The abandoned cannon fodder girl's path to immortality

Chapter 271 Demon Sea

"Damn it, the ticket price for this 'Demon Sea' is enough for me to live a carefree life in the 'Mud Pit' for half a year! If it weren't for seeing the 'Dragon Whale' in all its glory, who would have to suffer like this!"

Three months later, the long-awaited Demon Sea finally set sail.

The Demon Sea, a behemoth of steel, lay quietly in the only deep-water port on Shattered Star Island.

The hull was not made of ordinary wood, but rather cast from some kind of bluish-black alloy. The hull was covered with dents from impacts and deep claw marks, and several hideous damaged areas had slowly writhing dark gold array patterns.

Chen Jinshu, dressed in a simple blue robe, played with a Taoist-style hair bun with a green hairpin, blending into the flow of people boarding the ship.

Ahead, several cultivators who looked like merchants were surrounding a manager, stuffing spirit stones into his hands and smiling obsequiously.

"Manager Liu, please be accommodating and give me a cabin further inside, okay?"
This awful weather! The wind-swept spot on the deck is unbearable!

Manager Liu didn't even lift his eyelids, he weighed the few gleaming mid-grade spirit stones in his hand, and snorted:
"This is a one-time exception! Cabin C, number seven, get over there yourself!"

Chen Jinshu stepped forward with the group and handed over the jade token.

Manager Liu glanced at it, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a stiff smile instantly appeared on his face:

So you're a distinguished guest!
The No. 3 Heavenly Quiet Room has an independent protective array and is rich in spiritual energy.

Please!

He personally led the way, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor.

Several pairs of eyes, mixed with curiosity, were cast from the surroundings.

Chen Jinshu pretended not to see it.

The ship's passageways were narrow and oppressive, filled with a salty, fishy smell.

The deck, constructed from thick animal bones, features a massive winch, a sturdy mast base, and even several fixed gun emplacements, creating a breathtaking sight.

Hundreds of cultivators were scattered around, in small groups, talking in hushed tones, their sharp eyes scrutinizing the newcomers to the ship.

Chen Jinshu's powerful divine sense swept across the deck, easily capturing the auras of at least seven or eight Golden Core stage cultivators.

"Oh, another new face."

Chen Jinshu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a one-eyed old man leaning against a huge winch, looking her up and down with his only remaining cloudy right eye.

"Little girl, this Demon Sea isn't some pleasure boat for sightseeing; it's a place where you risk your life. Look at your delicate skin, don't let the wind and waves scare you out of your wits, or... make you food for the sea monsters." He grinned, his tone laced with contempt.

Chen Jinshu merely glanced at it indifferently and said nothing more.

It simply enveloped the solidified pressure of the late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

The one-eyed old man's mocking smile froze instantly, a look of horror flashing in his single eye. He groaned and took two steps back to steady himself, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead. He chuckled and apologized repeatedly.

However, Chen Jinshu still remembered the rules on the ship and that private fights were not allowed.

He then walked straight towards the Heavenly-level quiet room.

A moment later, she used the jade token to push open the heavy iron door of the No. 3 quiet room in the Heavenly Palace, and a soft soundproof and protective light curtain rose up on its own.

The quiet room was small, with only a couch and a small table, but it was clean.

On the table was a small jar of inferior spiritual tea and a few pieces of hard, dry food, which were given as a bonus.

Qingheng materialized from her hair bun, her little nose wrinkling in disdain:

"It's so stuffy here, and the spiritual energy is weird, like... being soaked in a bucket of salted fish!"

"This is how it is when you're adrift at sea. It's much better than being in a cold cave."

Chen Jinshu flicked a few points of green light from his fingertips, which entered several nodes on the wall, instantly making the originally thin protective light barrier solidify.

"The spiritual energy here is mixed, but it can still be used."

She sat cross-legged on the couch, the Mysterious Female Treasure Furnace slowly rotating in her sea of ​​consciousness, forcibly purifying and absorbing wisps of mixed spiritual energy.

Qingheng curiously leaned against the only porthole, watching the surging sea outside.

