Chapter 102: The True Aim of the Old Demon! (Seeking First Subscription)

Aoshi Immortal City.

The post-war reconstruction proceeded swiftly; within two days, various houses and pavilions had already been built throughout the city.

The damaged formation arrays were also under repair.

In the northern palace complex of the city, Lu Ya was directing the busy workers when a disciple of the Xuanhai Sect approached.

“Elder Lu, Master Qinghai has instructed me to summon you to the main hall.”

Lu Ya nodded. “I understand. I will go immediately.”

...

Two days later.

Beneath Aoshi Immortal City, the winding spiritual veins stretched across the land like serpents, their branches extending like veins into all directions, streams of spiritual energy interweaving and flowing.

At the heart of the spiritual vein, a vertical column of luminous energy was embedded within the vein itself. Above this column stood the colossal tortoise stele in the city’s central square.

Due to the recent fierce battle, the city’s protective array had been heavily damaged, and the spiritual energy within the vein had been severely drained to minimize further harm.

The entire spiritual vein’s glow had dimmed significantly, and the flowing spiritual energy had decreased; the streams accompanying the vein resembled a dry season, exposing rock walls covered in brown moss.

Within the steep and rugged caves, several Foundation Establishment cultivators were busy smashing spirit stones and spirit items to replenish the depleted spiritual vein’s power.

“That Black Cliff Old Demon is truly reckless. What exactly does he want? Could it really be just to avenge an old grudge?”

As they assisted in fusing the spirit stones into the vein, the cultivators exchanged their thoughts.

“Who knows? That old demon has never done anything good since he appeared.”

“Let’s hurry up. The Masters have instructed us to restore the spiritual energy concentration to 40% as soon as possible, or else the Black Cliff Old Demon might launch another surprise attack, and the formation won’t function at full strength.”

Several Masters sat cross-legged like large converters at various points along the vein, channeling refined spiritual energy into it.

The spiritual vein could absorb the world’s spiritual qi naturally, but that process required a long time.

Because the spiritual vein of Aoshi Immortal City had been severely drained by the battle, they had to use spirit stones to accelerate the replenishment for safety’s sake.

Among these Foundation Establishment cultivators was Lu Ya himself.

He picked up a spirit stone, crushed it, and channeled his own spiritual power to help integrate the energy into the vein, appearing wholly focused.

Yet, his gaze inadvertently drifted to the center of the spiritual vein.

At the vein’s core, a column of spiritual water connected the city’s tortoise stele with the vein.

Within this column was like a small aquatic world, home to a spiritual creature about one foot long, resembling a small turtle about seventy percent in appearance, its body mottled black and yellow as it swam up and down.

This little creature radiated a transcendent spiritual aura, evoking a sense of nurturing all life.

An Aoling!

This was a spiritual creature born from the spiritual vein and the earth’s nurturing energy, the very core of Aoshi Island.

In the cultivation world, many mountains and earth veins resemble mythical beasts like dragons, phoenixes, turtles, or tigers, and these places are often occupied by great clans or sects.

The reason is that these mountains and landforms are not just shaped like strange beasts—they genuinely harbor earth spirits.

Aoshi Island resembles a turtle precisely for this reason.

Earth spirits must draw strength from the vast mountains and lands; intentionally cultivating them with spirit creatures is useless. They can only grow naturally, and very slowly.

Once an earth spirit is born, it will consume the spiritual power of the local vein, causing a long-term stagnation or even decline in spiritual energy in the area.

Only powerful, wealthy great sects can afford to nurture such beings at their sect bases.

Their wealth assures ample time for nurturing, and their strength guarantees the earth spirit they cultivate belongs to them.

Otherwise, after thousands of years of nurturing, someone else might snatch the fruits of their labor.

Such endeavors are usually undertaken only by sects with Nascent Soul cultivators.

Of course, not every place that resembles a mythical beast or a gathering of mountains necessarily has an earth spirit.

Veins without earth spirits are not bad either; it depends on how one views it.

For example, the Xuan Corpse Sect in the Ten Thousand Star Sea simply extracts the earth spirits from their sect’s spiritual veins and sells them to the northern cultivation world.

They value corpses above all else and treat other spirit creatures as worthless junk.

Lu Ya did not deliberately gaze at the Aoling but continued diligently charging the spiritual vein.

Meanwhile, in the other two immortal cities under Xuanhai Sect’s control—Haiyi Immortal City and Dongyun Immortal City—cultivators were also busy accelerating the replenishment of spiritual energy.

These two cities had also been attacked by the Black Cliff Old Demon.

However, among them, only Haiyi Immortal City had a half-foot-sized earth spirit resembling a bead in the vein beneath it.

