Chapter 465 - 427: Pledging Allegiance and Refining Treasure

Chapter 465: Chapter 427: Pledging Allegiance and Refining Treasure

"Elder, I have one more matter to report."

Chang Er bowed deeply again.

Chu Mu raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "What is it?"

"In the years since you’ve been away, Elder, the situation in the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World has changed dramatically. Many fallen factions wish to pledge their allegiance to you..."

"With you absent, Elder, I didn’t dare to make a decision on my own. I could only use the excuse that you were away traveling to put them off for the time being..."

Chu Mu frowned. Just as he was about to refuse, a thought suddenly struck him, and he asked, "Which factions are they?"

"There’s the Mountain Alliance, which was destroyed in the first Beast Tide in the Outer Sea. There’s also the Ning Cui Trading House from Ningcui Island, and the Qiu Ming Alliance from the Qiuming Islands..."

"The Hongyi Fairy from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion has also come seeking an audience with you many times..."

Chu Mu spoke slowly, his tone clearly contemplative. "You... continue to put them off for now. I will make a decision after I return to Chixia."

"I obey."

Chang Er bowed deeply.

Chu Mu then asked, "By the way, how are Wangcai and Xu Yuan?"

"As you instructed, Elder, I have been using the available funds from the accounts each month to purchase the flesh of Tier Two Demon Beasts for Elder Wang’s Cultivation..."

"As for Elder Xu, about half a year after you left, he broke through to Foundation Establishment and came out of seclusion. After hearing you had gone to sea to travel, he took Young Master Xu and the others and left the True Understanding Pavilion. According to Young Master Xu, Elder Xu probably wants to establish a legacy of his own..."

Chang Er spoke slowly and methodically, but when he mentioned Xu Yuan’s breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t hide the envy in his eyes.

He knew perfectly well that Elder Xu had merely a Wasted Spirit Root talent. It was only through this Elder’s patronage that he had such a smooth journey to Foundation Establishment. And the bloodline he refined was even a High Tier Earth Tier Bloodline!

"Alright, you may return to the True Understanding Pavilion."

Chu Mu waved his hand. Finally, he glanced at Chang Er and added:

"When I have settled my affairs, I will grant you a path to the Foundation Establishment Realm!"

At these words, Chang Er was stunned. In the blink of an eye, his expression shifted dramatically. With a THUD, he dropped to his knees. "I... thank you, Elder!"

Chu Mu smiled. With a mere thought, an unseen force lifted Chang Er to his feet.

"I... I..."

Chang Er was so excited he became incoherent, his face flushed red.

"That’s enough. Return to the True Understanding Pavilion for now."

Chu Mu waved his hand. Chang Er walked out of the cave in a daze, clearly not yet recovered from this sudden, overwhelming joy.

Watching Chang Er stumble away in a daze, Chu Mu couldn’t help but shake his head and smile. But then, as if recalling something, that smile became tinged with self-mockery.

’Just as I can decide Chang Er’s fate with a single thought, that True Demon back then, and the Dragon Robe man now, can also decide my fate with a single thought.’

With a sweep of his hand, the Jade Talisman appeared, hovering in his palm.

The Jade Talisman was pure white and crystalline, its light contained within. To the naked eye, it looked unremarkable. Even when enveloped by his Divine Sense, it was difficult to perceive what was inside.

Only through a meticulous, layer-by-layer examination could he faintly sense the terrifying power it contained.

The mere hint of its revealed aura sent a near-instinctive tremor through him.

’A mere avatar can fight a Nascent Soul True Demon.’

’Then its true body...’

’A Nascent Soul Great Cultivator?’

Chu Mu’s gaze grew distant.

The higher the Cultivation, the greater the gap between realms.

In the Qi Cultivation Realm, while there were differences between each level, the gap was minuscule.

A single Magical Artifact, or one’s proficiency with a Magic Technique, could easily erase that difference.

But upon reaching Foundation Establishment, even the gap between Small Realms began to widen significantly. Normally, someone in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment would be completely overwhelmed by someone in the Middle Stage.

Of course, "normally" didn’t account for special cases, like Sword Intent, certain Cultivation Techniques, bloodlines, or even Talisman Treasures, which were all capable of bridging that gap.

At the Golden Core Realm, the difference between realms was naturally even more pronounced.

And at the Nascent Soul Realm, the gap between even Small Realms was likely as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.

A Nascent Soul Great Cultivator referred to someone at Nascent Soul Great Perfection, the very peak of the Nascent Soul Realm.

Beyond that was the legendary Tier Five Divinity Transformation!

This wasn’t "legendary" in the sense of a lofty Nascent Soul Cultivator being a legend to mortals. It was a true legend in every sense of the word.

At least, in all his years on the Path to Immortality, he had heard many rumors about Nascent Soul Cultivators. Which factions had Nascent Soul Great Powers was not some top-secret information.

But Tier Five Divinity Transformation was nothing but ethereal legends; not a single tangible trace of it could be found.

The most widespread theory in the Cultivation Immortal Realm was that the apex of the Immortal Dao Realm in this world was the Nascent Soul Realm.

Above Nascent Soul, a breakthrough would trigger an ascension Thunder Tribulation. After successfully Tribulation Crossing, one could ascend to the Upper Realm.

The truth of this theory was difficult to determine.

But without a doubt, the prevalence of this theory seemed to confirm that existences above the Nascent Soul Realm were indeed the stuff of legend.

As a thousand thoughts swirled in his mind, Chu Mu’s gaze shifted, finally landing on the Storage Talisman Chang Er had just delivered.

