Chapter 193
Chapter 193
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation, Forbidden Art [Absolute Ice Seal]
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Dream Marsh Market City was located over four thousand miles northwest of Ferry Market City, with the remote territory managed by the Lu Clan lying in between.
In truth, the entire Eastern Territory was under the Lu Clan's control.
Just as the entire Tiannan Region was under the control of the Tiannan Sect.
The Eastern Territory was vast. Even after crossing north of the Skyreach River, the Dream Marsh Market City they were heading to as a transfer point was still within its lands.
"Fellow Daoist Luo, is it very dangerous north of the Skyreach River?"
The spirit boat was moving quickly. Luo Xiyue didn't seem to want to linger in the mountains and marshes either, so she was piloting the spirit boat at full speed.
In just half an hour, they had flown over two thousand miles.
Watching Luo Xiyue take out a large number of spirit stones and place them into the spirit boat's matrix, Chen Jianghe grew even more worried.
He voiced the question on his mind.
"The Tiannan Sect's control over the area north of the Skyreach River is relatively lax, so there are many marauding cultivators, evil cultivators, and demonic cultivators."
"Once you cross the Skyreach River, aside from the Lu Clan's territory, the Chen Clan's territory, and the vicinity of the Tiannan Sect's northern gate, powerful demonic cultivators can appear anywhere."
Luo Xiyue said faintly.
But a hint of excitement could be heard in her voice, as if she quite liked the danger-filled region north of the Skyreach River.
If it weren't for Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan on the spirit boat, she would have certainly taken Chen Jianghe on a slow and leisurely journey across the lands of Yue Country.
In Luo Xiyue's eyes, combat was a part of cultivation.
The path to immortality was long. Without rich combat experience, how could one ensure their safe arrival at the shores of eternal life?
This was what her master had taught her.
Chen Jianghe swallowed hard, inwardly cursing Ruan Tieniu for talking up all the benefits of Thousand Mountains Market City.
Why didn't he mention the various dangers north of the Skyreach River?
Marauding cultivators being everywhere was one thing.
But there were even demonic cultivators.
No, since there were so many demonic cultivators, why was Ruan Tieniu still thinking about modifying the Profound Heaven Dragon Pattern Rope?
"Does the Tiannan Sect's northern gate not do anything about the demonic cultivators?" Chen Jianghe asked, puzzled.
"The Tiannan Sect prides itself on being the righteous path, so naturally, it heavily suppresses demonic cultivators. Many demonic cultivators have bounties on their heads on the Tiannan Sect's merit board. Therefore, Tiannan Sect disciples often make moves against them, but with mixed results."
"The Tiannan Sect doesn't place much importance on disciples who are killed by demonic cultivators while on extermination missions, nor would it avenge them."
"It would only increase the contribution point reward."
"To die on a demon extermination mission is a sign of their own lack of skill."
"Once Peiyao reaches the late stage of Foundation Establishment, she will come to the Tiannan Sect's northern gate for fifty years of training. She will be required to accept a demon extermination mission once every five years, or she will forfeit her second and third chances to enter the secret realm trials."
Listening to Luo Xiyue, Chen Jianghe felt that even joining the Tiannan Sect was fraught with peril.
The Tiannan Sect's attitude towards its Foundation Establishment disciples was purely survival of the fittest.
They didn't want weaklings, only the elite.
They even forced late-stage Foundation Establishment disciples to take on demon extermination missions, showing no fear of them being baited and killed by demonic cultivators.
The fact that even Tiannan Sect disciples could fall at the hands of demonic cultivators gave Chen Jianghe a general understanding of the environment north of the Skyreach River.
The records in the *Tiannan Gazetteer*, aside from the descriptions of geography and spirit items, couldn't be trusted at all. It hadn't been updated in eight hundred years; it was a total scam.
Before coming, he had thought that the lands north and south of the Skyreach River were more or less the same, places where one could cultivate in peace.
He never expected the north of the Skyreach River to be so treacherous.
"I must do everything I can to raise Xiao Hei. Only when Xiao Hei reaches the late second tier will I have the power to protect myself."
"After arriving at Thousand Mountains Market City, I also need to quickly cultivate the powerful arts that come with the *Myriad Waters True Scripture* to have some means of dealing with enemies."
"No, Maoqiu needs to be raised with great effort too. Two late second-tier spirit beasts will make me feel more secure."
