https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-605-What-is-a-True-Tian-Linggen-Cultivator-/12942411/
Chapter 606: The Great Zhou Royal Family, Encountering a Dragon in the Lake
Chapter 606: The Great Zhou Royal Family, Encountering a Dragon in the Lake
"I did, indeed."
Recalling the brief half-day meeting, he admired the other party's demeanor, cultivation, and realm. Even with his extensive knowledge, the Cloud Piercing Cave Master was secretly impressed.
"Even as a solitary cultivator, Qing Yang Devil Monarch's demeanor is no less than that of a mighty lord. He is no less impressive than Daoist Friend Huangfu!"
The words came from the heart.
But to Huangfu Song, they sounded rather grating.
"My Huangfu lineage is the descendant of the most prosperous dynasty in the Northern Sea. A mere solitary cultivator, even with the title of Devil Monarch, cannot be compared to me!"
"Oh?"
The Cloud Piercing Cave Master gave him a smile that wasn't quite a smile, and said, "If you don't think highly of him, why bother speaking so much in front of me, exaggerating his abilities?"
"Are you, Daoist Friend Huangfu, intentionally provoking me?"
The prolonged 'mm-hmm' at the end made the smile somewhat unsettling.
Huangfu Song's expression changed slightly.
The master who was renowned for his craftsmanship among solitary cultivators at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly didn't usually speak so eloquently, yet now he was engaging in a word battle with him.
After their brief half-day trip to Penghu, what had Huangfu Song and Qing Yang Devil Monarch discussed?
He didn't know that people like the Cloud Piercing Cave Master, who had risen through the ranks of solitary cultivators based on their craftsmanship, were not unfamiliar with verbal disputes. In fact, after reaching a certain level, they simply didn't bother with such trivial matters.
But it was clear that the Cloud Piercing Cave Master, after some reflection on the way back, gradually realized that he might have been used by Huangfu Song.
Assassinate with a borrowed knife?
Under his watchful gaze, Huangfu Song reluctantly said, "How could I be a schemer? Daoist friend, you've misunderstood."
"Hehe."
Seeing the Cloud Piercing Cave Master's light smile, Huangfu Song tried to rectify the situation.
"I heard that this person is skilled at manipulating public opinion. There's suspicion that he first exaggerated his qualifications and achievements, and then, within a few short years, he established himself as the master craftsman Qing Yangzi."
"If he really takes root, he'll snatch away the title of the top artificer at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly."
"Of course, for the Cave Master, a little fame is of no concern. But for us cultivators, reputation is like a golden signboard, affecting various interests and even our cultivation of the Dao."
"After this, I'll repeatedly remind you not to let this person get too big."
The more he spoke, the more fluent his words became.
Even Huangfu Song himself was almost convinced.
The Cloud Piercing Cave Master put away his smile and looked seriously at the man in purple robes before him.
But the man's expression was one of calmness, without any signs of deceit.
However, the Cloud Piercing Cave Master knew that for cultivators of their age, controlling facial expressions and maintaining a steady demeanor was a simple matter unless they encountered a major crisis. He wouldn't fully trust Huangfu Song's words.
After a while, he said, "Let's leave it at that!"
With that, he took steps towards the depths of the mist.
Huangfu Song was reluctant to let it go and quickly followed.
"Daoist friend, aren't you afraid that Qing Yang Devil Monarch will grow too powerful and affect your artifact business at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly? You should know that hundreds of cultivators under your Cloud Piercing Cave rely on you. Even if you don't care, what about them..."
The Cloud Piercing Cave Master raised his right hand, interrupting Huangfu Song.
"You worry too much. I had a simple discussion with Qing Yangzi about his insights on artifact crafting. His foundation is solid, but his knowledge is extremely eclectic. He hasn't even found his own style, let alone be called a master. If he's not a master, how can he threaten my position at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly?"
"But what if he hides his true abilities?"
