Chapter 107: Taking Refuge on a Deserted Island Forty Thousand Miles Away, My Master Saves Me (Please Subscribe)

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Gongs and drums thundered across the heavens. From bow to stern, more than a hundred robust men stood in formation, their upper bodies tanned dark and gleaming beneath the blazing sun as they gripped drumsticks and pounded great cowhide drums.

Higher up, female Qi Refinement cultivators blew their suonas with all their might.

The entire treasure ship was filled with uproarious festivity.

The space beneath the ship’s upper decks had been opened into a vast hall, packed with tables and chairs. Quite a few cultivators were already drinking to their hearts’ content.

The commotion attracted not only Shen Lian’s attention. Many cultivators aboard his own treasure ship also appeared to watch the spectacle.

“Which family is that?”

“Can’t you see the banner? The Yu family of Yushan Island.”

“So it’s the Yu family.”

“I’m truly envious of them. They have wealth to spare—and another Foundation Establishment ancestor has died.”

“Envious? My family has only one Foundation Establishment ancestor, and he isn’t allowed to die.”

“A flowing banquet, is it? Who’s going to see the Yu family’s ancestor off?”

…

On the Yu family’s treasure ship, an old man appeared at a high point and bowed in the direction of Shen Lian’s vessel.

“Fellow Daoists, as our ancestor enters the sect, our Yu family has prepared a cup of humble wine aboard this farewell vessel. Please accept it as a token of our regard.”

As soon as the old man finished speaking, several cultivators really did rise into the air and fly toward the Yu family’s treasure ship.

The Yu family welcomed them warmly, ushering each arriving cultivator into the banquet.

Shen Lian stared blankly at the scene and once again felt that the Profound Corpse Sect was truly formidable.

Sending an ancestor into the Ancestor Sect.

Traveling more really did have its benefits. He had broadened his horizons once again.

Perhaps he should write it all down. In the future, he could publish The Travels and Curious Tales of Old Ancestor Shen throughout the Cultivation World, perhaps even as an illustrated edition.

As the Yu family’s treasure ship, accompanied by gongs and drums, gradually sailed away, Shen Lian sat down cross-legged once more. He did not go to the banquet.

It was better to keep a respectful distance from fellow Daoists who had entered meditation until death. The last time he had encountered such a thing during his Foundation Establishment breakthrough, he had soon run into Pei Huoyu. A dignified cultivator like himself had actually become superstitious.

Within his five viscera, spiritual power intertwined among the Five-Element Spirit Puppets. His aura had formally broken through to the third layer of Foundation Establishment and was advancing toward the fourth.

The spiritual power within the white shell continued to pour forth without end, like a profound, moist, bottomless abyss.

During this period, Shen Lian had not taken any Spirit-Gathering Pills. Simply refining the residual spiritual power leaking from the Five-Element Spirit Puppets was already more than enough for him.

To reach Haiyuan Ore Island, he had to cross the entire sea territory of the Profound Corpse Sect. Shen Lian did not waste any time along the way, making preparations on two fronts.

Whenever he passed through immortal cities and marketplaces of any size, he inquired about the various ore veins—not only the abandoned Haiyuan ore vein, but also other veins still being excavated.

For instance, since Haiyuan Ore Island lay close to the sea tribes, were there any dangers? Did the other ore veins offer any opportunities?

If there was a chance elsewhere, he would not have to go to the abandoned Haiyuan mine.

Apart from making inquiries, whenever he encountered a mining site, Shen Lian would secretly go over and take a look.

In the end, he had to give up.

The Profound Corpse Sect was simply too powerful. Its control over the seas under its jurisdiction was astonishingly thorough, and that strength manifested in every aspect.

Regardless of the size of an ore vein—even those assigned to Foundation Establishment families under the sect—the Profound Corpse Sect still stationed disciples there to stand guard and supervise the mining.

Every ore vein producing second-grade ore was protected by Foundation Establishment cultivators and defensive formations.

