Chapter 124: Floating Sun True Person

  “It is an extraordinarily remarkable craft.”

  At this point, the Sword Spirit offered heartfelt praise: “If you can master it, it would be equivalent to carrying your own blessed nd and spiritual ground everywhere you go. A cultivator’s reliance on spiritual veins would be greatly reduced.”

  “Such a method of forging artifacts to nurture life, harnessing the nd to foster qi, might not even have existed among the major sects of the Huaixu Realm in past times. And even if it did, the cost would be very high, requiring a special natural spiritual ground to accomplish.”

  “Yet in this Tianyuan Realm, even a cultivator who has not reached Foundation Establishment can manage it with just a set of Spiritual Artifacts, bringing the cost down to this level. That shows the astonishing proficiency of the Tianyuan Realm’s Artifact Refining and formation cultivation!”

  At that, the Sword Spirit sounded a bit regretful: “I should also know a bit about Artifact Refining, but unfortunately, I’ve completely forgotten that part of my memories. Even so, I can tell how extraordinary this is.”

  “I see.” When An Jing heard the Sword Spirit’s unreserved admiration, he nodded thoughtfully. “So, from what you’re saying, the various Immortal Cultivation arts in the Tianyuan Realm have better techniques than those of the Huaixu Realm?”

  “Their skills in Artifact Refining are indeed far superior. As for talismans and pills, they’re probably on a comparable level,” the Sword Spirit commented objectively. “As for everything else, I’m not sure.”

  “I see.”

  An Jing nodded slightly and revealed a smile. “Trade between the two realms… it seems to hold great promise.”

  After finishing his healing, he took out a piece of jade-cleaving steel from his bag and began absorbing Five Metal Baleful Qi to restore his spiritual energy.

  One could hardly call it a waste or not—there was only one day left before he returned to the Huaixu Realm, and he had to restore himself to peak condition as quickly as possible.

  Moreover, while he remained here in the Tianyuan Realm, in Xuanye City, there was one more task he had yet to finish.

  Time was pressing, and he needed to seize every minute.

  Meanwhile.

  At the Xuanming Bck Market, on the third underground level.

  In that pitch-bck, deathly silent battleground, one could only hear the trickling sound of water flowing from a broken pipe.

  Several armored guards dressed in fully enclosed exoskeleton combat suits silently arrived at the location where the Fengdu Guards had battled a ghost cultivator and Bo Yan, as well as where the Fengdu Guards had perished.

  Their figures were cloaked in shadows; from a distance, they appeared only as a vague blur.

  Their smoothly designed exoskeleton power armor could block the detection of spiritual energy. Even in the senses of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they would register no differently than an ordinary sewer rat.

  One of them, who looked like the leader, held a mirror-shaped Magical Artifact, carefully scanning the remaining traces at the battle site.

  At the spot where the Fengdu Guards had died, he spent a few minutes scanning meticulously. Then he raised his head and nodded to his teammates around him; those examining other areas also nodded in reply.

  —They have been dead for more than one shichen. The battle sted no more than two ke.

  —A multi-sided assault was involved. Detected unusual types of spiritual energy: ‘Earth Fme,’ ‘Abyssal Bone,’ and ‘Geng Metal.’

  —All were at the ninth yer of Qi Refining. The Geng Metal was slightly weaker, but judging by the purity of its spiritual energy, it should also be high-level Qi Refining.

  They communicated via Divine Sense, and all were evidently around the seventh yer of Qi Refining in strength. Their leading Captain finalized his conclusion: “The True Talisman has already been taken. The targets, ‘Earth Fme Spear Bo Yan’ and the other unknown Qi Refining cultivator who uses ‘Geng Metal Qi,’ are missing.”

  “In all likelihood, the two have already escaped through the bck market’s secret passageway. Stakeout Team, report your situation.”

  A voice came through the communicator: “Reporting to the Captain! We’ve captured twenty-two bck market escapees so far, but haven’t found the targets. The targets might still be in the sewers, or they might have taken a different route to the surface!”

  “Roger.”

  The leader gave a slight nod. He had initially pnned to hold the Magical Artifact and track the aura.

  But before he could continue activating the mirror-shaped Magical Artifact in his hand, a palm fell on his shoulder.

  “Forget it. That’s pointless.”

  That sudden, silent voice undoubtedly startled the small squad leader. But he quickly composed himself, stood at attention in salute, and respectfully said, “Your subordinate greets the True Person!”

  At once, the entire squad dropped to one knee in salute. “We greet the Floating Sun True Person!”

  The white-haired man who had suddenly appeared in their midst had crimson eyes and gold pupils, wore a silver robe, and was slender yet youthful-looking. He was none other than the Floating Sun True Person Chen Jingguang, one of the four Purple Mansion True Persons under the Department of Campaign Protocol of Luofu in Xuanye City.

