chsdbacks Chapter 258 Xuan Yin Appears, the Black Mountain Incident
Chapter 258 Xuan Yin Appears, the Black Mountain Incident
Chapter 258 Xuan Yin Appears, the Black Mountain Incident
In Ning Bu'er's view, the moment Chen Yi grabbed the golden thunderfish, his figure froze for a split second. Fortunately, he was covered by thunder crystal armor and was not affected by the backlash of the thunderfish for a short time, and still stood steadily in the thunder pool.
About a breath later, Ning Bu'er clearly saw that the golden thunderfish was shrinking rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, while being firmly locked by the several thunder soul whips around Chen Yi, and being pulled into his body little by little.
Immediately afterwards, Chen Yi's expression became extremely solemn. Without lingering, he leaped out of the Thunder Pool and landed on the open ground beside it. He sat down cross-legged and quickly entered a state of seclusion.
Ning Bu'er's heart jumped into his throat.
Although she had thought that Chen Yi might be able to subdue this thunder fish, she never thought it would be done by directly devouring it. This was a thunder soul essence containing fourth-order power, and an ancient soul thunder origin. Wasn't she afraid of damaging her soul foundation by swallowing it directly?
She stared at Chen Yi with a tense expression, her gaze fixed intently on his figure.
After observing for a while, Ning Bu'er discovered that during Chen Yi's seclusion, his soul fluctuations were not particularly intense. At least there was no risk of his soul collapsing or being destroyed. Even the magical energy around him was relatively stable, without much fluctuation.
He actually has a way to subdue this ancient thunder spirit?
Ning Bu'er was filled with astonishment, her thoughts drifting back to the secret realm of the lake and sea back then. At that time, she, Qin Chengcheng, and Qiu Li jointly obtained the power of soul thunder from the Thunder Soul Sect's inherited thunder talisman. However, after so many years, she still hasn't been able to cultivate the Thunder Soul Technique to the Nascent Soul stage.
Chen Yi's skill in controlling Thunder Soul today was clearly far superior to hers.
Could it be that Chen Yi, who failed to obtain the final inheritance back then, was actually more suitable to cultivate the Thunder Soul Sect's innate cultivation technique than the three of them?
While protecting Chen Yi, Ning Bu'er's mind was constantly racing, and this question kept replaying in her head.
And indeed, as Ning Bu'er guessed, Chen Yi was able to withstand the impact of the golden thunderfish's origin mainly because of his own fourth-order soul thunder power. After years of honing, his soul's ability to defend against soul thunder had already reached the fourth-order level, and even slightly exceeded his current soul realm.
That is why he was able to withstand the impact of the golden thunderfish, whose essence was only half remaining, and absorb it into his body.
With the continued absorption and transformation of the system's power, Chen Yi gradually began to digest the Thunderfish's origin, allowing this precious ancient thunder spirit power to truly be used for his own purposes.
Once you get through the initial dangerous phase of being swallowed up, the subsequent refining process becomes much safer.
Chen Yi spent ten whole days slowly decomposing and completely devouring the essence of the golden thunderfish, eventually transforming it into multiple pure thunder spirit essences, which he carefully stored in his body's acupoints as an important foundation for future cultivation.
Once the refining was completely finished, Chen Yi slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and looked at Ning Bu'er, who had been guarding him. He sincerely thanked her, saying, "Thank you, Fairy Ning."
This refining of the Thunderfish involves many secrets, and please, Fairy, do not reveal the specific details to anyone.
This is, after all, a core secret of his cultivation, and cannot be easily revealed.
Chen Yi's instructions were perfectly reasonable.
Ning Bu'er knew the gravity of the matter, so she immediately raised her hand and swore an oath, promising never to reveal the details to anyone, not even to her master. She would only say that Chen Yi had successfully refined the Thunder Fish and would not say anything else.
Seeing her so readily agree, Chen Yi nodded and thanked her again: "I won't let Fairy Ning go to the trouble of keeping this a secret for nothing."
Mr. Chen hereby promises the fairy that after the fairy forms her Nascent Soul, Mr. Chen will provide the fairy with some more high-level lightning crystal cores to help the fairy further refine the demonic flames.