As for the veins producing first-grade ore, Shen Lian visited two of them despite his reluctance to give up. He thought that perhaps he might be the chosen one of destiny.

There were no formations and no Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed there, so he moved through them freely.

In the end, he had merely been dreaming.

Expecting a first-grade ore vein to give birth to second-grade Profound Spirit Jade Marrow was indeed wishful thinking. He might as well pray for the heavens to drop a piece directly onto his head.

As for third-grade ore veins, he could forget about them. There was only one still being mined, and it had both a Golden Core True Person and defensive formations protecting it. Sneaking in would be far too difficult.

He might very well end up as a turtle trapped in a jar.

And as for working as a miner?

…

Those people used corpse puppets!

They had abandoned all concern for laborers and had entered the age of new-energy mining directly.

The only good news was that although the abandoned Haiyuan mine lay very close to the sea tribes, the danger was not as great as he had imagined.

Haiyuan Island lay at the edge of the Profound Corpse Sect’s sea territory, and also at the edge of the Black Whale Tribe’s waters.

For tens of thousands of miles around, the seas were barren. Not to mention Foundation Establishment cultivators—even cultivators in general were scarce. There were only a dozen or so small cultivation marketplaces.

When a large ore vein was discovered on Haiyuan Island in the past, the surrounding waters had flourished for a time. Later, however, the Profound Corpse Sect and the sea tribes fought repeatedly for more than a century over ownership of the vein.

Only after the ore had been nearly exhausted did the Profound Corpse Sect withdraw from the struggle. The sea tribes occupied the island for a few years before withdrawing as well.

With no remaining point of contention, Haiyuan Island once again returned to its former tranquility. Neither the sea tribes nor human cultivators paid much attention to it.

Considering all the information together, the abandoned Haiyuan mine was not a good choice. The odds of finding some overlooked treasure there were not high.

But Shen Lian still wanted to try.

Even if he failed to find any Profound Spirit Jade Marrow, the region would make an excellent place to hide.

He could stay at the abandoned mine for several years, first re-refining the spirit puppets. With the spiritual power within the shell, he might even be able to advance another minor realm.

…

Upon the boundless sea—

A fleeting phantom of a fish shimmered beneath the water before revealing Shen Lian’s figure. He gazed toward the vast outline of an island in the distance.

He had finally arrived.

The barrenness of this region, however, exceeded his expectations.

He had first crossed the central waters of the Profound Corpse Sect, traveling all the way to Eastern Ascension Immortal City, the easternmost city in the sect’s territory.

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From Eastern Ascension Immortal City, he continued eastward aboard a treasure ship for more than a month. After that, there were no more treasure ships to take, and the rest of the journey had to be completed under his own power.

He traveled alone for another month before finally entering the outermost region of the Profound Corpse Sect’s territory.

The islands along the way were all in a state of ruin, whether they held mortal settlements or cultivation marketplaces.

On some islands, he could see nothing but broken walls and shattered ruins—the remnants of the ore wars of years past.

That had been then. Now, after Shen Lian had made his way across the region, the strongest cultivators he encountered were merely several sixth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators.

From a distance, a layer of gray mist hung over Haiyuan Island.

According to rumor, when the Profound Corpse Sect had once fought the Black Shark Tribe, the battle had pierced into the depths of the ore vein, releasing the mist. It contained a certain degree of toxicity.

Haiyuan Island was silent. In broad daylight, it was quiet as a haunted place. Trees were scarce, and the few that remained struggled for survival within the poisonous fog.

Shen Lian merged with the water once more and circled Haiyuan Island several times.

The island’s structure was not complicated. There were two bays on both the eastern and western sides, and the ruins of collapsed palaces could still be seen.

Judging by the island’s environment, it truly was unsuitable for secluded cultivation. Yet in terms of stability, it was perfect. Not even the cry of an insect could be heard.

His divine sense spread outward, following the island’s perimeter as he inspected it once more.

“Other than the poisonous air, everything else is quite good.”

Shen Lian nodded. Next, he only needed to find a place with little poisonous air—or one that had not been eroded by it.

