Chapter 81: Twenty Thousand Miles in a Single Sprint, Vanishing into the Mortal World

Escape!

Once this thought crossed his mind, Shen Lian began to ponder deeply, weighing every factor necessary for his future cultivation and safety.

According to Pei Huoyu’s memories, Ancestor Ziyang was indeed being hunted by his enemies and was now in hiding. Ziyang’s disciple, Bian Qingyun, was also lying low somewhere in the southern cultivation world. At present, neither of them was likely to come searching for him, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t in the future. He had never witnessed the methods of a Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivator, but he could only imagine them as even more terrifying. Perhaps, through some secret art, they could still track him down. Even if he cultivated at his fastest, reaching the ninth level of Foundation Establishment in twenty years would already be quite the feat. He would still be no match for a Golden Core, especially not for someone like Bian Qingyun, who was an old and established mid-stage Golden Core for over a hundred years. Facing a Nascent Soul master would only lead to him kneeling and crying out for mercy.

The Five Elements Mountain flashed into his hand and was then instinctively sent back into his dantian. Was it really worth it to risk his life against a Nascent Soul elder for the sake of this treasure?

Undeniably, the Five Elements Mountain was a precious artifact, with the potential to evolve into a third, fourth, or even fifth-rank spiritual treasure. But right now, it was only a second-rank item and had already brought him enough trouble.

Should he abandon it?

Shen Lian rose and began to pace the room. It was painful—he had invested so much primordial energy nurturing it, and now to throw it away felt almost unbearable. There were still two thousand spirit stones left as well.

After a while, his gaze grew resolute; he had made up his mind. Having one Pei Huoyu find him was terrifying enough. If Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators really came for him, he wouldn’t even have time to react before meeting his end. There was no point in debating worth—it was a matter of bargaining for his life with the King of Hell. He couldn’t pin his hopes on luck. Still, if he were to abandon the Five Elements Mountain, he’d have to do it somewhere safe, not in Black Whale City—just in case he ever had the chance to retrieve it.

His fight with Pei Huoyu had also exposed how unprepared he was. Before making his escape, he needed to ready his most reliable weapon—the sequence of talismans. Otherwise, if trouble arose on the road, he’d only suffer.

“Second-rank talisman materials.”

“Spirit-gathering formations, cultivation pills…”

“To refine second-rank pills, I’ll need a new cauldron, and must stock up on spirit charcoal and medicinal herbs…”

Shen Lian produced a jade slip and began to record all the items he needed, so as not to forget anything.

“Also, pills to restore divine sense—after using the Soul Confining Seal twice, my mind feels exhausted.”

“Pills to replenish Foundation Establishment cultivators’ spiritual power…”

“Jade talismans that can be nurtured to enhance their power must be refined—otherwise, if I encounter a Golden Core cultivator, I won’t even be able to escape.”

“I’ll also need a superior second-rank formation.”

With this thought, he took out a formation array from Pei Huoyu’s storage ring and examined it carefully.

“The Five Elements Profound Spirit Trapping and Killing Array.”

Upon inspection, Shen Lian discovered that the formation left by Pei Huoyu was indeed of superior second rank. In theory, when pushed to its limits, it could even withstand attacks from a Golden Core master. Whether it truly could, and for how long, would only be proved in actual combat.

As for third-rank arrays, Shen Lian reckoned he could afford one if he sold off all his illicit goods. But selling such things wasn’t feasible at the moment.

“Better buy another set of second-rank formations as backup.”

“Also, I should purchase spiritual items to enhance Dahei and Sanqian’s bloodlines.”

“Second-rank Five Elements Pure Heart Warm Jade.”

“Buy any second-rank demon beasts available…”

Throughout the night, Shen Lian alternated between meditating to recover his inner energy and adjusting his future plans, all the while considering his next destination.

The central sea region of Ten Thousand Stars Sea was vast. Within this prosperous expanse, the Sea Spirit Sect was but one of many forces, occupying the southern part of the central sea. There were also the Profound Sea Sect, the Jiuxuan Deepwater Family, and the Profound Corpse Sect—three major Golden Core-level powers—along with several lesser sects, each boasting a Golden Core master.

Apart from human cultivators, the eastern part of the sea bordered the Sea Clan tribes. The Sea Clan, a nonhuman race, were inherently attuned to the water element and didn’t have the best relations with humans.

The Jiuxuan Deepwater Family, a clan-based power northwest of the Sea Spirit Sect, presided over numerous Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining families. Unlike sect-dominated territories, their lands tended to be more insular.

The Profound Sea Sect’s domain lay to the north and east of Ten Thousand Stars Sea. Under its command was a cultivator at the peak of Golden Core, making them the strongest Golden Core force in the sea. Their eastern boundary abutted the Sea Clan tribes, with wars breaking out between them frequently.