Additionally, in the southern region of Xuanhai Sect’s territory, near the secret realm of the Sea King Sect, a great war of demonic cultivators had also erupted.

This widespread demonic chaos was soon suppressed by the Xuanhai Sect.

...

The Aoshi Blessed Land, the Stone Turtle Cave abode, was also affected.

But Shen Lianqian’s term had not yet expired, so he was temporarily assigned to another cave abode untouched by the conflict, with some spirit stones exempted.

Alongside Shen Lianqian were several other Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed in the Aoshi Blessed Land, all arranged together.

The Black Cliff Old Demon was notoriously vicious, and the Xuanhai Sect was no ordinary great sect—being offered some compensation was already quite generous. The few cultivators understood and did not press further.

Having just endured the old demon’s rampage, the cultivators placed together did not resume cultivation.

None were fools; being grouped like this was clearly a form of surveillance.

...

Xuanhai Sect also intended to capture the remaining Black Cliff Old Demon’s disciples.

Trapped, Shen Lianqian had no mood to cultivate; he only wished to leave Aoshi Immortal City once the ten-day period ended.

Having witnessed the old demon’s madness firsthand, he had come to understand.

Some cultivators cannot be dealt with by ordinary means. When facing such lunatics, one must keep a distance lest they get struck by stray lightning.

How could the Black Cliff Old Demon, a revered Golden Core ancestor, be so irrational!

Shen Lianqian was puzzled.

Causing trouble without expecting a return was plainly unreasonable.

Before the ten days elapsed, new reports arrived.

During the attacks on Aoshi Immortal City by the demonic cultivators, surges stirred by the old demon also erupted in Dongyun and Haiyi Immortal Cities under Xuanhai command, as well as near the Sea King Sect’s secret realm.

Hearing this, Shen Lianqian fully understood.

The Black Cliff Old Demon was truly brainless.

Better avoid him altogether; he was a menace.

Ten days later, after verification by the Xuanhai Sect, Aoshi Immortal City reopened.

However, Shen Lianqian found that although the city was open, the spiritual ship routes were still affected due to the old demon's attacks on the territory.

The spiritual ships docked in Aoshi Immortal City also suffered damage and required time for repairs.

The routes would take about a month to fully restore.

In his cave abode, Shen Lianqian studied the sea chart, planning to find a secluded spot outside the city to rest for a while.

...

Over three thousand miles from Aoshi Immortal City lay Chiguang Island.

This island held a mortal town, occasionally visited by Qi Refining cultivators.

The island was vast; the town occupied only a small portion, the rest covered by dense forests and mountains.

Beneath an unremarkable small mountain, black-horned ants scurried noiselessly.

Deep underground was a dark pool cave, half water, half land.

A formation rotated, guarding the cave.

“Master, everything is arranged,” said Dahei as he entered.

“Mm,” Shen Lianqian nodded, preparing to calm his spirit.

Since leaving Thousand Kings Island, his journey had been tumultuous; the Black Cliff Old Demon was truly his nemesis.

After resting several days, his spirit was steady again.

He instructed Dahei to dig a new cave nearby and began nurturing the Heavenly Shift Jade Talisman.

The Black Cliff Old Demon had stirred a great demonic upheaval in the center of Ten Thousand Star Sea; judging by his usual nature, he would now be gathering strength for the next attack.

Shen Lianqian truly admired this old fellow’s refusal to meddle with others.

...

Back at Aoshi Immortal City.

As days passed since the demonic assault, initial vigilance gradually waned.

Even the Foundation Establishment cultivators replenishing the spiritual veins showed signs of relaxation; their expressions less tense, their movements less hurried.

Only one person remained focused—Elder Lu Ya.

“I heard the Black Cliff Old Demon is still causing trouble near the Sea King Sect’s secret realm. I reckon his attack on the city was a feint; he aims to infiltrate the Sea King’s secret realm.”

“The secret realm’s entrance is guarded by our Xuanhai Sect’s Golden Core ancestors alongside other sect elders. How could the Black Cliff Old Demon possibly break in?”

“Besides, wouldn’t a fierce battle risk triggering the realm’s seals, causing greater collapse?”

“That’s not our concern. The Black Cliff Old Demon deserves his fate for attacking our Xuanhai Sect.”

“Elder Lu, you should take a break—you really treat Aoshi Immortal City as your home.”

Several Foundation Establishment cultivators chatted, their eyes occasionally glancing at Lu Ya.

“Master’s orders are Master’s orders,” Lu Ya replied with a gentle smile. “You’re right; the Black Cliff is truly despicable.”

Another cultivator spoke, “Actually, the old demon’s target might really be the Sea King’s secret realm.

