Poison Cultivation

Chen Luo never inquired about Wen Ruan's secrets.

Although she had slipped up and revealed a flaw at this moment, if she still did not want to speak openly, he was unwilling to investigate further.

He smiled slightly and said:

"Having these talismans around certainly provides some protection. But since you've given them all to me, what will you use to protect yourself?"

When Wen Ruan saw that he didn't pursue the matter or ask any questions, she breathed a sigh of relief. But when she heard his concern, she immediately felt a little guilty.

Chen Luo had previously helped her out of trouble, taken her to the Li family to avoid disaster, and even gave up his spot as an outer disciple of the Sanxia Sect, showing his utmost sincerity towards her.

Looking at myself, I find myself concealing everything, lacking even a shred of honesty.

Even now that he has revealed his mistake, he still doesn't hold it against her or ask any questions. This magnanimity makes her feel even more ashamed.

Overwhelmed with guilt, he whispered:

"Uncle Luo, to tell you the truth, when my father passed away, he left me a book of talismans."

It took me many years of dedicated study to be able to draw these talismans.

He once warned me that the world of cultivation is treacherous and that I must be wary at all times, which is why I have never dared to speak of it openly. I hope... I hope Uncle Luo will forgive me.”

Chen Luo shook his head and smiled:

"Everyone has their own secrets, which is quite normal. What crime is there in that?"

Why are you suddenly so willing to speak frankly today, when you wouldn't say it before?

Seeing that he showed no displeasure, Wen Ruan felt relieved. A slight blush appeared on her face as she whispered:

"Having seen so many treacherous and opportunistic people in the cultivation world, and in accordance with my late father's dying wish, I dare not easily reveal myself to others."

Seeing Uncle Luo's sincere treatment of me today, I truly cannot bear to deceive him any further. I hope Uncle Luo will not take offense.

"No, no, it's not my fault." Chen Luo waved his hand repeatedly, his smile becoming even more gentle.

If we're talking about secrecy, his two lifetimes and the awakening of his past wisdom—isn't that a huge secret?

If we're talking about fortuitous encounters, Wen Ruan's talisman book is less than one ten-thousandth of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect's inheritance within him, so what kind of rare opportunity is that?

He was not a greedy person; he already had a solid foundation, so why would he covet the meager gains of others?

Wen Ruan's frankness clearly showed that he considered him one of his own, which moved him deeply. He said:

"The art of drawing talismans is easy to learn but difficult to master. With your Qi Refining Level 3 cultivation, you are able to draw a mid-grade first-level talisman, which shows your exceptional talent."

However, we cultivators aim for the path of immortality, and cultivation is ultimately fundamental. We must not become obsessed with the art of talismans, thus putting the cart before the horse.

As he spoke, he suddenly recalled Xiao Qiyuan's earlier admonition, and the more he spoke, the more fluently he became:

"I once knew a senior who was exceptionally talented and aspired to master all the arts of cultivation..."

He slightly modified the old story told by Xiao Qiyuan and told it to Wen Ruan.

Seeing his earnestness, the little girl nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing with him.

Her father died when she was young, and she had no one to guide her. She stumbled along the way and suffered countless hardships.

When he forcibly attempted to break through to the third level of Qi Refining in the past, he almost accidentally ingested a harmful elixir because he did not understand the method. It was only thanks to Chen Luo's guidance that he was able to stabilize his realm.

Listening to his patient and persuasive guidance now, I felt not annoyed at all, but rather a surge of filial piety welled up in my heart, and I thought to myself:

"If my father were still alive, he would probably treat me the same way he treated Uncle Luo."

Thinking of this, she stared at Chen Luo, somewhat mesmerized.

Chen Luo spoke for a while, but seeing that she only smiled at him without saying a word, he couldn't help but ask in surprise:

Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?

Wen Ruan snapped back to reality, her cheeks flushing instantly, and stammered:

"No... Uncle Luo is absolutely right."

"What did I just say?"

Wen Ruan was taken aback and immediately fell silent.

She was only looking at Chen Luo and thinking of her deceased father, so she only remembered fragments in her subconscious and couldn't explain it clearly.

He could only stammer:

"Uncle Luo said... that a senior cultivator wants to learn all the arts of cultivation..."

