Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 414 Haidu
Tianchi (Heavenly Lake).

Dark clouds rolled in, stretching like mountains, pressing down heavily and making the sky hang low, almost merging the sea and sky into one line. The gloomy sky and the dark sea were close together, like an ink painting scroll.

The water of Renyang shimmered like dragons and snakes, flowing between the sea and sky. Countless array patterns descended from the void, eventually converging at the center.

At the center of the Ren Sea, two sacred mountains stand amidst the waves, both bright yellow. The two streams of Gen and Dui circulate, and demon soldiers are stationed there. These are the two mountains, 【Gu Hua】 and 【Sheng Ji】.

Ancient Mount Hua was formed from the fall of the Purple Mansion and is a spiritual land, while Mount Shengji is a spiritual artifact that manifested as a mountain and is located in the sea.

Between the two mountains, a section of dark stone pillar has risen up at some unknown time, reaching the azure sky and sinking into the dark sea. It is engraved with black clouds and mysterious lake patterns, and there are traces of dragons and snakes coiling together.

Xu Xuan stood on a cloud, while Bo Chang stood to his side. This newly promoted Purple Mansion of the Tengshe lineage looked respectfully and waited in the side with the utmost respect.

"What is this?"

When he asked the question, Bo Chang only said that he wanted to restore the formation in Tianchi, but then he manifested this object, which made Xu Xuan a little suspicious.

"Your Majesty, this is the [Sea Capital Dragon Pillar]. It is not a physical object, but rather a manifestation of power and authority, which has spontaneously appeared."

Bo Chang, tall and slender, clad in bronze lightning-patterned armor, activated his magic to firmly anchor the dragon pillar, and continued respectfully:
"Once the dragon pillar is erected, it will restore the formation here, with power comparable to the Purple Mansion Formation, and can cover the entire Heavenly Pool."

"Is this sea formation still effective after such a long time?"

Xu Xuanxin had doubts. He scanned the Heavenly Pool with his spiritual sense but did not see any trace of an array. However, array patterns appeared out of thin air next to the dragon pillar and fell into the sea.

Bo Chang, standing to the side, was slightly taken aback. He had assumed that the Dragon King already knew about the Dragon Palace's formation, but the other party seemed completely unaware. However, he understood why.

'This sir has indeed been traveling far and wide, unaware of the secrets of my Mingze.'

The Dragon Pillar stood erect at this moment, its light rising and the Ren water flowing, immediately filling the Heavenly Pool with an ancient and majestic aura. Bo Chang then respectfully explained:
“In ancient times, there were two great formations in this sea. One was set up by the Dragon Lord and was called ‘Weak Sinking’. It was a wonderful formation that prevented the Ren water from sinking. It could draw the Purple Palace out of the Great Void and sink it into the sea, so that even the Golden Elixir could not see it.”

"As for the other one, it was obtained from the Zhou Dynasty. Using the wonder of the Heavenly Blessing Sea Sea, it was engraved in the sea. Similar to the [Nian Kingdom] and [Dharma Realm], it is called the [Sealed Domain].

"This is the legal basis for my dragon race to be able to seal the sea. Immortal cultivators cannot blame me; it is the Emperor's personal decree."

When the topic came up, Bo Chang's tone was slightly excited, while Xu Xuan used his supernatural powers to continuously sense this Heavenly Pool, feeling that the significance of this place in the South China Sea was gradually increasing.

"Did the Great Zhou Dynasty rely on this method to grant fiefdoms and enfeoff kings?"

Xu Xuan's heart stirred slightly. The method of sealing the sea with dragon seeds was passed down from the Zhou Dynasty and is still in circulation today. It can greatly enhance the dragon's body.

"Indeed, the Heavenly Pool is like an imperial capital, and the seas are the royal domain. The other formation here is the [Sea Capital], which is formed by the wondrous power of the Lu Qi."

Bo Chang's tone grew somber, and he said only in a low voice:
"This formation was formed because of the power and position of Lu Qi. The Hai Du Dragon Pillar is a law of sea management bestowed by the Zhou Dynasty. Its reappearance now will gradually restore the wonder of this Hai Du formation."

"It actually involves the Qi of Prosperity."

A purple light surged in Xu Xuan's eyes as he looked at the place where the dragon pillar stood. It faintly exuded a grand and majestic aura, connecting with him from afar and then linking with the Heavenly Pool.

"The Way of Heavenly Blessing is the ultimate transformation of power and position. The celestial ranks of the Heavenly Court and the kings of the Zhou Dynasty all came to be through this. Power is destiny, and position is nature. Its mystique far surpasses that of Buddhist Vajra and incense-based deities."