The last time he had offended Bian Qingyun in Black Whale City, he had fled two hundred thousand miles.

This time, after provoking the Black Cliff Old Demon, he had traveled more than two hundred thousand miles twice over, from Ao Stone Immortal City to this place.

It seemed that the potential for running away really could be squeezed out of a person after a good scare.

This was the place.

“Big Black, go—”

“Master, the island is poisonous…”

“Don’t be afraid. Your master is proficient in all kinds of antidotes.”

“Sanqian, there’s an underground river here. Go in and investigate it too.”

“Master, I’m afraid of the dark…”

“You’re a dragon-blooded creature. How can you be afraid of the dark?”

“No, I’m afraid Black Black will be poisoned to death.”

…

Half a month later.

Within an abandoned mine tunnel that had partially collapsed on Haiyuan Island, a formation was slowly operating.

The poisonous air had vanished from this place. Aside from the lack of spiritual power, everything else was quite satisfactory.

Shen Lian had transformed into a cold-faced, middle-aged male cultivator. Seated cross-legged upon a meditation cushion, his aura circulated throughout his body as the Five-Element spiritual power completed cycle after cycle within him.

With every breath, spiritual light flickered within his five viscera.

The spiritual power from the white shell enveloped his entire body.

This spiritual power was extraordinarily pure and nourishing.

In such a short time, the Five-Element spiritual power accumulated within his dantian had already occupied four-fifths of the sea of his dantian. With continued cultivation, he would not be far from the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment.

A flash of ocher light appeared, and the Earth Spirit Puppet emerged before him.

At present, the Earth Spirit Puppet’s aura had already reached the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment, one step ahead of Shen Lian. Its appearance had grown even closer to that of a human, and its body was more solid and substantial.

Shen Lian formed hand seals. Spiritual power circulated around his body, transforming into rune after rune before sinking into the Earth Spirit Puppet.

If he wanted to check whether anything valuable remained in the abandoned mine, he would have to rely primarily on the Earth Spirit Puppet’s combat power.

…

Elsewhere on the island.

Beside an underground river.

“Watch me lift the mountains and overturn the rivers!”

Big Black raised his enormous pincers and hurled a stone into the water.

“Azure Dragon Spits Water!”

Sanqian poked his head above the surface.

Pfft—

After a small stream of water swept the stone away, Sanqian glared with wide eyes.

“Big Black, your descendants are gone again.”

Inside the anthill beside the underground river, black-horn ants were being hatched continuously.

The moment the newly hatched black-horn ants rushed into the poisonous air, they collapsed where they stood, their bodies twitching.

The poison here differed somewhat from the miasma in the wilderness jungle. Ordinary black-horn ants still found it difficult to endure.

Big Black picked up another stone and hurled it at Sanqian.

“Master told you to find out where the underground river leads. Have you finished investigating?”

“The entire underground is filled with underground rivers. It can’t be finished—there’s no way to finish it.”

…

“If you can’t finish, why are you still loafing around here?”

Shen Lian’s voice rang out, startling the two little spirit beasts.

“Master… I found a piece of ore.”

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Sanqian spat a piece of ore the size of a finger from the water.

“Second-grade Cloud Goldstone.”

Shen Lian picked up the ore and examined it. It was small, but it was still second-grade—enough to prove that this abandoned ore vein still contained something of value.

“Big Black, continue raising your descendants. Sanqian, go catch fish to feed the anthill.”

After assigning the two little creatures some work, an ocher radiance flashed across Shen Lian’s body. With a whoosh, the Earth Spirit Puppet sank into the earth and stones beside him.

His purpose in coming here was not only to hide and cultivate. He also had the task of searching for raw Profound Spirit Jade Marrow.

The Earth Spirit Puppet traveled through the earth and stone, while Shen Lian sat cross-legged inside the cave residence. He controlled the puppet with one hand and tempered his divine sense with the other, extending the range the puppet could investigate.