"Hehe, words can deceive, but the artifacts he crafts cannot fool my eyes."
The Cloud Piercing Cave Master was full of confidence, with a hint of disdain.
"Qing Yangzi's most famous artifact is just an Upper-grade Nine Yang True Fire Shield. After repeated deductions, I found that this treasure is merely a variation of the second-rank Nine Coil Flame Dragon Formation."
"He has insights into formation techniques, using this top-tier offensive formation and reversing its setup to create a defensive artifact."
"Although it's ingenious, it loses the essence of formation techniques."
"With his current craftsmanship, he won't pose a threat to me for at least a hundred years."
"Daoist friend Huangfu, you worry too much."
Huangfu Song opened his mouth, but for a moment, he couldn't refute.
Or perhaps, being unfamiliar with artifact crafting, he didn't know how to respond.
The Cloud Piercing Cave Master stopped walking and turned to look at him.
"I heard that you've been working to gather the old members of the Great Zhou Dynasty, aiming to restore the dynasty's prosperity. It seems you've gathered many talents under your command, and you urgently need a large spirit vein land to support their cultivation, right?"
Huangfu Song's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously tightened his lips.
The Cloud Piercing Cave Master noticed this subtle change in his expression.
He shook his head and sighed.
"The dynasty model is not suitable for cultivators like us. The Great Zhou Dynasty survived because of the support of the Yuan Demon Sect. The Yuan Demon Sect was the reason for its rise and fall. They can annihilate you with a snap of their fingers, and other forces can do the same."
"In my humble opinion, Daoist friend Huangfu, instead of focusing on these trivial matters, you should concentrate on cultivation."
"With your talent, the heritage of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the support of Daoist Friend Purple Empress, you might have a better chance at the Nascent Soul stage than us."
At this point, he cupped his hands.
"I've said all I have to say. Daoist friend, you don't need to visit my Cloud Piercing Cave for a while. I've taken an order from an old friend and can't get away."
After speaking, he slowly disappeared into the mist.
This time, Huangfu Song didn't follow.
Standing in his original spot, his face was filled with mixed emotions.
In the end, he glared at the direction where the Cloud Piercing Cave Master had left.
"This old fellow, he doesn't show off, and he's genuinely thoughtful in his dealings with others. He realized I was using him, yet he kindly reminded me."
He cursed silently but didn't hold a grudge against the Cloud Piercing Cave Master.
What the other party said was sincere.
But!
How could Huangfu Song give up on his grand plan halfway?
Especially now, with the chaos in the world and the turmoil in the Northern Sea, it was the perfect opportunity for him to take advantage of the situation and establish his own power.
It wasn't that he craved power.
As a solitary cultivator, it was not easy to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
The Purple Empress?
That senior had been stuck at the Ninth Layer of the Golden Core stage for many years, unable to make any progress. The idea of relying on a Demon Hunter to gain support from the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly was just a pipe dream, and the final nine stars remained out of reach.
The other party is already struggling to support themselves, how can they provide more support?
The only way is to cultivate influence, network talents, and establish his own power. Only then can he gather enough resources for him and finally, with the help of the Da Zhou Dynasty's legacy, will he have a glimmer of hope to form a Nascent Soul.
Thinking of this, Huangfu Song's mood turned sour.
These things sound simple when spoken, but he got stuck at the very first step.
Cultivating influence and networking talents, he still needs a stable sect to allow those people to settle down! The Penghu Island, eight hundred miles away, is an excellent Spirit Pulse land that he has his eyes on. It can provide him with a temporary base during the initial stages of his venture.
But unexpectedly, after a short trip away, upon his return, Penghu Island was already occupied by someone else.
If it were just an ordinary solitary cultivator, it wouldn't be a problem. But that person is Qing Yang Devil Monarch, a ruthless and daring individual.
Intimidation won't make this person willingly hand over Penghu Island.