Bo Chang looked at the Dragon Pillar standing in the sea and felt its majestic aura. He continued, "..."

"The South China Sea was once ruled by the Nether Dragon. Now only the area around Tianchi remains. The Great Sea Capital Formation uses this sea, along with the Heavenly Deity Way, to borrow strength from the Ren Water."

"The power of this formation now is roughly equivalent to a single divine power that can be applied to the king's body, known as [Mingxing Shi]. If it were during the time when the Dragon King was ruling the sea, this kind of divine power would be comparable to a golden elixir, and could be called a [pseudo-elixir]."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan's heart stirred slightly. He had once connected with Tianchi and borrowed a divine power, which was the [Mingxing Shi], but it had later dissipated.

According to Bo Chang, this supernatural power should be the wonder of Haidu, but at that time there was no dragon pillar, so how did the law of governing the sea come about?

"If the Dragon King were to return, could he restore the wonders of this sea?"

When Xu Xuan inquired about this matter, Bo Chang, who was standing nearby, simply shook his head and sighed:
"The matter of sealing the sea was actually done by the Great Zhou. They used the power of the Lu Qi to impersonate life and borrowed the power of Ren water. The Zhou Dynasty has long since perished. Even if the Dragon Lord were to return, he could not support the miraculous power of the Golden Core level."

"The wonder of the current Haidu Grand Array is probably limited to the power of this one divine ability, which is similar to the power of an ordinary Purple Mansion Grand Array, except that it can be used to enhance the king."

After Bo Chang explained the reason for the so-called sea closure, Xu Xuan had a sudden realization.

"Ultimately, it all comes down to borrowing. Now that the Great Zhou Dynasty has fallen and the Ren Dragon has perished, this Lu Qi Array's mystique is reduced to these mere fragments."

Xu Xuan didn't feel too much regret about this. The sea capital was now established, and the protection of the Purple Mansion Array was enough. Not to mention that he could use the Heavenly Pool to create another divine power.

'It is likely that the royal titles conferred during the Zhou Dynasty were manifestations of official rank and power, which, through divine intervention, should possess several levels of Golden Elixir attainment.'

He recalled what Guangze had said before: that the Great Zhou Emperor was a celestial being, and that the lineage he upheld was even more profound. The kings he appointed must be extraordinary.

Xu Xuan looked into the sea, his gaze slightly sharp, and said only:

"Bo Chang, from this day forward you will take charge of guarding this sea, overseeing the great formation, and preventing foreign enemies."

"I obey the king's orders."

Bo Chang, acting with the respect due to a subject, bowed and submitted. Upon receiving this decree, he was deeply moved.

This Tengshe is a newly promoted Purple Mansion cultivator. Since the news of its disappearance, the effectiveness of the [Cave Abyss Walking Order] has greatly decreased. In the past, it could transfer the souls of demons at the peak of the Purple Mansion, but now it can only barely support the souls of those at the early stage of the Purple Mansion.

But this also gave him an opportunity. Now that he has been sent out of the cave and has gained the favor of Lord Guangze, his future path is bright.

Most importantly, his life was also in Mingze's control, so how could he dare to have any disobedience?

"How many spiritual artifacts did you bring with you to the mortal realm this time?"

Xu Xuan's heart stirred slightly, and he looked at Bo Chang. The Teng Snake took out a dark blue treasure flag, which had a soul light fluctuation.

"Your Majesty, I was only able to bring down the [Deep Sea Banner], a low-grade Purple Mansion artifact, which is a kind of artifact for listening to the hidden things. It has no physical substance, which is why I was able to bring it down."

Bo Chang was also somewhat troubled. He did possess some spiritual artifacts in the Dragon Court, but with his grotto-heaven locked, he couldn't bring any out. He only had this one soul artifact left.
Xu Xuan looked at the soul flag, and something within his body trembled faintly—it was the [Fish Nether Order].

This token is also an item from the underworld, connecting to a hidden place in the cave. It seems to have been erected by the underworld and is also the source of Xu Xuan's harvesting of the Netherworld Pearl.

These spiritual pearls, after being processed, can be transformed into the purest essence of the soul. Although they are not very effective for Foundation Establishment, they are very nourishing for Fetal Breathing and Qi Refining. They are still being secretly passed down within the sect.

"Did this flag originate from the underworld?"

Xu Xuan lowered his gaze slightly, only to see Bo Chang immediately respond and explain in a low voice:
"It was left behind by the ancient [Yu You Yin Shuai]. This was one of the Ten Yin Shuai of the Underworld. He possessed the power of the Golden Core in the Underworld and was later suppressed and killed by the Han Shui Long Jun."