Chen Luo could tell at a glance that she was distracted and hadn't heard a word she said, so he couldn't help but roll his eyes and lightly tap her forehead with his finger.

"You're always acting silly. From now on, remember to focus on your cultivation!"

After saying that, he turned around and went back to his room with his hands behind his back.

Wen Ruan covered her slightly aching forehead, stuck out her tongue shyly, and felt a little embarrassed but also warmed up.

For the next few days, Chen Luo and Xiao Qiyuan and other guards took turns on guard duty, keeping watch day and night.

As time passed, the sky grew increasingly gloomy, with dark clouds pressing down like an overturned cauldron, muffled thunder rumbling, and waves surging across the land, bringing with it a chilling and fierce atmosphere.

Just then, the first wave of beasts finally arrived, albeit belatedly.

All that could be seen was the vast sea, with its surging waves stretching for thousands of miles, roaring and crashing, and towering peaks of water.

Countless sea monsters and giant beasts rode the waves and soared into the sky, baring their teeth and brandishing their claws, their bloody winds sweeping the land as they viciously attacked the island's cliffs and shores.

As they drew nearer, they suddenly collided with an invisible barrier of light, causing the golden clouds to shimmer and sparkle.

The waves instantly parted the beasts, who followed the waves with nowhere to hide. In an instant, their heads were smashed, blood flowed, scales flew off, and armor was torn.

The golden light trembled violently, its power terrifying beyond measure.

This is the third-tier Xuan Yuan Sea-Suppressing Formation of the Sanxia Sect, so large that it covers the entire island.

Within the marketplace, the cultivators observed from afar, witnessing the vast, surging waves outside, with bizarre and ferocious beasts charging forward one after another, lurking around the outside of the formation.

Leading the way were several large mako sharks, their bodies bluish-black, with two rows of sharp teeth that intersected like saws. Their saliva dripped down, turning the seawater a dark brown. They rushed to the front, opening their mouths to bite fiercely at the light array.

Several iron-backed black tortoises followed on the side, their shells over half a foot thick, jet black in color, with thorns growing along the edges. They used their limbs to paddle through the water and rammed into the formation wall with brute force.

Each collision caused huge waves, several meters high, to rise from the sea surface with a muffled roar like thunder.

Even more unusually, eight-armed devil squid emerged from the bottom of the waves, their bodies slimy and sticky, with black membranes covering their white, greasy tentacles, covered with suckers and fine teeth growing in the inner ring.

Upon its appearance, it spewed out thick, black poisonous ink, turning the surrounding seawater into an ink pool. Its arms and legs lashed wildly, striking the light array and causing the golden rays to scatter.

Upon seeing this, all the cultivators within the formation were terrified and their faces turned solemn.

A young cultivator, separated by the barrier, felt as if the waters were flooding Jinshan Temple and the waves were pressing down on the sun, and a sense of despair rose in his heart:

"If the first wave of beasts is already like this, can the Sea-Suppressing Formation withstand it?"

An older cultivator, feigning magnanimity, laughed loudly:

"The beast tide is just an appetizer; the real threat is the hurricane. Once the hurricane makes landfall..."

As he spoke, his words gradually faded, for he dared not even imagine what would happen after the hurricane made landfall.

outside world.

The water level continued to rise, like water flooding a mountain, finally covering the sky.

A shadow fell, enveloping the entire market town.

In a daze, it seemed as if the place had transformed into a large aquarium, with all sorts of sea creatures swimming endlessly behind the glass and constantly bumping into each other.

A burst of golden light erupted, strange colors surged, and thunderous sounds filled the air.

With the pressure of billions of tons of water cascading down, the Three Clouds Sect's third-tier Profound Origin Sea-Suppressing Array shone with golden light, as solid as a rock and as stable as Mount Tai.

Seeing that the formation was unbreakable, the cultivators thought they could simply endure this calamity until things calmed down.

Just then, a whale's roar suddenly shook the vast ocean, its mournful and terrifying sound piercing through the clouds and making people's hearts tremble.

Where the waves parted, a hundred-foot-long dragon whale emerged leisurely. Its body was covered with mysterious patterns, its back was covered with silver scales, and its eyes were like torches, carrying a hint of human divine light. It slowly patrolled outside the formation, as if looking for a weakness.