This time, it's free.
In closing, Chen Yi specifically emphasized the word "free," clearly indicating that this was a sincere expression of gratitude.
Upon hearing this, Ning Bu'er's cheeks flushed instantly, but she cursed inwardly:
When I form my nascent soul, I will inevitably need to reshape my physical body. At that time, you will again try to take advantage of my body, won't you?
Having just formed my nascent soul, my physical body is now in a state of purity, and you're going to manipulate me inside and out again. After all this, how am I supposed to get married?
She ultimately didn't dare say those words aloud.
After all, even her master, Fairy Xuanyin, had to search far and wide for opportunities to obtain the Thunder Crystal Essence Liquid;
As a cultivator who has such an opportunity at the Core Formation stage, her subsequent cultivation path will most likely be smoother than her master's.
If one can truly reach the late Nascent Soul stage, or even aspire to the pinnacle of the human realm, then perhaps one will truly be unable to do without Chen Yi's help.
As for physical contact and minor details of the skin, they seem less important compared to the opportunity to touch someone at the Nascent Soul stage.
"Um."
Ning Bu'er's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz as she responded gently, thus accepting the promise.
Subsequently, seeing that some millennia-old lightning liquid energy remained in the lightning pool, the two did not rush to leave, but instead chose to remain in seclusion there once again.
This seclusion lasted for more than half a year, until the ten-thousand-year-old thunder liquid in the thunder pool was completely exhausted. Only then did the two pack their belongings and leave this ancient Thunder Soul Sect ruin together.
Of course, during the more than half a year of seclusion, the energy in the Thunder Pool was mainly used by Chen Yi. Under Chen Yi's guidance, Ning Bu'er could only absorb some of the leftover scraps after Chen Yi refined them.
Even so, being able to come into contact with the power of the fourth-order lightning spirit was already a huge evolution for her demonic flames. A trace of the true meaning of the lightning spirit gradually merged into her demonic flames, making them far more powerful and resilient than before. This gave her even more confidence in her future Nascent Soul formation.
However, during the process of Chen Yi guiding her to absorb the power of lightning, physical contact was inevitable.
After all, most of the time, Ning Bu'er couldn't directly withstand the rage of the fourth-order lightning spirit power on her own. Chen Yi had to use his palm to filter and nurture the lightning power before transferring it into her body.
This operation will naturally touch some body parts that are difficult to describe.
After Ning Bu'er discovered that this cultivation method was indeed extremely effective in enhancing his own demonic flames, he tacitly accepted Chen Yi's somewhat inappropriate techniques. In any case, he had already encountered them when planting lightning crystal cores before, so there was no need to dwell on the minor details now.
The only thing that made her curse inwardly was that several times, she was aroused by the lightning power and warmth transmitted from Chen Yi's palm, her whole body turned red, her eyes gradually became hazy, and certain parts of her body involuntarily produced physiological reactions, but Chen Yi seemed not to feel it at all. He simply used his magic power to evaporate the moisture on his palm and continued to focus on helping her transfer lightning power, without making any extra movements.
[That jerk! He's done this and he's still unmoved!]
Ning Bu'er gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly, but there was nothing he could do.
She was, after all, a woman in the prime of her life. When planting large-scale lightning crystal cores before, she could concentrate on controlling the crystal cores to divert her attention. But with this localized transfer of lightning power, she simply couldn't control the throbbing in her heart.
After finishing his seclusion, Chen Yi examined himself and was filled with satisfaction. The number of Thunder Crystal Marrows in his body, each containing 115 strands of lightning power, had reached eight, which was the limit that his physical body could currently bear.
The progress of the marrow refining process has far exceeded expectations, with almost 10% completed.
He consumed the vast majority of the golden thunderfish's spirituality, raising his proficiency in marrow refining to a level surpassing that of ordinary geniuses, almost comparable to top geniuses like Kong Lingling.
For his subsequent cultivation, he only needs to accumulate experience gradually with time and resources.