……

The Demon Sea sailed through the raging Trap Sea for about half a month.

On this day, Chen Jinshu was meditating when a rhythmic knocking vibration came from the cabin door's security system.

She opened her eyes and removed some of the restrictions.

Standing outside the door was a guard in black leather armor, but whose aura was clearly more refined; his cultivation had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Seeing Chen Jinshu open the door, he bowed slightly, handed over a black bone fragment, and spoke with a formulaic respect:

"Senior, by order of the head steward, I invite all Golden Core cultivators to participate in a small trading meeting tonight at midnight in the 'Treasure Hall' in the lower deck."

This is proof of receipt; please keep it safe.

After saying that, he turned and left to knock on the next cabin door.

Chen Jinshu held the cold bone fragment in his hand, on which was engraved a twisted sea monster pattern and the words "Hundred Treasures".

She probed with her divine sense and sensed a faint but unique aura of restriction, which was indeed an invitation token.

There were quite a few Golden Core cultivators on board, so it was normal for them to hold a trade fair to exchange what they had.

Qingheng leaned closer, her small face showing wariness:

"Jinshu, could it be a trap? An accomplice of that villain?"

"Not like."

"It's the mark of the Nascent Soul cultivator 'True Lord Raging Waves' who's in charge on the ship. There are quite a few Golden Core cultivators on the ship, a mixed bag. This gathering is mostly about exchanging information and also about probing each other's backgrounds."

"Jinshu, are you going?" Qingheng asked, her little face full of curiosity.

"Mm." Chen Jinshu nodded.

"The Void Sea is vast, and opportunities lie hidden in perilous places. If there is anything that can benefit us, we should not miss it."

"Conceal your form and come with me."

Qingheng obediently transformed into a stream of emerald light, disappearing into Chen Jinshu's hair bun and becoming an inconspicuous jade hairpin.

It was almost midnight, in the lower deck of the Yaohai.

This place is completely different from the oppressive atmosphere of the upper decks.

The enormous space was transformed into a spacious hall, with several large luminous pearls hanging high in the dome, emitting a cool, clear light.

Thick carpets made of sea monster hides were laid out in the center of the hall, and dozens of chairs made from the spines of huge sea monsters were casually placed around them.

A faint scent of sandalwood floated in the air, attempting to mask the pervasive smell of the sea.

There were already more than a dozen cultivators, some sitting and some standing, their auras deep and concentrated, all of them at the Golden Core stage.

"...The tentacles of that 'Sea-Splitting Demon Chapter' are thicker than my waist! When I slashed it, ink sprayed all over the deck, and the stench was overwhelming!"
They were only able to stabilize the situation thanks to the 'Soul-Stabilizing Pearl,' otherwise the entire ship would have been fish food!

His voice was loud and clear, drawing the attention of several people.

In a corner, an old man in a gray robe, whose aura was unfathomable, closed his eyes to rest. He was probably the True Lord of Raging Waves, who was in charge of this ship. Although he deliberately concealed his early Nascent Soul stage aura, the cultivators who approached him still felt an invisible pressure.

Chen Jinshu found a bone chair at the back and sat down, concealing his aura at the third level of the Golden Core stage, not wanting to attract too much attention.

"The time has come!"

A middle-aged monk, dressed in a brocade robe, with a fair complexion and no beard, walked into the hall, cupped his hands in a roundabout bow, and smiled smugly.

"I am Sun Mao, a steward of the 'Swallowing the Sea Gang,' and I am honored to have the honor of meeting you fellow Golden Core cultivators and True Lords."

As always, free trade, each taking what they need, no questions asked about where it came from, no need to investigate its origins.

"Which fellow Daoist would like to go first?"

The next moment, an old woman suddenly stood up, holding in her palm a strange mineral the size of a fist, its entire surface flowing with a watery, emerald-green light:
"I possess a piece of 'Ten Thousand Year Azure,' taken from the 'Sinking Star Reef' at the edge of the Guixu Sea Eye, a top-grade substance for nourishing the soul. In exchange, I'll offer it a 'Bone Tempering Orchid' over five hundred years old, or an equivalent body-tempering elixir."