The Profound Corpse Sect was to the northeast, and just hearing its name revealed its path: the way of corpses and the unorthodox. Yet, it had a surprisingly good reputation. Many corpse-refining sects in the cultivation world were notorious for grave robbery and were hunted relentlessly by other factions, but the Profound Corpse Sect was different. In the Ten Thousand Stars Sea, it was known for its benevolence, offering shelter to defeated clans and families.

For example, if a Foundation Establishment family had only one cultivator at that level and he died with no successor, their rivals would be on the verge of exterminating them. What could they do? Send the deceased Foundation Establishment cultivator’s body to the Profound Corpse Sect. The sect would then protect the family for a period. If they produced another Foundation Establishment cultivator during this time, their bloodline could continue.

By now, the Profound Corpse Sect must have collected the ancestors of countless clans. Not only did they keep the bodies, but they allowed each family to worship their own forebears. If a clan’s ancestor died in battle with no remains left, they would even erect a memorial tomb for him, honoring him with incense offerings from the whole sect. Thus, the Profound Corpse Sect was also called the “Ancestral Sect.” They didn’t rob tombs; instead, they focused on helping threatened families preserve their legacies.

Benevolent indeed!

Each major Golden Core-level faction had its own unique traits, and Shen Lian still couldn’t decide where to settle.

The next day, after restoring his condition, he washed away the lingering fire energy from his body and left the Tranquil Heart Pill Shop to begin a major round of purchases.

After a night’s contemplation, Shen Lian had a plan. He decided to avoid all the Golden Core powers’ immortal islands for now. His bout with Pei Huoyu had left him with a strong sense of crisis—relying solely on talismans was too unreliable. If he encountered a countermeasure, their power would be greatly diminished.

He would head for the mortal world and lie low for a few years. Now that he was at Foundation Establishment, his lifespan was ample, giving him plenty of time to accumulate enough insight points to improve his major skills. Formation arrays, for instance—no matter how high their grade, bought ones could never match those set up by his own hands. If he were a formation master himself, he could harness the terrain to unleash even greater power, perhaps even resisting a Forbidden Pearl.

Then there were puppets—had he possessed a few high-grade puppets as helpers, his duel with Pei Huoyu would not have been so arduous. The power of the talisman array disc he’d used in battle was far inferior to that of the Talisman Sequence. If he were also an artificer, able to craft his own custom talisman discs, wouldn’t that suit him even better?

All these crafts required insight points.

As for the mortal world’s lack of spiritual energy, it wasn’t a concern. With enough spirit stones and pills, he could endure for several years. How long he could stay would depend on how much ten thousand spirit stones could buy.

He also intended to visit the Mountain and Sea Pavilion for intelligence on recent events in the seas around Ten Thousand Stars, to serve as a final basis for his decision.

Black Whale City, being at the heart of the Ten Thousand Stars Sea, was home to numerous large guild branches and countless small shops. The Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Sea Spirit Pavilion, the Cloud Hall, and the World Tower all had franchises here, their resources abundant.

Shen Lian spent several days entering and leaving the city, constantly changing his appearance and aura to obtain different identity tokens, visiting various shops. Each identity bought only one category of items—for instance, in small shops scattered throughout the city, he purchased poisons.

During his fight with Pei Huoyu, the Hundred-Spirit Poison Talisman hadn’t seemed particularly effective, but it had played a role throughout the battle, proving its worth in underhanded tactics.

At the Mountain and Sea Pavilion:

“Fellow Daoist, this Little Mystic Mountain Subduing Sea Formation may only be a second-rank medium-grade array, but when used in mountainous and coastal regions, its power rivals that of a high-grade second-rank array. It costs only nine thousand six hundred lower-grade spirit stones.”

Sipping his tea, Shen Lian reflected that the resources needed for a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s advancement were many times greater than for Qi Refining. Formations, especially, were costly. When he’d bought the Five Elements Primordial Array, it had cost him four thousand three hundred spirit stones. At this rate, who knew if his ten thousand spirit stones would last?

He had no intention of selling his illicit goods yet, not even to reputable buyers—there were no secrets that would not eventually be discovered. Such goods had to be sold elsewhere, as his current strength was far too low.

“Agreed,” Shen Lian nodded. “Also, I need intelligence on the Ten Thousand Stars Sea and the Southern cultivation world.”

“No problem,” the steward, Wang Xiang, replied with a beaming smile. “Anything else you’re looking for?”

“Do you have any Dragon-patterned Floodfish?”

Shen Lian asked, referring to a species found in the open sea, covered in blue-black spots, shaped like a flood dragon, with a dragon-scale pattern on its back and a trace of dragon blood. This was essential for Sanqian’s bloodline advancement.

