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Chapter 596 The Hidden Abyss Dragon
Chapter 596 The Hidden Abyss Dragon
Lan Xinyi raised an eyebrow, not understanding why Sect Leader Chen would deliberately humiliate Zhao Zhixin if he was already interested in the Nine Deaths to Exchange True Pill.
"Alright, all that talk about preferring death is just a bargaining tactic you use."
Chen Beiwu said with a half-smile, "Tie Dan has quite a talent for alchemy, only one step away from becoming a mid-grade fourth-level Xuan Dan master. Is this considered an insult?"
"This black dog? A mid-grade fourth-tier Xuan Dan master?"
Zhao Zhixin's eyelids twitched, and he subconsciously looked at Tie Dan, his heart filled with surprise.
The art of alchemy is easy to learn but difficult to master.
Even among the most gifted alchemy prodigies in the Southern Wilderness, few can become Xuan Dan Masters. How could a mere fourth-order demon king possibly achieve that?
Despite the doubts, Zhao Zhixin knew in his heart that there was no shortage of exceptionally talented alchemists in the world, and Sect Master Chen had no reason to lie.
"If that's the case, I, Zhao, am willing to provide you with my full guidance."
Zhao Zhixin's eyes changed slightly, and he understood the corresponding principle.
"Woof."
Tie Dan barked softly and greeted Zhao Zhixin.
Wan Du Chong's alchemy method is different from that of the Immortal Alliance, and it also differs from the alchemy methods of the Earthly Realm.
If it can combine the alchemy methods of the Immortal Alliance and the Southern Wilderness to complement each other, its alchemy skills can likely make rapid progress.
Zhao Zhixin stopped resisting and obediently revealed the transaction process between him and Cangmo Sect.
On the outskirts of the desert ruins, there is the Tiansha Cliff.
The sandstorm was like a knife, obscuring the sky and the sun, and even the divine sense of a Golden Core cultivator could not penetrate it.
Chen Beiwu stood with his hands behind his back on the cliff top, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings.
"The life force of the Jade King Serpent ends here."
Lan Xinyi closed her eyes and used her divine sense to perceive.
"Woof."
Tie Dan barked softly in agreement.
The cultivators who captured the Azure Ridge King Serpent had long ago used methods to conceal their aura and moved the location, completely erasing any trace of it.
Under these circumstances, it would be virtually impossible for them to find traces of the Azure Ridge King Serpent in the vast sea of sand.
"Let's go."
Chen Beiwu turned around and walked down the cliff.
"Where to?"
Lan Xinyi raised her eyes slightly, thinking that Chen Beiwu had already found a clue.
"Go to Cangmo Sect," Chen Beiwu said casually.
Lan Xinyi was slightly taken aback and tried to dissuade him, saying, "The Cangmo Sect has been established for 20,000 years, and its mountain gate is hidden deep in the desert ruins, with the desert ruins serving as a natural barrier. Without a guide, even if a Nascent Soul True Monarch were to use his divine sense to search the desert ruins, he would get lost in the vast sea of sand and find no trace of him."
"Even if you, Sect Master, are lucky enough to find the Cangmo Sect, the Cangmo Sect's protective array is extraordinary. It is the renowned fifth-order array within the Xuan Yan territory, the 'Nine Evolutions Yellow Sand Sky-Covering Array'."
"Once this formation is fully activated, even if all the experts from the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect come out, they may not be able to break it in a short time."
Hearing this, Chen Beiwu waved his hand and calmly asked, "You don't need to worry about that. Do you know of any noteworthy experts within the Cangmo Sect?"
"In recent years, the Cangmo Sect has gradually declined in strength, with few powerful figures. The strongest cultivator in the sect is only at the Nascent Soul stage. There are no powerful figures on the surface who are worthy of your attention, Sect Master."
Lan Xinyi reminded him, "But in the shadows, the Cangmo Sect may have a half-step Nascent Soul cultivator in charge."
She had some understanding of Zhao Zhixin's personality.