As soon as the emerald-green ore appeared, a cool and refreshing aura instantly spread, causing all the Golden Core cultivators present to feel their souls clear and their eyes to stare intently at it.

Treasures that nourish the soul are always rare and hard to come by.

"Eternal Azure Sky? A fine find!"

A burly, shirtless man with tattoos, his eyes gleaming, immediately raised his voice and said:

"I don't have the Bone Tempering Orchid! But I do have the entire spine of the 'Three-Eyed Demon Dragon' that I just hunted!"
The body-tempering effect is absolutely no less than that of the Bone-Tempering Orchid!
"Old hag, shall we change it or not?"

The old woman glanced at him with her cloudy eyes and snorted coldly:
"What this old woman wants is a gentle, nourishing medicine. Your demonic dragon bone is filled with murderous aura. Do you want to hasten my death? I won't trade!"

Upon hearing this, the burly man choked, his face turning red, and he sat down sullenly.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jinshu's mind stirred slightly. The pure water and wood spiritual essence contained in this "Ten Thousand Years of Azure Sky" would greatly benefit Qingheng's original divine soul, which had been damaged by the enlightenment, and would also accelerate the recovery of her own divine soul.

"Heh, old hag Sun, your 'Ten Thousand Years of Azure Sky'... you probably only got it by slaughtering the entire clan of clam spirits on 'Azure Wave Island', right?"

"Covered in malevolent energy and still harboring resentment, how dare you use this to deceive people? Aren't you afraid of shortening your lifespan?"

The old woman's face instantly turned extremely ugly, and she said sternly:

"Yin Jiu! Don't you dare slander me! My things are of impeccable quality!"

The cultivator known as Yin Jiu chuckled and fell silent, but the seed of doubt had already been planted.

Several cultivators who had initially expressed interest also frowned and hesitated.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became somewhat awkward.

Chen Jinshu understood what was going on.

“The origin of this ‘Ten Thousand Years of Azure Sky’ is probably really problematic. The faint resentment and malevolent energy entwined around it could not escape her late-stage Golden Core divine sense.”

But this item is indeed useful to her and Qingheng; the Mysterious Female Furnace has the ability to refine and purify, so this bit of resentment is not a concern.

"I want this." After thinking it over, she no longer hesitated and immediately said.

All eyes immediately turned to her, filled with surprise.

How dare a seemingly ordinary female cultivator in the early stages of the Golden Core realm take on such a hot potato?
Ignoring everyone's gaze, Chen Jinshu took out a jade bottle from his storage bag:

"Three 'Jade Marrow Bone Tempering Pills,' top-grade second rank, with jade marrow and lingzhi as the main ingredients, gently temper the body and nourish the meridians, just right for you."

This Jade Marrow Bone Tempering Pill is mild and moderate in nature, making it a top-grade body tempering pill, especially suitable for the elderly, those with weakened bodies, or those whose foundations are damaged.

The old woman's cloudy eyes suddenly lit up. She picked up the jade bottle and sniffed it carefully. A look of ecstatic joy instantly spread across her face.
"Excellent! Excellent elixir! Pure and potent! I'll change it! This old woman will change it!"

She hurriedly handed the shimmering blue "Ten Thousand Years of Azure" to Chen Jinshu, then returned to her seat.

The Yin Jiu cultivator squinted at Chen Jinshu, gently waving his bone fan as if deep in thought.

The shirtless, burly man chuckled and muttered:
"Damn, alchemists are so extravagant!"

Trading then continued, and the atmosphere gradually became more lively.

"A complete spine of a Tier 3 superior 'Poison Dragon Shark'! It contains both potent poison and exceptional toughness, making it an excellent main material for crafting poison banners and bone spears! In exchange, it can be traded for a pill that can enhance the mana of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator or fire-attribute refining materials of equal value!"

...

"A piece of 'Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron' ore from the deep sea, weighing three hundred catties! Its chilling aura is the perfect choice for forging ice-type flying swords and magical artifacts! I'll only exchange it for the top-grade metal-attribute spiritual material 'Geng Metal' or a defensive magical artifact!"

...

