Eternal Life: My Talents Can Refresh

Chapter 366 - 177: Foundation Establishment Squad

A day later, Chu Ning appeared on Thousand Illusion Island, with his expression calm and collected as he had prepared in advance.

Two days ago, he heard from Cheng Zuyuan that there were rumors outside that the Thousand Islands Alliance had blocked the passage to and from the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands.

And with the intention to organize the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands to eliminate the "bandits," Chu Ning couldn’t help but sigh in his heart.

If he wasn’t mistaken, it was likely that eliminating bandits was false; searching for Song Li was true.

Chu Ning wasn’t particularly concerned about what the Thousand Islands Alliance was plotting. What he truly cared about was.

As a result, it was likely just as Cheng Zuyuan had said.

He couldn’t stay uninvolved.

Sure enough, someone soon came to deliver a message, inviting Chu Ning to Thousand Illusion Island.

Though the words were still polite, the Thousand Islands Order conveyed stated that those who did not participate in this operation would be deemed accomplices and eliminated.

Even if Chu Ning was unwilling, he had no choice but to appear.

After being summoned, Chu Ning was grouped with eight other Foundation Establishment cultivators into a small team.

At this moment, they were waiting for two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Thousand Islands Alliance to lead everyone on the search.

In the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands, there aren’t too many or too few Foundation Establishment cultivators, just about a hundred.

Everyone was somewhat familiar with each other, so when they saw Chu Ning, they couldn’t help but be a bit surprised and amazed.

"Fellow Daoist Chu made quite a name for himself in the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands a few years ago, and now you’ve successfully established your foundation at such a young age. Truly enviable."

The one speaking was a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator who appeared to be around forty or fifty years old, with a round face.

Chu Ning recognized him as an isle master named Zou Huiqing.

He had heard that this person had been at the early stage of Foundation Establishment for quite some time and was nearing the middle stage.

Chu Ning immediately waved his hand and said:

"Isle Master Zou, you flatter me. Mr. Chu appears young due to his cultivation method, but he’s actually not that young.

If we think about it, I might not be too many years younger than Isle Master Zou."

Upon hearing Chu Ning’s words, the expressions of everyone present shifted to one of realization.

There’s quite a distinction between a cultivator who establishes their foundation in their forties and one who does so in their twenties.

They suspected that Chu Ning might have previously concealed his cultivation level, and since he mentioned not being that young, their interest in Chu Ning naturally waned.

Chu Ning was happy to see it this way.

While a few people were chatting, two Foundation Establishment cultivators appeared, one older and one younger.

"So our group is led by Fellow Daoist Wen and Fellow Daoist Chen..."

As soon as the two appeared, Zou Huiqing immediately greeted them warmly.

Then he naturally introduced them to everyone.

The older one was an elder with a goatee, around fifty years old, known as Wen Linghua, the Isle Master of Four Directions Island.

This island ranked among the top ten, and he was obviously a middle stage of Foundation Establishment cultivator.

His appearance made everyone straighten up a bit.

And as Zou Huiqing introduced the other handsome young cultivator with some arrogance between his eyebrows, the expressions of everyone grew even richer.

"This is Fellow Daoist Chen Xinming, a rare cultivation genius in the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands, who successfully established his foundation at just twenty-six..."

Most of the people present had naturally heard the name Chen Xinming.

Including Chu Ning.

He was the son of the current Patriarch of the Chen Family, known as the genius second only to Cen Zijin in the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands.

And Chu Ning had heard of him from Cen Zijin’s mouth.

Back then, Cen Wenquan had intended to match Cen Zijin with this Chen Xinming.

"Oh, so it’s Fellow Daoist Chen!"

"I’ve long heard of Fellow Daoist Chen’s name. I heard recently he was in secluded cultivation for foundation establishment, didn’t expect to succeed so quickly."

...

Several Foundation Establishment cultivators spoke to Chen Xinming.

Clearly, a Foundation Establishment cultivator in their twenties was still extremely rare in the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands.

Chen Xinming responded to everyone while inadvertently glancing at Chu Ning, his eyes flickering slightly.

"All of you are flattering me. I see this fellow Daoist might be even younger than I am."

Before Chu Ning could speak, Zou Huiqing interjected:

"Fellow Daoist Chu already explained to us earlier that it’s due to his cultivation method. Fellow Daoist Chu is of the same age as us..."

Noticing that Zou Huiqing had explained for him first, Chu Ning did not speak further.

Chen Xinming had a look of realization, his demeanor becoming even more arrogant.

He said nothing to Chu Ning, exchanged a few words with the others, then turned to Wen Linghua and said:

"Uncle Wen, isn’t it about time we set off?"

Wen Linghua, although a middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, nodded immediately at Chen Xinming’s words.

"Xinming is right, let’s go."

Nobody found it surprising, as Wen Linghua’s Four Directions Island had a deep relationship with the Chen Family and looked to the Chen Family for guidance.

Being polite to Chen Xinming was quite normal.

Immediately, the group set off from Thousand Illusion Island.

"Our team will head to the islands around Pinghu Island, Seven-Star Island, White Mud Island, and Frost Moon Island."

On the way, Wen Linghua briefly explained the arrangements to everyone.

