Chapter 296
Chapter 296
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 296
Chapter Title: Cultivation Breakthrough, Gathering at Muyun
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The dense root system of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine stretched out, trembling violently on the ground. Even the spiritual bark on its trunk was rapidly withering.
Its branches and leaves began to turn from red to yellow.
Its life force was rapidly draining away.
Chen Jianghe's expression was grim, as dark as water. He had painstakingly cultivated the Dragon Pattern Red Pine with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in Tier 2 high-grade talisman materials.
To have an endless supply of Tier 2 high-grade talisman materials.
But now, it seemed the Dragon Pattern Red Pine lacked a sufficient foundation. Although it had successfully advanced, it couldn't sustain its spiritual aura, causing its root system to collapse and its life force to drain away.
Chen Jianghe knew that cultivators had spiritual root talent and that demonic and spirit beasts had bloodline purity, but he had never imagined that a spiritual plant like the Dragon Pattern Red Pine would also have its own foundation.
With an insufficient foundation, a forced breakthrough carried the risk of perishing.
This was just like a cultivator's Foundation Establishment.
If a cultivator's spiritual root talent was too low and they hadn't accumulated a certain foundation, they would most likely suffer a collapsed dantian and die from qi exhaustion.
"Can I use the Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Herb?"
Chen Jianghe took out a Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Herb. It had no spiritual energy and its properties hadn't been activated by spiritual blood, so it held no attraction for Maoqiu and Latiao.
"I don't know. It probably won't do much."
Xiao Hei sent a mental message.
The Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Herb could enhance the bloodline purity of demonic and spirit beasts, but spiritual plants were different from beasts.
Just as demonic beasts were different from cultivators.
Cultivators had spiritual root talent.
The Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Herb couldn't improve a cultivator's spiritual root talent, so it was clear it couldn't improve a spiritual plant's foundation either.
"Perhaps there is one way that might work."
Xiao Hei's eyes darted around as he thought of a less-than-ideal solution.
"Take out your Azure Water Golden Lotus and let the Dragon Pattern Red Pine absorb its spiritual aura. It might be able to survive the advancement."
"Absorb the Azure Water Golden Lotus's spiritual aura? Will that harm the lotus?" Chen Jianghe asked doubtfully.
"It would be equivalent to a spirit beast losing its source essence."
"It seems the Dragon Pattern Red Pine lacks the fortune to accompany me on my path. So be it. I shall help it on its way to nirvana."
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Jianghe summoned his Silver Moon Flowing Wave Sword. With a circulation of his spiritual power, he flourished the sword in the air, sending it shooting toward the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
In an instant, it pierced the trunk, bringing out a flash of green light.
A nine-inch piece of Spiritual Wood Heart appeared in Chen Jianghe's hand.
This was the core of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
Looking at the still-pulsating Spiritual Wood Heart, Chen Jianghe refined it with his spiritual power and then stored it in his storage pouch.
*Swish, swish, swish!*
In a flash, the Silver Moon Flowing Wave Sword circled and slashed around the main trunk of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine. Pieces of spiritual plant bark peeled off and flew into Chen Jianghe's hands.
The Dragon Pattern Red Pine had broken through to become a quasi-Tier 3 spiritual plant, but its foundation couldn't withstand the immense spiritual aura, leading to the collapse of its roots and the depletion of its spiritual energy.
Since there was no saving it.
Chen Jianghe didn't hesitate, acting immediately to harvest the spiritual bark before the Dragon Pattern Red Pine completely withered.
This was quasi-Tier 3 spiritual bark, suitable for creating Tier 2 high-grade talismans.
"Twelve pieces of Tier 2 high-grade spiritual bark, thirty-one pieces of Tier 2 mid-grade spiritual bark, and one quasi-Tier 3 Spiritual Wood Heart that can nurture a Talisman Treasure."
"Not bad. My investment of over three hundred thousand spirit stones wasn't in vain. I've pretty much broken even."
Chen Jianghe looked at the spiritual bark in his hand, assessed its value, and felt it wasn't a loss.
