novelraw Chapter 548: Uninvited Guests
Chapter 548: Uninvited Guests
His heart was like a clear mirror.
The injuries of these two were quite light, making it easier for him to heal them.
If he went all out, it wouldn’t take two to three years, perhaps not even two to three months.
Of course, Shen Xuan wouldn’t be foolish enough to reveal his full strength.
To outsiders,
the longer he took to heal, the more of his Elixir Core he would expend, and the greater the favor owed would become.
In certain future moments, this kind of favor could play an unexpectedly crucial role.
...
Two years later, True Master Chishu and True Master Ling You bade farewell to the island.
The two repeatedly promised to repay Shen Xuan for this favor.
Each took out a token as a keepsake.
Shen Xuan gladly accepted them.
Returning to the Cold Ice Cave.
Shen Xuan entered the Practice Room.
In these two years, he not only refined the remaining Mountain-carrying Dragon Turtle Demon Core, but also completed the refinement of the demon scales of the Flood Dragon and the incomplete Demon Flood Dragon Demon Core he obtained through trade.
On the Mysterious Jade Talisman.
[Divine Power: Skillful Turtle Breath Immortal Body (18/100)]
[Lifespan: 172/1106]
[Talent: Dragon Blood Boiling Perfection (1788/3200)]
[Dao Rhyme: 2311628]
As the Turtle Breath Immortal Body advanced, his lifespan increased by another eighteen years.
"I now truly have nothing left!"
Shen Xuan shook his head and smiled wryly.
All of the Tier Three spiritual objects from the divine dragon’s descendants had been completely refined by him.
Reaching the full value of Dragon Blood Boiling seemed far off.
Looking at the experience from the Turtle Breath Immortal Body,
even if the Dragon Blood Boiling reached its full value, breaking through that bottleneck wouldn’t be easy.
"Two Spiritual Artifacts, three Demon Soldiers, forty-two Blood Demon Pills, eleven high-quality Life-Extending Pills, twenty-seven ordinary Life-Extending Pills."
"Additionally, there are also three dragon horns, two demon flood dragon tendons, twelve dragon claws, and other Tier Three Demon King materials."
These were the Tier Three spiritual objects Shen Xuan could use for trade.
He also possessed an Immortal-Binding Rope, made with the tendon of a sea-covering flood dragon as the main material.
If necessary, this Immortal-Binding Rope could also be traded.
In these two years, he hadn’t slackened in his training of the Ice Technique divine powers.
The Ice Soul Divine Light could condense Sword Qi into silk, create a tide of ten thousand dragon swords with the Profound Ice Dragon Shadow, and unleash endless sword petals with the Immortal Ice Lotus.
These three Ice Technique divine powers had all reached the mastery realm.
The Dao Rhyme stored was over 2.3 million.
"After twelve years of arduous cultivation, exhausting all my resources, I have finally achieved some progress."
Shen Xuan took out the reply from Wan Meng Demon Venerable.
The letter stated that the five sects of Yan Country were splitting their forces to attack the seven sects of Song Country, pushing to the barriers of the Immortal City except for the Profound Celestial Sect.
In Yan Country, it seemed something special was happening.
This was limited to the upper-level cultivators of the five sects of Yan Country, and the Hehuan Sect hadn’t received concrete intelligence yet.
Rumors suggested that the seven sects of Song Country seemed unstable.
A lower-ranked sect might have intentions to negotiate separately with the five sects of Yan Country.
Shen Xuan felt a chill in his heart.
So-called separate negotiations were akin to surrendering.
"Medicine God Valley, or Thousand Mechanism Sect? Are they really thinking of surrendering to Yan Country?"
"So, the blockade of the other six sects is to take over the surrendering sect?"
Shen Xuan shook his head.
If this were the case, the five sects of Yan Country would establish their foothold in Song Country.
The sects in Song Country would still face hard times ahead.
"That’s a matter for the big players to worry about. As long as the Cyan Cloud Sect stands, I can peacefully reside on Starlight Island."
In eleven years, Starlight Island had become as prosperous as a flourishing age.
The Island Protection Array of Wan Shui Chaozong became even more solid and formidable.
Spiritual Light flowed, faintly revealing the phantom of a Spiritual Lotus, emitting a heart-wrenching pressure.
On Starlight Island, some desolate lands were reclaimed into continuous Spirit Fields, where spirit plants like Water Origin Rice, Star Pattern Algae, and Cold Light Fungi thrived, filled with Spiritual Qi, growing exuberantly.
Besides, some herbal gardens, fishing grounds, and mine caves were also developed.
