Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 458 Meeting
Beyond Qingchen Reef lies Changliu Island.

The vegetation is green and yellow, the sand is thick, and the island is rich in spiritual energy. However, the soil is becoming increasingly fertile, and no flowers or fruits grow there, so no medicinal herbs can be grown.

The area around the dark palace in the center of the island was a desolate landscape, with yellow sand covering all sides and mostly alkaline land extending outwards. Only a few trees were scattered along the edge of the island, but most of them were not growing well, with withered branches and leaves, barely alive.

The three descended on the wind, led by Xu Fayan, who was dressed in a black robe, and landed in the center of the island, followed by Ruan Yuan and Lin Lang respectively.

Ruan Yuan, dressed in a black robe with wind and thunder patterns, looked around with great interest. It was he who had suggested coming to Changliu Island. Now, seeing the surrounding scenery, a slight smile appeared on his face.

Life on the island began to revive little by little. The barren land that had never produced flowers or fruit gradually changed. A hazy blue mist rose from the yellow sand, and the surrounding trees became increasingly lush and green, even beginning to sprout new branches and buds.

'If this person were buried underground, in a few years, this island would likely transform into a rare and precious spiritual field.'

Xu Fayan's yellow eyes were deep as he looked at the strange phenomena around him. This natural pressure kept him in a tense state at all times. From the shadow behind him, there were many monstrous shapes that changed, such as sheep and locusts, as if they were choosing people to devour.

The [Heavenly Blood Demon Embryo] and [Subtle Yin Illusion Creation] operated on their own, dissolving the profound pressure emanating from the opponent.

The invisible power struggle between the two made Lin Lang increasingly uneasy. As he was in Qingchen, he naturally knew the reputation of this Daoist. He had reached the Foundation Establishment stage at just over twenty years old, which was considered monstrous. The unusual phenomena that accompanied him were also extremely rare.

Even though the other party was a "spiritual fetus" born from worshipping wood, Zhouyou Zhenren, who came from the same background, did not possess such extraordinary abilities.

As for Lin Lang, the master of Changliu Island, he felt uneasy. He knew that the other party had some earth elemental luck and did not take it seriously. But today, he saw that the other party had the most vicious and evil luck, and even had a sign of swallowing up some of the green locusts.

'The two beside me are capable of easily using supernatural powers, but it's me.'

Although Lin Lang is highly skilled in talismans and a formidable fighter, he is limited by his talent and will likely never reach the Purple Mansion realm in this lifetime. Even if he were to go into seclusion to attempt to break through, he would face certain death.

Although the three were standing side by side, their relative strengths and weaknesses were already subtly apparent.

"Along the way, among the nine islands outside Qingchen Reef, only this place has a long and orderly flow, where cultivators live in peace, but there is nothing produced here."

Ruan Yuan's voice was gentle and warm, like a spring breeze, but to Xu Fayan, who was standing to the side, it was like a biting cold wind blowing through his ears, causing his immortal foundation to warn him.

"The Western Sea is not as prosperous as the shore. We can only gather some rare spiritual items and send them to the land to earn a meager profit. This is enough for our small sect to make a living."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fayan was somewhat moved. Although living outside Qingchen Reef was safe, it was still under the watchful eye of the Supreme Heaven, and the truly valuable spiritual lands had already been occupied.

Sindhu is extremely chaotic, so sacred sites located along the coast are naturally out of the question. As for the Milky Sea in the center, there are many taboos, and ordinary people should not come into contact with it.

The only truly peaceful areas are the waters near the South China Sea and the wild waters further west. The East China Sea and the West China Sea both have vast open seas, truly places untouched by worldly affairs.

"Senior Brother Lin Lang, besides my Shangxiao, are there any other ancient and profound forces in this sea?"

