Chapter 674: Luoyixuan Takes Action

Pure Nine Lotus Treasure Lamp: One of Characters, Two of Characters, Three of Characters, Four of Characters, Five of Characters, Six of Characters, Seven of Characters, Eight of Characters, Nine of Characters; One of Dots, Two of Dots, Three of Dots, Four of Dots, Five of Dots, Six of Dots, Seven of Dots, Eight of Dots, Nine of Dots; One of Bamboos, Two of Bamboos, Three of Bamboos, Four of Bamboos, Five of Bamboos, Six of Bamboos, Seven of Bamboos, Eight of Bamboos, Nine of Bamboos.

That day, Zhuo Ming brought Luo Yixuan, Yin Qingmei, and others to a place called Lan Chuan Mountain.

When the Baijiang River was being excavated to this point, progress suddenly stalled.

The Hua family, who had contracted this section of the project, unearthed Azure Glaze Stone during excavation. This type of ore is highly suitable for refining True Fire.

Moreover, adding a piece of it during artifact refining or alchemy can elevate the flame temperature by a significant degree.

After this mineral was unearthed, the Hua family's first thought was whether they could keep it all for themselves.

However, after Hua Chong, the Hua family patriarch, and Hua Fan, their Foundation Establishment ancestor, came for an on-site inspection and deliberated for two days, they ultimately could only sigh helplessly and report the matter to Beiyuan City.

This was because the discovery of the Azure Glaze Stone ore vein simply couldn't be kept a secret.

The ore vein was directly on the excavation path of the Baijiang River.

As the Hua family had contracted this section, cultivators from the Divine Wood Sect would come to inspect the progress every ten to fifteen days.

Even if they could conceal it for a time, it would definitely be exposed when Zhuo Ming personally came to inspect and accept the project upon its completion, as per the contract.

Even if the Hua family managed to excavate a significant amount of Azure Glaze Stone during this period, if they still wished to survive in the Eastern Barrens, they would eventually have to surrender it all to the Divine Wood Sect.

Furthermore, it was conceivable that such an act by the Hua family would undoubtedly enrage Sect Master Chen, who was known for his ruthless decisiveness.

Therefore, after careful consideration, the two main figures of the Hua family decided that this valuable Azure Glaze Stone was not worth the price they would have to pay. They gritted their teeth and reported it, hoping that the Divine Wood Sect, acknowledging their discovery, might allow them to contract a few more sections of the project.

Additionally, there was another issue: since the discovery of the ore vein, the progress of river excavation by the Hua family's ordinary Qi Cultivation cultivators had fallen significantly behind the contractual timeline. They needed people from Beiyuan City to come and discuss how to resolve this problem.

Upon hearing that Azure Glaze Stone had been unearthed, Zhuo Ming immediately brought people over.

"If I were to act, it wouldn't be impossible to forcibly open it up, but doing so would damage this ore vein."

Luo Yixuan was the first to offer her opinion. With her Outer Body Incarnation and a Fourth-tier Moonpetal Blade, leveling the entire mountain would be no problem.

"That would be too wasteful. This Azure Glaze Stone ore vein is quite extensive; if fully extracted, it would be worth at least a million spirit stones, equivalent to the Rock Nation's annual income from spirit rice."

Zhuo Ming had already used the Myriad Spirit Resonance to briefly communicate with the ley lines of Lan Chuan Mountain, gaining a rough understanding of the ore vein's value. After hearing Luo Yixuan's words, she immediately shook her head.

"Then we'll just have to reroute!"

Yin Qingmei, standing nearby, spoke indifferently after hearing this.

While ninety-nine percent of the plans for excavating the two great rivers aligned with actual surveys, there were still some unexpected situations that necessitated altering the original plans.

Before reaching Lan Chuan Mountain, they had also discovered a valley containing a Third-tier spiritual vein, with a grove of red willows and five Third-tier blue-red willows at its center.