The port expanded tenfold, with ships coming and going like weaving threads.
On the surrounding islands, countless cultivators piloted small Spiritual Boats to trade.
Occasionally, trade caravans from the mainland would come to buy the island’s unique Spirit Rice, Spirit Medicine, various Demon Beast materials, and sell various cultivation spiritual objects, such as Pills, Artifacts, Arrays, and Talismans.
Starlight Island’s Market had developed into a thriving Immortal City, named Starlight City.
Inside the city, the streets were wide, pavilions and palaces towered, with shops, taverns, pill houses, artifact chambers, and everything else complete, bustling with cultivators shoulder to shoulder, filled with vitality.
All of this stemmed from Shen Xuan’s policy of "light taxes and minimal duties."
With peace and happiness, success on the path of Dao seemed possible.
Shen Xuan’s policies attracted a large number of Loose Cultivators from the surrounding seas to settle down.
Even Low Tier cultivators struggling inland came upon hearing the name.
Despite the household registration system and the points-based settlement process,
the population of cultivators on Starlight Island was already swelling.
In just eleven years, it had developed to fifty thousand cultivators.
Among them, over thirty thousand didn’t have household registration on Starlight Island.
Day and night, working tirelessly, more diligently than oxen and horses, earning points, they exhausted all means to settle on Starlight Island.
This also brought vibrant life to Starlight City.
A new order, a new class, was quietly nurturing amid the prosperity.
Shangguan Yan’Er and Ding Yijin had originally brought some clan members with them.
There were also Tier Two Pill Masters like Shangguan Mingyue and Ding Qingfeng.
These two families soon grew, becoming the emerging cultivation clans on the island.
After being granted Spirit Vein, Lin Zhongyue and Chu Duanlang also began to establish cultivation clans.
Meanwhile, Su Xue’Er and seven descendants of the Shen Mansion led a low-key life, hiding at the foot of the Cold Ice Cave Mountain, forming their own group.
Shen Xuan occasionally visited them, providing guidance in their cultivation.
At dusk,
Shen Xuan stood quietly at the peak of the main mountain, overlooking the myriad lights and the bustling boats below.
To govern a region, to benefit one.
Shen Xuan did not expect the cultivators and mortals on Starlight Island to repay him with anything.
These powers, in his eyes, are insignificant.
Even the deputy island master True Master Wei Chen can only manage trivial matters on Starlight Island for him.
He simply acts according to his own will, doing what he wishes to do.
All his life, he acts without guilt in his heart.
When faced with a truly significant matter, Shen Xuan would rely only on himself, never placing hope on others.
...
A month later.
Two special guests arrived on Starlight Island.
An old man with white hair and a thin old woman.
The two arrived directly in front of the "Universal Ocean Array" on a flying ship.
The old man with white hair sent a sound transmission talisman into the array.
Tie Wenda, guarding the array, after seeing the signature on the communication talisman, his face changed.
He hurriedly sent it to the Cold Ice Cave.
"Why has he come?"
Upon seeing the content of the communication talisman, Shen Xuan personally went out of the island to greet them.
"Fellow Daoist Tian, long time no see!"
The old man with white hair was named Tian Wenxi, a Water Technique Golden Core of Bishui Sect.
He was also the white-haired old cultivator who anonymously sold him the "Immortal-Slaying Water Qi Technique" in Luoying Market many years ago.
The old woman beside him was the former sect leader’s granddaughter, Golden Core True Master Chen Yufei, of Bishui Sect.
Shen Xuan used his Divine Sense to scan the two.
Tian Wenxi was only at the early stage of Golden Core.
Apparently, the serious injuries from years ago affected his cultivation.
What puzzled him was that Chen Yufei was also merely at the early stage of True Core.
He did not know the internal affairs, but over the years, her cultivation has also stagnated.
"Tian and my spouse, greet Fellow Daoist Profound Ice."
Tian Wenxi smiled and gave a salutation.
Now, time has changed.
The small Qi Cultivation cultivator from those days had astonishingly achieved the Ice Technique Golden Core.
Still, with the Cyan Cloud Sect, such as this top tier sect in Song Country,
he, a Golden Core early stage loose cultivator expelled from the sect, dared not put on airs in front of Shen Xuan.
"Please come in, Fellow Daoists!"
Shen Xuan cupped his hands in salutation and invited Tian Wenxi and Chen Yufei into Starlight Island.
Inside the Cold Ice Cave.
The three sat down as host and guests.
Shangguan Yan’Er prepared Cold Leaf Spirit Tea and brought it to the table.
