https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-872-Extreme-Techniques-Clash-Laughter-Amidst-Grudges-/12995546/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-874-Luo-Chen-Do-You-Know-the-Consequences-of-Betraying-the-Tian-Yuan-Dao-Zong-/13002130/
Chapter 873: A Talisman to Calm the Sea, Mountain-Bearing Moon-Chasing
Chapter 873: A Talisman to Calm the Sea, Mountain-Bearing Moon-Chasing
2024-12-26
"Who does he resemble?"
On the Heavenly River Floating Ship, in a quiet room, Luo Chen was sketching on a clean white paper.
Sima Huiniang stood by his side, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she gazed at the gradually emerging outline.
Wrinkles spread across the face, resembling spreading roots and vines.
The face was withered and emaciated, like a decaying old tree.
The once kind features turned grim and ominous as Luo Chen added the final touch to the eyes, making them sinister.
Sima Huiniang hesitated for a moment before responding to Luo Chen's inquiry, her red lips parting slightly.
"He does seem somewhat familiar, a bit like a senior from the Five Elements Divine Sect who used to take care of us."
Luo Chen put down his brush and looked at Sima Huiniang's pensive profile.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Indeed, this face bears a strong resemblance to Ling Mu Zhenren, about six or seven parts similar!"
"Is it really him?"
Luo Chen muttered to himself.
After his private conversation with Master Fu, the latter had described the person in this manner.
Before Sima Huiniang stepped down as the leader of Luo Tian Sect, she had frequent interactions with the Five Elements Divine Sect and had met the kind-hearted Ling Mu Zhenren, who was known as a good-natured elder.
Now, she also believed it to be him!
Sima Huiniang was puzzled by Luo Chen's words.
"Husband, when you returned, Ling Mu Zhenren's physical body had been destroyed by the Demon Emperor, and his Primordial Spirit was in seclusion to recover from his injuries. You shouldn't have met him, right? Why did you suddenly draw his portrait?"
Why indeed? Luo Chen was about to ask the same question.
The destruction of the physical body was a severe blow to a cultivator who had not yet achieved the Incarnation realm and was still refining their Primordial Spirit. It was only second to having their Primordial Spirit injured.
However, there were ways to remedy such an injury.
One could seek suitable materials to recreate the physical body or, as a last resort, use the despicable method of Soul Possession.
Regardless, a Primordial Spirit cultivator would always act swiftly to resolve such an issue.
Yet, Ling Mu Zhenren had been recuperating for several decades and had never shown himself to anyone.
Even during the most perilous moments of the Heaven Piercing Cliff War, when Jin Ling Zhenren of the Five Elements Divine Sect had perished, he did not make an appearance.
Could he truly be so patient? Now it seemed that it wasn't a matter of patience but rather an unexpected incident, possibly orchestrated by his senior brother, Shen Yuan Zhenren!
Otherwise, there was no explanation for Shen Yuan Zhenren revealing such a true form.
"Fusion and absorption?"
Luo Chen was unsure of the methods Shen Yuan Zhenren had employed, but he knew this person was not as kind as he had appeared before.
After all, how kind could one be when they had harmed their fellow sect member's Primordial Spirit? Coupled with the malevolence he had shown towards Luo Chen...
As Luo Chen pondered, he suddenly shook his head and smiled.
Never mind! After settling matters here, he would travel to the Mysterious Abyss Holy Land and have no further dealings with the old man who had only a few years left to live.
What was the point of thinking so much?
The sudden change in the other party's attitude was clearly out of fear of the Mysterious Abyss Holy Land, hence the decision to erase the past.
Luo Chen casually created a small fireball and burned the portrait to ashes.
He turned and walked out, with Huiniang by his side, casually chatting about the recent Expansion matters.
Huiniang did most of the talking, while Luo Chen listened and occasionally offered suggestions.
"There's a large Fourth Rank Spirit Vein in the Heavenly Peak Region, stretching over three thousand li. Wang Yuan has led people to clear the area, and there are no more lingering beasts. Currently, the disciples of Heavenly Capital Sect are working to unblock the obstructed sections of the Spirit Vein and set up arrays to cultivate the spirit veins."
"In the future, the core area of Skytouch Cliff will be our main mountain gate, covering a three-thousand-li radius."
"According to Master Fu and Windflower Fairy's suggestions, the territory of a Nascent Soul Upper Sect should be at least ten thousand li in radius. Even if we don't need that much now, we must maintain the standard."
Luo Chen nodded in agreement. A three-thousand-li core area and a ten-thousand-li territory were indeed the standard specifications for a Nascent Soul Upper Sect.
Only with such a foundation could a Nascent Soul Upper Sect accommodate the cultivation of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of disciples in the future.
As for the feat of the Medicine King Sect, which dominated an entire region, it required not only formidable strength but also immense wealth.
Otherwise, it would be impossible to control such a vast territory, and it would be better to leave it to smaller forces to manage.
Regarding the process, there was another solution to prevent the Nascent Soul Upper Sect from losing too many benefits.