"Therefore, where the Han River surges, no ghostly energy remains, and it is a rare lineage that can restrain the spirits of the dead."

Xu Xuan nodded slightly and said:
"I'm going to the Western Sea to seek the legacy of the Western Dragon Clan and find a healing remedy. I'll leave the Heavenly Pool to you."

Xu Xuan's voice grew deeper, and Bo Chang knelt down to receive the order, respectfully seeing the king off. Then, the void shattered, and a line of purple lightning disappeared.

'With Bo Chang's Purple Mansion in the Mingze realm, coupled with the Sea Capital Grand Array, the pressure has been greatly relieved.'

Walking through the void, Xu Xuan felt a sense of freedom. Previously, the protection of the Heavenly Pool relied entirely on him, so he naturally dared not leave easily. But now he could move around freely.

Instead of heading directly to the Western Sea, he turned his gaze to Fengyan Mountain in the north.

'Having been recuperating in seclusion for so long, I wonder if anything has happened within the Fire Crow Clan.'
-
Feng Yan.

The light of Bingyang in the mountains dimmed slightly, and the crimson flames on the peaks gradually died down, replaced by the rising of Wusha fire, restless and flickering, tinged with black light. The void shattered, and Xu Xuan rode down on lightning, arriving at the foot of the mountain and landing outside a gate of flames, without directly entering the mountain.

Several demon soldiers guarded the place, led by an old fire crow with mixed blood and impure plumage. His aged face showed some sorrow, and his eyes were somewhat dim.

This demon was none other than Yang Yanxiang, a mixed-blood cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage. He had previously received Xu Xuan in the Cave Abyss. Upon seeing this Dragon King arrive, he immediately bowed and respectfully said:
"grown ups."

A sense of unease rose in his heart. Usually, this Dragon King would come directly into the mountain, treating everyone like family. But now he came from the main gate, which made him seem somewhat distant.

'It's no wonder, King Huiming has been here recently.'

Thinking of these things, the old fire crow's face showed an even more distressed expression, which was particularly noticeable.

"Is the Demon King Minghui here?"

As soon as Xu Xuan spoke, a burst of black light surged from the highest spiritual peak, like the sun falling. Layers of dark flames lifted a person, who walked through the air – it was Yang Yuanyi.

"What business does the Dragon King of the Netherworld have with me offering flames?"

Yang Yuanyi's tone was extremely flat, devoid of emotion. Xu Xuan vaguely sensed the other party's aura and felt that something was strange, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

“Mingze has sent a Tengshe Zifu to the lower realm. He has just broken through and is now guarding Tianchi. I intend to leave for a few days to go to the Western Sea. I will inform you of this situation first.”

"it is good."

Yang Yuanyi's gaze sharpened slightly, as if he were deep in thought, and then he said in a deep voice:

"You may enter the hall for a discussion; Yuanxin is also on the peak."

Xu Xuan agreed and headed towards Bingyang Palace with Yang Yuanyi. At this moment, a sense of repulsion arose in Xu Xuan's heart, and he felt conflicted with Yang Yuanyi, which seemed to be caused by the mysterious power of the [Sea Capital].

He sensed something, and the pure energy within his body surged, causing the Dao stele to tremble. Yang Yuanyi beside him suddenly became illusory, leaving only a blurry, pale white figure.

At the location of its heart orifice, there is a perfectly round black light, like the sun high in the sky. Layers of black flames condense into feathers, supporting this black sun, within which the shape of a black bird can be vaguely seen.

At the heart of this black sun lies a drop of blood, manifesting various phenomena: a great drought, scorching winds and dry air, and the rise of tyranny and cruelty.

The pure energy surged, suppressing all the strange phenomena. Xu Xuan was already far away from the Heavenly Pool, and the blessing of the Sea Capital had weakened considerably, but he was still in conflict with this drop of blood.

'Where did this come from?'

Xu Xuan felt a stirring in his heart, fearing that it was this very thing that had caused Yang Yuanyi's temperament to change.

This drop of blood seems to have been left by a Golden Core cultivator, whose status had been severed, leaving only its mystical essence. It serves as a secret artifact for some kind of cultivation, similar to the Golden Nature, but vastly different.

With this item, Yang Yuanyi's cultivation naturally went much more smoothly, but it also seriously affected the changes in his mindset.

When will Senior Daoyan emerge from seclusion?

Xu Xuan remained calm and did not point out the anomaly. Instead, he inquired about Dao Yan.

"It will probably take a long time. The further you go, the more difficult it becomes to cultivate supernatural powers. Breaking through to the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm is already extremely difficult. After that, it often takes decades or even a hundred years to cultivate another supernatural power."

