Proving Immortality Starting with Hextech Runes

Seven days after the Blood Sea Cult retreated, Meteor City was still shrouded in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.

The city's protective array has been mostly repaired, and a pale blue light shield has once again enveloped the city.

Xuan Shui Palace issued a post-battle reorganization order, organizing cultivators to clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and repair defensive fortifications.

However, an indescribable sense of panic and confusion permeated the cultivators within the city.

The Blood Sea Sect unleashed its three Nascent Soul cultivators simultaneously. Had it not been for the bell tolling from the forbidden area of ​​the Xuan Shui Palace at the last moment, Meteor City would have long since turned into a sea of ​​blood.

Now, seven days have passed since the bells were first rang, and the Palace Master, Li Ming, has still not appeared.

"The Palace Master is probably still in the crucial stage of seclusion." In a corner of the tavern, several cultivators whispered among themselves, their voices filled with worry.

"The Blood Sea Sect is merely testing the waters this time. If the Palace Master cannot emerge from seclusion, the next time they will likely send more than just three Nascent Soul cultivators..."

"I heard that before Xue Fen fled, he said he would definitely come back in three months."

"March? Will the city's protective array be fully repaired by then? More than half of the inner city's reserve spirit stones have already been used up..."

Whispers mingled with the noise of the tavern as Chen Xu sat by the window, listening quietly.

He picked up the rough earthenware wine cup, took a small sip of the spiritual wine, and felt the spiciness burn down his throat, but it couldn't suppress the heaviness in his heart.

"Blood Burning said he'd make a comeback in three months, and that's probably not an exaggeration," a one-armed cultivator at the next table said, taking a swig of wine, his voice hoarse.

"The Blood Sea Cult has always been ruthless in its actions; this time, it has lost three bone ships and hundreds of elite troops."

"Even Granny Blood Dove has lost an arm, how could they possibly let this go?"

"But the Palace Master's bell tolled..." someone hesitated.

"The bell tolls only as a deterrent," another older cultivator shook his head.

"If the Palace Master could truly emerge from seclusion, how could the three Blood Burners have left alive?"

"In my opinion, the Palace Master's seclusion has reached a critical juncture. That bell ringing was probably a last resort, and it only exposed the truth."

Chen Xu's fingertips unconsciously traced the rim of the cup.

These rogue cultivators may not be highly skilled, but having spent years in the Meteorite Sea, their judgment of the situation is often incisive.

He quietly spread his divine sense, capturing every bit of information inside and outside the tavern.

Outside the window, the Xuan Shui Palace enforcement team was escorting several charred corpses past on the street.

Those were Blood Sea Cult spies who had infiltrated the city; they were exposed and executed after the war.

The cultivators along the way gave way, their eyes filled with both pleasure and deep-seated fear.

"I heard that three more small families moved away yesterday, taking flying boats to the Western Sea," someone whispered.

"Smart man, the Blood Sea Cult won't just attack the outer city next time they come."

"Can the array within the inner city withstand the full-force bombardment of several Nascent Soul cultivators?"

Sighs rose and fell. Chen Xu put down his wine cup, tapped the table lightly with his fingertip, and a few low-grade spirit stones silently slid to the corner of the table.

He got up and walked towards the back door of the tavern.

Pushing open the creaking wooden door, you are greeted by the slightly salty sea breeze of Meteor City in the afternoon.

And the somber atmosphere unique to the postwar era, a mixture of scorched earth and a faint scent of blood.

The streets were sparsely populated, and most of the pedestrians were walking hurriedly, their expressions showing vigilance and fatigue.

Occasionally, the Xuan Shui Palace's law enforcement team would fly by in their shuttles, creating a suppressed whooshing sound.

Instead of returning directly to the cave, he walked slowly along the somewhat dilapidated alleyway.

The discussions in the tavern and the solemn expressions of Elder Ling Yu, Su Qingxian, and others echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Seven days have passed since the Blood Sea Sect withdrew, but the dark clouds hanging over Meteor City have not only failed to dissipate, but have become even thicker.

