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Chapter 638: Black Tide (Please Subscribe)

A long while later.

Fang Xi finally rubbed his temples, gazing into the depths of his sea of consciousness at the All-Heavens Precious Mirror, a hint of excitement on his face: "Finally. . . a new function has been unlocked."

His golden finger had been as good as dead, having almost no presence apart from its world-traveling function.

Only after ascending to Soul Transformation had his refinement become deeper, allowing him to faintly harness some void power.

And just now, after absorbing the 'immortal qi' from a piece of Immortal Jade, the All-Heavens Precious Mirror had finally undergone another transformation!

"Teleportation array?"

"No matter where in the Earthly Immortal World, as long as I've been there, I can leave a mark. . . as a void teleportation point? From now on, with just a thought, I can teleport there?"

One must know, the Earthly Immortal World was vast and boundless; even Return to Void cultivators found it difficult to traverse its entirety.

Even within a single Starry Sky Domain, wanting to travel freely would require at least Soul Transformation power to cross several natural barriers and evade savage beast attacks.

Apart from the super teleportation arrays within the Starry Sky Sect, even Soul Transformation cultivators found it difficult to traverse. Only Return to Void Grand Immortals possessed the power to cross various domains.

And to journey throughout the Earthly Immortal World, even Integration stage cultivators would find it somewhat strenuous!

But now, everything was different!

"Activating a super teleportation array is said to require Immortal Jade. . . and is quite troublesome for both trips."

"I only need to hitch a ride once, and then I can create my own teleportation array!"

"Although. . . one piece of Immortal Jade can only activate one coordinate."

Fang Xi sighed.

The 'mobile teleportation array' function unlocked by the All-Heavens Precious Mirror was naturally excellent, but once a void coordinate was set, it could not be changed.

Beyond that, there was a quantity limit: one piece of Immortal Jade could only set one 'teleportation point'.

Yet, this could save an immeasurable amount of time.

After all, even a Return to Void Grand Immortal attempting to leave the Starry Sky Domain would need to expend considerable time and effort. . .

"But. . . Immortal Jade. . ."

Fang Xi felt a pang of regret.

Qing Hezi's inability to control Kungsang Market also meant losing his influence over the Profound Nether Abyss.

As such, his transactions with the Ink Gate would likely be invalidated. . .

The reason Qing Hezi had to flee wasn't primarily because he killed that fifth-order black flood dragon, but because of the mysterious Return to Void cultivator who had made a move earlier!

Getting involved in such matters at precisely this time could easily lead the Dragon Taming Sect to overthink things, making the situation even worse.

Thus, Fang Xi simply chose to leave.

At a crucial moment, the ability to sever a limb to save the body was also a form of courage!

Besides, the Dragon Taming Sect's ship was sinking anyway. Even if he temporarily endured, he would gain even more when the day of his return as a king arrived!

...

The Wang Family's plan to take control of Kungsang Market proceeded smoothly.

After all, they had once been the masters of this market.

Moreover, Qing Hezi had not intentionally left any secret moves or caused any sabotage. . .

The Wang Family almost naturally regained control of the market.

Aside from 'Qing Hezi' suddenly becoming a renowned demonic cultivator, there seemed to be no other changes in the cultivation world of the surrounding areas.

However, some undercurrents were secretly growing stronger. . .

Cloud-Covered Cave.

Fang Xi held a jade pot, watering his Demonic Tree bonsai.

Among the tree's roots, there seemed to be the remains of a small black snake, not yet fully digested. . .

"Not bad. . . a fifth-order flood dragon is undoubtedly a great tonic for the current Demonic Tree."

After taking the valuable materials from the flood dragon's body, Fang Xi naturally fed the remaining flesh and remains to the Demonic Tree without hesitation.

Although the physical body of a fifth-order flood dragon was astonishing, even after the Progenitor Demonic Tree advanced to fifth-order, it might not be able to refine it into a wood puppet. However, without the Soul Transformation cultivator's core ability to manipulate heaven and earth spiritual energy, it still wouldn't count as a fifth-order puppet. As for true fifth-order puppet arts, they required various rare minerals and wood, entirely different from flesh-and-blood puppets.

