Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 373 Long Flow
The Western Sea, deep blue.

Beyond the reefs, islands dot the landscape, frequented by many monks. A streak of light streaks across the sky, and looking north, a hazy coastline can be seen in the distance.

The waves rolled, and the green wooden treasure ship hovered in the clouds. Suddenly, a thick thundercloud rose in the sky, with wind and thunder howling, sweeping away the turbid air within a radius of several miles.

Below was a desolate island, not far from Qingchen Reef. There was no one living above it, and the dense forests swirled in the strong winds. Birds soared into the sky and flew over the treasure ship hovering above.

The cultivators filed down, each receiving their orders, to set up formations and erect flags. The twelve Crimson Cloud Earth Flame Treasure Flags, which had been refined in advance, fell down, and crimson fire dragons rose up.

Leading the group was a man in black robes with eerie yellow eyes. He stood holding a banner, activated his immortal foundation, and a fierce god emerged from the banner. It was headless, armored, and about three people tall.

He unleashed nine talismans in succession, all of them being mountain-moving talismans of the Gen Earth element. At this moment, he used the Xuan Light of the Earth to ignite the spirit, and the nine talismans landed, condensing the earth's energy and transforming into talisman soldiers, closely following the evil god.

Although the soldiers raised in these banners do not possess the great supernatural powers of moving mountains and unloading ridges, they still have the ability to build towers and pavilions, and to split open and change the course of things.

Many of the disciples who accompanied this trip were veterans from Houhuo Hall, skilled in the properties of things and able to use magic. They took out various strange structures stored in mustard seed objects and built palaces behind the territory carved out by the evil spirits and talisman soldiers.

The movements were swift and orderly, with no one making a mistake. A total of one hundred Qi Refining cultivators, led by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, rebuilt the island in a respectable manner within just a few hours of landing.

Zhou You and Xu Xuan stood on the platform, watching the group of Qi Refining cultivators coming and going below, their expressions indifferent.

"It's a pity that there's no suitable soil or wood for foundation building nearby, otherwise summoning it would have saved a lot of trouble."

"This island is called Changliu. It is one of the outer islands of Qingchen Reef. The surrounding islands are all immortal forces from Li Kingdom, so it can be considered peaceful."

"However, the spiritual energy on this island is only at the Foundation Establishment level, and it has no output, so it can be considered barren."

"It's alright. Having a stable place to stay is better than many other things. As for other matters, we can consider them after we have established a firm foothold."

Xu Xuan's gaze fell upon Fa Yan, who was directing a swarm of bright yellow ants to burrow into the earth's veins and regulate spiritual energy. It was a Foundation Establishment level [Flatland Ant], a method of witchcraft.

If one is a cultivator of the Gen Earth sect, one can easily sort out the spiritual energy by sensing the earth's veins with one's immortal foundation. However, if one from other sects wants to do this, one will need to borrow many secret techniques and magical artifacts.

"This disciple of yours is quite skilled, which is rare."

Zhou You glanced at Xu Fayan, and he naturally knew that this person was different, possessing the destiny of earth element.

This Foundation Building technique currently employs a wide variety of methods, including talismans, exorcism, and raising Gu (poisonous insects), and none of them are superficial. Every move he makes displays the demeanor of a master.

Shang Xiao was a master of talismans, and he had advanced to the Purple Mansion realm by combining internal supernatural powers with external talisman techniques. Naturally, he was a grandmaster in this field. Seeing that Xu Xuan's disciple's talisman technique was quite ingenious and pure, even comparable to that of the sect's direct descendants, he was somewhat surprised.

“Fayan enjoys studying these arts and techniques, and his achievements are the result of his hard work.”

Xu Xuan replied with this, but Zhou You shook his head slightly and sighed:

"Our sect has rebuilt talismans, but most of our direct descendants tend to focus on cultivation during the Foundation Establishment stage. It's not too late to start cultivating talisman techniques once you reach the Purple Mansion stage."

“This disciple of yours has cultivated various paths, yet his cultivation level has not been hindered. At this age, he has already reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, which is quite remarkable.”

