https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-941-The-Shadow-Reflection-Sect-and-the-Mysteries-of-the-World/13463469/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-943-Divine-Insight-Insect-and-the-Heart-Demon-Tribulation/13463480/
Chapter 942: A Single Staff Shatters All Techniques, Even the Fox Mourns the Rabbit's Death
Chapter 942: A Single Staff Shatters All Techniques, Even the Fox Mourns the Rabbit's Death
Murmuring to himself, Luo Chen's spiritual power fluctuations gradually subsided, returning to a state of calm.
His agitated heart slowly settled down.
Only now did he have the chance to reflect on the peculiar situation he had experienced earlier.
In this well-prepared deep cultivation session, he finally found the answer to why his nascent soul had been so lively.
The cultivation chamber, the spirit vein, and even the surrounding area had an unusually high concentration of primordial energy.
Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't affect cultivators much.
However, once a cultivator entered a state of deep cultivation, they would unwittingly become immersed in it.
Cultivation is inherently a difficult and arduous endeavor, taxing both mind and body. This is why many cultivators fail to persist on the path of enlightenment and fall into the mundane world.
But if the external primordial energy can be easily refined and absorbed into the body with minimal effort, who wouldn't want to effortlessly advance in cultivation?
However, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
This ease comes at the cost of mental relaxation, unconscious indulgence, and the gradual assimilation by the heavens!
Fortunately, Luo Chen's purple mansion barrier was much thicker than that of ordinary True Humans, allowing him to remain within his physical body's protection during deep cultivation.
Moreover, he had the Dust Bonding Mirror to assist him!
For anyone else, the consequences would be unimaginable!
"So, do they also face similar situations?"
Muttering to himself, Luo Chen suddenly recalled the battle scenes with Shepherd Daoist and Feng Buyan.
Their strength did not match their cultivation levels.
Luo Chen had initially assumed that the cultivators in the Southern Borderlands were simply not up to par.
Now, it seemed that this might be related to the changes in the heavens and earth here.
While Luo Chen was lost in thought, the scattered divine sense finally noticed the situation outside the palace.
"Hmph."
A cold laugh escaped Luo Chen's lips as the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward.
...
In the heart of the Shadow Reflection Sect.
A massive lantern, over a hundred feet tall, emitted a sinister red light.
Inside, a figure darted about like a bolt of lightning, moving at an incredible speed.
A voice of approval came from the thick darkness.
"You've only had the Flash Lightning Technique for a short while, yet you've already mastered it. Quite a sharp mind you have!"
"Actually, you used the Human Cultivation Insect method to accelerate the development of the Formless Insect Larva, didn't you?"
"I wonder which poor soul fell victim to your schemes."
Thunder Echo Cave Lord did not respond, only seeking an opportunity to break free.
However, no matter how he struggled, the red light from the lantern followed him relentlessly, trapping him inside.
The giant lantern began to slowly contract, compressing the space for the figure inside.
A sense of death enveloped Thunder Echo Cave Lord's heart.
He roared in anger, "Lantern Master, why did you betray me?"
Under the red light, Lantern Master's face was illuminated, his narrowed eyes revealing a cruel and vicious nature.
"Betrayal?"
"It was simply you walking into my trap!"
"Do you really think I introduced you to the sect out of kindness? I merely wanted to make you let your guard down to make it easier for me to act."
"If I hadn't made a mistake in my cultivation last time, would you have had the chance to return to Wind and Thunder Gorge alive?"
Muttering, he extended his tongue, licking his lips like a snake.
"Your skin would make a fine Thunder Lantern!"
Thunder Echo Cave Lord was both shocked and furious, "We have no past grievances or recent enmities. Just to refine a magic treasure, you would do this to me?"
Lantern Master sighed, "Though we have no enmity, I have other plans. In the barren Wind and Thunder Gorge, you probably haven't noticed the changes in the heavens and earth. In recent years, too many fellow cultivators have inexplicably gone into cultivation madness, unable to find the cause. I heard that the Fierce Mountain Stiff Alliance has a solution. I want to join them, but they don't accept the weak. If I could add another lantern, my strength would greatly increase, and the Fierce Mountain Stiff Alliance wouldn't turn me away."
He smiled.
"Last time, I didn't help you, and I can tell you're already harboring resentment. Since we can't be friends, I might as well make use of you."
Thunder Echo Cave Lord was furious!
He was not a wasteland!
Realizing he couldn't escape the red lantern's seal, Thunder Echo Cave Lord immediately gave up on using the Flash Lightning Technique to flee, and instead stood firmly on the ground.
Looking at the red light surging from all directions, he took a deep breath, formed several seals, and his abdomen rapidly swelled.
Suddenly!
He exhaled and pushed out with both palms.
Blinding lightning!
Infinite lightning erupted from his body.
The sinister red light, forced back by the lightning, retreated.
Seizing this opportunity, Thunder Echo Cave Lord dashed out, breaking free from the red lantern's suppression.
