The two demons reverted to their true forms and dove into the sea. Li Qinghong, after swallowing a pill, calculated that she hadn't even needed to use a single bolt of profound thunder from her thunderpool and followed them leisurely.
After some time searching underwater, the group returned empty-handed. Huiyao, visibly frustrated, grabbed Yun Xiaozi and slapped him a dozen times, demanding the location of his lair.
However, Yun Xiaozi, knowing his fate was sealed, kept his mouth tightly shut and refused to reveal anything. Huiyao and his brother exchanged a sly smile. "My Grace, leave him to us for a bit," one of them suggested.
"Keep him alive, I still need him," Li Qinghong ordered. She watched as the serpent fish dove back into the sea, and a thick mist began to rise from the water. Soon, only Li Qinghong and Kongheng were left on the surface.
Kongheng clasped his hands together, hesitating for a moment with his eyes closed. Meanwhile, Li Qinghong gazed toward the horizon, secretly observing their surroundings.
The group had ventured several hundred li deeper, reaching the sea's edge. The spiritual energy in this area grew increasingly sparse, and the sky was an endless expanse of dim darkness. It was said that the spiritual energy here was so thin that even the Great Void was fractured and unstable. Even cultivators of the Purple Mansion Realm, upon reaching this place, would have to descend to lower altitudes to continue flying.
At the sea's edge, the water tumbled over, transforming into mist that rose into the air. This created a dense, heavy cloud cover. If a location with abundant spiritual energy could be found amidst this, it would indeed be an excellent place for cultivation.
Li Qinghong observed her surroundings for a moment, noticing that sweat had started to form on Kongheng's face. Finally, the two serpent fish leaped out of the water, handing over Yun Xiaozi and taking the lead to guide them further.
Yun Xiaozi's eyes were tightly shut, his body covered in blood, and he appeared to have lost consciousness. Half of his form had turned into a limp, fleshy mass, dripping blood that transformed into golden mist as it rose and dispersed into the air.
The group flew over the sea and soon located a formation point. Using Yun Xiaozi's token, they activated it and descended into his lair.
The interior of Yun Xiaozi's lair was empty and slimy, resembling a sea cave. The wet, churning spirit mud created an environment well-suited to the Cloud Octopus' tastes. After searching the area for a while, the group began collecting various spirit items.
The spirit mud here was unusual. Aside from its foul stench, it had a corrosive property that could penetrate mana and erode the body. While the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were unaffected, they still found the smell unbearable. Huiyao, thoroughly disgusted by the environment, dragged Yun Xiaozi over and slapped him several dozen more times to vent his frustration.
Most of the treasures they found were broken artifacts. Some had been refined by demons, while others were remnants left behind by cultivators. Beyond that, they discovered spirit items, including various forms of spirit water and spiritual qi.
Li Qinghong selected a few spears and swords, inspecting the spiritual qi within them. None of them were familiar to her, but she casually picked a few and selected some spirit water that would be useful for juniors practicing perception techniques.
In terms of wealth... there is nothing truly remarkable here. Just a few rare spirit items to bring back, she thought to herself.
After assessing Yun Xiaozi's strength earlier, she hadn't held high hopes for the treasures he might possess. Huiyao's earlier boasting about the vastness of his collection was no more than a typical ploy to stir greed. Now that their enemy was no more, Huiyao's cheerful demeanor betrayed no hint of embarrassment.
Once the spoils were divided, Huiyao was in excellent spirits. He courteously escorted Li Qinghong and Kongheng back to the island, showing an unusual degree of hospitality. He didn't even bring up the topic of offerings, let alone demand a share of the underwater mineral resources.
Li Qinghong, however, remained cautious. She feared the serpent fish might eventually broach the matter of dividing mineral resources, a topic that was highly taboo among the dragon clans. If such a proposal reached the ears of a Dragon Son, it could lead to serious consequences. She tactfully declined and quietly retreated into seclusion on the island.
————
In the southern borders, at Yi Mountain City.
