https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-624-Water-and-Fire-Harmonize-Yin-and-Yang-Intertwine-Penghu-Shakes/12942440/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-626-Mystic-Dust-Armor-Appears-Blood-Scattering-Person-Returns/12942442/
Chapter 625: The So-Called Nascent Soul Domain, News of the Purple Monkey Flower
Chapter 625: The So-Called Nascent Soul Domain, News of the Purple Monkey Flower
Han Zhan was thinking of Luo Chen exploring the power of the Two Instruments Six Hexagrams Array in advance, paving the way for him.
However, to his surprise, Luo Chen sought him out first.
"Domain?"
In the cave mansion, Luo Chen, who was humbly seeking guidance, caught Han Zhan off guard.
"You're only at the Golden Core Stage now. How are you already thinking about domains?"
Luo Chen smiled lightly, "I'm just curious. I'm thinking that if I can master domain techniques at the Golden Core Stage, it might become my ultimate killing move."
Han Zhan furrowed his brows, "In my opinion, your current means of protecting your cultivation path are already far beyond ordinary Golden Core cultivators. Yet, you're still not satisfied, seeking more. Aren't you afraid of hindering your cultivation?"
Indeed, the variety of techniques Luo Chen possessed was quite extensive.
Spells, illusions, and body arts, he had no apparent weaknesses, and each of his powers was formidable.
Among his magical treasures, aside from lacking top-tier offensive ones, he also had a superior Primordial Vortex Cauldron, which was versatile.
If he could refine that defensive treasure, it could be said that during the Golden Core Stage, he could roam freely.
Now, he still seemed unsatisfied and wanted to learn even more powerful techniques, which was indeed a case of neglecting the fundamentals in pursuit of superficial gains.
It should be known that after breaking through to the next realm, the powerful techniques he currently considered his ultimate killing moves might become useless.
Such greed was truly unwise.
In response, Luo Chen shrugged.
"It's always good to have some knowledge beforehand. Moreover, I'm not saying I must learn it. By understanding it, if I encounter a Nascent Soul enemy in the future, at least I'll have a targeted approach."
"Then you're thinking too much."
Han Zhan let out a light humph, "The so-called Nascent Soul Domain is the control of heavenly energy in a certain area. It has an absolute suppression effect on lower-level cultivators, and even if you know about it, you won't be able to counter it specifically."
Luo Chen was puzzled and asked again.
Seeing Luo Chen's determination to get to the bottom of it, Han Zhan decided to explain to him what the Nascent Soul Domain was.
"Golden Core cultivators naturally suppress Foundation Establishment cultivators in terms of spirit energy because magical power is a higher level of spirit energy."
"Once a cultivator advances to the Nascent Soul Stage, they undergo the process of shattering the Golden Core and forming the Nascent Soul. After the Nascent Soul emerges and endures the heavenly tribulation, it naturally becomes closer to the heavens, thus gaining control over the heavenly energy of a certain attribute within a specific area."
"Once this control is fully unleashed, it forms what is known as the Nascent Soul Domain."
"Within this domain, only the Nascent Soul cultivator's magical power and the heavenly energy of the same attribute from the outside world exist. Other lower-level cultivators will simultaneously face the dual suppression of the Nascent Soul cultivator and the heavens, and the difference between life and death lies solely in the Nascent Soul cultivator's thoughts."
"But you don't have a Nascent Soul, so how can you set up a domain without resonating with the external heavenly energy of the same attribute?"
So that's how it is!
Through Han Zhan's in-depth explanation, Luo Chen finally understood what the Nascent Soul Domain was.
He also understood why only True Persons could rival True Persons!
In the cultivation world, there were numerous examples of cultivators defeating opponents of lower realms, but very few could defeat those of much higher realms.
Among these few examples, there was not a single case of a Golden Core cultivator defeating a Nascent Soul cultivator. Just being able to escape with one's life would be enough to spread the tale across the world.
The domain was an absolute suppression even beyond spiritual pressure!
But Luo Chen still had doubts.
He brought up the anomaly he had experienced when learning the Water and Fire Two Instruments Array, where he attracted heavenly energy.
Han Zhan chuckled, "Powerful arrays can inherently control heavenly energy for their use. This is because many powerful arrays are derived from the grand patterns of the heavens, and it has nothing to do with the cultivator."
