https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-921-The-Art-of-Talisman-Creation-Yanfu-Sacred-Mountain/13150603/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-923-Ocean-of-Primordial-Energy-Tribulation-Plague-Reappears/13459477/
Chapter 922: The Spring of the Abyss, the Abyss Lord, Perfect Spell, and the Emergence of Insight
Chapter 922: The Spring of the Abyss, the Abyss Lord, Perfect Spell, and the Emergence of Insight
Once, Mount Yanfu soared high above the Ninth Heaven, its full majesty hidden from most eyes.
Now that the immortal mountain has fallen, Luo Chen can finally see its true form.
At first glance, it doesn't appear particularly grand, not as towering as the Central Plains' Heaven-Earth Peak.
It lacks the abrupt and bizarre grandeur of Mota Mountain.
But this mountain, quietly situated in the abyss, exudes a profound and heavy presence, like a colossal beast lying in deep slumber.
Moreover, Mount Yanfu remains untouched by the corruption of the abyss, with a vast amount of heavenly qi still converging from all directions, being absorbed by the radiant Zhenfa light.
Truly a wondrous mountain!
At this moment, the outer perimeter of Mount Yanfu is filled with shouts and cries.
A torrent of ghostly energy surges back and forth, enveloping the surroundings, creating an atmosphere of darkness and the night march of a hundred ghosts.
"Who are you, young whelp, daring to snatch my opportunity?"
"Knowledge knows no order, only the accomplished are respected. Both of us are at the Fourth Rank Ghost Emperor realm, why should you act superior?"
"I have been on the path of ghost cultivation for three thousand years. When I started, you were still reincarnating in the Cycle of Rebirth. How dare you compare yourself to me?"
"Three thousand years? I bet you've been locked in a soul seal, hibernating like an old turtle!"
The hoarse voice of the elderly man and the melodious voice of the woman rise and fall, not just in simple conversation.
With every word they utter, a wave of soul-seizing sound waves is unleashed, the most dangerous directly attacking the enemy's soul essence.
Ghost cultivators have no physical bodies and no sea of consciousness to shield them from the outside world.
Their greatest strength is their soul, but their greatest weakness is also their unprotected soul!
Under constant assault, Bai Mei Ling, with her slightly weaker foundation, is gradually showing signs of fatigue.
The large banner in her hand is starting to droop.
"Die!"
With a furious roar, Yan Qianji unleashes his massive ghostly form, striking down with a powerful palm.
Bai Mei Ling's face turns pale, and without hesitation, she transforms into her true form, a hundred-zhang ghost python, and wraps the soul banner, preparing to flee.
However, the ghostly form blocks the sky and shrouds the area in thick black mist, making it impossible for her to escape. It seems she has no choice but to face the palm head-on.
"I regret listening to Master Li's words!"
A flash of regret crosses Bai Mei Ling's face, but she has made her decision.
She can die here, but the disciples she brought must return unharmed!
"Tiangan, it's up to you!"
After transmitting her message through Shenxi, she throws the soul banner, which shoots out like an arrow, piercing through the black mist.
Bai Mei Ling turns back and charges towards the massive palm, ready to sacrifice herself.
At that moment, a sudden spark bursts forth, transforming into a soaring fire phoenix that intercepts the ghostly palm before Bai Mei Ling.
Boom!
In the intense impact, Bai Mei Ling halts, a mix of shock and joy on her face.
The fire phoenix not only breaks through the ghostly palm but also sweeps away the surrounding black mist with a blazing force, revealing a clear blue sky.
The vast black mist, struck hard, begins to contract, finally revealing Yan Qianji's true form.
It is a creature with a thick, turtle-like shell, but its head and tail are connected to the ghostly shell, more resembling a soft-shelled turtle or a spiny turtle.
Seeing his killing move thwarted, Yan Qianji is both shocked and furious.
"Who is there?"
In the abyssal waters outside the mountain, a figure steps forward, walking on the shimmering waves, approaching the waterless Mount Yanfu.
Dressed in black, with hair as dark as midnight, eyes like deep, cold pools, and a gaze that seems to hold the stars and the moon, he commands an awe-inspiring presence.
It is Luo Chen!
He speaks calmly, "Fellow Daoist, if you claim to be a senior, why do you bully the young?"
Yan Qianji snorts, "The Abyss Sect suppressed me for thousands of years. Before its destruction, that Tian Yuan brat even manipulated us to kill each other. Now, Mount Yanfu is just a small compensation. This little wench doesn't know her place and tries to snatch my opportunity. Should I not act?"