After reaching White Mud Island, he handed each of them a small device for signaling.

"We’ll split into two teams entering the island. If we encounter bandits, send a signal immediately, and the other team will assist right away."

Wen Linghua paused slightly here, then glanced at everyone with deep meaning.

"It is said that Song Li, the Song Family’s patriarch, has gone mad due to changes at home, killing many cultivators on several islands.

This person is at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Fellow Daoists, if you encounter him, you must be extra careful, treat him as a bandit, and send a signal for help immediately."

As soon as Wen Linghua finished speaking, everyone’s expressions became subtly complex.

None of them were fools; it was clear everyone understood the implied meaning in his words.

However, no one would actually voice it out.

Thus, Wen Linghua led one team, while Chen Xinming led another, and they split up after entering the island.

When organizing the teams, they were also slightly mindful of everyone’s cultivation levels.

Chu Ning, who had just reached Foundation Establishment not long ago, was assigned to Wen Linghua’s team.

Whereas Chen Xinming took a few cultivators who had been at Foundation Establishment for a little longer.

The two teams searched White Mud Island the entire day without any discoveries.

Then, they headed to the next Frost Moon Island.

For several days, they searched island after island, but there were no discoveries.

On the ninth day, they entered Pinghu Island.

"Uncle Wen, searching with five people per team is too slow."

As soon as they entered Pinghu Island, Chen Xinming immediately said:

"On this Pinghu Island, spiritual sense is limited, making search even slower. Why not separate further, two people per team?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Linghua looked a bit hesitant.

"Won’t it be too dangerous for just two people? If we encounter Song Li, after all, he’s a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator..."

"Uncle Wen, don’t boost others’ morale while diminishing your own strength."

Chen Xinming smiled at this time.

"In Pinghu Island, even Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators’ divine sense is affected.

The main contest is still about magical power. If two people work together, even if they encounter him, they can resist for a while, enough time to send a signal for everyone to arrive."

Standing aside, Zou Huiqing then smiled and talked to Wen Linghua:

"Fellow Daoist Wen, I think Fellow Daoist Chen also has a point.

We shouldn’t separate too far during the search. Pinghu Island is already large. If we search slowly with five people per team, we might not finish in several days."

Wen Linghua thought for a moment but still shook his head and said:

"Two per group is still too dangerous.

Let’s form three groups. Xinming, you go with Fellow Daoist Zou, Fellow Daoist Chu, and Fellow Daoist Zhang, so there are more people to look out for each other."

Zou Huiqing was the strongest among them besides Wen Linghua, and another cultivator named Zhang Lu was likely just slightly less powerful than Zou Huiqing.

Then Chu Ning and Chen Xinming, two cultivators new to Foundation Establishment, joined this group. Clearly, Wen Linghua intended to ensure that no team was too weak.

When Chen Xinming heard this, his face showed a hint of indifference but he didn’t voice any objection.

Since he didn’t mind, the others naturally found it inappropriate to express any opinions.

Thus, Wen Linghua led another team of two.

Then grouped the remaining three into one team, and everyone dispersed, heading towards the depths of Pinghu Island.

Gradually, they entered the Myriad Bamboo Forest.

Chu Ning had previously come to Pinghu Island once with Cen Zijin, and even had a major battle with two cultivators here.

He was already aware of the island’s unique phenomenon affecting divine sense, but at that time, he had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, and his divine sense was much weaker.

Now, his divine sense could extend six hundred zhang under normal circumstances.

He couldn’t resist testing it out.

Chu Ning slowed down a bit and fell to the back, occasionally stealthily casting his divine sense towards the back of the group.

"Upon entering the island, the reduction in divine sense range was about sixty percent, and now, having traveled some distance deeper, it’s reduced to only forty percent."

Chu Ning mused inwardly, thinking if they really penetrated the Meteorite Iron Stone Forest, he would be lucky if it still had even ten percent of its range.

With this in mind, Chu Ning immediately retracted his divine sense.

In this place, divine sense consumes quickly, so he needed to use it sparingly.

Besides, with these people here, he didn’t need to deliberately investigate anything.

However, as he retracted his divine sense, he inadvertently walked faster.

Returning to the middle position, slightly ahead of Zhang Lu by one position.

Zhang Lu looked to be of similar age to Zou Huiqing, though slightly shorter in stature.

Seeing Chu Ning’s movements, he said nothing, only showing a bit of indifference in his eyes.

They had been on the island for nearly a day without any discoveries, and whether walking in the middle or the back of the group made no difference.

In fact, after several days of fruitless searches, everyone felt that Song Li was very likely to have left the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands by some other means.

Zou Huiqing then smiled and said to Chen Xinming:

"In Pinghu Island, it’s not suitable for cultivators to stay long. Beyond the Myriad Bamboo Forest lies the Iron Meteorite Forest.

I once went there shortly after reaching Foundation Establishment; staying there longer drains much more divine sense, and even if there’s a bandit, they wouldn’t want to be in such a place for long."

Chen Xinming listened and somewhat unimpressedly said:

"That might not be the case. The most dangerous place is often the safest; perhaps he really is hiding there."

As he spoke, Chen Xinming instead quickened his pace.

Zou Huiqing saw this, shook his head, and followed.

Chu Ning, naturally, could only follow too.