If the sect leader of Cangmo Sect is not strong enough to suppress Zhao Zhixin, the latter will not choose to betray the sect and make a deal with Cangmo Sect. Instead, he will choose to forcibly seize the Nascent Soul Pill formula.
Therefore, in Lan Xinyi's view, the Cangmo Sect has been secretly accumulating power over the years, and its strength may not be inferior to that of the Wandu Sect.
"I'm just a half-step Nascent Soul cultivator. As long as there's no Nascent Soul True Venerable in the Cangmo Sect to stop me," Chen Beiwu chuckled lightly, his tone indifferent.
The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect has now become an affiliated sect of the Mirror Moon Sect. Using the Azure Ridge King Serpent as an excuse, he can suppress the Azure Desert Sect and bring all the top forces in the Profound Realm under his command.
On the other side, in the desolate ruins.
Deep within the vast desert lies a peculiar realm, slowly shifting with the earth's veins in the desert ruins.
If a Nascent Soul True Venerable expert were here, they would be able to tell at a glance that it was not the True Realm moving, but a huge golden dragon as large as a mountain carrying the True Realm.
The dragon resembles a yellow dragon, but it has no horns on its head, is entirely golden, has coarse scales, and is bound by dense, jet-black chains.
These seemingly ordinary black chains are engraved with ancient seal script that is extremely messy and looks like ghost writing. They are deeply embedded in the dragon's back and are almost integrated with the dragon's body.
The majestic True Realm carried on the back of this dragon is none other than the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate in the Xuan Yan Realm.
The dragon never leaves the desert; it only moves deep within the earth's veins. Even the cultivators of the Cangmo Sect are unaware that their own sect is being pulled and moved by a dragon.
Only the higher-ups of the Cangmo Sect could vaguely know these secrets, and even understand the origin of the dragon.
At this very moment, inside the main hall of the Cangmo Sect.
The sect leader of the Cangmo Sect, True Monarch of the Sand Sea Zhai Cang, frowned slightly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Are you sure the news is true?"
No wonder he was surprised. The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect was the dominant force in the Xuan Yan territory. How could it have willingly degenerated into a vassal of a sect in another territory?
"I dare not speak recklessly, and I can guarantee that all the information presented is true," the gray-haired cultivator said solemnly.
Upon hearing the news, he almost thought his subordinates had gone mad and immediately tried to verify it through various means.
The result was true; the vast Ten Thousand Poisons Sect was indeed conquered by a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
To suppress an entire sect single-handedly—such a terrifyingly powerful figure has not appeared in Xuan Yan territory for many years.
It is no exaggeration to say that this kind of powerhouse is probably only one step away from the True Venerable of the Nascent Soul stage!
If, after conquering the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, it were to set its sights on the Azure Desert Sect, wouldn't that be—
The gray-haired cultivator's eyes darkened slightly, and he dared not think any further.
"The Sect Master of Mirror Moon Sect, True Martial Lord," Zhai Cang murmured.
He was no stranger to the Mirror Moon Sect.
After all, within the Southern Wilderness, there are very few cultivation forces whose foundations can rival those of the Nascent Soul Sect, and which the Nascent Soul Sect dares not invade. Each of them is a renowned cultivation sect that is famous throughout the Nine Realms.
In the past, Zhai Cang would never have offended a major cultivation sect like the Mirror Moon Sect for the sake of a Jade King Serpent.
But times have changed. By using the Azure King Serpent as a sacrifice to revive the nearly exhausted bloodline within the Fu Yuan Dragon and extracting a drop of Fu Yuan essence blood, Master might be able to use the Daoist essence within the dragon blood as a guide to restore and activate the Creation Elixir obtained from the ancient ruins, and attempt to attain the Dao and become a god.
Once his master successfully attains the Nascent Soul stage, he will not be afraid of anything, not even the mighty Mirror Moon Sect, let alone the powerful Nascent Soul sects like the Eight Desolate Sect, Heavenly Saint Sect, and Heavenly Craft Talisman Sect.
"Consolidate your forces and strictly prohibit sect disciples from going out during this period," Zhai Cang ordered.
Without a doubt, this is a huge gamble!