Ruan Yuan suddenly asked a question, and Lin Lang, who was standing to the side, was somewhat flustered. After thinking for a moment, he simply replied:
"If we're talking about those with a Golden Core background, the [Shanjian Temple] near India is one such faction, a branch of the Daoist lineage of Venerable [Indra]. The remaining Purple Mansion forces are dominated by Zhongyang Mansion and Yama Palace, and there are countless other forces as well."

"There is not much difference. The Western Sea is fragile. Even our sect's [Qizhe Celestial Altar] cannot be activated. Otherwise, this sea area would sink into the void."

Xu Fayan listened silently. He had learned about Zhongyang Palace and Yama Palace from his master. One was the descendant of the ancient Sun Palace, and the other was a lineage of Earth Immortals. Even after entering Li Kingdom, they were only below the Immortal Sect.

"【Indra】Ritual. Shakyamuni Devanam Indra? The local tradition of Sindhu has been almost entirely taken over by Shakyamuni, which is quite pitiful."

Ruan Yuan's voice held a hint of emotion, but he quickly followed up with a sarcastic tone:

"However, what I, the Immortal Dao, did to Chu Wu back then was even more ruthless."

Lin Lang, who was standing to the side, seemed to know something of the secret and dared not say anything more, so he kept quiet.

Ruan Yuan then turned his gaze to Xu Fayan, who was standing to the side, and smiled:
“Buddhist practitioners love to convert people, and they welcome all kinds of people, including immortals, demons, and ghosts. They especially like to convert those burdened with evil karma, as they can gain more merit and karmic power from it. Fellow Daoist, you are carrying a lot of luck, so you should be careful.”

"Duhua?"

Xu Fayan's pupils narrowed slightly. The practice of Buddhism and Taoism in the Pure Land school was not popular, or rather, the practice of Buddhism and Taoism in the Pure Land school was not mainstream, but mostly distributed on the periphery, such as Lotus and Formless.

The true Buddhist holy site in the country is the Hanging Temple, which mainly practices Chan Buddhism and is famous for its sudden enlightenment. It is an ancient Buddhist path on par with the Taoist immortals, so naturally it does not practice reincarnation or salvation, and it does not even have a Pure Land.

However, in some Buddhist lands in Northern Liao, the practice was not like this. They opened up many Pure Lands, and even the "Great Blissful Desire Demon Land" could be counted as part of Buddhism and Taoism, which was very chaotic.

"When Shu fell, the chief disciple of the Qingyang Palace Master possessed a destiny and cultivated the Great Dao of [Shang Evil Wilderness Grave Sheep]. He was converted by the Buddhist and Taoist priests who took the opportunity to go south and was called [Evil Earth Bodhisattva].

Ruan Yuan has been reading the core Daoist scriptures of Shangxiao for many years, and he also possesses a privilege that is extremely rare among cultivators in this world.

Read history.

Since the Ji Earth of the History Records was taken into the Blessed Land and left this world, only immortal sects with such long-standing traditions have a few volumes of history books, which are suppressed with secret methods to prevent the text from dissipating.

"I do thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist."

Xu Fayan's voice was rather calm, but he had some doubts in his heart. The other party seemed to be talking about this matter with some good intentions. He had been on guard against Qingwu Dao for many years, but he had never thought about Shixiu.

The three walked along the ancient path on the island, seeing many pavilions and palaces along the way. Ruan Yuan was very knowledgeable and talked about everything, and he did not use his status to intimidate others.

However, Xu Fayan became even more wary of this person and was already planning how to send the two away from this place so that they would not stay too long and let Shangxiao Daozi notice something was wrong.

"Fellow Daoist—"

Just as he was about to speak, a thunderclap boomed in the sky, and silver-black lightning bolts swept across the heavens like dragons and snakes. From within them appeared a swordsman with a calm and composed demeanor, yet sharp and dignified, dressed in a dark black robe adorned with phoenix and fire clouds.

It was Xu Xuan.

After leaving Douyan, he thought of coming to Changliu to take a look, but as he approached the local monument, he felt a sense of familiarity. However, he remained calm and only rode thunder to come here.

"Master."