Bai Mei Ling, anxious, interjects, "Master, we were here first. The remnants of the array were solved by Min Longyu and Tiangan. This old thing followed us in and now tries to bite back!"
Master?
Yan Qianji's brow furrows, his powerful Shenxi sweeping over Luo Chen.
Bai Mei Ling, though not particularly strong, is a Fourth Rank Ghost Emperor, yet she calls someone else her master?
This person must be even more powerful than he imagined!
However, no matter how much Shenxi he uses, he can't detect any hint of Luo Chen's true strength.
This can only mean one thing: the black-clad man's soul foundation is even stronger than his own!
After hearing Bai Mei Ling's words, Luo Chen's expression remains unchanged as he turns to look at Yan Qianji.
"Fellow Daoist, everything should follow the principle of first come, first served, don't you think?"
Yan Qianji sneered, "Talking won't change anything. In the end, it all comes down to who is stronger."
Luo Chen nodded in agreement, "You're right. Opportunities are for those who are fated to receive them. And as for fate... Little White, you're not using the Soul Refining Banner correctly. Watch carefully!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, the banner in Luo Chen's hand suddenly unfurled.
A horde of vicious ghosts roared out from it.
Lianqi Stage, Zhujī Stage, Jin Dan Stage... and eventually, even a Gui Huang-level entity with a deer's head and a human body emerged.
Faced with these ghostly winds, Yan Qianji sneered, showing no concern.
The ghosts refined by the Soul Refining Banner were mindless and lacked clarity of thought. He had nothing to fear!
But then, in the next moment!
Luo Chen made a hand seal and whispered, "Fusion!"
In Yan Qianji's disbelief, the various ghosts, regardless of their strength, began to merge into a massive, thousand-zhang tall ghost that lunged at him.
"Why can ghosts of such different realms merge together?"
No one answered him, and he had no time to ponder it further.
For at that moment, the merged ghost unleashed the power of a late-stage Fourth Rank!
If that were all, Yan Qianji might have been able to hold his ground.
But Luo Chen, standing to the side, was still eyeing him like a predator. How could he dare to fight with all his might?
Yan Qianji roared, his voice echoing in all directions as he charged at the merged ghost.
"Master, be careful. This person's soul attack is extremely powerful. Don't let his soul sounds disturb your ears", Bai Mei Ling warned urgently.
Bai Mei Ling had once used soul attacks to sneak-attack the Centipede Demon King. She was quite skilled in this area.
The fact that she was so cautious was a testament to the power of Yan Qianji's soul sounds.
But Luo Chen showed no fear, allowing the soul sounds to wash over him without flinching.
His golden eyes calmly fixed on Yan Qianji.
Boom!
The two ghosts clashed violently.
In an instant, the powerful ghost Luo Chen had fused collapsed.
"Still not quite there, huh?"
Luo Chen muttered. This soul fusion technique originated from the North Sea.
It was a technique passed down by a disciple of the Soul Refining lineage of the Primordial Devil Sect. After Luo Chen and Duan Li killed him, they added it to the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly.
Later, Luo Chen exchanged it and practiced it a bit.
Over the years, he had rarely used this technique.
This was because the Soul Refining Banner did not contain a powerful main soul. Even the ghost king created by fusion was only at the late Jin Dan stage.
It wasn't until the battle with Bai Li Qing Chuan, where Luo Chen used the banner to absorb the soul of one of the Lu family's three brothers, that he met the true conditions for using the soul fusion technique.
So far, it had indeed proven to be quite powerful.
The only thing lacking was perhaps Luo Chen's lack of familiarity with it.
But it was enough!
In a single, direct collision, the ghost king collapsed, and Yan Qianji could not withstand the assault of countless malevolent ghostly thoughts. His massive ghostly body began to disintegrate, scattering into wisps of mist.
Bai Mei Ling seemed to realize something and said, "Master, he's feigning defeat to escape!"
Luo Chen had already noticed this. He pressed his palm down toward a spot in the void.
The Qing Yang Grand Hand Seal instantly appeared, carrying tendrils of Kurong Zhenhuo.
Thud!
A figure staggered out of the void.
A deep palm print was visible on his back, nearly dispersing his solidified ghostly body.
He looked at Luo Chen in terror, then without hesitation, fled Mount Yanfu, disappearing into the vast Yōu Míng Shēn Yuān.
"Master, should we pursue him?" Bai Mei Ling asked.
Luo Chen waved his hand, "Let him go. The Yōu Míng Shēn Yuān is not suitable for my battles. I can face him directly, but chasing him is more likely to lead me into a trap."
