Chapter 819: Deep Abyss Island (3000 Monthly Tickets Bonus)

White Crow Patriarch's two disciples, Liu Nansheng and Zhou Zhenghai, emerged from the main hall. Liu Nansheng was about to depart when Zhou Zhenghai called out to him.

“Junior Brother Liu,” Zhou Zhenghai began, “did you tell our master about Senior Sister sealing the teleportation array and conducting a large-scale search of the immortal city?”

Zhou Zhenghai asked with a half-smile. “Because of this incident, our relationship with several major merchant guilds in Bathing Sun Sea is still strained. I had pre-ordered a precious pill to break through a bottleneck from Caotang, but it still hasn't arrived. This must be the reason...”

Liu Nansheng spoke with a hint of complaint. While he didn't admit it directly, he also didn't deny it.

“Junior Brother Liu,” Zhou Zhenghai cautioned, “our Senior Sister is the master's most beloved disciple. If you keep informing on her like this, you'll need to be very careful if she ever reaches the Nascent Soul stage.”

Compared to Liu Nansheng, who had joined the sect later, Zhou Zhenghai was privy to more information. Zhu Jun, besides being White Crow Patriarch's disciple, was also his concubine.

It was precisely due to this intimate relationship that Zhu Jun had been able to cultivate all the way to the perfected Core Formation realm. White Crow Patriarch had even used a precious Sunwood Heart to acquire the Three Light Divine Water for her.

Although Zhu Jun failed to form her Nascent Soul, her standing in White Crow Patriarch's eyes had diminished somewhat. Nevertheless, even so, the other nine members of their Ten Truths of Bathing Sun combined still couldn't compare to her.

Liu Nansheng's expression subtly changed upon hearing this.

“Senior Brother Zhou,” Liu Nansheng offered, “I have a jar of treasured White Dew Sparrow Tongue in my cave dwelling. Why don't you come over for a drink? There are many matters within the sect that I still need your guidance on.”

Upon hearing Liu Nansheng's words, Zhou Zhenghai nodded in satisfaction.

White Dew Sparrow Tongue was a fourth-tier spirit tea. The tea garden, home to its mother tree, was managed by Liu Nansheng, and ordinarily, only White Crow Patriarch could partake of it freely.

Zhou Zhenghai also received a few liang each year, but he had long since finished his share.

Seeing Liu Nansheng's understanding, Zhou Zhenghai felt his subtle warning had not been in vain.

The two did not know that their entire conversation was heard by White Crow Patriarch.

However, he was currently preoccupied with chastising the tender-skinned disciple in his embrace.

After a severe reprimand, Zhu Jun, still breathing faintly, inquired about the outcome of the battle involving the four Nascent Soul cultivators in Dongyi.

She was utterly perplexed by White Crow Patriarch's sudden return from the Profound Sea and his decision to spare Kongsang Valley.

“Originally, Muqin and Kuzhu, master and disciple, were on the verge of being slain by the combined efforts of myself and Jinfeng,” White Crow Patriarch explained. “However, at a crucial moment, a pitch-black island suddenly emerged from the seabed where we were fighting. A mysterious black-robed cultivator intervened, using an artifact to separate the four of us.”

“Fortunately, the black-robed cultivator harbored no killing intent. He merely took Kuzhu, claiming Kuzhu possessed a unique constitution suitable for receiving the legacy of Abyss Island. If he could pass the trials, he would become one of the future Ten Directions Palace Masters.”

“Muqin went with him, but Jinfeng and I dared not, so we could only return first.”

“If Kuzhu truly passes the trials of Abyss Island, his future accomplishments might be boundless. Therefore, there was no need for me to pursue the matter to an extreme; I simply granted Kongsang Valley a reprieve.”

At this point, White Crow Patriarch also snorted coldly.

The two factions had besieged Kongsang Valley for over a decade. If Muqin and Kuzhu, master and disciple, were eliminated, and considering that Old Ancestor Jinfeng didn't have much lifespan left, the Dongyi region would fall under White Crow Patriarch's sole command in the future.

However, just as a decisive victory was within reach, it was disrupted by Abyss Island. He was undoubtedly deeply displeased.