"And alchemy. I must try it. Otherwise, the rate at which I'm earning spirit stones now simply can't support my daily cultivation."
"..."
Chen Jianghe sat quietly on the spirit boat, but his thoughts were in turmoil. The reality of the lands north of the Skyreach River had caught him completely off guard.
If he had known it was this dangerous, he would have been better off going to the Multitude Treasures Market City in the Western Territory.
In the blink of an eye, another half an hour passed.
The spirit boat entered a great marsh, many times larger than Mirror Moon Lake, appearing like a vast ocean.
Within this great marsh were numerous small islands, like stars dotting the sky.
However, most of these islands were too small, many only a hundred yards or a few dozen yards across, unsuitable for habitation.
But in the center of the marsh, there were six islands, each ten miles in circumference, situated close together.
Looking down from the clouds, one could see a golden celestial curtain enveloping these six islands.
This was a third-tier defensive grand array.
Dream Marsh Market City was originally established by a Core Formation Grandmaster. However, after that Grandmaster passed away from old age, the family he left behind failed to produce another Core Formation Grandmaster, only False Core Adepts.
Even so, the family's foundation was still extremely powerful.
Luo Xiyue put away the spirit boat. They didn't fly on their swords but instead flew on their Qi to an island at the edge of the market city.
They entered Dream Marsh Market City from there.
Upon entering, they could see the Hundred Treasures Pavilion towering over the central island in the distance.
Chen Jianghe couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.
In the Tiannan Region, no matter which power established a market city, as long as it was a proper major market, it had to have a Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
Even the market cities established by the four great immortal clans were no exception.
There weren't many cultivators in Dream Marsh Market City; it wasn't as bustling as Qinghe Market City. However, most of the cultivators here were at the mid-stage of Qi Refining or above.
From time to time, one could see a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
In terms of cultivation realms, Dream Marsh Market City far surpassed Qinghe Market City.
After all, Qinghe Market City still had many early-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
The patrol teams seen since entering Dream Marsh Market City indicated that this was a city with rules.
There shouldn't be any marauding or demonic cultivators causing trouble here.
Chen Jianghe's tense heart relaxed slightly, and he let out a sigh of relief. But as he walked along the water-filled streets, he remained extremely cautious.
"Senior, I'll go ask about the ship tickets to Thousand Mountains Market City."
Jiang Ruxu spoke up at this moment.
"You'll go? Are you familiar with Dream Marsh Market City?" Chen Jianghe was a little worried.
"Has Senior forgotten what I used to do?"
Jiang Ruxu said with a cheerful smile.
Only then did Chen Jianghe remember that before becoming an alchemist, Jiang Ruxu had been a guide in Qinghe Market City.
Jiang Ruxu was very experienced in quickly familiarizing herself with a market city.
Since they were already inside Dream Marsh Market City, and seeing the patrol teams that passed by from time to time—far more numerous than those in Qinghe Market City—he wasn't so worried.
He nodded at Jiang Ruxu, telling her to go and get acquainted with Dream Marsh Market City first.
They would meet up at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion later.
Zhuang Xinyan, on the other hand, stayed by Chen Jianghe's side, taking a small boat with him and Luo Xiyue to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
How could one gauge the scale of a market city?
You just had to enter its Hundred Treasures Pavilion and look at the cultivation levels of the clerks.
In the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Mirror Moon Market City, most of the clerks were at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, with only a few at the late stage.
In Qinghe Market City, most were at the late stage of Qi Refining, with a minority at the mid-stage.
The Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Ferry Market City was different; all the clerks were late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
They arrived at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and first browsed around.
Most of the clerks here were late-stage Qi Refining, with only a few at the mid-stage, similar to Qinghe Market City.
None of them bought any resources.
The resources on open display were mostly what Qi Refining cultivators needed.
Resources needed by Foundation Establishment cultivators could basically only be bought at auctions, and sometimes not even then.
After all, for treasures beneficial to a Foundation Establishment cultivator's practice, who would choose to put them up for auction?
About an hour later.
Jiang Ruxu returned.
She brought back one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.
The good news was that they didn't have to worry about the safety of the flying ship to Thousand Mountains Market City. Almost every trip was presided over by a False Core Adept.
Even when passing over the skies of Yue Country, they were not targets for those marauding or demonic cultivators.
Furthermore, the tickets for the flying ship to Thousand Mountains Market City were not expensive, only eighty spirit stones.
Indeed, it wasn't expensive.
