Sea Cultivation: Giant Ships and Heavy Artillery Knock on the Door to All Races

Chapter 294 Retreating at the Peak, the True Lord's Defection

Generally, third-tier territories do not welcome unfamiliar Golden Core cultivators to stay, as this would increase many unnecessary unexpected risks.

However, the Fish-Dragon Islands are currently very stable, and the Lin family has the strength to cover their losses, so they can naturally accommodate the remnants of Misty Rain Island. The Lin family has settled them all in the most prosperous Fish-Dragon Immortal City.

"Don't worry, Sister Wuxia, we will keep a close eye on the situation there. After all, our shipping business can't stop."

Lin Rongrong was very enthusiastic, making everyone feel at home, which even made Wuxia Zhenren feel a little unreal, since they couldn't squeeze much more out of them.

However, Lin Rongrong did not impose any conditions or restrictions on the remnants of Wuxia Island. In fact, she provided many conveniences and stated that this was simply the Lin family's normal way of treating guests.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Lin. I will keep my disciple in check and try my best not to cause you any trouble..."

Wuxia Zhenren instinctively kept a certain distance from Lin Rongrong. This way of treating guests made her wary and made her think about Lin Rongrong's purpose.

"No problem, just let me know if you need anything!"

The remnants of Misty Rain Island, unfamiliar with the area, had no choice but to stay temporarily on the Fish Dragon Islands, awaiting news from Chaochun City before deciding whether to return to Chaochun City or develop their forces here.

After settling in, the people of Misty Rain Island began to familiarize themselves with their new environment. Even though their future was uncertain, they couldn't just sit around and do nothing. They all wanted to find something to do in Fish Dragon Immortal City.

After years of rapid development, the Fish and Dragon Islands have now entered a relatively stable state. The entire Fish and Dragon Immortal City is exceptionally lively, and its prosperity even surpasses that of the Misty Rain Island Port.

"Is this the level of prosperity in the City of a Thousand Stars? The Fish-Dragon Immortal City isn't on the main shipping route, so how could it be so thriving?"

The disciples of Misty Rain Island were amazed by the endless stream of spirit ships of all sizes coming and going beneath the Immortal City and the satisfaction on the faces of the ordinary cultivators.

While none of these spirit ships were of the third tier, the number of first and second tier spirit ships far exceeded that of Misty Rain Island Port. A significant portion of these ships were clearly not local to the Fish-Dragon Islands, but rather belonged to surrounding Golden Core factions.
Clearly, the Lin family has a very solid foothold in the trade business!
Moreover, the number of cultivators begging for food in Fish Dragon Immortal City is not only large, but their cultivation levels are also generally high, and even their clothing is quite decent, which indicates that the local cultivation civilization is relatively developed and advanced.

"The level of this place should be higher than the average level of the Thousand Star City's jurisdiction, which can only mean that the Yulong Lin family is powerful and has managed such an ordinary third-tier territory so well."

One can see the whole leopard from a single spot; just by looking at the appearance of Fish-Dragon Immortal City, one can roughly estimate the situation of the entire Fish-Dragon Islands.

"Uncle-Master, what should we do now?"

The prosperity of Fish Dragon Immortal City could not heal the sorrow in their hearts. Although they hoped that they would have a chance to return to Misty Rain Island in the future, reason told them that it was probably impossible.

“Let’s split up. You stay here and explore the local geography of the Western Regions, as well as the specific rules and taboos for obtaining third-tier spiritual veins. I will go to the City of a Thousand Stars.”

Although the remnants of Misty Cloud Island are few in number, their organizational structure is complete, with Golden Core cultivators, Pseudo-Golden Core cultivators, Golden Core seed cultivators, Foundation Establishment cultivators, and a small number of core members in the late Qi Refining stage. As long as they find the right things to do, they can quickly build up a new Golden Core force.

As the leader of the faction, Master Wuxia naturally cannot remain immersed in pessimism and sorrow for too long. He needs to take the lead and find a new direction for everyone, and all problems will be solved.

"Uncle-Master, I've heard that the outer sea of ​​Thousand Stars is extremely dangerous..."

"I know, but I still need to look into it. After all, it's another option. You need to cheer up!"

If Misty Rain Island is to remain intact and its heritage to continue, staying in Fish Dragon Immortal City is not a viable option; they need to get rid of it as soon as possible. Immortal Misty Clouds immediately set off for Thousand Star City to explore a way out.

the other side,
After helping the remnants of Misty Rain Island to settle down, Lin Qianfan returned to his cultivation cave and began to reflect on the gains, losses, and insights he had gained from his trip to the City of Spring.

This time, it was because the White Whale was suddenly seized by the Zhou family that Lin Qianfan embarked on his journey to Chaochun City ahead of schedule. Although he successfully retrieved the White Whale without causing any damage, he was unexpectedly drawn into this Soul Devouring incident.

Although the Lin family has now received replies from Wuwei Hall and Tingyu Pavilion and has successfully extricated themselves, Lin Qianfan felt deeply powerless throughout the process.

