Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Chen Yuan also stopped, raised his hand to take off the gold-threaded hollowed-out mask, put it into his inner space, turned around and looked into the distance, where he could seem to see Fulong Island two thousand miles away.

He did not answer, but only said, "I hope you will not leak this matter."

Chen Yuan's tone was very calm, but it sent a chill down Dugu Sha's spine for no reason.

Dugu Sha quickly agreed: "How could I dare?"

Chen Yuan turned around and looked at Dugu Sha: "Ao Ye made a deal with a royal demon general, but you didn't find out beforehand and almost exposed a flaw. Why is that?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Dugu Sha felt a burning pain suddenly shoot through his soul, and his expression changed.

But the burning pain lasted for less than a breath. Dugu Sha looked inward and saw the fire lotus mark on his soul's forehead flicker a few times before disappearing.

He felt a chill run down his spine and quickly bowed to Chen Yuan, saying, "This was my oversight. I am not close to Ao Ye and have not had any contact with him for a long time. I was unaware of the changing situation."

"Thanks to your display of supernatural powers, fellow Daoist, I was able to avoid arousing his suspicion. I will be extra careful in the future and will never make such a mistake again."

Chen Yuan stared at him without saying a word. After a long while, he finally spoke softly, "This is the last time."

Dugu Sha slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his tense body relaxing, only to find that his back was soaked with cold sweat.

He looked up at Master Xinghuo and felt that the man was full of mystery, and the awe in his eyes deepened.

That day, when the two discussed the transaction, he advised Xinghuo Zhenren to capture a demon general and then have him trade the Jade Marrow Fungus with Ao Ye.

However, Master Xinghuo rejected the proposal and took out a black and white ring, putting it on his hand.

He watched as Xinghuo Zhenren's spiritual energy transformed into intense demonic energy, instantly turning him from a cultivator into a demon general without revealing the slightest flaw.

He had never seen such a strange phenomenon before, and his face immediately paled in horror. He was even more grateful that he hadn't risked his life and had instead listened to Master Xinghuo's advice.

Transforming a human into a demon—such extraordinary abilities were unheard of and unseen by him; even a demon general would likely find it difficult to accomplish.

The next day, he and Master Xinghuo left Dragon God City. After seven days, they finally arrived at Fulong Island to visit Ao Ye and tell him about the jade marrow fungus trade.

But unexpectedly, Ao Ye was so cautious, only trading with royal demon generals, almost causing his mission to fail.

Fortunately, Xinghuo Zhenren possessed the bloodline of the Kun fish, which dispelled Ao Ye's doubts.

No wonder Master Xinghuo is not well-known. It turns out he is a hybrid of human and demon, and a descendant of the Kun fish clan. Unlike other human cultivators, he is not in a difficult situation and can naturally live in seclusion to cultivate.

With such a powerful physical body, it's not surprising that he could block his natal magic weapon with his bare hands.

This Master Xinghuo is not only incredibly powerful, but also possesses unfathomable wealth.

Ao Ye wanted to reforge his divine weapon, but he needed top-grade spiritual material, coffin wood, as the main ingredient, which he searched for but could not find.

Master Xinghuo casually took out a piece of Yin Iron Vine, but fearing it wouldn't sway him, he then took out a piece of top-grade spiritual material, offering two pieces of top-grade spiritual material in exchange for a Jade Marrow Fungus.

Even though the four-thousand-year-old spiritual herb is a rare treasure, it is still far inferior to the two top-grade spiritual materials that are sufficient to forge top-level magical treasures and divine weapons.

The sheer generosity of Master Xinghuo left Dugu Sha speechless with astonishment, and he completely forgot about the Dragon God Sect.

Although his main hall housed a jade statue of a dragon, he never sincerely believed in the so-called dragon god.

There are not many elders in the Dragon God Cult who truly believe in the existence of a Dragon God.

They are neither ignorant mortals nor those fanatical low-level cultivators who have cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm and only believe in the law of the jungle and the supremacy of strength.

……

Ao Ye watched Kun Feng and Dugu Sha's escape lights disappear into the horizon, his smile slowly fading as he turned and flew into the passage surrounded by azure waters.

Instead of returning directly to his cave, he rode his escape light past the main hall on the cliff edge and arrived at a vast ancient forest in the northeast corner of Fulong Island.

Deep in the dense forest, a three-story building is hidden.

Twelve spirit trees sprouted from the ground, naturally bending into pillars. Ancient runes, naturally formed, were engraved on the rough bark, faintly flowing with azure spiritual light.

The dark green vines intertwine and form eaves and brackets, their surfaces covered with patches of moss, gleaming with a lustrous sheen in the thin mist.

The entire building is made of spirit wood and green vines, blending seamlessly with the surrounding towering trees.

As Ao Ye descended, a green vine hanging from the eaves trembled slightly and stretched out in this direction, like a green snake that had just awakened.

The green vine came to Ao Ye's side, and a white spiritual flower quietly bloomed at its tip.

Ao Ye said in a low voice, "Ao Ye has come to pay his respects to the Third Elder."