Shen Xuan took a sip of the Spirit Tea and got straight to the point: "Fellow Daoist Tian, you’ve come to Starlight Island especially. I wonder what important matter you have?"
Tian Wenxi smiled warmly: "It’s been nearly a hundred years since we last parted at Luoying Market. Back then, you were at the peak of Qi Cultivation, and now you are a renowned Golden Core True Master across countries, congratulations!"
Shen Xuan smiled in return: "Fellow Daoist Tian, the kindness of passing on the technique back then, I have always remembered. Please speak directly. If it’s within my ability, I will not refuse."
Tian Wenxi took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Fellow Daoist Profound Ice is straightforward, so I’ll get to the point. I came today to ask you to fulfill the promise you made back then."
Shen Xuan calmly said: "Fellow Daoist Tian, are you referring to the Heavenly Dao vow made back then?"
"Exactly. When passing on the technique back then, you made a Heavenly Dao vow. After mastering the ’Immortal-Slaying Water Qi Technique,’ you promised to do something for me."
"I indeed made that promise."
Shen Xuan nodded, his expression unchanged: "Please speak, Fellow Daoist Tian, what do you need me to do?"
Tian Wenxi’s eyes revealed a hint of madness: "I ask Fellow Daoist Profound Ice to openly challenge my junior brother, the sect leader of Bishui Sect, True Master Qingyu."
Upon these words, the air suddenly froze.
Chen Yufei instinctively clenched her sleeves, her expression tense.
Shen Xuan put down his teacup and fell into contemplation.
For a long time.
He raised his eyes to look at Tian Wenxi and nodded slightly.
"To challenge True Master Qingyu openly. If I’m not mistaken, he was already a Water Technique Golden Core many years ago. By now, he’s probably at the late stage of Golden Core."
"Ten years ago, True Master Qingyu broke through to the late stage of Golden Core."
Tian Wenxi suddenly said angrily: "Qingyu, on the surface, is benevolent and broad-minded, but in essence, he is petty and jealous, causing me to become like this!"
Shen Xuan waved his hand.
"Fellow Daoist Tian, forgive my straightforwardness. I don’t wish to know, nor do I need to know, about the grievances between you and Fellow Daoist Qingyu."
Shen Xuan gazed intently at Tian Wenxi.
"You want me to fulfill my promise and challenge True Master Qingyu in a battle, correct?"
Tian Wenxi calmed down and said slowly: "Yes."
"Regardless of the outcome?"
Tian Wenxi said solemnly: "Fellow Daoist Profound Ice should not underestimate him. Previously, Qingyu killed three True Masters who stole the ’Immortal-Slaying Water Qi Technique.’"
"I will certainly fight with all my strength."
Shen Xuan pondered and said: "I will definitely abide by the Heavenly Dao vow. However, True Master Qingyu has been a Golden Core for a hundred years, and I’ve formed my core only ten years ago. He is at the late stage of Golden Core, and I am at the early stage."
"A hasty challenge would likely lead to disaster."
In truth, Shen Xuan was contemplating something else.
As the sect’s ultimate skill of the Bishui Sect, the ’Immortal-Slaying Water Qi Technique’ was extremely well-suited to him.
After merging it with the Ice Technique Divine Power, its power greatly increased.
Tian Wenxi’s expression changed.
"What does Fellow Daoist Profound Ice mean?"
Shen Xuan said seriously: "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Tian. I am willing to fulfill the promise and have a battle with True Master Qingyu."
Between Golden Core True Masters, victory is easy to determine, but life and death are not.
Shen Xuan is an Ice Technique Golden Core of the Cyan Cloud Sect.
Even if True Master Qingyu is stronger, he would not dare to harm his life.
Moreover, Shen Xuan does not believe that True Master Qingyu is much stronger than him.
The foundation of the Cyan Cloud Sect is not something a mid-tier sect can rival.
Relying solely on the Ice Technique Divine Power, it should be a fifty-fifty chance between him and True Master Qingyu.
If he condenses the Dharma Aspect and activates ’Dragon Blood Boiling,’
Shen Xuan is eighty to ninety percent confident that he can defeat True Master Qingyu.
Of course, if it’s just a comparison match, there’s no need to go that far.
It’s best to draw without victory or defeat, and shake hands in reconciliation.
So that neither party loses face.
"However, I need time. If Fellow Daoist Tian can provide the Core Formation Realm cultivation technique and insights of the ’Immortal-Slaying Water Qi Technique,’"
"In twenty years, I will personally go to Bishui Peak to openly challenge True Master Qingyu!"
Shen Xuan pledged firmly.