"Humans are better off, but it's much more difficult for us demons. It took Lord Shangguang a full hundred years to cultivate his last divine power. Of course, Fellow Daoist Mingdu has a noble bloodline, so it's much easier for him."

Yang Yuanyi's voice contained no hint of praise or criticism, but rather a subtle coldness.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xu Xuan used his spiritual sense to perceive the surroundings and found that many of the demons in the mountains seemed somewhat uneasy.

"Yes, that explains why Dao Yan went into seclusion and left Feng Yan. Ming Yi is the way of a tyrant; without superiors, cultivation is fastest. If one were even more ruthless, one might harm one's relatives and subordinates."

Xu Xuan's thoughts grew heavy, and he couldn't help but worry about Yang Yuanxin. Back then, when Jiaoyang instigated the chaos of the Ten Suns' Sky Patrol, he had caused the deaths of his own brothers.

Upon entering Bingyang Palace, a woman dressed in a peach-red ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) sat quietly. When she saw the newcomer, her red eyes brightened slightly, and she rose to greet him.

"Brother, Mingdu"

Her cultivation had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, which was quite profound. The mysterious image of the Kunwu Stove manifested, constantly using light to refine her life and temper her yin essence.

“My elder brother summoned me back to the mountain and asked me to go into seclusion to cultivate my immortal foundation to perfection. However, I am slow-witted and still lack a lot of experience.”

Seeing that Yang Yuanxin was safe and sound, Xu Xuan finally felt relieved. Yang Yuanyi, who was standing to the side, then spoke up:

"You have been in seclusion for many years, but there are still shortcomings, and your supernatural powers are difficult to achieve. You don't need to think about this matter anymore. The clan does not need another Purple Mansion. From now on, go to the Dark Sea to manage all affairs."

"From now on, unless there is something else, you don't need to return to Fengyan."

His words were quite blunt, seemingly tinged with disgust, instantly bringing tears to Yang Yuanxin's eyes. She could only tremble, take a deep breath, and whisper:
"As you say, brother."

"My sister has made a fool of herself in front of Fellow Daoist Mingdu. Her Yuanxin Divine Power is hopeless. It just so happens that you are about to leave for a while, so it would be appropriate to have her help manage the affairs in the sea."

Yang Yuanyi's eyes were flashing with dark light, which made Xu Xuan, who was standing next to her, feel even more uncomfortable.

"It's alright."

Xu Xuan had little objection to this. Judging from Yang Yuanxin's current situation, she was probably not having a good time in Fengyan, so it would be better for her to return to Tianchi.

After Yang Yuanyi made the decision, he seemed a little uninterested. After talking for a few more minutes, he asked Yang Yuanxin to step forward and leave Fengyan with Xu Xuan.

On the cloud, a man and a woman stood silently, looking down at Fengyan Mountain.

“I can hardly predict my brother’s temperament. One moment he is loving and the next he is domineering. All the demons in the clan are terrified.”

Yang Yuanxin's voice gradually lowered. She was first recalled to Fengyan, and now she has been transferred out again. In the back and forth, her feelings have not been taken into consideration, which shows the change in her brother.

"With my Mingze's Purple Mansion guarding Tianchi now, it's relatively safe. When you return, you'll be accompanied by Lu Lian, and you'll have someone to talk to."

Xu Xuan then took a black scale wreathed in purple lightning as a token, handed it to Yang Yuanxin, gave her a few words of advice, and sent her to the Heavenly Pool.

He looked toward the direction of Bingyang Palace and felt a gust of dry wind, which made him quite uncomfortable and caused his temper to flare.

'Did Yang Yuanyi know, or did he not know? Did he choose this path himself, or did he walk on flames?'

Xu Xuan was unwilling to think about it. Dao Yan was still the demon king he knew well, but this action was at the cost of his own blood relative. He didn't know why.

After much thought, only the Golden Crow possessed such power that it forced Dao Yan to retreat.

'In the Western Sea, there are still traces of Jiaoyang. Is it a fragment of bone, or the true form of the Great One?'

The difference is significant. If it is merely transformed from a piece of black bone, it is at most a demon or evil spirit, at most reaching the Purple Mansion realm, and not involved in the mysteries of the Golden Core. But if it is the true form's method, then it is different.

'I will see Muhammad again on this journey.'

Xu Xuan brought him back to Tianchi. Logically and morally, this Zifu from Mingze should come to pay his respects. But now he is silent. I wonder if there is a problem.

'The fire crow has done me a favor, and even though there are risks, I should at least test the waters a bit regarding its dealings.'

Purple lightning rose up, piercing the void and heading straight west. Meanwhile, the black light in Bingyang Palace grew increasingly intense, as deep as night and as dark as a demon.

(End of this chapter)