Chapter 420 - 240: Bone Jade (2)
In just a short while, barely any of the swarming Poisonous Insects were left.
"All hail the Patriarch!"
"As expected of the Patriarch!"
The disciples behind him erupted in cheers.
Afterward, under the command of the Stewards, the disciples formed up and advanced together. They began their assault on the Insect Nest, just as they always did, to clear the territory of any destabilizing factors.
The desolate island possessed a minuscule Tier One Spiritual Vein. Once the island’s Insect Swarm was cleared out, it would be posted on the Yellow List to be leased by cultivators who wished to establish their own families.
This leasing practice was an important source of income for the Sect.
Influenced by the recent turmoil in the Southern Barbarian lands, the number of cultivators wishing to settle in the Bihai Island Group had been growing by the day.
As a result, the supply of Spiritual Lands was becoming scarce.
Even Lü Zhong had to come out and help.
The battle was swift and decisive.
By the time dusk fell, the Insect Swarm had been completely wiped out.
All the insect carcasses would be collected to be used as fertilizer, feeding the Great Honey Insects that cultivate Fungus Moss. Through a series of transformations, this would ultimately become Spirit Ascending Honey, capable of advancing one’s cultivation.
...
The days passed, one by one.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for the Lantern Festival again.
The Bihai Sect held a grand celebration for the occasion. Lü Zhong only made a brief appearance before returning to Tide Cave to watch the moon with Yu Feng’Er at the summit of Bihai Peak.
The Moonlight washed over them like water.
Compared to the bustling sea of lights on the mountain below, the summit of Bihai Peak—though also adorned with festival lanterns—felt rather quiet, with only the two of them present.
Lü Zhong and Yu Feng’Er, however, quite enjoyed this kind of atmosphere.
They held each other, not speaking, simply savoring this rare, festive peace.
It was quiet and peaceful.
Until dawn.
...
A new day dawned.
After finishing his meticulously prepared Spiritual Food, Lü Zhong didn’t head to his Secluded Meditation Chamber as he normally would. Instead, he bid farewell to Yu Feng’Er, transformed into a streak of rainbow light, and flew toward Changchun Immortal City.
He stayed there for over half a month, attending one auction after another.
Relying on his immense wealth, he successfully bid on seven bottles of Pills and an ingot of Iron Essence.
In between, he attended various exchange meets, both large and small.
Using Spirit Ascending Honey as his bartering chip, he acquired several Spirit Medicines of varying ages, a number of cultivation-enhancing Pills, and various bulk goods—all things he currently needed.
His objectives achieved, Lü Zhong prepared to head back.
But just as he reached the city gate, a voice reached his ears.
"I am Tang Chengchu. A pleasure to meet you, Fellow Daoist..."
Lü Zhong followed the voice with his eyes and saw an unfamiliar middle-aged cultivator. The man wore a three-stranded beard and had the air of a great scholar, and he radiated the aura of an Early-stage Core Formation Cultivation.
’Tang Chengchu?’
’I don’t think I’ve heard that name before.’
He promptly ignored the man and continued walking out of the city.
’This Tang Chengchu looks like a magnet for trouble.’
’I can’t get involved with him.’
"Fellow Daoist, please wait!"
Lü Zhong had been hesitating about whether he should acknowledge the man, but upon hearing those words, he immediately sped up. He practically ran out of the city gate, transformed into a streak of rainbow light, and shot into the sky.
But unexpectedly, the man gave chase.
"Fellow Daoist! Fellow Daoist, please wait!"
’What the hell!’
Lü Zhong’s heart skipped a beat.
Not daring to engage with the man, he immediately increased his Escape Speed. Relying on his superior cultivation, he left Tang Chengchu in the dust in no time.
Staring at the slowly fading trail of Spiritual Qi, Tang Chengchu was dumbfounded.
’This wasn’t part of the plan.’
Remembering the purpose of his trip, he knew he couldn’t afford any more delays.
He had no choice but to increase his Escape Speed as well and fly toward the Bihai Sect.
...
In Bihai Hall, guest and host took their seats.
GLUG... GLUG...
The serving maids went about their duties. After brewing and pouring the Spirit Tea and presenting an assortment of fruits and pastries, they bowed in unison and withdrew from the grand hall.
"My apologies. It seems I misunderstood your intentions, Fellow Daoist."
Lü Zhong said to Tang Chengchu, cupping his hands in a salute.
He said the words, but his opinion of the man hadn’t changed. This Tang Chengchu, who had followed him all the way to the Bihai Sect, was indeed a magnet for trouble, and he had now presented Lü Zhong with a true dilemma.
’Bone Jade!’ Lü Zhong was deeply conflicted.
The item was a rare treasure of heaven and earth with extraordinary effects, and it just so happened to be the solution to the problem of his own cultivation aptitude.
