Immortality and Cultivation: I Have Too Many Talents

Chapter 654 A Masterful Cunning Plan (Seeking Further Subscriptions)

On the deck of the Feiyun, the sea breeze was slightly salty and carried a hint of blood.

Ye Qinghan and Lin Xuanyuan exchanged a glance, both seeing fear and relief in each other's eyes.

Without hesitation, the two stepped forward at the same time, bowed and clasped their hands in greeting to Shen Xuan.

"May I ask which fellow Daoist is here in person?"

Shen Xuan smiled and said, "Shen Xuan of the Qingyun Sect of the Song Kingdom, with the Daoist name Xuanbing."

At times like this, there's no need to hide your identity.

Among the neighboring countries, there are only a handful of true cultivators who possess the Ice Magic Golden Elixir technique.

By comparing his Ice Soul Divine Sword and Purple Gold True Water Seal with those from earlier, we can confirm his identity.

"So it was True Person Xuanbing."

Upon hearing this, the two exclaimed in unison, their faces showing an expression of "no wonder."

Master Xuanbing's fame spread throughout the surrounding countries after the great battle between the Yan and Song sects.

The power of ice magic is unfathomable and its might is awe-inspiring.

Ye Qinghan's face showed indignation, and he said righteously, "The three men from Fierce Tiger Island, Situ Zhong and his companions, are wolves in sheep's clothing. They dared to ambush and plot against Fellow Daoist Xuanbing. They deserve to die!"

"I, Ye, am not capable, but I will go and capture all the remaining spies on the Fierce Tiger and await their fate!"

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye."

Shen Xuan nodded slightly, his tone calm.

Ye Qinghan transformed into a streak of sword light, heading straight for the Tiger-class seagoing vessel moored not far away.

This move not only aims to distance itself from the situation, but also serves as a proactive declaration of allegiance.

Lin Xuanyuan, standing to the side, said with great distress, "I am old and blind and did not see that Liu Ruoping harbored evil intentions and colluded with Meng Hu Island. I will go and capture the remaining traitors on the Feiyun and hand them over to you for disposal."

After saying that, he quickly turned around and rushed into the cabin.

Shen Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his expression unchanged.

He knew perfectly well that the two were using their actions to draw a line and make their stance clear.

Before long, the deck was covered with a dark mass of people kneeling down, numbering about a hundred.

More than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators turned ashen-faced, while the remaining Qi Refining cultivators trembled and dared not lift their heads.

Ye and Lin brought over all the key personnel from the two ships, including the captain, first mate, and helmsman.

In front of Shen Xuan.

Ye Qinghan and Lin Xuanyuan each killed three people.

They were all Liu Ruoping and Situ Zhong's trusted cronies.

Before killing them, they performed a soul search on the three individuals.

No valuable clues were found.

In fact, they and Shen Xuan were both aware of this.

The fact that Tiger Island colluded with Lin Ruoping to launch a sneak attack on True Person Ming Shen of the Fire Cloud Sect is a major event that these so-called confidants would never know.

They were offering themselves as a pledge of allegiance, deliberately smearing their hands with blood.

"Alright. Fellow Daoists, that's enough."

Shen Xuan's gaze swept over the remaining eighty-odd silent cultivators with lightning speed.

The pressure of the Golden Core was released.

Seeing the panic and unease among the crowd, he said in a deep voice, "Listen up, all of you. You will each pilot the Flying Cloud and the Fierce Tiger ships and come with me to Star Glory Island in the Song Kingdom."

"Upon arrival, those who wish to remain on the island may register as citizens of my Starshine Island and continue working on the ships. Those who do not wish to remain will be provided with travel expenses and may leave at their own discretion without any obstruction."

Upon hearing this, the crowd felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and they kowtowed repeatedly, shouting, "Thank you, Master, for sparing our lives. We are willing to go."

Shen Xuan then looked at Ye Qinghan and Lin Xuanyuan, his tone softening: "Fellow Daoist Ye, Fellow Daoist Lin."

The two bowed immediately: "Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, please give your orders."

"On this journey home, the sea is vast and the dangers are unpredictable. Fortunately, you two are both skilled in watercraft, so traveling together should ensure your safety, right?"

"Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, rest assured, we will return on our own without any problems."

The two immediately made their promises.

The journey is long, but it's still more reassuring than staying by the side of this killer.

"In that case, I hope we'll meet again someday."

"Until we meet again. Take care, Fellow Daoist Xuanbing!"

Ye Qinghan and Lin Xuanyuan bowed again, then summoned a blue flying boat and disappeared in a streak of light without looking back.

They moved extremely fast, as if afraid that Shen Xuan would change his mind.

After the two had gone, Shen Xuan instructed the people on deck, "Clean the deck."

The surviving monks immediately sprang into action, quickly electing a new leader and dividing the work among themselves to collect the corpses and wash away the bloodstains.

The storage bags and magical artifacts of the six people were neatly stacked to one side, and Yang Huofeng was in charge of taking inventory.

"Master, what should we do with these corpses?"

Yang Huofeng asked for instructions.

"Throw it into the sea."

Shen Xuan said.

Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Oh, and deal with those black-horned bulls that were used as bait as well."

He gazed at the distant blue sea, his mind elsewhere.

This area is close to the active range of the Irontooth Rathalos.

It is said that the Iron-Toothed Shark is extremely sensitive to the smell of blood.

Since we're here, why not try our luck with these corpses and bulls?

Back then, on Flying Dragon Island in the Yan Kingdom.

The third-tier sea monsters, the Sea-Covering Flood Dragon and the Mountain-Bearing Dragon Turtle, used the ocean tides as cover to attack islands and devour cultivators and mortals.

Shen Xuan achieved mastery of body refinement, using ice to kill the Overturning Sea Flood Dragon and the Mountain-Bearing Dragon Turtle, reaping considerable rewards.

"Puff, puff..."

The corpses of six Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with three enormous black-horned bulls with blood dripping from their necks, were thrown one by one into the deep sea.

A strong stench of blood instantly filled the air, turning the surrounding seawater a dark red.

At first, countless low-level demonic fish and shrimp, drawn by the scent, gathered in droves like dark clouds, frantically tearing at flesh and blood, causing chaotic white foam to churn on the sea surface.

This chaos did not last long.

The sweet, bloody smell attracted even more powerful deep-sea predators.

Some strange fish with bizarre shapes, protruding fangs, and fierce eyes began to appear.

These are second-tier sea beasts.

They easily dispersed the fish and shrimp and began to enjoy the feast.

Shen Xuan stood quietly at the bow of the ship, his divine sense covering the sea area within a radius of dozens of miles.

He is waiting.

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn slowly passed.

Beneath the surface, the battle raged fiercely, yet the Iron-Toothed Thunder Shark never appeared.

"You were greedy."

Shen Xuan pondered to himself and shook his head slightly.

"Third-tier sea monsters have already developed intelligence, especially overlords like the Iron-Toothed Thunder Shark. They won't be easily tempted. My actions this time have been a bit too greedy."

Without further hesitation, he waved his sleeve and issued the order: "Set sail."

The voice just fell.

The two giant ships, Feiyun and Menghu, slowly adjusted their sails, their hulls shimmering with spiritual light, and sailed side by side, beginning their journey towards the Song Kingdom.

Just a hundred miles after the two ships sailed away, a strange change occurred.

The once bustling sea suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

The next moment, hundreds of huge gray dorsal fins, like sharp blades, sliced ​​through the sea surface and converged from all directions at an astonishing speed.

It's a group of Iron-toothed Thunder Sharks!
They had a clear division of labor and worked together seamlessly, like a well-trained army, instantly surrounding all the strange deep-sea predatory fish that had been fighting for food.

The killing was completed in an instant, and blood once again stained a large area of ​​the sea.

"Wow!"

The waves parted to the sides, and a massive, enormous thunder shark slowly emerged from the sea.

Its skin was dark gold, covered with mysterious lightning patterns, and its pair of huge, menacing eyes stared coldly ahead.

There, the two ships appeared as tiny black dots.

"The essence of the icy sword intent remains."

Thunder Shark King spoke in a deep, thunderous voice.

On his ferocious face, a hint of anthropomorphic fear was revealed.

"Ice-based Golden Core, interesting."

Meanwhile, on the deck of the Feiyun, a hundred miles away.