The mysterious bell tolling from the forbidden area of ​​Xuan Shui Palace shocked the Nascent Soul demon cultivator, but it also stirred up countless ripples of suspicion, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

"Palace Master Li Ming..." Chen Xu murmured the name in his heart.

This pillar of the Xuan Shui Palace has been in seclusion for nearly three hundred years, attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. His condition is crucial to the balance of power among the entire Meteorite Sea human race.

The Blood Sea Cult's all-out attack was less about breaching Meteor City and more about a meticulously planned probe.

To test how much power the legendary Lord of Xuanshui Palace still wields, or even whether he still exists.

"The three-month deadline..." Chen Xu calculated the time.

Xue Fen's threat to return in three months was not unfounded.

At that time, if Palace Master Ruoming still cannot appear.

If the power displayed is insufficient to completely suppress the Blood Sea Cult, then the fall of Meteor City is almost inevitable.

With the loss of the Xuan Shui Palace as a stabilizing force, the human race's power in the Meteor Sea will inevitably be reshuffled and plunged into bloodshed.

He walked to the ruins of a half-collapsed viewing platform and stopped.

As far as the eye can see, large areas of the outer city are still ruins, and the restoration work is progressing slowly.

Although the protective array's light shield lit up again, its light was noticeably dimmer than before the battle, like a candle flickering in the wind.

In the post-war Meteor City, order is being restored on the surface, but undercurrents are already surging beneath the ruins.

The Xuan Shui Palace's law enforcement team patrolled day and night, but they could not hide the growing fear among the cultivators.

Many monks have already secretly sold off their belongings and are preparing to escape.

The three-month deadline hangs like a sword of Damocles overhead; the shadow of the Blood Sea Cult's resurgence is far more suffocating than the ruins before our eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Xu."

A cool, clear voice sounded from behind.

Chen Xu turned around and saw Lin Miaoyin, dressed in plain clothes, standing quietly three steps away.

She held a communication jade slip in her hand, her brows furrowed with undisguised worry.

"Manager Lin." Chen Xu nodded slightly.

Lin Miaoyin approached and handed over the jade slip: "Master and Elder Lingyu are discussing matters in the inner city and have ordered me to find you."

"After the Blood Sea Cult retreated, they discovered some unusual traces on the edge of the sea."

Chen Xu took the jade slip and immersed his consciousness into it, whereupon an image appeared in his mind.

On a deserted island reef three hundred miles away from Meteor City, there are several ravines that are more than ten feet deep.

Dark red crystalline substances condensed at the edge of the ravine, emitting energy fluctuations similar to, but purer than, those of the Bloodlust aura.

Even more alarming is the presence of numerous marine animal carcasses floating in the shallow waters surrounding the deserted island.

There were no obvious wounds on the surface of the corpse, but it had lost all its essence and blood, as if it had been drained by some force.

"This is Blood Fiend Crystal," Lin Miaoyin whispered.

"The Blood Sea Sect uses secret methods to condense battlefield blood essence and refine it into this crystal, which can greatly enhance the power of demonic arts and is also the core material for activating large-scale demonic arrays."

"The traces on the deserted island indicate that they did not go far when they retreated, but rather set up something around the sea."

Chen Xu withdrew his divine sense, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes: "They are preparing for the next attack."

"The quantity of these Blood Fiend Crystals could not have been refined in seven days; the planning probably began long before the siege."

Lin Miaoyin nodded silently: "That's what Master thought too."

"The Blood Sea Sect's retreat this time was not due to exhaustion, but rather because they temporarily avoided direct confrontation after realizing that the Palace Master was on the bell, while taking the opportunity to complete their subsequent arrangements."

"If we wait until they are fully prepared, the defensive array of Meteor City may not be able to withstand the first wave of attack when they come next time."

Without another word, the two leaped into the air, transforming into two streaks of light that swept past the ruined outer city and flew towards the inner city.

Along the way, the cultivators repairing the formations looked exhausted, and the rogue cultivators carrying supplies had bewildered looks.