Luo Chen shook his head, "I once saw a cultivator from the Yuan Demon Sect's Refining Soul lineage personally display a domain. That person was only at the early Golden Core Stage, yet with this domain, he could stand against me and another early Golden Core Stage cultivator."
This time, Han Zhan was genuinely shocked.
He quickly asked for the specific details of that battle.
After Luo Chen's detailed narration, Han Zhan fell into deep thought.
After a while, Han Zhan sighed, "Perhaps this is the foundation of the Soul Transformation Holy Land. It allows Golden Core cultivators to master a pseudo-domain similar to the Nascent Soul Domain."
"Can I do it?"
"You..."
Han Zhan hesitated, analyzing carefully, "If it's truly as you say, then the Yuan Demon remnant must have used the array, the Myriad Souls Banner, and a powerful Demon King that was neither human nor demon to set up the pseudo-domain."
"I also have the Myriad Souls Banner, and the souls within it are no less than that person's. Moreover, I've even learned his soul fusion secret technique!"
"But you don't have the corresponding array!"
"What about the Two Instruments Array?"
"Your Two Instruments Array draws upon the essence of water and fire, requiring the assistance of the Black King, and it's evident that you're struggling to control it. My original Two Instruments Array harnessed the essence of life and death, relying on a Nascent Soul Stage puppet that I had refined, allowing me to control it effortlessly."
"Are you saying that it requires the use of one's own power?"
"Hmm, according to my speculation, that Yuan Demon remnant must have merged with a strange Demon King, which is likely his product of soul division, allowing him to control the pseudo-domain."
"Soul division..."
This time, Luo Chen was truly stumped.
The art of soul division was a genuine immortal technique, only accessible to major sects and Nascent Soul True Persons.
Moreover, it was said that only those proficient in the Way of the Soul could divide their souls.
Luo Chen prided himself on his powerful soul, but he didn't dare to attempt soul division.
Thinking of soul division, he subconsciously looked at Han Zhan.
In the Falling Cloud Sect, among the Three Skills and Two Techniques, there was the Soul Splitting Art!
"Stop eyeing my core techniques. That's the sect's core inheritance skill, not comparable to the Golden Core Technique or the Bead Curtain Technique. Don't even think about it!"
With just a glance, Han Zhan understood what Luo Chen was planning.
After spending so many years together, he knew what Luo Chen was up to.
Therefore, he immediately dispelled Luo Chen's idea.
Luo Chen pouted but didn't insist on this matter.
He asked some more questions about the Nascent Soul Domain, but he returned disappointed.
...
After returning from Han Zhan, Luo Chen still thought about the Nascent Soul Domain from time to time, constantly flipping through the dictionaries. However, he gradually put his mind at ease.
The immediate priority was to thoroughly master the array related to the refinement of magical treasures.
Otherwise, if the Sacred Fetus was born and the array became a hindrance, it would be a joke.
Although the treasure embryo could be stored for a long time, and the subsequent refinement could be done years later, it was clear that Luo Chen couldn't wait that long.
Or, to be precise, he had been waiting for this treasure for a very, very long time!
After collaborating with the Black King to set up the Water and Fire Two Instruments Array, Luo Chen's understanding of arrays deepened.
Evidently, he had reached the step of comprehending the true meaning of arrays as Han Zhan had mentioned.
After three years of subsequent practice, things became increasingly smooth.
Three years later.
In the Starlight Pavilion, Luo Chen gazed at the system panel that flowed like a waterfall, a satisfied look in his eyes.
【Two Instruments Array Great Perfection, Six Hexagrams Array Great Perfection】
The most crucial Two Instruments Six Hexagrams Array had all reached the pinnacle.
Not only that, but even the commonly used Third Rank Flexible Array, after years of practice and usage, had also attained Great Perfection.
As for the other minor arrays, there was no need to mention them.
Although most of these arrays were primarily for forging, and couldn't be used for offense or defense, Luo Chen could still be considered a 【Third Stage Array Master】.
"With this state, inscribing the Sacred Fetus will surely be foolproof."
With a sigh of emotion in his heart, Luo Chen rose and came to the Alchemy Artisan Pavilion.
He carefully lifted the energy shield and retrieved the Sacred Fetus that was enveloped in his magical power.