This red willow grove naturally formed a formation that could conceal spiritual energy, which was why it wasn't initially discovered by the Divine Wood Sect's geomancers. Forcibly excavating it would inevitably damage the spiritual vein and even affect the growth of this large area of spiritual plants.

After careful consideration, Zhuo Ming decided to reroute in an arc to bypass it.

The same applied to the Azure Glaze Stone ore vein in Lan Chuan Mountain this time. After weighing the options, they also chose to reroute.

After making the decision, Zhuo Ming summoned the two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Hua family.

"Let's modify this section of the project. However, the exact changes will require me to explore the vicinity first..."

Zhuo Ming stopped speaking midsentence as a powerful surge of spiritual energy approached, appearing before them in an instant.

Fang Xuanyang, clad in a golden robe with hawk-like eyes, arrived, stepping upon golden light. Under the dazzling sunlight, his entire being exuded a brilliant radiance, and his soul-stirring Core Formation aura caused the two Hua family Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby to noticeably change their expressions.

"Who goes there!"

Luo Yixuan stepped forward without hesitation, blocking Fang Xuanyang's path.

"Nanxuan Sect, Fang Xuanyang. I am here specifically to take the lives of you three, lest Sect Master Chen be lonely on the road to the Yellow Springs."

As Fang Xuanyang spoke, he already held a golden halberd. He casually infused it with a bit of spiritual energy and hurled it towards Luo Yixuan, who stood before him like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

In his eyes, this single Sun-Slaying Divine Halberd technique would be enough to skewer the three Foundation Establishment cultivators before him, killing them all.

But something unexpected happened!

A cold sneer played on Luo Yixuan's lips. From the shadows beneath her feet, a chilling aura surged forth, suddenly transforming into a graceful silhouette that merged into her body.

Then, her slender, snow-white right hand rose and directly gripped the golden halberd Fang Xuanyang had thrown, bare-handed.

*Snap!*

With a slight exertion of force from the five fingers of her right hand, Luo Yixuan snapped the golden halberd in two and disdainfully tossed it back onto the ground in front of Fang Xuanyang.

"Who are you!"

Fang Xuanyang's hawk-like eyes suddenly narrowed. Frowning, he stared incredulously at the enchanting and beautiful female cultivator before him, who was clad in palace attire and had skin so fair it was almost translucent.

"Divine Wood Sect, Xiao Nanshan, Luo Yixuan! Weren't you coming for us?"

"When did you form your Core?"

Fang Xuanyang found it hard to accept. Core Formation inevitably brought heavenly tribulation, and he couldn't believe that his Restoration Society would fail to detect even such crucial intelligence.

Yet, the truth was laid bare before him, leaving him no choice but to believe.

"About six years ago, I believe."

Luo Yixuan stated calmly. Hearing this, Fang Xuanyang felt a slight sense of relief.

If she had formed her Core six years ago, even with talent as astonishing as her master, Chen Guixian, she would at most be in the early stage of Core Formation.

With his peak Core Formation mid-stage cultivation and a century of combat experience, he was confident he could easily defeat her.

At this moment, Fang Xuanyang also felt fortunate that he had waited until Luo Yixuan and the other two had left before intercepting them. Otherwise, if they were in Beiyuan City, he truly would have been helpless against her relying on the Third-tier Sumeru Nine Palaces Formation.

"What a pity. Such talented master and disciple, both of you shall die by my Xuanao Dao Palace's hand today..."

Before Fang Xuanyang could finish his harsh words, he saw Luo Yixuan draw a pure white crescent blade from her storage bag.

The moment the Moonpetal Blade appeared, its powerful aura caused Fang Xuanyang's eyes to widen in shock.

A Fourth-tier artifact!

How could her disciple possess one too?

Chen Mobai had a Fourth-tier sword artifact because he was the Saint Son of the Longevity Sect, but why did Luo Yixuan have one?