As Shen Xuan leaned against the railing gazing into the distance, a sudden thought struck him, and a subtle feeling arose within him.

He turned around abruptly, a flash of crimson light appearing in his eyes.

With the blessing of the "Insightful Eyes" pupil technique.

Looking out into the distance, across the vast ocean, one can vaguely see that enormous figure standing proudly before the group of sharks.

"Such forbearance is quite clever."

Shen Xuan's gaze narrowed slightly.

The Thunder Shark King is not only incredibly powerful, but also possesses remarkable intelligence and patience, making it far superior to ordinary third-tier demon kings on land.

Finally, Shen Xuan gently shook his head and muttered to himself.

"Never mind. He's lucky."

If one can hunt down the Thunder Shark King, its demon core, spine, and sharp teeth are all top-quality materials for refining water-attribute spiritual items.

This body of meat is of good quality, weighing at least several thousand tons.

However, fighting sea monsters in the deep sea is fraught with unpredictable variables and risks.

Shen Xuan also had to take care of Yang Huofeng and the other cultivators on the two ships.

Since the other side chose to avoid battle, he had no choice but to give up.

The two ships gradually disappeared below the horizon.

……

Half an hour later, Yang Huofeng had sorted out the storage bags of the six Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Shen Xuan accepted the spirit stones, along with several magic treasures, second-tier spirit pills, and spirit talismans, and told Yang Huofeng to keep them safe.

"Master, will Father and Uncle Mingshen be alright?"

After putting away her spoils, Yang Huofeng remained silent for a while before asking a question.

"Don't worry. They'll be fine."

Shen Xuan smiled and gave his reason.

"Brother Ming Shen's cultivation level has reached the late stage of True Core. In the entire Yueyun Sect, there are only a handful of people who can reliably defeat him."

"After all, they are a Nascent Soul sect from the Yue Kingdom, and they have to consider their sect's reputation. No matter how bold they are, they wouldn't dare to attack Brother Ming Shen in front of everyone."

Hearing Shen Xuan's words, Yang Huofeng felt relieved.

Master Ming Shen is alright.

She would naturally protect her adoptive father, Yang Yunfan.

After more than ten days of sailing, the two ships arrived at Xinghui Island.

Two three-tiered ocean-going ships, each a hundred feet long, sailed toward the port, causing quite a stir.

Tier 3 superior-grade sea ships are extremely rare on Starshine Island.

The island-protecting formation shone brightly, and a spiritual energy shield instantly rose, indicating that it was on high alert.

Two escort warships, led by Chu Duanlang and Chu Wenhai, quickly sailed out of the harbor, formed a battle formation, and stood ready for battle.

At this moment, an invisible divine thought emanated from the third-tier sea ship and quietly connected with the Purple Essence Divine Tree on the island.

The array's protective light barrier rippled, opening a passage.

"It's the island lord, the island lord has returned."

Only the island lord, Shen Xuan, can directly communicate with the Purple Essence Tree and open the island's protective array.

Upon seeing the familiar figure standing with his hands behind his back at the bow of the ship, Chu Duanlang quickly gave the order and flew forward with Chu Wenhai to greet him.

"Welcome back to the island, Island Lord."

Shen Xuan nodded slightly, pointed to the two ships behind him, and instructed, "These are the Flying Cloud and the Fierce Tiger. From now on, they will be the ships of my Starshine Island. Lin Duanlang and Chu Wenhai, you two, select capable men and take over immediately."

"There are over eighty cultivators on board. Those who wish to stay will be registered and treated equally. Those who wish to leave will be given travel expenses: one hundred spirit stones for Qi Refining cultivators and one thousand spirit stones for Foundation Establishment cultivators. They may leave as they please, and no one may make things difficult for them."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "Tell them that the past will not be investigated. However, if they enter Starshine Island, they must strictly abide by the island's rules and regulations. If they commit crimes or violate the law, they will be severely punished."

"I obey my orders!"

Chu Duanlang and his companion solemnly agreed and immediately led their men to board the ship to complete the procedures.

In the end, of the more than eighty cultivators, more than ten chose to take their travel expenses and leave, while the remaining seventy-odd chose to stay on Starshine Island.

