https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-612-Lushan-Jun-Dragon-Severing-Technique/12942426/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-614-The-Innate-Magical-Artifact-Its-Mystery-Unveiled/12942430/
Chapter 613: The Demon Sealing Array of the North Pole, the Dark Blue Mystic Armor Appears
Chapter 613: The Demon Sealing Array of the North Pole, the Dark Blue Mystic Armor Appears
Luo Chen could clearly see that the Foundation Establishment True Cultivators outside the hall had various badges and emblems on their clothes.
Either they were family crests or sect insignias.
Although there were three Nascent Soul True Immortals with their own factions at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, none of their faction's insignias matched those present.
Wu Ruofu cautiously explained beside him, "These people should be Celestial Prodigies from Divine Origin City, who came to the Three Oceans Defense Line for training through Elder Sang's connections."
"Celestial Prodigies?"
Luo Chen's eyebrows rose slightly.
His sharp gaze swept over the crowd.
As expected, most of these Foundation Establishment Cultivators were young in appearance, and even the older ones looked middle-aged at most.
Even if cultivators could use Essence Energy to beautify and rejuvenate themselves in their daily cultivation, those who sought immortality would not do so, as it consumed Essence Energy.
If an entire group were like this, it could only mean that they were all young.
Wu Ruofu nodded, "Yes, as the war between the righteous and demonic paths becomes more chaotic, some forced to participate in the war send their promising disciples to neutral factions to avoid total annihilation."
"After all, you can't put all your eggs in one basket. Divine Origin City is the headquarters of the Heavenly Origin Commerce Alliance, backed by the Central State Heavenly Origin Dao Sect, making it the safest place in the Northern Sea today."
"In recent years, there have been more and more young cultivators with exceptional talents in Divine Origin City. At first, when I saw so many at the same level as me but dozens or even hundreds of years younger, I felt a bit ashamed. But after seeing it more often, I became numb to it."
As he spoke, his tone carried a hint of sentiment.
However, he didn't receive a response from Luo Chen.
This was because Luo Chen's gaze had fallen upon one person.
Wang An, a Foundation Establishment disciple from Langya Mountain.
When he first arrived at the Giant Whale Port from the southeast, he traveled on a ship from Langya Mountain, and it was Wang An who brought him aboard.
He never expected that Wang An would also come to the Three Oceans Defense Line.
This person wasn't very old, only in his thirties at the time, and even now, he was at most in his early forties.
However, his cultivation had already advanced to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment!
It was no wonder that Langya Mountain had carefully selected him for his exceptional talent, and without the distractions of the mortal world, his cultivation progressed rapidly.
However...
"I vaguely remember the elders of Langya Mountain instructing them to cultivate diligently in Divine Origin City as the sect's future strength, waiting for the war between the righteous and demonic paths to end. Instead of staying in Divine Origin City, they've come to the Three Oceans Defense Line for so-called training. I wonder if they think they're powerful enough or if they're just courting death."
Luo Chen muttered to himself and then entered the Qu Yang Hall without hesitation.
Behind him, a trail of gazes followed.
After he entered, a faint buzz of whispers arose, like mosquitoes.
Most likely, they were discussing Luo Chen, one of the three Golden Core cultivators guarding Qu Yang Island, but they dared not show any disrespect in their words.
Among the crowd, Wang An, dressed in white, looked at Luo Chen's back with confusion. His innate spiritual awareness was sharp, and he somehow sensed a hint of familiarity.
It was as if he had seen an old acquaintance. But how could he have an acquaintance within the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly?
"What's wrong, Junior Brother Wang?"
A senior disciple from Langya Mountain patted him on the shoulder.
Wang An remained silent.
The senior disciple smiled, "Don't worry, this side of Qu Yang belongs to the second defense line, and it's not dangerous."
Wang An snapped out of his thoughts, "I thought we were going to the first defense line in the Liuyang Sea to hunt demonic beasts? I heard that place has been quite restless."
The senior disciple shrugged, "If it were peaceful, how could we gain experience? We've been diligently cultivating for years, and our cultivation has progressed significantly. But only by putting our skills into practice can we truly gauge our strength. Hiding in seclusion is not the way. Only in such dangerous places can our skills be honed!"
As he spoke, he winked.