They could collaborate with smaller forces to build Immortal Cities, where the Nascent Soul Upper Sect would hold the majority share in each city, ensuring that they would also reap the majority of the city's profits.
By accumulating these resources, the Nascent Soul Upper Sect could acquire an extremely formidable amount of resources.
With proper development, they would not fall behind the Golden Core Sects unless they were extremely foolish.
Thus, over the past three thousand years, the Nascent Soul Upper Sects that had established their own territories had mostly become stronger, with few falling from their ranks.
Even if there were geniuses like Shen Yuan Zhenren, Yu Ding Zhenren, and Han Zhan within the Golden Core Sects under their command, they would not be able to rival the local Nascent Soul Upper Sect in the short term. They could only seek external development and embark on new Expansion Wars under the constraints of the rules.
"Additionally, Elder Ling Feng Zi is leading a team to survey and identify resource-rich areas in the Heavenly Peak Region."
"The smaller forces are frantically sweeping through the remaining beasts in the Luo Tian Region."
"However, they are not getting along, often resorting to violence to occupy the lower-level Spirit Veins with abundant Spirit Energy."
"The situation is different from the time of the great war between the Human and Demon Races. We are no longer restricted by the rules of Heaven Ascending Pass, and in just a few days, several sects have unleashed their true fire, resulting in significant casualties."
Sima Huiniang spoke with a hint of sigh in her eyes.
She had also experienced the Expansion War in the Xiaoyue Mountain Range back then.
At that time, the Golden Core forces' opponents were demon beasts.
Even if several sects set their sights on a decent Spirit Land, they would compete based on their abilities to seize that mountain peak.
Unlike now, there are hardly any powerful demon beasts left in the Luo Tian Domain, and the discovery of unclaimed Spirit Lands has led to infighting and sect wars among the Human Race.
"Although these conflicts seem minor to us, it is, after all, a crucial period for the Nascent Soul Upper Sect to expand its territory, and it may have some negative impact."
"Husband, should we intervene?"
Just as Luo Chen was about to say no, he paused.
After some thought, he nodded.
"Let's wait for Wang Yuan to take action, and then ask him to lead a team to mediate the situation."
"Bring Min Longyu along. If they encounter a slightly larger Third Rank Spirit Vein, let him assess and allocate it to two or even three sects to share."
Initially, Sima Huiniang didn't grasp Luo Chen's intention.
But when she heard the words "two or even three sects sharing," she immediately understood her husband's thoughts.
"Husband, this is a vicious plan!"
"Oh?" Luo Chen smiled gently and looked at her.
Sima Huiniang smiled and said, "But it's a great strategy for the future development of the Luo Tian Sect."
Both of them understood the hidden poison beneath this seemingly peaceful and amicable mediation.
The Golden Core sects currently engaged in the war have been severely weakened after more than a hundred years of fighting between the Human and Demon Races.
Even when two or three sects combine their forces, they barely match the strength of a single powerful Golden Core sect from the past.
However, everything changes with the passage of time.
As sects develop, the number of disciples will increase, but the Spirit Veins and territories remain limited.
When their strength recovers, how can one or two Third Rank Spirit Veins accommodate the needs of all sects? Just like the Luo Tian Sect in the past, when they first occupied Danxia, they were content.
But as their strength grew, their influence expanded, and they consecutively seized several First and Second Rank Spirit Lands in the vicinity.
This process was accompanied by slaughter and conquest.
Will these small sects under the Luo Tian Domain remain peaceful in the future?
The answer is certainly no! Even if they exercise restraint, the Luo Tian Sect will secretly stir up trouble, encouraging them to fight.
Luo Chen walked out of the house and looked up at the towering Skytouch Cliff, letting out a long sigh.
"In the end, the Luo Tian Sect has too few members and insufficient strength, resorting to such underhanded tactics!"
Sima Huiniang held his arm, and with her other hand, she smoothed her hair, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"Things will get better!"
"In the future, when my husband has some free time and returns from the Mysterious Abyss, the Luo Tian Sect will surely flourish, attracting numerous disciples, becoming the immortal sanctuary spoken of by mortals."
...
"Let's choose this mountain!"
Before the Calm Mountain Sea, Nine Spirit Lord had a hint of sadness in his eyes as he gave his suggestion.
Luo Chen nodded, "The terrain is majestic and can conceal the wind and gather spiritual energy. It is indeed an excellent Third Rank Spirit Mountain. Moving it to the Luo Tian Domain can effectively fill the void left by the Demon Emperor's destruction of the Spirit Vein. Moreover, by moving this mountain, a gap will be created, allowing us to divert a portion of the water resources from the Calm Mountain Sea to the Taihu Domain, providing a place for mortals to recuperate in the future."
Nine Spirit Lord nodded in agreement. How could he not know the value of this mountain?
In the past, the Nine Spirit Sect was reluctant to part with this mountain, and since it was too far from their sect's territory, they specifically entrusted it to one of their vassals to manage.
But now, this mountain will be relocated to the Luo Tian Domain, becoming a part of the Luo Tian Sect's foundation.
Luo Chen patted his shoulder reassuringly and then turned to the other two.
