Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms

Chapter 319 Return to the Void Sea Eye

The Wang family patriarch took the spiritual object and went to another pavilion.

Inside the attic was a somber-looking old woman leaning on a cane with a crow's head on it. Beside her sat an old man who looked like a fisherman, holding a fishing rod, wearing a straw hat and a raincoat.

"Jiu Yinpo, Old Monster Qu..."

The Wang family patriarch looked at his partner, who was bidding against him for the Star Palace Token, with a somewhat strange expression.

"Haha, I haven't even congratulated you yet, fellow Daoist, on obtaining that 'Golden Yuan Puppet Stone,' which is enough to cultivate that great technique, giving you an extra layer of security during your journey to the secret realm."

Qu Laoguai, holding a fishing rod, chuckled.

"This magical object came out of nowhere... It's too hot to handle."

The Wang family patriarch sat down and casually took a sip of spiritual tea: "That black-robed Core Formation cultivator, what is his background?"

"I don't care about his background. Once he offends a high-ranking disciple of Leiyin Temple, what good can come of it?"

The old woman sneered, "And then there's 'You Yuanzi.' The demonic cultivators of Blood Fiend Island are capricious, and that cultivator is quite wealthy... He might be gone before the secret realm even opens."

……

Fang Qing didn't think he had become a futures trading addict.

After wandering around for a while, he returned to the cave dwelling that Zhan Hongxiu had temporarily rented.

Another half day passed, and Zhan Hongxiu returned as well. She looked at Fang Qing with a rather strange expression: "I heard that a Core Formation cultivator offended the Great Master Dazhi of Leiyin Temple... Speaking of appearance, he does resemble Fellow Daoist Fang quite a bit."

"Oh? The news travels fast..."

Fang Qing sat in a chair, casually flipping through a few ancient books.

Leiyin Temple, as one of the two seemingly transcendent forces in the East Sea with the potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage, has spread its teachings and Buddhist scriptures to the outside world in considerable numbers.

He bought a few books on a whim and flipped through them casually.

"Fellow Daoist Fang is indeed calm and composed, remaining unfazed even when a mountain collapses before him... This level of mental cultivation is beyond my reach."

Zhan Hongxiu smiled.

Fang Qing didn't look up: "Compared to someone wanted by the entire East Sea cultivation world, and currently bearing bounties from numerous forces such as 'Water Moon Palace,' 'Thunder Sound Temple,' and 'Blood Fiend Island,' I feel that what I encountered today is trivial..."

Zhan Hongxiu's expression froze.

Indeed, when it comes to causing trouble, Fang Qing is far inferior to her.

The key point is... she didn't want to do it herself.

I don't know why, but I inexplicably got involved with her. Whenever I go out with her, it's almost like we bump into each other by chance...

Anyway... I'm used to it.

"The market is now a mixed bag... I wouldn't be surprised if a Nascent Soul cultivator appeared there, so you should be careful, fellow Daoist..."

Fang Qing kindly reminded him, then frowned: "None of the Ten Sons of the East Sea are ordinary people... Do you think there might be a bigger one hiding? For example, a Nascent Soul cultivator who sealed his cultivation to enter the secret realm? Or perhaps he used a possession technique to parasitize a Core Formation cultivator to enter?"

Zhan Hongxiu remained silent for a moment, clearly discussing with Elder Gui, before replying, "Impossible... A fifth-order formation is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people... Even a Nascent Soul cultivator sealing their cultivation could not exploit its loopholes."

"As for the possession technique? Once it's used, the foundation of a Core Formation cultivator will be destroyed... Only demonic Nascent Soul cultivators would do such a thing, and besides, it's useless... It will be blocked by restrictions unless a part of the soul is separated beforehand and enters the Core Formation cultivator's sea of ​​consciousness... But that's too dangerous, and the strength it can unleash might not even be as great as the Ten Sons of the East Sea..."

"I see……"

Fang Qing let out a long sigh.

He didn't believe Zhan Hongxiu's judgment, but that old tortoise had been around the Zhou Tianxing Palace back then, so its experience shouldn't be a problem.

So that's how it is...