As long as he has sufficient fourth-order lightning spirit resources, he is confident that he can complete the initial marrow refining within twenty years and officially raise his physical strength to the fourth-order body refining level.
Just then, the communication jade talisman on Ning Bu'er's waist suddenly lit up, and a soft spiritual light enveloped her consciousness.
She focused her senses for a moment, then opened her eyes and said to Chen Yi, "My master sent a message saying that a major change has occurred in the Black Mountain Secret Realm. She has gained a lot this time and asked me to return to the sect when I have time."
Chen Yi nodded upon hearing this: "In that case, let's set off from Yinlei Peak and return to Zhongzhou."
Without further delay, the two packed their simple belongings and left the ancient Thunder Pool ruins together.
Chen Yi gained a great deal from this trip to Leifeng Pagoda.
Ning Bu'er also returned with a full load. Her Thunder Spirit Demon Flame, after being tempered by fourth-order thunder power, had a level of refinement that far surpassed that of the Xuan Yin Fairy when she was at the peak of the Golden Core stage.
If she can successfully form her Nascent Soul, her cultivation path in the Nascent Soul stage will undoubtedly be smoother than her master's.
However, Ning Bu'er still felt a slight regret that she had never been able to truly take that step with Chen Yi, which made her feel somewhat "at a loss".
But she really couldn't bring herself to bring it up, otherwise it would seem too cheap.
Never mind, there's still plenty of time.
We are only about a hundred years old now. If we can successfully form our Nascent Soul, we will have at least a thousand years of lifespan. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, so there is no need to rush.
She comforted herself inwardly, suppressing the inexplicable sense of loss in her heart.
They sped along, and when they reached a mountain peak, they could see the shimmering waves of Moon Lake ahead.
Chen Yi stopped and turned to Ning Bu'er, saying, "Fairy Ning, the Moon Lake area is just ahead. Let's part ways here."
Let's keep in touch in the future, and may the path of immortality last forever.
"Goodbye, Fellow Daoist Chen, may your immortal path last forever."
Ning Bu'er responded softly, her voice trembling slightly.
High atop the mountain, a fierce wind howled, billowing the robes of the two men.
Chen Yi stood in the wind, his demeanor gentle, his temperament like that of an ancient, verdant tree rooted in the earth, radiating a calm yet abundant vitality. The look in his eyes as he looked at Ning Bu'er was mostly one of appreciation for a fellow traveler, without any other ulterior motives.
Ning Bu'er was dressed in a black dress, her posture upright, her legs straight and long. The aura of the peak of the Golden Core stage was hidden, and beneath her usual cold and aloof demeanor, the underlying tone of her gaze towards Chen Yi was an indescribable gentleness, like spring water quietly melting under the ice.
After saying goodbye, Chen Yi took out a third-tier flying boat from his storage bag. As he infused it with spiritual energy, the flying boat quickly unfolded, emitting a faint spiritual light.
He leaped up and sped off toward the Star Moon Sect. He had left the little mouse and the little sparrow in the Monster Beast Mountain Range to find their own opportunities, and had not brought them with him.
Ning Bu'er stood alone on the mountaintop, watching Chen Yi's flying boat gradually turn into a small dot in the sky. He remained motionless for a long time, his thoughts churning.
After a long while, a ball of black demonic flame suddenly bloomed in the void beside her. The demonic flame twisted and dissipated like a living thing. As the flame faded, a purple-robed woman who looked slightly older than Ning Bu'er but was in no way inferior in beauty slowly appeared.
"Everyone's already gone, and you're still watching?"
A teasing voice came from nearby, breaking the silence of the mountaintop.
"If you really can't bear to part with him, your master can help you tie him up and make him your husband."
Ning Bu'er turned around upon hearing the voice and saw that the person who came was none other than his master, Fairy Xuan Yin. He quickly bowed and said, "Bu'er greets Master."
Chen Yi has been a close friend of mine for decades. Over the years, I have owed him a lot of favors. I am so grateful to him for my great progress this time.
"This matter between me and Chen Yi is best resolved by myself; I dare not trouble you, Master."