At first glance, it appeared as a hazy spiritual light, but upon closer inspection, it was a meticulously crafted armor.
Despite its exquisite appearance, it didn't lack in thickness.
Luo Chen had preserved the essence of the Mythical Turtle.
Even without inscribing any arrays, the dense aura of the Sacred Fetus made it seem like a dazzling treasure, and one could hardly imagine how extraordinary it would be once it truly emerged.
Holding the Sacred Fetus, Luo Chen's eyes brimmed with anticipation.
"Let's begin!"
...
In the northern district of Dragon Abyss Immortal City, which was once the most dilapidated area in the city, had become bustling with activity over the years.
The main reason for this was probably the sudden rise of a place called 【Azure Sun Treasure Tower】! It was rumored that this tower belonged to a highly skilled Golden Core cultivator from the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, who was proficient in the art of forging.
From time to time, he would put the artifacts he forged up for sale in the shop.
Not only did wandering cultivators flock to it, but even cultivators from Divine Origin City would occasionally come to search for treasures.
However, it was clear that the rapid development of Azure Sun Treasure Tower was not solely due to this reason.
The Coral Sea Zhou Family had played a significant role in this!
In the past, when the Zhou, Chen, and Wu Zhong Valley's three Nascent Soul powerhouses joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, their primary purpose was to form an alliance for mutual support. Still, they also agreed to not interfere with the interests of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly at the request of the three wandering cultivators.
After many years of planning, Wu Zhong Valley gradually infiltrated the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly and obtained the important position of the deputy city lord of Dragon Abyss Immortal City.
The Zhou Family also wanted a piece of the pie and, through marriage alliances with the families founded by wandering cultivators in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, used the Azure Sun as a channel to promote their products among the wandering cultivators of the assembly.
Nowadays, although Azure Sun Treasure Tower was nominally owned by Qingyangzi, its core operations were managed by the Zhang and Zhou Families. Qingyangzi's share of the forged artifacts and magical treasures had decreased significantly, and his name was merely a marketing gimmick.
Tian Xuan had once reported this matter of nest-robbing to Luo Chen.
In response, Luo Chen merely smiled and let it go.
When the pie gets bigger, someone will inevitably come to divide it.
He didn't care about who owned the pie; as long as the number of spirit stones delivered to him each year increased, that was enough.
Moreover, he had never invested much in the Azure Sun or Azure Sun Treasure Tower in the first place.
One day.
Zhou Sansan, the matriarch of the Zhang Family, personally visited Azure Sun Treasure Tower to inspect her family's business.
Wherever she went, servants and maidservants respectfully bowed, and customers enthusiastically greeted her.
In a daze, the influence left by Wen Xiu in the past had long faded.
Zhou Sansan was very satisfied with this scene.
After all, Wen Xiu was just a female cultivator from a declining small family. After she married into the Zhang Family of Cai Lian Island, she voluntarily stepped down and let others take her place, which was quite sensible of her.
If it weren't for Wen Xiu having a wandering cultivator named Lushan Jun as her master, with his backing, she would have long reduced the treatment of her daughter, Zhang Jingqing, in the Zhang Family.
Anyway, her husband, Zhang Jiadi, wouldn't bother her over such a minor matter.
Sitting on the second floor, listening to the shopkeeper reporting the recent profits, Zhou Sansan was both happy and somewhat dissatisfied.
"The lion's share goes to Qingyang Shangren and the Zhou Family, while my Zhang Family gets only a tiny fraction. How unfair!"
Feeling frustrated, she pushed open the window.
Coincidentally, she overheard a dispute between a servant and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator downstairs.
"It was agreed upon before that this information is worth ten thousand spirit stones, but why isn't it valid now?"
"The past is the past, and the present is the present. How can you compare the two?"
Zhou Sansan frowned and called the shopkeeper.
"What are they arguing about?"
The shopkeeper respectfully replied, "Please wait a moment, Madam, while I go and ask."
"Yes, go ahead!"
The shopkeeper hurried off and returned just as quickly.
"Madam, this wandering cultivator brought back news of a spirit herb and wants to exchange it for ten thousand low-grade spirit stones. But this task was issued by... Madam Wen more than ten years ago, and I'm not sure if it's still valid."
"That woman issued it?" Zhou Sansan frowned.