After weighing his options, Fang Xi felt that feeding the Progenitor Demonic Tree was more important.

Thanks to this, the progress bar for his 'Eternal Evergreen Body' slowly began to rise again.

"Next. . . will be secluded cultivation, pushing straight to the peak of mid-Soul Transformation, or even breaking through to late-Soul Transformation. . ."

"At that time, there will be some things I can go and acquire."

Fang Xi murmured, then resumed his arduous secluded cultivation.

...

Time flowed like water.

For cultivators, twenty years was enough for a young child to become an adult, for teenagers to become cultivators, or for initial Qi Refinement practitioners to cultivate their Qi Refinement stage to completion.

But for high-level cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage, it was merely a flick of a finger.

Profound Nether Abyss.

A Nascent Soul cultivator, piloting a spirit boat, arduously navigated through wave after wave of Profound Nether surges, arriving at a certain location.

His Divine Consciousness swept over the surroundings, then he pulled out a dark array plate from his bosom.

After a careful inspection, he put away his spirit boat, and a fish-shaped jade pendant appeared, parting the Profound Nether Heavy Water, allowing him to travel all the way to the seabed.

Beneath the water, the reefs were rugged, and there were many strangely shaped formations.

One of them resembled five fingers propping up the heavens, subtly forming the shape of a gateway.

The Nascent Soul cultivator's escape light did not stop; he charged straight into the gateway!

The next instant, his figure vanished without a trace.

When he reappeared, he was already in a strange void.

The surroundings were filled with a myriad of colorful restrictions, pervading the entire space. Directly ahead was a jade archway, above which heavenly thunder rumbled faintly, covering an area of roughly an acre. Within the gateway, a mystic realm could vaguely be seen.

"This place is truly strange. If not for a fortunate coincidence, it would indeed be difficult to discover. . . " This Nascent Soul cultivator looked behind him and saw a layer of seven-colored light membrane, repelling countless Profound Nether Heavy Water, and couldn't help but sigh.

That special gateway had no spiritual energy fluctuations whatsoever on the outside, yet the Profound Nether Heavy Water could not penetrate it. Only when a cultivator passed through it would they discover a hidden haven.

And this special space was not actually the mystic realm itself, but merely an entrance to it.

Around that jade archway, there was also a 'Nine Pure Divine Thunder Array'. If one did not follow a specific path to enter the mystic realm, they would suffer the calamity of divine thunder bombardment!

Fortunately, the Ink Gate had by now almost completely explored this area. Aside from the mystic realm's true jade archway and the array-shrouded area being designated as a forbidden zone, the other places had been built up with numerous pavilions, towers, flower gardens, and ponds, serving as cultivators' immortal caves.

Mo Yinqiu had even recalled many disciples from the relocated Ink Gate and taken on numerous grand-disciples.

This Nascent Soul cultivator looked at the ignorant Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators, sighed in his heart, and entered a mechanical pavilion.

In the center of the pavilion, an elder sat cross-legged. It was Mo Yinqiu!

"Master."

The Nascent Soul cultivator bowed low: "Your disciple has returned from acquiring provisions. These are the spiritual materials obtained. . ."

Mo Yinqiu took the storage bag, his brows immediately furrowing.

The supplies inside were thirty percent less than he had anticipated.

"Master, please allow your disciple to explain. I dared not make large-scale purchases in Kungsang Market and could only successively visit several smaller markets to barely gather these. . ."

Seeing his Master frown, the Nascent Soul cultivator immediately reported with trepidation.

"You've worked hard. . . You may leave."

Mo Yinqiu sighed. He had originally been quite pleased when 'Qing Hezi' was forced away and their agreement automatically voided, as there would be no one else to compete with the Ink Gate.

And because the 'Immortal Spirit Document' contract was still in effect, the other party couldn't leak the secrets of this place.

But soon, he could no longer smile.

Without Fang Xi's cover, the daily cultivation needs of so many disciples were enormous.

Furthermore, they couldn't make continuous large purchases in Kungsang Market, so they had to disperse their buying, which was not only cumbersome but also carried the risk of exposure!