Master Xuanbing is renowned.

Starshine Island is also a treasure land for cultivation.

For them, being able to live and work in peace and contentment on Star Island is already a blessing.

With everything arranged, Shen Xuan, along with Yang Huofeng, transformed into two streaks of light and flew straight towards the Ice Cave.

Outside the cave, the towering Purple Divine Tree, hundreds of feet tall, sensed Shen Xuan's presence. Its branches and leaves swayed, making a cheerful rustling sound. Several supple, emerald-green branches reached out like arms, gently brushing against Shen Xuan's robes.

"Zining, I'm back."

Shen Xuan smiled, reached out and gently stroked the branch, communicating with it gently through divine sense.

"Island Master, didn't you say this journey would last ten years? How come you've returned in less than two years?"

Zi Ning's voice came through, filled with joy and a hint of curiosity. "Everything went smoothly, I'm back ahead of schedule."

Shen Xuan gave a brief response.

He then stepped aside and introduced Yang Huofeng: "This is Yang Huofeng, a disciple of an old friend of mine. She is coming back to the island with me and will stay for a while."

Before disembarking, Shen Xuan had already made an agreement with Yang Huofeng that the two would no longer address each other as master and disciple.

Although Yang Huofeng felt somewhat disappointed, she dared not disobey.

That evening, a small family dinner was held inside the Ice Cave.

Qin Yuehan and Shangguan Yan'er attended the event together with Lin Yueying, Shi Yulong, and Shi Yufeng, a brother and sister.

Shen Xuan introduced Yang Huofeng to everyone, describing her as "a disciple of the Yuan Huo Zhenren of the Huoyun Sect in the Yan Kingdom".

During the banquet, Yang Huofeng displayed astonishing talent; at only seventeen or eighteen years old, she had already established a foundation for her cultivation.

Moreover, it also refined the ferocious and extraordinary fire of heaven and earth, the Crimson Cloud Primordial Fire.

This caused Lin Yueying, Shi Yulong and others to secretly marvel.

However, everyone noticed that there was always a hint of resentment in the eyes of this genius girl.

Looking at Lin Yueying and Shi Yulong, the siblings, he couldn't hide his envy.

Lin Yueying and her two companions were somewhat puzzled by the way she was being stared at, thinking to themselves: This Yang Huofeng is exceptionally talented and has had extraordinary experiences. Could it be that because of her wandering life, she envies our stable life?
Little did they know the bitterness in Yang Huofeng's heart.

What she envied was not the current living conditions of Lin Yueying and others.

Rather, it is so that they can rightfully call themselves disciples of Master Xuanbing.

She herself had the reality of being a teacher and student, but not the title.

The title of "a disciple of the Yuan Huo Zhenren of the Huoyun Sect" will be worn on her head and accompany her throughout her life.

Shen Xuan saw all of this but did not point it out.

Some things she needs to experience for herself.

The banquet seemed harmonious, but Yang Huofeng actually didn't fit in with the others.

There was a clear sense of alienation.

……

Late at night, in a secluded room.

Shen Xuan sat cross-legged.

With a flick of his sleeve, Shen Xuan opened the black gourd and released four lifelike ice sculptures that floated in the air.

It was Situ Zhong, Liu Ruoping, Sun Jiangjing, and Zhang Zeyun.

Their natal magical artifacts had already been put away by Shen Xuan.

He picked up each of the four people's storage bags one by one, probed them with his divine sense, and carefully counted them.

The items in the bag revealed themselves: high-grade spirit stones, various spiritual artifacts, elixirs, talismans, refining materials, jade slips...

A wide variety, sparkling with brilliance.

However, after taking stock, Shen Xuan shook his head slightly.

Apart from Situ Zhong, who was relatively wealthy, the other three did not have much disposable income.

After assessing the value of all items and deducting their natal spirit artifacts, the remaining three individuals would be worth two to three million spirit stones.

For a True Core Realm cultivator, this is merely average.

However, when combined, they are worth tens of millions of spirit stones.

"Therefore, only windfall gains can lead to sudden wealth!"

Shen Xuan thought to himself.

Situ Zhong's collection is the most impressive.

He possessed over 120 high-grade spirit stones, and his natal flying sword was an even higher-grade spirit weapon.