Zhou You's words revealed a degree of appreciation. While there are many people in the sect who are proficient in various fields, it is extremely rare to find someone whose cultivation level is not inferior to others.

The direct descendants of the immortal path, in an even more extreme way, even reduce their training in various combat techniques during the Foundation Establishment stage, focusing instead on cultivating their Dao cultivation and prioritizing breaking through realms.

Those with truly superior skills are often rogue cultivators, but they are forced into this situation. No matter how many skills they have, they are often no match for the high-grade techniques and powerful magical artifacts of the direct lineage of immortals.

"It's because my sect is short of people that we need him to learn so many skills. It's a blessing that he can cultivate in peace and quiet."

Xu Xuan didn't take it seriously. He used his divine sense to sense the surroundings and found that there were no powerful figures here. Most of the cultivators coming and going were from Foundation Establishment forces, searching for products in the Western Sea under the protection of Shangxiao.

However, Tian Tuo did not respond at the moment. He could only vaguely sense through the seal script that the old demon was still in Qingchen and had not gone to other places.

Such a talented individual would surely be carefully nurtured by the heavens, and designated as a core member from birth. If it were mentioned rashly now, it might arouse Zhou Yousheng's suspicion.

'Fine, why worry about that old monster?'

Xu Xuan's mind was clear, and Tian Tuo already had many methods, plus the seal script to conceal his true origins. Even a Golden Core cultivator would probably not be able to see through him.

Shangxiao is a well-known orthodox immortal sect. There are few instances of them bullying or humiliating their fellow practitioners. Just from Zhouyou's self-cultivation, one can glimpse the style of this immortal sect.

The two rose into the air on the wind, gradually moving away from the vicinity of Changliu and heading towards Qingchen.

The vast emptiness above the Western Sea makes movement difficult, and those in the Purple Palace often have to think twice before taking action. If trapped, it is difficult to escape from the vast emptiness, and there is even a risk of death.

"The sea is so vast and empty; one can only imagine the devastation it suffered in the past."

Xu Xuan sighed softly. Such marks could probably only be created by a True Lord. The Great Void Barrier covers an entire sea. How terrifying!
"How can it be explained? Some speculate that it was caused by the use of magical artifacts during the battle that led to the annihilation of the Western Dragon Clan, but the flames in the void are not remnants of true fire."

"There is also a saying that during the internal strife in ancient India, a great master of the Fire Dao fought against Mount Sumeru and perished in the South China Sea, but there is no record of this in the Buddhist land."

Zhou You shook his head. When the two reached the border of the Western Sea, they had to leave the Void, which wasted some time and was quite troublesome. Only when they reached the area covered by the array could they move freely in the Void.

"Xiyang."

Upon hearing this name, Xu Xuan's heart stirred slightly. The cause of the death of this dragon race was almost completely cut off, and the time was unknown, but it was probably after the fall of the Xia Dynasty.

"I've heard that this place is a dragon-type cultivation fire, with horns like metal and stone, and wings on its back. It's quite peculiar."

"Indeed, the Dragon Lord of Xiyang is a True Fire Attendant, which is much weaker than the other three Seas, which all have Fruit Attendants."

As the two approached Qingchen, they could see numerous thunder altars on the sea cliffs, where cultivators from the heavens were coming and going, drawing in heavenly lightning.

"The True Fire of the Western Sea is quite strong; I wonder if there are any traces of those at the Purple Mansion level?"

After a brief build-up, Xu Xuan still brought up the matter. Zhou You had stayed in Qingchen for quite some time and should have some information, but he saw that this Xiao Lei Zifu frowned slightly and simply said:

"If it is one of the few fire pits left over from the Dragon Palace, it does produce something, but the timing is unpredictable, and every year someone from the Purple Mansion goes there to wait for it."

"The rest is to go west, which leads to the [Wumiao Sea]. There is a Purple Mansion Alchemist there, whose Daoist name is [Pingxiu]. He is in the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm and has a few remaining spiritual flames. You can go and ask him."