However, before he could catch his breath, a green lantern emitted a misty light, illuminating his pale face.
The Lantern Master stepped forward, holding a green lantern, his face filled with pity.
"Why struggle so much?"
"You're just an independent cultivator who attained the Dao. Your future is destined to be bleak. Why not become a soul beneath my lantern and fulfill my desires?"
At this moment, the Thundering Cave Master was at his weakest.
He panted heavily, a bitter smile on his face. "I have endured countless hardships over hundreds of years to reach this realm. How can I let you have it so easily?"
The Lantern Master raised an eyebrow. "You can't fight me, and you can't escape. This place is the entrance to my Shadow Reflection Sect. Where could you possibly go? And don't even think about taking me down with you. With this green soul lantern, which suppresses your cultivation, even if you were to self-destruct your nascent soul, you couldn't harm me in the slightest."
He shook his head disdainfully.
An independent cultivator with no background, even if they reach the same realm of nascent soul, is ultimately nothing but a waste!
Seeing that the Thundering Cave Master remained silent, merely gathering his strength, the Lantern Master seemed to recall something and laughed. "Are you waiting for your deputy from Thunder Pass?"
The Thundering Cave Master's eyes flashed with panic. "What have you done to him?"
The Lantern Master laughed heartily. "I haven't done anything to him. After all, he is so formidable that he probably helped you resolve the crisis at Thunder Pass. What could I do to such a powerful person?"
Then, he changed his tone.
"But I gave him the best cultivation cave in the Shadow Reflection Sect and secretly channeled a large amount of spiritual energy from the spirit veins. I'm sure he is now completely engrossed in cultivation."
"Even if he doesn't go mad, my junior disciple has already led three hundred disciples to set up a powerful formation, ready to intercept him."
"He can't save himself, let alone you!"
Hearing this, the Thundering Cave Master's face turned even paler.
No wonder the palace where Qi Tian was located had such a dense concentration of spiritual energy. It was all due to the Lantern Master's deliberate actions.
Although he didn't know why Qi Tian was so engrossed in cultivation, the Lantern Master's junior disciple, the famous Shadow Phantom True Man, was also a formidable opponent.
With his people setting up an ambush in advance, Qi Tian was in even greater danger than he was.
Just then!
"Roar!"
Under the night sky, a low roar, like a fierce beast awakening, echoed loudly.
The powerful sound waves swept in all directions.
The Lantern Master and the Thundering Cave Master both turned their gazes to the source.
A massive stone staff shot up into the sky, like a pillar, and crashed down with a thunderous impact.
Boom!
Several figures soared into the air.
But under the impact of the staff, they all turned into bloody mists.
One of the shadows, moving extremely fast, split into countless forms and fled in different directions.
He shouted, "Master, save me!"
However, the stone staff paid no attention to the countless shadow clones and aimed straight for one direction.
Puff!
Like a Buddhist aura bubble being punctured.
Shadow Phantom True Man, a formidable figure, was exploded into pieces, his nascent soul, which he had cultivated for years, also destroyed.
The vast amount of spiritual energy erupted into a storm, affecting the mountains and palaces of the Shadow Reflection Sect.
The Lantern Master stared dumbfounded at the scene, seemingly unable to react.
The Thundering Cave Master swallowed hard. Qi Tian's power had once again exceeded his expectations.
And that staff, was it his magic treasure?
In the midst of the storm, a figure emerged, holding the Heavenly Chaos Staff, unaffected by the spiritual energy shock.
It was Luo Chen!
His cold eyes swept over the Lantern Master.
"You are being quite impolite!"
"Damn!"
The Lantern Master roared, paying no attention to the Thundering Cave Master. He waved his hand, and the large red lantern appeared again, enveloping Luo Chen.
Not only that, he also threw the green lantern.
A purple lantern, glowing with a faint light, rose from behind him, like a vortex, drawing everyone's attention.
In an instant, space seemed to slow down, and the flow of spiritual energy became incredibly difficult.
Even the Thundering Cave Master, standing nearby, felt dizzy and his spirit wavered.
However, Luo Chen paid no heed to any of this.
He simply gripped the Heavenly Chaos Staff, stepped into the air, and struck with a single blow.
The red lantern shattered, the green lantern went out, and even the purple lantern dimmed and stumbled.
No matter how many ingenious techniques or powerful abilities you possess, in the face of such absolute brute force, they are like paper lanterns.
"How is this possible!"
The Lantern Master was utterly terrified, completely unable to comprehend the outcome.
In an instant, all his courage vanished, and he dared not even think of fighting Luo Chen.
Without hesitation, he turned and fled.
Luo Chen sneered, planted the Heavenly Chaos Staff into the ground, and removed the two Life-Stealing Golden Feathers from his Mountain Leveling Crown.
The two feathers shot toward the Lantern Master.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
The golden feathers were sharp and silent in the air.
The only sounds came from their contact with solid objects.
One struck the Lantern Master's body, impaling him into a mountain cliff.