"Junior Brother, you don't want us, whom the sect has spent a fortune to cultivate, to become a bunch of show-offs, do you?"
Fighting demonic beasts allowed them to hone their combat skills and avoid the cunning schemes of human cultivators.
In other words, they could safely gain combat experience without facing excessive danger.
This was a tradition in the Northern Sea cultivation world for disciples from sects and families to follow after achieving a certain level of cultivation.
It was just that previously, they would go out to the open sea in groups to hunt and kill demonic beasts, and now they had come to the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly instead.
Wang An's heart was not at ease, unsure if it was because of Luo Chen's back or his own inner anxiety.
"The orders from Langya Mountain weren't like this. How are we going to explain this later?"
Seeing his junior disciple's nagging, the senior disciple became annoyed.
"We paid a hefty sum to Elder Sang for this opportunity. He will naturally protect us when the time comes. Moreover, we're not the only Langya Mountain disciples here; there are others. Do you see them worrying?"
Wang An opened his mouth, and as his gaze swept across the crowd, most eyes were filled with anticipation, and their faces glowed with excitement.
Everyone was eager to give it a try!
...
Inside the hall, a female voice, tinged with slight anger, echoed softly.
"These people are not from the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly. How dare you bring them to Qu Yang Island, the core of the Three Oceans Defense Line, without my permission!"
"Why are you getting angry, Lord Lushan? There have been cultivators from other factions on the Three Oceans Defense Line before."
"That was during wartime, and the external cultivators were here to support us. How can you compare that to the current situation? Moreover, the core areas of the three defense lines have always been off-limits to cultivators from other factions. You, more than anyone, should know this, Elder Sang!"
"Are you really going to make a big deal out of this, Lord Lushan?"
"I've been the master of this place for ten years. If something goes wrong on Qu Yang Island, it's not a big deal for you, but I will be held responsible. How can I not take this seriously?"
When Luo Chen entered the hall, he heard these arguing voices.
He didn't expect a group of external cultivators to provoke two Golden Core cultivators to such an extent.
At the same time, he vaguely sensed from their conversation that Elder Sang had taken advantage of his position to profit.
Those young Celestial Prodigies from various sects who had fled to Divine Origin City for refuge might not have high cultivation levels, but they must be from wealthy backgrounds.
Elder Sang had probably made a significant profit from them.
Otherwise, he wouldn't dare to argue with Lord Lushan, a fifth-layer Golden Core cultivator.
As the atmosphere between the two became icy, Elder Sang's face turned ashen. He suddenly looked at Luo Chen.
On his ashen face, he forced a smile.
"This must be Lord Qingyangzi, the master of Penghu Island. I, Elder Sang Jiugong, greet you."
"A smile is a shield against a helping hand."
Luo Chen responded politely, "Indeed, it is I. Fellow Daoist Sang, you are too kind."
It was Lu Shan Jun beside them whose face showed surprise.
Qingyangzi was a well-known figure in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, a renowned tool cultivator who had rented out the Eight Hundred Mile Penghu five years ago, causing quite a stir.
To outsiders, he was known for his wealth and profound cultivation, and there were even whispers that he might be the Sunyang Demon Lord from the rumors.
This was why, when she met him, she had proactively suggested the idea of doing business with him for long-distance communication talismans.
She had even considered establishing a good relationship with him to potentially do more business in talismans.
But for Sang Jiugong to be this courteous was somewhat unexpected.
After all, Sang Jiugong's cultivation wasn't particularly high, only at the fourth layer of the Golden Core stage, but he was of advanced age and had extensive combat experience, making him a notable figure in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly.
When encountering other Golden Core cultivators, he often acted arrogantly due to his seniority.
Yet, in front of Qingyangzi, he was surprisingly "humble"?
Sang Jiugong smiled slightly, "Why do you say I'm being too kind, Fellow Daoist? On Penghu Island, you made Huangfu Song retreat. Such an accomplishment deserves all the respect I can offer."
Retreat?
What was this about?
Lu Shan Jun furrowed her brows slightly, realizing that she had probably missed some news from the Flying Dragon Mountain Range due to her early assumption of duty.
And Huangfu Song... he was a seventh-layer Golden Core cultivator!
How could Qingyangzi make him retreat?