Dream Marsh Market City was nearly fifty thousand miles from Thousand Mountains Market City, and the journey passed through the territory of Yue Country.
Eighty spirit stones was quite good.
The bad news was that the flying ship to Thousand Mountains Market City only ran once a year, always in the fourth month of the year.
It was currently the seventh month.
There were still nine months until the next ship to Thousand Mountains Market City.
"Senior, we could also take a detour. We could first go to Celestial Gate Market City at the foot of the Tiannan Sect, and then head to Thousand Mountains Market City. Although this is a detour of thirty thousand miles, we can reach Thousand Mountains Market City within six months."
"Fellow Daoist Luo, what do you think?"
Chen Jianghe looked at Luo Xiyue and asked.
"It makes no difference to me."
Luo Xiyue said calmly.
"Then let's stay in Dream Marsh Market City for now and take the flying ship to Thousand Mountains Market City in the fourth month of next year."
Chen Jianghe didn't want to detour to Celestial Gate Market City.
Traveling an extra thirty thousand miles meant an increased risk of danger, and besides, it wasn't like they would reach Thousand Mountains Market City immediately.
It would still take half a year.
In that case, they might as well wait in Dream Marsh Market City.
He could use this time to cultivate his arts.
Before leaving Qiyun Mountain, he had already cultivated a second drop of Foundation Establishment mana in his Dantian, allowing him to practice the powerful offensive arts that came with the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*.
"Alright then. We can stay at the Dream Marsh Inn. It's the largest and safest inn in Dream Marsh Market City."
Jiang Ruxu had only been gone for an hour, but she had already gotten a good grasp of Dream Marsh Market City.
Indeed, everyone has their own specialty.
Subsequently, they went to the Dream Marsh Inn and directly rented a small courtyard, which was a premium-grade room in the inn.
The nearly two-hundred-square-meter courtyard had three rooms, which was enough for them to settle in.
The courtyard also had a perception-shielding array, a second-tier spirit-gathering array, a second-tier small-scale defensive array, and an earthfire array.
For them, it was quite well-equipped.
Of course, the price was also extremely expensive.
Even though Chen Jianghe wasn't the one paying the spirit stones, he still felt a pang of pain.
This courtyard was rented on a yearly basis for one hundred and twenty spirit stones, which came out to ten spirit stones a month.
However, they would only be staying for nine months, and the spirit stones for the other three months were non-refundable.
This was even more expensive than the Fortune Courtyard in Longevity Lane of Qinghe Market City.
Jiang Ruxu paid the spirit stones. She didn't seem to have much of a reaction to the price, as if it were quite reasonable.
After all, the layout of this small courtyard looked even better than Fortune Residence Number 36 in Longevity Lane, making it well worth the price.
After arriving at the courtyard.
Luo Xiyue walked directly into a room and began to cultivate in seclusion.
She paid no mind to Chen Jianghe, Jiang Ruxu, or Zhuang Xinyan.
Although there were three rooms, one of them was for alchemy and artifact refining, leaving only two rooms for living.
"You two go to your rooms to cultivate. I can just cultivate here in the courtyard."
After speaking, Chen Jianghe went to a pavilion in a corner of the courtyard, sat down cross-legged, and began to circulate the *Myriad Waters True Scripture* to cultivate.
"Senior Sister, you go cultivate first. I'm going to practice alchemy."
"Mm, okay."
Just as they had discussed, they needed to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.
At the same time, Jiang Ruxu also needed to become a second-tier alchemist as quickly as possible. Only then could they be of help to Chen Jianghe.
And stay by Senior's side forever.
Chen Jianghe circulated the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*, drawing out the spiritual power of the Spirit Accumulating Pill from his Divine Gate acupoint and circulating it through his body for three minor heavenly cycles.
Three hours passed.
Then, he began to comprehend the arts that came with the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*.
As a superior cultivation art, the Qi Refining portion of the *Myriad Waters True Scripture* could amplify mana by thirty percent and increase the power of arts by twenty percent.
When it came to the Foundation Establishment portion, it contained two extremely powerful arts.
"Two arts?"
Chen Jianghe was stunned for a moment, finding it somewhat unbelievable.
But when he remembered that the *Myriad Waters True Scripture* was a superior cultivation art, he felt it made sense.
According to the records in the *Qinghe Journal*, when a Foundation Establishment cultivator reached the fourth level of their cultivation art, they would comprehend an extremely powerful art.