The other hit the dim purple lantern.
The latter, in a flash, enveloped a small nascent soul figure and disappeared into the night.
From Luo Chen's appearance to his attack and the end of the battle, everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Even now, the Thundering Cave Master was still dazed, unable to fully comprehend what had just transpired.
Luo Chen extended his hand, and the two Life-Stealing Golden Feathers flew back, bringing the Lantern Master’s corpse with them.
The golden feathers swept away the blood and reattached to the Mountain Leveling Crown on Luo Chen’s head.
As the feathers swayed, Luo Chen lowered his gaze to the corpse on the ground.
"The Lantern Master’s nascent soul escaped."
Unless he struck as swiftly and decisively as he had when killing the Shadowy True Person earlier, even a great cultivator would find it difficult to truly slay a Nascent Soul True Person in an open area.
The nascent soul’s instantaneous movement was too fast for Luo Chen to catch up with unless he used his full strength.
Of course, this was because the life-bound treasure, the Primordial Cauldron, was locked away. Otherwise, with its ability to seal off an area, the Lantern Master would have had no chance of escape.
The Thundering Cave Master, his mouth dry, shuffled closer and chimed in, "It’s a pity. If you don’t kill a tiger, it will surely become a future threat."
"Tiger?"
Luo Chen gave a scornful smile. For Lei Ming, the Lantern Master was a fierce tiger. But to him, the Lantern Master wasn’t even a worthy opponent!
Moreover!
"Let him go. In this world, there are few places where he can hide."
Luo Chen gazed at the night sky, lit up by the fires of battle, and murmured softly.
The Thundering Cave Master didn’t understand what he meant. But Luo Chen didn’t bother to explain, his expression turning cold.
With a flick of his wrist, a jet of black light shot out and vanished into the ground.
This local sect had been so impolite; he would naturally have to make them pay a price.
"What was that?" The Thundering Cave Master glanced at the black light that had disappeared into the ground, curious.
Luo Chen didn’t answer, his eyes narrowing as he asked, "What is the method of cultivating a Human Cultivation Insect?"
The Thundering Cave Master froze.
...
In the Southern Borderlands, the art of cultivating insects was extremely widespread.
It wasn’t just about aiding cultivation and combat.
The word "insect" had given rise to a myriad of related industries, schools, and techniques.
Among these, insect cultivators held a very high status, almost on par with the most prestigious alchemists Luo Chen had once been.
The origins of the insects in the Southern Borderlands were unknown, but most now came from the Southern Ocean.
The Southern Ocean was dangerous and mysterious, home to many powerful insects as well as many weak young insects.
Young insects were weak, and to cultivate them to a point where cultivators could use them required the expertise of insect cultivators.
They fed the young insects various rare and precious materials to accelerate their growth.
Some even used a method of combining several insects to create a new, more powerful insect.
These were considered the more orthodox methods of insect cultivation in the Southern Borderlands.
However, there was one method that was not considered orthodox and would be met with disdain if spoken aloud.
This was the "Human Cultivation Insect", where a spiritually endowed human was used to feed and prematurely mature a young insect.
This method was efficient and saved time, but the resulting insects often had significant flaws.
Generally, only those who practiced unorthodox or evil methods would use the "Human Cultivation Insect" technique.
And now, Luo Chen had such an unorthodox and evil cultivator right beside him!
"Cheng Bo must have disappeared like this!"
Luo Chen sighed, feeling a tinge of regret.
Although Cheng Bo’s cultivation level wasn’t high, he was sharp and resourceful.
Even if not taken as a disciple, he would have been a useful subordinate.
Unfortunately, he had been quietly taken by the Thundering Cave Master.
Luo Chen understood the Thundering Cave Master’s actions under the immense pressure from the outside world. But he also lamented the fate of the small fry, who had no control over their own destiny.
At one time, the divine essence sage had also wanted to use his body to reverse-cultivate a primordial fetal dao body.
He had resisted and succeeded.
But Cheng Bo had failed.
Now, feeling a deep sense of empathy, Luo Chen couldn’t help but sigh over Cheng Bo’s fate.
"Last night, the Lantern Master tried to turn Lei Ming into a Thunder Lantern. Did he ever think about what he had done to Cheng Bo?"
This thought flashed through his mind, and Luo Chen quickly refocused his attention on the outside.
Whoosh!
A jet of black light shot in.
Accompanying it was Hei Wang’s disgruntled voice.
"The Pauper Sect didn’t yield a single drop of oil!"
As he spoke, Hei Wang handed over a storage bag.
Luo Chen, having already expected little, was surprised when he took the bag and scanned its contents with his divine sense.
He looked at Hei Wang and said with a complex tone, "Is your talent in battle or treasure hunting?"
Hei Wang was taken aback. "I just swept through everything. Could I have missed any valuable treasures?"
Luo Chen said nothing, only taking a jade box from the storage bag.
The box was inscribed with ancient, elegant characters.
[Illuminating Spirit] (End of Chapter)
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