She instinctively wanted to refuse.
But she still asked another question.
"What kind of spirit herb is it?"
"It's called Purple Monkey Flower, but we don't know its specific effects."
"Purple Monkey Flower?"
Zhou Sansan blinked and tried to recall from the Zhou Family's records.
"Isn't that a rather famous poison flower from ancient times? Why would Wen Xiu want to cultivate a poison skill or harm others with this flower if it wasn't for that purpose?"
The shopkeeper gave a wry smile, "I don't know either. I only started working here recently after transferring from the Zhou Family."
Zhou Sansan waved her hand.
"Ten thousand spirit stones? No way! Send that person away."
The shopkeeper immediately left to carry out the order.
After he left, Zhou Sansan pouted.
"These wandering cultivators are going crazy, thinking they can exchange a piece of information for ten thousand spirit stones. What a delusion! Wen Xiu is also clueless about managing a family; the Zhang Family can't afford such extravagance."
At dusk.
Zhang Jiadi, who had just returned from drinking with a low-level alchemy master he frequently collaborated with, was called away by the servant of Azure Sun Treasure Tower before he could even enter the door.
...
"You can go in first, but this person should stay outside."
Zhang Jiadi straightened his clothes, feeling slightly nervous as he stepped into the Alchemy Artisan Pavilion.
As soon as he entered, he was hit by a wave of hot air that made it almost impossible to breathe.
He blinked in surprise and then saw the white-robed Daoist sitting cross-legged in the giant cauldron.
"Zhang Jiadi greets the master!"
"I heard you brought back news about one of the three spirit herbs I wanted, the Purple Monkey Flower?" Luo Chen asked without turning his head.
Zhang Jiadi lowered his head, "The specific information is still with that wandering cultivator, and I did bring the person back, but I haven't given the reward yet."
"Has the information been leaked?"
"No, since I haven't given him the spirit stones yet, and others don't know about it."
"Well done."
As they spoke, a large pill bottle flew to Zhang Jiadi's side.
"This is a Second Rank Superior Earth Pill, which is very suitable for your cultivation. Take it!"
Zhang Jiadi's eyes lit up, and he eagerly took the large pill bottle, sensing that it contained at least a hundred pills.
If he uses it sparingly, it should last him two to three years.
"You go, and let that person stay."
After Zhang Jia Di left, Tian Xuan entered and informed Luo Chen of everything that had happened at the Azure Sun Treasure Tower.
The tower's steward was a wandering cultivator promoted by Wen Xiu in the past.
After Wen Xiu's departure, he was suppressed by the new Zhou family members and could only handle matters related to wandering cultivators.
Wandering cultivators are often poor, troublesome, and offer little benefit.
However, this steward secretly became Zhang Jia Di's confidant, keeping an eye on the Azure Sun Treasure Tower for him.
Therefore, as soon as he received news, he immediately informed Zhang Jia Di.
Upon learning the truth, Luo Chen's expression remained as calm as a well, but he couldn't help but sigh.
"In the past, I thought Zhang Jia Di was not capable of much and was just a sycophant. Now it seems that as he interacts with more influential people and matters, he has indeed grown."
Currently, the Zhang family is managed by Zhou Shan Shan on the surface, with all matters centered around her as the matriarch.
In reality, the overall direction is still controlled by Zhang Jia Di.
Especially when it comes to matters concerning Luo Chen, Zhang Jia Di remains diligent without any negligence.
Obviously, he is well aware of whose support he relies on for his survival.
"Bring that person in!"
"Yes."
Tian Xuan went out and soon returned with a young Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
As soon as he entered, the young cultivator bowed, "Wandering cultivator Xu Wang pays his respects to the Azure Sun Elder!"
Luo Chen's back was turned to him, but his overflowing spiritual sense still captured the young man's reverent and fearful expression.
"He's a young and promising cultivator. It's rare for someone of his age to reach the Foundation Establishment stage among wandering cultivators. Well done!"
Xu Wang's face finally showed joy after receiving Luo Chen's praise.
"Thank you, Elder, for your compliment. I was fortunate enough to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill from a ruins cave mansion, and I succeeded by chance."
"A ruins cave mansion?"
