Chapter 711 - 560: Wulan Mountain
"Squeak squeak!"
The deer call was melodious and lingering. The cyan deer frolicked through the rain with a light gait, sensing that this environment could positively influence the purification of its bloodline.
The Moon of Taiyin grew increasingly dim, and finally vanished completely into nothingness.
The cyan dragon, conjured from a magic technique, also disappeared. The cyan dragon, manifested by the Cyan Lotus Treasure Banner, flew back to Ji An’s shoulder.
The cyan deer shook its body, flinging off the water from its fur, its eyes somewhat forlorn.
It came to its master’s side and let out a clear cry, wishing to immerse itself once more in the previous environment.
Ji An could sense the beast’s emotion, extending his hand to caress the deer’s antlers, feeling the rough texture.
"Next time. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
Only when the Cyan Lotus Treasure Banner and the Green Dragon Water Moon Skill worked together could it produce a sufficiently good effect. But he couldn’t always stay here casting spells.
The cyan deer felt a bit better. It lightly bumped its hard antlers against its master and trotted away.
"Ding dong...."
The bell hanging under its neck emitted a clear and melodious sound, gradually fading away into the distance.
...
The area of Wulan Mountain spanned eight hundred li in diameter, located five thousand li northeast of Cloud Sea Immortal City, shrouded in dense fog all year round, with a clearer view only during midsummer days.
In the past, the mist appeared cyan-white, but now it had turned gray.
Despite the absence of wind, the mist kept rolling, and faint sounds emanated from within, much like the eerie laughter of an owl at night.
At this moment, three cultivators stood in the air above the canyon, their gazes gloomy.
"Daoist Brother Chong Xu, this place is the closest to the Void Sect. Have you discovered anything?"
Chong Xu Zi wore a heaven-reaching crown, a tawny Daoist robe, with a yin-yang fish pattern on his back.
His face was square and upright, his phoenix eyes containing a hidden divine light, making him appear very dignified.
"Daoist Brother Pingtian jests. The mountain gate of the Void Sect is over five thousand li from here, almost the same as your Cloud Sea Business Alliance. How is that close?"
The cultivator next to him, wearing a lotus crown, raised his eyebrows slightly, "You two always bicker when you meet. It’s been a thousand years, and you never stop. It’s truly interesting.
This area lies between the territories of our three parties. If the situation continues to worsen, it will be disadvantageous to us all. I propose a tripartite alliance, dispatching disciples to search for the location of the Demon Cave within.
This way, we can strengthen the seal and allow everyone to get accustomed to combatting with demon lords."
Speaking was Fufeng True Monarch of the Taihua Sect, his face gaunt, his eyebrows like knives. His demeanor reflected a natural aura of solemnity and killing intent.
Somewhere inside Wulan Mountain, a Demon Cave was found, and the seal of this cave had loosened for unknown reasons.
If left unchecked, the demonic qi would pollute the spiritual veins, and even if the Demon Cave were resealed later, purifying it would incur a huge cost.
If the pollution was too deep, the spiritual veins would wither, and this area might turn into a Land of Absolute Spiritlessness.
These lands lead to new ecosystems, holding no value for cultivators but nurturing wild beasts.
These beasts have extremely robust physiques, fierce and bloodthirsty, but their flesh and bones are poisonous to cultivators, completely unusable.
The Cultivation Realm is vast, but following many True Demon Tribulations, many zones of the Central Continent have become Lands of Absolute Spiritlessness.
The Central Continent is the place with the most vigorous spiritual veins in the Cultivation Realm, where the True Demon Tribulations often begin.
Pingtian True Monarch nodded slightly, "I agree. This generation of disciples must endure the True Demon Tribulation to adapt preemptively, avoiding the chaos later."
The True Demon Tribulation is a calamity in the Cultivation Realm, but also a forest fire, toppling decaying forces and bringing rebirth to survivors.
Every True Demon Tribulation sees the demise of some sects at the Nascent Soul level.
Chong Xu Daoist Monarch furrowed his eyebrows deeply, "If we mobilize disciples extensively, the news will leak, which does not align with our initial strategy."
The Nascent Soul powers have agreed to keep the information as contained as possible, ensuring each sect’s preparation can be thorough.
Fufeng True Monarch raised his eyebrows and said sternly:
"Strategy? What strategy is there! Sects like the Divine Wood Sect and the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts can use the information gap to prepare more fully, but unless we release the news, sparking enthusiasm among our disciples will be difficult.
Moreover, records show that the Demon Cave in Wulan Mountain is a small one. Even if the seal loosened, the spread of demonic qi should not be this rapid."
Secrecy is indispensable, but if the situation deteriorates, he believes it should be reported to all powers sooner.
At this moment, every ounce of strength is precious.
He paused, then said sharply:
"I fear a new Demon Cave might form, and that would pose a major issue!"
If his fears were accurate, the newly formed Demon Cave must be a large one.
If a large Demon Cave appeared so close to a sect’s location, it would mean facing Nascent Soul-level True Demons head-on once the True Demon Tribulation erupted.
𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
During the True Demon Tribulation, the Yang’s Spirit Mechanism in heaven and earth is at a disadvantage, making Nascent Soul Daoist Monarchs generally weaker than True Demons of the same level.
Pingtian True Monarch’s previously carefree expression suddenly turned grave, as did Chong Xu Daoist Monarch’s. They both understood the implications.
