Chapter 462 - 424: 9 Dragons, 9 Dragon Souls?

Chapter 462: Chapter 424: 9 Dragons, 9 Dragon Souls?

After traveling through the sea of fire for about half a month, crisscrossing Array Prohibition Inscriptions flickered within the flames. Faintly, one could almost see Fire Dragons circling. With the laying of the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array, the balance between the sea of fire and the Demonic Qi had clearly begun to shift.

Chu Mu sat cross-legged at the eye of the array, his hands never ceasing to form Techniques. As each one landed, the Array Prohibition Inscriptions of the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array flickered with increasing clarity.

Surging Earth Vein Fire Qi converged toward the Nine Dragons, the draconic patterns growing more distinct. Here, in this sea of magma and fire, the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array had already taken its initial form.

「Nearly three more days passed.」

Just as the Grand Array was about to be completed, Chu Mu abruptly opened his eyes. He hesitated, holding the final Technique in suspense.

’This array... Something’s not right. Is it flawed?’

A puzzled look crossed Chu Mu’s face.

As the Grand Array neared completion, he inexplicably sensed that the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array seemed to possess a significant flaw.

His Divine Sense enveloped the sea of fire. Every channel of the Array Prohibition, down to each individual Array Prohibition Inscription, flowed within his perception, inhaling and exhaling Earth Vein Fire Qi and transforming it into the Grand Array’s terrifying Mighty Power.

Everything seemed to be at the peak of Perfection.

Its Mighty Power was just as the Jade Scroll described: terrifyingly potent, with both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Yet, just as with his planned Lifebound Treasure, he had an instinctual feeling that a flaw existed.

It was the same with this array.

Chu Mu closed his eyes, meticulously deconstructing the array in his mind, picking it apart piece by piece to find the source of his premonition.

’Nothing?’

Several hours passed. When Chu Mu opened his eyes again, they were still filled with confusion.

From his perspective on arrays, the selection and combination of every Array Prohibition Inscription in this array were perfect, like a series of irrefutable formulas.

All these perfect components, these irrefutable formulas, ultimately constituted the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array.

’At least, with my current understanding of arrays, this array is absolutely perfect. There’s nothing to change!’

Chu Mu glanced at the sky and pondered for a moment. In the end, he decided not to dwell on it. The final, suspended Technique descended. In that instant, the calm sea of magma erupted like a volcano, stirring with a great ROAR.

Amid the boundless roar, torrents of Earth Vein Fire Qi converged. The nascent Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array was now, in this moment, fully complete.

Nine Fire Dragons spiraled and roared, shooting toward the heavens before plunging straight back down, vanishing into the sea of fire.

Following the Sealing Demon Array, the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array once again stood guard over this place.

Chu Mu scanned his surroundings. The sea of fire gradually calmed, and the Spatial Rift churning with Demonic Qi showed no signs of abnormality.

’My role as bait doesn’t seem to be very effective. I haven’t managed to lure out the True Demon...’

’Or maybe, on a level beyond my awareness, the two have already clashed through the fabric of heaven and earth?’

Chu Mu speculated but didn’t dwell on it. With a leap, he shot up from the sea of fire, ascending to the sky in just a few breaths.

Suspended in the sky, just as he was observing the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array he had personally constructed, the clouds and mist above began to churn. A figure slowly materialized, clad in a Gilded Dragon Robe, seemingly the most venerable being in all of existence.

"This junior, Chu Mu, pays his respects to Senior!"

Chu Mu’s heart tightened. He reined in his surging Magical Power and bowed deeply.

The man did not look at Chu Mu, however. His gaze remained fixed in the direction of the Demon Realm. Only after a long moment did he finally turn to Chu Mu. "Did you form your Golden Core in the Demon Realm?"

Before Chu Mu could answer, the man asked again, "What was the quality of your Formed Pill?"

Chu Mu paused, slightly taken aback. After a brief hesitation, he opened his mouth and spat. The Three-Patterned Golden Core, still covered in cracks, hovered before him.