"Yes, it contains specific information about the Purple Monkey Flower. It is said to be located on an island called Purple Spirit Island in the depths of the Demon Sea, inhabited by numerous Purple Qi Poison Monkeys. Where there are Purple Qi Poison Monkeys, there will be Purple Monkey Flowers."
"How did you come across this opportunity?"
"A cultivation technique, three bottles of precious pills, a magical treasure, three miscellaneous books, and the information about the Purple Monkey Flower came from one of those books, along with a map."
"Have you told anyone else about this?"
"No, except for Steward Yao at the Azure Sun Treasure Tower."
The questioning continued.
As time went on, Xu Wang's speech became intermittent, and his eyes showed signs of pain.
Suddenly, a clear and pure aura descended upon him, along with a storage bag.
"Inside are ten thousand low-grade spirit stones."
Xu Wang shook his head vigorously, snapping out of his dazed state. He instinctively reached out to take the storage bag but encountered resistance in mid-air, unable to move it an inch.
"Elder?"
"Keep the miscellaneous books and make a Dao oath that you will never reveal this matter."
A Dao oath is different from a casual promise. Unless one intends to break all ties and disregard the Dao, no one dares to break it.
Especially for promising young cultivators, they must consider their future path.
Xu Wang swallowed hard and, for the sake of ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, made a Dao oath.
After handing over the miscellaneous book, he smoothly obtained the storage bag containing ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.
"You may leave now."
"Um, Elder, can I ask you to refine a magical treasure for me...?"
"Go!"
Xu Wang trembled and dared not make any further requests. Holding the storage bag, he left Penghu with Tian Xuan.
Time passed.
Tian Xuan returned to the Alchemy Artisan Pavilion.
As she entered, she saw Luo Chen with a withered yellow book automatically flipping its pages.
"Master, is the information about the Purple Monkey Flower real or fake?"
"It should be real. Since Xu Wang entered, I've been using illusions to disrupt his mind. His answers come from his heart, and there's no deception."
Luo Chen said without turning his head, his eyes fixed on the miscellaneous book.
With his mastery of illusions, even if he couldn't match the domineering soul-searching technique of the demonic path, manipulating the mind of a young Foundation Establishment cultivator was effortless.
Tian Xuan hesitated, "What about this book?"
"It's quite old and not a forgery. It was probably written by someone who enjoyed traveling the Demon Sea."
Most accomplished cultivators like to write books and establish their own theories.
It's not just about showing off but also organizing their cultivation insights.
Luo Chen is no exception. The insights he has written on alchemy, forging, and cultivation over the years add up to more than a dozen books.
If his time is near, he might also write a travelogue to commemorate the places he has visited and the interesting sights he has seen.
Finally, Tian Xuan asked curiously, "So, is Master going to that Purple Spirit Island?"
This time, Luo Chen shook his head slightly.
"In the short term, I won't be able to leave."
Tian Xuan was puzzled.
Luo Chen sighed, "This Demon Emperor's Remains, although I successfully refined it, the compatibility with the formation array is not as smooth as I imagined. Therefore, I need at least a year to stabilize its formation array."
Tian Xuan was surprised by this answer.
It seemed that the master had never encountered such a situation when forging magical treasures!
Indeed, this time, Luo Chen had finally discovered the upper limit of the Primordial Cauldron's enhancement in forging.
For low-grade magical treasures, there were almost no obstacles.
Even for medium-grade magical treasures, the success rate was around fifty-fifty.
But when it came to high-grade magical treasures, the nurturing effect was minuscule.
However, the Demon Emperor's Remains had an extremely high grade, and the formation array he wanted to set up was too powerful. As a result, when the two were combined, there was a strong rejection reaction.
If not for his prolonged nurturing and his formation array expertise reaching its peak in advance, the engraving would have failed at the last moment.
Even if he had forcibly engraved the formation array, he would still need to constantly adjust the array patterns afterward.
He had been sitting in the Alchemy Artisan Pavilion for a long time.
And it was imaginable that he would have to sit for a long time to truly stabilize the formation array on the Sacred Fetus.
"Then... what about the Purple Monkey Flower?" Tian Xuan asked. Luo Chen had previously told her about the importance of the Purple Monkey Flower for Incarnation.
Was such a precious item to be left unattended? Luo Chen pondered for a long time, his eyes filled with contemplation, before finally speaking slowly.
"Go and call Black King!"
(End of Chapter)
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