The white spirit flower swayed twice in the wind, its petals falling, seemingly experiencing spring and summer in an instant, withering and dying.

Two doors woven from green vines quietly opened, and Ao Ye stepped inside.

The interior of the small building is lush with greenery. There is a dark brown wooden table carved from a tree root, two rattan chairs, and flowers adorning the windows on both sides, swaying in the wind and exuding a delicate fragrance, creating a vibrant spring atmosphere.

Ao Ye stood in front of the table and waited for a while. Then, a person walked down the grassy stairs with slow and silent steps.

Ao Ye stepped forward, clasped his hands in a bow, and said, "Ao Ye greets the Third Elder."

"No need for formalities, sit down and let's talk."

Ao Ye straightened up and waited for him to sit down before gently sitting down himself, bowing slightly and lowering his head, appearing somewhat timid.

But he had no choice. The person opposite him was thin and short, like a human cultivator. If Ao Ye were upright, he would be looking down at him.

This man was dressed in a blue robe, with a thin face and distinct features. His expression was indifferent, but there seemed to be an unyielding sorrow between his brows, giving him a sense of desolation, much like those frustrated mortal scholars in a mortal city under the rule of the dragon clan.

But in front of such a seemingly powerless and destitute scholar, Ao Ye, who had cultivated to the mid-level demon general level six hundred years ago, didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

The man in the blue robe said calmly, "What do you want?"

"Elder Dugu Sha of the Divine Sect has brought a Kun fish demon here today..."

Ao Ye recounted in detail Kun Feng's attempt to purchase the Jade Marrow Fungus, not daring to omit any details, his deep voice kept extremely low.

After he finished speaking, he took out the wisp of Yin Iron Vine, placed it on the stone table, and said respectfully, "This is the Yin Iron Vine that Kun Feng brought out as a deposit. Please make a decision, Third Elder."

The man in the green robe glanced at it, then flicked his sleeve to put away the Yin Iron Vine, and said indifferently, "Since this person is so sincere, and you need the Spirit Coffin Wood to reforge your divine weapon, then I will give him that Jade Marrow Fungus."

"Take this order and go to the Spirit Herb Garden. Tell them that you are seriously injured, your source is damaged, and your essence and blood are greatly depleted. You need Jade Marrow Fungus to heal your wounds."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand and took out a blue dragon, about three inches long, woven entirely from blue vines, exuding a wild and ancient aura.

Ao Ye quickly accepted the Green Vine Dragon Token with both hands, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Third Elder, our clan and the Kunyu clan have always been at odds in our struggle for supremacy in the Myriad Demon Continent."

"Why not take this opportunity to capture Kunfeng, eliminate a major enemy for our clan, and save a Jade Marrow Fungus? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

The man in the blue robe said calmly, "He's just a mid-level demon general; killing him is pointless." Ao Ye hesitated, but didn't mention the bloodline pressure he felt from Kun Feng. He continued to persuade him, "I observe that this person's bloodline is quite pure; he has a high chance of becoming a high-level demon general in the future..."

The man in the blue robe said calmly, "Let's not talk about this anymore; we mustn't ruin our reputation."

A hint of resentment flashed in Ao Ye's eyes, but he dared not speak further. He clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "I will definitely do my best to disguise myself and will not reveal the slightest flaw."

……

Seven days later, Chen Yuan and Dugu Sha, who were waiting for Ao Ye's reply on an island three thousand miles away from Fulong Island, met the Core Formation stage human slave he had sent there and received the letter he had delivered.

Within three thousand miles of Fulong Island, there are no other islands.

Visitors either go directly to Fulong Island or wait three thousand miles away.

According to Dugu Sha, there used to be many islands outside Fulong Island. After all, there was a giant spiritual vein on the island, so the earth veins were extraordinary and there would be no shortage of islands.

However, as the major royal families fought more and more, the human race's resistance became more and more intense. The Jiaolong clan took the initiative to flatten the islands within three thousand miles of Fulong Island, patrolling day and night and not allowing others to approach.

As an elder of the Dragon God Cult, Dugu Sha was allowed to stay overnight on Fulong Island.

But with Chen Yuan by his side, how could he dare to stay behind alone? He could only come here together.

Ao Ye's letter was extremely brief, only instructing the two to return to Fulong Island, without mentioning the Jade Marrow Fungus.

Chen Yuan put on a gold-threaded openwork mask, and the two followed the Core Formation human slave to Fulong Island, where Ao Ye was already waiting in the outer sea.

However, compared to seven days ago, his face was slightly pale and his vital energy was weaker, as if he had suffered some kind of injury in the past seven days.

He led the two into the great formation, to the main hall where they resided, and then descended with a beam of light.

Chen Yuan gazed at Ao Cang, who was perched on the dragon locust tree in the distance, without spreading his divine sense, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He withdrew his gaze, turned and walked into the main hall.

Ao Ye waved his hand forcefully, and the palace doors slammed shut. The three of them took their seats as host and guest.

Ao Ye wasted no time. He immediately took out a wooden box, gently lifted the lid, and revealed a spiritual herb inside.