He had thought that a solitary cultivator wouldn't have much financial resources.
He could borrow a knife to kill, letting the Moyun Cave Master take action and cut off the other party's Artifact business, a stable source of income.
Once the five-year lease is up, the other party won't be able to renew it. After they've exhausted their savings, he can effortlessly take over Penghu Island without lifting a finger.
Obviously, this plan has fallen through.
Huangfu Song no longer wants to wait.
"If the covert approach doesn't work, then we'll go with the overt method!"
"That Qing Yang Devil Monarch is all alone, he'll have to hand over Penghu Island to me willingly."
Thinking of the future, Huangfu Song's anxious mood dissipated, and a charming smile appeared on his face.
...
In the Star Hall of Penghu Island.
Tianxuan hurriedly stepped in, and for a moment, she was awestruck by the splendor of the Star Hall.
But soon, having already been familiar with this arrangement, she quickly snapped out of it.
"Master, here's the intelligence you wanted. I obtained it from the Demon Hunting Department for you, and Daoist Diao personally handed it to me."
"Did he have any other messages for me?"
Luo Chen took a stack of thick bamboo slips and casually placed them on the desk.
Tianxuan nodded, "Yes, he did have a message. Daoist Diao encountered a problem in his body refinement and wants to exchange ideas with you."
This didn't come as a surprise to Luo Chen.
Body refinement, seemingly simple, is merely a matter of resource accumulation.
In reality, each hurdle still has its own challenges.
Luo Chen had been figuring things out along the way, and during this time, he also had the guidance and exchange of friends like Wang Yuan. In the end, he even relied on the system to reach his current level.
If Daoist Diao thinks it's easy to achieve something, that's impossible.
If he were to succeed, it would be like erasing Luo Chen's hundred years of hard work!
"Next time you go to Longyuan Immortal City, tell Daoist Diao that I have time, and he can choose the location."
Tianxuan acknowledged, and just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something.
"Master, the five-year lease for our Penghu Island is about to end. Daoist Diao asked if we want to renew it."
"Renew it! Why wouldn't we renew it?"
Luo Chen smiled. As for the required nine million Spirit Stones, he wasn't too worried about it at the moment.
Previously, he had 18 million Spirit Stones readily available, and even if he used half of them, he would still have half left.
Although the remaining half would only be enough for another five years, Luo Chen wasn't in a hurry.
It's not that his new Artifact business could bring him much profit. Those businesses, throughout the year, only earn him a meager ten thousand or so in pocket money. This income is barely enough to cover his expenses in Artifact casting.
His real confidence lies in another batch of resources he has on hand.
These were the spoils of war he obtained from the Cold Light Island battle.
Various resources, miscellaneous unused Artifacts, and even some niche items.
He hasn't disposed of these items yet.
But Luo Chen estimated that if he were to sell them, they could bring him 20 million Spirit Stones.
After all, this is the lifelong wealth of several Golden Core cultivators.
Especially since among them is Qian Ting, the leader of a Golden Core family! With these Spirit Stones, he can rent Penghu Island for two to three decades.
And in two to three decades, whether it's the improved Artifact business or returning to making pills, it will be enough to support his cultivation.
In any case, Luo Chen isn't worried about Spirit Stones in the short term.
After Tianxuan left.
Luo Chen opened a bamboo slip.
The first line read: [History of the Succession of the Beihai Dynasty - Da Zhou]
Below:
{The Nascent Soul is above, and the sacred land is high. The Beihai has a master, named Yuan Mo. The cultivators within, although domineering in their ways, still possess the diligent cultivation style. The required resources are collected through annual tributes from Golden Core cultivators below. Additionally, there are secular dynasties under the control of the Yuan Mo Sect, serving as their resource base. Qian, Zhuang, Zhou, and Yong, among others, are their vassals. These dynasties are mostly Golden Core powers, controlled by the true disciples of the Yuan Mo Sect, and can also be considered places for training. As for Da Zhou, it is an anomaly. This anomaly lies in the fact that the Da Zhou Dynasty quietly produced a Nascent Soul cultivator...}
Reading the straightforward content on the bamboo slip, Luo Chen's eyebrows gradually furrowed.
