Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 572 - 347: Ocean Realm_2

"Fellow Daoist..."

Seeing his attitude, the Longevity Star Palace Master was also helpless, "The Purple-Gold Bell is a treasure of the Great Mercy Bodhisattva’s Buddhist practice, involving a connection of cause and effect. Buddhism will inevitably seek to retrieve it. Although you have driven away two Arhats, the descendants of Great Mercy have yet to act.

Once the Bodhisattva passes the Eightfold Buddha Tribulation, they will surely come to demand the treasure back from you!"

Hearing this, Xu Yang still chuckled lightly, "Could it be that the Bodhisattva will come in person? If so, I shall certainly present the Purple-Gold Bell with both hands."

"That will not happen."

The Longevity Star Palace Master shook his head, "However, the Great Mercy Bodhisattva is one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism, with many capable followers under his command. It would be wise for you to remain cautious, Fellow Daoist."

Xu Yang nodded, chuckling as he said, "Thank you for the reminder, Star Lord."

"..."

Seeing his demeanor, the Longevity Star Palace Master couldn’t tell if he was sincere or just perfunctory, so he could only sigh and rise to speak, "If the matter proves impossible, Fellow Daoist can send a letter. I am willing to mediate and minimize this major issue to a minor one, then let it dissipate. With that, I take my leave."

Hearing this, Xu Yang also rose to see him off, "Star Lord, please take care."

...

After seeing off the Longevity Star Palace Master, Xu Yang returned to his retreat to contemplate his next move.

As for what was just discussed, the movements of the Great Mercy Bodhisattva from Buddhism currently posed no threat.

Calamity Immortals should not be lightly provoked, for one move can cause a chain of cause and effect, increasing the weight of the Ninefold Celestial Tribulation.

Even though there are many methods in this world to ward off disasters and avoid tribulations, very few can be effective against the Ninefold Immortal Tribulations. Presently, only the Heavenly Court’s nine-thousand-year-old Flat Peach and Buddhism’s Nine-Eyed Bodhi, combined with specialized methods of consumption, can effectively reduce the Ninefold Immortal Tribulations.

These are among the foundational treasures of the Heavenly Court and Buddhism.

If these are considered foundational, how could they be lightly utilized?

Under normal circumstances, only when demons invade and great wars arise between Immortal Gods will the Heavenly Court and Buddhism expend such treasures to deploy Calamity Immortal forces—using them as the deciding factor at the last moment.

Therefore, even if the Great Mercy Bodhisattva survives the Eightfold Buddha Tribulation, it is unlikely that he would personally come to trouble him. At most, he would send his disciples or mobilize Buddhism’s Mahayana forces to settle the cause and effect through another wagered battle.

It posed a threat, but not a significant one!

Compared to these, Xu Yang had more pressing matters to attend to.

After six hundred years of arduous cultivation, benefiting from the fruits of three Pill Origin Conferences and the enhancement of various skill characteristics, his Mahayana foundation had become solid, with over half the Immortal Spiritual Power already transformed. He had reached the level of "mid-Mahayana."

With such a foundation to build upon, coupled with divine powers and numerous methods, he could certainly rank among the top within the Mahayana level. Compared to the Longevity Star Palace Master, who was nearly a Calamity Immortal, he was scarcely less powerful. In the absence of Calamity Immortals, he had the strength to traverse the Earth Immortal Realm freely.

That is to say, his power had reached the standard for "causing trouble"!

Thus, he decided to take action.

"My Mahayana cultivation is already stable; what follows is the meticulous work of refinement, which can only be accumulated with time and not rushed."

"Therefore, to improve combat capabilities and confront Tribulation Passing Immortals, I can only start from other aspects."

"I will journey out to search for Essence of the Earth and Mysterious Iron Refined Gold, to be sent to the Lower Realm for the forging of the Nine Rites Xuanyuan."

"Leveraging the fruits of three Pill Origin Conferences, the deductions of the seventh rank Heavenly Mechanics Methods are in their final steps. Once the Nine Rites Xuanyuan is accomplished, I will be able to build the "Nine Rituals Heavenly Venerate" Mecha with a Superior Immortal Spirit Instrument."

"With this..."

The mind of a cultivator travels a thousand thoughts in an instant, and soon a firm plan was made.

Xu Yang stood up, sweeping his horsetail whisk, "Clear Wind, Bright Moon!"

With a gentle call, two Taoist Children guarding the door entered the hall, bowing and saying, "Master!"

Xu Yang waved his large sleeve, revealing several bottles of Superior Grade Spirit Pills and the Longevity Mountain Gate Formation Map, "I am going to travel far, the two of you guard the gate well. You and the other brothers should focus on cultivating. If friends visit, simply explain the situation.

If unwelcome guests come, activate the formation to repel them from the gate, and pay them no further mind."

"Yes!"

Hearing this, the two of them did not ask further, bowing to agree immediately.

"Hmm!"

Xu Yang nodded his head and stepped outside the hall, riding the clouds away.

"Respectful farewell, Master!"

...

In these years, although he had convened the Pill Origin Gathering, gained people’s hearts throughout the State of South Observance, and built great prestige, he had not openly expanded his sect to admit disciples extensively. Instead, he guided a group of Spirit Beasts and Spirit Monsters within Mount Longevity, Clear Wind and Bright Moon being among them.

After all, the Upper Realm was different from the Lower Realm, with diverging rates of time flow. In just seven hundred years, he had to cultivate in the Mahayana, engage in Alchemy and Artifact Crafting, make friends far and wide, battle demons, and simply had no time to mentor disciples or test their character.