"Brother Kun, please look, this is the Jade Marrow Fungus."

A hint of joy flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes, hidden behind the mask. He raised his hand, took the spiritual medicine into his hand, and examined it carefully.

The chalcedony fungus is pure white like jade, with a cap as thin as a cicada's wing. Under the light of the candles in the hall, it glows with a soft, milky white light.

The sesame flesh is translucent like ice crystals, and you can vaguely see the nectar flowing inside.

The stem of the mushroom has nine natural jade patterns, which meander like dragons and snakes. It feels warm to the touch, like warm jade, yet it also exudes a slight chill, making it extremely unique.

Chen Yuan secretly praised it, this Jade Marrow Fungus was exactly the same as the description in the Spirit Herb Compendium.

Moreover, it is of excellent quality, resembling both jade and ice, possessing both cold and warm properties, and its medicinal efficacy is pure. It should be around 4,300 years old.

If he could refine the elixir, it would greatly accelerate the recovery of his injuries.

He raised his head, a smile appearing on his face: "Indeed, it is no different from Jade Marrow Fungus."

Chen Yuan put the jade marrow mushroom back into the wooden box, then flicked his sleeve, and a piece of wood about a foot long appeared out of thin air on the table. It was as black as ink, and its surface was covered with fine dark blue patterns, like dried blood vessels winding and coiling, emitting a strange smell that was a mixture of rotten soil and fragrance.

"Please accept this piece of coffin wood, Brother Ao."

Ao Ye's eyes lit up when he saw the piece of black wood, and he grabbed it.

He first took a deep breath, nodded, then raised his hand and squeezed it hard, but no marks were left. He then emitted several beams of spiritual light, and it took a full quarter of an hour to finish the examination.

He put the coffin wood directly into his mustard seed ring and laughed heartily: "This piece of coffin wood is much better than I expected. The Yin Iron Vine that Brother Kun took out is also a rare find in the world, surpassing many Yin Iron Vines that I have ever seen."

“Ao really got a great deal out of this transaction.”

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "Spiritual materials are precious, but they are merely external possessions."

“This Jade Marrow Fungus can completely heal my injuries. In my eyes, it is even more precious than these two spiritual materials.”

"Brother Ao and I are simply taking what we need."

Ao Ye laughed heartily: "That's right, it's exactly what each of us needs. If Brother Kun needs any more spiritual herbs or treasures in the future, just come to Fulong Island."

Chen Yuan's eyes flashed, and he smiled, "It's a deal."

He flicked his sleeve, the wooden box lid closed, he took out a spirit-sealing talisman, stuck it on, and stored it in his body space.

With the transaction completed, the atmosphere in the hall was extremely harmonious. The three chatted for a while, and Chen Yuan asked casually, "I noticed that Brother Ao's expression was unusual. I wonder if it is related to this transaction?"

Upon hearing this, Ao Ye's eyes flashed with a hint of frustration: "Jade Marrow Fungus is a four-thousand-year-old spiritual herb, and it is not commonly found even in our clan's spiritual herb garden, so it cannot be taken out casually."

"Ao had no choice but to feign serious injury and needed Jade Marrow Fungus to heal his wounds, which caused him a great deal of suffering."

Chen Yuan felt relieved and offered a few words of comfort.

The three chatted for a while longer before Chen Yuan took his leave, and Ao Ye stood up to see him off.

The three of them walked out of the main hall and flew towards the edge of Fulong Island. A streak of crimson light flew towards them at an extremely fast speed.

The crimson light stopped in front of the three, revealing a burly man with fiery red hair cascading over his shoulders, bare-chested, and with clearly defined muscles that gleamed in the sunlight.

Ao Ye frowned upon seeing this person: "Ao Jin, why are you blocking my way?"

Dugu Sha clasped his hands in a respectful bow, his expression revealing a hint of deference: "I am Dugu Sha, greetings to Demon General Ao Jin."

He glanced at Dugu Sha with a hint of contempt in his eyes, then looked at Ao Ye and said coldly, "Ao Ye! I heard that you were seriously injured, your source was damaged, and your essence and blood were greatly depleted. You were ordered by the Third Elder to retrieve a Jade Marrow Fungus to heal your injuries."

"But now it seems you are fine, why would you need such a miraculous medicine as Jade Marrow Mushroom?"

Upon hearing the name "Third Elder," Ao Ye frowned even more deeply: "How I am injured is none of your business."

"If you have any objections, you may report it to the clan, and someone will investigate."

The red-haired giant sneered, staring at the gold-threaded mask on Chen Yuan's face, and said, word by word, "You have the protection of the Third Elder. Even if I complain to the clan leader, what can he do?"

"Don't think I don't know that you took the Jade Marrow Fungus not to heal your wounds..."

Ao Ye shouted sternly, "Ao Jin! Since you know that I was ordered by the Third Elder to take away the Jade Marrow Fungus, how dare you slander me like this?"

"Is this just your arrogant talk, or is it the entire Crimson Flood Dragon lineage showing disrespect to the Third Elder?" (End of Chapter)