"Master Fu, Brother Deng, I'm counting on you."
Master Fu forced a smile, "It's not a big deal, just a talisman. Please step back a little."
After Luo Chen and the other two took a few steps back, Master Fu's smile faded, and he took out a dark yellow talisman.
The original version is available at 69shu! 6=9+shu_ba
In front of the three, he made intricate hand gestures and chanted incantations.
Suddenly, he opened his mouth and expelled a burst of mana.
The dark yellow talisman gently floated towards the Calm Mountain Sea.
A mighty force erupted from the talisman, and as it pressed down, the seawater below seemed to boil like hot water.
The giant waves rose hundreds of zhang high, rolling endlessly towards the rear.
As the waves were about to crash down again.
"Suppress!"
The dark yellow talisman stood motionless in front of the terrifying waves, creating a spectacular sight.
Master Fu lowered his hand and tucked it into his robe, "It's done."
"Impressive, suppressing the sea with a single talisman!"
Deng Ta Yue laughed and strode forward.
"Now, watch Deng's move!"
He jumped off the mountain and directly landed on the exposed seabed.
Then, facing the previously selected peak, he struck the ground with both palms.
Exhaling, he shouted, "Rise!"
The next moment, a deafening rumble echoed continuously.
Initially, the sound was slow, but it gradually became faster.
Luo Chen and the other two felt their bodies rising higher, and the clouds in the sky seemed within reach.
The Nine Spirit Lord, Jiu Ling Yuan Jun, was surprised and exclaimed, "Crushing mountains and breaking peaks are easy for us, and even the feat of lifting mountains and calming the seas isn't too difficult. But for Deng Daoyou to accomplish it with such ease is truly impressive."
Luo Chen, standing nearby, smiled and said, "You don't know this, but Brother Deng specializes in Earth-attributed cultivation techniques, and he's particularly skilled in such matters. Moreover, back then, he was on the verge of comprehending the essence of Earth Law. Although he fell short at the final step, this experience benefited him greatly. For him, this ability is nothing extraordinary."
Jiu Ling Yuan Jun raised his eyebrows, then fell into deep thought.
The essence of the law?
Deng Tai Yue from Mount Tai, although they had only a casual acquaintance before, became closer due to Luo Chen. This led to him inviting Deng Tai Yue to assist in the upcoming expansion war of the Nine Spirit Sect.
Jiu Ling Yuan Jun's evaluation of Deng Tai Yue was neither high nor low. He was just an ordinary Nascent Soul Stage 6 cultivator, with a cultivation base similar to his own, and his strength was rather average. Deng Tai Yue had a gentle personality, lacking the aura of a killer.
However, he had almost reached the realm that Nascent Soul cultivators yearned for.
Comprehending the essence of the law! Jiu Ling Yuan Jun thought to himself that entering the late Nascent Soul stage was not difficult for him; with diligent cultivation for a few decades, it would be a natural progression.
But comprehending the essence of the law was something he had no clue about.
Even if he aimed for Divine Transformation in the future, he could only rely on the traditional method of raising his cultivation base and refining his Nascent Soul.
That path was the most arduous one, and comprehending the essence of the law would not come easily.
At this thought, he couldn't help but look at Luo Chen beside him.
Previously, Luo Chen had defeated the Seven Rhinoceros Demon Emperor with a single move, and his divine ability should also be a derivation of some law's essence.
"Since I cultivated the Great Nine Heavens Celestial River, I've only had my eyes on Great Cultivators, and nothing else."
"It seems I've been too arrogant."
"Peng Xiang's techniques are exquisite, and Deng Tai Yue almost ascended to the clouds. Although Luo Chen's cultivation base is lower, he has already surpassed me."
"Heroes of the world should not be underestimated!"
Just as he was having these thoughts, a loud shout came from below the mountain.
"Let's go!"
Deng Tai Yue rose into the air, his mana surging, and with one hand, he lifted a majestic mountain and headed east.
The Spirit Mountain, which required the combined efforts of five Golden Core cultivators, numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even formation assistance for Luo Chen to uproot during his Golden Core stage, was now effortlessly lifted by Deng Tai Yue with a single hand.
As the Spirit Mountain moved eastward, the talismans recalled the suppressed limitless seawater, which immediately collapsed.
It transformed into a giant wave, rolling towards the terrifying crater.
After gradually filling it, a large amount of lake water flowed back through the gap, towards the dried-up Taihu Domain.
...
In the Luotian Domain, which was yet to be renamed, a small Third Rank Spirit Land.
An aged Tao Yisheng looked at the beautiful woman before him with dissatisfaction.
"Sister, is this all you could get for our Qingdan Valley?"
Unbeknownst to them, Tao Wan had already removed the light veil covering her face.
She walked amidst the uneven valley, her gaze sweeping across the Qingdan Valley's lower-ranked cultivators who were enthusiastically constructing their residences.
In the moonlight, her expression was serene, a far cry from her proud demeanor of the past. She pointed at the ethereal figure beneath the mountain and trembled, "Do you intend to reason with a Nascent Soul cultivator?"
(End of Chapter)
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