https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-592-Post-Battle-Inventory-Astonishing-Harvest/12942379/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-594-The-North-Sea-Barrier-Nine-Star-Demon-Hunters/12942381/
Chapter 593: Shadowy Figures, Towering Buildings
Chapter 593: Shadowy Figures, Towering Buildings
"Did it fail?"
"Yes."
"Don't worry, this Veiled Dust Sand is of third-rank grand completion, it can withstand your tampering, just try a few more times."
"That's all I can do."
Such was the conversation that took place within the cabin.
Luo Chen pressed his thumb against his forehead, constantly rubbing and kneading.
Even a cultivator with divine perception comparable to a late-stage Golden Core would feel exhausted after manipulating the flow of spell power within the Veiled Dust Sand, indicating how mentally taxing the task was.
The difficulty arose not only from Luo Chen's limited abilities but also because Han Zhan himself had not cultivated the Core Formation Technique, making it impossible for him to provide detailed guidance to Luo Chen.
He had no choice but to figure it out step by step on his own.
However, just as Han Zhan had said, it was fortunate that this Veiled Dust Sand was of such high quality that it could endure Luo Chen's tampering.
If it were an ordinary third-rank Veiled Dust Sand, it would have been rendered useless after just two attempts, not to mention the wasted effort and resources.
Luo Chen exhaled a breath of turbid air, and his mental fatigue seemed to ease.
Next, he needed to rest for a while.
To carve a complete path for the flow of spell power onto a foreign object and ensure its smooth operation was an incredibly challenging task. Therefore, after each failure, Luo Chen would rest for a period to recuperate and prepare for the next attempt.
However, this time, Han Zhan could no longer hold back.
"Have you absorbed all the energy within the Veiled Dust Sand?"
Luo Chen raised his eyebrows and slightly lifted the corners of his mouth.
"Of course!"
Not only had he absorbed all the energy, but his cultivation had also unknowingly surged by twenty stages, bringing him one step closer to the fifth layer of the Golden Core.
If outsiders were to find out that the spell power stored in a third-rank grand completion Veiled Dust Sand only allowed a fourth-layer Golden Core cultivator to advance by twenty stages, they might accuse Luo Chen of wasting heavenly resources.
But Luo Chen himself knew that although he had gained a clear understanding of the essence of power, his transformation abilities were still somewhat crude.
As a result, most of the energy was wasted during the transformation process.
Being able to increase by twenty stages was already a stroke of heavenly luck, saving him years of arduous cultivation.
Han Zhan's spirit lifted, "Now that your spell power is at its peak, and you're about to take a brief rest, why not..."
Luo Chen smiled and a piece of black wood about an inch long appeared in his hand.
"It's not impossible, but..."
Looking at the black wood in his hand, Luo Chen's smile gradually faded, and his expression became somewhat solemn.
The reason he had been evading this task was not because he was untrustworthy.
It was because after coming into contact with the Soul Nourishing Tree, the bad luck it carried made his heart race and his body tremble the very first time.
An instinctive reaction made him refuse to dispel the bad luck.
This was also why he had repeatedly made excuses.
Han Zhan stared at him, his tone somewhat anxious.
"You promised me!"
Luo Chen lifted his head and blinked his eyelashes, "I have a premonition that the bad luck that makes even Golden Core cultivators avoid it and Nascent Soul Immortals reluctant to touch it, is not something ordinary."
"You have a perfected Dragon Slaying Technique, what's there to worry about? Moreover, this strand of bad luck is just a remnant, and with a little more effort, I'm sure you can remove it." Han Zhan said eagerly, his tone both urgent and persuasive.
Luo Chen bit his lip and frowned in deep thought for a while.
In the end, he nodded slightly.
It was not because of anything else, but because Han Zhan had previously said that he had agreed.
For this Soul Nourishing Tree, Han Zhan had indeed paid a huge price.
The Core Formation Technique, the Baby Formation Pill formula, setting up formations for him, dealing with the Blood Nightmare Demon Tide, and even taking time to help him unlock the seal on his storage bag.
Now that the time had come, it would indeed be unreasonable for him to back out.
Of course, before starting, he still needed to take the necessary precautions.
Luo Chen manipulated his spell power, and a layer of azure light shield slowly appeared around his body.
This was the water-type defensive spell he was most proficient in—the Crystal Sky Curtain.