If Master Huanglong Zhenjun succeeds in his mission and attains the status of a True Venerable, Cangmo Sect can become the number one overlord of the Southern Wilderness.
However, if Master fails to attain enlightenment, the bloodline within Fuyuan Qiulong will be completely depleted, and the vast Cangmo Sect will then have no half-step Nascent Soul cultivator to support it.
"Yes, Sect Master." The gray-haired cultivator acknowledged the order and withdrew.
I hope everything goes well for Master and that he will soon break through his seclusion.
Zhai Cang looked into the distance and sighed inwardly.
Every transaction leaves a trace, and it is by no means easy to cover it up.
Before plotting against the Azure Ridge King Serpent, the Cangmo Sect had already prepared for a full-scale war with the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.
But the sudden appearance of the Mirror Moon Sect made Zhai Cang feel uneasy. Could he still buy his master a hundred years?
I hope I'm just overthinking it.
Zhai Cang forcibly suppressed his thoughts.
The Fuyuan Dragon carries the mountain gate and roams deep within the desert ruins. Unless a Nascent Soul True Venerable takes action, no one can lock down the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate, let alone launch an invasion.
Even if the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and the Mirror Moon Sect realize something is wrong now, it's impossible for them to find the exact location of the Azure Desert Sect within a hundred years.
Three days later, deep in the desert ruins.
Yellow sand filled the sky and earth, making a howling sound.
A large, incongruous boulder stands out starkly in the sea of sand.
"This is the third time we've passed through this place." Lan Xinyi turned to Chen Beiwu and couldn't help but ask, "Sect Master, do you even know the location of the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate?"
"Even you don't know the location of the Cangmo Sect. I've only been in the Xuan Yan Realm for a short time, how would I know about the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate?"
Chen Beiwu glanced at Lan Xinyi and found her question quite strange.
Lan Xinyi pursed her lips, then smiled and said, "Since Sect Master doesn't know the location of the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate, where are we now?"
"Let's try our luck. I'm quite interested in the Desert Ruins. Let's see if we can find any clues or encounter any cultivators from the Cangmo Sect," Chen Beiwu replied casually.
-
He wasn't afraid that Lan Xinyi would overthink things, since luck is an elusive concept.
Moreover, in addition to searching for the location of the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate, part of the reason for his trip was to trigger a fortuitous encounter.
Yes, that's right. As early as three days ago, when Chen Beiwu left the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, he activated the Nine Breaths Qi Absorption Divine Power, turning a wisp of purple energy into a fortuitous encounter within the chaotic world.
In terms of the number of fortuitous encounters, the depths of the Three Ruins undoubtedly hold the most ancient opportunities.
The reason is simple: within the Xuan Yan territory, there are frequent cases of rogue cultivators who accidentally enter the Three Ruins, seize an opportunity, and eventually grow into Nascent Soul True Monarchs, becoming famous throughout the realm.
"Try your luck?" Lan Xinyi's lips twitched.
She fed sand in the desert for several days and exerted all her strength to suppress the desert scorpion demons that appeared along the way, all in order to catch up with the Azure Ridge King Serpent as quickly as possible.
The longer the time drags on, the higher the probability that the Azure Ridge King Serpent will be refined into a great elixir by the True Monarch of the Azure Desert Sect.
As it turned out, Sect Leader Chen wasted her time by bringing her to the Desert Ruins.
It is no exaggeration to say that in the vast desert, even if their divine sense can cover hundreds of miles, the probability of encountering a Cangmo Sect cultivator by chance is infinitely close to zero, and it would be a high probability to say that it is ten thousand percent.
Unless they are lucky enough to encounter the True Lord of the Cangmo Sect and be able to extract some information about the Cangmo Sect's location.
"In earlier years, there were some connections between the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and the Cangmo Sect. Perhaps we could try sending them a letter of invitation," Lan Xinyi suggested.
Although her method was mediocre, it was still much more reliable than feeding sand in the desert.
"The Cangmo Sect is already feeling guilty, so sending a letter of invitation now would only alert them," Chen Beiwu shook his head. "It would be better to have Tiedan use his profound abilities to search for traces of cultivators within the desert ruins."
