Chapter 553: The Sect's Spirit Herbs are About to Mature
Chapter 553: The Sect's Spirit Herbs are About to Mature
A fleeting thought crossed Lu Chen's mind, and a small, pitch-black arrow appeared in his hand.
Ethereal black mist swirled around the arrow, lingering as if it had a life of its own. The arrowhead seemed to be embedded in a semi-transparent face, its features blurred and indistinct.
Lu Chen focused his attention on the shadowy arrow, and in an instant, he gained a detailed understanding of its properties.
"Nailing Head Arrow, a fifth-grade treasure. It is imbued with a powerful curse that can be activated by imagining the target's appearance and aura, directly affecting their soul."
"Those below the same cultivation level will die instantly. Those of the same level may also die, with varying degrees of damage to their souls, ranging from minor to complete destruction."
"A cursed treasure that can kill an opponent directly; it carries a hint of karmic retribution." Lu Chen mused, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "By simply imagining the target's face, one can cast a curse from a distance, causing their soul to dissipate. This is indeed a treasure coveted by assassins."
He stored the arrow away in his Gluttonous Insect Pouch, ready to nurture the remaining three Arrow Vines that were in their growth phase.
Time passed, and another ten days went by in the blink of an eye. After tending to the spirit herbs in his courtyard with great care, Lu Chen ventured outside.
He noticed that something seemed amiss in Black Star City. News of injured and fallen cultivators reached his ears from time to time, along with occasional tales of a cultivator gaining a tremendous opportunity that propelled them to new heights.
"Brother Lu, Brother Lu Chen! I didn't expect to run into you here!"
A familiar elderly voice called out from a distance.
Lu Chen turned towards the source and recognized Sun Yunming, with whom he had teamed up to patrol outside the city before.
Following Sun Yunming were the other two familiar teammates, Qiu Changyuan from the Myriad Beast Gate and Meng Yue from the Lingxiao Sect.
"Brother Sun, and Fellow Daoists Qiu and Meng, it's been a while," Lu Chen greeted them with a smile.
"Brother Lu, we were just on our way to look for you at your residence. What a pleasant coincidence to meet you here," said Meng Yue, her face wreathed in a smile.
Qiu Changyuan looked at Lu Chen with a similarly warm expression.
"May I ask what brings the three of you here to see me?" Lu Chen asked, his curiosity piqued.
"It's like this," Sun Yunming explained. "Lately, I've heard of many cultivators gaining tremendous opportunities in various parts of the Black Demon Abyss, including the acquisition of fifth-grade treasures."
A flicker of fervor flashed in his eyes. "Our collaboration during the last mission was exceptionally smooth. You are all powerful cultivators from prominent sects, and while my cultivation is a bit lacking, I am quite familiar with the area around the Black Demon Abyss."
"So, I've been contemplating the idea of venturing deeper into the Black Demon Abyss in search of opportunities. If we're lucky, we might just strike it rich and obtain a fifth-grade treasure!"
Both Qiu Changyuan and Meng Yue showed signs of temptation in their eyes. Given their positions and potential within their respective sects, it was unlikely for them to acquire a fifth-grade treasure through their sects. Thus, upon hearing Sun Yunming's proposal, they had come together to invite Lu Chen to join them.
During their previous mission, the three of them had witnessed Lu Chen's strength firsthand.
Although Lu Chen was a spirit herbologist, his skill in swordsmanship far surpassed theirs, and he could effortlessly unleash three fourth-grade sword talismans. This led them to suspect that Lu Chen's true capabilities were far beyond what they had imagined.
"Venture deeper into the Black Demon Abyss?" Lu Chen furrowed his brows. "I'm afraid I must apologize to the three of you, but I have limited abilities and have no intention of exploring the depths of the Black Demon Abyss."
He declined directly. While he might consider exploring a regular secret realm with his current strength and the abundance of treasures within, the Black Demon Abyss was simply too dangerous. It was home to countless mysterious and sinister beings, as well as powerful extradimensional demons. The risk of encountering unforeseen dangers was far too high for his liking.
"However..." His tone shifted. "...the last time I patrolled outside the city, I exhausted all three of my sword talismans and no longer have any trump cards up my sleeve. With my mediocre abilities, I don't stand a chance against other cultivators vying for opportunities."
"For the sake of my life, it's better to stay put and be honest in this city."
Seeing that Lu Chen's decision was final, the three could only give up, disappointed.
The trio possessed considerable strength already, and with one or two more powerful cultivators, they would have had a good chance of competing in the Black Demon Abyss.
Lu Chen bid them farewell and returned to his small courtyard. His strength was no less than that of an average early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, but he was also aware that in the vastness of the Black Demon Abyss, one wrong step could lead to his demise. Thus, he chose to play it safe and remain in Black Star City.
The situation in the Black Demon Abyss seemed more severe than he had imagined.
On this day, Zhou Qi arrived at Lu Chen's courtyard.
"Brother Zhou," Lu Chen greeted him warmly, as if the act of spying on this thin, middle-aged man for a month was completely unrelated to him.
"Brother Lu, I have come to inform you of something," Zhou Qi said, his expression solemn.
"Please speak, Brother," Lu Chen replied, his smile fading as he noticed Zhou Qi's serious demeanor.
"I received news from a Core Formation master that the number of extradimensional demons appearing in the depths of the Black Demon Abyss is increasing. It will be difficult to defend Black Star City unless we increase our manpower severalfold. The major sects have decided not to waste any more resources here," Zhou Qi explained.
"In the near future, we plan to relocate all cultivators and resources from the Black Demon Abyss. As for those stationed in the city, there are two options."
"One is to enter the Black Demon Abyss and establish contact with our respective sect members. Our sects have residences there, and you can decide whether to go there or not."
"The other choice is to return to your sect and await further instructions."
"Has the situation become that dire?" Lu Chen asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
"It is said that deep within the Black Demon Abyss, the spatial barriers of this realm are weakening, providing an opportunity for those extradimensional demons to invade. As a result, more and more secret realms are being exposed within the abyss," Zhou Qi continued.
"Venturing inside presents both risks and opportunities. One might perish, but one might also slay a demon, acquire rare resources, or stumble upon a great opportunity within a secret realm."
"Most of our sect members have chosen to delve deeper, seeking to advance further in their cultivation."
"What will be your decision, Brother Lu?" Zhou Qi asked gravely.
"Will I be returning to the sect alone or with my fellow sect members?" Lu Chen asked, intrigued.
"Of course, we will return together. There are specialized transportation artifacts to bring everyone back safely, given the lurking presence of evil demons everywhere," Zhou Qi replied.
Lu Chen pondered for a moment. His current strength was already formidable, but he still lacked absolute confidence in his ability to survive amidst the multitude of evil demons within the Black Demon Abyss. Moreover, the so-called opportunities could be acquired simply by harvesting the light spheres.
Without further hesitation, he made his choice. "Brother Zhou, I choose to return with the rest of my sect members. The spiritual herbs in my sect are about to mature."
(End of Chapter)
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