She explained quickly, afraid that her master might misunderstand. If Chen Yi were really kidnapped, the original kindness would turn into enmity, which would be a loss.
Upon hearing this, Fairy Xuanyin's gaze fell upon Ning Bu'er, and she then released her divine sense to probe him.
A moment later, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she said, "Huh? Your aura has actually improved so much this time?"
That's great! With your current condition, achieving Nascent Soul formation in the future should be no problem at all!
Its quality might even rival that of a superior human-made Nascent Soul.
Upon hearing his master's affirmation, Ning Bu'er's usually cold and aloof face revealed a rare, faint smile.
She raised her hand, and slowly lifted a black demonic flame in her palm. The demonic flame burned quietly in her palm, but deep within it, purple lightning faintly bloomed. Its aura was powerful and condensed, and it had actually reached the level of the quasi-fourth rank, infinitely close to the power of the fourth rank.
The lightning crystal core array that Chen Yi planted for her this time did indeed cause another qualitative change in her core demonic flame, making it far more powerful than before.
Xuan Yin Fairy looked at the Thunder Spirit Demon Flame, her expression becoming complicated.
Three hundred years ago, when she was at the peak of Core Formation, if she had possessed a demonic flame of this quality, with her unparalleled talent back then, how could she have had such a difficult time and spent so much effort when advancing to the late Nascent Soul stage?
"That kid really treats you exceptionally well."
Fairy Xuan Yin withdrew her gaze, her tone tinged with a touch of melancholy, yet also with a hint of caution, "It's a pity he's a womanizer, leaving his mark everywhere. He's not worthy of your sincere devotion for life."
Bu Er, you must stay clear-headed and not get too deeply involved, otherwise you'll suffer in the future.
"Disciple understands."
Ning Bu'er nodded in agreement, his voice calm, "This disciple did not suffer any loss, nor did he succeed."
But Master, you also said that karma in this world always has its consequences. He has helped me so much, and I will find a way to repay him in the future.
"Yes, cause and effect are hard to sever."
Fairy Xuan Yin nodded in agreement, her gaze fixed on the distant place where Chen Yi had departed, seemingly lost in thought.
After a long pause, she finally came to her senses and looked at Ning Bu'er, asking, "By the way, how did that kid perform in the Thunder-Attracting Peak Secret Realm? Did he go down into that fourth-tier Thunder Pool?"
When Xuan Yin Fairy pressed for details about Chen Yi's situation in the secret realm, Ning Bu'er lowered his head and pondered for a moment before softly replying, "I'm off."
"Oh?"
A hint of interest flashed in Fairy Xuan Yin's eyes as she continued to press, "How long did he endure in the Thunder Pool? How much Thunder Liquid did he refine? Did he encounter the Thunder Fish, the true disciple left behind by the Soul Thunder Sect, as a test?"
Ning Bu'er stopped again, her brows furrowed in thought. She had previously sworn not to reveal the details of Chen Yi's refining of the Thunder Fish, but the Thunder Pool was now almost dry. Her master only needed to go to Thunder Peak in person to deduce the result from the traces at the scene, so she obviously couldn't lie.
After thinking for a moment, she chose to respond in the simplest language, neither breaking her vow nor concealing the truth: "He persisted in it for quite a long time. He almost dried up the Thunder Pool, and he also refined the Thunder Fish."
After speaking, Ning Bu'er secretly raised his eyes to look at his master, wanting to see how this late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would react upon hearing the result.
"What?! The Thunder Pool and the Thunder Fish were both refined?! With only a Core Formation cultivator like him?!"
Xuan Yin Fairy suddenly turned around, her sharp gaze fixed on Ning Bu'er, her tone filled with disbelief, clearly wanting to confirm whether this pretty little disciple was joking with her.
But when she met Ning Bu'er's cunning gaze, she was immediately startled. Her disciple's expression clearly showed that he was waiting to see her shocked when she learned the truth, which meant that Ning Bu'er was telling the whole truth.
That kid actually refined the fourth-order lightning pool to almost dryness, and even refined the golden lightning fish containing the power of ancient soul lightning.
How is that possible?