At this moment, it was extremely miniaturized, tightly enveloping Luo Chen's body, providing a defensive capability no less than any top-tier third-rank defensive spell.
Not only that!
Luo Chen took out the Immortal Compass and placed several high-grade spirit stones inside, activating a protective formation to safeguard his physical body.
Finally!
A strand of black light emanated from the depths of Luo Chen's sea of consciousness, spreading out.
The Rotten Chess, which had been refined for many years and was almost reaching the level of a mid-grade magical treasure, also activated its soul defense.
Spell, formation, and treasure!
With these three layers of protection, there was virtually no room for error.
Even so, before beginning, Luo Chen still spoke to Han Zhan.
"If things don't go as planned, Senior, you'll need to step in and protect me."
Seeing Luo Chen's cautiousness, Han Zhan couldn't help but feel amused, but he still agreed solemnly.
Then, Luo Chen saw that Luo Chen was about to activate a black wooden strip floating half a foot away from him in the air, using his spiritual power.
Dragon Slaying Technique, a fourth-stage spell.
Originating from the Quintessence Divine Sect in the Eastern Wilderness.
The spell's function was to cleanse foreign spell power.
After years of cultivation, Luo Chen had already mastered it to the level of a grandmaster, just one step away from grand completion.
Now was the perfect opportunity to improve his proficiency and achieve grand completion while cleansing the bad luck from the Soul Nourishing Tree.
Streams of spell power flowed and combined with hand seals, forming a unique output method.
A sharp aura formed in Luo Chen's palm.
With his palm like a blade, he slashed downward.
It was as if a real dragon were about to be sliced by his palm.
Luo Chen's strength was robust, and his angle was incredibly precise, barely grazing the physical body of the Soul Nourishing Tree.
The first slash was almost imperceptible.
The second slash was like cutting through cotton.
As Luo Chen's third slash descended, a strange phenomenon abruptly intensified.
An extreme aura, in an instant, shattered the formation of the Immortal Compass, breaking through the azure light curtain.
"Senior..."
Luo Chen's eyes widened, and he shouted sternly.
However, before he could finish, the final layer of black glow, after a brief stalemate, was directly broken.
Fast!
Too fast!
An unmatched domineering aura, in a flash, shattered Luo Chen's supposedly foolproof defense, charging straight towards the depths of his Sea of Consciousness.
In that instant, Luo Chen felt as if he had fallen into an abyss.
Shadowy figures, towering buildings!
"Where am I?"
In a daze, Luo Chen looked at the illusions all around, and his once-confident soul foundation now felt as fragile as an infant's.
The next moment, within the towering buildings, the countless bound shadows suddenly flew out, rushing towards Luo Chen's divine soul.
"My life is over!"
Just as this thought flashed through Luo Chen's mind, a burst of green light suddenly blossomed within his Sea of Consciousness.
"Luo Chen, wake up!"
Boom!
With a thunderous shout, Luo Chen woke up as if from a dream.
His entire body was drenched in cold sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of water.
He shivered, unable to hold back his words, "What was that?"
Outside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, Han Zhan's Nascent Soul little person had already floated out.
At this moment, his illusory brows were tightly furrowed, and he said uncertainly, "It should be caused by the residual bad luck of the owner. But who is this person, and how powerful are they, that a mere trace of bad luck could make a well-prepared Golden Core cultivator fall into an abyss?"
"Senior, should we try again later?"
Luo Chen tentatively suggested, feeling a bit discouraged.
The Nascent Soul little person glanced at Luo Chen and said coldly, "Strike while the iron is hot!"
Seeing Luo Chen's furrowed brows, the Nascent Soul little person sighed and managed a faint smile.
"Don't be afraid!"
"You saw it too; although this bad luck carries a powerful mental influence, your divine soul defense treasure can block it for a moment."
"Plus, with me, a Nascent Soul Immortal proficient in divine soul secrets, by your side, I can ensure you won't sink into that illusion."
"Try again, try again!"
Luo Chen forced a smile, then fell silent.
Han Zhan didn't rush him, quietly waiting for Luo Chen's response.
During this process, he would occasionally float by the Soul Nourishing Tree, observing the wisps of red mist being stimulated from the black wood.
After a while, Luo Chen nodded lightly.
"Try again."