The model of sects controlling secular nations is not unfamiliar to him.
For instance, when he was in the Jade Ding Domain, Qing Dan Valley had a Yuan Zhao Country under its jurisdiction.
As far as he knows, other sects also control several large and small secular dynasties.
The main purpose of these secular nations is to reproduce the population, provide cultivators with spiritual roots, and gather some ordinary but high-demand basic resources for the major sects.
However, the Da Zhou Dynasty mentioned in this bamboo slip clearly exceeds the definition of a typical secular dynasty.
"Did my ancestors really produce a Nascent Soul cultivator?"
...
"Hurry up, hurry up!"
"The head of the family instructed that this batch of fish fry must be released at specific locations, and the number in each area must be controlled."
"Be gentle, these are Golden Dragon Carp. When they mature, they become first-rank demonic beasts. If they are well-trained, they can even advance to the second rank. If you damage even one fish fry, be prepared to compensate with at least five hundred Spirit Stones!"
"Don't tell me the fish fry isn't worth five hundred Spirit Stones. I'm talking about the value of a mature first-rank Golden Dragon Carp!"
On the vast and misty lake surface, numerous small boats, from Lianyao Island, sailed in all directions.
Every ten-mile range they passed, they would release a batch of fish fry.
At the same time, someone was scattering a large amount of feed downward.
Those feeds are made by grinding medicinal herbs infused with spiritual energy into powder and mixing them together. They are one of the favorite foods of Golden Dragon Carp fry.
Long-term consumption can accelerate their growth rate, allowing them to reach maturity faster.
These feeds are also very expensive!
For this grand endeavor, Zhang Jiadi dug deep into his savings, but he still couldn't gather even a tenth of the required funds.
At this critical moment, Tianxuan, the Immortal Fairy from Penghu Island, stepped in and contributed 500,000 spirit stones, barely allowing for the initial scale of Golden Dragon Carp cultivation.
With such a heavy investment, there was no room for carelessness.
As a result, the entire Zhang family from Lianlian Island set out!
Aside from those needed to stay and manage the Qingyang Ship in Longyuan Immortal City, all other cultivators, from Foundation Establishment to ordinary martial artists, were mobilized.
Zhang Jiadi sat in a small boat, carefully and personally releasing a batch of fish fry.
As he straightened his back, his face was filled with a smile of hope.
The meat of the Golden Dragon Carp is incredibly delicious and contains abundant spiritual energy, making it one of the favorite spiritual meals of cultivators in the North Sea.
If not for the demanding growth environment, requiring cultivation in places with abundant spiritual energy, its status might have already rivaled that of Spirit Rice.
Originally, he didn't have such an idea.
It was only after learning about the details of his master's battle on Lengguang Island during a casual conversation with a Qingyang Ship guest that he conceived this plan.
It was said that the battle took place in a Golden Core family's Golden Dragon Carp fishery.
Due to the devastating nature of the battle, all the Golden Dragon Carp in the fishery perished, and the aftermath was extensive. The scarcity of Golden Dragon Carp caused their market price to soar several times.
After learning these details, he was inspired.
The 800-li Penghu Lake boasts excellent water quality, abundant spiritual energy, and countless underwater plants, making it ideal for Golden Dragon Carp cultivation.
No one had attempted this before for several reasons. Firstly, no one knew how to tame and raise them. Secondly, the startup capital was too high. Lastly, solitary cultivators were accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle, rarely settling down with fixed industries, leaving the 800-li Penghu Lake unused.
However, these issues were not significant for the Zhang family, who intended to pass on their legacy as a cultivation family.