The Xuan Yin Grandmaster instantly composed himself, fell silent, and paced back and forth with a furrowed brow, lost in thought.
She knew very well that things were far more complicated than she had imagined. Ning Bu'er did not reveal any details, and she did not intend to ask any further questions.
Having cultivated to her level, what kind of opportunities and secrets haven't she seen?
She now guessed that Chen Yi, that young man, must be hiding some unknown secret.
As for the process, it doesn't really matter. Just from the result of "the Thunder Pool drying up and the Thunder Fish being refined", she can deduce a lot of things.
At least one thing is certain: that kid either secretly gained the greatest opportunity from the Thunder Soul Sect's legacy back then;
Either his Thunder Spirit Body Tempering cultivation had reached a level far beyond her expectations, or he had at least condensed Thunder Crystal Marrow within his body.
In the most extreme case, he fits both of these scenarios.
If that's the case, Chen Yi has both the inheritance of the Thunder Soul Sect and a high-level body refinement cultivation. Two hundred years later, this Central Continent might very well produce a fourth-level body refinement master who is a Thunder cultivator!
She herself, two hundred years later, will be less than seven hundred years old, still in the prime of her life as a Nascent Soul cultivator.
If we can get high-grade lightning crystal essence from Chen Yi, we might have a chance to touch the threshold of the peak of the Nascent Soul stage!
In the blink of an eye, Fairy Xuanyin had already figured out many things in her mind.
No wonder my handsome little disciple looked so lost in thought when he saw Chen Yi's departing figure. Any cultivator would probably be tempted by such a promising peer.
"Very well," she sighed softly, looking at Ning Bu'er and saying, "I understand."
When I have time, I will go and explore Leifeng again. If there are any valuable resources left behind by the Leihun Sect there, I will also keep an eye out for them.
"You and that kid can keep in touch as much as possible afterward; I won't interfere in your affairs."
She paused, then changed the subject, her tone carrying a hint of expectation: "Bu Er, as female cultivators, it's not easy for us to meet such a promising and talented young man. Remember, don't be afraid to eat; sometimes, eating is a blessing."
Ning Bu'er was stunned for a moment, and thought to himself: ...Master, you just told me not to get too involved so as not to suffer losses, but you changed your mind in the blink of an eye. Should I take this job or not?
Xuan Yin Fairy seemed to see through her thoughts, and a sly smile appeared on her lips: "Silly girl, he hasn't succeeded yet, can't you take the initiative?"
The path of spiritual practice emphasizes results, not the process.
If you're unhappy with that guy from the Star Moon Sect who's got grudges against him, I'll step in and find a way to deal with him!
"No! Master Cheng!"
Ning Bu'er quickly waved her hand to stop her, her tone somewhat flustered, "Let's handle this ourselves, please don't interfere..."
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"Alright, then I won't worry about it anymore."
Xuan Yin Fairy agreed to her words, but then suddenly remembered something and added, "By the way, remember to invite that boy to visit our Black Wind Ridge when you have time."
"I've been a Nascent Soul cultivator for several hundred years now, and I've accumulated quite a few good things. Most of them are useless now. You young people, take a look and take anything that's useful."
Upon hearing this, Ning Bu'er hesitated for a moment, then suggested in a low voice, "Shi Bing, the name Black Wind Ridge sounds like a demonic stronghold. Won't it scare Wu away? How about we change it to Clear Wind Ridge?"
Fairy Xuan Yin raised an eyebrow, her tone slightly teasing: "Even choosing a name, that kid's got a lot on his plate?"
"No!" Ning Bu'er quickly explained, her cheeks slightly flushed. "It's just that I think the name is bad, it has nothing to do with him."
"Hmph, no need to explain, do you think I don't see through your little scheme?"
Fairy Xuan Yin snorted softly, but didn't dwell on it any longer. "Fine, let's change it then. It's just a matter of a name; compared to future opportunities and cultivation, it's completely insignificant."
The master and disciple Wu chatted for a while about Chen Yi, from his cultivation potential to the possible intersection with Empress Yan, and the atmosphere was relatively relaxed.