Xu Fayan was the first to bow, followed by the two Foundation Establishment cultivators behind him, who respectfully greeted him:

"I've seen the real person."

Xu Xuan descended on the wind, his eyes flashing with silver lightning, and met the gaze of the young man in a black robe of wind and thunder, with golden and white black patterns between his brows.

He felt an aura like a rising sun lurking in the sky, hidden within the opponent's body, and an extremely vast and terrifying fortune condensing within him.

The Daoist stele seemed to sense something, and the seal script of "Donghua Miaoyan" appeared on it, making him instantly understand the other party's identity.

Ruan Yuan's proud eyes looked straight at him, but now there was a hint of amusement in them, and a cunning and sinister look was revealed, like a demon.

Xu Xuan looked at it calmly, understood, and smiled slightly.

Everything was understood without words. "And who is this?"

His voice held a hint of doubt, as if he were seeing such a wondrous figure for the first time. Ruan Yuan stepped forward and respectfully said:

"My name is Ruan Yuan, and my master is Zhou You. I have long heard of your illustrious reputation, and to meet you today is a wish fulfilled."

"This is my senior brother Lin Lang, who has often exchanged knowledge about talismans with people on Changliu Island."

Xu Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze meeting the other's again. The two were in perfect sync, not communicating through telepathy. The methods of the Immortal Sect were unpredictable, so it was best to be cautious.

"So you are a disciple of Fellow Daoist Zhouyou. You are indeed extraordinary."

He silently sensed the aura emanating from the other person, who seemed to have recently broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. The immortal foundation he cultivated was extremely extraordinary, definitely at the sixth rank, and contained some of the wonders of the ancient path to ascension.

"Changliu Island is well-ordered. Over the years, its demon-slaying and sea-patrolling operations along the coast have greatly reduced my burden in Shangxiao. Therefore, I am giving you a pill as a gift."

At this moment, Ruan Yuan took out a jade box containing a jade-green elixir that resonated with the wind and thunder, radiating divine light.

"This is the [Wind and Thunder Life Cleansing Pill], a precious pill for Foundation Establishment. If one takes it, it can wash away some of the shortcomings in one's Immortal Foundation and make it more perfect. My master gave me three pills, saying that they should be given to the cultivators with the most merits among the outer cultivators. Fellow Daoist Fayan is just right."

Xu Xuan took it and instantly sensed that there were some hidden tricks in this jade box. His expression remained unchanged, and he smiled:

"Fellow Daoist Zhouyou is very kind. I have been under his protection for many years, and I have not yet prepared a gift to express my gratitude. I will definitely visit him in the future."

Ruan Yuan smiled slightly when he saw Xu Xuan accept the gift.

"Since the immortal has arrived, my senior brother and I will not disturb you any longer and will wait for you in Qingchen."

After speaking, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Heavenly Realm made an excuse and left, disappearing in an instant after only a brief gust of wind and thunder in the sky.

Xu Xuan opened the jade box and gently picked up the azure pill. Although this pill was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, it was probably refined by an extremely experienced alchemist. Its medicinal properties were extraordinary and it could be used to perfect one's Immortal Foundation.

On the pill, a barely perceptible bloodstain gradually seeped into his hand. Xu Xuan seemed unaware, and casually activated his protective aura, letting the crimson bloodstain return to his inner world.

"This pill is fine. If you take it in the future, you can complete your immortal foundation."

Xu Xuan closed the jade box and handed the precious pill to Fa Yan. The two then returned to the main hall in the center of the island and took their seats.

"Master, what about Ruan Yuan?"

Xu Fayan's voice was tinged with hesitation as he pondered how to convey the extraordinary sensations he had sensed from the seal script to the True Man. But when he looked up, he was met with a pair of eyes that held a hint of a smile.

"I know."

Xu Xuan's voice was calm as he stopped the other person.

