Longevity starts with choosing Hextech enhancement

Chapter 430 The Nascent Soul Ceremony of True Monarch Mingxiao

"Great!"

Chu Tianze was overjoyed to hear this: "If I had known that Brother Xiao had the forbidden flag here, I wouldn't have had to run around asking for information."

"To be honest, before I came here, I was worried that the rumors I had received were unreliable."

"Now I can finally relax."

Chu Tianze visibly breathed a sigh of relief before remembering the reward: "Brother Xiao, can I exchange for different spiritual items in two separate transactions?"

"This time, let's exchange for 100,000 spirit stones and this forbidden flag."

"Please save the rest for me first, and we'll decide what to exchange it for after we return from the Earth Dragon Ruins."

When he inquired about the situation beforehand, he heard that there were many kinds of spiritual objects in the Earth Dragon Ruins, and it all depended on one's own luck.

Some people searched for over a month but only obtained a handful of spiritual herbs.

Some people, after only three days inside, unexpectedly obtained the True Essence Gathering Pill, which helps them break through to the Golden Core stage.

Therefore, for Chu Tianze, the best way to maximize his benefits is not to rush to claim the reward.

Instead, they used 100,000 spirit stones to purchase elixirs and talismans, making full preparations for exploring the ruins.

Then, after he comes out of the Earth Dragon Ruins, he will decide which spiritual items he needs to exchange for based on the specific gains he has made.

"No problem at all!"

Xiao Chen agreed without hesitation: "You can think about it slowly later and figure out what you're actually missing."

"When you've made up your mind, just bring a list and come find me."

After saying that, he handed over the forbidden flag along with 100,000 spirit stones to the other party.

After Chu Tianze accepted the flag that broke the taboo, he looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Xiao Chen immediately added, "Also, we don't need to count the spirit stones for this flag; consider it a prize for your diligent investigation."

For him, this tattered forbidden flag was neither useful for his own use nor worth much money to sell.

It would be better to use that money to encourage the other person to collect the fragments of magical artifacts properly; that's the real important thing.

"Hehe, I can't possibly accept that."

Although Chu Tianze said this, he actually put the Forbidden Flag into his personal storage bag.

Xiao Chen saw through it but didn't say anything: "What's there to be embarrassed about? Since you call me big brother, I should definitely take care of you, right?"

"Also, remember to be careful."

"Once you enter the Earth Dragon Ruins, don't rush. Remember that protecting yourself is the most important thing."

"Based on this, we can then slowly explore the remaining fragments."

"After you come back safely, I'll take you to the auction in the second half of the year."

Although it sounded like he was just being polite, Xiao Chen was actually speaking from the heart.

In terms of sentiment, it was Xiao Chen who brought Chu Tianze from a place that was almost like an isolated island to the vast world of the Compassionate Sea.

He was also one of the few cultivators he was relatively familiar with here.

Logically speaking, Xiao Chen felt that Chu Tianze had good luck and was very suitable to act as a human-shaped treasure-hunting mouse.

For example, places like the Earth Dragon Ruins, which restrict entry to high-level cultivators, could be used to secure a spot for him to explore.

What if he unexpectedly gains something like a fourth-tier spiritual item or a fragment of an ancient magic weapon?

In the end, Xiao Chen was still the beneficiary.

After all, it's better to sell directly to him than to risk finding someone you don't know to sell those things.

It's both safe and generous; you simply can't find another like it.

Therefore, both emotionally and rationally, Xiao Chen hoped that Chu Tianze could return safely.

Even though they were unable to retrieve the fragments this time for safety reasons.

He can also help collect the remaining broken flags and start over.

Therefore, what Xiao Chen said was truly sincere and heartfelt.

Chu Tianze could naturally feel that simple sincerity, and he was somewhat moved as well.

Brother Xiao is a good person!
In the treacherous and sometimes brutally ruthless world of cultivation, it is truly rare to encounter such a kind and compassionate person.