In addition, there were five low- to mid-grade spiritual artifacts with different attributes and mixed spiritual light, which were obviously stolen goods obtained through murder and robbery.

Shen Xuan began to review the gains and losses of this overseas trip.

The three men from Tiger Island and Liu Ruoping launched a sneak attack first, but Liu Ruoping swiftly counterattacked and killed them, thus gaining the upper hand.

No matter how angry Yueyunzong was, he couldn't find a reason to attack him.

The Qingyun Sect is stronger than the Yueyun Sect.

Moreover, they belonged to the states of Song and Yue respectively.

Unless the Yueyun Sect sends out a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

No one can reliably defeat him.

It's impossible for a Nascent Soul True Monarch to make a move.

Besides, the Yueyun Sect has no legitimate reason.

Some things are common knowledge.

But it can't be discussed openly.

This time, Shen Xuan's identity being exposed is nothing.

They can just change their identity.

Since he made a move.

Unless Ye Qinghan, Lin Xuanyuan, and all the cultivators on the two ships are all silenced.

Otherwise, their identity will be exposed sooner or later.

Shen Xuan has always had a bottom line in his dealings with others.

We will never indiscriminately kill innocent people.

Once the bottom line is crossed in this kind of thing...

It is easy to fall into evil ways and lose one's true self.

"It's still early. All thirteen sects of Yue Kingdom can send people to compete for the secret realm slots. Next time, it will be easier to find a sect that is slightly weaker than average."

Seven years later, the Yue Kingdom will hold a grand clan competition.

Shen Xuan wasn't in a hurry at all.

"Besides these spiritual artifacts and storage bags, the biggest gains are two high-grade third-tier sea ships and the remains of these four Core Formation cultivators."

Shen Xuan looked at the four corpses in front of him, lost in thought.

One is in the late stage of True Core, one is in the middle stage of True Core, and two are in the early stage of True Core.

Shen Xuan pointed with his hand.

Four inner cores appeared before him.

"Put it away first."

Shen Xuan had no intention of refining these four inner cores.

The quality of the pills was too poor, and their aura was mottled; he didn't even consider them.

Refining these four inner cores would only be a waste of his time and energy.

It would be better to use it to trade for more valuable spiritual items later.

As for the four corpses of real people who had lost their inner cores...

Shen Xuan thought for a moment and sighed softly.

Then, he stepped out of the secret room and came to the Flowing Frost Cold Soul Tea Tree Forest by the Spirit Pool.

Although the actual age of the tree is only about twenty years.

Having long been nourished by the corpses of demonic beasts, its spiritual energy and efficacy are comparable to those of century-old spiritual plants.

"Fine, let you rest in peace."

Shen Xuan threw all four human corpses under the Frosty Cold Soul Tea Tree.

It was as if they had discovered a delicious treat.

The roots of the tea tree quietly spread, wrapping around the four real human corpses layer by layer.

It greedily absorbed the remaining blood and spiritual energy within.

Soon, the sixteen Frostbite Cold Soul Tea bushes became increasingly translucent and crystalline, their trunks grew slightly taller, and the ice-attribute spiritual energy they emitted became even purer and richer.

"You guys are getting off easy."

Shen Xuan watched for a while, then turned and left, returning to the secret room.

He had only done a rough tidying up.

Situ Zhong's storage bag also contained several rather interesting treasures.

A blue scroll that was neither gold nor jade caught Shen Xuan's attention.

He took it out and slowly spread it out in front of him.

As the scroll unfurled, a faint light flashed, revealing a massive and extremely detailed nautical chart.

The painting depicts a vast landscape of mountains and seas, with exquisite brushstrokes and a spiritual charm, clearly the work of a master.

"It's actually the 'Secret Map of the Coastal Waterways of the Three Kingdoms'?"

Shen Xuan's gaze sharpened, showing considerable interest.

This map covers an extremely wide area, encompassing the long coastlines of the three kingdoms of Yan, Song, and Yue, as well as the vast sea areas extending outwards.

The map clearly marks more than a dozen important sea lanes with vermilion lines.

These routes are not straight, but cleverly avoid known dangerous areas marked with a crimson skull, such as whirlpools, siren territory, and natural labyrinths.