The power and characteristics of the art would increase as their cultivation level rose.
It seemed now that the single art recorded in the *Qinghe Journal* likely referred to ordinary cultivation arts.
Superior cultivation arts, on the other hand, allowed one to cultivate two supreme arts.
Chen Jianghe cleared his mind of distracting thoughts and focused his spirit.
He devoted himself to comprehending the fourth level of the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*. This superior art was extremely profound, and even with his soul being different from ordinary people's, it took him seven days to comprehend the two supreme arts that came with the Foundation Establishment portion of the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*.
"Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation?!"
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, a look of astonishment on his face. He had never expected that one of the two supreme arts he comprehended from the *Myriad Waters True Scripture* would be a healing art.
It wasn't unheard of for Foundation Establishment cultivators to comprehend healing arts, but it was very rare.
Because comprehending a healing art was equivalent to mastering a trade.
Once a healing art was cultivated to Major Accomplishment, one could not only heal themselves but also heal other cultivators.
At that point, one could earn fees for healing.
After all, in the cultivation world, there was no such thing as a free lunch.
It was only right and proper to take money for healing others.
The supreme arts comprehended by Foundation Establishment cultivators had five realms: Entry, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, Perfection, and Transcendent.
Take the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation, for example. At the Entry realm, one could transform water-attribute spiritual power into jade dew, accelerating the healing of their own flesh wounds without leaving scars.
At Minor Accomplishment, the effect would be greatly enhanced, allowing one's flesh to heal even more quickly.
Upon reaching Major Accomplishment, one could collect the morning dew from second-tier spirit plants, merge it with their own cultivated jade dew spiritual power, and condense it into a Jade Dew Pill.
This was not a physical spirit pill but a form of spiritual power that could be used to heal others.
It could be said that cultivating the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation to Major Accomplishment was equivalent to refining a Condensing Dew Flesh Generation Pill.
In fact, the refining principles of the second-tier spirit pill, Condensing Dew Flesh Generation Pill, and the first-tier Flesh Generation Ointment were derived from arts similar to the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation.
At the Perfection realm, even if one suffered a laceration that left flesh torn and exposed, it could be restored to its original state within a hundred breaths.
Even a small amount of missing flesh could be rapidly regrown.
If cultivated to the Transcendent realm, as long as the bones were not involved, any wound could be healed in a short amount of time.
This Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation was simply a weakened version of Severed Limb Regeneration, and it didn't consume one's lifespan.
Its only drawback was its inability to regenerate bone.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have to worry about Xiao Hei losing lifespan when using the Blood River Escape Art.
The reason lifespan was lost was that Severed Limb Regeneration required the consumption of one's own life force.
"I can't believe I comprehended such a miraculous art!"
Chen Jianghe marveled inwardly.
The arts that came with a cultivation technique were not all the same. Even cultivators practicing the same technique might not comprehend the same arts.
His comprehension of the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation undoubtedly greatly increased his own survivability.
After cultivating it to Major Accomplishment, he would also have an additional source of income.
This was wonderful.
The only issue was that the conditions for cultivating the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation were somewhat harsh.
One needed to cultivate in a pool of morning dew from second-tier spirit plants for forty-nine days to condense the Jade Dew Art Seal in their Dantian.
Only then could one cultivate jade dew spiritual power.
He wasn't worried about the morning dew from a second-tier spirit plant; he happened to have a second-tier mid-grade spirit plant, the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
However, collecting a full pool of morning dew would take some time.
With a thought.
The second-tier mid-grade spirit plant, the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, was released. It quickly took root in the small courtyard, madly absorbing the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth.
The Dragon Pattern Red Pine was no secret.
Luo Xiyue knew about it.
It wouldn't matter even if Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan found out.
Time was of the essence. He needed to quickly collect the morning dew from the Dragon Pattern Red Pine to master the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation as soon as possible.
However, he needed to go to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to buy a jade bottle to store the morning dew. The space inside the jade bottle needed to be at least three cubic meters.
This was another considerable expense.
His mind made up, he stopped thinking about the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation and turned to study the other art he had comprehended.
One look was all it took to give Chen Jianghe a shock.
Why were all the arts he comprehended so strange and unconventional?
The Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation was already very niche; you might not find a single cultivator who had comprehended such a supreme healing art among a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"Absolute Ice Seal, what kind of art is this?!"
Chen Jianghe grumbled, not because this supreme art, Absolute Ice Seal, was too weak.