There have long been rumors that Xiao Chen killed human traitors one by one in the new ruins, showing no mercy.

Moreover, he has always been a loner and is mostly a cold and ruthless person.

Chu Tianze initially felt that there was some truth to it, but now it seems that it was purely a misunderstanding caused by a small number of people who did not understand the real situation.

Traitors should be treated with the same ruthlessness as a harsh winter.

In contrast, when dealing with others, whether it was himself or the one who guarded the Golden Core, Brother Xiao was clearly very approachable.

"Yes, I will definitely be careful."

Chu Tianze nodded seriously, and then rushed to the Earth Dragon Ruins.

Xiao Chen originally wanted to persuade him to stay and participate in the upcoming Nascent Soul Ceremony.

However, seeing that he was already eager to use the flag after obtaining it, they did not linger.

Anyway, there will be more and more ceremonies like this in the future.

Once the Clear Dew Foundation Building Pill becomes widespread, its ripple effect will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of high-level cultivators in the Compassionate Sea.

In a few hundred years, there will likely be several times more Nascent Soul True Monarchs than there are now.

Given Chu Tianze's potential and age, he will inevitably have to participate in many Nascent Soul ceremonies in the future.

But that's for the future.

In this day and age, the Nascent Soul Ceremony is still a rare event.

Therefore, the Cangming Immortal Sect also made extra careful preparations.

In the last few days, Xiao Chen could see many inner disciples taking on various tasks and participating in the preparations for the grand ceremony.

They thoroughly turmoiled the entire area within a thousand miles, from top to bottom and inside to outside.

It's worth mentioning that on the fourth to last day, for some reason, all the original red lanterns were suddenly removed and replaced with a lighter shade of blue.

When Xiao Chen attended the tea party that evening, he learned that it was because True Monarch Mingxiao seemed to have a rare wind spirit root.

So someone suggested that the bright red lanterns looked too tacky, and it would be better to change them to cyan to represent the attribute of wind.

As the saying goes, the spring breeze has turned the south bank of the Yangtze River green again.

It not only subtly aligns with the fact that True Lord Mingxiao possesses a wind-elemental root, but also adds a touch of novelty and charm.

Then, on the third-to-last day, they suddenly and hastily removed all the blue lanterns and replaced them all with silver ones.

The reason is simple: light blue is easily mistaken for wood spirit root.

That wasn't all. On the second-to-last day before the ceremony, the Cangming Immortal Sect once again repainted all the brand-new silver lanterns with gold powder.

"What kind of explanation is this?"

Xiao Chen, holding a cup of tea, lay back in a rocking chair, watching his busy disciples below: "Blue and silver can both be said to be somewhat related to the trend, but gold shouldn't be related, right?"

However, the True Lord Gangyuan standing next to him said, "This is an idea I suggested to Fellow Daoist Iron Fan last night."

"Although silver can represent the wind spirit root, gold and silver have always been related."

"Whether from the appearance or the meaning, silver does not appear as grand and rich as gold."

"Look down there, it's all golden now, isn't it beautiful!"

Good grief, it was your terrible idea, wasn't it!

Xiao Chen was speechless. What kind of reason was that?

You keep switching them around like this, and outsiders don't know the inside story. They'll just look at the golden lanterns and feel confused.

It is both an unusual and special decoration, and has nothing to do with the main character of the ceremony, True Lord Mingxiao.

However, Iron Fan Zhenjun quickly realized this as well.

So, on the last day before the ceremony, they urgently arranged for the disciples to remove all the golden lanterns and replace them with the traditional bright red lanterns.

After all, tradition represents stability and classicism.

After some back and forth, they switched back to the original, old version of the solution.

"Actually, traditionally speaking, there have been times when purplish-red was the main color..."

True Lord Gangyuan is not afraid of the trouble of talking; he even wants to offer new suggestions.

“Stop!”

However, he was interrupted by Iron Fan Zhenjun who happened to be there just as he opened his mouth: "Don't change it, there's no time to change it, just keep it as it is."

