https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-596-Dragon-Quake-Immortal-City-Assessment-Task/12942383/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-598-One-Fishing-Island-One-Palm-to-Break-the-Array/12942385/
Chapter 597: Remnants of the Primordial Demon, the Name of Qing Yang
Chapter 597: Remnants of the Primordial Demon, the Name of Qing Yang
"I am Hao Ye, greetings to all of you."
"I am Duan Li, my respects."
The two male cultivators had middle-aged appearances, but their auras were vastly different. One was rugged, while the other was refined and elegant.
Especially Duan Li, whether in his speech or mannerisms, he was precise and meticulous, resembling the descendants of ancient, strict cultivation families.
After the two introduced themselves, it was Luo Chen's turn.
The Fishing Old Man opened his mouth, "This is Luo..."
However, before he could finish, Luo Chen suddenly spoke up, "I am a wandering cultivator. Some friends have bestowed upon me a Dao name, Qing Yang. You can just call me Qing Yangzi."
The three of them were taken aback, as it was rare for someone to proactively introduce their Dao name.
Usually, those with Dao names were either extremely powerful or exceptionally skilled in certain arts.
Qing Yangzi's appearance and tone suggested he was no ordinary person.
The Fishing Old Man gave Luo Chen a surprised look.
"Is this Luo Hai unwilling to let more people know his true name?"
"Then I might have been too hasty earlier."
As he muttered the somewhat familiar Dao name 'Qing Yangzi', the Fishing Old Man began to explain the specifics of this monster hunter assessment task.
While listening to the task, Luo Chen carefully observed the two newcomers.
He intentionally revealed his Dao name as part of his plan.
After chatting with Zhang Jiadi, he truly realized that wandering cultivators were more aggressive and ruthless when it came to interests. To avoid future troubles during his cultivation journey, he had to establish his reputation!
As for the trouble on Cold Light Island?
If it were just the Golden Core forces on Cold Light Island, he wouldn't be afraid. If they came in small numbers, he could handle them himself. If they came in large numbers, that was also unlikely, as those forces had families and wouldn't travel thousands of miles just to settle scores with him.
The only concern was the Blood Malevolence Demon Tide.
However, there was no open conflict between him and the Blood Malevolence Demon Tide. The only issue was the conflict between him and He Yuan.
The Blood Malevolence Demon Tide merely wanted to recruit him. If they couldn't recruit him, they wouldn't force the issue, after all, he was currently under the influence of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, which had direct enmity with the remnants of the Primordial Demon Sect.
The Blood Malevolence Demon Tide probably wouldn't dare to be so bold.
Considering all these factors, Luo Chen decided to reveal his Dao name 'Qing Yangzi'.
Later, by exaggerating the battle on Cold Light Island, his reputation would naturally spread, and those who paid attention would associate Qing Yangzi with the Qing Yang Demon Lord.
This way, he could save himself a lot of effort.
The Fishing Old Man's task introduction was soon over.
However.
After hearing the task, Luo Chen couldn't help but ask.
"I heard that the previous monster hunter assessment tasks were short-distance escorts or hunting low-level demonic beasts. Why has it now become surrounding and killing a Golden Core initial stage cultivator?"
Amidst his shock, he also felt enlightened.
No wonder a mere assessment task required the participation of three Golden Core cultivators.
Hunting a Golden Core cultivator!
The Fishing Old Man chuckled, stroking his white beard, "The Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly has existed for a hundred years, but for us cultivators, it's just a few short periods of seclusion. Many rules are constantly being improved."
"For example, this change in task standards was recently decided by the Dragon Abyss City Lord."
"Think about it, a dignified Golden Core cultivator, within a certain time frame, has to be on the same level as Foundation Establishment initial stage, or even Qi Condensation late stage cultivators, as a one-star monster hunter. It doesn't sound good, does it!"
"Therefore, for new Golden Core cultivators joining the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, the standards for the monster hunter assessment tasks have been raised. As long as you complete it, you can directly advance to a four-star monster hunter and enjoy better treatment."
"Everyone, you can judge the pros and cons for yourselves!"
The task difficulty increased, but after completing it, the star rating would skip the one to three stars corresponding to Foundation Establishment cultivators and go straight to four stars, which was normally only held by Golden Core cultivators and some exceptionally powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
There were drawbacks, but it was indeed more beneficial!
Luo Chen wasn't foolish; with a little analysis, he understood that this was a favorable rule for new Golden Core cultivators joining the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly.
Moreover, it was indeed more in line with his interests.
His previous plan to gradually build a reputation and increase his star rating could now take a significant leap.
His peripheral vision swept over the other two, and he saw that they remained calm, as if they had known about it all along.
"These two must have arrived earlier than me, so they are more familiar with the assessment details."
Luo Chen understood.
Seeing that the three had finished digesting the task, the Fishing Old Man smiled slightly, "Have you decided? Will you take on this task?"