If it were a living quasi-Tier 3 Dragon Pattern Red Pine, he would have made a huge profit.
As it was, he had still made a small profit.
An investment of three hundred thousand spirit stones yielding a return of over five hundred thousand was still acceptable.
As for Xiao Hei's idea of using the Azure Water Golden Lotus's spiritual aura to help the Dragon Pattern Red Pine break through...
He didn't even have to think about it.
It had directly helped him make the decision to chop down the Dragon Pattern Red Pine.
If it were the Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Herb, Chen Jianghe could have accepted it. But using the Azure Water Golden Lotus? Even if the Dragon Pattern Red Pine were about to break through to Tier 3, he wouldn't be willing to sacrifice the lotus's spiritual aura.
He couldn't afford to throw away a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed.
Let alone throwing away gold to pick up a rock.
Having lost its Spiritual Wood Heart, the Dragon Pattern Red Pine quickly shriveled. Its life force depleted, it collapsed to the ground in an instant.
Its roots and leaves turned to dust.
The main trunk was scorched black as if struck by lightning.
The Dragon Pattern Red Pine had become a quasi-Tier 3 spiritual plant, but its insufficient foundation led to a collapse of its spiritual aura, causing its life force to drain away.
"The main trunk can be used to refine a top-tier flying sword or to make puppets. Chopping down the Dragon Pattern Red Pine for an early return is actually quite good."
Chen Jianghe used his Silver Moon Flowing Wave Sword to cut the main trunk of the Dragon Pattern Red Pine into three sections and stored them in his pouch.
When Zhuang Xinyan came out of seclusion, he could give them to her to make Tier 2 low- and mid-grade puppets.
Using it to refine a top-tier flying sword would be a bit of a waste of material.
"You acted so quickly?"
Xiao Hei looked at Chen Jianghe and sent a surprised mental message.
"The Azure Water Golden Lotus was definitely not an option, and there was no other way. If I hadn't acted, I would have suffered a huge loss."
Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes.
"Uh..."
Xiao Hei was stunned for a moment and didn't say anything more. Chen Jianghe had already chopped up the Dragon Pattern Red Pine; anything he said now would be pointless.
Maoqiu and Latiao's eyes were wide, both stunned by Chen Jianghe's clean and efficient dismemberment technique.
His movements were swift, his technique practiced.
The Dragon Pattern Red Pine went peacefully.
"Don't just stand there gawking. Get back to cultivating."
Chen Jianghe said, then performed the Soul Extraction Art, pulling out the Mystic Turtle Soul Armor of a Flame Turtle.
He began cultivating the Soul Sea Firming Scripture.
Maoqiu and Latiao immediately went to cultivate, working even harder without any prompting from Xiao Hei.
After Chen Jianghe finished his cultivation session.
Chen Jianghe took out the nine-inch Spiritual Wood Heart from the Dragon Pattern Red Pine and began drawing the Second Wood Soul-Binding Talisman.
It was too late to fully nurture a Talisman Treasure before entering the Uncharted Mystic Realm.
But a quasi-Tier 3 talisman like a Talisman Treasure would still be useful after leaving the Uncharted Mystic Realm. He couldn't have too many.
He chose to draw the Second Wood Soul-Binding Talisman because its soul attack was what Chen Jianghe needed most.
It was also the most profound and powerful form of attack he had.
For magical attacks, he had Absolute Freeze.
In the future, he could also cultivate the Northern Dipper Sword Art.
As for soul attacks, he could only rely on the Second Wood Soul-Binding Talisman nurtured into a Talisman Treasure.
Over a month later.
Chen Jianghe refined the completed Second Wood Soul-Binding Talisman with the True Spirit Treasure Nurturing Art and then placed it in his dantian to nurture.
Inside his dantian, five Talisman Treasures were already being nurtured.
Among them, the Starfall Lightning Talisman drawn on Flood Dragon Green Bamboo, the Second Wood Soul-Binding Talisman drawn on Moon-Gazing Stone, and the Violet Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman drawn on Profound Ice Sinking Wood had all been successfully nurtured.