This underground mine had indeed been destroyed beyond recognition. Not far below, the tunnels reached sections flooded with water.

Shen Lian sent out the Water Spirit Puppet as well.

…

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.

After observing the island for all this time, Shen Lian found Haiyuan Island unnervingly quiet.

Within a thousand miles, there was scarcely any cultivator activity. Even when cultivators occasionally passed through, they avoided the island from afar.

[Calm your heart and settle your mind. Insight Points +1]

…

[Calm your heart and settle your mind. Insight Points +1]

Inside the cave residence, Shen Lian awoke from meditation. He had worked for more than half a year, yet had not found even a single piece of raw Profound Spirit Jade Marrow.

As expected of a project carried out by a third-grade sect—the work had been done with astonishing thoroughness.

After half a year, the Haiyuan Island strain of ordinary black-horn ants had also been successfully cultivated and was spreading across the entire island.

His experience on Crimson Light Island had shown Shen Lian the value of ordinary black-horn ants. Even ants had their own reason for existing.

After conducting a more detailed inspection, he discovered that the island was not truly devoid of life. Insects among the surface rubble, as well as fish and shrimp in the underground rivers, were still present in modest numbers.

Since the Five-Element Spirit Puppets still needed to continue refining the spiritual essence within the shell, Shen Lian could not use all of them to search for Profound Spirit Jade Marrow. He could only deploy them in rotation.

As a result, the search had not been completely thorough.

At present, the auras of all five spirit puppets were approaching the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment, while Shen Lian himself was also close to advancing to the fourth layer.

This made him increasingly curious about what treasure the white shell contained. It seemed practically tailor-made for nurturing spirit puppets.

…

Deep within the ore vein.

Under the surging waters, mine tunnels intertwined in every direction as Sanqian swam through them.

There were countless tunnels here, and the terrain was exceedingly complex. Repeated subterranean upheavals had made the underwater caverns even more tortuous and labyrinthine.

After Sanqian entered a dark and profound mine tunnel, his two eyes dispelled the gloom ahead while his divine sense cautiously spread outward.

Traces of excavation could still be seen on the rock walls to either side.

In some places, dried bones and broken corpse puppets remained scattered about.

Sanqian swam onward. He traveled for a long time without encountering a single fork.

At last, a heap of rubble blocked the way at the end of the tunnel.

Between the rocks lay a glittering, deep-blue ore, lodged in a crack and emitting a faint glow.

“Huh…”

At the sight of something sparkling, Sanqian’s eyes shone even brighter.

After carefully examining it with his divine sense and finding no problems, he swam over and prepared to collect the ore.

Rumble!

The instant the force of Sanqian’s movement swept across the water, the mine tunnel began to collapse with a thunderous roar.

In the blink of an eye, a gigantic whirlpool formed on the water’s surface, and the current poured downward.

A massive hole suddenly opened beneath the already flooded tunnel, and Sanqian was swept into it by the surging energy.

Jade-green spiritual light flashed as he lashed his tail, sending the falling boulders flying one after another.

Buzz—

Far below the water, a black light suddenly flared, forming a circular formation.

Some of the black light then condensed into thousands of runes, causing the water to solidify into arrows that shot toward him.

Puff, puff, puff…

Terrified, Sanqian puffed out both cheeks and spat dozens of jade-green water bubbles in succession. Each bubble enclosed the next, and he burrowed inside them, forming a huge, bloated sphere of water.

The water arrows collided with the jade-green bubbles, sending Sanqian tumbling back and forth through the water as the protective bubbles shattered one after another.

“Go!”

A stream of azure light burst from Sanqian’s mouth, forming a scale-shaped shield of light that braced itself before his head.

But the incoming water arrows were incredibly dense, and their power had already surpassed what a Qi Refinement cultivator could withstand. Seeing that even the defensive shield could not hold for long, Sanqian shouted:

“Master, save me!”

Update schedule: barring unforeseen circumstances, there will be two updates every day, at noon and at eight in the evening, for a total of ten thousand words per day.

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