Once the task is completed, you will directly advance to a Four-Star Monster Hunter, enjoying great benefits in our Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly!"
Hao Ye didn't hesitate and hummed, "I'll take it! Three against one, and with the presence of a Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator like Daoist Qing Yangzi, this task is as easy as pie. There's no reason not to accept it."
The Fishing Old Man was very satisfied and then looked at the other two.
Luo Chen was still pondering, but Duan Li patiently asked for more details.
"What's the name of the prey? What's their background? What powerful methods do they have? Fishing Old Man, you should clarify these things for us, right? A mere Early-stage Golden Core cultivator is too vague."
As he spoke, he intentionally glanced at Luo Chen.
"To be honest, with our lineup, we can even fight against a Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. Yet, the prey is just an Early-stage cultivator. If you say there's nothing formidable about them, then this assessment task is too easy, as if we're just being let through."
"In this world, there's probably no such good thing!"
Facing his gaze, Luo Chen nodded in agreement.
Even when he was certain that the benefits outweighed the risks, he still needed to think, as Duan Li had mentioned.
The task was too easy!
The Fishing Old Man smiled, his wrinkled face bunching up like a crumpled piece of paper.
"You're quite cautious!"
"I was planning to tell you these details on the way there, but since you're so eager, I'll just tell you now!"
"The prey's real name and alias are unknown, and their powerful methods are also unknown. They're hiding on a small island near the Qu Yang Sea, and the reason they've become our Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly's target is because the concealment formation array they've set up is the famous Ten Directions Shadow Array of the Primordial Demon Sect."
"Those who can master the Ten Directions Shadow Array, or who possess the array's deployment tools, must be the true inheritors of the Primordial Demon Sect."
"As everyone knows, the first rule to follow to become a Star-Ranked Monster Hunter in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly is to kill any remnants of the Primordial Demon Sect on sight!"
"This task can also be considered your letter of recommendation."
His words, spoken with a smile, were gentle yet not lacking in conviction.
When these words fell into the ears of the three, they were like thunderbolts, causing their expressions to change!
Remnants of the Primordial Demon Sect, true inheritors of the Golden Core!
Without giving the three more time to think, the Fishing Old Man put away his smile and asked directly, "Are you accepting this task or not?"
The three looked at each other, and Hao Ye was the first to nod firmly, "I accept!"
Luo Chen pondered for a moment and then nodded solemnly, "I accept."
Duan Li, who had quite a background, had been hesitant before, but now that Luo Chen, who was at a higher cultivation level, had accepted the task, his hesitation was cut off.
"Duan, I'm also willing to go."
Seeing that the three had accepted the task, a smile reappeared on the Fishing Old Man's face.
"Very good!"
"For this assessment task, I, the old man, will act as the inspector and record the entire process."
"Tomorrow morning, meet at the Dragon Abyss Teleportation Array. I hope the three of you won't be late."
...
As Luo Chen was leaving the Monster Hunter Bureau, he hadn't gone far when Hao Ye called out to him.
"Daoist Qing Yangzi, do you have time for a chat?"
"Chat about what?"
Hao Ye smiled slightly, "Of course, it's about the assessment task. After all, the target is a true inheritor of the Golden Core from the Primordial Demon Sect. Even though we three are working together, the true inheritors of the Holy Land can't be underestimated. Before we set off, it's better to know each other more to facilitate our cooperation."
Indeed!
The strength of true inheritors from ordinary sects is stronger than that of ordinary wanderers, let alone true inheritors from the Holy Land?
Even if they are at the same cultivation level as the prey, a Golden Core Early-stage cultivator, it's probably not going to be easy to deal with.
This Hao Ye, who had previously shown great confidence and twice spoke up to accept the task ahead of time, was not as reckless as Luo Chen had thought. He had a plan in mind.
Luo Chen pondered for a while and suddenly asked, "Just the two of us?"
The meaning behind these words was that he was willing to chat.
Hao Ye's spirit lifted, and he gestured with his mouth towards the direction of Duan Li, "Daoist Duan Li has been waiting for a long time."
Following that direction, they saw Duan Li, with his elegant demeanor, standing in front of a window on the second floor of a restaurant, lightly nodding towards Luo Chen.
"Since that's the case, let's have a chat!"
Luo Chen smiled and followed Hao Ye into the restaurant.
...
This chat lasted an entire afternoon.
In such a long time, the content of their conversation was not limited to the assessment task; they talked more about rumors related to the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly.
When they left the restaurant, the sun was setting in the west.
Luo Chen turned back and glanced at the private room, a smile on his face.
"Looks like everyone is full of confidence in passing this assessment task."
"While they say they're being cautious, they've already started fantasizing about becoming Four-Star Monster Hunters and the benefits they'll enjoy in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly."
"I'm the same, actually!"
After a self-deprecating smile, Luo Chen also realized why this situation had arisen.