Later, Ning Bu'er changed the subject, recalling the changes in the Black Mountain Secret Realm that Shi Cheng had mentioned in his previous message, and asked curiously, "Shi Bing, what major changes exactly happened in the Black Mountain Secret Well this time? You said you gained a lot, what exactly did you encounter?"
Upon hearing this question, the relaxed expression on Fairy Xuanyin's face vanished instantly. She remained silent for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly, and her tone became serious as she sighed softly, "A storm is brewing. Our Great Qing cultivation world will likely not be peaceful for the next few hundred, or even several thousand years."
"Master Cheng, what exactly happened?"
Seeing Shi Chui's solemn expression, Ning Bu'er felt a pang of anxiety and pressed him for an answer.
Fairy Xuan Yin slowly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of heaviness: "Deep within the Black Mountain Secret Well lies a special small space. That space has cultivation restrictions, allowing only early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators to enter. Surprisingly, its other end is connected to another cultivation world."
"With the opening of this secret well, the Wu from the opposing cultivation world also entered that small space, vying with the geniuses of our Central Continent for the treasures within. A fierce conflict erupted between the two sides, and the battle was extremely brutal."
She paused, her tone tinged with regret: "Many of the early Nascent Soul cultivators who entered the secret well this time perished in that space."
"My cultivation has reached the late Nascent Soul stage, exceeding the spatial limitations. I cannot enter to provide support. I can only remain outside the spatial passage, scaring back the outside geniuses who wanted to chase and kill us all, thus saving the lives of the remaining few crows."
"So, Master, are you worried that the Black Mountain Secret Rice Bowl might, like the Lake and Sea Secret Rice Bowl of Qi back then, attract the filthy demon realm and cause demonic energy to invade?"
Ning Bu'er, drawing on past rumors, asked with speculation.
"It's more serious than that."
Fairy Xuan Yin shook her head, her eyes growing increasingly profound. "Not only the Black Mountain Secret Well, but recently, several other secret wells in Daqing have also experienced similar spatial anomalies."
Moreover, this time the neighboring realm is not a corrupt and uncivilized demon realm, but a cultivation world with a complete immortal cultivation civilization.
"I sensed it outside the spatial passage. After the passage opened, an extremely dense spiritual energy flowed from their side towards our Great Qing. This indicates that the spiritual energy in their cultivation world is far denser than ours. With such abundant spiritual energy, the cultivation ceiling of their cultivators is naturally much higher."
Her tone became more serious, carrying a hint of warning: "If such a cultivation civilization were to fully invade our Great Qing, it would be a catastrophic disaster for us."
"Huh? Is it really that serious?"
Ning Bu'er was dumbfounded.
"Otherwise, how do you think that inter-realm war that lasted for tens of thousands of years in the Great Green Cultivation Realm broke out?"
Xuan Yin Fairy asked in return, her tone tinged with a sense of vicissitude, "And why did the Soul Thunder Sect, which was almost invincible in Daqing back then, suddenly perish?"
Why has the Vajra Kung Fu lineage become like this, with the complete disappearance of body cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage, etc.?
It can be said that the current state of the cultivation world and the upper limit of cultivators are closely related to the inter-realm war tens of thousands of years ago.
Even top powers like the Ji family and Hongfeng Cave Heaven in Zhongzhou today only appeared inexplicably in Zhongzhou after that battle and gradually grew stronger.
"I can't believe there's such a past—"
Ning Bu'er was completely stunned. She had never heard of these secrets before and felt deeply shocked.
After a pause, she asked with a hint of confusion, "But Master Cheng, since the spiritual energy in their cultivation world is denser and the cultivation level of its cultivators is higher, why did they still invade our Great Qing?"
Who knows?
Perhaps they couldn't survive there either, perhaps they invaded weaker cultivation realms to plunder and strengthen themselves, and there's also a rumor that most realms no longer have passages to the Spirit Realm, but my Great Qing might still have such a passage, because the laws of my Great Qing cultivation realm are relatively complete, so they came for that.
The specific reason is unknown to your master; the sect has no records of it. It's a secret known only to those at the Nascent Soul stage.
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