They had all become powerful Talisman Treasures.
The Violet Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman drawn on Profound Ice Sinking Wood was still being nurtured because Chen Jianghe wanted to raise it into a Tier 3 Treasure Talisman.
If he didn't use it in the Uncharted Mystic Realm, it might truly become a Tier 3 Treasure Talisman in the future.
The other two Talisman Treasures still being nurtured were the Azure Wood Immortal Shield Talisman drawn on Profound Ice Sinking Wood and the Second Wood Soul-Binding Talisman drawn on the Spiritual Wood Heart.
In his storage pouch, he also had the Crimson Flame Heaven-Scorching Talisman he had traded with Gao Peiyao. Entering the Uncharted Mystic Realm with four Talisman Treasures, he was well-prepared.
Another two months passed.
The spiritual power in Chen Jianghe's dantian reached saturation, having condensed into three hundred and sixty drops of Foundation Establishment spiritual power.
At that moment, his cultivation broke through to the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment.
Compared to cultivators of the same level, they all had thirty-six drops of Foundation Establishment spiritual power, but his Myriad Waters True Scripture could increase his spiritual power by thirty percent.
This made his Foundation Establishment spiritual power much greater than that of his peers.
His spiritual power was far more profound.
Of course, there were pros and cons.
When Chen Jianghe purified the impurities in his spiritual power, it was thirty percent more difficult than for other late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
This was understandable.
With his profound spiritual power, the spells he cast were more powerful, and in the future, when he used sword arts, he could provide a continuous supply of power.
Cultivating the Myriad Waters True Scripture had another characteristic: it increased the power of his spells by twenty percent.
Coupled with the sixth layer of his Tidal Body Tempering Art being at the perfection stage, which increased spell power by another ten percent.
When he cast Absolute Freeze, its power would be increased by thirty percent. Combined with having thirty percent more spiritual power than ordinary cultivators of the same level, the might of Absolute Freeze would be unimaginable.
Chen Jianghe felt a great sense of security about entering the Uncharted Mystic Realm.
As long as he didn't make enemies of those few rogue cultivators at the False Core stage.
And didn't encounter any Tier 3 demonic beasts.
He would be basically safe in the Uncharted Mystic Realm.
"Although it was just a minor realm breakthrough, my combat strength has increased tremendously."
Joy filled Chen Jianghe's heart.
"My Soul Sea Firming Scripture is also about to break through. When it does, my speed at drawing Tier 2 high-grade talismans will increase even more."
"Three hundred eighty-two zhang and one chi, with object control reaching one hundred forty-three jun. My spiritual sense is far stronger than that of a typical late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator."
His soul was different from ordinary people, and his spiritual sense had always surpassed cultivators of the same level. Now, even before reaching the sixth layer of the Soul Sea Firming Scripture.
His spiritual sense had already exceeded that of ordinary cultivators who had reached the sixth layer of their mental arts.
Another month passed.
It was nearing New Year's Eve.
Chen Jianghe refined the Mystic Turtle Soul Armor of the twenty-seventh late-stage Tier 1 spirit turtle, finally completing the construction of his soul sea barrier.
He turned his spiritual sense inward.
With a thought, he could see a silver-gray screen of light appear outside his soul sea. Upon contact with any external spiritual sense, it would instantly generate soul spikes to attack the intruder.
At that very moment, Chen Jianghe's Soul Sea Firming Scripture reached the sixth layer.
His spiritual cultivation had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
"Three hundred ninety-two zhang and eight chi, one hundred forty-eight jun."
Chen Jianghe let out a long breath, a slight smile playing on his lips. He was just a hair's breadth away from his spiritual sense reaching the perfection stage of Foundation Establishment.
Inside the isolation formation, there were still fourteen Black Water Turtles and five Rock Turtles, enough for Chen Jianghe to cultivate his spiritual sense to the perfection stage of Foundation Establishment.
To break through the four-hundred-zhang barrier.
His object control power could also break through one hundred fifty jun.