Seeing the two of them getting along well, Lu Shan Jun coughed lightly. After they paused their conversation, she spoke in a cold voice, "Let's discuss how to handle these cultivators brought by Sang Jiugong first! They have complex backgrounds and mostly come from other Nascent Soul sects. If we keep them on Quyang Island, it will always be a hidden danger."
Sang Jiugong's face, full of wrinkles, now contorted.
"I brought these people here, and I won't let them return with their tails between their legs."
"You!"
Sang Jiugong turned to Luo Chen, "Qingyangzi, you're a reasonable person. Why don't you give your opinion on who's right and who's wrong?"
Luo Chen was helpless; how could he give an opinion?
Whatever he said would offend one side, and he wasn't a fool.
After some thought, Luo Chen calmly said, "Ultimately, this is just a matter of improper conduct. Who's right or wrong isn't important; solving the problem is the most crucial. In my opinion, granting them temporary loose cultivator status in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly is sufficient."
"This... there's no precedent for this!" Lu Shan Jun hesitated slightly, still undecided about Luo Chen's suggestion.
Luo Chen smiled, "Even if they're just ordinary loose cultivators in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, they can apply for it themselves. It's not like we're registered star-ranked monster hunters in the Monster Hunting Bureau. Moreover, their purpose is to go to the first defense line to hunt and kill demonic beasts to hone their skills. Why not urge them to go to the first defense line sooner?"
This was a suggestion to pass the trouble on to her.
Lu Shan Jun's eyebrows knitted together as she considered this suggestion.
Seeing her slight relaxation, Sang Jiugong seized the moment, "Qingyangzi is absolutely right, especially with the news that demonic beasts are increasing on the first defense line, and they're short-staffed there. With these Foundation Establishment cultivators joining, it can also relieve pressure on our Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly. It's a win-win situation, Lu Shan Jun, why not consider it?"
Lu Shan Jun thought for a long time, eventually nodding slowly.
"Three days!"
"At most three days, they must leave Quyang Island."
"Sang Lao, I hope you won't make things difficult for me."
Huff...
Sang Jiugong let out a sigh of relief. He first made a promise, then thanked Luo Chen before leaving the main hall.
After he left, Lu Shan Jun heaved a clear sigh.
"Sang Jiugong is so busy, constantly traveling between the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly and Divine Origin City, where is the carefree spirit of a cultivator like us?"
Luo Chen chuckled, "Like us, aren't we also bound by our tasks, sitting idly on Quyang Island for years?"
"It's not the same."
Lu Shan Jun shook her head, "Sang Jiugong is an elderly man, with no hope of breaking through in cultivation. He wants to leave behind a legacy before his ascension. He's also worried that the power he establishes will be coveted by others, so he's actively networking."
"Is that so..."
Luo Chen seemed deep in thought.
In the few years he had been in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, he had already encountered three loose cultivators with the ambition to establish their own power.
But each of them had different motives.
One was the Zhang Jiadi couple, who wanted to establish a family power to protect their son, Zhang Jingqing.
Another was Huangfu Song, who wanted to rebuild the Great Zhou Dynasty, but he had stumbled upon Luo Chen's iron will at the very beginning of his endeavor.
And Sang Jiugong, with his scheming, was thought to be greedy for wealth, but it turned out he wanted to leave a legacy for future generations.
It seemed that not many loose cultivators actually wanted to be wandering cultivators for life!
The woman before him, on the other hand, was a genuine loose cultivator, alone without any followers or subordinates.
"Now that we've met Sang Jiugong, there's nothing else to discuss here. Feel free to do as you please, Qingyangzi!"
"Mhm."
Luo Chen nodded, and just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something.
"Sang Jiugong just mentioned that the battle on the first defense line is intensifying. What's going on there?"
Lu Shan Jun let out a bitter laugh, "What else could it be? It's just that the seal in the North Pole Namo Heaven is loosening again!"
Luo Chen's face changed in an instant!
He remembered the rumors that the North Pole Namo Heaven sealed countless demonic beings, including fourth-stage Nascent Soul Demon Sovereigns, and even fifth-stage Ancient Demons at the Divine Transformation stage.
If they all broke free... he might seriously consider running for his life.
