Chapter 1020 - 718: Hidden Dragon and Sword of Awe

Chapter 1020: Chapter 718: Hidden Dragon and Sword of Awe

Gu Xiaoyao’s Water Technique True Pill is indeed a perfect match.

...

Surprise Sword Island, spans over a dozen miles, densely planted with verdant spirit wood, lush and green.

Though Spiritual Qi is not as rich as in the core of the Zhang family territory, it is still clear and abundant, with a mystical atmosphere of shimmering water vapor.

Zhang Shifan and his wife accompanied Shen Xuan on a general tour of the island.

The traces of human habitation on the island are quite evident.

The stone paths meander and there remain pavilions.

After hundreds of years of wind and rain, it inevitably shows some signs of aging and neglect.

The main cave mansion is located in the heart of the island within the mountain, the door open, a faint decaying smell wafts towards.

"This is the place."

Shen Xuan paused in front of the cave mansion, his gaze swept across the quiet mountains and forests, the shimmering lake surface, nodding slightly, showing a satisfied expression.

"Shen will temporarily reside on Surprise Sword Island for practice. Please ask Fellow Daoist Zhang to inform your brother, if there’s no urgent matter, ordinary people should not disturb here."

Zhang Shifan and Lady Hu exchanged a glance, both seeing an understanding in each other’s eyes.

Lady Hu hesitated slightly, but still asked softly, "Master Shen, living alone here, would you need a couple of reliable staff, attending to miscellaneous tasks?"

"Yes, indeed I need a couple of helpers."

After pondering briefly, Shen Xuan said, "Shen needs two Tier Two Fire Technique Alchemists, with stable temperament, quick hands and feet, reliable, normally can oversee the pill furnace and handle herbs. Does the Zhang family have suitable candidates?"

While temporarily residing on Surprise Sword Island, apart from practicing Fire Technique, he can moderately refine pills to enhance his Alchemy Dao knowledge and earn resources.

Having apprentices to assist can save a lot of trivial efforts.

"Yes! Certainly, there are!"

Upon hearing, Zhang Shifan showed a joyful expression and agreed promptly.

"Receiving guidance from Master Shen is a blessing for our Zhang family alchemists! Just fear they are dull-witted, wouldn’t meet the eyes of a pill master."

This is Shen Xuan’s generous return for Zhang family providing the venue.

Otherwise, an unfamiliar cultivator would occupy a Tier Three Cave Mansion for nothing.

Zhang family wouldn’t voice it, but would inevitably grumble in mind.

Now with this layer of imparting Alchemy Dao as a return, everything falls into place.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, don’t rejoice too quickly."

"What Shen usually refines are Golden Transformation Pills, Life-Extending Pills mainly. Specific arrangements can be discussed later. Those recommended by Zhang family, if they indeed have some talent and spiritual nature, Shen will give some pointers during leisure. Whether they benefit would depend on their own fortune."

He did not speak completely but also threw out a tempting promise.

For the current Zhang family alchemists, receiving guidance from a Tier Three Alchemist, especially one capable of refining such rare spirit pills as Golden Transformation Pills and Life-Extending Pills, is a significant opportunity.

Zhang Shifan and Lady Hu upon hearing, smiled broadly, thanking repeatedly.

...

Quickly, Shen Xuan began setting up the Surprise Sword Island venue.

He first started with the island’s outer defenses.

Taking the island’s center as its core, using a large amount of array material, he set up a Tier Three Illusion Array covering the entire island, the Water Moon Bewitching Soul Array.

This array is activated year-round, enveloping the whole island in a mist that seems real yet illusory.

Without a special token guide, or possessing high-level array comprehension oneself,

even if Golden Core cultivators intrude, they would lose their way within, unable to break the array and escape in a short time.

Next, around the core area where the cave mansion is located, Shen Xuan deployed an even more ferocious Tier Three composite killing array, the Five Elements Wind Thunder Array.

This array gathers the force of the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, evolving into wind and thunder that kill, integrating offense and defense.

Without specialized items like Tier Three array-breaking talismans, array-breaking beads, ordinary Golden Core cultivators cannot forcefully break in.

Inside the cave mansion, Shen Xuan revamped thoroughly, splitting into inner and outer layers.

The inner layer is an absolute private forbidden zone.

Building upon the natural cavern, expanding inward, retaining the original practice quiet room, bedroom, and adding special spaces like the talisman making room, artifact refining room, array room, puppet room.

This place also set up even more exquisite interconnected killing arrays and self-destruct restrictions, prohibiting outsiders from entering, even Zhang family alchemy apprentices cannot enter.

Between the inner and outer layers, a small spirit plant garden serves as buffer, both embellishing the environment and growing some spirit wood and spirit grass.

Here is also the habitat of the Silver-Horned Celestial Horse.

The outer layer is relatively open, equipped with a reception hall, dining room, etc.

A newly built fully-equipped room, invoking earth fire, a Tier Three alchemy room for daily alchemy use.

Shen Xuan himself is a Tier Three Array Master, wealthy, with collected array materials on hand.

On Surprise Sword Island, he spared no expense, setting up three complete sets of Tier Three arrays.

This does not include the large Spirit Locking Array used in the practice room for transforming Spiritual Qi.

Especially the Water Moon Bewitching Soul Array enveloping the island, it is somewhat ostentatious.

With this array, even a Golden Core Middle Stage like Zhang Shixiu cannot probe the island’s reality, safeguarding Shen Xuan’s privacy.

For setting up arrays, Shen Xuan did them personally, without delegating to anyone.

With his current array skills and cultivation level, efficiency is extremely high.

In just half a month’s time, all three arrays were completely arranged and activated.

Subsequently, he refined seven specially made array passage tokens.

He kept one main order, gifted one to Gu Xiaoyao, Zhang Shifan and his wife each one, Zhang Shixiu one, reserving two for the impending Zhang family alchemists.

These tokens, on first use, record the unique magical power aura of the holder, preventing lending to others and ensuring control of personnel access.

"As long as the Zhang family remains stable, without external disturbances, this place is an excellent spot for secluded cultivation."

Standing before the newly refurbished cave mansion, Shen Xuan gazed at the shimmering Sword Cleaning Lake, pondering.

"Myriad Phenomena Immortal City is commercially prosperous, as long as a sufficient price is paid, various Tier Three spiritual materials should not be difficult to purchase. The Golden Transformation Pills and Life-Extending Pills I refine are indeed excellent hard currency and trading chips."