“To think the legacy of Abyss Island still persists!” Zhu Jun exclaimed in surprise. This was one of the Ten Directions Palaces of the Eastern Earth Imperial Court. At its zenith, it had a Soul Transformation stage expert presiding over it, serving as the Imperial Court's force for suppressing the Profound Sea.

However, during the great battle between the Human Emperor and the Nine-Headed Great Sage, Abyss Island's Soul Transformation expert perished, and this lineage subsequently began to wane. Still, it was unexpected that a successor would remain within the Profound Sea.

“This is now an era where the Sacred Lands govern Dongzhou,” White Crow Patriarch declared, his face arrogant. “Abyss Island, along with the Eastern Earth Imperial Court, is a relic of the past. Furthermore, even if Kuzhu gains the legacy and his cultivation greatly increases, I have Jinwu Immortal City, so I have nothing to fear from him.” Their Bathing Sun Sea, tracing back its origins, was also a former Sacred Land inheritance from the Eastern Earth, and their ancestors' reputation was no worse than that of Abyss Island.

However, since he had failed to kill Kuzhu and completely eradicate Kongsang Valley this time, there was no longer any need to pursue that course of action.

It was always wise to leave a line of retreat, allowing room for future reconciliation.

“But why didn't Xuanao Dao Palace make a move?” Zhu Jun pressed. “They clearly have a deep blood feud with Kongsang Valley.”

Bathing Sun Sea, possessing the foremost immortal city in Dongyi, was protected by a fifth-tier grand array. As long as no Soul Transformation expert intervened, they had nothing to fear, which gave them the confidence to reconcile with Kuzhu.

Xuanao Dao Palace, however, was a different case. The first thing Kuzhu would do upon returning with a formed Nascent Soul would be to seek vengeance against Old Ancestor Jinfeng. It was essentially a life-or-death struggle between them.

“He certainly wished to act,” White Crow Patriarch explained, “but with me staying out of it, he alone, even with Xuanao Dao Palace, couldn't breach Kongsang Valley's fourth-tier high-grade grand array in a short amount of time.”

“So, after I departed with Bathing Sun Sea's disciples, that old fox Jinfeng also feigned leaving Kongsang Valley a path and retreated with me.”

“But he must be very worried now; he might even be considering a retreat route.”

At this point, White Crow Patriarch suddenly recalled the Eastern Wilderness, a place he and Old Ancestor Jinfeng had once schemed over when Old Ancestor Hunyuan passed away.

However, White Crow Patriarch had coveted the Hunyuan Dao Fruit inherited by the Five Elements Sect, whereas Old Ancestor Jinfeng desired to transform the Eastern Wilderness into his own private garden. After all, Xuanao Dao Palace was a major alchemy sect, and with more medicinal fields, they could cultivate more disciples, potentially even giving rise to a second Nascent Soul thanks to it.

“Coincidentally,” White Crow Patriarch continued, “that old fox Jinfeng is still a Nascent Soul cultivator, and in that rustic place, the Eastern Wilderness, the highest cultivation level is only Core Formation. I can write him a letter, proposing that if he agrees to lead Xuanao Dao Palace out of Dongyi and retreat to the Eastern Wilderness, then should Kuzhu return in the future, I can mediate and persuade Kuzhu to spare Xuanao Dao Palace's lineage there.”

White Crow Patriarch suddenly conceived this 'driving a wolf to devour a tiger' strategy. If Sect Master Chen of the Five Elements Sect was indeed a Dao Son cultivated externally by the One Yuan Dao Palace, then to resist Old Ancestor Jinfeng, he would inevitably be forced to reveal his full capabilities.

If he wasn't, and the Five Elements Sect were to be directly annihilated by Xuanao Dao Palace, that too would be advantageous for White Crow Patriarch.

For both he and his disciple shared some karmic ties with the Five Elements Sect.

This presented an opportune moment to settle everything once and for all.

“Master,” Zhu Jun interjected, praising White Crow Patriarch's plan, “there's one more thing. Our scout in Beiyuan City previously sent back a piece of intelligence. The main premise, of course, is that the Five Elements Sect has no Nascent Soul cultivators.”