The Five Elements Sect and the Celestial River Sword Sect were once top-tier powers in the Central Continent, but their heritages were cut short in the True Demon Tribulation because huge Demon Caves appeared near their mountain gates.
Their current powers were inferior to the Five Elements Sect at its peak. If a large Demon Cave appeared, it would be disastrous for them.
Chong Xu Daoist Monarch lowered his head in deep thought. When the demonic qi surged and spread, wild beasts of the Land of Absolute Spiritlessness would become even more violent.
There is a Land of Absolute Spiritlessness over four thousand li west of the Void Sect, which is a significant hidden danger.
Daoist Monarch Pingtian solemnly said, "I agree with Daoist Brother Fufeng’s proposal. All parties should dispatch disciples to enter Wulan Mountain. If a new Demon Cave is indeed discovered, we must immediately mobilize all available forces."
Daoist Monarch Chongxu nodded, rarely agreeing with Daoist Monarch Pingtian, "I agree as well."
Daoist Monarch Fufeng’s tone turned gentle, and he said:
"Everyone need not be nervous. After so many years of development in the Cultivation Realm, the overall strength has been continually improving.
In the past, the Cultivation Realm was no match for the demon lords, but now we should be evenly matched.
If it really doesn’t work out, we’ll just restart the demon cultivator program from back then."
The three of them discussed some details extensively and then each went their separate ways.
...
A month passed.
At noon, Ji An arrived at the Certification Association and smiled:
"Fellow Daoist Qingfeng, I rushed here immediately upon receiving your Communication Golden Sword, without a moment’s delay.
Quickly, tell me, what good tasks are there?"
The other party had communicated that a lot of tasks with considerable Contribution Points had appeared, which was a good news for him.
The sooner he accumulates enough Contribution Points, the more Talisman Making Techniques at the Golden Core Level he can exchange for.
His Metal Divine Thunder reached the Great Perfection Level many years ago. If he were to exchange for a Talisman Making Technique, the first he would exchange for would be the Geng Metal Thunder Talisman.
Master Qingfeng smiled in return, "This time we need to craft a large number of Purifying Talismans; the task our association received is for fifty thousand sheets."
Ji An was momentarily stunned and couldn’t help but press his lips together.
Given the number of cultivators in Cloud Sea Immortal City, two hundred thousand talismans are nothing, but the implication behind two hundred thousand Purifying Talismans is intriguing.
Purifying Talismans can cleanse demonic qi pollution; such a large consumption must mean something has gone wrong in a specific area in the Central Continent.
He lowered his voice and said:
"Fellow Daoist, with your well-connected intelligence, have you heard any word?"
He felt somewhat disquieted. While cultivating in the Western Continent, although he encountered demon and monster calamities, his path of cultivation was relatively smooth.
Now, having come to the most prosperous and thriving Central Continent of the Cultivation Realm, he found that his future cultivation path would have its twists and turns, and significant ones at that.
Master Qingfeng gently shook his head, "The Certification Association does not belong to Cloud Sea Immortal City, so I have no way of knowing the specifics."
In fact, he had heard that various forces within the Business Alliance had withdrawn a group of outstanding disciples to undertake secret tasks outside.
Among these disciples, even the weakest one was at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment.
The source of the information was confidential, and he was not at liberty to disclose it, otherwise, it would negatively impact the person who provided him with the information.
He paused for a moment, speaking obliquely:
"I think that in the future, the demand for talismans like the Spirit Stabilizing Talisman and Purifying Talisman will only grow, which is good news for you, fellow Daoist."
Before the higher-ups loosened their lips, the information he knew could only remain bottled up within him; he dared not leak a bit.
He knew clearly what could be said and what could not. If the higher-ups investigated responsibilities, he couldn’t bear it.
Ji An understood the implication and voluntarily changed the topic:
"What’s the maximum amount of talisman materials I can take?"
It’s not like he could take as many materials as he wanted; the association had its own standards to evaluate each cultivator.
Master Qingfeng held up three fingers, "Three thousand sets; the minimum success rate required is also forty percent. The excess will be purchased by the association.
Due to the large quantity, you must submit your work every half a month. After submitting twelve hundred finished talismans, the rest can be handed over gradually."
For a Talisman Master at the Golden Core Level, drawing Tier Two talisman materials daily, two to three hundred sets a day is quite easy.
"Alright, give me the materials then."
Ji An decided to keep a batch for himself after successfully crafting them.
After the True Demon Tribulation breaks out, these items will certainly be consumed in large quantities. Although he could make talisman paper and cinnabar, he rarely did so personally nowadays.
Master Qingfeng took out a Storage Bag, smiling:
"I’ve prepared it long ago. Just count it, and you can take it after signing the commission agreement."
The talisman-making task was strenuous, and now he had to get involved personally. He contacted some capable Talisman Makers with whom he had a good relationship and asked for their help.
Ji An chuckled, "Alright then, since you’ve already made the arrangements, I can only accept."
He probed his Divine Sense into the Storage Bag and began to quickly tally the materials.
"How can this be called a scheme? It’s a request for help, fellow Daoist."
After speaking, Master Qingfeng solemnly cupped his hands, looking serious.
Ji An, after counting the quantity and signing the agreement, left after some small talk, as he would just be in the way given how busy the other party was.
He stepped out of the Certification Association and was about to ride on a cloud for flying escape when a Communication Golden Sword flew in an arc towards him.