Lying Low While Cultivating Immortality in Two Worlds

The Void-Stepping Hall.

Traces of past battles still remained before the great hall.

A streak of golden light flashed as Fang Qing stepped through the entrance.

After obtaining the Five Elements Spirit Fruit, the true core treasure of this expedition, his second target had always been this hall.

‘Back then, Ancestor Blue Sea seemingly attempted to open the treasures hidden within this hall, only to suffer backlash from the restrictions and perish here.’

‘And when Linghu Qiuyue and the others arrived last time, they also chose not to assault the hall’s restrictions.’

As Fang Qing entered the hall, the Plum Blossom Divination circulated silently within his mind.

The hexagram he obtained was one of supreme fortune.

He looked toward the depths beyond the restrictions. There seemed to be rows of jade platforms inside, though shadowy and indistinct, impossible to see clearly.

There were tiny birds, wall-climbing lizards, little humanoid figures.

Each carried items such as talisman papers and spirit pearls used to probe formations and restrictions as they approached the depths of the hall from different angles.

Fang Qing’s puppet arts were not especially profound, but using them as expendable probes to test the power of restrictions at times like this was extremely effective.

Bang!

Suddenly, a curtain of black light descended. The small bird carrying talisman paper instantly turned to ash.

The talisman paper flickered with tricolored radiance before becoming completely pitch-black.

Boom!

In one corner of the hall, sparks exploded outward, blowing the lizard puppet into fragments. One of the spirit pearls emitted a shrill wind howl before shattering apart.

Fang Qing silently observed each scene while communicating through the Dao-Genesis Pearl.

‘Qin Ruxue, these are the reactions from the Array Pearl and Spirit-Testing Paper. What do you make of the array?’

Outside the secret realm, within the bronze underground palace.

Qin Ruxue, who had been seated cross-legged in meditation, slowly opened her eyes. She somewhat guiltily glanced toward Ruan Zhixuan, only to discover the woman had shown no reaction whatsoever.

Only then did she reply inwardly:

‘Young Master, the Spirit-Testing Paper turning black indicates this array restriction has already suffered damage. As for the Array Pearl emitting wind howls, that reveals the formation’s attribute and power.’

‘From what this consort can see, the formation was originally extremely fierce. However, the passage of ages caused most of it to malfunction. It was also attacked by a Core Formation cultivator before, venting away a large portion of its power and leaving it heavily damaged.’

‘At this point, as long as Young Master enters from the Geng position and uses Core Formation mana to destroy several array anchors, the restrictions can certainly be broken.’

Though Qin Ruxue still remained only at mid-stage Foundation Establishment after all these years, she had ignored worldly affairs within the sect and devoted herself entirely to array studies. She had long since become a peak second-rank array master and was even faintly touching the threshold of the third rank.

With Fang Qing assisting in testing the array, the speed of deciphering it became astonishingly fast.

Rumble!

Suddenly, brilliant radiance flooded the entire hall before transforming into currents of water, fire, wind, and thunder qi that buffeted Fang Qing’s sleeves.

A moment later, the many restrictions vanished completely, leaving behind only the jade platforms.

“Mm?”

Fang Qing swept the area with his divine sense and felt somewhat disappointed.

Most of the platforms were empty. Only a few still held objects.

He stepped forward and picked up an ancient ge[1].

The weapon was entirely forged from bronze, ancient and unadorned in style. It was not a magical treasure, but rather an unranked “exotic treasure.”

“Still, this exotic treasure is clearly extraordinary. It surpasses the Mirage Pearl in my possession by far.”

“In the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it could probably only function as a spirit artifact. But in the hands of a Core Formation cultivator, it might even rival a dharma treasure. What about in the hands of a Nascent Soul cultivator?”

Fang Qing shook his head and stored the ancient ge away before moving to another platform.

Upon this jade platform sat only a single piece of pitch-black ore.

Its color was profoundly deep. Even within Fang Qing’s divine sense, it resembled a black hole, as though it wished to swallow his consciousness entirely.

“This does not resemble a third-rank mineral. Could it be a fourth-rank spirit ore?”

“If it truly is fourth-rank, then incorporating some of it into my natal magical treasure in the future would greatly increase its power.”

Fang Qing likewise took out a jade box and carefully stored the material away before arriving at the final jade platform that still held an item.