If consumed during cultivation, it could temporarily increase the speed at which he refined Spiritual Qi. This was tantamount to improving his innate aptitude, allowing him to rapidly advance his cultivation.
’Such a Spiritual Object was truly something to covet!’
This was why Lü Zhong was hesitating.
"Be honest with me, Fellow Daoist. How much of what you’ve said is true?" Lü Zhong fixed his gaze on Tang Chengchu. According to the information he’d been given, the location of the Bone Jade was guarded by a single Tier Three Sea Beast.
’Who was he trying to kid?’
’It was just one Tier Three Sea Beast. Even if a cultivator’s methods weren’t enough to defeat it, could they not find a way to steal... no, *retrieve* it?’
Tang Chengchu’s eyes flickered, but his expression remained unchanged. He smiled. "Everything I’ve just told you is true. However, that Tier Three Sea Beast guarding the treasure is... admittedly, not easy to deal with."
"What is it?"
"A Water Flood Dragon. If I’m not mistaken, it’s the very one you encountered last time."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Lü Zhong’s expression turned cold. He immediately lifted his teacup in a clear gesture of dismissal. "Safe travels, Fellow Daoist. I am a busy man and will not see you out."
’Was this some kind of joke?’
’That thing was a Flood Dragon!’
’Only one who had fought it personally could know the true terror of a Water Flood Dragon.’
It wasn’t that Lü Zhong looked down on Tang Chengchu, but with his Early-stage Core Formation Cultivation, the man would be utterly helpless against that Water Flood Dragon. He would be nothing more than a home delivery meal.
「Outside the Bihai Sect.」
Tang Chengchu realized he had miscalculated.
He hadn’t expected Lü Zhong to be so cautious that even dangling the Bone Jade as bait wouldn’t move him. Instead, he had only succeeded in leaking the treasure’s location.
’Then again, he’s a Sect Master, the head of a Commerce Association, and has a beautiful woman by his side.’
’If it were me, I’d be just as careful.’
Gazing at the distant Bihai Peak, Tang Chengchu’s expression flickered indeterminately. ’Since the original plan has failed,’ he thought, ’it seems I have no choice but to move on to the next target...’
His original plan had been to use Lü Zhong to get the treasure for him.
The linchpin of his plan was a bottle of "Dragon-Attracting Incense," a type of Secret Medicine that was powerfully alluring to Flood Dragons—enough to make the Water Flood Dragon pursue Lü Zhong relentlessly.
Once the Water Flood Dragon was lured away, he could get his hands on the Bone Jade.
But who could have guessed that the very first step of the plan would fail?
Tang Chengchu paced on the spot for a moment before transforming into a streak of rainbow light and leaving.
A good while later, Lü Zhong emerged from the shadows.
Although he couldn’t know what Tang Chengchu was thinking, replaying the scene and observing the changes in the man’s expression told Lü Zhong that he was up to no good.
’The Water Flood Dragon.’
’Perhaps I should go take a look.’
Things were different now.
After all, he had now mastered the Thunderous Spear.
He was confident that if he were to face the Water Flood Dragon again, he would at least have an even chance.
’If the mantis stalks the cicada...’
At this thought, Lü Zhong’s eyes lit up.
The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl into a grin.
...
「Mingwu Sea.」
It was located thirty thousand li from Changchun Immortal Harbor, near the vast and endless "Boundless Sea." This stretch of ocean got its name from the "WOO WOO" whistling sound that echoed through its year-round, pervasive fog.
On this day, three streaks of rainbow light streaked across the sky and arrived.
The person in the lead was none other than Tang Chengchu.
The other two were a man and a woman, both at the Mid-stage Core Formation Cultivation.
The woman was clad in red robes, a faint trace of worry in her picturesque eyes. If Lü Zhong had been present, he would have recognized her instantly: Fang Hongshang of the Buhong Mountain Fang Family.
The male cultivator was a burly giant, clearly a Mystic Cultivator who practiced Body Refining.
An impatient expression crossed his face as he pressed, "Fellow Daoist Tang, when are we going to get to this place you’ve been talking about? We’ve been flying over this damn ocean for the better part of a month. Any further and we’ll really be in the Boundless Sea! Without a ship to protect us in that godforsaken place, we’ll all be fish food in less than a day!"
The giant grumbled, his incessant complaints making him seem like quite the chatterbox.
"Fellow Daoist Zhong, look ahead. That is our destination!" Tang Chengchu said, showing no sign of annoyance at the giant’s words. He simply pointed to a misty island ahead.
"Mist Island!" Fang Hongshang recognized it, and a look of shock appeared on her face.
"The Bone Jade... is it really in a place like this?"
According to the Fang Family’s ancient texts, the source of the fog in the Wuming Sea was these very Mist Islands. And though they were called "islands," she knew they were not islands at all.
They were, in fact, colossal Sea Beasts.
They were called "Fog Mirages."