"The Mystic Turtle Soul Armors from the nineteen spirit turtles are enough for me to cultivate for a year and a half. I can spend the remaining time cultivating with Second Revolution Spirit-Nourishing Pills. In the Uncharted Mystic Realm, I can also use them to cultivate."
Chen Jianghe didn't dare to waste his cultivation time.
He knew his spiritual root talent was low and couldn't afford to waste a single moment. With Xiao Hei's urging, he felt even more pressure to cultivate diligently.
A month and a half passed.
Chen Jianghe drew a Violet Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman.
Following his cultivation breakthrough, Chen Jianghe's speed at drawing Tier 2 talismans had also greatly increased.
He could now draw eight Tier 2 high-grade talismans a year.
Compared to other Talisman Grandmasters of the same cultivation level, he could draw two to three more Tier 2 high-grade talismans than them.
His powerful spiritual sense and profound spiritual power were his advantages.
However, he wouldn't be able to turn all the Tier 2 high-grade talisman materials he had into talismans.
After taking the twelve pieces of Tier 2 high-grade spiritual bark from the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, he now had twenty-nine sets of Tier 2 high-grade talisman materials on hand.
There were only three years left before the Uncharted Mystic Realm opened.
"I still need to trade away the Tier 2 mid-grade talisman materials I have."
When the Dragon Pattern Red Pine withered, it had provided him not only with twelve pieces of Tier 2 high-grade spiritual bark, but also thirty-one pieces of Tier 2 mid-grade spiritual bark.
These were of no use to Chen Jianghe.
Even if he drew them into Tier 2 mid-grade talismans to sell, it would be a waste of time.
With that time, he might as well draw and sell Tier 2 high-grade talismans instead.
He walked out of the isolation formation.
He took out the letters from the post box.
There were three letters.
One was from Yun Bufan, one from Gao Peiyao, and another from Xu Feng.
Chen Jianghe first opened and glanced at Xu Feng's letter.
He hadn't given his mailing address to Xu Feng. It wasn't because he looked down on him, but because he hadn't heard from Xu Feng since they parted ways at the Immortal Gate Market City.
"He has a child? That's good news."
Xu Feng's potential was limited, and he was getting on in years. With almost no chance of Core Formation, marrying and having children to carry on his line was his best option.
Having a child within a few years of marriage was certainly a joyous occasion.
It would, however, reduce his wife's chances of successfully reaching Foundation Establishment.
From the letter, he learned that Xu Feng had gotten his mailing address from Ruan Tieniu, and that Xu Feng had also come to Muyun Market City to develop his career.
He had become the Chief Scribe Immortal Official of Muyun Market City.
Through Ruan Tieniu, he had found a path for himself and could now accumulate resources for his descendants.
"This Xu Feng has some good fortune. He might become the Immortal Emissary of the Muyun region in the future."
With Ruan Tieniu's support, as long as Xu Feng worked hard in Muyun Market City, he had a good chance of becoming the chief official of the Muyun region.
If Ruan Tieniu wanted to establish himself in the Feng Kingdom for the long term, he needed his own power base. Xu Feng was a good candidate for that.
Xu Feng's letter was an invitation for Chen Jianghe to attend his son's hundred-day celebration, but the date had already passed.
Even if Chen Jianghe had wanted to attend, he had missed it.
Next, he opened Yun Bufan's letter and learned that Yun Bufan had discovered a strange phenomenon in the Starfall Sea.
Some time ago, he had seen many sect disciples at the perfection stage of Foundation Establishment, as well as prodigies from top-tier immortal clans, flying from Muyun Market City into the depths of the Starfall Sea.
Puzzled, he asked the spirit thieves around him, but couldn't get any information. No one knew what these sect disciples and immortal clan prodigies were doing deep in the Starfall Sea.
Yun Bufan wanted to follow them, but found they had already gone three thousand li into the Starfall Sea and were still heading deeper.
This made Yun Bufan dare not venture any further.
Three thousand li deep was already the territory of Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beasts.
There might even be Tier 3 demonic beasts.
Yun Bufan was only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Venturing in rashly would be extremely dangerous; a single misstep could lead to his death.
Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beasts!
It was well known that among peers of the same level, a demonic beast's strength far exceeded a cultivator's, unless the cultivator had a variety of tools like offensive arts, spirit-nurturing artifacts, talismans, and puppets.
Only then could they match a demonic beast of the same level.
Yun Bufan only had one spirit-nurturing offensive artifact. How could he dare to venture three thousand li into the Starfall Sea?
"Three thousand li into the Starfall Sea, and still going deeper. What are they trying to do?"
Chen Jianghe wondered.
These perfection-stage Foundation Establishment sect disciples certainly weren't there for an adventure or a sect mission.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have brought along the prodigies from the top-tier immortal clans.
"Could this be related to the opportunity Gao Peiyao mentioned?"
Back when he said he was coming to Muyun Mountain, Gao Peiyao had told him to spend more time exploring the Starfall Sea.
Although she hadn't said it outright.
She had hinted that in the Starfall Sea, west of Muyun Mountain, there was an opportunity that ordinary rogue cultivators could not access.
But Chen Jianghe didn't dare to go to the Starfall Sea.
The boundless sea held unimaginable dangers.
He was just a mere late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. How could he dare to venture deep inside?
Encountering a single Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beast might be manageable.
But what if he ran into a pack of them?
He wouldn't even know how he died.
Demonic beasts had a wide array of abilities, some with profound divine arts beyond imagination.
Take the Golden-Crowned Roc, for example. It could awaken a flight divine art at Tier 1, and after cultivating to the perfection stage of Tier 2.
When it used its flight divine art, its speed was even faster than a Violet Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman.
If it caught you, escape would be impossible.
Then there was Latiao's awakened Ice Dragon's Roar, a divine art that directly attacked the soul, which was impossible to defend against.
The boundless sea held endless demonic beasts, and the profoundness of their awakened divine arts was unimaginable.
"I wonder if Ruan Tieniu knows what's in the Starfall Sea west of Muyun."
Chen Jianghe pondered for a moment.
He decided to write a letter to Ruan Tieniu, telling him the news from Yun Bufan and asking if he knew what this so-called opportunity was.
After finishing the letter to Ruan Tieniu.
Chen Jianghe opened Gao Peiyao's letter. The competition in Tianmen Market City was over.
Silver Moon Peak's flying post had been secured.
But the struggle for interests among the other main peaks had just begun. In other words, the internal strife of the Tiannan Sect had officially entered a white-hot stage.
Casualties had already appeared in the competitions between sect disciples.
Five disciples at or above the late stage of Foundation Establishment had died, all perishing in the competitions. The various peaks had begun to use lethal force against each other.
The Core Formation elders were turning a blind eye to it.
You kill one of my disciples, and I'll kill one of yours another day.
Gao Peiyao, through the maneuvering of Perfected Lan, had left the troublesome place of Tianmen Market City and come to Muyun Market City.
As Gao Peiyao was on her way to Muyun Market City, another Core Formation elder had fallen in Tianmen Market City.
To date, three Core Formation elders had perished in the Tiannan Sect's internal strife.
According to Gao Peiyao's letter, this was only the beginning. The subsequent struggles over interests would be even more brutal.
Even Core Formation elders would find it difficult to survive the conflict.
"The old Sect Master doesn't have much time left and can't suppress these powerful peak lords. On top of that, he has to consider the bigger picture, facing both the Beast Taming Zhou Clan's Tier 4 spirit beast and the Tier 4 great demon from the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range."
Chen Jianghe felt that the Tiannan Sect was in a difficult position.
Especially the old Sect Master, whose situation was the most precarious.
With powerful enemies outside and a group of rebellious upstarts inside, he didn't even dare to die, fearing the Tiannan Sect would fall apart.
If the sect were united internally.
The old Sect Master would probably dare to take the Beast Taming Zhou Clan's Tier 4 spirit beast down with him.
He could even seriously injure that kui along the way.
This would buy the Tiannan Sect time to develop, allowing the next generation's Sect Master to become a Nascent Soul True Monarch and continue to dominate the Tiannan region.