With more activities, traces would naturally be left, and then weaknesses would be seized upon.

Even though Mo Yinqiu strictly restrained his disciples, forbidding Core Formation and Foundation Establishment disciples from going out, and only sending a few Nascent Soul cultivators—or even personally taking action—to acquire supplies, clues were ultimately left behind.

At this point, he began to miss Qing Hezi's advantages.

At the very least, the other party conducted perfectly fair transactions and was quite generous. . .

Rumble!

Suddenly, the mystic realm space shook violently.

Splash! Splash!

That seven-colored light membrane was actually thinning, and wisps of Profound Nether Heavy Water were seeping in. . .

"It's actually. . ."

Mo Yinqiu's expression changed repeatedly. He flew out of the mechanical pavilion, looking at the cultivators emerging from their immortal caves.

A Foundation Establishment disciple seemed too careless and accidentally touched a bit of Profound Nether Heavy Water. He immediately fell to the ground, screaming miserably.

"The restrictions are failing. . . Everyone, quickly fly with your artifacts, don't let the black water touch you. . . Those poisoned, immediately swallow a 'Water Purification Pill'!"

Mo Yinqiu swept his Divine Consciousness, immediately issuing a loud command.

As spirit boats, jade tablets, and other magical treasures took flight, the situation on the ground improved considerably.

But that layer of seven-colored light membrane continued to thin, with more and more Profound Nether Heavy Water appearing, threatening to completely submerge the space.

"Seal!"

Mo Yinqiu raised a hand, and several small silver flags landed on the light membrane, transforming into a layer of silver mist that plugged the breach.

Gurgle! Gurgle!

The Profound Nether Heavy Water continued to surge, and cracks actually appeared on the ground, with countless black water gushing out. The water level continuously rose, submerging one immortal cave after another.

"Why has this space suddenly become like this? Could some tremendous upheaval have occurred outside?"

A Nascent Soul cultivator mumbled, then looked at Mo Yinqiu: "Sect Master, what should we do?"

Mo Yinqiu gazed at the continuously rising black water, then looked towards the white jade archway.

At that spot, a misty green radiance emerged, covering an area of several acres. Faint lightning flickered, and the Profound Nether Heavy Water simply could not enter.

"Either enter the mystic realm, or go outside to take shelter. . ."

After only a brief deliberation, Mo Yinqiu made a decision: "We will go out to take refuge!"

Inside the mystic realm was too dangerous; even he, a Soul Transformation cultivator, would be suppressed to the Core Formation stage. If any Ink Gate disciples were to rebel, he might die an incredibly suffocating death!

Mo Yinqiu naturally wouldn't let that happen.

He clasped his hands together, and a dark green light shield appeared, continuously expanding, enveloping Ink Gate disciples one by one, before charging into the black water.

Splash!

Above the Profound Nether Abyss, figures emerged one after another, their faces revealing a hint of fear as they gazed at the sky covered in dark clouds and the turbulent waves of Profound Nether Heavy Water.

"Could this be. . . the Black Tide?"

A Nascent Soul cultivator mumbled.

"What? ! This is actually the most terrifying of the Profound Nether Abyss's three great natural disasters, the 'Black Tide'?"

Another Nascent Soul cultivator's face turned ashen: "The three great natural disasters of the Profound Nether Abyss are the Unstable Wind, the Profound Nether Rain. . . If we encounter the Unstable Wind, we can barely escape with our lives. The Profound Nether Rain requires the Sect Master's protection to have a sliver of hope. But the 'Black Tide'. . . this is rumored to be formed by the Eye of the Sea disgorging massive amounts of Profound Nether Heavy Water. Every time it appears, the Profound Nether Abyss could expand because of it. . ."

Just then, Mo Yinqiu gazed at the horizon, his expression exceedingly solemn.

He saw countless Profound Nether Heavy Water surge up, transforming into endless waves, crashing towards the land. . .

Within those waves, there also seemed to be an indescribable colossal beast, as if it were about to soar into the sky. . .

"It's that Return to Void giant Kun!"

Mo Yinqiu's expression turned grim. He transformed into a ball of spiritual light, rapidly fleeing towards the mainland: "Split up!"