There was no point in pursuing a fleeing enemy, and Luo Chen had no mortal grudge against him, so he didn't want to waste his energy.
He shook the Soul Refining Banner, and several figures fell out.
As soon as they appeared, they bowed respectfully to Luo Chen.
"Master!"
"Tai Shang Elder!"
"Tai Shang Elder!"
Tianxuan, Min Longyu, and a few familiar Zhu Ji disciples.
Luo Chen looked at them all and said sternly, "You all have quite some nerve!"
Bai Mei Ling took the blame, "Master, it was my idea. Please don't blame them."
"Hmm?" Luo Chen fixed his gaze on Bai Mei Ling.
She felt an immense pressure, instinctively kneeling on the ground and trembling with fear. "The vitality in Dan Sheng Paradise is too strong for me; it feels like a prison. In contrast, the Yin and ghostly energies in the Nether Realm are everywhere, making it the perfect place for my cultivation. I couldn't resist and disobeyed Patriarch Li's orders, sneaking out. I brought along Min Longyu and the others because I thought they could help me set up the Zhen Fa to avoid being discovered by other powerful entities, which could endanger Luo Tian Sect."
Luo Chen nodded inwardly. The Nether Realm was indeed a suitable place for Bai Mei Ling to cultivate now.
He had been preoccupied with settling Luo Tian Sect and had overlooked the special cultivation needs of some of its members.
However, he maintained a composed expression and asked, "So how do you explain Mount Yanfu?"
Min Longyu took over the explanation. "I discovered this mountain. The remnants of the array can block the pollution of the Dark Water, making it appear extraordinary. I encouraged Elder Bai to explore it. However, the Zhen Fa on this mountain is incredibly powerful. Even though the outer Zhen Fa has been mostly broken, some strong Zhen Fa within are still active, trapping us at the foot of the mountain."
Luo Chen shook his head and looked up at the towering mountain.
"You have no idea what this place is. Rushing in recklessly is sheer audacity!"
After that, he explained the mountain's origins to everyone.
It emerged from the depths of the earth, originating from Dan Sheng Paradise and hanging over the Sacred Land of Min Yuan for three thousand years.
It was the holy mountain of the Sacred Land of Min Yuan!
Three Great Ancestors had once lived and cultivated there, and all who visited were at the Nascent Soul stage.
In essence, the entire Abyss Sect's essence was condensed within this mountain.
For mere Core Formation cultivators like Min Longyu and Bai Mei Ling, a Nascent Soul ghost king, to try and explore this mountain was nothing short of courting death!
Even Luo Chen himself dared not venture too far into it.
After hearing this, Tianxuan suddenly spoke up, "Master, since this mountain is so important, if Luo Tian Sect were to obtain it, wouldn't we gain a great deal of the Abyss Sect's legacy?"
Luo Chen's eyes flickered, and he gave Tianxuan a deep look.
"You do have a point, but now is not the time."
With that, he waved his sleeve, and a surge of magical power enveloped the group as he calmly left the mountain.
After they were gone, it took only a short while before several figures appeared outside Mount Yanfu.
Each one exuded a chilling ghostly aura, their soul fluctuations intense.
"I wondered why Yanshen Qianji was fighting. He must have discovered this mountain!"
"Mount Yanfu, the Dark Water spring is inside, right?"
"If the rumors are true, then it must be!"
"The Abyss Sect has been able to suppress the Nether Realm for three thousand years thanks to the Dark Water spring. The three Great Ancestors also relied on it to try and subdue and refine the Qinghe Immortal. If we obtain this, we can become the masters of the Nether Realm!"
"Why wait any longer?"
"Still, we should be cautious. If someone could injure Yanshen Qianji, a powerful ancient monster, there might be other ancient monsters hidden in the Nether Realm for thousands of years."
"Cautious? We've been in hiding for so long. Are we going to keep hiding?"
"You're right. Even Yanshen Qianji, that old tortoise, has shown his head. We have no reason to be more cowardly than him."
"Let's go!"
After a brief discussion, the figures charged into the mountain without hesitation.
They were not alone. As time passed, more and more ghostly entities gathered outside Mount Yanfu, almost all of them rushing in without hesitation.
However, most of them never came out again.
A rumor slowly spread among the vast ghostly cultivation community in the Nether Realm.
Mount Yanfu has appeared, and the Dark Water spring has emerged.
Whoever controls the Dark Water spring will become the master of the Nether Realm, replacing the Abyss Sect and ruling this vast abyss!
...
Back in Dan Sheng Paradise, Luo Chen handed over Bai Mei Ling and the others who had disobeyed orders to Li Yingzhang.