When he was at the Zhou family on Biting Island, he couldn't get a word in edgewise when facing the Golden Core cultivators of the Zhou family, and he couldn't directly confront the Zhou family's oppression. Instead, he needed to find evidence to overturn the case.

When they arrived at the shipwreck site, they didn't even see the advance envoy from the Eclipse Moon Palace. The envoy simply gave a casual verbal order, which put them on standby and dragged the entire Zhentao Ship into the mess.

To put it bluntly, it's because your cultivation level isn't high enough. Once you travel far away, your local titles become useless, and no one cares about them at all!
Everything was too passive!

"It's still due to insufficient strength. As a mere mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, I face numerous restrictions on where I can go and what I can do. It's time for me to go into seclusion and consolidate my strength..."

Lin Qianfan's original plan was to transition from the Tianji Wheel to the White Whale, to take charge for some years, at least until the late Foundation Establishment stage, and then wait for the family to cultivate a new Pseudo-Core cultivator to take over the White Whale.

But now Lin Qianfan feels he has enough experience, and now that he has the Two Elements True Qi Fruit in hand, there is no need to continue to go out and take risks.

Regarding the operation of the Beluga,

The White Whale's speed was slower than the Zhentao Ship, and it wasn't driven by any crisis. Therefore, although it had left Misty Rain Island a few days earlier, it still hadn't set sail for Spring City again.
Fortunately, it hasn't set off yet. If it were to be stranded at sea due to the expansion of the Blood Sea, it would be truly dangerous.

Lin Qianfan's plans have changed, but as long as he doesn't go out and run around, the Second Elder won't need to accompany and protect him all the way. So, the old man can still retire normally, and the Second Elder can take his place.

(Grandma Ju passed away peacefully, and the Third Elder was changed to the Second Elder)
The Lin family currently has a considerable reserve of third-tier demon cores, including demon king cores they hunted themselves, as well as cores they purchased at low prices and stored away in previous years. This reserve can support the family's Foundation Establishment elders in advancing to the Pseudo-Core Realm.

However, it takes some skill to successfully cultivate to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. The people in Yanglong Bay are generally young, and there are no suitable candidates at the moment. Although the Lin family in Immortal City has more Foundation Establishment cultivators, there are no very suitable candidates for the time being. They cannot replenish their false cores in a short period of time, so there is a shortage of manpower in this area.

Lin Qianfan then went to the family's Supreme Elder to explain the situation, stating his intention to stay in Yanglong Bay for secluded cultivation to improve his level. The family naturally respected Lin Qianfan's idea and immediately agreed to his request. Training was merely a means, not an end; since Lin Qianfan felt it was enough, there was no need for further training.

"Six Yin-Yang True Qi Fruits are equivalent to sixty years of cultivation..."

……

City of Spring

Because the outbreak of the bloodbath occurred on a very critical main shipping route, free trade between the two sides was disrupted, and some tier-three merchant ships were even severely damaged as a result.
Therefore, the City of Spring took this matter very seriously. Upon discovering that True Monarch Xiyue and True Monarch Qinghe had not only failed to handle the crisis in time but had also started fighting, they immediately dispatched other Nascent Soul cultivators to restore order.
But by the time the reinforcements arrived, tragedy had already struck. Qinghe Zhenjun had perished, and Xiyue Zhenjun, the prime suspect, had also disappeared without a trace, leaving only the ever-expanding, uncontrollable sea of ​​blood.

"The Demonic Sect is indeed the Demonic Sect; they act without considering the consequences!"

The leaders of Chaochun City were furious. They had suffered heavy losses this time, losing two Nascent Soul cultivators and losing face in front of the entire Storm Ocean Clan. Other immortal cities sent messages to rebuke them for adding fuel to the fire for the Demon Corner Domain.

"Investigate this matter thoroughly and immediately offer a reward for the capture of that vile woman, Xi Yue!"

Although it's still unknown what drove True Lord Xiyue to abandon the millennia-old foundation of the Eclipse Moon Palace in order to defect, the legacy left behind by Xiyue and Qinghe is enough to sustain the others.
The City of Spring was not under pressure to defend against the demon race. Although its overall strength was weakened, the final result was still acceptable. It was just a pity that they could not find the answer even through the remnants of the Eclipse Moon Palace.

"It's probably unrealistic to try and catch her."

When the Eclipse Moon Demon Palace split, some pure demonic elements entered the Demon Corner Domain, becoming a legitimate demonic force and raising the banner of the Eclipse Moon Demon Palace's orthodoxy.

However, the competition in the Demon Corner Domain is even greater, and the Nascent Soul forces change more rapidly. The banner of the Eclipse Moon Demon Palace no longer exists, and the whereabouts of True Monarch Xiyue have naturally become a mystery.