The entire city was shrouded in a depressing silence, and even the sound of the waves crashing on the shore seemed particularly jarring.

The inner city walls were towering, and the light emanating from the array patterns was several times more solid than that of the outer city.

However, upon closer inspection, one can detect subtle stagnation in the flow of energy.

The core array was damaged in the previous battle, and repairing it will be no easy task.

At the city gate, Xuan Shui Palace disciples strictly checked cultivators entering and leaving, creating a tense atmosphere.

Elder Lingyu and Su Qingxian were already waiting in the council hall on the city tower.

Besides the two, Elder Gu was also present, and three other late-stage Core Formation cultivators dressed in the robes of Xuan Shui Palace stewards stood solemnly to the side.

Upon seeing Chen Xu and Lin Miaoyin enter, Ling Yu raised her hand to indicate that they should not stand on ceremony, and her gaze fell on Chen Xu.

"How are your injuries, young friend?"

"I'm much better now, thank you for your concern, senior." Chen Xu cupped his hands in thanks.

Ling Yu nodded slightly, pointing to the sea map hanging on the hall wall: "The traces left by the Blood Sea Sect on the deserted island three hundred miles outside the city, I presume Miaoyin has already told you."

"Based on the analysis of Sect Master Su and Elder Gu, these Blood Fiend Crystals are only the tip of the iceberg."

"In the past three days, the sea patrolling cultivators have discovered seven similar traces in the southeast, south, and southwest directions. They are distributed in an arc shape and vaguely form the prototype of an array."

On the map, seven red dots were outlined, encircling the outer sea area of ​​Meteor City, about a hundred miles apart, vaguely forming a semi-encirclement.

Su Qingxian lightly tapped the map with her fingertip, her voice cold and clear: "If this formation is completed, it can draw upon the bloodthirsty energy of the entire thousand-mile sea area."

"At that time, Meteor City will be isolated from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The city's protective array will lose the replenishment of external spiritual energy and will be exhausted in ten days if it is supported only by the stored spirit stones."

Elder Gu stroked his beard and said in a deep voice:

"What's even more troublesome is that the three Blood Burners disappeared after they retreated, and even the hidden sentries that my Xuan Shui Palace placed deep in the sea failed to track them down."

"They are likely hiding in some secret realm or underwater cave, secretly overseeing the setup of the formation."

"These blood-fiend crystal nodes must be destroyed before the formation is fully formed." Ling Yu's gaze swept over everyone.

"But the Blood Sea Cult must have a backup plan. There are probably heavy troops guarding each point, or even traps."

"Nascent Soul cultivators are too conspicuous. If they make a move, they will be detected, which would alert the enemy."

"Therefore, I intend to dispatch several elite squads to infiltrate the seven nodes and sabotage them simultaneously, making it difficult for them to defend themselves from both ends."

He paused, then looked at Chen Xu: "Young friend, your performance on the battlefield was outstanding, your courage was extraordinary, and you were especially good at deciphering the key points of formations."

"I would like you to lead one of the teams to be responsible for the furthest point in the southeast, which also has the strongest aura of bloodlust. Are you willing?"

Chen Xu did not answer immediately.

He stared at the seven red dots, especially the one in the southeast corner that was specially marked.

It is near a dangerous deep-sea area called "Soul Burial Vortex".

The area is perpetually swirling with turbulent undercurrents, making it too dangerous for ordinary cultivators to approach.

"Senior, the fact that this node is located near the Soul Burial Vortex is no coincidence," Chen Xu said slowly.

"The Blood Sea Sect's techniques are sinister and evil. The Yin Soul Death Qi accumulated in the Soul Burial Vortex may be the auxiliary material for their Blood Fiend Crystal Refining."

"The Blood Sea Sect's techniques are sinister and evil. The Yin Soul Death Qi accumulated in the Soul Burial Vortex may be the auxiliary material for their Blood Fiend Crystal Refining."

"This place is dangerous, but if we can infiltrate, we might be able to discover more about the layout."