“We don’t, but you might try the Sea Spirit Pavilion,” Wang Xiang answered.

Shen Lian didn’t press further; he was here mainly for the intelligence.

“Here is the information you requested, for a total of three thousand six hundred spirit stones.”

Taking the jade slip, Shen Lian remained composed. The cost was three times higher than before, implying that it contained more valuable intelligence. He paid for both the array and the intelligence, then picked up the jade slip.

“The Sea King Sect’s secret realm?”

According to the intelligence, several years ago, a young disciple from a small Foundation Establishment family under the Profound Sea Sect stumbled upon a sea whirlpool during his travels and accidentally discovered a secret realm within.

Upon learning of this, the family believed their chance for greatness had come and sent their Foundation Establishment cultivators and elite disciples to the secret realm in secret. Unsurprisingly, it was easy to enter but impossible to leave. Out of the family’s three Foundation Establishment cultivators, two perished along with numerous disciples, leaving the family devastated. They had no choice but to report the matter to the Profound Sea Sect.

The sect sent several Foundation Establishment experts to investigate, but they too suffered heavy losses. Finally, even the reclusive Golden Core master of the Profound Sea Sect was alarmed and personally investigated. He discovered that the secret realm was likely a remnant of the once-mighty Nascent Soul sect—Sea King Sect.

After skimming through the information, Shen Lian set the jade slip aside.

“Something this significant, yet I’ve heard no rumors?”

He glanced at Wang Xiang.

“Fellow Daoist, we’re a large establishment—we have to make our profits somewhere,” Wang Xiang said, pointing at the jade slip. “Receiving such news ahead of time is a great opportunity, isn’t it? Was the cost not worth it?”

“It was,” Shen Lian nodded, storing away his purchases and leaving.

A Nascent Soul sect’s secret realm had been found in the Profound Sea Sect’s territory. Although the news was currently suppressed, the fact that the Mountain and Sea Pavilion was already selling it meant it would soon be widely known. That area was bound to become the focus of countless cultivators.

It was indeed wise to lay low in the mortal world for a few years and concentrate on inner cultivation.

After leaving the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, Shen Lian headed to the Sea Spirit Pavilion. After another round of shopping, he exited Black Whale City, disguised himself, and entered the city once more.

At the Tranquil Heart Pill Shop, he summoned the busy siblings Luo Yang and Luo Fei.

“Manager,” they said nervously.

Seeing their apprehension, Shen Lian sighed softly.

“How is your self-study of the medicinal herb properties I taught you?”

“We’ve memorized them,” Luo Yang replied cautiously. “Please test us.”

They had cultivated some ordinary herbs in a small spirit field behind the shop, learning as they grew.

With a swipe of his bracelet, Shen Lian produced two scrolls.

“I’m preparing to leave Black Whale City. Take these records on medicinal herb properties.”

The siblings stared blankly at the scrolls, at a loss. Shen Lian’s words were like a bolt from the blue.

“Go on, go on,” he said, placing the scrolls in their hands and turning to head upstairs.

Luo Yang and Luo Fei clutched the scrolls, standing in a daze for a long time. They had just been dismissed.

Eventually, Luo Yang pulled Luo Fei to her knees; they kowtowed deeply, placed their storage pouch on the counter, and slowly departed.

Soon after, Shen Lian came downstairs and collected the pouch, which contained the proceeds from pill and spirit stone sales. The scrolls listed the properties and cultivation methods for dozens of commonly used first-rank, medium-grade herbs. Even if they could never become alchemists, it was enough for the siblings to make a living. For cultivators with low-grade spiritual roots, giving them too much would only invite disaster.

That day, Shen Lian closed the pill shop and bid farewell to neighboring shopkeepers, casually telling them he was heading to Sea Origin Island to visit an old friend.

Afterwards, he returned to the second floor and began drawing second-rank talismans to prepare for his escape.

In the following days, he made several trips out, purchasing tickets for both treasure ships and spirit ships leaving Black Whale Island—all heading in different directions. One of the spirit ships happened to stop at Sea Origin Island, an island under the Profound Sea Sect just north of the recently discovered Sea King Sect secret realm.

He also discreetly revisited Black Rock Island, cleaning up traces of battle and burying ordinary pills and talismans bought in Black Whale City within the ruins, leaving behind small opportunities for fellow Daoists, hoping they would keep the cycle of destruction going, tossing around a few more spells.

Half a month later, having changed his appearance, Shen Lian boarded a spirit ship and vanished from Black Whale City.

His destination: Qianwang Island, the fourth largest mundane island in Ten Thousand Stars Sea, two hundred thousand miles northwest of Sea Spirit Sect territory.