"A 700-year-old 'Blood Coral'! It invigorates blood and strengthens the soul, and is the main ingredient for refining the 'Blood Soul Pill'! Exchange it for a third-tier water-type demon core or its equivalent value in spirit stones!"

……

Rare and exotic treasures emerged one after another, most of which were related to the ocean.

The sounds of bidding and bargaining rose and fell.

Soon, another thing caught Chen Jinshu's attention.

"This item was obtained by me after surviving countless near-death experiences, on the outskirts of an ancient cultivator's ruins."

A fragment of the heartwood of the 'Soul-Nourishing Wood'!
Although much of its spirituality has been lost over the years, its ability to nourish and repair the soul's origin remains.

It is of great benefit to those suffering from damage to their soul or those cultivating their spiritual consciousness during the Golden Core stage.

"I'll only exchange it for elixirs or rare treasures that can extend my life by more than thirty years!"

As soon as the man finished speaking, people in the audience immediately started bidding.

"I have three drops of 'Earth Vein Spirit Milk,' which can extend my life by fifteen years! Plus, 50,000 low-grade spirit stones!"

"Fifteen years is too short! I possess a 'Six-Hundred-Year-Old Vermilion Fruit,' which can extend one's lifespan by twenty years! I'll exchange it for this fragment!"

"I'll offer you a 'Three-Turn Rejuvenation Pill,' which can prolong life by ten years even for those severely injured! Plus, a secret escape technique for those at the Golden Core stage!"

The bidding instantly became intense.

Items that prolong life are equally precious, but compared to the allure of the Soul-Nourishing Wood Heart for some cultivators, they are clearly not as appealing.

The old man's face looked rather unpleasant, and he seemed dissatisfied.

Just as Chen Jinshu was about to make a move, Qing Teng's voice suddenly entered her mind.

"Jinshu! This Soul-Nourishing Wood heartwood has a terrible nourishing effect. It's all show and no substance; the inside has long been rotten..."

"really?"

"Yes! My intuition is never wrong."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jinshu immediately abandoned his desire to acquire the item.

Having already obtained the Ten Thousand Years of Azure Ore in both hands, this item was no longer of any use.

Soon, an old man acquired the fragment of the Soul-Nourishing Wood heartwood by spending several grade-three pills.

Half an incense stick later, an elderly man, whose aura was somewhat weakened, stepped forward and took out a number of items.

The appearance of these items immediately drew several undisguised sneers.

"Old sea dog, you dare to bring this pile of junk to the Golden Core Gathering? Do you think we're garbage collectors?"

The shirtless, burly man was the most direct, mocking without any politeness.

The old man didn't say much, but simply arranged the items one by one, and finally took out a zither and introduced it:
"This zither was obtained by my ancestors from an ancient cave dwelling deep in the sea. They only exchanged it for... only for some longevity pills or spiritual medicines that can repair one's foundation..."

The hall fell silent, then erupted into even louder laughter.

"An ancient cave dwelling in the deep sea? Old sea dog, are you out of your mind?"
"This piece of broken wood won't even get warm if you throw it in the fire!" someone mocked.

"Longevity-prolonging elixirs?"

Your deathly aura is so strong that even a Nascent Soul True Monarch couldn't save you!

"Go back and wait to die!" another person chimed in sarcastically.

The old man ignored the mockery around him, holding only the decaying zither with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Looking at the faded guqin, Chen Jinshu felt a pang of pity for some reason.

The body of the instrument is made of some kind of dark ancient wood, the original paint has long since peeled off, revealing the dark brown texture of the decaying wood.

Only three strings remained, dull and lifeless. The only peculiar thing was that deep within the scorch marks at the end of the instrument, several extremely fine natural wood grain patterns, arranged like starlight, could be faintly seen. They were almost imperceptible without close inspection.

"This zither actually carries some of the power of stars and moon?" Chen Jinshu was slightly surprised and then said:

"This is the 'Azure Wood Longevity Pill,' a mid-grade second-rank pill that can strengthen the body's foundation and extend lifespan by five years. I wonder if it's worth exchanging for?"

(End of this chapter)