A look of approval flashed in Ling Yu's eyes: "Exactly. The Soul Burial Vortex is dangerous, but it is also the easiest thing to overlook."

"The Blood Sea Sect has chosen this important location because they are certain that we will not dare to venture in rashly. But time is of the essence, and we must investigate."

Su Qingxian then spoke:

"Young friend Xu, the Illusionary Sound Sect can send two Core Formation disciples skilled in sound wave detection and concealment to accompany you, helping you avoid the whirlpools and reefs and find the core node."

"This junior is willing to go." Chen Xu no longer hesitated and bowed in agreement.

With chaos looming, passively defending the city would only lead to certain death.

Venturing into dangerous territory might offer a glimmer of hope for breaking the deadlock.

After the meeting, Chen Xu did not immediately return to his cave. Instead, he went with Lin Miaoyin to the temporary residence of the Illusionary Sound Sect in Meteor City to select fellow disciples.

The residence was located in a quiet courtyard on the west side of the inner city, where an ancient zither lay horizontally, its sound faintly audible.

Two female cultivators were already waiting in the pavilion, one carrying a zither and the other a flute. Both were dressed in the moon-white robes of the Illusionary Sound Sect and exuded a calm aura.

"These are Junior Sister Ruan and Junior Sister Li, both elites of our sect, skilled in the art of Heavenly Sound Detection and Tidal Concealment."

Lin Miaoyin explained, "The undercurrents in the Soul Burial Vortex are treacherous, and one's consciousness is easily disturbed, but with the guidance of their sound waves, our journey will be safe."

Chen Xu greeted the two men, exchanged a few words, and then agreed to depart at dawn the next day.

……

The next day, before dawn, the sea was shrouded in fog.

Chen Xu met up with his two junior sisters, Ruan and Li, from the Huan Yin Sect at a dock on the east side of the inner city.

A black shuttle boat, only three zhang long, was moored at the dock. Its hull was covered with faint silver concealment runes. It was the "Diving Abyss Boat" specially made by Xuan Shui Palace for this mission.

Junior Sister Ruan's name is Ruan Qin. She is in the mid-stage of Core Formation, with an oval face, gentle eyebrows and eyes, and holds an antique-style seven-stringed wooden zither in her arms.

Junior Sister Li's given name is Di. She is in the early stage of Core Formation, petite in stature, with lively eyes, and a short jade flute hanging at her waist.

"Senior Brother Xu," Ruan Qin bowed slightly, her voice gentle.

"This operation will be led by my senior brother, while my junior sister Li and I will be responsible for scouting and providing early warnings."

Li Di nodded and added, "The Soul Burial Vortex is within a hundred miles, making it difficult for divine sense to reach far, and it is also subject to interference from a naturally chaotic Yin Soul force field."

"Our 'Sound Detection Technique' can use the unique conduction of sound waves in water to outline a large area of ​​terrain and energy distribution."

"While not as refined as divine sense, it is not easily distorted by force fields."

Chen Xu returned the greeting with clasped hands:

"Thank you for your help, my two junior sisters. This journey is dangerous, and the most important thing is to remain hidden."

"If you encounter a strong enemy, do not linger in battle; retreat and relay intelligence as the priority."

The three said no more and boarded the Abyss Boat one after another.

The boat trembled slightly, and pale silver runes lit up one by one.

Then, as if melting away, the entire small boat silently slid into the gently rippling sea, its presence completely concealed, leaving only a barely perceptible ripple on the surface.

After entering the water, the speed of the submersible suddenly increased, and it sped southeast like a swimming fish.

The concealment array on the outer layer of the hull can not only distort light but also isolate spiritual energy fluctuations.

It can also cleverly utilize the thrust of ocean currents, conserving spiritual energy while leaving almost no trace.

As we went deeper, the color of the seawater gradually changed from clear azure to deep inky blue, and the light became increasingly dim.

About an hour later, wisps of pale gray, flocculent material began to appear in the sea ahead, drifting with the undercurrent and emitting a faint, chilling aura.