Especially since his wife, Wenxiu, knew how to tame and raise Golden Dragon Carp!
After seeking Tianxuan's approval, the grand project of taming and raising Golden Dragon Carp began in full swing.
"Although the main venue and spirit stones are provided by our master, my Zhang family can also contribute manpower and share one-tenth of the profits."
"Once the scale expands, that one-tenth share will amount to several tens of thousands of spirit stones annually."
Zhang Jiadi's face was filled with a smile, as if he could already envision the magnificent scene of casting a large net and capturing countless lively adult Golden Dragon Carp.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and looked around.
"Where's Qingqing?"
A low-level cultivator beside him replied, "Miss Qingqing is out playing on the puppet white horse you gave her. She didn't board the ship earlier."
"She went out to play again?" Zhang Jiadi frowned, wishing he hadn't given her that little gift.
The white horse was a second-rank spirit tool with the ability to fly over waves and soar through the air.
Moreover, its operation was simple, making it one of the preferred means of transportation for cultivators in the North Sea.
Especially after installing spirit stones, even ordinary people could control it with a simple press of a lever.
Qingqing, his daughter, was not yet five years old, but her intelligence was blossoming, and she was lively and clever.
After receiving the white horse, she spent her days away from home.
"Should I go and bring Miss Qingqing back?" asked a cultivator.
"Let her have her fun!" Zhang Jiadi shook his head. As long as she played within the 800-li Penghu Lake and had the protective measure bestowed by Immortal Fairy Tianxuan, she would be safe as long as she didn't disturb the master's cultivation on Penghu Island.
Once he finished his current task, he would go and find her.
This was probably how fathers took care of their children, especially since the 800-li Penghu Lake was within the family's territory, and Zhang Jiadi was busy with the family's livelihood. He might as well let the little one play on her own.
...
On the calm lake surface, emerald lotus leaves stretched as far as the eye could see, forming an endless sea of green.
Some pink flower buds were about to bloom.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by.
A figure emerged from the depths of the lotus leaves.
"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!"
The childish voice rang out with joy, and it was difficult to discern the gender from a distance.
A delicate little girl, riding a white horse, galloped over the waves at high speed.
After leaving the vast area of lotus leaves, she swung her hand backward.
Whoosh! A kite soared into the wind.
The little girl's eyes sparkled with excitement as she held onto the white horse with one hand and pulled the kite string with the other, wishing she could go even faster.
She twisted the lever on the white horse.
"Faster, horse, faster!"
"If my mother finds out, she won't let me play like this anymore."
As the lever turned, the white horse's speed increased, and gradually, the little girl began to feel tired.
Even though she had been nourished by spiritual herbs since childhood and was immersed in spiritual energy, making her exceptionally strong and healthy for her age, she was still just a child under five years old.
Without restraint, the kite suddenly rose higher, and the handle slipped from her hand, falling into the water.
The little girl was startled and instinctively turned back to retrieve it.
Plop!
The little girl fell into the water.
After falling into the water, the little girl struggled, and countless waves rushed towards her from all directions.
But as soon as they touched her body, they were repelled by a green light barrier.
"Huh?"
The little girl was taken aback and took out an object from her embrace.
It was a feather, a gift from Tianxuan, who often visited their home.
At that moment, layers of green light radiated from the feather, gently pushing away the lake water.
"How interesting!"
The girl became even more excited, forgetting about the white horse that had fallen behind.
Her large eyes widened, and holding the feather, she dove towards the bottom of the lake.
"Mother never lets me go underwater. Hmph, today I'm going to see what's down there."
Holding the feather, the little girl swam like a tiny fish, diving deeper.
As she descended, the water pressure increased, but under the green light, she barely noticed it.
Unconsciously, the little girl began to feel tired.
Just as she was about to turn back, her body suddenly stiffened.
"What's that?"
Deep at the bottom of the lake, two lights resembling lanterns suddenly bloomed.
(End of Chapter)
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