Seeing this, Lu Shan Jun quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, this happens every ten years. Even if powerful demonic beasts escape, they're just some formidable third-stage ones. The fourth and fifth-stage ones can't get out yet."
"Now?" Luo Chen couldn't help but worry, "What about later? With the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly so close, how can we let them sleep soundly? If the seal in the North Pole Namo Heaven is completely broken and Ancient Demons escape, won't we become fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of the demons?"
Lu Shan Jun shook her head, "There's no need to worry about that either. The sealing formation there was personally arranged by the old ancestor of the Yuanmo Sect's Soul Refining lineage before his death, combining heavenly timing, geographical advantages, and the Yuanmo Sect's thousand-year foundation. It's not that easy to break. Especially over a hundred years ago, Li DaNeng from the Sea Alliance personally went to the outskirts of Namo Heaven and set up another formation, providing double protection. For at least a thousand years, there's no need to worry. After a thousand years, either we'll have achieved the Nascent Soul True Immortal realm and roam freely in the Mountain and Sea Realm, or we'll be reduced to a handful of yellow soil, indifferent to the raging floods."
Luo Chen opened his mouth, then finally let out a bitter laugh.
It seems that this is indeed the case.
He had also heard that the Divine Transformation expert from the Sea Alliance had achieved godhood through his mastery of array arts, and his array cultivation was earth-shattering.
The array technique he casually passed down, which connected the islands, allowed countless immortal islands in the Northern Sea to be free from the worries of demonic beast attacks.
If he went outside the ruins of the Demon Origin Sect and personally set up the sealing array, even a same-stage ancient demon at the Divine Transformation stage would probably find it difficult to break through the seal.
The reason why low-level demonic beasts below the Fourth Stage occasionally break through the seal from time to time is probably also because the two experts are intentionally doing so.
The more advanced the cultivation realm and the stronger the divine soul, the greater the restraint they would face from such a grand formation.
On the contrary, the lower the cultivation realm of the demonic beast, the lesser the restraint they would be under.
After Luo Chen had gained some insights from his research on array arts, he made this deduction.
The grand sealing formation in the North Pole Namo Heaven was like a giant fishing net. Small fish could escape through the net's eyes, but large fish would struggle in vain, unable to break free.
Of course, Luo Chen was not aware of the specific details.
Anyway, if the sky were to fall, there would be someone tall enough to bear the brunt.
Didn't you see that several Nascent Soul True Immortals at the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly were not the least bit flustered?
After bidding farewell to Lushan Jun, Luo Chen did not return to his Cave Mansion directly. Instead, he first made a trip to the seaside.
In front of the patrolling cultivators, he released the Black King.
"This is my spirit beast. I have already informed Lushan Jun and Sang Lao, so you all don't need to be alarmed when you see him in the future."
Seeing the Black King exposing its ferocious appearance in the air, Luo Chen couldn't help but add, "Don't be afraid, it doesn't bite."
The Black King's momentum stalled, and then it slithered into the vast ocean, looking embarrassed.
Whether it was the Primordial Cauldron's space or the Eight Hundred Mile Peninsula, they couldn't compare to the boundless and endless azure ocean in terms of comfort!
"Don't play too much. Remember the time, and come back to help me watch the furnace fire."
Luo Chen gave a reminder and returned to his mountain Cave Mansion under the respectful gazes of the low-level cultivators.
Three days later.
Sang Jiugong personally led a team, taking the registered loose cultivators with temporary Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly identities to the first defense line.
Regarding this, Luo Chen did not express any further opinions.
He simply immersed himself in his daily life of forging and practicing techniques.
...
Half a year later.
Outside the Cave Mansion, the Black King, who had shrunk in size, was controlling two flying knives, one black and one white, and was casually chopping the hard wood.
Luo Chen's estimation was off.
He didn't expect his forging skills to improve so quickly that he had exhausted all the materials he brought in just half a year.
This was also related to his long-term immersion in the cultivation of the Dragon Severing Technique, which made it impossible to replenish the Withering Flourishing True Fire in time. He had to use Spirit Wood to keep the furnace fire vigorous.
Therefore, the wood that followed was collected for him by the logistics team of Qu Yang Island from various sources.
These were all raw logs that had not been processed in advance.