Therefore, he chose a straightforward approach; rather than recruiting widely, he directly instilled the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill and the Taoist Martial Two Scriptures in the Spirit Beasts and Spirit Monsters and then let them fend for themselves. He did not seek for them to achieve much – it sufficed if they could perform menial tasks on regular days.

However, that was before. Now that he had obtained the Divine Power of "Infant Transformation," the Spirit Beasts and Spirit Monsters had an even greater advantage in cultivation compared to the Human Clan’s progeny. Hence, Xu Yang began to harbor some hope for them.

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...

The Earth Immortal Realm consists of four states and two domains.

At the boundary of the four states, there also lie the Four Seas, occupied by sea tribes who honor the True Dragon as supreme, establishing the "Four Seas Dragon Palace" Tao Lineage.

The Four Seas Dragon Palace, along with Fengdu of the Underworld, serves as a portal for the Immortal Gods and has formed an alliance with the Heavenly Court, being a part of the ruling system of Heaven.

The Four Seas are vast and boundless, surrounding the four states of the earthly realm, filled with countless treasures and inhabited by billions of sea creatures, including flood dragons and python dragons, among which numerous powerful beings have emerged.

Among them, the Southern Sea borders the State of South Observance, similarly home to followers of the Three Teaching Sect; a chaotic mix of all manner of beings, with the Southern Sea Dragon Palace above, and many clans and sects below – occupying sea domains or spiritual islands. Though each inherits different traditions, they all thrive.

Thus...

"Today marks the grand assembly of the Southern Sea within the Great Void, by the imperial edict of my father the Dragon King, to open this realm of the Great Void Sea and bless all beings of the South Sea. All with destiny may enter!"

From the depths of the sea, beyond thousands of miles, the light of the Crystal Palace shines.

At the bottom of the Southern Sea, outside the Crystal Palace, gathered were numerous cultivators of the Southern Sea, listening to a Dragon Prince read the edict of the Dragon King.

"The Great Void Sea Assembly!"

"An ancient secret realm!"

"I’ve heard that this Grand Void Seascape is a legacy left by an ancient Dragon King, full of innumerable treasures. Even the Southern Sea Dragon Palace found it difficult to fully explore its depths. Therefore, once every thousand years, they hold this Grand Void Sea Assembly, inviting cultivators from all directions to jointly probe the realm of the Great Void Sea."

"Hmph, easy for them to say. The Four Seas Dragon Palace has been establishing its way for hundreds of thousands of years, and there are True Immortals like the East Sea Dragon Emperor. All these visible secret realms have been explored time and again; the major treasures have been taken away, leaving only scraps, and they still have the cheek to call people here?"

"In the old days, there were still some opportunities to get something worthwhile. Now, apart from a few places too dangerous to touch, what good is left? They even charge an offering of a fifth-tier spiritual object just to enter. Truly the natural greed of the Dragon Clan knows no bounds."

"It is said that within the State of South Observance, there resides Great Immortal Zhen Yuan, an expert in the way of alchemy. Every three hundred years, he holds a Pill Origin Gathering.

Not only does he offer the Grass Return Pill, which extends lifespan, purifies the spiritual root, and advances one’s Taoist cultivation, but also many Mahayana experts and senior practitioners come to discuss the Tao and laws. All cultivators of South Observance long for such an event..."

"Had I known it would be like this, I would have gone ashore instead, rather than being humiliated here."

"..."

The crowd exchanged thoughts telepathically, discussing among themselves.

Looking back at the high platform, the Dragon Prince finished reading the edict and then cast a decree.

"Bubble bubble!"

As the decree was cast, the seawater instantly swirled into a raging whirlpool, breaking through the Void Boundary and opening up an entrance to a secret realm.

It was none other than—the Grand Void Sea Realm!

"The realm of the Great Void Sea is now open; all cultivators may enter."

The Dragon Prince looked down, noting the crowd’s hesitation. Knowing full well their doubts, he said with a smile, "Today, the realm of the Great Void Sea has changed, revealing many more opportunities. This palace guarantees that no one will be disappointed."

"This..."

Hearing this, the crowd began to hesitate anew.

The Great Void changed, opportunities emerged once more?

Are these words true or false?

Isn’t it just another desperate scheme concocted by that old East Sea Dragon King, a way to skin the earth?

It’s rumored that two thousand years ago, the old Southern Sea Dragon King, in order to overcome the Triple True Dragon Tribulation, nearly depleted the resources of the Southern Sea Dragon Palace. He went to the Heavenly Court to exchange for a six-thousand-year-old Flat Peach to avoid disaster and difficulties.

Although he barely managed to transcend the tribulation, he suffered severe injuries, greatly depleting his Yuan Qi.

As a result, in recent years, the Southern Sea Dragon Palace has been seeking ways to replenish its reserves to prepare for the old Dragon King’s Quadruple True Dragon Tribulation. Their methods have become increasingly unsightly, throwing away the dignity of the Immortal God Taoism lineage.

This time...?

The crowd remained indecisive, afraid to enter rashly.

Just then...

"So this is the realm of the Great Void Sea, indeed as renowned as claimed!"

A light chuckle sounded, accompanied by the glow of a five-colored radiance.

The crowd was taken aback and turned toward the source of the voice, only to see a five-colored auspicious cloud approaching above the waters. On the cloud stood a person, hazy in appearance, with a celestial aura breezing about.

It was none other than...

"I am Zhen Yuanzi, wishing to explore the realm of the Great Void Sea. May I, Dragon Prince?"

Between chuckles, the cloud descended, arriving in front of the Southern Sea Dragon Prince and his shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

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