The once-unassailable Holy Land of Spirit Transformation was shattered, shattering the lofty image in the minds of ordinary cultivators.
If even a sacred land could be defeated, what chance did the cultivators within have against invincibility?
Especially with three against one, and with the presence of an eight-star Monster Hunter like the Fishing Old Man, it was supposed to be a foolproof plan!
The so-called assessment task, in their eyes, was more like a mere formality.
Everyone was already eager to enter the Dragon Soaring Mountain Range and enjoy the Third Rank Spirit Land!
After returning to the Zhang family's courtyard...
The moment he arrived, Luo Chen called for Tian Xuan.
"Tomorrow, I will be leaving Dragon Abyss City."
Tian Xuan was taken aback and asked subconsciously, "Is it for the assessment task?"
Luo Chen nodded, "Yes, this task will take a minimum of one day and a maximum of three. While I'm away, I need you to do something for me."
Tian Xuan's expression turned solemn, "Please, master, give me your instructions!"
"Don't be so nervous, it's just a minor task." Luo Chen smiled slightly, "Do you remember the guide who helped me find a ship at Whale Harbor?"
Tian Xuan hesitated, "I remember, his name was Liu Fu."
"Yes, go back and find him. Ask him to spread the news about Cold Light Island. It's best to go through Whale Harbor and bring the news of the battle at Cold Light Island to the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly."
Tian Xuan was a little confused. Why hadn't this been done before?
Why wait until now to do it? Was it a sudden whim of the master?
However, since there was a task, she must do it well!
Tian Xuan thought for a moment and asked, "Should I emphasize the master's glory in that battle?"
Luo Chen was speechless. How could there be glory in such a humiliating escape?
"That's not necessary. The focus should be on the great battle between the four Nascent Soul Immortals of the righteous and demonic paths. However, during this process, make sure to include me. It's not difficult; the battle at Cold Light Island, which served as the catalyst for the Demon-Devil War, has already spread like wildfire. You just need to add some details."
"You may not know this, but when human cultivators discuss rumors, they are always keen on the details to enhance the credibility of their stories."
"You just need to add fuel to the fire, and it will burn brighter."
Tian Xuan seemed to understand but not quite, yet she firmly committed Luo Chen's words to memory.
...
The next morning, in Dragon Abyss City, within the Ten Thousand Immortals Palace...
Three Golden Core Cultivators waited quietly.
Soon, the Fishing Old Man, with his grayish-white hair and beard, appeared before them.
Without much greeting, he simply said, "Follow me!"
Luo Chen and the other two followed behind him, entering the depths of the Ten Thousand Immortals Palace and finally stopping at a heavily guarded hall.
Their gazes fell upon a circular platform adorned with intricate patterns, its spirit light dim. Luo Chen's eyes flickered with a hint of strangeness.
Teleportation Array!
A rare sight in the Eastern Wasteland, but not so in the Northern Sea Cultivation Realm.
The reason for this was the vast expanse of the Northern Sea, where immortal islands were often separated by vast stretches of ocean.
Due to wars, business, and the needs of high-level cultivators, teleportation arrays gradually became more common.
However, as far as Luo Chen knew, most teleportation arrays in the Northern Sea were short-distance ones.
He had never heard of super teleportation arrays like the one beneath Cangwu Mountain's Tranquility Palace, which covered half of the sea and mountain realm.
Seeing the three of them examining the teleportation array, the Fishing Old Man ordered it to be activated and began his introduction.
"This teleportation array is a directed one, targeting the three directions of the Three Seas Defense Line."
"Usually, to activate it once, you would need to spend one million spirit stones. Even with the Monster Hunter discount, it would still cost several hundred thousand spirit stones."
"This assessment task is free, but if you want to use it in the future, unless it's for a special wartime summons, you'll have to pay spirit stones."
The price left the three of them speechless.
An ordinary Golden Core Cultivator's wealth was only around one million spirit stones.
Who would be willing to spend so extravagantly?
It would be better to consume their spiritual power and fly on their own.
Luo Chen's thoughts went further. It seemed that the cultivation realm was not much different from the mortal world; food, clothing, shelter, and transportation could all be used to make money.
In fact, these methods were even more profitable than those in the mortal world.
"Alright, it's ready. Step on!"
The Fishing Old Man spoke, then directly stepped onto the teleportation array, positioning himself at its center.
Luo Chen and the others didn't hesitate and stepped onto it as well.
During this process, although Luo Chen and Duan Li kept observing, their faces remained calm.
However, Hao Ye's exposed skin tightened from time to time, revealing his underlying tension.
"Is he that nervous?"
Luo Chen muttered to himself.
Subsequently, under the guidance of the Ten Thousand Immortals Palace cultivators, the dim teleportation array's spirit light blazed.
When all the spirit light extinguished, there was no trace of anyone on the high platform.
(End of Chapter)
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