On the contrary, the power of Absolute Ice Seal was too strong.
Once cultivated to Major Accomplishment, using it was basically a forbidden art of mutual destruction.
Within a hundred-yard radius, everything would be instantly frozen, extinguishing all signs of life.
Even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, without a powerful top-tier defensive magical tool of the Spirit-Nurturing Grade, would have their mana frozen and their meridians stilled, leading to death.
But once Absolute Ice Seal was cast, the user's own mana would also be instantly depleted, and they would be frozen along with the opponent.
If it was cultivated to the Transcendent realm...
That would be Core Formation.
It was impossible for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to cultivate this forbidden-art-level supreme art to the Transcendent realm; Perfection was the most they could achieve.
Even at the Perfection realm, its power was unimaginable.
It could even freeze a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Within its frozen domain, it could even effectively slow down a False Core Adept.
Mutual destruction?
A one-time-use forbidden art?
He had the Profound Ice Battle Armor, so he didn't have to worry about mutual destruction. As long as he froze the opponent, he could rely on the Profound Ice Battle Armor to escape the ice domain.
As for why it was called a one-time-use forbidden art, it was because cultivating Absolute Ice Seal required a second-tier top-grade spirit item, the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice.
Only by taking the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice as a source and absorbing it into one's Dantian could one cultivate Absolute Ice Seal.
Once the 'Absolute Ice Seal Mark' was formed, and Absolute Ice Seal was cast with full power, the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice in the Dantian would rush out, transforming into a source of ice and freezing everything.
Even if one was lucky enough to survive.
To cultivate Absolute Ice Seal again, one would need to find another piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice to serve as the source.
"A Talisman Treasure?"
Chen Jianghe suddenly thought of Talisman Treasures.
If he cultivated Absolute Ice Seal to the Perfection realm, wouldn't that be equivalent to having a Talisman Treasure?
The power of a Talisman Treasure was extremely formidable.
Containing about thirty percent of a magic treasure's power, it could instantly kill any cultivator below the False Core Adept realm.
And his supreme art, Absolute Ice Seal, in a sense, could no longer be called an art.
It was a forbidden art, one that would lead to mutual destruction upon use.
But he had the Profound Ice Battle Armor, so he didn't have to worry about dying himself, only that his mana would be rapidly depleted.
However, Absolute Ice Seal cultivated to the Perfection realm, if not capable of instantly killing a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, would come very close.
Wasn't that equivalent to the power of a Talisman Treasure?
With his current connections and strength, getting his hands on a Talisman Treasure was basically impossible.
But getting a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice was very hopeful.
A second-tier top-grade spirit item like Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice was produced in the Arctic Snow Forest. As long as he reached Thousand Mountains Market City, he would have a chance to obtain it.
Once he had the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice, he would have a trump card comparable to a Talisman Treasure.
"Hoo~~"
Chen Jianghe let out a heavy breath.
A look of wild joy appeared in his eyes. Although the cultivation conditions for this forbidden art were difficult, and it was a one-time use, its power was comparable to a Talisman Treasure.
And that Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation was also a top-grade supreme art.
These two arts he had comprehended from the *Myriad Waters True Scripture* were, for his current self, absolutely the most beneficial.
One for healing, one for attacking.
The only drawback was that neither could be cultivated in the short term.
He could only wait until he reached Thousand Mountains Market City.
He would first collect the morning dew from the Dragon Pattern Red Pine. After arriving at Thousand Mountains Market City, cultivating the Jade Dew Flesh Generation Incantation shouldn't be a problem.
Therefore, the biggest challenge he currently faced was still the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice.
"During this time, I can only focus on cultivating the *Myriad Waters True Scripture*, drawing second-tier talismans, and collecting morning dew."
His mind was made up.
Chen Jianghe wasted no more time and prepared to head to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to buy a storage jade bottle.
He stood up and walked to the courtyard gate, only to see the flicker of firelight from the alchemy room. That must be Jiang Ruxu practicing alchemy.
Chen Jianghe was still very optimistic about Jiang Ruxu.
Although he himself would also try alchemy, there was no way he could become a grandmaster alchemist in a short time.
So, the connections of a grandmaster alchemist would still have to rely on Jiang Ruxu.
As long as Jiang Ruxu became a grandmaster alchemist, there was hope for the Ice Heart Grass in his hands to become an Ice Heart Obstacle-Breaking Pill.