Upon seeing the swirling Pill Patterns, a faint ripple finally disturbed the man’s placid gaze, which had been as still as the water in an ancient well.

"A Top Grade Golden Core... Not bad!"

The man sounded somewhat impressed, but the praise vanished from his expression as quickly as it had appeared.

Then, the man flicked his hand.

"Carry this Jade Talisman with you. If you encounter this demon, activate it. It will save your life."

The man’s voice was authoritative, its commanding tone leaving no room for doubt.

The Jade Talisman shot forward, coming to a stop just inches from Chu Mu’s face. Its pure, crystalline form was perfectly clear.

With his profound knowledge of Artifact Refining Skill, a single glance was enough for him to get a general idea of the Jade Talisman’s purpose.

’It’s probably equivalent to the Sword Talisman, or perhaps Sword Order, that Xu Changqing used to slay that demon in the Chu Capital all those years ago.’

’Artifacts like this are likely an advanced form of a Talisman Treasure.’

’A Talisman Treasure is created when a Golden Core Realm Cultivator seals a portion of their Magical Treasure’s Mighty Power inside a talisman, allowing a Low Tier Cultivator to wield its power.’

’And this type of Sword Order or Sword Talisman is when a Nascent Soul Great Power seals their own Great Divine Power within it.’

’Its Mighty Power depends on how much strength the Nascent Soul Great Power who refined it sealed inside.’

’Save my life...’

’Does that mean this Jade Talisman... can slay a Nascent Soul cultivator?’

"This junior understands."

At this realization, a chill ran through Chu Mu’s heart. He accepted the Jade Talisman and agreed without hesitation.

The man nodded. Just as his manifested figure was about to dissipate, Chu Mu recalled his misgivings about the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array and mustered his courage. "Excuse me, Senior, but is there some imperfection in this Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array?"

The man’s form wavered. He glanced at Chu Mu, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Casually, he pointed a finger. A ray of light appeared, and before Chu Mu could even react, it shot into his body and vanished.

Immediately after, the man’s flickering form dissolved into countless specks of light, disappearing without a trace.

Chu Mu stood stunned for a moment, sensing the light that had entered his body. As it pulsed, the information sealed within it manifested in his Divine Sense Perception.

"So that’s how it is..."

A moment later, light slowly returned to Chu Mu’s unfocused eyes. He muttered to himself, his gaze falling upon the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array.

The information was brief, just a few short sentences, but it was the final, crucial touch.

With those few words, all his doubts about the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array and his planned Lifebound Treasure were resolved in an instant.

It was just like his Great Sun True Flame. Without a true Great Sun Fire Seed, his flame would forever have the form but lack the spirit.

The same was true for this Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array.

And, consequently, the same was true for the Lifebound Treasure he had designed around it.

’It’s just... turning the illusory into the real is clearly as difficult as ascending to the heavens.’

For his Great Sun True Flame to become one in the truest sense, he needed a Great Sun Fire Seed to condense the genuine flame within.

As for the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array, to make it real, he would have to extract nine Fire Attribute Dragon Souls and refine them into the Grand Array. Only then would it become the true Nine Dragon Divine Flame.

Chu Mu gazed up at the sky where the Great Sun hung high, its scorching heat dazzling to the eye.

’The Great Sun True Flame... so close, yet as far as the horizon. It’s nowhere to be found.’

’And as for nine Fire Attribute Dragon Souls...’

’A legendary True Dragon... A mere Golden Core Realm cultivator like me would probably have his soul scattered by a single sneeze.’

’As for Dragon-type Demon Beasts, throughout the entire Cultivation Immortal Realm, only Flood Dragons have a sufficiently dense draconic bloodline.’

’And Flood Dragons...’

’Setting aside the rarity of Fire Attribute Flood Dragons, the terror of the Flood Dragon Race is known to all in the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World.’

’Moreover, the Vast Sea Chen Family, the hegemon that has ruled the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World for tens of thousands of years, also possesses the Flood Dragon Bloodline.’