As Fang Xuanyang hesitated whether to continue fighting, Luo Yixuan had already swung her Moonpetal Blade, unleashing a beautiful, pure white arc of light towards him.

With the terrifying Fourth-tier aura bearing down on him, Fang Xuanyang finally understood what he was up against.

He waved his hand, scattering a flurry of golden beads that formed a shimmering golden light barrier in the shape of a formation. Then, he immediately cast the Golden Light Escape technique, his entire body rapidly retreating.

As expected, the golden light barrier only held for two breaths before being sliced apart by the pure white arc of light.

However, Fang Xuanyang had already seized the opportunity to leave his original position, even flying a considerable distance before fleeing without a backward glance!

Luo Yixuan felt almost thirty percent of her Yellow Springs spiritual energy depleted, causing her to involuntarily click her tongue in slight surprise.

This was her first time fully unleashing the power of a Fourth-tier artifact.

"Go after him!"

At that moment, Granny Ming's voice resonated in Luo Yixuan's sea of consciousness. Luo Yixuan was initially confused but quickly understood the reason.

As a Core Formation cultivator, Fang Xuanyang openly coming to bully the weaker cultivators clearly indicated that the Xuanao Dao Palace was about to launch a full-scale attack on the Divine Wood Sect.

He had also mentioned earlier that besides him, others were simultaneously attacking Chen Mobai.

Luo Yixuan, as her master's most trusted disciple, understood from Granny Ming's reminder that what she could do now was to follow Fang Xuanyang, a Core Formation cultivator from the opposing faction.

This would both tie him down, preventing him from joining the encirclement of Chen Mobai, and stop him from retaliating in a fit of rage against the Divine Wood Sect cultivators who were constructing projects all over the Rock Nation.

Understanding this, Luo Yixuan said a word to Zhuo Ming and Yin Qingmei, then gripped her Moonpetal Blade and chased after Fang Xuanyang, who was by then just a tiny retreating figure on the horizon.

"Let's head back to Beiyuan City first!"

Zhuo Ming had received Chen Mobai's true teachings. Under these circumstances, she immediately planned to take Yin Qingmei back to a safe place.

Yin Qingmei only now recovered from the shock that Luo Yixuan had actually formed her Core. Only the Xiao Nanshan lineage and Zhou Fu within the Divine Wood Sect knew about this matter.

However, the impending war with the Xuanao Dao Palace caused Yin Qingmei's heart to grow anxious once more; after all, that was a great Nascent Soul sect.

But even if the sky falls, her godfather would bear the brunt. For now, it was better to avoid trouble.

"Alright, thank you, Junior Sister."

Yin Qingmei nodded and directly entered the Myriad Virtue Cauldron. Zhuo Ming then retrieved the artifact and vanished from the spot using an Earth Escape technique.

In an instant, only the bewildered Hua family cultivators remained.

Hua Chong and Hua Fan, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, exchanged glances and simultaneously gasped in cold air.

"Quick, quick, quick! Gather all clansmen, abandon the ongoing projects, and return to the clan territory as fast as possible."

With their knowledge, they naturally realized that at the moment Fang Xuanyang made his move, a great war between Xuanao Dao Palace and Divine Wood Sect had become inevitable.

The outcome of this war, even at their level, was something they dared not guess.

After all, one was the overlord of the Eastern Barrens, while the other was a great Eastern Yi sect with a Nascent Soul expert overseeing it.

But they knew that either faction could easily wipe out their Hua family.

Therefore, as the first to know about this matter, they could only hope that their clan's Third-tier formation would be able to protect their family and help them weather this undoubtedly brutal war.

"To think Sect Master Chen's third disciple has already formed her Core! She truly lives up to her title as the Nanshan Fairy, most akin to Sect Master Chen himself. The Divine Wood Sect didn't hold a Core Formation ceremony for her, hiding it so deeply; it seems they had long anticipated a great war with Xuanao Dao Palace..."

As they led their clan disciples away, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Hua family also marveled at Chen Mobai's farsightedness.

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