He then coughed lightly and formally bowed to all directions, saying, "On behalf of my junior brother Mingxiao and the entire Cangming Immortal Sect, I welcome all fellow cultivators to our presence."

"A platform has been prepared at the main peak, and all fellow practitioners are welcome to move to the summit at any time to observe the ceremony."

"Junior Brother Mingxiao is already waiting for us over there."

According to seniority and experience, True Lord Mingxiao should take the initiative to pay respects to some of the senior True Lords present.

But as the host of today's ceremony, it's inconvenient for him to travel around.

So Iron Fan Zhenjun announced on his behalf that the Nascent Soul Ceremony had officially begun.

Now that the ceremony had begun, Xiao Chen followed the others to the newly built viewing platform at the summit.

The view from the highest point is naturally different.

Needless to say, the crowds were immense, and the dazzling array of magical objects was even more spectacular.

The only regrettable thing is that Xiao Chen is no longer the slightly clueless young man who had just arrived at the Sea of ​​Compassion.

He has seen much more and better things.

Seeing such a grand scene now, one loses some of the sense of awe and is no longer as excited as the guests below.

The focus, however, fell more on the radiant Mingxiao Zhenjun, who was dressed in a silver spirit robe.

The other party stood at the entrance of the viewing platform in advance, and at the reminder of Iron Fan True Monarch, bowed and greeted the other four-level cultivators in turn.

The main purpose is to get to know each other so that it will be easier to recognize each other in the future.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, I've known you for a long time!"

When it was Xiao Chen's turn, True Monarch Mingxiao recognized him without needing any prompting: "I witnessed your heroic figure five years ago on Red Flower Island."

"I was immediately impressed by your exceptional fighting skills."

"I have discussed this with many fellow students in private many times, and each time I have expressed my admiration and envy."

"Later, during the fight against the sea creatures, I repeatedly heard of Fellow Daoist Xiao's illustrious achievements."

"I have truly long admired your name!"

"It is an honor to stand here today and address you as a fellow Daoist, which can be considered as the fulfillment of a long-cherished wish of mine."

Oh?
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's lips curled up slightly, but he quickly suppressed it: "Ah~, Fellow Daoist Mingxiao, you flatter me."

"Actually, I often hear Fellow Daoist Iron Fan praise him, saying that there is only one person in the sect who cultivates steadily and has outstanding potential, and is most likely to reach the Nascent Soul stage in the future." "Today, I see that he is indeed extraordinary in appearance and talent."

"It is my great honor to have this opportunity to get to know Fellow Daoist Mingxiao."

The two praised each other generously, acting like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years.

After chatting for about half a cup of tea's time, Xiao Chen finally made way for Gang Yuan Zhenjun, who was waiting behind him, to step forward.

He went up to the viewing platform and took a seat to watch the wonderful group dance performed by hundreds of female disciples on the mountainside.

To be honest, this grand ceremony did have quite a few parts planned.

It features a variety of songs, dances, and music, as well as a wide array of fine wines and delicacies.

The younger generation from different sects competed against each other, vying to demonstrate their skills in front of many True Lords and vying for prizes and rankings.

There were also many Golden Core cultivators who specialized in alchemy, artifact crafting, and talisman arrays, who took turns showcasing their Daoist skills, seeking recognition and guidance.

The number of cultivators present was extremely large, making for a grand spectacle.

Many disciples were also very excited, trying to make a name for themselves in one battle and take the title of the number one young person in the Compassionate Sea, which had been vacated after Xiao Chen broke through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Watching them fight with high morale and fierce battle.

Xiao Chen, standing on the viewing platform, couldn't help but feel a little tempted to participate.

After all, even among Golden Core cultivators, he is considered to be among the younger ones.

If eligibility for the competition is determined by age, he is absolutely qualified to participate.

Unfortunately, he is no longer able or comfortable competing with the younger generation.

Thinking of this, Xiao Chen couldn't help but turn his gaze to the other fourth-level cultivators present.