Only one object rested there.

It was a token, deep azure in color and emitting a faint luminous glow.

“Devouring Sea?”

Cloud-pattern seal script carved across its surface formed two ancient characters.

After examining them for a moment, Fang Qing frowned slightly.

“Devouring Sea what? Devouring Sea Sect? Devouring Sea Master?”

He picked up the token and discovered it too was a magical artifact capable of refinement.

After refining it slightly, golden light suddenly appeared across the back of the token. Countless tiny characters, smaller than ants, emerged and combined into a cultivation art.

The Devouring Sea Art!

“Devouring Sea Art?”

Fang Qing swept through it with his divine sense and quickly understood.

“What a formidable cultivation method. It is also water-attributed, yet incomparably domineering. It is even more profound than the Blue Sea Technique, and there seems to be some faint connection in lineage between them.”

“Mm?”

“It actually contains the Nascent Soul realm cultivation sections, along with descriptions for breaking through into the Soul Transformation realm?”

“So that was it. Could it be that back then, True Personage Blue Sea came here in order to retrieve this inheritance?”

The highest level of the Blue Sea Technique Art only reached the early Nascent Soul stage. Beyond that, the path simply ended.

Back then, Blue Sea Ancestor had been a grand cultivator at the peak of Core Formation, only half a step away from Nascent Soul. Perhaps he had learned from somewhere of the superior cultivation method to the Blue Sea Technique, the Devouring Sea Art, and thus searched everywhere for this secret realm.

In the end, he traced it all the way to the “Void-Stepping Hall,” only to suffer backlash from the array and restrictions, dying on the spot.

“But although Blue Sea True Personage could not compare to me, he should not have been foolish enough to forcibly attack the restriction and trigger a backlash, right?’

Fang Qing carefully stored away the Devouring Sea Token, a thought stirring in his mind.

‘Could it be, that he was schemed against?’

...

“So huge.”

Zhan Hongxiu stared blankly at the enormous turtle shell before her.

The shell was as massive as a mountain. Palaces had been built within it, giving the impression of an entire miniature world unto itself.

Earlier, she had sensed the aura of the Tortoise-Crane Longevity Art and followed it to a cave dwelling. By accident, she had triggered a restriction and been teleported here.

“If this shell was shed by a Myriad Longevity Turtle, just how enormous must the turtle itself have been?”

Zhan Hongxiu had once seen the Jiang Family’s second-rank Myriad Longevity Turtle.

Compared to the shell before her, however, the difference was not that between an infant and a giant, but between an ant and a giant.

“Could it be… a third-rank Myriad Longevity Turtle? Or even fourth-rank?”

She muttered softly to herself.

“Haha, the little girl has some insight.”

Suddenly, an aged voice rang out.

“Who’s there?!”

Zhan Hongxiu jumped in fright. Her divine sense had already swept the surroundings several times, yet she had detected nothing unusual at all.

Alarmed, she immediately slapped several defensive and evil-warding talismans onto herself while gripping her spiritual artifact tightly in hand.

“Hmph… such rude manners from a little child. This venerable one is Old Turtle!”

The aged voice sounded again, this time seeming to echo directly within Zhan Hongxiu’s sea of consciousness.

“You… are you human or ghost?”

Zhan Hongxiu was, after all, a great Foundation Establishment cultivator. She quickly steadied herself and shouted the question.

“Haha, Is my true body not right before your eyes?”

Old Turtle burst into laughter.

“Turtle… shell…”

Zhan Hongxiu slowly raised her head, looking toward the turtle shell towering even higher than the palace dome above.

“You are… the turtle spirit of this Myriad Longevity Turtle?”

The Myriad Longevity Turtle was famous indeed, but third-rank ones were already exceedingly rare, let alone fourth-rank. Those existed only in myths and legends.

Demonic beasts were already renowned for their long lifespans, while the fourth-rank Myriad Longevity Turtle of legend could supposedly live for ten thousand years!

“Correct. This old man’s mortal body collapsed, yet I am not a ghost cultivator either. Calling me a ‘turtle spirit’ is quite fitting.”

Not only was Old Turtle not angered, he sounded rather pleased.

“As expected of one carrying some destiny and talent upon herself.”

“May I ask why Senior has sought out this junior?”

Zhan Hongxiu’s heart pounded uneasily.