But now, he couldn't do that.
Because if he died, the Tiannan Sect would most likely splinter into smaller factions, and the top-tier immortal clans would exploit the situation to stir up conflict between the peaks.
The ultimate beneficiaries would be those top-tier and Core Formation immortal clans.
After reading the three letters.
Chen Jianghe sent a letter to Ruan Tieniu and replied to Gao Peiyao, then continued his secluded cultivation.
First, he would use the remaining spirit turtles to cultivate the Soul Sea Firming Scripture and raise his spiritual sense to the perfection stage of Foundation Establishment.
Three months later.
Ruan Tieniu replied with a letter.
Looking at Ruan Tieniu's reply, Chen Jianghe showed a helpless expression.
Ruan Tieniu knew the secret of the region west of Muyun, but due to restrictions from the Feng Kingdom, he couldn't reveal it.
Unless Chen Jianghe joined the Feng Kingdom.
Otherwise, if he wanted to know the secret within the Starfall Sea west of Muyun, he would have to go there himself.
Ruan Tieniu said in the letter.
As long as Chen Jianghe had trump cards that allowed him to not fear Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beasts, he could head due west from the Muyun Mountain Range and deep into the Starfall Sea.
Then he would naturally discover the secret of the Starfall Sea.
"Sects? Top-tier immortal clans? The Feng Kingdom? Perfection of Foundation Establishment?"
Chen Jianghe connected the pieces of information he had gathered. He realized that even cultivators with powerful backgrounds needed to reach the perfection stage of Foundation Establishment to learn the secret west of Muyun.
Without sufficient cultivation, one could not access the secret of the Starfall Sea.
As for rogue cultivators, they would have to explore it themselves.
Their cultivation would also need to be at least at the perfection stage of Foundation Establishment.
Even if they couldn't defeat a Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beast, they had to be able to outrun one. Otherwise, it would be a one-way trip.
"With Xiao Hei, I don't need to fear Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beasts. But what if I run into a Tier 3 one?"
Chen Jianghe gave up on the idea of venturing deep into the Starfall Sea.
Even if he were to go, now was not the time.
With the opening of the Uncharted Mystic Realm imminent, it was best not to create unnecessary complications.
Time flew by like a fleeting shadow.
It was the first month of the new year again.
He had been cultivating for one hundred and twenty-two years and was now one hundred and thirty-six years old.
Chen Jianghe left the Rosy Cloud Cave Abode and went to the Muyun Restaurant for an appointment.
Originally, Chen Jianghe had planned to finish refining all the Mystic Turtle Soul Armors before coming out of seclusion, but Gao Peiyao had sent a letter saying that Xiao Chen and Yuan Chenyu had arrived in Muyun Market City.
She said they wanted to get together.
The four of them would form a small alliance upon entering the Uncharted Mystic Realm, so it was appropriate to meet up before they went in.
The Uncharted Mystic Realm would open in two years.
As the time drew near, Chen Jianghe's heart stirred with some unease.
The Uncharted Mystic Realm was not a regular mystic realm.
Regular mystic realms were those the Tiannan Sect had already developed and had some understanding of what was inside.
But an uncharted mystic realm was undeveloped and had never appeared before.
What dangers lay within?
No one knew.
What treasures it held, no one knew either.
It could be an abandoned mystic realm, with only early-stage Tier 2 demonic beasts and spiritual items that were at best Tier 2 mid-grade.
Or it could truly be a mystic realm approaching the level of a Grotto-Heaven.
It could contain many Tier 2 perfection-stage demonic beasts, perhaps even Tier 3 ones, with Tier 2 spiritual items everywhere and a good number of Core Formation-level spiritual items as well.
Everything was unknown.
He was worried about the dangers, but also worried there might be nothing inside at all.
Arriving at the private room they had booked at Muyun Restaurant, he found that Gao Peiyao was, as always, the first to arrive.
After they greeted each other.
Gao Peiyao took out a jade slip.
"Brother Jianghe, take a look at this first."