"Good!" Han Zhan's joy was evident, "Rest assured, this time I will prepare in advance and ensure you won't be too affected."
"Hopefully."
Luo Chen glanced at Han Zhan and began repeating his previous actions.
Although the previous spell formation seemed ineffective, he rearranged it and even added a few more Crystal Sky Curtains.
Perhaps it was just broken too quickly, and it wasn't useless?
Just like before, Luo Chen formed hand seals, manipulated his spell power, and performed the Dragon Slaying Technique.
Compared to the previous calmness, this time, the backlash of bad luck from the Soul Nourishing Tree came faster.
Shadowy figures, towering buildings.
A familiar scene appeared in Luo Chen's mind.
The green light also instantly spread, protecting Luo Chen as he walked out of the illusion.
"Again!"
"Mm-hmm."
"Again!"
"Take a break."
"Continue!"
"Senior, I think I've got a grasp of it."
"Oh, then let's go again!"
Days and nights passed, and tides rose and fell.
Unknowingly, three days had flown by.
As the morning sun began to rise, Luo Chen finally slashed with a palm, causing the Soul Nourishing Tree to tremble slightly in mid-air.
Seeing this, Han Zhan's expression lit up with joy.
"Did it succeed?"
Luo Chen replied wearily, "I guess it succeeded!"
"What do you mean by 'I guess'?" Han Zhan was surprised.
Luo Chen carefully explained, "Although it seems like only a wisp of bad luck, it's too massive and deeply rooted for me. I've only found a way to shake it, and to completely clear it, I'll need a long and tedious process."
Han Zhan suddenly understood.
Although he was still impatient, he comforted Luo Chen, "It's good that you've found a way. Take your time, I'm not in a rush."
Luo Chen gave him a smile that wasn't quite a smile, making the Nascent Soul little person feel a bit embarrassed.
"Alright, I'm a bit impatient."
"I'll rest for two days, and when I'm refreshed, I'll continue. I'll call you when I'm ready."
After saying this, Luo Chen didn't wait for Han Zhan's agreement and lay down on the bed, his breath calm as he fell asleep.
Han Zhan, on the other hand, carefully put away the Soul Nourishing Tree, his eyes filled with endless hope.
This was the crucial step for his soul-forging and rebuilding.
As time slowly passed, the giant ship sailed swiftly, riding the wind and breaking through the waves.
Half a year had gone by, and they were getting closer and closer to Whale Harbor.
If it weren't for the detours they took to avoid the Demon-Devil War, they would have arrived at their destination much earlier according to their estimates.
Fortunately, nothing major happened during the journey.
As they approached their destination, the atmosphere on the ship grew more restless.
Whale Harbor was just a port, but their actual destination was Divine Essence City.
It was an incredibly vast city, so large that it could rival an entire domain in the Five Continents of the Mountain and Sea Realm.
If compared to the thirty-six domains of the Eastern Wilderness, just one city of Divine Essence City could match a domain! The influence of the Heavenly Origin Sect was evident in their possession of such a giant city in the Northern Sea.
According to rumors, Divine Essence City wasn't this large during the Primordial Demon Sect's time; it was only in the past hundred years that the city underwent a crazy expansion, reclaiming land from the sea, moving mountains, and achieving such a scale.
However, this situation is now quite common.
It's not just the Heavenly Origin Sect doing it; other factions are also acting without restraint.
The cultivators from Wolf Fang Mountain on the ship couldn't wait to rush to Divine Essence City, eager to witness the splendor there.
It's said that the city is extremely prosperous.
It gathers resources from the five regions, and it's also the top choice for cultivators from the five regions to visit the Northern Sea.
Even the Heavenly Origin Sect's true disciples occasionally make appearances.
Of course, there are exceptions, and Luo Chen on the ship is one of them.
At this moment, he has his eyes tightly shut, effortlessly executing the Dragon Slaying Technique.
Beside him, Han Zhan stares with wide eyes, fixated on the object shrouded by the spell.
Suddenly, Luo Chen opens his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Han Zhan asks without turning his head.
Luo Chen pauses his movements, "Senior, you can even utilize such a small piece of Soul Nourishing Tree. I wonder if, after the task is complete, you can share some of that cultivation method?"
Han Zhan turns around abruptly, "Trying to raise the price?"
Luo Chen smiles, "It's fine if you can't. I was just saying."