Inside the talisman, Spiritual Materials were piled up like small mountains.

These were all items he had instructed Chang Er to collect via voice transmission after returning to the Chixia Sea Area.

Given the True Understanding Pavilion’s status in Chixia, gathering some relatively rare Spiritual Materials was clearly not difficult.

Not to mention, the current situation in Chixia was probably equivalent to Jingmen back in the day.

When an age of turmoil arrives, the process and outcome are the same for both the mortal world and the Cultivation Immortal Realm.

The old order of interests is inevitably shattered. The extent of this shattering depends on just how chaotic the turmoil becomes.

The more chaotic it is, the more thoroughly the old order is destroyed.

But interests, obviously, do not disappear. They inevitably begin a new cycle as the turmoil spreads.

And during this transition, rare Spiritual Objects that were once hard to find would naturally appear in abundance.

The fundamental reason he had made a fortune in Jingmen in just a few short years was precisely this.

’Once this treasure is refined and the Demonization Erosion is purged, I should return to Chixia...’

Chu Mu pressed his lips together, having already made up his mind. Once this matter was settled, he might have to contribute to the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World.

As for how much he would contribute, that would depend on the price those who wanted his help were willing to pay.

Right now, after the battle in the Demon Realm, he was destitute by the standards of the Golden Core Realm.

There were far too many things he needed.

Chu Mu glanced in the direction of Chixia. Across the thousands of miles of sea, he could vaguely make out the silhouette of Chixia Island.

His thoughts churning, he turned and walked into the cave. With a wave of his hand, an isolation Array Prohibition appeared. He looked at the simple array, pondering for a moment. In the end, he got up and scouted the area around the cave. He then returned and spent over a month Refining and preparing several Tier Two Grand Arrays.

He set them up around the cave in an interlinked formation as a precaution.

Once everything was ready, Chu Mu returned to the cave. With the layers of Array Prohibitions providing isolation, he would have enough time to react even if something unexpected happened.

Inside the cave, with a flicker of Chu Mu’s Divine Sense, all sorts of Fire Attribute Spiritual Materials poured out from the Storage Talisman, forming small mountains on the cave floor.

With another thought, dozens of Jade Boxes from his own Storage Ring appeared before him.

The many Spiritual Materials piled from the Storage Talisman were all collected by Chang Er on his orders. Although the quantity was large, they were mostly Tier Two Spiritual Materials, with very few Tier Three Spiritual Materials among them.

The contents of his Storage Ring, however, were his personal collection from his many years on the Immortal Dao.

It contained rare Spiritual Objects like the Fiery Sun Fire Essence and Fusang Wood, as well as various rare Tier Three and Tier Four Spiritual Materials suited for his Immortal Dao Cultivation.

In terms of both quality and quantity, he was thoroughly prepared to refine this Lifebound Treasure.

’To prepare for the Big and Small Ruyi ability, I’ll need to condense the Spiritual Material Essence...’

’These materials before me...’

After a moment of thought, Chu Mu seemed to reach a decision. With a sweep of his hand, his True Flame surged forth. As it blazed, the Spiritual Materials piled on the ground rose into the air like a long dragon.

As he executed a series of Techniques, under the tempering of the Great Sun True Flame, each Spiritual Material was reduced until less than one percent remained, leaving only the purest speck of its core essence.

He clearly had no shortage of the Tier Two and Tier Three Spiritual Materials that would serve as auxiliary components. Even after condensing their essence, he had more than enough.

However, the main materials, the Fiery Sun Fire Essence and the Fusang Wood, were not quite sufficient to be condensed into essence.

Chu Mu wasn’t too concerned. The Nine Dragon Prison Suppression Tower Lifebound Treasure he intended to refine was only meant to be a prototype, one that would require continuous smelting and improvement.

After more than half a year, the mountain-like pile of Spiritual Materials had practically evaporated, transformed into dozens of arranged Jade Boxes. Inside each box was a condensation of brilliant, crimson-twinkling essence.

Chu Mu closed his eyes and meditated for several days, but still, he did not begin the refining process.

Instead, he went outside the cave to watch the tides ebb and flow and the sun rise and set for several days. Only when his Essence, Qi, and Spirit were fully restored to their peak condition did he return to the cave.

The Array Prohibitions sealed off the area, and the cave entrance was closed.

The seals on the dozens of Jade Boxes were released. The essences of the various Spiritual Materials, refined to their purest state, shone as brightly as a field of stars. The twinkling crimson light dyed the entire cave in a pure, translucent fiery red.

Reflected in the light, Chu Mu’s expression was as calm as still water. The light of Spiritual Radiance already showed in his eyes. In his mind, the entire structure of the Nine Dragon Prison Suppression Tower was laid out in an exceptionally clear blueprint.

After a long moment, Chu Mu finally moved. He pointed a finger, and eight of the dozens of Jade Boxes before him floated up, their Spiritual Material Essences hovering in the air.

He swept his hand again, and the Great Sun True Flame surged forth.

Chu Mu’s expression was solemn. He formed hand seals, Array Prohibition Inscriptions flashing in his eyes. Before him, countless Array Prohibition Patterns slowly began to combine and intertwine.

The motes of Spiritual Material Essence were enveloped by the True Flame, and as they slowly melted, they began to weave into the crisscrossing Array Prohibition Patterns.

Everything proceeded in perfect order.

Chu Mu’s mindset during this Artifact Refining was more solemn than ever before.

He was extremely cautious with every step, down to every single Array Prohibition Inscription.

Wasting time was clearly not a concern for him...

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