’Even a fool could figure out the shady dealings between the Vast Sea Chen Family and the Flood Dragon Race.’

’Not to mention, to refine my Lifebound Treasure, I’d need to start with at least Tier Three Flood Dragons.’

’Slaughtering nine Flood Dragons and then performing Soul Extraction and Refining...’

The corner of Chu Mu’s mouth twitched.

If he actually did that, he would have to be so secretive that no person and no demon could ever find out.

Otherwise, as vast as the Vast Sea was, there would be no place left for him.

’Perhaps... I should find another plan?’

Chu Mu was conflicted. He was truly reluctant to give up on this plan centered on the Nine Dragon Divine Flame.

Finding a substitute for a plan that so perfectly suited his Fire Attribute Cultivation and possessed such immense potential for growth would not be easy.

’The Nine Dragon Divine Flame... its Dragon Souls are hard to come by.’

’But... the Mighty Power of the Nine Dragon Divine Flame itself is already terrifying. If refined into a treasure, it would surely be among the best.’

’If it were further enhanced by Dragon Souls...’

’The increase in its Mighty Power, the qualitative leap of the Magical Treasure...’

Just the thought of it made Chu Mu’s heart race.

Though he remained conflicted, the seed of this idea had already taken root in his heart, rapidly sprouting and spreading.

His eventual decision seemed quite clear.

Chu Mu glanced back at the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Array one last time. He closed his eyes and briefly sensed the Demonization Erosion within his body.

After a moment, the figure suspended in the sky flickered. A crimson saber-light flashed, and he sped away.

After traveling swiftly across the sky for about three days, Chu Mu stopped atop a mountain peak, holding the Forbidden-breaking Jade Talisman the True Demon had given him.

On the Jade Talisman, a faint, fluorescent white dot flickered, indicating that this was a weak point in the fabric of space.

By breaking through the space here, he could escape this Secret Realm and return to the Cultivation Immortal Realm.

Chu Mu checked his condition again. His injuries were still severe, but as his Essence, Qi, and Spirit recovered, his body’s instinctive resistance naturally suppressed the advance of the Demonization Erosion.

’I should have about five years left.’

Chu Mu pursed his lips. This timeframe wasn’t fixed.

As his injuries healed, the time he had would surely increase.

But if something went wrong or an unexpected change occurred, that time could be drastically shortened.

But whether it was five years or six, it clearly wasn’t a long time for him.

Once he returned to the Vast Sea, his injuries would require at least two to three years, perhaps even three to four, of quiet recuperation just to mostly recover. A full recovery would likely take more than a decade.

Furthermore, creating the Lifebound Treasure to counteract the Demonization Erosion would require collecting a massive amount of Spiritual Materials, further perfecting the Artifact Refining Formula, and a significant amount of time for the actual refining.

His time was incredibly tight.

Chu Mu glanced back at the Secret Realm, his gaze drifting toward the Demon Realm. His eyes flickered, his thoughts unreadable.

After staring blankly for a moment, he leaped into the air. Magical Power surged through him, guided by his Divine Sense, and poured into the Forbidden-breaking Jade Talisman.

A blinding white light flared. The Power of Breaking Forbidden, as sharp as a sword, was fully unleashed.

In that same instant, empowered by this force, he looked at the sky before him. It no longer appeared as a sky, but as a great net spanning heaven and earth.

Countless channels crisscrossed, pulsing with an ineffably profound creation. An instinctual tremor shot through him, forcing Chu Mu to tear his gaze away, not daring to look any longer.

With a low shout, he unleashed the surging Power of Breaking Forbidden. It shot forth like an arrow loosed from its bow, gone in an instant.

A great BOOM seemed to echo from the void.

Though there was no visible change, a dense Power of Space began to churn.

After a moment, the great net was gone. A ten-foot-long rift appeared in the sky, as if etched into the firmament itself, both conspicuous and horrifying.

Chu Mu leaped and plunged inside. The world spun violently around him, and it felt as though he had crossed an infinite distance...

...