As he chuckles, he resumes his actions.
Just as the bad luck is about to dissipate from the Soul Nourishing Tree, another refreshing aura that invigorates cultivators' divine souls is about to emerge. Han Zhan can't help but say, "It's just a minor technique, I'll teach it to you later, so hurry up."
Luo Chen's spirit lifts.
"Okay!"
It's worth it, he thinks, having spent half a year tirelessly removing Han Zhan's bad luck, and now he has an additional reward.
To be honest, he never expected it to be so difficult to remove this bad luck.
Even after the Dragon Slaying Technique reached the Grand Completion realm and produced a new special effect, he could only make progress bit by bit.
Now it seems worth it.
With a thought, the Dragon Slaying Technique is at his fingertips.
...
Outside the room, Tian Xuan stands gracefully, as if she has been waiting for a long time.
She occasionally glances at the scenery outside the window, and sometimes her gaze falls on the array in the room.
"Master, we're almost there, why aren't you coming out yet?"
Boom!
A dull sound echoes, and the sails droop.
The numerous spirit lights covering the Lanying Ship gradually fade away.
On the deck, cheers erupt.
"We're here!"
"Finally, we've arrived!"
"This is my first time leaving Wolf Fang Mountain. I never thought that my first journey would take a whole year on the sea."
"Isn't that Whale Harbor ahead?"
"Oh my, look underwater, there are so many Dragon Whales."
"Wow, those are Third Stage Dragon Whales. Heavenly Origin Sect is so extravagant, using a Third Stage Dragon Whale King to pull the ship. I can't even imagine how fast it must be."
"That's why they say the Heavenly Origin Merchant Alliance has the largest business in the five regions. Their speed is unparalleled. I heard that in the Western Desert's Vast Sea, there's even an Earth Shaking Divine Ox pulling their carts."
"Get ready, load the cargo, we're about to disembark!"
On the top floor, Wolf Fang Mountain's Second Elder has his hands behind his back, stroking his beard, and his eyes are filled with relief.
Finally, they have arrived safely.
The business is secondary; what's important is settling these sect's seedlings, so Wolf Fang Mountain won't have all its eggs in one basket.
Even if something happens in the future, there's still a chance for a comeback.
"I wonder how far the Demon-Devil War has progressed."
"After we disembark, I'll find an old friend to inquire about the situation. Although Divine Essence City is far away, the intelligence there should be well-developed."
Just as the Second Elder mutters to himself, his expression suddenly changes.
An extremely terrifying feeling, like an impending disaster, rises from his heart.
He looks down abruptly.
A turbid aura breaks through layer upon layer of formations and surges into the sky from a room on the second floor.
The aura is so fierce that just a slight sense of it makes his heart race.
But just as he is startled like a cat with its fur standing on end, the aura suddenly dissipates in the air.
"What was that?"
The Second Elder swallows.
Suppressing his fear, he fully arms himself, activates his defensive magical treasure, and a three-inch small sword flies around his body. He lands right in front of the room.
But as soon as he lands, he finds the room empty.
"Someone, come here!"
Soon, several figures appear behind him.
Looking at the empty room, the Second Elder is terrified, but he doesn't show it.
"Who is staying in this room?"
Everyone looks at each other, and finally, Wang An steps forward.
"Reporting to the Second Elder, it's a wanderer named Mu Rong Yuan."
"Mu Rong Yuan?" The Second Elder frowns, having never heard of this name before, it's likely an alias.
He was about to scold Wang An for bringing someone on board without knowing their background.
But after some thought, he manages to hold back his harsh words.
If someone can hide from his perception and even unleash such a terrifying aura, how could a mere Foundation Establishment disciple see through their true strength?
"Elder, what's wrong?" Wang An is still a bit confused, and he wonders why this Mu Rong Daoist left without even waiting for the ship to stop.
The Second Elder waves his hand, "It's nothing, just be careful in the future. Don't casually associate with wanderers without knowing their background. Especially since Divine Essence City is close to the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, there are many wanderers there, including part-time Tribulation Cultivators. Be cautious in everything."
"Yes!"
Hearing the disciples' unanimous response, the Second Elder nods, takes a deep look at the room, and turns to leave.
In the end, he doesn't dare to enter the room.
It's as if that terrifying aura still lingers within.
(End of Chapter)
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