A fourth-rank demon beast was comparable to a Nascent Soul great cultivator!

And Nascent Soul cultivators were most infamous for their Nascent Souls leaving the body and freely possessing lower-level cultivators.

This Myriad Longevity Turtle’s true body had already perished, leaving behind only a remnant soul. Could it be…?

“It is merely because seeing you cultivate the Tortoise-Crane Longevity Art brought joy to my heart. That is why I guided you here for this meeting.”

Old Turtle sighed softly.

“The Tortoise-Crane Longevity Art? I obtained that cultivation method from the cave dwelling of a loose cultivator.”

Zhan Hongxiu looked astonished.

“Senior actually recognizes it?”

“Of course I recognize it. This was the inheritance of the ‘Southern Village Hall’ of our Zhoutian Star Palace. Even in those years, only a handful of true disciples were qualified to cultivate it.”

Old Turtle replied.

“The fact that you obtained it, even if only a fragment, means your fortune is not shallow. You likely inherited some leftover grace from the descendants of the great cultivator who built this secret realm back then.”

“Zhoutian Star Palace? Southern Village Hall? What sort of power is that?”

Zhan Hongxiu became even more confused.

“Among the stars of the heavens, my master governed the constellations. The Northern Dipper presides over death, while the Southern Dipper governs life.”

Old Turtle declared proudly.

Zhan Hongxiu naturally looked completely bewildered.

“Ah, forget it… Let this old man tell you about the Zhoutian Star Palace.”

Once Old Turtle began speaking, he found it difficult to stop. Yet at that very moment, he seemed to sense something and suddenly cursed loudly.

“This is bad! The Void-Stepping Hall has been opened. The inheritance of the Devouring Sea Demonic Sect is about to emerge. Sigh… when that Core Formation perfection cultivator arrived years ago, this old man should have realized such a day would eventually come.”

“The Devouring Sea Demonic Sect? Another great power I’ve never heard of.”

Zhan Hongxiu already felt numb with shock.

Yet Old Turtle continued:

“This secret realm has gone too many years without maintenance and was forcibly opened besides. Sooner or later, it will scatter into the void.”

“Originally, this old man planned to let his soul return to the void. Yet I still retain some attachment to the mortal world. I fear I shall have to accompany you back to the real world.”

“Ah?!”

Zhan Hongxiu’s eyes widened.

“What are you shouting for? With this old man accompanying you, you will enjoy endless benefits.”

Old Turtle spoke proudly.

“This secret realm may appear magnificent and overflowing with spiritual qi, but in truth it was merely a branch hall established by the Zhoutian Star Palace back then.”

“The cultivation methods and secret arts I know far exceed your imagination. When you eventually reach Core Formation perfection, this old man can even guide you to the true mountain gate of the Zhoutian Star Palace itself. If you obtain even a little leftover grace there, condensing a Nascent Soul will be no more difficult than lifting your hand.”

…

“Zhong Lingxiu, have you ever heard the name ‘Devouring Sea’ before?”

After leaving the Void-Stepping Hall, Fang Qing questioned Zhong Lingxiu within his mind.

“The words ‘Devouring Sea’ are fairly common. Previously there was even a Core Formation cultivator who called himself ‘True Personage Devouring Sea,’ though he died soon afterward.”

“It was said he offended the combined calculations of the ‘One Palace, One Temple.’ Since the matter was rather interesting, I asked about it specifically back then. Only then did I learn that Devouring Sea is somewhat taboo and appears connected to a demonic sect from ten thousand years ago.”

“For ordinary Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment disciples, using the name does not matter much. But once someone above Core Formation becomes tied to those two words, it always damages their destiny in some way.”

Zhong Lingxiu’s reply echoed in his mind.

“No wonder Blue Sea True Personage only dared establish his sect in such a remote backwater. So his origins were not exactly clean.”

“And the Blue Sea Technique has clearly been modified many times already. There is barely any trace of demonic cultivation left within it, though neither does it possess any truly profound methods. No wonder I always felt something lacking whenever I cultivated it.”

At last, Fang Qing felt one of the doubts in his heart finally unravel.

[1]:- The ge (戈) is an ancient Chinese pole weapon known as a dagger-axe. It consists of a flat, dagger-like blade attached at a right angle to a long wooden pole.

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