  He hailed from the main branch at Luofu Mountain, specifically Dongtian Cloud City. Though his ancestors did not include a Golden Core Dao Embryo True Person True Monarch, he was nonetheless a genuine descendant of Luofu. Having emerged into the world for a century, he had already achieved great feats, earning himself a notable reputation in Xuanye City, where outstanding talents gathered. On ordinary days, he was courteous and respectful toward those beneath him, and was well-liked.

  He was precisely the same True Person who had cshed earlier with that Purple Mansion cultivator from the Mysterious Abyss Pace, and his presence here indicated that he had gained the upper hand in that confrontation.

  “At ease. All of you, stand up.”

  Still, even though he had secured the right to search the bck market, Floating Sun True Person did not show the slightest hint of pleasure. Although he still appeared youthful, this Purple Mansion cultivator with snow-white hair and beard heaved a sigh. “What a pity. I was stalled for too long, and those thieves also used talismans to wipe away traces. Their aura has dispersed, and it’s no longer possible to catch them.”

  “That Fang Xizhen from the Mysterious Abyss Pace is no weaker than I am. If we had fought head-on, I would not have had any advantage.”

  “But he kept maneuvering evasively just to stall me until their people were completely evacuated, and only then did he withdraw…”

  Floating Sun True Person grumbled to himself, but the others did not dare lift their heads.

  Fang Xizhen was precisely that Purple Mansion cultivator from the Mysterious Abyss Pace who had confronted Floating Sun True Person. He was known as Purewater True Person, rose to fame in his youth, and at the age of fifty attained the “Profound Forging Seed,” preserving his life and authenticity, then realized the fundamental Divine Ability “Mystic Heaven Yin Rainbow,” successfully achieving the Purple Mansion realm.

  His base was supposedly in Qingyu City, and this time he had come to Xuanye City merely to help his fellow sect members make an escape. Naturally, he had no intention of fighting a serious duel with Floating Sun True Person.

  After voicing his compints, Floating Sun True Person cast a gnce at the Fengdu Guards’ corpses and shook his head. “They were too careless. They wanted a live capture, but ended up being sughtered when their prey was cornered.”

  “Still, that Geng Metal cultivator who was with Bo Yan was too greedy, daring to steal the Surveilnce Bureau’s spirit stone furnace. Doesn’t he know that the spirit stones inside the furnace come with a spirit signal, and once activated, they’ll reveal his coordinates?”

  With a wave of his hand, Floating Sun True Person turned and transformed into a ray of light as he departed, his tone resolute: “First, deal with the remaining bck market scum here. Then set up a detection array and thoroughly monitor the spiritual energy currents in the southwest of Xuanye City.”

  “Within three days, once the ritual is established, we’ll perform the Spirit-Summoning Secret Art*. Even if those two shameless insects hide at the ends of the earth, we’ll surely catch their trail.”

  Everyone acknowledged in unison.

  Even though a few quick-witted individuals wondered why the resident Golden Core True Monarch from the Luofu main branch stationed in Xuanye City had not acted, they neither dared to ask nor to think about it. After all, if they delved too deep, there would be far too many complications. Take, for instance, how exactly that True Talisman had gone missing—such things definitely could not be discussed with outsiders.

  Since that was the case, it was better not to think about anything at all, simply to serve as a tool and carry out the orders from above—like most employees of these major groups did.

  Before long, one after another, the sounds of finishing gunshots echoed, and the once-thriving Xuanming Bck Market returned to utter silence.

  Three days were not long, nor were they short.

  Night fell.

  It was the tter half of the third day since An Jing had arrived in the Tianyuan Realm.

  This was An Jing’s final stretch of time in the Tianyuan Realm.

  In Xuanye City’s Mighty Sea** District.

  Late at night, no one dared walk the streets, which were desote and dark, like the netherworld itself.

  Towering skyscrapers cast expansive shadows across the ground, and a lone figure darted rapidly among them.

  Nian Qin’s watch-shaped personal terminal held no valuable information. The silk talisman in the watchband had already faded naturally, and in order to avoid exposure or pursuit, An Jing, now fully restored in spiritual energy, of course crushed it entirely into dust.

  However, before crushing it, he had still confirmed a few pieces of information.

  One of them was the location of Nian Qin’s “home.”

  (End of Chapter)

  *Secret Technique will be changed to Secret Art for better flow.

  **I'd prefer using the pinyin Weihai instead of Mighty Sea since it kind of doesn't make sense, but I don't think it'll keep continuity considering I transted the bck market's Armory District... even though that one does make sense.

  aeterism