After Luo Chen received them, he simply handed them over to the Black King to process.
However, if Qian Ting were here and saw that the two flying knives he once wielded on Cold Light Island were being used by a demonic beast to chop firewood, he would probably be so furious that he would come back to life even after death.
The two flying knives, having been nurtured by the Dragon Nurturing Basin, had long since reached the level of Middle-grade Treasures.
One was named Yin Lu, and the other was named Yang Jue, both sounding as fierce as their names.
After Luo Chen gave them to the Black King, he also taught him the human race's method of refining. The Black King practiced day and night, and after many years, he had become quite skilled and adept at controlling them, with a powerful and awe-inspiring demeanor.
Clap!
The firewood fell to the ground, but the Black King didn't bother to pick it up. Instead, he put away the two flying knives and went into the Cave Mansion.
"Master, you're awake!"
On the stone bed, Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes.
With just a glance, the Black King's body turned cold.
It was as if, in that instant, a cold and sharp long sword had slashed at his divine soul.
Seeing the Black King's reaction, Luo Chen was extremely satisfied.
In half a year, the soul essence in the small flag had been completely consumed.
And he had finally mastered the technique of using his divine soul to wield the Dragon Severing Technique.
From the moment when Wu Ruofu was terrified by it, to now when even the Black King at the mid-stage of the Third Stage felt a chill all over his body, it was evident that Luo Chen's mastery of this technique had reached its pinnacle.
In reality, when the Dragon Severing Technique was unleashed within the Sea of Consciousness, it allowed no external force to interfere. Outside the Sea of Consciousness, within a one-zhang radius around his physical body, he could sever the divine sense of others.
But that was only within a one-zhang distance.
Beyond that, it would be like a whip that couldn't reach.
Even so, Luo Chen had witnessed the power of Fourth Stage spells.
"I have mastered two Fourth Stage spells. There's no need to say more about the Dragon Severing Technique. With minor success, it can purge foreign mana, and with great success, it can even sever soul contamination. As for the Essence Core Technique, it caused my mana to increase by a hundredfold, and its potential is limitless."
"I wonder what wonders other Fourth Stage spells hold?"
When it came to spells, Luo Chen's talent was unquestionable! However, over the years, he had basically cultivated most Third Stage spells to the Great Perfection, but Fourth Stage spells were few and far between.
The main reason was that high-level spells like these were no longer circulating in the market. They were the untransmitted secrets of Nascent Soul-stage elders.
Even with the system in hand, Luo Chen could forcefully enter the realm, but he was like a skilled cook without rice to cook.
Even the Monster Hunting Bureau, over the past hundred years, had only offered one Fourth Stage spell for loose cultivators to exchange, and once exchanged, they would not allow others to exchange for it again.
"What a pity!"
Luo Chen sighed and stood up, walking towards the Primordial Cauldron.
"Have you been adding firewood regularly these days?"
The Black King, lying at his feet, respectfully replied, "I've been diligent, and the fire has remained vigorous."
Luo Chen hummed in acknowledgment, and then he pinched a hand seal, and a pure green flame emerged from his mouth.
With the addition of this green flame, the Primordial Cauldron became even more crimson, and a faint clanging sound could be heard from within.
Half a year had passed, and it was time to see if the Dark Blue Mystic Armor had been successfully forged or not.
As his mana was continuously consumed, the strange sound within the Primordial Cauldron became louder and louder. At first listen, it sounded like an ocean was raging inside.
Luo Chen's expression was calm, and his eyes held a hint of anticipation.
Seizing the right moment, he suddenly clapped his palm on the cauldron.
Clang! "Now or never!"
With a loud shout, the sealing barrier above the cauldron's mouth shattered, and a dense steam rushed towards his face.
Within the misty steam, a faint shadow of dark blue armor appeared and disappeared.
Seeing this, Luo Chen exclaimed in surprise, "Eh? Did it succeed?"
He reached out and summoned the shadow, and a palm-sized thin piece of armor fell into his hand.
Undoubtedly, this was the Dark Blue Mystic Armor, a Lower-grade Defensive Magical Artifact of the Water Element that he had named.
However, as he looked at it, Luo Chen's thick eyebrows furrowed unconsciously.
"Why is it like this?"
(End of Chapter)
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