Those who deserved punishment were punished, and those who needed to be confined were confined.
However, Luo Chen left a path open.
"Fudi is a great place, but seclusion in cultivation is like trying to create a cart behind closed doors."
"The Mingyuan Ruins hide a vast amount of residual resources from the Hua Shen Holy Land. If we can secure even a fraction of them, the future of Luo Tian Sect will be promising."
"I will leave behind a method to command Xián guī, as well as a map of the Min Yuan Holy Land. In the future, you can regularly send people to explore the ruins around Fudi and excavate resources that are useful to us."
"Each time, let Bai Mei Ling lead the expedition, which will also serve as a training ground for the sect's disciples."
"Finally, find a suitable place for Bai Mei Ling to cultivate outside. This will allow her to train and serve as a second stronghold for Luo Tian Sect in the Yōu míng shēn yuān."
Li Ying Zhang, though worried, found Luo Chen's reasoning sound and respectfully accepted the command.
Dan Sheng Paradise is a great place, but it ultimately has only one exit.
Once the entrance is blocked, the hundreds of cultivators in Luo Tian Sect will be like fish in a pot.
If a second or even a third stronghold can be established, they will have more strategic options.
As for Mount Yanfu?
After discussing it with Luo Chen, they both agreed that it was not a place Luo Tian Sect could explore now.
It would be better to let the ghost cultivators take the lead and explore it first.
Once there are some concrete results, Luo Tian Sect can join in.
...
After handling these trivial matters, Luo Chen returned to his previous routine.
He took the Immortal Brew from the Five Temples to refine his five organs and applied two drops of the Jade Emperor's Clear Pupil Liquid daily to enhance his Crimson Eyes and Golden Pupils.
He didn't neglect his cultivation, practicing morning and evening routines, steadily increasing his magical power.
The halted talisman-making project, which had been forced to pause, was restarted after obtaining a large number of high-grade talisman skins from Mount Hanyang.
Day by day, the number of fourth-rank talismans Luo Chen created grew.
Correspondingly, the proficiency of his high-level fire spells, which had been stagnant for years, began to rise rapidly.
Three years later!
On this day, in the Dan Mountain cave.
Luo Chen was carefully drawing the spell "Phoenix Blaze" on a talisman skin.
His movements were incredibly gentle, and his Shenxi was absolutely focused.
The usually domineering fire attribute magical power now behaved like a well-behaved child, allowing him to inject it bit by bit into the Symbol Patterns.
When the final stroke was completed, Luo Chen felt a great relief.
Holding up the talisman that contained immense power, his eyes were filled with joy.
Another successful one!
Not only that, but the proficiency of the Phoenix Blaze spell on the attribute panel, which had been stuck for over a hundred years, finally advanced to the Great Perfection level.
Indeed, his early hypothesis was correct!
Making talismans requires a deep understanding of spells.
Conversely, making a large number of talismans can also improve a cultivator's spell proficiency.
With this complementary effect, even without deliberately practicing spells, he could gradually push the Phoenix Blaze to Great Perfection.
After all, the difficulty of fully concentrating on drawing a Huofa talisman is higher than simply casting a spell, so this progress was only natural.
"Next, I need to channel the essence of heaven and earth into the talisman as a supplement."
Fourth-rank talismans are no longer ordinary.
They not only contain the cultivator's own magical power but also integrate some external essence.
This way, when the talisman is activated, it can replicate the power of a Yuan Yin cultivation practitioner channeling the essence of heaven and earth for their own use.
Luo Chen smiled, his Shenxi spreading out, and his domain expanding as he began to channel a large amount of fire essence into the talisman.
This process requires caution to avoid the risk of the guest overpowering the host and ruining the carefully made talisman.
Luo Chen was not afraid, as he was already familiar with this procedure.
However, this time, after only a moment, Luo Chen sensed something special.
"Why does it feel so much easier to channel external essence than before?"
As Luo Chen pondered, a sudden realization dawned on him.
He infused his magical power into his eyes, and the source force flowed upward.
Instantly, his eyes were filled with blood vessels, and his golden pupils flickered.
His Crimson Eyes and Golden Pupils stared intently at the void.
In the vast flow of energy, there were subtle existences that were hard for cultivators to detect.
"That is... Ling Ji!"
Luo Chen suddenly realized something and quickly sat down, beginning to circulate his innate cultivation technique to actively channel Ling Ji into his body.
In his sea of consciousness, the golden ocean began to boil.
His vast divine soul fully merged with the body of his Purple Mansion Yuan Ying, beginning to absorb the essence of heaven and earth. (End of Chapter)
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