"These so-called Ten Talents of the East Sea, and even the hidden Core Formation cultivators... to me, they're nothing more than cutting melons and vegetables."

After all, they can only temporarily possess Nascent Soul combat power, and they still have to pay a huge price.

And what about our side?

The ability to cultivate a second nascent soul during the Core Formation stage is already an incredible feat.

For his enemies, there was only despair.

……

For the next period of time, Fang Qing stayed at home and only occasionally strolled around the market to collect materials that caught his eye.

There was none of the expected suppression or even harm from the Ten Sons of the East Sea.

Those were all important figures, and they were all vying for the opportunity to reach the Nascent Soul stage, so they were all very busy and it seemed that no one paid any attention to him.

"Or perhaps, we should prepare to make our move after entering the secret realm?"

Fang Qing sat cross-legged, a 'Hengyuan Gold Sand' appearing in his hand. After injecting a trace of magic power, the sand immediately split into two, then into four, like a gilded stream that enveloped his entire body, producing a friction sound.

He formed a hand seal, and his skin radiated a pale golden glow, faintly accompanied by the chanting of dragons and elephants...

"My Dragon Elephant Golden Body is already incredibly refined... After using up all the 'Eternal Essence Golden Sand,' breaking through to the quasi-fourth-tier body refinement stage won't be a problem. At that time, I'll have an even greater chance of dealing with the lightning tribulation."

Although the Nascent Soul Tribulation is terrifying, it is obviously impossible to kill a Nascent Soul cultivator in the early stage; otherwise, it would be too difficult.

In terms of destructive power, it should be higher than that of a fully formed Core Formation cultivator, but lower than that of a cultivator in the early Nascent Soul stage...

This is exactly within the scope of a near-fourth-stage body refinement!

"Actually, if it weren't for seeking the Dao from Heaven, what treasure would I need to prepare for transcending tribulation? A second Nascent Soul would be enough to solve all problems."

Fang Qing gazed at his increasingly vigorous vital energy and blood, but fell into deep thought:

"The 'Dragon Elephant Golden Body Attainment Method' is indeed extremely powerful... but why do I feel that the 'Hayagriva Protector Divine Skill' still has some unfinished business?"

"What exactly does the fourth level of this technique look like?"

"Perhaps we should make a trip to the Hidden Realm later and explore the many temples such as Hayagriva Temple and Black Spring Temple..."

These temples are all descendants of the Dharma King, not temples of the origin of all Dharma, meaning they have never produced a Golden Core True Monarch. For Fang Qing now, the danger is manageable.

Just then.

Whoosh!

A communication talisman flew into the secret room.

Fang Qing casually accepted the document, listened to a few words, then put on his robe and went outside.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, you've finally emerged from seclusion?"

When Zhan Hongxiu saw Fang Qing, her face lit up with joy: "Ling Xi has reached her peak, and the Guixu Secret Realm is about to open... This is a rare spectacle in the cultivation world of the East Sea."

"Oh? Then I'll have to go take a look..."

Fang Qing rode the escape light and flew out of Lingkong Island with Zhan Hongxiu.

At this moment, a fourth-order grand formation had already been erected on the island, with beams of pure white light shooting into the sky from the four corners, binding countless chains that stretched into the void.

It looks like it's being activated at full power!

In the cultivation world outside the island, not a single low-level cultivator can be seen; the worst are all mid-stage Core Formation cultivators like Zhan Hongxiu.

Splash!

Dark clouds filled the sky, lightning flashed, and suddenly a torrential downpour began.

In front of Fang Qing, countless seawater crashed down, cascading down like a waterfall, with countless water vapors rising up.

Then...

A vortex so enormous it was unimaginable appeared before Fang Qing's eyes.

A terrifying pulling force suddenly came from the void.

"what!"

A Core Formation cultivator screamed in agony as the protective shield formed by his True Core power could not be maintained. It was torn apart by an invisible force and turned into a wisp of blood that mixed into the seawater, unable to even make a ripple in the whirlpool...

"Such a powerful suction force...Even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator would find it difficult to resist."

"Only those in the late stage of Core Formation can barely move."

Fang Qing thought to himself.