"A Purple Mansion Alchemist?" Xu Xuan's heart stirred slightly. This was a rare figure, seldom seen in the world.

Now that we've received news that the fire cave's eruption is unpredictable, we should go and see this Master Pingxiu. He has quite a few spiritual items on hand; if we're careful, we can exchange a few for them.

"It is this person who is highly skilled in alchemy and has a wide circle of friends. Even after being poisoned, several great Asuras treated him as an honored guest. Moreover, he has cultivated in the Western Sea for hundreds of years, which is why he has multiple spiritual fires in his hands."

Zhou You sighed and said:

"Thunder descends in the north, and true fire falls in the west. The secrets behind this are difficult even for the Purple Mansion to fathom. If the Great Li Emperor family wants to use fire, they usually send the [Li You Chang Yan Dan Bird] to the fire cave to collect it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan had some doubts. Indeed, there were few traces of thunder in the Great Li, and even thunder at the Foundation Establishment level was rare. But that was intentionally done by Golden Core cultivators.

The situation of True Fire is similar now, but I have heard of the illustrious name of this True Lord. The Dragon Lord of the Western Regions is the subordinate of True Fire. In ancient times, there was also the Douyi Star, which indicates that there is a position of honor. Including the True Lord of Fruit Position, I do not know what kind of lineage it belongs to.

“True Bing Fire has many uses and is quite rare in our sect. Originally, Ding Fire could also be used for alchemy, but since that great man from Fuchen Sect attained enlightenment, he has shifted his Dao intent toward the path of self-immolation and fire tribulation. As a result, the starlight is not visible and alchemy is difficult.”

Zhou You sighed and said only:

"Our sect is alright. We have the technique of forming pills with thunder and lightning. We also have methods for forming pills with earth, water, and the nine elements, but none of them are very practical. True fire is still the best to use, as it balances yin and yang."

'Yin and Yang are in balance.'

These words lingered in Xu Xuan's mind, and he couldn't shake them off for a long time. He pondered the key to them. Thunder was also thunder that balanced yin and yang. The North Sea gathered all the thunder in the world, and the West Sea gathered the true fire from all directions. He wondered if there was any secret behind it.

After talking for a while, the two arrived at the center of the thunderclouds above and saw the azure sky surging with thunder, gathering its energy, and being drawn down from time to time, landing in the thunder altar below.

"Qingchen Reef is one of the twelve thunder-gathering sites in the Upper Heaven. Today, since you have come here, I would like to ask you to use some of your supernatural powers to enlighten the nature of the village thunder."

"It's alright."

Xu Xuan agreed. This was something that had already been agreed upon. Shangxiao would provide protection, and he would help in return. Both sides had their own interests at stake.

"A grand formation has been set up here, connecting with our sect's magic treasure, the Qizhe Celestial Altar. With its wondrous supernatural power, it can gather thunderous energy and generate lightning."

"Fellow Daoist, by activating your divine power here, the [Heavenly Tribulation] should be able to add a Foundation Establishment Thunder to this thundercloud, which can also be studied by our sect and even your esteemed disciples."

As Zhou You activated the formation, the wind and clouds in the sky changed. At this moment, Xu Xuan used his divine power, and silver lightning pierced the sky, mixed with sword energy, surging endlessly. It landed in the thunderclouds and gradually condensed into lightning essence out of thin air, transforming into silver lightning like a flying sword, which then disappeared.

"Truly miraculous."

Xu Xuan sighed slightly. This thundercloud, based on the nature of his divine power, spontaneously generated a bolt of lightning, which was completely different from the one conceived in the Cloud Mountain and Sea.

"This item should be the [Jiefeng Execution Thunder], which is used by the Jiefeng Prefecture to deal with criminals. It is quite ancient and naturally suitable for inclusion in the weapons of execution."

Looking into the thunderclouds, a line of silver lightning flashed by. The [Crimson Blade Lightning] was already inscribed in the thunderclouds. The disciples below only needed to perform a ritual to open the altar and offer sacrifices to the heavens to collect the lightning.