It is clearly a relatively safe path explored by countless predecessors with blood and experience.

What excited Shen Xuan even more was that the nautical chart was densely marked with more than a hundred islands of varying sizes.

Each island is accompanied by a brief description in small print:
"Black Reef Island is rich in obsidian and is inhabited by groups of third-tier demonic beasts, Iron-Winged Demon Bats. Enter with caution."

"Crescent Bay has abundant fresh water and can be used as a temporary supply point. Low-level sea creatures often appear there."

“The shipwreck ditch is suspected to contain ancient cultivation ruins. The underwater conditions are complex, and several True Core cultivators have disappeared here.”

"At the Storm Corner, thunderstorms are incessant throughout the four seasons, and the spiritual energy is chaotic. Even True Core cultivators must be cautious."

Shen Xuan's gaze finally settled on the island markers at the very edge of the nautical chart.

It is far from the mainland, deep in the ocean, and tens of thousands of miles away from the coastline.

The accompanying annotations were even more vague, only stating warnings such as "Suspected to be descendants of ancient demons" and "Demonic beasts roam freely, a dangerous place."

"nice one!"

A glint of light flashed in Shen Xuan's eyes.

The value of this nautical chart far exceeds that of those magical objects.

It is not only a navigational guide, but also a huge treasure map.

The islands marked on them, whether resource points, dangerous areas, or suspected ruins, all represent endless possibilities.

“Situ Zhong has occupied Tiger Island for many years, plundering merchant ships and secretly exploring the island. He must have relied on this map quite a bit. Now, it’s all gone to me.”

Shen Xuan smiled slightly and rolled up the nautical chart to put it away.

He has always been interested in exploring remote islands and polders.

However, I lack the strength and confidence.

With this map, we'll have another way out in the future.

Whether it's searching for resources, exploring hidden realms, or fleeing to avoid danger, it's quite convenient.

This unexpected joy put Shen Xuan in a very good mood.

For him, the vast ocean was a boundless world full of opportunities.

Besides the nautical chart, Situ Zhong also had more than ten jade slips of different colors in his storage bag.

Shen Xuan picked them up one by one, and used a wisp of his divine sense to probe into them and examine them carefully.

The first few jade slips contained mostly sinister and treacherous secret techniques of the demonic sect.

The Blood Demon Soul Refining Spell uses living souls to refine demonic energy.

[Method for Refining Bone-Corroding and Corpse-Dissolving Water], a magical artifact that defiles people and corrodes their bones and muscles.

The "Seven Emotions Bewitching Technique" is an evil art that manipulates emotions, leads people astray, and bewitches their hearts.

Shen Xuan glanced at them one by one, shook his head slightly, and put them aside.

These demonic sect secret techniques are powerful, but they easily incur karmic consequences, are contrary to the natural order, and have little value for cultivation.

When Shen Xuan probed the last few cyan jade slips with his divine sense, his expression slightly tightened.

These jade slips contain secret transaction records.

Situ Zhong was quite cautious; he did not write the names directly when recording, but used a lot of coded language and code names.

With a little deduction, Shen Xuan was able to see through most of the mystery.

The contents of the transaction were shocking.

The acquisition and sale of various prohibited spiritual items, the "accidental" deaths of some sect disciples or family members, and the inexplicable sinking of some merchant ships...

Several of the transactions involved high-ranking members of the Yueyun Sect.

"Sure enough."

The fact that Tiger Island has been able to establish itself in this sea area for so many years, becoming the tacit "black glove" of the Yueyun Sect, means that there must be someone supporting it behind the scenes.

These records were Situ Zhong's life-saving charm.

At this moment, it fell into Shen Xuan's hands.

If used properly, it may have unexpected effects.

He simply put away the few jade pieces that recorded the transactions.

After cleaning up these items, Shen Xuan waved his hand and collected all the remaining clutter.

"He was a clever man. Unfortunately, he harbored unwise thoughts and schemes, which ultimately cost him his life."

That day.

If he hadn't replaced Master Mingshen.

Even the Venerable Ming Shen could not escape his fate.

Well now.

In a few more days, Master Mingshen should find Starshine Island.

(End of this chapter)