However, Nascent Soul cultivators don't have many options for defection. They can either leave the Storm Ocean and go to other large realms occupied by humans, but without the ability to use large teleportation arrays, traveling tens of thousands of miles south from Chaochun City is extremely difficult.
After all, this place is already very close to the territory of the demon race, and it requires passing through the territories of many Nascent Soul cultivators. With True Monarch Xiyue's mere early Nascent Soul stage strength, she is very likely to be discovered and captured.

Therefore, it's highly likely that True Monarch Xiyue will have no choice but to take the risk and survive in the nearest Storm Ocean. Whether it's cultivating alone or joining the Demon Corner Domain and entering the demonic path, both options are more reliable than heading south.

"Regardless of the outcome, we must show our attitude!"

The City of Chaochun immediately issued an exorbitant bounty, officially defining Xiyue Zhenjun as a traitorous demonic cultivator of the human race. Anyone could use any means to capture or kill her in exchange for money in Chaochun, regardless of life or death.

While the City of Chaochun was dealing with the aftermath of the Boundless Sea of ​​Blood, the personnel from the City of a Thousand Stars, having received the news, arrived together. The mid-Nascent Soul stage True Monarch Xuanwu and True Monarch Liuxing arrived side-by-side.

We directly questioned the city of Chaochun about its handling of this matter!
The City of Morning Spring is not a key immortal city on the defensive line; its overall strength is significantly weaker than that of the City of Thousand Stars, not only in the number of Nascent Soul cultivators but also in their quality.
Now that two more Nascent Soul cultivators are missing, the Nascent Soul cultivator in charge of handling the matter could not provide a reasonable explanation or shirk responsibility when confronted by two mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Although the ruins of the Daishan Fleet are close to the jurisdiction of Chaochun City, they are still in the silent, unclaimed sea. Although the Eclipse Moon Palace was born from the Eclipse Moon Demon Palace, it is now defunct and about to be devoured by other Nascent Soul forces, with no main body.

"Fellow Daoists, haven't you gone a bit too far?"

The one with the highest cultivation among the three Nascent Soul True Monarchs responsible for handling the aftermath of this matter took the initiative to fly out and refute the other party's questioning.

The people from the City of a Thousand Stars didn't expect the people from the City of a Thousand Stars to arrive so quickly and with such high status. The pressure from Xuanwu Zhenjun, who had tainted the lives of people of the same rank, was immense.

However, Chaochun City did not receive anything from the Daishan ship, so it was naturally impossible for them to easily concede, otherwise they would argue again when they returned.

"How far can your hand reach?"
I won't say anything if the Daishan Fleet lets you loot it, but how come the Devouring Blood Sea has expanded to this extent?
Clearly, you lack the ability to handle this matter properly!

Xuanwu Zhenjun crossed his arms, looked down at the churning sea of ​​blood beneath his feet, and loudly questioned.

Within the divine senses of the five Nascent Soul True Monarchs, the Blood Sea was devoid of any life force. Even when one or two Blood Rust creatures occasionally appeared, their eyes were empty, indicating that the marine ecosystem had been destroyed.

As a fertile land occupied by humans for many years, and as direct beneficiaries, Nascent Soul cultivators have an obligation to maintain the surrounding ecology, at least to prevent such large-scale extinction from occurring.

Even if the sea of ​​blood were dealt with immediately, the ecosystem of this vast sea area would hardly recover to its original state, especially since this was originally a barren and silent sea. It might take a thousand years for the spiritual energy of the next millennium wave to restore it.

"Will cross-strait trade continue?"

The events that happened right under your noses actually led to the annihilation of five Golden Core factions? Is this what you call ability?

How many Golden Core forces can be so easily abandoned in the small city of Chaochun?
Since you can't handle it, then let me help!

Without waiting for the other party to explain, Xuanwu Zhenjun followed up with a resounding declaration, taking the lead in upholding the moral high ground.

Because the battle between True Monarch Xiyue and True Monarch Qinghe lasted for a considerable period of time, the rapidly expanding Devouring Blood Sea not only failed to be stopped, but instead accelerated its expansion thanks to the aftershocks of their battle.
This led to the five Golden Core factions surrounding the area—Biting Island, Misty Rain Island, Wild Goose Island, Huishui Bay, and Birch Valley—being unable to withstand the erosion of the Blood Sea and suffering heavy losses.

In a sense, they were utterly destroyed, because not only did the five islands suffer severe casualties, but even their spiritual veins were not preserved, having been completely swallowed up by the sea of ​​blood.
Since the root of the spiritual vein is gone, it will be extremely difficult to cultivate a third-order spiritual vein on the original site. The cost of this is something that ordinary small and medium-sized Golden Core forces that have suffered severe damage cannot afford.

Those that were slightly larger in scale or made a decisive evacuation are still in good shape and may be able to start over in the future. However, the weakest of them, Birch Valley, only had one Golden Core cultivator and no Tier 3 ships to help with the evacuation. Now it is basically a complete waste.

And the responsibility for all of this lies with the wrong decisions made by Chaochun City!

(End of this chapter)