
As his words fell, his figure gradually dissipated.
Moon Invitation Island was instantly enveloped in layers of white clouds, completely concealing it.
By the lakeside, over a hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators looked at each other with fervent and obsessed expressions.
The Azure Sun Alchemy Canon—a middle-grade Core Formation secret technique.
From then on, the Flying Swans Archipelago cultivators had hope for the Golden Core path!
(End of Chapter)
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