Even so, the colorful protective shields of true cores were also involuntarily drawn towards the center of the vortex.

That is the most mysterious "Guixu Sea Eye"!

At this time, the "Sea Eye" was different from usual, with swirling eddies and occasional flashes of various colors.

Those were seal script characters resembling a silver phoenix and a purple dragon, hidden beneath the water's surface, occasionally revealing a scale or claw, like a deep-diving behemoth that occasionally peeks out from the sea...

"Indeed...this is the protective formation of the Zhou Tian Star Palace back then—the Fifth-Order Zhou Tian Constellation Formation!"

Within Zhan Hongxiu's sea of ​​consciousness, the old turtle's excited voice rang out.

Boom!

At the center of the sea eye, a brilliant, star-like light suddenly shone from the once dark place.

Countless dragon and phoenix inscriptions converged, suddenly transforming into a pillar of light that shot into the sky, its immense spiritual pressure spreading wildly in all directions.

"Now is the time!"

Zhan Hongxiu took out the Star Palace Token and placed it on her head.

The Star Palace Token seemed to resonate with the starlight pillar, conjuring a light screen that covered a small area, large enough to accommodate only two or three people.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, I'm leaving."

Zhan Hongxiu called out and then walked shoulder to shoulder with Fang Qing toward the center of the sea eye.

Since this woman was present, Fang Qing didn't bother to take out his own "Sea-Swallowing Token" to test it out.

Gazing at this sea eye, one can't help but marvel: "Using a sea eye to refine pills... even ordinary Nascent Soul alchemists would find it difficult... I truly wonder what grandmaster alchemists remain in the East Sea today who could reach such a level?"

Before the words were finished, the old tortoise within Zhan Hongxiu's sea of ​​consciousness sneered: "Little Hong...look how ignorant this kid is! He thinks he's a Nascent Soul cultivator just because he wants to use the Returning Void Sea Eye to refine pills?"

"The grandmasters of alchemy in the East Sea these days claim to refine pills using sea eyes, but they're all small-scale sea eyes. No one would come here to die..."

Zhan Hongxiu couldn't help but remind him, "Fellow Daoist Fang... I've heard that most fourth-tier alchemists these days still use fourth-tier spiritual springs and alchemical fire to refine pills..."

"Too……"

Fang Qing smiled freely and saw that there were many other cultivators nearby, walking with Star Palace Tokens above their heads. They were obviously all participants in this secret realm.

The Ten Sons of the East Sea were all present, with the graceful and charming "Fairy Luo" at the head.

The great Zen master was also present, and upon seeing his gaze, he gave him a compassionate smile…

The Wang family patriarch, along with Granny Jiuyin and Old Monster Qu, mingled together, gazing at the various flowing lights, their expressions extremely solemn...

"Once we enter the secret realm, break up with this kid immediately... We can't let an outsider take advantage of us like last time."

The old tortoise continued his incessant chatter: "Although we don't know why our sect's mountain gate fell into the Eye of the Void, its restrictions are extraordinary. These Core Formation cultivators can only wander around the outer perimeter at most... The most core 'Hall of Heavenly Connection,' 'Ancestral Hall,' and 'Pavilion of Ten Thousand Laws' should still be intact, as well as several private cave dwellings and spirit herb gardens. These are all your opportunities."

"The Heavenly Palace?"

Zhan Hongxiu hesitated for a moment: "What treasures are inside?"

The names "Ancestral Hall" and "Pavilion of Ten Thousand Laws" gave her a general idea of ​​what was inside, but the Hall of Heavenly Connection left her somewhat puzzled.

"Hehe... There were originally several 'heaven-reaching spiritual treasures' enshrined inside, but I wonder how many are left now..."

The old tortoise chuckled shrewdly, "The so-called 'Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure' is a powerful artifact personally refined by a Nascent Soul cultivator... its power far surpasses that of a Nascent Soul magic weapon."

"As for the Ancestral Hall, it's just a place of high status; there probably isn't much of value left behind. But as a successor of the Star Palace, you should still go and pay your respects... No, wait, if there are still ascension passages within the sect that can be used for smuggling, then the treasure map recording its location is most likely enshrined in the Ancestral Hall!"