Since we're already here, why don't we all have a fight?

Since all the people from various forces have arrived, why don't we hold the first Immortal Dao Conference of the Compassionate Sea?

Whoever defeats the others will be the 'Number One Master of the Compassionate Sea'.

Unfortunately, it seems that only Xiao Chen thinks this way.

Other True Lords or Zen Masters leisurely savored the spiritual tea, while others commented on the performance of the younger generation, showing no intention whatsoever of personally participating in the competition.

for them.

They finally managed to cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage and become a respectable person like the Supreme Elder or Sect Leader of their own sect.

Since everyone here is a respectable person, apart from special circumstances like a sea creature invasion, we naturally can no longer easily roll up our sleeves and fight like we used to.

Alas, the strong are always lonely!
Xiao Chen looked left and right, but no one could meet his gaze.

So he put aside those thoughts and simply enjoyed the festive atmosphere as the ceremony unfolded.

From time to time, he would also discuss with the other True Lords which of the following outstanding disciples would win.

When the mood strikes, each person will also take out some ordinary fourth-tier spirit pills or fourth-tier spirit materials as a prize, serving as an extra reward for the winner.

These temporary bonuses often make the subsequent battles several times more dangerous.

However, with so many True Lords watching over them, no serious injuries or even deaths occurred; all the injuries were minor.

There will be some routine bidding or sermon sessions afterwards.

But those are all spiritual items or cultivation insights that are only useful to low-level cultivators.

In any case, none of it mattered to Xiao Chen.

Amidst the excitement and a touch of boredom, seven days flew by, and the Nascent Soul Ceremony finally came to an end.

Fortunately, aside from attending the ceremony on the first day and watching the final match on the third day, I was able to attend the other events.

The rest of the time Xiao Chen spent practicing magic in his courtyard, only occasionally using his divine sense to peek outside to see if there was anything interesting happening.

If not, then continue your cultivation.

So although the ceremony was somewhat boring for him, it didn't really have much of an impact.

Consider it a retreat in a different place.

However, after the last day ended, Xiao Chen was originally preparing to return to Ji'e Island.

But they found that a large group of people had suddenly arrived and were guarding the entrance to the courtyard.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that all six major sects of the Daoist sect had arrived, including Zhang Shouquan.

"Eh, fellow cultivators, what brings you all here?"

Xiao Chen opened the door curiously and asked, "Has something happened?"

Could it be that you are planning to hold another Immortal Dao Tournament, which is only for the Daoist sects, after the Nascent Soul Ceremony is over?
Unfortunately, that's not why people came.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, you must have been so engrossed in studying magic that you forgot about the time."

Crane Cry True Lord joked, then smiled and reminded, "We all agreed in the Shallow Sky Sea that after defeating the sea tribe, we would go to investigate the strange phenomena in the southeast."

"Speaking of which, that rain has been falling for a full six and a half years."

"It is clear that some kind of anomaly has caused the celestial phenomena to change."

"After discussing it with each other over the past few days, we both feel that we really should go and take a look."

"Firstly, if this continues to drag on, it might be a good thing, but I'm afraid it could be a bad omen, and we won't be able to deal with it in time."

"Secondly, it's a good opportunity to gather everyone together at this Nascent Soul Ceremony."

"Since we're already here, we might as well just get this over with."

After he finished speaking, the other True Lords nodded in agreement.

People are indeed somewhat worried about this.

That is to say, the place is indeed quite remote, and it is unlikely that any minor changes would have a significant impact, otherwise they would have come to urge them to come long ago.

"I see. Speaking of which, we really should go and take a look."

After understanding everyone's purpose, Xiao Chen agreed with this statement: "In that case, let's find a time to set off together as soon as possible."

"I don't need to prepare anything here, so I can set off anytime."

"Even if we leave right now, there won't be any problem."

All his belongings were stored in his storage ring, and he usually traveled by teleportation, so he could set off at any time no matter what he wanted to do.

However, the other True Lords still prefer to ride in the spirit boat.