“Previously,” Zhu Jun continued, “the Golden Sun Spirit Tree on the mountaintop of Beiyuan City underwent tribulation to become a fourth-tier Longevity Wood. However, the power of that heavenly tribulation was unusually immense. Our scout suspected it might have been Sect Master Chen of the Five Elements Sect undergoing his Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation...”

As she spoke, Zhu Jun reached for the storage bag that had fallen onto her clothes on the ground. She quickly retrieved the recorded intelligence from it.

White Crow Patriarch immediately took it, read it carefully, and then his expression instantly relaxed.

“It states that Sect Master Chen of the Five Elements Sect effortlessly destroyed the heavenly tribulation with his Lightning Purple Sword,” White Crow Patriarch stated, his face now completely relaxed. “This unequivocally means it wasn't a Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation. In the tens of thousands of years of history recorded in the 'Burning Heavens Cleansing Earth' texts, which our Bathing Sun Sea inherits, such an event has never occurred. It must have been a third-tier spirit plant's advancement tribulation, which is why he could so easily assist it in passing.”

As for the intelligence mentioning that the heavenly tribulation's power was considerable, almost covering half of Beiyuan City, White Crow Patriarch merely dismissed it as the scout being easily surprised by uncommon phenomena.

After all, the Longevity Wood was said to be the root of a legendary Heavenly Venerate. Perhaps the one transplanted to Beiyuan City had been meticulously cultivated by the Five Elements Sect, possessing deep foundations, which would explain why it triggered a comparatively powerful heavenly tribulation during its advancement.

“Master, your experience and insight are vast; I am far inferior to you,” Zhu Jun said, expressing her sincere admiration.

“Hmph, you still have a lot to learn.”

Upon hearing this, White Crow Patriarch reached out and gently pressed down his disciple, who resembled a refined young lady, back into his embrace.

After this minor punishment and stern warning, Zhu Jun's error was considered absolved.

Subsequently, White Crow Patriarch personally visited the representatives of several Sacred Land merchant guilds to apologize. Some accepted his apology, while others continued to give him the cold shoulder.

Although White Crow Patriarch lost some face over this, his intent had been conveyed nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Zhu Jun, under the pretext of atoning for her past mistakes, traveled to Xuanao Dao Palace as a representative of Bathing Sun Sea.

After she returned to Jinwu Immortal City, Xuanao Dao Palace suddenly dispatched disciples to harvest the mature spirit plants and medicinal herbs from their fields. Furthermore, the recently returned army of cultivators was reassembled.

These developments, naturally, could not escape the notice of the Five Elements Sect members, who were keeping a constant watch.

Zhou Shengqing immediately had Yu Lian take this news back.

Zhou Shengqing had just met with True Person Mingwen of Kongsang Valley. However, even she was unaware of the current situation of Muqin and Kuzhu, the two Nascent Soul cultivators. She only knew that Muqin had sent a talisman instructing them to activate the grand array, guard themselves, and await their return.

From this talisman, Zhou Shengqing learned that Muqin and Kuzhu were still alive.

He had intended to investigate the precise outcome of the battle of the four Nascent Soul cultivators in Dongyi, but he soon found his attention diverted.

This was because Xuanao Dao Palace suddenly dispatched a team of elite cultivators into the Barren Ruins.

Zhou Shengqing personally followed them for a distance and found that they were heading towards the Eastern Wilderness.

To avoid alerting them, he did not act.

However, he deliberately lured some demonic beasts from the Barren Ruins into the path of Xuanao Dao Palace's cultivators, thus delaying the team.

Beiyuan City.

Upon receiving Yu Lian's message, Chen Mobai instructed the Five Elements Sect cultivators stationed along the Eastern Wilderness border to conceal themselves, then allowed the group from Xuanao Dao Palace to enter.

The group of cultivators was led by a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had meticulously disguised them as a merchant caravan from a minor sect in Dongyi. After entering Beiyuan City, they conducted numerous investigations, even visiting the Heavenly Meal Tower.

Seven days later, the group departed the Eastern Wilderness, carrying the superficial intelligence Chen Mobai had arranged for them.