Xu Xuan had seen this lightning before; it was born in the Yunshan Huahai and corresponded to the Jiefa Immortal Guillotine. His sect did produce some of it. Although it was only at the Foundation Establishment level, it was a rare and precious type of lightning.

After talking for a while, Xu Xuan asked about the whereabouts of the True Man Pingxiu. He then took his leave from the boat and decided to take advantage of this trip to the sea to visit him and inquire about the situation. If that failed, he would have to plan for a few fire caves to produce the product.

As for the several Great Immortal Paths mentioned, even if they had them, they mostly used them in their alchemy rooms and would never exchange them. Even the Tai Zhen Immortal Sect was quite short of this item.

Riding the wind, Xu Xuan landed beside Changliu Island and saw that several palaces had been built, with Taoists coming and going in an orderly manner.

Fayan quickly stepped forward and respectfully said:

“Master, the spiritual energy in Changliu is decent, but there is nothing of value on the island. However, occasionally, spiritual objects of extreme fire fall from the void at sea, which can be collected by sending people. Most of the cultivators here make a living this way.”

“This is not a place to stay for long. If we want to establish a lineage in the future, we will need to choose another place.” Xu Xuan’s gaze narrowed slightly. He had his own ambitions. Since the Western Sea was a place to prove the Dao, why couldn’t he come and get a share of the pie?

If so, then we should completely occupy a Purple Mansion spiritual land, enter the sea, and build a great formation.

Although Shangxiao is friendly, it is ultimately a different path and a Golden Core force. It is not possible to stay under its watchful eye forever. The main reason for staying here temporarily is because of Tiantuo.

"I now entrust a sword intent to you. When you encounter danger, it will strike out on its own and can be used for self-defense."

Xu Xuan pointed his fingers like a sword and lightly drew a line between Fa Yan's eyebrows. A silver lightning bolt quietly entered the line, but Fa Yan's face turned slightly pale. The terrifying sword intent was so powerful that even just a few traces of it were not something a Foundation Establishment cultivator could withstand.

The presence of the seal script allows for this action, entrusting the sword intent to pure energy to minimize harm.

Fa Yan's expression softened slightly. He touched his brow, indicating that there was nothing else unusual about it. Under the protection of the pure energy, the sword intent gradually sank to the lowest point of his sea of ​​consciousness, showing no power.

“Any Foundation Establishment cultivator can be dealt with by a Dharma Protector. If a Purple Mansion cultivator were to make a move, upon seeing this sword intent, they would understand your background and would have reservations. If you really encounter trouble, you can first seek out the nearest True Person Zhouyou and then send a letter to the mountain.”

For some reason, Xu Xuan became a bit talkative. He lowered his eyes and looked at the empty space to the side. He reached out and pulled Kong Kong'er out from there.

"Master."

Kong Kong looked embarrassed, but Xu Xuan didn't blame him. He was already used to the other's elusive nature.

"The Western Sea is still in chaos. With you here to oversee things, I feel much more at ease," Xu Xuan sighed. "I don't care about so-called blessed lands or paper figures. As long as you are still with us, you are the protector of our mountain."

"This matter will not change."

Kongkong'er's expression turned slightly solemn, no longer displaying his usual carefree demeanor. He stood up straighter and respectfully addressed the sect leader.

He glanced at Fayan one last time, then spoke only in his mind, offering words of encouragement:
"Break through to the late stage as soon as possible, and when we conquer Qingwu Dao in the future, you will come with me."

Fa Yan lowered his gaze slightly, the eerie quality in his yellow eyes diminishing as he looked at the brocade snake on his wrist, and simply said:
"I will obey my master's orders."

Xu Xuan rode the wind and took flight, determined his direction, and headed straight west. His purpose was to travel from Qingchen Reef to Wumiao Sea to meet the True Man Pingxiu and discuss the matter of True Fire.

All the cultivators on the island raised their heads and watched the line of silver lightning disappear.

(End of this chapter)