These words sent a jolt through Xu Fayan's mind. His master's image grew increasingly mysterious and unfathomable in his heart. Could this Daoist disciple of the Shangxiao Sect be...?
"Recently, when we entered a secret realm, Xingfang obtained a rare earth-containing spiritual item for you. It is very valuable and can be used to break through to the Purple Mansion realm."

"It's him."

Xu Fayan pondered for a moment, then said:
"Thank you, senior brother. I will definitely repay you in the future."

Xu Xuan silently sensed that what Fa Yan said was true and that he truly intended to repay the debt. Even if he didn't feel much gratitude, it could still be considered a meritorious act of teaching.

"As for the pills needed for the breakthrough, they can be made by Master Pingxiu, but this cultivation technique is different."

He initially planned to target Qingwu Dao, which was originally an earth-based sect with old grudges, making it the most suitable target. However, this sect was located on the frontier, and if he pushed them too far, they might just surrender to Liao.

If we are to take action, we must do so swiftly and decisively; we will probably need to find some help.

"I have heard that there is a Qingyang Palace in Shu, which is the orthodox lineage of the Yuntu sect. I wonder about the Kunlun Mountains?"

Fa Yan then recalled the information he had received earlier and spoke it aloud, which stirred something in Xu Xuan's heart. That [Grave Sheep Evil Soil] was indeed from Qingyang Palace.

"We'll only know the outcome once the cave opens. Your cultivation is already at its peak. The sooner you reach the Purple Mansion realm, the more things you can do here in the Western Sea."

"As for Shangxiao, Lin Lang and Ruan Yuan should get closer to him, so that they can get some help from the Immortal Sect in the future."

Xu Xuan's expression turned slightly solemn, and he said in a deep voice:
“Your identity is special, and many people are eyeing you. You are only safe overseas. You will be able to move freely once you reach the Purple Mansion.”

"Yes, disciple understands."

Xu Fayan respectfully agreed. He had no objection to the arrangement. Being able to cultivate peacefully here, ignoring the outside world, was what he wanted.

"I asked you to inquire about suitable spiritual lands in the Western Sea."

Xu Xuan asked this question at this time, because Changliu is not a place to stay for long. Once the Dharma Word is broken through, we can move to a spiritual land. So we should make plans as soon as possible.

"The Western Sea has many continents. Apart from the neighboring regions of Sindhu and Milk Sea, there is the wild outer sea in the far west. I have heard that there are continents such as Liushi, Fenglin, and Juku, which also contain spiritual lands. We can slowly plan for them."

Xu Fayan had naturally investigated carefully. Now, the area near the South China Sea was under the control of the Supreme Heaven. If a suitable spiritual land was to be found, the outer sea would be more suitable.

"Alright, keep an eye on this matter."

Xu Xuan stood up at this moment, sensing the bloodstain in his inner vision. A thought stirred within him, and he simply said:
"I have other matters to attend to, so I must take my leave now. Recently, Dharma Protector Kongkong has been transferred back to the sect, so please be careful in all matters."

"Yes."

Xu Fayan respectfully responded, and when he looked up again, his master was nowhere to be seen. Only a bolt of lightning shot out of the hall.

From the clouds, Xu Xuan rode the lightning and flew away, quickly leaving the Western Sea and arriving above the Southern Frontier Kingdoms. He stepped into the void and concealed his figure.

Inside the inner realm, the bloodstains gradually dissolved, rapidly merging into the blood-red flower sea left by Tian Tuo. A golden-white light flickered, and a man in a crimson robe emerged from this flower sea, his golden eyes gleaming and his appearance eerie.

"Wow, this place has changed quite a bit."

Tian Tuo slowly raised his head and looked up at the Thunder City suspended in the sky. He began to stroll around like the master of the place, feeling very at ease.

"Old demon."

Xu Xuan chuckled and cursed, but a long-lost sense of peace welled up in his heart. Without this old demon, he really felt a bit out of place. Now that they had finally made contact, many things could be re-planned.

He accelerated his flight, transforming into a streak of silver light and disappearing in an instant.

(End of this chapter)