Firstly, for them, the speed of a fourth-tier spirit ship is not only slightly slower than their escape speed.

Even when moving long distances, since there is no need to adjust one's breathing to replenish the consumed true energy, it is actually faster overall.

Secondly, the spirit ship offers a better environment, making it more convenient for both cultivation and rest.

So everyone agreed to prepare the hearse today and set off together tomorrow morning.

Xiao Chen didn't really care; he could leave tomorrow if he wanted.

He continued to reinforce the Azure Wave Penetrating Needle technique several times, and then arrived at the edge of the island on time the next morning.

"Hey, Fellow Daoist Iron Fan, aren't you going? And Fellow Daoist Gang Yuan, aren't you going either?"

Upon arrival, Xiao Chen discovered that, apart from True Monarch Mingxiao joining temporarily, the rest of the candidates were exactly the same as those agreed upon last time.

So I couldn't help but wonder: "Since we're already here, why don't we all leave together?"

We can't exactly say, "Everyone's busy with something," can we?
"Sigh~, I'm an old man now, I won't join you young people in the fun."

True Monarch Heming said self-deprecatingly, "Besides, I also believe that with Fellow Daoist Xiao here, it is enough to handle any abnormal problems that may exist there."

"I can also benefit from your kindness and stay here to slack off."

This is of course a joke.

There are only two real reasons.

The first reason is just as Crane Cry True Lord said at the very beginning.

Of course, it's not that they're all too old, but rather that the younger generation should spend more time with Xiao Chen to help them get to know each other better.

In such a situation, having fewer people can also help strengthen communication and avoid distractions.

Since they are all young people of similar age, they may find it easier to get along and develop a friendship.

Everyone even reached a tacit understanding on this point that didn't require further explanation.

That means each sect only sends the youngest person.

The second reason is that, in case there is some rare and precious material there, the unusual phenomena outside are actually a sign that it is about to mature.

Rather than going there and then being envious and helpless, it's better not to go at all; out of sight, out of mind.

After all, no one wanted to compete with Xiao Chen for spiritual items.

Firstly, they might not be able to steal it, and secondly, even if they did manage to steal it in the chaos, it would create a grudge, and in the end, it would most likely be a losing proposition.

In that case, it would be better not to do it in the first place.

Letting this group of young people go there will prevent the possibility of robbery from the very beginning.

As for what to do if there is a real disaster?
Actually, it doesn't matter at all; they can just call people from their respective sects.

Anyway, six and a half years have already passed, so when that time comes, it won't make a difference to wait another month or two.

And so, in the end, amidst everyone's farewell.

Xiao Chen and the younger generation of the six major sects, along with Zhang Shouquan, comprised a total of eight Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Together they boarded four large spirit ships and headed to the southeast side of the Sea of ​​Compassion.

As luck would have it, less than three days after setting off, the group encountered a massive disaster covering tens of thousands of miles—frost and fog.

To be on the safe side, the fleet circled the edge of the water, which took almost an extra day.

Fortunately, things went relatively smoothly afterward.

There was only a minor, insignificant thunderstorm, and no new emergencies were encountered.

Finally, after more than half a month, they successfully reached the outer sea southeast of the Sea of ​​Compassion.

The area covered by the celestial phenomenon mentioned in the intelligence report is about 30,000 li away.

Everyone noticed that leaden gray clouds were appearing one after another in the sky.

The closer you get to that side, the more serious the situation becomes.

When the distance was about 10,000 miles, the gray clouds had completely dominated the entire sky.

Although it hadn't completely blocked out the sunlight, the world had already turned a grayish-brown.

Xiao Chen scanned the sea surface with his divine sense, but did not see a single live fish within a radius of a thousand miles.

Even planktonic organisms like seaweed have vanished without a trace.

Only on a deserted island beach that I passed by did I see a few fish bones, which seemed to come from some giant sea fish.

Its surface has tiny holes remaining, suggesting that it has been eroded in some way.

(End of this chapter)