Li Xuanfeng had waited in the southern border for over two years before finally being summoned by Daoist Master Yuan Su.
Returning to the entrance of the cave dwelling, he carefully observed the spirit beast statue at its entrance. Sure enough, it resembled the one he had seen in the grotto heaven, giving him confidence as he stepped inside.
Yuan Su, as always, reclined on his jade platform. Spiritual qi surged below, and white mist swirled about. His gaze lingered on Li Xuanfeng for a moment before he spoke softly, "So, you really killed Yu Muxian."
Li Xuanfeng kneeled and bowed, replying, "This subordinate acted rashly. I beg the Daoist Master's forgiveness."
Yuan Su shook his head and slowly straightened, his voice light and drifting in the air. "It does not matter. Yuanwu must die before I do. When that time comes, even Tang Shedu will not be able to do anything to you."
He completely ignored Li Xuanfeng's words and continued speaking to himself. "Suiguan has seen two years of continuous rain without pause. That Golden Feather Sect will not remain idle either. Troubled times loom ahead..."
After a few idle comments, Daoist Master Yuan Su stopped talking. Li Xuanfeng stepped forward and said, "While in the grotto heaven, this subordinate encountered a spirit beast statue resembling the one at your cave dwelling. From the statue, I acquired a gemstone, which I have brought to offer to the Daoist Master."
"The Three-Eyed Mount Tiao Beast?" Yuan Su's interest was piqued. As Li Xuanfeng presented the gemstone with both hands, Yuan Su gave it a brief glance. The gem was dark in color, with what seemed like rippling water inside. Disappointed, he remarked, "It is nothing valuable, just a piece of Valley Water Stone . It is useless to me. Keep it for yourself."
He leaned back on the jade platform again. The matter seemed to remind him of something, and he casually asked, "What techniques did you acquire in the grotto?"
Li Xuanfeng, already prepared, retrieved three jade slips from his storage pouch and respectfully replied, "The first is the Clear Dew Origin Manual , said to align with the Daoist Master's Shared Dao. The second is Meditative Chant , aligned with Fairy Ning Wan's Shared Dao. The third is my own Gold Aura Profound Inquiry Technique ."
Yuan Su laughed heartily, the sound echoing for several breaths before he stopped. He then said, "You certainly put thought into this. The Purifying Dew divine ability within the Clear Dew Origin Manual does happen to be the one I lack. Unfortunately, the technique recorded on the Three Drums Wall ends at Foundation Establishment Realm, making it useless to me!"
He slowly sat upright and explained in a soft tone, "When one cultivates their first divine ability in the Purple Mansion Realm, they must start anew with the second. It similarly requires a cultivation technique aligned with the Purple Mansion Realm to develop. Without such techniques, the path is severed."
Li Xuanfeng furrowed his brows slightly. Yuan Su, resting his chin in his hand, casually asked, "Are you wondering how Chi Wei managed to reach the peak of the Purple Mansion Realm despite three of the five techniques from the Chi Family only extending to Foundation Establishment Realm?"
Although Li Xuanfeng had already deduced the answer, he still bowed respectfully and said, "I ask the Daoist Master for guidance."
Yuan Su shrugged and explained, "Without Purple Mansion Realm techniques, the solution is simple: find a prodigy to cultivate the foundation. Once they have brought the Dao foundation to the Foundation Establishment Realm, consume them through various means, supplement it with Purple Mansion Realm spirit items, and guide the transformation into a divine ability."
His eyes narrowed in a sly smile as his voice echoed throughout the cave dwelling, "There are many ways to achieve this, collectively known as the Profound Method of Continuation . It saves time while extending one's cultivation path. Naturally, the world flocks to it."
Yuan Su lamented, "After all, most of the Purple Mansion Realm techniques were lost during the southern migrations. Each family hoards what remains. Without resorting to such devouring methods, there is no other path forward. Otherwise, you end up like me—stuck on the borders, waiting for death to come."