With so many Golden Core ancestors guarding the entrance, the demon cultivators he controls are too heavily tainted with demonic energy to sneak in. This might be his only plan.”

“Not necessarily. Among the demon cultivators he commands are deeply hidden Foundation Establishment disciples who might slip through.”

“Are you saying the Golden Core ancestors are blind?”

“...”

The elder surnamed Wang hesitated. “I was just speaking nonsense. The Golden Core ancestors have sharp eyes; even the most hidden demon cultivators couldn’t escape their scrutiny.”

...

“Finally restored the spiritual energy to 40%. After being cooped up underground in darkness all these days, I feel like moss is growing on me.”

“Elder Lu, how do you still have so many spirit stones? You haven’t rested even once.”

Lu Ya smiled wryly. “I’m old; I can’t keep up with you all. You never offer to help me. Looks like I’ll have to stay here a few more days.”

“Take care, Elder Lu. You’re busy enough.”

Watching the cultivators one by one infuse their spirit items into the vein before leaving, Lu Ya shook his head with a smile and bent down to continue his work.

The departing cultivators greeted him politely; Elder Lu Ya was renowned throughout Aoshi Immortal City, with a somewhat traditional but kind heart.

More than thirty years ago, he had injured his dantian during a sect mission and then requested to be stationed at Aoshi Immortal City to manage the city’s affairs.

Once the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the underground cliff had all left, Lu Ya let out a long breath.

After hiding for so many years, they had finally allowed him in.

The steep, winding cliff walls quietly pulsed with spiritual energy; the light flickered, brightening and dimming in illusion.

The dark surrounding walls seemed plain, but were densely arrayed with formations—no ordinary Golden Core cultivator could break through from outside.

Lu Ya quietly observed the swimming Aoling.

“Essence of water and soil, earth supports all spirits, water nourishes all things.”

Time flowed slowly; as his eyes opened and closed, a pale yellow sprout’s shadow again manifested within his pupils.

“Begin?”

“Begin.”

A voice echoed faintly within his divine sense sea.

...

“Rumble!”

Beneath Aoshi Immortal City and Haiyi Immortal City, earth-shaking roars erupted almost simultaneously.

The peaceful earth churned like a subterranean dragon; formations sealing the spiritual veins from deep within the earth surged outward, tearing open great fissures.

This sudden event struck the two immortal cities anew.

Within Aoshi Immortal City, Master Qinghai immediately activated the grand array, capable of enveloping the entire city in an instant, yet at this moment the formation stalled.

The earth’s deep spiritual energy failed to converge upon the formation’s array platform.

Because the grand array relied on the earth vein for power extraction, without the vein’s energy the array collapsed outright.

As for Master Yunhai, he was nowhere to be seen.

He had secretly gone to the Sea King Sect’s secret realm.

It was known that the Black Cliff Old Demon’s true form had appeared near the Sea King Sect, and the Xuanhai Sect needed to capture him and obtain the method to advance to the pseudo-Golden Core stage.

When Master Qinghai realized the situation and rushed into the earth’s depths, he found the costly formations erected by the sect completely shattered; the spiritual energy within the veins surged forth like boiling water, flooding the land.

In an instant, the earth beneath Aoshi Immortal City cracked open, and dense spiritual energy filled the void.

“Aoling!”

Seeing the spiritual column connecting the grand array and the vein break, and the small turtle nurtured inside vanish, Master Qinghai’s expression changed again.

“The old demon’s target is the earth spirit!”

“Not good!”

Reacting swiftly, he produced a communication jade talisman to alert Haiyi Immortal City but simultaneously received a message from the Master guarding Haiyi.

The earth spirit nurtured there was also gone.

Each immortal city was painstakingly built by the sect over decades or even centuries, especially the formations sealing and stabilizing the earth veins, which required continual reinforcement.

Losing the earth spirit would not destroy the city outright.

But for Golden Core-level sects, earth spirits were rare third-grade spirit creatures, valuable for personal use or trade.

This was one of the few third-grade spirit creatures the Xuanhai Sect could produce independently.

“No, something’s wrong!”

Hesitant, Master Qinghai burst from the earth’s depths and rushed toward the city’s eastern blessed land.

“Hum—”

At the center of Aoshi Blessed Land, a towering silver light ignited, countless runes swirling, warping the void.

Aoshi Immortal City’s small one-way teleportation array!

Crack!

When Master Qinghai arrived, the silver light on the array was fading, and the array platform suddenly exploded with destructive energy, utterly destroying the platform.

Looking at the ruined teleportation platform, Master Qinghai surveyed the surroundings in disarray.

It was over.

Where could he possibly pursue now?

Within a three-thousand-mile radius, random teleportation was possible.

“Black Cliff Old Demon, damn you!”

(End of chapter)