Zhu Yuchao swallowed nervously. Just from the look in his eyes earlier, she instinctively felt that he was not the right sort to get close to. Now knowing his identity, she wanted nothing more than to distance herself as far as possible from the infamous 'Black Heart Elder'.
Hearing Chu Xuan's comment, Zhu Yuchao managed an awkward smile, "That's just careless talk among the disciples. Please, fellow daoist He, pay it no mind."
Yuan Zichu coughed lightly, turning to Chu Xuan, "This is fellow daoist Zhu Yuchao, a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, and one of our sect's foremost array masters in the Golden Core stage!"
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
An array master? That was rare.
Array, pill, and talisman—among them, array crafting was the most difficult to master, and its practitioners held in the highest esteem. The Hundred Refinement Sect would surely treat Zhu Yuchao like a treasure. Why then was she at Myriad Islands Lake?
However, recalling that the Hundred Refinement Sect was now under the control of Shang Tianjue, Chu Xuan dismissed his scattered thoughts.
What the 'Overlord' was thinking, he had no idea. The current actions of the Hundred Refinement Sect could not be judged by the normal standards of a sect.
After brief introductions and pleasantries, Zhu Yuchao politely said, "Fellow daoist He, as per tradition, the Treasure Ship Market will construct a waterborne cave abode for you to reside in. Of course, you are also free to choose any island as your dwelling."
Chu Xuan waved his hand, "No need to trouble yourselves, I'll just pick an island to stay on temporarily. I don't plan to reside in the cave abode for long. I am here to serve the sect and to severely check the arrogance of the Myriad Islands Lake cultivators."
Whether the cultivators of Myriad Islands Lake were indeed arrogant, he did not know. But the behavior of the Hundred Refinement Sect's cultivators, beating others and then scolding them for arrogance, was certainly haughty.
As for the waterborne cave abode, he truly did not want it. If it wasn't built under his supervision, how could he accept it? Who knew if there were any traps?
It was best to establish his own cave abode. In any case, he wouldn't stay long. He'd find an opportunity and slip away to Blue Star soon enough.
Seeing Chu Xuan's decision, Zhu Yuchao breathed a sigh of relief. As an array master, she was responsible for overseeing the construction of all the waterborne cave abodes for the Golden Core cultivators. His refusal naturally meant less work for her.
Yuan Zichu then fetched a storage bag and handed it to Chu Xuan.
"Fellow daoist He, this contains the sect's rewards," Yuan Zichu said, handing over a storage bag. "If fellow daoist He eliminates Golden Core cultivators from the Dragon Fish Sect or the Curio Alliance, additional rewards will be granted upon reporting back to the sect."
Chu Xuan nodded, accepting the bag, then casually inquired, "Regarding the location for establishing a cave abode, do either of you have any recommendations?"
Zhu Yuchao thought for a moment, "I know that about one thousand five hundred li to the northeast, there is a Peach Blossom Island with a third-tier spirit vein. The Peach Blossom Sect there has already been eradicated by fellow daoist Yuan."
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"I'm not too familiar with other areas," she added.
Yuan Zichu took over the conversation, "To the northwest, four thousand li away, lies Azure Spirit Island, which also houses a third-tier spirit vein, though of slightly inferior quality.
Directly to the north, five thousand li away, is Flowing Clouds Island, which has two third-tier spirit veins, one of which has already been claimed by Daoist Zhao Benhe."
Third-tier spirit veins, abundant in Spiritual Qi, are most suitable for Golden Core cultivators.
Zhu Yuchao and Yuan Zichu made no mention of the lower second and first-tier veins, which, while adequate for Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators, are too sparse to support the energy needs of Golden Core cultivators or serve as a foundation for arrays.
Yuan Zichu straightforwardly produced a jade slip, "Fellow daoist He, this has a map I've inscribed with my spiritual sense. You can examine it closely and choose an island. Let me know once the cave abode is established."
He seemed somewhat impatient.
Chu Xuan smiled, accepting the jade slip and rising to his feet, "Thank you, fellow daoist Yuan."
He could tell Yuan Zichu was eager for him to leave, likely wanting more time with Zhu Yuchao. Chu Xuan wasn't keen on lingering either. Examining a spiritual map was certainly faster than back-and-forth conversations.
After Chu Xuan departed, Zhu Yuchao whispered, "This He Liang is no easy mark..."
Yuan Zichu smiled slightly, "Fellow daoist He is powerful. I've sparred with him before, and our strengths... were evenly matched."
Zhu Yuchao appeared surprised, "Fellow daoist Yuan, you're exceptionally talented and now a mid-stage Golden Core. He can match you? That's impressive."
Yuan Zichu coughed a few times, his response muffled, "Indeed. We just need to avoid provoking him."
Zhu Yuchao nodded in agreement, "I definitely won't provoke him. He looks quite fierce. It seems fellow daoist Yuan would make a much better friend."
A friend, perhaps?
Yuan Zichu's gaze darkened slightly. But then he brightened at the thought of potentially advancing beyond mere friendship in the future.
Such a good match must not be missed! Even if Zhu Yuchao's dao companion were to get angry, he must not back down...
...
At dusk, Chu Xuan arrived at Azure Spirit Island.
The island was small, with a relatively inferior spirit vein, and not many mortals resided there.
As for cultivable spirit fields, they were even rarer. The only noteworthy feature was a lake called Azure Fish Lake, home to some tasty spiritual fish. He had chosen this island for several reasons.
Peach Blossom Island had an excellent spirit vein and a peach grove, but it was too close to the Treasure Ship Market.
Flowing Clouds Island was large, but another Golden Core cultivator already resided there. Other islands with third-tier spirit veins had their own minor issues.
Azure Spirit Island, however, met his requirements perfectly. The quality of the spirit vein was secondary; distance from the hustle and bustle was paramount—yet not so remote as to arouse the suspicion of other Golden Core cultivators.
Smoke was already rising on Azure Spirit Island, a sign that the mortals were preparing dinner. According to Yuan Zichu's jade slip, the island was currently guarded by one Foundation Establishment cultivator and five Qi Refining cultivators.
There were also about five hundred mortal households. In the wars of cultivators, unless deliberately targeted, mortals were rarely affected. All they knew was that Azure Spirit Island's former sect had been destroyed.
Upon his arrival, Chu Xuan released his Golden Core aura, enveloping the entire island. In the blink of an eye, six figures rushed out to greet him.
The leader, a thin middle-aged cultivator, bowed respectfully, "Tang Xiang, the Hundred Refinements Sect's Foundation Establishment cultivator, greets the elder!"
The five behind him followed suit, bowing respectfully, though they did not offer their names.
Chu Xuan displayed his Golden Core elder token, "My name is He Liang. From today, Azure Spirit Island is under my control. You may stay if you wish, or leave if you prefer."
He did not need extra people. Having these cultivators remain on the island was a potential risk.
Tang Xiang and the others promptly responded, "We wish to stay!"
Chu Xuan's eyebrows rose, but then he relaxed. Perhaps the name He Liang did not carry enough deterrence. Maybe it was time for a change.
Black Dragon Mountain should hold a bit more sway than He Liang.