With the help of his noble status and the extraordinary encounters triggered by his supernatural powers, coupled with Tie Dan's profound understanding of the Karmic Fire and the Sinful Path, his trip to the Desert Ruins may not have been without its rewards.
Soon, half a month passed.
Lan Xinyi remained calm, having already given up hope.
Half a month is neither a long nor a short time, but it is enough for the Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Cangmo Sect to squeeze all the value out of the Biling King Serpent.
Therefore, Lan Xinyi was no longer in a hurry. Instead, she had the leisure to appreciate the scenery of the desert ruins and observe Chen Beiwu's profound escape technique. "Woof!"
Suddenly, Tie Dan let out a soft bark, and the True Fire of Severing Karma rose deep within its pupils.
Chen Beiwu paused, his gaze turning southwest, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Here we are, aren't we?"
Lan Xinyi's eyes flickered slightly, and she followed Chen Beiwu's gaze with her divine sense, but she did not detect anything.
"Interesting. This Great Sun Demon King is skilled in both alchemy and reconnaissance. Its reconnaissance range surpasses that of a half-step Nascent Soul cultivator. Its bloodline is definitely extraordinary, nearly at the fifth rank, no less than the Azure Ridge King Serpent, and perhaps even surpassing it!" Lan Xinyi thought to herself.
On the other side, there is a sand dune at the edge of the desert.
There is a depression on the back of the sand dune, through which the rough stone walls can be vaguely seen.
Even if there were Foundation Establishment cultivators here, they would mistake this for a giant rock buried under gravel if they did not look closely.
In reality, the depression in the sand dune is protected by a barrier, and inside it is a separate world, a cave about ten feet in size, large enough for two people to lie down.
Suddenly, a faint rustling sound came from inside the cave.
"Senior brother, isn't it okay to do it within the sect? Why do we have to come here?"
"To have the sky as one's blanket and the earth as one's bed is quite an elegant affair," the male cultivator chuckled. "Junior sister, don't you think cultivating here is more refined and in line with the Daoist principle of following nature?"
"Oh dear, senior brother, you're so naughty—"
-
The soundproofing in the cave was quite good, and coupled with the special environment of the Desert Ruins, even a Golden Core cultivator might not be able to detect the sound here, but it could not escape the divine sense of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
"The younger generation of geniuses these days are truly unrestrained and dissolute," Lan Xinyi commented.
"With the teleportation tokens they carry, can we teleport directly to the Cangmo Sect's mountain gate?" Chen Beiwu asked, focusing on the key point.
"No, these two are only at the Foundation Establishment stage. The teleportation tokens are specially made and must be activated by the host. Moreover, they can only teleport one person at a time and cannot teleport cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage." Lan Xinyi shook her head.
Over the years, there have been many powerful figures within Xuan Yan who have secretly plotted against the Cang Mo Sect cultivators, trying to figure out the Cang Mo Sect's teleportation method, but none of them have succeeded.
As the sect leader of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, Lan Xinyi had also studied the teleportation method of the Cangmo Sect. In the end, she found that this teleportation technique was extremely mysterious and obscure, and was incompatible with the teleportation method of the Profound Realm. It was suspected to be an ancient void inheritance.
"That's not necessarily true."
As soon as Chen Beiwu finished speaking, the golden dragon's eyes lit up slightly, and it activated the Great Evolution True Mystery, causing the two people in the cave to sink into the illusion, unable to extricate themselves.
"Eek."
Zhiling stepped into the void, stretched out her pink and tender palms, and left a jade slip and her own spatial power on each of the two people.
During this process, Chen Beiwu silently used the Ten Directions Gate to leave a spatial anchor point on the jade slips on the two of them.
"Buzz!"
The next second, the two people in the cave activated their teleportation tokens under the illusion of the golden egg and disappeared instantly.
Zhiling also activated the Qiankun Xuantong in the end, taking Chen Beiwu and Lan Xinyi into the world she created, and then quietly merged into the void and disappeared.